Wu Shulai was originally sitting in the tearoom for a while, but he suddenly heard something talking outside, and when he heard it, he knew that something was wrong, so he hurriedly lifted the curtain and went out. Hai'an stood under the corridor, his heart and eyes jumped, but his face calmly reprimanded: "Long live Lord here, you don't want to talk nonsense!" ”

Wu Shulai knew that the palace maid who was pulling with the eunuch was Dong Ling, who had a good relationship with Jing Tao. He smiled and said, "Today is the birthday of Su Gui's birthday, long live the Lord in the celebration, let's not lose our proportions." ”

Dongling is one of the first four palace maids in charge of the queen, and she has a very good face in the palace and a strong heart. She handed the food box in her hand to the little palace maid she carried, and said: "Murdering the emperor's heir is a big deal, the queen mother and the emperor are all looking at it, I have a clue, how can I hide it?" ”

Wu Shulai's face froze, and he was about to speak, but he heard a solemn voice coming from the room, and said, "Come to the front and say." ”

Qingcheng's expression was indifferent, watching a group of palace people enter, the emperor sat on the throne in the main hall, his eyes were as sharp as eagles, he looked at Dong Ling, gritted his teeth and said: "If anyone dares to talk nonsense, I will never spare it!" ”

Dong Ling trembled, knelt on the ground and asked for peace, and gradually calmed down: "On the day of the miscarriage of the master, the slave maid happened to go to Jingren Palace with the queen to visit, and when she was waiting under the corridor, she saw someone carrying a food box and peeping around behind the stone shadow wall. Although I didn't think about it at the time, I always felt puzzled when I thought about it later, but I couldn't find anyone to confront me. I didn't want to, but I bumped into it in Yikun Palace again. As he spoke, he kowtowed to the ground and said: "What the slave and maid said is the truth, there is no half-nonsense, please let the emperor know." The eunuch kneeling beside him was sweating profusely, but he didn't speak, just nodded and knocked on the ground.

There was no smile on the corner of the emperor's lips, and before he could speak, it was already terrifying. He glanced at Qingcheng and saw her standing calmly on the side, without a trace of panic, and was slightly surprised. The palace people below were all terrified, standing with their hands down, and they didn't even dare to come out.

The emperor said: "It's someone from your palace, do you have something to say?" ”

Qingcheng lifted the hem of her skirt, knelt down, and said: "The person who sent the sour plums to Yikun Palace is Pei'er, and the person who receives the sour plums from Jingren Palace is Wan'er, and Pei'er is the person under me, so don't worry about it for the time being." But if it is really a sour plum sent by someone in my palace, Yu'er has seen it, and he should know it, so it is better to confront Xuanlai. Wu Shulai secretly coveted the emperor's expression, and when he saw him raise his face, he hurriedly went out to summon people.

But half an hour later, the queen heard the news, and Concubine Xian also brought the visitor to identify. Wan'er carefully studied the eunuch boy for a long time, glanced at Concubine Xian sadly, and replied: "Emperor Qi, the person who gave the slave sour plums is not him. ”

Because the child has not yet passed 100 days, the hairpin on the temples of the concubine has faded, and she has not applied rouge, and she looks more and more haggard. As soon as she heard the words sour plums, she felt a pain in her heart like cutting off her flesh and blood, and she cried: "Have you looked carefully? ”

Seeing that the master was like this, the tip of his nose was sour, and he knew that it was not, but he still turned around and looked at it again, and said: "It's really not, the slave maid remembers that the man's face is long and his eyebrows are very thick." And this person has a round face and short eyebrows. ”

Concubine Xian was so disappointed, the corners of her mouth twitched, and her eyes were rolling with tears, so the emperor comforted: "Don't be sad." ”

Concubine Xian knew that she was out of order, but she couldn't help it, and turned her back to drink and weep. The emperor got up, patted her on the back, and said in a low tone: "Take good care of your body, I promise that you will have your own children in the future." ”

Concubine Xian didn't dare to be too presumptuous in front of the emperor and queen, so she wiped her tears, barely squeezed out a smile, and said, "Thank you, Emperor." ”

The queen said: "Su Guiren has been kneeling for most of the time, get up quickly." ”

The emperor suddenly remembered that Qingcheng was still kneeling on the ground, so he casually pointed to a stool and said, "Go and sit." ”

Erqi hurriedly came over to help each other, and Qingcheng thanked him for his kindness, and then sat down.

The emperor's face became more and more gloomy, and the queen was afraid that he would misunderstand, so she scolded Dong Ling: "Confused things, I dare to talk nonsense in front of the Lord of Long Live and almost wronged Su Guiren." He bent his knees and said: "It's the concubine's lack of discipline, which has annoyed the emperor, so please punish the emperor." ”

Dong Ling bowed his head to the ground, and said in fear: "It's the slave and the maid who are chasing the wind and catching the shadows, suspicious and suspicious, and the emperor will punish the slave and the maid if he wants to punish it, and it has nothing to do with the queen's mother." The emperor picked up a blue luochun on the table, took a sip, and said lightly: "You have some loyalty." Then he said ruthlessly: "Go to the Internal Affairs Office to get twenty spines." ”

When the queen heard this, there was a loud bang in her head, but looking at the emperor's face, she didn't dare to beg for mercy rashly. Dong Ling was frightened half to death, trembling all over, and shouted loudly: "The emperor spares his life, the queen spares his life, the emperor spares his life, the queen spares his life..."

The Emperor turned his face in disgust and flicked his sleeves outward. Wu Shulai understood, and made a secret signal to let the eunuchs outside come in and tie people up.

Dong Ling was in a hurry, and shouted: "Su Guiren save the slave maid, Su Guiren save the slave maid..."

Qingcheng didn't want to pay attention to it, but when he saw Dong Ling dancing and struggling to be dragged out, he suddenly felt compassion, so he called out and said, "Your Majesty..."

Without waiting for her to speak, the emperor raised his eyebrows and said, "What?" Do you still want to intercede for her? ”

Qingcheng said slowly: "If it's a shin cane, at most two legs will be broken." The cane, although not the harshest punishment, can cause incurable damage to the spine and internal organs, and most of those punished will be beaten to death.

Dong Ling is the palace maid in front of the queen's mother, she does things neatly, she is a little keen, and it is not strange to see someone sneaky and have doubts. The emperor is magnanimous, so he spared her life. He smiled again and said, "Today is my birthday, and the emperor promised me." There was something pampering and arrogant in his tone, and even the queen had never spoken to the emperor like this, and she felt very sour.

The emperor put aside the teacup, suddenly smiled, as if it had disappeared, and said, "Today is your birthday, and I will listen to you." ”

Dong Ling breathed a sigh of relief, collapsed to the ground, and only after half a sound did he return to his senses and thanks, and said, "Emperor Xie forgives your sins, and Xie Su is a nobleman." ”

The emperor glanced at the queen and said, "She is your person, such a big mistake, you can do it yourself." ”

The queen hurriedly curtsied and said, "Yes." He fixed his expression again, and in front of everyone, he said to Dongling: "From Ming'er, you will go to Xinzhiku on an errand." Xiangling's heart was slightly relieved, and she fell straight to the bottom of the abyss, she knew that the queen was afraid of being dragged down, afraid of being misunderstood by the emperor, and she had to clear herself. If you beg for mercy at the moment, I am afraid that the punishment will be heavier, so I knelt down and said: "Thank you for the grace of Queen Mother." ”

At this time, Er Qi suddenly bowed down and whispered in Qingcheng's ear: "Master, that eunuch and slave look at the eyes, it doesn't seem to be from our Yikun Palace." Qingcheng took a closer look, and sure enough, he didn't have the slightest impression, so he asked, "Where did you go on an errand?" The eunuch's eyes rolled and said, "The slave is the little forest of the gatehouse." ”

Qingcheng asked, "Which door?" ”

Xiao Linzi was sweating profusely, and said: "It's Yikun Gate..." There was such a turn, even Concubine Xian was surprised, and couldn't help but say: "No wonder Dong Ling said that you are sneaky, could it be that you have really been in and out of Jingren Palace?" ”

Dong Ling hurriedly insisted and said, "The slave maid has really seen this person in Jingren Palace, and there is no lie. ”

Someone dared to play tricks under his nose, and the emperor was so angry that the bruises on his forehead exploded, and he said, "Say, who are you?" If you dare to tell half a lie, I will tell you to divide the corpse of five horses. Seeing that the emperor was angry, Xiao Linzi's seven souls scared away the six spirits, kowtowed again and again, and poured out all his brains, and said: "The slave is on an errand in Yonghe Palace, and the master of Qing asked the slave to look at the movement in the palace, and if there is anything going on, he will tell her." ”

Concubine Xian's chest was mourned, and she said, "Sour plums, but Concubine Qing asked you to send them?" ”

Xiao Linzi shook his head like pounding garlic and said, "Master Qing only asked the servants to watch the movement, but he has never done anything that hurts the heavens and reason..."

The emperor didn't bother to listen to him anymore, so he said, "Go and call Concubine Qing." ”

Qing Concubine was still taking a lunch break, and vaguely heard someone outside, thinking that the emperor was going to announce that she was waiting for pen and ink, and she was very happy. was about to dress up, but was summoned by the eunuch and said: "The little master should go to Yikun Palace earlier, let the long live master wait for a long time, but he can't afford it." ”

Qing Concubine compared the two pairs of Dongzhu earrings in her palms and asked, "Isn't it going to the Heart Cultivation Palace?" ”

The messenger eunuch said: "The emperor is now asking Xiaolinzi in Yikun Palace. I only felt that a catastrophe was coming, and Concubine Qing's legs were weak, but fortunately, there were palace people waiting on her side to support her, otherwise she would have to fall. didn't dare to delay, she changed into a decent palace skirt, tied her hair in a bun, put on her shoulders, and only walked a few steps, suddenly called someone to stop, waved her hand to let the palace maid step forward, and said in a low voice: "Go to Xianfu Palace to spread the word, remember not to make a noise." Seeing that the palace maid went, Qing Concubine Fang went to Yikun Palace.

Chen Guiren was accompanying the noble concubine to touch the cards on the kang, the two of them were in great interest, the silk curtain was lifted, Shu Yao stepped forward quickly, and said: "Qi Qi master, Qing master sent someone to pass the word." Concubine Gao played two cards before asking, "What's the matter?" Seeing that Shu Yao didn't reply, his face was embarrassed, Chen Guiren hurriedly said "oops", and said: "I haven't slept well these nights, and yesterday I called the people from the imperial hospital to prescribe two prescriptions, decoction of medicine, and three meals a day." Look at my forgetfulness, I haven't eaten this meal at noon, so I won't accompany Master Gao today. ”

The corners of the noble concubine's lips were full of smiles, but there was a faint hint of Xiao Han in her eyes, which made people unable to see the clues. She threw away the leftover cards in her hand and said gently: "The medicine must be taken on time and in accordance with the amount to take effect, but I delayed you, go quickly." ”

Chen Guiren answered, then put on his shoes, straightened his clothes, and helped the palace people out. When I arrived at the bottom of the corridor, I saw Concubine Qing's personal palace maid going inside, looking hurried, and seemed to be quite anxious, so I looked back and sneered in a low voice: "Don't think that you are hiding it well, when others don't know, there will always be a day when you will open the sky!" ”

It was time to hold the lamp, the lights of the side hall of Changchun Palace were dim, and the concubine was holding a round bun, wearing a plain bedclothes, sitting cross-legged on the kang and looking through the accounts, and when she heard a sigh outside, she raised her voice and asked: "Is the queen back to the palace?" ”

Lu Zhu turned around and entered the house and said, "Yes, does the master have any orders?" ”

Concubine Shun put off her shoes and said, "Ask someone to bring water, I'll wash up, and I'm going to go to the front to do something." ”

Luzhu said: "The master or Ming'er should go, I'm afraid the queen is still angry at the moment, why bother to suffer from it." ”

Because the draft girl will be selected next month, the expenses of the Internal Affairs Office are extremely expensive, and Concubine Shun has been looking at the accounts in the palace all day, but she doesn't know what happened, so she smiled and said: "Who is the queen bothered?" ”

When the palace people next to him saw Shun Concubine get up, they took the fire fold and lit all the lamps around them, and suddenly the fire shimmered, clear and clear. Lu Zhu cleaned up the account book pen and ink on the kang table, and said: "I heard from the people in the kitchen in a trance just now that Master Qing made a big mistake and was sent to the cold palace. ”

Concubine Shun was slightly stunned, and then asked, "What is the matter?" It's such a battle. ”

Lu Zhu took the things and said: "It is said that when Dong Ling in the queen's palace went to Yikun Palace to deliver Yinshou noodles, he caught a eunuch, first said that he was the one who sent sour plums to Concubine Xian, and then said that it was not, and he confessed to Master Qing, and it was Master Qing who asked him to explore the whereabouts of the emperor and queen... What the hell is going on, the slave is also hearsay, and I can't do it accurately, anyway, don't go forward tonight. ”

Concubine Shun thought about it slightly, the queen and the noble concubine have always been at odds with each other, the emperor values the heir, and intends to let the second elder brother inherit the unification, and the queen has always been respectful. Today, I suddenly asked the noble concubine to assist in the six palaces, which is really incomprehensible. Seeing that she was stunned, Luzhu didn't bother, and led the people to retreat quietly.

The weather is getting clearer day by day, the palace is full of trees, and the warm breeze gently blows, spreading the fragrance into the air, making the listener want to be intoxicated. The emperor ate the meal, and casually approved a few books, and the cinnabar pen and ink were full of ink, and the pen was shining. Qingcheng wore a satin palace robe embroidered with red makeup and phalaenopsis, standing on the side to polish the ink, and the bright light reflected her face through the glass window, smooth as jade. Her hand was slightly swollen, so she stopped, unintentionally looking at the emperor's pen. In recent days, there have been no major events inside and outside the court, and the emperor is in a very happy mood, and most of the words in the criticism are just "I know." ”

He suddenly looked up and smiled, "Be careful of ink on your sleeves." ”

Qingcheng was frightened, hurriedly lifted the hem of his clothes, and when he saw that it was not stained with ink, he said angrily: "The emperor loves to be scary." ”

The emperor has always had the habit of taking a nap, and after watching the music for a while, he was tired, so he put the imperial pen on the jade shelf and said: "The ink that has been sharpened for a long time, are your hands sore?" ”

Qingcheng said: "It's not sour, when I paint, I pick up the pen for an afternoon, and my hands don't hurt." ”

The emperor snorted, squeezed her palm, and said, "I'm a little tired, let's go inside and rest." ”

Qingcheng's face turned red, shook the emperor's hand, and wanted to go out, and said, "I'll go and call the people from the Si Bedroom Palace to come in and serve." ”

The emperor felt hot, so he untied the golden silk dragon buckle around his neck and said, "Just have you to serve." After speaking, he walked inside, walked a few steps, saw Qingcheng standing still, turned around and asked, "What's wrong?" ”

Qingcheng's cheeks were crimson, and he was twisting a handkerchief in his hand, and he didn't dare to look at him, so he said in a low voice: "In broad daylight, you have to go to Hongde Hall in the afternoon to speak, so, I'm afraid it's not good." ”

The emperor was stunned for a moment, and only after half a ring did he understand what she meant, and couldn't help laughing, poking his finger on her forehead, even the tips of his eyebrows were smiling, and said, "It seems that you are thinking." After speaking, he hugged her horizontally, causing her to scream softly, and said, "Little girl, you dare to sway the holy will, see how I clean you up." ”

The bright yellow curtain hung low, and the green orange leaned in the crook of the emperor's arm, and his clothes faded slightly, revealing his concave and slender shoulder bones.

The emperor sobered up and asked, "Are you asleep?" ”

Qingcheng replied wistfully, but he couldn't even hold his eyelids open. Her green silk was covered with pillows, and the emperor unconsciously smoothed out the strands of hair on her face and rubbed them behind her ears. I don't know how long it took, a palace man tiptoed into the house and called, "Long live Lord, it's time to go and speak." ”

The emperor raised the curtain and shouted, "Don't bother her. After speaking, he didn't even wear shoes, and walked out of the warm pavilion barefoot, so that people could serve him. After listening to the lecture for a while, the minister of the Military Aircraft Department came to discuss the matter of the Miao Rebellion in Guizhou, and the monarch and the minister discussed it in detail, the voice was not loud or small, the military situation was tense, and sometimes it was so dull that it made people panic.

Qingcheng is rare and dreamless, and when he wakes up, he is drowsy and like a world away, and he doesn't know where he is. She opened her eyes and looked up and down, and it took a long time to remember that she was in the Heart Cultivation Palace. She wanted to wear it, but she couldn't find her own clothes, she saw that the door was closed, and she didn't know if there was anyone outside, so she listened to the window for a while, but there was no sound, so she pushed the door and went out.

The emperor opened his lips after half a sound and said: "The head of the Miao people in Gulu Village, Dingfanzhou is an old platoon, leading the crowd to forcibly pull cattle and horses, and also killing people and setting fires, which is really an unforgivable crime..." It was just when he was wondering, he suddenly heard a creak behind him, and he looked back and saw Qingcheng wearing a tribute silk shirt and pestle in front of the door, his face full of horror.

Qingcheng instinctively called: "Your Majesty..."

The emperor was angry and funny, but his face was silent, as if nothing had happened, and said lightly: "Go back quickly." ”

Qingcheng suddenly came back to his senses, turned around and ran away, and slammed the door shut.

The Emperor coughed twice, and was about to continue, but he could not remember where he had spoken, so he fell silent. The ministers below looked at each other, snickering in their hearts, but their faces were all forbearing. The emperor looked at them as if he was holding back his thoughts, and said, "It's getting late, you go to the side hall to eat some pastries, and come back later." ”

The crowd couldn't ask for it, so they knelt down and retreated.

Qingcheng leaned against the door, trembling with nervousness. The emperor pushed the door, and when he saw someone resisting, he said, "It's me." ”

Qingcheng suddenly breathed a sigh of relief, was ashamed of himself, opened the door, knelt down and said, "I have embarrassed the emperor." ”

The Emperor reached out to help her up, and wrote lightly, "No problem." Seeing that Qingcheng was shy and timid, she couldn't help but say, "It's really cheap for those old men." ”

The queen accompanied the queen mother to talk all afternoon, and did not return to the palace until the evening. Before entering the temple, the concubine came over with the accounts to do things. Although there is now a noble concubine to assist in the harem, trivial matters such as checking accounts and assigning palace personnel are all handled by Shun Concubine, and the queen feels more and more inseparable from her. It is time to put things in order. The queen rewarded the concubine with two drawers of pastries, and the two drank tea and discussed the draft again, and dispersed in the middle of the night.

Shanrou entered the house to wait for the queen to remove her makeup and change clothes, but the queen was really tired, squinting and lying on the soft couch, letting the palace people fiddle. Before going to bed, the queen asked, as usual, "What is the strange thing?" ”

Shanrou knelt on the ground to take off the queen's shoes, and said in a low voice: "During the day, Su Guiren stayed in Xinuan Pavilion and broke into the front hall wearing bed clothes. ”

She thought that the queen was going to be angry, so she deliberately slowed down ten points when she spoke, but she didn't want the queen to hook her lips and smile, and said: "The emperor has always hidden her and tucked her away, as a treasure." This is good, the former dynasty and the harem all know that the emperor's new favorite is Su Guiren, so we don't need to pay attention to it anymore, naturally someone else will clean it up. After a pause, he said, "Where is Concubine Qing, what is the movement?" ”

Shanju said: "I just entered the cold palace, and I tossed it very much." On that day, the noble concubine not only did not save her, but got the right to associate the six palaces, and I am afraid that she will hate her. ”

The queen lay on the bed, looked at the swarthy window, and said, "I have to provoke again, so that she can say something in front of the emperor, otherwise Dong Ling will be lost in vain." After a pause, he said: "You take care of it, don't let Dongling suffer in Xinzheku." She has been with me for many years, and she is loyal, more trustworthy than outsiders, and she will have to be called back in the future. ”

Shanrou said: "Don't worry, the master has arranged all the slaves and maids." ”

The queen smiled at her with satisfaction, closed her eyes and said, "Turn off all the lights, I won't be able to sleep if there is light." ”

Shanrou responded, blew out the lamp, and let the palace attendants sleep by the door with the bedding covered, and said a few words before retreating to sleep.

By June 17, the show girls had arrived in Beijing, and they all sat on mule carts, and the order was arranged by the staff and leaders. According to the usual practice, the first in line are the relatives of the concubine's family in the palace, then the show girls who have put aside the sign in the past for this re-election, and finally the new show girls who are sent. As soon as the sun set, the mule cart began to gurgle and march, reaching Di'anmen at night, and stopping all the way to Shenwu Gate, waiting for the palace gate to open.