After the group went for a long time, the queen slowly sank her face and said worriedly: "Su Xin, every time the emperor arrives at Gao Xiyue's death birthday, he has to write poems to mourn, is it for the palace?" Su Xin hurriedly hugged the queen and said, "How come? Didn't the emperor say that the eulogy was sent to the imperial concubine's mother's house, and it was also to comfort Gao Bin for his hard work in the previous dynasty. ”

The queen bit her lip and said, "But Concubine Jia is also pregnant, does the emperor often go to see her?" ”

"No, no, no. Concubine Jia was pregnant a month later than the queen's mother, and she couldn't catch up with her mother, not to mention how her child could compare with her mother. Niang Wan'an, don't think too much. ”

The queen gritted her teeth, suddenly groaned, covered her lower abdomen and said, "Su Xin...... Susan...... This palace is a little uncomfortable, go and ask Imperial Doctor Qi to come in, go quickly! ”

Qilu came in and shook his head while taking the pulse, "Why is the queen angry?" Weichen said, Niangniang can't worry about it anymore, otherwise, you will not only hurt yourself, but also the prince in your womb. ”

The queen groaned and tried her best to say, "This palace is not angry! Don't be angry! You, you hurry up and burn Ai 'quick! ”

The queen protects the fetus like this, and the middle palace has been constantly decoction. By the middle of March, the time when the emperor came to the harem gradually decreased. After the beginning of spring, there was a great drought and no rain in Beijing, and the time was long. This was supposed to be the time of spring sowing, but the rain did not fall, and the spring ploughing could not be carried out as usual, and there would be no harvest in the autumn. If the harvest in Beijing is greatly reduced, the people's will will definitely be unstable. For this reason, the emperor was worried, not only vegetarian for a month, but also fasting and bathing, and went to the palace to pray for blessings and rain.

The harem was also led by Ruyi and Lu Yun, and accompanied the Queen Mother to pray for blessings in the Baohua Palace. But the Qingming has passed, and the sun is still shining, and there is no thick cloud.

On this day, the emperor was in the palace again, Ruyi and Lu Yun accompanied the queen mother to sit in the Baohua Palace, listening to the chanting of the mages, and also plucked the prayer beads and chanted together. When Tianji made friends, the Queen Mother had no intention of leaving, although Ruyi and Luyun were stuck, they exchanged glances with each other and did not dare to move.

While meditating, Zhao Yitai tripped at the door, almost rolled into the hall, his face was full of smiles, and he said in a loud voice: "Congratulations to Taiyue, congratulations to the Queen Mother!" ”

The Queen Mother suddenly opened her eyes, and before she could ask anything, Zhao Yitai said while comparing paintings, and was so excited that she shed tears: "The Queen Mother, the Queen Mother, the middle palace is happy to descend Lin'er!" ”

The Queen Mother hurriedly helped Lu Yun's hand to get up, and said happily: "Really? Is it really a prince? ”

Lu Yun hesitated slightly: "But the day is not right." The queen mother is still two days away from eight months of pregnancy, why is she giving birth now? ”

Zhao Yitai said: "An hour ago, my mother's fetal movement attacked, and the imperial doctor said that I was afraid that I was going to give birth, and it was useless to burn Ai, so I could only give birth." Fortunately, everything was safe, and the prince was born immediately. ”

The Queen Mother said again and again: "Did you inform the emperor?" Heaven blessed, and the middle palace gave birth to a son-in-law. The mourning family hurried to take a look. She took Fu Jia's hand and told Zhao Yitai as she walked, "The queen was born prematurely, although the mother and child are safe, they must be taken care of." ”

Ruyi and Lu Yun dared to delay, and hurriedly followed, only to walk out of the Baohua Palace, suddenly heard the faint sound of thunder, the air was mixed with damp moisture, and it was about to rain.

Ruyi smiled lightly: "It's really a bodhisattva's manifestation, today is the eighth day of April is the birthday of the Buddha, and when the rain comes, the queen's child is really blessed." ”

Lu Yun stretched out his hand to catch the small droplets that occasionally fell in the air, and said with a smile: "Yes." There is a concubine in the middle palace, and our children are just concubines after all. The difference between the two is not only the difference between the abyss. No wonder God celebrates with rain. ”

The emperor was very fond of the seventh son of the emperor, and personally named him Yongcong. Cong is a ritual vessel for sacrificing the land, and it has the meaning of inheriting the ancestral industry, and entrusts the emperor with infinite high hopes. The day of Yongcong's birth coincided with the great rain after the drought, and the rain was like a note, and it was the eighth day of the fourth month of the Buddha's birthday. In this way, everything is auspicious, and the emperor is even more overjoyed, waving his pen to celebrate the birth of his son, and writing "Bathing Buddha Day and Rain Cause":

"Kowloon sprays water Sanskrit letters, and it is suspected that there is a belief in this thought. I have seen the millet field stained with Woruo, and I am even more pleased with the tree wall. The human affection is quiet and salty, and the will of heaven is admired and doubled. Forehead but know that Feng is Rui, and pray for the year to be married. ”

On the day of the full moon of the emperor's seventh son, the emperor praised it personally: "This son is a long-cherished and wise man, and he is the smartest and most beautiful of all my sons." ”

The emperor has already had six sons, except for Prince Duanhui, who died early, and all the sons have always been equally divided. However, the special favor of the seventh elder brother Yongcong forcibly compared the rest of the princes. Even three months later, Yuyan's eighth elder brother Yongxuan was born, and the emperor was only faint, and all his thoughts were devoted to Yongcong. It's a pity that Yongcong was born in less than August, his physique is extremely weak, he can't hear a little movement, he cries in the morning and evening, and he is often infected with wind and cold. And the queen is not as good as before due to the hardships of production, she is afraid of heat and cold, and she can't withstand the slightest hard work. In this way, the emperor handed over the affairs of the six palaces to Ruyi, and she took care of it slowly.

Yuyan was still in the middle of the month, and seeing that Yongxuan was not very favored by the emperor, she couldn't help but be depressed. This day coincided with the full moon of the eighth elder brother, and the emperor rewarded him according to the palace regulations, Yuyan complained in private: "The seventh elder brother was only born three months earlier than the eighth elder brother in this palace, and the emperor gave him amnesty for the world, and the eighth elder brother in this palace was still born full-term, which is like a sick cat like the seventh elder brother, but the emperor prefers the sick seedling." ”

Li Xin timidly persuaded: "Don't be angry, little master. The slave maid listened to the minions outside and said that the eighth elder brother was born on the 15th day of July in the middle of the Yuan Ghost Festival, and the seventh elder brother was born on the eighth birthday of the Buddha in early April. ”

Yuyan was so angry that her face turned pale: "It's okay for others to talk about it in order to flatter the queen and the seventh elder brother, and it is worth putting it in our own palace." Bengong doesn't believe it, Bengong is such a strong son, he won't survive that little sick seedling. ”

Li Xin's face turned pale with fright, and she couldn't wait to cover Yuyan's mouth immediately, and hurriedly said: "Little master, you can't say such taboo words." After Yuyan finished speaking, she was also a little afraid, and when she saw the scorpion standing outside the door and bringing water in, she was angry. She has been tired of bullying Yinwan all these years, but she only scolded her by chance, and when she saw her in anger today, she shouted: "Ying'er, what are you doing standing there?" In! ”

Seeing Yuyan like this, Yin Wan was so frightened that her legs shrank, but she didn't dare not go in. Yuyan was even more annoyed, reached out and pushed a basin of hot water on her, and fought headlessly. Yinwan hugged her head and wanted to cry, but no tears fell.

Central Beijing is hot and dry, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. The emperor's intention was to go to the Old Summer Palace to cool off, but Yongcong and the queen's body sickness and eight disasters did not stop, so the queen mother ordered to come down and only take refuge in the palace this summer, and instructed the internal affairs office to supply more ice cubes and wind wheels to resist the bitter heat of the capital.

When she got up in the morning, Ruyi felt a golden light in front of her, knowing that it was a rising sun, reflecting from the eaves and tiles, and it was dazzling. The cicadas outside the curtain continued to chirp and half, and it was even quieter when it reached the hall. She half-closed her eyes, and fell asleep again. The voice made people drowsy, but they could not sleep anymore. She sighed, reached out and touched it, the bed next to her was empty, knowing that the emperor had quietly gone to the morning court, and refused to alarm her. She thought about the greed and joy last night, but she was a little tired, and she only cared about herself and snooze, and her face burned unconsciously.

Sensing that she was awake, she hurriedly beckoned the maids to come in and wash up. The maids with golden scarves rushed in without a sound. Ruyi touched the sideburns and neck, and sure enough, she was a little sweaty, so she said: "It's a little hot to sleep with this reed now, wait and replace it with green bamboo jade." It's past the Mid-Autumn Festival, and it's still so hot. ”

He smiled and said: "The emperor was rewarding a table of bamboo cusks from Qizhou, saying that the little master was afraid of heat, and it was the most quiet and cool to sleep, so the little master just changed it and tried it." ”

Ruyi unconsciously smiled lightly: "In the past, Ouyang Xiu said, 'Qizhou is woven into a double water twist, which is clean and smooth without dust, and it is the bamboo in Qizhou. It's hard for the emperor to worry about it. ”

Yi Xin smiled playfully: "If the emperor doesn't care about our palace, where else can he worry about?" ”

Ruyi's face turned red, she stretched out her hand and patted her, and said: "Eighth elder brother is full moon, and he has been taking him to the queen's palace every day to ask for peace, and the queen always said that she wanted us to go together, and she was also angry with her children and grandchildren." Let's finish breakfast later, let's go early. ”

After waiting for her to finish washing, the queen said: "The queen only said that the seventh elder brother and the eighth elder brother are similar in age, and there is only a three months difference, so they can be a companion." The queen really looks up to Concubine Jia. ”

Ruyi glanced at her: "Don't say such things, I think that Yinwan has been in Concubine Jia's palace for several years, and she has not been able to pull her out, and now while she is busy with the eighth elder brother, I have to think of a way to bring her out."

He said in his heart: "This matter has been in the heart of the little master for several years, and he always thinks about Ling Yunche and Yinwan, and it is difficult for them to be infatuated." ”

So taking advantage of the cool morning, Ruyi carried Yixin and Lingzhi to the queen's palace. The weather is sullen, and I can't walk a few steps to sweat slightly, that is, where the green shade hangs down, there is no wind, just look at the green silk of thousands of willows hanging down quietly, not moving at all.

In the garden, only the cicadas are heard, and the summer light is hot.

Ruyi put on a newly made red silk cheongsam, the faint pattern was intricate but unassuming, and she only raised her hands and feet to the breeze and the pattern was undulating. There are only two strings of pearls held by gilded phoenixes on the bun, shimmering in the sunlight with a faint pink pearl, projecting on her white and soft neck, but there is a kind of rain-washed peach blossom simplicity.

Ruyi was standing, but saw Yuyan coming in front of her, her face was as white as jade, her green thrush, her temples were black and clean, and her body was full of light, not like she had just come out of confinement. Before getting closer, Ruyi Ji smelled that Yuyan was full of fragrance and lushness, and the fat powder fragrance was deep and penetrating, and it was extremely beautiful. Yuyan was wearing a dazzling rose red beaded silver group hydrangea summer dress, with dense silver thread beads at the cuffs and neckline, and the dress was full of embroidered magnolia flowers with blue lotus purple and silver edges, and a large hydrangea with blue sea and blue inlaid silver thread flowers and leaves, with a dazzling silk and gold ornament on her head and a pair of red jade drop beads crested hairpin, the whole person was splendid, blurry and amazing.

Ruyi looked at her and said with a slight smile: "As soon as Concubine Jia came over, she was so confused that she couldn't even open her eyes. ”

Yuyan gave a salute: "Concubine Xian Wan'an." The nurse also hugged Yongxuan and squatted down, and said: "Yongxuan asks Concubine Xian for peace, Concubine Xian is blessed with Jin'an." ”

Ruyi teased Yongxuan and said with a smile: "It's a full moon, and the eighth elder brother is getting better and better." ”

Yuyan's face is full of spring, a pair of wind eyes are flying, and she can't wait to fly to the sky: "Concubine Fang said that I was fascinated by your eyes, in fact, how did Concubine Xian know that I was happy to be a mother. Our eighth elder brother is blessed in the end, and the seventh elder brother was born next, so that he can meet the eyes of the queen mother in this way. ”

After all, it's just a mockery that she doesn't have children. Over the years, she was used to hearing such ridicule, and Ruyi said lightly: "Yes." The seventh elder brother was born on the birthday of the Buddha, and the eighth elder brother was born on the midyear festival, and they are all good brothers born in time for the festival. ”

Yuyan immediately changed color, but she didn't dare to attack, so she could only endure and say: "As long as you can give birth, even the princess is good, not to mention the elder brother." ”

Ruyi smiled, turned her head leisurely, and sure enough, she saw Yan Wan standing at the end of the seven or eight maids, looking timid, and she hated to turn herself into an invisible person. The corners of Yuyan's mouth twitched, and she shouted, "Sakura!"

Yin Wan hurriedly walked up timidly: "The slave is here." ”

Yuyan stretched out her snow-white palm and slapped her, and said angrily: "Stupid girl, the weather is so hot, I don't know how to fan behind the palace, blindly eat and be lazy, relying on your cheap character, do you want to die?" ”

Yan Wan was used to being beaten, and she didn't dare to cry, so she just fanned Yuyan desperately with a wooden face.

Ruyi listened to her pointing at Sang and scolding Huai, and the smile on her face was thin: "After all these years, Concubine Jia is still such a hot temper, and she will be angry with the girl at every turn." That's it, this palace only feels sorry for your shallot-like nails, which fall on the flesh and hurt carefully. ”

Yuyan raised the silk in her hand, smiled and held her cheeks and said, "It turns out that Concubine Xian feels sorry for me!" I only feel sorry for those cheap and cheap minions, and I blindly love to have fun with them. She laughed coquettishly, like a thin piece of porcelain, rustling against a man's ear.

But I heard a voice behind me and said, "The weather is so sultry, why is Concubine Jia smiling so happily here?" ” ．

Yuyan turned her head when she heard the sound, and when she saw that it was the emperor, a smile came out of her lips and bloomed into a gorgeous flower. She winked, and they knowingly covered her head behind her. Yuyan stepped forward, bowed timidly, and said, "The emperor is blessed, the concubine is telling jokes with Concubine Xian." ”

The emperor changed out of his court clothes, wearing a silver and blue tuanfu gauze robe, which was as light as cicada wings, and the emperor only tied a bright yellow belt around his waist, hanging a fast Haidong green and white jade pendant, which became more and more long and jade, and was handsome.

Ruyi was also blessed: "The emperor Wan'an, I just got down to the court at this time, are you going to see the seventh elder brother?" ”

The emperor looked concerned and pitiful: "Yongcong is well-behaved and cute, I haven't seen him for a day, so I am a little worried." It just so happened that Baohua Hall sent some prayer flags to pray for blessings, and I asked Li Yu to go and do it, all for Yongcong's health. ”

Yuyan smiled brightly, her figure squeezed lightly, and accompanied the emperor: "That's the best, Yongxuan is also thinking about his brother, and the concubine is about to accompany him to the queen's palace." ”

The emperor smiled and teased Yongxuan in the nurse's arms, and was about to take a step, only to hear a soft moan from behind, so he frowned: "What sound?" ”

Jin Zhong, who was accompanying the emperor, had sharp eyes and said busily: "Your Majesty, it seems that a palace maid has been beaten, and her face can't stand the pain." ”

Yuyan's face was a little flustered, and she was busy blocking the emperor's sight, and said with a smile: "How can a palace maid serve people without being beaten, and the concubines look at her and are hypocritical, humming in front of the emperor." ”

The emperor glanced at her and said casually: "I and the queen have always been lenient and friendly, and I have never heard of beating people and beating palace maids so that they can't help but hurt." Jinzhong, you bring it up for me to see. ”

Jin Zhong took a look at the palace people who followed, and at a glance he saw Yan Wan with a wound on her face, so he pulled her up. Yin Wan is like a frightened swallow in the wind and rain, shrunk her body, and looks particularly weak.

The emperor looked at her intently, and saw a clear face with a simple and simple face, no fat powder, elegant as a small half-blooming gardenia in the wind. She has good hair from a crow crow, a dense dark cyan headband, and a lake-green gauze robe, with no embroidery and embellishment between the clothes, but her skin is white and pure, and her appearance is jade. Such a simple dress, as quiet as clear water, seems to reflect the willow color around her, and she is beautiful, which is more vulgar than the jeweled Yuyan around her.

The emperor's gaze was like a thin and transparent silk, sticking to Yinwan's body for a moment. Jin Zhong was so obedient, and said with a smile: "Xian Guifei Niangniang, the slave said something that I don't know the severity, the daughter of this palace is blessed, and she looks a little like the little lord when he was young." It's just that no matter what, it's not as noble as the mother. ”

When the emperor heard Jin Zhong say this, he said to Ruyi: "This girl is three points like when you were young. Wearing green clothes again, it is the same as when you first married into the submersible mansion. At that time, you also loved to wear cyan, also called green cherry. ”

Ruyi smiled slightly and said lightly: "Ying'er is a palace maid, and she also likes to wear cyan. ”

"Sakura?" The emperor frowned, "Your name is Sakura?" ”

Yin Wan opened a pair of mist-like eyes, and said in a low voice: "The slave's original surname is Wei's name is Yin Wan, and she is the Yin Wan of the good time." Sakura is the name of Concubine Jia's prize, perhaps because Concubine Jia's mother likes cherry blossoms. When she said the word "Concubine Jia", she looked frightened again, and took a step back more and more.

Seeing that she was so delicate, Yuyan became more and more as if she had treated her harshly, and she was shocked and angry; "This palace is just because you are stupid and can't serve, so I hit you lightly, what are you doing with this poke for nothing?"

Ruyi Ben was also surprised that Yan Wan was so eloquent in front of the emperor, and when she saw Yuyan angry, she remained silent, only idly shook the light Luo Ling fan in her hand, and looked at the sky leisurely.

The emperor looked at Yinwan's face carefully, and there were still five red fingerprints, knowing that Yuyan was heavy. The emperor has always disliked the harsh treatment of palace maids by concubines, so he was a little displeased: "The palace maids are all from the Eight Banners, and they are no Han compared to the eunuchs. In this way, he beats and scolds at every turn, and he also loses his dignity. His eyebrows furrowed even deeper, like a Sichuan character twist, "You said that Ying'er is the name that Concubine Jia changed for you?" ”

Yin Wan covered the injured half of her face, the sleeves on her arms were wide, and they slipped off one by one, revealing her bruised arms, and she said timidly: "That's the mother's love for the slave." ”

The emperor looked at the scars on Yinwan's arms, most of them were old wounds, but there were also a few new marks, and he became more and more aware of them, and said coldly: "Concubine Jia really loves you." He turned his face and looked at Yuyan coldly, until her charming face became as white as frost and snow, "You know that Qingying is the former name of Xian Guifei, and you still let your palace maid change this name and wear cyan, which is really a transgression." ”

Ruyi fanned her face and said softly: "Your Majesty, maybe Concubine Jia is unintentional." ”

The corners of the emperor's mouth were raised, but there was no smile in his eyes: "Concubine Jia is really unintentional, and she loves this girl." Since Concubine Jia is so loving, I also love her once. He looked at Yinwan, with a little more tenderness in his eyes, "Don't call Ying'er in the future, just change back to your real name Yinwan." Have you read a book and know that the good time is graceful? ”

Yan Wan hurriedly said: "When Ama was here, I taught the slave and maid a little. ”

"You're ...... Amma"

Yan Wan was a little ashamed, and also a little ashamed: "The slave's Ama used to be the leader of the Yellow Banner Han Army Banner Underwear Leader Qingtai...... Later, when something happened, the slave and the maid's whole family were reduced to slavery. ”

The emperor nodded and said: "It is inevitable that there will be some ups and downs as an official, in the end, you are still a good daughter, I look at you familiarly, how old are you?" ”

Yan Wan became more and more shy, lowered her eyebrows and bowed her head: "The emperor forgot, a few years ago, the slave maid was serving the eldest brother in the pure concubine palace, and the emperor talked to the slave and maid there. The slave is now twenty-two. ”

Ruyi listened to the emperor's question, and felt faintly uneasy in her heart, and said with a smile: "Such a good year, it is also good to point out that it is good to have a guard." ”

The emperor smiled and said for a moment: "Ruyi, I see that she looks a little like you when you were young, so stay by my side and be your companion." ”

Ruyi suddenly thought of Ling Yunche, her heart sank suddenly, and she smiled reluctantly: "The emperor is too, and he doesn't ask Yanwan what he means, how can he let the concubine be the master with you." ”

Ruyi looked at Ewan with a smile, cordial and gentle to the extreme, but the meaning under her eyes couldn't be clearer. If she doesn't want to, she can retreat and ask for a marriage. However, Yin Wan smiled sweetly, and she had already bowed down: "Since the slave maid entered the palace, everything is the emperor's." But with the emperor as the master, the slaves and maids are only willing to serve the emperor. ”

Ruyi's heart was cold for a while, and from Yinwan's eyes, she had already discovered Ling Yun's irreparable love.

The emperor stroked his palms and smiled: "That's fine." Jin Zhong, pass on my will, and the palace keeper Wei Yanwan is an official woman, given to live in Yongshou Palace, and sleep tonight. He took Ruyi's hand, "Let's go, let's go see the queen and Yongcong." ”

With a smile on her lips, Ruyi looked back when the emperor was inadvertent, and glanced at Yan Wan deeply, but she helplessly found that Yan Wan's beauty was actually something that Ling Yunche could not grasp in her life.