Sun Miaoqing didn't care who Big Fat Orange was, she just knew that she didn't have to go to work today, so she cherished this rare holiday and prepared to lie down for a while.
Jingren Palace finally became lively again. The queen took care of everything, taking off Big Fat Orange's cloak with ice and snow, and asked people to move the stove closer to keep Big Fat Orange warmer.
"It's such a cold day, and there's still snow falling outside. Why doesn't the emperor care about his own body at all? He just walked over here without taking a sedan."
"Quickly go make a bowl of ginger soup and bring it over."
Big Fat Orange said, "I'm not a porcelain doll, so there's no need to be so nervous."
"I sit every day, and occasionally move around like this, which is quite comfortable."
The queen said, "Concubines are also troubled by caring. You are connected with all the people, so you must pay attention to your own body."
After saying a few words, Jianqiu came forward with ginger soup, and Big Fat Orange took it and drank it in one gulp.
He hadn't been to the queen for some time. The Wanshou Festival was coming in two days, so he should come to Jingren Palace to sit down and hear about some affairs in the harem during this period.
Big Fat Orange said, "Wanshou Festival will be held in two days. I wonder how the queen is preparing?"
The Queen said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I have prepared everything according to your instructions."
"Now that the national treasury is empty, although we have to be frugal, this is the first time you have lived a long life since you ascended the throne. The longevity, auspicious and festive porcelain specially made for the birthday banquet totals 15,000 pieces and cost 20,000 taels of silver."
"The fourth-class seats for the birthday banquet cost four taels and four cents of silver per table, totaling twelve thousand taels."
"There are also flowers, silks, palace lanterns, and charcoal fires for the birthday banquet, which add up to one hundred thousand taels. There are also silver for giving porridge to the people, and other expenses, zero and zero, totaling five hundred thousand taels. .”
"Your Majesty, look." The queen handed the account book to Big Fat Orange.
(In history, the actual cost was probably more than that. It is said that Guangxu’s wedding cost more than 5 million taels, and Cixi’s birthday cost more than 10 million taels, which is far beyond the imagination of a poor guy like me!)
Daju immediately lost his composure. The late emperor left him only eight million taels in cash. Although taxes and taxes have increased a bit this year, he still has to maintain the operation of the court and prepare for possible disasters. .
Ascension to the throne is a sum of money, and the draft is a sum of money. The five hundred thousand taels are spent on Wanshou Festival, and the Chinese New Year is coming soon. How long can the eight million taels be spent?
But looking at these expenditures, I also understand that the queen is telling the truth. This is the first year of his ascension to the throne, and he really cannot save money.
It's just that after this time, you have to think about increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, otherwise you won't have to live in the future.
Big Fat Orange said, "Thank you for your hard work, Queen."
At Big Fat Orange's words, the queen pursed her lips and smiled, feeling that the hard work of these past few months was not hard at all.
"These are what I should do. You are busy with government affairs every day, so I can only share your worries in these places. I hope I can give you a stable harem."
Big Fat Orange was extremely moved by the Queen's words, and reached out to hold the Queen's little hand, but he also knew in his heart that Concubine Hua was indulgent and willful, and as long as the Nian clan was still there and there were people behind her to support her, the harem would definitely not be clean.
Although the queen is virtuous, she is not in good health and has insufficient abilities to suppress Concubine Hua. She still has to push someone out to check and balance Concubine Hua.
Thinking of this, a lively, noisy, and inconsistent person emerged in Big Fat Orange's mind. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise, but then he thought that she might not be what he thought.
Shen Meizhuang's gentle and dignified look appeared in his heart again, and he suddenly had a solution. However, there was no need to rush about this matter. Shilan was still ill, but he had been ill for a long time.
Big Fat Jue said, "Concubine Hua has been ill for a long time. Every time I go to visit, she blocks the door and prevents me from seeing her. The imperial doctor said that she has been feeling better these days, but she doesn't know when she will be fully recovered. .”
Seeing him mention Concubine Hua, the smile on the queen's face turned faint, but she also knew that if Concubine Hua was not present on such an occasion, there would be all kinds of strange rumors spread, which would harm the royal family's face.
The queen said, "I have asked someone to go to Yikun Palace to inquire. She said that Concubine Hua's body is almost healed, but she has been very ill these days and is inevitably a little weak."
"The Emperor's longevity is a big deal, and Concubine Hua will definitely attend."
Big Fat Orange was satisfied, but he remembered that on the day of the draft, the show girl who looked very similar to Chun Yuan seemed to have been sick for a long time.
"What about Wan Changzai? I remember that she fell ill as soon as she entered the palace. Is she not fully recovered yet?"
The queen said, "The imperial doctor said that Wanchang's condition has relapsed, and the previous symptoms are almost healed. However, it is a cold winter, and Wanchang is so sick that he can't get out of bed because of the severe cold winter. Your Majesty congratulates you on your birthday."
He frowned, why is this body so weak? Let's just wait for her to take care of him.
Big Fat Orange said, "Then let her rest in her palace and wait until she gets better."
The queen agreed with a smile, but she still felt uneasy in her heart. Before cutting autumn, someone secretly went to Suiyu Pavilion to take a look. The things buried in the flower bed had disappeared.
This Wan Changzai is really timid when he is timid, and he is really smart when he is smart. She doesn't want to stand out and is willing to grow old and die in the palace, letting her do whatever she wants.
Anyway, she has such a face, even if the matter is exposed, the emperor will not let her go to the cold palace, and it will be easy to implicate her.
And although Shen Guiren could endure it, she looked at her as no match for Concubine Hua. She waited until the right opportunity to push Wan Changzai out. The clams in the river fight, the fisherman wins, and she sits firmly on the fishing platform.
When the queen thought of this, her brows stretched, remembering that the noble Fu Cha had come to serve her every day in the past few days. This was also a master with only beauty and no brains.
She doesn't mind promotion either. Those who serve the emperor only have beauty but no intelligence, which is the best advantage.
The queen said, "Although Wan Changzai is not well yet, among the new concubines who have entered the palace, the emperor has only been lucky enough to see Guiren Cheng and Guiren Shen. Who does the emperor want to serve today?"
Big Fat Orange thought about it and had no impression of the other ones at all, so he had to ask, "Who are the other ones?"
The queen said, "There are also nobles Fucha, Borzigit, Chun Changzai, Xia Changzai, and An who have agreed."
When it comes to Xia Changzai, Big Fat Orange has some impressions. Among so many beautiful girls, she is the most vulgar. If she didn't get angry with the Queen Mother at that time, how could such a person be selected into the harem.
Big Fat Orange said, "This Xia Changzai, I remember that she seemed to have offended Concubine Hua. I heard that she even hurt her face?"
Facing Big Fat Orange's question, the queen was a little embarrassed. She just said it casually and actually forgot about it.
The queen said, "It did happen, but it has been healed now. The scars on the face are very shallow and cannot be seen without looking carefully. After applying makeup, it is the same as before, and there is no trace of it."
"In the palace, it is always allowed to scold but not to hit, and to allow spanking but not to slap in the face. Even if this is the case for slaves, Xia Shi is always there."
Big Fat Orange said, "Concubine Hua is indeed..."
Although the queen said that Xia Chang's injury on his face was no longer a problem, Big Fat Orange obviously wasn't going to force herself, so she had to do it according to her position first.
Big Fat Orange said, "Let's check out the noble man tonight."
