Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: Borrowing Books

  In fact, it's common to see newlyweds having good news after just two months of marriage, but there are also those who take three to five years. Even in modern times, infertility clinics are still booming, with advertisements everywhere.

  But in this era of "having no children is the greatest unfiliality", without a child by her side, how can Madame Wen not be anxious? Entering the twelfth month, she fell ill again, and because she had to take this medicine, the tonic had to be stopped. This illness dragged on and on, all the way until after the New Year's festivities it still hadn't fully recovered.

  Wen's medicine was not brewed in the small kitchen. A special room was set aside for brewing medicine in the tea stove house. As for taking medicine, Wen naturally only trusted his own people, and it was Qin He who led two maids to take care of it. When Chao Sheng passed by, he saw that the two maids were facing the medicine mortar and pestle, one scooping and the other grinding, busy on a cold day with sweat dripping from their foreheads.

  Chao Sheng didn't look back and just walked away.

  She just kept reminding herself not to get sick at all costs.

  When Mr. Wen is ill, he can afford to see a doctor and take medicine, but when a servant girl like me falls ill, it's like a roof leaking on a rainy day.

  These days, everyone in the Zhengyuan Temple can't help but smell the medicinal scent. Man'er ran to find Chao Sheng and handed her a handkerchief wrapped with loose change: "Chao Sheng, would you please keep this for me? There are too many people in my room and things get lost easily."

  The tide responded accordingly.

  Man Er looked at Chao Sheng's house with envy.

  Chao Sheng lived in a house by herself, she loved cleanliness, the room was not too cold at this time without a fire basin, the window paper was newly pasted, and the sunlight shone on it, making it snow-white and transparent, the room also looked bright and spacious.

  Man'er's handkerchief bundle contained not only loose change and silver fragments, but also a bright yellow bead the size of a soybean. Chao Sheng was taken aback, picked it up and took a look.

  Jin Douzi had certainly seen the tide of golden beans, and she herself had also saved several. But where did this full one come from?

  Man Er smiled and said with some pride: "This was given to me by my cousin."

  Chao Sheng was somewhat surprised: "Which Miss He?"

  "Hmm. She asked me some questions and gave this to me."

  Chao Sheng was somewhat curious: "What did she ask you?"

  "It's about our princess and some things about the prince." Man'er said: "I don't know about the prince, why would the princess still ask me to pry? Aren't they just cousins, what's there to ask others?"

  This shows that He Gu Niang and Wen Shi are not familiar with each other.

  At least it's not as hot on the surface.

  That He girl frequently ran to the Wang mansion, probably not just for sisterly affection.

  This month, she came to see me almost every other day, and also brought some health supplements and medicine.

  Man'er asked: "Chao Sheng, is the king's temper good? Is it difficult to serve him?"

  "The master is not in the mansion during the day, and even if he comes back at night, he won't always be in the study. It's easy to find fault with him." Chao Sheng said: "Speaking of temperament... you've been here for so long, have you seen the master beat or scold anyone?"

  Man Er shook his head: "This is not true..."

  She endured for half a day and still couldn't help but say: "I heard that...the queen is going to choose two people for the king."

  The tide is not unexpected.

  She had also heard about this——

  Although this news has not been confirmed, it has already spread widely within the inner circle and seems quite credible.

  Man'er took off her shoes and climbed onto the kang, leaning comfortably against Chao Sheng's pillow: "Eh, Chao Sheng sister, you said... wanting to be a concubine for Wang Ye... who in this household is qualified?"

  "How am I supposed to know?"

  "It's definitely not ugly." Man'er nodded and said: "Right, you still remember Ying Ge, don't you?"

  "Of course I remember."

  "She somehow managed to get close, and now she's the head of the needlework room." Man'er said: "Yesterday she came to deliver a skirt to the princess, with painted eyebrows and eyes, looking seductive. I don't know if she also has her sights on Wang Gong, planning to win over the princess so that she can get close to the prince."

  Chao Sheng didn't have a deep impression of Ying Ge, but Ying Ge looked pretty good.

  If I were really born mediocre, I wouldn't have these wild ideas.

  But the palace maid was selected, and those with crooked mouths and slanted eyes would not be selected. Flat head and straight face, and in the prime of youth, what ugly girl is there at this age? They all look quite delicate and lively.

  But Yan Ge was a bit too hasty, this is just a rumor, neither the princess nor the prince has made any statement.

  Chao Sheng opened the small box and put the money he had just counted into it.

  Man'er leaned over and whispered: "Hey, Chao Sheng, have you ever thought about it?"

  That last "en", her tone was raised, her expression was ambiguous, implying a lot of suggestive content that couldn't be put into words.

  Chao Sheng shook his head.

  "Eh, what can't you tell me? I won't go and tell others." Man'er said in a low voice: "I heard them talking behind your back, even if they're sour, they have to admit that you were born well. This whole courtyard of maidservants put together aren't as good as you. Moreover, you can read and write, and your hands are skilled. Others don't know, but I do... The young master also values you... If there really is something going on, then only you would be worthy..."

  "Don't talk nonsense." Chao Sheng shook her head, smoothing out a wrinkle on the bed, before speaking after a while: "You still remember that New Year's, at Huanyi Alley..."

  "Huh?"

  "Never mind." Chao Sheng didn't say anything more.

  At that time, her idea was to leave Huanyi Lane, far away from the high palace walls, and live a peaceful life...

  No need to suffer endless hardship and exhaustion, nor be frightened or intimidated.

  She certainly doesn't want others to scheme against her, nor has she ever thought of scheming against others.

  Man'er didn't ask any further, turned over and took two deep breaths: "Living in a room by myself is so comfortable... Chao Sheng, if there's an opportunity, help me speak to the prince and get me transferred here to be with you."

  "Do you want to live here?"

  "Right! I can still work with you in the study." Man'er said: "Although I don't know any characters, but I can help you with rough work and do chores, I'm sure I can do it."

  Chao Sheng was somewhat surprised, she didn't dare agree immediately.

  The study was extremely important and secretive for the Fourth Prince. It had been so in the past at Yi Qiu Palace, and it remained so now. If he wanted to work elsewhere, Chao Sheng didn't even need to go and talk to the Fourth Prince; just mentioning it to Xiao Shun or asking Qi Zongguan would be enough to get things done. Xiao Shun was the most trusted person by the Fourth Prince's side, and his words carried significant weight. As for Qi Zongguan, Chao Sheng also had some confidence in him.

  But only the study room...

  Man'er pulled at her sleeve and asked in a flattering tone, "I also know this is a difficult matter, just help me say something about it, whether it succeeds or not I'll thank you the same."

  "You're in the right courtyard, isn't it?"

  "It's not that there's anything wrong with it... but the princess has her own confidants, and no matter how long we ordinary people struggle, it'll always be like this - doing some odd jobs, passing on messages, running errands, cleaning up, moving things around... what kind of prospects can we have?"

  This...

  Man'er had said before that she wanted to leave Huanyi Alley and serve a noble family to make a good career for herself.

  At that time, she thought very simply, as if being by the side of a noble person would immediately make her superior.

  But the servants are also divided into three six nine grades, and not every servant who serves his master can be dignified.

  The person Wen trusted most was Qin He.

  The child's loss tide is clear.

  There are now two masters in the house, since there is no hope for Madam Wen's side, Man'er naturally wants to find another way.

  But...

  Chao Sheng sent away Man Er and then kept thinking about this matter.

  The study is definitely out of the question...

  But now there is no other master in the government who can provide a position for Man Er to display his talents.

  The sky turned gloomy after noon, and the wind picked up. It seemed like a big snow was coming. The fourth prince returned earlier than usual.

  Chao Sheng poured a good cup of tea and brought it over. When the fourth prince took the tea, their fingers lightly brushed against each other.

  "Your hands are so cold?"

  Chao Sheng said: "Just came in from outside."

  She doesn't think it's very cool?

  The fourth prince instructed one sentence: "Wear more clothes, the weather has been bad lately, and many people have fallen ill."

  "Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I have taken note of it."

  The fourth prince looked up at her for a moment.

  The fourth prince has changed a lot this year, especially after returning from Langzhou and Cangzhou.

  His facial features seemed more handsome and sharp than before, with dark eyes. Chao Sheng couldn't explain the reason, but he didn't dare to look him in the eye.

  Chao Sheng was following the orders of the fourth prince, putting away a stack of letters he had brought with him on the shelf, when he heard someone speaking outside.

  Chao Sheng glanced outside and saw that the door was half-closed, but he couldn't hear very clearly. It wasn't until after a while that Xiao Shun entered the courtyard, his face not looking too good.

  The curtain was lifted and they bumped into each other face to face.

  "Who was it just now?"

  Xiao Shun said in an unhappy tone: "It's that cousin of yours."

  "What's wrong?"

  She's here again?

  Well, this is not surprising either.

  These days, He Gu Niang has been coming especially frequently, saying she's come to visit the sick. Madame Wen only didn't directly say: "Don't come again, don't you know you're annoying people?"

  Unfortunately, Wen cannot say so.

  It is also unknown why the Wen family did not advise He Gu Niang to stop her from running outside every day.

  Perhaps this cousin's surname is He, not Wen, the Wen family is very strict.

  Maybe there's another reason.

  Hei girl is no longer a child, naivety, ignorance and love of pranks can't be used as excuses.

  "That's right, it was her. Just now she came over and wanted to come in to find a book, I said the king had something on his mind and wasn't convenient, but she said what's wrong with that, after all, she's not an outsider, and it's just right for her to chat with the king, and she was about to come in after sending away the maid. Luckily Qin He came over and persuaded her to leave."

  Uh...

  Chao Sheng was also stunned.

  Hei girl's style is really... uh, unconventional.

  She doesn't seem like a book lover either, why is she entering the study at this time?

  Besides, the fourth prince returned to his residence, did she really not know?

  What else is He Gu Niang thinking about?

  Xiao Shun complained a few words and looked at Chao Sheng's appearance: "What are you thinking about?"

  "Oh, it's nothing," Chao Sheng said: "Today Man'er came to find me and said he wanted to come to the study to wait..."

  Xiao Shun chuckled and said, "Hey, when did the study become so casual? Anyone who wants to come in can just come in." He smiled and immediately apologized, saying, "Don't be annoyed, I'm not targeting you."

  "I know."

  The tide will naturally not be too anxious.

  It's better to be honest with Man Er after all, she should understand.

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  My cold has gotten worse. Waaah.

  Hug everyone, take care of your body!