Seeing off the holy car, Hai An helped Qingcheng back to the house and said, "Master, your body has been almost six months, and you are still squatting and sit-ups as usual, which is really not good." Qingcheng gently stroked his stomach and said with a smile: "Don't be afraid, it's very stable." Suddenly, two little eunuchs rushed out from outside the palace street, startling Qingcheng, and Hai An scolded: "What are you running, there are hot steamed buns just baked in front of you waiting for you to eat?" The little eunuch knelt down and said, "Qi Qi master, Shoukang Palace has a message, and orders the master to go quickly." ”

Qingcheng asked, "What do you say?" ”

The little eunuch didn't dare to hide it, and lowered his head and said: "The slave also secretly asked the father-in-law about the message, vaguely for the master's flag, and the queen mother was angry." Qingcheng's heart was confused, he was busy sorting out his makeup, changed his clothes, and sat in a sedan chair to Shoukang Palace. The Queen Mother was going to take a nap, but the Queen Mother inadvertently said, "I've been sick for a long time, and I can't do most of the things in the palace right now." Even the emperor didn't discuss the important matter of Concubine Chun's raising the flag, but just informed me. ”

The Queen Mother was shocked when she heard this, and reprimanded: "A Han woman, her father is a petty official, no merit and no virtue, let her be favored again, how can the emperor take the major affairs of the country as child's play, it must be a pure concubine who is pampered and arrogant, and blows the wind on the emperor's pillow." After finishing speaking, he immediately announced the summons of Qingcheng. The Queen Mother has always had the habit of taking a lunch break, and she didn't sleep today, so she was angry.

Qingcheng straightened his belly, bent his knees straight, and said, "The Queen Mother is blessed with Jin'an." ”

The Queen Mother said: "Get up and sit down." And he said, "Your body has been six months, right?" Qingcheng said respectfully: "Empress Dowager Xie has been concerned for more than five months. The Queen Mother nodded, talked about the dietary decoction that should be paid attention to when pregnant, and gave a detailed advice, and suddenly changed her words and asked: "I heard that the emperor intends to raise the flag for you, and he has sent the edict to the Internal Affairs Office." ”

Qingcheng was unexpected, and said uneasily: "The emperor mentioned it to the concubine a few years ago, but the concubine didn't know that there was an edict. ”

The Queen Mother suddenly smiled and said, "The emperor loves you, and the mourning family will not stop you." But the mourning family has already told the emperor that you are a Han woman, and your current position is a great gift, if it weren't for the fact that you gave birth to the third elder brother, the mourning family would not have been able to agree to promote you as a concubine. After a pause, he said, "You must keep your duty and don't overstep!" ”

Qingcheng was aggrieved and unbearable, like a needle stabbed on the tip of the heart, dull pain and fright. She didn't care about being pregnant, so she hurriedly knelt on the ground and said: "The concubine is from a humble background, and the emperor's favor for the concubine has been a blessing for several lifetimes, and he does not dare to exceed his duty." The Queen Mother stood up and raised her voice: "Well said, since this is the case, you will make it clear to the emperor that you do not want to exceed your duty, nor do you want to raise the flag to receive favors." After that, he helped Mama Yan to walk to the dormitory, and said, "The mourning family is tired, you can kneel in peace." ”

The palace maid lifted the door curtain, and Hai'an saw Qingcheng come out in a trance, and hurriedly stepped forward to help. Qingcheng's feet were soft, and almost all the weight of his body leaned on Hai'an. Haian was worried, and asked in a low voice: "Master, what's wrong with you?" Qingcheng breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Let's talk about it later." Back in Yikun Palace, Qingcheng didn't want to say anything, just crooked on the kang, looking out of the window in a daze.

The sunset is gradually falling, and the thin sunlight loses its temperature and is reflected on the cheeks. Er Qi was about to step forward to ask for the name of the snack, but Qingcheng waved his hand and called the palace people to come in to wash, and then instructed Hai'an, "Go to the sedan chair." Haian asked, "Where does the master want to go?" Qingcheng looked at the sky outside, and spit out a few words lightly: "Heart Cultivation Palace." ”

After the emperor finished approving the folds, he went to the West Warm Pavilion to change clothes. Wei Wan'er looked at the chiming bell on the wall, and when she arrived, she brought a pot of dragon wells into the hall. She lowered her head and held the vermilion lacquer plate high, the emperor took the tea, sat on the kang while drinking, and took Bendu Zimei's poetry collection and flipped through it. Wan'er put down the tea tray and moved the palace gauze lamp on the Qingyu case to the side of the kang. The emperor didn't know it, and was about to hand over the cup, so he shook his hand and hit the corner of the lampstand. The yarn lamp "clanged" down, the fire was extinguished, and the wax juice was sprinkled on the back of Wan'er's hand, which made her exclaim "ah". Wu Shulai heard the sound and hurried into the hall, but saw that the emperor was holding Wan'er's hand and watching, so he quietly retreated.

Wan'er was serving in the Heart Cultivation Hall for the first time, her face was crimson with shame, and she withdrew her hand in a panic and hid it behind her back. The emperor did not speak, but just looked at her. Wan'er knelt on the ground to clean up, and said: "The slave and maid are disrespectful, please punish the master." ”

The emperor asked, "Does it hurt in your hand?" ”

Wan'er was stunned, her heart throbbed, and she said, "Just go back and rub some ten thousand oil ointment, thank you for your concern." The emperor snorted and asked, "Why did you come to the Heart Cultivation Palace?" Wan'er replied: "Long live Lord Qiyu, a few days ago, Gonggong Wu said that Aunt Jing Tao, who was serving tea in front of the palace, was going to be released from the palace, and a few palace maids who followed her were not resistant, so they made it clear that the queen master. The queen's master saw that the slave maid had served in front of the palace, so he ordered the slave and maid to go to the Heart Cultivation Hall on an errand. ”

Having said so, the emperor also knew what the empress meant.

The emperor asked: "Listening to your accent, it looks like people from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, how can you enter the palace?" Wan'er said truthfully: "Long live the Lord of Qiyu, the slave maid is from Jiangsu, and she entered Beijing with her father, and she was drafted into the palace in Qianlong's third year. The emperor turned his face to open the book thoughtfully, and ordered, "Clean it up." Wan'er was stunned, she thought that the emperor would always say something, after all, she was the palace maid sent by the queen, and the meaning of the words was unclear. Unexpectedly, the emperor only asked a few indifferent questions, and then stopped.

Qingcheng entered the heart hall, if there were no courtiers, there was no need for the palace people to pass it on. Today, I heard Wu Shu shouting in his voice, and said, "Long live the master, the pure master is here." Qingcheng was suspicious, entered the warm pavilion, and saw that there was a beautiful and graceful Fengcha palace maid in the room, and recognized it as the palace maid of Changchun Palace at a glance, and he couldn't help but feel more and more sad in his heart.

Wu Shulai gave Wan'er a look, and the two quietly retreated.

The emperor got up, took her hand and sat on the kang, and said with a smile: "It's a big night, but what's the matter?" Qingcheng said: "The Empress Dowager announced that I went to Shoukang Palace to ask." The emperor suddenly tensed, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Is it for you to carry the flag?" Qingcheng was inexplicably stunned, and said: "Since the emperor knows what the queen mother means, why does he insist on going his own way?" ”

Originally, it was to give her dignity and status, but she was angry.

The emperor sneered: "I want to wait for the will to be drawn up, and your father's official transfer will be arranged, and then I will present the Empress Dowager." Qingcheng is not an unreasonable person, sighed, and said: "You should always discuss with me, the Queen Mother asked, I am..." The emperor saw that her eyes were red, his heart softened, he took her into the crook of his arm, and said with a smile: "Although I protect you, between you and the Queen Mother, you still need to deal with it yourself." After a pause, he asked again: "What did the Queen Mother tell you?" ”

Don't say it's okay, as soon as you say it, Qingcheng's tears can't stop flowing. She said: "The Queen Mother told me to abide by my duty, not to forget that I am a Han woman, and I am not allowed to transgress it." She looked at him and said, "Because I am a Han Chinese, I will never be able to stand by your side above board like the queen and concubine." Because I'm Han..."She paused, choked up, and said, "So the child I give birth to, whether it's a princess or a prince, doesn't matter..."

The emperor was stunned, took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears, and said, "The green orange I know is not like this. Qingcheng lost his mind and said aggressively: "Then what should I do, is the Qingcheng that the emperor knows?" The emperor grabbed her hand and said, "The Qingcheng I know is not shocked, does not value the position and fame, and never chews the root of his tongue in front of me, complaining about his Han identity." ”

Qingcheng's heart was full of emotions, and his thoughts surged, and he threw himself into the emperor's arms and said, "I... I..."

I don't know what to say.

The emperor said: "It's good that you are a Han person, but your children are the descendants of the righteous Aixin Jueluo, and they are also the masters of the world, and no one dares to underestimate them." Besides, no one in the world can choose their own origin, their own parents. Since the beginning of the ancestors, the Qing Dynasty has implemented the government of the Manchu and Han families, I like you and treat the Han people well. Whether the Queen Mother likes you or not, whether the Su family raises the flag or not, you are all my pure concubine and my green orange. ”

Qingcheng stopped crying and said softly: "I don't care about whether or not to raise the flag, it's just..."

The emperor cupped her face and said, "I know that you have only been wronged. He looked at her, his eyes shining like two fires in the light of the nightlight. He continued, "I'm glad you can tell me the truth. The people in the palace are afraid of me, and they are calculating, so you dare to say a few heartwarming words to me. But Qingcheng, although I indulge you, you can't lose your own nature, let alone annoy the Queen Mother, she is the mother of the world, what she says and does, we can only listen to it, and we must not disobey. ”

Qingcheng nodded in his arms, and the emperor said: "Looking for a day when the Queen Mother is in a good mood, I will personally tell the Queen Mother that you can raise the baby with peace of mind, and I will support you in everything, not afraid." Qingcheng answered, snuggled for a while, and then raised his head and asked, "I still have something to ask." The emperor said, "What's the matter?" Qingcheng looked out of the door and said, "The palace maid who served tea just now is obviously the person in front of the queen, how could she be transferred to the Heart Cultivation Hall as an errand?" ”

The emperor was dumbfounded, and followed the words given by Wan'er, and said: "Jing Tao is old and is going to be released, and the few palace maids assigned by the Internal Affairs Office are not in charge, so the queen sent Wei Wan'er over." ”

Qingcheng frowned at him, and said sourly: "I even remembered the name." The emperor sneered, and Qingcheng said angrily, "What are you laughing at?" The emperor flicked his fingers on her forehead and said, "It seems that you are comfortable, and you have even eaten flying vinegar." Qingcheng couldn't help but smile and pouted, "I don't dare to be jealous." He learned what the emperor had just said, and said: "You are the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, what you say and do, I can only listen and suffer, where dare to be jealous!" ”

The emperor patted her on the back and said, "Okay, okay, it's getting late, I'll send you back to the palace." ”

The spring breeze is pleasant, the flowers and trees are blooming, and flocks of flying swallows hover in the imperial city and cry. The sun shimmers brightly, like warm but not strong sake, pure and transparent. Concubine Xian finished the deliberations from the Jiaotai Palace, and returned to Jingren Palace with Concubine Shun. Entering the house, a palace maid muttered two words in Luo Qing's ear, and Luo Qing stepped forward and said, "Master, Concubine Shu has been waiting in the side hall for a long time. ”

Concubine Xian glanced at Concubine Shun, the two looked at each other silently for a moment, and said, "Let her in." ”

Concubine Shu bowed her knees and sat down on the kang. The palace maid brought the tea, and the three of them tasted tea and gossiped for a while, only to hear Concubine Shu say: "I went to the Heart Cultivation Hall yesterday, do you know who I bumped into?" Concubine Shun slowly put down the teacup and said with a light smile: "How do I know, if you do the math, I haven't slept for almost two years." ”

Concubine Xian was strange and said, "Don't sell Guanzi, you have something to say." ”

Concubine Shu outlined her eyebrows and asked rhetorically: "The person who served the tea in front of the emperor has changed, doesn't the master know?" Concubine Xian couldn't help but be stunned, she had been in charge of the Sixth Palace for a long time, and the side was just there, and the palace people of the Heart Cultivation Palace had no reason not to inform her. Concubine Shu looked at Concubine Xian's expression, and felt a little proud in her heart, but her face was not revealed, and said: "I heard that it is the maidservant girl in front of the queen's master, called Wei Wan'er." During the time when the queen's master was sick, all the emperor's sleeping affairs in Changchun Palace were served by Wei Wan'er. ”

Concubine Xian laughed: "The queen's methods have always been like this, it's really stupid!" thought that if you indiscriminately pay some women to the emperor, you can tie up his heart! Shu Concubine said: "Master Xian, don't underestimate Wei Wan'er, if it is as useless as Lin Changzai before, I won't say it." This Wei Wan'er is a bit powerful. ”

Concubine Shun opened her mouth and said, "Let's hear it." ”

Shu Concubine said eloquently: "Yesterday I had a late snack, and the emperor wanted to drink mellow tea, Wei Wan'er actually took the initiative to change the maple dew cheese, and also said that it is not good to drink mellow tea at night, and it is easy to fall asleep." After a pause, he said: "Jing Tao has been serving tea in front of the emperor for a long time, and he never dared to do this, but the emperor was not angry, but smiled, isn't it unusual?" ”

There was a sudden silence in the room, Concubine Xian pondered for a moment, suddenly turned her head around, and said: "Your grace has never been small, why don't you see pregnancy?" Suddenly speaking of this, Concubine Shu blushed and said, "I don't know why." Concubine Xian said: "Ming'er, I will ask Lord Wang from the Imperial Hospital to diagnose your pulse." ”

Concubine Shu hurriedly said: "Master Xie Xian cares. ”

After a pause, Concubine Shun said: "Wei Wan'er, it's a good flag, as long as it is used well, it is even better." The queen has recovered from her illness, and she wants to regain the power of the six palaces, not only to deal with her, wouldn't it be more appropriate to use her own chess pieces?! Concubine Xian asked, "What do you say?" Concubine Shun fiddled with the tortoiseshell armor on the tips of her fingers and said, "I haven't thought it through yet." ”

Concubine Shu's thought flashed, and she said: "The only person who can compete with the queen and can't be treated by the queen mother is a pure concubine." Concubine Shun bowed her head and said: "This matter needs to be considered in the long run, and it must not be reckless." ”

Concubine Xian stopped talking and continued to ponder secretly.

As soon as Xingong's silk entered the Yikun Palace, Er Qi shouted under the corridor: "Master, the treasury can't be piled up!" Qingcheng had to instruct: "You call a few palace people to help and move all last year's materials to the yard to dry." He took this year's satin to see, reserved Yongzhang's wear, picked up two of his favorite colors, and pointed to the rest: "Send one to Wang Guiren, Jin Guiren, E Guiren, Chen Guiren, and Yu Guiren." ”

Er Qi said: "It's a pity to give away such good material." ”

Qingcheng smiled: "It's a pity that it's broken in the warehouse!" He also ordered someone to bring the Nine Heavens Ring Piano and put it in the shade of the tree, and played according to the score. She is gifted and intelligent, and she can learn everything with her hands. I don't want to, I have been tinkering with it for a long time, and the sound that pops up is like a wolf crying and howling, and even Yongzhang listened to it, and hid back in the moral hall, not daring to go out of the yard to play.

Teach the grandmother to coax and deceive, and said: "Third brother, you just got up, children have to run and jump outside to grow taller, your mother is playing the piano under the begonia tree, don't you want to go and see?" "Bluffing Yongzhang around, just don't go to the yard, Jiaoyin Mama is in a hurry, and he wants to hug him, but Yongzhang twisted his body, ran down the corridor, and hit the emperor's leg.

Yongzhang was frightened, his mouth was flattened, and before the emperor could speak, he cried loudly. Mama Jiaoyin's face turned pale, and she knelt on the ground, but she didn't dare to speak. The emperor got up before dawn to deal with the government, and only then did he go down to the court, and when he wanted to come and take a look, he bumped into such a little doll crying heartbreakingly, and immediately lost his temper and said, "Don't cry!" ”

The two-year-old little doll didn't know what Jun Eun was, and she cried more and more.

After a stalemate for a while, the emperor had no choice, supported his knees with his hands, and said helplessly: "Tell me, I haven't scolded you yet, why are you crying?" Seeing that Yongzhang's face was full of tears, he relented in the end, and reached out to help him wipe it off. Yongzhang gradually stopped crying, sobbing and said, "Eniang... Play... I don't want to hear it. "Say two words, and burp.

The emperor listened to it, and sure enough, there was a sound of the piano, so he said: "Just for your mother..." The emperor frowned, took Yongzhang's hand, and said, "Go with Huang Ama to take a look, I won't believe it, Jiuxiao Huan Peiqin can still play the sound of killing pigs!" ”

Hai'an saw the emperor holding the third elder brother, and hurriedly said to Qingcheng: "Master, long live the master and the third elder brother are here." Qingcheng stopped playing, got up to meet him, and bent his knees and said, "The emperor is blessed." The emperor's face was colorless, and he said, "You were playing a tune just now?" Qingcheng was sweating hot, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and he gasped: "If you have nothing to do, you will practice on the piano score." ”

The emperor said, "What kind of tune are you playing?" ”

Qingcheng exclaimed, "Didn't you hear that? The emperor shook his head with drooping eyelids, and Qingcheng said: "It's the "Spring River Flower Moonlight Night" that you rebounded last time!" The emperor asked, "How do you know that I am playing "Spring River Flower Moonlight Night"? Qingcheng smiled, "The slaves told me." The emperor paced, and his fingertips touched the piano casually, and it was as crisp as a big bead and a small bead falling on a jade plate.

He said leisurely: "You still don't play the piano, stay for a while, let the Nanfu dial people to live in Yikun Palace, and when you want to listen, just announce that people will play." Qingcheng stiffened his temper and asked, "Why?" Afraid that I will break your precious guqin? ”

The emperor glanced at her sideways and said, "I'm not afraid that you will break the piano..." he leaned over her ear and said faintly, "I'm afraid that I'll have nightmares at night after hearing too much!" ”

Qingcheng came back to his senses, and the pink fist Huo Huo waved on his shoulder, and said with a smile: "You actually made fun of me? ”

The emperor grabbed her hand and said, "Don't make trouble, be careful of alarming the baby." ”

Qingcheng laughed and said angrily: "Who is making trouble?" I don't care, I'm going to learn anyway. The emperor wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead with his sleeve and said, "I never expected that practicing the sound of killing pigs can also make a sweat." He pinched her cheeks again, "Oops", and said with a smile: "You're still in trouble with me, aren't you?" ”

The palace people looked at this situation, and they all bowed their heads silently, and even Yongzhang was quietly taken away by the grandmother. Qingcheng patted the emperor's hand and exclaimed, "It hurts." The emperor hugged Qingcheng from his side shoulder, bit her ear, and said ambiguously: "What is this called pain, I haven't made you hurt for too long, and the more arrogant you are!" ”

With that, he secretly covered the bulge on her chest, kneaded and pressed hard.

Qingcheng's face was flushed with shame, his body leaned on his arms as if he was soft, glared at him and said delicately: "The king of a country, full of mouth..." The spring sun is warm, and the begonia flowers are falling, fluttering lightly at the hem of their skirts. He picked her up sideways, but his mouth did not stop, and he went straight to the back room. Qingcheng said vaguely: "I've eaten a lot recently, and it's heavy, can you hold it?" ”

The emperor didn't bother to pay attention to her, and said, "Can't you concentrate?" ”

The lion came out of nowhere, and spun round at his feet, and the emperor, with foresight, kicked it away, and said, "Shut up this beast." When he arrived at the dormitory, he gently put down the green orange, and the couch was covered with a thick soft silk quilt, and he was afraid of hurting the baby, so he could only lie on her back.

The green orange was still calling, like a musician in Nanfu singing a tune.

When the two of them rested at the time of the lamp, the ministers of the Hongde Hall were so anxious that they stomped their feet, and sent people to ask over and over again, Wu Shulai, that dog minion, at such a critical time, where did he dare to break into the door, he could only open his eyes and say nonsense, looking for all kinds of perfunctory reasons. When the night fell, the lights were turned around, and the two masters slowly swallowed up and dressed. Before leaving, the emperor put his face on the belly of the green orange and said, "Baby, baby, you have to grow up quickly, otherwise you will suffer the emperor." ”

He said solemnly and expressionlessly, as if he was announcing the gist of some official document at Qianqingmen, which made Qingcheng almost laugh and lose his breath. A few people came up the street of Qiaohao Palace, and when they came to the front, they knew that they were Wang Guiren, Jin Guiren, etc. Seeing the emperor, everyone was also happy and worried, and they all bowed on their knees. The emperor was in a good mood and said with a smile: "Have you come to say hello to the pure master?" ”

Wang Guiren has been in the palace for the longest time, so he stepped forward and said: "Back to the emperor, the concubines and others are here to thank the pure master." ”

The emperor glanced at Qingcheng and said, "Thank you for what?" Wang Guidao: "The slave maid of the Yikun Palace sent a high-quality spring silk to the palace of the concubine, saying that it was rewarded by the pure master, and the concubine was grateful for it, so she wanted to thank the pure master, but when she bumped into them on the road, they all said that they were here to thank her, so they came over together." ”

The palace street is dark, and a bright moon with a curved and warped moon is fishing in the air. The spring robe was thin and wide-sleeved, and the emperor secretly rubbed his green and tender arm along the sleeve, and said with a smile: "It's okay to come, chat with the pure master, she is in a panic." In exchange for Qingcheng, he glared secretly.

The emperor raised his face towards Wu Shulai, and Wu Shulai stood at Yikun Gate and sang: "Long live the master!" ”

Passing by the side of the nobles, the emperor saw that the Jin nobles were carrying a food box in their hands, and paused and asked, "Is it food inside?" Jin Guiren was flattered, and said with a smile: "It's a sour jujube cake, and the concubine heard that the pure master loves to eat sour food, so she made some of it." The emperor nodded, lifted the lid, picked up a piece and threw it in his mouth, took another piece in his hand, and said, "It tastes good." And he went.

He was tired for most of the afternoon, and he hadn't used snacks, so he was really hungry.