The emperor and queen discuss matters, and they can't be bored with themselves.

Qingcheng said obediently: "When I saw that the sun was warm, I went out for a walk at will, and the emperor did not dare to disturb the troublesome affairs." ”

The queen bowed her head and said with a smile: "Pure concubine fruit is virtuous and reasonable. He also instructed: "Don't stay in the wind for a long time, be careful of headaches." You have an heir, and you should be more attentive in your dealings. Qingcheng hurriedly said: "Follow the queen's teachings." After a while, the queen called to drive. Shanrou raised her hand to let the guard of honor take ten steps back, and Fang said in a low voice: "If the pure concubine gives birth to the prince..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw the queen raise her hand and interrupted: "What are you afraid of, when she is promoted to concubine, can she sit still according to the temperament of Concubine Xian and Concubine Gao?" Anyway, don't we still have Shu Concubine? She is the daughter of the Mingzhu family, even if she makes a mistake, the emperor has to keep three points of thin noodles. After a pause, he stroked his lower abdomen and said softly: "What matters in front of me is that I am pregnant with a sister-in-law in my belly." Since the last miscarriage, I have been shirking not sleeping, and now I have been recuperating long enough. This time I went to Chengde Palace, I must take advantage of the opportunity. ”

Shanrou said: "The master is right, as long as you give birth to a son-in-law, what can you do with her ten pure concubines." ”

The queen smiled and looked firmly into the depths of the palace wall, the eagle soared in the blue sky and sea, and the white clouds were rising. Her eyes are full of hope like a ray of light after suffocation, entangled and entangled, like a life-saving straw after death, tightly held in the palm of her hand, without the slightest slackness.

The next day, Qingcheng was in the house looking at the coats and jackets worn by the sea security checkpoint in winter, so that all the slaves and maids were moved to the court to dry. Although she received many rewards, she always liked to wear those two old clothes, and she picked and chose the clothes she wore in the dive mansion and rewarded people, and found seven or eight silver hairpins, seasonal silk flowers, agate bracelets and other objects, and gave them to Hai'an and several other palace maids. The people below got something, and they were all beaming, and they stood in the room chattering and talking.

There were a series of high-five clashes in the distance, and Qingcheng knew that the emperor was coming, so he hurriedly got up and got off the platform to greet him. The emperor smiled brightly and seemed to be in a good mood. Qingcheng made a double peace salute and said, "I've seen the emperor." ”

The emperor took her hand and said, "Can you be comfortable today?" Did the kid kick you? With that, he bowed down and put his face on her stomach to listen. Qingcheng pushed him, with coquettishness, and complained: "Let people look at jokes." ”

The emperor's eyes were horizontal, staring at Wu Shulai, Wu Shulai was full of smiles, seeing the emperor's appearance, he hurriedly bent his knees with a bitter face and said: "Minion... The minions didn't see anything. The emperor looked around again, and the palace people inside and outside hurriedly lowered their eyebrows and lowered their eyes, looking at the surface of their feet. The emperor rolled his eyes and smiled, and said, "You dare to laugh at me." ”

Entering the house, Qingcheng waited for the emperor's wide robe, she twisted the dragon-patterned brocade buttons one by one, the sunlight passed through the cicada wing screen, and the oblique light was full of dust. She looked indifferent, did things quietly, took a home-style sauce-colored robe and changed it for him, patted the folds of her shoulders, and said, "What kind of tea does the emperor want to drink, I will let Hai'an cook it." ”

The emperor grabbed her hands, and his eyes were unbearable. She wore her head with a double handle, and a golden tassel tassel on her bun, which rippled in fine pieces on the side of her ears, lining her skin white and graceful. He whispered, "I'll start driving." ”

She smiled reluctantly and said, "I know." ”

Seeing her gloomy face, the emperor pinched her cheek and said, "I have brought all the concubines above the concubine position, you just have to raise the fetus with peace of mind." Qingcheng snorted, looking at the black boots with deerskin and cloud patterns on his feet, the fine and dense lines, crisscrossing and crisscrossing, showing the dignity of the emperor. For some reason, there was a sudden sour feeling in my heart, and tears overflowed my eyes, and I said, "There are so many women, you have to forget me." ”

The emperor couldn't help but stretch his eyebrows, smiled from the depths of his eyes, and said, "I send people to Yikun Palace every day to say hello." He kissed her eyes, tears streaming down her lips, bitter and salty, just like her state of mind at the moment. He gently took her in his arms, stroked her back, and said, "Ming'er, don't send it, it's better to sleep until the afternoon and get up." You don't sleep well at night, so make up for it during the day. ”

Qingcheng responded casually, stopped crying, and said: "There must be no taboo outside, drink less than two sips of wine at the dinner party at night, and avoid meat." The emperor nodded again and again, and said mischievously like a child: "Got it, madam." ”

On the second day, Qingcheng really slept until noon and got up, the palace was already empty, and there was no one around, and even most of the servants of the Internal Affairs Office followed. In the evening, Jin Guiren, E Guiren, Wang Guiren, Hai Changzai and others came to Yikun Palace to ask for peace, although Qingcheng was tired, but he also had to cheer up to deal with it.

A few people sat in the east room and gossiped, and Wang Guiren smiled and said: "If the pure master is not pregnant with an heir, I am afraid that he will also accompany Hu to hunt." It's not a good idea not to do this, we Han women have never been able to ride horses and shoot arrows, let alone kill. The nobles laughed and said: "That's right, don't talk about the pure master, I am a Manchu with a yellow flag, and I have never ridden a horse." ”

Hai Changzai sighed with a smile and said, "Don't say that the pure master has never ridden a horse, she is the riding skill taught by the emperor himself, and no one in the palace can have such glory, but it is really enviable." ”

Jin Guiren sneered and said, "It's because you are so envious, that horse's hooves don't have long eyes, I feel scared when I look at it." He said in a low voice: "Even if the emperor taught me, I also retreated, the pure master is bold in the end." Everyone muttered and muttered non-stop, but the eyes were lonely, except for the green orange is pregnant, can't follow it, and the people next to him are not treated well in front of the emperor, just thinking about it, I feel uncomfortable.

After spending most of the day, if it was normal, there would still be a hope, looking forward to the emperor coming, but now there is nothing, and my heart is empty, and I can't support my spirit. Jin Guidao: "We are also sitting in our own room, and we are also sitting when we get to the pure master, so it is better for everyone to go to the imperial garden together." When he said this, all the people said yes.

The stone path in the imperial garden is winding, and a little green moss grows at the corners, and the spring light is melting, only a few days of effort, the branches are already green and verdant, and some are also wrapped in flower bones. Found an octagonal eaves pavilion, the palace people spread a duck feather cushion on the stone bench, and everyone stopped to rest.

Wang Guiren looked at the spring scene and said quietly: "I don't know if the saint has arrived at the palace." ”

Jin Guiren smiled faintly and said, "You are idle." ”

E Guidao: "You and I are thinking of the emperor, but the emperor is a warbler and a swallow, and we have long forgotten about it." Jin Guiren didn't have to be jealous when he heard her speak, and hurriedly said: "Don't talk about this, the queen's concubines are all in front of you, how can we be jealous?" Let's talk about it. ”

Qingcheng listened to them talk about each other, her thoughts flew very far, and she remembered that the emperor only took her to the palace last time, like an ordinary husband and wife, food and clothing were all in one place. The two of them rode horses and galloped on the grassland, watched the stars and admired the moon in the glass house, and danced at the bonfire banquet. Her thoughts slowly sank, and she lost her mind in an instant, and she felt like she didn't know what day it was. It was just when she was stunned that several exclamations suddenly sounded in her ears, and before she could react, it was dark in front of her.

There was a sudden uproar around, everyone was in chaos, Hai Chang was holding Qingcheng in his arms, and after half a sound, Fang let go of his hand and said anxiously: "Qingcheng, Qingcheng, are you okay?" As soon as she was in a hurry, she evoked the name of Qingcheng. Qingcheng was shocked, opened his eyes, and saw Hai Chang scratching three long bloody cuts on his right cheek, and said in panic: "What's the matter?" ”

Hai'an had already surrounded him and said, "Master, are you okay?" A wild cat just came out of nowhere..."

Qingcheng understood most of it, and shouted: "Go and call the imperial doctor...", and said softly to Hai Changzai: "You are really stupid, just pounce on me like that, and you are not afraid of ruining your appearance." ”

Hai Changzai said: "I'm worried about the heir in your belly, I don't have time to think about it, if I can think about it, maybe I won't dare." Qingcheng was moved in his heart and said: "Fortunately, the blood stains are not deep, and the adult medical skills of the Imperial Hospital are excellent, so I think there is a way to eliminate the traces." ”

Hai Changzai smiled bitterly and said, "It's good that you're safe." ”

I applied the medicine and returned to the Zhongcui Palace. Closing the door, Zhi Yancai said distressedly: "The master is too sincere, if he really loses his face for the pure master, there is no hope in the future." Hai Chang was silent, and said after a while: "Stay in Zhongcui Palace all year round and don't see the day, it's better to let it go." In the future, the pure master will be my reliance, as long as there is her seat in the harem, the emperor will not treat me badly. ”

Zhiyan was confused and asked, "The slave is puzzled." ”

Hai Changzai smiled lightly and said, "It doesn't matter if you don't understand, just do the right thing." ”

When the holy car arrived at the palace, the Internal Affairs Office first arranged the residence of the Queen Mother, and then went down according to the grade level of peace, and when everything was in order, it was almost midnight. The emperor was young and vigorous, and he could shoot good martial arts, so he was in such a hurry that he was not tired at all, but he was in high spirits. The emperor still lives in Nian'en Hall, the courtyard near is Qingcheng lived, the furnishings in it remain the same, Wu Shulai didn't know how to deal with it, so he stepped forward to ask for instructions, and said: "Long live the lord, the queen mother in front of the good and gentle to spread the word, saying that the queen mother wants to live in the apse, the things there are all used by the pure master, the slaves are confused, and they have not had time to let people clean up, and now they don't know how to return to the queen mother, and dare to ask the emperor to show it." ”

There were dozens of people standing in the room, all holding their breath and waiting for the emperor to change clothes and wash, the emperor frowned, and said: "Dog slave, such a trivial matter can't be done, it is still the place where the pure concubine lived when she was a nobleman, it is simple and shabby, how can you let the queen sleep in peace?" Wu Shulai was so frightened that he was silent, he was sweating profusely, even his back was soaked, and he didn't dare to squeak, he knocked his head twice in a row, and Fang retreated.

Li Yu took the vermilion lacquer plate and presented the green head card, and held it high and said, "Please turn over the card." The emperor glanced at it and said indifferently: "There is no need to present the sign in the next few days." Li Yu knew that the emperor didn't like to follow the rules outside the palace, so he answered yes and bowed down. The emperor ate the evening wine and snacks, and summoned the inner servants in front of the queen mother to come over for questioning, and rested at dawn.

The next day, the emperor went to the Mulan paddock to hunt. The queen mother was afraid of hurting her muscles and bones, so she didn't go, although the concubines next to her wanted to go, but the emperor thought they were troublesome, and finally only let the queen and concubine Gao go with them.

The large camp that stretched for dozens of miles was encamped in a place of green grass, and the minister in charge of the encirclement had already led the cavalry, and according to the selected range, they were close together to form an encirclement. In addition, the Eight Banners wearing antler masks are hidden in the encirclement, imitating the sound of the stag's courtship, blowing a long whistle to attract the female deer, while other wild beasts also gather to eat the deer. The encirclement is getting smaller and smaller, and fierce beasts and wolves are fleeing in all directions in the deep mountains and dense forests. Waiting for the emperor to shoot the first arrow with a gold-wrapped imperial bow, the prince's ministers dared to shoot the bow.

The whistling in the distance was like thunder, the sound of drums and whistles could be heard clearly, Wei Wan'er was very happy to be able to come out of the palace, and after eating the steamed buns, she looked for the reason for carrying water to wash her face, and slowly walked in the direction of carrying the wooden barrel to the camp.

The sky is bright and blue, and the thin white clouds are like fluttering feathers, sparse and soft. The wind carries the fragrance of grass and trees, and the endless green space is wide and green. Wei Wan'er had never seen such a magnificent beauty, her thoughts were stacked, and she walked away unconsciously, and when she came back to her senses, she saw that the camp was just a small row of yellow dots.

The sound of horses' hooves galloping was heard in the ears, which was like a broken bamboo, earth-shattering. She looked at it in amazement, but saw dozens of wild wolves coming towards her, and the dogs barked and roared, shaking the heavens and the earth. The barrel in her hand was no longer where it was thrown, she ran to the camp in a hurry, and she didn't dare to look back, her heart was pounding, the blood in her whole body rushed to the top of her head, her hands and feet were straight, and she ran in the grass in a panic, and instinctively shouted: "The wolf is coming, help, help..."

Closer, closer and closer...

She felt the beast behind her, and with a thud in her head, she limped and fell to the ground, and when she turned back, a big wild wolf with bared teeth pounced on her. The whole heart was bluffed to the throat, and the brain was as blank as paper, almost suffocating. At this moment, only to hear the sound of "whoosh", two iron arrows went straight into the neck of the wild wolf, and the wild wolf roared angrily and fell heavily. Without waiting for Wei Wan'er to react, the archery man had already come on horseback, he rode and shot high, scooped her up, stopped her waist and rested in front of him, did not speak, and galloped forward.

Wan'er spun around on the horse's back, tugging on the saddle tightly, and looked sideways, the man was wearing a gold-apricot and yellow satin embroidered gold-rimmed arrow-sleeved robe, majestic, and the sun poured down from the top of his head, flickering and scorching, so that she could not see his face clearly.

He was very cold and solemn, and did not pay any attention to her, and when he was far away from the wolves, he threw her down, put his legs on the horse's belly, and galloped away. Dozens of good horses followed closely behind, cries and tramples, and Wan'er's heart was also popping and jumping. She looked at the figure that was gradually moving away, stood stupidly for a long time, and then turned back to the camp in despair.

At the end of the day's hunting, it was already twilight, and the camps were piled up with bonfires, and the courtiers wrestled with each other, pushing cups and handing lamps, and the trouble dispersed until midnight. The emperor has a lot of prey, the sacred heart is happy, it is inevitable to drink a few more cups, he stayed in the queen's tent, the queen can't care about the pain all over, cheer up and serve. The camp is not as good as the palace, sleeping on the couch, turning your face to see the figure of the royal guards patrolling and weaving on the tent, the queen is shy and embarrassed, gritting her teeth and making no sound.

I stayed like this for three or four days, and then I drove back to the palace at the end of the month.

The emperor changed her clothes, washed up a little, and went to the queen mother's house to say goodbye. Mama Yan was already waiting at the Hanging Flower Gate, and when she saw the emperor coming, she sent a stack of words inside, and said with a smile: "The queen mother has just talked about the emperor." ”

As the emperor walked inside, he asked, "What are you talking about?" ”

Mama said: "The queen mother is worried about the emperor, afraid that the emperor will be hot and cold in the camp, and she is afraid that she will not eat well and the people around her will not serve well." Saying that, when he arrived at the front of the house, a palace man had already raised the curtain, and the emperor went in and said with a smile: "I shot three tigers, got dozens of wild wolves, and forty or fifty deer, but unfortunately I couldn't bring them back to the emperor's mother." ”

The Queen Mother said happily: "Good, good, good, worthy of being the son of heaven of our Qing Dynasty, heroic and martial." ”

The queen made a big salute and said with a smile: "When I went, I saw that the emperor's throat was not very comfortable, and I always remembered it in my heart, but now it is better?" The Queen Mother sighed lightly and said: "When people are old, there will always be three pains and nine diseases, and there is no big problem. ”

The queen was about to say a few more words, when she suddenly saw a weak woman come out of the back room with a vermilion lacquer plate, and she couldn't help frowning, and almost stood still. The Queen Mother looked at her eyes and said with a smile: "You have all gone to the camp, and the mourning family is in a panic, so let Concubine Xian come over to accompany you." After a pause, he said: "She did something wrong, it was unintentional, and she was punished." The queen mother of the world should be generous and merciful. He looked back at Concubine Xian and said, "Come here, kneel down and apologize to the queen." Then he said to the queen: "In this way, the matter is over, and no one is allowed to mention it again in the future, otherwise the mourning family will be angry." ”

Concubine Xian handed the plate in her hand to Mama Xian, knelt down, and said on the ground: "The concubine acted recklessly, and she has already regretted it, and I ask the queen for forgiveness." The queen's heart was so angry that she was rolling and burning like a blazing fire, and she pursed her lips so tightly that she couldn't say anything forgiving. The emperor sat upright, took a sip of tea in his hand, and said firmly: "This matter is over." ”

Having said that, it would be a shame to say anything more.

The queen was discouraged, restrained her look, gave a handful of help, and said: "You get up, blame myself, I didn't manage to avoid it, and I was greedy for a while." ”

Concubine Xian got up, showed a look of guilt, and said: "The concubine really didn't know that you were pregnant, so she committed such a catastrophe. To be able to get the queen's understanding today is really blessed by the Buddha. ”

The Queen Mother raised her eyebrows and said: "Children who believe in Buddhism have no bad intentions. ”

Hongli knew that the Queen Mother loved to smoke hookah, and what Concubine Xian brought out from the back room just now was snuff bottles and other objects. He got up and said, "My son still has political affairs to deal with, so he will retire first." The queen was in a trance, and then said: "The concubine doesn't disturb the emperor's rest." ”

The Queen Mother was addicted to smoking, waved her sleeves, and said, "Let's go, the road is bumpy, and you can rest for two days." ”

Back at Nian'en Hall, the emperor changed into a water blue tribute satin flat gold regular clothes, raised his face and asked, "These days, is there something going on in the palace?" ”

Wu Shulai knew that the emperor was asking Yikun Palace for a letter, so he stepped forward and said: "The servants send guards to Yikun Palace every day to send a greeting to Yikun Palace, but the pure master did not reply, but..." ”

Wu Shulai continued: "Jing Tao said that a few days ago, the pure master and several young masters in the palace were wandering in the imperial garden and were pounced on by a wild cat. The emperor frowned and said, "Why did you come to tell me at this time?" If a pure concubine is missing a hair, I will never spare you. Wu Shulai shuddered and said, "Fortunately, Hai Chang is protecting the pure master, and the pure master can be safe and sound." ”

The emperor snorted, thought for a moment, and remembered how many times he had seen Hai Changzai in Yikun Palace, and asked, "Is anyone injured?" ”

Wu Shulai said: "Hai Chang was scratched three bloodies by a cat's paw on his face, but fortunately, it was not serious. ”

The emperor had already put pen to paper, and said casually: "Let the imperial doctor take a good look, and I will be rewarded when I go back." After a pause, he said: "Let the Shangyu Reserve catch all the wild cats in the Imperial Garden, and no more animals are allowed to hurt people in the palace." ”

Wu Shulai answered "yes", and when he saw that there was no other command, he stood beside him with a low voice, respectful.

The entire Forbidden City is like a cold palace, and there is no anger at all. Qingcheng sat bored sitting on the rattan chair basking in the sun, the sky was blue, the trees gradually stretched their branches and leaves, and a few peach blossoms were about to bloom, faintly exuding fragrance. The kitchen made dozens of pastries, which were arranged under the branches of flowers in small long tables.

There is a little girl blowing the stove under the porch to burn the old snow water, Hai'an took the tea, and said happily: "This daughter Biluochun is the most precious, a small rub is worth two gold, stay for a while to make tea, the master can reward the slave and maid." ”

Qingcheng said: "Where did you put the book of Li Bai's poems I saw last time?" ”

Haian smiled and said, "Does the master want to read?" The sun is too strong and it is easy to hurt your eyes, so you might as well go back to the house and take a look. ”

Qingcheng thought about it for a while, didn't bother to leave, and said, "Is the emperor's greeting excerpt here today?" ”

Haian replied: "It was sent at noon, do you want to take a look?" ”

Qingcheng was only distracted, and only said half-loudly: "Don't read it, it's just those few words as usual, which are written by the people below according to the rules, and they are not interesting." Hai'an fiddled with the white jade porcelain bowl on the long table, and said with a smile: "The master's words have wronged the emperor, in the palace, in addition to the queen mother Lafayette, there is the emperor's greeting excerpt every day, and among the concubines, only you have seen the emperor's greeting excerpt." There are so many things in the emperor's harem, where can I bow to everything..."

There was a sneering laugh from afar, and said: "I haven't even heard the emperor's greetings, the pure master is really in the blessing and doesn't know the blessing..." She was blessed, and someone from the palace moved a stool, so she sat down and said with a smile: "Guess what happened in the imperial garden?" ”

Qingcheng has never asked much about other things except for her own three points, she sat silently, waiting for Hai Chang to continue.

Hai Chang said with a smile: "I passed by the Imperial Garden just now, and saw that it was crowded inside, and I didn't know what happened, so I pulled a eunuch and asked, only to know that it was the emperor who ordered the people in Shangyu to get rid of the wild cats in the Imperial Garden." Her face was beaming with joy, and she was happy in her heart, since the emperor already knew about the wild cat's attack on the pure concubine, he naturally knew that he was injured, and he could be regarded as showing his face. For a while, Hai'an boiled the tea, it was a little cold, and he was always present with Qingcheng and Hai Chang, and said with a smile: "I don't know which clever person chewed the root of his tongue in front of the emperor, our master, but he didn't say anything." ”

Qingcheng smiled and said, "The emperor is wise, how can there be anything in the palace that he doesn't know." He looked at Hai Chang again and said, "Is the wound on your face healed?" Hai Chang stroked the scars on his cheeks, a trace of worry crossed his eyes, disappeared in an instant, and said calmly: "I'm not afraid that it's not good, I can take medicine and ointment if I'm injured, and it won't hurt people's lives." If you are injured and pregnant with a child, the imperial doctor will not dare to give the medicine. After a pause, he said, "Don't talk about this, just drink tea." ”

When the sea is leaving, the moon has gone upstairs, and the stars are at what time.

Qingcheng stood alone in the twilight, looking at the orange, red, purple and blue colors of the sky, reflecting the cornices of the vermilion wall, slowly falling, even more beautiful than the painting. The scenery is like this, but there is no one on the side to enjoy it, and I suddenly feel lonely and unbearable. She ordered Hai'an to spread out the rice paper, dip the ink and carry the pen, and write the first letter to him.