Yuan Zhen is few in the ancient palace, and the palace flowers are lonely and red. The white-headed palace maid is here, sitting idle and talking about Xuanzong.

The setting sun casts a golden glow on the earth, and the entire palace seems to be covered with a golden veil like cicada wings, and the earth is covered with mystery. Late at night, the candles lit in each palace are like fireflies flying far away, flickering and getting darker and darker, and the palace seems to be shrouded in dreams.

In Yongxiang, there was silence. In the darkness of the night, a figure quietly walked from the westernmost end of Yongxiang, through the long Yongxiang, and then through the Imperial Garden, and hurried to a palace. This majestic and towering huge building with heavy eaves and nine ridge tops, the bucket arches are staggered, and the yellow tile covers the roof, like a golden luan palace. In front there are ten stone pillars side by side, and on each pillar are carved two dragons, one above and one below, which coil and rise, soar through the clouds, and swim towards the middle; There is a jewel in the center, surrounded by some flaming carvings.

It is the palace of the Southern Zhou Dynasty, the place where the emperors of the past dynasties reviewed the chapters and dealt with the government affairs, the imperial study.

Walk into the main hall, in the middle is a square platform of about two meters high vermilion lacquer, on which is placed the throne of the carved dragon with gold lacquer, behind is the carved dragon screen, there are six tall golden pillars of the dragon on both sides of the square platform, and a vigorous golden dragon is coiled on each pillar; Looking up at the top of the palace, there is a huge carved dragon pan dragon on the central caisson well, a silver-white big round bead hangs down from the dragon's mouth, surrounded by six small beads, the dragon head, the color painting between the beams is gorgeous, bright and pleasing to the eye, the red and yellow gold dragon pattern pattern, there are double dragons playing with pearls, the single dragon flies; There are walking dragons, sitting dragons, flying dragons, descending dragons, colorful, and the dragon's surroundings are also lined with flowing clouds and flames.

The house is sunny during the day and has an excellent view; At night, the oil lamp and candle flame are also the most abundant and bright places in the palace, Zhao Sizhuo dealt with the political affairs of the day, looked tired, unconsciously stretched out his hand, rubbed the sore mountain roots between his eyes, and the faint swelling and pain of the temples.

Zheng Le, who was on the side, saw it, stepped forward to knead it for the emperor, and said in a low voice: "The emperor has been tired for days, so you might as well stop here today and rest early." It just so happens that today is the fifteenth, and the emperor should also go to Fengchen Palace to visit the queen. ”

"Today's fifteen? I didn't realize that life passed so quickly. The bandits in the southwest and the plague in the southeast are enough to give me a headache. ”

"The emperor has worked hard to govern the country, and he is a rare diligent ruler of the people. However, the emperor also has to take care of the dragon's body, and the queen sent someone to say before sunset: prepare black chicken ginseng soup and wait for His Majesty to eat together. ”

"Why didn't you say it earlier? It's been this hour, wouldn't it make the queen wait for a long time. ”

"Your Majesty's forgiveness, it's the queen mother who told me not to disturb Your Majesty first, and wait until Your Majesty is tired........." Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Sizhuo had already gotten up and walked out, the corners of his mouth smiled, and he hurriedly strode forward to follow.

Fengchen Palace, as soon as autumn came, Cuizhu commanded the palace people to move the queen's bedding from the West Warm Pavilion back to the East Warm Pavilion in the sunny place. At the innermost end of the room is an ornate carved mahogany bed, with neatly folded bedding.

The weather was slightly cool, and there were several red candles on the table, and the candles were engraved with a dragon and phoenix with teeth and claws. The candle flame was flickering, Ye Zhiqiu was immersed in the world of the books of his predecessors with relish, and the book of "Huainan Zhi" in his hand was about to be turned to the end.

"What an interesting book to read so fascinating, and I'm not afraid of burning my eyes." Zhao Sizhuo's voice sounded, which surprised the people in the room.

"Your Majesty....... Why is there no one to spread the word? She glanced at Lijuan with disgust, and the latter stuck out the tip of her tongue slightly, and looked helplessly at the only man in the palace, her eyes were resentful, but she didn't dare to explain.

It seems that the emperor did not allow them to pass it on. Ye Zhiqiu got up and saluted, poured a cup of tea himself, handed it to the emperor, and then said to Lijuan: "Okay, I will punish you to go to the small kitchen to bring ginseng soup." ”

Lijuan answered. Cuizhu shook her head beside her, "Queen Mother, you are too used to her, among the personal maids who serve by Niangniang's side, how can she be so reckless and reckless, and dare to stick out her tongue at Niangniang." Look, I don't clean her up. ”

"Well, she's a teenage girl, just the age of innocence, it's okay."

"Alas...... Who let her have a good life, blessed to serve you, if she is replaced by another master, see if she dares! Cuizhu looked indignant, but there was no anger and malice in his eyes.

Zhao Sizhuo listened to it funny and joked Ye Zhiqiu, "You are twenty-nine years old this year, and you are also an innocent age, but you are married to a wife, and your mother is the world, how do you feel?" ”

"Your Majesty....... How can you help Cuizhu and flirt with the concubines together?! ”

"Hahaha~" Hearty laughter echoed in the room.

The black chicken ginseng soup is presented, poured into the soup bowl of blue and white porcelain, the room is suddenly filled with a particularly mellow fragrance, which makes people appetite, holding the delicate blue and white porcelain bowl, opening the golden color of the chicken soup oil beads, the clear soup color suddenly appears in front of you, taste a bite, trembling all over, there is an indescribable fragrance rippling between the lips and teeth, can not be dispersed for a long time, after swallowing, the aftertaste is long, faintly with a medicinal fragrance of Codonopsis astragalus, mixed with the soft taste of black chicken, full of deliciousness.

Zhao Sizhuo drank a mouthful of soup, his stomach was warm, his lips and teeth were fragrant, and he praised: "The chef in the queen's palace has good skills, and he is willing to share it with me." ”

Lijuan sneered, glared at by Cuizhu's eyes.

"Oh? What are you laughing at? ”

"Back to the emperor, this is not made by the palace cook, but the queen mother boiled it herself, from the afternoon to the present, simmered for two whole hours, of course it is delicious~"

"Lijuan, talk a lot. Sure enough, I spoil you too much on weekdays, and there are no rules. ”

"Yes, the slave knows her mistake."

"Don't go down quickly, be embarrassed in front of the emperor." Cuizhu dragged her down.

Zhao Sizhuo's tired heart, as if soothed and stretched, was warm and comfortable, picked up the soup bowl, drank the chicken soup in one gulp, and said to Zheng Le: "I will stay here today, and I will go to prepare to serve me and freshen up." ”

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In the silence of the night, there are dim lights in the palace, and countless eyes seem to be open and closed.

Just when people are asleep, in the dim light,

The cold palace sounds like a palace, but in fact, the cold palace is not a fixed place, it generally refers to a cold and damp dilapidated room, and may even be a prison cell. The environment is very poor, damp and cool all year round, and you can't go out at will, and the door will be locked.

There are two places in Anle Hall, one is the place where the sick eunuch in the palace waits to die before he dies, which is in the Bei'anmen, and the other is the beekeeping road, also known as the sheep house road, and the people who are placed here are often some old and frail palace people, or people who have committed crimes and are sick.

In the northeast corner of the entire palace, and Concubine Zhen lives in the three westernmost rooms of the north room, the door is locked from the outside, and the food she eats every day is also passed in from the small window, in the innermost part of the Forbidden City.

Outside, there was a small courtyard with a few bamboos, and a flower bed covered with green moss; There were two or three shabby purple mud pots standing beside the altar, and some weeds grew in a mess.