As the temperature rises, it is already quite hot in the palace. The beauties in the harem all wear gauze robes, a close-fitting obscene garment on the chest, and shorts underneath.
If the queen and concubines are hot, they will ask the palace maid to hold a big banana fan to fan them. Princes like to take baths to cool down, and there is a special room for bathing in the nanny's residence. The residences of the concubines also had bathing rooms. In every palace bathroom, eunuchs were responsible for boiling water. The bathroom is not complicated, just a bathtub. The eunuch pours the boiled water into it, and the master of the bath sits in the bucket and takes a bath with his head exposed. Some concubines also like to sprinkle flower petals in the bathtub. The princes took a bath directly in the tub. The tubs for the princes were made according to their age, some were tall and some were short.
Xuanzong built a special bathroom in the southeast corner of Xingqing Palace, which contained a super wide tub. He and Concubine Wu Hui often bathed together in it.
Now that Concubine Wu Hui is pregnant, they no longer bathe together, but bathe separately. When Xuanzong was bathing, the eunuch Xiao Zhuzhu accompanied him and rubbed his back. When Concubine Wu Hui was taking a bath, two palace ladies were waiting on her.
At noon that day, after taking a bath, Xuanzong sat and rested in the pavilion beside the pool in the south of the Xingqing Palace courtyard. Concubine Wu Hui sat on the chair next to Xuanzong. The two were surrounded by guards such as Chen Xiaoli and Li Shoude, as well as three or four palace ladies.
At this time, Yang Sixu and Gao Lishi came over. After the two of them bowed to the emperor, Gao Lishi said: "Your Majesty, it is midsummer now. There are a lot of mosquitoes in the palace. There is not much incense left in each palace from last year. Do you want to purchase a batch?"
"Well, we need to purchase a batch. The incense used by the concubines such as Queen Wang, Concubine Wu Hui, Concubine Yang, Concubine Liu Hua, Concubine Zhao, etc. does not burn the incense directly. Instead, it is placed in a Boshan furnace and heat is transferred through an iron plate. Use incense to make it emit fragrance, so that there is no more smoke, and the mosquito repellent effect is also very good. I bought this kind of incense during this purchase, and every palace in the harem must be equipped with this kind of incense."
"The old slave will arrange for people to buy the incense your Majesty mentioned. Will each palace be allocated the same amount?"
"You first go back and make a list. Write down the titles of the beauties in the harem, and the number of maids and eunuchs she is equipped with. In addition, the number of people in the prince's and wet nurses' rooms is also counted in the same way. After you write this list, give it to me , I will write the quantity of incense purchased on it.”
"Old slave understands, old slave will do this now."
"Wait a minute, when you are writing, you will write such lists in the Yeting Palace and the surrounding palaces in the future. Directly name the palaces where they live after the concubines. Don't write about Shujing Palace, Yiyi Palace, etc. Palace names such as Qiu Palace and Hanxiang Palace. Because when I heard these palace names, I couldn’t quickly connect them with the concubines who lived there.”
"This old slave has understood His Majesty's intention and will definitely do it to His Majesty's satisfaction."
"Well, go ahead and write this list. Hand it over as soon as you're done. After I write down the amount of incense purchased for each palace, you can quickly arrange for someone to purchase it."
"Old slave, I obey."
Gao Lishi bent down and took a few steps back, then straightened up and walked towards the courtyard gate of Xingqing Palace.
Eunuch Yang was still standing in front of Xuanzong at this time. He slightly lowered his head and said to Xuanzong, "I have something I need to report to the emperor."
Xuanzong said: "Eunuch Yang, if you have anything to say, just tell me."
"Concubine Yang Shu, Yang Zhenyi, will give a letter to the old slave this morning and ask the old slave to present it to His Majesty."
Xuanzong felt a little surprised, because Xuanzong had not favored Concubine Yang Shu for a long time. Xuanzong suspected that she had known Princess Taiping before entering the palace, but there was no evidence. He only heard from Gao Lishi.
Xuanzong said: "Bring her the letter she wrote to me, and I will understand it."
Eunuch Yang bent down and took out a letter from his sleeve. He held the letter in both hands and handed it to Xuanzong: "Your Majesty, here it is."
Xuanzong took the letter and said: "Eunuch Yang, go and do your work."
Eunuch Yang bent down and took a few steps back, then stood up and returned to the main hall of Xingqing Palace to arrange work for the other two eunuchs and the maids.
Concubine Wu Hui was sitting on the chair next to Xuanzong, and she had been thinking about the riddle Xuanzong had given her. She had already remembered the answer and was eager to tell it. Unexpectedly, the two father-in-laws, Gao Lishi and Yang Sixu, had something to report to Xuanzong and had been talking for so long.
Xuanzong handed the letter to Xiaozhu, the eunuch beside him, and asked Xiaozhu to take it first.
Concubine Wu Hui said: "I guessed the answer to the riddle Your Majesty just said."
Xuanzong smiled and said: "What I just talked about was a bowl in the clouds for a long time, and it was dissatisfied under the rain. Did you guess what it was? I didn't say what to hit?"
"After careful consideration, I can tell your Majesty with confidence that the answer to this riddle is a magpie's nest."
"Concubine Hui is so smart, she guessed it right."
Concubine Wu Hui said: "Your Majesty, what is the letter written by Concubine Yang Shu to you? Can I read it?"
"I'll tell you after reading it. After all, it is a letter she wrote to me."
Xuanzong took the letter from Xiaozhu, tore open the envelope, took out the letter paper and unfolded it. It was a long piece of red paper that had been folded several times, with neat and graceful calligraphy calligraphy in small fonts.
Concubine Yang Shu wrote: "Your Majesty, although I cannot see you often, I am sincere to you. Since entering the palace, I have been favored by your Majesty and canonized as Concubine Shu, enjoying glory and wealth. Your Majesty's kindness, I have nothing to repay. After thinking about it, I can only become a monk, study Taoism devoutly, and pray for Your Majesty every day. What I say is from the bottom of my heart, and I hope Your Majesty will approve it. The signature is: Shufei Yang Zhenyi, July 10th, the first year of Kaiyuan. On the fourth day, at Yeting Palace."
After Xuanzong read the letter written by Concubine Yang Shu, he put the letter back into the envelope, and there was no smile on his face.
Concubine Wu Hui asked: "Your Majesty, does Concubine Yang Shu have anything important to do?"
"She wants to be a monk."
"Oh - Your Majesty, do you think I will give birth to a prince or a princess?" Concubine Wu Hui changed the subject when she saw that Xuanzong was not happy.
Xuanzong said: "I guess you will add a prince to me."
Concubine Wu Hui said happily: "I hope so. I also very much hope to give birth to a prince for your majesty."
That night, Xuanzong didn't go anywhere. Instead, he had dinner with Concubine Wu Hui in the East Hall of Xingqing Palace.
After dinner, the two chatted, practiced calligraphy and painting, and played a few games of Go. Xuanzong deliberately lost another game.
When sleeping at night, the two of them slept in the same bed, but did not have sex.
Xuanzong often told his maids and eunuchs to take good care of Concubine Wu Hui, especially after Concubine Wu Hui became pregnant.
In the next few days, Xuanzong went to the Lifei Palace where Zhao Lifei lived for a night, went to the Zhonggong Palace where the Queen Wang lived, and stayed for a night in the Gao Jieyu Hall where Gao Jieyu lived. Concubine Qian has gained some weight, and Concubine Yang Shu, who wrote to him a few days ago, is no longer as beautiful as before. Concubine Dong Gui and Concubine Wu Xian have been demoted to talents because they were recommended by Princess Taiping, and he will no longer favor them. . Although Liu Caihe and Huangfu Deyi are not ugly, they are still worse than Concubine Wu Hui, and they are not as articulate as Concubine Wu Hui. This is why these concubines are no longer favored.
