Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen Yan Wu
On the thirteenth day of the first lunar month of this year, the emperor left Beijing with the empress dowager, passing through Zhili and Shandong to Qingkou, Jiangsu.On the eighth day of February, cross the Yellow River to visit Tianfei gate and Gaojiayan. The emperor issued an edict to allow the construction of Gaojiayan's dam and other places, and then went south by boat on the canal, passing through Yangzhou and Zhenjiang.Danyang, Changzhou to Suzhou.In March, Yujia arrived in Hangzhou, visited the Wenshu Academy, climbed the Guanchao Building for a military parade, and traveled around the scenic spots of the West Lake.
After all, the scenery of West Lake in mid-June is not the same as that of the four seasons.What's more, in March in the south of the Yangtze River, the willows are green and blue, moving like lotus steps, graceful and charming; quiet like a girl alone, graceful and graceful, colorful and suitable in shades, just nestling around the West Lake, smudged.Watching the clear water of the West Lake.
The emperor longed for Jiangnan for a long time, and finally fulfilled his long-cherished wish. Watching the West Lake, which is also a scene when it is sunny, a scene when it is raining, and a scene when it is smoggy, he is intoxicated in it, like drowning in alcohol, unable to extricate himself.
In addition to drinking with civil servants, Ruyi also accompanied the emperor to taste the newly picked Longjing after the rain, delicious West Lake water shield and Songsao vinegar fish, as well as sweet lotus root starch soup and sweet-scented osmanthus cake.Although there are annual tributes every year, the fresh income is naturally more popular than the tribute in the palace.In his spare time, the spring dawn on Su Causeway, the Oriole Singing in the Willows, the sunset at Leifeng Peak, the twin peaks piercing the clouds, the evening bell at Nanping, and the moon reflected in the Three Pools all left footprints of the emperor's indulgent browsing.
However, the empress emperor also lamented that although everything is born in spring, it naturally has the beauty of "peach red is mixed with the rain, and the willows are green with morning smoke. Drinking wine will be near the spring water, holding the piano and leaning on the long pine", but the broken bridge and snow cannot visit See, the wind lotus in Quyuan is also a new leaf green, and there is no red flower in the pool.
This night was originally a night banquet in the palace, and the emperor accompanied the queen mother, princes and concubines to drink on the West Lake.The relatives and nobles naturally carry Fujin and go hand in hand; the concubine also wears colorful clothes, beads and pendants swaying, and soft words spread from time to time.People came in one by one, listed the delicacies, and the white Yurui animal mouth goblet was filled with Biyingying's mellow wine, and they wanted to add a bright sprig, and the accompanying officials replaced all the women they served with two-year-old women. Eight girls, softer than smoke.Although the concubines were born under the banner of the Han army, they had to be a little inferior to the gentleness of Jiangnan women.
The emperor sighed: "Emperor Niang prefers the beautiful scenery of Quyuan, but the wind lotus has not yet bloomed, and only the green leaves are first seen, so I have to regret it."
The Empress Dowager smiled and said: "The Ai family inherited the emperor's filial piety, so that they can see the scenery of the south of the Yangtze River. The Ai family knows that the emperor loves the spring dawn on Sudi, but it is a pity that we can't stay in Hangzhou until the summer, so it is hard to see it." The beautiful scenery of the wind and lotus in Quyuan, but Aijia thought, since we are here, the lotus leaves are all there, so we have to take a look at the lotus before leaving."
After finishing speaking, the Queen Mother lightly clapped her hands, only to see green lotus leaves and pink lotus flowers slowly drifting across the originally peaceful lake.That's all for the lotus leaf, it's as big as a green cup, curled like a pearl shell, and as small as a silver coin. It seems to be cut from green and green raw silk, mixed with the real lotus leaves on the lake, and it's hard to tell the real from the fake.And the lotus flower with an arrow pierced straight out of the water, deep red and light white, like rouge, like powder, like snowflakes, the lotus leaves are fields, the stalks are enchanting, and the clear waves shine red and blue.Occasionally, there will be faint waves of smoke floating by, reflecting the waves of water lanterns on the bank, even if the peaches in the sky and the apricots in the clouds are incomparable, it is difficult to compare the kind of springs standing on the water, sparkling and colorful.
Two of the lotus flowers are extraordinarily large, as tall as oil spots, and gradually open their pink petals after the misty waves.Above the stamens, there are two women in feather-yellow tunics sitting among them, just like a lotus pistil.The two are as light as flying birds, one plays the pipa slowly, and the other sings softly.
The brightly lit lake gradually quieted down. In the very light and fine fragrance wind, the sound of pipa rang, and there was a soft and soothing female singing voice, singing an intoxicating rhythm:
Although the woman's singing is not as beautiful as a phoenix weeping dew, but through the clear rhythm of the spring water, she sings three sighs, which is particularly pleasant to my ears. What's more, the sound of the pipa is beautiful and lingering, I just feel my bones are crisp and mesmerized, drunk In between.It wasn't until some waterfowl flitted across the lake and suddenly flew into the night air that someone woke up and gave a first-hand admiration.
The emperor didn't realize his admiration, and turned to Ruyi and said, "The words suit the scene, the music is also good, and the pipa complements each other well. That's all, it's just that the music is chosen with care."
Ruyi lowered her head and smiled, "Most of the lyrics and music of Zanxi Lake were written by Han people, but this one "Xianlu·Taichang Yin" was written by Jurchen, and the love lyrics are unique, not inferior to his works. "
The emperor couldn't help smiling: "The queen has always been a good writer, and she has also read Odun Zhouqing?"
Ruyi tilted her head lightly, touching the pearls in her ears: "The concubines don't just know that 'the wall will look at each other immediately, and the heart will break when they see the king', masters of Yuan opera such as Ao Dun Zhouqing, still know a little bit."
The emperor stretched out his hand, and shook her hand that was slightly chilled by the night wind under his sleeve: "I haven't met you for a long time, and the first play we watched together in the palace was this simple "On the Wall" .” His smile was gentle and deep, like the moonlight shining through the clouds, “I will never forget it.”
Ruyi smiled shyly and clasped fingers with him.Compared with the ingenuity of the young concubine, everything is clear, she is the mother of a country, she can't sing lightly, and she can't dance gracefully. She can only stir up the emperor's affection in a quiet place to keep Chang'an.
The queen mother turned her head and smiled, "Is the emperor judging with the queen? How is it?"
The emperor raised his glass to each other with a smile, and said, "Has the Empress prepared a new bride for her son?"
The queen mother smiled and shook her head, and beckoned the two daughters in the lotus to come closer: "The emperor has a look, is it a newcomer?" Her eyes lingered on Ruyi's face, as if inadvertently, "There are too many newcomers in the palace, I'm afraid The queen is going to blame Aijia for not caring about her hard work as a queen."
Ruyi's heart skipped a beat, but she smiled decently: "With the Queen's mother here, how can I work so hard?"
The Empress Dowager smiled noncommittally, and just looked at the two women in front of her. The one who played the pipa was Concubine Mei, while the one who sang was the nobleman Qing who had been in the palace for many years but had never been favored.
Yu Yan raised the wine cup in his hand, pursed his lips and said with a smile: "New wine in old bottles, so that's what it means."
The emperor was rather pleasantly surprised: "Yingluo, why is it you?"
Luyun also smiled: "We all know Concubine Mei's pipa, apart from Concubine Hui Xian before, Concubine Mei is the only one, but it's the first time we sisters have heard of Lady Qing's singing so good."
Everyone's eyes were only on Mrs. Qing, only Concubine Mei stood beside Ruyi.Ruyi glanced at her inadvertently, but saw that her complexion was not very well, even the delicate makeup could not hide the sallow smell on her face.She was secretly surprised, but she heard the Empress Dowager ask gently: "Mr. Qing, when did you serve the emperor?"
Qing nobleman looked at the emperor Yiyi, with a faint look of resentment in his eyes, and said: "Qianlong four years."
The queen mother sighed: "Yes, it's been twelve years. Ai Jia remembers that you were fifteen years old when you first served the emperor."
Qing nobleman lowered his timid face: "Yes. The queen mother has a good memory."
"Ai Jia remembers that when you first served the emperor, you didn't know how to sing."
Qing nobleman looked at the emperor shyly and timidly, with a bit of eyebrows crooked and shy, and the demeanor of the colorful clouds: "The concubine knows that she is not talented, so the trivial skills are slowly learned in the past twelve years, and I am free to pass the time. Yes. Please don't laugh at the emperor and queen mother."
Mr. Qing said these few words so pitifully, the emperor felt a little pity when he heard this: "It's my young master who neglected you all these years, so that you always stay in the empty boudoir, lonely and lonely, and can only sing to yourself Kill the time, it will never happen again in the future.”
Yuyan winked and said with a smile: "The emperor always treats our sisters with new love and old love."
Concubine Wan also joked: "Is it possible that Concubine Jia still calls herself a new love? Naturally, it is the most unforgettable old love."
As soon as such gossip rang out, the queen mother felt a little windy on the lake, so she went back first.Only the concubines were left to accompany the emperor to laugh and talk.
At that time, the bright moon was in the sky, and the lake was shimmering. There were three or five palace-dressed musicians sitting in boats on the lake, playing the piano with bare hands, or playing the flute with red lips.The sound of the flute floats along the gentle breeze, slender like mountain springs and streams, mellow like jade dew and fine wine, silky like lingering light smoke and soft waves, lingering in the ears, and the colorful lanterns and paintings by the lake are all projected on the The slightly cool water of the lake makes people feel as if they are in the shining river of stars.
The emperor and the nobleman Qing beside him whispered, and it was unknown who came first to startle: "Is it snowing?"
At this time, it is March, and the southern land is warm, and it has never seen snow in March.However, when everyone raised their heads, they saw fine white spots slowly falling, all of them falling on the lake, in a daze.
A family member standing near the lake stretched out his arms to hug him, and he woke up and said, "It's not snowflakes, it's white plum blossoms!"
Ruyi was pleasantly surprised: "The world is full of fragrance and beauty in March, why are there still plum blossoms at this time?"
He Prince Hong Zhou has always been very elegant, so he said: "Sister-in-law Huang doesn't know that the winter plum blossoms in Gushan and Lingfeng are late, maybe there are still late plums to be found. Otherwise, there are still some in the nearby deep mountains." He Turning his head and exclaiming: "Hanmei Ruoxue, this person is a bit thoughtful."
Ruyi was slightly displeased: "Plum blossoms are elegant and noble. It's a pity to throw them away so easily. It's a pity."
Yuyan rested her chin to admire, the gemstone rings on her fingers shone dazzlingly.I saw a black-colored boat sailing under the rainbow-like silk and satin at some point, and a woman in a white gauze fir was standing in it, holding a blooming red plum and dancing lightly.Her clothes were embroidered with silver thread plum blossoms all over, and it was covered with silver thread rice beads. When they moved, there would be infinite shallow silver light flowing, like stars lingering around her body.The colored lights on the boat illuminated the lake surface brightly, and even the night sky was a little bit bright, illuminating the woman's eyebrows as picturesque, looking forward to life, and a large amount of moonlight pouring down like a waterfall. Gentle and sweet, people can be found at a distance.With Legie in the blue shirt behind her, it almost makes people think that they are in the fairyland of Penglai.
Wan Concubine asked in a low voice, "Isn't this Ling Concubine?"
Yuyan looked at it for a while, wrapped her hand in silk, sneered and said: "Tonight is really boring, besides singing and dancing, even if the women in our palace are trying their best to compete for favor, they have to know how to be different." Yeah. Always act like a kabuki, demeaning yourself, what's the fun."
Luyun glanced at Yuyan with a smile, and said slowly: "Concubine Jia, don't always talk about others, you forgot that when you first entered the Qian Mansion, what kind of long drums, flat drums, fan dances, sword dances, etc. Chuan Xiao can play Gayageum again, one trick a day, the emperor dotes on you very much, and now he is used to talking, don't you allow others to learn from you?"
Yu Yan sneered and said: "It's good to be able to dance well. I was born in Li Dynasty, and I also learned Li Dynasty's singing and dancing. After all, I can still make the emperor like something new. But now Qinggui and Lingbi are no more than It's just Dong Shi's imitation, what's so good about it."
Luyun sighed, a little self-pitying: "It depends on who does Dong Shi's imitation, like me and Concubine Jia are half-old mistresses, how can they compare to younger sisters in their teens and twenties who are young and tender. "
Yuyan smiled and said: "That's hard to say. Sometimes the charm of a woman can only be revealed when she is a little older. Don't you know that the charm of a half-aged lady is still there. My sister forgot. I was twenty when I gave birth to my fourth elder brother. At the age of six, Concubine Yu gave birth to her fifth elder brother at twenty-six, and Concubine Shu is now twenty-six. My sister gave birth to her third elder brother at twenty-three, which is still early. Our majesty, maybe we just think Girls in their teenage years are like tender melons, and they don’t serve them carefully. Just look at Mrs. Qing and you will know that when you were a teenager, you were not favored by the emperor, but now you have opened your eyebrows. So, sister Don't talk about your old age all day long, other than annoying yourself, there is really no benefit."
Ruyi smiled and said: "With the words of Concubine Jia, I am more relieved. It turns out that the older you are, the more benefits will come later."
Yu Yan is still at his own place, Xuxu, only to see the scenery on the lake change, four green boats filled with flowers surround them, and the windows on the boat are opened, and the pictures of the four seasons of the West Lake are connected together. Dancing between the silk ribbons, the sleeves of the clothes are fluttering, just like walking on the waves, with ups and downs.In the end, Qingmiao turned around and leaned on the last boat, with a slender figure, which actually melted into the picture of winter snow and winter plums in the West Lake.
There was applause and praise on the high platform, and the singing and dancing girls left the stage one by one amidst the admiration of everyone.
The emperor stroked his palms and sighed: "It's all about dancing, the most rare thing is ingenuity, white clothes and red plums, just leaning on it lightly, it blends into the painting." He smiled lightly, "Now my concubine is also benefiting, She's not the girl who only knew bird's nest powder back then, and didn't even know the difference between Baici and Tian Baiyou."
Ruyi understood what he said, and nodded immediately: "I have been by the emperor's side for many years, and I have been influenced by my ears and eyes, and I have grown up naturally. At this moment, the concubine's white clothes are better than the snow, and the red plums are bright in her hands. She really put her heart into it."
Yu Yan snorted softly: "Such kindness is probably the empress's arrangement."
Ruyi didn't bother to think about it, so she just said indifferently: "It's fine if you spend your time trying to please the emperor, but if you just blindly go heresy, it's really a waste of time."
Seeing the emperor smiling and groaning, Yu Yan only looked for the winding figure in the boat.I don't feel a little embarrassing.
The emperor's eyes were full of amazement and admiration, and he raised his voice: "Concubine Ling, if you don't come out again, will you really turn into a red plum in the snow?"
After a while, Yan Wan emerged from the picture of winter snow and cold plums, holding a bunch of red plums in her hand, but first presented it to Ruyi, smiling like a spring peach: "The concubine knows that the empress loves green plums. I wanted to find some green plums to present to the empress, but green plums are rare. Even though they are red plums, let the empress accept them with a smile."
Ruyi's eyes are fixed in Yanwan's hands, which is apricot plum that is abundant in the south of the Yangtze River. It has abundant flower heads and several layers of leaves. It is as dense and colorful as red apricots, and it is as big as wine stained with jade-colored skin.Ruyi didn't reach out to pick it up for a while, but just smiled meaningfully: "I haven't seen my sister these days, so I'm busy with these things."
Yan Wan's eyes were rippling: "What can a concubine understand, but she just spends a little time trying to make the emperor and the empress smile."
Seeing that she was holding the red plum in her hand, Ruyi was a little embarrassed to advance and retreat, and didn't want to reveal these thoughts to others, so she nodded and signaled Rong Pei to take it.
The emperor smiled and waved, motioning for her to sit down beside him: "Mr. Qing and Concubine Mei played the piano and sang, and they really have a heart, but you can melt into the scene, and use the meaning of a little snow falling on the West Lake in March."
Yan Wan lowered her eyebrows and smiled slightly: "The concubine once heard the empress read Zhang Dai's essays, yearning for the beauty of the snow lake. Although it can't be realistic, it just has a little more artistic conception."
The emperor scratched the tip of her nose with a smile: "The word artistic conception is the best, and I like it the most."
Before the words were dispersed, Xu An, the chief eunuch of the respect room, stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, it's time to flip the sign."
The emperor clung to Yan Wan's hand, and smiled affectionately: "Don't turn it over, it's Lingfei."
This statement shocked everyone in the audience, but Xu An reacted quickly, and hurriedly bowed and said: "Yes. Congratulations to your concubine."
The emperor and Yan Wan were full of smiles, and their brows and eyes were full of spring.Ruyi didn't know what to do, so she took the concubines and said goodbye first by taking advantage of her drinking power.
Yuyan was very dissatisfied, thinking of Luyun, he snorted softly: "To put it bluntly, we were concubines only after the birth of a prince. Why did she suddenly become a concubine?"
Luyun raised the silk and said: "What's the matter? Didn't Concubine Shu become a concubine before she gave birth to a child?"
Yu Yan snorted lightly and said: "That's different! Concubine Shu is from the noble family of Manjun Banner, and was personally recommended by the Queen Mother, and has been favored by the Emperor for many years. Ling Fei is from the Five Banners of the Han Army, how can you compare with her?" ?”
Luyun turned pale, and said: "The comparison is all because of the favor of others. The queen mother has spent all her heart and soul on behalf of Concubine Mei and Qing nobleman tonight, but it is the mantis catching the cicada and the oriole, which is cheaper for the concubine." .”
Ruyi's words were even more unpleasing to Ruyi's ears.She turned her face and ordered in a deep voice: "Concubine Jia, you have a position and seniority in the palace. If you have something to say, it's fine for a soft-spoken person to say it. If it comes out of your mouth, it will be disrespectful." If it falls into the ears of the slaves, knowing that the masters are also talking behind their backs like this, it will be uncoordinated."
Hearing this, Lu Yun knew it was wrong, and said with a quick smile: "Empress, it's the first time that the fourth princess has come out with the concubine, and I'm afraid she will miss the concubine, so the concubine will go back first."
Ruyi said softly: "That's fine, the third princess is married, and the fourth princess is the emperor's most beloved daughter, you just need to take good care of her."
Yu Yan was angry all night, and Yu Jia was a little resentful. When she left, she still couldn't help it: "Empress Empress, if you arrange the concubine's splendor tonight, the concubine has nothing to say; if it's not your arrangement , she is so clever, but she is too clever. Even if you are as skinny as Wuzhishan, you can't handle such a grandson!"
Yuyan's words are like thorns, densely pierced into his heart.Ruyi looked back and saw that the emperor and Yanwan behaved intimately, like a pair of close lovers, whispering softly, brushing the corresponding fireworks, singing and dancing behind them, only becoming the flourishing embellishment behind the twin shadows.
She chuckled sadly, the emperor was originally the most blessed person in this flourishing age who could do whatever he wanted, and what he liked, others happened to please him, so why not?All she could do was to be a bystander.
After returning to the palace, Ruyi felt a little bored. Rong Pei dismissed the little maid who was serving her, and personally changed Ruyi into a homely crimson, dark flower, kuilongpan, and peony shirt, and lightly held the moon for her. Rubbing the meridian on the back of the hand. "Empress, concubine Jia's words are not pleasant tonight, but there is a reason for the unpleasant words. It is said that the young concubine Ling has always been close to Yikun Palace. If she wants to get more love, the empress will not If she can't be fulfilled, why do you suddenly have such self-assertive thoughts but don't let us know about you? The servant thinks that Concubine Jia's thoughts are so deep. But I don’t know the depth!” She thought about it, “However, no matter what the concubine is, she still gave the red plum to the empress after the dance, which shows that she still cares about the empress. If she has scruples, she is not afraid of her. Too out of line."
Ruyi closed her eyes and said slowly: "But if the scruples were on the surface, she would be too good at being a human being."
Ruyi was thoughtful, and was playing with a gold-waisted lotus flower teacup, when she saw the little eunuch Ruisui running in. Ruisui was originally traveling to and from the capital to deliver news from the palace for Hailan and Ruyi. Ruyi saw him and asked, "In such a hurry, but what happened in the palace? Are Concubine Yu and Concubine Shu all right?"
Rui Sui'er hurriedly said: "Go back to Empress, since Yujia left Beijing, since the middle of February, Fifth Elder Brother has been suffering from cold and cough intermittently, and has never recovered. Concubine Yu is almost in a hurry, so I have no choice but to ask, Can you call Imperial Physician Jiang back to Beijing to take care of him?"
Ruyi wondered: "The emperor's holy car has always been taken care of by the imperial physician Qi Luqi. This time, the imperial physician Qi Luqi has not been in good health. Whenever he asks for daily care such as peace pulse, he is entrusted to the imperial physician Jiang. I am afraid that it will not be right for a while. I can." She was still anxious after all, "Does it matter if the fifth elder brother gets sick?"
Ruisui said: "It doesn't matter if it's important, it's just that the cold is still lingering, and Concubine Yu's heart aches, and..."
Ruyi's heart tightened: "What else?"
Ruisui said: "there is also Empress Concubine Shu, who used to vomit badly because she was sick, and after vomiting, her stomach hurts and she can't eat, but she lost weight when she saw Tian'er, the imperial doctor adjusted the medicine, and her stomach didn't hurt anymore. Now that the month is full, edema occurs, and the hands and feet are swollen brightly, and the laxative medicine has to be adjusted. After the young master became pregnant, the imperial doctor kept saying that the young master had kidney qi deficiency. These days, the hair loss was severe. Concubine Yu was worried as soon as she fell down, she went to see the imperial doctor, but there was nothing else except weak kidney qi."
"What about the child? Is the child okay?"
Ruisui quickly smiled and said, "Don't worry, Madam, everything is fine."