Don't be a salted fish, the daily life of the concubine in the palace

Main house study.

The two sons were still studying at the Imperial College. The princess was not idle. She personally checked the homework left by the children, found out the parts in the essays that needed improvement, and planned to have the children revise them in person in the evening.

The princess was very tired.

She had to fight with the old maids sent by the queen almost every day, racking her brains to find ways to make the children learn more knowledge. In addition to paying attention to her son's studies, the princess also had to think about the children's food, clothing, housing and transportation. Summer was approaching, and she needed to purchase new fabrics to make some cool and comfortable summer clothes for the children.

The princess was busy until the afternoon, and was about to return to the Buddhist temple to chant sutras. Aunt Liu came over and said, "Princess, several stewards are here. The monthly salary of the palace has not been paid on time this month, and they are here to ask you to come forward and solve the problem."

The princess lit a stick of incense and said calmly, "The distribution of monthly silver has always been the responsibility of the rich steward. Why are you looking for me?"

Aunt Liu looked embarrassed and said, "Princess, the rich steward was ill yesterday and was bedridden. He couldn't take any soup or water."

More than a hundred servants in the palace were looking forward to receiving their monthly salary. In the past, the monthly salary was paid on time on the morning of the 15th of every month. But this month, it was not paid yet, and the servants had different thoughts.

The princess frowned. "Why did you get sick at this time?"

Madam Liu said, "Princess, you have a backup of the monthly bank account book. Why don't you take charge of it yourself and review the expenses——"

Before Nanny Liu could finish her words, she was interrupted by the princess: "In that case, wait until the rich steward recovers before paying the monthly salary. It's only a delay of a few days, it's not a big deal."

Madam Liu opened her mouth, wanting to say a few more words of advice. Most of the servants in the mansion were of humble origins, and they worked hard all month long, hoping to get the monthly salary to supplement their household expenses.

A delay of a few days might cause dissatisfaction among the servants.

Even Aunt Liu was looking forward to getting her monthly salary early so that she could add some money to her son's marriage gift.

But the princess could no longer listen. She devoutly burned incense to the Buddha and closed her eyes while chanting scriptures silently.

...

Fugui, the chief steward of the Prince of Yan's mansion, fell ill. He used to manage the affairs of the harem on behalf of the princess, but now he is unable to manage the affairs, and the harem is in chaos.

The servants were not able to get their monthly salary and were quite resentful.

Three days later, the rich steward was still ill. Several stewards in the palace asked to see the princess again, hoping that the princess would calculate the expenses in the account book and pay the servants' monthly wages in time.

But the princess had been a hands-off manager for many years and was not familiar with the expenditure of the palace's assets. Although the old maid who came with her as a dowry had the ability to manage the household, she had not touched the account book for many years. It was really difficult to settle the accounts in a short period of time.

Rumors soon spread in the palace:

"The princess's mind is now on Concubine Shen. She is always thinking of ways to torture Concubine Shen. How can she have time to care about our lives?"

"Hasn't the princess always been indifferent? Why would she go after Concubine Shen?"

"What do you know? You are just being indifferent for show. The more you eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures, the more you have something to hide."

"Yes, morning and evening visits are not a rigid rule. Many mistresses of the big families in Yanjing have waived this etiquette."

"Even the Queen exempted her concubines from paying respects every day, but the Princess is putting on airs here."

"He doesn't pay us monthly wages, and only thinks about dealing with Concubine Shen. Sigh... He's jealous."

"My mother is ill, and I was looking forward to using my monthly salary to buy medicine for her. The Prince of Yan's Mansion actually owes us money. Does the life of a servant count as life?"

There was a lot of discussion in the backyard of the palace.

Although there are different levels of status in the palace, the servants are very smart. If you pay them, they will work hard; if you don't pay them, they will gradually do their work perfunctorily.

The rumors soon reached the ears of the princess.

The princess was so angry that she smashed two vases, her face almost twisted: "Drive those slaves out of the palace, they actually slandered me! Shen Wei is just a peasant girl, how could I be jealous?"

The princess values ​​two things most in her life: her son and her face.

There are constant rumors in the palace now, saying that she deliberately targeted Shen Wei and had no intention of paying monthly wages to the servants.

Rumors were like knives, stabbing the princess in the heart. The good image of a good wife and mother that she had worked hard to build up over the years was in jeopardy.

The princess originally wanted to ask the rich butler to check the account books despite his illness, but when she sent someone to check, she found that the rich butler had really lost a lot of weight, his face was as pale as paper, his pulse was disordered, and he couldn't even get out of bed.

Helplessly, the princess had to give up the idea of ​​asking the rich butler to settle the account while he was sick.

Madam Liu advised kindly: "Princess, please don't be angry. In fact, it's just that the servants want the monthly salary and are resentful, so they are talking nonsense. You just need to pay the monthly salary on time."

Princess: "Then give me the monthly salary! Why wait?"

Madam Liu sighed, "For promotions and rewards, some servants' monthly wages will increase, some will be reduced, and we also have to consider the expenses of the palace this month. In the past, the rich steward would review and distribute them one by one, but now the rich steward has fallen seriously ill, and no one in the palace can take care of these bad debts... How about you, Princess, spend some time to calculate them with the stewards?"

The incense was burning in the temple, and the smoke made the princess dizzy.

She rubbed her temples tiredly and instructed Aunt Liu: "You are the maid who came with my dowry, and you also know how to manage the household. You and a few other maids will help with the management, and you will receive the monthly salary within three days."

The princess really couldn't spare the time.

She still had two children to raise and educate, and she also had to worship Buddha. If she devoted her attention to managing the household, the two children would definitely be corrupted by the old nanny sent by the queen.

The child is her hope and her future support. The child's heart must be tied to her as a mother and cannot be taken away by outsiders.

But the princess didn't want to give up the right to manage the household. After much deliberation, she decided to let someone she trusted help her manage the household.

Madam Liu never expected that the drudgery of accounting would fall on her head. Madam Liu had served the princess for many years, her daily work was easy, her monthly salary was very high, and she seldom had to worry about hard work.

Madam Liu's throat was dry, and she spoke reluctantly, "Princess, I am already over fifty years old, and I haven't touched the account book for many years..."

She is an old woman, and if she stays up for a few days to look at the account books, she will probably lose half her life.

The princess interrupted Madam Liu, lit a stick of incense in the shrine, clasped her hands together devoutly, closed her eyes and murmured, "Don't refuse. I trust you, so I am willing to let you do the job of distributing the monthly salary."

Aunt Liu: ...

The princess thought for a moment, then reluctantly said, "Go tell Shen that she doesn't need to come to pay respects during this period."

When the rumors died down, the princess would bring up the old rule of "morning and evening visits". Anyway, Shen Wei was in the palace and could not escape her.

...

In Liuli Pavilion, Shen Wei was playing with the children.

Cai Ping ran over happily to report: "Master, your method is really effective. The princess has stopped the unruly custom of paying respects every day."

Shen Wei pinched the baby's chubby face and a smile appeared on the corner of her lips.

In previous years, with the support of the rich steward, the princess's clumsy and ugly behavior was not exposed, and the inner house of the palace was generally peaceful.

The wealthy butler fell ill, the princess's veil was lifted, and the servants in the palace were surprised to find that their mistress was actually a figurehead.

The princess is hypocritical and good at shirking responsibility. She comes from a prominent family but has no special talents and only loves her own fame and fortune.

Shen Wei ordered Cai Ping: "Go tell the rich steward to ask him to stay sick for a while. He has worked so hard for so many years, it's time for him to retire and enjoy his old age."