In the second year of Yongyuan. Late June.

The heat in the palace is unbearable, the sun is blazing, and all the palace people of the Internal Affairs Office are traveling today, just to send ice storage to the masters of various palaces non-stop. These ice are stored in the suburbs of the palace in the winter "three or nine days", according to the custom, the first digging about ten meters deep for the ice cave to preserve, and then in the summer with ice identification, to supply the palace many powerful nobles. Not only the court will do this, but also those who have financial resources in the people, such as Zhen Fushang, who has several rows of ice cave houses in Zhen's mansion on the mountain villa to store ice.

Jianyang Palace was in the blazing sunlight at this time, dry and emitting steam. No one outside was present, for they were all crowded into the shady hall. The palace maid wiped the sweat from her forehead, stood beside the pear blossom wood window lattice and looked out of the window in every possible way, and looked at it after a while, as if she was eagerly expecting something. And the woman who was slowly drinking tea in front of her didn't seem to care. The palace maid worriedly slapped the back of her hand in her palm repeatedly, "How many hours will it take for someone from the Internal Affairs Office to come?" ”

"I heard Hong'er say that they just walked to Liquan Palace at this time." Another person replied.

The palace maid's face changed when she heard this, "Liquan Palace is so far away from us, and we may not be able to send it over in the evening." ”

Everyone knows that in the past, the ice was sent according to the position, but now there is a master living in Liquan Palace, although he is a beauty, he is more favored than any concubine, and that is the new Gu Meiren. Therefore, the Internal Affairs Office even sent ice directly past their concubines and went to the direction of the Phixiang Palace, even if they had a hundred dissatisfaction in their hearts, they had to swallow it hard.

Facing the snobbery of the Internal Affairs Office, the palace maid pursed her lips and muttered, "Niangniang, why haven't you never been angry?" ”

"There is nothing to be angry about in this palace," the concubine shook the teacup, the water lines were clear, "it's the same if you come early or late." ”

"The slave maid is anxious for fear of the master's heat stroke, thinking that before, when I was still in the house, there was a summer solstice every year to cool off, and the old man loved the mother very much, so he didn't stand the heat at all, these people in the internal affairs office are not sensible, which one in the palace is not the most valued lady in the house, but they have to put up a shelf outside, as if they are superior. According to the slave maid, this is the villain's power, and he can't see whether others are good or bad. ”

"Xirao, it is normal for people to go to high places, and they are not to blame."

"Niangniang is just too kind. Alas, fortunately, there is still a morning and dusk province, and the queen and the queen mother have a lot of ice there, and it is also satisfied to go and sit for half an hour, otherwise this summer will be too difficult. ”

"Tomorrow is still a long time away. Just wait slowly. ”

Xi Rao saw that his master didn't react at all, so he had to sit down. As soon as the time passed, it was already night, and the people from the Internal Affairs Office did not come, so it seemed that the matter of Feng Bing had to be postponed to tomorrow.

The next day, the palace people in Jianyang Palace went to Changle Palace with their masters as usual. Halfway through, the concubine saw from afar a golden bead car from the Yongshou Palace to the outside, from the specifications must be used by the royal family, but except for the concubine, no one else is allowed to use this kind of car. So she asked guessingly, "Who is sitting in this car...... But the eldest princess Kunyi? ”

"The slave and maid look like it. Apart from her, which other princess can use bright yellow? ”

"When did she come back?" The concubine was stunned.

"About...... A few days ago. ”

"Since entering the palace, I have always heard that the eldest princess of the Queen Mother is amazingly beautiful, but I have never seen her, which is a pity."

"The eldest princess is now returning from praying for the country, and she should go to the Yongshou Hall more often on weekdays, and we can still have the honor to see each other."

The sound of chatter faded away on the road.

Buyu came to the Yongshou Palace, many concubines were present, and the good concubines walked behind everyone in a dignified manner, who expected a bright voice from a distance - "Yo, why is my sister walking in such a hurry?" As expected, when I turned around, it was Concubine Fang and others. The concubine's face became more and more embarrassed, and when she saw these women approaching, she said in a strange manner: "Every time I walk in such a hurry on the road, could it be that there are people who are afraid of meeting?" ”

In front of so many concubines, the concubine looked very weak, "There is no concubine." She said helplessly.

"It's still a long way from the Eternal Longevity Palace, so why don't you talk to your sisters for a while. Have you heard of this? It is rumored that there are more and more villains around the queen who are secretly flattering, and it is precisely because they continue to slander the palace concubines that the queen has to take action to rectify the harem, so we are so miserable now. ”

"The concubine has always been unheard of about the things in the palace......"

"Since my sister doesn't know, then my sister will say it bluntly, it is precisely because there are such people in the palace who bewitch the lord, so the atmosphere in the palace is tense."

Another concubine chimed in: "The Qing is self-purifying, no matter how much you want to frame you, as long as you are above board, God will never let those villains succeed." Good concubine, do you say yes? ”

The concubine bit her lip tightly and didn't say a word. Concubine Fang looked at her pale face, and felt a little more proud, "Whether you know or not, the good concubine should know it in her heart." Let's go, leave her alone to think about it. After saying that, the women slapped the thin fan in their hands and left without hiding their contemptuous smiles. The concubines who stopped to look at them all turned back as if nothing had happened.

These people walked in the direction of Concubine Xi's car, and when the high-ranking concubine arrived, they all greeted her honestly, and they were like two people with their arrogant attitude.

"Master, don't be like them, they are all a group of immature villains." Xi Rao gritted his teeth behind him.

"This palace won't, but they may not." The good concubine said deeply. She knows that the families from which these people come are all being investigated by their father, and the court is now investigating people tightly, so how can his father ignore it if he is serious as an official? They neither doubted the actions of the family, nor did they blame the emperor who ordered a thorough investigation, but held a grudge against their father and themselves, which was ridiculous.

Xi Rao hated: "It's been a few months, and these people haven't stopped for a day!" What does that have to do with us? If their family is really innocent, how can they be exposed? ”

"That's it. Ignore it. ”

"That's right...... Niangniang, in fact, the slave has always wondered why you didn't go to show favor to the Queen Mother? Xi Rao lowered his voice, "If you please the Queen Mother, these people in the palace will not dare to offend you in person." ”

When the concubine heard the word Queen Mother change color slightly, she looked left and right to make sure that no one heard, and then she took Xi Rao to the side carefully and scolded: "Don't mention anything else outside." ”

"The slave knows it's wrong."

"I'll talk about it later." The good concubine ordered cautiously.

Then the master and servant walked towards the long steps of the Hall of Eternal Longevity.

After asking for peace, Xi Rao followed the Buyu who returned to Jianyang Palace, and after entering the palace, the good concubine slowly said: "Just now you asked why this palace didn't please the queen mother, and now I sue you, it's not that this palace doesn't want to, it's that the timing is wrong." ”

"When?"

"I heard so much about the DPRK and China in the letter from the house, don't you know? Most of the people who Father had recently been ordered to find out but had been slow to present to the Yamen were the Empress Dowagers. ”

"It's hard for a mother to ......"

"By order, besides the order of the Son of Heaven, whose order is there?" The more the concubine said, the cooler her heart became, as if she was not in the hot summer of June, "My father's special identity allowed me to peek into the reason." In today's world, only a small number of people understand that the new emperor and the queen mother are harmonious on the surface, but they are actually divided behind their backs. ”

A cold sweat broke out on Xi Rao's back, "The slaves only know that the emperor has sheltered them, but they don't know that it is so far-reaching." That...... What can we do? ”

"Be careful," the concubine suddenly showed a sad smile, "before you save yourself." ”

Time gradually postponed, in the dormitory of Jianyang Palace, a distant letter would be received every late night, and the arrival of that letter would make the people reading the letter in the palace feel even heavier. There are more people involved, and the Queen Mother's family is among them...... I really don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

During the day, the other concubines still treated each other coldly, and with the aggravation of the private thorough investigation of the assassination of the court, the fear of being raided was shrouded in the hearts of some concubines, so they became more and more disgusted with the good concubines, and it was usually a trivial matter to be slapped and punished to kneel under the scorching sun from noon to evening. The concubines no longer had the weakness of the past, but were unusually calm, and they could never find fear in her eyes, which made their fingertips tremble with anger. Late at night, Xi Rao sobbed and helped the fragile concubine back to the palace, and there were two distinct anthurium marks on the master's face, which must have hurt very much, and she wiped her tears anxiously.

The good concubine raised her hand and gently wiped the red on her lips, "Don't cry." ”

"I'm sorry Niangniang, it's all the slave to blame......"

"You're right. If they want to punish this palace, they will be able to find all kinds of reasons, and you stood up to stop the first palm for this palace, and you have to thank you. ”

"Niangniang, how will we live in the future, we neither compete for favor nor have many things, why don't they let us go."

"These are just trivial things...... a cold light flashed in the concubine's eyes, and she finally held back for the second half of the sentence.

Now it seems that since it is not possible to take refuge in the Queen Mother, let's take a look at the attitude of the eldest princess Kunyi, who has a blind date with the Queen Mother. The concubines began to pay attention to the movements of the eldest princess, but every time the eldest princess did not meet them, they heard others say that the eldest princess was very lonely and cold, and she was not allowed to approach. The more she said this, the more suspicious the concubine became. In the past, the princesses who traveled between the new emperor and the queen mother were all powerful characters, Liu Che's mother-in-law, the eldest princess of the pavilion Tao, was of this type, when she was still the eldest princess and her brother was the emperor, her eight sides were exquisite, and she was amiable.

On this day, she heard on the way that the royal princesses had a banquet in the royal garden, and hurriedly followed. Xi Rao and her came far behind the rockery, and saw that most of these eldest princesses were gathered in front of the lotus pool, talking and laughing leisurely. She looked at these princesses with amazing preparations, although each of them can be called beautiful, but none of them can be called peerless beauty. Concubine Liang was immediately disappointed, because the eldest princess Kunyi would not be here, and she usually didn't like feasts, so if she wasn't there, she wouldn't come.

"Let's go."

"Don't be discouraged, maybe the eldest princess will enjoy the flowers somewhere else." Xi Rao persuaded, "Why don't you go and look around?" The concubine sighed, this is the only way. After Xi Rao finished speaking, she walked towards the cold place, and her palace maid outfit would not make people suspicious. The good concubine quietly walked into the deep bushes, and then hid behind the rockery. She waited left and right, and two hours passed, and Xirao still did not return. I was a little anxious in my heart, where did she go?

The concubine had to come out carefully, avoiding the voices, and she walked towards the remote place. The more I pushed away the shade leaves, the deeper the road I walked. "Eldest princess, ...... you" A subtle voice appeared in the distance, and the concubine's heart jumped suddenly, could it be...... She? Without further ado, the concubine moved cautiously forward, but the voice never sounded again, and I don't know if she stopped talking or found her cunning. Concubine Liang felt nervous like never before.

Coming to the end, she gently peeled open the tangled vines in front of her, and in the gap, she clearly saw the young woman in a hazy veil and dressed in a gorgeous costume in front of her, and the personal palace maid with long hair tied next to her. At that moment, she felt as if she was all frozen—was this the eldest princess Kunyi? Liang Concubine was stunned and looked at the one in front of her, the flower scene here is more beautiful than anywhere, in the green flower garden, the white lotus is swaying, the time of heaven and earth is like a cage on this beautiful woman, the soft light is gradually rising, and the immortals are dusty. Although the face of the person in front of him is veiled, the face of the person exposed is powerful and unforgettable.

Only then did the concubine finally believe that those rumors were true, and there were indeed people born like this in the world.

The two of them didn't seem to notice her save, and the eldest princess Kunyi took a pot of sake for herself, raised her delicate wrist, and took a sip. The good concubine was attracted by the woman in front of her, and such a scene seemed to be condensed into the painting.

After watching it for a long time, the concubine finally quietly retreated, because she already had a rough plan in her heart. Some people, just by looking at them, can understand how they should get along with them.

Leaving here, she walked back the way she came, still thinking about Xirao. When she leaves, she should come back too, right? Walking to the lotus pond, the concubine suddenly heard the sound of footsteps stepping on broken leaves behind her, which was close at hand. She was alert that something was wrong, and quickly squinted her eyes, only to see that there was a strange palace maid on the water surface where she was originally reflected alone, and that distorted face made her unforgettable - even if the water rippled, she could still see the sinister expression of the person behind her, and the murderous intent was fully revealed.

The good concubine's scalp was numb, and her body flashed quickly, but it was too late, the person had already pushed her down, and her feet were empty, and the good concubine pulled the corner of the person behind her in a panic, if she was defenseless, she might fall directly into the water. The man probably didn't expect her to do that, so they both fell in together. "Poof!"

The water flooded the eyes, and the light was lost in an instant.

The cold enveloped, the darkness hit, and the brightness above his head became farther and farther away from him.

There was darkness all around.

The good concubine sank with the water, clutching the corner of the man's clothes tightly in her hands. The palace maid kept struggling, desperately trying to swim upstream, and the water splashed violently.

The figure of the father and mother flashed in front of her, and the stunned eyes of the concubine suddenly regained their spirit, she watched the killer step on herself and swim towards the water, helplessness turned into hatred in a blink of an eye, she rushed forward and hugged the person's feet, desperately holding on.

The palace maid panicked, and she couldn't get rid of it, and the two of them tossed in the water several times. The concubine went upstream with all her might, the palace maid stepped on her face hard, and then borrowed her strength to go upstream, in the chaos, the concubine was keenly aware of something, she pulled out a long hairpin from her sideburns, and the green silk spread out in the water, which the palace maid did not have. This is the last chance. With the belief that she would die, she stabbed the maid in the leg fiercely, and a stream of blood spread out from the rags. The palace maid suddenly lost her strength, and she immediately seized the opportunity to swim upstream, even if she couldn't swim, the desire to survive still made her float to the surface.

The concubine knew that if the man swam up, he would reach the shore before her, so she swam harder ahead. Finally grabbed the willow branch hanging down on the shore with her hand, she didn't dare to let go, swam over slowly, just about to touch the shore, from near the side came the sound of gurgling blisters, seeing that the person was about to surface, the concubine's face flashed fiercely, she took out the hosta and aimed it there, and at the moment when the palace maid surfaced, she decisively stabbed in the face - "Ah! Blood flowed from the palace maid's left eye, and the hosta was there, right in the heart.

The concubine immediately climbed the shore, soaking wet, and she breathed heavily, and was extremely weak. The maid also grabbed the shore and prepared to climb up. When she saw this, her eyes showed a fierce light, and she quickly stood up with difficulty, picked up a stone the size of a bronze mirror on the ground, carried it, and approached the palace maid step by step. The palace maid covered her bloody mouth, half of her body had already gone ashore, and just when she thought it was safe, a pair of wet embroidered shoes appeared in front of her, and despair filled her heart. The concubine lifted the stone and threw it down with all the strength of her life - "I have no choice but to help me!" "Bang!" The maid threw her head back, but her hands were still gripping the shore. The concubine lifted the stone again, and before she had time to care, she said hoarsely, "Die!" ”

In the end, the stone smashed on the hand of the palace maid, bent a degree, and in the tragic shout, the palace maid fell back into the water, struggled several times, the water splashed, and finally sank, and the water suddenly disappeared without a trace, and for a long time, there was no sound. The concubine sat on the shore, she hugged herself, and cried for the first time.

Since entering the palace, she has never cried, even if she has suffered great grievances.

She had always thought that there might be such a day, but she didn't expect it to come so soon.

After her tears dried up, she remembered one thing, what should be done with the body of this palace maid? Even if she survives, will the people behind her still let her go? Will the emperor who doesn't love himself seriously protect himself? She looked up at the sky, and the bright sunny sky seemed to be covered with layers of invisible clouds. The flock of pigeons flies by, and it is extremely free.

Concubine Liang stood up tremblingly, the harem is not her home, this place does not belong to her, she doesn't want to stay here, she has to go back to her real home. After waiting for a long time, she tried to enter the water again, this time with long willow branches, and swam cautiously. Although she didn't want to go back, it was something that had to be done, otherwise it wouldn't make sense if it happened. It was very difficult to fish out the body of the palace maid, she quickly took off her clothes, put the other party's palace maid clothes on herself, and then unbuttoned the buttons, put her own clothes on the palace maid, and took off all the hosta jewelry to her.

Then, the concubine found vines to wrap around her heels, tied several heavy stones to her hands and feet, and finally pushed the palace maid who had lost her breath into the water again. It was only when the splash hit her face that she realized what she had done. If luck is right, this palace maid was only discovered after the body swelled and rotted. And then...... The good concubine is already dead, and there is no good concubine in the world. She's not her, she's nothing, she can get out of here.

A smile suddenly appeared on the concubine's face, the palace maid's head sank slowly, she felt the joy of rebirth, God made her suffer so much, is it just waiting for this day? The concubine raised her head and stretched out her arms, but at this moment, her pupils suddenly froze - because in front of her, the owner of those unforgettable beautiful eyes was like a cold woman in the world who should not be in the world, in the gardenia falling, the frost moon skirt followed the wind, and the wolf bèi looked extremely noble, and the person opposite was staring at her with a pair of eyes that dialysed all things and were slightly sad, as if the heavens had descended.