The emperor entered Cining Palace, smiled and saluted: "The emperor's mother is having breakfast, it just so happens that her son has just left the court, and he hasn't had breakfast yet, so he will accompany the emperor's mother." ”

The Queen Mother beckoned and smiled affectionately: "I'm afraid that the food in Cining Palace is not to your taste, the emperor." Fujia, if you don't take off the crown and hat for the emperor, how can you eat well with such a heavy weight. ”

Fujia tidied up the emperor's clothes and crowns, and handed another bowl of porridge to the emperor. The emperor looked greedy, as if he was still a young son under his knees in the past, sandwiched a chopsticks and pickles, and said with great interest: "My son remembers that he had a bad appetite when he was a child, and he liked the white porridge and small dishes here of the emperor's mother the most, which nourished the stomach and was light." The emperor's mother prepares for her son every morning, and she always changes the pattern of pickles, but she is afraid that her son will eat it. ”

The Queen Mother smiled with relief and a kind face: "It's hard for you to remember." She saw that the emperor was eating happily, so she put a piece of air-dried goose in a bowl for him, "Concubine Chun has been sick these days, has the emperor ever visited her?" The mourning family also knew that she was sick and couldn't eat anything, so they picked some side dishes that the emperor liked to eat and rewarded her. ”

After drinking a bowl of porridge, the emperor took a piece of white jade frost and put it in his hand: "My son has visited her twice, but it is a heart disease, and the imperial doctor can't do it, and I can't do it." ”

The Queen Mother smiled and glanced at the emperor: "The imperial doctor is incompetent, and he can't cure his heart disease, so can't the emperor do it?" ”

The emperor's lips were full of smiles, as if he was half-joking: "If the son wants to cure her heart disease, he must retract what he said that day, and he must tell the pure concubines Yonghuang and Yongzhang that there is still the possibility of ascending to the crown prince." The son is still young, and it is really boring to talk about the prince and not the prince. ”

The Queen Mother sighed, added a bowl of wolfberry and red date pot egg custard for the emperor, and said gently: "Eat that crisp slowly, choke carefully." Come, drink some soup to moisten up. ”

The emperor smiled happily: "Thank you for the emperor's care." He instructed, "Yuhu, I remember that Concubine Xian loves to eat this white jade frost square crisp very much, you take one and send it to Yikun Palace." ”

Yuhu hurriedly agreed to serve the pastry. The Queen Mother looked at the emperor with interest: "The emperor cares about the concubine very much." ”

The emperor sighed a little emotionally: "There is only one Ruyi left in the Fujin of the Qiandi, and he has been a husband and wife for many years, of course his son cares." ”

The Queen Mother was not interested in eating again, so she took the tea handed by Fujia and rinsed her mouth: "The emperor is a person who misses the old love. The mourning family looked at it coldly, many of your concubines, you didn't treat them well when you were young, but when you got older, you loved them even more. For example, Empress Xiaoxian, the emperor mourned for many days and never diminished. But there is one thing that the emperor can't help but think about, the harem can't be left without an owner for a day. Otherwise, the throne will be empty for a long time, people's hearts will fluctuate, and the emperor will not be stable in the previous dynasty. ”

The emperor's smile was like a green branch that had been subjected to cold rain, and he was cold and wet: "Emperor Eniang, forgive my son for being blunt." Empress Xiaoxian has just died, and her son really has no intention of becoming a queen. If she really wants to be established, she must wait for the queen's two-year mourning period to expire, and she should be a son who does his best for her. ”

The morning light poured in through the floating blue curtains, and the light gold crimson petals that were like phoenix flowers scattered and flew in. The Queen Mother sat sideways under the window, her eyes deep and gloomy, looking straight into people's hearts. She pondered: "The emperor is affectionate, and the mourning family understands. But the affairs of the six palaces cannot be presided over by no one, and the pure concubine and the Xian concubine are both concubines and can cook together. Or, the emperor can first seal an imperial concubine, the same deputy, and take the affairs of the six palaces. She sighed leisurely, "Yesterday, the mourning family saw Jing Yan and Yong Ying come to ask for peace, and the people who have both children are really blessed." ”

The smile in the emperor's eyes was as thin as the shallow light and shadow falling on the branches and leaves: "If you look at the heirs, the pure concubines have Yongzhang, Yongying and Jingyan. Concubine Jia has Yonghui and Yongxuan. The child in Concubine Jia's womb, the doctor said, is probably also an elder brother. The pure concubine is gentle and tactful, and the concubine is flamboyant and sharp. But ......"

"But you don't want to?" The Queen Mother closed her eyes for a moment, "You know the family background of the concubine." ”

The emperor's expression was extremely quiet: "If you don't have a family background, you have the best family background." ”

The Queen Mother smiled: "Are you afraid that someone will rely on your family background and your relatives will be autocratic?" From this point of view, the Wulanala clan is more suitable than the Fucha clan, but the maiden family of the pure concubine is also a small family, and the pure concubine has children, and the concubine has no children. In the palace, the heir is the first. ”

The emperor said calmly: "It is precisely because of the absence of children that the imperial heirs can be treated equally." ”

The Queen Mother's face was cold for a moment, and she quickly smiled: "Good, good!" It turned out that the emperor had already planned it so thoroughly. It was the old woman who was overly worried. It's just that when the first emperor was there, there was a saying called the Manchu and Han families. Concubine Chun was born in the Han Army Banner, do you remember? ”

The emperor was respectful and bowed and said: "The emperor's mother is worried about her son, and her son understands it." The first emperor said that the Manchu and Han families were all Han military banners. But at the critical moment, whether it is the queen or the biological mother of the new emperor, they are all full of military flags. Isn't the emperor's mother also surnamed Niu Hulu? In fact, when Huang Ama was there, he loved his fifth brother Hongday no less than he loved his son, but because Hongday's biological mother Geng was born in the Han Army, she missed it. Huang Ama's eternal thoughts, the son remembered in his heart. He paused and looked deeply, "Huang Eniang, my son is no longer a yellow-mouthed child, nor is he an ignorant teenager. Although your son was raised by you, there are many things that your son can make decisions and make decisions. ”

Hanging in front of the eaves hanging down and swaying the wisps of sage, the green vine flowers are dyed wet, covering the light in the hall to the phantom. The atmosphere was momentarily cold, and the Queen Mother stared for a long time before she barely squeezed out a smile: "That's it." When children grow up, they always have their own ideas. Since you have chosen the Ulanala clan in your heart, it is useless for the mourning family to say anything. Live your own lives. But the mourning family can't help but say that the queen who has no family background and no heirs will be very hard. ”

"Yes. The days are their own, as for whether they are hard or not, such as people who drink water and know how warm and cold they are. If Concubine Xian can't comply, she is incompetent, and her son can't either. The emperor said and got up, "There are still affairs in the previous dynasty, my son has retired first, and I will come to dine with the emperor in the evening." ”

The Queen Mother nodded and watched the emperor go out. Fujia lit a stove of sandalwood and sent it up, the curling white smoke scattered, and the exquisite but not grand furnishings in front of him also had a touch of softness. The cigarette was warm, and it surrounded people like a dragon, covering the face of the Queen Mother in a fog: "Concubine Xian is right, the emperor is really not the emperor who has just ascended the throne." The emperor is so reckless, if the new queen can no longer grasp it, wouldn't the status of the mourning family in the harem be useless? ”

Fujia took a jade scratch and gently scratched her hairline for the Queen Mother: "The experience of the Queen Mother is unmatched in the harem." Xian Guifei is not a person who does not know how to measure, not to mention, didn't the emperor say that he would not stand first, but the imperial concubine. The Queen Mother can naturally watch slowly. ”

The Queen Mother smiled helplessly and took a deep breath: "The smell of this sandalwood is so good." ”

On the first day of the seventh month of the thirteenth year of Qianlong, Ruyi of the Wulanala clan was promoted to the imperial concubine, the same as the deputy queen, and took the six palace affairs; Jin Yuyan was promoted to the noble concubine and assisted in the sixth palace; On the same day, Jin Shu Concubine Ye Henara Yihuan was the concubine Shu, the noble Wei Yanwan was the concubine, Qing Chang was in Lu Yingluo as the Qing noble, Wan Chang was in Chen Wanyin as the noble person, and Xiu promised to be Xiu Chang, and there were several official women who served the emperor on weekdays, and they also entered the position of promise, such as the promise and the like.

And Lu Yun, who was at the same level as Ruyi, was still just a concubine, and Yuyan was added to be on an equal footing with her. This time, others talked about it, not to mention that it was because Ruyi was the side Fujin when she was in the palace, and at that time, Empress Xiaoxian, who was Fujin, and Emperor Huixian, who was Fujin, had passed away, and the order of discussion should also be Ruyi. And what is even more proud is the newly crowned Jia Guifei Jin Yuyan, on the eighth day of being promoted to a concubine, she gave birth to the ninth son of the emperor and became the mother of the three sons in one fell swoop, which is really glorious. Therefore, the emperor was relieved and happy, and specially allowed Yuyan to meet with the envoy from the Li Dynasty and the relatives of his mother's family, and rewarded him greatly.

However, there are also people who are unhappy when they see everyone in Qixiang Palace being sought after, that is, the newly sealed concubine Yinwan. Although she was a concubine, her grace was sparse because of Ruyi Jinfeng and Yuyan giving birth. And the previous matter of bird's nest fine powder always covered a layer of displeasure and panic, so that when she faced the emperor, she secretly studied diligently, and she was afraid that she would make the emperor laugh at what she said wrong, so she was not as smart and lively as in the past, so she was so favored. At this moment, she stood on the long street outside the Qixiang Palace, watching the crowd of congratulations flow endlessly, and sighed worriedly: "Concubine Yu can no longer sleep after giving birth, although she is promoted to the position of concubine, but it is like falling out of favor, is this palace also going to follow in her footsteps?" She gazed for a long time, until a column of guards walked by, and the sound of her boots broke her musings. She pressed her flat lower abdomen tightly, bit her lip and said, "Lan Cui, quietly go and invite Zhao Jiuxiao and Zhao guards from Kunning Palace to come here, this palace has something to ask him." ”

Jiuxiao has actually not seen Yinwan for a long time. Since Ling Yunche was promoted, he accommodated the relationship and transferred his brother Zhao Jiuxiao, who was suffering in the cold palace, to Kunning Palace to be a stable and idle person. Zhao Jiuxiao was naturally grateful for his brother's righteousness. He had never entered the palace of concubines, and it was an idle errand in Kunning Palace, he was drinking with a few guards and touching dominoes, and suddenly someone came looking for him, and he changed his eunuch costume and entered through the corner gate, and he couldn't help but feel apprehensive when he was shocked.

Entering the Yongshou Palace, Jiuxiao was a little constrained, and he was wearing the clothes of a little eunuch who didn't know which one, and there was a unique smell on the eunuch's clothes, which was even more awkward. He knew that Yin Wan was a little favored, and he saw that Yongshou Palace was quite luxuriously arranged, and in the huge palace, if there was no one, he knew that the rules were very great. He carefully moved his steps and entered the hall, Jiuxiao only felt a chill on his body, and the sweat that had been walking outside for a long time suddenly collected into thousands of pores, and he actually felt like falling into an ice cave. After a while, I remembered that I started to use ice after the summer in the sixth house, but I didn't know that it could be cool to this state, and it was really comfortable. But I saw that the twelve wide screens were painted with gold and silver, the carvings were exquisitely clear, the piano and sword bottles and furnaces were all pasted on the wall, and the surrounding brocade gauze was covered with gold and pearles, and even the bricks stepped on the ground were all green and dark gold passionflower chisel flowers. He was more and more dazzled, and he didn't know where to stay.

Lan Cui looked down on his trembling little family, he was angry and funny, so he shouted softly: "Niangniang, where are your eyes wandering?" ”

Zhao Jiuxiao raised his eyes at this time, and saw a beautiful woman embroidered with a sarong leaning on the couch of the warm pavilion. He couldn't recognize what kind of clothing it was, but he felt that it was shining brightly, and the bright light on his face was also with the brilliance of pearls. A woman dressed as a palace maid beside her was embroidered in red and wearing burnt blue silver jewelry, and at a glance she knew that she had an identity, and she was playing a tortoiseshell handle gold tulle fan for the beauty. He really wanted to take a closer look at the faces of the two women, but the ice cubes in the cloisonné vat in the pavilion were bubbling with a trace of snow-white cold, and the bamboo curtain of Xiangfei on the window was quietly falling, and the woman's face was a little blurred. After a while, I could only hear the woman on the couch yawning lazily, and her voice swayed slowly: "Lan Cui, are people here?" ”

Jiuxiao was so nervous that he didn't know where to put his hands and feet, knelt down in front of him, and shouted: "Ling Concubine Niang Wan Fu Jin'an, Ling Concubine Niang Wan Fu Jin An." ”

The woman on the couch sat up straight and said with a smile: "Brother Zhao, why are you so polite now?" Hurry up. ”

Jiuxiao has not heard the voice of Yinwan, when she was a palace maid, she was crisp and delicate, always surrounding Ling Yunche with a happy face, like a cheerful little yellow warbler. And now, this voice was like a jade Zhilun sound, so shocked that he kowtowed desperately and said: "Let the concubine forgive the sins, let the concubine forgive the sins, Weichen just drank a little wine and touched the deck, not intentionally lazy!" ”

Yin Wanjiao laughed, revealing a bit of heavy majesty in her kindness: "Lan Cui, don't help Zhao Guards up!" Where is there a person who is not busy, not to mention that the palace and Zhao Guards are old acquaintances, even if they know it, what is the big deal. ”

Lan Cui was willing to touch his low-level eunuch's clothes with his hand, so he said weakly: "Guard Zhao, hurry up, our mother still has something to ask you." ”

Jiuxiao's heart fell to the ground, and only then did he dare to raise his head: "If Concubine Ling has anything to ask, Weichen will know everything and say everything." ”

Yinwan made a look, Lan Cui moved a small pestle to sit down for Jiuxiao, Chunchan stopped the fan in her hand, handed over a cup of tea, and the two quietly retreated. Jiuxiao held the cup of hot tea, and saw that Yanwan was just stroking the gold silk enamel armor and smiling silently, so she couldn't sit or stand. After a moment, Yan Wancai said idlyly: "How much is Brother Zhao and Ling Guards doing now?" ”

Zhao Jiuxiao was stunned for a moment, and then realized that she was asking Ling Yunche, so she blurted out: "Our brothers, it's the same as before." ”

Yin Wan smiled lightly, and suddenly became depressed: "I really envy Brother Zhao!" Bengong and Ling Guard's childhood sweethearts, but now they are unfamiliar. Thinking about the old acquaintances that this palace can trust in the palace, there are only Brother Zhao and Ling Guard. It's a pity that Guard Ling has been estranged so far, he's afraid that he already hates this palace to death, right? ”

Jiuxiao touched his head and said, "That won't be." Niang Niang serves the emperor...... That one...... Although Yun Che is sad, he has never said that he hates his mother! ”

Yin Wan's face was full of worry, and she stroked her pink cheeks and said: "It's like a stranger, don't ask again, what's the difference between hating this palace?" ”

Jiuxiao was stunned, and was hesitating whether to say it, but when she saw that Yan Wan's face was full of sorrow, and she saw Qingli, she couldn't help but say: "Yun Che is still very worried about his mother." He was promoted and introduced to the emperor by the imperial concubine, and also worked for the imperial concubine. Wei Chen thought that if it weren't for the fact that the imperial concubine was three points similar to Niangniang, Yun Che would not have worked for her. ”

When Yin Wan heard him say this, she felt more confident in her heart, and smiled more and more kindly: "With Brother Zhao's words, this palace is also relieved." Let's get acquainted with each other, just don't end up in a situation where we don't know each other. She said that, she didn't bother to stay for nine nights, and still ordered Lan Cui to send nine nights out, so she asked, "Chunchan, at this time, is the emperor in the Palace of Heart Cultivation?" ”

Chunchan looked at the copper leak and said, "At this time, the emperor is afraid that he is taking a nap in the palace of the imperial concubine." ”

Yan Wan nodded, her expression was a little solemn, and she looked at the bamboo curtain of Xiangfei carving the blue sky into fine lines one edge at a time, and narrowed her eyes slightly: "Are all the preparations ready?" ”

Chunchan said: "It's all right." She looked at the figure who walked out of the courtyard and said, "It's just that the little master, it's a matter that has been decided, why bother to find such a person to ask, won't it be redundant?" ”

"If you want to do one thing well, you must be very bottom-notch." She sighed worriedly, "The emperor hasn't been here for more than half a month, right?" ”

Yan Wan silently turned a ruby silver ring on her finger, the ring was originally inlaid with gemstone powder, not very valuable, but she had worn it on her hand for a long time, it had become a habit, and she had never taken it off. That was when she first entered the palace, she didn't have any jewelry in her hands, and she was laughed at by the palace maids who worked together in the Sizhi Library, she cried to Yun Che, Yun Che gritted his teeth and saved up for a long time before buying this one for her. The ornaments that I loved back then are now worn, but they look very shabby. When she was first favored, the emperor rewarded a lot of precious jewelry, and she also took off her fingers, which were as delicate as spring onions and clotted fat, which were more suitable for carving exquisite and precious jewelry. But ever since that thought had grown intricately in her heart, she couldn't help but wear it again. Left and right, the emperor doesn't care what she wears. Yan Wan thought about it, took off the ruby silver ring from her finger, handed it to Chunchan, and made up her mind: "Go ahead." ”

Lan Cui sent Jiuxiao to the gate of Yongshou Palace, and he didn't want to go out more than half a step, so he turned around and wanted to go in. Jiuxiao looked at Lan Cui's back, her heart shook like something shook a few times, and there were deep ripples, and she couldn't help but say: "Girl! ”

Lan Cui turned around, smiled impatiently, and said, "What's wrong?" ”

Jiuxiao smiled so hard that her mouth was grinning, as if she couldn't take it back: "Girl, I worked hard for you to lead the way, and I don't know what your Gao surname Fang's name is?" ”

Lan Cui heard him say nondescript, and became more and more funny: "This girl is a person who serves her mother, what is not famous." After that, he shook off the silk and instructed the eunuch guarding the door, "The sun is poisonous outside, and the door is not closed, lest the heat come in!" ”

The little eunuch agreed: "Yes, Miss Lancui." ”

Jiuxiao stood under the white sun, didn't feel that he had a layer of sweat, and couldn't help rubbing his hands and laughing.

When night came, the palace gate was keyed, except for the occasional night guards, it was as quiet as if in a no-man's land. The night was thick and juice, flowing from the sky to every corner of the Forbidden City. In the deep blue and dark sky, the stars are far away, dull and dim, and the night is as blurry as a thin veil, as if it can blindfold people at any time, making people lose their direction. There is a faint variegation in the half-curved bright moon, as if it is the branches of the ancient osmanthus tree in the Guanghan Palace, perhaps Chang'e has already remorseed, and is holding the jade rabbit under the osmanthus tree to say the regret of stealing the elixir, the distant loneliness and the unspeakable lovesickness.

Yun Che followed behind Chunchan and asked puzzledly: "It's such a night, what else does Concubine Ling have to order?" ”

Chunchan carried the lantern and said with a sad face: "Niangniang originally wanted to ask the emperor about his daily diet, but how tight Li Yu's mouth is, who can ask." Lord Ling has the emperor's trust, and Niangniang has no choice but to turn to you for help, but please don't refuse. Chunchan sighed and worried, "These words should not have been said by the slave maid, but Niangniang has always been bullied by Concubine Jia, and she really can't help but protect herself." This Ling guard should also know. ”

Ling Yunche was silent for a moment: "I'm a little guard, what can I help?" As he spoke, he pulled the clothes of the little eunuch on his body, and said uncomfortably, "You still have to dress up like this, sneaky." ”

Chunchan smiled quietly, and her grateful look made it difficult to refuse: "As long as the adults are willing to come, they will take care of the old acquaintance and help the mother." She said that, led Yun Che to continue forward, and after passing the right gate of Xianhe, you could see the main entrance of Yongshou Palace.

It was already a little late at night, and the emperor had probably rested in the Yonghe Palace, which Ping had promised. The heat of the summer night was gradually dispersed by the coolness, and the palace people splashed well water on the road to make it cool, and it was like a mercury paved under the hazy moonlight, bright and watery. At that moment, even Yun Che himself was a little blurred. Where is he walking? Such a familiar road, but it seems to be going to a place where there is no return. He was preoccupied, listening to Chunchan's light footsteps falling on the carved bluestone slab, and every step led him closer and closer to the Yongshou Palace. He took a deep breath and looked up, only to see that the red walls of the palace wall were deep, and a heavy golden beast spine was draped in cold and round edges and corners, coldly reflecting the moonlight, and looked down at him indifferently. There was silence all around, the guards were nowhere to be seen, and even the lights hanging at the gate of the palace were dimly listless, especially cold and quiet.

He sighed slightly, remembering that he had just turned the corner and passed by Concubine Jia's Qixiang Palace, which was brightly lit, brilliant and brilliant, surrounded by countless palace people, it was really a place where the favorite concubine lived, but the Yongshou Palace across the corner was so deserted. It's about the days of Yinwan, it's really not very good. However, he looked far away, and faintly saw the flying eaves of Yikun Palace, and felt a little comforted in his heart, at least Ruyi, who was much more stable at the moment.

He was contemplating that Chunchan had already led him into the courtyard. The side hall and the apse really have no lights at all, only the main hall where Yin Wan lives has a few stars and a few lights. Chunchan stood aside in a regular manner, without any intention of going in, and said respectfully: "Lord Ling, please come in, Niangniang is already waiting for your lordship inside." ”

Yun Che hesitated slightly: "This doesn't seem appropriate, and I asked the girl to accompany me in." ”

Chunchan smiled slightly: "Niangniang and adults are old acquaintances, there must be important words to discuss, slaves and maids are cheap, how can they serve by the side?" What's more, there are people who serve the adults. ”

When Yun Che heard this, he was slightly relieved and stepped inside. As soon as he entered, Chunchan had already closed the door of the hall tightly behind him. He was quite surprised, and he felt that it was not appropriate to turn around again, so he had to walk in slowly. There were only a few candles lit in the hall, and there was a white yarn lampshade, and the lamp was also hazy and ambiguous. He tentatively called "Concubine Ling", but he never heard anyone respond, and vaguely saw that the lights in the West Room Warm Pavilion were brighter, so he took a few steps inside.

At the very end, in the warm pavilion, there are heavy silk drapes, which are soft pink around the fingers, and are as gentle as a woman's undyed lips. Passing through a peach-shaped newly lacquered round door, several layers of tulle tents are hooked on both sides, and a pale amethyst bead curtain hangs in the middle, slightly refracting a blurry halo. The fragrance in the smoker is very quiet, although he often goes in and out of the palace of nourishing the heart, and is used to smelling all kinds of spices, but he can't tell what kind of aroma it is, he only feels soft and charming, and he is drunk.