Chapter 42 Chapter Forty-One

The emperor sent people back to Beijing to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager every day. The one who sent back this day was Aji, the imperial bodyguard.But seeing all the way in from outside the Chuihua Gate, there are court ladies and eunuchs standing in class. He is a bodyguard and cannot enter the inner palace.Passed it in, and after a long time, I saw Yingmao, who was beside the Queen Mother, come out to accept the paperwork, he kowtowed and just left the Chuihua Gate.From a distance, I saw a few people coming in a sedan chair, hurriedly avoiding the side, lowered their hands, and waited for the sedan chair to pass, then got up and left.

Concubine Tong was supported by the maid and got out of the sedan chair. Someone had already opened the curtains. She knew that the Empress Dowager was lying in the warm pavilion with nothing to do, so she helped the maid and slowly entered the warm pavilion. smoking hookah.She asked to go down, the queen mother sighed and said: "Get up." She couldn't help coughing repeatedly before she thanked her, so the queen mother hurriedly ordered someone to sit down.Concubine Tong knew the reason why the Empress Dowager called her to come here, she took a breath and said: "Because I have been unwell for several days, I didn't struggle to come here to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager, please forgive me."

The empress dowager put down the cigarette bag, and a lady in the palace brought tea, but the empress dowager didn't pick it up, she just frowned slightly and said, "I know that you have been in trouble all the time, and there are many things in the harem. Erniang knows that you are Intentional and powerless." After a pause, he asked, "What's going on with the matter of painting beads?" Seeing her questioning, Concubine Tong could only say: "Sister An is responsible for this matter, and I only know that it is the court lady next to Ning Guiren who pleaded guilty." Seeing that she didn't know the beginning and the end, the queen mother turned her face to Nanny Ying and said: "Send someone to call Concubine An." Concubine Tong was lingering on the sick bed, Concubine An and Concubine De were in Yonghe Palace every day to deal with the affairs of the Six Palaces, when they heard the Queen Mother's summons, Concubine An and Concubine De came together.After the two had met, the Queen Mother asked Concubine An: "I heard that Ning Gui asked you to be locked up. What's going on?"

Concubine An respectfully said: "If you go back to the Queen Mother, Lady Ning's maid, Xiao Jier, came to see me this morning with a box of things. I was taken aback at that time, and I asked the Queen Mother to take a look." She came prepared , with a brief gesture, the maid beside her presented a mahogany box.Mammy Ying took it and opened it, and inside were four paper twisted little ghosts with green faces and fangs, and another small mahogany man with several bright silver needles on his body. On the mahogany man's mouth, there was a birthday character written in cinnabar. "Jiawu, Wuchen, Wushen, Wuwu", the queen mother only felt her temples throbbing wildly, and she was speechless for a long time.

An Pin said: "This kind of nightmare witchcraft has always been disgusted by the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. Ning Guiren has always been a member of the holy family, but he never thought that he dared to curse the emperor. After discussing with Concubine Rong, Concubine De, Concubine Yi, and Concubine Duan, they reported back to the imperial concubine before ordering someone to take care of her temporarily. I am about to ask the Empress Dowager to show me how to deal with it." The warm pavilion was extremely quiet, only the sound of lingling dripping from the copper leak was heard.Concubine Tong Guifei sat in front of the Empress Dowager, only hearing her shortness of breath, staring at herself, and hurriedly said: "Don't be angry, Empress Dowager, your body is important." Concubine An also said: "The Empress Dowager doesn't have to do this for such an ungrateful person. Little man, I am so angry that I broke my bones."

The queen mother did not speak for a long time, and finally asked: "How do you plan to deal with it?" An Pin said: "It's a very important matter, and I have to ask the Queen Mother to show it. However, the ancestor's family law uses the technique of nightmares to confuse the harem..." After a short pause, he said: "It is not allowed to stay. Whether or not the relatives are punished depends on it. The Empress Dowager's grace." Cursing the emperor is a heinous crime, and it should be punished by death penalty according to the law, and the nine clans will be punished.The Empress Dowager felt irritated and inexplicable, and said: "Human life is at stake, this matter will be discussed after the emperor returns to the palace."

When De Concubine heard that someone's life was about to be killed, she was already worried, and said: "What the emperor's mother said is that the matter is of great importance, and it will only be released after the emperor returns to the palace and asks for the imperial edict." Concubine An couldn't help but glanced at Concubine De, pursed her lips and smiled, and said: "Sister De has a kind heart, but Ning Guiren dared to curse the emperor, heinous crimes. My sister's words like this seem to be a bit of protection." The queen mother said coldly: "The emperor has always loved the nobleman of Chongning. When he comes back and asks the ins and outs, it will not be too late for you to talk about the family law of your ancestors."

Concubine An said: "The emperor has always been strict and strict in dealing with affairs, and has never been selfish and partial. According to the humble opinion of my ministers and concubines, if I guess the holy will, I will also act in accordance with the family law of the ancestors." The voice fell, and there was only a "bang", but it was the queen mother who The tea bowl in his hand was placed heavily on the Kang table.Intimidating Concubine Tong to stand up quickly, Mammy Ying hurriedly said: "Queen Dowager, Ning Guiren has owed the emperor's kindness, it is really abominable, don't get angry." After being reminded by her, the Queen Mother said slowly: "In short Let’s wait for the emperor to come back and talk about it.”

Concubine Tong replied "Yes" respectfully, she is the vice queen with the highest status, although she is ill, but she is still acting as agent for the affairs of the Six Palaces in name, since she complies with Yi's order, Concubine An and Concubine De have to remain silent. The emperor returned to the palace half a month later, first called the courtiers to see him, dealt with the affairs of the court briefly, then went to the Palace of Compassion and Peace to greet the Empress Dowager, had dinner in the Palace of Compassion and Peace before going to greet the Queen Mother.When they arrived at the gate of the palace, Nanny Ying had led people out to welcome her. She was an old nanny for many years. Seeing her, she only asked for a double security, and whispered: "Long live, the Queen Mother has always said that her heart hurts, and she is crooked now." .”

The emperor hesitated for a moment, and said: "Then I will come back tomorrow to greet the queen mother." He only heard the voice of the queen mother in the warm pavilion and asked: "Is the emperor outside? Come in quickly." The emperor replied: "It is my son." Entered the warm pavilion , I saw the empress dowager leaning on the big pillow, her face was not sick, seeing him, she smiled and asked: "You are back." "The empress dowager violated the agreement, so my son will order someone to teach the imperial physician." The empress dowager said: "It's just that I am a little impatient, and it will be fine after a while. There is something that makes me angry when I think about it—that's your beloved."

When the emperor heard her talking about his beloved, his heart skipped a beat, and he said with a smile: "Mother Huang, among the six palaces, the sons always treat each other equally, and he feels that he is not partial." The Empress Dowager felt a little disappointed, and said: "Even you say that? Then the child Huazhu can't be saved?" When the emperor heard her mention Huazhu, he realized that he was wrong, and he couldn't help letting go of his heart.Immediately asked: "What's the matter with Ning Gui?" The Queen Mother ordered Ying Nam: "Tell you, Long Live Lord." Whoever does this nightmare curse can be punished. I ask myself that the six palaces are not treated poorly, regardless of monarchs and ministers, only husband and wife, how can there be a wife and concubine who curses their own husbands? There must be some evils in love." The Empress Dowager didn't think about it, she was taken aback when she heard what he said.The emperor said: "My son will order Tong Jia to investigate clearly, and then report to the Queen Mother." The emperor has always acted swiftly and simply. After coming out of the Queen Mother's Palace, he drove to Jingren Palace.Concubine Tong Gui was seriously ill, so she reluctantly came out to pick her up.Seeing that she was so weak, the emperor felt sorry for her.Said: "You should still lean, don't force yourself to set the rules." Concubine Tong thanked her, but after all she was only half leaning and half sitting. , reported the nightmare matter in detail, and said: "How to deal with it, please show the emperor." After a moment of hesitation, he said: "What the empress dowager means, Mr. Ning Gui has always been loved by the emperor..." The emperor said: "The state owns the state law, and the family has the family rules. Among the six palaces, which one of you do not love?" How can a heart of resentment come up with the meaning of the nightmare curse?" Concubine Tong knew that the emperor was thoughtful and would definitely become suspicious, so she immediately said: "My concubine also thinks the same way, the emperor treats Ning nobles with deep affection, and she actually disregards the grace of heaven, It is really incomprehensible to do such a rebellious and immoral thing." The emperor said: "The court lady who came out of the head, you order someone to interrogate her carefully." Concubine Tong was afraid that the emperor would be suspicious, so she immediately ordered someone to pass on the maid Xiao Jier, and told the nurses around her in a stern tone: "This matter is of great importance, you should torture her carefully, if she is even slightly vague, pass on the stick. Don't ask me to understand, and you don't have to come to see me." She has always been gentle with her servants, such a harsh warning is unprecedented, and the nuns are all terrified, and they respond repeatedly. Those exquisite nuns, who specialize in trivial matters in the six palaces on weekdays, are the most shrewd and capable, not inferior to the punishment names of the outer dynasty.Strict interrogation overnight, until noon of the second day, Fang asked the clue.Concubine Tong Guifei read the confession confession, she couldn't change her breath, and coughed urgently.The maids hurriedly came up to wait on her, and she managed to stay still for a while, she gasped slightly: "I...I will go to Qianqing Palace to meet the emperor." The emperor was not in the Qianqing Palace, and went directly to the Compassionate Ning Palace after his next court.Concubine Tong Gui had no choice but to go to the Palace of Compassion and Ning, and got off the sedan chair. Cui Bangji had already led people out to greet Concubine Tong, and said in a low voice: "It's unfortunate that your master came, the Empress Dowager is taking a nap at noon. What?" Concubine Tong could not help but stop, and asked: "What about the emperor?" Cui Bangji was stunned for a moment, and immediately smiled and said, "Long live Lord is reading the scriptures in Dongtou Nuan Pavilion." Tong Guifei went to Dongnuan Pavilion, Cui Bangji But he took a step forward and said loudly outside the threshold: "Long Live Lord, your master has come to greet you." Then the curtain was opened. Lin Lang was copying the "Diamond Sutra" before the big case, and when she heard Cui Bangji's biography, she hurriedly put down her pen and came forward to greet Concubine Tong Gui first.Concubine Tong Gui didn't want to see her here, but it was unexpected, so she didn't have time to think about it.The emperor was sitting on the kang at the west end to read the booklet. When he saw her coming in, the emperor fell down on the kang and gave her a hand, and said, "Since you are sick, you can just send someone back and forth if you need anything. Why bother to come here?" .” Concubine Tong Guifei saw this situation when she first entered the Nuan Pavilion, although she saw that the emperor and Lin Lang were more than ten feet apart, the situation was just like an ordinary couple, and it didn't make people feel that it was in the way of the palace rules.She couldn't help feeling complicated feelings in her heart, hearing the emperor's words, her eyes turned hot.Relying on her status, she tried her best to remain calm, and said: "There is another story about the Nightmare, and my concubine dare not be presumptuous, so I report to the emperor back and forth." She glanced at Linlang again, and saw her standing under the window with her head drooping slightly.The window screen is bright and sees through the spring, and it is reflected on Lin Lang's face. Although it is not gorgeous, it is kind of demure and gentle, faintly like the brilliance of beautiful jade.He only heard the emperor say: "Sit down and talk first." He turned to Lin Lang and said, "Go and make tea." Concubine Tong Gui and him are relatives of the middle cousin, and now the position of the middle palace is vacant. Although the emperor has no intention of becoming an empress, he has always taken special care of her and respects her as a guest on weekdays. When she arrived at this time, she faintly felt that the emperor treated her even though It is respect, but there is always a layer of separation in this respect.Listening to him casually calling Lin Lang to pour tea, he suddenly felt that in this warm pavilion, Chang Zai, who was of low status, seemed to be closer to the emperor than himself, a noble concubine, while he seemed like a guest, feeling lost in his heart.