On March 25, Empress Xiaoxian's Zigong was temporarily closed in Jingshan Guande Palace. The emperor led the concubines of the six palaces, the prince Fujin, and the ministers of the clan to go with him, and personally sacrificed wine. The emperor is in the center, and the concubines, headed by Ruyi, kneel in the left column, and in turn to agree. The princes knelt in the right column, headed by Yonghuang, from the fourth elder brother Yonghui onwards, all accompanied by nursing mothers.

The emperor mourned so much that he personally came to the coffin to recite the sacrificial text written by Wang Youdun, the secretary of the Criminal Department: "...... Shang remembers the day of the palace opposite, at the beginning of the appropriate Huixian's decision, and then suddenly choked up to make a statement, and I listened to it with horror...... In the history of the queen Yifentu, Xun Hukejian preface; It is a classical chapter of the present day, and it is also like a long-cherished promise. How to mourn with this and ......"

Wang Youdun is a well-known literati in this dynasty, and his writing is euphemistic, touching and profound, and the emperor is also the emperor's face, and it is even more touching to read it eloquently. Everyone present was full of grief, and when they saw the emperor so sad, they became more and more sad. For a while, no one was in tears. Yongzhang was still hesitating, but when he turned around, he saw that Yongqi was really kneeling in a daze, and there were no tears in his eyes, so he made up his mind for a while, and Shengsheng withdrew the tears in his eyes, and said loudly: "Huang Ama, please mourn, don't cry and hurt your body again." ”

The Emperor was heartbroken, and when he heard this, he suddenly turned his head. When he turned around, he saw that Yongzhang had no grief. Yongzhang saw the emperor's attention, his heart was overjoyed, and said: "Huang Ama mourns, you see that the eldest brother is calm and calm, without sadness, and his bearing is really extraordinary." ”

The emperor's eyes swept over, and he saw that Yonghuang's eyes were dry and his expression was indifferent, but when Yongzhang spoke, he showed disgust, and when he remembered Hailan's words, his face sank unconsciously. The emperor said, "Yongzhang, what do you want to say?" ”

Yongzhang kowtowed and said respectfully: "Huang Ama mourns." Empress Daxing gave up, and Emperor Ama has been immersed in grief for many days, and her sons are distressed. I hope that the emperor Ama will think of the dragon body and not be overly sad. ”

The emperor said indifferently: "You are so filial! I am always on the lookout for me. It's just that today is your mother-in-law's funeral, what are you doing with only your eyes watching your eldest brother's actions? Could it be that your eldest brother is more important in your heart than your mother-in-law? ”

Yongzhang was stunned, and hurriedly said: "Erchen doesn't dare!" ”

The emperor held his breath for a moment, his eyes like torches: "Then Yonghuang, what are you for, you don't have a single tear for your mother-in-law?" ”

How could Yonghuang tell his own hardships, he was stunned for a moment, and had to reluctantly squeeze out a sad look: "Erchen thinks that Huang Ama is too sad, and Erchen, as the eldest son, has to handle the funeral of Queen Daxing for Huang Ama and dare not be too sad and hurt himself, so as not to miss the errand." ”

The Emperor laughed, pointed at his two sons with trembling right hands, and said nothing. When the concubines suddenly saw such a change, they were all shocked for a while, and they didn't dare to speak with tears in their eyes. The emperor came back to his senses, his face was as stiff as iron, and he slapped the two princes twice, and was furious: "No Xiaozi! Queen Daxing is your mother-in-law, and now that she has passed away, you are not sad or sad, but only care about internal strife! How can I have these two unfilial sons of you! ”

Lu Yun was so frightened that he let out a low cry, hurriedly walked out of the queue on his knees, hugged the emperor's leg and said, "The emperor is angry!" The emperor is angry! Yonghuang and Yongzhang are both thinking about you, don't dare to cry too much, and are afraid that you will hurt the dragon body, it's not unfilial! She panicked, pointed at Yongqi and said, "What's more, it's not that Yonghuang and Yongzhang don't cry, and Yongqi doesn't cry either!" ”

The emperor stared at Yongqi coldly: "Is Xiao'er also so heartless?" ”

Yongqi was puzzled by the world, his eyes widened, and he looked innocent: "Huang Ama, the retainer was originally very sad. Ke Erchen saw that the third brother didn't cry and only stared at the eldest brother, as if the death of the emperor's mother had nothing to do with him. Erchen was puzzled for a while, so he didn't dare to cry. ”

Lu Yun was so angry that she trembled: "You kid, you dare to lie at a young age, it's obviously Concubine Yu'......"

Yongqi was so frightened that he cried, wiped his tears with the back of his hand and said: "Huang Ama, the sons are sad for the emperor's mother, but the mother said that the sons should not cry in front of the emperor, it will make the emperor sad, so the sons don't know whether to cry or not." Erchen really misses the emperor's mother......"

When the emperor heard this, he sneered again and again: "What a Yongzhang! I am not filial, and I have brought my younger brother badly! Sure enough, he is a role model among his brothers! The emperor's face was as cold as ice, "Pure concubine, you have Yongzhang and Yongjing, and I also handed over Yonghuang to you to raise, you really taught me a good son!" ”

Yonghuang and Yongzhang were so frightened that their faces were pale, and they kowtowed desperately: "Huang Ama is angry!" Emperor Ama forgives sins! ”

Ruyi saw that Yonghuang was blamed, and when he looked at the emperor's face, he knew that he was really angry. She took a step forward on her knees, and was about to persuade her, but found that the corners of her skirt were pressed by Hailan's knees. Hylan humbly lowered her head, but stopped her from taking another step forward with her eyes. Ruyi still couldn't bear it, and called: "Your Majesty...... Yonghuang is also thinking about the funeral of you and Queen Daxing, not unfilial ......"

The emperor's nose was slightly open, and he said angrily: "It's not like this with a heart!" If you have a heart, don't you kill your father and kill your king! I really regret that I didn't return Yonghuang to you as soon as possible to raise him, otherwise it wouldn't be like this! The emperor pointed to the two trembling sons and said, "The eldest brother Yonghuang is twenty-one years old, and this time the queen's major event has no heart of a son of man, no sorrow, and it is really unfilial." In his stupid opinion, he must have decided that the queen had died, and that he was the eldest among the brothers, and there was no one to shoulder the weight of the society in the future, so that he could covet it in vain. I will tell you today that the position of the crown prince is very important, and with Yonghuang's words and deeds, it will never be established. As for Yongzhang, he is also dissatisfied, he is 14 years old but has no knowledge at all, and he has no way to be a child. How did I fulfill filial piety when I was young, I didn't know the general situation like this, and I was deeply ashamed. In short, in the coming days, these two will never inherit the unification! ”

Lu Yun exclaimed in surprise, and immediately fainted at the emperor's feet, unconscious. The emperor ignored it, and trembled with anger. He clenched his fists tightly, but no one saw it, and what he clenched in his sleeves was the burning blue golden bee dotted emerald hydrangea bead that he was holding in his hand when Su Xin died that day.

This outrage completely cut off Yonghuang and Yongzhang's road to the prince, and also made Lu Yun, who had been full of ambition these days, angry and bedridden. The emperor was still angry, and punished Yonghuang and Yongzhang's master and Zhida in succession, punished him, and punished him with a cane, without any intention of calming down. All of a sudden, everyone in the palace was in danger, and they were deeply afraid of being implicated.

And the emperor heard Hailan talk about Lang's recommendation of Lu Yun as the queen before his death, and he thought that the people around Lu Yun deliberately leaked it, so he checked the palace people who had served Lu Yun one by one, and sent them out of the palace if they were slightly unpleasant.

On the contrary, Ruyi's Yikun Palace and Yuyan's Qixiang Palace were extremely lively. Due to Lu Yun's illness, the follow-up matters of the funeral fell on Ruyi's shoulders. And the matter of leading the elder brothers to the funeral was taken care of by the fourth elder brother Yonghui, the son of Yuyan, who was only nine years old. Everyone speculated that after Yonghuang and Yongzhang were rejected by the emperor, Yonghui became the most worthy prince. Because Yongqi's biological mother Hailan is a concubine but has no favor, the biological mother of the sixth elder brother Yongying is the implicated Lu Yun, the seventh elder brother Yongcong died young, and the eighth elder brother Yongxuan was also born to Yuyan. And Yuyan has been pampered since she served the emperor in the palace, and she is even pregnant with the child in her womb, which shows that the emperor's holy family is grand. In this way, Yuyan has added a little more possibility to step into the back position.

For this reason, Ruyi is more cautious, except for dealing with the trivial matters of the six palaces in the palace every day, she rarely interacts with the concubines, even Hailan, and she sees less. On this day, Hailan came to visit Yongqi, and it was easy to see Ruyi, and she almost burst into tears: "My sister has avoided me these days, is she blaming me for hurting Yonghuang?" ”

Ruyi thought about the black and white on the chessboard, and said coldly: "You get rid of Yongzhang, I have nothing to say." But Yonghuang, you don't have to do this. ”

Hailan said: "Sister knows? ”

Ruyi looked at the clearly distinguished blacks and whites on the chessboard, and didn't look at her: "What did you say to the emperor?" You know that the emperor hates others the most and covets the crown prince. Murder and heart, you are indeed very powerful. ”

Hailan stared for a moment and said in a low voice: "Yonghuang and Yongzhang are fighting openly and secretly for the position of the crown prince, and anyone with a discerning eye can see it. I just asked Yongqi to talk about the national capital dispute of Mingshenzong in front of the emperor, saying that Yonghuang compared himself to his eldest son Zhu Changluo, and complained that the emperor favored the son of the favorite concubine, and the emperor believed it. The emperor is so suspicious, but I can't control it. ”

"Childish and innocent, for your use. When you mention the dispute over the national capital of the Ming Divine Sect, you are alluding to the fact that the eldest brother compares himself to Zhu Changluo, complaining that the emperor who is his father does not like him, refuses to make the eldest son the crown prince, and prefers the third brother born to the favored concubine, who has both the heart of seizing the throne and the resentment of unfilial piety. is even more accurate, the emperor will also suspect that Yongzhang will rely on his biological mother's favor to give birth to the heart of seizing the throne, so that Yonghuang is taboo. In this way, killing two birds with one stone, calculating people's hearts, is really good. Ruyi said coldly, "It's just that you know that Yonghuang has been belittled by the emperor last time and has been sick in the palace, and he can't get up for a month." His fortune has come to see me many times, hoping that I can forgive him, but how can I forgive? After all, it was I who hurt him. ”

Hyland argued: "Naturally, I didn't mean it. But my sister heard it with her own ears, and now Yonghuang is so snobbish, and he is no longer the young child under Chenghuan's knees back then. He just relied on his sister to take advantage of him, so why should his sister be sincere to him? ”

Ruyi sighed gloomily, rubbed the smooth jade chess pieces and said: "Yonghuang has reached the point where he is now, of course, because he lost his mother since he was a child, but also because his situation is much more difficult than that of other princes. He was wrong in scheming people's hearts. But Hailan, we are not such people. ”

Hailan's tone was gentle, and she was very relieved, but her expression was cold: "According to my sister, there are all such people in the palace with such hearts, no different from us, are they all the same?" I am dedicated to my sister and myself, and I don't think it's wrong. ”

A cup of tea on the table was faintly cool, and the warm and curling tea smoke only left the meaning of cold tentacles. Ruyi said slowly: "Of course you are not wrong. If I were you, I would only blame Yonghuang for being easily fooled and not knowing how to control his emotions. If you become a king or lose, the loser will naturally have to accept your fate, and there is nothing to say. But Hailan, after all, he is the child I have loved. ”

A layer of disappointment and sorrow floated on Hailan's face: "Sister, the man you have loved may one day be disgusted with you for other women, and the child you have loved will one day use you for their own pursuits." Even I'm going to help you in ways that might hurt you. Sister, with all due respect, you are too emotional, and this will be your biggest weakness. ”

Ruyi was silently depressed: "Fortunately, this is just my weakness, not yours." ”

Hailan slowed down, the soft aura on her face gradually dissipated, and such a small and gentle face could also exude a cold and piercing chill: "Sister, I might as well speak up." The children who really deserve to be valued should be my sister and my Yongqi. My sister is Yongqi's rightful adoptive mother, and relying on this, becoming the queen is just around the corner. That's what I'm going to do. With a little loss in her mouth, she said goodbye deeply, "This is the first time that my sister and I have been separated in many years, right?" I know that my sister still minds, and I don't dare to ask my sister for forgiveness. But if my sister understands what I say and do. ”

He watched Hailan leave, added hot water to the cold tea, and said, "Little master, Concubine Yu's words are not very wrong. What she did was impeccable from the point of view of you. ”

Ruyi stroked the cup that was gradually warming, and said in a low voice: "How I don't know, I just can't get over this hurdle in my heart." Even if I heard Yonghuang calculating me with my own ears, what I thought of was always the little Yonghuang who was reading and writing under my knees, and the Yonghuang who went to intercede for me before I fell out of favor and was about to be imprisoned in the cold palace. There was a dampness in her eyes, "I'm just sad, such a good boy is gone after all." ”

Hailan turned around and walked out of Yikun Palace, the season of April fragrant flowers should be the warmest and brightest. She only felt that the cold chill was coming everywhere, as if many years ago, she watched Ama and Eniang both die, just like she knew that she was left behind by the emperor by being favored overnight, and the helplessness and confusion after the loss of her belief in the future. She walked slowly down the long street, looking back at the golden plaque of Yikun Palace, and suddenly there was a layer of moist white gas under her eyes, covering her gentle and low-hanging but resolute eyes.

After Hailan left, Yan Wan, who came to see her, did not get permission to enter Yikun Palace. Sanbao stood outside the palace gate, and said with a pleasant face: "Niangniang has rested, please come back another day." ”

Yan Wan smiled and said: "I just watched Concubine Yu leave, did Concubine Gui Niangniang rest so early?" ”

Sanbao said with a smile: "The trivial matters of the Sixth Palace are complicated, and the mother is inevitably tired, so it is inconvenient for Concubine Yu to disturb and leave first." ”

Yan Wan sneered: "That's okay, I won't disturb the concubine's mother." If the mother wakes up, please pass it on and say that I have come to ask for peace. ”

Sambo smiled humbly: "That's for sure. Rest assured. ”

Yanwan left with the handmaid Chunchan, and Chunchan said in a low voice: "Don't care, noble. Concubine Xian is not just not blind to you, the little master of the Sixth Palace, she avoids suspicion. She pondered, "Actually, Concubine Jia is also a hot candidate for the latter position, so let's go and meet Concubine Jia." ”

Yin Wan stood on her feet and glanced at her: "Do you also think that Concubine Jia has the possibility of ascending to the back seat?" ”

Chunchan knew the knot between her and Yuyan, and still said: "The slave maid said that she was not afraid of the taboo of the little master, Concubine Jia gave birth to children one after another, and she was favored by the emperor, so it cannot be said that there is no possibility of competing for the throne." In fact, whether it is a concubine or a pure concubine, it has nothing to do with us. But if it is Concubine Jia, the little lord knows that she is not a good-looking temper, but I am afraid that the first person to be embarrassed is the little master. Rather than this, let's bow our heads first, and take precautions. ”

Yan Wan was originally angry, but seeing Chunchan planning for her like this, she also thought: "I don't understand what you say." Okay, go ahead. ”

Yan Wan was turning around to go to Qixiang Palace, only walked a few steps, but saw Xuan Xuan Hehe and his party coming, sitting on the soft sedan chair a beautifully dressed woman, wearing an orange phoenix wearing a peony Yunluo long robe, lined with water jade beads, was falling on the red wall The sun shines, almost fascinating people's eyes.

Yinwan couldn't see who it was for a while, but when she saw the confusion and beauty, she knew that her position must be above herself, so she hurriedly stood sideways under the pink wall of the long street, lowered her eyebrows and lowered her head, and greeted respectfully.

The line stopped when it passed her, but heard a sharp female voice laugh and said, "Yo, who is standing on the side of the road waiting in this palace, it turns out to be a nobleman." ”

As soon as Yan Wan heard the voice, her heart shrank unconsciously, and she knew that it was Yuyan. She raised her eyes and saw that the woman on the soft sedan chair was charming, and because she was pregnant, she added a bit of lazy nobility and plumpness, and she seemed to smile at her. She hurriedly said: "Concubine Jia's mother is blessed with Jin'an." ”

Yuyan waved her hand, yawned and said, "That's it." ”

Li Xin, who followed Yuyan's side, said with a smile: "Look at the figure and tone of the nobleman who asked for peace, it is said that it is the appearance of a nobleman, but the slave maid looks, why is it still the same posture and tone when serving the mother in the past." ”

The past that Yin Wanping hates most is the past of Yuyan's maid, and that unbearable past is not only a humiliation engraved on her heart, but also a scar that she can't mention the most. At this moment, Lixin mentioned it in such a joking tone, and she didn't treat her as a concubine at all, and she was already thorny in her heart. However, where did she dare to show anything, she just blindly smiled: "Miss Lixin said that she laughed." ”

Lixin hid the silk and giggled: "The noble man is right, the slave is joking." In the past, when we served the lady with the nobles, didn't we laugh like this? ”

The entourage laughed together, and Yan Wan's face was red, so she had to lower her head, lower her head, and not let the gentle April breeze blow on her cheeks, as if she had received a palm, and another palm.

Yuyan stopped laughing, looked in the direction she came from, and asked, "Just went to Yikun Palace?" Can you see Xian Guifei? ”

Yan Wan had no choice but to say: "The concubine has not entered the palace gate, at this time, Xian Guifei is afraid that she is taking a nap." ”

Yuyan stroked her stomach and smiled: "Do you believe this?" I'm afraid I'm coaxing you. Where is this time for a nap, it is obvious that Concubine Xian dislikes you a lot and doesn't want to see you. Her laughter sounded sharp scraping of her eardrums, "Last time, you were so stammered with the pure concubine, brushing the dust on her clothes for her, and now you turn your head to please the concubine, can she pay attention to you?" If you change the palace, I can't look down on your appearance when you see the wind and rudder! That's it, you're still obedient......" As she was talking, she suddenly saw a little swallow mud falling on the tip of the jade lake-colored embroidered carrot, and she exclaimed, "Oh, where did the swallow mud come from, dirty the new shoes of this palace!" ”

Lixin and Jung-sook are busy wiping it for Yuyan. Yuyan rolled her eyes and said with a smile: "Hey! What are you busy with? This kind of thing is not something that nobles are used to. Sakura, don't you say? After she finished speaking, she hurriedly covered her mouth, "Look at the memory of this palace, when you are pregnant, you will forget it." What Sakura, now it's a nobleman, isn't it? ”

Yin Wan looked at the little gray swallow mud on her delicately embroidered upper, and couldn't help but gag in her heart. She is now pampered and pampered, and she has won the favor of the emperor, where has she been humiliated like this, and she hesitated for a while. Chunchan hurriedly smiled and said: "Concubine Jia, it's inconvenient for our little master to wear armor, I'm afraid that it will break your good Su embroidery upper, so it's better for the slave to do it." Our little master often said that the slave and maid wiped things clean. ”

Yuyan lowered her face and said, "You said that the noble man is wearing armor, so don't you take it off." If you want to serve in front of this palace, you have to weigh whether you are worthy or not. There was a hint of disdain in her eyes, "Ling Guiren, you don't just want to serve the sick and crooked pure concubine, but not the palace, right?" That's okay, the palace will say to the emperor, let you go and be a companion with the pure concubine. ”

Yan Wan was stunned, she knew, Yuyan had this ability, and she could say such things. Seeing that Lu Yun is losing ground, how can she fill herself in. So he obediently took off his armor, bent down his weak willow-like waist, and wiped Yuyan's shoes little by little with a silk silk. Yuyan leaned comfortably: "Look at your small waist, you will bend down." Where is it like this palace, with a belly that is almost seven months old, it is inconvenient to move, so I have to work for you. ”

Yin Wan bit the tip of her tongue tightly, using this sharp pain to resist the contemptuous and mocking gazes of others looking at her, and said in a low voice: "Niangniang's words are serious." ”

Yuyan looked at her slender figure like a spring pond willow: "Anyway, you have not been short when you were favored, why haven't you been pregnant?" Is it contaminated with the bad luck of Concubine Xian who can't have children, or is she already blessed? After a few years, but he is still just a nobleman, and this palace looks pitiful for you. ”

There were hot tears that burned her eyes, and she endured it to death, making her voice sound like she was laughing: "Concubine Jia's mother has many sons and many blessings, such a blessing, the concubine is afraid that she will not be able to climb high." ”

Yuyan's slender eyes flew leisurely, and her smile burned hot: "It's good that you understand it yourself." It is already your blessing to be able to serve by the emperor's side. Don't ask for too much, you're unworthy! ”