In the capital, because the emperor suddenly deployed a large number of guards to the hunting ground to escort them, the attack on Concubine Li and the third prince gradually spread. Since the death of the queen, no one has been hiding the dispute over the East Palace anymore, and suddenly something like this happened, in the past few days, Shifeng has been in and out of the court, and there are always people who come to ask openly and secretly, which side the prime minister is on.

And this is exactly what Shifeng is most troubled about, why does his father have to support Concubine Li, so that he has to face the prince and Qi Hui at the same time, and if he chooses Qi Hui, Concubine Li is not worth mentioning, and the prince is destined to be unable to join forces with Qi Hui. Is it just because the third prince is young that it is the reason to choose Concubine Li? Does my father want to be a monarch or a minister? Their Pang family, isn't it rich and glorious enough?

In the deep palace, Concubine Xian has slowly begun to tell Xiangxiang the hierarchy of the royal and noble families in the past few days, Xiangxiang used to go in and out of the Gaomen Mansion to perform, but she knows a lot of people, she is smart, Concubine Xian said it again, and she remembered it all. I can even mention a few of them, mention their political achievements, and chat with Concubine Xian. And she also said without concealing that she didn't know how to really evaluate the quality of political performance, half of which was to listen to the usual chatter of the masters, and half of it was because she felt that the one who could benefit the people was a good official.

Concubine Xian knew that Xiangxiang was literate, so she asked her to go to Qi Hui's house to find out if there were any books, but Qi Hui was a "madman", how could he hide books in the house, Xiangxiang couldn't find them. Concubine Xian said that it was okay, she read the poems and books that could be recited to Xiangxiang, and asked Xiangxiang to read them with her, telling her the truth and allusions, saying that if she wanted to communicate with the ladies of the aristocratic royal family in the future, she did not need to chant poems in front of people, but if other people's words quoted scriptures, Xiangxiang could not understand, understand or misinterpret the meaning, and it should be a joke.

And the more Xiangxiang learns, the more he understands that it is not easy to be born in wealth, although they practice and perform hard, they can live freely and freely, but these people who are clothed and fed will be constrained in what they do.

"Riches come at a price." Concubine Xian said to Xiangxiang, "You can dance the most beautiful dance in front of people, but how much hard work you can put in behind people, only you know, behind those seemingly noble and prosperous, there must be unknown bitterness." However, when you are in your position, you must not show bitterness to others, just as you use gorgeous dance clothes to cover the scars of your practice, and the reason in this is the same. Xiangxiang, if you become the noble person you see in your eyes now, don't be afraid of being flashy, let alone inferior. First, you can learn more and see more so that you have real skills, and secondly, you have to remember that when you stand on a high place, you must raise your head high, which is the most expensive thing you should have. ”

"Niangniang, will I be very honorable?" Xiang Xiang asked, she now understands the difference between the ranks of the royal nobles, but she is confused, what position will she be in with Qi Hui in the future.

Concubine Xian smiled: "I expected him to stand above tens of thousands of people, if that's the case, you should be the queen of the middle palace." ”

Xiangxiang's face tightened, and when he thought of Concubine Su Zhaoyi, he asked timidly: "Then when the time comes, Qi Hui will also have many concubines, will he also live in the Mingde Palace?" ”

Concubine Xian shook her head: "He will never repeat all his father's sins, and everything in this imperial city is what he hates." She stroked Xiangxiang's cheek and said, "My son will never let you down, Xiangxiang ......"

"Mother, what do you want to say?"

"You call me a mother, okay?" Concubine Xian finally spoke, and joked even more, "You always call me Niangniang, Niangniang, if you miss a word, is it difficult?" ”

Xiangxiang's heart jumped suddenly, one word was missing, the meaning was completely different, her hesitation made Concubine Xian very uneasy, held her hand and said, "Child, I scared you?" Don't be afraid, I'm just kidding, Xiangxiang, do you know how much I like you? ”

"Yes." Xiang Xiang fell into Concubine Xian's arms, Concubine Xian stroked her cheek, felt hot tears between her fingers, and said distressedly, "Don't cry, I'm just joking, don't take it seriously." ”

Xiang Xiang choked up and said: "I am now called my mother, I am your daughter, and Qi Hui is brother and sister......

Concubine Xian was happy, "Silly girl, how can it be, Xiangxiang is my daughter-in-law." ”

Xiangxiang raised her head and looked at Concubine Xian's dim eyes, her eyes were very cloudy, but they seemed to pretend to be the clearest world, thinking that she couldn't see anything, and lived in the dark for more than ten years, Xiangxiang was distressed. She reached out and stroked the wrinkles at the corners of Concubine Xian's eyes, and couldn't help but ask emotionally, "Mother, do your eyes still hurt?" ”

Concubine Xian was shocked, laughed with tears, trembled and slid the bracelet on her wrist into Xiangxiang's hand, and said with tears: "This is the only thing left by the Mu family, Xiangxiang, if my mother can't wait for the people of the Mu family to come, you will ask them for me in the future, why did you leave me here." ”

"Mother wants to live well, wait for them to come in person, I don't want to ask for you, I don't know them." Xiangxiang choked up and couldn't speak, but her straightforward words amused Concubine Xian, she touched Xiangxiang's head and said, "Yes, you don't know them, how can you help me ask." ”

Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are still mother and daughter, it seems that it is no longer important, in Xiangxiang's lonely life, there is also a day when she calls her mother, and Concubine Xian knows that her son who can't let go of her has a lifelong dependence. Wiping each other's tears and comforting each other, at this time, there was a movement outside the cold palace, and from the prompt from the voice of the guard, Concubine Xian knew that it was someone who should not come, and immediately pushed Xiangxiang and said: "Go to the cabinet and hide it, we have agreed that we will never make senseless sacrifices." ”

Xiangxiang did not hesitate, even though she was full of heart to protect Concubine Xian, but Concubine Xian and her and Qi Hui had already made an agreement that they would face threats with Xiangxiang and Concubine Xian, and they could protect one of them, Xiangxiang only had the courage and intention to protect Concubine Xian, but he did not have the strength to be truly thoughtful, Qi Hui also said that when it was dangerous, Xiangxiang protected himself The most important thing is to protect himself.

After Xiangxiang hid, Concubine Xian wiped away her tears and lay down, she was a dying person, and she was fearless. At this moment, the door of the cold palace was opened, and the two palace maids were the first to enter, and then the four eunuchs slowly entered with their shoulders. I saw Song Jingshu sitting on top of her shoulders wrapped in a cloak to keep out the cold, it was a random cloak, also velvet black satin, with a hundred flower patterns embroidered with gold and silver threads, and she was extravagant.

Once she stood in the corner of the wall in trepidation, looking up at the gorgeous Sun Zhaoyi on her shoulder, that day Xiangxiang was forced to eat a pastry trampled in the dirt, and now, Jingshu is the one who sits on the shoulder, and her heart is full of resentment for stepping others into the dirt.

Xiangxiang saw the palace maid break into Concubine Xian's house, no longer as polite as before, she couldn't see Jing Shu with a majestic expression on her shoulder outside the door, only heard the palace maid say coldly: "The Jingmei of Furong Ju has arrived, we have lost a palace maid in Furong Ju, I didn't see it last time, and today Jingmei came to find it in person." You don't have to get up, we'll just flip through it ourselves. ”

The virtuous concubine on the sickbed was silent, and she heard the movement of the boxes and cabinets in the room, and Xiangxiang saw that another palace maid and eunuch broke in, all of them were fresh faces that she had never seen before. Xiangxiang remembered the scene of Concubine Li's intrusion that night, and remembered the fear that Jing Shu forced Concubine Xian with a fire tong, at this moment her heart was tightly clenched, she was afraid that Jing Shu would be like Concubine Li, drag the sick Concubine Xian out, and use her to threaten herself to appear.

A palace maid came to open the cabinet and rummaged through, sure enough, the Mu family was very skilled, Xiangxiang and them were only separated by a wooden plank, but they didn't find the existence of Xiangxiang, and they turned over for half an hour, but they were afraid that even Qi Hui's house was found, Xiangxiang heard the palace maid in the courtyard and said: "Look, there is really no one else, only the sick abandoned concubine is alone." ”

"Nonsense, you go look for it again, she was right in front of my eyes that day, and the tongs burned her dress."

Jing Shu's voice suddenly came, sharp and mean, like the momentum of Concubine Li and Sun Zhaoyi, Xiangxiang's heart was shocked, could it be that their sisterhood has really come to an end?

"If you're hiding." A palace maid said, "If you don't drag the abandoned concubine out for torture, I'm not afraid that the palace maid won't come out." ”

This sentence shocked Xiangxiang and almost broke out of the door, but she promised her mother, and even more promised Qi Hui, that she would never sacrifice in vain, but ......

Outside the door, although the shoulder has landed, Jing Shu is unable to walk on the ground, and she is still sitting on the shoulder, she looks up at the dilapidated palace, thinking about the hot tongs in her hand that day, the words of the palace maid linger in her ears, she knows that if Xiangxiang is really hiding in a corner, she will definitely be able to force Xiangxiang out. But no matter whether Xiangxiang is there or not, if she does the same thing as Concubine Li, their sisters' lives will really end.

"If you look for it again and can't find it, we'll go back." Jingshu closed her eyes and finally made a decision.

She does resent everyone in this palace, but she doesn't hate Xiangxiang, at this moment she remembered the thought she had before, maybe Xiangxiang has left, if she has really left the palace, she must go as far as possible, and never come back.

The palace maid and eunuch rummaged through the boxes and cabinets again, and sure enough, it was still in vain, the shoulders were raised high again, and the group slowly walked out of the cold palace, and soon after a guard came to greet Concubine Xian, and said that all the people in Furong had left, naturally this was said to Xiangxiang who was hiding in the shadows, and they knew that Xiangxiang girl must be hiding.

The guards left, but Xiangxiang didn't come out for a long time, Concubine Xian lay quietly on the couch and waited, she knew what happened just now, how big a blow it was to Xiangxiang, she once casually said that maybe one day Jingmei would come in person, but I didn't expect that day to come so soon.

Concubine Xian just thought that if Jingmeiren, like Concubine Li, used herself to force Xiangxiang to show up, the agreement between their mother and son might be useless, and Xiangxiang would definitely rush out, not only for herself, but also for her former sisters.

Finally heard the movement, Xiangxiang walked out of the cabinet, Concubine Xian did not speak, but Xiangxiang asked: "Mother, Jingshu is like this now, is it also the dignity of her position?" ”