The heavy snow outside Huahezhai was like a flocculent, blowing off the last fallen leaf of the twenty-ninth winter of the Great Wei Kangping.

Hong Yi hurriedly came in from the heavy snow with two dark streamer pattern brocade boxes, and picked up the thick wind-blocking wool curtain at the door. The heat in the room swept her face, and a shallow white mist was released.

The plain-clothed woman who was practicing calligraphy with her sleeves in front of the desk was wearing a white beaded flower on her head, and she raised her head when she heard the sound, revealing a dignified and delicate face. She gently rested the pen on the inkstone and asked, "In the first emperor sacrifice, what kind of words do you seem to be in such a hurry, but there is still a little bit of the demeanor of the Xue family?" ”

Hong Yi put the brocade box in his hand on the table, and said that he was quite dissatisfied: "The master has taught him a lesson." It's just that the princess gave gifts to the three masters, and the slave and maid went to collect it for you, and the aunt in charge there also reprimanded the slave and maid. With a look of indignation, she pursed her lips, "She just thought she was going to be a queen, so she was here to be powerful." Miss, you are the daughter of the Xue family, and now you are also the concubine, and she also deserves to reward you? ”

When Xue Yuan heard this, he frowned: "The prince has drawn up the position?" ”

Hongyi's face was a little sneering: "It's planned...... The prince values you and the Xue family the most, but most of this point is proposed by that one. ”

"Who? Empress Wen. Xue Yuan was a little disdainful, with a faint disgust in her eyes, "The Mo family she personally selected was the concubine, and she naturally had the same heart as the Mo family." The Mo family was born in a Hongru family, and he didn't have the self-cultivation of a famous family, and he circled around the prince with a hippie smile all day long, shameless. ”

Hongyi knew that Xue Yuan was unhappy, so she poured a cup of hot tea to comfort her, "Naturally, don't worry." ”

Xue Yuan took a sip of tea, and his mind settled for a moment: "You said, didn't you give me the position of imperial concubine?" ”

Hongyi nodded cautiously.

"Concubine?"

Hongyi was simply worried: "Qi ...... Concubine Qi. Qi was picked by Princess Mo, saying that Shi Qi is smooth and auspicious ......"

"Geely?!" Xue Yuan tilted the tea cup in his hand, and two drops of tea were poured, wetting the cuffs of her clothes, "She thought she was naming a cat and dog, and she wanted to be auspicious!" ”

Hong Yi hurriedly persuaded: "Qi is also very good, he sounds dignified and noble." The young lady does not have to be angry with the crown princess at such a critical time. When our crown prince successfully ascends the throne, the young lady will raise her eyebrows at that time. ”

"There's no need to be angry...... Xue Yuan frowned and gritted his teeth. She let out a long sigh of relief and opened the makeup on the side of the desk. Underneath the dowry was a small box full of shriveled corpses of insects.

Cantharids are born in the south, and most northerners have never seen them. It was when she was a child that she read books and saw such strange things in the "Ten Thousand Souls Illustrated Book". And the "Illustrated Book of Ten Thousand Souls" is the only book in the previous dynasty, and now in the entire Lejing, there is only one volume in the Xue family's library.

Dried cantharid carcasses, as long as they are ground into powder, are no different from spice powder. It only takes a small bite to kill in three days. It is very pleasant to think that Moh's cheeks are golden from poisoning, and his lips are trembling from shivering.

Xue Yuan is the hope of the Xue family, if it weren't for the Mo family pointed out by Empress Wen to be the crown princess, why would she Xue Yuan have to live such a life as a foil for people now.

Sending such poison into the East Palace did cost the Xue family a lot of effort and connections. The entire Xue family's ancestor naturally had a tacit attitude towards what Xue Yuan wanted to do.

Hong Yi saw Xue Yuan's movements, and was a little frightened: "Master?!" ”

Xue Yuan glanced at the makeup, pondered slightly, and still closed the lid of the box: "If it is not a last resort, it is not the time to move it." ”

Hong Yi heard Xue Yuan's words, felt a little relieved, stepped forward lightly, and said in her ear: "The slave maid went to the dining room to get the pastries today, and listened to the cook...... The crown princess asked for a live male deer in the livestock market today and took a whole jar of blood. ”

"Deer blood? Here's what to do. ”

Hongyi's voice became lower and lower: "Said you want to eat." ”

As soon as she finished speaking, a cold north wind blew open the doors and windows of Huahezhai, and there was a loud bang.

Hong Yi hurriedly stepped forward and closed the door.

Xue Yuan looked at the wide open doors and windows and the flickering wind and snow outside, and his heart suddenly became clear. She hurriedly pulled her skirt and got up, and instructed Hongyi: "Don't close it." Go and secretly pass the news to the study, and be sure to know it before the prince enters Mo's Ziyuan tonight. ”

said that in the Ziyuan at the other end of the East Palace, Mo Jinghong was trying on the queen's crown and robe behind the screen.

Empress Wen wants to be honored as the Empress Dowager Zhuang Yi, and at that time, she Mo Jinghong is the new queen.

The most honorable woman in the world.

Thinking like this, my heart was happy and sweet, and my eyes looked at the wide-sleeved dress embroidered with red and gold embroidery on the carved garment, the heavy Dongzhu flower crown and the phoenix rank cui's sideburns, so close, right in front of me.

"Master, mother." The deacon's aunt behind the screen took the tray covered by the cloth from the craftsman's hand, and raised her eyebrows, "The seals and rosters of Concubine Xue, Jiang Liangdi and Xu Liangdi are ready." ”

Mo Jinghong is young, but she is just a young girl who has not been around for a long time. She turned her head, as if listening to some happy event, sat down on the upper seat with a smile, and beckoned: "Quick, bring it to me and take a look." ”

The deacon's aunt was short, lowered her eyebrows, and held the tray to Mo Jinghong: "You have a look." ”

Mo Jinghong sat in his position and shook his feet slightly, and with a smile, he picked up the concubine seal in the tray, and looked at the product carefully under the candlelight, his eyes were shining: "Is the craftsman's craftsmanship good?" As he spoke, his fingertips gently rubbed the four big characters printed on the treasure of Concubine Qi.

The deacon's aunt gently wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and said with a wry smile: "According to your instructions, the most experienced jade craftsman you are looking for is also the best jade material used." ”

Mo Jinghong felt relieved when he heard this, and smiled lightly, sweet and gentle. She bowed her head and said, "That's the best." You know our prince, he likes others to do things finely. The crown prince's accession to the throne is a big matter, and the natural seal must also use the best. As he spoke, he sniffled and sniffed on Concubine Qi's treasure, "Hey, I can't smell anything." ”

The deacon's aunt was shocked when she saw it, and hurriedly stepped forward to stop her: "My master, don't smell it, it hurts you." According to your instructions, the agarwood hidden in the concubine seal here is also the best used! ”

"It's okay." Mo Jinghong's eyebrows and eyes stretched, and he spoke softly, "It's just this time, it's not effective." The Xue family likes glory and face, and such a good thing is treasured by her every day, and there will definitely be nothing to come out of it. As he spoke, his eyebrows and eyes were crooked, and his eyes that were as beautiful as the moon shone brightly.

The deacon's aunt sighed, "You have to be careful what will hurt the woman's body." ”

Mo Jinghong was a little lonely, and gently stroked his stomach: "I have the symptom of breaking the thread...... I can't give birth to the crown prince, and she Xue Yuan won't think about it in this life. Thinking about it, I was still angry, "Hmph! ”

The deacon's aunt was afraid of touching her heart, so she did not mention it. He asked, "What...... Jiang Liangdi and Xu Liangdi? ”

"Jiang Liangdi has long been useless." Mo Jinghong propped his chin, tilted his head and thought about it, with a faint expression, "Before I entered the mansion, the thousand-year-old lady in the palace had already given Jiang Liangdi a reward for medicine and cut off her thoughts. Originally, what was my origin, and what was her background. She is only worthy of being a plaything for our prince, not worthy of giving birth to a child for the Mu family. ”

The deacon's aunt knew the princess's intentions, and she was even a little stubborn. She sighed silently and said, "But Xu Liangdi was born beautiful, and her background is better than Jiang Liangdi." The day before yesterday, I listened to the tone of the prince, and after ascending the throne, I had to reuse the Xu family. ”

Mo Jinghong pursed his lips, a little annoyed: "She has so many things to do, and she has a foxy face." It was very uncomfortable to say, "The prince often looks at her, blames her, blames her!" ”

The deacon's aunt persuaded: "The Xu family has to use it now, and in the sacrifice of the first emperor, it is not the time to move Xu Liangdi." ”

"Oh, yes...... In the sacrifice of the first emperor. Mo Jinghong stood up and took a white flower hairpin on the case. The black hair is like a cloud, the hairpin is like jade, and the person is particularly weak and pure. looked at his youthful appearance in the mirror, "The prince likes people who are careful not to make mistakes, so he can't touch her for the time being." "Said lightly," "Since I couldn't move for a while, I gave the hollow anti-drug chopsticks to Xu's to give them to Xu." Defend five and fight for three. ”

The deacon's aunt was puzzled, and if she thought about it, she couldn't understand it. Then he asked: "Dare to ask the crown princess, what is the meaning of protecting five and fighting for three?" ”

"Promise to poison her in May, and try to die first in March." Mo Jinghong laughed, a little cute.

As he was talking, he saw a tall young man in a robe coming in from outside the Zi Courtyard, and Feng Tang took off the ink-colored coat for him.

"Your Highness?!" Mo Jinghong was full of joy, and hurriedly lost Xue Yuan's concubine seal, and ran to meet him in small steps.

Mu Beiyi glanced at Mo Jinghong, a silent look flashed in his eyes, and he immediately entered the back of the screen as usual: "What are you talking about?" ”

Mo Jinghong's eyes turned slightly, he was also from the Hongru family, and said casually: "Chaowen Dao, die at night." She hurriedly poured tea and water, filled a cup of wolfberry honey and red dates stewed with brown sugar bird's nest, and presented it to Mu Beiyi, "Your Highness warms up." ”

Mu Beiyi took the white porcelain soup bowl and lowered his head to look at the dark red viscous liquid in his eyes.

"Your Royal Highness......" Mo Jinghong propped his chin, leaned against the table half-tilted, and looked at Mu Beiyi with a smile, "In two days, it will be the happy day of His Highness's accession to the throne." The concubine thought that she should also repair the palace courtyard again, for example, how the concubines of the first emperor respected the title, and they had to wait for His Royal Highness to make an idea. If His Royal Highness is not empty, the concubine will set these small things ......" she said in a whisper, her eyes reflecting the handsome prince, almost shining.

"Shocking." Mu Beiyi suddenly turned his head.

"Doesn't Your Highness drink this bird's nest? The concubine has been stewed for most of the day. ”

Mu Beiyi slowly put the cup on the table, "I feel hungry in my belly, but I am a little tired." ”

When Mo Jinghong heard this, he was a little panicked again, and hurriedly stood up: "I see, then Your Highness wants to eat noodles or pancakes?" The concubine went to make it for His Highness with her own hands. ”

"Rice porridge is better."

"Hey." Mo Jinghong got the right words, responded again and again, hurriedly picked up the plain white shawl, lifted the bead curtain and went to the small kitchen outside, "The concubine will go here, Your Highness just need to wait for a while." ”

As soon as Mo Jinghong left, the room fell silent.

Mu Beiyi glanced at the deacon's aunt kneeling behind the screen: "Don't get out yet." ”

The deacon's aunt sweated like rain, as if she had been pardoned, and hastened to her knees and went out.

Feng Tang shook his head and sighed, stepped forward to take the cup in Mu Beiyi's hand, and poured it into the potted plant. He thought for a moment and persuaded: "Your Highness, don't be too angry, after all, the crown princess is the person personally selected by the queen. ”

Mu Beiyi leaned his head on the side of the chair and closed his eyes gently: "Hmm." ”

Feng Tang asked: "What about the three rooms that the princess picked, the Feng family, the Li family and the Lian family?" ”

"Leave an honest one, and say that Lone is very satisfied." Mu Beiyi thought for a while and opened his eyes, "The rest is to sell it, and then someone will kill it in two months." ”

"Yes." Feng Tang lowered his head and whispered, "The feathers that His Highness collected a few days ago ......"

"Put it away, don't show it to the crown princess. Let her get the queen first, so that the Wen family will feel at ease. ”

"The crown princess is so temperamental, she is really too fearless."

Mu Beiyi waved his hand, quite embarrassed: "She is sincere in treating loneliness, but if she is more introverted and quiet, and her background is ordinary, it may be easier." ”

Feng Tang thought about this slightly, but sighed: "If there is a woman who looks the same as the princess, introverted and quiet, and from a humble background, His Royal Highness may not be happy. ”

Mu Beiyi raised his eyebrows: "How can you see it?" ”

"This slave has no wife, so naturally he can't say why. Just thinking about the crown princess or the side concubine, Xu Liangdi and Jiang Liangdi, in the eyes of His Royal Highness, they are all average. Feng Tang pondered, "If it weren't for that person, no matter how the people around him changed, they would all be settled." ”

Mu Beiyi smiled self-deprecatingly, his expression cold.

When Mo Jinghong came into the house happily holding rice porridge, noodles, and pancakes, Mu Beiyi was already asleep. She was a little lost, but the emotions of loss were fleeting. Immediately, he put on a splendid quilt and a tiger skin blanket to put on Mu Beiyi.

I ate two bites of pancakes by myself, and when they were dry, I felt even more stunned.

At this time, someone from outside came to say: "Princess, Jiang Liangdi came to kneel and thank you after receiving a reward, and offered incense and flower dew to you." ”

"Your Highness is here, what is she here to provoke." Mo Jinghong pursed his lips, "Kneel down and thank you, the style of a small family." Just take the things, people don't have to come in, and you don't have to get angry. ”

Jiang Jian heard the voice outside and stood up silently in the snow.

The little maid who passed the word was embarrassed and apologized: "Jiang Liangdi, slow down, or the snow is too big, the princess feels sorry for you." ”

Jiang Xi bowed her head, gently brushed her sleeves and swept away the muddy water on her knees, and said, "Thank you, girl, it's not in the way." ”

The little maid sent her out and whispered: "In the East Palace, who doesn't say that your temperament is the best." I heard that His Royal Highness has drafted a charter to make you and Xu Liangdi concubines. ”

The sarcasm at the corner of Jiang Xi's mouth was imperceptible, she bowed her head shallowly, went out of the courtyard from the corner gate, and said with a faint smile: "It's all the grace of the princess and Her Royal Highness." As he spoke, he knelt in the snow and kowtowed in the direction of the tomb Beiyi.

The old lady who was marrying next to her saw Jiang Xi come out, and put a cloak on her distressedly.

Jiang Xi held the old woman's hand, and the whole person stood in the wind and snow, still looking as light as a chrysanthemum.

A month after Mu Beiyi ascended the throne, the young queen Mo Jinghong died suddenly.

When she died, it was as if she was asleep, her lips were pink and her skin was white, as if she would come back to life in the next second.

Since the lips are not purple, they are not poisoned by wine. Mu Beiyi stood beside the coffin with his hands in his hands, looking at Xue Yuan thoughtfully.

Since the skin is not golden, it is not killed by cantharids. Xue Yuan wore a white wide-sleeved mourning dress for his wife's funeral in the concubine's room, and quietly looked at the Son of Heaven from the afterglow.

The two looked at each other, and some of the meaning was unclear.

Jiang Xi knelt in front of Queen Mo's coffin, and cried a few times sadly, long and short, very sad.

Before Mo Jinghong's death, his temperament was very lively. She likes flowers and trees, throwers and horseback rides, and all kinds of gadgets that she has never seen before.

Curious about animals you haven't raised, curious about food you've never eaten, curious about jewelry you've never worn, and curious about torture you've never seen.

She is like a little girl who has not grown up, she likes everything, she is stubborn about everything, and she wants to force it.

Especially in the matter of loving the tomb of Beiyi.

As soon as she died like this, the lonely imperial city seemed even more deserted. The crowd walked quietly, and spoke in a low voice.

The palace people felt even more depressed when they looked at the cold face of the Son of Heaven, and the newly powerful Concubine Qi Shufei was also an unsmiling master. Everyone is worried all day long, and only when Concubine Jiang is on an errand, can they take a breath.

Jiang Ji is fair and gentle, and her good temper is well known in the palace.

The little palace maid of the incense making bureau put all kinds of spices in small boxes and put them on the table. Jiang Xi's skirt looked around, and she was very satisfied, so she took the pink pomegranate sachet containing the fine silver and gave it to the little palace maid.

The little palace maid checked it, and there were five coins, so she prayed again and again: "The little master Jiang Concubine is really generous, thank you for the reward of the little master Jiang Concubine, and I wish the little master all the best." ”

Jiang Xi smiled gently, and took the mille-feuille crispy baklava from the celadon plate on the table for Xiao Gong'e to taste: "Okay, okay, you are thoughtful, naturally you should be rewarded." ”

Xiao Gong'e smiled and ate a piece of cake, with scum on the corner of her mouth, and whispered: "Recently, there are many wild cats in the palace, and Concubine Jiang mainly uses these spices to make flower dew and balm, and she should be careful to collect them on weekdays." Save the cat from smelling the fragrance, stealing food or knocking it over, and the little master's mind is in vain. ”

"You're careful." Jiang Xi smiled as gently as water, spoke softly with others, and never blushed. She shook her white sleeves slightly, "The queen mother went suddenly, and now she has to hold a funeral for her mother, and she doesn't have the heart to pay attention to clothes and accessories, so she can only make these balms to play." This master has learned less and remembered less, and he will only make the same flower dew recipe over the years, which is really not as well-informed as the people in your incense making bureau. ”

The little palace maid hurriedly shook her head: "The little master has tormented the slaves and maids." ”

"Alright, let's go back." Jiang Ji called her personal grandmother to send the little palace maid, and instructed, "It rained yesterday and the road is slippery, you should be careful and slow." ”

The little palace maid showed a flattered expression on her face, Ying Ying thanked her, and went out happily.

In the deserted courtyard, Jiang Xi smiled lightly at the corner of her mouth, humming a folk song softly, and leisurely teasing spices and pollen.

The songs she hummed were listened to when she was a child, and the children in the market occasionally sang them, and the singing came into Jiang's house.

The Jiang family is a scholarly family in Guanghan County, and they are also a decent and good family. When a good person is placed in the harem, he is from a humble background.

Everyone else is the daughter of a wealthy family, a nobleman from Gyeonggi. At that time, Mu Beiyi was still young, but he was only ten ** years old, and he had never reached the crown. That year, she Jiang Xi had not yet left the cabinet, and because of her high vision when she was a girl, she had never promised to be married.

The Wen family found the Jiang family because Empress Wen's cousin was the peak of the head of the Jiang family. Jiang's family has a simple style, a simple population, and a soft way to behave in the world, which is exactly what he wants.

What the Wen family said is also very clear and clear.

When the prince is old, before marrying the crown princess, he must have a concubine to know the personnel. This concubine naturally has to be docile and obedient, and her background is innocent, so as to set off the dignity of the crown princess. When the crown princess enters the house in the next year, there is a concubine room in the corner gate on the wedding day who kowtows to tea from afar, which also makes the princess decent.

Empress Wen has taken a fancy to your Jiang family, that is the blessing of the Jiang family, and it is an opportunity that many people dream of. Even if it is a concubine, it is also the prince's concubine, a noble concubine. In the future, the crown prince will ascend to the treasure, that is the concubine and concubine, and it is a good blessing for the emperor and queen who can serve.

The Jiang family originally refused, but they couldn't screw the meaning of the queen. Jiang Xi was the most sensible, she cried for two days, simply covered her head, kicked her red shoes, and came to Lejing from Guanghan.

What greeted her in the East Palace was Mu Beiyi's somewhat gloomy silence and a bowl of thick bitter medicine rewarded by Queen Wen.

Jiang Xi didn't want to do this anymore.

She can smooth everything out with silence and meekness, and hide all thoughts with a humble and generous smile.

The corners of his mouth are slightly upturned, his slender wrists are like snow, and his fingertips are like orchids. She took the glass spoon and gently compared it with the spices.

A faint glow fell on her face, and she hummed a Guanghan ballad.

"Husbands and wives are starving to death when they are hungry all year round, so it is better to concubine Xiangcairen City.

If you get 3,000 money, you can travel a mile with one belly......"

After singing two lines, I heard a muffled scream from the side.

Jiang Xi looked sideways and saw a flower-backed raccoon cat dragging itself out of the grass.

The corner of the cat's mouth was still stained with pink flower dew and spices, and it didn't climb two steps, wailed twice, and died with its pupils dilated when it stretched out its legs.

When he died, he did not see any bloodshed, and from a distance he looked as if he was asleep.

Jiang Xi sighed, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and sighed: "Poor little thing, Ani Buddha ”

She got up, rolled up her sleeves and twisted the cat's tail with two fingers, and threw it out of the wall.

A soft and gentle singing voice followed—

"The texture of the hibiscus is fragrant, and the milk is used as a wonton for people to taste. The two humerus first broke off the slaughterhouse, and Xu cut the hips and held them for soup......"

"If you don't want fresh meat, you will see the hungry in the belly. Men's flesh is fishy and uneaten, and women's skin is coagulated with less sweat. Three days of flesh and soul, where to ask the husband where the sun is setting. A natural woman is a good cook, and she can make her husband grow old. A few people were full in the intestines of the burial, but fortunately the black kite pecked early......"

Mu Beiyi was in the imperial study, and suddenly felt that the cold hair was reversed, and he sneezed. Look up out the window.

The imperial city where Ru Mao drinks blood, today's spring is so sunny.