This palace comes back in this life, only to be Nian Shilan

Chapter 58: Follow instructions

Everything at home remained the same. Lord An took in two concubines after An Lingrong entered the palace, one of whom was redeemed from a brothel. As for the others, Aunt Xiao said no more.

After reading Aunt Xiao's letter, An Lingrong learned that her father had taken two more concubines, and her heart sank again. Because of the concubines, she couldn't even afford her mother's medical expenses. Such a father made An Lingrong fall back to reality from heaven. To support such a family, the road she had to go seemed to have no end.

Bao Que saw that An Lingrong's expression had turned cold, so she asked tentatively, "My lady, is there anything else in the letter?"

"It's nothing, it's just the cost of mother's medicine. We have to do more needlework and exchange it for money outside the palace." An Lingrong didn't want to say much about her father.

An Lingrong folded the letter and stuffed it back into the envelope: "Put this letter away."

"Yes, my lady, do you want to burn this letter?"

An Lingrong only realized it after Baoque reminded her. She had just been favored and she had received a letter from home. She was worried that someone would make a fuss about it. An Lingrong was a person who thought a lot. After thinking for a while, she said, "Burn it. Don't let others see it. Bring me the cloak. I want to go to Yikun Palace."

"Yes." Seeing that his mission was accomplished, Bao Que went to the charcoal basin and watched the envelope turn into ashes.

As soon as the letter was burned, Baojuan walked in.

"My lady, are you going out? I will accompany you."

"It's just a walk in the Imperial Garden. I'll be happy if Bao Que accompanies me. Go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to get some silk threads of various colors. I can use them."

An Lingrong lied to Baojuan instinctively, and she was not even aware of her subconscious behavior.

"Yes." Baojuan didn't have any doubts in her heart. Baoque usually did things quietly in front of her and was not as smart as herself. Even if An Lingrong took her with her more often when she went out, she would not be able to surpass her. Therefore, Baojuan did not notice anything unusual. She listened to An Lingrong's instructions and went to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

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Huang Guiquan of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was very happy. The news that An Lingrong was favored by the emperor spread throughout the six palaces. Huang Guiquan felt that the jade table and golden cup he sent must have played a key role.

Concubine Hua really loves me and even reminded me to send a few more pots to the Emperor.

However, Huang Guiquan didn’t understand why Concubine Hua asked him to send a few basins to the concubines in each palace. But it didn’t matter. If the ladies who sent the Jade Platform Golden Cups were all favored, it was all due to his ability to do things. He would just do whatever Concubine Hua said.

Huang Guiquan was currently watching the servants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs delivering basins of jade tables and golden cups to various palaces. This time, even the Sui Yuxuan was not left out.

An Lingrong was walking on the long street wearing the silver mouse fur cloak awarded by Concubine Hua. She saw the servants from the Ministry of Internal Affairs walking back and forth with jade tables and golden cups in their hands, and she became suspicious.

What's going on? How come this precious jade table and golden cup were sent to various palaces as if they were free overnight?

Bao Que stopped a servant and asked, "Eunuch, where are you going?"

"Where else can I go? Give flowers to the ladies in the palace."

"This jade table and golden cups are so precious, why are there so many of them today?" An Lingrong asked.

"How should I know? I was just following orders."

"Whose orders?"

"We'll just listen to whoever is in charge of the harem." The servant who was carrying the flowers answered casually and left.

The harem is under the control of the Queen.

Baojuan said that the Queen valued her so much that she gave everyone a share of her own rewards as if they were free.

What? Don’t you deserve some good things?

An Lingrong's face turned cold, and darkness began to creep in her heart again.

"My lady, are we still going to Yikun Palace?"

"Go." She finally understood that the Queen was only good at talking and doing favors, and she was not as generous as Concubine Hua.

Each person should receive a pot of flowers. Look at what the Queen gave as a reward when she came to pay her respects just now. It's a quilt. Who needs a quilt like this? Go back and put the torn quilt into the box.

Thinking about this, An Lingrong walked to Yiku Palace and was led into the main hall by Liuxiang.

"Your concubine pays respects to Her Majesty Concubine Hua." An Lingrong performed the ceremony in a proper manner without any sloppiness.

"Sister, please get up soon. Have you received any letters from home? How is Mrs. An?"

Concubine Hua did not mention the honor and favor she had bestowed on An Lingrong, but instead mentioned Madam An's letter first, which surprised An Lingrong a little.

"I got it. I was just about to thank you. Mother said her eye disease could still be cured. This is all the favor you gave me. I am very grateful."

When talking about her mother, An Lingrong wanted to kneel down and kowtow to express her gratitude, but Concubine Hua stopped her first.

"Sister, why are you so polite? I just did a small favor. I heard from Chuzhou that the medicine used by Madam An is a bit expensive. Sister, do you want me to help you with some money?"

The letter was sent into the palace through Concubine Hua, so it was not surprising that Concubine Hua knew the situation at home.

"Thank you for your thoughtful consideration, but it's already very troublesome for you to send a doctor to see my mother. I'd better find a way to pay for the medicine and the consultation myself."

An Lingrong was too embarrassed to ask Concubine Hua for financial support anymore.

"Think of a way? How? Rely on you to make embroidery pieces one by one and send them out of the palace to exchange for silver?" Concubine Hua forced a smile.

An Lingrong felt a little embarrassed when her secret was revealed. This was really the only solution she had.

"I only said that I want to support you, but I didn't say that I would give you the money for free." Concubine Hua still had that cold tone.

An Lingrong was somewhat tempted. She calculated her monthly allowance plus the reward from the Emperor yesterday. If she borrowed money from Concubine Hua, she might be able to pay it back slowly.

Seeing An Lingrong seriously calculating how much money she had to pay back to her every month, Concubine Hua burst out laughing: "Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Actually, I need help from Sister An."

When An Lingrong heard the word "help", her self-esteem was restored: "Your Majesty, please tell me. I will do my best."

"My sister-in-law has a spice shop in Beijing. She only sells the same few spices all year round. The noble ladies in Beijing have long been tired of them. The last time, sister An gave me the goose pear tent fragrance, I smelled it and it was sweet. I would like to ask sister to develop a few more spices and sell them in the shop. I wonder if sister is willing?"

An Lingrong suspected that she had heard it wrong. Was Concubine Hua going to take her to do business?

Just as An Lingrong was about to speak, she heard Song Zhi hurriedly come in and report, "My lady, something bad has happened. Concubine Shen has fallen down on the street."