Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Two Defeats

As the cold wind poured in, Hailan rushed to the emperor, hugged the emperor's leg tightly and said, "Your majesty, it's my concubine who is jealous, and this concubine can't understand that Mei promised to be favored. Hers! Don't do sister's business!" The emperor frowned and said, "Why are you here?" The little eunuch outside said timidly: "Hai Changzai has been here for quite a while. Ye Xin, who followed her, said that Chang Zai saw that Concubine Xian hadn't returned to the palace for a long time, so she came out because she was worried. Because she heard the emperor asking questions inside, she kept going Don't dare to come in outside the hall."

The Queen looked at Hailan's appearance and said worriedly: "Hai Changzai just suffered a foot injury and his health is not good, why don't you stop him?" The little eunuch kowtowed in fright: "Slave, I really can't stop you!" The queen frowned slightly, motioning for Su Xin to pull Hailan away, and said: "Hai Chang is here, I know that you are worried about Concubine Xian, but not everyone can afford such a big event. You said it was your white flower." Dan, I ask you, when did you go to the Yonghe Palace and when did you take the medicine?"

Hai Lan was a little speechless, and immediately raised her face and said fearlessly: "As long as the concubine wants to administer medicine, she can do it anytime and anywhere! Concubine Xian did not do this thing!" The queen looked serious, and said sternly: "Hai Chang is here, I know that you have a deep relationship with Concubine Xian and sisters, but how can you carry this kind of thing for her!" Hai Lanben fell on the ground, and immediately raised her face when she heard this sentence, and said stubbornly, "It's not that the concubine wants to carry it for sister Concubine Xian, it's just that my sister will definitely not do this matter, but if it is true If it is identified as the elder sister, then it is regarded as the work of a concubine."

Hailan had always been timid and not very verbal, but suddenly her words were so fierce that even the emperor believed him a bit: "Then Hailan, why do you think it was not Concubine Xian who did it?" Hailan tore off the hibiscus tassel sachet attached to the ruyi button. She used too much force, and tore off several strands of delicate tassels hanging from the sachet, and wrapped them tremblingly around her fingertips.Hailan tried her best to untie the sachet: "Because my sister doesn't have any plum blossoms in her sachet, how can she use plum blossoms to prescribe medicine?"

The contents of the sachet spread out in her palm, only a few dead leaves and crimson powder were seen.Imperial Physician Zhao hurriedly took it and looked it over carefully: "Your Majesty, the powder of Baihua Dan is bluish-white, and this thing is deep red, it is made by grinding the powder of Daxueteng." Ruyi was startled and suspicious, so she had to say: "I remember that the plum blossom powder sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs was not in good condition that day, and I wanted to change it. Later, Hai Chang saw that the sachet was not tightly sewn, so he took the sachet from the Palace of Yanxi Palace. I took it and sewed it up again. As for why the white flower dan inside disappeared..."

Hailan Qi Qiran said: "The concubine knows that the Ministry of Internal Affairs is perfunctory to the concubine Xian, and all the things are sent out. The Yanxi Palace is cold and remote, I am afraid that those white flower pills are not useful. It happens that the concubine's palace has extra Daxueteng powder, like Baihuadan, can dispel wind-dampness, dredge collaterals, and relieve pain. So I replaced it with Daxueteng powder. My sister’s sachet doesn’t have plumbago, how can it harm people?” Mei agreed to give Hailan a glance, and said immediately, "Since the blood vine has the same effect as the white flower pill, who knows whether it is poisonous or not?"

The emperor glanced at Imperial Physician Zhao, and Imperial Physician Zhao immediately said: "Your Majesty, the blood vine is non-toxic and will never damage the promise of the young master's face." Ruyi's tense body finally relaxed, she held Hailan's hand tightly, and couldn't help tears welling up in her eyes: "Hailan, it's you who can distinguish me clearly." Hai Lan didn't know where her courage came from, and said in a deep voice: "Sister, you don't need to thank me. If you want to thank me, thank the Ministry of Internal Affairs for despising my sister and perfunctory her, so that my sister escaped from suffering." She knelt straight and said, "Your Majesty If you don't believe me, you can check them one by one. If anyone still thinks it was my sister who did it, then take your concubine to the Department of Punishment."

The emperor stretched out his hand to support Hailan and Ruyi, and said gently: "Okay. Hailan, I saw you in the past without saying a word, so you are so courageous." His hand brushed the back of Ruyi's hand, and paused for a moment. , "I know all about your grievances. I will investigate this matter again, don't worry." Hai Lan blushed with shame: "The concubine doesn't have much courage, it's just that my sister protects my concubine's innocence with all my might, so I just have to protect my sister no matter what." The emperor glanced at the empress's face and froze for a moment, and quickly said with a smile: "So, I didn't let you live in the Yanxi Palace for nothing. It's just for you two to take good care of you."

The queen hurriedly stood up with a smile, imbued with a sense of sternness: "This matter, the concubine thinks that we must investigate it to the end. Otherwise, there is no way to clear up the palace and rectify the discipline." The emperor said: "Since this incident was started by the noble concubine and almost deceived the queen, it is better to leave it to the concubine Xian to investigate. There are many trivial matters in the harem, and it is the end of the year. The queen can focus on other affairs." The queen swayed slightly, almost unable to stand on her feet, but her face was full of smiles: "Yes. When I was hiding in the mansion, Concubine Xian was very helpful."

The emperor said again: "Concubine Xian, no matter what is found out, I will leave this matter to you to deal with." He turned his head and told Imperial Physician Zhao, "Physician Zhao, if you promise to treat Mei well, nothing will be left behind. scar?" Mei promised to cry again when she heard the words, but seeing the emperor's complexion was not good, she had to hold back.Imperial Physician Zhao hurriedly said: "Fortunately, the dose of Baihuadan is not much. I will take care of it carefully, and it will be cured in half a month. It will definitely not leave any scars."

The emperor said: "That's good. Let's all go down." Seeing Ruyi and Hailan leaning forward to leave, he gently instructed, "Hai Chang is here, take care of your body, and Concubine Xian will not catch the cold anymore." The two agreed to leave.Seeing that there was no one else around, the emperor ignored the empress and handed over the peeled oranges. He just looked away and said, "Although this incident was caused by the concubine's recklessness, Mei promised to be a bit squeamish. But you are the empress. Before the matter was investigated clearly, I became suspicious of Concubine Xian. Although there are many things in the harem, there is only one thing that is fair. You are the middle palace, and your heart should be placed in the middle." The queen listened quietly, and forced a smile: "The concubine was also a little frightened when she saw Mei's agreeing face, and concubine Xian got involved in right and wrong one after another, so she was a little anxious." The emperor's tone became colder: "Concubine Xian wants to get involved in those right and wrong? You are the middle palace, my queen. You can't rush in this seat, you can only be steady. Only in this way can my harem be stable." The emperor Changed into a gentler tone, "There are only a few people in the palace right now, and there will be more people in the future..." Hearing this sentence, the empress felt her heart ache and her tongue was so astringent that she couldn't turn it around, so she could only calm down and said: "It's because the concubine is young and not stable enough, and she is irritable. I will definitely not do it in the future. The concubine will double Be careful." The emperor hummed: "Then I'm going to have dinner with the imperial concubine, and you should go back earlier." The queen agreed to go out, but the cold wind pierced her eyes like sharp knives, and she felt that hot blood was about to ooze out.For a moment, there was only a whitish mist in her eyes. She raised her face, raised her face again, clenched her fingers tightly, and endured it. Ruyi and Hailan returned to Yanxi Palace in soft sedan chairs one after the other.When stepping over the vermilion palace threshold, Ruyi felt a little weak under her feet.Hai Lan hurriedly supported her, took the umbrella from Ye Xin and held it up. Ruyi helped her to stand still, and said angrily, "You rushed in so recklessly just now, did you really think you didn't care about yourself?" Hailan said sadly: "I only have my sister. If my sister is wronged by them, what else can I rely on? Besides, how did my sister save me last night? I will do the same to save my sister in the future." Ruyi looked at her, the emotion in her heart was beyond words, but she held her hand tightly, warming each other with the warmth of each other: "I thought you were afraid of being like that, and you would never dare to leave the Palace of Yanxi Palace in the future." The brilliance in Hailan's eyes gradually brightened: "I was afraid of yesterday, and I am even more afraid today. My sister is right, if I keep being afraid like this, I will strangle myself to death before others do anything to me. " Ruyi was slightly relieved: "I hope that in the future, we will only support and go on like this, and there will be no more things like yesterday and today." The two walked in the desolate cold rain holding an umbrella, Ruyi held her arm tightly, and their figures cuddled even tighter.It seems that only in this way can one resist the ubiquitous cold and sternness in this deep palace. After entering the palace, Ruyi first accompanied Hailan back to the apse to see that the wound on her foot had been treated with medicine, and when it was dark, she saw Xin Xin quietly leading Li Yu into the Nuan Pavilion. Li Yu hesitated at the door for a while, Ruyi waved to him and said, "Why don't you come in?" Li Yu hesitated: "My lord, the slave is afraid of causing trouble for you." Ruyi stopped picking mugwort leaves in her hands, and said with a smile: "Isn't this palace troublesome enough? If I'm afraid of trouble, I won't call you here. Don't worry, Wang Qin is serving the emperor in Xianfu Palace at this time. I don't have time to pay attention to you." Yan Xin pulled Li Yu, and Li Yu sat down on his legs. Ruyi asked Yan Xin to move a small scorpion over to let Li Yu sit down. He hurriedly covered it, and smiled heartily: "Okay, if you want to be shy, do it yourself." Ruyi couldn't help laughing: "Roll it up and have a look. What are you afraid of here in this palace?" Like oil paint, the turned-up flesh was still oozing blood, so his expression changed, and he asked, "How long have you been kneeling?" Li Yu felt a little sad and wronged: "The broken tiles for an hour, the tiles were all broken into scum, and I changed the iron chain and knelt for an hour." Ruyi looked at him with a hint of inquiry: "Is it not thoughtful to serve the emperor just for you?" Li Yu was heartbroken, and sobbed, "Just because of a few errands, the servant showed a little bit of obedience and won the emperor's favor. Deputy Chief Wang is not happy, and picks the servant's thorns in everything he does. Isn't that true?" Today, he caught the opportunity and punished him severely." Ruyi sighed, reached out to take a bottle of medicinal powder from the red sandalwood shelf, and carefully sprinkled it on his wound.Li Yu bared her teeth in pain, and hurriedly stopped her and said, "Concubine Xian, you have such a noble hand, how can I trouble you to do such a thing for a slave?" Ruyi pushed his hand away: "This is Baiyao powder from Jianchuan, Yunnan Province. It is finely ground with Panax notoginseng and safflower. It is the best for stopping bleeding and removing silt. If you want to stand up and serve in front of the imperial court tomorrow, when With this errand, just sit obediently and take the medicine." Xiao Xin smiled and poked Li Yu's forehead: "Look how lucky you are. I have served the young master for so long, and only once did the young master give me medicine when I was burned." Li Yu was so grateful that tears filled his eyes: "Thank you, Concubine Xian." Ruyi sighed: "You don't have to thank me, if you hadn't uploaded the message to the emperor for her when she was notified last night, I don't know what will happen to my palace." Li Yu is slightly serious: "That's because Deputy Chief Wang refused, and Xin Xin and the slave met early in the morning. The slave thought, I can't let the empress suffer in Xianfu Palace. Don't think that the emperor doesn't come to Yanxi Palace very often. , but I care about it in my heart." Ruyi was slightly distracted, and immediately said: "This is why you are smarter than Wang Qin. But Wang Qin is old and has a high ranking. If your intelligence is revealed casually, if you don't hide it in your heart, you will be harmed." own." Li Yuruo thought: "Your Majesty means..." Ruyi took the white gauze handed over by Xinxin, and wrapped Li Yu's knees: "When you are under others, don't show your intelligence. Especially when the superiors are still unforgiving. The emperor likes your intelligence. But not necessarily. When you go back, don't show resentment, flatter Wang Qin, after all, you are working under him." Li Yu turned his legs and got up, slapped Qian'er and said: "The servant is confused, thank you for your guidance." Ruyi stuffed the medicine bottle into his hand: "I'm so good to keep the medicine, and take it when I have time. Be careful when serving the emperor, you have a hundred and twenty minds." Li Yu agreed to go, and pursed his lips with a smile: "My little master is finally willing to take care of me." Ruyi was stunned for a moment, and slowly picked Ai Ye: "Can you not care? You don't even know how you almost died when you fell into the trap like this! Who is Wang Qin? Only Li Yu, the smart one, was accepted by the queen early in the morning." , and the reliable person you met earlier in the morning." Ling Xin said in a low voice: "I heard that in order to win over Wang Qin, the Empress planned to give Wang Qin a pair of food with Lian Xin beside her." Ruyi opened her eyes wide: "Really?" "That's not it! Wang Qin has been looking at Lian Xin for a long time. It's just that the Queen has planned so, and she hasn't let go." Ruyi was in a daze for a while: "The queen is also pitiful. There are more than ten thousand people who are lonely and afraid. It's like standing on the top of a tower. A small wind turns into a strong wind, making people unable to stand still." The selected wormwood leaves were handed to Ji Xin, "Forget it, don't think about these things. Send these wormwood leaves to Hai Changzai." Sing Xin agreed to go to Hai Lan.Ruyi sighed in her heart as she looked at the back of Xin Xin going away, who in this palace lived lightly?Small as a servant in the palace, noble as a queen above ten thousand people, who is not in loneliness and fear, cautious and cautious, walking on thin ice.The night is coming, and the late birds are circling and cooing on the eaves. "Your majesty... I don't know whose green card has been turned over tonight", Ruyi thought about it, sighed softly and turned to enter the room. The emperor came to see Ruyi late at night.Ruyi didn't expect the emperor to come over at first, she had already taken off her evening make-up in the bedroom, and was soaking her hands in hot water mixed with the juice of twisted roses.Unexpectedly, Sanbao happily came in from the outside, with a look of joy on picking up the ingot: "My lord, the emperor is here! Your majesty... hurry up and take over!" Ruyi hurriedly wiped her hands, then stood up, the emperor had already entered, and said with a smile: "It smells so fragrant of roses, I forgot it was winter." Ruyi was only wearing a jade-colored daylilies-patterned pajamas, and she didn't have time to change, so she went down to pay her respects.The emperor hurriedly supported her, and said softly: "I have been wronged for two days, why don't you sit down quickly." Ruyi stared at his motionless hem, the silver and white pattern on the lake blue background, it was so familiar, but also brought a strangeness that she hadn't seen for a long time.For some reason, Ruyi's heart suddenly softened, and the tears she had endured for two days fell down her cheeks.Everyone understood and quickly retreated.The emperor touched her tears with his hand, and said in a low voice, "You are not a person who likes to cry. It is really difficult for you to cry this time." There was silence all around, only silent choking.Big teardrops slid down the cheeks and fell on the skirt of the clothes, leaving mottled tear stains, like frost and dew at night, silently staining the flowers and branches on the clothes. The emperor hugged her, pressed her on his shoulder quietly, and said: "I thought it would be good for you to keep you cold for a few days. At least not everyone will stare at you..." He He hugged him even tighter, "I was negligent." Ruyi held back her tears: "The emperor was negligent. It's so cold outside, come here late at night..." The emperor held her hand and pressed it to his heart: "Don't come here, it's not safe here." Ruyi couldn't help but chuckled: "The concubine can go to the Hall of Mental Cultivation." Before the words finished, the emperor had already kissed her forehead, using his warmth to appease her shock of the past few days.The emperor's tone was low, but it was so close, right next to his ear and on his heart: "I saw you drenched in Xianfu Palace yesterday, and I really want to come and give you a hand, put clothes on you, and ruthlessly Severely punish those who bully you. But Ruyi, I can't do that. Because until that moment, I thought that if I love you in front of others, I will hurt you. Ruyi, if what happened today, I will Changed my mind. Maybe I have left you indifferent, so they feel more and more proud and think that you have fallen out of favor, so they dare to bully you and frame you. Don't worry, I won't, and I won't in the future." Ruyi leaned against the emperor, feeling the strange but familiar smell from him.That smell was what made her feel at ease in the midst of the catastrophe.She Yiyi said: "The concubine likes the emperor to say three words the most." "Which three words?" "Don't worry. With this sentence, even if the concubine is now in the Punishment Department, the concubine can feel at ease and not be afraid." The emperor breathed a sigh of relief: "Fortunately, you understand." Ruyi put her arms around the emperor's neck, and pressed her forehead against his chin: "The concubine understands. On the first night of concubine marriage, the emperor's first words when he saw concubine was 'Don't worry'. Concubine's life in this life Don't worry, it started from that day." The emperor bowed his head and kissed her, and murmured: "It's good that you understand." Ruyi understands.But a confidant looks good, even though she has suffered the loneliness and cold reception these days, she can still feel such affection, and the pulse is winding in each other's hearts. The candles on the copper flower candlesticks were lit one by one, and the red tears fell down on the candlesticks one by one, reflecting the heavy purple silk drapery, thick red and lavender, mixed with the faint fragrance of tranquilizing incense, which diffused faintly The beauty of opening a room. Waking up on the second day was a particularly good day, waking up in the radiance of the early sun, watching the sky shine brightly, the rare morning sun in winter sprinkled thin golden powder-like radiance, through the "Liutong Spring" "The hollowing out of the long carved window illuminates the depth of the light ink painting in a room. When Ruyi woke up, the emperor was getting up and putting on his dragon robe, and Wang Qin and several court ladies were busy serving him.Just as Ruyi stood up, the emperor hurriedly held her down and said in a warm voice, "You are tired, go to sleep for a while. I will go first." Ruyi blushed, cast an annoyed look at the emperor, and shrank back under the quilt.As soon as the emperor left, all the people in the palace were happy as if they were celebrating a festival. A Ruo came in with a smile and said, "My lord, do you know what the emperor said before going out?" Ruyi glanced at her and said with a smile: "What's the big deal that made you like this?" A Ruo dragged her tone, imitating the emperor's tone and said: "The emperor said, A Ruo, take good care of your little master, and I will come to see her at night." Ruyi covered her face with the quilt: "I can't hear anything, that's what I told you, just listen." Ah Ruo couldn't help laughing out loud, and went outside. It was already a quarter of an hour when Ruyi woke up again, she had nothing to worry about, and she slept very peacefully.I got up, cleaned up, wrote a few Spring Festival couplets for the palace people to hang up, and then invited Hailan to come over for lunch. The dishes in the small kitchen are always refreshing, and Hailan is not picky. The two talked and laughed, and they ate better.While eating, Sanbao suddenly came in and stood by the door with his hands down, silent.Ruyi knew that he had something urgent to do, so he filled a bowl of sour bamboo shoot and shredded chicken soup and took a sip slowly. He probably thought it was good, and handed another bowl to Hailan, before saying, "What's the matter?" Sanbao's eyes were fixed on the ground, and he said "yes", but did not move his nest.Ruyi waved her hand and signaled the waiter to go down: "Speak." Sanbao said: "The Punishment Department just came back and said that there was a little eunuch who was serving medicinal materials in the imperial hospital and surrendered himself." Ruyi was startled: "Surrender yourself to what?" "It is said that in the ointment that Mei promised to use on the face, he accidentally got the powder of plum blossom on the inner wall of the round bowl when he was dispensing the medicine, which caused such a big disaster." Hailan held the bowl and stopped drinking the soup, and said, "No, since it's stuck on the round bowl, why is Su Xin using it and it's fine, but Pian Mei promised to use it?" Sanbao snorted softly: "That thing said, Su Xin used it, so it's fine. Mei promised to use it a lot, so it got stuck." Ruyi said, "What about the Punishment Department?" Three Treasures said: "It's already been tortured, and it's just these two sentences to spit out. That's why I'm here to invite my lord." Hailan put down the bowl and said, "Does my sister believe it?" Ruyi smiled: "Then, do you believe it?" Hailan shook her head resolutely, and Ruyi smiled faintly: "Sambo, go tell the Department of Punishment that I can go back to the emperor as long as he vomits up his stomach and knows the result, and the rest is their business." "But if nothing can be forced..." "If he has vomited to the end, he will be beaten fifty times and sent to Xinzheku to serve in the army." Sambo agreed to go down.Hailan looked at her and said, "Didn't my sister investigate carefully? This matter was premeditated, and the intention was to get my sister involved. If you don't investigate..." Ruyi calmly finished the soup, shook her head and said, "I can't find out." Seeing that Hailan was puzzled, she said, "If we continue to investigate, there will be only one who committed suicide in fear of crime. Concubine Hui can do everything right." After Xiangyun was beaten to death, she still had to stuff her mouth with charcoal. But I couldn't." Hai Lan said: "But the incident has become so big that even the noble concubine and the empress have died." Ruyi flicked the thin silver chain on the chopsticks: "It's because the imperial concubine and the queen have eaten and died, so I can't investigate anymore. You should know from the night you were wronged, it's not that the matter of the red bamboo charcoal can't be investigated." , It’s because the emperor is unwilling to investigate. The emperor has just ascended the throne, and the harem needs to be quiet and peaceful, so we can’t cause such a big incident. Since the emperor’s intention is so, why should I pursue it to the end?” The corner of Hailan's mouth curled up into a smile: "This incident was caused by the imperial concubine. The queen promised to say a few words about her sister's suspicion on Mei's behalf, and the emperor was also taboo. Mei promised to be comforted, but my sister's grievances were also calmed down." Both of them will suffer, Mei promised to do nothing, but my sister has regained the favor of the emperor." Ruyi smiled and patted her: "I've also learned how to talk poorly. Since everything is like this, it would hurt my face to check again, so let's do it like this." When the emperor came over at night, Ruyi told him everything.The emperor changed into bright yellow pajamas and lay down. After listening to her lying on the pillow, he couldn't help laughing: "Are you willing to let it go like this?" Ruyi stretched out her hand and pinched the emperor's nose, with a mischievous smile: "The emperor's words seem to be unbelievable." The emperor smiled and embraced her: "I don't believe it or not. The palace is full of filth, especially the harem. When I was a prince, I saw that there were only a few people in the harem of the first emperor. The fight is so ruthless. Many things, if you continue to investigate, it will be a bottomless pit. If you are willing to accept it, that is the best thing." Ruyi smiled, calmed down and said, "What the emperor thinks is what the concubine thinks. When you leave room for others, you also leave room for yourself. It is really wronged that Mei agrees." The emperor sighed and said: "Speaking of grievances, who is not wronged? The imperial concubine feels that she is wronged, and Mei agrees to be wronged. Why are you and Hailan not wronged? I am also very wronged. Follow is not quiet." Ruyi leaned on the emperor's shoulders, and said in a soft voice, "They don't keep quiet about them, the courtiers and concubines keep quiet, and the emperor is not allowed to keep quiet either." The emperor smiled and kissed her forehead lightly, a pair of red candles were still shining brightly under the west window, shining like stars.In the silence between heaven and earth, the two of them listened to the sound of water dripping from melting ice under the eaves, and there was a sense of tranquility, born from the bottom of their hearts.