Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Autumn Eve (Part 1)

This night is Qixi Festival, and I expected that there would be a feast to celebrate in the palace as usual, so he will definitely not come.So he brought Jinxi and Huanbi to cook a few simple side dishes, and slowly prepared for dinner together. The wind is strong at night, and the heat of the day is gradually blown away, but it doesn't feel too hot.I saw Jinxi stir-fry the daylilies with a refreshing taste, so I asked, "Is there any more?" Jinxi was on tiptoe picking loofahs under the melon shed and said, "There are some." I thought about it, and said with a smile: "Why don't you fry a daylily and mix with a cucumber, I'll take it to Concubine Shu Gui myself."

Jinxi smiled and said: "That's naturally very good. There are few people at Concubine Shu Gui's place. The lady went to show her filial piety, and also to have a companion with the concubine." Winking, lowering his head, giggling and laughing. Huanbi didn't answer the words, just laughed it off, and continued to sit on the small stool and slowly peel the pods.I knew what Jinxi was referring to, and I was even more embarrassed, so I could only say: "Concubine Shu Gui is an elder after all, so I should visit her." Jinxi pursed her lips and said with a smile: "Naturally, it should be done."

I knew she was making fun of me and Xuanqing, so I was too embarrassed to pay any attention to it, so I waited for Jinxi to prepare some side dishes and put them in the food box. Huanbi got up, patted on her clothes and said, "Why don't I go with Miss." I smiled and pointed to the sky, and said: "The sky is still bright, I can go to Anqi Temple by myself. Anyway, I will go back, you and Jinxi will eat first." Huanbi gave an "um" and watched me go out. At that time, the sky was still early, and the sky was full of colorful clouds in the blue sky, like the glazed cups I saw when I was a child, pink purple, sapphire blue, emerald green, bright yellow, orange red, and the illusions flowed away and complemented each other.Although the wind is strong in the mountains, after walking for a long time, thin beads of sweat ooze from the back.I didn't care about the heat, and I was greedy for a while, and I couldn't help thinking, in the past, it was always said that the weaver girl was good at weaving with looms, and the clouds and clouds in the sky in front of me are like beautiful and colorful, could it be she who weaves with all her efforts?

However, Zhinu missed the cowherd on the other side of the galaxy for a long time, and she cried like rain all day long.After the clouds and clouds are like brocades, maybe it is her tears of countless longings and sorrows, right?Thinking about it this way, no matter how beautiful the rays of the sun are, it is also eclipsed, and there is no other interest. There are many mountains outside of Kyoto, rolling up and down, and the mountains are connected like green barriers.Among them, Misty Peak, Saga Peak, Ganlu Peak, and Lingyun Peak are the most famous. Misty Peak and Saga Peak face each other far away, and Ganlu Peak, Saga Peak, and Lingyun Peak are connected to each other, and the scenery is the most beautiful.Ganlu Temple was built on the top of Ganlu Peak, the Anqi Temple where Concubine Shu Gui lives is on the back mountain of Ganlu Peak, and on Misty Peak is Xuanqing’s Qingliang Terrace. Lingyun Peak where I live and the other three peaks have the highest and steepest mountains , but it is between the two peaks of Saga and Ganlu, so it is a little more convenient to come and go.

The meditation room I live in is at the foot of Lingyun Peak, and it’s not too far to go to Anqi Temple, but it’s only half an hour away. Although Anqi Temple is small, only Concubine Shu Gui and Aunt Cuiyun live there, but it is well-managed.I opened the door and went in. When Aunt Jiyun saw me coming, she was already smiling and beckoned: "The concubine is chanting scriptures in the inner hall, my lady come and sit down first." She said with a smile: "It's a coincidence that my lady came. I'm going to pick grapes and wash them, my wife should try it too." As he spoke, he led me across the atrium to the backyard.

In front of the atrium gate are two trees, one pine and one cypress, each of which grows well-proportioned and tall, and the pavilions are even with the eaves.It is shaded by the sycamore trees around it, and it is also shaded. When Cui Yun saw my attention, he also took a look, and said: "This is still when the concubine entered the temple, and the six kings personally sent it here. They were reluctant to let go of the love between mother and child. They planted it with their own hands before leaving. At that time, it was just a small sapling. , and it’s so big now. When people think about it, they really feel that the years are like flowing water.”

I nodded, thinking that the pines and cypresses were planted by him, so I stretched out my hand to touch them, and felt very kind. As if what the palm touched was not the usual vigorous bark, but the traces touched by his hands, my heart was slightly comforted and joyful. When I reached the backyard, I looked up, and I saw that the grapes in the backyard were shaded like a cover, and the green branches and leaves of the vines were wantonly winding on the thin and straight bamboo poles. The yard has cooled down.Countless bunches of grapes hang down from the vines, some are bright purple or jade green, each one is plump like pearls, almost ready to burst.

I smiled and said, "You look so good, the concubine is so lucky." The mountains are quiet, the cool breeze comes temporarily, and it is fresh and pleasant.As soon as I finished speaking, Concubine Shu Gui had already walked out with her clothes on, and said with a smile, "You're here." I went to meet the elders and said: "It's Qixi Festival today, so I shouldn't bother the concubine casually. It's just that the maid next to me fried two very refreshing dishes, thinking that the concubine might like to eat them, So bring it here and ask the concubine to taste it."

The concubine was originally kind, and her smile was even more jade-like, so she smiled and said: "I am here, and there is nothing wrong with me. It is just right that you are here, otherwise I will sit opposite Cumulus and Yun on this Qixi Festival." Looking at small eyes with big eyes is also extremely boring.” While talking, Cumulus had brought out the food from the food box and placed it on the stone table under the grape trellis.The concubine smiled and said: "This dish looks appetizing, I like it very much." Then she pulled me to sit down, "I haven't had dinner yet, why don't Huan'er accompany me, how about it?"

I said: "Originally I wanted to go back, but the concubine opened her mouth. Naturally, it is more respectful than obedient. I happened to come here on an empty stomach." So I helped Cumulus with a plate of rose tofu, a plate of purple ginger, and a plate. A bowl of loofah soup and white porridge are refreshing and appetizing side dishes in summer.The three of them sat down and ate together. The night is like strands of ink melting, reflecting half of the sky darkened.The half-curved crescent moon faintly climbed up from the depths of the eastern sky and hovered over the treetops.

Concubine Toffee ate grapes with me, and said slowly: "It was only when Cumulus told me about it at noon that I realized that today is Qixi Festival. The mountains are quiet, and I don't know how many years have passed. I almost forgot the day of Qixi Festival." She With the tip of ten fingers, he slowly peeled a grape, and smiled slightly, "Actually, the late emperor has been gone for so many years. To me, what is the difference between Qixi Festival and ordinary days, but it is your children's family, such days are more concerned Don't give up." Said and looked at me just groaning and smiling. I was a little embarrassed, I just lowered my head and played with a grape, and said in a low voice, "What did the concubine say?" She looked at me, as if remembering something, and said: "Qing'er hasn't come yet? Oh, there must be another feast in Qixi Palace today, so he won't come." Then she asked me: "Is going to the Taiping Palace Is it gone?" I shook my head, "The emperor has been staying in the palace for the past two years, and rarely went to the Taiping Palace to cool off." "Although I'm in the palace, I'm afraid it's not easy to come out." The concubine nodded lightly, and said with a smile, "No wonder you are coming to accompany my old lady on such a day. You are also alone." She comforted me, "It's not Qing'er If he doesn't know what to do, he also has his own reasons in the palace. It's not my mother's partiality, at this time, even if he is at the banquet, he is also thinking of you in his heart." The corners of my lips raised slightly, and I said: "Toffee don't need to persuade him, I naturally know his heart. Even if we are not together for a while, what does it matter?" The concubine caressed my forehead and sighed: "It's the best for you to understand his heart like this. I have a heart with Qing'er as mother and child. As a mother, I understand very well how he treats you. So I In my heart, I regard you as my own daughter." I was so grateful, I leaned on the concubine's lap, and said: "I treat the concubine like a mother in my heart." After speaking, my face became hot and I felt very ashamed. The concubine said affectionately: "Since you regard me as your mother, I will not hide it from you. If you want to be with Qing'er, there will naturally be many difficulties and difficulties. But if your hearts are the same, naturally there is nothing difficult. There is a saying that love is stronger than gold, do you know that?" I nodded and said, "I know." The cool wind gently brushed against the face, as cool and gentle as the concubine's hand, and it felt comfortable blowing on the face. The concubine looked at the night sky, the surroundings were quiet, and there were magpies flying past with fluttering wings.The concubine's voice was soft and gentle like spring water, "Qing, this child is very much like me and his father. In the past, I was the daughter of a surrendered minister, and it was embarrassing to live with my father in the court of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Daddy was demoted again because of a crime, and I was confiscated into Princess Rongde's mansion as a servant because of a crime. Later, in order to allow me to enter the palace, give me a title, and let me be by his side all the time, the emperor asked me to recognize him as a servant. Governor Pingzhang Ruan Yannian, Master Ruan was a adoptive father, and he went through many twists and turns to enter the palace, but he was only allowed to live in the Taiping Palace." The concubine seemed to be immersed in the past, her bright face was covered like milk and smoke. Shining in the moonlight, it seemed to be covered with a layer of soft creme veil, which was extremely smooth and soft, "Because the Queen Mother Zhaoxian was dissatisfied with my background, I was not allowed to enter Zi'ao City to be canonized. The Queen Mother Zhaoxian was the first emperor's aunt, the first emperor After the death of my biological mother, the Queen Mother Zhaohui, the late Emperor was raised by the Queen Mother Zhaoxian herself. For more than ten years, the relationship between mother and child, the late Emperor naturally did not want to disobey the Queen Mother Zhaoxian, but he could not bear to wrong me too much. The palace built a tung flower platform to welcome me into the palace and receive a canonization ceremony." Tonghua is thousands of miles away, even the Korean language is endless.Tonghua Terrace was the place where Concubine Shu Gui entered the palace for the canonization ceremony, and it was also the place where she and the late emperor could stand openly in front of the world and advance and retreat hand in hand.On that day, the late emperor stood on the Tonghua Terrace, and personally played the song "Phoenix Flying" to welcome the return of the woman he loved all his life.For a woman, such a grand affection is naturally a very good memory. But for me, Tonghua Terrace—a gentle smile unconsciously formed the corner of my mouth. The evening face that night bloomed so white and pure.Whenever I am sad, I think of the words of that night in my mind, and I am also infected with such a clean and peaceful atmosphere. Seeing me smiling, the concubine couldn't help but ask, "Huan'er, what are you laughing at?" Only then did I realize it, and Yingying smiled slightly: "I just remembered seeing Tonghua Terrace before, so I smiled." The concubine said: "Yes. The Tonghua Terrace is three feet and nine feet high, all of which are paved with high-quality pure white jade. The Qionglou Yuyu, the beams of light, and the shining colors. In order to build the Tonghua Terrace, a lot of skilled craftsmen's thoughts were spent. The first emperor also ordered that the edge of the tung tree flower platform be planted with sycamores and sycamores, sycamores - trees that symbolize long-lasting love." I nodded and said: "Yes. The phoenix tree is indeed a kind and precious tree that attracts the phoenix. It can be seen that the late emperor's thoughts on the concubine are indeed not the usual interest." The concubine nodded slightly, the curve of her chin was as soft as a crescent moon, and said softly: "Every spring and summer, Tangdi flowers bloom like snow, with a faint fragrance and elegant fragrance. Occasionally, there are also purple flowers, which are even more rare. This kind of beautiful scenery is like a purple mist rising in the sky, and the flowers are so colorful that it is fascinating. Every time at this time, the first emperor would order the singing maid to sing "The Blossom of Tangdi" under the plane tree, and walk hand in hand with me In the meantime, we enjoyed the flowers blooming and falling together. No matter how many years I have been in the palace, the late emperor has treated me like this. Although there are always a few months during the years, the late emperor will return to live in Zi Ao City, and the two places will be separated. Moreover, the empress dowager does not like it, and the empress is dissatisfied , the concubines criticized and the courtiers discussed, but the late emperor's affection for me has not changed." "I also heard from time to time that the former emperor's deposed empress was a relative of the empress dowager, and there was a powerful Mrs. Yu'e in the palace, and the first emperor even punished his concubines for sealing the palace for the dowager." "The first emperor treated me very well. If he lived in the Taiping Palace, he would definitely not call any concubine other than me at will. Although the empress dowager and the courtiers always made things difficult for me, the first emperor I don't feel that the years in the palace have been hard if I do my best to maintain it." When I heard her say that, I was actually a little scared in my heart.The more the late emperor favored Concubine Shu Gui, the more he actually forced her to become hostile to other concubines. A collection of favors is also a collection of grievances!No wonder Xuanqing would advise me at Tonghua Terrace that day, "If the emperor's favor is too great, it will be very hard if you put it on a charcoal fire." This sentence is probably Xuan Qing's emotion for the kindness her mother and concubine received. So, although Concubine Shu Gui said she was happy with her mouth, she was actually very painful in her heart. However, perhaps in her heart, only the late emperor's affection is the most important. "Later, Empress Dowager Zhaoxian passed away, and I was able to move into Zi'ao City. Although Zi'ao City is prosperous, in my heart, it is far less comfortable than Tonghua Terrace." After finishing speaking, Concubine Shu Gui sighed softly. , quite disappointed and said: "It's a pity that the current queen mother doesn't like Tonghua Terrace, and thinks it is too extravagant. It has not been seen for many years, and it should be so dilapidated that no one takes care of it." I smiled lightly, and comforted me: "So what, no matter whether Tonghua Terrace is prosperous or declining, in the eyes of the concubine and the first emperor, it will always be the Tonghua Terrace where the love and joy of the day were enjoyed." Concubine Shu Gui smiled lightly, "Yes, in my heart, Tonghua Terrace will always be the witness of my long-term friendship with the late emperor." The concubine looked back at me with gentle eyes, "I said these old things in the past, do you think boring?" I smiled and said: "No, I always like to hear about the past. In the past, I just heard about the concubine and the first emperor. Now I can hear the concubine recounting the past with my own mouth. I am very willing." The concubine smiled happily, and even the silver-gray robe seemed to be dyed a lustrous and transparent color by the moonlight. Her whole body was shining like the moon, and the evening wind picked up the corners of her clothes, fluttering like lift.Concubine Shu Gui is over forty at this time, I saw that her appearance and shape are just like back then, bathed in the light of stars and moon.I imagined how elegant and graceful she would be when she first entered the palace and stood on the high platform hand in hand with the late emperor facing the wind.