Chapter 38: Concubine Zhen
"Empress, I brought Li San."
Outside the Bishui Pavilion, Liuli asked Li San to wait outside, and went straight into the hall to report.
In the bedroom, in front of the screen depicting light ink landscape paintings, a woman in purple and luxurious palace dress was lying halfway on the couch, reading a Buddhist scripture.
Hearing this, she stood up and said, "Let him come in. Ming'er was mysterious in the letter this time. I want to see what the perfume he mentioned?"
After saying that, Concubine Zhen stood up, and under the service of two palace maids, she left the bedroom and went to the main hall, and sat down on a mahogany chair.
At this time, Liuli called Li San in.
"The little slave of the Prince Qi Mansion has seen Concubine Zhen." Li San didn't dare to look at Concubine Zhen, and said hurriedly.
Seeing that Li San was dressed in a coarse cloth dress and was very ragged, Concubine Zhen frowned and said, "Since it is Ming'er's person, there is no need to be so restrained. What perfume Minger asked you to send you this time? Is this a matter?"
At this time, Li San dared to look up and saw an extremely graceful woman sitting in front of her, with her phoenix eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, her face as pink as a vermilion, and her lips as red as red. Although she had no glorious looks, she also had a glorious appearance.
It is rumored that Concubine Zhen’s real name is Yun Xiner, a native of Suzhou, Dayu Kingdom. Her father Yun Shang was the seventh-rank county magistrate of Taiping County, Suzhou City. Twenty years ago, the empress dowager of the dynasty chose a concubine for Xiao Wenxuan. Those with women in the family of officials in Dayu Kingdom must run for the election of a girl.
It was at that time that Yun Xiner was attracted by Xiao Wenxuan in the talent show and was favored. She had the title of Concubine Zhen in less than ten years. It was just that the new generation changed to old people in the backyard of the palace. The current Concubine Zhen's status is still there, but it is not as good as before.
After coming back to his senses, Li San said, "Go back to the Empress, Xiao Nu was dragged by His Highness to send Perfume and Zuiqingzhou to the Empress."
"Where is the thing?" asked Zhenfei.
Liuli said, "Empress, Your Highness has sent a lot of things this time. I asked Xiao Guizi and a few of them in the palace to move them over. I guess they have arrived now."
As he was talking, a silver bell-like laughter suddenly came from outside the door. A concubine in red palace costume walked in, followed by several eunuchs, carrying Xiao Ming's perfume and wine.
"Sister, King Qi is really filial. He sent so many things here early this morning." The concubine in the red palace dress smiled and went straight into the main hall and sat down on the chair on one side, but she didn't seem distant at all.
Concubine Zhen chuckled. This person was Concubine De, the mother of the fourth prince. She was familiar with her when walking with her in the palace. She said: "It must be that Xiao Guizi has too much mouth. She really remembers eating and not beating."
"No, I don't have to do anything next time. I'll give him a few slaps first, sister." Concubine De said with a smile. She knew that Concubine Zhen was annoyed that she was asking around. With her identity, how dare Xiao Guizi not say it.
Concubine Zhen smiled and said, "I have received my sister's intentions. This time I've come here by chance. Since my sister also knows that this is Ming'er's thing, why don't we take a look at what it is?"
The life in the palace was light, and Concubine De was curious and asked for it. At this time, she couldn't help but become interested, but she still said politely: "Sister, if it is inconvenient, I will go back."
Xiao Ming said it very clearly in this letter, which was to let the concubines know about this perfume, so Zhenfei was not annoyed Concubine De this time. On the contrary, Concubine De was a famous person in the palace, so she could spread it from her mouth when she saw it.
"Sister is out now. It's okay, Liuli opens the box." Zhenfei said.
Liuli responded, but without waiting for Liuli to act, Li San diligently went forward to remove the wooden box and said to Liuli softly: "There are iron nails on this wooden box, so I'd better do it, so as not to hurt the girl."
Liuli smiled and nodded.
Four wooden boxes were opened, three were perfumes in small porcelain bottles, and one was wine.
At this time, Li San took out a small porcelain bottle and handed it to Liuli, saying, "This is the perfume that Your Highness has refined himself."
Liuli took it and went up to give it to Zhenfei.
In the letter, Xiao Ming gave a basic description of perfume, so Zhenfei was not ignorant. After taking the perfume, she pulled down the cork at the mouth of the bottle.
Then he asked Liuli to find a feather and dip it from the bottle and put it on his body.
"Sister, what is this? Why is it so fragrant and pleasant?" Concubine De kept watching Concubine Zhen's movements until Concubine Zhen touched the perfume on her body, and a charming fragrance immediately filled the entire room.
This perfume is very comfortable and does not taste mixed with fragrant cakes.
Concubine Zhen did not have hope for what Xiao Ming sent, thinking that it was Xiao Ming's mistress again, but the smell of the perfume came into his nose, and he immediately realized that the things Xiao Ming sent this time were extraordinary.
Seeing Concubine De staring at the perfume in her hand, Concubine Zhen explained: "Sister, this thing is called perfume, which is a special spice that Minger learned in Qingzhou. It is said that it is much more practical than incense cakes."
"Perfume? This is unheard of. Can my sister let me give it a try?" said Concubine De.
Concubines are also women, and the concubines in the palace are always objects of imitation among the people. In other words, these concubines are all people at the forefront of fashion.
Moreover, in order to compete for favor, the concubines in the palace were full of tricks, and Concubine De was also a person who was well versed in this way. Naturally, she understood that something fresh enough to make the emperor linger in his bedroom for several days.
After taking the perfume, Concubine De nodded to herself as usual, and immediately became full of fragrance.
"Oh, sister, this is really a good thing, it tastes so fragrant, and it is simple to use." Concubine De's eyes lit up immediately. She looked at three boxes of perfume and turned her eyes, "This time, the King of Qi sent a lot of perfume, and my sister is really lucky."
Concubine Zhen never heard the implication of Concubine De. She said: "These perfumes were originally sent by Ming'er to honor all the sisters. My sister likes them, so I'll take a few bottles back and use them."
Concubine De said happily: "I'll give me good to you." After saying that, she got up and wanted to get perfume.
At this time, Li San said: "Empress, Your Highness gave instructions when Xiao Nu left, saying that in his letter, he forgot to say that the three boxes of perfume tasted differently, divided into tulips, jasmine fragrance and agarwood. The perfume tastes differently. You can choose according to your preferences."
"Oh?" Concubine De was even more surprised when she heard this and said, "Hurry, hurry up, bring the other two."
Li San bowed and took out the other two perfumes and gave them to Zhenfei.
Concubine Zhen and Concubine De sniffed each other again, and they looked at each other and smiled. Concubine Zhen said, "The jasmine fragrance is fresh and elegant, which is suitable for me. The tulip is warm and rich, which is suitable for my sister."
"My sister said this very well. I didn't expect that King Qi still has such ability. When my sister first used this perfume, she felt deeply impressed by my heart. It was really a magical thing." Concubine De happily held the perfume bottle.
"Since that's the case, I'll give this bottle to my sister," said Zhenfei.
Concubine De glanced at the wooden box, and there were at least thirty bottles of perfume in each wooden box. She said with a saliva: "When did my sister become so careful? This bottle is just the length of her fingers, so you can give her two more bottles."
While speaking, Concubine De pulled Concubine Zhen's sleeve and begged.
Concubine Zhen smiled and said, "Okay, since my sister said that, then get two more bottles."
Concubine De was afraid that Concubine Zhen would regret it, so she happily took the perfume and thanked her again and again before leaving.
Seeing Concubine De walking away, Liuli snorted softly and said, "Empress, why bother to give her two bottles? Concubine De has always eaten more and taken advantage of more. This time she is bullying the Empress's kindness again."
Concubine Zhen glared at Liuli, "Just say this in front of me, don't talk about it outside, otherwise you will be so careful."
"Empress, Sister Liuli also feels sorry for Your Highness's perfume. This perfume was made by Your Highness with the best spices." Li San said carefully.
When talking about Xiao Ming, Concubine Zhen couldn't help feeling sad, "Oh, it's rare that he was so worried, but I have to worry about this matter. If I give it to the Queen so urgently, it would be too deliberate, but it wouldn't be beautiful. Concubine De has always liked to compete for favor. This time she took the perfume and would definitely go back to shine. By then, the Queen and other concubines would come to her door, and it would not be too late to mention it at this time."
"It's still the Empress who thought it thought carefully." Li San said with his head down.
At this time, Zhenfei looked at the wine jar of the perfume pang again. Seeing that there were Chengxintang paper on it, there seemed to be handwriting on it, she said, "Take the wine jar."
Liuli stepped forward, picked up a wine jar and went forward and said, "Empress, there is a poem on it."
"Qingzhou's fine wine and tulips are served with amber light. But the owner can get drunk with guests and do not know that the foreign land is his hometown. "Zhenfei recited it gently and nodded slightly," a good poem, but she didn't expect that there were also literary masters in the barren land of Qingzhou.
Chapter completed!