In the evening, Zhu Xia is covered with wisps of sky, and the palace wall is lingering in crimson, looking at it from afar, which makes people feel sad for no reason. Qingcheng took Yongzhang to the imperial garden to relax, and when he saw several eunuchs guarding Yikun Gate, he ordered Hai'an to ask, "Where are you on an errand?" The eunuch led by Qianqiu beat Qianqiu, and half-knelt and said: "The slave is Grandpa Wu's transfer from the Heart Cultivation Gate." ”

As soon as he heard that it was the person in front of the emperor, Haian didn't dare to ask more, and replied to Qingcheng in a low voice.

Qingcheng said: "What did Wu Shulai tell you to do?" The eunuch said: "Returning to the pure master, Grandpa Wu doesn't have any specific instructions, just let the minions guard the Yikun Gate." ”

Hai'an mentioned it to Qingcheng before, saying that during the time when the emperor was out of the palace, Wu Shulai sent a lot of palace people from Yikun Palace, and even replaced two or three women in the small kitchen. Qingcheng has always been trusted by the people under him, and he has never been suspicious and shy away, so that some absurd words have spread all over the palace. She vaguely figured out the emperor's thoughts, so she smiled and didn't ask any more.

The royal garden is full of purple and colorful flowers. The lion is happy left and right, chasing and frolicking with Yongzhang in the small stone path. happened to bump into the emperor and queen coming, and Qingcheng hurriedly led Yongzhang forward to ask for peace. Although the queen was jealous of Qingcheng, looking at the pink Yongzhang was really pitiful, she held her big belly and said with a smile: "The third elder brother looks really good, his eyebrows and eyes are very much like the emperor, if it weren't for his inconvenience, I really want to hug him." The emperor smiled: "When you give birth to Lin'er, I will ask you to hold it every day, and it will be annoying." He turned his face to Yongzhang and said, "Why don't you salute Huang Ama and Huang Eniang?" The children of the heavenly family should abide by the ancestral rites of the palace system from an early age. ”

Mama Jiaoyin was so frightened that her face was pale, and she hurriedly picked up Yongzhang and said, "Yongzhang asks the emperor for peace, and for the queen." Yongzhang was playing with the lion, and suddenly he was confined to his mother's arms, and he struggled and cried, and the tears rolled all over his face.

Qingcheng couldn't bear it, took Yongzhang in his arms, and coaxed softly. The queen smiled dignifiedly: "Don't be angry, the third elder brother is still young, raised by a pure concubine, and he will definitely be a good prince who respects the monarch and respects his father in the future." The emperor glanced at Qingcheng, and when he saw that she was half-coaxing and half-persuading, he was anxious, so he reached out to wipe away the tears on Yongzhang's cheeks, frowned, and said, "Don't cry!" ”

Yongzhang was stunned for a moment, and when he came back to his senses, he threw himself on Qingcheng's shoulder, crying so much that he choked and his throat was hoarse. Qingcheng couldn't help complaining, and said, "He's still a child, you're scaring him!" The emperor said, "I am afraid that you will spoil him and make him lose his rules." Qingcheng Houzi retorted in a low voice: "Even if you want to establish rules, you have to teach slowly, how can you eat a fat man in one bite?" ”

The last rays of orange-purple light fell from the setting sun, enveloping the two in the twilight, accompanied by the crying of the child, which was infinitely warm and tender. The queen looked at it from a distance, and felt that she was like an outsider, and her heart gradually overflowed with loneliness, but she couldn't speak.

Yongzhang finally stopped crying, and after standing for a long time, the queen felt tired, so she said, "The concubine wants to go to the pavilion to sit." The emperor took care that she was pregnant, and said, "The imperial doctor said that the fetus in your womb is too big to be beneficial for childbirth." He held the queen and led her to the pavilion, and instructed, "You should usually move around a lot." When he was considerate, it was irresistible, and the queen's slightly cool heart was warm, her eyes were foggy, and she said with a smile: "The concubine knows, Emperor Xie cares." ”

The emperor didn't allow him to kneel, so Qingcheng had to take Yongzhang with him. Yongzhang was playing with the lion nearby, but for some reason, he suddenly pounced at the queen's feet and reached out to touch her belly. The queen's heart moved, and she suddenly teased: "Yongzhang, do you say that the emperor's mother is a younger brother or a younger sister in her belly?" The emperor smiled and said, "He can't even speak, how can he know anything?" ”

The queen said: "The concubine heard that what the child said was very accurate!" He took Yongzhang to his knee again, and said lovingly: "Do you like brother or sister?" Yongzhang chuckled and said, "Sister! ”

The emperor's face sank suddenly, and the surroundings suddenly seemed to be frozen ice, and he went straight to the Xuanhan Freeze Cellar. Seeing that the emperor was angry, Qingcheng hurriedly knelt down and said, "Yongzhang is still young, and he has no taboo words, please forgive the emperor." Yongzhang didn't know what to say, stretched out his little hand to grab the brocade belt around the queen's waist, and shouted: "Sister, sister." ”

The emperor was so angry that he slapped him on the hand and said, "Don't call your sister!" ”

Yongzhang was in pain, cried loudly, and turned around and threw himself into Qingcheng's arms. The emperor was furious, and the palace people who were waiting around knelt down, Qingcheng didn't dare to get up, hugged Yongzhang in his arms, coaxed softly, and said, "Yongzhang, don't cry, don't cry." The tip of his nose was sore, and he burst into tears. When the emperor saw her crying silently, he regretted it a little and said, "Get up, I was careless." ”

Qingcheng didn't look at him, but only thanked him according to the courtesy.

The sky was already dark, there were chamberlains to the pavilion eaves to palm the lamp, the queen looked at the emperor, the emperor looked at Qingcheng, and Qingcheng was concentrating on coaxing Yongzhang. The silence became more and more silent, and the palace people knelt all over the ground, and no one dared to pant loudly, only the soft consolation of Qingcheng and the sobbing cry of children stirred the earstrings one by one. After half a ring, the emperor said, "It's getting late, let's go back." ”

Qingcheng hugged Yongzhang and blessed his body, lowered his eyebrows and lowered his head, avoiding the emperor's gaze, and did not even raise his eyelids.

Back in Yikun Palace, Qingcheng changed his clothes, cleaned his hands and face, and sat on the kang with a pestle. Er Qi didn't know what was happening in the imperial garden, so he brought two bowls of bird's nest soup and was about to be at his mercy, but he was stopped out of the door by Hai'an and said, "Don't disturb the master." Erqi quietly asked under the porch, "What's the matter?" When you came back just now, I felt that something was wrong. ”

Hai'an said it in short, Erqi understood the probability, and booed and retreated. After the time, Wu Shu came to pass the word, and the emperor ordered Qingcheng to serve in the Palace of Nourishing Heart. Qingcheng was not as peaceful and generous as before, and said indifferently: "My body is not good today, and it is not suitable for me to drive." After saying a word, he took the embroidery needle box casually, quickly twisted the gold and silver threads, and was silent.

Wu Shulai hesitated for a moment, but he didn't dare to open his mouth, and returned to the Heart Cultivation Hall to resume his life. The emperor threw the fold, remembering her crying in the imperial garden, so he announced the sedan chair and drove the Yikun Palace. The emperor lifted the curtain and smiled: "Erqi, I'm a little hungry, can I have lotus leaf soup in the kitchen?" Er Qi smiled and said: "If the emperor wants to eat, the slave maid immediately let the kitchen do it." The japonica rice has already been cooked, and it only needs to be served with some fresh lotus leaf sprouts, and it will only take an hour to serve it. ”

The Emperor said, "That's very good. ”

He walked a few times to the front of the kang, but Qingcheng was still sitting upright and threading the needle, as if he had not heard it. The emperor stood beside him and did not move, Hai'an looked at the situation, and then led the palace people to retreat. He didn't care, leaned under the lamp, and said with a smile: "Is it for me or for Yongzhang?" Qingcheng stopped her movements and wanted to get up and salute, but the emperor grabbed her and said, "No courtesy." ”

Qingcheng said lightly: "The rules of the palace, I don't dare to disobey them." Then he broke the emperor's hand, performed a squat salute, and said distantly: "The emperor is blessed with Jin'an." The emperor smiled and said, "Little thing, you're still angry." Qingcheng was still not salty or light, and said: "The concubine doesn't dare." ”

The emperor felt guilty, and treated her more and more tolerant, jokingly: "Your "concubine dare" temperament is really every two months, and it will inevitably have an attack. He pulled her up again and said, "It's not good for me today, can I apologize to you?" ”

Seeing that her face was gloomy, she continued: "You also know that I have great expectations for the queen. Since the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, there has not been a son-in-law to inherit the unification, after Yonglian, I am discouraged, very worried that the queen's body will not be pregnant again - if the queen gives birth to a princess, I... I... No, it will definitely be the prince! ”

Speaking of the elder sister, Qingcheng became more and more sad, his eyes were bitter, and he said: "Yongzhang is also your child, just because he is not a grandson, do you want to beat him?" He's so small, and you're ruthless! The emperor said, "I didn't want to beat him, but I was in a hurry." Where did Qingcheng believe it, and said more and more indifferently: "Just in a hurry?" If it was the queen's child, would you beat him in a hurry? The tears in her eyes fell, and she said with hatred: "In the end, there is something else!" ”

The emperor also lost patience and said, "I said that I would always treat your child well. ”

Qingcheng said sadly: "My child is also your child." The emperor said: "I really regret it, I shouldn't have let Yongzhang live in Yikun Palace, and I shouldn't have let you raise it personally, it's too much trouble." Qingcheng felt sad for Yongzhang, and her tears couldn't stop flowing, and she suddenly asked, "Do you really like me?" ”

The emperor was stunned, and Fang Bo said angrily: "Presumptuous! ”

Qingcheng wiped the tears on his cheeks with both hands, but the tears were like a spring that was constantly chopping, and he tried to say something, so he opened his mouth, but he just wept. Wu Shulai listened to the corner for a long time, his chest was raised in his voice, and he jumped suddenly. The room was quiet, and without waiting for Erqi's lotus leaf soup to come out of the pot, the emperor had already returned to the Palace of Nourishing Hearts.

Such a big thing, except for Yikun Palace, there is no rumor outside, and even the Queen Mother does not know about it.

After a period of time, the concubines in the palace suddenly realized that there was no news that there was no pure concubine in the respectful room for several days, and after that, the rumors of the pure concubine colliding with the emperor spread. Qingcheng is good, take care of Yongzhang every day, except for going to Shoukang Palace to ask the Queen Mother for peace, she doesn't even go out of Yikun Gate, and the concubines next to her come to visit the door, she is not seen. And the emperor, close to the summer waterlogging and water conservancy, was so busy that his feet did not touch the ground, and he did not turn over the brand for half a month, so that the queen mother thought that the holy bow was against harmony, and personally ordered the imperial doctor to diagnose the pulse of peace.

At the end of July, the queen was almost about to give birth, the queen mother ordered the imperial doctor of the imperial hospital to wait in the Changchun Palace day and night, the emperor had to visit the queen in the morning and evening, and the food and clothing were carefully selected, and the palace people were also nervous, for fear of making mistakes and omissions. Concubine Xian didn't dare to be tired, every time there were new tribute items in the palace to eat, she didn't dare to enter the queen's palace for the time being, and picked the good ones, all of which were stored in the treasury, thinking that when the queen gave birth, she would dispose of them.

At the beginning of August, the queen gave birth to a princess in Changchun Palace, and the palace was in an uproar. The emperor was speaking in the Hongde Hall at that time, and when he heard this, he was shocked, leaning on the dragon and staring for a while, Fang Qian smiled and said, "Kneel down." All the ministers tacitly retreated together.

Wu Shulai secretly coveted the emperor's face, only to see a smile on the corner of his lips, his eyebrows furrowed, and there was no joy in his eyes, so he whispered: "Master, do you want to drive?" The emperor suddenly came back to his senses and said, "Can you tell the queen mother?" Wu Shu replied: "It has been transmitted." The emperor gradually calmed down, and said with a normal expression: "Go to Shoukang Palace." Wu Shulai was puzzled, opened his mouth, but finally didn't dare to ask, paused for a moment, and sang outside the curtain: "Long live the master!" ”

The Queen Mother was crooked on the kang, and Concubine Xian knelt on the pedal to serve the hookah. The hall was misty and silent. The emperor said goodbye, sat down on the side, and said with a smile: "Lafayette is in good shape today?" The Queen Mother squinted, took two sips of hookah, and said: "The mourning family knows that you feel uncomfortable, the queen is still young, and you don't need to be too anxious." The emperor bowed his head and said, "The emperor's mother is right." After a pause, Fang said: "When my son thinks of Yonglian, his heart is uncomfortable. ”

Concubine Xian got up, took the ginseng tea from Mama Yan's hand, presented it to the emperor, and said softly: "The emperor is like this, and the queen is like this, the concubine is bold, the current situation, please go to Changchun Palace to see the queen first." The emperor looked up at her and said, "I am very pleased that you can think of the queen." Concubine Xian said: "The same woman, the concubine understands the queen's mood." Her waist was thin, and she still knelt at the side of the Queen Mother to serve. The emperor couldn't help but look at her twice, got up and said, "My son is leaving." ”

The Queen Mother raised her hand and advised: "Although she is a princess, she is also a royal bloodline, so you are not allowed to treat it badly!" ”

The emperor sank suddenly, and said, "My son knows." ”

The Yikun Palace was full of laughter, and Qingcheng ordered someone to spread a thick blanket in the flower hall, put Yongzhang's gadgets on it, and let him roll around on it with a lion. Erqi received the moon from the Internal Affairs Office, walked to the corner of the palace street, and vaguely heard that the queen mother was born, so he leaned up and asked: "Is it the prince or the princess?" A sweeping eunuch said mysteriously: "If it is the prince, can there be no movement in Changchun Palace?" When it is a princess, there is no doubt. Er Qi remembered the unintentional words of the third elder brother in the imperial garden, and was very worried about Qingcheng's situation, so he hurriedly looked for Hai'an, and said, "But what can I do?" What a prophecy! ”

Haian was also worried, and said: "The master doesn't know the news yet, I'll find a good time, I'll mention it." Er Qi sighed and said: "The emperor has not come to Yikun Palace for more than half a month, and he has not turned over the master's green card, and Changchun Palace has given birth to a princess again, and we don't know what will happen in the future." Hai'an said: "The master is auspicious, you just have to do the things at hand, so that you can serve the master and eat well." Erqi nodded and said, "It should be so." ”

For several days, the emperor turned over the brand of Concubine Xian, and regained favor with Concubine Shu, Jin Guiren, Wang Guiren, etc. Among them, the favored Niu Hulu clan of Yanxi Palace is the most popular, because her father's meritorious handling of corruption cases made the emperor treat her differently. The queen is still in confinement, and all the affairs of the six palaces are still controlled by Concubine Xian. Concubine Shu relied more and more on Concubine Xian, and went to Jingyang Palace every two or three days to gossip and ask for peace, and Concubine Xian deliberately wooed her, so she gradually assigned some trivial matters for her to deal with.

Concubine Shun reported the accounts, and after a short rest, she leaned opposite Concubine Xian, and said: "Concubine Shu is arrogant, there is no way to control it, and her family background is prominent. ”

Concubine Xian smiled lightly and said: "She has gone through several ups and downs, but she has not really fallen out of favor, the emperor cares about her." What if she has some benefits, it's just to look at the emperor's face. ”

Concubine Shun smiled: "It's good that you know it in your heart." After a slight pause, he said, "I just looked at the accounts, and Concubine Chun had more money there than she had in the past, why is this?" The third elder brother has caused a big disaster..."

Concubine Xian waved her hand and interrupted: "Whoever is missing something from there can't be less of Concubine Chun." There are many things, even you and I don't know, don't look at the pure concubine who doesn't have grace on the surface-" She opened a book of accounts, pointed to Concubine Shun, and said: "The moon of dozens of people in Yikun Palace is from the Heart Cultivation Palace. He lost his mind and said: "In the palace, those who dare to have a temper with the emperor are the only pure concubines, and the emperor can't let go..."

The day after the Wanshou Festival, it is the Mid-Autumn Festival. Concubine Xian intended to celebrate, in the middle of the lotus pond in the imperial garden set up a stage several zhang wide, the moon is in the sky, the blue lotus is like a wave, the silk bamboo of the flute is transmitted through the water, it is really ingenuity. The queen gave birth by herself, and the blood loss was terrible, and the queen mother exempted her from entering and leaving the banquet and could recuperate in Changchun Palace. Concubine Xian led the concubines to the queen mother and the emperor to toast the queen, and there were sincere nobles dancing in front of the emperor, the emperor was happy, and she stayed in the palace of nourishing heart at night.

Before the autumn was divided, Concubine Yu picked two high-quality forges and sent them to Yanxi Palace. Cheng Guiren is a show girl in Qianlong's three years, and she is about the same age as Concubine Shu, but she is seventeen or eighteen years old. She greeted her out of the hall, but she did not salute, took Concubine Yu's hand, and said with a warm smile: "My sister came to see me, I am already very happy, why bother to send satin." The emperor rewarded me in the past, and I couldn't use it up for two years. ”

Concubine Yu was worried about her rudeness, but her face was silent, and she said with a smile: "It is the emperor's intention to reward my sister, and what I give to my sister is my heart, even if your library can't be used up in three or four years, it has nothing to do with me." Cheng Guiren smiled and said: "Since it is my sister's intention, that sister has to take it." The two entered the house hand in hand, but they were more intimate than the sisters in the family, and Yu Concubine said: "My sister is the person on the tip of the emperor's heart, and even the Mid-Autumn Festival turns over your brand." ”

Cheng Guiren raised his eyebrows and said proudly: "What is the tip of the heart, but it is just to serve the emperor loyally." After saying that, there were also Lu Guiren, Jin Guiren, Wang Guiren, Lin Changzai and other low-level concubines who had never seen the holy car and asked to see. The honest nobles were coaxed by the stars holding the moon, and they became more and more proud. She smiled: "It's like an appointment, and they're all here today." ”

Wang Guiren said with a smile: "The autumn is high and the day is warm, and there is another example, everyone is comfortable, and they come together." Besides, it is also a blessing for honest nobles here, and we also want to get involved. Lu Guiren smacked her with a smile and said, "You have said all the good things alone, let me say anything?" At the end of the sentence, everyone laughed.

Concubine Yu is most disgusted with Lu Guiren, and every time she thinks of the trembling under her in previous years, her heart is blocked. She said: "After Lu Guiren was demoted, his mouth was too sharp, and I heard that the emperor in front of him also turned over your brand, which is really gratifying." Lu Guiren couldn't get used to seeing Yu Concubine, so he sneered: "If you don't go to Yikun Palace to see your pure master, won't you be wronged by coming to Cheng Guiren?" ”

Cheng Guiren was displeased, and said: "This is one difference, although the pure master is higher in rank than us, but the emperor has not seen her face for two or three months, haven't you heard?" When the queen gave birth to a princess, the emperor still blamed the third elder brother for talking nonsense. My place here is a little small, but the emperor must come every two days, how can he be wronged by Sister Yu?! She spoke beautifully, exuding the youthful pungence unique to a young lady, so that Lu Guiren couldn't open her mouth, and her face was full of words.

It was you who said to me, and suddenly a palace person came to pay respects and said, "Master, the pure concubine is here." Everyone was stunned, I don't know how she would visit, after all, she is a concubine, and she doesn't dare to be presumptuous, so she has to go out. Qingcheng was stunned when he saw that he was a big gang, and Fang Duanyi smiled: "You don't have to salute, I'll just say a few words to Master Yu." ”

Concubine Yu hurriedly stepped forward and said respectfully, "How did you find here?" If there is anything, just let people spread it. Qingcheng said with a smile: "Today, I picked up Yongzhang's belongings, picked up a few purses, shoes and socks and elder robes that I had never used, I thought that the fifth elder brother should be able to wear them, and I wanted to send them to you because of the materials." The palace people said that you were in Yanxi Palace, and I was idle, so I came over—" She looked around at everyone and said with a smile: "It's disturbing your talk." ”

Cheng Guiren was busy leading everyone to bless, as if he was the lord of a palace, and said: "The pure master is polite." ”

Qingcheng looked at Cheng Guiren and said with a smile: "I saw your dance at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, it's really good." Chenggui said: "Master Xie Chun praised." Qingcheng snorted, no longer cared, and asked Hai'an to hand over the object to Concubine Yu's personal servant Zhiyan, and said, "You continue to gossip, I'll go first." Just about to turn around, he saw the noble man suddenly passing by his side, and said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty." ”

The emperor saw Qingcheng from a distance, she was wearing a plain palace skirt of water green, with shaved shoulders and a thin waist, a round bun, and several small pink daisies on her sideburns. He waved his hand and said, "Let's all be flat." Qingcheng Yingying stood on one side, her eyebrows lowered, her face indifferent, as if she didn't see him. The emperor glanced at her, his gaze fell on Cheng Guiren, and said gently: "Why are you in Yanxi Palace?" ”

Cheng Guiren said coquettishly: "When the weather is good, the sisters will get together and chat." ”

The emperor looked very happy, and said with a pleasant face: "What are you talking about?" Tell me about it. Concubine Yu thought for a moment and said with a smile: "Sister Chun rewarded me with some objects for the fifth elder brother to wear, although it is left over by the third elder brother, but it has not been used, the needlework is meticulous, and it is all high-quality satin, the concubine likes it, and wants to thank the pure master." The emperor was about to say something to Qingcheng, but he heard her say: "Yongzhang is about to wake up from his lunch break, and he can't see me, I'm afraid I'm going to cry." She blessed her body and said, "The concubine retired." ”

The more indifferent and distant she became, the more the emperor felt unbearable heartache.

He also said lightly: "Go ahead." ”

Cheng Guiren let out a smile, like a pink and white cluster of flowers quietly bloomed, she said: "The concubine estimated that the emperor was coming over today, and personally peeled two plates of walnut meat, the emperor wants to taste it?" ”