Chapter Ninety-Nine: Hot Springs
On the evening of the sixth day of the first lunar month, Wen Hao coaxed Duan Wen to sleep, and when she was about to rest, the maid forgot her worries and hurriedly ran into the dormitory to report: "Little master, Mama Fan from Hanyu Palace came to report that Han was afraid that she was going to die, saying that she wanted to see the little master before leaving!" ”
"Why can't you be good?" Wen Feng wondered, Han Qianyu was suffering from madness, and it was not a fatal disease, why did she suddenly die?
"Little master, shall we go then?" Forget your worries and feel that it is against the palace rules to go out and walk around at night, let alone go to the gloomy cold palace!
"Go! Why not? I want to see what truth Han's words are going to reveal when he dies! "For the sake of Han Qianyu being Duanwen's biological mother, Wen Hao doesn't mind giving her a gift. Seeing that the master insisted on going, he forgot his worries and had to put on a brocade fur cloak for Wen Hao, and carry a glass palace lamp to illuminate the way for Wen Hao.
When she arrived at the Hanyu Palace, Mama Fan led Wen Feng to Han Qianyu's room under house arrest. As soon as he entered the door, there was a smell of mildew coming to his face, and Wen Feng hurriedly covered his nose with a handkerchief.
"Who's coming? Is it a concubine? Han Qianyu, who was leaning on the bed, no longer had the strength to stand up to greet Wen Hao.
"It's me. Han, why did you call me? If you have something to say, just say it, I'm afraid that Xue Ning will cry when she wakes up and sees me gone. Wen Feng didn't want to talk to her too much.
"Snow Condensation...... My daughter, is she okay? "Han Qianyu doesn't look like she's unconscious at the moment.
"Xue Ning is very good, it's a pity that the emperor doesn't allow others to mention you to her, and Xue Ning doesn't remember you anymore." Duan Wen now fully recognizes Wen Feng as her biological mother.
"Yes, how can someone like me be worthy of being the princess's biological mother? The emperor is disgusted with me, and my daughter forgets me, you ...... Probably hated me too! What's the point of living for someone like me? It's okay, it's okay, I'm about to be freed, cough cough ......" Han Qianyu coughed non-stop halfway through speaking, and Wen Feng covered her mouth and nose and moved farther away from her. Judging by her appearance, she may have suffered from a cold in winter but no one has treated her, and now she has probably turned into tuberculosis and other incurable diseases.
"I don't have the time to hold a grudge against you! Or is there something you've done that makes me have to hate you? Wen Feng stared at Han Qianyu with sharp eyes.
"You don't know? You don't know? They didn't tell you? Hahahaha...... Also, it's good that you don't know. Han Qianyu closed her eyes as if she was very comforted.
"What exactly did you do? Who are they? What are they hiding? Tell me quickly! Wen Feng was excited and didn't care if he would be infected, so he stepped forward and pinched Han Qianyu's shoulder and asked.
"Actually, you've been skeptical for a long time, haven't you? I'm just not sure. Han Qianyu used all her strength to push Wen Yan away, turned her head and coughed heartbreakingly.
"Isn't it you? It's not you, after all! Wen Feng asked naturally the murderer who caused her miscarriage.
"What's the point of knowing now if it's me? That kid will never come back...... If he can't come back, I'll accompany you...... Xue Ning will be handed over to you. Han Qianyu's aura seemed to be a little weaker than before.
"It's really you! You killed my child, why do you think I will be kind to your child? Wen Feng said hatefully.
"You are a kind person, and I believe that you can also repay grievances with virtue. I used to live with you, but I am going to die, and people are good at what they say...... I don't dare to ask for your forgiveness, but I just ask you not to be angry with Xue Ning because of my fault...... Be sure to be kind to her! She will be filial to you when she grows up, and it can be regarded as letting her atone for you for my incompetent mother, cough cough ......" Han Qianyu spoke intermittently, and the violent cough almost turned her back on a few occasions.
"Children are the most pure and innocent, and I naturally won't treat Xue Ning harshly. But I treat Xue Ning well because I love this child from the bottom of my heart, not so that she can atone for you! She doesn't deserve to bear your sins, you don't deserve it! After Wen Feng finished his last sentence, he walked out of the room shrouded in the breath of death without looking back. Han Qianyu's gaze followed Wen Hao until she disappeared from view, and then the light in Han Qianyu's eyes gradually extinguished.
The sixth day of the first month of November is just an ordinary day, the birth of a new life and the death of another, and the final handover is completed on such a clear and cold night.
Before nightfall on the seventh day of the lunar month, the emperor's holy car finally arrived safely at the Wodaishan Hot Spring Palace.
There are many courtyards in the palace, but the area is not very large, and the emperor naturally lives in the most spacious Yonghe Zhai; The empress was placed in Lijingxuan, the closest to the emperor; Concubine Yi lived in Zhaoyingxuan, which was close to the queen; Concubine De was quiet and took Princess Lingyu to live in the quiet and elegant Yuyunxie; Duan Yulin originally wanted to arrange for Li Jingxi to live in Yilanxuan, where the original virtuous concubine lived, but she refused to exceed the rules, so she had no choice but to follow her wishes and allow her to live in Chufangzhai, which was a little far away from Yonghezhai; The rest of the concubines were arranged in turn in the surrounding rooms such as Mengxi Building, Qingshui Building, Cuiwei Pavilion, and Ning Xiangxie; The Western mission was divided into two groups, living in the small building of Langyu and the small building of Hanzhen.
Because it was late, everyone hurriedly had dinner and tidied up and rested by themselves, and the half-month leisure life of the palace from tomorrow was officially begun.
The next day was clear and clear, after all, it was a cold weather in November, and the soup was also selected to be the most sunny day from noon to nonch. The emperor and queen have their own exclusive hot spring baths, which are called Wolong Pool and Yufeng Pond respectively, although the area is not very large, but fortunately, it is completely enough for individuals to enjoy; The concubines must share a large bath, which is divided into the Qingluan Pond that can be used above the concubine and the Caique Pond dedicated to the concubine and below; Princes, ministers, and guests can choose from one of the three large hot spring pools: Yuqing, Izumo, and Ningzai; Of course, there is also a special bath for the palace people to comfort their hard work, but there are regulations that the palace people must only bathe for one hour a day after completing their errands. The hot spring pool of the palace is called Ryushuang, and in the middle of it is a high wall made of natural mountain stones to separate men and women, with the men's bath on the left and the women's bath on the right.
Western guests are very interested in this special way of bathing, and they have a lot of fun in the natural hot springs. Li Jingxi was not as energetic as those aristocratic ladies, and after soaking for a while, she felt dizzy, so she left Qingluan Pond early to take a walk in a secluded place away from the crowd.
Zimo tightened Li Jingxi's collar tightly, and said worriedly: "Niangniang, your body is weak, I'm afraid it's not good to come out to blow the cold wind just after soaking in hot soup!" Let's go back to Fangzhai, shall we? ”
"It doesn't matter. The hot soup is so dizzy and stuffy that the palace just wants to breathe. Although Li Jingxi came to the palace for the second time, she was the first time she entered the palace and came for the first time, but she was unable to visit the palace because she was with the emperor every day.
"Shall we go to the Frost Pool, then? Now that the palace people are on errands, the frost pool is the quietest! And it's close to the hot springs, and it's hot enough, so you can enjoy the flowers and don't catch a cold. Ruri made a good suggestion, and she readily agreed.
The master and servant came to a flower garden not far from the Frost Pond, where the osmanthus, triangular plum and geraniums bloomed very well thanks to the heating of the hot springs.
"It's rare that the osmanthus flowers here are still blooming, but you can pick some to make osmanthus syrup." Li Jingxi sniffed the sweet smell of osmanthus and had a whim.
"Wait, the slave will go find a jar to collect some." Liuli asked Zimo to accompany her master, and she went to the nearby palace residence to borrow a container.
"Liuli, this girl is still so frizzy, saying that the wind is the rain." Graceful shook her head helplessly, and took Zimo's hand and walked towards the depths of the flowers.
The more you go inward, the more prosperous the osmanthus becomes, which is probably the last wanton wildness of the spirit of osmanthus. Out of nowhere, an intolerant gray finch flew in, probably trying to rest in this place near the hot springs, but several times it wanted to land on the cinnamon branch but could not, and finally had to fly away in a huff. Witnessing this scene, Li Jingxi suddenly remembered a poem that was very consistent with this scene, but before she could recite it, someone read it out one step ahead of her: "There is a wooden name Dangui, and the four seasons are fragrant." The flowers are bright at night, and the leaves are green in spring. [From Tang Bai Juyi's "Youmu"]"The person who reads the poem is Zimo next to her, Li Jingxi couldn't help but look at Zimo in surprise, she never knew that the little woman next to her was actually a talented and thoughtful person.
"The wind shadow is as clear as water, and the frost branches are like cold jade. Occupy the hill alone, and do not allow ordinary birds. [ Ibid.] I didn't expect a little maid to know poetry and elegance, and she deserved to be the person who came out of Concubine Zhuang*. Duan Yuhua opened a large cluster of flowers and leaves, like a fairy in the painting.
"The prince is wrong to blame this palace, this palace has never taught her this. Presumably because she was born in the Horse Mansion, the two sons of the Qin family are both knowledgeable and talented. When Li Jingji saw that it was him, her mood suddenly brightened.
The prince made fun of it, the slave and maid have been following the master for a long time, and naturally they have learned some fur. However, the slaves and maids are all vassals and elegant, and they are not as elegant as the mother and the prince. The way of this poetry and song, or ask the mother to ask for advice from a Confucian like the prince, and the slave maid should go to see if the glass jar has been found. Zimo smiled slyly, and ran out of the line of sight of the two to guard.
"The golden stamen of Luyi, the jasper branches of the wind. Thousands of trees are shaking down, and this tree is unique. [ From Song Zhu Xi's "Yongyan Gui"]": "Duan Yuhua folded a golden cinnamon and inserted it on the side of the sideburns.
"It is difficult to harmonize the wood powder, and the edge of the fence is not in harmony. Climbing incense full sleeves, sighing and sympathy. [ Ibid]" glared at Duan Yuhua and said angrily: "Do you really want to fight against me?" ”
Duan Yuhua saw that her graceful expression was very cute, and couldn't help but smile and pull her into her arms, but said in a sour tone: "Fengyue entered my lovesick bureau, how can I not be lovesick." The straight road has no intention, but it is lovesick and cannot be abandoned. [ From the Internet, non-original]" He first complained that Grace made him fall in love with her and miss her all the time, but he couldn't be together; Later, he showed that even if this kind of deep-rooted lovesickness could not be discharged, he could not give up his love for her. This sentence of grievance is also the most sincere confession of love.
Graceful first slapped Duan Yuhua's chest, and then leaned on it tightly and said in a muffled voice: "Yuhua, I also miss you very much...... I want to see you every day, even if I stay by your side and do nothing, I'm willing! Sometimes I envy Nangong ......" This last sentence is obviously a little jealous.
"What is there for her to envy? She's a poor person, I'm sorry for her, you should sympathize with her. "Nangong Fei has been in the door for almost three months, but he has never been favored by Duan Yuhua, and the pain of staying alone in the empty room at night can probably only be experienced by those who have experienced it firsthand.
"You, are you ......" Guessing that they might never have had a round of sex, her mood became very complicated for a while, both relieved and sad. Graceful felt sorry for her lover, and had to persuade against her will: "Actually, you don't have to be like this, I can't guarantee that you are like a jade, so why should you wronged yourself?" Besides, the man's three wives and four concubines are already ordinary...... "Without waiting for the concubine to finish speaking, Duan Yuhua gently covered her mouth with her palm.
"I can only tolerate you in my heart, and I only want to be married to you, even if I can't get it, I will definitely live up to you! As for the other women, I can only be sorry. Duan Yuhua looked at her with burning eyes.