The two looked at each other so quietly and stupidly, and soon Mama Su Mala opened the curtain and came in, saw this scene, and covered her mouth and smiled: "Your Majesty, is this playing with Wu Chang with wooden people?" ”

Both of them were in a trance, Lan Qi hurriedly curtsied, Xuan Ye settled his mind, as if instructing Su Mala, and as if instructing Lan Qi: "When the imperial grandmother is greedy, she must persuade her, even if she is complained." ”

"The concubine wrote it down."

"The slave knows."

The two voices sounded at the same time, and Lan Qi was really startled when she heard Su Mala's response, she was obviously amorous, and the emperor was not talking to her.

Xuan Ye turned his head to look at her, there was a faint smile in his eyes, and he didn't know why he was happy, and pointed at her again, and Mama nodded with a smile, and responded: "Your Majesty, don't worry." ”

Lan Qi was puzzled when she heard it, but Xuan Ye left quickly, and Mama came to help her get up, and said with a smile: "The Empress Dowager wants to drink date tea, you go and make a cup and send it in." ”

Lan Qi hurriedly agreed, turned around and went out to the pantry again, walking under the corridor, she saw the figure of the emperor leaving, she hadn't seen her for a long time, and felt that the emperor was slightly different from before, but if she said anything different, she didn't understand it at the moment.

"Let's take care of the Empress Dowager first." She sank into her mind and concentrated on her work.

When I came to the dormitory with date tea, I heard the laughter of the Queen Mother when I entered the door, and I gave the tea to Su Mala's grandmother, and I bowed my head and bowed, and was called by the Queen Mother to hold hands and look: "I occasionally come to ask for peace on weekdays, and I have never looked at you carefully with the people who follow Wu Yang, and I always feel that I haven't seen you for a long time. ”

Lan Qi was stunned, lowered her head and whispered: "The concubine herself looked in the mirror, and she also felt a little different, but you said that it was better-looking, and the concubine was at ease." ”

Such words sound festive, the Queen Mother likes it very much, and it is very boring to be humble, so that she can speak well, and then she bought some date tea, and praised her grandmother that it was this taste, and listened to Lan Qi talk about the recent days, and it will not be long before the Queen Mother will go to bed.

After Lan Qi waited for the Empress Dowager to fall asleep, she wanted to go back to Zhongcui Palace, but Su Mala said that it was too hard to go back and forth, and maybe the Empress Dowager would have a fever at night, so she spread a futon on the kang outside the dormitory, so that the general could rest.

It can be said that it is a great grace, but in fact, it is a great grace to be able to live in Cining Palace for a few days, but Lan Qi didn't think about it so much, she just felt that she could take better care of the Empress Dowager.

Sure enough, the Empress Dowager got up twice at night because she took too much decoction, and there was a slight movement both times, so she turned over and went in to ask, even Su Mala Mama was not alarmed, and after getting up at night, she beat her legs and fell asleep again, and the Empress Dowager slept very well all night, but Lan Qi did not rest much.

For three whole days, Wu Changzai stayed in Cining Palace to take care of the Empress Dowager, but the emperor only sent Manager Li to greet him every day because of the busy government affairs, and he didn't know whether to avoid Wu Chang's absence, or because she was relieved to have her, everyone looked at it coldly, and they all felt that when the Empress Dowager recovered, the momentum of the Wu Ya clan should rise again.

But on the contrary, after two days, the Empress Dowager was in good spirits and sick, and Wu Chang, who was tired and lost a whole circle, returned to Zhongcui Palace, but the emperor still ignored it.

Compared to the time when she was a palace maid, she was served for more than half a year, and suddenly did things to serve people for a few days, Lan Qi was so tired that she relieved her spirit after a few days in the palace, and Bu Chang was serving her the meat and vegetables in her case every day, saying that she was already thin, but now she was even thinner, of course, neither of them lacked this mouthful of food, but Bu Chang felt sorry for her.

And the Empress Dowager once suddenly ordered Bu Chang to go to Ah Ge's place to see the little princess, and personally took the little princess's hand and followed her to stagger and walk.

In the blink of an eye into August, the Mid-Autumn Festival is imminent, the palace gradually has a festive atmosphere, last year because of filial piety to the queen, there was no festival entertainment, the queen mother, the queen mother is alive, and the sadness is not filial, so this year the emperor decreed to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

At present, due to the three feudatories, the front-line military expenditure is extremely expensive, but the extravagance of the state banquet is not pure waste and undesirable, and its luxury and grandeur also highlights the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty, but Xuan Ye knows that Concubine Zhao is frugal in the palace, although this is a good thing, but this time it is not frugal, so he personally went to Yikun Palace to advise, Concubine Zhao agreed on her face, but turned around and still deducted the degree, which caused a lot of discussion in the palace.

It's just that even if other people are resentful, they just close the door and say in private, after all, Concubine Zhao is still the head of all the concubines, who dares to disrespect. Only Concubine Tong in the Chengqian Palace is not easy to mess with, and the Internal Affairs Office is afraid that she will provoke trouble, so everything will be given by the Chengqian Palace, and when Concubine Tong notices that the palace is coming in, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet is just around the corner.

This night, Xuan Ye rested in Chengqian Palace, and after listening to Concubine Tong's guqin, he smiled and said: "When you are appreciating chrysanthemums now, why don't you move a few pots and put them in the house, and with the sound of this piano, you will have a little more artistic conception." Speaking casually, "I walked in all the way just now, and I didn't come to you for three or two days, so I felt a little lonely." ”

Concubine Tong got up and asked Jingzhu to collect the guqin, personally served the tea and sat down on the side, only waiting for the palace maids to collect the guqin and leave, before sighing, and the emperor said: "It is said that it is for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet the day after tomorrow, and the flowers in the palace cannot be used at will, even if you go to the imperial garden to pick one, you are guilty, and said that some of the good ones will be raised, you can take out the palace to sell for money, the concubines heard about these, and they didn't dare to ask for it, anyway, the flowers are always going to lose, it is better to change the silver." ”

The more Xuan Ye listened, the tighter his brows became, where had he heard that the flowers planted in the imperial garden were not for the imperial concubines to enjoy, but to repay the money, so what kind of state banquet did he put on, what kind of national prestige did he show, it was better to exchange all the money for silver.

Concubine Tong saw that the emperor's face had changed, and she was secretly proud in her heart, and she didn't have to say which one it was, and no matter whether there was such a thing or not, the emperor always had to ask about the deduction in the palace. But self-defeatingly, the emperor didn't want to stay because he was angry, and he couldn't drink two sips of a bowl of tea, so he left it and left.

"I'll let them send you flowers tomorrow." Xuan Ye only said this sentence when he left, it was useless for Concubine Tong to stay, and the emperor stomped his feet and complained when he walked away, "If there is nothing to do with Concubine Zhao after that, what kind of reputation will I have this night, the emperor will not stay when he comes, and those who will have broken mouths tomorrow will not know how to arrange me." ”

I was annoyed for a long time and couldn't dissipate my anger, so I instructed Jingzhu: "Go and send someone to keep an eye on me, if the emperor goes elsewhere tonight or someone goes to the Qianqing Palace, I want to make that one look good." ”

And Xuan Ye came out of Chengqian Palace here, because he was upset how to go to Concubine Zhao and say these things without hurting the peace, so he asked the entourage to go back to Qianqing Palace first, and only led three or four little eunuchs with Manager Li to take the lantern and disperse in the palace.

Behind this side is Zhong Cui Palace, not far from the door, when he stopped and looked, he didn't remember when he last came, he felt that this place was not very good, and when he returned to his side, he was going to change places for her to live.

Just as he was thinking about it, the door of Zhong Cui Palace suddenly opened, and Xuan Ye hurriedly signaled to the person behind him to extinguish the lantern, and then heard Lan Qi's voice saying: "I can't find it even if I look for it in Hei Gurum, don't alarm Concubine Tong Niangniang in front of me, let's come and see it again tomorrow." ”

"Then what's the matter, tomorrow morning, the palace maid and eunuch who asked to sprinkle and sweep will pick it up, and will there be any ones back?" It was Huanchun who spoke, and three or two palace maids were looking along the road with lanterns, and it seemed that something had fallen.

Lan Qi stood lazily in front of the door, and complained to them: "If you don't go back, I'm going back, I really don't care, isn't it just an earring?" I can say well, if I find you under the pillow mattress another day, don't blame me for pushing you out in the middle of the night. ”

Yu Kui smiled: "The master really feels sorry for the slaves and maids, who was so anxious that his eyes were wet just now?" ”

Xuan Ye laughed when he heard it, this little girl's temperament didn't change at all, and his quiet laughter shocked the meticulous Huanchun, where he asked who was in front, approaching with a lantern in his hand, and when he saw that it was the emperor, he was so frightened that he knelt down, and Yukui Xiangyue also came over and curtsy with him.

Only Lan Qi stood at the door stupidly, but it was not stupid at this time, who would have thought that the emperor would stand in front of his palace in the middle of the night.

"Master, master, come here......" Huan Chun saw that Lan Qi had not come, so she was so anxious that she turned around and called her, so she shook her head and hurriedly walked to her.

Gonggong Li also asked the little eunuchs to re-light the lanterns here, and when the surroundings were bright, he saw clearly that Lan Qi was wearing a regular dress, combing two small hairpins, and a jade bead flower on the sideburns, with a clean appearance, as if he had seen her as a palace maid at the beginning, thinking that he was going to prepare for sleep, and the jewelry on his body was taken off.

"No need to salute." Xuan Ye suddenly opened his mouth when Lan Qi bent his knees, and asked again, "Are the clothes on your body cold?" ”

Lan Qi was stunned for a moment, and hurriedly shook his head, and Xuan Ye said, "Accompany me to take a few steps, and you will follow behind Huanchun." ”

Huanchun was overjoyed, got up and saw that the emperor had walked forward, but Chang Zai was stunned, hurriedly pushed forward, and whispered: "Don't be stupid, keep up." ”

Lan Qi woke up and ran to Xuan Ye's side a few steps faster, Xuan Ye turned around and saw her panicked appearance, frowned and said, "What's the hurry, aren't you afraid of falling?" ”

Lan Qi stretched out her foot and smiled: "It's time to go to bed, and the soft shoes that have been changed." ”

With her smile, Xuan Ye's heart warmed inexplicably, and the resentment that could not be dispersed was much less, and he didn't know what to say for a while, so he walked forward slowly.

Now the autumn is high and cool, it is the most pleasant season in the four seasons of the capital, the cold winter has not yet reached the middle of summer, there is no need to worry about the unbearable heat of the summer, and will not be frozen by the ice and snow to shiver hands and feet, you can stretch your muscles and bones freely, enjoy the moon and stargazing, you should not be depressed and live up to the good autumn night.

"Are you reading the book I gave you?" After walking for a while, Xuan Ye suddenly asked, thinking that he had said that he would wait for Lan Qi to read all the books thoroughly before seeing her again, but he didn't want to turn a blind eye today, and he was not happy, even if she was just staying around, he could make himself feel at ease.

"Your Majesty...... Do you want to take the concubine now? The voice in his ears was full of timidity, Xuan Ye stopped and turned to look at her, and pretended to be angry and asked, "Not watching?" ”

Lan Qi hurriedly waved her hand to deny, "I'm reading it, every one of them is ......" her heart jumped suddenly, "I've read every one, every one of them...... It's all turned to the bottom, but if you want to ask now, the concubine can't remember anything in her head. ”

Xuan Ye smiled, guessing that she must have seen that she had written her name, but those books were not picked for her, but the books that Xuan Ye herself had been reading and talking to the ministers recently, giving her just to think that even if she couldn't meet, she could do the same thing, and she didn't really expect her to read anything, but when she heard Manager Li talk about her recent events, she also knew that these books had made her grow a lot.

"Your Majesty, those books are too difficult." Lan Qi finally found an opportunity to say these things in her heart, "Can you let your concubine read some interesting books?" ”

"Reading hard in the cold window, what's so interesting, you are my courtiers, they are all books to read?" Xuan Ye wanted to bully the person in front of her for no reason, and this sentence was said angrily, which really frightened her, and she lowered her head and stopped talking.

"Let's go, it's determined that the wind will be cold." Xuan Ye smiled helplessly and reached out to hold her hand.

Lan Qi was poked in the soft part of her heart by this move, she once thought that her hand could no longer reach the palm of this person's palm, and the warmth she once held could not be engraved in her heart, but now he held his hand again, a large and gentle palm, holding himself steadily.

With a slight pull on her body, she hurriedly followed, but she heard Xuan Ye ask: "The palace is doing well, is there anything missing and what is missing?" ”

"Everything is fine." Lan Qi said, suddenly confused, and said as if to invite merit, "When the autumn tailoring is rewarded, the size of the concubine is wider than the year, if you don't have a good time, how can it be like this." ”

Xuan Ye glanced at her, still thin and slender, and glared at her with disgusted eyes, "Where are you wide?" But then he sighed, "You think everything is good, but other people can't." After that, I didn't know where it came from*, but I told Lan Qi all the things about Concubine Tong, and asked Lan Qi: "Don't you think Concubine Zhao is like this, and life in the palace is not easy?" ”

"The concubine's request is naturally different from others, and perhaps others feel uncomfortable, and it is not unreasonable. But Concubine Zhao did this, and the money didn't go into her pocket, or so that the court could have less burden. Lan Qi said quietly, "If you pursue it now, you won't be able to catch up with the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet the day after tomorrow, it's better to wait for the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, if you don't make the emperor feel that you have lost face, then how can Concubine Zhao also have hard work, in case it is very inappropriate, you have something to say about it, but now I rush over to question angrily, Concubine Zhao Niangniang has worked hard to manage everything, and it will be cold to be a concubine." ”

Xuan Ye's heart gradually calmed down, he thought of these truths as early as when he walked out of Chengqian Palace, so he was worried about how to say to Yikun Palace, listening to Lan Qi say it at this time, what he liked in his heart was the impressed look at her words and thoughts, he had never been close for half a year, and the person in front of him was no longer the delicate and soft little Chang Zai, she had wisdom and a vision to look at the world, and couldn't help but smile secretly, it was good to send her a few more esoteric and difficult books.

"Your Majesty, did the concubine say something wrong?" Lan Qi couldn't help but be a little nervous when she saw Xuan Ye stunned, but Xuan Ye reached out and brushed the hair on her sideburns, "It's a pity that she used to target you like that, she always doesn't want to get close to others, and she isolates herself more and more. ”

Seeing that Lan Qi was stunned, knowing that she didn't understand, she patted her forehead: "It's still too little to study, go back, memorize a few articles tomorrow, I have to come to test you from time to time, don't think that you can be lazy if the time is long, no matter how long the time will pass." ”

I heard that we were going to separate, Lan Qi had a sour cold in her heart, but she didn't dare to entangle her sense of proportion, and she was blessed with her body, so she turned around and went to Huanchun in the back, and when she was with Huanchun, she couldn't help but look back, the emperor had already walked away, and his heart was just full, and he suddenly lacked a big piece.

"Master, let's go too." Huanchun helped her back, Yukui Xiangyue held the lamp in front of her, and only waited for Zhongcui Palace to enter the dormitory to rest, Huanchun let go of his courage and asked, "You suddenly talked to the Long Live Lord, and the slave and maid looked as if they had never been separated, and they were still the same as before." ”

Lan Qi herself was also surprised, sitting on the bed with her knees hugging and recalling the scene just now, she always thought that if she could have the days of being by Xuan Ye's side again, she would definitely cry and be very wronged, but just now she suddenly said let her go with her, she unconsciously returned to her previous mood, as if she had never been separated, as if she had never been unhappy and wronged, and she even had to be afraid of falling in soft shoes.

It was true that she felt sour when she was separated, but she was not sad at all, she didn't know where the sense of stability came from, and she said to herself: "Why am I not sad? ”

"Master, I've found it." Xiangyue suddenly shouted excitedly, holding an earring in her hand and holding it in front of her, "Let's just say that it must be in the dormitory, you said that you touched your ears outside the door during the day, do you dare not be unkind to the slaves and maids?" Tossing people out in the middle of the night to find them. ”

Lan Qi was not convinced: "I can tell you to look for it tomorrow, but you yourself want to go out." ”

Huanchun took a handkerchief to wipe his face, and pushed Xiangyue with a smile: "Be quiet, the master obviously knows that the emperor is coming, and Tete is going out, so how can you toss us." ”

Lan Qi glared at them angrily, seeing that her eyes were moist, the three of them admitted their mistake and said that they didn't dare to make fun of her, and it took a long time to coax them to sleep, and after retreating, they said to each other: "Wait a little longer, the master's hope is great." ”

They were so emotional, but the words that came to Concubine Tong were different, I heard that the emperor left the Chengqian Palace, and actually went to the back and walked in the palace with the Wu Ya clan in the Zhongcui Palace in the middle of the night, Concubine Tong was so angry that she couldn't speak, but Jingzhu said that not many people may know about this matter, because most people go back to the Qianqing Palace first, and only go back as the emperor.

"That Xiao Changzai is really capable, do you want to send someone to keep an eye on us here? Why did the emperor just go out, and she waited at the palace gate? Concubine Tong was so angry that she burst into tears, "Fortunately, no one knows, if others hear that a person who has fallen out of favor is always snatching the emperor from me, what kind of face will Chengqian Palace have in the future?" ”

Thinking about it, Concubine Tong said angrily: "No wonder I heard that the momentum of the Wu Ya clan is about to rise, I don't care about it, I dare to live in front of her like this, if it is farther away, I don't know how arrogant it is." It's no wonder that Concubine Zhao is so jealous of Yi Guiren, I understand it today. ”

This grievance is inexplicable, although Concubine Tong is indeed a little aggrieved, but if she doesn't instigate Concubine Zhao's affairs, the emperor will not come and go, Lan Qi is always innocent, but innocent people have to pay the price.

Two days later, the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was decent and grand, and Concubine Zhao's deduction was all spent on this banquet, and the Empress Dowager praised her in public again, so that Concubine Tong could follow and learn, and the boss was reluctant.

Xuan Ye was grateful to meet Lan Qi that night, so that he was determined to wait for the Mid-Autumn Festival to mention something to Concubine Zhao, no matter how she was in charge of the Sixth Palace, everything was stable, and gossip was not enough to criticize her hard work, so on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, she stayed in the main hall of Yikun Palace, and the two emperors and concubines rarely spoke for a long time, and even Concubine Zhao herself felt incredible.

But the more gentle the emperor was to Concubine Zhao, the more angry he was that the Chengqian Palace was not at peace, and it was on this full moon night, the Yikun Palace in late autumn seemed to have a spring breeze blowing, but the Zhongcui Palace inexplicably ushered in a disaster.

Some people said that they had seen the palace maid of Zhongcui Palace sneaking around, and Concubine Tong took someone to look for it, and said matter-of-factly: "If it is an ordinary bracelet, but this is a gift from my grandmother to keep safe before entering the palace, I can only wronged you and let the palace turn over." ”

Concubine Tong's grandmother is naturally the emperor's grandmother, and the emperor is also very respectful, and often sends people to greet him, so how dare the people in the palace not respect him, and Lan Qi and Bu Chang are in the Qing Dynasty, so of course they let them turn over.

But they are pure, but they don't know what the crime is, and when Concubine Tong's little eunuch came out of the room of the three of Huanchun with a pair of jade bracelets, Lan Qi was stunned.

Concubine Tong put on the bracelet and asked with a sneer: "What do you say, if this palace doesn't have more eyes to look for it tonight, shouldn't this bracelet be sold outside the palace?" ”

Another grandmother on the side said: "The slave maid heard that the night before yesterday, the palace maid of Zhongcui Palace was hanging outside, so Qiao Niangniang's bracelet disappeared the next day." ”

Lan Qi was shocked, but heard Concubine Tong ask, "Is there such a thing?" ”

"Niangniang......" saw Huan Chun suddenly step forward and kneel in front of Concubine Tong.

When Concubine Tong spread the news that the palace rules were heavily reproached by the palace maids in the middle of the night, the Empress Dowager in Cining Palace rested, and Mama Su Mala also went to bed early because she was poured wine by the emperor, and no one could make decisions for them. And it is rare for the emperor to come here in Yikun Palace, and the door is tightly guarded, and no one can enter, let alone alarm the holy driver. In addition, even if the noble people and the noble people have the heart to help, because of the dignity of Concubine Tong, it will not help when they come, and they will cause trouble.

In this way, Lan Qi watched Huanchun, Yukui and Xiangyue being pressed and beaten so that they couldn't move, Bu Chang was so frightened that his legs were weak and fell to the ground, Lan Qi went to help her, but Concubine Tong said: "Wu Chang has no way under your rule, and this palace will not pursue you, you kneel here for half an hour, and reflect on it, after all, this palace lives in front of you, if you are not good, this palace is also afraid of gossiping behind your back." ”

When Concubine Tong led people away, Zhong Cui Palace was so quiet that she could hear the sound of the gate of Chengqian Palace closing, Pan Xia Jinhe hurriedly helped Huanchun and them up, Lan Qi knelt there motionless, Bu Chang was crying and pulling her: "Don't kneel, she can't see it, what's wrong, why did she suddenly come to us for trouble, Lan Qi, don't kneel......"

"Half an hour, it passed quickly." Lan Qi struggled to open the hand that was always there, kneeling there straight, there was no resentment in her condensed eyes, but compassion floated up, "Why should she do this, torturing us will only give her hatred, who would like to cause trouble." ”

Maybe it was said by Lan Qi, even if Concubine Tong had a bad breath after returning to the palace, she still couldn't sleep all night, I don't know what to lose in fear, I always felt uneasy, and I felt dizzy and headache when I got up the next morning, and I fell ill with a cold.

And when the Empress Dowager and Xuan Ye both knew about the farce in Zhong Cui Palace on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, they heard that Concubine Tong was burned in a daze, and they couldn't investigate anything, so the Empress Dowager sent Su Mala to visit. On the other hand, in the Chengqian Palace, Concubine Tong's illness is not light.

When Mama Su Mala came to see Huanchun and a few people, she was not appeased, but scolded the three palace maids she had personally trained, and Lan Qi was aggrieved at this time, and pulled Mama and said: "If you don't feel sorry for them, no one really feels sorry for them." Wait a few days and then go to Cining Palace to greet the Empress Dowager, you say for me, I'm fine here, nothing happens. ”

Mama sighed and said: "The Queen Mother and the Emperor are angry, if you hear you say this, I am afraid that I will be more angry, and the grievance will be wronged. ”

Lan Qi didn't say anything in front of Huanchun and a few people, and only whispered privately when she sent Mama Su Mala out: "What else can Concubine Tong be unhappy about, although it is us who is tossing, the people who rush may not be here, and everyone is not looking good on their faces when it makes a big fuss." Don't say that we should be bullied and tossed, but after all, nothing big happened, if the mother wants the lives of the three of them, even if she kneels in front of the gate of the Qianqing Palace and begs, I will fight. That day, Concubine Tong Niangniang clearly came to find trouble, and she fulfilled her wish, Mama, you told the Queen Mother for me, I am not a soft persimmon, I will not always be bullied, the Queen Mother loves me so much, how can I let people abuse me at will. ”

Su Mala was secretly shocked in her heart, when Concubine Chen was favored, the eldest concubine was resentful in her heart, so she bullied her master, who was Concubine Chen's sister, and the master also said similar things in front of Queen Xiaoduan.

When these words came to the Empress Dowager, the old man sighed with emotion, and told Su Mala not to tell the emperor, "He will be even more distressed when he hears it, in case he impulsively does something, but he disappoints the child's heart, if she deliberately said that she wants to pass it on to the emperor through your mouth, it will also break this thought." ”

Mama Su Mala was puzzled, and asked timidly: "Do you want to guard against Wu Chang's presence?" ”

The Empress Dowager sighed softly: "Don't blame me for being suspicious, she is so open-minded at a young age, and she is just a palace maid from a humble background, I am a little unsteady in my heart, but such a good person is low-key and gloomy, isn't it strange?" Let's take a look at it with a cold eye, if it's really good, it's our emperor's blessing, if you are born with a deep heart, it will become the climate in the future, and you can pay it back? ”

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