Winter went to spring, the remnants of snow melted away, and the spring of the sixth year of Guangzheng (943) quietly entered the Changchun Palace.

As it became warmer and warmer, and the cold on my body was relieved a little, I stood in front of the window wrapped in a wind cloak and watched Zhiqiu and Ming'er directing the palace maids and eunuchs to be busy in the courtyard.

Feng Yi has grown up a lot, more and more lively and active, at this time she is holding Xuan Yu to make trouble for Ming'er, looking at the pink smiling faces of the children, sighing softly in her heart, when can I also have a cute child?

Looking back, he saw Jingyi standing behind him, so he smiled and said, "Sister, do you want to bluff me?" ”

"Hehe, my sister loves to laugh" Jingyi pulled me to the couch and sat down, and said, "My sister is afraid of the cold, and the wind is blowing carefully by the window." ”

"It's so squeamish." As he spoke, he lowered his head and saw the tray and porcelain cup on the table, and wondered: "Sister, what is this?" ”

"I just sent it from the Empress Dowager's Palace, and I saw that Zhiqiu and Ming'er were busy and brought it in." As she spoke, she reached out to lift the lid of the cup, and a slightly medicinal fragrance caused me to look down closely.

"I heard that the palace maid who sent me said that this is a medicinal diet for health preservation, and my sister is about to eat it while it is hot." Jingyi brought the porcelain cup to me, her face full of concern.

"Sent by the Queen Mother?" I have doubts in my heart, although the Queen Mother's attitude towards me has changed a lot recently, but this outstanding grace is really a little overwhelming.

"If this medicinal diet is effective, it is better to get used to it than to drink those bitter medicines...... It must be excellent to think about. Jingyi urged.

I took the cup, took a sip, the taste was really good, but I didn't know what it was made of, I was thinking, I just heard Jingyi said quietly: "My sister is really a blessed person, look at who in this huge palace can be as honored as my sister, I was also pregnant with Fengyi when I was given the food and drink given by the Queen Mother." ”

When I heard this, I pursed my lips and was speechless. I was worried in my heart, I don't know what the Queen Mother's move meant?

"Sister...... Sister ......" Jingyi saw that I was speechless, called me out loud, and asked, "Sister, what's wrong with you?" ”

"It's nothing, it's just that the Queen Mother is so loving, and I feel a little uneasy."

"I want to come to the Queen Mother to take care of my sister's body for the royal heir, so there should be no other meaning." Jingyi Road.

Child, child again...... Suddenly, I felt that the cup in my hand weighed more than a thousand catties, and if the concubines of the harem were favored and not pregnant, the future would ......

"When my sister recuperates her body and is pregnant with a dragon son in the future, then no one will be staring at her......" Jingyi's words made people a little confused, no one stared? Is that someone staring at it right now? I looked at her and said, "Sister, but do you have something to say to Rui'er?" ”

"No, it's nothing" Jing Yi hesitated slightly, and finally said: "Recently, I often hear the queen mother lament that the imperial heir is thin, and it seems to have the intention of enriching the harem, but the emperor doesn't seem to have this intention......"

The Queen Mother intends to enrich the harem?

I thought to myself that this might not be impossible.

Bao Yuan only has the two princes of Xuan Zhe and Xuan Yu and Feng Yi at the moment, which is indeed a little thin for the royal heirs, but the queen mother intends to enrich the harem at this time, is it just for the imperial heir?

"Sister, sister......" Jing Yixu saw that I was speechless, called me out loud, and said uneasily: "But what did I say wrong and annoy my sister?" ”

"No, how could it be!" I hooked the corners of my lips and fixed my eyes on the cup.

"Actually, my sister doesn't have to worry about this matter, I think the emperor treats his sister with heart, even if there are new people entering the palace in the future, it will hardly affect my sister's status." Jing Yi whispered softly, but my mind was not on what she said.

I think that the ancient harem has a lot to do with the previous dynasty, and the adoption of concubines is always closely related to the interests of all parties, and the queen mother should be very clear about living in the palace for a long time, so she will give it this time......

Don't? My heart tightened, I didn't dare to think about it anymore, and my heart was depressed.

In the evening, Bao Yuan stayed in the Changchun Palace, and listened to me and the Queen Mother gave medicinal food, he was full of joy, and I wanted to ask him several times if he knew that the Queen Mother had the intention of filling the harem, but the words came to his lips and pressed down.

In the following days, the Queen Mother's Palace sent medicinal food, and when I asked for peace in the morning, I told the Queen Mother, she was just kind and smiled that this medicinal diet was made because of her old age and timidity, because she couldn't eat a meal, thinking that my illness was suitable, so she gave me some. Seeing that the Queen Mother said so casually, I gradually let go of my suspicions.

On the other day, Xin Ning asked people to bring Ling Rong from Wu Yuezhi back the good spring tea into the palace, I tasted it and felt that although it was not as mellow as Gong Tea, it was also extremely fresh and mellow, and it was rare to have a natural and simple atmosphere, and I thought that Bao Yuan should like it, so I asked Ming'er to prepare a small set of tea sets, and I happily wanted to go to the same product as Bao Yuan.

When he arrived at the Chongguang Palace, he did not see Baoyuan, and the inner supervisor returned to the emperor to review the folds sent by the early dynasty in the imperial study.

Hearing this, I hurriedly turned around and went to the imperial study, and when I walked to the corridor, I saw Liang Shouzhen scratching his ears and cheeks on the corridor in front of the imperial study, and when he looked up and saw me, he knelt down with me with a plop, and said urgently: "Niangniang, Niangniang!" The Bodhisattva blessed, fortunately the mother came to the rescue. ”

When I saw him looking naïve, I snorted and laughed, "Get up, what's a big deal, look at our father-in-law Liang's urgency." ”

Liang Shouzhen got up, approached and whispered back: "Niangniang, go and take a look." The saint is thundering and angry today, the little one is incompetent, he doesn't dare to persuade him, and he begs the mother to ......"

Seeing that his face was panicked and sweating profusely, I didn't have the heart to laugh, and walked quickly along the corridor towards the imperial study, and before I could push the door Bao Yuan's roar came into my ears, I had never seen Bao Yuan so angry.

When Ming'er opened the curtain for me and entered the door, I saw Wang Zhaoyuan retreating towards the door with a sneering face, he saw me entering, and turned over to worship, I waved my hand and asked each other.

He looked at me as if he was extremely embarrassed, I secretly looked back at Ming'er for a moment, Ming'er willingly handed me the tea set in his hand, and retreated with Zhaoyuan.

I stepped forward slowly, and Bao Yuan in the study had his back to me, and his back was also full of uncontrollable anger. I saw that he took the fold on the imperial case and was angry, as if he heard the sound of his hands and feet, he casually picked up the book, and said hatefully: "What did these bastard old men do, Zhaoyuan, you miss it." ”

I leaned over and picked it up and took a closer look: "After the ancient Son of Heaven was established, he built six palaces, three ladies, nine concubines, twenty-seven wives, and eighty-one royal wives, so the heirs are also." Your Majesty is prosperous in the Spring and Autumn Period, and it is advisable to ask for a lady and plan for the heirs. ”

"And this, these ...... Look, look, there are six excerpts in one day to worry about my heirs. Bao Yuan thought that he was extremely annoyed, and slammed his palm on the imperial case.

Frightened, I felt a cold air swelling along my spine, dizzy and numb, and the cups and plates in my hands fell to the ground...... In a daze, Baoyuan had already turned around, "Rui'er? ”

Undecided, I leaned down to pick up the cup and plate, "Shhh In the panic, the splinters had pierced into my fingertips, and the stinging sensation hit my lungs like a tidal wave, and I shook my hand and squatted on the ground.

"When did you come?" Bao Yuan asked softly and leaned over to help me.

"Ah, it hurts!" I couldn't tell if it was a heartache or a hand injury, so I gasped and looked up at him pitifully.

"Come on, come on!"

Liang Shouzhen ran in response, "Quickly pass on Imperial Doctor Ling!" Bao Yuan's face changed greatly, and he held my hand and said hurriedly.

Zhaoyuan and Ming'er also rushed to hear the sound, Bao Yuan helped me to the couch in the inner room, picked up my injured finger with a heartache, frowned and said: "Why are you so careless, how many times have you said it, just let the palace people do these things." ”

"Painful ......" I whispered mournfully, my fingertips dripping with blood, revealing a poignant horror.

Bao Yuan's thick brows furrowed, and he lowered his head and sucked my injured finger......

"Meng Lang, don't ......" I stretched out my hand to stop him, but I saw him raise his eyes and stare, his eyes full of heartache.

"Does it hurt? Damn, why are these doctors so slow? Bao Yuan stared at the curtain, and there was already hidden anger between his eyebrows.

Seeing him so worried, my frowning brows suddenly relaxed, and I smiled and reached out to touch his eyebrows, "You don't listen to me either, frowning again." He took my hand, his eyes were dark, and I looked at him in such a daze.

Liang Shouzhen led Ling Xuan into the inner room of the study to bandage my wounds, and after some tossing, he said to Bao Yuan: "Your Majesty, fortunately, the wound is not deep, the mother is fine, and the minister will come on time every day to change the medicine for the mother." ”

Bao Yuan was especially uneasy when he heard it, and asked some things to pay attention to, and finally simply didn't look at it, and stubbornly decided to send me back to Changchun Palace.

I saw his face gloomy in the car, and he wanted to ask questions several times, but I was afraid that it would make him worried.

After entering the Changchun Palace, Ming'er and Zhiqiu waited for me to change my clothes and rest, I saw that Baoyuan was leaving, so I pulled the corner of his clothes in a hurry and said, "Meng Lang, do you really want to be selected?"

Ming'er was taken aback when she heard this, and retreated from the inner palace and the inner eunuch, and also closed the door and exited the hall.

There was no one in the hall, Bao Yuan sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, stared at me and said, "Rui'er, you are relieved to recuperate, and I will solve this matter properly." ”

I pursed my lips to look at him, and the more I looked at it, the more entangled my heart became, and I bit my lip and tears fell.

When Bao Yuan saw me crying, he immediately panicked, and called out repeatedly: "Rui'er, Rui'er!" ”

looked at him with tears in his eyes, and his heart was full of sorrow, why did I fall in love with the king of a country and marry the king of a country?

I know that he has his last resort, and he has his indispensable, but how can I be embarrassed?

All kinds of heartache came up, and I had no choice but to say that my hand hurt.

Bao Yuan listened to the finger that insisted on my wound and blew it lightly on his lips, and said like a baby: "Rui'er, bear with me for the time being, I will order Ling Xuan to stop the pain." ”

Seeing him like this, he was angry and unbearable in his heart, and angrily stretched out his hand to hammer him and said, "I hate you, I hate you!" You only say that my hands hurt, but I know that my heart hurts even more, why can't you be a poor couple with me, and the mountains and villages can stay together for a lifetime, why do you have to do this...... Why bother ...... like this?"

He was stunned when he heard this, suddenly hugged me into his arms, and muttered with guilt: "It's me who is bad, it's me who is not good, Rui'er, I love you, I love you!" Even as a king, I only love Rui'er!" In his arms, I cried, and the more I cried, the more sad I felt.

With a bang, he slammed his hand on the edge of the bed, and said with indignation on his face: "When is the day when my Meng Chang is truly in charge!" ”

"Meng Lang!" Heartache and fright, I shook his hand and looked closely, I don't know how hard the blow was, the edge of the palm was red and swollen.

Wiping away my tears and ashamed of Fang Cai's willfulness, I held his hand and put it on my face. Fu began to think about those several sparse sparses, and asked after a long time: "Meng Lang, according to what Fang Cai said, there will be six excerpts at the same time in one day, it must not be a coincidence, I am afraid that there is someone in charge behind it?" ”

Bao Yuan sneered in a deep voice: "You don't have to guess to know, the main messenger must be Zhang Ye." ”

"Oh? Last year, I heard that Zhang Ye had recommended a daughter to his mother, but he refused for Meng Lang? ”

"Rui'er knows?" Bao Yuan raised his eyebrows unexpectedly, and suddenly frowned and said: "Such idle things can reach your ears, it seems that there are also ...... in this harem."

He got up and took two slow steps with his hands, and said hatefully: "This matter is true. This Zhang Ye was originally an old minister of Gaozu, and he had made some meritorious contributions in my Dashu Sheji, so he is now one of the three ministers, and he is in the same system as his father and his descendants. This person has a lot of ambitions, and he formed a party to gain power in the court, only because of his father's coercion everywhere, I had to sit back and relax, and I didn't want him to plot to send his daughter to the palace, and try in vain to get involved in the palace. When he refused this matter, he saved some face with him, and he didn't want to mention it again this year, he really thought that I didn't know what he wanted? ”

"Does he want to replace his father?"

"I don't see it" Bao Yuan sneered: "If you make a fuss about the matter of my heirs, if you are just planning for the position of the father, why bother so much." ”

"Is he plotting...... The crown prince? I covered my lips and exclaimed.

Bao Yuan's eyes were dark, "I can't guarantee it, so how can I let him get his wish." ”

"However, the queen mother seems to be interested in choosing ......"

"Yes, I'm wondering about the queen mother's attitude on this matter." Bao Yuanfu sat back next to me and said.

After a period of silence, I only felt depressed in my chest, and said negatively: "Meng Lang, the emperor, has been aggrieved all his life. ”

"Hmph, I am the Son of Heaven, how can I be at the mercy of others. One of his three is also the degree branch, don't say that I am here, even the father will naturally not let him become bigger, even if the queen mother does not stop the election, there will be people in the court who oppose it. ”

Seeing that he was angry again, I secretly thought to myself that I shouldn't have said anything to fan the flames just now, so I said: "If this matter is a big ......."

"Yes! It will make the court restless. Bao Yuan's eyes dimmed, and he said slowly: "Although I have come to the court, I am not really in charge now!" If there is a commotion at this time...... Alas......" a soft sigh twisted my heart into a ball.

My heart was soft, and I bit my lip and whispered: "That Meng Lang, this time I have to rely on this matter first." ”

When Bao Yuan heard this, he stared at me and said, "What Yi Rui'er said is that I want to agree to take draft girls?" ”

"Hmm." I nodded and said resolutely: "Rui'er is indeed unwilling in her heart, but how can she compare to the well-being of the people of Menglang's rivers and mountains." You have always taken me as a confidant, so I have to be conscious of you all the time. Now the tree wants to be quiet and the wind does not stop, if Zhang Ye insists on going his own way, the Queen Mother has an unclear attitude, and she may not have the seventh and eighth folds tomorrow. And he is under the banner of Guanghe, and it is inconvenient for his father to oppose it too much, so it is better to brake quietly...... It's just that...... Rui'er was just careful to choose the emperor, and the people were in an uproar, afraid that Meng Lang would leave a reputation for being infamous for being lascivious. ”

Bao Yuan snorted coldly: "I don't want that reckless man to come up with this plan to kill two birds with one stone." I think that I, Meng Chang, the king of a country, am so passive and controlled by others everywhere. ”

"Meng Lang, those who achieve great things are not informal." I persuaded softly: "When Meng Lang is in power in the coming day, it is not too late to repay today's humiliation." Now we have to be patient, and I believe that day will not be long. I looked at him fixedly, and locked my fingers on him.

The next day, the court suggested that the excerpts of the draft girls converged more and more, and some of them were unexpectedly handed to the Queen Mother.

The queen mother advocated more sons and more blessings, and said that Gaozu died in the Tang Dynasty and his wife Princess Fuqing, and there were sons Renzan (Meng Chang's original name), Renyi, Renyu, Renyu, Rencao, and a female princess Chonghua. Now the saint only has two sons, Xuan Zhe and Xuan Yu, and a daughter of Princess Fengyi. Those who have titles in the harem, in addition to Mrs. and Zhaorong, have to cultivate the three concubines of Yuan, Chongyi, and An Chen, which is not conducive to the heir.

In the early spring of the sixth year of Guangzheng (943), Shu Guang selected the sons of good families to prepare for the harem, and the age was limited to 13 to 20 years.

Under the edict, the counties of the states flattered and invited the majority of pets, Bao Yuan was unhappy with this every time, and even one day Xinjin County ordered Chen Jizhi to persuade him: The edict is under the election, the state and county are in an uproar, and the people of Shu are more than willing to marry their daughters, which is called a surprise marriage, and the emperor stops.

Bao Yuan was overjoyed by this, and said, "This excerpt came at the right time. ”

I was also full of satisfaction and echoed him: "The ministers who dare to admonish must be rewarded, not to mention that this negligence can be greatly convenient with Meng Lang." ”

"Rui'er really knows my mind best." Bao Yuan laughed and put his arm around my shoulder.

The next morning, Chen Jizhi from Xinjin into the dynasty to see, Bao Yuan praised his words in the court, praised his daring to admonish, and gave a hundred taels of platinum.

With such a heavy reward, the courtiers were in an uproar.

Baoyuan camera said that the ministers said, willing to follow the Tang Emperor Taizong from the advice, willing to direct advice in my Dashu, set up a stop to select Zhao to order the states and counties, so far the matter of selection will stop in January.

Bao Yuan and I both thought that this matter had ended, but unexpectedly, there was news outside the palace that there were people in various states and counties who invited merit, and the selection of pawns was not stopped, and the people complained.

Bao Yuan was furious, and ordered the Hanlin scholar to accept Li Hao's draft decree and issue an order to all states and counties before stopping the selection.

Retrospectively, the selection system began in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Eastern Han Dynasty had formulated an order, the order to select a good family of women to enter the palace every year, the imperial court in August every year to send a doctor, Ye Tingcheng and proficient in physiognomy, in the Luoyang countryside, to see the good family virgins, thirteen years old and twenty years old, beautiful appearance, dignified appearance, face in line with the law of "auspicious" women, and then select the best from them, in order to prepare for the emperor to "ascend the throne".

I don't want me to kiss history, shaking my head and sighing, the Xishu harem has been filled with hundreds of show girls.

I heard Zhiqiu say that the hundreds of beautiful girls who were included in the harem were examined by female officials when they first entered to ensure that they were all complete.

I heard it silently, and thought to myself that the Queen Mother had ordered the palace sand to test me, compared to the current show girl's physical examination without dignity and human rights, it was already extrajudicial grace and mercy.

sneered and sadly, and had to frown helplessly and sigh, the situation of this ancient woman was really not pitiful, pathetic, and lamentable.