The emperor was absent from the palace for several months, and the concubines looked forward to it, all looking at the worship room, wondering who the first night attendant would be. Wu Shulai served the emperor with a snack, changed his bedclothes, and said respectfully: "The master has been traveling for more than half a month, and his body is tired, but he should prepare for sleep earlier?" The emperor leaned on the vermilion pillow and rolled the book casually, but said, "How did I find out what I told you?" Before he left, he specially ordered Wu Shu to carefully screen the people beside Concubine Chun.

Wu Shulai lowered his hands and lowered his eyes: "I checked inside and out, and the ladies in the kitchen, the guards and eunuchs in the gatehouse, and the palace maids in charge of sweeping in the court have all been carefully investigated. Those who should be assigned have been reassigned, and those who should be questioned have also been asked, and the people who remain in Qingyunzhai now are very innocent. It's just..."

The emperor raised his head and asked in a cold voice, "Just what?" ”

Wu Shulai said: "It doesn't matter if the envoy is not important, but Erqi on the side of the pure master, the slave did not dare to move. The emperor was amazed and asked, "What's wrong with Erqi?" Wu Shulai hesitated for a moment, and said: "Erqi was the queen mother who personally pointed out the palace maid who was sent to Zhongcui Palace, she had previously been on an errand in Changchun Palace, but somehow, she was assigned to Zhongcui Palace, and then entered Qingyunzhai with the pure master. ”

The emperor threw the scroll in his hand and said in a deep voice: "You are secretly watching this matter, but don't act recklessly and make the pure master unhappy." Besides, you send a few cronies to be installed in Yikun Palace, especially Daodaotang, and the third elder brother will move in one day, but don't lose your attention. Wu Shulai fixed his expression, bowed down and said, "The slave obeys the order." ”

Someone outside raised his voice and said, "Respectfully ask the Lord to turn over the brand." ”

The Emperor said, "Come in." Li Yu held the vermilion lacquer plate, entered the hall and knelt down, holding the green head card high. The candle flame on the kang table illuminated the sign green and transparent, and the green head of the green orange was placed in the center, which had been changed to the word "pure concubine". The emperor couldn't bear it, waved his hand, and said, "I'm tired." ”

Li Yu was stunned, Wu Shulai reached behind his back and secretly gestured. Li Yu understood, and retreated with the plate held high. Wu Shulai's eyes rolled, and he said, "Master, you haven't seen the fifth elder brother yet, do you want the grandmother of the elder brother to come over and take a look?" The emperor only remembered this at this time, patted his forehead angrily, and said, "Why didn't you remind you earlier?" It's dark, the fifth elder brother is young, can he be born with a wind on the road? ”

Wu Shulai saw that the emperor was angry, and hurriedly cowered and said: "The slave is not thoughtful, and the master is angry." ”

The emperor thought for a while, and then said, "Xuanyu nobleman will go to bed." Wu Shulai expected this, and after a long time, he responded with a "sigh", and hurriedly retreated from the Tongchuan respectful room. Yu Guiren has not seen the holy car for half a year, she prepared early for the emperor to summon her to bed, and when Li Yu came to pass on the message, she only made up her eyebrows, and then sat in a sedan chair.

Changchun Palace is also prepared, although the queen is pregnant, but if the emperor has a heart, he should always go to the middle palace to rest. After listening to the words of the Jingshifang, Shanrou hurriedly relieved: "Yugui gave birth to a prince, and his merits are heavy, and he has more mercy for himself." Besides, the master is now pregnant with an heir, and Long Live Lord will not let you be tired. The queen was lonely in her heart, and said: "In the past, we underestimated Yu Guiren, she clinged to the pure concubine and had the holy grace, and hid it from everyone, and waited for the fetal veins to be stable, so that people would know that she was pregnant." and gave birth to the prince as a little nobleman, and his meticulousness should not be underestimated, and she must be carefully guarded against in the future. ”

Shanrou replied "yes", and said: "It's getting late, the master drank the begonia crisp cheese soup and went to bed peacefully." The queen hummed lightly, took the clear small bowl of white jade butterfly petals, scooped spoonful by spoonful, and was preoccupied.

However, on the second or third day, the emperor decreed that Jin Feng Yu was a concubine and gave him the title of the lord of Zhongcui Palace.

When Lu Guiren heard the will, his teeth chattered with anger. Although she was demoted to a nobleman, she never moved her dormitory. Now he has to vacate the space, so that the lowly who once succumbed to himself is always swaying, and he is really depressed.

Concubine Yu gave birth to the fifth elder brother, and her arrogance rose according to the situation. She waited for a long time, but when she didn't see the Internal Affairs Office invite Lu Guiren to move, she led Zhiyan straight into the main bedroom, and said with a smile: "Sister Lu, I know you are unhappy, but there is no way, who makes me angry!" ”

Yi Xiangfu asked for peace and begged: "Master Yu, please forgive me for two days, Master Lu has lived here for a long time, and there are too many things to pick up, besides, the Internal Affairs Office has not yet settled as a good place to live..." No matter how depressed I am, I don't have to beg her! Lu Guiren was still hot-tempered, and he would never bow his head in front of others, and said to Concubine Yu: "Don't be complacent, there is a day when I move out today, and you don't want to live in peace in the future!" ”

Concubine Yu looked around the room twice and said with a smile: "It is worthy of the main hall, bright and neat." She leaned over Lu Guiren's ear and said quietly: "I not only want to live here safely, but also go to a better place in the future!" She giggled proudly and said, "You can do it yourself, I can spare you now, if you are like this without respect or humility, I don't have the good character of a pure concubine!" Lu Gui was so angry that his blood surged, and even his brain was numb for a while.

Yixiang only said that it was not good, and hurriedly hugged Lu Guiren, secretly tried her best, did not let her do it, and smiled at Concubine Yu: "The house is upside down, and there is filth everywhere, please Master Yu move, when the emperor has a will, the Internal Affairs Office will arrange it properly." ”

Yu Concubine was promoted to a concubine, and she didn't want to make a name for being pampered and arrogant, so she said: "That's it." ”

The most lively thing in the palace is Yikun Palace, the main hall is picked up, Hai'an and Er Qi look at the people who move the sleeping objects of Qingyunzhai outside. Plain Qingcheng is low-key and calm, never showing up in front of people. The servants of the Internal Affairs Office knew that she was favored, and the emperor had a reward every few days, but when she counted the items, she was still startled.

The rosewood six peony flower screens made in the Kangxi period, the spoon porcelain bowl of Hetian jasper in the Yongzheng period, the high-quality carved aromatherapy jade, the animal face pattern tripod, various agate square cups, and even the emperor's cherished Wang Xizhi's authentic post. The Ministry of Internal Affairs did not dare to register everything, only recorded them piecemeal, and put them back to the main hall one by one.

Then there is the allocation of objects in the moral hall of the temple, and even the spittoon broom, Qingcheng has personally examined it. She announced that she came to the third elder brother's side of the grandmother slave, kept her mind and asked, and sent her back to the elder brother if she was slightly unsatisfactory, and only picked up two trustworthy nurses to serve her. The main hall is five rooms wide, and the gatehouse is a 10,000-character brocade. Qingcheng deliberately vacated a study, placed a large table of rosewood under the window, placed paper, ink, pen and inkstone, and ordered people to send many books that the emperor loved to read on the shelves.

The emperor looked for a space between the lunch break and the lecture, and went to Yikun Palace to sit idly. looked around, and said with a smile: "I told you to move to the main hall earlier, the room is spacious, it is comfortable to sit and stand, and I don't feel cramped when I put more things." He added: "I see that the bookshelves are old things from the previous dynasty, why don't I let the Internal Affairs Office make two new ones?" ”

The weather is hot and hot, Er Qi presents frozen melons and fruits, refreshments, and Qingcheng picked up a piece of sweet watermelon from the imperial tribute and handed it to the emperor, and said with a smile: "There is no need, although there is some paint loss, but the taste of simple books still exists." Besides—" She squinted at her and said, "I always feel swaggering when I am already making a big fuss, and then let the Internal Affairs Office allocate money, and the palace will look at it, and don't hate me to the bone." The emperor ate the melon and said, "Yo, you are still afraid of this." You can't hide, you just bear it. ”

He got up and paced along the eaves, the sun setting in the west, but still hot. Hanging Hunan silk bamboo curtains everywhere, the two walked in the shade, talking casually. Qingcheng suddenly asked: "The former Imperial Doctor Jian was sent to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to treat the plague, I don't know what the situation is?" ”

The emperor was stunned, and then his face was as bright as ever, and he comforted: "Don't worry, I will personally inquire about it when I am free at night, and I will definitely let him return to Beijing safe and sound." ”

Qingcheng Wan'er smiled: "With your words, I am relieved." She reached out and grabbed his palm, leaned her face close to him, and said softly: "Since Weifu returned to the palace, your government is cumbersome, and I am busy with the promotion of the seal, so we haven't talked properly." If you are free at night, can you come to Yikun Palace to drink porridge? Last time I was in Hukou Town, you said that white porridge clears the stomach and is served with sour sauce side dishes, which is just right. ”

She rarely pleaded tactfully, and the emperor's heart was fluttering, and he said softly: "After the lecture is finished, if I come over, I will order someone to tell you to prepare." After a pause, he advised: "Don't be stupid and wait, you will eat first when it is over." ”

Qingcheng nodded with a smile and said, "Okay, if you don't come after the night, I'll eat it myself." ”

The Emperor shook her arm and said, "It's hot outside, you go into the house and rest, I'm gone." Qingcheng said: "I'll send you to Gong Street." The emperor said: "No need, the queen mother also said that you are dark, the sun is scorching, don't bask in the sun anymore." Qingcheng snorted, but his hand did not let go, and the emperor smiled: "You let go!" ”

Qingcheng pulled him back two steps around the corner, avoided the guard of honor, put his hands on his shoulders, and kissed him. The lips are soft and sweet, and they leave in a moment. The palace attendants followed with broken steps, and suddenly stretched out a hand from behind the pillars, and the bright yellow fried sleeves were clearly the emperor. Wu Shulai hurriedly stopped his steps and motioned for the palace people to step back.

The emperor held her face with both hands, affectionately played with the tip of her nose, the two of them touched their foreheads, breathed together, gradually got closer and closer, and finally kissed each other to the fullest and deepest.

In such an afternoon, the sky is as clear as a huge piece of silk, the white clouds are undulating, and the birds are soaring. The summer breeze is light, and there are begonia flowers and branches under the eaves, which are faint and fragrant. They share each other's deep affection, as if they can never absorb enough, reluctant, and inseparable.

The queen is about to give birth, and the congratulatory posts of the provinces and governments are stacked and passed to the palace of raising the heart, and the concubine is more and more meticulous and proper, and she personally sits in Changchun Palace every morning and evening to greet her, and prepares all the objects that the little prince eats and uses in advance, and presents them to the emperor. The emperor looked at the vermilion python pattern elder brother robe spread out on the kang table, and said with a light smile: "Shoes and socks can be sewn more, and then some silver taels will be allocated from the Internal Affairs Office to renovate and repair the side hall of Changchun Palace into a courtyard for the prince to use as a study." ”

Concubine Xian still had the skirt and beaded jade pendant worn by the princess, but looking at the emperor's determined appearance, she couldn't speak. After a round of gossip, he knelt down and withdrew. Walking to the palace street, the night breeze blew, the sunset fell, the crimson glow reflected the eaves of the vermilion wall, the concubine's chest was stuffy, and she helped Luo Qing to move.

Luo Qing said softly: "The slave maid heard that yesterday there was an excerpt in the imperial hospital, saying that the queen's fetus is most likely the prince. Concubine Xian was stunned, hooked her eyebrows, and said: "No wonder the emperor is overjoyed, and he doesn't plan to be a princess at all." Luo Qing asked, "What are the master's plans for the future?" Concubine Xian smiled coldly, as if happy and sad, and said, "Plans?" Do you want to? ”

When the summer heat faded, the eunuchs carried large buckets of well water and poured water on the palace street, revealing a slight coolness. Concubine Xian said again: "She is rich in the cha clan, taking my flesh and blood, this hatred, I will never forget." Whether she gives birth to a prince or a princess, I will take her position in the middle palace! She stroked Pingping's belly, she was really unwilling, she was quiet for a while, and said to Luo Qing: "You Ming'er will send half a jar of agarwood incense to Concubine Shu, don't say too much, mention it slightly, with her cleverness, you should know the stakes." ”

Luo Qing looked around vigilantly, and after confirming that there was no one, Fang said in a low voice: "It has always been taboo to use incense in the palace, and the slave maid used to hear the old man in the palace say that in order to compete for favor, a concubine in the previous dynasty smeared incense on the lily stamens, so that the first emperor knew, and he didn't say much about it, it was Ling Chi..."

Seeing the anger on Concubine Xian's face, she knew that she was speechless, so she hurriedly changed her words and said, "The slave is afraid, and Concubine Shu doesn't dare to use it!" Concubine Xian shook the Xiangfei colored brocade in her hand, and said coldly: "She doesn't dare? poured oil on Yikun Palace, intentionally murdering Concubine Chun's miscarriage, she dared to do it, what else would she not dare? Which is not a capital offense? ”

Luo Qing heard Concubine Xian's anger, for fear of harming herself, so she said respectfully: "The master is right, the slave and maid will arrange it tonight." ”

After a snack, the emperor saw the fold handed over by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which said that the auspicious time when the third elder brother moved from the elder brother to the Yikun Palace was a good day, and it was a quarter of noon in the morning. He raised his face and said in a deep voice, "Wu Shulai." ”

Wu Shulai turned over from the outside and entered the hall, and said respectfully: "What does the master command?" ”

The emperor said: "You go and tell the pure master, say that it will be noon tomorrow..." Hearing the emperor's speech, Wu Shulai couldn't help but look up. But seeing that the emperor smiled, he got up and said, "I will go and say it myself." Wu Shu came to answer, and gestured to the little eunuch standing in front of the door, and the little eunuch gestured outside the door again, passing it down layer by layer, and when the emperor lifted the curtain and went out, he was already waiting in the court.

After Qingcheng bathed in fragrant soup, he was misty, wearing a plain silk bedcoat with Ling Xiao yarn, and sat in front of the mirror to comb his hair. Hai'an unscrewed the jar with the copper lid of agate, picked out some rose paste from it, and gently rubbed it on the green orange black silk, she smiled: "In the end, it is something from the Queen Mother's Palace, it smells light and fragrant but not greasy, and I heard that it is also very good to wipe your face." ”

Er Qi happened to enter the house with a healthy ginseng tea, and said with a smile: "Don't talk about the ointment used, just talk about this ginseng tea, if the master doesn't drink it every day, the store can be eaten until the next year." He also said: "The Daode Hall has been cleaned up, the slave maid thought, the third elder brother is afraid that he will move over in two or three days, and when the time comes, our Yikun Palace will be lively!" She spoke eloquently, and her laughter spread throughout the room, and the sound of her laughter rejoiced in the sight.

Qingcheng said: "It's lively enough to have you!" Before the words fell, a smile came from outside the hall, and said, "Who is lively?" Everyone was startled, and hurriedly went out to greet each other, the emperor had arrived in the flower hall, he was wearing a tulle dragon robe with ice silk wings, with long braids decorated with bright yellow silk, and his face was gentle and friendly. Qingcheng put his bedclothes on his shoulders, and asked for peace, and said, "Why are you here?" At night, it is not called for people to spread the word. ”

The emperor pinched her face and said, "Recently, there have been too many folds, and I originally planned to review them all night, but unfortunately the Ministry of Internal Affairs handed the folds forward, and they chose a good day and an auspicious day, saying that the third elder brother would move at noon tomorrow." I wanted to tell you in person, so I came here. ”

Qingcheng was really happy, and the corners of his lips rose: "Ask the palace people to spread the word, it's not a big deal, and I came here at night." After a pause, he asked in a low voice, "Do you want to go back?" The two walked hand in hand to the bedroom, and the emperor said ambiguously: "If you want to keep me, just say directly, where to learn the bad habits, and beat around the bush." Qingcheng said: "Although state affairs are important, but the health of the dragon body is the foundation of the country, you have to watch the excerpts all night, and the imperial doctors don't care about it?" If they don't care, I'll find the Queen Mother to sue them! ”

The emperor sat down on the bed and said with a smile: "Oh, what are you suing them?" I want to deal with state affairs, who dares to talk too much? Qingcheng worded: "In his position, he must seek his government." The imperial doctors are in charge of the emperor's body, if the emperor only cares about dealing with the government and does not care about the Holy Body. They dare not even speak words of admonition, so what is the use of keeping them? ”

Wu Shulai hesitated under the corridor, he couldn't guess the holy will, and he didn't know whether the emperor would return to the Yangxin Palace to approve the folds, or stay in the Yikun Palace to sleep. Hai'an saw him walking from the east to the west, and from the west to the east, his face was full of depression and boredom, and he couldn't help but smile: "Grandpa Wu, you can go back with peace of mind." Wu Shulai seemed to have seen a savior, and said with a bitter face: "Hey, you are the person in front of the pure master, and I can only say a few words to you, this errand in front of the emperor is difficult to do!" ”

Hai'an said: "Listen to me, you can go back with peace of mind, and come back tomorrow!" She glanced sideways into the room and said with a smile: "My master intends to keep the emperor, is there anything that can't be done?" ”

Wu Shulai patted his forehead and said suddenly: "If you are still reasonable, then I will go back, and I have a bunch of things to order in the Heart Cultivation Palace." He took two steps down the steps, turned around and said again, "But I bother you to take good care of the long live master, if there is anything difficult, just send someone to tell me." ”

Haian smiled: "Don't worry." She lowered her voice and said, "Long live the Lord with our master's coaxing, everything goes well!" Wu Shulai smiled on his back and said, "It's still a pure master, I'll go first." Hai An said: "Go ahead." ”

Although the night is deep, the palace lights are still shining in the Changchun Palace. The queen's body tightened for a while, she was scared, and announced that the imperial doctor would keep watch overnight, for fear that the fetus would change. Shanrou helped her half-leaning on the bed and asked softly, "Master, do you have anything you want to eat?" The slave and maid instructed the small kitchen to prepare. ”

The queen shook her head tiredly and said, "Don't eat, the imperial doctor said that my belly is too big, and it will not be easy to give birth at that time, so I should abstain from eating appropriately." She sighed lamentantly and said, "I don't understand, you see Concubine Jia, Concubine Chun and Concubine Yu, all of them are not as pampered as me, and they can't eat as well as me, but they can give birth to sons, but each one is easier than the other." ”

Shanrou was relieved: "They have a lowly status, and they don't care about everything, so it's easy." The old people in the slave's hometown, but who has some money and food in their hands, who is not a group of children? But what if you give birth? It's not just eating chaff and farming, and I can't even afford to go to a private school. Recalling her life experience, she felt sour in her heart, but forced a smile and said: "Where can I compare to Niangniang's child, born to be the grandson of the Qing Dynasty, the slave and maid look at the meaning of the long live lord, is to make the little prince the prince!" ”

The queen smiled a little and said: "That's natural, neither the first emperor nor the emperor are sisters-in-law, and I have always regarded this as the biggest regret in my life!" Suddenly, he asked, "Whose sign did the emperor turn over today?" ”

Shanrou hesitated for a while, and said: "I didn't turn over the brand, and after having a late snack, I went to Yikun Palace." ”

The queen's face suddenly became cloudy, and she said, "It's Yikun Palace!" Everything is Yikun Palace! If Concubine Chun is not a Han girl, I will not let her go! ”

She clenched her fists, and the green tendons on her hands were prominent, which frightened Shanrou and said busily: "It is precisely because she is a Han girl that the emperor dares to pamper her unscrupulously!" Anyway, no matter how much she is favored and how many princes she gives birth to, it is impossible to threaten the status and dignity of her sister-in-law. In the final analysis, the emperor still takes care of his master, and Concubine Xian has been favored for so many years, but she doesn't even have a son and a half daughter! ”

Shanrou was too anxious, and said it without any restraint, and suddenly her heart rang, and she knelt down in a panic, and said: "The slave and maid are speechless, please forgive the master!" The queen actually smiled and said, "It's okay, I can listen to it comfortably." He also said: "In our palace, what calculations, what kind of favor, what strategy, speaking of which, who can be the emperor's opponent?" If he really loves anyone, let alone Concubine Xian, even if it's me, don't think about touching half a hair of that person. The so-called accidents are just the emperor turning a blind eye. When Concubine Chun was promoted, everyone thought it was my will to ask the emperor, but in fact, it was just to inform me. Otherwise, how could he turn his head and have a holy decree to the six palaces? Shanrou got up and sat on the pedal and said, "It's always good for the emperor to take care of the master's prestige." ”

The dormitory is wide, the windows are open, the light gauze curtains are hanging low, the queen squints, only to feel groggy on her head, she thinks blankly, yes, even if he doesn't love himself, even if he pampers other women, but his throne will still be passed on to his children, and he still cares about his face. She remembered that a long, long time ago, the first emperor had issued a holy decree to let her marry Sibeile as a blessing. She wanted to see him very much, so when her father was entertaining, she asked him anxiously: "Are you the fourth beylor?" ”

At that time, she was really the only one in his dark eyes.