Seeing that there is still one month to go before the New Year's Eve, 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 palaces, 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, and she is used to seeing good things, and she has long been accustomed to it. When the reward was delivered, she picked and chose at will, and gave all the things that she didn't need to a few children.

In other palaces, it is not so good.

The Yingcui Palace, where Yijieyu lives, is also a lively place in the past 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. Yi Jieyu's father is also ranked third, and has become the right minister. In addition, over the years, the emperor liked her more and more for her gentle and uncompromising temperament. Now, except for Concubine Shu, she was the most favored.

It was a sunny day with no clouds, and it was 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.

In the main hall of Yingcui Palace, the fragrance of tea curled up, and Yi Jieyu was 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.

Taozhi came in to see the ceremony, but saw that Yi Jieyu was dedicated to cooking tea, without raising her eyes, her hands were flowing, and she only asked lightly, "Did you deliver it?"

Taozhi nodded and said, "Back to the mother's words, it has already been put into storage."

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

Hearing him ask this question, Taozhi immediately showed an indignant look on his face: "The coral treasure tree sent by Tianzhu, and the whole ivory statue of Guanyin, have all been delivered to the concubine Shu! It is the thousand-year-old mother tree. The Pu-erh tea produced did not send a few kilograms in total. Except for what was left by himself, the sage gave it to Concubine Shu! In our palace, we only got some jewelry and gold, so it’s nothing unusual.”

Hearing this, the movements of Yi Jieyu's hands paused.

After saying that, Taozhi complained a few more words: "That person from Mingluan Palace, what do you know about tea? It's a waste of time!"

"Peach branches, 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?"

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

Since Yi Jieyu was favored, which of the servants in this palace is not compared to the one from Mingluan Palace? 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 Jie Yu poured out the tea slowly and said.

The peach branches bowed and retreated.

"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 speaking, she 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 when she was young.

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 Mother Concubine, you have been planning and planning like this, but so far it has not achieved any results." He said.

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

"Although this palace has an average position, has the emperor treated the Xu family badly over the years? Now that the second prince is almost eighteen, has the emperor allowed him to have one and a half positions? It's you, the emperor has privately asked about this palace. Next, I'm going to find you an errand in Sixth Division." 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 of the women in the palace is not the emperor's plaything? High power and gold accumulation are just to see whether the emperor is happy or not. Rather than grasping those, it is better to grasp the emperor's heart." Yi Jieyu smiled lightly, said.

"Mother is right." Xue Yunhong said. "However, that one from Mingluan Palace... can't keep her so complacent."

Yi Jieyu smiled lightly.

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

The previous 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 interfere in the affairs of the crown prince, they still want to rob them of 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 have been evenly matched, while 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 Shi's two factions got into a fight a bit fiercer, aroused the emperor's suspicion. He actually gave the vacant post of the Imperial Prince's Sacrifice to Duke Yongning, and even sent him to Jiangnan to take charge of the imperial examinations.

What a power that is! 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 Yong Ning thought, these people will become 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 gained momentum, and the original balance was 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.

After following the emperor for so many years, she had already 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 now, you are the only one who counts you. 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."

When Xue Yunhong heard the words, he nodded solemnly and said, "My son understands, mother and concubine rest assured, my son will not let down the expectations of my mother and grandfather."

Only then did Yi Jieyu smile, hold the teapot, and fill Xue Yunhong's teacup.

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

What she said was meaningful, and both mother and son smiled.

——

Concubine Shu smelled the fragrance of tea in the hall, her brows furrowed tightly.

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

It was Jun Huailang who was sitting in front of the small stove making tea. Hearing Concubine Shu complaining, he smiled and said, "The emperor likes Pu'er the most, and he can give his aunt so much. Isn't it a blessing to the emperor if she doesn't fry and drink it?"

These days, the things that Concubine Shu sent to Jun Huailang were almost too many to be piled up. Even this Pu'er tea was dug out from the piles of things that Concubine Shu had given him.

He was quite helpless, and ordered the items he sent, except for the things he gave 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. There were so many valuables in the palace, it was useless for him to bring them home. Instead, they kept them with Concubine Shu. Whether they were displayed or given to others, they were all useful.

Zheng Guangde also specially told him that this tea is Pu'er sent from Yunnan, and it is produced by a thousand-year-old mother tree.

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

But Concubine Shu showed no appreciation, and snorted softly, "If Your Majesty wants to drink it, just keep it for yourself, why didn't you send it to poison me?"

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

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

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

With that, 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, bringing 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?"

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

Jun Huailang was particularly good at cooking tea in his previous life, and now he is also confident about his own tea-making skills. 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 and crisp, and the return is sweet and far away, and it is indeed delicious.

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

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

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

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 Dian Cui's initial 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, have to do it in Xue Yan's room again. Most of the time, want to take advantage of the emperor's arrival and perform a big play for the emperor to watch.

Then, Emperor Qing Ping must be present before this play can start.

That being the case, now that have nothing to do, it is better to teach Concubine Shu to cook a pot of tea for Emperor Qingping, and let him drink tea properly and watch the play.