Seeing that there is still a month to go before the New Year, the small affiliated countries around Dayong began to arrive in Chang'an one after another, sending the tributes of the year to the imperial city.

This time of year is the most beautiful time of Mingluan Palace.

A steady stream of tributes are sent to the palace, and the emperor must distribute them to the palaces. Among them, Concubine Shu has the most grace and rewards. Every three to five, there is an imperial decree leading a steady stream of rewards, rare treasures, all things that Dayong can't see.

Concubine Shu has been in the palace for ten years, she is used to seeing good things, and she has long been used to it. When the rewards were delivered, she picked them up at will, and gave all the ones that she didn't need to a few children.

In other palaces, it is not so good.

Yingcui Palace, where Yijieyu lives, has been a lively two years.

Since Yi Jieyu entered the palace, that is, she had a good time in giving birth to the fourth prince, and in the following years, it has been tepid.

But now, the Xu family has never fallen into a family, and has become the new favorite of the court. In addition, over the years, the emperor liked her more and more for her gentle, non-competitive temperament. Now, except for Concubine Shu, she was the most favored.

It's sunny and cloudless, it's a rare good weather in winter. Several eunuchs received the emperor's reward and carried the box to the Yingcui Palace.

Yi Jieyu's maid, Taozhi, completed the inventory according to the list sent by the eunuch, and after being carried into the warehouse, she took the list to the main hall to return to her life.

The fragrance of tea in the main hall of Yingcui Palace is wafting, Yi Jieyu is sitting under the window with the four princes and making tea. There is a guqin by the window, the body is made of sycamore and catalpa wood, and it is the Jiuxiao ring pendant given by the saint.

Peach Branch came in to meet the ceremony, but saw that Yi Jieyu was cooking tea, without raising her eyes, her hands were flowing, and she only asked lightly, "Did you bring it?"

The peach branch nodded and said, "Back to the mother's words, it has been put into the warehouse."

Xue Yunhong raised his eyes and asked, "What did the royal father reward you this time?"

It's there! It's the Pu'er tea produced by the thousand-year-old mother tree, and I didn't send a few kilograms in total. Except for what the saint left behind, he gave it to Concubine Shu! In our palace, we only got some jewelry and gold, so it's nothing unusual. of."

Hearing this, Yi Jieyu's hands paused.

Speaking, Taozhi complained a few more words: "Mingluan Palace, what do you know about tea? It's a waste of time!"

"Peach branch, be careful." Yi Jieyu said lightly, and her men continued to cook tea. "I forgot what I taught you on weekdays? If you are so restless, what will you do if you lose your honor in front of Your Majesty in the future?"

Peach Branch had to stop, but she couldn't hide the resentful expression on her face.

But Niangniang is born with a temperament that does not fight or grab, so why not teach people to be in a hurry!

"Go back first." Yi Jieyu poured out the tea slowly and said.

The peach branch saluted and retired.

"Mother concubine." When only their mother and son were left in the hall, Xue Yunhong said with an anxious look. "You're not angry at all? Where is the difference between Concubine Shu and you now? It's just a little bit of status! Her mother's family is useless, and there is another evil star in the palace. Why is she still pressing on the head of the mother-in-law!"

Yi Jieyu raised her eyes and glanced at him, without saying a word, put one of the cups of tea in front of him.

Xue Yunhong immediately understood what she meant.

When you are in a hurry, drinking a cup of tea before talking is the rule that Yi Jieyu taught him at a young age.

He slowly brought the cup of hot tea to his mouth, and his mouth was full of fragrance, with a long aftertaste. After he drank half of it, he put the tea back on the table and spoke again, and his mood had calmed down for the most part.

"...But the concubine, you have been planning and planning like this, and so far, nothing has been achieved." He said.

"Why not?" Yi Jieyu glanced at him lightly and spoke slowly.

The emperor has already asked Ben Gong several times in private that he is going to find you an errand in Liubu." Yi Jieyu said.

Xue Yunhong's eyes immediately lit up: "Is that what the emperor really said?"

Yi Jieyu nodded.

"Any kind of reward is empty." She looked out the window. There are many white plums planted in her yard. In winter, at first glance, it blends in with the white snow, but the fragrance comes naturally and is very elegant.

"Which woman in the palace is not the emperor's plaything? High power, accumulation of gold and jade is just to see if the emperor is happy. Rather than grasping those, it is better to grasp the emperor's heart. "Yi Jieyu said with a faint smile.

"The concubine is right." Xue Yunhong said. "However, the Mingluan Palace... I can't keep her complacent like this forever."

Yi Jieyu smiled lightly.

Of course not. The family has already sent a letter in, saying that the Jun family has changed recently and needs to be wary.

The former dynasty is now turbulent, and the situation of each faction is about to change again.

As an aristocratic family, the Xu family has a deep foundation. In recent years, many officials have surrendered to the Xu family's party, and now they are all relying on the four princes. But the Jiang family behind the queen has many disciples. When the disciples of the poor family entered the dynasty, they liked to rely on their masters, apprentices, fellow villagers, etc. to form gangs. Most of the officials who made good friends with the Jiang family were officials from poor families, and they became a party of their own after a long time.

Although these scholars do not intervene in the affairs of the crown prince, they still want to grab the power in their hands. Therefore, the two factions have been fighting for many years, and they have always been incompatible.

In the past two years, the Jiang family and the Xu family are evenly matched, and the Jun family has always been outside the party. However, Duke Yongning of the Jun family had a low official position and had little to do, so the Xu family never took him seriously.

But this year, Xu is the two factions have become more fierce, aroused the emperor's suspicion, he directly gave the vacant position of the Imperial Prince Jian to Yongning Gong, and also sent him to Jiangnan to take charge of the imperial examination matter.

What a power! Although Guozijian's sacrificial wine is only from the fourth grade, it is in charge of the highest school of Dayong, and top talents come from there; and Jiangnan is an important place for scientific examinations. In the future, the Jiangnan Juzi in this session can be regarded as the Duke of Yongning. protégé.

As long as Yongning thinks, these people will be his help. And these people have always belonged to the Jiang family.

Therefore, the Xu family naturally included Duke Yongning into the Jiang family's camp.

In this way, the Jun family gains momentum and the original balance is broken. Yi Jieyu knew that her father and brother would definitely act in the previous dynasty, and she didn't need to worry about them. What she has to do is to find some trouble for the Jun family in the harem, so that the Pope is tired of the Jun family, and then brings her emotions to the previous dynasty.

Following the emperor for so many years, she has long figured out this man's temperament.

"You don't need to worry about the affairs of the women in the harem." Yi Jieyu looked at him and said. "As a child of your father's emperor, among the few princes today, you are the only one who counts your success. What you have to do is to gain face in front of your father's emperor and share his worries. The chores next to you are all your concubine and your wife. The grandparents."

Xue Yunhong heard the words and nodded solemnly: "My son understands, mother and concubine rest assured, my son will not disappoint my mother and grandfather's expectations."

Yi Jieyu smiled, picked up the teapot, and filled Xue Yunhong's teacup.

"This mother tree Pu'er, it doesn't matter where you send it. If you don't use the right way to brew tea, no matter how good the tea is, it will be ruined in your hands."

She said this meaningfully, and both mother and son laughed.

—

Concubine Shu smelled the fragrance of tea in the hall, and frowned.

"What do you cook something so bitter?" She was leaning on the couch where the ground dragon was burning, and she was swinging a fan, wishing to fan away the aroma of tea that drifted to her nose.

It was Jun Huailang who sat in front of the small stove to make tea. Hearing Concubine Shu complaining, he smiled and said, "The emperor likes Pu'er the most, and he can give his aunt so much. If she doesn't fry and drink it, doesn't she show the emperor's kindness?"

These days, the things that Concubine Shu sent to Jun Huailang are almost too many to be piled up. Even this Pu'er tea is from the pile of things that Concubine Shu gave him. turned out.

He was quite helpless, and ordered the things he sent, except for the things that were given to Jun Linghuan, and put them all back in Concubine Shu's warehouse.

After all, he waited until the beginning of the spring to leave, so many valuables in the palace, it was useless for him to bring home, but put them in Concubine Shu. .

Zheng Guangde also specially told him that this tea is Pu'er sent from Yunnan, which is produced by a thousand-year-old mother tree, and it can make ten kilograms in one year, which is very precious.

Jun Huailang took advantage of the fact that when Concubine Shu invited him to chat in the main hall, he brought tea and fried it for Concubine Shu to drink.

This kind of grace, presumably others want to ask for, but also can't come. Jun Huailang couldn't help but smiled helplessly, and while making tea, he said, "So, auntie, why don't you learn it, and when your majesty comes down to Mingluan Palace next time, you can make it for him to drink."

Concubine Shu taught him to be frightened: "Let Ben Gong sit in front of this small stove for more than half an hour? If Ben Gong can't do it, you can't hurt me."

Jun Huailang laughed: "When I was teaching, my aunt knew it all. Now I don't need it, isn't it a waste?"

Speaking, he lifted the brewed tea from the small stove and poured a cup slowly.

"This tea is not as bitter as you think." Jun Huailang said, and brought the cup of tea to Concubine Shu. The teacup made of white jade, which is filled with clear tea soup, smells a distant sweetness. "Before I cooked it, I had already washed it several times. Auntie, try it?"

The tea was brought to the front, and Concubine Shu reluctantly took it.

Jun Huailang was very good at cooking tea in the past life, and now he is also very good at making tea by himself. Seeing Concubine Shu frowning and taking a sip, after a while, her brows really relaxed, and she said awkwardly, "It's really not bad."

The entrance is clear, the back is far away, and it is really delicious.

Jun Huailang smiled and said, "Do you want to learn, aunt? I'll show you again."

Concubine Shu slowly raised her chin and said reluctantly, "Go and cook."

Jun Huailang nodded and sat back at the tea table slowly.

Across the half-open stained window, he saw Dian Cui standing at the door of the west hall, following up with Bao and saying something.

From the beginning of Dian Cui's actions, he could vaguely see that this person was mostly bought by the concubines in the harem, just to borrow Xue Yan and make Mingluan Palace a mess. Now that the New Year is approaching, and I have to do it in Xue Yan's room again, most of the time I want to take advantage of the emperor's arrival and perform a big play for the emperor to watch.

Then the Qing Ping Emperor must be present before this play can begin.