Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

When he woke up the next morning, the emperor's silence was as heavy as a mountain, making him breathless.Ruyi got up to cover the button of the dragon robe for him, but with a slight push of his hand, she was pushed far away.Ruyi simply withdrew her hand, and stood aside tenderly.The emperor didn't say a word, and Li Yu and Rong Pei waited on him and went to the court. Ruyi breathed a sigh of relief, relaxed her whole body, and leaned against the bed rail.Rong Pei said in a low voice: "Your Majesty didn't sleep well last night, did you?" Ruyi only said: "Give Ling Yunche some medicinal wine for reducing inflammation and swelling, and rub boiled eggs for him."

Rong Pei said sadly: "The servants have already asked, Ling... Xiao Lingzi refused, he said that only when his face is swollen and injured, the emperor can calm down after seeing it." Ruyi sighed silently, "It's hard for him." She raised her eyes and stared at a butterfly on the top of the tent that was about to fly away. It was so beautiful, but it was dead, and it would never be able to fly. Such days will never end. Sitting in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the emperor approved a stack of papers, and his writing gradually became chaotic.He dropped his pen in discouragement and looked up speechless.

Behind the twelve sapphire arhat screens flashed a group of trains, but it was Yan Wan, who was wearing a red satin gown with silver silk and apricots, meandering out holding a cup of white fungus and ginkgo fruit soup, calling out, "Your Majesty." Her gentle tone, matched with the color of apricot blossoms in the south of the Yangtze River, just soothed the emperor's dry and frizzy mind.He raised his hand and forced a smile, "Yan Wan, you're here." Tingting stood still and said: "The concubine was thinking about the cold weather, and asked someone to choose a goose feather cloak and a fox fur brocade robe for the Chang Zai promises in each palace. Although it is a low position, it is still serving the emperor. If the person is too cold and frozen, how can the concubine feel better."

The emperor shook her hand, "I am very relieved to have you assisting the Sixth Palace. It's just that you treat them so favorably, how can there be enough money in the palace?" Yan Wan pursed her lips and smiled, charmingly, "There are many concubines and concubines, and there are many divisions. In addition, the Queen Mother loves the children, so it is inevitable that there will be some rewards. In fact, what do the children's family use? Where can the concubines save a little money? It turned out to be the face of the sisters." The emperor smiled slightly, "You are gentle and virtuous, and my heart is very comforting."

Yan Wan took two steps back, prostrating lightly like Yang Liu Yiyi, "Your Majesty, my concubines are in charge of the affairs of the palace for the first time, and many things are uncertain. I am afraid that there may be mistakes. Dare to act recklessly." "Brave and decisive, straightforward and unscrupulous? That is of course the empress's advantage." The emperor's smile suddenly disappeared, his expression was very cold, "The empress is not without her advantages, but that advantage is something she already has. When I first saw it I feel amazing, and after getting along for a long time, the amazingness has turned into edges and corners, the flesh is cut, and the blood is dripping, it is really unbearable."

Such a beautiful woman speaks like a spring breeze, "The concubine knows that she was born in a poor family, and her knowledge is vulgar, so she can't be compared with the empress." The emperor looked at it carefully, "Yes. In the beginning, you were indeed not elegant and beautiful, but because of this, all the good things you have today are all because of me. Seeing you blooming in my palm, I am very pleased." His The smile suddenly turned cold, "By the way, there is something I need to tell you. Ling Yunche, I have sent you to Yikun Palace as a prison guard."

The heart skipped a beat suddenly.In the blankness of that moment, who stabbed her hard in the heart, the blade was gone, but there was no blood at all. Obviously, she heard Jin Zhong talk about it.At that time, I already felt that my blood was flowing backwards.But at this moment, when I learned about it again, I didn't want to still be in such pain. A thought flashed through Yan Wan's mind, I would rather him die, I would rather be dead than live like this, humiliated, humble, and tortured by a knife.But when the words came to her lips, she heard her own voice remain undisturbed, "The emperor allowed his life, which is already a mighty grace. Ling Yunche must be devastated in his lifetime to repay the emperor's kindness."

The emperor's thick black eyebrows raised angrily, "Ling Yunche is your fellow countryman after all, and grew up with you. You don't care?" Yan Wan lowered her eyebrows and was pleasing to the eye, her snow-skinned and flowery appearance was still chaste and quiet under the faint smudge of cherry-colored rouge.Even if things in spring are so unstoppable, she is still a peach blossom by her side, simple and gentle, blooming near the water.She was deeply defeated, but her humble and small figure burst out with unshakable strength, "The only man my concubine has cared for all my life, and the emperor is the only one in the world. He is the concubine's son, and when he grows up, he will have his own The way to go, and the concubine is to serve the emperor for the rest of his life."

The emperor stretched out his hand, tightly grasped her slender wrist, and helped her up himself, "Okay. I know what you're thinking." His voice sounded like a hole in it, and it was empty, "So sweet and mellow... , do you believe that Ling Yunche has an affair with the queen?" Yan Wan said timidly: "I don't know. But I think, why did the emperor send Ling Yunche to Yikun Palace as a prison guard? Although his body is not a man, his heart may not change. Put Ling Yunche in Yikun Palace , too much..." She looked up at the emperor timidly, not daring to speak further.

The emperor was stunned, and his eyes were full of emotions for a moment, he waved his hand and said: "I understand." Li Yu said outside: "Your Majesty, my concubine is here." This is an unwritten rule in the palace, in front of Concubine Rong, everyone should stay away.Not for anything else, but for the emperor's passionate love for her in the past. Yan Wan is naturally sensible and hastily leaves. Xiang Jian walked in slowly, as if she hadn't seen Yan Wan.The emperor stood up early, his tone softened seven points, "Xiangjian." With just this soft call, Yan Wan knew that even though she had the dignity of a noble concubine, compared to Xiang Jian, this little concubine, she didn't know how light she was in the emperor's heart.

Yan Wan closed the door and came out, her cheeks were sour and her heart was as hard as iron.Fortunately, fortunately, Xiangjian is barren, otherwise, she would never have a bright future in her whole life. Xiangjian was dressed plainly, without any pearls or emeralds, and only tied up her hair with a piece of sapphire flat square without lines.Standing there quietly, she is a plain white snowflake under the leaden cloud, falling from the sky and gently falling on her eyelashes, she is the most translucent crystal in the dark sky. The emperor swept away his tired look and said happily: "It's rare for you to be willing to come to the Hall of Mental Cultivation." For so many years, Xiangjian has never learned to speak in a roundabout way, she said straightforwardly, "The emperor shouldn't treat the empress like this." The emperor was surprised, "You came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation because of the empress?" Xiang Jian smiled faintly, the smile was fragrant and clean, calm and composed, "Why not?" She kept her face straight, "The emperor shouldn't be suspicious of the queen, and he shouldn't be suspicious of the queen and deal with guard Ling so indiscriminately and severely, let alone the The guard Ling who has been dealt with is sent to serve in the queen's palace." The emperor listened to her blunt words, the skin under his face burned layer by layer, which made him annoyed, "This is not a matter of your inspection. The queen made you unable to have children, and you still speak for her, you..." Seeing that Yingran leaned back, Xiang was expressionless, "That's what the concubine wanted. The emperor didn't want to annoy the concubine, so he just annoyed the queen." The emperor scolded softly, but he really couldn't get angry with her, "Don't let your temper speak nonsense. The empress is very disrespectful towards you, but she is uncontrollable and self-forgetful towards Ling Yunche. If she understands herself Because of his identity, he should personally order Ling Yunche to be executed, put an end to the rumors, and return his innocence." "Then what?" Xiangjian sneered, "The queen's innocence should be based on sacrificing an innocent man, and then she can accompany the emperor with peace of mind, completely forgetting about a human life?" I have been thinking about Han Qi all the time, why have I never been angry or blamed? There is still no conclusion for the queen's crime, so the emperor is so angry and lost his mind?" The emperor flicked his sleeves, "It is reasonable for you to care about the person you have a marriage contract with. The queen married me in the early years, and her mind wandered halfway. It is unforgivable! The queen is the mother of the country, so it is a big insult to my dignity. !" Xiangjian pursed her lips tightly, looked at the emperor thoughtfully, and felt a gentle sadness and pity, "The emperor is so angry, is it for the word 'decency', or for the sake of face? Or is it because you care about the queen and regard the queen as close, so you don't allow others to have admiration?" The emperor turned his back and said coldly, "Nonsense!" Xiangjian smiled lightly and sighed long, "The concubine spends a lot of time with the emperor, and I watched it coldly for a long time. Is it not because the emperor cares about the queen that he violated his own will by being a concubine? ? If it’s someone who has nothing to do with it, it’s enough to punish it severely, so why bother to be estranged? The emperor cares about it, so he minds, minds about an insignificant person.” The emperor stretched out his arms, took Xiangjian into his arms, and said in a low voice: "Don't say it, Xiangjian, don't say it." Her temple hair brushed softly on his cheeks, like spring grass, but was so bleak that he was speechless.It's not that he doesn't know that the woman in his arms, even if she is nestled in his arms, her heart is always a snow lotus on the top of the ice and snow, blooming or withering, has never been far away from him, and has nothing to do with it. He looked up so obsessively, but he understood that no matter how indulgent and indulgent he was, those who stood behind him would never leave. The world is sad and scattered like autumn grass and cold smoke, and the prosperity and decline of each year are in his distant boyhood.But he has always been willing to believe that even though the world is uncertain, he has a loyal Lang, a sincere Ruyi, his wives. But now, Lang's body is already desolate.Ruyi, Ruyi's heart, will she slowly move towards an insignificant, lowly and humble man? He pondered for a long time, letting his thoughts be entangled and pulled continuously. The only thing that can be determined is the verdant years when they were in full bloom.She turned her head under the dense pink cherry blossoms all over the sky, and smiled at him.The boundless pink blooms don't know the shortness of the spring, they bloom unscrupulously, but they are drunk all their lives.But it couldn't stand the wind blowing overnight, and the flowers fell like rain, and the ground was lightly red.How did they know this at that time.All his thoughts were on her when he first met her, and there was still a petal of pink quietly lingering in her lightly curled hair.He couldn't help approaching and called her softly, "Qingying." The gentleness and silent shaking of the past made him feel indescribably sad.After only staying for a moment, he suddenly thought of Ling Yunche's face, that face that he had severely bruised, yet still had such restrained composure.After all, he sent Ling Yunche to the eaves of Yikun Palace.Even his own heart is blurred, what is it for?What exactly do you want to see? The emperor became bored for no reason, this trick was really terrible and extremely boring.His heart was sinking in silence, and he couldn't let his relationship with Ruyi go into a huge and dark darkness.cannot. His mind was heavy, and he turned to resolute.He whispered, as if talking to himself, "Xiangjian, I know what to do." This is a heavy snow that has not been seen in decades, and there are many pieces of broken jade.Even the old palace man who lived half his life rubbed his hands and said, he had never seen such a heavy snow. The field of vision is all white, and countless white snows are pouring down endlessly like cut pieces of white brocade, as if someone's hot tears are frozen in half, but they can't stop dripping. One day, a foot-thick snow had accumulated on the ground, and the entire Forbidden City was already covered in silver. In order to dispel the suffocating whiteness, the red palace lanterns were lit early, and swayed in the corridors and courtyards with the wind. Huge orange-red shadows are cast in the silvery white of the ground, jumping off and small, bringing a little bit of warmth and peace of mind for a while. Ling Yunche was very quiet, and all the kung fu in the hall was given to the Three Jewels to take care of him.He only guarded outside the hall, keeping a deliberate distance from Ruyi, adhering to the standard of dignity, impeccable.The only thing that matters is that no matter how cold the weather is or how heavy the snow is, he will go to the imperial garden to gather fresh wintersweet flowers and put them in the white porcelain vase with broken patterns. There is a faint fragrance.Ling Yunche completely regards this as a major event, he is meticulous and does not allow others to intervene. Even Rong Pei sighed in private, "Ling Yunche is still so strict after being humiliated, it is really protecting the empress." Ruyi sat there, looking at the gold-carved armor on her ring finger, which was inlaid with five-petal coral beads of plum blossoms. They were red corals tributed by Tantra, plump and oily, and as red as blood.Heh, it's really like blood. After watching for a long time, the blood seems to seep into the eyes, which makes people feel uneasy.She stroked the half-worn silver mink muff with fever inside and out, and said hesitantly: "Rong Pei, do you think this matter is over here?" Rong Pei took a deep breath, stared and said: "Ling Yunche has become... Eunuch, isn't it over?" Ruyi shook her head, "I don't know either." She listened to the rustling sound of the hard snow hitting the eaves, "By the way, it's snowing so heavily, do you remember to give the palace a lot of people?" Add some clothes. Also, in Yongzheng's room..." She sighed, "Fortunately, Yongzheng has stayed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for the past few days. If he comes back and sees that Ling Yunche has become a father-in-law, how will I explain it?" However, Yongzhen did not see Ling Yunche again. After two days of heavy snow, it finally cleared up.The emperor came to Yikun Palace as usual. He sipped tea for a while, then glanced at Ling Yunche standing outside the main hall, and said to Ruyi, "I have something to tell you. It's clean, you have to check carefully." He spoke slowly, as if it were an unimportant matter.Ruyi's eyes flickered, "Who is the emperor referring to?" The emperor sniffed the tea lightly and said, "Ling Yunche." Sure enough, it was him. The expected misfortune came earlier, Ruyi's heart had already fallen, but her tone was calm, she still lowered her head to embroider a tulip-colored flower seed purse for Hailan, and the sea-blue silk thread was continuously embroidered Lan Xuan Wangyou's pattern, "What's so great that the emperor wants to ask the emperor himself?" The emperor leisurely put down the fat jade Kuilong teacup in his hand, "Ling Yunche stole one of my treasures from Yikun Palace, and immediately sent him to the Punishment Department. If he can't be interrogated, he will not be spared lightly." He held up Ruyi chin, "So calm, don't you beg me for mercy?" Ruyi glanced at him coldly, "The emperor believes that he is at fault, so what's the use of others asking for mercy? It's just that the concubine doesn't know himself, and the emperor has big thoughts, so how can he refuse to let go of the mustard?" "It's fine for a person to travel thousands of miles on a smooth journey, but if the stones in the shoes are not removed, they will hurt themselves. I don't feel at ease if such a person stays in your palace." He called, "Come here!" Jin Zhong resoundingly agreed to come in, "Your Majesty, the servant is here." The emperor said indifferently: "Put Ling Yunche, the eunuch of Yikun Palace, into the Punishment Division for careful interrogation, until the truth must be revealed." Ruyi sat upright on her seat, watching everyone drag Ling Yunche out who did not resist.She saw his last eyes, so calm, like a pool of stagnant water, so calm and chilling. Ruyi said slowly: "Does the emperor not care about wronging someone, or do you still think that true or false is not important at all?" The emperor's eyes fixed on Ruyi, and there was a piercing cold light in those soft rippling eyes, like the plain snow outside the palace.After a while, he sighed softly, "I really want to know whether it's true or not. Empress, how about you?" There is no truth in this world.All the truth, only cares about the emperor's thought, even life and death, misfortune and fortune. No one can be by himself, no one can dominate himself. It's crazy that everyone lives like this, hustle and bustle, in a daze.It's crazy.The entire Forbidden City is full of carnival and crying of a group of lunatics. Thinking of this, she suddenly laughed out loud, crisp and cold, the crispness of ice beads falling on a solid rock. The emperor looked at her strangely, "You are really crazy." Ruyi smiled for a moment, pointed the silver needle at the light, and slowly continued to embroider the pattern in her hand, even the emperor left without getting up to see her off. In the hall, there is only a wisp of plum fragrance, which is faint and moving.Ruyi didn't realize when the silver needle pierced into the flesh, and dark red blood leaked out. It's cold outside the hall, and inside the hall there are earth dragons and braziers.No one in the palace had gone anywhere, only Rong Pei was squatting on the ground in the Nuan Pavilion, poking the dying coals in the brazier with fire chopsticks.She gestured lightly, watching the red stars on the charcoal fire gradually fade into dark silver ashes, and a few scarlet sparks emerged. The capital is extremely cold, but it has never been as cold as it is today.The snow melted and fell again, over and over again, one layer of coldness covered another layer, freezing the inside and outside of the Forbidden City thoroughly.The snow outside the window was a little anxious.Knock on the frozen tile eaves, making a slight "sizzling" sound.Although the voice was soft, it was chaotic and noisy, rustling and disturbing.Ruyi's brows were a little sad, and she was fascinated by the falling voices. Rong Pei removed the charcoal and cleaned his hands, and brought a bowl of simmering millet and potato soup, "Although the weather is warm and the heart is cold, don't be discouraged, my lady." Ruyi took it and tasted it, it was warm and warm. Sweets give people a little relaxation power in loneliness and misery.Unfortunately, she has no appetite. Rong Pei didn't try to persuade her much, but said: "The Ministry of Internal Affairs has sent a lot of people from the palace to leave these days, saying that they are not good at serving the empress, but they don't say when they will come again." She glanced at Ruyi, "The Ministry of Internal Affairs dare not do this, probably because of the emperor's will." Ruyi said slowly: "The emperor originally wanted the palace to be quiet, so it would be better if there were fewer people. Let him do what the emperor wants." Although her tone was casual, she still had too much resentment.Rong Pei knew that Yu Ruyi was hurt too deeply by this matter, and she couldn't let go of it.And after that day, there was no news about Ling Yunche, and the Department of Punishment and Punishment kept everything under wraps, no one could find out anything. Ruyi fiddled with the beeswax amber bonsai on the table in front of the window, which was bright yellow like ordinary, moist and fresh.It was sent by Hai Lan, telling her that beeswax can calm the mind and calm the mind, calm the pain and calm the shock. Is her shock and pain still less?No matter how good the beeswax is, it is just a foreign object, just for comfort. Faintly heard the rustling of the soft curtain, she didn't need to guess, she knew who was coming. Since the emperor left that day, the only concubine willing to visit her was Hailan.However, she didn't know how to answer Hailan's questioning and concerned gaze. Fortunately, Hailan didn't ask too many questions. Ruyi raised her head when she heard the sound, and indeed it was Hailan who came in.Ye Xin helped Hailan untie the apricot green feather forged big fur cloak, and Hailan greeted her with a smile, "Yong Qi and him, Fujin, sent a lot of mansion-made dim sum, which are better than the new ones in the palace, and not so sweet. , so I brought it to my sister to taste." Ruyi was restless, "Yongqi has a heart, and always sends things." Hailan was relieved, "The children we have taught carefully, who know the way to advance and retreat, will surely excel in the blue." Ruyi glanced at her, "Do you think that as an elder, I am not as good at advancing and retreating as the younger generation?" Hailan picked up the purse in Ruyi's hand, and since Ling Yunche left, Ruyi has no intention of embroidering it again.How to proceed?Lan Xuan forgets her worries, she is deeply in sorrow and doesn't know how to get out.Hailan lowered her head and said: "The emperor is determined to deal with Ling Yunche, if my sister just ignores it, maybe she can't relieve the emperor's suspicion." "It shouldn't be his fault, and it shouldn't be his responsibility. Besides, the emperor won't stop here, he will definitely let Ling Yunche die. He will definitely." Hailan's tone was heavy and frosty, "If you die, you will die. What does it have to do with my sister? But it's not enough for my sister to just stand by and watch. The best way to get out of the predicament and keep safe is for my sister to help me out." Let Ling Yunche die." Ruyi's eyes jumped, and she could hardly control her emotions, "I can't do it. You also know that even if I do this, it's just a temporary guarantee. I don't know when, for what reason, the emperor wants to Suspicion! The frenzy is coming one after another, and I can't stand it anymore." Hailan stared at her, held her hand firmly, and said resolutely: "Sister, I have to bear it if I can't stand it. It's like I can't walk anymore, and I have to keep climbing. Sister, we have endured for so many years, You can't give up halfway, let alone influence your future for an irrelevant man." Ruyi shouted frantically, she tried her best to restrain her voice, as if she could restrain the pain in her heart, "Enough is enough! Enough is enough! Ling Yunche made a big mistake, the emperor wants to punish him The castration caused him great shame and humiliation, so he still has to take his life?" "Ling Yunche is not wrong, and my sister is not wrong. But as long as the emperor thinks that you are wrong, you are wrong, and you are wrong if you are not wrong. But then again, it is easy to guess what the emperor is thinking. Ling Yunche took care of his sister and compared him. Husband’s indifference. Ling Yunche’s consolation to his sister shows his ruthlessness as a husband. No one can compare, and it’s not obvious that he is ruthless, but someone can compare him. How can the emperor bear it?” Hailan shook her head regretfully Can't stop, "Ling Yunche, it's really pitiful." "Poor?" Ruyi smiled disappointedly, "Hailan, these days, I always dream about those people who died, Fucha Langyu, Gao Xiyue, Jin Yuyan, Bai Ruixie. Those who fought with us all their lives, Those who have fought to their death are just poor people. But who will take pity on them, and who will take pity on us?" Hailan clearly felt a bit sad, but she refused to show weakness at all, "If you say that you are pitiful, who is not pitiful? Who told you that we were born here. Sister, if you pity him, then you will only be more pitiful than him. So, It would be best for my sister to order Ling Yunche to be killed." Deep in her body, there was some kind of unknown pain that tore her violently.Ruyi's hand trembled, she pushed Hailan's hand away, and said coldly, "I won't do this." She took a deep breath, "Ling Yunche is a good person." Hailan's voice was sharp and sharp, like bright blue lightning piercing the sky, "Ling Yunche is very good. If my sister does not enter the palace, if she is not the queen, and marry such a husband, although the lintel is lower, but in this life It's not in vain! But the world cannot be reversed, since my sister is the queen, she has to protect herself and sacrifice others!" Ruyi watched her uncontrollable excitement, and suddenly understood something, she gradually weakened, and murmured, "Hai Lan, when will we be like people outside the palace, ordinary, ordinary, but normal. No In this place, it's crazy day in and day out." Hailan choked up silently, approached Ruyi, and stroked her hair.Ruyi's hair bun is embellished with Biyao Yao Leizhu Huadian.A pair of small and exquisite mandarin ducks are carved on the blue color with appropriate shades, intertwined necks, intimate and intimate, even the tail feathers are clearly visible.She hugged Ruyi halfway, and suddenly remembered a poem she heard somewhere. When the dusk is still known, mandarin ducks don't stay alone. She looked at Ruyi in her arms with compassion, and her mind was as firm as a rock.