Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Yong Huang

After the new year is the Lantern Festival, because it is a good day in the first year of Qianlong, every day is lively and lively, with all kinds of operas, acrobatics, singing and dancing, there is no day without interruption.Even the operas in Qingyin Pavilion spread like flowing water under the vermilion walls of the palace garden, in the gaps between the ink and blue bricks, in the dim light of the palace lanterns, and on the jade railings of the pavilions of Quyuan.This is the life in the palace. The wealth and honor of the heavenly family is not just the splendor and splendor in the rumors of outsiders, but the tranquility of the flowing water and falling flowers in the sky and the world in the opera and music.The days passed by little by little, and tomorrow will still be full of flowers and flowers, the prosperity will never wither, and there will be no end in sight.

On February 2, when the dragon raises its head, the earth dragons in the palace were put away, and the weather became warmer day by day.In the beginning of spring in the capital, there is no fresh green, but there is always a dry smell of wind and sand first, so people become flowers and leaves, and the maids change into the palace clothes of thick green and light green in spring and summer. The light-yellow and emerald-green leaves, freshly shaved and juicy, make the concubines in the palace more and more beautiful flowers, no, they are the pistils of the flowers, with soft figures one star after another, competing for beauty. Wear the most delicate and gorgeous.

Although the queen is still in charge of the trivial matters in the palace, every ten days, she picks up some important things to talk to the queen mother.If the Empress Dowager wanted to know more deeply, she would wait for the reply from the head of the House of Internal Affairs and sort things out one by one. The Empress was much more relaxed than usual, and when she was free, besides being with the Emperor, she went to Elder Brother Move around more. On this day, the small kitchen of the Palace of Yanxi Palace made some minced fish lotus cakes. The tenderloin of silver carp was ground and mixed with paste. The lotus cakes were made for babies.Ruyi asked Xingxin to pack up two new snacks, and took them together to give to the third elder brother, and said: "The pure concubine under the year is the one who comes the most frequently, and she has nothing else to worry about except her son. Everyone If you come and go often, you can send more things to elder brother to third elder brother."

Xinxin smiled and said: "It's strange to say that the third elder brother of the pure concubine is fat and strong, and he is still wrapped tightly in March. The second elder brother is not so concerned." Ruyi said with a smile: "The third elder brother is the youngest, so they should be caring. You give the things to the third elder brother's nanny and watch her feed the third elder brother to see if it suits your taste." Sing Xin agreed to go.When I arrived in the imperial garden, I saw the vines on the rockery, such as vines and vines such as Duruo Baizhi. After a few spring rains, the vines also turned green and gave off the unique fragrance of vegetation when they germinate.Just as Xin Xin was watching greedily, the red lacquer Xiangyun Ruyi food box in Leng's hand was hit by someone, she was so frightened that she almost didn't cry out, she hurriedly protected the food box and opened it, luckily It's snacks, it doesn't matter if it's not scattered or scattered.She just came back to her senses and took a look, but it was the elder brother Yong Huang.She hurriedly restrained her expression and asked for peace: "Big elder brother, all blessings."

The elder brother hummed casually, sniffled and rubbed his nose to Sing Xin, stared at the snack box and said, "What is this?" Xin Xin hurriedly smiled and said: "Brother, this is the new dim sum made by Yanxi Palace. The slaves sent it to the third elder brother. By the way, today is March 3rd, and the imperial dining room is given to all palaces. I gave pea yellow, didn't Big Brother see it at Brother's place?" The eldest elder brother shook his head, with an unhappy expression on his face, but staring at the snack box with greedy eyes: "This is for the third elder brother, can I eat it?" He muttered in a low voice, "What's good about the third brother I have everything to eat, and I can’t finish it, but I have nothing.”

Ji Xin was a little suspicious, but still had a smile on his face: "Brother, do you really want to eat this? The servant girl, give some to Brother." The elder brother looked at Xin Xin timidly: "This is the snack that Empress Xian gave to my third younger brother. You gave it to me. Aren't you afraid that Empress Xian will punish you?" Xin Xin smiled: "Concubine Xian has always loved Eldest Brother, and she was like this when she was in the residence. Eldest Brother eats two dim sum, what are you afraid of?" After saying that, Xin Xin opened the box, took two pieces of hibiscus cakes and put them in the elder brother's hands: "Elder brother, eat quickly."

The elder brother took a look at Song Xin, before he dared to pick it up, he immediately gobbled it up, and after finishing eating, he stared at the snack box of Song Xin. Unconsciously suspicious, he smiled and said: "Brother, do you still want to eat? If you eat too much pastry, it will be easy to hold on. In half an hour, it will be lunch time. Let's eat some snacks after eating." The elder brother shook his head sadly and fearfully, rubbed the hem of his clothes and said, "They never allow me to be full, and they take away the food after eating half a bowl. I'm always hungry."

"They? Who are they?" The elder brother looked around and saw no one was following, so he was willing to say: "It's the nurses who are serving me." All along, when young princes go out, they are always followed by seven or eight palace people.Sing Xin saw that there was no one following Big Brother, so he asked, "Big Brother, where are the people following you?" The elder brother snapped his fingers and said, "They don't like to follow me, let me go shopping." Qiao Xin felt even more strange, and didn't dare to ask any more, so he took out two pieces of soufflé and handed them to the elder brother: "Elder elder brother, please hide and eat quietly, it can't be said that it was given by the servant. The servant left first. "

The elder brother looked around carefully: "Then you can't say that I ate snacks secretly, otherwise I will also be scolded." Tong Xin's heart sank, and he quickly asked with a smile: "Do the slaves dare to scold Elder Brother?" The elder brother lowered his face and nodded, timidly as if he didn't dare to say more.Su Xin knew it was not good to ask again, and hurriedly nodded and went to elder brother's place. The Palace of Yanxi Palace was quiet, and A Ruo led the palace staff to lightly put on the beaded and silk curtains used in spring.Ruyi stood in front of the window admiring a new pot of jade and coral flowers sent by the House of Internal Affairs, and was heartbroken when she heard that, she turned her head and said, "Then when you saw Big Brother, there were no servants around him?"

Qiao Xin nodded and said: "Brother ran out from behind the rockery by himself, his clothes were covered with plaster, there must be no one following him." She thought about it carefully, "Also, this slave remembers the collar of Big Brother There are some oil stains on it, and it’s not lunch at this time, and the breakfast of elder brothers and princesses is light, and there is no oily smell. The oil stains must have been left overnight." Ruyi thought for a moment: "So, the nuns in elder brother's house didn't take good care of elder brother." Chung Xin said: "I have always heard people say that the servants who take care of the elder brother are twice as many as those who take care of the second elder brother who is born to the empress. Maybe the elder brother is stubborn, but I don't know. .”

The cold petals of the coral flower are stuck in the palm of my hand, greasy and slippery.Ruyi said: "Whether the elder brother is stubborn or the servants are negligent, we need to investigate carefully to find out. But you said that the elder brother is afraid of being scolded after eating a snack, there is really a possibility that the slaves bullied the elder brother. Today's matter you first Don’t say it outside, so as not to miss it.” Ji Xin nodded: "The servant knows." Ruyi sighed: "Elder brother is also pitiful, only eight years old, Er Niang died early, no one is looking after him, and he doesn't think about anything." Xin Xin smiled and said, "What is the young master worried about? Now that the young master is favored by the emperor, sooner or later he will have a blessed little elder brother." Ruyi's sigh spread out silently: "Why don't I want to have an elder brother, even if it's a princess. Although the emperor still dotes on me, there must be someone to rely on under his knees. However, there is no movement." Tong Xin pursed her lips and said with a smile: "Young master, don't worry, as long as the emperor comes often, maybe someday he will be there." Ruyi was a little embarrassed, so she hurriedly twisted her mouth: "You have such a bad mouth, you still know everything!" Xin Xin smiled and dodged it: "Master, Master, it's fine for the servant to stop talking, please forgive me." Ruyi looked up at the sky: "It's getting late, go and see if the bird's nest in the small kitchen is ready, if it's ready, accompany me to send the bird's nest to the Hall of Mental Cultivation." The sky was gloomy, and it looked like some raindrops were about to fall.Such a dull leaden cloud was stuffy above the head, as if the thick ink-like color was about to drip down. In front of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, a row of eunuchs and guards stood outside. Wang Qin saw Ruyi's sedan chair approaching, and went forward to greet him: "My slave pays my respects to Concubine Xian, Your Majesty is blessed and safe." Ruyi said with a smile: "My lord, please get up." Wang Qin said with a smile all over his face: "Look, it's going to rain today, why did Concubine Xian come here?" Ruyi smiled and said: "I stewed bird's nest for the emperor, it's just right when it's hot." Wang Qin said: "Concubine Xian has a heart. But at this time...it's not a coincidence." Wang Qin glanced, Ruyi followed his gaze, saw Lian Xin standing in the corridor of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and said knowingly: "Is the empress here? " Wang Qin said with a smile: "Yes. The empress sent the emperor the pea yellow made by herself." Ruyi smiled: "The empress is very strict. The concubines are not allowed to go in when they are talking with the emperor. How about this, and there will be a word from Mrs. Lao that I will leave after putting down my things. Go and receive." Wang Qin bowed and said: "With your mother's words, the servant can do things with peace of mind." Wang Qin turned around and went up the steps, staring at his back, and said softly: "Mother, Wang Qin must pay attention to this person." Ruyi nodded, without saying a word: "He does things for the queen, so we can count on it. You and Li Yu got acquainted early, so we have to see each other often." After a while, Wang Qin came down and said, "Concubine Xian, the emperor said that he still has something to discuss with the empress, and just ask you to hand over the things to the slave. In addition, the emperor asks the young master to prepare and come to pick him up at night." Ruyi watched Xin Xin hand over the bird's nest to Wang Qin, and smiled reservedly: "Then there will be Mrs. Lao." Ruyi supported Xin's hand and walked back slowly. When she reached the long street, she saw the noble concubine coming from the sidewalk in a chariot sedan. According to the rules, Ruyi hurriedly stood sideways to greet her.All I could hear were the eunuchs' boots creaking softly as they stepped on the stone slabs.The eunuch who was carrying the palanquin walked in unison, as if he was alone, and he arrived in front of him in a blink of an eye.Ruyi owed her a blessing: "May the imperial concubine and empress be safe and prosperous." Although it was the beginning of March, Concubine Hui was still wearing a brocade jacket inlaid with two-color golden flowers and a bucket of beads. Named "a bucket of beads", it is very light, warm and soft to wear.The imperial concubine just nodded when she saw her, and said: "I haven't seen you for a few days, and your complexion is getting better." Ruyi said: "The imperial concubine's complexion is much more rosy than before." Concubine Hui caressed her cheek and smiled tiredly: "I'm not the same as usual, I'm tired. I'll trouble you to serve the emperor more." Ruyi heard that there were thorns in the words, and she didn't want to compete with her, but just smiled: "The emperor is only thinking about the imperial concubine when he comes." Concubine Hui smiled lazily: "What is there to worry about in this palace? It's just that I don't live up to expectations, and it's just an old problem." Ruyi knew that she was always afraid of the cold and weak, so she couldn't help asking: "The imperial doctors in the palace are no better than those outside, and the imperial hospital judged Mrs. Qi Lu as a first-class national player. The imperial concubine's body should recover soon." Concubine Hui held the hand stove sleepily: "I was just a symptom of the blood stasis. I have been recuperating for a winter, and I should have recovered. Who knew that after eating two pieces of pea yellow from the imperial dining room at noon, I was depressed. I have lost my appetite, and it seems that I can't digest it, so I just went to the Imperial Garden for a walk to digest food." Ruyi smiled and said: "Seeing that it is about to rain, the imperial concubine should not catch the wind, let alone get in the rain, so as not to hurt her body." Concubine Hui nodded, and the group meandered away. Seeing her walking away, Ruyi said: "She is really pitiful, she is so favored, but her body is in all kinds of disasters." Ah Ruo curled her lips: "Sure! If your mind is broken, your body won't get better either." Ruyi glanced at her, Ah Ruo immediately kept quiet, and didn't dare to say much, so she and Xin Xin supported Ruyi back. Concubine Hui still refused to change into her thick clothes when she returned to the palace, she just frowned and said: "It's said that it's spring, and when you walk into the palace, it's very cold and there's no warmth at all." Mo Xin pouted her lips, and several young eunuchs hurriedly made a charcoal basin and brought them in. Mo Xin poured a cup of hot tea and brought it up, saying: "My lord, try this, it's tea made by frying barley and tangerine peel, Smelling the fragrance, it can also whet the appetite and eliminate food. Physician Qi specially ordered it for the young master." Concubine Hui glanced at it, and said angrily: "What kind of cheap thing is it made of? Now I'm using this to perfuse my palace." Mo Xin apologized and said with a smile: "Although barley and tangerine peel are easy things to get, as long as they are good for the young master's body, what is there not to eat? As long as the young master's body is safe, he can have an elder brother early, then It's all four corners." Concubine Hui was a little dazed while holding the tea, and the corners of her eyes were a little moist: "Now I don't need anything, I have a family background, I have a position, and the emperor's favor is more than before in Qiandi, even my father followed me have to be reused." Mo Xin couldn't help being a little proud: "That's not it! I heard that the emperor has been promoted to your lord's position again. Even the people in the palace say that the emperor is in charge of the whole country, and our lord is in charge of half of it for the emperor." Concubine Hui patted her, but the smile on her face grew stronger: "Don't talk nonsense." After she finished speaking, she sighed, "The only thing missing now is that my stomach has not moved for these years." She said Then he looked sad, "Speaking of grace, I'm the one who has the most in the palace. But I can't get pregnant anyway, and I don't know why." Mo Xin patted Concubine Hui's shoulder lightly, and said: "My lord, don't be too impatient. Your blood stasis is from the mother's womb. You have spent so much time and energy over the years, but you can't take good care of it. See this disease." You have to take good care of yourself to get well." Concubine Hui hurriedly said: "Take good care of me, take good care of me, I am already twenty-six. If I continue to take care of me, my age will not forgive me, how can I have children!" Mo Xin pursed her lips and thought for a while, then lowered her voice and said mysteriously: "My lord, if you are in a hurry to have a child, I have heard that there is a folk method called recruiting younger brothers." Concubine Hui asked curiously, "Brother Zhao, what is it?" "It's the rich and noble families in the folk. If there is a wife who has no children, they will bring a child to raise them. After a long time, they will be able to have their own children. The best, It has to be a boy, so that if you conceive yourself, you can get a boy in one fell swoop. This is called recruiting a younger brother." Concubine Hui said resentfully: "This is the harem, let alone here, even when it is a hidden mansion, how can I have a child to raise? The more you talk about it, the more far-fetched it is." Mo Xin looked around and saw that there was no one around, then said in a low voice: "It's not that there is no limit, the limit is in this palace. Think about it, little master, the eldest princess born to the empress and the second princess born to Concubine Zhe are unlucky The child died shortly after birth. The second elder brother and the third princess were raised by the queen like pearls, and the third elder brother was pure concubine's darling. But there was another child, Erniang was gone, Lonely and helpless, just for the young master to recruit younger brothers!" Concubine Hui's eyes lit up, and she said happily, "You mean big brother? That's really appropriate. It's just that the child is dumbfounded, and doesn't look like he's smart." Mo Xin smiled and said: "It's best not to be smart, anyway, let's just take his enthusiasm and bring him over to raise him for a while, when the young master has a child of his own, let alone take care of him, send him back to Elder Brother's place." gone." Although Concubine Hui was happy, she still pondered: "I just don't know if the emperor is willing to..." "Whether you like it or not, there is a precedent in the family law to hand over elder brothers and princesses with humble birth mothers to high-ranking concubines. Kangxi's good concubine was born in Xinzheku, and her eighth elder brother was handed over to high-ranking concubines. Did Concubine Hui raise her? Besides, the elder brother’s biological mother is gone, which is even more logical.” She suddenly lowered her voice and said disgustedly, “Young Master, you don’t know yet? Today, the servants visited the Royal Garden and saw Concubine Xian’s side. The heart and the elder brother are chatting and laughing, the young master has to beg the emperor quickly, maybe Concubine Xian will also have such an idea. If Concubine Xian takes the initiative, she will be unhappy?" Concubine Hui was vigilant, sneered, and flicked the emerald string on her wrist: "I said why she cared about my body today, so she didn't have good intentions. When I ask the emperor first, even if I don't recruit my younger brother If you don't recruit a younger brother, you won't be able to satisfy her heart!"