In the second year of Yongchang, the seventh year of July.

In three days will be the Queen Mother's birthday.

The emperor stood in front of the corridor in a bright robe, his expression calm and peaceful.

Cheng Dehai entered the hall, bowed down and slowly walked to the emperor, held a gift list above his head, and said respectfully, "This is the list prepared by the Ministry of Rites, please take a look at it." ”

Chu Luo frowned slightly, took the gift list, glanced at it lightly, and suddenly saw the queen's name on it, so he wondered, "Why is the queen here?" ”

Cheng Dehai arched his hand and smiled respectfully, "Back to the emperor, this is the meaning of the queen mother, to help the queen mother's birthday performance." ”

Chu Luo bowed his head slightly and muttered to himself, "It's rare that she has this heart...... It's just that she is a queen, and I'm afraid it's not appropriate to play music at the banquet......"

When Cheng Dehai heard this, he knew in his heart, "What does the emperor mean ......?"

"I remember that at the Chinese New Year's Eve banquet, didn't Zhong Meiren's dance be extremely good? It would be appropriate to let her replace the queen. ”

Cheng Dehai's eyebrows moved, and he lowered his head and said, "The slave will do it immediately." ”

As soon as Chengde Haifu entered the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, there were little palace maids who greeted him with blessings, "Hello to Father-in-law Hai." ”

Cheng Dehai nodded, looking like a eunuch in charge, and asked loudly, "Is your little master inside?" ”

Before the words fell, Lan Xiang suddenly ran out of the hall, and when she saw Cheng Dehai, she hurriedly smiled and said, "Grandpa Hai is here." The little master is inside, and the father-in-law goes in with the slave and maid. ”

Cheng Dehai bowed his head and followed Lanxiang into the hall.

Pick up the beaded curtain worn by Yingluo, the hall is not big, on the other side is the bedroom, the sandalwood shelf bed is hung with a lilac gauze tent, the porcelain pot by the window is planted with a delicate wood hibiscus, the top of the head is a pair of tassels, swaying gently with the wind. There is a stack of incense sticks lit in the purple gold sand incense burner, which is refreshing.

Cheng Dehai looked at the only wood hibiscus in the house, and his heart moved.

Zhong Yuxiu was grooming in front of the mirror, and saw Cheng Dehai coming in from the mirror, so he asked, "What's the matter with Grandpa Hai?" ”

Cheng Dehai heard Zhong Yuxiu's words, hurriedly came back to his senses and asked for peace, and replied, "Back to the little master, the slave passed the emperor's will to inform the little master to dance at the queen mother's birthday banquet." ”

Zhong Yuxiu heard that her hand was sluggish, and a pearl plum blossom hosta fell in front of the dressing table with a "snap", and after a long time, she reached out and picked it up, placed the hosta in the makeup, and asked out loud, "Why did the emperor want me to dance?" ”

Cheng Dehai lowered his head and whispered, "At first, the queen asked to play music at the banquet, but the emperor felt that it was inappropriate, so he chose the little master to dance......

Zhong Yuxiu listened, the smile on the corner of her lips became thicker and thicker, "Bengong knows." After that, she took out the pearl plum blossom hosta from it and handed it to Lan Xiangdao, "My father-in-law has worked hard all the way, this should be the heart of the palace, and my father-in-law will accept it." ”

When Cheng Dehai saw the hosta in Lan Xiang's hand, he couldn't help but "ouch", and said busily, "The little master always gives the slave such a valuable thing, how dare the slave accept it......"

Zhong Yuxiu faced the bronze mirror and smiled, "As long as you remember the good of this palace, you can accept the rest." This hairpin is of high quality, and it can be sold for a good price when you go out of the palace. ”

Cheng Dehai Nono took the silver hairpin from Lan Xiang's hand, stuffed it into his arms, and kowtowed, "Thank you, little master!" ”

After Cheng Dehai left, Zhong Yuxiu turned his head and said, "Lan Xiang, come here." ”

Lan Xiang stepped forward when she heard the sound, Yuxiu reached out and took out another pearl and jasper inlaid from the makeup and handed it to Lan Xiang, and said softly, "Did you hear the news just now?" ”

Lan Xiang bowed her head gently, "Yes, little master." ”

Yu Xiu glanced at her, a faint smile condensed on her lips, and said meaningfully, "Go and pass the news to the queen." ”

Lan Xiang's eyes rolled, and she thought about it, and laughed loudly, "The slave is going now." ”

Rumors have always spread the fastest in the palace, but after a long time, the news that Zhong Yuxiu was going to dance at the Queen Mother's birthday banquet instead of the queen had already reached Fengluan Palace.

At this time, Li Shushen was sitting on the soft collapse, and after learning the news, she was so angry that she couldn't even hold the teacup steadily, she lost her mind, the teacup fell to the ground, and the tea sprinkled her phoenix robe.

Seeing this, Yuzhi hurriedly stepped forward, took a handkerchief and wiped it for the queen, rubbed one wall, and commanded the little palace maid next to her sharply, "What are you doing in a daze?" Go get clean clothes for your mother! ”

The little palace maid was startled when she heard this, and hurriedly ran out of the hall. Yuzhi changed a clean handkerchief to wipe the phoenix embroidery on the queen's sleeves, only to hear the queen muttering above her head, "Did Zhong Yuxiu go to ask the emperor herself......

Yuzhi bowed her head silently and said respectfully, "The slave doesn't know ......."

The queen sneered, closed her eyes slightly, and was silent for a long time, before she spoke, "Go to Yongfu Palace with this palace." ”

After the queen bathed and changed her clothes, she accompanied Yuzhi to the Queen Mother's Yongfu Palace. just lifted the bead curtain and went in, but saw Zhong Yuxiu and the Queen Mother sitting in the hall, holding hands and talking with each other affectionately.

The queen was shocked in her heart, but she couldn't avoid it.

"Queen Mother, you're here too." Yuxiu smiled and got up to say goodbye to the queen.

The Queen Mother took a sip of tea and smiled at her, "Why are you all like this when you meet?" Yu'er, when you were in the pavilion, didn't you call her Sister Shushen? ”

Yuxiu's face turned red, and she couldn't help but smile, "That's just ignorance at home." Now that she has entered the palace, Niangniang is the queen of the middle palace, and the concubine is just a little beauty, where do you dare to match the Niangniang sisters? ”

Hearing this, the Queen Mother suddenly smiled, and her face was cold for a moment, "Speaking of points, Yu'er has also served in bed, why hasn't the emperor promoted you to the position yet?" ”

Yuxiu's heart suddenly stabbed when she heard this, and her face was not ugly. The queen seemed to have expected it, her expression was extremely calm, and Ying Ying smiled and said, "The emperor was sick some time ago, and it is also possible to forget it for a while." My sister will dance in a few days, maybe the emperor will remember it, and he will be promoted to the position of his sister. ”

Li Shushen's last few words were extremely heavy, Zhong Yuxiu's face gradually became gloomy and cold, just for a moment, she was deeply absorbed, respectfully handed a plate of osmanthus cake to the queen mother's hand, and said with a smile, "The concubine borrowed the queen's auspicious words." ”

The two of them are one left and one right, secretly comparing the truth, the queen mother is the one who wades into the troubled waters of the harem, and these naturally can't hide from her eyes. She took a piece of osmanthus cake, took a bite and chewed it slowly, and only after a while did she speak, "All the concubines in the harem live for only one purpose, that is, to serve the emperor." Shushen, you are the queen of Da Chu and the daughter of my Li family, no matter what you do, you must conform to your current identity. ”

The queen was silent, lowered her eyebrows and said, "The concubine remembers her aunt's teachings. ”

The Queen Mother bowed slightly, turned to pat the back of Yuxiu's hand, and said gently, "You're tired too, go back and rest." The mourning family is still waiting to see your dance at the birthday banquet. ”

Yuxiu smiled and saluted, and Fang quietly retreated.

In the main hall, only the queen mother and the queen's aunt and nephew are left opposite.

The Queen Mother picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, but did not sit down, for a long time, she raised her head to look at the queen, but her eyes were very faint and faint, "I haven't seen you for a few days, why have you become pampered and arrogant like Concubine Xian?" ”

When the queen heard this, she hurriedly opened her mouth to justify, "Auntie, I ......"

In a hurry, Li Shushen forgot to call herself a "concubine", and as soon as the words came out, she couldn't help but stagnate, looking at the empress dowager who was full of voice, and didn't know what to say for a while.

The Queen Mother laughed very lightly, "The most important thing in the harem is jealousy. Your infatuation with the emperor is in the eyes of the mourning family. But don't forget, it is the idea of the mourning family to let you stay by the emperor's side day and night, and it is also the idea of the mourning family to let Zhong Meiren dance on Chinese New Year's Eve to show the attention of the emperor. ”

When the queen heard this, her heart was already full of fear, and she hurriedly said, "Auntie, that's not what the concubine meant......

"It doesn't matter if that's what you mean or not." The Queen Mother twisted the Buddha beads in her hand, and Huo Ran said, "It's just that you have to know that once you are jealous in the harem, you will no longer be able to collect it." The mourning family makes Zhong Meiren favored, and they are also helping you. Since Concubine Xian returned to favor, the emperor has visited you a few times, and you know it very well in your own heart. If you still want to continue to sit on your phoenix throne, don't make any more extraneous branches. ”

The Queen Mother's seemingly peaceful words woke her up like thunder.

Yes, since she got Chu Luo's grace, she has been immersed in the love of her daughter's family all day long, and she only has Chu Luo in her eyes. She was jealous of Shen Chang'an, and even jealous of Zhong Yuxiu, and even forgot that she was the queen and the mother of a country. But if she can get Chu Luo's sincerity, what is this phoenix position to her Li Shushen? But the saddest thing is that it is precisely because she is the queen and the only wife that Chu Luo Mingmei is marrying that she is eligible for Chu Luo's favor. If she didn't have this title, then she Li Shushen would be nothing to Chu Luo.

Thinking of this, Li Shushen couldn't help but sneer.

Out of the gate of Yongfu Palace, it was almost dusk.

Li Shushen stood at the mouth of the long alley, her expression was as light as a cloud of smoke, her eyes were deep, and there was no sadness or joy.

Yuzhi looked at the queen like this, and her heart became more and more worried, and she couldn't help but cry out, "Niangniang......"

Li Shushen looked back and smiled quietly, "You go back first, this palace wants to stay alone for a while." ”

Yuzhi was startled when she heard this, and hurriedly said, "Where is Niangniang going, the slave will still accompany you." ”

The queen glanced at Yuzhi and involuntarily sighed, "Don't worry, the harem is so big, the palace can't escape even if you want to." ”

The queen's words frightened Yuzhi, she was a person who had seen strong winds and waves, but the queen said such frustrating words, she had seen it for the first time. So he didn't say anything more, but said indifferently, "The slave is waiting for the mother in the palace." ”

Li Shushen nodded cautiously and left.

A remnant sun paved on the vermilion brick-laid palace road, shining on the reflection of a corner of the phoenix robe.