Picturesque Rivers and Mountains in the Red Chamber

Chapter 106 3.13 Binger has served me since childhood

Volume Three

3.13 Binger has been serving me since she was a child.

On the twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month, on the third floor of Wanfu Building.

"I've seen the princess!" After being led in by the maid, Zhou Yang immediately bowed to the throne and said, "I didn't know that the princess summoned the minister today."

"Sit down!" Princess Yongchang waved her hand, not waiting for him to finish his words at all, but with a suppressed smile on her lips, "Bing'er has already mentioned your 'ceremony', I have written it down, don't forget it I have to send someone to deliver it, no less than one tael of two hundred kilograms, but don’t make it public, and it will be done every year in the future. Do you understand? If I hear that the news is leaked, don’t expect to eat bijing rice. I will Take them all and send them to the palace!"

"Yes, princess!" Zhou Yang stood up and agreed with a wry smile. He finally understood why this stuff is so popular, because these days, this is basically the staple food at home, and the taste is not comparable to that of ordinary rice. He also understood the famous modern joke, "You think having money will make you happy as you imagine? No, because you can't imagine a life with money." At least he has never considered that just rice can be so good. eat.

"Okay, I came to you today mainly for a trivial matter!" Princess Yongchang nodded with satisfaction, "I know a lot about the Xue family. It is the end of the year. The court usually seals seals on the twentieth day of the twelfth lunar month. In the palace, The government will stop all official duties, officials will take a nap, and the royal family will take a rest. Everything will be done after the [-]th day of the new year.

Before that, I need to prepare a lot of things. Everything else is easy to talk about, but there is a gift that needs to be dedicated to the concubine. I really can’t come up with anything new. I wonder if the Xue family has any?Don't worry, I won't let their work go in vain. "

"Princess Qi, the general manager of the Gyeonggi region of Xue Brand has been reporting to the ministers a lot these days. After all, it's the end of the year." Zhou Yang thought for a while and said, "It does bring a lot of rare things, mainly from the Westerners. The foreign goods that came here, I just don’t know what the princess needs? Please forgive me for overstepping, I don’t know the concubine."

"Since the emperor father adopted him, most of the concubines he served were arranged in the back hall of Longshou Palace. On weekdays, the emperor may not meet him even once a month." Princess Yongchang said lightly, "The mother has been dead for many years. The only person serving in the main hall is the concubine. On weekdays, whether it is food, drink, daily life, or dealing with people, she is responsible for it, do you understand?"

"How about the self-ringing bell?" Zhou Yang immediately understood what she meant. There was "no upper limit". "It was shipped from the West. It is about one person tall. The main body is made of wood and is decorated with gilt. It is both beautiful and practical."

"Let's leave it for now." Princess Yongchang nodded, "It's just that no matter how good the things placed in the hall are, they are not enough to impress the concubine. Are there any small things?"

"Where's the full-length mirror? It's about half a person's height." Zhou Yang thought of the time-travel weapon.

"There are at least two sets at the concubine's place, one of which is one person tall. In the past few years, the red-haired country's mission paid tribute, and even the emperor's sister-in-law did not have it." Princess Yongchang said lightly.

"Well" Zhou Yang scratched his head helplessly, "I don't know about her."

"If you dare to shout that in front of her, even the Daluo gods can't save you." Princess Yongchang interrupted him angrily, "The concubine entered the palace in the 40th year of Longwu. According to her seniority, she should be Zhen Yingjia's aunt. But she’s not much older than the emperor’s wife, remember!”

"I understand, I understand!" Zhou Yang almost broke out in a cold sweat. Women don't like to be looked at as old. Most people can say that if this woman is still very powerful - "In other words, the concubine likes younger things. , then does she like to listen to operas?"

"Oh?" Princess Yongchang also showed interest this time, "Why, do you have a baby who can sing?"

"It's not like singing. It's similar to the principle of making sounds from a chiming bell, but it's much more complicated." Zhou Yang immediately replied, "According to the Western name, it means 'music box' when translated. It can usually be done in one piece." Make a sound, if the concubine likes it."

"Bring it here, and I want two more!" Then looking at Zhou Yang's weird eyes, he glared back hard and tried to cover up, "My little sister wants one too!"

"Understood!" Zhou Yang nodded quickly. In fact, when buying goods, no one really only wants one. "Only one set left" is still possible. What the Xue family sent this time was a box of ten music boxes, each one The voices were all different, "Wei Chen, prepare two items when the time comes and let Dongfang take them over."

"I got it." Princess Yongchang nodded with satisfaction, but then she didn't say anything for a long time, so that the atmosphere in the room became a little depressing. Just when Zhou Yang was at a loss and was about to say goodbye, she suddenly raised her head. At first, she looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Were you dishonest that day?"

"The princess is joking, I don't understand." Zhou Yang froze, his brain was running rapidly and he decided to pretend to be stupid, "I don't understand the princess - snap!" "You are so brave!" Princess Yongchang suddenly stood up and suddenly Zhou Yang rushed over and slapped him across the face. Zhou Yang didn't dare to hide, "The Japanese Palace kindly gave you a banquet, but how dare you?"

"Princess, you were the one who got drunk that day!" Zhou Yang reached out to stop the second slap. Zhou Yang stared at her speechlessly and said, "I almost tried my best to send you in, and I waited for you for a long time, and I also It's restrained enough, otherwise it wouldn't be."

"Shut up!" Princess Yongchang's face turned red instantly. She struggled for a few times with her right hand but didn't open it. Suddenly she raised her foot and kicked Zhou Yang's calf hard. Even though the gap in strength between the two was as big as a chasm, it still made Zhou Yang jump in pain. He stood up and said, "If this were not the case, how could I have allowed you to live till now?"

Zhou Yang rubbed his calf and smiled bitterly, because he couldn't fight back; Princess Yongchang's face turned red, and she turned around and went back to the inner room without closing the door. She just looked at her figure sitting on the edge of the bed with her back to her, and from time to time. With his shoulders twitching, Zhou Yang hesitated for a long time before choosing to enter the room.

"Princess, if you have any grievances, I don't mind being a listener." He stepped forward and sat next to Princess Yongchang, "If it's not appropriate."

"Thank you for that day!" Princess Yongchang gently wiped the corners of her eyes, and the blush on her face spread again, "You may have forgotten that Bing'er has been serving me since she was a child, and she has always been close to me."

"Huh?" Zhou Yang was stunned for a moment.

The relationship between master and slave in the feudal era cannot be summarized by a simple sentence of "superior and subordinate". In many cases, the relationship between master and slave is even closer than biological brothers and sisters. The highest level is the "big companion", the personal eunuch next to the emperor, even the queen. None of them may be able to overcome it, such as the most classic Zhu Youxiao and Wei Zhongxian, Zhu Youjian and Wang Chengen.

This is even more obvious in terms of "young lady" and "maid". Taking the original work of The Red Mansion as an example, the personal maids such as Ping'er, Zijuan and Ying'er are the master's absolute confidants and can represent the master to a certain extent, and vice versa. , if something goes wrong with them, it can also seriously affect the master's image, and even "die together."

Therefore, Xue Baochai was so angry when he heard that Ying'er "backed"; in the original work, Zijuan could directly "represent" Lin Daiyu, which made Jia Baoyu unable to step down many times; if Ping'er served Wang Xifeng and Jia Lian, even if When the two of them are having fun, she can theoretically follow the whole process from making the bed to folding the quilt, including assisting with promotion, cleaning up afterward, and even substituting when necessary.

Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for this kind of maid to break away from the relationship. It is literally "live and die together" because they know too much and must not reveal it; Dongfang Bing grew up with Princess Yongchang. , although she has the title of "subordinate bodyguard", her actual duties also include the content of "personal maid". Under normal circumstances, it is impossible to marry outside, but now she has been arranged by Princess Yongchang to follow Zhou Yang.

"When I arranged for Bing'er to follow you, I did have some thoughts." Princess Yongchang's cheeks were slightly red, and she glanced at him with her beautiful eyes and said, "But it was just a little thought; the last time I recruited you, I just wanted to I want to ask about the situation. Originally it was just a matter of a few words, but I didn’t want to drag it out for too long and accidentally take advantage of you.”

"Please forgive me for arrogating." Zhou Yang hesitated for a moment, but decided to ask. Although it is said that "an honest official cannot handle family affairs," he is now too tied to Princess Yongchang and even the eldest prince and queen behind him. If he can solve the problem If the combing is smooth, it is better to be careful.

"You still dare to mention 'transgression'?" What kind of transgression can surpass the indecent princess?Princess Yongchang angrily kicked him again, but this time the force was not so fierce. "I forgive you for not committing any crime, right? Tell me!"

"Wei Chen has never heard of the consort." Zhou Yang asked as controlled as possible.

"Shut up!" There is no doubt that this directly offended Princess Yongchang's Ni Lin, "Who gave you the courage to be so presumptuous, I?"

"Your Highness!" Zhou Yang interrupted her with a low voice. This kind of knot must be untied. Otherwise, the drinking to drown sorrows like last time will never end. He is indeed under control. What if it were someone else? "As the saying goes, 'husbands and wives don't have an overnight feud.' Even if the princess and the consort have any conflict, it won't be a problem."

"If you want to know, I will tell you." Princess Yongchang paused for a long time with a complicated expression. It was not until Zhou Yang was about to give up that she lowered her voice and said, "You must also know that he is Huang Xu, a great scholar in the country. His son, he was also a famous young talent in the capital. When I heard about the proposed marriage, I was already prepared to be together for the rest of my life.

It's a pity that I have forgotten that everyone has their own ideas. Although there was no previous rule in the Zhou Dynasty that "consorts are not allowed to be officials", according to the court's practice, at least the imperial examination cannot continue. After I got engaged, I was disqualified from continuing the imperial examination by the Ministry of Rites. Even if I personally came forward, there was no way to solve it. "

"This" Zhou Yang, no matter how stupid he is, knows what "removing the qualifications for the imperial examination" in this era means to a young talent who has aimed at the imperial examination throughout his life.

(End of this chapter)