Time turns.
Before I knew it, it was half February.
There is still half a month until the beginning of March, and the Liu Mansion has begun to get busy.
Not only the Liu Mansion was busy, but also the eunuchs and maids in the palace.
There are also officials from the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Zongren Mansion, the Ministry of Rites, the Qin Tian Jian... and other ministries and offices, all of them have become busy.
Her Royal Highness the Princess is leaving the cabinet, Her Royal Highness the Second Prince is marrying a concubine, and Her Highness the Third Prince is marrying the Concubine.
In just three days, the three highnesses had to complete their lifelong mission.
For the eunuchs and maids in the palace, as well as the officials in various ministries and offices responsible for the wedding, it is a big deal.
In the palace, in the cabinet.
The Minister of Rites, the Zongren of the Zongren Mansion, the General Manager of the House of Internal Affairs, the Chief Manager of the Imperial Kitchen, the Female Officer in charge of the Clothing Room, etc., were all surrounding Jiang Yuanming, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, arguing loudly with each other. With.
"Old Jiang, according to the deadline specified by His Majesty, the little money you approved for me is simply not enough.
You should think of a way quickly and give us the Ministry of Rites first and then approve some more money. "
Yu Qiutong, the female officer in charge of the clothing room, stood up suddenly, raised her hand and patted the table hard.
"Why should I approve the money for you in the Rites Department first? Our dressing room is more anxious to use the money than yours.
Mr. Jiang, if we delay the affairs of other ministries and offices and spend a little more manpower and material resources, we can meet the deadline given by His Majesty.
However, this is not possible in our dressing room.
You have to know that whether it is making the phoenix crown and harem that Her Royal Highness will wear on the day she leaves the imperial palace, or making the attire that Her Royal Highness the Second and Third Prince will wear on their wedding day, it is all a very tedious task.
According to the deadline given by His Majesty, our maids in the dressing room simply cannot spare any extra time to wait.
Needlework is no different from other jobs and cannot be delayed.
Moreover, in addition to the phoenix crown and harem that Her Royal Highness will wear, the wedding dresses of the two princes and concubines also need to be made by our dressing room, which are also phoenix crown and harem.
If I cannot complete all the tasks within the time limit given by Your Majesty, I cannot afford to suffer the consequences. "
"Master Yu, what you said means that our imperial kitchen is more anxious than you are.
The banquet to be prepared for the wedding of Her Royal Highness the Princess and the two princes is the highest level palace banquet.
You have been working in the palace for so many years, don't you know the importance of a palace banquet? "
Jiang Yuanming, the Minister of Household Affairs, looked at the people who were chattering and arguing with each other, and waved his hands helplessly.
"Everyone, everyone, please stop for a moment and listen to what I have to say, okay?"
As soon as Jiang Yuanming said this, the quarrel in the side hall stopped abruptly.
"Old Jiang, tell me."
"Master Jiang, please speak, I am all ears."
Jiang Yuanming took a sip of tea, smiled wryly and scratched his head.
"Everyone, I heard that your affairs are all very important.
It's a pity that I can't approve the money you mentioned. "
After hearing Jiang Yuanming's words, everyone's faces froze and they frowned involuntarily.
Qin Ziying, the Minister of Rites, shook her official robe vigorously, and looked helplessly at Jiang Yuanming, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, who also had a helpless expression and a slight frown.
"Old Jiang, let's discuss it again. Is it true that we can't allocate more money?"
"That's right, that's right. Mr. Jiang, considering how difficult it is for the officials and others now, can you allocate more money?"
Jiang Yuanming gently fiddled with the tea lid in his hand, looked up at the Minister of Rites, the Chief Manager of the Imperial Kitchen and others, and shook his head with a wry smile.
"Old Qin, Old Qin, Eunuch Feng, all colleagues, I am just a petty person, so I don't want to allocate more money to you.
In fact, the amount set by His Majesty is here!
You can't let me go against His Majesty's will and secretly allocate money to you without telling him, right? "
"Well, of course I didn't mean that, sir.
Old Jiang, we also understand your difficulties.
However, the amount of money you allocated to our various ministries and offices is really not enough to support all the expenses for the wedding of the three His Highnesses.
Can't you think of a way to allocate more? "
Jiang Yuanming took a sip of tea and looked up at the people surrounding him.
"Comrades, I really have no choice.
As long as I have some ideas, why bother wasting my time chattering with you here? I have already allocated the money to your various ministries and agencies.
Otherwise, you can go to His Majesty to discuss this together.
As long as His Majesty agrees to your request, I will sign and release the money for you immediately without saying a word. "
As soon as Jiang Yuanming said this, everyone returned to their seats and sat down with depressed expressions.
If they could discuss it with Young Master Liu, they would have gone there long ago. Why would they waste time with Jiang Yuanming here?
"Old Jiang, we are all veterans of the court. Don't you understand what kind of character His Majesty is like?
If we can discuss this with His Majesty, why would we come here to embarrass you? "
Jiang Yuanming put down the tea in his hand, stood up and paced back and forth.
"Colleagues, how about you coordinate with each other among your ministries and offices?"
Yu Qiutong, the female officer in charge of the clothing room, stood up directly and looked at Jiang Yuanming angrily.
"Master Jiang, what you said is very light.
Scheduling each other, how to schedule? At this joint, who has extra money in their hands?
The court's etiquette is laid out here. You can't let me cut corners on Her Royal Highness the Princess's phoenix crown harem, and the wedding dresses of Her Royal Highness the Second Prince and the Third Prince, right?
I don’t know how the other ministries and offices are doing. Anyway, we don’t have any extra money in the dressing room. "
Facing Jiang Yuanming, the Minister of Revenue, Yu Qiutong's tone could not be said to be too bad, but it could not be said to be very polite.
In fact, he did not use Jiang Yuanming, the Minister of Household Affairs, at all.
After all, the person she was taking orders from was Qi Yun, the empress.
No matter how powerful you are as Minister of the Ministry of Finance, can you still manage the affairs of the harem?
Jiang Yuanming obviously understood this, and looked at Yu Qiutong and nodded happily.
"Hahaha, what Master Yu said makes sense, what he says makes sense."
However, just because Jiang Yuanming didn't care, it didn't mean that others didn't care either.
"Hey, Manager Yu, what you said is as if someone has extra money.
Your dressing room has the regulations of the dressing room, and our imperial dining room also has the regulations of the imperial dining room.
Wherever the specifications of the palace banquet are laid out, I can't cut corners on the ingredients.
If something goes wrong, even if we have a head, it won't be enough for His Majesty to chop it off. "
"The Ministry of Etiquette is not only responsible for the wedding of the three His Highnesses, but also responsible for receiving all the guests. We don't have any extra money."
"Oh, colleagues, as well as Chief Feng and Chief Yu, no one should complain.
If any of us had extra money, why would we come here to find Mr. Jiang? "
"Forehead!"
"This this……"
Everyone looked at each other in confusion, and then unanimously set their eyes on Jiang Yuanming.
"Jiang Shangshu, just think of another way."
"Old Jiang, considering that we have been ministers of the same palace for many years, you are just thinking of a way."
"Comrades, I dare to say something unpleasant.
The money from the treasury is not my money, so what should I be reluctant to part with?
I also want to give you all a little more money. The key is that my words don’t count. "
"Alas, Your Majesty wants to spend less money, but also wants us to catch up on the progress.
This, this, this, isn't this embarrassing? "
Jiang Yuanming looked at the depressed people and coughed a few times.
"Uh-huh, cough, colleagues."
"Old ginger?"
"Jiang Shangshu?"
"Master Jiang?"
Jiang Yuanming secretly glanced at Xia Gongming who was busy reviewing documents in the main hall. Tong Sansi, Wei Yong and others put the teacups on the table and walked silently out of the hall.
When Li Chengbai, Qin Ziying and others saw this, they looked at each other and followed them tacitly.
After everyone walked out of the cabinet one after another, they stopped under the guardrail in the southeast corner of the hall.
Jiang Yuanming looked around and looked at everyone with a faint smile.
"Colleagues, I can give you a suggestion regarding this matter.
As for whether you can succeed, I can't guarantee it. It all depends on your luck. "
When everyone heard this, their eyes lit up, and their eyes fell on Jiang Yuanming expectantly.
"Old Jiang, speak quickly, speak quickly."
"Master Jiang, I am all ears."
Jiang Yuanming raised his hand and stroked his gray beard, turned his head in the direction of Liu Mansion and gestured with his mouth.
"Everyone, it's not easy to discuss His Majesty's side. You might as well go to the Queen's side and your ladies' side.
Your Majesty, how much he dotes on the Queen and all other ladies, even if I don’t tell you, you all know in your heart.
Let them do it for you... ah...
Hahaha, hahaha, I will go back and do the business at hand first.
Take care of yourself, take care of yourself. "
As soon as Jiang Yuanming finished speaking, without waiting for anyone to react, he shook his official robe with a smile, turned around and walked towards the cabinet.
Qin Ziying, the Minister of Rites, Li Chengbai, the Zongren Mansion, and Yu Qiutong, the female official in charge of the Shangyi Room... looked at Jiang Yuanming's retreating figure and looked at each other hesitantly.
"Qin Shangshu?"
"Master Li, do you see?"
"Master Yu, you are one of the closest female officials to the Empress and all other empresses. What do you think?"
"How about we take a walk together?"
"I think we can take a trip."
"Seconded."
"Then let's go."
A short while later, everyone rode in a carriage and arrived at the gate of Liu Mansion.
As soon as everyone walked out of the mansion, they saw Liu Song running out in a hurry.
"Manager Liu."
"Steward Liu, brother, wait a minute, wait a minute."
"Brother Liu Song, I am polite."
After Liu Song quickly ran out of the mansion, he was just about to walk towards the mount tied outside the mansion when he heard someone shouting at him from behind.
"Um?"
Liu Song looked slightly startled, stopped quickly, and turned to look at the source of the sound with a confused expression.
"Hey, Master Qin, Li Zongling, Master He, Sister Qiutong, why are you here?"
Li Chengbai flicked his sleeves, walked quickly to Liu Song, and hugged him happily.
"Brother Liusong, I'm polite."
Upon seeing this, Liu Song immediately returned the salute.
"Master Li, you are polite, you are polite.
Everyone, you are here together. Do you have anything to do with the young master? "
"No, no, no, we are not looking for Your Majesty, we are looking for the Queen, and other ladies, please go and report to Brother Liu Song."
Hearing Li Chengbai's reply to the commander-in-chief, Liu Song couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.
"Ah? Not looking for the young master? Looking for the young ladies?"
"That's right, I have something important to ask to see the Queen, ladies and gentlemen."
Liu Song nodded with a clear expression, turned around and faced Xiao Wu, Xiao Liu and the others at the door of the mansion and waved.
"little six."
"Hey, here we come, Brother Song. What are your orders?"
"Go to the inner court immediately and inform the young lady that Master Qin, Li Zongling, Manager Yu and others need to see you."
"Yes, little brother, go right away."
"My lords, please wait here for a moment.
I still have important things to deal with that the young master has told me, so I won’t be with you. "
"Okay, okay, brother Liu Song, you go and do your work first."
"Butler Liu, please."
"Walk slowly, walk slowly."
Liu Song smiled lightly and hugged him, then quickly turned around and walked towards Liangju next to him.
"drive!"
Yu Qiutong, Li Chengbai and others watched Liu Song's back as he rode away, then turned to look at the gate of Liu Mansion and waited silently.
In the backyard of Liu Mansion, in the warehouse.
At this time, Qi Yun, the third princess, Qinglian, the queen, Qi Ya, Murong Shan and more than a dozen sisters were all busy in the warehouse.
Qi Yun's red lips parted slightly and she tapped the big box next to her, then she started reading the exquisite booklet in her hand.
Immediately, Qi Yun frowned slightly, and walked to the side of the third princess and Qinglian sisters with light steps.
"Sister Yan'er, sister Lian'er, the amount of dowry prepared for Yiyi is still a little short of what I have. How about yours?"
The third princess scratched the book in her hand with a thin pen in her hand, and immediately moved towards Qi Yun.
"Sister Yun, the difference here is about 10%."
"Sister Yun, most of the dowry here is ready. I'm just missing some special dowries."
Qi Yun turned her head and looked at the booklet in the hands of the third princess and the Qinglian sisters, then looked at the booklet in her own hand, and looked at her personal maid Yu'er with a slightly condensed brow.
"Yu'er."
"My slave is here."
"How are you preparing the dowry I sent here?"
"In reply to my message, miss, everything is on its way to the capital. It will arrive in about three days, no more than seven days at the latest."
"That's good, that's good."
"Miss, do you need more urging from Yu'er?"
"No, just make sure it's delivered before the wedding of Yiyi, Chengzhi, and Chenggan.
If you push too hard and get confused in the rush, something may go wrong. "
"Yeah, yeah, Yu'er knows."
Qi Yun folded the booklet in her hand and walked towards Qi Ya, the Queen, Hu Yan Yunyao, Wen Ren Yunshu, Huang Lingyi and their sisters with a smile.
"Sister, sisters, how are you preparing the dowry for girl Yiyi?"
"Sister, it's basically ready."
"Sister, there is no problem on my side."
"Sister Yun, everything is ready here. The dowry I specially prepared has been delivered this morning."
Qi Yun glanced at the large boxes around her with a smile and nodded. Just when she was about to speak, Xiao Liu's shouts suddenly came from outside the warehouse.
"Young Madam, I have something to ask you to see me."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yun subconsciously looked outside the warehouse.
Seeing Xiao Liu standing outside the warehouse, she smiled and nodded.
"Xiao Liu, come in."
"yes."
"I'll see you young ladies."
"No gifts."
"No gifts, no gifts."
"Thank you young ladies."
"What's matter?"
"Young lady, I'm the Minister of Rites, Lord Qin, the Zongren Mansion, the Clothing Room... Your Excellencies, please see me."
Qi Yun turned her head and looked towards the door of the mansion, with a hint of doubt in her beautiful eyes.
"Oh? Why are they here?"
"little six."
"The little one is here."
"Did they tell you why they came to the door?"
"Back to Madam, they just told Brother Song that they have something urgent to ask to see Madam you.
As for what it is, I don't know. "
"Let them go sit in the living room for a while, and our sisters will rush over right away."
"I obey, I will resign."
Qi Yun casually put the head in her arms and looked at the good sisters around her with a faint smile.
"Sisters, let's go there."
"Hey, here we come."
"I'm coming."
"Sister Yun, shouldn't they be preparing for the wedding of Yiyi, Chengzhi and Chenggan in the palace at this time?
You're all right, why are you here suddenly asking to see us sisters? "
Qi Yun chuckled and locked the big lock of the warehouse, and walked forward with gentle steps.
"If nothing else, it should be related to the wedding of Yiyi, Chengzhi, and Chenggan, their three siblings.
Our sisters will know the specific situation when they arrive. "
"That's true."
(End of chapter)
