Chapter 20 Chapter Twenty

After many days of hesitation, the emperor finally made up his mind, called Zhou Xiang in front of him and asked, "Which palace is the concubine Ming placed in?" The forbidden center is remote and desolate, rarely visited by people, and there are many houses, collectively named "Lenggong".The place where Zhaojun lives is in the northwest of Weiyang Palace, outside the woods, under the high wall, there is a row of low houses.Zhaojun was banished, and the Queen Mother appointed him to live here.Sun Zhen didn't dare to disobey the order, so he had to clean up the two houses on the east side and house Zhaojun.Compared with those palace ladies living in the west, the situation is naturally much better, but compared with the Jiao Palace with jade and carved railings, there is a world of difference, and it is even far worse than Ye Ting.

How does the emperor go to this place?Zhou Xiang then knelt down and advised, "Please don't ask, Your Majesty." "why?" "It's not where Wancheng goes." "Nonsense!" The emperor was a little angry: "Under the whole world, where can I not go?" "It's really suffocating a lot." Zhou Xiang listed the reasons why the emperor should not go: First, the queen mother put Zhaojun into the cold palace to isolate her from the emperor.Wouldn't it be a violation of kindness to go here?Second, I have been there since Emperor Wudi.The system is at stake, and the ministers know it, and they express their advice at the meeting, causing trouble again.Third, you can only walk here, and the weather is cold and dew heavy. If the emperor suffers from the wind and cold and suffers from minor ailments, he will not be careful.

Finally, and most importantly, when the emperor goes there and sees Zhaojun's suffering, he will definitely feel sad, and Zhaojun will also be uneasy, so it is better not to go. The above three reasons are all very good, and the emperor had to reconsider.But the last point is bad, the more it is, the more worried the emperor is, insisting that he must go. "The slave dare not obey the edict." "How dare you disobey the imperial edict!" The emperor was furious: "Look at me killing you." "I dare not obey the edict even if I killed the servant."

Such a rascal, the emperor has nothing to do.Think about it and say: "Okay, if you don't go, then I don't want you to follow, I will find someone to take me there myself!" Zhou Xiang couldn't beat the emperor, so he had no choice but to accompany him.In addition, with four small yellow gates, under the guidance of two crimson gauze palace lanterns, they passed through a series of palaces, and arrived at the royal garden where the leaves were completely stripped.A cold moon, gusts of autumn wind, flying and rolling yellow leaves all over the ground.rustle.In such a bleak scene, the emperor felt very sad when he didn't see Zhaojun.

Walking out of the forest, there is a long row of low houses in front of you.The emperor stopped and asked, "Where is it?" "Two rooms on the east side." "If there is no light, I must have fallen asleep." "Yes! The night is too deep," Zhou Xiang still didn't give up, hoping that the emperor could rein in the precipice: "It's better to come back tomorrow!" "Nonsense." The emperor raised his leg and walked away. The closer I got, the closer I became timid, the more timid I became slower, and finally stopped again.Zhou Xiang, who followed closely behind, took a step forward, bowed and asked, "Do you want to report first?"

The emperor thought for a while and replied, "Go and have a look first, don't scare her." Zhou Xiang agreed, and hurriedly walked outside Zhaojun's house.Looking up, I couldn't help shouting in my heart: "Oops!" It turns out that there is a lock on the door, but where is the key? If you think about it, you can only spy on it first.Stepping under the window, looking in through the hole in the window screen under the moonlight, I saw a lone mat on the ground and a cloth quilt, slightly raised.When I looked closely, there was a head of black hair sticking out of the quilt, and Zhaojun was sleeping.

Her title had been revoked long ago, but the emperor still called her "concubine".So Zhou Xiang also addressed him as before, and softly called out: "Ming Fei, Ming Fei!" Zhaojun didn't wake up until the fifth sound.She sat up abruptly, opened her eyes wide and listened intently. "Concubine Ming!" Not bad!She asked, "Who is outside the window?" "Zhou Xiang." "Zhou Xiang!" Zhaojun got up hurriedly, tied a sarong under his chest, walked to the window and asked, "What are you doing here late at night?" "The emperor is here."

He is the word lightly, but in Zhaojun, it is like hitting Jiao Lei in the head.She was dumbfounded, feeling as if she had knocked over a five-flavored bottle, she couldn't tell what it was like. "Concubine Ming, please open the window." Zhaojun suddenly regained consciousness, "No, no!" She said hastily, "Please tell the emperor, hurry back! This is not the place where the emperor should come, and I dare not drive in front of you!" "It's all here! I can't see you." Zhou Xiang replied, "I tried to persuade him, but I can't persuade him. The only way to persuade the emperor to return to the palace is to meet him face to face."

"No!" Zhaojun's voice was as cold and hard as iron: "If the emperor comes, I will hit the wall to death!" Zhou Xiang was stunned, he didn't expect Zhaojun to refuse so firmly, and at the same time he couldn't understand why she refused so firmly.At this moment of stalemate with each other, I only heard that the fourth watch has been played upstairs. "Look," Zhaojun said again: "What time is this? One more time, it's time to go to court. If you don't see the emperor, you will look around." There is no need for her to say this, Zhou Xiang is also worried about it.Without saying a word, he rushed to the emperor, knelt down and said, "Please drive back! It's too late, and there will be a cleaning person coming soon, which is very inconvenient."

Only these words can dissuade the emperor.Meeting the ministers in the court is regarded as a major event by others, but the emperor doesn't care.Sure enough, Zhou Xiang knew the emperor's psychology well - the amorous emperor left reluctantly. On the second night, there was no wind and there was a moon, just like a spring night.Wandering among the flowers, the emperor couldn't help sighing: "Oh! I have failed such a good night, I have failed the peerless beauty!" Then he shouted: "Zhou Xiang!" It turned out that the emperor's longing for Zhaojun sprouted again and could not be restrained.Zhou Xiang had to tell the truth at this time, how Zhaojun threatened death and refused to see him.But the emperor didn't believe it.

"You're talking nonsense!" The emperor scolded again: "Damn heartless thing! Seeing that I am unwilling to eat and restless at night, you are indifferent. If I had known that you were so devoid of conscience, it would be better to let them have a big stick and beat me up." Kill you!" Zhou Xiang couldn't take this seriously.It turned out that four years ago, Zhou Xiang flirted with a court lady and was punished with a cane.He didn't want to be saved by fate, but when he was about to be executed, he was discovered by the emperor by chance, and he pardoned him with a thought of compassion.Seeing that he is smart and smart, keeping him by his side, he is becoming more and more favored day by day.Now that such accusations made Zhou Xiang panic and wronged, he knelt down and replied: "This slave will never dare to say a word of falsehood! I will never dare to persuade the emperor again! This servant accompanied the emperor to the place, please don't show your face, and listen to the servant's report." Concubine, Your Majesty will know, if Concubine Ming wishes to see His Majesty, please His Majesty immediately execute this servant, without any complaints." It was so convincing that the emperor had to reconsider.With Zhaojun's temperament, this is also possible.However, it would be inconvenient to make mistakes. "Forget it," said the emperor, "you can go and visit quietly with me. The moonlight is so beautiful tonight that you don't even need a lamp." "Yes!" Zhou Xiang said again: "There is one more thing. I know that the emperor's house is locked." "Where are the keys?" "I don't know where it is?" Zhou Xiang replied: "If you want to ask, you can naturally ask, but whether you should ask for the key or not, please!" "Here, let me think about it!" If you want, you will let the queen mother know that when the emperor was hesitating, Zhou Xiang added: "Actually, it doesn't matter, anyway, the emperor will never bear to let Ming concubine hit a wall and die." This kind of insinuating statement is easier to get into the heart than telling the truth directly.Not only did the emperor not want the key, but he was also deeply vigilant not to let Zhaojun find himself, and of course not let her find Zhou Xiang. So the two monarchs and ministers sneaked away from others.Passing through the woods, there was just a gust of west wind, sending music.The emperor couldn't help standing still, and after a little identification, he recognized that it was a pipa.It goes without saying that it is Zhaojun who is having fun while suffering. Gradually approaching, you can hear the music without the wind.There was so much chatter, sobbing and complaining, a silent resentment that made even Zhou Xiang feel sad.The emperor wiped the corners of his eyes with his sleeves, and walked eastward.Avoiding the window means avoiding Zhaojun's sight, quietly standing outside the wall and listening. There was a sudden sound, and the strings stopped, and then Zhaojun was heard talking to himself: "I don't want to end up in such a situation. I want to see the emperor, unless it is in a dream." Hearing this, the emperor felt angry. Hearing this tone, Zhaojun was eager to meet each other.Zhou Xiang obviously lied, which is extremely hateful. Before finishing the thought, I heard Zhaojun sigh: "Oh! It's worth not seeing each other! We met in a dream, and when we woke up, nothing happened. It was nothing more than soaking the pillow." The words "one field" came to my ears, and the emperor was deeply stimulated, and couldn't help being excited!What do you say is rich all over the world, a beloved woman can't stay together forever, and let her complain, I really don't know what is so precious about being the son of heaven? Zhaojun's voice concealed his ups and downs, "I don't know if the emperor will come again? Did Zhou Xiang repeat my words?" He heard her say: "It's good to think about what Zhou Xiang said! It's better to see you yesterday." On the part of the emperor, I sincerely persuaded him. It seems that the emperor will not give up and will come to visit him quietly. If the old lady finds out, there will be idleness between mother and child again. Alas, it is really worrying!" Hearing this, the emperor could no longer restrain himself, stepped out, looked at the window and shouted: "Zhaojun!" Zhaojun was startled and stared at the emperor dumbfounded.Two lines of hot tears rolled down like broken pearls.Suddenly covering his face, he turned around and staggered and fell in. At this moment, the emperor was startled, thinking that she was going to hit the wall for death, he couldn't help shouting: "Zhaojun! Zhaojun!" Zhou Xiang also realized that something was wrong, so in a hurry, he used all his strength and slammed his shoulder towards the door.This row of unattended low houses was in disrepair for a long time, and the doors and windows were rotten. Zhou Xiang bumped it twice and finally broke open. Going in and looking, Zhaojun was crying bitterly on the quilt, crying out of breath, his shoulders twitching non-stop.Zhou Xiang couldn't help him, and he didn't know how to persuade him?While he was in a daze, he heard footsteps behind him, it was the emperor who came in. Zhou Xiang was very obedient, he was a completely redundant person here and now, so he quickly withdrew. "Zhaojun, don't cry, my heart is in a mess!" As the emperor said, he turned her shoulders.With that pear-blossoming rainy look, no matter how hard-hearted people are, they will feel sorry for her, not to mention the amorous emperor, who can't help crying. Zhaojun was sober from the excitement, but everything in reality still made her feel at a loss.She suddenly broke free from the emperor's arms, opened her eyes and asked, "Is it in a dream?" "No, it's not in a dream." The emperor took her hand to touch his face: "You will know when you touch it." "Sure enough! It's not in a dream. But—" Zhaojun felt regretful that he had woken up from the dream. "Zhaojun, I heard what you said! It's just a temporary disaster, and now I want to do a few things for you—" "No!" Zhaojun hurriedly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, don't make the Empress Dowager angry again." "The empress dowager has agreed to let me decide everything." The emperor was lying, but when he said it in a serious manner, of course he convinced Zhaojun that it was true.An extremely sweet smile bloomed in the tears, with an indescribable charm. "The first thing is, I'm going to move you to another place, where can I live here?" "However, this needs to be pardoned by the Empress Dowager." "It will definitely be pardoned, you don't have to worry." The emperor then asked: "Do you miss your parents?" "Naturally." "I ordered the magistrate to bring your parents in and let you meet." "That's great!" Zhaojun bowed solemnly, "Thank you for your grace." "Get up, get up! Why are you doing this!" The emperor said again: "Zhaojun, don't worry, this is like a nightmare, and it will pass soon." Zhaojun felt deeply comforted, the expression on his face was quite different, and he looked more gentle as he leaned against the emperor's chest. "From now on," she said to herself, "from now on when I meet the emperor, the nightmare has become a good dream." "Sweet dreams! No," the emperor corrected her: "Sweet dreams come from the easiest way to wake up! We are not a dream, but a good marriage that will stay together forever and never be separated." "Really?" Zhao Jun raised his face and asked. "Of course it is true." The emperor replied seriously: "Don't forget, I am the Son of Heaven, so you have no jokes." This reminded Zhaojun that he should abide by the etiquette, once again slipped out of the emperor's arms, and answered politely: "Yes!" "Zhaojun!" The emperor stretched out his hand: "Come here, let me see you." Zhaojun walked forward docilely on his knees, and the emperor embraced him in his arms.The moonlight slanted, and the face moistened by tears became even more rosy and radiant.The emperor couldn't help reaching out to touch it—very lightly, very lightly...