The Legend of Zhen Huan: Year after year, we share the spring breeze

Before Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong left the gate of Jingren Palace, they were stopped by the Queen and brought back into the palace.

Jianqiu handed the palace expense account book to Shen Meizhuang, who looked at it carefully. An Lingrong waited on the side and talked to the queen.

After a while, Yongzheng brought Zhen Huan over.

Seeing Shen Meizhuang looking at the account book again, he talked about the expenses of the harem.

"We held several rituals at Baohua Hall, and the cost was 1800 taels. Starting this month, we added a serving of mung bean soup, and the daily cost is 32 taels."

"32 taels, how much is it per month?"

"960 taels."

The Empress looked at Yongzheng and said, "Wealth comes from frugality. Even though it's just a bowl of mung bean soup, it will still be a considerable expense over the years."

Yongzheng disagreed somewhat, "This writing started with the late emperor. If it is suddenly cut off, I am afraid that the servants will complain."

Shen Meizhuang said, "Your Majesty is right. Only with the Lord's grace can servants work with all their heart. This expense cannot be saved. I think that the palace's share..."

"Cough cough, cough cough..."

Several people looked in the direction of the sound and saw An Lingrong covering her mouth with a handkerchief and coughing lightly.

"Your Majesty and Empress, please forgive me. I was rude." An Lingrong quickly apologized.

Zhen Huan stood up, picked up a cup of tea and handed it to her, "What's wrong with you?"

"It's just that my throat is a little dry. I'm fine."

Seeing that she was fine, several people looked at Shen Meizhuang again and asked her to continue speaking.

Shen Meizhuang understood An Lingrong and knew that she would not interrupt her for no reason. She realized that something was wrong and her mind raced.

"In fact, the palace's allowances can only be saved in large areas. For example, if it weren't for Yu's incident, this 1800 taels of silver could have been saved by half. Therefore, I believe that Your Majesty must strictly enforce the palace rules and serve as a mother to the country and educate the concubines."

Shen Meizhuang's words not only reminded the emperor not to forget Yu's death and to feel more pity for Zhen Huan, but also emphasized the queen's majesty.

The queen was a little disappointed that she did not achieve her goal.

Yongzheng nodded, and in his heart he valued Shen Meizhuang's composure even more. "You are right. You are still young and need more experience. However, this experience also requires talent and temperament!"

Zhen Huan continued, "Your Majesty, are you looking down on me and others for being stupid?"

Yongzheng pointed at Zhen Huan lovingly and said, "Look at her mouth. She calls herself stupid. What about others?"

After some more laughter and banter, the three of them bowed and left.

The Queen looked at An Lingrong's departing back thoughtfully.

The three of them returned to Suiyuxuan in silence.

"Sister, what do you want to say when I interrupt you?" An Lingrong went straight to the point.

Shen Meizhuang said, "I'm thinking that if the concubines can't use up all the things they're allotted, they can be distributed to the various palaces in exchange for silver, just like the mung bean soup."

"I guessed it, so I interrupted you."

"Why?"

An Lingrong didn't answer her, but instead called Jinxi over and asked, "Aunt, can you drink the palace maids' mung bean soup?"

Jin Xi replied: "There is a share for the servants, but the servants are usually given to the young palace maids!"

"Then who drinks this mung bean soup?"

"The lowest eunuch or palace maid."

"If the mung bean soup was converted into silver, would you still give it to them?"

"will not."

Jinxi answered very frankly.

"If the money for mung bean soup from all the servants in your palace was handed to you, would you distribute it?"

An Lingrong didn't want her to answer and looked at Shen Meiyu.

"The mung bean soup can reach the hands of the servants, but the silver may not!" Zhen Huan continued.

Shen Meizhuang nodded thoughtfully.

The senior palace maids and eunuchs would not compete with the low-level servants for a bowl of mung bean soup, and would even share their mung bean soup with them to win their hearts. But once it was exchanged for cash, they would become jealous. After the chief eunuchs, maids, and servants had deducted so much money, how much would be left for the low-level eunuchs and palace maids?

An Lingrong continued to ask, "Sisters, do you know how much a pound of mung beans and rock sugar cost now?"

Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang shook their heads.

"I don't know, but I know without even thinking that there's profit to be made here. From the sellers of mung bean soup to the buyers, the soup makers, and the distributors, everyone gets a piece of the action. Suddenly, they can't profit at all. Do you think they'll resent it?"

Now let’s talk about reducing the palace allowance.”

Then he asked Jinxi, "Aunt, where did all the leftover vegetables and meat in your palace go?"

"The more respectable slaves below will share the food!"

"If Sister Zhen's allowance is converted into cash, and she herself is already eating worse, won't you all be eating even worse?"

"Yes."

An Lingrong looked at Shen Meizhuang, "Sister, if you do as you say, you will offend all the servants in the palace, big and small!"

He continued, "Besides, even the most wealthy in the palace, such as Concubine Hua, have crab roe pastry and longan soup. Her share of the palace is not enough to cover her expenses, and she has to pay for it herself. She has been accustomed to this kind of extravagant lifestyle. If her expenses are cut back, she will not be able to enjoy them properly. Will she not be angry? And the lives of those concubines who are not favored will be even more difficult. I am afraid that even the concubines will resent this move."

Shen Meizhuang was so frightened that she broke out in a cold sweat.

"But the queen..."

"What happened tonight was the Queen deliberately guiding you. If you get involved, she will get rid of it completely. We have already been confronted with Concubine Hua. What should we do if we offend these people again?

I can only approach the Queen step by step to seek refuge, and finally..."

An Lingrong picked up the cup on the table, moved closer to the teapot little by little, then opened the lid of the teapot and threw the cup in.

Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang already understood!

"emperor……"

"The Emperor has a vested interest. All the money saved goes into his pocket, so of course he will agree. Fortunately, you handled the situation appropriately tonight, and the Queen's plan failed."

The emperor doesn't care how his servants complain or how dissatisfied his concubines are. He is happy as long as he sees his wallet getting fatter and fatter!

Shen Meizhuang was still frightened.

An Lingrong said earnestly, "Sister, your original intention was good, to save money and avoid waste, but you are of noble birth, so naturally you don't understand the thoughts of the lower-class palace servants. I can't blame you for that. However, even if you want to be ethereal, you must also be down-to-earth!"

When Zhen Huan saw that An Lingrong had finished speaking, she was about to pour her tea, but she remembered that there was a cup in the teapot, so she signaled Jin Xi to change the pot of tea.

Shen Meizhuang's expression changed again and again, and finally she took An Lingrong's hand and said, "Rong'er, I'm lucky to have you."