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

Upon hearing this, Shen Wei picked up the book on the desk and leaned back in the rattan chair to continue reading.

A look of indifference.

Caizhu was anxious when she saw Shen Wei didn't move, so she kindly reminded her, "Miss, Concubine Qin is strict in ruling the palace, and no one in the harem dares to disobey her. If you don't go to Hanzhang Palace, something bad might happen!"

Caizhu still remembered that the last time the new concubine tried to challenge Concubine Qin's authority, she was punished to kneel for three days and was frozen to death or starved to death.

When the emperor learned of this, he did not interfere.

As a result, everyone in the harem believed that the emperor favored Concubine Qin. From then on, no newcomer dared to challenge Concubine Qin's authority.

Shen Wei had just entered the palace, and although she was temporarily living in Changle Palace, she had not yet served the emperor, and the emperor had not given her a title. Shen Wei was still a foreign fishing girl of humble origin, and compared to the powerful Concubine Qin, she was simply as humble as dust.

Concubine Qin could crush Shen Wei to death with just a flick of her fingers.

Caizhu was kindhearted after all, so she reminded her again, "Miss, please listen to my advice and go to see Concubine Qin. As long as you don't disobey her, you will definitely be able to save your life."

Shen Wei didn't even raise her head and turned a page of the book: "No need."

Didn't Li Yuanli keep saying that he liked her? Shen Wei wanted to use this incident to test Li Yuanli's tolerance for her.

The sun was warm, and Shen Wei leaned crookedly on the rattan chair, ignoring everything else.

At the gate of Changle Palace.

The old nanny beside Concubine Qin waited and waited until her feet were sore, but Shen Wei still didn't come out.

The old nanny was quite famous in the palace, and everyone in the palace was in awe of her. She had never been humiliated like this before, so she immediately rebuked Caizhu: "This Yuan Xier is so arrogant. Concubine Qin is in charge of the six palaces, and she, Yuan Xier, has no name or status, how dare she challenge Concubine Qin?"

Caizhu buried her head deeply, racking her brains to find an excuse: "Madam, please don't be angry... The girl is weak and needs to take medicine every day to nourish her body. She really can't move."

The old maid sneered: "Can't move? Do we have to send a sedan chair to pick her up?"

Caizhu was so frightened that she didn't say a word.

The old lady walked away with her sleeves swung, and cold sweat dripped down Caizhu's forehead. Caizhu knew that Shen Wei might be hated this time.

...

Hanzhang Palace.

The whole yard was full of blooming roses. In the pavilion, Concubine Qin of Hanzhang Palace was wearing a red dress with red shoulder straps that bound her long sleeves. There was a barbecue grill in the pavilion, and rows of exquisite seasoning bottles were placed. Concubine Qin Tuoba was picking up a brush and brushing honey on the barbecue.

The roasted venison exudes a rich aroma when grilled over charcoal fire.

Concubine Qin cut off a piece of roasted venison with a knife and handed it to the maid beside her to taste: "Try it. Does the taste improve after adding honey?"

The palace maid tasted it in small bites and showed appreciation: "Your Majesty, this roasted venison is crispy and has a mellower taste after adding honey. It is very delicious."

Qin Fei showed a satisfied smile on her beautiful and well-maintained face: "Very good."

Princess Qin cut the roasted venison into thin slices, divided it into two portions, one large and one small, and put them into the food box one by one.

The emperor was cold-hearted by nature, and his tastes were unpredictable, so it was difficult for ordinary concubines to grasp his preferences. After years of observation, Concubine Qin discovered that the emperor seemed to like eating barbecue, riding horses, and singing operas.

Concubine Qin catered to the emperor's interests and took the initiative to learn horse riding, opera singing, and barbecue. Her efforts paid off, and the emperor really looked at her differently.

Concubine Qin ordered the maid: "Send a small portion of barbecue to the Ninth Prince. Bring some citron slices. I will bring the food box and personally deliver the barbecue to the Emperor later."

As long as she can please the emperor, she will use all means.

Li Yuanli was different from other kings. He was decisive in killing and used iron-blooded means to stabilize the court situation. Although Concubine Qin was the daughter of the prime minister, she had already vaguely sensed that the emperor had already had murderous intentions towards the prime minister's mansion, whose power was growing day by day.

If Concubine Qin wants to keep the Prime Minister's Mansion, she can only try hard to please the Emperor.

There was a gentle breeze and bright sunshine in the pavilion. Concubine Qin took off the loops that bound her sleeves and her gentle eyes swept over the roses in the yard.

She sighed slightly: "With a heart as fierce as a tiger, sniffing the rose... Who would have thought that the emperor's favorite flower is the rose."

No one can get into the emperor's heart.

Even though Concubine Qin blocked a fatal knife for the emperor more than ten years ago, she did not win the emperor's favor.

There were footsteps outside the palace, and the old nanny led the palace maids back. Concubine Qin glanced around, but didn't see the rumored fisherman's daughter.

The old nanny said, "Your Majesty, the girl from Changle Palace is really arrogant and rude. She knew that Your Majesty had summoned her, but she refused to move an inch."

Concubine Qin's beautiful eyes narrowed and she smiled, "What a good Yuan Xier, do you think you can rest easy just by living in Changle Palace?"

To be honest, Concubine Qin did not expect that the dignified Emperor of Nanchu would personally go abroad to bring back a fisherman's daughter, and even arrange for her to live in Changle Palace where the empress could live.

But a fisherman's daughter is a fisherman's daughter after all, with no background. If she doesn't behave herself in the harem, she will die miserably sooner or later.

The emperor's actions were always difficult to predict. He might have taken the fisherman's daughter into the palace just for the sake of novelty. It was not impossible that he would get tired of her after a few days and kill her directly.

Concubine Qin asked the old nanny, "What does Yuan Xier look like?"

The old nanny said, "I have never been to Changle Palace, so I don't know what she looks like. But I heard from the palace servants who serve her that Yuan Xier's face is as white as soy sauce, her skin is rough, and she is not beautiful."

Concubine Qin was thoughtful: "How strange... How could the emperor be so hungry that he would not choose what to eat? Could it be that Yuan Xier deliberately made herself ugly to deceive the outside world?"

The old lady replied: "It is possible."

There are constant struggles in the harem. Perhaps Yuan Xier deliberately made herself look ugly in an attempt to lower the guard of the outside world.

"Since she is unwilling to move, I will go and invite her myself." Concubine Qin slowly stood up.

She wanted to meet the legendary fisherman's daughter.

...

...

Changle Palace.

Shen Wei seized the time to absorb knowledge, striving to understand the customs and national conditions, county roads, and history and culture of Southern Chu in the shortest possible time.

Since you are free anyway, it will never be a bad thing to read more and learn more about the outside world.

Shen Wei was absorbed in reading, and Caizhu, who was serving her, felt uneasy.

Caizhu looked out the door frequently, she was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

At this time, a report from the eunuch came from outside the house -

"Empress Qin is here!"

Caizhu's tense nerves snapped, and her legs trembled like sieves. The gate of Changle Palace opened, and the gorgeous sedan chair of Concubine Qin stopped at the door. She stepped down from the sedan chair with a pair of jewel-embroidered shoes, stepped on the back of the kneeling eunuch, and the wide golden and red skirt brushed the ground, and Concubine Qin appeared with exquisite makeup.

Concubine Qin was thirty years old this year. She had carefully maintained her face over the years, and her face was delicate and beautiful. She was considered one of the most beautiful women in the harem of Nanchu. The palace people knew better that under this beautiful skin, there were many evil and terrible means hidden.

Everyone is in awe.

The palace maids in Changle Palace knelt down tremblingly and paid their respects to Concubine Qin.