Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Locking the Heavy Door

The days gradually turned into a well. When I looked up, I could see the clear blue sky above the courtyard, but I couldn't get out.The outside of Yikun Palace is always surprisingly quiet, anyone who walks by will slow down unconsciously, for fear of being contaminated by something ominous.All people and things have changed direction, only the wind wandering in the palace alleys will not, it will still faithfully transmit the sound of silk and bamboo laughter in the palace garden in a quiet night.Chaoxuan stringed pipe, Mu Lie shengpa, that is another level of prosperity, which has nothing to do with her.

In Yongye, she seldom fell asleep peacefully, nor did she shed tears very much.About this life, I have been sad too much for unworthy people and unworthy things, so that I was late to be sad, but I didn't know how to cry. She just kept thinking about it, thinking about Yongzheng, Hailan, Yongqi and Xinxin.There is no one else in the family, and the relatives of the Ulanara family are all distant relatives, and Er Niang and her brothers have passed away one after another.She truly became a homeless person.And this lonely palace that allowed him to survive for a lifetime, how can it be regarded as his home?

Unknowingly, she developed a symptom, at first it was just itchy voice, restless dreams, often dreaming of the dead, gradually palpitations, coughing, and occasional bloodstains.After finally getting the imperial physician to come in, Jiang and Bin felt astonished as soon as they got on the pulse. Seeing him like this, she already knew it was not good, so she calmly said: "You say so." Jiang Yubin's eyes turned red, "It's tuberculosis, and the symptoms are already deep. I'm afraid it's..." Ruyi smiled, "You don't need to tell people, it will take a long time." She turned to worry, "Yong Qi has an old disease, which you are good at curing, and I don't know what's wrong with him."

Jiang Yubin hesitated to speak, "Fifth elder brother is an auspicious person, and there is no shortage of famous doctors around him. The empress still cares about herself." How to take care of it?The supply of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been intermittent for a long time, Zhou Quan of Four Seasons Clothes is based on old clothes, or the Empress Dowager is thinking about it and sends someone to pass something in.Fortunately, Rong Pei was strong by nature, and tried her best to subdue everything.But there are two things that have never been broken. I probably know that Ruyi's plain clothes and simple topknot every day, and meditation in front of the Buddhist altar are also regarded as a way of repentance.Every three days, there must be fresh flowers sent to the Buddha. Magnolia in spring, white lotus in summer, chrysanthemum in autumn, and plum blossom in winter. Live angry.The other is hawthorn incense, although it is not the most expensive kind, but it is also clean and smoke-free, and it must be sent in every middle of the month.Therefore, in front of the altar, a celadon censer was placed in the center of the red sandalwood carved passionflower flowing cloud pattern flat-headed table, and a pair of azure jade bottles were placed on the left and right, offering flowers for the four seasons.

This kind of care is only because of Yong Qi's concern.He was deeply loved by the emperor, and in November of the 30th year, he was named Prince Rong.Among the emperor's sons, only Yongqi was the first to be named prince, and the emperor placed great expectations on her.With such a situation, even ascending to the position of prince is just around the corner. Such honor, favor and deep kindness, even if they are locked in Yikun Palace, they can still find out a thing or two from the sound of joy.Lingzhi wept with joy, "If the fifth elder brother inherits the throne, there is hope for the empress to leave here." She broke her fingers, "The fifth elder brother is quite filial, if he is willing to respect the empress, in the future, the empress can still be the empress dowager Woolen cloth."

But Rong Pei shook her head, "Lingzhi, don't talk nonsense and bring trouble for your empress." She changed the water and carefully offered the newly delivered white chrysanthemum.The fragrance of the chrysanthemums is sweet, with a hint of bitterness.She was faintly worried, "Your Majesty, if the fifth elder brother cares about you as before, then it must be the fifth elder brother who can send you for daily use, not the queen mother who doesn't care about the affairs of the palace now." Ruyi turned a page of scriptures to the sunlight, stopped and said, "If you want to say something, just say it."

Rong Pei said: "Your Majesty, the fifth elder brother sent flowers and sandalwood, which shows that he is capable of taking care of your daily life. But he avoided it and chose the lesser, probably because sending flowers and sandalwood can make the empress concentrate on worshiping the Buddha, Express your attitude to the emperor again." Ruyi said: "Such a compromise is the best of both worlds." Rong Pei said: "It's the best of both worlds. It not only has a little filial piety, but also let the emperor know that he praised the empress for her quiet thoughts."

Ruyi raised her eyes, "Rong Pei, don't say anything about Yongqi again. He has struggled since he was a child, and he has worked so hard to gain the respect of the emperor and be honored as the prince." Ruyi smiled gratifiedly, "I am the emperor. Damn, I feel happy when I think about it. If you implicate him because of me, then absolutely not." Rong Pei didn't dare to say anything more, but her complaints were not meaningless.It was cold and freezing in December, and the charcoal fires sent by the Empress Dowager were not many, and they were not continuous. They could only light a small brazier every day, even if they wrapped themselves in big woolen clothes, they could not drive away the severe cold at all. .Rong Pei and Lingzhi had to work hard, boiling hot water to pour Tang Pozi, and the three of them sat around, shivering with cold.Compared with summer, this is not bad.Because of the extreme heat in central Beijing, there is no ice offering or wormwood smoking room in the halls. The heat is so hot that prickly heat is everywhere and mosquitoes are buzzing.The prickly heat is easy to stand out, but it is worn out through the clothes and sweat, it is really painful.Thinking about it this way, you can still add clothes in winter, but you can't peel your skin in summer.

On the other hand, Ling Zhi came up to make fun of it with a smile, "The emperor named fifth elder brother as Prince Rong. It's a glorious title. It's such a good title." Ruyi was about to laugh, but there was a thump in her heart, feeling inexplicably ominous, and the smile froze on her face. Prince Rong, Prince Rong, this title is so familiar.She was startled suddenly. The fourth elder brother who was born to Emperor Shunzhi's noble concubine Dong E was deeply honored and favored. Lord Shunzhi wanted to make him the crown prince, and first named him Prince Rong.Ah, that child died in infancy after being crowned prince.

Various memories flooded her, making her heart jump with fear. As soon as she let go of her hand, the Buddhist beads jumped out of her fingers and scattered all over the ground.She hastily suppressed her distracting thoughts, fell on the ground and picked up the scattered beads one by one, and said, "Rong Pei, go light the sandalwood, I want to pray for Yong Qi." In the first month of the thirty-first year, the offering of fragrant flowers and sandalwood stopped.Ruyi was deeply disturbed, so it was Rong Pei who asked the guards guarding the gate, only to find out that Prince Rong Yongqi had an old illness and couldn't care about it anymore.

Ruyi suddenly stood up, and said eagerly towards the door: "Tell Concubine Yu, tell Prince Rong, ask imperial doctor Jiang Yubin to see it, hurry up! Jiang Yubin is proficient in this way, he can heal Prince Rong well." There was no news about his departure, but after two months, the door of Yikun Palace opened.Lingzhi panicked, thinking that bad luck had come to Yikun Palace again.And they really couldn't bear anything anymore.It was Jinbao and Ye Xin who was beside Hailan who came in. Ye Xin burst into tears, "Mother, the young master passed out from grief. Prince Rong...Prince Rong is about to die." Jinbao said from the side: "Prince Rong is already seriously ill, Concubine Yu cried and begged the emperor for a long time before the emperor allowed the empress to see Prince Rong for the last time." Ruyi only felt that her feet were weak and she almost fell down. She cried out, "How could it be? How could it be? Yongqi is still so young..." The bottom of her heart seemed to be scratched by a steel knife, her tongue became knotted, and she couldn't even speak a complete sentence. Fortunately, the sedan chair had already been prepared, Jin Bao and Ye Xin half-supported and half-supported her up, and rushed to Chonghua Palace.Ruyi was in a state of anxiety, the familiar red walls and verdant greenery outside the sedan chair, and the Jade Palace in Qionglin became reflections in the running water, passing by in a hurry. Because Yongqi was seriously ill, she moved into Chonghua Palace in the first month.When the emperor was a prince, he lived in Yuqing Palace and moved here after marriage.Since the emperor ascended the throne, it was promoted to a palace as the place of Zhaoxiang and named Chonghua.The emperor placed Yongqi here to recuperate from his illness. Firstly, it was convenient for his birth mother Concubine Yu to take care of her. Secondly, it also showed that the emperor attached great importance to Yongqi. Ruyi walked into the West Hall in a sad and anxious manner, and Yong Qi was pinned on the bed, already skinny and unconscious.There is a strong smell of rotting muscles in the temple, mixed with the smell of pus and blood and the smell of herbs, which is overwhelming.The concubine who is still serving is obedient, and burns the incense finely, wisps of it, into the heart.The curtains are drooping, and the spring cold invades people.Amidst the tears, she was suddenly still a handsome and handsome young man who called her "Emperor Mother". Ruyi's tears fell, and she grabbed Yongqi's hand. - I haven't seen you for a year, I don't want him to be so thin.The imperial physicians have already retired, only one concubine who has been serving Yongqi is still around to take care of her.Ruyi saw that she was beautiful and attractive, and I felt pity for her, so I couldn't help but take another look, and asked, "Why is Yongqi here?" The concubine knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, I don't know. The fifth master has always been strong and refused to be left behind. In order to share the emperor's worries and manage the state affairs, he often spends night and day without sleeping. Since he got gangrene, he is afraid of delaying state affairs. I have been reluctant to speak out in pain, or I have asked the imperial physician to prescribe some sloppy prescriptions to deal with it, so that the poisonous gas is deep, agglomerated in the bones, the flesh rots and the bones decay, festers and drips, and eventually the blood is exhausted." Ruyi reprimanded: "Since you are still staying by Yongqi's side at this time, you must be favored on a daily basis. Since the prince is seriously ill, why didn't you tell Fujin, report to Concubine Yu, and ask the imperial doctor to treat her well. I also told Concubine Stealing , Jiang and Binsu from Tai Hospital are good at this, why don't you invite them?" The woman covered her sleeves in panic, "Doctor Jiang? What doctor Jiang? I've never heard of it before." She smiled sadly, with a strange look on her face, "This is fate! Madam, this is all fate! The sins I have done are here, and I can't repay them." It’s really pitiful to realize that I’m repaying my children.” She smiled foolishly, looking crazy, and the maid next to her hurriedly stopped her, “Yun Gege, don’t be so sad and talk nonsense,” she said, half pulling and half He dragged her out. Ruyi looked at Yongqi, her cheekbones were protruding, her complexion was red and yellow, she was thin and out of shape.She felt great grief in her heart, and she didn't know when Yong Qi would wake up, so she couldn't help feeling sad, and tears fell down her cheeks. Yongqi grasped her hand vaguely in a daze, and shouted: "Er Niang! Er Niang! I'm sorry for the Queen's Er Niang..." Ruyi was in so much pain that she said in a miserable voice, "Yongqi! The empress's mother is here, Yongqi!" With blue veins popping out on Yongqi's forehead, she shook her head desperately and opened her eyes with difficulty.He fixed his eyes on Ruyi, first panicked, then ashamed, covered his face and said: "Mother Huang, you are the one who came to see me." Ruyi was full of pain, and cried, "Silly boy, why are you so strong and avoiding medical treatment? If I had invited Doctor Jiang to see me earlier, I wouldn't have been like this." A whirl of fireworks suddenly lit up in Yongqi's eyes, and he was in unbearable pain, "Emperor Niang, I didn't listen to you." A tear dripped from the corner of his eye, "Emperor Niang, I know I was wrong, I I really got it wrong." Ruyi held his hand and said softly: "Good boy, you were brought up by the queen's mother alone, you and my mother, how can you be wrong?" Yongqi burst into tears, "The reason why I have come down to this day is because I was too strong and refused to listen to what Huang Erniang said, using Jiang and Bin to heal me, so that I couldn't recover. I don't believe in Huang Erniang, it is my biggest mistake." Wrong place." When the concubine left, the concubine added probably Suhexiang, the fragrance was strong and long-lasting, and it had the effect of fragrance and detoxification.Cigarettes are curling up, bursting out from the furnace of hibiscus, emerald green leaves and white jade.The aroma was too gloomy, mixed with the smell of medicine, making people dizzy. She gradually recalled that ever since Yongzheng grew up, ever since Yongzheng was taught by the emperor himself, the way Yongqi looked at her was no longer as clear as when she was a child.Was she negligent, or did she believe too much in the former mother-child relationship.She has been avoiding, avoiding some kind of undercurrent possibility with Yong Qi. Yongqi's face was full of tears, "Emperor Niang, I know Erniang hurt your heart. She killed Ling Yunche in your name, so you are not as close to her as before. Ling Yunche is your heart knot. Son also I know, if Erniang and Huangerniang hadn’t been on good terms, the son wouldn’t be able to be raised under your knees, and he would be regarded as a descendant.” He muttered, looking at the picture of a hundred bats shining in spring embroidered on the azure blue tent, which was the most auspicious. The tricks, to please the good mouth.The gorgeous and bustling tuanhua is embroidered with dense colored threads, which is more dazzling than Yongqi's withered yellow fatigue.Ruyi only felt her temples twitching and felt a little dizzy, while Yong Qi was still talking, "Emperor Niang, I understand best, I'm just a bastard, if it wasn't for the fact that the eldest brother and the second brother died young, and the third and fourth brothers were mediocre, Huang Ama's eyes can't see me at all. On another level, I still took advantage of Yongzheng. Although he is a legitimate son, he is not as noble as Yonglian and Yongcong, and he is also younger. If he is older, Huang Ama Then Ma will make him the crown prince, so how can I still have a glimmer of hope?" Ruyi's tongue became numb, "So, for the sake of being the crown prince, you feared Yongzheng and alienated me?" "Emperor Niang, I have to be afraid. I'm just a concubine. Even if I'm raised under your knees, I can't compare to Yongzheng. I also know that Yongzheng is not as smart as I was when I was young, but he is a concubine after all. Empress Niang... The flames in his eyes gradually cooled down, and there was endless hesitation and bewilderment in his sadness, like a lost child, "I know I did something wrong, the empress was trapped in the Xiangkun Palace, and I didn't have enough food and clothing, and I didn't try my best to take care of her. I only dared to send fragrant flowers and sandalwood to express my concern, and expressed my concern to Huang Ama, and supported Huang Erniang to think about her mistakes behind closed doors. Huangeriang, my son is not filial, but my son also knows that because of your falling out of favor and being lonely, I will always be in love with you. That's why I won't have a place to compete with my son. It wasn't until Huang Ama made his son a prince that his son's heart was relieved, but his son has no blessing..." Her tears scorched her face hotly, "Yongqi, because of this momentary fear, you think that Jiang Yubin belongs to the Queen Mother, so you would rather use someone else than him, right?" He stared at the top of the tent, panting heavily, "Emperor Niang, I didn't intend to alienate you and Yongzheng, I just couldn't believe it completely, so I had to stay away from you. Yongzheng is your biological son, You want to support him as the crown prince, and it is only natural for me to help you. My son has no other choice..." A look of fear flashed across his face, "My son grew up in the palace, and he has never seen many things with his own eyes. , and somewhat understand that Empress Xiaoxian’s Yong Lian and Yong Cong died inexplicably, the third elder brother Yongzhang was not favored by Emperor Ama for no reason, the fourth elder brother’s ambition, the nine younger brothers and ten younger brothers who died of fame at an early age, and The fifth younger sister, Jing Si, the empress's mother, for the sake of saving the seat, for the sake of the tripod dragon seat, the son has to guard against..." His hands gradually became cold, like the coldness after the winter snow has touched it, which will disappear in the evening of early spring.There are dozens of braziers in front of the bed, and the weather in early March is still very cold.Small flames in the basin danced in clusters, like dark blue tongues, licking and licking indefinitely, emitting clusters of dark red halos, but without the slightest warmth. That kind of cold, hissing from the cracks in the bones, was hard to resist. Ruyi held his face and gently pressed his forehead, "Yongqi, you think too much. You are the eldest son of the emperor, and you are both civil and military. There is a saying in this dynasty that one should be a virtuous man but not a heir. You are even younger, how can you compare with you? If you can feel at ease, why are you today..." Yongqi grabbed Ruyi's arm and cuddled up to her like she was when she was a child, "Mother Huang, my son is wrong! , my son shouldn't be suspicious of you wanting to support the twelfth younger brother as the crown prince and alienate you. My son has been ill these days, and he always thinks of the days when he was at the empress' knees in the past, so he lived a peaceful and solid life." His breath gradually weakened, weakened, like stagnant water without waves, and finally outside the window in a frightening calm, his eyes were full of fresh green, dyed all over the forest.And the young life in his arms has already stopped breathing. She hugged Yongqi quietly, unaware that the turbid and unbearable breath in the room was gradually fading away, just like the body in her arms was gradually getting lighter. That is life, slowly peeling off. I don't know how long it has passed, the sunset at dusk is like blood dissolved in water, wantonly covering the entire sky.The afterglow slanted into the inner room, outlining the shadows of tassels on the rosewood bed frame. The carvings on the edge of the bed and the top frame were all painted with gold powder. In the story of Hehe Changjiu, the swallow is a Shuangfeiyan, and the person is a person who takes pictures of flowers.One flower and one leaf, one butterfly and one warbler, the flowers are fragrant, and the green branches are like silk, like floating golden waves in the dim light, so fascinating that people can't open their eyes. She turned her head away, only to see the emperor standing inside the glazed curtain, who did not know when he came in.Behind him is a row of light red paper lanterns in the corridor, but soon, they will be replaced with plain white. The emperor frowned, his face was completely mournful, and his hands trembled slightly. Ruyi saw him for the first time, before she got up in time, tears were already falling, "Your Majesty, Yongqi is gone." The emperor's figure was stiff, and he moved in bit by bit, his voice without a trace of warmth, "I heard Yongqi's dying words." He suddenly stared at her, and raised the opened Xiangfei Bamboo Sprinkle Gold Folding Fan in his hand , slashed from her ear to her cheek, "This is the last time I hit you." The folding fan was originally used to cool off the summer heat. It was a small and exquisite piece, and the emperor often carried it with him to keep himself cool.At this moment, his hands were extremely heavy, and he came so hastily and ruthlessly that he even scratched a few folds on the golden sprinkled fan.Ruyi lay down on the ground, hearing countless worms stabbing at her head, buzzing around her ears, her cheeks were numb.She didn't react, she just stared at his pale temples, heh, that color was like falling snow on New Year's Eve, like the eyes of a widow, pale and dead.She is old, and he is also old, neither can bear such a heavy pain, and, moreover, he is the best child. It's been a year since I disappeared. Such a hasty meeting, severe swelling and pain on the cheek, but he refused to even hit her with his hands.But she discerned his appearance in a vague daze.She clearly remembered, in her mind, what he looked like when they met for the last time.He is a little old, although it is only a year, aging is like the shadow of dusk, coming irresistibly. She always thought that such emaciation was her own business.But he didn't want to, he was also experiencing it. Really, really want to forget.But in the silence of the Buddha's voice, I realized that it is very difficult to deliberately forget.Those hidden under the calm ups and downs of the past are a poem and a voice.The white dew in the morning, the red cherry blossoms in bloom, the minutiae, the bits and pieces, all rush out when facing him. What greeted him was two palms facing him. Her faults are probably countless.So he didn't argue, just stared at him, his eyes were extraordinarily dark. The emperor tremblingly said: "What did you do? You forced Yongqi to dare not even use the imperial physician you sent. You said, what did you secretly murder for Yongxi?" She said quietly: "Your Majesty, you know that my concubine has never asked you for the future of Yongzheng, never." "You talk about recommending Yongqi, but secretly you are plotting against him!" He was shocked and burst into tears, "Yongqi is my most outstanding son!" While the emperor was talking, the cries of the Fujins could be heard outside.Just now, the concubine rushed out from nowhere, knelt down in front of the emperor and kowtowed repeatedly, and said sharply: "Your Majesty! Prince Rong was in a state of depression and did not dare to approach the empress of Yikun Palace. The palace lady has raised her for many years, how could she avoid it like this? It must be at the place of Yikun palace lady, the prince saw what he shouldn't see, and heard what he shouldn't have heard." A guard came forward to pull her, she cried uncontrollably, how could she go?The emperor asked: "Who are you?" It was still Yongqi's Fujin who replied: "If you go back to Huang Ama, she is Gege from Prince Rong's mansion, the prince's favorite concubine Hu Yunjiao. Ever since the prince fell ill, Hu's service has been the most diligent." Yunjiao whimpered and said: "Your Majesty, this concubine shouldn't have said such things. But even when the prince is sick, he still talks about the tragic situation of several brothers who died young. He is depressed about this, and he is afraid that he will not be safe one day. Concubine It's a woman's family, so I didn't understand what the prince meant until Erniang came to visit and mentioned that the empress of Yikun Palace recommended Jiang and Binjiang imperial physicians. The prince agreed, but he always refused to let Jiang imperial physicians treat him. I know what the lord is thinking." She stared at Ruyi, crying hoarsely, "My lord, don't leave this concubine, this concubine will follow you!" After she finished speaking, she slammed her head against the wall, blood splattered everywhere, as if a tree of gorgeous peach blossoms bloomed, and the fragrance faded away. The emperor sneered again and again, "Okay! Okay! What a Queen Mother, what a Yikun Palace Empress, even her own adopted son is afraid of you, and you can understand what you have done!" He shouted, "Gege Hu died! Lord, with the ceremony of side Fujin, have a good burial." He said to Yongqi Fujin again, "Concubine Yu is sad and unable to get up, Prince Rong's funeral will be taken care of by you and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the imperial concubine will also come to take care of her. " He ignored Ruyi and let her stand alone.No one drove her away, and no one paid attention to her. They just avoided her from a distance and started to get busy crying.She is a lonely shadow, so what does it matter?But the child she was once proud of died because of suspicion of her.Even that Hu Yunjiao, the Hu Yunjiao who rushed out inexplicably, pointed at that trace of doubt, so he could insist on her. Years of painstaking efforts have only come to this end.Tianjia Shenyuan, mother and child love, so it is so. She wants to cry but has no tears. Perhaps even Hai Lan doesn't know about Yong Qi's thoughts.Standing there, she watched the red palace lanterns being roughly torn off and replaced with white paper lanterns.The plain white snow spread little by little, gradually becoming a world of snow. She was slowly moved onto the soft sedan chair, and Ye Xin was by her side while crying.Ruyi heard her teeth shaking, "This Hu Yunjiao, check her details. Also, check the imperial physician who served Yongqi." Ye Xin nodded hurriedly, before she had time to say anything, the soft sedan had already sent Ruyi out. Ruyi struggled down the long street. Her palms were covered with damp cold sweat, soaking every fine line on her palms.Her knees were sore and limp, and she was leaning halfway against the dangerous red wall, and the sense of powerlessness was overwhelming. No, she didn't want to lean against this abyss-like red wall at all.She burst into tears and couldn't say a word. She slapped the wall hard with one palm and another palm.Shake all this with the tingling of the palm and the weak strength.She wants to get out, wants to get out.In her entire life, she had never wanted to go out like this at this moment. Her beloved child, beloved man, her youth, her future, all fell here, becoming the dull ashes under the red wall, and the floating light dotted on the glazed tiles. That was half her life! She collapsed exhausted, choking silently.In the end, it was Ye Xinqiang who helped her into the Yikun Palace, and the door was closed again, and she couldn't see where she came from.