The winter in the Forbidden City is long, especially when it snows heavily in the capital these days. Everyone is saying that the auspicious snow heralds a good year, while lamenting the coldness of the snowy weather.
For example, Sun Miaoqing, according to the noble rules, eats 25 kilograms of black charcoal and 5 kilograms of red charcoal every day in winter. It sounds good, but this is the total cost including her and all the maids and eunuchs under her.
I wash my face in the morning, wash my feet in the evening, and use the small kitchen in the middle to make soup or whatever.
Sun Miaoqing was afraid of the cold, so she kept two more charcoal basins in the house than others. She even gave some to An Lingrong as a return gift to her. Those who were short of money had to use money to exchange for it at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
She sat on the kang holding the heater, with a thin blanket on her legs, and three heaters placed in the room, which made her feel warmer.
She secretly thought, it's a good thing she doesn't have much but has a lot of money, otherwise it would be impossible to survive this winter.
Liuli placed a layer of wire mesh on a stove, and placed a clay pot on top of the wire mesh. In it, she cooked a large pot of milk, osmanthus, oolong tea, red dates, and longan.
The aroma of tea is mixed with the aroma of milk, with the sweetness of red dates and longan and the richness of osmanthus, giving people a warm feeling.
There are also roasted sweet potatoes, oranges, taro and other things next to it. Making tea around the stove is indeed a great pleasure on a snowy day.
While peeling peanuts, melon seeds, and walnuts for Sun Miaoqing, Linglan said, "The emperor's birthday is in two days. Hurry up and hurry up. You have finally finished embroidering these five thousand words."
Qiangwei said, "Yes, thank you very much An for agreeing."
"Otherwise you have to go to the Yangxin Hall to serve you every day, and you won't be able to finish your embroidery."
Pour some milk tea from the pottery pot into a tea bowl and put it on the tea table on Sun Miao's green Kang to cool.
Qiangwei looked out of the window at the vast expanse of white, and continued, "It's getting colder and colder. I don't know how thick the snow will be on Wanshou Day."
Sun Miaoqing said in a depressed mood, "It snows in Suzhou every year, but it's not as big as Beijing. I don't know how my brother and sister-in-law are doing at home. It took me so long to send the letter, but there is no reply."
Qiangwei and Linglan looked at each other. Like Sun Miaoqing, they missed their old days in Sun Mansion. Life without pampering in the palace is difficult, and life with pampering may not be so good either.
There are rules everywhere, and everything is in order. Every day goes by like I am overwhelmed.
But if the little master is in a bad mood, they have to cheer up and persuade him. If they also show their homesickness, won't they make the little master even more sad?
Linglan advised, "Don't be anxious, little master. The capital and Suzhou are thousands of miles away. You said that safety is the most important thing, so you won't attract attention by traveling quickly."
"This time, plus the snowy weather and slippery roads, it still takes a month."
"My wife, you are the one who loves me the most. I must have prepared a lot of good things and asked people to deliver them together. It is normal to be delayed for a few days."
Sun Miaoqing nodded, fully agreeing with Suzuland's words, "That's right, I want to eat the orange cheese made by my sister-in-law. I don't know if I can eat it in the future."
Qiangwei said, "It will definitely work. If the little master wins the favor of the emperor in this way, he will be able to ask for the emperor's grace and invite his wife to visit him in the palace in the future."
Sun Miaoqing felt a little discouraged when she heard that she was granted the title of concubine or concubine. She had only been promoted to a nobleman for a few days, and there was little hope of being granted the title of concubine in the next two years, unless...
Liuli said, "In fact, I don't need to ask for the emperor's grace. I can also invite my wife to serve in the palace."
Sun Miaoqing, Qiangwei, and Linglan all looked at Liuli. Linglan asked first, "Is this true? Is there such a thing?"
"Tell me, what is the solution?"
Sun Miaoqing also looked at Liuli expectantly, and Liuli said with a smile, "According to the rules in the palace, after the concubine is eight months pregnant, she can take her mother into the palace to serve her until she is finished confinement."
"My little master is so loved by the emperor. It is only a matter of time before she becomes pregnant. Then he can bring his wife into the palace and the family will be reunited. Being a concubine and a concubine are nothing. Even if you are a noble concubine, it is not a problem."
Qiangwei and Linglan also deeply believed that Concubine Qi and Third Brother, even though they were not liked by the Emperor, were still equally noble. Mainly because they had a prince, they were of course different from others.
Sun Miaoqing thought deeply about this. Big Fat Orange would not allow Concubine Hua to have a prince in her hands, so not only Concubine Hua could not give birth, but Concubine Li could not have a child either. If Wen Yi was not a princess, Cao Guiren would not be able to take care of her.
After all, it comes back again. If the Sun family is not separated from the Nian family, even if she gives birth to a prince, even if she is made a concubine and a concubine, Big Fat Orange will not let her raise it by herself.
If this is the case, what's the difference between being a surrogate mother for another woman?
Sun Miaoqing touched her belly. She was not a child-gifting queen. She only entered the palace to give away children to others.
Sun Miaoqing said, "This matter is God's will. There is no rush."
"And in recent years, only Princess Wen Yi has been born safely. It was an accident that Fang Guiren entered the cold palace, and it was also an accident that Xin Chang was here. There are too many accidents in this palace."
Liuli and Linglan were shocked. Thinking about it carefully, it was just as Sun Miaoqing said. Everyone hopes that they can be pregnant, but they don’t want others to be pregnant, but that’s it!
Qiangwei asked hesitantly, "Little Master, why do you suddenly think like this?"
Of course it's because she knows the queen's great achievements!
But Sun Miaoqing could only think about this in her heart, and even to Qiangwei and Linglan, she didn't dare to mention a single word.
Sun Miaoqing said, "I just mentioned the pregnancy thing, and suddenly I remembered it. I heard that when Cao Guiren gave birth, it was extremely painful and she almost couldn't give birth."
"The midwife made a dangerous move and saved her and the princess' lives. I just think that the prince and princess were born noble, so they have to go through more hardships than ordinary children."
As soon as Sun Miaoqing finished speaking, there was a sound at the door. When he came in, he found that it was Su Peisheng.
"This servant has met Mr. Cheng."
Sun Miaoqing said, "Why did you let Eunuch Su come here in such a cold weather? The emperor really doesn't know how to feel sorry for people."
"Bring a cup of milk tea to Eunuch Su and all the younger father-in-laws to ward off the cold."
Su Peisheng said with a smile, "Nobles really know how to joke, but slaves are despicable people. Being able to serve the emperor is already a great blessing."
"Besides, if the emperor feels sorry for you, he also feels sorry for you, noble man. Your servants don't deserve it."
Sun Miaoqing said, "Eunuch Su is right. Anyone who is not raised by his parents cannot be worthy."
"Besides, you have been with the emperor since you were a child. There is no one else in the emperor's heart, and there will be no place for you, father-in-law."
After taking the milk tea handed over by Liuli and holding the warm tea bowl in both hands, Su Peisheng and the others felt warm from their hands to their hearts.
It's not just because of this steaming bowl of milk tea, but because of the saying that life is raised by parents.
I have never seen anything like Su Peisheng's eyes before. Whether it is false or pretentious, you can tell clearly at a glance.
Eunuchs are also human beings, but too many people do not regard eunuchs as human beings.
As for saying that he was the emperor's favorite, although Su Peisheng did not dare to boast like this, considering that he had worked hard for so many years, the emperor had some kind of master-servant relationship with him.
This sincere gentleman is so nice to talk to. No wonder he is so favored by the emperor.
"Thank you so much, sir. Your words really offended me."
"I almost forgot about business. Your Majesty is at the Queen's place right now. He specially asked your servant to come over and tell you that you don't have to go to the Yangxin Palace to serve you today."
Sun Miaoqing said in surprise, "Really!"
For a moment, he forgot about his appearance. Seeing the strange look on Su Peisheng's face, Sun Miaoqing sat upright, cleared his throat and said, "I understand, please trouble Eunuch Su to come here."
Su Peisheng said with a smile, "The message has been conveyed, and I have to go back to resume my life. I will not delay your rest, so I will retire."
Sun Miaoqing said, "Eunuch Su, walk slowly, Linglan, send Eunuch Su out."
