At this moment, the little eunuch in the gatehouse of Zhong Cui Palace came quickly, and Concubine Yu didn't like to be disturbed, so she shouted: "What are you doing in the way?" The little eunuch knelt down and kowtowed, and said: "Back to the master, the internal affairs office has sent a message, saying that the emperor is benevolent and filial, and in order to relieve the autumn depression of the queen mother, from tomorrow, I will sing in Shufangzhai for three days." The queen has a will, please enjoy the little masters of the palace. ”

Concubine Yu nodded and said, "Got it, let's go down." The little eunuch snorted and bowed back. Zhiyan said: "Since all the palace masters participated, there must be a feast." Concubine Yu walked unhurriedly into the house and said, "The feast is empty, and the invitation of each palace is true." A smile floated again, and said: "I can't count on the emperor, but the queen mother..."

Zhiyan was thoughtful and said: "The palace is celebrated, and the banquet must be a gluttonous feast." Galeries Lafayette is unwell, so he should eat lightly. Let's prepare half a cup of soup porridge and offer it when we eat, even if Lafayette doesn't eat it, it is also a filial piety of the master. ”

Concubine Yu felt justified and said, "That's good." After thinking about it, he said: "Remember to add two bird's nests to the porridge, after all, it is Lafayette, and the clear soup and porridge are not noble enough." Zhiyan responded and said, "The slave will go and tell the kitchen, so as not to make Ming'er in a hurry." ”

Early the next morning, the morning sun poured from the glazed eaves, folding out a circle of golden halos, scorching people's eyes. The autumn wind has been slightly cool, blowing down a few begonias like rain, spreading the ground with broken red. There are several desks under the tree, which are paved with bright yellow silk cloth, and the edible melons and fruits on the table are set up according to the grade. Opposite the table is the pavilion stage of three big houses in the depth, the face is wide, the four corners of the heavy eaves are the spires, and the big plaque with the four characters of bright and yellow is hung in the middle - Shengping Yeqing.

By the end of the hour, the courtyard was already full of concubines and concubines. The Queen Mother belatedly arrived, sat down, and said with a smile: "I've been waiting for you for a long time, I haven't been out of Shoukang Palace for a long time, so I can't help but wear it." Concubine Qian was kind-eyed, and she stood up with a group of concubines and concubines, and said with a smile: "We also enjoy the blessings of the Queen Mother, so we can go out and have fun." ”

The Queen Mother said: "Can you order a play?" ”

Concubine Qian said with a smile: "Just now the people from Nanfu presented the play, and I ordered a play "Lu Zhishen Drunk and Troublesome Wutai Mountain", which I always liked to listen to when the first emperor was there in previous years. The Queen Mother sighed and said, "How do you know that it's just a dazzling eye, it's been a long time, and you and I have children and grandchildren around our knees." Concubine Qian shook the Queen Mother's hand and said, "It's me who is not good and provokes those sad things." He smiled again: "The emperor has specially prepared a banquet stage, so let's rest assured that we will have fun!" The Queen Mother smiled: "That's right." He also ordered Mama Chang to take the repertoire and let the queen, Concubine Xian, Concubine Gao, Concubine Shun, and Concubine Chun each order a play, and play in sequence.

At noon, the sun was getting hotter, and Wang Jinbao led the attendants to build a curtain with bamboo poles to shade the sun. The emperor dispersed the court, disposed of political affairs a little, and then changed into a civilian robe and set up a house. The queen wanted to get up to greet her, but the emperor had already walked up to her and said, "Sit down, you don't have to salute." He shook his bow and said with a smile: "Wanfu to the Queen Mother, Wanfu to all the concubines and concubines." The concubines and concubines got up one after another to return the salute, and the emperor smiled and said: "Today's play, I listened to it from afar, but it was very lively." ”

The Queen Mother smiled: "It's good to be lively, and only then can it be called singing." ”

At dinner time, Qingcheng went to the east side hall to change clothes, walked to the hall, and saw that the emperor was also there, so he asked: "Are you eating in the Shufangzhai, or go back to the Yangxin Palace?" The emperor said: "I will accompany the Queen Mother to eat before leaving." "Just now outside, the two of them didn't have a chance to say a few words to themselves, and at this time, they hid behind people, and they couldn't give up.

The emperor shook her hand and asked, "After sitting for a day, are you tired?" ”

Qingcheng, his eyes were as cold and translucent as cold stars, as if he wanted to look into his heart. She smiled: "I'm still tired from sitting, how can I be embarrassed to sing on stage?" The emperor said: "Ordinary people, how can I compare with you." Qingcheng said: "I asked Er Qi to boil two bowls of red rice porridge, and I will send it after a while, and you can also drink two bowls." ”

The emperor smiled and said, "What do you want to eat at the banquet?" You have to remember to drink porridge. ”

Qingcheng said: "As the saying goes: the elderly drink porridge, more blessings and longevity, and can help the sick body to increase strength." She looked at the emperor with pretty eyes and said: "The Queen Mother is depressed and tired, I am prepared for the Queen Mother, seeing you coming, by the way, save half a bowl, don't be satisfied." A few broken leaves fell on his shoulders at some point, she reached out and gently brushed them away, and straightened the dragon pattern brocade buckle under his neck, and said, "The needle and thread on this head seem to be a little loose, let the palace maid sew you two stitches." ”

The emperor said: "Go to your palace at night, you will sew it for me." ”

Qingcheng pouted and glared at him, and said, "I don't want to, looking at the interest of the Queen Mother, I have to make trouble until the night, I still have to go to see Yongzhang, I don't have time to do needlework." The emperor said "yo" and said, "You are still bargaining." Qingcheng raised his face to look at him, and said coquettishly: "I'm just bargaining, what do you want?" The emperor said: "I naturally can't do anything to you...", but suddenly hugged her up, so startled that Qingcheng almost wanted to scream, forcibly held back, and lowered his voice and said: "What are you going to do, let me down quickly, let people know..." ”

The tip of the east side hall is connected with the west ear room, separated by the courtyard, and is just opposite to the stage. Looking out of the window, everyone in the harem had their backs to them. The ear room is not inhabited, only some tables and chairs are placed. The emperor put Qingcheng on the tea table against the wall, leaned over and kissed her neck, Qingcheng dodged left and right, and said, "Someone will come in!" ”

Where did the emperor care about those, his hands became heavier and heavier, and said: "Wu Shulai is guarding the door, who dares to come in?" Qingcheng was itchy by him, stretched out his hand to push him away, and said angrily: "You are nothing, if you let the Queen Mother know that we are here... Here..."In the end, she was so ashamed that she couldn't speak, and said vaguely: "The Queen Mother doesn't like me very much, in the future..." The emperor unbuttoned her clothes, put his hand into her little clothes, and said: "I said that no one knows, so naturally no one knows." ”

Qingcheng refused to give in, and struggled to shake off his hand, but he was so strong that when his skin was close to each other, he felt that his palm was as hot as a scarlet charcoal fire, as if it were burning her. The emperor had a playful smile on his face and said, "Do you know what I'm going to do with you now?" told you to be arrogant in front of me..."Qingcheng said embarrassedly: "Listen, the sound of singing is gone, I'm afraid that the Queen Mother has passed the meal." The emperor replied and said, "I haven't gone yet, and they don't dare to hold the banquet." ”

Concubine Xian saw that the seats of the emperor and the pure concubine were empty, and she knew in her heart. Although the Queen Mother called for a meal, she did not dare to let the imperial dining room be at the mercy of it. She said to the Queen Mother: "The emperor went to the East Side Hall to rest for a while, and the concubine has ordered someone to look for it, please wait a little longer." The Queen Mother nodded, glanced at the concubine's seat, and saw that Concubine Chun was not there, so she asked, "Where is Concubine Chun?" Before the words fell, the green orange had turned out from behind the tree and sat down in his seat with a calm expression.

The Queen Mother said: "Concubine Chun, come here." ”

Qingcheng chuckled in his heart, walked to the Queen Mother calmly, and said, "What did Lafayette call his concubines?" The Queen Mother said coldly: "What did you do just now?" Qingcheng was startled and squeaked: "The concubine went to the East Side Hall to change her clothes just now." ”

The Queen Mother said: "The mourning family has been going for a long time, and even the emperor is gone." ”

The meaning of the words is very clear, but it is not broken. Qingcheng was sweating slightly on her forehead, her knees were weak, and she was about to kneel, but a hand leaned in and held her steadily.

The emperor smiled and said: "I suddenly felt dizzy just now, so I went to blow the wind outside the verandah. The Queen Mother knew that the emperor was protecting Concubine Chun and was not good at brushing his face in front of everyone, so she smiled and said gently: "What can it be?" The mourning family is hungry, and if you don't come, Concubine Xian will refuse to open the banquet. ”

Concubine Xian was busy with her body, and said: "It's really a pain in the concubine, the queen mother passed the meal, and the concubine didn't dare not listen, but..."

The emperor shook his sleeves and said, "That's it, I know you're embarrassed." In the future, I am not here, don't stick to the rules, and obey the queen mother's will. After a pause, he said, "Let's pass the meal." Concubine Xian answered, and hurriedly went down to order. The emperor secretly pressed his elbow against the green orange, but his eyes looked at the queen mother and said: "Concubine Chun said that she prepared red rice porridge for the queen mother, please taste it." ”

Er Qi happened to come over with a bowl, listened to the emperor's words, and hurriedly knelt forward and said: "The queen mother is auspicious, the concubine and concubine are auspicious, and the emperor is auspicious..." He knew that Erqi had a clever mouth, and deliberately asked: "Tell me, why did the pure master let you make red rice porridge?" And not on the side? ”

Saying this, it made the Queen Mother a little curious.

Er Qi said shrewdly: "Long live the Lord, the Queen Mother is depressed in autumn, and there is a lot of meat in the banquet, which is not beneficial to health." The pure master said that red rice has the effect of strengthening the spleen and replenishing deficiency, nourishing the blood and nourishing the body. At that time, Tian Wenjing, the governor of Hedong, had just recovered from a serious illness, and the first emperor rewarded him with red rice and asked him to make porridge to help the sick body and increase his strength, which shows that red rice is really beneficial to health. Seeing that the Queen Mother and the others were fascinated by what they heard, she paused, and then said: "This porridge is not very easy to make, and the pure master has told the slaves and maids to prepare since yesterday. First wash the red rice and soak it in cool boiled water for three hours, in the morning, the slave maid boiled the chicken soup in the middle of the night through the oil and water, and then put the red rice in, boiled again, estimated that it boiled for half an hour, and then put red dates and wolfberries, and then boiled it for an hour with a low fire, and then it was calculated. The slave and maid were busy all day, just for these two bowls of porridge, and asked the queen mother to appreciate her face and taste it. ”

After listening to her, Concubine Qian smiled first: "I have long heard that the pure concubine Niang Hui of Yikun Palace has a good Lan Xin, I don't need to talk about her today, just talk about the girl she trains, it is not ordinary." Qingcheng hurriedly said: "Concubine Xie praises." The Queen Mother also smiled: "It's just a bowl of porridge, I don't want to be so particular." She looked at Qingcheng and said with a loving face: "It's hard for you to have such filial piety and be able to do everything." ”

There are very few concubines in the palace who can make the queen mother look at her, and Qingcheng is still the first time to get this praise, so she knelt down with her skirt and said: "The queen mother praises it, and the concubines are ashamed." You can be blessed and healthy, which is also the blessing of the Qing Dynasty. The Queen Mother listened to the use, and said: "Today is a family banquet, there is no need to be formal." Qingcheng replied with a respectful "yes" and got up.

Because the weather was getting colder, the robe she wore was much narrower than before, and there was no palace maid to take care of her, so it was a little difficult to kneel down and get up again. She almost instinctively grabbed the emperor's hand, and the emperor understood and picked her up. In just a moment, Qingcheng was shocked to lose his proportion, hurriedly let go again, and took half a step back.

The emperor said, "You are also hungry, go back to your seat to eat." Qingcheng softly agreed, and was blessed again, and then retreated. Concubine Xian saw it in her eyes, her expression was normal, and she said quietly: "Lafayette, I'll serve you a bowl of red rice porridge, it's because I was careless and didn't think carefully about Lafayette's appetite." The Queen Mother smiled: "You are busy with things inside and out, and it is not surprising that there are omissions." ”

The queen also said: "It's still pure master's intentions, and the concubines are ashamed." ”

The emperor's sacred heart was very happy, and he unabashedly praised: "Qingcheng knows how to maintain health in eating, and his mind is meticulous, beautiful, dignified and gentle..." As if he had been empowered, the emperor said, "That's exactly what happened! ”

The Queen Mother was slightly stunned and said: "If you ignore it, the emperor should hold his own identity." The emperor was busy holding back his expression, and said respectfully: "The queen mother has taught you a lesson." Concubine Qian smiled: "The emperor's appearance reminds me of what the fourth master said in front of De Niangniang when the queen mother first entered the palace. At that time, we all lived in the Old Summer Palace, and the cardamom was old, so the four masters blushed. "In the past, there were disputes, but now things have changed, and the victory and defeat of the two have been clear, but they are closer than others.

The Queen Mother sighed lightly: "You have a good memory, but the mourning family can't remember." ”

When they talk about the past, they have a long story. After eating, the flag died down, and everyone rested in the side hall. The queen came out of the east hall to change clothes, and when she saw Concubine Xian reprimanding the palace people in the tea room, she couldn't help but enter the house and ask, "What's the matter?" Concubine Xian was so busy that she didn't bother to repeat it, and replied casually: "Trivial things, don't bother the queen." ”

The queen listened to her tone not good, just now in front of the queen mother depressed, already sulking, at this time like a firecracker, there was a nameless anger, she said: "I am the master of the middle palace, what do you want to know, do you dare to shirk it?" ”

Concubine Xian felt that she had nothing to do, and said coldly: "At the moment, I am in charge of the palace, and the queen doesn't have to feel wronged. ”

It's just about talking about the sidelines, but she said that she had a lot of hatred in her heart, and the queen was furious and said: "Bold! ”

Concubine Xian retorted: "Bold?!" Her eyes were as cold as ice, and she leaned over to the queen's ear and said, "If I were bold, I would not tolerate you to this day!" Before you kill... When I kill the child in my womb, I should make you pay with blood! ”

The queen trembled, panicked and angry, raised her hand, and dropped her palm. Concubine Xian grabbed her wrist with one hand, and her eyes seemed to be soaked in poisonous juice, which was daunting. Concubine Xian said: "I really don't know if you are stupid or confused, haven't you seen it yet?" Your posteriority, sooner or later, will be in my pocket. When the time comes, don't blame me for being unkind. Her voice was low and low, and she couldn't even hear Shanrou who was close to her.

The two of them are tense, like tightened strings, if you have less strength, you will loosen, and if you have more strength, you will break. The palace people were so frightened that they lowered their eyes and closed their ears, and they just didn't see or hear anything. I don't know how long it took, there was a sudden sound of footsteps outside the door, and a woman said coquettishly: "Yesterday, Yongzhang fell on the gravel road, and he made a big cut on his hand, and he bled out. The emperor said: "He is the prince, wrestling and rolling, and it is good to experience and experience." When he's older, I'll teach him how to practice Buku! Besides, Yongzhang accompanied the haha beads, when the inner wife entered the palace to ask for peace, you also paid attention to the selection yourself. ”

Qingcheng smiled: "Reading is still far away, what's the hurry." ”

The emperor said: "It is not wrong to prepare earlier, lest you not find the good when you get it..." The queen has returned to her normal color, and she greeted the corridor with Concubine Xian, and said with a smile on her face: "We are boiling two pots of good daughter Biluochun, the emperor wants to taste it?" ”

Concubine Xian also said: "The queen is trying to send someone to the emperor, but she happened to come." ”

Qingcheng made a regular salute and said with a smile: "No wonder I smelled the fragrance of tea from afar, it was originally the tea made by the queen's master himself." The queen said politely: "Where I cooked it, Concubine Xian is pointing it out." Concubine Xian smiled: "In the end, it is the queen's ingenuity, and one point is transparent." The emperor was very pleased to see that the two were harmonious and friendly, and said with a smile: "Since it was cooked by the queen, of course I have to taste it carefully." ”

The queen smiled and said: "I'm afraid that the play is going to start in the pavilion, and the concubine brings tea over, and the emperor can drink tea while listening to the play." ”

The emperor bowed his head and said, "The queen is thoughtful. ”

After the lunch break, the stage reopened the drums and set up the formation. The emperor and queen hugged the queen mother to the table, and the concubines invited him to sit down. Concubine Yu looked at Qingcheng following the emperor's side, and even Concubine Xian and Concubine Gao were also lined up behind her, and she was jealous and envious in her heart. Zhiyan asked in a low voice: "Master, are we still offering our bird's nest porridge?" Concubine Yu couldn't speak, her tortoiseshell armor scraped heavily on the stool's hand, creaking and creaking. After a long time, she said, "What else to offer?" In vain, people are accused of competing for favor, so that the emperor is disgusted? ”

Zhiyan said: "The pure master's skills are superior, slave maid..."

Concubine Yu waved her hand and said, "I don't blame you for this, if you want to blame it..." Zhiyan understood, answered "yes", took half a step back, and stood quietly with his head down.

The female official of Nanfu presented the play, and Mama took it and handed it to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother smiled: "Lianqing, you order one for the mourning family." Everyone else was stunned, only to see a woman wearing a moon white orchid embroidered palace skirt stepped forward, Ying Ying blessed her body, and generously took the yellow silk booklet in the hand of Mama Yan, and carefully selected.

Even Concubine Xian didn't know who this woman was!

The woman's appearance is not first-class beauty, but her apricot eyes are upturned, her goose egg is round, her posture is weak and boneless, and she is about fifteen or sixteen years old, and she has a romantic posture. The woman that the Queen Mother values is unusual, Concubine Xian did not dare to slack off, so she hurriedly asked someone to move a chair and invited Miss Lianqing to sit at the table.

The Queen Mother smiled: "The mourning family knows that you are strange, and they don't hide it, she is the daughter of the governor Abida, and the Niu Colu clan is 'merciful." A few days ago, she went into the palace with her mother to greet the mourning family, and the mourning family saw that she was docile and well-behaved, so they left her in the palace for two days. After a pause, he said: "The more the sad family looks at her, the more I like it, and I think she will participate in the draft next year, so it is better to directly seal a nobleman, and save the family and the palace from running at both ends." Emperor, what do you think? ”

At this point, no one dares to object.

The emperor smiled: "Since the emperor likes it, just stay." After thinking about it for a while, I didn't know what to call it, so I said: "The queen mother feels that she is pity, so I will give her the word "shun". ”

The Queen Mother was satisfied, and said with a smile: "Shun noble, don't thank the emperor soon." ”

Lian Qing hurriedly stepped forward and bowed three times and bowed nine times, and said in her mouth: "Thank you, Lord Longen, long live the emperor, long live, long live, long live." The emperor snorted, couldn't help but turn his head to look at Qingcheng, and saw that her face was like frost, and there was no trace of smile, so he secretly reached out and grabbed her palm, she was afraid of being seen, struggled slightly, and glared at him fiercely. The two eyebrows flirted, and the queen understood it, and her heart hurt like a thousand arrows piercing her heart, but she couldn't show any displeasure on her face.

The Queen Mother said: "Chuxiu Palace is far away from the Heart Cultivation Palace, and it is not easy to drive. The mourning family heard that only one pure concubine lived in the Yikun Palace, which was the head of the West Sixth Palace, and the place was spacious..."Before the words were finished, the emperor smiled: "Qixiang Palace is uninhabited, close to the Yangxin Palace and Shoukang Palace, when the Queen Mother wants to see the nobles, half a pillar of incense can be rushed." Besides, after all, there is a prince living in Yikun Palace, crying day and night, disturbing people's sleep. ”

The emperor made it clear that he wanted the pure concubine to occupy a palace alone, but the queen mother couldn't, so he said: "This is very good." ”

There was a waiter who handed a sign to ask for a ride, and the emperor didn't want to delay the lecture, so he immediately drove to the Hongde Palace. The queen mother really dispersed when she heard the palm lamp, and the green orange stepped into the Yikun Palace with her front foot, and the emperor followed with her back foot. Erqi hurriedly asked the kitchen to prepare a late snack for the two of them, and Hai'an was idle, because the emperor drove everyone far away, accompanied Qingcheng to talk in the house, and did not ask anyone to serve.

Qingcheng sulked, changed his clothes in the room, lit the lamp in the study, laid out rice paper, and filled the ink with his pen. The emperor picked up the ink ingot and grinded it, and said with a smile: "You have also seen it, the person rewarded by the Queen Mother, I am always difficult to refuse." Besides, Shun Guiren is a girl to be drafted, even if I don't agree now, the Queen Mother will have to keep her brand next year. Qingcheng randomly traced a few pink and white peonies on the case, and said expressionlessly: "I didn't say anything—I didn't dare to say anything!" ”

The emperor said, "Do you know what two things I hate the concubine to do the most? ”

The green orange did not lift his head, nor did he speak. The emperor continued to take care of himself: "The first case is jealousy, and the second case is pampering and arrogance, you have committed it all, and countless times!" After a pause, he sighed again: "I can't help you, I can still pretend to snub you before, you also know that you are afraid, but now it's good, your courage is growing, but I can't be angry!" ”

He felt sorry for himself, which made Qingcheng unable to hold his face, and grinned: "If you say that you are jealous, I will take you to heart, and when I see that you want to spoil other women, shouldn't you be jealous?" Besides, pampered and arrogant, who taught me to straighten my waist and not back down to anyone? Then he sneered at each other, "Again, but you said it yourself, so that I should not be afraid of you." ”