After several days of continuous autumn rain, the Queen Mother's paralysis was in severe pain, and the swelling pain in her legs was unbearable, so everyone was spared from asking for peace. The queen originally planned to bow down in front of the queen mother's bed to fulfill her daughter-in-law's filial piety, but the queen mother was used to being served by concubines, so the queen only stayed in Shoukang Palace for half a day, and was invited back to Changchun Palace by the queen mother. The emperor is filial piety, every morning and evening must go to Shoukang Palace to ask for peace, the queen mother intends to match the emperor and the concubine, and ordered the concubine to personally serve the emperor to drink tea and clean her face, meet three loves, slowly, the concubine will regain her favor.

One evening, the branches of the trees were bare and swaying in the wind, and the ground was full of dead branches and leaves, and was swept away by the wind. Before the palace burned the earth dragon, Hai An shuddered and closed the doors and windows inside and outside, and said, "The weather is really cold, I can't guarantee that there will be snow particles at night." Seeing Qingcheng reading crookedly on the kang, covered with a thin blanket of honey-colored floral patterns, he asked: "Master, are you cold, the slave maid went to the treasury to get some silver charcoal from last year." ”

Qingcheng raised his head and said, "I'm covered with a blanket, but I don't feel how cold it is." I'm afraid that there won't be much silver charcoal last year, you call someone to ask the Internal Affairs Office, when will there be a fire dragon, and the emperor will come up, the house is cold, it's not good. ”

Hai An responded: "The slave maid just asked someone to ask, only said that this winter came early, the tribute of silver charcoal has not been allocated, and some of the remaining from last year need to be supplied to Shoukang Palace, Yangxin Palace and Changchun Palace, and then there are some in the room of Concubine Jia and Yu Guiren, and there is no one on the side." After a pause, he said: "The emperor has not yet issued an order to burn the fire dragon, and the Internal Affairs Office cannot be the master." ”

Qingcheng snorted and said, "Since there is no one in the palace, we don't have to worry, just wait slowly." ”

Er Qi instructed the sweeping palace people to clean up the dead leaves and fallen flowers on the ground under the corridor, she was wearing a thick ink-colored dark flower straight-collar cotton dress, and her mouth was angry, and she pointed fingers. Seeing the palace people coming from a distance surrounded by Minghuang's figure, she was happy in her heart, jumped in front of Qingcheng in a few steps, and said with a smile: "Master, long live the Lord to see you." ”

Qingcheng hurriedly got up, looked at the mirror and gathered her sideburns, and quickly took a silver fox light fur cloak from the truss and wrapped her tightly before going out. The holy driver had already walked to the court, and when he saw Qingcheng coming over, he smiled and said, "It's a cold day, you just stay in the house." Don't stand too long in the wind, be careful of the cold. ”

She bent her knees and asked for peace, and the emperor scooped her into his arms, grabbed her hand and said, "My hands are cold." Qingcheng came out of the house, and she was indeed flustered, she shrank in the crook of the emperor's arm, raised her head and smiled warmly, and said, "Your own nose is also blowing red." Wu Shulai looked at this scene, and hurriedly asked Yi Cong to stop, but he followed into the house. Hai'an had taken the silver charcoal and put it in the brazier, it was red and bright, and it burned so loudly that it squeaked.

The emperor was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why is it cold in the house?" ”

Er Qi said quickly: "There is no fire in the house all day, so it is naturally cold." The Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the silver charcoal of the foreign tribute had not yet arrived, and the rest of last year was only enough to supply a few lords in the womb. Our idea of charcoal is still in the treasury of Yikun Palace, and it survived well, so it was not damp. That's it, I'm afraid it won't last two or three days. After she spit out, Qingcheng's eyebrows furrowed, and she scolded lightly: "I know you have a good mouth, but don't always show off in front of the emperor." ”

The emperor has always been generous in Yikun Palace, but he didn't care. He pondered for a moment and said, "There have been many floods this summer, and the silver charcoal prepared outside has been damp, and the firewood is also small, so it is inevitable that the earth dragon will be burned later." Then he turned his head to Wu Shulai and instructed: "You go to the Internal Affairs Mansion for a trip, and you will say that half of the charcoal fire used in the Heart Cultivation Palace will be allocated to the envoy of Yikun Palace." Since he let him go out in person, it naturally means to keep it secret, Wu Shulai received the commandment, respectfully responded "yes", and went down to order.

The palace maid stepped forward with refreshments, but the emperor said, "Go to the kitchen and get some raw meat, and chop it into pieces... Well... It's best if you have ribs. Qingcheng was stunned and asked, "What do you want raw meat for?" The emperor smiled mysteriously and said, "Stay for a while, you'll know." Then he shouted outward, "Bring the golden retriever." ”

There are palace people in front of the palace carrying a bamboo basket into the house, the basket is covered with a piece of dark green silver silk Su embroidered satin, the emperor pointed to the basket, said: "Hurry up and uncover it, see what is inside!" Qingcheng was puzzled and smiled at the emperor: "What kind of thing is it, making such a godly chatter." The emperor pinched her cheek and said with a smile: "Keep it as you like!" ”

Before the orange was revealed, the little thing there had already poked its head out, with golden fur, a small body, a pair of small blue eyes, and a black nose that was really cute. The emperor stretched out his hand, and the little thing obediently put its paw into the emperor's palm, licking its fingertips softly with its tongue, like a little baby drinking milk.

The emperor said: "Today, I went to the upper courtyard to ride a horse, passing by the dog breeding place, this little thing happened to come out of the crack in the door, and followed me all the way to the Palace of Raising Hearts. ”

The little thing was very small, not much bigger than the emperor's slap, and the emperor asked, "Do you want to hug it?" Qingcheng saw that the little thing was looking at her, like a little person, and her cheeks couldn't help revealing a shallow pear vortex. The Emperor took the little thing out of the basket, put it in the green orange's arms, and stroked the golden fluff as if he were teasing a child. The little thing looked left and right in the palm of Qingcheng's palm, but it was not afraid at all, it licked Qingcheng's palm, and went to lick the emperor's finger, but after half a while, it seemed to become half a little master of Yikun Palace. The Emperor joked, "Be careful that it pees on you." ”

Qingcheng smiled slightly and said, "Don't be afraid." Her eyes are bright and bright, and when she smiles, her eyes are like a crooked moon, shining brightly, as if she can shine into people's hearts. Seeing that she liked it, the emperor became more and more happy, and said, "Why haven't you brought raw meat yet?" ”

Outside, someone from the palace hurriedly went down to spread the word, and after a while, someone came into the house with two plates of minced meat. Qingcheng picked out some meat foam with a silver spoon and put it next to the little thing's mouth, and immediately ate it.

Qingcheng couldn't help but laugh and said, "It's really interesting." ”

The Emperor laughed and said, "Give it a name." Qingcheng took a closer look at the little thing's face and said, "I saw a lion when I was in Chengde, and it looks exactly like it, so it's better to call it a lion." Seeing her solemn, the emperor couldn't help but sneer and said, "This name is really majestic." ”

Qingcheng raised his eyebrows and said, "It's just to be majestic." ”

The emperor said: "Anyway, it's for you, you can call it whatever you like." Then he scratched the little thing's head and said, "Lion, lion, you really have to look like a lion." The little thing seemed to understand the emperor's words, and the milk voice screamed three times in a row, which made Qingcheng laugh too.

The two teased for a while before handing it over to the palace people below to serve. The emperor was careful, and specially transferred two little eunuchs from the dog raising department of the Shangxi Courtyard to serve the "lions". The lion is also an extremely intelligent little thing, not only clever and docile, but also extremely intelligent. No one trains it, and it knows who its owner is. When the emperor was there, it circled around the emperor's feet, and the emperor was leaving, and it followed it to Yikun Gate. But Qingcheng shouted casually, and it ran back with short legs.

Since raising lions, Qingyun Zhai has obviously been much more lively. The green orange is not as dull and quiet as before, and it is also very interesting to hold the lion and tease it when there is nothing to do, and take it to the garden. No matter how noble the lion is, after all, it is also a dog, the nose and ears are very smart, every time the holy car arrives at the palace street, the lion is still eating bones, so he turns around and runs to the Yikun Gate, rolling at the door to meet the car. When the emperor saw it from afar, he was always overjoyed, and forgot all his worries.

However, lions also have disadvantages, such as always squatting behind the curtain and staring at the bulging blue eyes at the critical moment when the emperor favored Qingcheng. Sometimes it would run to the bed, so angry that the emperor kicked it away, but it still stuck to the emperor as if it didn't feel pain. Every time, I have to laugh until my stomach hurts. Later, before going to bed, the emperor always asked the eunuch to hold the lion far away before he dared to move.

Qingcheng wore a blue satin shirt, revealing a white and greasy neck...... The short beard on his chin tickled her...... was about to get up, but was pushed by Qingcheng, he impatiently choked her hand, and said, "Don't be stumbling..."

Suddenly, he heard a "Wang", and the emperor looked over with a smile and a golden figure squatting outside the curtain. The emperor patiently coaxed: "Good man, lion, go and play elsewhere, and I will reward you with meat." The lion replied—" Wang. The emperor changed his tone and shouted, "Get out of here!" The lion still replied to him indifferently—"Wang." ”

Qingcheng couldn't help laughing, laughed quietly, and said, "The emperor's dictation doesn't work. ”

The Emperor said hatefully, "I have to cure it today." So saying, he grabbed a shoe from the pedal and threw it at the lion, who was very sensitive, and with a graceful tilt of his head, he dodged. I thought that the emperor was playing with it, so I was so happy that I took two steps closer to the bed. The Emperor stretched out his leg to kick it, but it stuck like paste and followed the Emperor's foot into the bed. The two of them had to get up, and the emperor casually gathered his clothes, grabbed it out of the quilt, tied its feet with a commanding belt, and threw it into the flower hall.

The two little eunuchs who served the dog stood outside, just hesitant, and when they saw the emperor throw it out, they hurriedly stepped forward to hug it, and muttered in a low voice: "My ancestor, can you spare our two brothers?" The rope can be bitten by you, and the next time you can only use an iron chain. ”

The lion seems to understand whether he understands or not, and he is still happy "Wangwang".

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it has reached the depths of winter. The heavy snow is like drifting, flying all over the sky, the deep palace pavilions are covered by snow, and as far as the eye can see, only the vast expanse is seen. Qingcheng stayed in the room every day and didn't go out, but Yu Guiren came to greet her twice with her stomach. The kang was warm, and the lion lay on the pillow with four short legs, looking anxious, and if Hai'an called it, it would look up with its eyelids drooping, and then go back to sleep.

Qingcheng finished copying half of the Diamond Sutra and said with a smile: "It sleeps there comfortably, even if you give it bones and don't send it to its mouth, it won't move." Hai'an also smiled: "It's getting more and more mouthful, and the kitchen in front of it has prepared four taels of pork ribs overnight, it only sniffed, and turned around and left, so anxious that Xiao Li Xiaoxiangzi begged his father to tell his grandmother as if he had to coax." On the day of his birth, the fresh meat in the kitchen was used up, so Huang Erhuo went to the imperial dining room to borrow half a catty. ”

The lion knew that they were talking about themselves, so he barked "Wang", got up slowly, jumped off the kang, and circled around the feet of the green orange. Qingcheng ignored it and went straight to Westinghouse to change his clothes.

Haian asked: "Where is the master going on a snowy day?" ”

Qingcheng twisted the brocade buckle in his hand and said: "Although the Queen Mother exempted everyone from asking for peace, after all, I haven't been to Shoukang Palace for half a month, and I want to go out for a walk today, so it's better to go and ask for peace." Then he asked, "Who did the emperor summon to sleep yesterday?" Hai An took out his cloak and snow hat from the cabinet and said, "I heard that the holy driver went to the womb of the master. She glanced at Qingcheng, and saw that her face was not happy or angry, and she did not dare to squeak at will, and the room fell silent for a while. Prepare copper stoves, paper umbrellas and other things, and when the snow stops for a while, Qingcheng will announce the warm sedan chair to Shoukang Palace.

The courtyard of Shoukang Palace is deep and wide, caged in ice and snow, silent. The little eunuch in the straight room rushed inside with the snow to pray, and after half a ring, Fang turned back and said: "It's not a coincidence that the pure master came, the queen mother slept late in the afternoon today, and she hasn't gotten up yet." Qingcheng said politely: "There is a trip to Father-in-law Lao." ”

After speaking, he was about to turn around and go back, but he heard someone in the inner court calling: "Pure master, wait a minute." Looking up, there was a woman wearing an autumn-colored slanted palace skirt and a satin cloak with red makeup.

Qingcheng hurriedly bent his knees and said goodbye, "Master Xian is auspicious." ”

Getting closer, Concubine Xian smiled and said, "Lafayette is sleeping soundly, I don't dare to call her, it's hard for you to pounce." Qingcheng smiled: "It's the same for Master Xian to help me convey it." Concubine Xian looked at the sky and said, "The snow has stopped, I'll send one to you." The two of them walked to the palace street, the guard of honor followed a hundred steps away, Qingcheng and Concubine Xian had never had any dealings, and now I suddenly heard her say that she wanted to send herself, and she knew that she had something to say. has already walked to a secluded place, Concubine Xian still only picked up the greetings and said, Qingcheng is not in a hurry, the soldiers will block the water to cover the earth, she is too lazy to go around, most of the time just nodding and smiling.

Gradually, small snowflakes floated in the sky, Concubine Xian spread her palms into the air, let the snowflakes fall on her hands and melt, the corners of her mouth faintly raised a smile, and said: "This weather, it is really getting fast, it stopped all of a sudden, and it snowed again all of a sudden." ”

She paused, stared at Qingcheng, and said, "You are still the same, so quiet, walking so far, most likely I am talking, you haven't spoken a few times." Qingcheng's eyes were as pure as crystal snow, the corners of his lips slowly raised, and he said with a smile: "Master Xian's words are reasonable, I just listen to them." ”

Master Xian smiled and said quietly: "No matter how reasonable it is, I'm afraid it won't be as good as the queen's mother." Qingcheng said: "The queen mother is the mother of the Qing Dynasty, and she is virtuous and filial." She said it impartially, neither pandering nor flattering, and dealing with herself indifferently, which made Concubine Xian impressed. Concubine Xian said: "You are full of poetry and books, and you are a good heart." ”

Qingcheng hurriedly said: "The master of Xian praised it falsely, Qingcheng didn't dare to be it." Concubine Xian continued to walk forward, and said with a smile: "If you have any difficulties in the future, even if you send someone to inform me, I will not refrain if you can help." ”

What she meant couldn't be clearer.

Although Qingcheng never competes with others and is jealous, the dirty things in the harem are often involved. The queen, concubine, and concubine Gao all entered the palace from the hidden mansion, and they were of high rank, and each had their own concubines to rely on. Concubine Xian saw that Qingcheng's face was not shocked, and said: "You are now in good grace, and you have not suffered from neglect, you must think that the emperor is the master of everything, and you think that with his favor, there is nothing to worry about in the world." ”

Her eyes showed a look of sorrow, and she looked at Qingcheng fixedly, and said, "When I was in the Hidden Mansion, I thought the same way, thinking that he was the most heroic and holy man in the world. However, it was only later that I learned that his heart was also the most ruthless in the world. If you want to live peacefully in the palace, it is not enough to rely on the emperor, and it is absolutely impossible! She grabbed Qingcheng's hand and said angrily: "In the palace, we can only laugh to the end if we support each other!" ”

The north wind snorted in the corridor, raising the skirts of the two of them high, and slashed the snow particles on their faces, Qingcheng gently broke free of her hand, and said indifferently: "I know that the emperor is not to be relied on..."

Qingcheng said word by word: "But I still want to rely on him!" ”

Concubine Xian seemed to be frozen, stunned in place, she still remembered the first time she gave up on the emperor, it was because her ancestor gave the emperor a few handmaidens, and she said that she was a handmaiden, but in fact she was a show girl who was sleeping. One of them had a particularly good voice, and was often called to sing songs in the courtyard of the palace, and the emperor listened to it all night and was pampered. One day, the maid who sang the song suddenly came to her room and sneered at her, and she was so pampered and arrogant that she slapped the maid twice. She was also so angry that she cried, and she was also wronged, but when the emperor came, he reprimanded her indiscriminately, saying that she was pampered and arrogant, that she was jealous and did not abide by women's morality. Since then, the emperor has never treated her as before.

And the maid, step by step, became the later noble concubine, the current concubine.

Concubine Xian said coldly: "You will regret it." Her windshield was blown off, and her hair was covered with green silk like frost. Qingcheng smiled calmly and said, "Even if I regret it, I don't want to live up to his sincerity at this time." Concubine Xian looked at her in a daze for a while, and suddenly burst into laughter, but there was no joy in her eyes.

Qingcheng heard it in her ears, and she felt that her heart was torn apart, and Concubine Xian said coldly: "... From the bottom of one's heart?! Who hasn't been sincere to the women in the harem? But this sincerity, this true feelings, will only be abandoned by him like chaff! Her voice couldn't be suppressed, getting louder and louder, like a woman who had lost her mind, and suddenly lost control. Qingcheng upheld his composure and said, "Master Xian, there is still a guard of honor behind, don't be rude." ”

The voices of the two were dispersed by the wind, and Hai'an was in the honor guard a hundred steps away, faintly hearing laughter, and couldn't help but look up, the snowflakes were getting denser and denser, and only two bright figures could be seen. It didn't take long for Qingcheng to turn back and sit in a warm sedan chair, Concubine Xian seemed to be very angry, but in front of people, she was still smiling gently.

Qingcheng returned to Yikun Palace, so cold that he stiffened, changed his clothes and crooked on the kang for a long time before he regained his strength. The lion saw that his master was unhappy, so he obediently lay on the side of the kang and kept silent. When it was time to hold the lamp, Er Qi came to ask Qingcheng as usual: "Master, what do you want to eat for dinner?" Qingcheng let out an apprehensive "oh", and said in a trance: "Don't eat, call someone to fetch water, I washed my face and wanted to sleep." Erqi didn't know what was going on, and glanced at Hai'an, who shook his head at her.

Erqi understood, stopped talking, and went out to command.

At nightfall, the priest came to spread the word that the emperor had turned over the green orange sign and asked her to prepare. Qingcheng didn't even see Li Yu's face, so he only asked Erqi to pass the word and said: "My master went to Shoukang Palace today to ask the Queen Mother for peace, and the wind blew on the road, and his body was a little uncomfortable, I am afraid that it is inconvenient to sleep." Li Yu knew in his heart, and hurriedly turned back to the Heart Cultivation Hall to pray.

The emperor was worried, and asked Li Yuchun about the condition of his master, but he didn't want Li Yu to know this, and he didn't know that, so he didn't know anything, so angry that the emperor even threw away the imperial pen, and hurriedly drove to Yikun Palace to visit. When I arrived at Yikun Palace, I saw that most of the palace lights were off, and even the palace door was locked. Wu Shulai opened the palace door, and the emperor got off the warm sedan chair and walked to Qingyunzhai.

When Hai'an heard that the emperor was coming in the snow, he was so frightened that he lost half of his soul, lit the lamp to the West House, and called: "Master, long live the Lord is here." Qingcheng leaned inward on the bed, and did not say a word for a long time, "Turn off the light, just say that I am asleep, let him go back." Hai'an was embarrassed and said, "This... That's not a big deal. ”

Qingcheng was inexplicably angry and said: "I am the master, I told you to do this, you just do it, whatever happens, I will bear it, and I can't blame you." Hai'an was scolded and red-eyed, and said: "The slave is not afraid of punishment, the slave is worried about you, you have been silent and have not eaten or drunk since you came back from Shoukang Palace, and the slave and maid..." ”

A palace person whispered back, Hai'an was about to turn around, but the emperor walked in, she curtsied, looked at the silent figure on the bed, and quietly retreated. The emperor thought that Qingcheng was really sick, and he was afraid that the cold he brought in from outside would pass on her, so he dared to stand on the edge of the bed and ask, "What's the matter?" Do you have a headache? Or do you have a stomachache? Have you taken a look? Do you take any medication? He hurried to come, and on a cold day, his underwear was soaked with cold sweat. His heart was full of her illness, and he didn't even realize that it was cold to the bone.