Chapter 11 Chapter Eleven

Yonghuang returned to the Yanxi Palace, saw that the palace was pale and dark, it didn't look like a place where a once-favored empress lived, and he even thought of the intimacy of A Ruo, who was serving in the past, by the emperor's side now. Unable to hold back tears, she threw herself into Ruyi's arms, crying, "Mother, mother..." Ruyi hugged him and comforted him: "Good boy, it's good when you come back. Have you done everything your mother told you?" Yong Huang cried and said: "Son dare not disappoint his mother, he has already done everything."

"Then your Huang Ama is angry with you?" "I was very angry. She also said that the son is not allowed to follow the mother anymore, and that he will move to live in the Pure Empress Palace, and let her raise the son." Ruyi's heart relaxed, and she couldn't help laughing and said, "That's good. The pure concubine has a high status and a good temper. She has given birth and raised herself, so she knows how to take care of you. Your mother will be happy if you have a good place to go." Hailan followed in, and said with tears: "Sister, why do you do this? You don't want big brother to intercede, but you still want to annoy the emperor by interceding, and you want the queen and Shenchang to watch the joke beside you."

"This joke has to be seen by others." Ruyi took a deep breath, put her arms around Yonghuang and said, "Good boy, do you understand the mother's painstaking efforts?" Yong Huang nodded and said: "From now on, my son can't show his edge too much, let alone please Huang Ama too much, stealing the limelight from the second younger brother, so as not to be coveted and framed." Ruyi nodded with tears in her eyes and said: "Good boy. There will be no mother to protect you in the future. Remember to protect yourself, keep a low profile, and never show your edge. If there is anything important, go quietly to Hai Niangniang, she will take care of you." protect you."

Yong Huang nodded and said: "So my son made Huang Ama angry today, and now I see that Huang Ama doesn't like her son as much as before, and my son is safer." Ruyi nodded again and again: "It's clear at one point, he is really a good son of the mother. In this way, even if the mother can't leave the Yanxi Palace in the future, she can feel at ease." Yong Huang wiped away his tears and said: "But my son heard from Huang Ama today that he wants to remove his mother to the cold palace and depose her as a commoner." Ruyi was stunned for a moment, feeling hot tears rolling down her skin, piercing and itching.

Ruyi's face was full of tears, and the only look in her eyes was dark sadness and helplessness. "From the moment A Ruo was taken to the emperor's side, I knew that my doom was not over. I also said that Shen Chang was sealed by decree, so favored by others, and what other people said..." She couldn't cry, only felt the pain in her heart. The shocking pain was like a pair of heavy millstones grinding down one after another, almost grinding a crushed heart into powder and scattering it in the wind, "Your Majesty...you actually doubt me to such an extent!" Hai Lan sobbed: "All talk makes gold, and accumulation destroys bones. What's more, now Shen Chang is the emperor's confidant at the pillow. The emperor is credulous for a while..."

I thought I had already fallen to the bottom of the abyss, but I didn't expect that there was another abyss, like the eighteen levels of hell, I would fall down many times, and there would be no possibility of rebirth.It turns out that the so-called road of life is not only forward and backward, but also falling like this, falling to a miserable place that even oneself can't imagine.Ruyi was infinitely desolate, and said with a wry smile: "Believe it for a while, you have to believe it... If you don't believe it, after all, no matter how much others say, it will be useless!"

While they were talking, they saw that Li Yu had come to pass the decree, and the chaos in Yanxi Palace became more and more chaotic, and the palace people hurt their future, and burst into tears.Li Yu said impatiently: "Why are you crying? My lord has been demoted to common people, so you don't have to stay in Yanxi Palace to wait on you. Get out of here. As for the future, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will arrange for you." For a while, the people in the palace withdrew.Taking advantage of the absence of outsiders, Hai Lan whispered, "Eunuch Li, is there any way to turn this matter around?"

Li Yu said with a bitter face: "My lord, the matter can no longer be turned around. The emperor speaks well, and no one can persuade you. In addition, Ah Ruo..." He patted his face and said in a low voice: "Shen Chang is here She is almost the favorite of the exclusive house, the emperor often wants her to accompany her, even if others want to speak." Hai Lan said: "But because the elder brother angered the emperor?" Li Yu hurriedly said: "That's not true. Young master, since there are only slaves here now, and tomorrow the slaves will send the young master to the cold palace. Some gold and silver are soft, and the young master should pack them up. When you go to a place like the cold palace, there are still things you need." Where the money is spent!"

Before he could finish his sentence, he heard the door of the palace being pushed open with a "squeak" sound, and Sanbao and Jixin came in crying and knelt down, saying: "My lord, this servant has discussed with Sanbao, and this servant will not go anywhere, go with Sanbao Just serve the young master in the cold palace." Ruyi wept and said, "You guys are crazy, what are you going there with me for? Stay outside, and you can find a good master to serve you." Li Yudao: "No, don't be confused, both of you." Qiao Xin cried: "The servant knows that his fate is low, and if he stays outside, he is only being belittled by others. He is willing to follow the young master. The servant said that he will serve the young master for the rest of his life."

Sanbao also said: "The slaves will follow." Li Yu thought for a while and said: "Although the young master has been deposed as a commoner, there is no one to take care of him in the cold palace. It's okay to take one with him. Not to mention, didn't Xin and A Ruo always get along in the past? Leaving her outside, I'm afraid there will be more grievances." Ruyi wiped away her tears and said, "That's good. No matter how hard the cold palace is, it's better for me to follow me. As for the three treasures..." She glanced at Qi Qiran's Hai Lan: "You will follow Haigui, from now on Serve the nobleman Hai."

Hailan was about to speak, but Ruyi stopped her and said, "I know you want to decline, but you only have Ye Xin and Chunxi by your side, and the three treasures are by your side, and they will take care of you." She couldn't help crying: "From now on, If we want to depend on each other and help each other, we can't get it...you...you have to take good care of yourself." Li Yudao: "You can't stay longer, my slave. Then, please accompany the young master to clean up well, and tomorrow the slave will send the young master away." He stretched out his hand to invite Yong Huang: "Brother, according to the order, the slave has to send you right now The pure concubine is there." Yonghuang's face was full of tears, and he only tugged on Ruyi's sleeve reluctantly, Ruyi let go of his hand with tears in her eyes, and said with force: "Go, live well. Remember, don't look back when you get out of here, Definitely not. Don’t mention your mother to anyone in the future, you know?” Yong Huang cried and walked out, and sure enough he didn't look back.Ruyi's tears flowed down her cheeks: "You are such an obedient child." Li Yu said sadly: "The little master loves the elder brother so much, I really don't believe that the little master will harm other people's children." Ruyi held down the tears that were about to fall from the corners of her eyes: "There is no need to say anything. Li Yu, fortunately, you are still with the emperor. If you still remember that I once supported you, then one day, while protecting myself, I can help you. When you get started, you must help me, and don't let me die in the cold palace and have to rest in peace." Li Yu knelt down and kowtowed, "Your servant will always remember who gave me medicine and who secretly pulled me to this position." Ruyi nodded and said, "It's good that you know. It's not easy for you to sit in this seat. How did Wang Qin fall down back then? Now you have to be careful yourself." Li Yu was so grateful that tears welled up in his eyes: "I have no other skills, but I will do my best to keep the little master safe in the cold palace." Ruyi was silent for a moment: "Then do me another favor, I want to see the emperor for the last time." Li Yu was startled, but nodded. It was dusk when Ruyi saw the emperor again, and the Hall of Mental Cultivation hadn't been illuminated yet, and the inside of the hall was covered with a golden-red afterglow, changing from thick to light.The emperor's tone couldn't hear any sadness or joy, he just lowered his head and practiced calligraphy without looking at her: "The matter has been settled, what do you want to see me for?" Ruyi looked up at the emperor: "The concubine is destined to go to the cold palace, but she hasn't given up in the end, so she must come and ask the emperor. Your majesty, do you believe that there is justice in the world?" The emperor looked at her as if looking at an ordinary stranger, but said solemnly: "I believe it." Ruyi looked at the emperor, as if trying to find out something from his face.However, she knew that her way was given by him, and she could no longer see anything. The belief in my heart was gradually shaken, and doubts like splinters arose.But she forced herself, if she didn't even believe in herself, what else could she leave behind. Amidst the confusion and despair, Ruyi prostrated herself three times, with a sad and calm expression: "For the emperor's words, my concubines are willing to be punished and live in the cold palace for a long time. I only hope that the emperor will be blessed and healthy, and be happy every year." Ruyi got up slowly, brushed off the dust on her body, turned and left as calmly as a cloud from the world. The emperor looked at her, crumpled up the written words, threw them on the ground, and slowly slumped on the dragon chair. After the palace people dispersed, the Palace of Yanxi Palace was deserted, and all the titles, gold seals, and auspicious clothes of the concubine were taken away.Hailan was also left in the apse, and was not allowed to step into the main hall of Yanxi Palace. Xin Xin silently stayed by Ruyi's side, wrapped some personal clothing and valuable jewelry together, thought for a while and hid the money and jewelry in the deepest part of the bag, and took some cakes to put away: "I'm afraid I don't have enough food and clothing when I arrive in the cold palace. , everything has to be prepared." Ruyi watched her tidy up bit by bit, and said, "What are you doing with those snacks? I'll prepare them for tomorrow, and I'll have to live through those hard days the day after tomorrow. It's more important to pack some clothes." Sing Xin agreed "yes", then went to open the cage and repack the clothes. While she was busy, she only heard the long sound of the palace door being pushed open. Ruyi couldn't believe that someone would come to Yanxi Palace at this moment. When she turned around, she saw that it was Eunuch Cheng who was beside the Queen Mother. He said in a hoarse voice: "The Queen Mother Summon, Ulanara, come with me." Sing Xin looked at Ruyi worriedly, not knowing what good or bad would happen.Ruyi made up her mind, things have gone so bad, what else can she do? She then said, "Wouldn't it be too eye-catching for me to go this way?" Eunuch Cheng nuzzled and said: "Hurry up and change into your maid's clothes, and follow me." Ruyi thought for a while, then changed into the palace attire that had been worn by Xin Xin, and combed it into a palace bun. After a closer look, it should not be obvious when walking in the night. The road to the Empress Dowager's Palace is not too far away, Ruyi thought vaguely, this is probably the last time she will go to the Compassion Palace.In this life, she will probably stay in the cold palace, looking into the distance of the Forbidden City at night where thousands of lights are shining golden and jade. Just as she was thinking, Eunuch Cheng had already opened the curtain to let her in.Probably to avoid other people, only the Queen Mother and Aunt Fu were in the hall. The Empress Dowager was wearing a crimson cloak of gold and narcissus, with dotted emerald pearls on her head and ears and jade jewelry. Under the dancing lights, the emerald blue had a dull and uncertain luster. It seems that the queen mother is like this, making people feel dark and elusive.The Empress Dowager knelt in front of the Buddhist altar, recited the Buddhist scriptures sincerely, and lit three more sandalwood sticks.The three dark red sparks on the incense were like the unknown fear looming in her heart. The queen mother supported Aunt Fu's hand to stand up, turned her face and looked at her slowly.Ruyi was blessed according to the rules, and asked for peace: "May the queen mother be blessed and safe." The queen mother said lightly: "After all, it is the daughter of the Wulanara family. In this situation, she didn't cry and beg for forgiveness as soon as she came in." Ruyi stood at the side with her hands down, like a court lady's proper posture: "The Queen Mother's decree cannot be changed, and it's useless to ask for it." The queen mother smiled slightly: "The Ai family is thinking, what would happen to her if the person who was relegated to the common people and imprisoned in the cold palace today was your aunt?" Ruyi's heart twitched, as if someone had suddenly whipped her hard: "Ruyi is useless, and cannot be compared with my aunt." The red gold emerald emerald dotted armor in the hands of the queen mother was like a golden sharp blade, and she swayed lightly: "You two sisters and nephews are really pitiful. They both ended up in confinement for life. Do you want to blame Aijia for being cruel?" Ruyi's eyes were sour, and she forced the tears into her eyes not to allow them to fall: "Ruyi is to blame, and only blame herself for not being careful, so she fell into the trap of others." The Empress Dowager He Yi smiled, and stroked the agate bracelet on her wrist: "As long as you are a person living in the palace, as long as you are not a god, everyone will be careless at times, and everyone will be at a loss for words. But it's important The most important thing is that people know how to protect themselves when they are at a low point. If they don’t protect anything else, they only protect their own life.” Ruyi's eyebrows twitched, thoughtfully: "But the cold palace is like death, and life is better than death." "Really?" The Empress Dowager smiled noncommittally, took a piece of cake from a plate of untouched pastries on the table, carefully held it in her hand with a silk cloth, raised her eyes and asked, "Fu Jia, the Ai family asked you to bring it here. Where's the cat?" Fu Jia hugged an ordinary gray cat and stepped forward. The queen mother threw the pastry on the ground and said, "Give it to eat." Fu Jia fed the pastry to the gray cat, and Ruyi watched suspiciously until the gray cat that ate the pastry struggled and bled to death. She couldn't hide her fear anymore, and knelt down and said, "The Queen Mother... " The queen mother raised her face and signaled Fu Jia to wrap the dead gray cat in a cloth and throw it out, then said slowly: "This is the pastry that the imperial dining room will send to you early this morning, once you eat it, you will become afraid of sin." Suicide, and there is no way to recover. If Fu Jia hadn’t stopped you and sent you to Ai’s family, looking suspicious, you might not even know how you died. This incident also reminded Ai’s family, Rather than letting you wait in the Palace of Yanxi Palace so that anyone can reach out and strangle you to death, it is better to throw you in the cold palace, and cut off everyone's thoughts, and you can save this life." Ruyi is doubtful: "Ruyi's aunt offended the Queen Mother during her lifetime, why did the Queen Mother want to save Ruyi's life?" "If you are only obsessed with the love and hate entanglements in the past, the queen mother of the Ai family is too short-sighted." The queen mother took the Buddhist beads and twisted them slowly, with a faint smile, "You naturally hate the Ai family, it is the Ai family." The family is going to imprison you, but you will not be released for life. Not only you, everyone thinks that the Ai family hates your aunt so much, so they blame you. But if you have not been imprisoned in the cold palace, how many times can you withstand them? If you are in the cold palace, Maybe there's still a chance." Ruyi bowed her head in silence for a moment: "The queen mother is right. Even though the queen mother is concerned about her concubines, she cherishes their lives. But in the cold palace, there are hardships and hardships, and there are endless plots. The concubines can only pray for the blessing of the queen mother and allow them to live until the end of their lives." The day when I was wronged." The Empress Dowager's smile seemed to flicker on the seabed: "Aijia also thinks about it, but there are eyes in the six palaces, why should Aijia favor you. So Aijia just wait until you are in the cold palace. If you don’t have the ability to avoid open and dark arrows, it’s up to you to learn how to survive.” Ruyi was startled in her heart, and said, "Yes." "If you don't even have the ability to protect your own fortune and life, there will be hundreds of women buried in the harem, all bleeding from the red walls of the Forbidden City, and you won't be one more." The queen mother twitched Stringing red sandalwood and emerald beads, he said leisurely, "But in the cold palace, it's much better than being outside with wind and frost swords. You should carefully weigh the truth of it." Ruyi thought for a moment, then bowed suddenly: "Ruyi understands what the Queen Mother means. Only when everyone treats Ruyi as useless can Ruyi be truly safe." The queen mother nodded and smiled: "Government by doing nothing, and strength by no desire. Do you understand? The more you reveal what you care about and what you want, you are exposing your greatest weakness to others. Therefore, if you have no desires and no desires, others will think you are harmless." .” Ruyi was sincerely convinced, and also a little embarrassed: "The Queen Mother's words are even reasonable, but to reach this level, Ruyi really..." The queen mother closed her eyes for a moment, and said with a quick smile, "All your cultivation is the result of experience. You have plenty of time in the future, so think about it slowly." Ruyi calmed down a little, said goodbye and left.Twelve nanmu carved screens inlaid with the word "shou" mirrored the heart of the screen, and the crimson skirt flashed behind it, rippling the waves as bright as clouds, but it was Meigui who came out, half kneeling in front of the Empress Dowager's bed, beating her legs and saying: " The Empress Dowager protects the common people of the Ulanara family and trains them carefully, so I really love her." The queen mother picked up a little mint paste in the enamel jar with her armor and sniffed it lightly, then handed the jar to Mrs. Meigui, and said with a smile: "It's not that the Ai family loves her, it's that others value her more and try their best to deal with her." , the more I let the Ai family know that she has the weight to fight against those people. The most important thing in the harem is the way of balance. The Empress Dowager has no place to put her beak." Meigui took mint ointment and rubbed the queen mother's temples little by little: "Then the queen mother should keep the common people of the Ulanara family, so that they can share the beauty with those people." The queen mother raised her eyes and looked at her: "What? Don't you think it was Ulanara who killed your child?" Meigui lowered her eyelids, hiding her sadness in her eyes, and said: "The stolen goods are taken together, and the clothes are flawless. It is indeed beyond reproach. But, the more this is the case, the more suspicious it becomes." The Queen Mother nodded slightly, and sighed: "Finally, I have made some progress. Then who do you think?" Meigui said humanely: "It doesn't matter who you are. The sky net is well-established, and it is not leaking. The concubine does not need to check it carefully. If there is a chance, the Ulanara family will definitely be more concerned than the concubine. The concubine only needs to be devoted to her. " The Empress Dowager said: "You have learned a little bit from a pit, and you know a little bit. It is useless in the harem to be eager to share the spring, the most important thing is to save your life and learn to gain a foothold." Meigui said solemnly: "Yes, I understand." The queen mother gave a soft "hmm": "now Shen is often in the position of the new favorite, acting coquettishly and foolishly. The concubine is pregnant and has nothing to fear. Seeing that she is staying in the Zhenxiang Hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation to raise her baby, with the emperor by her side, this The fetus must be safe. After losing the two children of you and Concubine Yi, no matter whether Concubine Jia's child is a boy or a girl, her mother is more expensive than the child. What about you? You were fished out of Nanyuan, and you tried your best to save you. What happens in the future is entirely up to you." Meigui immediately became nervous: "Yes. This concubine will definitely live up to the Queen Mother's expectations." On the day when Ruyi left Yanxi Palace, the spring scenery was like a huge and bright silk, spreading out all over the sky, graceful like threads, and the time seemed to despise the years. The radiant spring light is like a scroll of finely crafted and meticulously painted brocade painting, with flowers and birds gaudy, embroidered and gold-painted splendor, which makes people almost unable to open their eyes. The only ones who came to see them off were Hailan and Concubine Chun. Hailan wept silently and was stopped by Li Yu from taking half a step forward.Even the pure concubine stood far away, and could only nod slightly with tears in her eyes as a farewell.Ruyi only had her long hair rolled up in a plain silver flat square, and she was wearing a thin spring shirt without embroidery or flowers. Only the thin dark lines flowing on it showed that she still could not leave the court an inch. When passing by Jingren Palace, Ruyi raised her head and looked at the dazzling golden light.It turned out that after all the ups and downs, her fate was no different from that of her aunt. Is it the only way for women in the harem to lead to the same goal by different routes? The so-called "Lenggong" is a vacant courtyard behind Cuiyun Pavilion.Because the concubines who fell out of favor and made mistakes in the past dynasties were all sent down and placed here for life, they were treated as cold palaces by the palace people and were very taboo. Fortunately, in the past dynasties, most of the concubines lived in the two palaces of Shoukang and Compassionate Ning, and there were not too many women living in the claustrophobic palace.Even though she had imagined it many times, Ruyi was still a little surprised when she walked in front of the cold palace.She has been in the palace for a long time, but she has never been to such a remote and deserted place, as if no one has mentioned it before, and she has never known that there is such a place in the palace.It was a house in the shape of an old palace, not very big, scattered with dozens of rooms, as if no one had lived in it for a long time, weeds were overgrown on the palace tiles, and even the gate was thickly covered with dirt. Dusty and devastated.She stretched out her hand to touch it, and a layer of rust dust fell from the copper nails on the door, almost fascinating people's eyes.The gold and paint on the carved railings and painted buildings inside have all fallen off, and thick dust and dense cobwebs have accumulated. As soon as I entered, I felt that the bright sky was cut off from the outside.Even in such a sunny weather, the inside is gloomy and gloomy. After living for a long time, it seems that dark blue green mold will grow on the body. Li Yu led Ruyi and Xin Xin to a somewhat tidy empty room, before they got close, there was already a choking smell of dust and dust, Li Yu was puzzled: "Little master, this servant has tried his best." Ruyi understood, and said gratefully: "It's not easy to find a house for me and Xin to live in. If you want to do anything else, it's too eye-catching. Well, you don't have to stay here for a long time, so as not to attract attention .” Li Yu nodded, looked at the room next to him, and said, "Young master lives here, be careful of those people next to you, they will become ghosts when they get older." Sing Xin looked gloomy inside and out, and clung to Ruyi's side with some fear. A joyful and melodious voice of ceremony and music came from far outside, Ruyi asked with an ear, "What's the matter?" Li Yu hesitated for a moment, then said: "Today is the day when Concubine Jia, Concubine Mei and Shen Chang are performing the canonization ceremony. I heard that for the conferment of Jin, the House of Internal Affairs will select many palace servants to serve on it." Ruyi pressed and pressed the emptiness in her heart, what can she do?No matter how lively and beautiful it was, it was a world that had nothing to do with her after all.Li Yu turned and left, Ruyi watched as he left and took away the only remaining light, leaving only endless dust and dark light and shadow, locked here with her, for a lifetime.