Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Shocking Hong (Part 1)

Since Mei Zhuang became pregnant, the emperor spent almost every night in the Yurun Hall of Mei Zhuang, apart from being with the Queen on the fifteenth day of each month and occasionally staying in my Yifu Hall for a few days.For a moment, everyone in the harem looked sideways, extremely jealous and helpless towards Mei Zhuang's special favor. Mei Zhuang was really favored, but he mentioned it in front of the emperor, and as soon as he lifted the sedan chair, he immediately picked up Mausoleum from Zi'ao City and sent him to the Taiping Palace to accompany Mei Zhuang to conceive. The concubines who have never been favored by Long can't accompany the Taiping Palace to escape the summer heat, not to mention the low status of Lingrong, I'm afraid they are already envious of the concubines who stayed in Zi'ao City.Sure enough, Ling Rong said with a smile: "When Meiren Shi found out, her nose became crooked in anger. It's a pity that she has such a beautiful nose."

June 19th was Wen Yi's birthday, and the weather was a bit hot, so the banquet was held in Fuli Hall.The Fuli Hall was built very early. It was originally a small garden where the Empress Dowager Zhaokang of the previous dynasty lived in the Taiping Palace in her later years.Because it is not far from the lake, you can still clearly hear the sound of silk and bamboo orchestra coming from the water pavilion of Fanyue Lake. The sound is clear and distant without the noisy sound. There is a golden dragon banquet table in the middle, facing north and south, and the emperor and empress sit side by side.The empress was dressed in a blue-colored tunic and a pair of small ribbons. She sat next to the emperor with a straight face, maintaining a proper smile as always.It's just that today, her smile inexplicably makes me feel a faint sadness from time to time.For more than ten years since entering the palace, the queen has never been favored by the emperor. Since the child she gave birth to as a noble concubine died, she has not given birth to a boy and a half girl. The palace people privately rumor that the queen has lost another child. Ability.

Although the emperor was polite and respectful to the empress, he did not have the kind of affection for Empress Chunyuan after all.The queen mother is always indifferent to the queen, perhaps because she minds that the queen is born of a concubine, unlike the queen of Chunyuan who is born in the royal family. I slowly took a sip of "Pear Blossom White" and thought sadly, in fact, this pair of Zhu sisters who successively held the Phoenix Seal and became the mother of the world are really pitiful.Empress Chunyuan died of dystocia, and her death implicated the high-ranking concubines De and Xian; now the empress also lost her only child.I shook my head, behind the beauty of everyone in this harem, there may not be her unknown bitterness.

From north to south on the ground level, the east and west are relatively close to the banquet tables of relatives, wives and concubines.Palace rules are strict, relatives and noble men are not allowed to meet and gather with concubines for non-major festival banquets.Today's Wen Yi's birthday was a family banquet, so it was naturally informal. Below the left hand of the empress are the seats for relatives, nobles and female relatives.There are four red sandalwood tables in a row, namely Qishan Wang Xuanxun, Runan Wang Xuanji, Qinghe Wang Xuanqing and Pingyang Wang Xuanfen. Qishan Wang Xuanxun had a round face with long eyebrows, a bloated complexion, and an air of pampering and wealth.King Qishan's concubine is also extremely beautiful, she looks much younger than him, presumably the royal concubine passed away a long time ago, this is Xinna's continuation.

Runan Wang Xuanji's concubine is Shenyanghou's daughter He Shi, she is not very good looking, she looks weak, she does not have the arrogance of a woman from aristocratic family, she just looks at her husband quietly with a smile, and does not talk to others.The Runan King had a hulking back and a hulking waist, his eyes often exuded the sharp light of a falcon, and his face always had an aloof and indifferent expression, and he seemed to feel the chill.He lost his mother and concubine since he was a child, and he was not favored by his father and emperor. He was cold-hearted and kind-hearted. He was known to be arrogant, but he was extremely affectionate and caring for this concubine, almost to the point of obedience and obedience.For this reason, people secretly nicknamed them "husbands who fear their wives", but they are also a surprised couple.During the banquet, I saw that the emperor was very close to the Runan king and his wife, and knew that it was because of the tense war in the Southwest. Among the close relatives, the only one who could rely heavily on the Runan king was the Runan king.

The corner of the mouth draws a cool arc like a crescent moon. For this battle, there is probably a good show to watch today.I just don't know how she will perform this "comeback" scene. King Xuanqing of Qinghe and Prince Xuanfen of Pingyang have not yet married, so they have no family members.The seat of King Xuanqing of Qinghe was empty, and no one came until the banquet. The emperor just laughed and said, "This sixth younger brother has seen something new and refused to move." Prince Xuanfen of Pingyang was only fourteen years old, a young adult The young man with sword eyebrows and bright eyes is full of heroic spirit.

In the first seat on the right are Mei Zhuang, who has been promoted to Ronghua, and Cao Qinmo, who has just been canonized as Jieyu.Today's banquet is not only to celebrate Wenyi's first birthday, but also to celebrate Meizhuang's pregnancy.Empress Wen Yi is young, so the two of them are the real protagonists today, and even Concubine Duan and Concubine Cui, who are far above them, can only take the second place.Concubine Hua, who fell out of favor, shared the third seat with Feng Shuyi, and the fourth seat was for Ling Rong and me.Because he was afraid that Ling Rong would be timid, he deliberately pulled her to sit with her.And the other concubines came after us.

Meizhuang is wearing a crimson embroidered "Xinglin Chunyan" brocade dress, apricot yellow strands of gold thread-stitched gauze skirt, all inlaid gold ornaments, especially a red gold and ruyi hairpin on the hair bun, and the whole body is decorated with lotus, double happiness, and bats. , on the head of the hairpin are the two immortals of Hehe, which symbolizes many children, many blessings, and good luck.It was specially sent by the Queen Mother when she heard that there was a happy event in Meizhuang. The pearls and emerald jade, the bright red gold, are even more noble and incomparable.It appears that the eyebrows are radiant and full of energy.Cao Jieyu was wearing a lotus-purple top, emerald blue and gold branches and green leaves and a hundred flowers on the floor skirt, and her hair was full of pearls and emeralds, which was also gorgeous and eye-catching.Behind them, surrounded by a large group of maids, they kept filling the bar with fine wine, and they were the most flattered.

Concubine Hua hadn't seen Xuan Ling since the day she entered the Taiping Palace and greeted everyone with greetings.Today, I just put on a light makeup and sat silently.Fortunately, Fung Shu-yi is the most lenient and non-controversial person, and she doesn't make things difficult for her. When the banquet was about to start, Concubine Duan came in, supported by two or three maids on the left and right, and bowed tremblingly.The emperor hurriedly left his seat to help her, and said, "It's not an urgent matter for you to come here even though the sun is so bright outside."

A smile floated on Concubine Duan's pale face: "Emperor Ji Wenyi's first birthday is a big event, and my concubine will definitely come to congratulate her. I haven't seen Wen Yi for a long time." Cao Jieyu hurriedly asked the wet nurse to carry Wen Yi to Concubine Duan.The weather was hot, and Wen Yi only wore a multicolored silk apron embroidered with the pattern of "Danfeng Chaoyang" in bright red, which made her look more like a dough ball.Concubine Duan looked at Wen Yi showing a very gentle and kind expression, she stretched out her hand and wanted to hug her, but for some reason she forcibly stopped her hand, stared at Wen Yi for a long time, smiled slightly and said: "I really want to hug you Wen Yi's, I'm afraid I'll fall on her instead. I'm also powerless." He said to the palace maid who was supporting her: "Auspicious."

The little court lady named "Auspicious" hurriedly presented a golden lock and a necklace of gold silk and eight treasures to Cao Jieyu.The golden lock is nothing more than a thumb-sized emerald in the middle of the collar, the watery emerald green is about to drip, and anyone with a discerning eye can tell that it is the old pit fine waxy jadeite from the Onan Kingdom. beloved. Sure enough, the emperor said: "This collar is very familiar, like your dowry when you entered the palace." He also said: "I am still a child, how can I give her such a precious thing." Concubine Duan coughed a few times to one side, until her face flushed strangely, Fang smiled and said: "The emperor has a good memory. It's just that the concubine has been ill for many years, so it's a pity to let it go. Wen Yi is so cute, it's just right for her .” Cao Jieyu obviously didn't expect Concubine Duan to give such a generous gift, she was surprised and happy, and quickly thanked Wen Yi: "More concubine Duan." Concubine Duan gently stroked Wen Yi's cheek and sighed: "The last time I saw her was the full moon, she was already so big. She has beautiful features, and she must be a beauty when she grows up." Cao Jieyu gave way with a smile: "Your Majesty is absurd, please come to the table quickly, Your Majesty." Concubine Duan stood and talked for a while, already out of breath and dripping with sweat.The maids hurriedly helped her to sit down. This is the first time I have seen Concubine Duan since I entered the palace for a long time, the woman who has been serving the emperor for the longest time in the palace.Her appearance is not inferior to that of Concubine Hua, but her complexion is as pale as paper, thin and cold, and her body limply leans on the maid's body after sitting for half an hour, and even the thin onyx silk dress on her body seems unbearable. The burden, not to mention the numerous pearls hanging from the red gold Jingfu long cotton phoenix hairpin on the topknot, was so heavy that she couldn't even lift her head.She doesn't look like the daughter of General Huben, who was born in a generation of generals. Looking at Concubine Hua next to her, she looked quite different.Concubine Duan and Concubine Hua are both descendants of generals. In contrast, Concubine Hua has the demeanor of a general and tiger girl, acting decisively and fiercely, deterring the harem.Even if you lose power, you will not lose your charm.At first glance, Concubine Duan looked like a very weak person, she was just weak and slender, her body was so weak that she needed someone to support her when she moved, she couldn't speak a few words and she was out of breath. Concubine Duan and the others nodded and saw each other, looked at Meizhuang for a few times, but she was slightly taken aback when she saw me, then she smiled meaningfully at me, turned her head and said to the emperor with a nonchalant smile: "The emperor has got a beautiful woman again." The emperor didn't speak, but just laughed.The queen said with a smile: "My sister has not seen strangers for many years, so she still has the eyesight of the past." These words were thoughtless, everyone was just joking and didn't pay attention to it, and I didn't think about it. Famous wine and delicacies on the table, fresh vegetables and game, the breeze blowing the curtains, the harpsichord playing leisurely and swaying, it is refreshing. "Pear Blossom White" wine tastes mellow and sweet, but has a strong stamina.After drinking for three rounds, my face became hot and my head was dizzy. Seeing that everyone was talking about the wine in high spirits, I told Ling Rong a few words and then quietly pulled Liu Zhu out to change clothes to sober up. Huanbi had already ordered Jingqing and Peier to prepare replacement clothes in the small pavilion next to Fuli Hall.Although the Fuli Hall is cooler than other places, the first birthday ceremony of Emperor Ji Wenyi is a big event. Although there is no need for heavy makeup, you still have to wear clothes that comply with the regulations. With the wine in your ears, your close-fitting clothes are already sticky with sweat It's uncomfortable. There are all kinds of things in the small pavilion, which are specially used for changing clothes and sobering up for the concubines and family members who are accompanying them.When Jingqing and Peier saw me coming in, they rushed forward to greet me, fanning and handing me water.I took the wet handkerchief and covered my face, "The weather is also strange, it's so hot in June." Jingqing accompanied her with a smile and said, "It's no wonder I'm sweating all over from the heat to entertain so many concubines and concubines." I lightly said: "Where do you want me to socialize? Today is a good day for Shen Ronghua and Cao Jieyu, we just need to sit and drink and listen to music." Jingqing smiled and said, "The young master of Weidao didn't go out in fancy clothes today." I took a sip of tea and said, "The protagonists of today's feast are Shen Ronghua and Cao Jieyu. It's their time to shine. It's not that we have to stay away from the limelight, so as not to cause trouble. Sometimes it's better to be quiet than to move. " While helping me change clothes, Pei'er interjected, "Is there anything that can't be avoided in this palace? What if it can't be avoided?" I squinted at her and didn't speak.Huanbi said: "Since we can't avoid it, we have to stand still for a while and wait for the opportunity to make an unexpected move, so as to win by surprise. Miss, don't you think so?" I smiled and said: "Living with me in the palace these days, you have grown a lot." Huanbi lowered her eyebrows and smiled: "Thank you for your compliment, Miss." After changing into a light purple palace attire, Huanbi said: "Miss, do you want to go back to the table immediately?" After thinking for a while, he smiled and said: "You just watch here. After finally escaping from the banquet, you will have to drink again when you go back. Now your heart is depressed, why don't you go to relax and refresh yourself." Liu Zhu's hand goes out. Sure enough, the air outside is more airy than inside the palace, and there are more century-old vines and vines in the royal garden, the flowers and trees are sparse, the rockery is rugged, and the shade is lush and green, which is a bit cooler than other places.At this time, the imperial garden is full of emerald greens, but there are not many flowers. The pomegranate flowers are still in full bloom, but the magnolia flowers are in full bloom, and gradually become decadent. Heart.Liu Zhu accompanied me to look at the flowers slowly for a while, and teased the birds for a while, and walked far away unconsciously. I felt a little sore in my legs when I walked, and suddenly I saw a clear spring behind the rockery, which was as clear as jade and jade, and it was cool to look at.The surrounding area was also silent and uninhabited.Playful for a while, he took off the embroidered shoes on his feet and threw them to Liu Zhu, rolled up the corners of his skirts and stretched his feet to play in the cool and refreshing spring. A few red fish were swimming in the spring, pecking at the calf lightly, and couldn't help laughing out itchy. Liu Zhu chuckled: "Miss is still the same, her temper in the mansion hasn't changed at all." I kicked the splash, and smiled wryly: "It's still the same temper as before, but it has changed a lot. Even with this temper now, I still suffer a lot in the open and in the dark." Seeing Liu Zhu showing embarrassment, he hurriedly smiled and said: " Look at how many glasses of wine I drank, I was just joking with you." Liu Zhu said: "Is there anything that my servant doesn't understand. From being favored to now, Miss has never really breathed a sigh of relief." I patted her hand and said: "Say what you're doing in a good manner. Now that sister Meizhuang is happy, at least I have something to rely on. Don't say these spoiling things." I turned my head and smiled: "This water is cool. Can't you get down?" While he was talking, he suddenly heard a voice in the distance reciting slowly: I thought to myself, this is Li Houzhu's Ci. At that time, the Empress Dowager first met the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the Empress Dowager recited new words. After the Great Zhou Dynasty, he played the pipa and danced "Neon Clothes and Feather Clothes Song". Day like a dream.It's a pity that the empress is an emperor after all, and he only favors the empress of the Great Zhou Dynasty, so there is also a younger Empress of Zhou. I shook my head secretly, thinking of Xuan Ling in the apricot blossom sky shadow that spring day, he deliberately avoided me for fear that I would be unfamiliar, and said with a smile: "I am the King of Qinghe." "If life is just like the first time you saw it, why is Xifeng sadly painting a fan? Waiting for leisure to change but old people's hearts are easy to change." Xuan Ling was gentle and elegant on that day, but now he listens to other people's provocations and becomes suspicious me.Let out a low breath, how wonderful it would be if life could always be the same as when we first saw each other! I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't realize that the voice was getting closer.All of a sudden, there was a drunken and cold aroma of wine, bursting with sweetness. It was the top-quality "Rose Drunk" smell tributed by Xiyue, but it was mixed with the breath of a strange man. swept up.With a fright in my heart, my slippery body with moss and greasy feet slanted and fell into the spring. Before Liu Zhu could reach out to hold me, I shouted in panic: "Miss!" Seeing that he was about to fall into embarrassment, he suddenly spun around and was pulled onto the shore by someone's arm. Before he recovered, he smiled and said, "Why are you so light?" Shocked and annoyed, I saw that he was still holding my arm, and I pushed him back with all my strength, and hurriedly shouted: "Who are you?!" Liu Zhu hurriedly stood in front of me and scolded, "Bold! Who is so rude?" Looking up, I saw him leaning on a snow-white Taihu Lake rock, wearing a loose white crepe robe with splashed ink and flowing water cloud pattern... a purple flute slanted across his waist, and his expression was languid and leisurely. He was pushed by me but he was not annoyed, nor did he answer.He just stared blankly, and narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he couldn't adapt to the sudden sunshine.He sized me up a few times, his eyes suddenly stayed on the ground, and a fleeting smile floated on the corner of his mouth: "Empress Li once praised the beautiful woman's fair skin as 'Ethereal Jade and Soft Qing', and what she said was true. It’s just that I don’t think it’s better to use one sentence.” I lowered my head and saw his eyes looking directly at my bare feet, only to realize that I forgot to put on my shoes in a panic, and my snow-white bare feet stood faintly among the green grass, blooming like pure white lotuses, and he looked at them to appreciate them.Shy and anxious, she hurriedly pulled the wide skirt to cover her feet.Since ancient times, women's bare feet are the most precious, and they can only be seen by their husbands during the wedding night in the bridal chamber.Now that he was seen by others, he suddenly felt embarrassed and ashamed.Hearing his frivolous words, I was already annoyed by him, so I bowed my body and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, please respect yourself." Liu Zhu looked at me in surprise, and whispered: "Miss..." I didn't even look at her, I just said indifferently: "Liu Zhu, I have seen King Qinghe." Although Liu Zhu was full of doubts, he didn't dare to disobey my words, and gave a salute according to the words. King Qinghe smiled slightly, "You haven't seen me, how do you know I'm Qinghe?" Maintaining a faint and alienated smile, he asked back: "Except for King Qinghe, who can keep a purple flute close to his body, who can drink the 'rose drunk' tribute from Xiyue, and who can be so informal in the palace? Otherwise How to live up to the word 'comfortable'." He showed a slight look of surprise, "Xiao Wang has lost his manner." Then he looked up to the sky and smiled, "Are you the emperor's new favorite?" I can't help feeling disgusted in my heart, such unrestrained and reckless words. Seeing the awkward situation, Liu Zhu hurriedly said, "This is Zhen Wanyi." He nodded slightly, maintaining his superficial politeness: "The concubine offended the prince, please don't take offense." After saying that, he didn't want to waste any more time with him, and said with a salute: "The emperor is still waiting for the concubine, please leave first gone." Seeing that I was about to leave, he hurriedly struggled hard, but he was so drunk that he staggered a few steps unsteadily. I said to Liu Zhu: "Go and call the two inner eunuchs to help the prince go to the nearby Songfengxuan to rest and sober up." Liu Zhu immediately called the inner eunuch and helped him up one by one.He waved his hand and looked at me: "What's your name?" I was stunned, feeling more and more ashamed and annoyed, and asked for a gift from my husband's family.Since I am a concubine of the emperor, naturally only Xuan Ling can ask me my boudoir name.Duan Ran said: "I'm afraid the humble name will tarnish the ears of the lord. The lord is drunk, please go and have a rest." After saying that, he walked away. It wasn't until he was far away that he solemnly said to Liu Zhu: "No one is allowed to mention today's matter, otherwise I won't even have the place to die." Liu Zhu has never seen me look like this before, and nodded hastily. -------------------------------------------------- --- Notes: , the full text is: "A vortex of clouds, a shuttle of jade. The thin clothes are thin and thin, and the double snails are lightly frowning. There are many autumn winds and the rain is harmonious. Outside the curtain, there are two or three nests of plantains. What a night man can do."