Chapter 13 Chapter Thirteen

The area around Ganlu Temple gradually became familiar, and when it was time to collect firewood in the day and night, it also gradually walked farther. Sometimes Jingbai frowned and sent me off, "Don't always walk lazily, are you still the golden branches and jade leaves in the past? Go farther and collect firewood." So I gradually set foot in the back mountains of Lingyun Peak or Ganlu Peak. Only Misty Peak, where Xuanqing lives in Qingliangtai Courtyard, is built, and I can't give up.It's not for any other reason, but sometimes when I climb up and look far away, I feel a little strange peace when I see the white walls and high tiles of Qingliangtai from a distance.If he really wanted to get close, he felt faintly afraid in his heart.

On that day, when I arrived at the back mountain of Ganlu Peak, there were many trees and narrow roads, dense forests, and the fragrance of wild flowers dotted the green grass.But seeing the emerald flowers all over the ground, the shade is like a cover, covering the scorching sun and flowing like fire.The thick shade pours down like emerald water, during which you can hear birds singing and singing like pearls falling.The scorching heat around the end of May also quietly faded away.The further you go to the back of the mountain, the more clear springs and streams you see, the more you feel the clean and cool breath rushing towards your face, and you feel comfortable in every pore of your body, limbs and bones.

Walking into the forest, in the depths of the wind, a cobblestone winding path goes deep to the bottom, which seems to attract people to walk in.I saw a small courtyard surrounded by a few old houses. The original color of the yellow walls and black tiles was eroded by the mountain wind and lost its old appearance, leaving only the old atmosphere, which blended into the deep green, and it seemed indifferent. Angry, nothing to notice. When I got closer, I saw a small plaque on the door, and most of the gold paint had peeled off. In addition to the dark sky, it took a long time to distinguish it before I could clearly see the three characters "An Qi Guan".

I was curious for a while, and then felt thirsty in my mouth, and I saw that the gray wooden door was half-closed, thinking that someone was there.So he stretched out his hand and pushed it, and the door creaked open. It is a small courtyard, a main hall with an ordinary appearance, behind the main hall is the atrium, and behind the court are three small meditation rooms, all of which are very clean and tidy.What is commendable is that there are simple springs and rocks beside the green grass, which are self-contained.There are small sycamore trees planted densely around the courtyard, which is very quiet.

The forest is quiet, and the cool breeze blows for a long time, which can't help but make people feel cool, and they don't feel so thirsty in their mouths. A gentle and peaceful voice came quietly, saying: "Are you looking for someone?" I heard the sound and looked around, but saw a woman wearing a Taoist costume, standing in the twilight, holding a water bottle, looking at me gracefully. The light was reversed, so I couldn't see her face clearly, but her voice was very gentle and moving.I know it's very rude to come in like this quietly.He hurriedly bowed, smiled apologetically, "I'm thirsty, so I took the liberty to come in and ask for a sip of water."

She smiled when she heard the words, and waved to me: "The water there is raw water from the well, and it cannot be eaten raw. Come here with me, and I will bring you water." I thanked her quickly, and then approached her. When I got closer, I saw that this Taoist nun was only about forty years old, and she was not very beautiful, but her eyes were delicate and quiet, but she looked familiar.The eyebrows and eyes are indescribably gentle and graceful, just like the most affectionate Song Ci written.At this time, the twilight is getting darker, and the light and shadow of the Honghe River are in the separation and reunion.Her face that suddenly appeared was like a bright moon in the sky, shedding countless clear lights, even more like the first fresh snow blooming under the gray winter sky, pure white and crystal clear, with a fresh style.

For a while, I just felt my eyes were blurred and my mouth was dry.The dryness was not caused by the thirst just now, but because his mind was completely out of his mind, and it all fell on her body, and he couldn't move away. She brought me a glass of water with a smile, and said with a smile: "Drink it, the tea that has just been cooled, it is warm enough to drink." I was stunned for a moment, but I didn't know how to pick it up.She urged a few words in gentle words before she came to her senses and said embarrassingly, "I'm sorry." She shook her head, not to blame.I hurriedly took the water to drink, and blamed myself in my heart, I am not a man who is impatient, and I am used to seeing all kinds of beautiful women in the palace, even such a gorgeous and unreasonable concubine Hua.She is not an amazing beauty, but she is involuntarily intoxicated.

I was secretly amazed, took a sip of water and said, "I don't know how to call it?" She smiled gently, "Just call me to calm down." Chong Jing?I was in a trance, as if I had heard this name somewhere.What puzzles me even more is that the Ganlu Temple was originally a Buddhist temple where the nuns lived.How could there be such an unknown Taoist temple in the mountains near Ganlu Temple? Chong Jing, I think about it carefully, but I can’t remember it after all.However, I deeply know that I must have heard this name before. While thinking about it carefully, she asked me, "Are you the aunt in the Ganlu Temple in front?" I nodded.She asked again: "Is it a newcomer? Why are you still outside so late?"

I whispered: "Yes. It's just that I haven't collected enough firewood, so I'm stuck outside. I'm going back soon." She smiled slightly, with a look of compassion in her eyes, "It's hard for you, it's been so hard." I smiled apologetically, not wanting others to pity me.I saw that she was alone, so I asked, "Do you live alone?" She looked around the huge Taoist temple and said with a smile: "I live with a maid." I was secretly surprised, so it was too deserted.But it was not easy to ask her why she became a monk here, so she just bowed her head silently to drink water.

Just as he was talking, he heard the wooden door rang again, and a brisk voice said: "Oh, is there someone alive?" I looked back and bowed, but it was a maid who looked like a maid, I thought it was the maid who lived with her that Chong Jing said, so I said: "Excuse me." She was about the same age as a Taoist nun, put down the things in her hands, and smiled heartily at me: "The concubine doesn't feel bothered, how can I feel disturbed?" I was taken aback, my mind flashed like lightning.The gentle Taoist nun in front of me, but the maid calls her "Taufei", and this place is close to Qingliangtai where Xuanqing lives.Isn't her quiet and gentle demeanor exactly the same as Xuan Qing's?How could her noble bearing belong to an ordinary Taoist nun?

She, the Taoist nun in front of her, was actually Xuan Qing's biological mother, the concubine Shu Gui of the former emperor who was famous in Jinghua back then, and is still deeply circulated among countless palace populations, and now the concubine Shu Gui. Chong Jing, it was "Master Chong Jing Yuan, Master of Jinting" that Xuan Ling bestowed on Concubine Shu Gui back then. No one would have thought that Concubine Shu Gui, who was loved by three thousand people and made the six palaces pale and pink, lived in this deserted Taoist temple. I was startled for a moment, and was speechless in a daze, and it took me a while to say: "Mr. Concubine Shu Gui?!" Her pretty crescent eyebrows were slightly frowned, and she looked at me suspiciously, "Do you know my name?" What she said confirmed my suspicions. In everyone's legends, in my imagination, Concubine Shu, who was favored by the late emperor and devoted herself to rain and dew for three thousand years, must be an extremely beautiful woman with brilliance and brilliance to the extreme, but I don't want to be such a gentle and graceful, indifferent person. Such as chrysanthemum.It doesn't have the sharp and shrewd brilliance of a woman who has lived in the court for decades. I nodded and saluted like a ceremonial, "Yes. Now it's time to call you Master Chong Jingyuan and Master Jinting." This title was conferred by the emperor himself, and it is not well known in the world.I blurted out at this moment, she already understood, looked at me for a long time, and said: "Did you come from the palace?" I was slightly embarrassed, and immediately said: "The concubine is right." Standing quietly in front of me like this, she smiled faintly at me, and her smiling face shone brightly in the dark moment, like the faint brilliance of pearls flowing, as if shrouded in mist.At this time, the sky was completely dark, and the stars were faintly shining. Concubine Shu Gui's Taoist robe was rolled up by the mountain wind, like pear blossoms blooming in snow, and her figure was like a fairy standing in the wind under the moon on Yaotai. I was almost startled and couldn't open my eyes.She is not very beautiful, but no one can match her beauty.Since I was a child, I have been conceited that my appearance is not inferior to ordinary people, but in front of her, I also faintly feel ashamed of myself. Such a graceful and flexible temperament, like a yushu chrysanthemum and snow piled up, is soaked by the spring breeze and spring water, which has never been experienced by anyone in the palace.And she has been in the deep palace for decades but her temperament has not changed, no wonder the late emperor loves her so much that she can hardly see the figure of other women in his eyes.It's no wonder that King Qishan's mother once reprimanded her in private for being "flirtatious and tempting the Lord".It turned out that it wasn't foxy, but a kind of gentleness that even women would be attracted to. She looked at me and said with a smile: "Qing'er once told me that there is a Guangui concubine in the palace who lives in the Ganlu Temple and is ordered to practice cultivation, and she must be you." I was ashamed for a moment, and said lightly: "Your concubine is the old name, please call me 'Mochou' by the concubine." "Mochou?" She pondered slightly, then smiled and said, "What's your common family name?" I replied, "My original surname is Zhen." She looked at my loose long hair and said with a slight smile, "So, I'll call you 'Mistress Zhen'." I said, "Toffee is so polite." Concubine Shu Gui smiled softly: "Forgive me for being blind just now. Madam Zhen's demeanor is naturally unmatched by sisters-in-law in ordinary temples. I didn't recognize it for a while. It's really negligent." She told me to sit down and pointed Looking at the maid just now, she smiled and said: "That is my personal maid, named Cui Yun." So Cui Yun was asked to come to see the ceremony. I hurriedly said modestly: "The one who serves the concubine is naturally my aunt, I am a commoner, how can I ask my aunt to greet me." The concubine hurriedly stopped me, and said: "Yes. We are not in the palace, why should we observe the etiquette in the palace. I will treat you as my junior, and she is my maid, so it is right to see her." I heard that the concubine said she was so amiable, and it was hard to refuse, so I met each other.Cumulus Yun's temperament is very cheerful and straightforward, he smiled at me and said: "Just now I heard that the concubine said that the lady is an aunt from the Ganlu Temple. The concubine lied to me." I heard what she said, so I couldn't help but go to see the concubine.Sure enough, Concubine Shu Gui smiled and said: "She grew up with me since she was a child, and she has spoken like this, my lady, don't be surprised." I smiled and said, "Of course not. I really like talking like this. It doesn't beat around the bush and makes people tired of listening." Cumulus got close to me, and I was slightly startled when I raised my eyes. Her eyes, like Concubine Shu Gui's, were as warm as amber, and I couldn't help being surprised: "Your eyes..." Concubine Shu Gui smiled and said: "Cumulus is the same as me, they are barbarians, so our eyes are different from your Han people's." Baiyi was originally a small clan far to the south of Nanzhao. They formed their own clan and paid tribute to Nanzhao every year.In the third year of Longqing, the late emperor's general Fuyuan pacified Nanzhao, and by the way, the Baiyi and Cangnan clans that were attached to Nanzhao, and all of them returned to Dazhou. According to the history books, Concubine Shu Gui is the daughter of Governor Pingzhang Ruan Yannian, and she is considered to be from a scholarly family, so how can she be a barbarian?Could it be that Concubine Shu's mother was a barbarian woman? Seeing me pondering, Cumulus laughed and said, "Miss Zhen, I know what you're thinking. You must be wondering why our concubine is a barbarian, aren't you?" I was a little embarrassed by her speculation, and I couldn't hide it, so I simply said: "It's not written in the history of Zhou, it seems to say that the concubine is the daughter of Governor Pingzhang Ruan..." Concubine Shu Gui said frankly: "In the past, it was natural to keep secrets in the palace, but now it's okay to say so. Mr. Ruan is my adoptive father. Back then, the late emperor asked me to be fostered under Mr. Ruan's name because he wanted me to enter the palace conveniently. My It is indeed the family of Baiyi's daughter, and her parents are both born and raised in Baiyi." She was slightly fascinated, "The mountains and rivers of Baiyi are my hometown." I heard her speak frankly and sincerely, without any concealment, and I was moved in my heart, and I naturally developed a close feeling with her. Concubine Shu Gui smiled and said: "I have told you so much, my lady may not like to listen to it. I am really old and my words are so trivial." There was a kindness in her eyes, "It's just that when I see my lady, I will naturally feel kind. It’s better to be surprised.” I hurriedly said: "How could it be, it is my honor to have the concubine's care and love." Concubine Shu Gui smiled and said: "In the past, I heard that Qing'er mentioned the lady once or twice, and she always praised her very much. I was just listening to it at the time, but now I see it, she is as beautiful as the fairy on our Baiyi A Nuo Snow Mountain. figure." Cumulus also laughed, "That's right, the old people in our clan always said that the goddesses on A Nuo Snow Mountain are the most beautiful." I hurriedly said: "If the concubine praises me like this, I will feel ashamed. Zhen Huan has admired the concubine's demeanor for a long time." The concubine tilted her head slightly, and said with a smile, "Zhen Huan? Is that your name?" I nodded and smiled: "It's my former boudoir name." Concubine Tai nodded and smiled at Cumulus, "I always say that the name of the daughter of the Han family is the best. Zhen Huan, it's not like when we were in trouble, the names were chosen by my parents at will." Cumulus poured tea, smiled and said angrily: "The concubine is true, she doesn't even serve tea when the lady comes, and asks her to talk to you with her mouth dry." Concubine Shu Gui couldn't help laughing, she looked at her and said: "Yes, yes, it's my fault. But why don't you just listen and don't do anything, and neglect the guests like this." I saw that they were very intimate when they were talking and laughing, there was no distinction between superiority and inferiority at all, and I felt very cordial and easy-going, and said: "Just now I was thirsty and broke in. Not only did the concubine not blame me, she even poured water for me herself, it is really my fault." Woolen cloth." Cui Yun handed me a cup of tea and Tai Concubine Shugui each, and said with a smile: "In the past, in Baiyi, the concubine's name was Yiguang, and I was called Ayun. The name Cui Yun was changed later." I thought about it and said: "Forgive me, I seem to have heard that the concubine's name is..." I tried my best to think, but I couldn't remember it in a moment of urgency. Concubine Shugui said: "It's Yanran, Ruan Yanran." She smiled, "My original name is Yiguang, but Yanran's name was only changed in the Zhou Dynasty, and it was also the name that the late Emperor personally chose for me." I saw that she was straightforward and frank, she said what she had to say, she didn't even hide her boudoir name, she was even more happy, she was willing to talk to her, and on the spur of the moment, she said: "The chance between me and the concubine is indeed deeper than others, today Aside from meeting by chance, I have a 'Sauvignon Blanc' piano, which is also the favorite thing that the concubine used to use." Concubine Shu Gui said "Oh", her eyes suddenly brightened, like a burning candle, she said in surprise, "Really?" I nodded and said: "When I left the palace, I only brought a handful of 'Sauvignon Blanc', and now it is placed in the Ganlu Temple." Concubine Shu Gui was very emotional, "When the sun came out of the palace, I left 'Long Lovesickness' and 'Long Xiangshou' together in the palace, just for the early death of the late emperor. It is useless for me to keep these two things. I never thought It is actually in the hands of the lady, she must be a person who is good at music." She looked at me firmly and said, "I have been separated from these two things for more than ten years, if the lady agrees, can you take it and let me have a look." I apologized: "I should have shown it to the concubine, but I accidentally broke the strings when I was playing a few months ago..." I lowered my head, thinking that "Long Lovesickness" is the favorite thing of Concubine Shu Gui, and I must be blamed by her, but Concubine Shu Gui just smiled heartily, and said kindly: "How can anyone who plays the piano keep stringing? If the lady is at ease, Why don’t you show it to me, I’m willing to try my best.” I was overjoyed, and hurriedly got up and said: "This is the best. The concubine is the old owner of 'Sauvignon Blanc', so she must know how to repair it." The concubine pursed her lips and said, "Don't be in a hurry to thank me first, the string construction method of 'Sauvignon Blanc' is different from other violins, if you really want to repair it, it won't take three to five months, if it is inappropriate, you have to ask Qing to repair it." I'll go back to the palace and get a ponytail, ice and snow silk and gold silk, I'm afraid these things are not easy to get." I hurriedly smiled and said, "I'll be relieved to return it to the concubine. If it's really not good, I can only regret that I can't hear the wonderful voice of 'Sauvignon Blanc' again." The concubine smiled slightly, her eyebrows were kind, "Then next time my lady invites you to Kuanzuo, and bring 'Long Lovesickness' with you. I really like talking to my lady." It has been a long time since I spoke so comfortably and naturally with others, and my heart was also filled with joy, I said: "The concubine is very kind, how dare this junior disobey her orders?" It was already late when we returned to Ganlu Temple. Huanbi and Jinxi were so anxious that they didn’t dare to look for me with great fanfare. They stretched their necks outside the door and watched for a long time. I held my hand, and complained: "Where did the miss go, and she didn't come back so late, it's really frightening. If you don't come back, Jinxi and I can only tell the abbot to go out and look for it." Jinxi took the firewood in my basket, and said warmly: "My lady is tired all the way, the food is ready, my lady, go and eat." The two of them sat down around me, fetched water for me to wash my face, and I talked about what happened today. Jinxi frowned slightly, curled up like rolling waves, "As the lady said, what the lady saw was indeed Concubine Shu Gui. It was the end of the Longqing period when the maidservant was in the palace, and she met Concubine Shu Gui only a few times. However, the demeanor of Concubine Shu Gui will never be forgotten by anyone who has seen it." I stopped my chopsticks, and asked in confusion: "Duke Concubine Shugui was a monk back then, and she was ordered to live in Taoism. How could she practice in the vicinity of the Buddhist temple, Ganlu Temple? Shouldn't she go to a Taoist temple?" Jinxi said: "Concubine Shu Gui is indeed practicing in the Taoist temple, which is the Anqi Temple where she lives now." Jinxi's voice was low, "Because the Queen Mother said that the practice must be quiet to be at ease, so only Concubine Shu Gui brought lived with a servant girl." Huanbi was surprised and let out a low cry.I hurriedly motioned her to be quiet. Huanbi didn't dare to speak any more, she just stared at Jinxi quietly and listened to her.Jinxi sighed, with infinite regret, and said: "The Concubine Shugui was the most favored before the death of the late emperor, almost to the point where the six palaces of pink and black were colorless, and she was favored by three thousand. She came from a different race, although she was fostered under the name of Governor Pingzhang Ruan Yannian, saying that she was a righteous daughter was just a little deception. All the concubines in the palace knew the details of Concubine Shu Gui very well. They looked down upon her at first, so they were named concubines. Afterwards, he lived in the Taiping Palace and did not stay with the concubines. However, there was the sixth prince, who is now the King of Qinghe. The title is related. Because of his mother and son, the first emperor loved the sixth prince who was Zaohui very much, so he ignored the queen mother. Concubine Shu was registered as Concubine Shu at that time, and she became the head of concubines in the palace. This kind of favor is nothing more than that, but Mrs. Yu'er resented Concubine Shu Gui before she died, and the queen was also deposed because of Concubine Shu Gui. Even the Empress Dowager Zhaoxian didn't want to see her back then, and she was in trouble everywhere. Under such a situation, although the first emperor loved her very much, Concubine Shu Gui made countless enemies in the palace and was struggling. Only the current Empress Dowager, the former Concubine Lin and She made friends, and the two of them were like sisters. Concubine Shugui was wronged several times, and it was Concubine Lin who made the decision for her. Therefore, even the former emperor had a lot of sympathy for the current queen mother. With the current Empress Dowager in charge of the power of the Six Palaces, it will be easier for Concubine Shu Gui to live in the palace." The late emperor’s love for Concubine Shu Gui made me clearly remember Xuanqing’s words of emotion on the Tonghua Terrace—in fact, it’s a good thing for someone to share the favor. Cry for Jieyu. He was sighing for me, and even more for the life of her biological mother, Concubine Shu Gui. A collection of favors is also a collection of grievances.Too much favor is like putting people on top of charcoal fire! And the Empress Dowager has such a deep affection for Concubine Shu Gui, I was also moved when I heard it.Thinking of Meizhuang in the palace, I feel even more embarrassed. Jinxi's words seemed to be praising the empress dowager's great virtue and her sisterhood with Concubine Shu Gui, but the question I asked seemed irrelevant. Jinxi understood my question, her eyes fluttered slightly, and she said with a smile: "After the late emperor passed away, Concubine Shu Gui cried unceasingly, and wanted to die for the late emperor several times. Fortunately, the palace people found out early and were rescued. Although the concubines complained and had many disagreements with Concubine Shu Gui in the past, they were also very moved. Even the courtiers outside knew it and praised the righteousness of Concubine Shu Gui. The Empress Dowager was also very moved. The prince entrusted the empress dowager to take care of her. The empress dowager was grateful for Dowager Shugui's kindness, and said that the dowager was pampered and respected. Naturally, she could not live with the nuns in Ganlu Temple, so she specially built Anqi Temple for Dowager Shugui to live alone, so she ordered her to live in Taoism. Instead of going to the Ganlu Temple to practice. The Queen Mother was afraid that others would be unaccustomed to making her angry, so she asked her personal maid to live with her. It is also the Queen Mother who is considerate of Shu Gui. Naturally, if Shu Gui No matter what happens, you can't leave Anqi Temple at will." Jinxi spoke very euphemistically, but no matter how euphemistically, I understood. Concubine Shu Gui came from Taoism, and Ganlu Temple is a Buddhist temple, so it is natural that the well water does not interfere with the river water, and they do not communicate with each other when they die.And there is only one maid waiting... My heart skipped a beat. In this way, Concubine Shu Gui has almost cut off any connection and news from the outside world. I didn't make a sound, just slowly picked up a chopsticks of vegetables with my chopsticks.Soft boiled vegetables, let people pick and choose, weak and deceitful.I said nonchalantly: "I heard that the late emperor loved Prince Qinghe very much and intended to make him the crown prince several times." Jinxi stood respectfully with her head bowed, looking only at her own toes, without any emotional ups and downs or likes and dislikes in her voice, "The birth of Concubine Shu Gui has been disputed by the world. There are a few princes above, although my dynasty pays attention to establishing the virtuous rather than the elders, and the queen did not leave any sons. But the rest of the princes, such as the current emperor, are also very outstanding. They are all second only to Concubine Shu Gui, and they come from nobler backgrounds, and they have the power to control the six palaces. Therefore, it is reasonable for the former emperor to retreat and ask for the second order to establish the current emperor as the successor emperor." Jinxi's last sentence was right. It's very light, as if it's an understatement, it doesn't matter, but I heard clearly, "Besides, with the support of the regent back then, it is logical for the current emperor to succeed to the throne." I just felt chills in my head, but it was as bright as a mirror. Regent!He is the most important move for Xuan Ling to succeed as emperor. However, I quickly calmed myself down. It's just old things, it's all the grievances of the previous generation.Now, it is Xuan Ling who sits firmly on the Kowloon Golden Chair in Purple Austrian City overlooking the world and holds the universe in his hands. Concubine Shu Gui and Xuan Qing were both sacrificed by the struggle for imperial power.No matter how unwilling it is, the fact is already like this, and it cannot be changed. But no matter what the facts are, my dealings with Concubine Shu Gui and Xuan Qing have nothing to do with imperial power.After all, I am already a foreigner. I murmured: "The root of all disputes is because Concubine Shu Gui is a barbarian woman." Huanbi had been listening quietly, but when she heard this, the rice bowl in her hand landed on the table with a thud, and made a circular motion.I quickly helped her hold the porcelain bowl, and asked with concern: "What's wrong?" Huanbi's eyes twitched suddenly, and she hurriedly said with a smile: "I'm just curious, is Concubine Shu Gui a native of a barbarian woman?" "Ok." Huanbi brushed her hair from the corners of her temples, and said in a low voice, "Paiyi became a vassal state of the Great Zhou after being conquered, but after all, it is a foreign race. It is really not easy for Concubine Shu Gui to come to this position with a foreign background." I turned my head and asked, "Huanbi, you seem to know something about Baiyi." Huanbi said "Ah?" and said lightly, "It's just something I heard." Huanbi's eyes were pleading again, and she said to me: "Miss, you just said that you still want to take 'Sauvignon Blanc' to Taiyuan Concubine, will you take me with you?" I said kindly, "Do you want to see the concubine too? You just want to go with the piano, so let's go together." Huanbi showed a soft childlike joy on her cheeks, and nodded vigorously.