Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Pear Blossom

The beginning of April is the season when the crabapple blooms first, and the climate of Tangli is relatively cold. At this time, the pear blossoms in the courtyard behind the hall are in full bloom.Because the wound on the cheek has not healed, it is not suitable to walk around, and she has been pregnant for nearly two months, and her body becomes more and more lazy. She spends the long time sitting or sleeping on the couch all day long.Xuan Ling came to be my company from time to time, just to tell me some interesting things to make me laugh, because of the imperial doctor's order, he didn't stay in my palace overnight.All kinds of playthings in gold, jade, silk, and silk were sent to my palace continuously by Liushuijie. Xiao Yunzi often joked: "If you reward the emperor's things, let alone our servants are soft-handed, even the palace won't be able to let them go." So I picked them up. A few favorites were kept for appreciation, and the rewards were distributed to the queens and concubines according to their positions, and the rest were specially opened as a storage place for the time being.

On that day, the weather was clear and bright, freshly washed hair was still not dry, a loose bun was casually tied, and only a pair of inch-long crystal swallow hairpins were used.Wipe the scar lightly with the scar-relieving gel gifted by Lingrong, and cover the face with a silk veil as usual. The light, dense and soft veil can block wind and dust without hindering clear vision, so it is perfect for a veil. I ordered someone to move the imperial concubine couch to the back of the hall under the pear tree, and sat obliquely to embroider a bellyband worn by a baby. The red pomegranate thread and the apricot-yellow background color embroidered a pattern of lilacs blooming with a hundred seeds. Every stitch and thread is full of my new life The joy of the mother and the affection of the child in the womb.After embroidering a few stitches, a happy and reassuring smile appeared on the corner of her mouth unconsciously...

Tired of embroidery, I looked up and saw pear blossoms blooming like soft white clouds, and the snow-white flowers in different shades reflected the gorgeous bright red skirt on her body, bright red and white.When the wind blows occasionally, the bright and clean petals lightly fall on the clothes, covering the body like clean frost and snow, and even the mood is clean and peaceful. With this little unformed child in her womb, her heart is joyful and soft, and she even chooses bright colors for her clothes.I used to like light and elegant colors, but now I like pure red, such undisguised happiness.The soft silk sleeves flow long from the imperial concubine's couch to the ground, like a mist dyed red by the sun's rays.

Alcohol can soothe your worries, but at this moment it is just for fun, I called Jinxi, "Go and get some wine—" Jinxi brought "Pear Blossom White" and said with a smile: "I know that my mother's alcohol addiction is on the rise. A few days ago, my hand was injured and I was forbidden to touch alcohol. Now it's better to loosen it. It's made from the pear blossoms I picked last year. , buried in the blue and white urn until the day before yesterday, exactly one year, the empress should try it." Drinking "Pear Blossom White" in front of the clear and pure pear blossoms is really suitable for the occasion, so I drank it all in one gulp.

Jinxi left with a smile, and I poured and drank by myself, enjoying myself alone. The palace courtyard is silent, and the flowers bloom and fall without sound, which is a rare tranquility in a floating life.After a few cups, he drank in a hurry just now, and the strength of the wine slowly came to his body.Turn around lazily, close your eyes and rest. There are light footsteps approaching me, it is a man's footsteps, I don't need to think about it, I know it is him, besides him, there is no other man in the harem who can drive straight into my palace.I deliberately didn't get up to greet him, but still fell asleep, wanting to see how he was doing.

He silently greeted Jinxi, waved her back, and sat beside me alone.The breeze came slowly, blowing the falling pear blossoms like rain.In a trance, pear blossoms are falling between the eyebrows.Hearing his soft "huh", warm breath came down to my face, lips and teeth were reflected between my eyebrows, and the petals fell silently when I kissed lightly. He lifted the veil covering my cheeks, kissed from the center of my eyebrows down to my lips, and swallowed the petals into my mouth. After chewing, the pear blossoms were full of pleasant sweet fragrance.He lowered his head and kissed the bare shoulder blades and collarbone, and through the coolness of the petals, his face was itchy with stubble.I couldn't bear it any longer, opened my eyes and chuckled softly: "Shiro likes to bully people—"

Xuan Ling smiled all over his eyes, scratched my nose and said, "I knew you were pretending to be asleep, and you were pretending not to be, your eyelashes kept trembling." I coquettishly said, "It's all about knowing that I'm an honest person, and Shiro only bullies honest people." He carefully looked at the scar on my face and smiled: "It seems to have faded a bit." I hurriedly covered it with my hands, turned my head and said angrily: "Now it has become Wuyan, Dongshi, don't look at it, Shiro." Xuan Ling smiled and said: "Have you used the ointment I gave you? After a while, it will be as good as before. Huanhuan's peerless beauty, I wonder who in this world can compare with it?"

I felt mischievous in my heart, and said with a smile: "Huanhuan has a younger sister named Yuluo, she can be called a national beauty, and she is definitely not inferior to a concubine." "Oh?" Xuanling showed a look of interest, and asked: "Is there anyone else who can be as good as Huanhuan? I want to see." I pretended to be anxious: "That's not allowed. Seeing the beauty of my sister, Shiro will definitely be eager to accept her as a concubine! At that time, there will be no Huanhuan in my heart." He saw that I was anxious, and the playful look on his face became stronger: "It must be a peerless beauty who can make you so jealous. It seems that I really want to accept a new concubine. Well, what do you think you should do to seal your sister? Jie Yu? Your concubine? Should I be named a concubine immediately?"

I couldn't help it, I laughed so hard that I finally stopped laughing and said: "Huanhuan's younger sister is seven years old this year, I hope His Majesty can accept it." Xuanling acted like he had suddenly realized, hugged me on his lap, bit my earlobe and said, "You narrow-minded little thing!" I smiled and curled up into a ball to hide from him: "Don't make trouble, the imperial doctor said that you should keep it and don't move around at will." He laid me horizontally on the imperial concubine's couch, bent down and put his face on my lower abdomen, showing an air of listening carefully.In such a homely and warm scene, he is just like a husband who loves his wife and children.I couldn't help stroking the part of his neck that was exposed outside his clothes.The flowers are blooming quietly, I think, the years are quiet, this is probably what it looks like.

There was a brisk smile on the corner of my mouth, and I said softly, "Where can I hear anything now?" He got up suddenly, picked me up and spun me around a few times, until I was dizzy, he laughed loudly: "Huanhuan, Huanhuan! You have our child, do you know how happy I am! " I "giggled" and laughed, and the laughter shook the flowers like snow, and the wall was fragrant.I held his neck tightly: "Okay, I'm also very happy." He casually picked up the petals of pear blossoms that fell on the pillow, compared them between my eyebrows and said: "The pear blossoms are so white that they can be compared with snow, and when the flowers fall between the eyebrows, they seem colorless. It can be seen that Huanhuan's skin is more radiant than snow."

I leaned against his chest with a smile, grabbed a handful of pear blossoms and held them in the palm of my hand. As expected, they were as light as nothing, so I smiled and said: "Princess Shouyang, the daughter of Emperor Wu of Song Dynasty in the Southern Dynasty, is lying in the Hanzhang Hall every day, and the red plum blossoms are in full bloom in the courtyard." , one of them floated down and attached to the middle of her eyebrows. The five petals were stretched and flattened. The shape was so beautiful that the palace servants could not wipe it off. It took three days to wash it off. Therefore, the women in the palace felt beautiful after seeing it, so they They all followed suit and made plum blossom-shaped decorations on their foreheads, called "plum blossom makeup". It's just a pity that the light pear blossoms are not suitable for makeup." Xuan Ling said: "It's actually not difficult to make makeup." As he said, he took my hand into the back hall, sat in front of the bronze flower mirror, placed a complete pear flower between the eyebrows, took a brush and dipped it in deep red rouge to outline the shape, He took silver powder and decorated it with stamens, and said with a smile, "What do you think of Huanhuan?" I looked in the mirror, and sure enough, the color was fresh and graceful, which was better than the bluntness of Huadian, but added a soft and charming posture, so I smiled and said: "It's good, it's just that the pear blossoms are white in color and outlined with rouge, but they don't seem real. gone." He looked at it for a moment, and said: "Then I can't help it, so I have to. It's just that if it's really white, it can't be made into makeup, so it can't be both." I smiled: "It is difficult to have both in the world, and it is rare to have one beauty alone." Xuan Ling also said: "Since it's beautiful, the makeup is meant to mimic rather than seek truth. How about calling this makeup 'Jiaoli makeup'?" I looked around and smiled happily: "Siro painted it, and Shiro named it, it's very elegant." He was also very happy, and said: "Then order you to recite a poem with pear blossoms to cheer you up." In the afternoon, the palace gate was closed, and I stared at the pear blossoms outside the window. Before I had time to think about it, I casually said: As soon as the words came out, I was startled. I was unavoidably uncomfortable. I secretly regretted my slip of the tongue. How can I talk about such self-pity poems in front of the king, let alone the hurt condition of the concubine who fell out of favor. It is really ominous to read it so abruptly. . However, Xuan Ling didn't feel it, just said: "It's the season of spring, the gate of the palace is closed, and the pear blossoms are blooming more. It's just that I sit with you. How can I say I'm lonely? Although it's the right time, it's not the right time. Punishment." He turned his head and saw an unfinished pot of "Pear Blossom White" on the table in front of the window, so he fetched it and said, "You will be punished for drinking a glass." I took it casually, took a sip with a smile, looked into his eyes and said, "Yiyan drinks..." He immediately said: "Grow old together." As he spoke, he extended his arms and joined hands with me to drink. With a smile on his face, he asked me: "Is it the posture of drinking a cup of wine?" The loneliness in the deep palace is not all loneliness, there are still such peaceful and happy times in this loneliness.My heart is full of tranquility, the spirit of the wine just now has not faded, and now I drink it again, I don't feel my cheeks are hot, reflected in the mirror like a flying cloud, and the peach blossoms begin to bloom. I half bent over the table, smiled and said to him: "The concubine has already read the poem, it's Shiro's time. Remember to have the word 'Pear Blossom'." He thought for a while, with a malicious smile on his face, and slowly said: When I heard it, my face burned with shame, and I spat at him with a smile: "What a serious person!" He suppressed a smile and said, "Why?" "Eighteen brides, eighty-year-olds, with pale hair and red makeup. Fang is like a pear tree crushing a begonia." He said: "I would like to grow old together with my son, Huanhuan's face will not change, I have a childlike face with white hair, isn't it just pale hair and red makeup?" He picked me up high and gently put me on the bed, I understood his intention , shook his hand and said: "Don't play tricks!" He lowered his head, and his smile grew stronger, "Just now I made fun of your sister, now let's see how I deal with you, you little bastard..." I laughed while avoiding him and said, "Hey! Shiro, why do you hold grudges like this?" He grabbed my hands and embraced me, "Ten years is not too late for a gentleman to take revenge." The brocade curtain is half-draped and half-rolled, facing the pear blossoms as white as moonlight outside the window.Dots of flowers and catkins entangle and dance softly and silently.I vaguely remember the appearance of the stamens of the pear blossom, the appearance of the faintly blush flower center in the middle of the petals, and the refreshing and pleasant posture like ice jade. In fact, it is very similar to the apricot blossom when I met Xuan Ling that day. The light golden sunlight flows gently through the branches of the flower trees, and the pure white flowers bloom thrillingly.There was no sound from the wind blowing outside the window, no sound from the pear blossoms flying down, and no sound from inside the window. His movements were soft and gentle, for fear of hurting the weak but vigorous life in his belly.The warm sunshine is falling silently, the breeze is blowing, and the petals are quietly falling. The moment I hug his body, I almost want to sleep peacefully, sleeping in this deep spring like the sea, and pear blossoms like snow. It was the day when Xuanling came back in the morning, I had just taken the anti-fetal medicine and I was lying in bed to be lazy, the sweet smell of benzoin in the room had not faded away, and there was a palace-like lintel hanging from the tent, densely packed The endless embroidery of Bat Ruyi, paired with the silk curtain with fringe and red silk, has a fragrant and lazy taste no matter how you look at it. Xuan Ling walked in alone. He had just changed his clothes after going down to court. He only wore a gold-filled and embroidered thin robe.Seeing me falling asleep with my hair disheveled, he smiled and said, "I'm getting more and more lazy, and I'm still lying down in the sun." I said: "I follow you and the Queen Mother's will to take good care of you, but the one who sent me is here. I've been lying idle all day and I'm so bored." As he spoke, he made a gesture to get up and was about to salute, he hurriedly stopped him and smiled : "Forget it, just lie down quietly." I couldn't help laughing, "This is what Jinkou said in a panic, don't say that you are not a concubine later." He pinched my nose, kicked off the boots on my feet, revealing the blue satin flat gold embroidered gold dragon pincer socks, lifted the quilt and said with a smile: "I will sleep with you for a while, too." I put a new pink gauze bomb pillow filled with rose and peony petals under his neck, lay down under his armpit, looked at the sock and said: "The sock is so delicate, it looks like sister An's handicraft .” He lowered his head to look carefully for a while, and then said: "I don't remember it either, it seems to be. Her needlework is pretty good." I was speechless, so I asked, "Where did the emperor come from?" He said casually, "I went to see Shen Ronghua." I smiled: "I heard that my sister's health is better and she can get up, so she sent someone to see me twice a day." He was a little surprised: "Really? When I went, she couldn't get up to greet me?" I was suspicious. When Caiyue came to say hello yesterday, she said that Meizhuang could get out of bed and walk around, but he couldn't go out.Thinking about it, I still felt a little resentful towards Xuan Ling because of the grounding, so I said, "My sister's condition sometimes relapses, and the epidemic is not easy to recover." He said "huh" without saying anything else, and said after a while: "Speaking of the epidemic, I just remembered an annoying thing." I said softly: "Your Majesty, don't be angry, I wonder if you can talk to my concubine." He twisted the corner of the brocade quilt repeatedly with his thumb and index finger, and slowly said: "I heard from Concubine Jing a few days ago that although Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi were quite effective in curing the epidemic, they secretly accepted bribes from many court ladies and eunuchs. Treat it first, ignore those who have no money, and let it fend for itself. Really do it!" I pondered for a moment, and said: "Doctors are parents, such actions are really medical skills but no medical products. The concubines look down on them very much." I was quiet, and said: "Does the emperor still remember that they framed Shen Ronghua in the past?" Xuan Ling frowned secretly, but there was nothing he could do: "I haven't forgotten—it's just that the epidemic is not clear now, and I can't kill him yet." I raised my body slightly, and said: "The concubine is recommended by the emperor, the imperial physician Wen Shichu." He said "Oh", with great interest: "Go on." "Emperor Wen is quite effective in treating her sister's epidemic, and my concubine heard that the prescriptions of Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi were originally written by Emperor Wen." I said softly: "The emperor thinks carefully, Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi What he is good at is the subject of infants and women, how come he suddenly knows how to treat epidemic diseases, although people who study medicine can understand by analogy, but now they can only learn the basics and not be proficient. And Doctor Wen is good at plague and body fever." Xuanling thought for a long time quietly, and said: "I want to meet this Wen Shichu, and it is as you said, Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi absolutely cannot stay." I leaned on his chest and said softly: "The emperor is very right. It's just the same thing. Now the epidemic situation in the palace seems to be improving, and everyone in the palace thinks it's Er Jiang's credit. If you kill these two people by accepting bribes at this time, Not only the people in the Six Palaces will criticize the emperor because of a small mistake and disregard the overall situation, I am afraid that the officials outside will also hear that it is very bad for Yu Qing. What does the emperor think?" "The two of them are Concubine Hua's people after all, and I have to be concerned about Concubine Hua and the people behind her." He sneered slightly, "If you really want to kill, there are many ways. They will definitely not fall into the mouth." As kings, the more they tolerate and restrain, the stronger the outbreak will be, because their arrogance and self-esteem are far superior to ordinary people.I have achieved my goal, I smiled lightly, covered my ears with my hands and shook my head angrily: "I will kill or not, my concubine is afraid after hearing this. The emperor forbids to say any more." He patted me on the shoulder: "Okay, let's not talk about this, April 12th is your seventeenth birthday, the Southwest War has been won again and again, and you are pregnant again, I will ask the Ministry of Rites to have a good time for you, okay?" ?” I tactfully looked back at him, and said softly: "The emperor made up his mind." He pondered again, and slowly spit out two words, "Concubine Hua..." But he stopped talking. My thoughts suddenly changed, and I said: "The emperor is always at Concubine Hua's place these days, why is her stomach not moving at all?" He was only immersed in his own thoughts, and said casually: "She won't have children." I was surprised, and said: "The concubine heard that Concubine Hua had a miscarriage, but did it hurt her body?" He seemed to realize his slip of the tongue, he was noncommittal to my inquiry, just laughed it off, and asked me about my daily diet. Xuanling quietly stayed with me for a while, then went to see Du Liangdi again.I watched him go, Fang Ji put on his shoes and put on his clothes and got up, Jinxi served me and drank a cup of green plum juice to refresh my mind, Fang Qing said: "Isn't it too urgent to provoke the emperor to kill Erjiang at this time?" I sneered: "Don't worry. I've already told you that someone tried to push me to hit Du Liangdi in the Queen's Palace last time. Although I don't know who it is, it can be seen that his heart is poisonous. Now that I am pregnant, it is them The thorn in the flesh, the thorn in the flesh, the two people surnamed Jiang reaped a lot of benefits from the epidemic, and they just sat there blindly in the imperial hospital. Mrs. Wen was with Shen Ronghua again, and Zhang Mi was an honest man. What kind of hands and feet, we just sit and wait for death. It’s better to finish it early.” The long armor touched the blue and white bowl of the twig lotus with a loud sound, which shocked the quiet and sweet fragrance in the room, and slowly said: “Actually, the emperor also I have endured for a long time, if it was not for the occasion of employing people, I would have killed them long ago." There was a faint smile on the corner of Jinxi's mouth: "It's the right time for Concubine Jing to speak to the emperor. But Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi must be willing to fall into the trap." I smiled: "Naturally, people who are greedy for money like this only need someone to tempt them with a little gold and silk. The emperor just endured them for a while. If he gets carried away like this, he is really seeking his own death." Two days later, news came from outside the palace that Jiang Muyang and Jiang Muyi were killed by robbers on their way home from the palace, and even their heads were cut off. He specially gave him a hundred taels of silver for the funeral, and ordered the imperial physician Wen Shichu to take over the treatment of the epidemic.For a time, inside and outside the palace, it was said that the current emperor was sympathetic to his courtiers, and he was very kind. When the news came, I was pruning a branch of apricot blossoms with too many side branches under the window, and I just smiled lightly when I heard the news.Here, Wen Shichu has made a name for himself in this epidemic. -------------------------------------------------- --- Notes: