Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Bing Xin Who Asks

The work of doing laundry in winter has not been eased. When the mountains are covered by heavy snow, the clothes are often soaked in melted snow water.If the weather is better, I will go to the stream and smash the ice to wash my clothes. The cold water penetrated into my bones, but I couldn't avoid it.Watching the relapse of chilblains from last year, his hands were red and swollen, and he suffered a lot.It abruptly reminded me of those cold, wet and miserable days in Tangli Palace.That was the most frustrating time of my life. I smiled wryly at Jinxi: "Sure enough, there are some things that I want to forget and never forget, just like this chilblain, which recurs every year."

Jinxi warmed mine with her hand, and her hand was also cold and swollen. Together with Huanbi, the three of them had chilblain attacks, piled up like coral beads.Huanbi had fun in bitterness, and sometimes joked, "These hands are full of frostbite, red, green, and purple. I just wear a multi-treasure ring. The red one is coral, the green one is emerald, and the purple one is purple. Yingshi." Jinxi and I laughed that Huanbi was crazy about money.However, when it comes to pearls, jades and gemstones, since I became a monk, except for the things I got in the palace, I kept them in the Tangli Palace. Only the dowry brought into the palace by my family was taken out of the palace and sealed in boxes and cages. Do not open again.Luoshi became a monk, these gorgeous pearls, jade and rouge naturally have nothing to do with me anymore.

Jinxi caressed the frostbite on her hand, and said softly: "When I first entered the palace, I was just a little maid in the sweeping room. At that time, there were only Concubine Duan and Concubine Xian in the palace—that is, today's empress. Of course, it was not my turn. Those of us little court ladies who go to serve, we will inevitably be bullied when we enter the palace. During those years, we washed the clothes for the aunts every day, and the clothes could not be washed, as if they would never be finished, so we got frostbite on our hands. Or Later, Empress Chunyuan saw it and said she was pitiful, and said, "It's still called washing clothes with hands like this. Does the head of the House of Internal Affairs not even have a little sympathy?" Then she sent the slaves to do other jobs. Later, the slaves were promoted all the way. Going up, I became an aunt myself, so naturally I don’t have to do these rough jobs, and my hands are gradually getting better. I didn’t expect that it’s not unfamiliar to do the same job today.”

Jinxi lightly mentioned the old affairs of Empress Chunyuan, and I only heard of it lightly, and didn't want to care about it. In this way, month after month has passed, winter has passed, and spring has arrived. The day Wen Shi came to see me for the first time was a day in early spring.The frail cloudy sky, dark clouds hanging down the horizon, heavy and dark, but no rain. When he came in abruptly, I was pouring the water that I brought today into the big blue-tiled tank under the window with great difficulty.When Huanbi saw his old friend for the first time, he was surprised and moved for a moment, tears streaming down his face, and cried out: "Lord Wen."

I turned my head when I heard the sound, and Wen Shichu was standing by the door, wearing a blue robe, with a thin figure.He ran towards me and said in a voiceless voice: "Sister Huan, you have lost a lot of weight!" I was moved for a moment. In such a secluded ancient temple in the mountains, I suddenly saw my old friend, and I really wanted to cry.But only for a moment, I acted as if nothing had happened, and said to Huanbi, "There's nothing to cry about." Huanbi hurriedly wiped away tears, and welcomed him in. When Wen Shi saw me pouring water, he snatched the bucket from my hand and said in surprise, "How can you do such a rough job!"

I smiled and asked back: "Why don't you do it? I'm no longer Miss Qianjin, nor the favorite concubine in the palace. I'm just an ordinary sister-in-law. Why don't you do these things?" He became anxious, "No matter what, you came out of the palace to practice. How could the sisters-in-law of Ganlu Temple treat you so harshly?" I smiled disapprovingly, and said: "I am a disused concubine who came out of the palace, not the late emperor's concubine, and I have no status at all, why should I be treated preferentially." He was speechless for a while, so he had to pull me away, rolled up his sleeves and helped me pour all the water into the tank, and I said lightly, "Thank you, I already have the water I need today."

He was slightly surprised, "Today's water? Do you have to pour water like this every day?" I said, "It's natural, I'll do it myself." Huanbi was listening, choked up for a while, and said: "What are these things? Miss and we have to cut firewood, wash clothes, and cook meals. Jinxi and I have nothing to do. This is what we should do. Poor lady's hands and feet ..." Wen Shichu was aggrieved by what she said, and in a moment of impatience, he took my hand to look at it.My hands are not as delicate as they used to be. There are old calluses, new blisters, or broken ones, revealing bright red flesh. There are also small thorns pierced into the flesh by thorns when chopping wood, which are dark little by little.

Wen Shichu's heart ached, he said urgently: "How could this happen?" Huanbi whimpered and said, "The blood blisters on Miss' hands burst one after another, and there is almost no good meat left. Miss was raised in a boudoir since she was a child, so how could she have suffered like this. But those sisters-in-law are so cruel, they are newcomers who bully us Yes, making things difficult and bullying in every possible way." I interrupted Huanbi's cry sharply, "Is it useful to complain? Complaining is also hard work, and not complaining is also hard work."

Huanbi sobbed softly, "I just feel sorry for Miss." I shook my head and smiled bitterly, "Don't feel bad, it will be like this for the rest of your life, just get used to it." Wen Shichu hastily pulled me to sit down, took out the ointment that I had with me, and said with concern: "These are the medicines that I carry with me, so I'll just use it. I'll send the Jinchuang medicine tomorrow." I nodded, "Thank you." I let him examine the wound for me, and only asked: "I've been out of the palace these days, is sister Mei all right?"

He was startled, and complained a bit: "I am already like this, and I only think about others." I asked persistently, "How is Sister Mei? You promised me that you would take good care of her for me." He sighed and said, "She's fine, but she just misses you very much." He paused, "I miss you as much as I do." I was taken aback for a moment, and then said: "Naturally, you and Sister Mei grew up with me, so the relationship between you and me is unusual." I asked again: "Then is her hand injury healed, An Lingrong and Sister Mei?" Did the queen make things difficult for her?"

He said: "Her hand injury is almost healed, but there is nothing to do with the scar. I searched for all the remedies for her, and finally left some marks. But if you don't look carefully, you won't be able to see it." He emphasized his tone : "No one makes things difficult for her. She only serves by the Empress Dowager's side day and night, and after returning to the palace, she and Concubine Jing will take care of the moon together. No one can make things difficult for her." I comforted a little, but felt sad again, "Then how is my Obscure Moon?" Wen Shichu frowned slightly, but still smiled: "Eight-month-old Empress Wuyue was born, not full-term. Naturally, her body is a little weaker, and she is more likely to suffer from cold, cough, etc. than other empresses." My heart was suddenly pumped up, although my Ozuki is a girl and will not threaten anyone's status, but if someone hates me and puts the old hatred on Ozuki, she is a little infant , how can I stand it.I panicked and said, "Then what should I do? What should I do? Is her wind chill important? She is only a few months old, how can she withstand the wind and cold?" When Wen Shi first saw that my expression had changed drastically, his concern and worry were palpable, and he hurriedly comforted him: "It's all right, don't worry. The emperor loves Di Ji very much, and ordered me to take care of her with all my strength. Her cold was also caused last month, and she is almost healed. Because of Diji's illness, Concubine Jing and Shen Jieyu didn't have a good rest for almost two days and two nights. They took turns to watch over her, and even the emperor stayed with her all night. I hereby promise you that Wen Shichu pledged his life and will do his best Protect the safety of Di Ji." "She's just a child, she can't speak yet. When she's sick, hungry, and uncomfortable, she can't speak out. She can only cry. When I think of her crying, I, a mother, feel so sad." The tears in my eyes finally Luo Luo couldn't help saying: "Brother Shichu, thank you very much." Wen Shichu was also miserable, "Sister Huan, I can't help you. The only thing I can do is to protect Di Ji desperately. I also treat your daughter as my own." I was moved to tears, "With you like this, I am very relieved to have you taking care of sister Fumei and Ozuki." The weakness in my heart surged out instantly, and I couldn't suppress it, "Brother Shichu, I can believe it and can help me Yes, and only you." He is also Xuanran, but he is a man after all, so he finally held back.He looked around, "The place you live in is so crude, is there anything missing? If there is something missing, I will bring it to you next time." I shook my head, "I don't lack anything, even if I lack something, it doesn't matter too much. As long as my Obscure Moon is fine." He softly comforted: "She is fine. Concubine Jing loves Di Ji like an eyeball, and Mei Zhuang also likes her very much. They live in the same palace, so it is convenient to take care of each other." He looked at me again, with a very pitiful tone: "I must find a way to get you out of here. I can't let you suffer like this again." I smiled casually, thinking that he was just talking casually and didn't take it to heart.As long as he can take care of my Obscure Moon. A few times like this, Wen Shichu either sent medicine or clothes and daily necessities to help me with my inadequacies, and I gradually became familiar with him. I also feel grateful for his enthusiastic help. However, he came a few times, but I was a little uncomfortable. Ganlu Temple was originally a clean place for nuns to live and practice. He rushed over several times excitedly. Although he knew that he was an imperial doctor in the palace, an old acquaintance of mine, he took good care of me. Although he didn't say anything in person, his expression was Gradually not very good-looking. On that day, Huanbi and I went to wash clothes by the stream. In early spring and March, it was the time when the grass was budding and wild flowers were weaving, and colorful butterflies and sparrows were dancing all the way.She and I carried a large basket of the aunt's underwear in the temple, held up a stick, rolled up the sleeves and the corners of the robe, and washed them by the splashing and gurgling stream. There were so many and heavy clothes that Huanbi and I struggled to lift them. After washing them a few times, Huanbi turned over again. Suddenly he let out an "oops" and frowned and complained, "Jingbai and the others are going too far. Clothes that are close to the body How can you wash it for us? There is no shyness at all!" I stretched out my hand to look through it, and saw that it was mostly women's underwear, and frowned in disgust.Seeing that Huanbi was angry, he didn't want to add fuel to the fire, so he said: "Forget it, we are new here." Huanbi endured it, but was still unconvinced in the end, "Are we new here? Mo Zhen and the others are also new here, so why should we do all the rough and dirty work for us? It used to be fine, but now it's getting worse, and even the underwear is gone. Wash us, what is this!" I kept silent, just raised the stick and hammered it vigorously, causing water to splash in all directions, and it hit my face coldly with a "plop". Huanbi pressed my hand, her pretty face turned white with anger, "Aren't you angry, miss?" In March, although it is said to be spring water, it is still a bit chilly.Huanbi's fingers pressed on my hand, and I could still see the purple marks of frostbite left by the winter laundry. I felt distressed for a moment, and sighed: "Since you've come here, you know you didn't come here to be pampered and enjoy life." Huanbi was speechless for a while, and said in a daze for a moment: "I feel sorry for Miss, when did Miss do such a dirty thing before." She took my hand, "Do Miss's hands still look like hands? No matter how many gold sore medicines are applied, I can't bear to see it, don't miss, don't you feel sorry for yourself?" I was silent for a moment, feeling sorry for myself, how should I feel sorry for myself? I was not used to laundering clothes by the stream, but I struggled while talking with Huanbi, but I stepped into the stream and wet my shoes. For a while, my shoes and socks were soaked, and my feet were cold and sticky.That's all, the worst thing is that the robe is wet, which makes it even more uncomfortable.As soon as I got cold, I couldn't help sneezing, Huanbi said in surprise, "Although it's spring now, it's still cold to step in the water. How can this be good? I'm afraid that if I cover my body for a long time, my bones will be sore when I go back at night. " I thought about it, then put down the stick and clothes in my hand, and seeing no one around, I took Huanbi's hand and went to the nearby bushes to change the clothes to dry, hoping that they would dry quickly and change them. I just took off my clothes, and heard people laughing and walking by the stream, thinking that the aunts in the temple all came out to wash clothes, and they walked together one by one, which was very lively. Someone let out an "Aiya" and said with a sharp laugh: "Mochou and Huanbi are two slackers, they are full of snake bones and lazy, they leave their clothes here without washing, and they don't know where to hide. " Someone sneered loudly again, with a contemptuous and disdainful tone, "It may not be laziness! I don't know which imperial doctor or guard in the palace came to visit her again, maybe she went somewhere to whisper behind her back. " The crowd burst into laughter, and there was a bang in my head, and the anger of being humiliated surged up. I turned my head and asked Huanbi in a daze, "Who are they talking about? Are they talking about me?" Huanbi shook her head in embarrassment, and said: "Their words are not pleasant, what kind of gossip, and their mouths are so fragmentary, Miss, don't pay attention to them." However, the other side said: "She came out of the palace, and she looks evil. She used to be the emperor's woman, so naturally no one dared to talk to her. Now that she has been kicked out, naturally many stinky men come here Look for her. Look at the coquettish way she talked to the imperial doctor that day. I heard that she used to be very favored in the palace, so she suddenly left the man and was locked up in a place like ours. Can she stand loneliness? Maybe she will be with that? The imperial doctor is an old friend, and he will be able to come to you when you are in the palace." He said it loudly, and every sentence was knocked into my ears, and I couldn't listen to it.I could hear it very clearly, it was Jingbai's loud voice. All the nuns laughed again, and one of them boasted: "Uncle Jingbai has seen the most, if she says yes, she must be." My ten fingers curled up vigorously, and I was annoyed and hated for a moment, and my blood was surging in my chest.I thought Buddhism was a pure place, but I didn't want such foul language, malicious speculation, and backbiting slander, which was no different from the harem. Huanbi couldn't hear it, her face turned red, her eyebrows raised one by one, and she wanted to rush out.Anger and humiliation entangled my thoughts, but I still had the remaining rationality. I pressed Huanbi and said in a low and firm voice, "Don't go." Huanbi couldn't help but looked straight at me, "Miss..." I shook my head again, "Don't go..." I held Huanbi's hand firmly, as if I was suppressing my aggrieved heart at the moment. The laughter outside was louder, and a shrill female voice said: "Uncle Jingbai is right. She and that imperial physician Zhunbao have had an affair for a long time. She was kicked out of the palace, and the people in the palace said yes I came here to practice only after praying for the fate of the country. But if this is the case, how could they be deposed.” Their laughter was ambiguous and secretive, and they seemed to be tacit, “It must be when I had an affair with that imperial doctor. We were kicked out when Long Live found out." "Tsk tsk... It's shameless to be so indiscreet..." "Do you know? Last time I saw her escorting the imperial physician to the door, talking and laughing, whispering, very reluctant to part." Last time, talking and laughing, whispering, very reluctant to part... I just asked Wen Shichu to take care of me for me, and I was never as wretched as they said. "I once saw that imperial doctor obviously went back, and I don't know when he turned back and looked at her room in a daze, but I don't know how infatuated..." They giggled, "If a woman is willing to put down a little figure, the man will I linger like flies, and I don’t know what they are doing in the house?” They whispered, talked and laughed loudly, beat their clothes vigorously, slandered me vigorously, and imagined vigorously.The sound of them beating their clothes was loud, and the sticks hit the slate hard one after another through the soft clothes, just like hitting my heart one after another. Did he turn back and look at my house?I have no idea.I sighed, Wen Shichu was not too indiscreet anymore.Besides, Wen Shi was aboveboard when he first came, and I often didn't even close the door. Huanbi was indignant, and said: "The land of Buddhism, the slaves thought it was such a clean place, but they actually said such unfounded words, even the ignorant village women in the countryside." I didn't even think it was worth being angry, so I just sneered again and again.in silence. I don't know how long it took, the crowd finished washing their clothes laughing and laughing, and dispersed in a swarm.The wet clothes are gradually drying. Huanbi put the clothes on me, shook my hand, and said cautiously: "Miss' hands are so cold, let's go back, we need to make a bowl of ginger soup and drink it to dispel the cold, so don't catch the wind and cold." Seeing me just sneered and said nothing, she comforted me in a low voice: "It's no wonder the young lady is angry, the servants can't listen to it anymore, they just feel disgusted." I patted her hand and said slowly: "I'm not angry. It's not worth it to be angry with them." I calmed down my thoughts, went out to pack the laundry, and said lightly: "Huanbi, Do we have one too?" I looked at her, "Are Master Wen and I very close?" Huanbi said anxiously: "No. They are talking nonsense." "I know they are talking nonsense." I hammered my clothes, as if venting my anger, "I always thought that Mrs. Wen and I treated each other with courtesy. But isn't what they said true? These days, Mr. Wen is coming here frequently, he is looking at my room outside in a daze..." Huanbi lowered her head and thought for a while, then said softly: "Although I don't see it with my own eyes, according to Mrs. Wen's temperament and affection for Miss, I might not be able to do such a thing..." I suddenly remembered when I was pregnant for the first time, when I was taking a nap, I knew he was outside the temple, but I didn’t want to get up and talk to him, I just pretended to sleep under the window, but he stood quietly outside the window, his figure was hidden by the window. In front of me, through double window screens and gauze curtains, I was infinitely focused on me, and I was silent for a long time. I always thought that he no longer had that kind of affection for me, and I was too negligent. However, he didn't make any obvious expression to me, and I didn't even have room to refuse. I took a look at Huanbi, with a somewhat embarrassed expression, "I have already become a monk to practice..." Huanbi pondered for a while, then said hesitantly: "Miss is a monk, but she is cultivating with hair. Besides..." She hesitated slightly, and said softly: "Miss has left the palace, and the emperor deposed you. Yes. Now that you are at ease, it is inevitable that Mr. Wen will have some thoughts again. " I smiled indifferently and said, "I think, he really thinks too much." Huanbi had a complaining tone, "Miss, don't blame me for talking too much. Mrs. Wen has always had that kind of thought for Miss, and it has never changed. It's just that he is so conspicuous now, which really adds gossip and trouble to Miss. .” However, she sighed, “It’s just Mrs. Wen’s affection, which is really touching.” "My thoughts about him are the same as before, and they have never changed." I thought for a while, "He forgot to check, but we must not forget. If it is not necessary, we should keep him a little distance, don't call him out." It’s good that he misunderstood, and don’t embarrass him too much.” Chun Han’s coldness was particularly obvious at the water’s edge, and I sighed: “Sister Mei and my Obscure Moon want his care in the palace, and they are old friends. Leave some room for meeting." Huanbi lowered her head in response, "Jinxi and I both understand this." She looked at the place where the sisters-in-law were washing their clothes just now, frowned and said in disgust: "I thought this place was just hard work, but I didn't want people to be so indifferent. It’s just that people are indifferent, but I don’t want their words to be so vicious and mean, which makes people’s hearts chill. Even a Buddhist school like Ganlu Temple is so cold and evil, how can there be a quiet place.” yes.I wondered, where is there a quiet place?There is no peace in this world.But the troubles are entangled one after another, and there is no way to avoid them. If so, every time I thought that Wen Shichu might come that day, I would hide out early.I would rather work harder and go farther to mow grass and wash clothes, and not return until sunset.Occasionally, I ran into it once, but I just asked about the situation of Meizhuang and Luyue, so I found an excuse to send him back.