Chapter 4 Chapter Four

"Then why did you send me to him in the first place?" I couldn't help asking the question I've been thinking about for seven years: "Why did you let the former Qingjiang marry me forever?" Jinxiu's tears froze, she stopped crying all of a sudden, raised her purple pupils and glanced at me quickly: "Who told you?" I looked at her sadly and said: "Why did you do this in the first place? My sister has been thinking about it for so many years and still doesn't understand." Jin Xiu stared blankly at me with a smeared makeup, a little embarrassed.

I remember that she did wrong things when she was young, and she often had this virtue when I pointed out her mistakes. Unfortunately, she didn't confess her mistakes to me like she did when she was a child. .” The sedan chair stopped, Chuxi was well-trained, she had a towel and a copper basin in her hands early in the morning, but when she came in, Jinxiu's panda face was almost wiped by her, Chuxi lowered her eyes and waited for Jinxiu to put on her makeup again.After all, Weiwei came out of the prince's mansion, seeing me like Jinxiu, she immediately lowered her eyes, and just put on makeup for me calmly.

Everything seemed to be back to the way it was before we got on the sedan chair, and we became elegant and indifferent noble ladies to each other again, but in our hearts we were like two beasts, each silently licking the freshly opened wound, after a while, The eunuch's chanting came, and the palace arrived. Jinxiu raised her head noblely, looked straight ahead, and said coldly: "It seems that my sister has been brainwashed by him, just like my sister used to be. Since my sister has spoken her heart , from now on in this original family, don't blame my sister for being cruel, one day, my sister will regret it."

The peony flower curtain was lifted, and Chuxi walked out lightly with her jade hands, like a gust of wind, no matter how good the sun shines in Nuoda's sedan chair, there is only ice and cold left. I walked out slowly and greeted all the sisters-in-law and noble daughters. I lowered my head as much as possible, not wanting others to see any quarrel between me and Jinxiu, but I still felt Yuan Feiyan's cold eyes on me and Jinxiu. Jinxiu swept over her body. Led by the palace people to the main hall, there was already a noble concubine who was over forty years old sitting in the middle of the hall. The phoenix crown made by the imperial concubine pressed her black hair, and her body was slightly fat under the imperial concubine dress, round and round. As usual, her face was covered with thick makeup powder, her eyebrows were covered with gold tinsel, and her round eyes were hooked with the routine golden long eyeliner in the harem. She seemed to have the majesty and composure of the royal family. Her lips were smeared with balm, and there was a quiet smile. Although the woman was not as young and beautiful as my female companions from the Yuan family, she possessed an indescribable grace and bearing. The old imperial concubine Lihuang is also my royal mother in name.

Concubine Li and Concubine Kong are the same palace servants given to Emperor Dezong by Empress Dowager Dou. Concubine Li is far less beautiful and charming than Concubine Kong. She makes fun of "Yuanzhu" (Yuanzhu) in the house, but she is rare gentle and virtuous. She is not easy to compete for favor, and she is quite smooth in dealing with things. She is very popular in the palace. Slowly, even the former king and queen trust her. Concubine Li once gave birth to King Baishan County and Princess Shuxiao for Dezong, but King Baishan County died of smallpox when he was three years old. When the Gengxu Kingdom changed, Concubine Li and Princess Shuxiao encountered refugees on the way to escape. Chao, together with Dezong and the Queen, disappeared in the chaos. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown and there has been no news. Princess Shuxiao was only fifteen years old at that time, just the same age as me. Feeling Concubine Li’s loneliness, so she is very close, Feibai also told me that at the beginning, it was Concubine Li who felt that I was the same age as Princess Shuxiao, who was also displaced, and was separated from Feibai in the chaos of war. Offer to recognize me as a righteous daughter.In fact, she was kind to me. After summoning me, she gave me a heavy gift. I heard that Concubine Li is from the south and loves to drink tea. In the past, Princess Shuxiao often served tea to her mother, so I asked Qi Fang I found Guzhushan purple bamboo shoot tea grown in the south, which was one of Xuanyuan’s tribute teas and Lifei’s favorite tea. I didn’t expect her to call me often because of this. Her eyes became more and more like a mother’s. Rewards in various names.

Concubine Li accepted our great gift very politely, exchanged some pleasantries, and then calmly told me that Dezong's physical condition was much better, but he still needed to rest. Concubine Li took her wives to Qingsi Hall From a distance, I could smell the elegant smell of agarwood. It is rumored that Dezong was a master perfumer when he was young. Although he was a relative of the emperor, he ignored the power struggle between his brothers and the common affairs in the palace. He only liked to attend the incense appreciation meeting of the nobles. A two-year-old boy, he can be regarded as a person who tastes incense with unique insights. The two hit it off at the incense appreciation meeting, and then became close friends. Whether they were friends in life or as political allies, they came all the way to support each other. Even Yuan Fei The ambergris Bai often used was chosen by Dezong for him.

We stepped into the main hall, facing the two mighty bronze Jin Junyi large incense burners, with white smoke curling up, exuding the scent that we could smell outside the hall, and drifting mistyly towards the charming Xuanyuan clan carved with wisps. Flowers, the fragrance gradually became stronger, and my head was a little dizzy. Those peony flowers in full bloom became blurred, like strange-shaped starfish in the depths of the smog ocean, and in the depths of the smog, the sea of ​​peony flowers At the end is a huge dragon bed with flying dragons and phoenix banners, and Dezong's figure is faintly lying in the gauze tent.

We knelt down on the knees according to the grade and greeted quietly. "Your Majesty, the children have all come to see you." Concubine Li said softly. There was a slight coughing sound, and we felt an urgent glance at us, and then an old voice came: "Pingshen." We raised our bodies slightly, Dezong coughed a few more times, Concubine Li comforted me softly, Concubine Dezong seemed to say a few words to Concubine Li, Concubine Li then smiled and said: "Your Majesty is going to rest, everyone kneel down .” We got up and were about to file out, but we heard Concubine Li say: "Princess Zhenjing stay here for a while, I have something to say."

All the ladies glanced at me, Xuanyuan Shuyi seemed to be about to speak, but Concubine Li smiled and said: "Princess Shuyi, please go back and take care of the son-in-law, the son-in-law has been waiting outside the palace for the past few days, and has passed out several times, Your Majesty." Also very worried." There was a sneer in the eyes of the noble ladies, Xuanyuan Shuyi blushed slightly, and quickly walked out with her head bowed. Yuan Feiyan glanced at me coldly, and Jinxiu looked at Yuan Feiyan and Xuanyuan Shuyi with a sneer. I stood there alone with a black thread on my head, why did I stay?

Concubine Li beckoned to me gently: "Chen Jing, come quickly, help me to support His Majesty, so that I can serve His Majesty to drink medicine." I went over to help Concubine Li hold Dezong a little foolishly. Concubine Li was holding a glass cup in her hand, which contained a strange oily black liquid with a strong smell. Only then did I realize that Dezong was not ordinary. Thin and weak, he obviously hasn't reached seventy, but his hand is almost like a thin tree pole, and he can't help but feel pity. I tried my best to gently tuck the corner of the quilt for him, and Dezong finally calmed down his cough.

Dezong waved to Concubine Li, and Concubine Li nodded. I helped Concubine Li remove the glass cup. At this moment, Dezong opened his eyes and looked at me for a long time. "You are very similar to Ishtar." Dezong calmed his breath and looked at me kindly. I looked at him in amazement: "Your Majesty has seen my mother?" "It's not just the appearance, but it's as kind as her." Dezong smiled and said: "That year, I was named Gaochang's spice, so I went to the Gaochang Palace to obtain Buddhist incense, and I saw you and the mother of Emperor Wu of Dali there. She really is a Buddha girl who can overwhelm the country and the city." "May I ask Your Majesty who is my biological father?" I hesitated for a while, then continued to ask: "My mother, did she give birth to me and Jinxiu because she was bullied?" Dezong was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and smiled: "Silly boy, how could you have such an idea, Yixiutar is such a beautiful woman, you came to this world with the blessing of the gods. No one can bear to hurt such a woman." I silently thought of Duan Yuerong's purple pupils, indeed, I came to this time and space because of Zifu's "blessing". But I heard Dezong continue: "And your father is a beautiful man with amazing talents, and also a gentle and modest gentleman. He is a rare good man. He respects and loves your mother very much. It is a pity that he was born in Like me, I only love making fragrances, but I was born in the royal family. I have no choice but to watch my relatives die and escape. die abroad." His face was full of sadness, probably thinking of the tragic death of the former queen and the deposed prince, the corners of his mouth trembled, and he closed his eyes in pain. Just about to ask again, Concubine Li glanced at me, I shut my mouth in a daze, and endured the super itchy stomach, only to hear Concubine Li comfort him: "Your Majesty, please take a rest, it's important to take care of yourself. To regain the country, punish Dou Ni, and return to the capital." "Kyoto City," Dezong slowly opened his eyes: "The cherry blossoms in Yuyuantan should be in full bloom. In the past, Mr. Xiang always accompanied me to collect the fragrance of cherry blossoms there." His old eyes were a little confused, full of longing for his hometown, and he suddenly said to the door: "Huh?! Is it Mr. Xiang? You are here, and you have brought that cherry blossom handkerchief. Let's go enjoy the fragrance now." Bar!" Everyone in the hall turned back to look at the door in horror. The sun was shining faintly into the Qingsi Hall, and there was no one under the bright sky. I was secretly startled, Qi Fang had rumored that the deposed prince and the former empress had no valuable burial objects when they were buried because they were being treated for crimes. In addition, Luzhou was severely affected by the epidemic, and the coffins were tense, and everyone was in danger. People dared to approach, so they had to be buried hastily in a broken mat, accompanied by only a plain handkerchief of cherry blossoms. Concubine Li is indeed a noble lady in the palace who has undergone changes for a long time, she shows no signs of terror, but she shed tears sadly in her wrinkled eyes, and said with a forced smile: "Your Majesty, my sister and Fu'er have returned to their old capital. I just thought I came to bid farewell to His Majesty and his concubines, please rest assured, Your Majesty." Dezong looked at Concubine Li, seemed to be slowly coming to his senses, and let out a bewildered but sad sigh, tears almost falling from his old eyes. After a while, Dezong stopped his sadness, and slowly shifted his eyes to me: "It's strange, every time I see you, I think of many past events." Concubine Li was also a little confused: "The same goes for the concubine, every time the concubine sees Zhenjing, she will think of Shuxiao." She thought for a while and said softly: "Your Majesty, since Princess Zhenjing is a concubine and Your Majesty's adoptive daughter, and it happens that Mo Yin is not in the villa, why don't you ask Princess Zhenjing to stay in the palace for a few more days and be filial? How about accompanying the courtiers and concubines as well?" Dezong's gaze never left me, as if countless thoughts flashed through, and after a while, he said slowly: "My concubine is right, let Princess Zhenjing stay for a few more days, and talk to my concubine. , or let the prince rest for a while occasionally, and let Zhenjing serve him."