Chapter VIII

Jia Min still wanted to reason with her sister, but when she saw that she was weak and weak, she had to nod her head and talk to her sister without saying a word, only a thousand tears.

The imperial doctors tried their best to treat Zhong Xuan and the queen for a few days, but Zhong Xuan finally died, and even since he fainted that day, he never woke up, the queen didn't even say a word to Zhong Xuan, Zhong Xuan could no longer call her a "queen mother", the queen was burned, when Zhong Xuan fainted, the queen was still able to hold on, how much went to the side hall to take care of Zhong Xuan, but as soon as she heard the news of Zhong Xuan's death, she could no longer get up, she could only lie in bed, her body was getting worse, she only drank some decoction every day, fed some liquid food, I breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhong Xuan's sudden death made the already sick queen sad and uncontrollable, since the queen's illness, the emperor no longer had the heart to go to the palace concubines, at this time he didn't go anywhere, only stayed with the queen without undressing to accompany him, and he had to bow down to himself.

Liuzhu was frightened by his cat, and he didn't dare to go out again, as soon as he went out, he was coldly scolded, and his subordinates didn't even send her a good meal, so he sent a meal a day, Liuzhu was depressed in his heart, and he had nowhere to complain, so he had to endure it, feeling guilty and bitter. I could only cry to Cui Qian: "Do you think the emperor will be suspicious of me?" I really didn't do that. ”

Cui Qian had to dissuade: "Jieyu, don't be too sad, the emperor has the best heart, and he will not suspect you." ”

Liu Zhu listened but was even more sad: "The emperor's heart is good, but it is too kind, such as such things, I should have checked it, but the emperor didn't find out, if I did, find out the reason, and return my innocence, now, I really jumped into the Yellow River and couldn't wash it away." ”

Cui Qian didn't speak, she could only listen.

Liuzhu was sad in his heart, and said: "The emperor cares about everyone in his heart, but he doesn't care about himself, but his concern makes everyone too greedy, but it's not good." The emperor is not unkind to me, not unconcerned, but I always feel that this tepid feeling is more worrying, I always want to get more, but I find that I can't get anything. I'm afraid that only the queen has got the emperor's sincerity. Cui Qian, you said that the queen wouldn't doubt me too, right? ”

Cui Qian said: "The queen mother has the best relationship with Jieyu in Su Ri, and she will not suspect you, you just have to rest assured." ”

Liu Zhu said: "I can gain a foothold in the palace, all because of the queen's mother, and now that the mother is sick, I have nothing, but what can I do." The emperor's amorous is even more ruthless, except for the queen, the emperor probably doesn't really put anyone in his heart, he wants to put everyone in his heart, but his heart is so big, can he let go of so many people? It is inevitable that no one will be able to gain any grace if they lose the other. ”

Cui Qian said: "Jieyu, don't worry, you still have a father." ”

Liu Zhu said: "My father is an official in the court, and he can help me, but I have a weak personality, there is no use, I can't help the queen, let alone my father, there is a queen in the palace in the past, even if the emperor doesn't favor me, I still feel happy, if there is anything bad about the queen, I really don't know how to live in the palace." ”

Saying that, both of them were sad.

But when she said this, Jia Min was really burned inside, and her nephew, who had only seen her once, died in such an unknown way, and she could only wash her face with tears, and if she didn't say much, she was sick the next day.

Jia Min lay on the bed with her eyes closed, only to feel that it was dark. When he first came to the palace, an earth-shattering event happened, and Jia Min was physically and mentally exhausted, grief-stricken, and couldn't hold on. This illness, the emperor immediately came to see her.

Since she was sick, Jia Min didn't have the strength to make up carefully, but she didn't have a taste of elegance. Seeing that the emperor was coming, Jia Min hurriedly sat up and was about to get out of bed to salute, but his eyes were dark and he almost fell to the ground.

When the emperor saw it, he hurriedly went up to support Jiamin, and said with concern: "Sister, if you are not feeling well, don't salute, sit well." ”

When Jia Min heard this, he thanked him and went back to sit, Xiu Ying hurriedly moved a chair and put it on a brocade cushion, so that the emperor could also sit.

Jia Min said: "Your Majesty, the courtier's daughter is unwell and can't cook tea for you personally, Xiuying, pour tea for the emperor." ”

The emperor hurriedly waved his hand and said, "No, no, I'll just sit and leave, don't bother." ”

Jia Min said: "Presumably, the emperor dislikes my tea here." ”

The emperor smiled and said, "How come? The tea here is good, and the bad tea has been put here for a long time, and it has also been contaminated with your fresh and elegant temperament. ”

Jia Min's face flushed slightly, and said, "The emperor praised it falsely." When I'm well, I'll serve you tea. ”

The emperor said: "Are you used to living here now?" It seems to be a little lonely, do you want to live in a different place? ”

Jia Min's face darkened, and he said, "Your Majesty, I live here very well, besides, when my sister recovers, I will go home, so why move around and add trouble." ”

Hearing the word "well", the emperor couldn't help but sigh and said: "Jiamin, your sister's illness, you also know, I don't know when it will get better, originally I didn't think it was a serious illness, but Zhongxuan left, this is a big blow to your sister, and now it has added symptoms, it is really difficult to treat." ”

Jia Min blamed herself: "Your Majesty, it was the courtiers who did not protect Zhongxuan that day, which frightened him, and the courtiers were deeply guilty. ”

The emperor looked at Jia Min with a pair of clear eyes and said, "Sister, how can I blame you for this kind of flying disaster?" It's only strange that the destiny of heaven is like this, and Zhong Xuanfu is thin. But although it's a little farther away, it also supports people, so you just need to keep it. ”

The warm breeze blew in through the window, like a girl's hands caressing Jiamin's cheeks, she felt the slightest joy, but she still couldn't be happy, so she said: "Your Majesty, the courtiers entered the palace this time, originally to serve my sister's illness, but I didn't expect to take care of my sister for a day and a half, but I was also sick, how can I raise it with peace of mind?" I just hope that I will be able to go and serve my sister a decoction. ”

The emperor said: "You have to get better as soon as possible, but not only for your sister, but also for yourself, the autumn frost is heavy, and it is getting colder and colder, and when the weather is cold, the illness will get better and slower, so take advantage of the sunshine and warmth now, take good care." ”

Jia Min nodded hurriedly, although this is an ordinary word of concern, if it was in the past, Jia Min would not go to her heart, but since her sister told her those entrusted words, these words are very different to Jia Min's ears, she only feels that these words are gentle and intimate, and her heart is soft when she listens to it, and happiness lingers in the haze.

Just as Jiamin's thoughts were flying, he only heard the emperor say: "Then I will leave, and my sister will get well as soon as possible." ”

Hearing this, Jia Min couldn't help but feel lost, but he was helpless, so he said "Congratulations to the emperor", ready to get up, but was held down by the emperor again, and could only watch the emperor's back gradually drift away, in a trance in his heart, at a loss.

Thinking of what her sister told her the day before yesterday, Jia Min felt happy, and there were thousands of burdens on her. Happily, the emperor seems to be really interested in herself, and her sister's entrustment is expected to come true, but she is even more worried, she has expected that Zhong Xuan's death is not an accident, and she also feels that her sister's illness is strange, and even feels that she is sick, someone is harming her, but she doesn't know what the truth of the matter is, she wants to find the truth, but she doesn't know where to start.

The emperor cared about her so much, Jia Min was a little happy in her heart, and after the emperor left, Jia Min was all immersed in the girl's fantasy, but when she thought of her sister being seriously ill, she was very depressed. It would be great if he could give half of his life to his sister, so that their sisters would be in the palace from now on and accompany the emperor together, but it seems that it will not work.

Jia Min's heart is very chaotic, it is getting dark, she is not aware of it, I don't know how to fall asleep, I don't know how to wake up, in short, it's a new day.

CHAPTER IX

On this day, Yiai came to the palace to chat with Jiang Zhuohua, and Concubine Jiang Zhuohua worried: "The emperor has been with the queen every day these days, sleepless, like a withered tree, don't be tired and sick." ”

Dai Yiai, a talented person, said with a smile: "Sister, what's the worry, the emperor is young and in good health, and the queen is not around for a few days, our emperor can still hold on!" ”

Jiang Zhuohua chirped: "You have gone too far, our emperor only has two princes, how can you bear to kill one?" ”

Yiai didn't think so, and said lightly: "So what? The old ones don't go, the new ones don't come, and the good luck of giving birth to an heir should also go to your belly, concubine. Besides, I didn't want to kill the second prince at all, I just wanted the glass lamp to fall and smash the little goblin to death. ”

Jiang Zhuohua was shocked when he heard this, recited Amitabha, and said, "You are really bold enough." ”

Yi Ai smiled: "Although I am bold, but I am also careful, as soon as the incident came out that day, I asked someone to deal with the dried fish on the glass lamp to lure the cat, and also grinded the broken marks of the iron chain into a natural and old appearance, and even asked Qingnu to take advantage of the chaos to replace the pillow filled with pollen for our people, that good evidence, it has already burned all the way up!" ”

Jiang Zhuohua nodded, but he was still frightened in his heart and didn't want to say more. Jiang Zhuohua, who was flying and domineering in the past, always had times when he was afraid.

Yi Ai smiled at Jiang Zhuohua and said: "Concubine Shu, we have been in the palace for so long, and we have never been pregnant, I really don't know when we will have that blessing." ”

Jiang Zhuohua sneered and said: "When is this, you are still thinking about the child, I don't have the courage to think about it, but we are still young, and sooner or later we will have children, but this time I didn't kill the little goblin, after all, it was a scourge, and the emperor would definitely think of the queen when he saw her face, which is not easy to do." Especially, I heard that the emperor went to see her in person yesterday! ”

Yi Ai said: "Then what's there to worry about, she just has a face that looks like a queen, if we ruin this face, we will ruin everything, what's there to be afraid of?" ”

Jiang Zhuohua asked, "How to destroy it?" ”

Yi Ai replied: "The repetition of the trick is that Qing Nu told me a long time ago that the little goblin was born to the queen's mother, and she is also allergic to pollen, let's add some pollen to the objects she uses, which can make her face red, swollen and itchy for a month or two, no matter how beautiful her face is, the emperor doesn't want to see it!" ”

Jiang Zhuohua shook his head, "No, no, we finally succeeded this time, but we can't use pollen anymore, use things that have been used once, don't be discovered, but the gains outweigh the losses, besides, let her skin allergies, it is not once and for all, she will be cured after two months, and the emperor will still look at it and like it at that time." ”

Yi Ai frowned, "That's just as well." However, her little girl's house is difficult to achieve any climate for a while, so let's just wait and see what happens, and then wait for the opportunity to act. ”

Jiang Zhuohua's face was not very good-looking: "I'm just afraid of this, I don't know when I have to wait." Earlier, I also said that this little goblin has no heart, and this time I saw that she was sick, but I didn't know if it was a real illness or a fake illness, don't pretend to be sick, provoke the emperor's pity, so that I can take the opportunity to meet the emperor! ”

Yi Ai said with a smile: "Don't worry, concubine, there are many methods, as long as you use it at the right time, you won't have any troubles." We don't have to think about it, other people will use our minds, we don't hurt others, others will harm us, not to mention in this palace compound, even when I was a child, in our small family, my father also married two concubines, a day does not count, a day can not be settled. ”

Jiang Zhuohua stroked the string of beads on his wrist and said: "Yes, you small families are still like this, my father is in a high position, and there is a miasma of smoke everywhere, in the full house, even a string of beads, I am afraid it is dirty, life is bitter, if you don't suffer in this regard, you will suffer in that aspect, and you will not be able to keep the bitterness." ”

Yi Ai hurriedly persuaded: "Don't be discouraged, concubine, when you sit in the back seat, everything will be fine, at that time, who is afraid of anything?" ”

Jiang Zhuohua looked at the moon outside the window and said, "I think quietly when I go to Jianglou alone, the moonlight is like water and the sky." Where are the people who come to play with the moon, the scenery is vaguely like last year. Life is only a few decades, but the moon is looked up to from generation to generation, looking at how many people's sorrows, thoughts, joys, people are small after all, even if they become queens, it is inevitable to die, it's really boring to think about. ”

Yi Ai's expression was as cold as ice, and said: "People live a breath, Buddha fights for a stick of incense, although everyone has to die, but live to the extreme, climb to the top, only then can you live without loss, live clearly." If I hadn't been born poor, I would have wanted to fight for the back position, but everything in people is destined, I know that I don't have that blessing, I just want to assist Concubine Shu for a lifetime, and end up with a good result, Concubine Shu must not be discouraged, let alone be presumptuous, always think about a good life in the future. ”

Jiang Zhuohua said: "That's right. ”

Suddenly, Yi Ai looked uncertain, as if she had thought of something, and asked: "We are all involved in this matter, but that Qin Jiaoniang is alone, from beginning to end, she didn't appear at all, isn't it cheap for her?" ”

Jiang Zhuohua snorted coldly, "My sister probably doesn't know her origin." She was originally a lotus picker, and was elected to the palace at the age of sixteen. The emperor summoned her alone and watched her dance the lotus picking dance, her eyes were deep and she looked forward to love, so she named her 'Lady of the Cave'. The most interesting thing is that she wraps her feet in white silk, wraps both feet very small, and dances on a lotus-shaped stage, so she is favored by the emperor. ”

Yiai smiled contemptuously: "I said that her feet, why are they so small, but her life experience, who doesn't know, I heard that she was originally the daughter of an official eunuch, and later because of the ruin of her family, she became a Jinling kabuki." How can you believe such nonsense that your family is ruined? I don't know what pickled wild seeds are born from men and women! ”

Jiang Zhuohua also smiled: "She was born slender and good at singing and dancing, so she was favored by the emperor." The emperor's edict built the golden lotus platform, six feet high, decorated with treasures, the net belt is retained, and various colors of Ruilian are set up in Taichung. Let the lady wrap her feet with silk, bend it to make a crescent moon, dance in the lotus with plain socks, and whirl with the state of Lingyun. When the emperor saw it, he couldn't help but be overjoyed. Since then, in order to maintain and improve the stunt of this dance, in order to stabilize the favored position, she often uses white silk to wrap her feet, and over time, she wraps her feet into a red diamond shape, a crescent moon shape, and its dance posture is more natural and beautiful. ”

Yi Ai frowned and said: "If you talk about dancing, who can compare to you, Concubine Shu, you sing and dance the famous song "Ji Kang" in the south of the Yangtze River, the audience is amazed, how is it like Qin Jiaoniang, she can't wrap her feet around, she looks good when she puts on her shoes, and when she takes off her shoes, she doesn't know how to deform, and the emperor may not be able to stand it." If it's a natural little foot, it's not ugly, but what is it if it's entangled the day after tomorrow? ”

Jiang Zhuohua said: "It's hard for her to be so masochistic, just to laugh at Emperor Bo!" ”

Yi Ai said: "I hope that while she binds her feet, she will also entangle her heart and behavior, always like this time, don't intervene, just treat herself as a plaything, if she spoils our business, she will wrap herself in a thick strip of cloth of gold, I will also burn the cloth and cut it, and arrest her out to vent her anger!" ”

Jiang Zhuohua smiled: "You are really a powerful person, the time is not early, I should also sleep, you can go back to the palace." ”

With that, Yi Ai said goodbye and returned to the palace, and the two went to sleep separately.

Chapter X

But said that after the death of Zhong Xuan, the ministers have said that they want to invite the Zen master to do the law, and get rid of the bad luck in the palace, so the emperor agreed, and invited the empty shore Zen master of Qingliang Temple to come to the palace, and the Zen master was tired during the day, and in the evening, the emperor invited him to play chess in the Nanxun Pavilion.

The two played against each other in chess, and after a full hour, they still did not win or lose. But seeing that the Zen master of Kongan suddenly smiled: "The old man is going to take a game first." As he spoke, he left the key behind.

"Then I'll lose." The emperor looked at Kongan calmly, "The Zen master has superb chess skills, and I am ashamed of myself." ”

Sure enough, the empty shore fell and the chess game was decided.

The emperor frowned slightly, looked at his scattered chessboard, and said nothing.

Kongan said casually: "Your Majesty, are you sad for the second prince?" ”

The emperor nodded and said, "Xiao'er died suddenly at the age of four, and it is too difficult not to be sad." ”

Kongan said indifferently: "Those who have a living must die, and those who have a cause must overcome the effect, and the cycle of life and death will never end." The second prince is gone, just a new life, why should the emperor be hurt? ”

The emperor was still sad: "Although he was reborn, I will never see him again, I don't know whose child he has become, and there is no chance to see him again, and besides, if he is exiled to a poor family, he will not be exempt from sin." ”

Kongan smiled: "All life and death belong to life and death. Yesterday's me perished, yesterday's me died, and today's me is born again. Life and death are just our thoughts, a thought arises, then dies, and then arises again, which can be called life and death. The consciousness and concepts formed in this world, such as logic and thought, all arise, arise and perish, and there is birth and destruction, that is, they belong to life and death. The true six realms of liberation are to resolve all these impermanences of birth and death, to stay away from all birth and death, and to return to the original state of mind of Buddha-nature that is neither born nor destroyed, that is not impure and impure, and that does not increase or decrease. If a person drinks water, he knows how cold and warm he is, if the second prince is reincarnated in a poor family, the emperor is not him, how can he know that he is unhappy? I heard that the emperor didn't want to be the Ninth Five-Year Emperor in his early years, but wanted to be born in an ordinary family, why didn't he want to let his prince have his own wishes at this time? ”

The emperor sighed and said: "If the child dies at the end of his life, why am I so sad, but he is a yellow-mouthed child, and he will be reincarnated again, even if he can live happily in the future, I can't let him go after all." ”

Soragan said: "How can it be considered the end of life?" At the end of his life, he will die. The energy of life is eternal, it transforms concrete life from one form to another, thus constituting the flow of life and death, and repeats it, life and death, death and life, eternal flow, and even infinity. All beings wander in the sea of suffering, living and dying, dying and living, and cannot find a destination for eternal happiness. For this reason, the Buddha has repeatedly reminded us that if we want to achieve a full life, we must be free from birth and death. If the second prince dies early in this life, the next few lives will be long-lived, so why should the emperor be troubled by him and can't be relieved? ”

The emperor listened to Kongan's words, and his heart was slightly comforted, but he still couldn't let go completely, so he said: "The word liberation is easy to say, but too difficult to do, how to liberate life and death?" ”

Sorakan replied, "In the cycle of life and death, we have infinite suffering, and the main reason is that we ignore the truth of impermanence. We want everything to be the same, and we think that constancy provides security. In fact, death is an unavoidable fact of life, and the world is impermanent. Everything is a collection of causes and conditions, everything is changing, and there is no permanent thing. What we once thought was so strong, stable, and long-lasting was nothing more than a dream. There has never been a law, and it does not arise from causes; That's why all dharmas are empty. When we see the "empty" nature of everything, we should not feel lost and miserable, on the contrary, we should let go of attachments and live in the present moment. People are limited and isolated by time and space during their lifetime, and they can't do whatever they want, travel thousands of miles, and they can't rejuvenate themselves and indulge in indulgence, but once they die and break free from the shackles of the body, their Dao heart can come and go freely, crossing the time and space of the Three Realms. At the same time, when we are alive, our body is our great burden - we have to find something to feed it when it is hungry, we have to dress it when it is cold, and we have to endure the pain of our flesh when we are sick. But once a person dies, he is freed from the sea of suffering, so what is the fear of death? ”

After hearing this, the emperor asked: "When a person dies, he is out of the sea of suffering, but if he re-enters reincarnation, isn't he re-entering the sea of suffering?" ”

Kongan said: "The bitter sea is boundless, and dying can temporarily get out of the bitter sea, therefore, the time of death is the best time, and now the second prince is happy, although he has to go into the bitter sea in the future, he finally has time to breathe, the emperor should be happy!" ”

When the emperor heard this, he finally smiled freely and said: "What the Zen master said today, really let me be empowered, it's not too early, Zen master please rest in the Chengxin Hall in the palace." ”

The Zen master nodded, and saluted respectfully: "Thank you, Your Majesty." ”

That night, the emperor insisted on staying in the Yaoguang Palace to accompany the queen, and the queen agreed.

The queen leaned on the head of the bed, looked at the stars outside the window, and said to the emperor gently: "It has been more than ten years since the concubine was fortunate to marry into the palace, and the glory of a woman is nothing more than this." The only downside is that my young son died young, and I'm about to leave, so I'm afraid I won't be able to repay you anymore. ”

The emperor held the queen's hand and said affectionately: "Emperor E, what kindness do I have for you?" On the contrary, it is you who conceive children for me, and I will not be able to repay your kindness. ”

The queen smiled: "Next month is November, and the maple leaves should be very beautiful by then." ”

The emperor nodded and said, "When you are well, let's go to the garden to see the maple leaves." ”

The queen shook her head and said, "Congjia, I'm just afraid of the concubine's illness, it's hard to get better." In fact, I can be with you in this life, I am satisfied, I die without regrets, there is only one thing, I don't know what you think? ”

The emperor gently straightened the messy hair of the sideburns for the queen, and said, "What does the emperor want to ask?" ”

The queen glanced at the emperor and said, "Congjia, when I go, there will only be four people in the harem: Jiang Zhuohua, Yao Niang, Liuzhu and Yiai, I don't know who you want to be the queen?" ”

When the emperor heard the queen say this, he was shocked in his heart, and tears couldn't help but flow in his eyes, and said: "Emperor E, don't say that, today I heard the words of Zen Master Kongan about life and death, and I think it makes sense, although Zhong Xuan went, he did not disappear from this world, but just reincarnated and became a human again, so you don't have to be sad about this matter anymore, just take care of your illness." ”

The queen smiled lightly and said: "Congjia, I know my body, even if Zhong Xuan is still alive, I won't be able to last long, and I will only return to heaven for a year and a half." Now that Zhong Xuan is gone, he is such a small person, he doesn't know how to be reincarnated, if he gets lost, how can it be good? Why don't I go early, take him to the underworld with me, reincarnate all the way, and then be born together, and be with each other for the rest of our lives, wouldn't it be better? ”

The emperor hugged the queen tightly and said, "Emperor E, you just want to be with Zhong Xuansheng for the rest of your life, don't you want to be a husband and wife with me for the rest of your life?" ”

The queen helplessly grabbed the corner of the emperor's clothes and said, "Congjia, how can I be willing to leave you?" You and I have been around for ten years, although you are the emperor and have never scolded me, just blindly cherished, why don't I want to be an eternal husband and wife with you? It's just that the destiny is like this, and I can't disobey it, but although I'm going, there is still someone who can accompany you. ”

The emperor was a little puzzled and asked, "Who can accompany me?" Zhongyu? ”