A "slut" lingered in her ears, Lan Qi remembered that in the past, Mama Wang would scold her and Pan Xia for being little sluts when she was in a hurry, and at that time she was too lazy to pay attention to the old woman going crazy, and she didn't care if it didn't hurt or itch, but today she heard Concubine Tong scold herself like this, and she suddenly understood what dignity was.

Duan Guiren and Hui Guiren went to support Rong Guiren, she got up from the ground softly, watched the eunuch palace maid go in and out to bury the third elder brother, she was crying so much that she had no strength to make a sound, and was almost standing there by the left and right people, and then Hui Guiren and Duan Guiren couldn't stand her, so she cried and fell to the ground, when the small coffin was invited in, and the third elder brother was about to be buried, Rong Guiren cried and convulsed, and finally fainted.

The third elder brother was buried, Rong Guiren fainted, people came and went to the house and suddenly there was a mess, Zhao Guifei didn't come in outside, and when Rong Guiren was carried away, the coffin of the little elder brother was also invited out, Lan Qi was still sitting in the corner, none of the people around her followed, and the people here didn't know what to do with her.

There were fewer and fewer people in the room, Lan Qi raised her head blankly, the cradle was empty, and the poor little life was really gone.

There was a sound of footsteps coming from the door, and it didn't take long for the luxurious and exquisite clothes to appear in front of her, Lan Qi looked up and saw the graceful face of Concubine Zhao, she reached out and pinched her chin, turned slightly to the right, as if to see the scar on her left cheek, and whispered: "Why bother, why do you wade into troubled water, this slap is really not worth it." Let's go, there is nothing for you here, there are too many princesses in the palace, I am afraid that even the emperor's heart has long been numb. ”

Concubine Zhao turned around, as if she was not at ease, and instructed Dong Yun beside her: "Wu Chang is no one around, you send Chang back to Zhongcui Palace." ”

Dong Yun promised, sent the master out of the door all the way, turned around and respectfully came to support Lan Qi, and said gently: "Wu Chang is leaving, everyone is leaving." ”

Lan Qi was pulled up by her, but her legs and feet were already numb and unconscious, Dong Yun didn't hold on for a while, she fell down heavily, this time it hurt very much, and the legs that were regaining consciousness had a stinging pain as if they had been pricked by ten thousand needles, even so, it was never as painful as the dragon robe shook in front of him, and his heart seemed to be stabbed.

On the way here, the Empress Dowager asked herself what the emperor liked about her, but she didn't know, it turned out that she had never understood what the emperor liked about her.

"Wu is always there, and the ground is cold." Dong Yun was very polite, called the little palace maid on the side to help her up, helped Lan Qi to let her try to walk, and waited until her legs and feet recovered her strength before sending her back to Zhong Cui Palace step by step.

Dong Yun still had some scruples when passing by Chengqian Palace, but the people around her were completely immersed in her own world, Dong Yun didn't react to anything she said, and kept handing her over to Huanchun, and couldn't help but say more: "You serve carefully, and ...... Concubine Tong lives in front of her, so let's keep a low profile these days. ”

Leaving Zhongcui Palace, when Dongyun walked through Chengqian Palace, she saw a cloth tiger under the stone steps at the entrance of the palace, she walked over and picked it up, the stitches of the cloth tiger were very vulgar, and the shape was also strange, the palace door suddenly opened, and now Qinglian who was waiting for Concubine Tong walked out, they are also old acquaintances, Qinglian saw the cloth tiger in Dongyun's hand, sighed lightly, and stretched out her hand to ask: "Give it to me, Concubine Tong is looking for it, I was planning to go to the elder brother to see, sure enough, the eldest brother still didn't want it, and left it." ”

Dongyun gave the cloth tiger to her, Qinglian patted the dust on the cloth tiger, lowered her eyes and sighed: "Niangniang loves the eldest brother very much, this cloth tiger was sewn by herself the night before the eldest brother came, but unfortunately the eldest brother has never liked it, and he is always making trouble to leave." ”

Dongyun didn't say anything, and returned to Yikun Palace after saying goodbye, and saw the people from the elder brother's house coming to restore her life, she and the others left before saying to the concubine: "Wu Chang is losing his soul, I don't know if it's because of the matter of the concubine Tong, on the way back from there, the slave maid picked up the cloth tiger that fell at the gate of the Chengqian Palace, Qinglian came out and asked for it back, saying that Concubine Tong sewed it for the eldest brother, and the slave maid saw it, the stitches and threads were rough and clumsy, obviously from the hands of non-needlemen, Qinglian should be telling the truth." ”

Concubine Zhao smiled bitterly: "She is very attentive, what she said in the elder brother's office just now must also come from the bottom of her heart, I don't know if the empress dowager or the emperor will go through the bed under the bed of the eldest brother in the Chengqian Palace in the house where the eldest brother has lived these days, whether there is any hair hidden in the younger siblings." ”

Dongyun sighed: "The slave maid has been in the palace for more than ten years, and I have never heard such a statement. ”

"If she is in a hurry to go to the doctor, she will definitely believe this kind of nonsense." Concubine Zhao Guifei sat cross-legged on the kang, sorted out the various lists presented by the Internal Affairs Office by herself, and suddenly raised her eyes to look at Dong Yun, "They all refer to Concubine Tong who went to the third elder brother's house alone, in fact, I also saw her go to Rong Xian's house that day, and she was also a person, sneaky." ”

Dong Yun snorted: "If Concubine Tong's words are true?" The third elder brother ......"

Concubine Zhao sneered: "The third elder brother didn't live long, but someone took advantage of his death." ”

Dongyun frowned and thought about it, and asked the concubine in his heart: "Could it be that it is Hui Guiren?" ”

"Whether it's a noble person or a noble person, who can tell the difference?" Concubine Zhao sighed, called the palace maid to serve tea, waited for Dongyun to come, frowned and drank half a bowl to relieve her spirits, and then tiredly leaned on the big pillow on the side and said, "This matter is to blame, it should really be all on the Long Live Lord, and the Long Live Lord must have understood it in his own heart, so he didn't bother to check, and he didn't even bother to check." ”

Dong Yun bent his knees and beat her legs, and then heard the master laugh meaninglessly: "Now I think about it, I wanted to raise a child in those years, the empress dowager and the emperor never let go, it's not that I wronged me, it's really for my good, if you really let go of me to give me one or two, those anxious women who are mothers don't know how to calculate me, even if they hit the stone with an egg, they have to fight it." ”

"When the young lady enters the palace, the mother doesn't have to worry." Dongyun comforted her.

Speaking of her sister, Concubine Zhao had a slightly happy smile, looking forward to the future and said: "I still have to teach her how to take care of the affairs of the Sixth Palace, and the burden on my shoulders can be lighter. ”

Dongyun said inexplicably: "I don't know what Wu Chang will do this time, the slave sent her back, looking at that appearance, it's pitiful." ”

Concubine Zhao's long eyebrows trembled slightly, she didn't know what she was thinking, but her eyes gradually revealed sadness: "What will happen to her, if that person doesn't pity her, why is she so angry, you didn't see the way he looked at her today, it's really jealous." ”

Dongyun couldn't tell the "he" and "she" in the master's mouth for a while, he didn't dare to talk nonsense, he served silently on one side, and gradually the sky darkened.

Yi Guiren first came to the main hall to say goodbye, she was not in front of her brother today, and she didn't understand what was going on, her heart was probably not steady, she wanted to ask Zhao Guifei what she should do, and in the end it was the person who went out in her palace, and the concubine was finally willing to mention a few words: "It's good to talk less, if the emperor asks you something, just be perfunctory, don't be stupid and say inexplicable things." ”

This night, Yi Guiren didn't sleep, she didn't even know when the emperor would lie down to sleep, after going to the Qianqing Palace, she had been stupidly waiting for the emperor to move from the desk to the bed, but until she was sleepy The emperor didn't move, and then when she woke up, the emperor had gone to the court, and she should also go.

After a few days, the emperor turned over Yi Guiren's brand, but the Internal Affairs Office never kept a record, what Yi Guiren did with the emperor, only she knew, Zhao Guifei asked a few times, Yi Guiren said honestly that she didn't even tell the emperor, Zhao Guifei was skeptical.

More than half of March, the weather is getting warmer, and the flowers in the imperial garden are vibrant, but I don't know if it is because of the death of the third elder brother, the clouds have not dispersed, and the days of spring have finally come, but the palace is inexplicably lifeless, and no one moves between the six palaces. The Empress Dowager is here, except for talking to the Empress Dowager every few days, or Concubine Zhao going over to say goodbye, the other concubines are all gone, and even the favorite Wu Chang is here, and she has not been in front of her for a long time.

On this day, Concubine Zhao and the Queen Mother left Cining Palace, and were returning to Ningshou Palace, and met Concubine Tong out of the house halfway, and they didn't see her for a few days. ”

The Queen Mother smiled and said: "The emperor doesn't know how to rest every day, you have to mention a few words when you pass, the flowers in the garden are blooming just right, persuade him to move around more." ”

"The concubines remember, the emperor is waiting, and the queen mother forgives the concubines for not being able to accompany them for a long time." Concubine Tong saluted and said goodbye, walked proudly by the side, just a gust of wind swept the dust over, Zhao Guifei was blind, the Queen Mother asked her if she was okay, Guifei blinked her eyes and burst into tears, and said with a smile that it was okay.

Go further, it is Zhong Cui Palace, only to see the gate closed and clear, the Queen Mother saw it in her eyes, and couldn't help but sigh: "Emperor Taizong favors Concubine Chen, Emperor Shizu favors Dong E's family, it's not like this, let's long live the Lord likes this little Chang Presence, sometimes good and sometimes bad, so people can't understand." He also advised Concubine Zhao, "You should understand in your heart that in the current situation, you should care about Zhong Cui Palace, even if the emperor knows that you are deliberate, at least you have your mind, at least you know who he cherishes." ”

The concubine's heart was sour, and she lowered her head and replied: "The concubine also thinks so, but every time she thinks about it, she just can't swallow this breath." ”

The Queen Mother smiled: "You have to take a long-term view, this is not condescending to dignity, you are doing things for the emperor." Come, it's better to pick the day than to hit the sun, and I'll go with you. ”

Concubine Zhao was surprised, but was pulled by the Queen Mother to the door of Zhongcui Palace, the eunuch next to her had already gone over to knock on the door, the people inside opened the door and heard that the Queen Mother and Concubine Zhao were coming, and they were busy opening the door and kneeling to greet them.

"It's warm, but it's still cold on the ground, get up quickly." The Queen Mother smiled and said, "I want to say that I don't take a sedan chair to go back, in the end, I am lazy on weekdays, and I will be tired after walking here, and I want to come in and rest when I see that you are quiet here." ”

Huanchun and a few people were busy cleaning up the main hall and invited the Queen Mother to sit over, but the Queen Mother said that no one lived there was too cold, and it was good to go to Wuchang in the house, and Bu Chang was serving tea in person, and few of them came here, if she remembered correctly, the Queen Mother should be the most distinguished guest she had ever received.

"I came from the Queen Mother, the new tea came up, but I was annoyed that there was no good hand at cooking tea, I asked why I didn't call you to go, the Queen Mother said that you are making trouble." The Queen Mother kindly pulled Lan Qi to sit on the side, and turned around and smiled at the concubine, "I'm right, people are in the house, and when you go back to the old man's house, you have to talk about it." ”

Concubine Zhao tried her best to show a kind smile on her face, and held back a sentence: "Why doesn't my sister go to Cining Palace?" The Queen Mother is prone to spring sleepiness, but because you don't go, she has to go to Cining Palace every day to take a look, and she has no time to rest. ”

The Queen Mother smiled and pushed the concubine: "Why are you relying on me again." But he turned around and said to Lan Qi, "Those things are in the past, and I don't say who is right and who is wrong, there are too many such things in the palace, and I have already seen through it in my life." Good boy, even Concubine Tong has gone out, what are you hiding here? The Empress Dowager can't do without you, listen to me, Ming'er used to serve well, and no one dared to move the good new tea, and it was going to be wasted. ”

Lan Qi was panicked in her heart, the Queen Mother and Concubine Zhao sang together, she was even more panicked, just obediently agreed, didn't say a word, the Queen Mother saw her like this, drank tea and was about to leave, Bu Chang was sending all the way to the door with her, only waiting for the Queen Mother and Concubine Zhao to disappear before getting up, and listened to Jin He say: "I heard that it was Long Live Lord who summoned Concubine Tong to go to the Qianqing Palace." ”

Lan Qi's eyes flickered slightly, turned to look at the situation of the Chengqian Palace in front of him, and immediately went back without saying a word. Bu Changzai didn't go with her, and sighed in front of the palace gate: "How can she be good, what happened?" I was inexplicable when I heard the Queen Mother's words just now. ”

Huanchun comforted her a few words, asked Panxia to send it back, and brought in a basin of hot water by herself, and saw that the master was packing up the books and papers by herself, she was stuffy in the house these days, writing one by one, just now the Queen Mother suddenly came, and she didn't have time to wash off the ink on her hands, so when she was held by the Queen Mother, she was always very embarrassed.

Lan Qi's hands were soaked in hot water by Huanchun, watching her carefully clean her ten fingers, she suddenly remembered the scene when she used to serve the cloth and wash her hands, and couldn't help frowning, for no reason, Concubine Tong's slut sounded in her ears again, she retracted her hand in a panic, Huanchun was shocked, quickly moved the basin, wrapped her hands with a soft cotton cloth, and asked nervously: "What's wrong with the master?" ”

Lan Qi looked at her in a daze, but the breath in her chest showed signs of loosening, and between the ups and downs, she finally said, "Dress up for me, I'm going to see Rong Guiren." ”

Huanchun was stunned for a moment, but immediately agreed, called Yukui and Xiangyue to serve, changed the master's new clothes for the time, dressed up carefully, and took a detour to avoid the possible road of Concubine Tong, and went straight to the residence of the Rong noble.

"My sister is here?" I haven't seen him for a few days, Hui Guiren is obviously a little embarrassed, and seems to be hesitating whether to go or stay, and Ji Xin has already come out, while letting Wu Chang go in, he came to Hui Guiren and whispered, "Master, please go back first." ”

Hui Guiren bowed his head, looked at the back of Wu Yashi inside, sighed and left. Ji Xin hurried back, Zhang Luo palace maid served tea, and then stood aside with Huanchun, rarely, Wu Chang opened his mouth to let them all go down, Ji Xin saw the master nodding at her when he left, so he enthusiastically invited Huanchun to drink tea.

The room is quiet, Rong Guiren has already recovered her former demeanor, she has been born and raised many times, she has always maintained a slender figure, and her face is good, and she does not blame the emperor for his tireless favor, but everyone sees that after the third elder brother died, the emperor has nothing to do with her for many days these days, and even with Hui Guiren, she can hardly see the holy car.

"These new teas were sent by Cining Palace, so my sister should have them there, right?" Rong Guiren personally cooked tea, and smiled naturally on his face, "When serving the emperor, it is better to serve the nobles' tea, I am not as skillful as her, but she must not be as good as you, I heard that you don't go to Cining Palace these days, and the Queen Mother doesn't even drink tea." ”

"Rong Guiren." Lan Qi spoke.

Rong Guiren looked at her, holding the teaspoon in one hand and hanging in the air, a handful of tea leaves in the teaspoon had not yet been put into the teapot, he paused in his hand, and then put it down, bowed his head to serve the tea, and asked with a smile: "What does my sister want to ask?" It's rare that you are willing to come to me, and I wonder if you should go to Zhongcui Palace in person, I know that you have a knot in your heart. ”

"Was the third elder brother poisoned?" Lan Qi asked, her heart was pounding, didn't she know that the palace was sinister, even if she hadn't experienced it, she had heard few stories from all dynasties? never thought that she would experience it herself, if it was Concubine Tong's "slut" lingering in her ears, it was better to say that it was the empty cradle, the lost little life brought her a shadow and kept her awake at night.

Lan Qi sank his heart and continued to ask, "Third Elder Brother, is it true that he died of illness?" ”

Rong Guiren bowed his head, and then raised his eyebrows to look at her: "Yes, the third elder brother died of illness, and the emperor also said so." ”

"It's not the emperor who said it, the concubine is asking you ......"

"Wu is always there." Rong Guiren interrupted her, "I said, I only asked you to say what you see, didn't you do it?" It doesn't matter if the third elder brother died of illness or was poisoned, it has nothing to do with you. ”

"What if the concubine doesn't see it?" Lan Qi got up and approached her slightly, "How do you and Guiren Hui know that the concubine will see Concubine Tong go to the third elder brother's house?" ”

The tea in Rong Guiren's hand had already been made, and he gave her a cup, and said with a smile: "Actually, you want to ask me, did I take advantage of you?" Why don't you just say it, can't you say it? ”

Lan Qi was silent, and Rong Guiren continued: "The Empress Dowager and the Emperor both know in their hearts that it would be good to wait for them to ease up for a while, even if Hui Guiren and I are no longer qualified to serve from now on, but this time it will be worth it." She said that she tasted the tea she brewed, and she didn't know what it tasted like, so she put it down very dissatisfied, poured Lan Qi's bowl of tea too, and said casually, "You must be very strange, we are doing this, obviously for Concubine Tong, and we want to go back to the eldest brother, but the eldest brother is a noble person, what do I do to mix it in, isn't it?" ”

Lan Qi didn't know if she couldn't get used to Rong Guiren spoiling those good tea leaves, and took the initiative to reach out to fiddle with the tea set, Rong Guiren let go of his hand and sat back, and said leisurely: "Big brother cries all day long, one day even the emperor can't stand it, Concubine Tong herself doesn't know how to be patient until one day, but as long as there is that day, she will abandon the big brother and hold other children instead, what she said to the emperor that day, did you hear it?" The emperor promised that she could pick one, so why did the eldest brother go to Chengqian Palace for so many days and never have a holy decree to come down, just because she hadn't picked it yet. ”

Lan Qi devoted herself to serving the tea set, and also listened to Rong Guiren's words into her ears one by one, Rong Guiren continued: "We have no way to bring down Concubine Tong, if we want to break her idea of raising a child, we can only make trouble like this." Relying on the fact that the emperor and us still have a little old relationship, relying on her impatience and lack of self-cultivation, she is impulsive at the slightest flirtation, and she also relies on the fact that the two of us are the mothers of the brothers, even if we fight for the future, we can't let her take the child away. ”

The tea in Lan Qi's hand was also completed, and she handed a cup to Rong Guiren, she happened to say that her mouth was dry, she took a sip, there was joy between her eyebrows, a whole cup of tea immediately went down her stomach, and she said with a sigh of relief: "I know you think I am ruthless, using you, and using my own children......" Crystal tears oozed from the corners of her eyes, Rong Guiren wiped them away with a smile, looked at Lan Qi and said, "I have been in this palace for more than ten years, do you think I still have anything I can't let go, in the next few decades, I only have children." ”

Lan Qi didn't drink tea, got up and left the kang, silent with each other, she was blessed and wanted to leave, Rong Guiren asked her if she still had a knot in her heart, she shook her head: "The queen mother said that she doesn't care who is right or wrong, and the concubine now understands that there is no one right or wrong in this matter, thank you for being willing to say what you want to say to the concubine." ”

Rong Guiren said with a smile: "Maybe one day, I don't want to say anything to you in my heart, but today I will keep your cup of tea in my heart." ”

Lan Qi was silent, turned around and was about to leave, Ji Xin outside hurriedly said: "The Empress Dowager flashed her waist in the Buddha Hall, and Mama Su Mala came to find Wu Chang, knowing that she was here, she came directly, Wu Chang was here, please quickly, the people from Cining Palace are still waiting outside." ”

Lan Qi hurriedly ran out, Rong Guiren also asked Ji Xin to help change clothes, Lan Qi went to Cining Palace first, when Rong Guiren followed here, he saw the emperor from a distance, stopped for a while, thought about it or ordered Ji Xin: "Let's go back." ”

In the dormitory of Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was crooked on the bed, Lan Qi knelt on the side of the couch, the Empress Dowager did not let her touch, the two were deadlocked, and it didn't take long for Xuan Ye to come, seeing this scene, he was reprimanded by his grandmother without waiting to speak: "I don't want to see you two, go out quickly." ”

Xuan Ye hurriedly smiled: "Grandmother Huang's words, what did your grandson do to make you angry?" ”

Lan Qi looked up at the emperor, Xuan Ye's gaze also fell on her face, and the scar hidden under the fat powder could be faintly seen on her left cheek, and she was immediately annoyed, but this angry gaze frightened Lan Qi again.

The Empress Dowager saw it in her eyes, reached out and pinched Lan Qi's chin to take a look, and said coldly: "You deserve it." ”

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