Chapter 4 third quarter

Concubine Hui, who comes from a wealthy businessman in Pinzhou, is smart and smart, with a beautiful country.She is a gentle and lovely lamb in my arms, but she is an arrogant and lonely peacock among my concubines.What I missed most in my youth was Concubine Hui's charming and innocent smile and the unique orchid fragrance of her skin. The most sad thing was the various court disturbances that Concubine Hui caused because of being favored.I remember meeting Concubine Hui for the first time by the Yu River one spring morning.At that time, she was a little maid who had just entered the palace.I rode over the bridge, and the sound of the horse's hooves startled a group of birds on the bank, and also a girl running along the Yu River.Through the mist, I saw that she was carefully imitating the movements of birds spreading their wings. When the birds were flying, she would fan forward, and when the birds were falling, she would stop abruptly, and put her fingers to her lips to make chirping calls.She found my horse when the flock of birds passed by the willow branches without a trace, and I saw her panicking and hid behind the willow tree, her arms tightly hugging the tree trunk, she hid her face, but The pink trembling little hands and the pair of emerald bracelets on the wrists were ridiculously exposed to my sight.you come out.I rode my horse over and stabbed the little hands on the willow trunk with a whip, and there was a frightened scream from behind the tree, but the people still hid and refused to come out.I poked it again, and there was another cry from behind the tree, and I couldn't help laughing, I said, if you don't come out again, I will whip you with a horsewhip.

Behind the tree was the girl's extremely beautiful face, and her bright eyes and teeth showed a breathtaking brilliance of horror and trembling, which deeply confused my eyes.The emperor forgives me, but the slaves don't know that the emperor is coming, the girl knelt down on the ground, secretly looking at me curiously.you know me?Why haven't I seen you before? Are you working in Mrs. Huangfu's palace?The maidservants first entered the palace, and their names have not been written in the palace book.The girl smiled lightly, her drooping head gradually lifted up, and she looked at me squarely, with a bold and naughty expression, she said, when I saw the emperor's suave demeanor and dragon face, even though I had never seen it before, I guessed it Divided, you are the supreme King Daxie.May I have your name?Now I don't have a name, I hope the emperor will give me a name.I jumped off the Jade Rabbit horse and helped the girl stand up flat.I have never seen such a pure and charming court lady, never a girl dared to talk to me like her.I took her hand, which was slender and smooth, and there was a petal of a crabapple flower in it.You can ride a horse with me.I pushed the girl onto the horse, and first I heard a bewildered scream, "I don't know how to ride a horse," followed by a burst of happy laughter like silver bells, "Is riding a horse fun?"

I have no way of explaining the joy and impulse I felt when I first met Concubine Hui, but I just remember that riding together that morning changed my previous attitude of hating girls.From the girl's skirt and black hair exudes a fresh and charming breath, a fragrance close to the opening of orchids.The Jade Rabbit Horse ran slowly along the Yu River to the depths of Xie Palace. Some gardeners who got up early to prune the flower branches stopped their work and watched the two riders on the Jade Rabbit Horse from a distance.In fact, whether it was the inexplicably astonished gardeners, myself, or the flattered concubine Hui, this morning was unforgettable.

Are you just learning how to fly a bird?On horseback, I asked Concubine Hui.Yes.I have liked birds since I was a child, does the emperor like it?more than you like.I looked up at the sky of Daxie Palace, and there was a broad golden band of light in the sky, the sun was rising on the white dial gate, and the morning birds that used to perch on the glazed eaves disappeared.I was a little puzzled and said, the flock of birds flew away, and you came to scare away all the flock of birds in the palace. My grandmother Mrs. Huangfu and my mother Mrs. Meng have never been on good terms, but the two women have reached the same attitude towards Concubine Hui.They all don't like Concubine Hui, and they can't tolerate my special love for her.Mrs. Huangfu hated Concubine Hui's street style. She complained that the officials who chose concubines should not choose such girls into the palace. Mrs. Meng was naturally jealous of beautiful girls. She thought Concubine Hui was the reincarnation of Meihu. It is bound to become a color trouble for the court, and even affect the country's grand plans.The two women joined forces to prevent me from making Huixian, a girl from Pinzhou, a noble concubine.I was anxious about it all spring, trying to prove that my love for the Pinzhou girl was a kind of providence, another bird lover in the palace, and her innocent soul echoed my loneliness.But the two narrow-minded and paranoid women regarded my words from the bottom of my heart as delirium and sleepwalking. They suspected that I was instigated by Huixian for no reason, so they became even more angry at Huixian.

First, Mrs. Huangfu passed Huixian to Jinxiu Hall. After a lengthy cross-examination and ridicule, Mrs. Huangfu bluntly warned Huixian not to seduce the emperor again.My mother, Mrs. Meng, then passed Huixian to the cold harem. Mrs. Meng led Huixian to see the maids and concubines who were disabled by various punishments, and then she asked Huixian with a smile, do you want to go this way? ?Huixian began to cry, she shook her head and said, no, the servant is not guilty.My mother, Mrs. Meng, sneered. She said, whether there is guilt or innocence, all crimes are committed by people, and they are all made by people. Let me tell you, it is easy to seduce the emperor, but it is also easy to pick your nose and eyes and put you in the cold palace. as easy as that.All these were told to me later by my loyal servant Yan Lang.During the period when Huixian was imprisoned in the Wuliang Hall in the side palace, I had no choice but to pass the notes of lovesickness frequently between the Qingxiu Hall and the Wuliang Hall through Yan Lang.

The lingering love for the girl in Pinzhou aroused my desire to write words and poems.In that distressed spring, I had no intention of visiting the court and asking about politics. I sat in the Qingxiu hall every day and was obsessed with the work of expressing love with a pen and making various court papers. hands.I am fascinated by this work, in fact, I am fascinated by a kind of sad game, and the feelings in my heart are complicated and grotesque.When I burst into tears on a quiet spring night and recited "Slow Voice" over and over again in front of the bright moon and stars, I was no longer a magnificent emperor, but more like a literati who misses Pink Lady in frustration. The change made me feel deeply bewildered and melancholy.Those sad works of mine were later compiled into "Qing Xiu Tang Ji", which spread like wildfire in Xie country and neighboring countries, and Yan Lang and I devoted ourselves to making various palace poems, such as chrysanthemum paper , red peony paper, sprinkled gold paper, five-color powder paper, etc. were later imitated by literati rich and powerful, and became popular gifts for a while, which will not be mentioned later.On a light rainy and breezy night, Yan Lang led me quietly to the Wuliang Hall through a secret door hidden behind the mottled bamboo bushes.The huge Beamless Hall is a masterpiece left by the previous generation of court craftsmen. There are no beams and rafters, and there are no windows.I don't know the motives of Mrs. Huangfu and Mrs. Meng to confine Huixian here. The reason may be that there are no wooden beams in the Beamless Hall, so Huixian cannot use the usual method of hanging herself used by girls to fight to the death. Perhaps the two wives are He wanted to throw Huixian in the gloomy and dark deserted palace, and slowly torture Huixian to death with the patience and delicateness unique to a woman.Perhaps it was just a careless punishment?Thinking like this, my heart was as heavy as iron, my fingers touched the moss on the wall, and the slippery and cold touch spread all over my body, I felt that I touched a door of death.A star of candlelight flickered in the empty hall, and the girl in the candlelight stood still, dejectedly facing a stack of papers.I saw eighteen birdcages neatly stacked around the girl, all empty.For eighteen days, I have sent Yan Lang to the Wuliang Hall every day to send a kind of bird to accompany Huixian through this terrible time. Unexpectedly, all eighteen kinds of birds were released, and my heart was like a bird cage. So empty, I didn't say a word until Huixian suddenly woke up.

The emperor forgives, but the servant let the bird go, the servant did not deliberately resist kindness.Why?Didn't you say you like birds the most? The slaves are innocent, the birds are innocent, I can't bear to let the birds suffer with me.Huixian hugged my knees and knelt down and wept. Her voice had changed from the crisp childish voice of a cardamom girl to the murmur of a mature woman after being separated for many days. The slave girl's face has faded, her heart is dead, but her clean body is alive for the emperor. The slave girl's true feelings are entrusted to the flying birds and sent to the emperor, otherwise she will die with regret.I don't blame you, I don't know who I should blame.There is a Huapeng that is a natural house bird. If you let it fly, it will not fly very far, and it will die halfway. You shouldn’t let the Huapeng fly too.Huapeng had already died, and the servants had nowhere to bury him, so they buried him in a dressing box.Huixian respectfully took out a rosewood dressing box from behind the shrine, and opened the lid for me to inspect.Don't read it, since it's dead, throw it away at will.I shook my head, the stench emanating from the dead bird was already very strong, and Huixian was still worshiping like a god. Looking at each other, I found an ominous shadow in the girl's haggard face. It was a feather that fell from a beautiful bird when it was dying. shadow.I touched her cold little face over and over again, and my whole hand was wet with her tears.

Huixian burst into tears, and recited each of my poems intermittently while sobbing. When she recited the last "Mulan Flower" she suddenly fainted in my arms.I held the poor girl in my arms and waited for her to wake up with infinite love.That night, there was the faint sound of the flute wafting into the Beamless Hall. It was desolate and remote. The smell of rotting wood in the hall mixed with the fragrance of orchids on the girl, as if in a dream.I know now that I'm really caught in the net of love between a man and a woman. No matter what, I want to make this woman a noble concubine.I said to Yan Lang.

Later, I used my severed finger to coerce the two wives to make Huixian the imperial concubine.The cause of the incident was a folktale told by Yan Lang.In the story, Zhang Xianggong chopped off a finger in front of his parents in order to marry a prostitute.I don't know if Yan Lang, who is so smart, hinted that I would do the same, but I was indeed inspired by it. I remember that suffocating afternoon in Jinxiu Hall, when I pointed the blade at the index finger of my left hand, the two women were startled, their expressions turned from shock to sullenness, and then into helpless silence.My mother, Mrs. Meng, came up to snatch my sword, while Mrs. Huangfu huddled in a pile of sable furs and lamented repeatedly. My sudden move was undoubtedly a violent blow to her old body, and her gray head was ridiculously left and right. He trembled, and tears ran down his dry and wrinkled face.

So it seems that I made a wrong move at the beginning.Mrs. Huangfu wiped away her tears and poured out her worry and despair to the civet cat beside her. She said, why is the king of a country like this?So it seems that Daxie Jiangshan is really going to be defeated by Duanbai.The inspector of ceremonies who wrote the booklet looked left and right, and finally realized that the matter of registering a noble concubine had undergone dramatic changes and could not be reversed.Huixian, a little-known girl from Pinzhou, was finally inscribed on the golden book and became the only imperial concubine chosen by myself.Concubine Hui was born on the blade of my sword. Concubine Hui lived in the Pengming Pavilion behind the Wuliang Hall in Xie Palace for six years. It was a small building that I ordered the craftsmen to build after I chose the place and named it, as a scene of joys and sorrows. commemoration and testimony.

Even the people of Xie Kingdom know the political background of my making Peng the Queen.The gradual decline of Xie State and the prosperity of Peng State form a game of chess, and the danger of black eating white has already happened or will happen.In the spring of the fourth year of my accession to the throne, there were frequent disturbing battle reports from the Baili border where Xie Peng handed over. information.The flamboyant and domineering King Peng Zhaomian stood on the gate of the fallen border city of Nizhou, defecating in the direction of Xie's capital. He threatened that Peng's army could take Xiewang's palace directly within eight days and nights.Because of this, my big marriage has become an important piece on the dangerous chessboard, and it is undoubtedly the last move to ease the situation.During that time, like any emperor facing a national calamity, I sat anxiously in the Hall of Fanxin, listening to the debates of civil and military courtiers, but I couldn't deal with it.I knew very well that I was an incompetent emperor, and everything would be at the discretion of Mrs. Huangfu, Mrs. Meng and Prime Minister Feng Ao, so I simply kept silent.It was Yushi Liu Gan who went to Pengguo to discuss the matter of intermarriage.Liu Gan's three-inch tongue is well-known inside and outside the court. The courtiers have different opinions on his mission, but my grandmother, Mrs. Huangfu, bet the final bet on Liu Gan's mission. Six boxes of gold, silver and jewelry were carried away by the horses and chariots, many of which were priceless national treasures.Mrs. Huangfu promised Liu Qian before his departure that once the mission was successful, she would reward Liu Qian with a thousand hectares of fertile land and ten thousand taels of gold. No one paid attention to my negative and pessimistic mood, and no one knew that the dignified King Xie seemed insignificant in the extraordinary moments of court life.During those days waiting for the reply from Kuaima, I imagined the demeanor and beauty of Princess Wenda of Peng Guo many times. There is Juekong's great wisdom and Yanlang's warmth and consideration, but this is just a fantasy. I soon heard that Princess Wenda is a woman with a mediocre appearance and a weird personality. She is three years older than me. .A few days later, Officer Liu returned to court and brought back a golden embroidered sachet of Princess Wenda, and the Daxie Palace was full of festive atmosphere.On my way back to the palace from the Fanxin Hall, I saw many court eunuchs and maids laughing and whispering in the corridors.I couldn't hold back a wave of unknown anger, so Yan Lang stepped forward to disperse the crowd. Don't let them laugh.I told Yan Lang that whoever smiles should slap the mouth, and the palace people are not allowed to laugh within three days.Yan Lang acted according to the order, and later he reported to me that more than seventy palace officials were punished for laughing, and his arms were extremely sore due to excessive force. On the night before my wedding, I kept having strange dreams.I dreamed that I was jumping in the palace like a bird, and the eighteen palace gates flashed behind me.I dreamed of a dimly lit clearing surrounded by dimly black crowds.The juggler's rope remains above my head, and a voice echoes between the crowd and the sky, Grab the rope, up, up, up, up.I grabbed the rope, and I dreamed that I flew up like a bird, and landed on the rope in the sky, and then my body and the rope swung together, taking three steps forward and one step back, extremely light And happiness, and a wisp of smoke in the soul curls up in the process of walking the rope. I hate my queen, Mrs. Peng, and Mrs. Peng hates my concubine, Concubine Hui, and Concubine Hui hates my other concubines, Concubine Han, Concubine Lan, and Concubine Jin.I know that since ancient times, emperors must be accompanied by beauties, and the open and secret struggles of the six palaces of Fendai are a lingering spring that can't go away.Over the past few years, I have avoided the conflicts and conflicts of the concubines in many ways, but the incidents they created intentionally or unintentionally always make me hard to guard against, and I can't help but fall into those boring vortexes. According to the careful observation of the chief eunuch Yan Lang, my concubines have formed alliances within a short period of time.Mrs. Peng and Concubine Lan are an allied body. They are the most loved by Mrs. Huangfu. Concubine Han and Concubine Jin are a pair of cousins ​​and the niece of my mother Mrs. Meng. Madam Meng's care for Concubine Han and Concubine Jin has been seen by the palace people.What about my Concubine Hui?I asked Yan Lang. Concubine Hui is lonely and self-pitying, but it is enough for her to have His Majesty's favor.Yan Lang answered with a smile. He said that concubine Hui was the luckiest in terms of servants. I'm afraid that she is too beautiful, and my favor may not be able to stop the open and dark arrows from all directions.I thought for a while and sighed, and took out a small brocade pouch from my arms, which contained some incense powder and a strand of Concubine Hui's blue silk.Sometimes when I open it, there will be an ominous vision in front of my eyes. I can see Concubine Hui's strands of blue hair flying up without wind, floating unsteadily under the lofty buildings of Qingxiu Hall, and finally disappearing into the darkness.She was a bird flying off the wrong branch, and I expressed my worry to Yan Lang that she would be shot down in the mud sooner or later. All my concubines can't tolerate my deep love for Concubine Hui.They never thought that their beauty was inferior to Concubine Hui, so they unanimously inferred that Concubine Hui had cast a folk sorcery on the emperor.I heard that Mrs. Peng once led Concubine Lan, Han and Jin three noble concubines to Mrs. Huangfu crying, asking to verify Concubine Hui's sorcery, Mrs. Huangfu graciously agreed.I couldn't help but laugh, and I couldn't make any excuses for the ridiculous behavior of the concubines.When the news reached Concubine Hui's ears, Concubine Hui burst into tears. She wiped her tears and asked me what to do. I said that rumors are self-defeating. You don't have to worry about it. Since ancient times, the emperor's intercourse has been supreme, and no one can prevent us from sharing the same bed.Concubine Hui was half-believing, but finally smiled through tears.Later, the first scandal in the Xie Palace occurred, in which the court lady spied on the emperor's intercourse in the Liming Pavilion.I don't know how that poor little maid Gui'er sneaked under Feng's couch, she may have been hiding under the couch for many hours.When Concubine Hui went to fetch hot water on the floor, she saw a corner of Guier's skirt protruding from the edge of the couch. She thought it was a yellow scarf that had fallen off, so she stretched out her hand to grab it, and finally pulled out Guier's foot.I remember Concubine Hui's scream was extremely loud, and immediately there was the chaotic and panicked footsteps of the night watchmen in the Liming Pavilion.The little palace maid Gui'er was already trembling with fright, she couldn't say a word, she just pointed to the direction outside the window to show that she was ordered to come here.Who sent you here?I picked up Guier's hair, and turned that extremely frightened face to face me.Queen Peng.After Gui'er finished speaking, she burst into tears, pleading while crying, Your Majesty, please forgive me, but the servants didn't see anything, really didn't see anything.What did Queen Peng show you?I asked the question knowingly and deliberately asked her to tell the whole story.Let's see how Concubine Hui used magic to confuse His Majesty, but the slaves didn't see anything.I only blame my servants for being greedy for property and doing such foolish things. I implore Your Majesty to spare my life.What property did Queen Peng use to bribe you?Concubine Hui asked aside.A pair of gold bracelets, a pair of phoenix tines, and a pair of jade jade bracelets.That's all.A real bitch.Concubine Hui gritted her teeth and said, can such a little thing bribe you into committing the crime of beheading?I think those jewelries were buried with you by Queen Peng.The palace guards came up and dragged away Gui'er, and the poor little maid was dragged out of Liming Pavilion like a dead sheep, leaving behind a faint cry of grievances.Concubine Hui and I looked at each other silently, and heard that the copper pot and jade drain had already reported three o'clock.In Daxie Palace, the sky was silent and people were quiet, Concubine Hui's face was as pale as snow, and her black eyes were filled with humiliating tears. Can heaven not allow me to be in Daxie Palace?Concubine Hui said. I have no idea.Will the heaven not allow me to be by the emperor's side?Concubine Hui said again. I have no idea.I really do not know. The next day, the little court lady Gui'er was tied up in a cloth bag and thrown into the Yuhe River. According to Concubine Hui's wishes, the palace people stuffed Queen Peng's bribes into the cloth bag.The officer in charge of the imperial gate opened the gate, and the cloth bag filled with people rushed out of the palace wall along the current, and finally it would float in the Xieshui River outside the capital.This is the most common method used by Daxie Palace to deal with people in the palace of death crimes, and it is called "drifting". That night coincided with the actors entering the palace to sing opera, I saw Mrs. Peng, the producer of this live drama, in front of the stage in East Garden.Mrs. Peng sat beside Mrs. Huangfu, covering half of her cheeks with a peach blossom fan.She seemed nothing had happened.Concubine Han, however, felt compassion for Gui'er's death.Concubine Han first asked me why Concubine Hui didn't come to the opera, and I said she was ill and didn't want to attend the opera.Then I heard Concubine Han turn to Concubine Jin and whisper in a whisper, the person concerned is fine, it's a pity that Gui Er's life is lost. Queen Peng's Yanxia Hall is a hundred steps away from Qingxiu Hall, but I rarely set foot in it. Occasionally spending a night in Yanxia Hall is a need for court etiquette for me. I can't stand Peng's tongue and accent, and her moody temperament.Sometimes I could vaguely see the shadow of the tiger's mouth of Peng's giant beast from behind Peng's flower temples and gold hairpins, and I felt infinite shame and forbearance. Absurd and pathetic.Later, Yan Lang and I used to refer to Yanxia Hall by Peng Guo. Every time I went to Yanxia Hall, I told Yan Lang, drive to Peng Guo to pay tribute.The nasty women of Peng State are dissatisfied with my flirting. According to the informant of the palace guards stationed in Yanxia Hall, Queen Peng often slanders the government of Xie Kingdom in front of the palace staff, mocks my incompetence, and curses Concubine Hui of Liming Pavilion.These are all within my expectation.But I never expected that Mrs. Peng would write a secret letter to Peng Wang Zhaomian. The messenger was intercepted on the official road outside the capital, and he handed over the urgent secret letter with three wild goose feathers stuck in it.The letter was full of complaints and complaints, and Peng described her situation pitifully and pitifully, and she was bullied.In the end, Peng asked her father to send an elite soldier into Xie Palace in a whimsical way, so as to ensure her position in Xie Palace. Filled with anger, I summoned Mrs. Peng to the Qingxiu Hall after the secret order to kill the messenger. The palace supervisor read the contents of the letter again in front of Mrs. Peng. I observed her expression with disgust. At first she was a little flustered, and then It was the kind of contemptuous and arrogant smile, with a red cherry still in his mouth. What exactly do you want?I suppressed my anger and asked.I don't want to do anything, I also know that you will block the messenger.I just want to remind the emperor that although Wen Da is a weak girl, she is not easy to bully.Talking nonsense.After you are a country, I have always respected you, who else would dare to bully you?I am the queen of a country, but I was bullied by a frivolous side concubine.Mrs. Peng spat out the cherry pit in her mouth, and suddenly covered her face with her hands and started crying. She stomped her feet and cried, "When I was in Pengguo, my father, queen mother and queen treated me like a jewel in the palm of my hand. I have never been angry with others since I was a child. I never thought that it would be unlucky for you to marry me." Xie Gong, but to be humiliated by a lowly woman, what is Concubine Hui?She is a fox spirit, she is a demon, there is me without her in Daxie Palace, there is her without me, please the emperor make his choice. You want Concubine Hui to die?Let her die, or let me die, please the emperor decides. What if you were to die together? Mrs. Peng stopped crying suddenly, and looked at me with surprised eyes.Then that nasty mocking smile came over her tearful face. I know this is the emperor's joke, and the emperor will not ruin the future of Xie country in a joke.Peng looked around and said. If it is not for the future of Xie Kingdom, I will give you a white silk immediately.I walked away and left the Qingxiu hall, leaving Queen Peng sitting in the hall.I stood in the garden for a long time, and the spring flowers in the garden lost their former brilliance in my eyes, and the chirping of the purple swallows flying low along the wall became dull and harsh.I stepped on a clump of plantains, and then another clump. At this time, I felt a burst of warmth in my eyes, but I raised my hand to touch cold tears.The concubine's encirclement and suppression of Concubine Hui intensified. Due to the connivance of Mrs. Huangfu and Mrs. Meng, the words and deeds of the encirclement and suppression almost reached the point where it could not be added.The most shocking thing was the time when Concubine Hui suffered unimaginable humiliation and blows when she went to enjoy the flowers in the Peony Garden.Going to the Peony Garden to enjoy the flowers is a routine court event for Mrs. Huangfu every year, and all the female relatives and concubines in the palace should participate.I remember that when the flower viewing invitation was sent to Liming Pavilion, Concubine Hui seemed to have a premonition of the end, she asked me in fear, can I decline it by calling me sick?I was terrified to be with them.I stopped Concubine Hui, and I said, they won't embarrass you on this kind of occasion, it's better to go, and it will save Mrs. Huangfu from having any grudges with you again.Concubine Hui's face was full of embarrassment, and finally she said, since the emperor asked me to go, I will go, forgive them for not daring to do anything to me. A large group of women gathered in the peony garden in rich and colorful costumes, following Mrs. Huangfu's gold-carved carriage.No one really wanted to appreciate the flowers, they were all whispering to each other, talking about the goings-on and goings-on outside the garden.Only Concubine Hui deliberately fell behind, but was unintentionally fascinated by the blooming peonies in the garden. As she walked and watched, she gradually forgot the size of her steps.Concubine Hui's lotus feet stepped on the corner of Concubine Lan's skirt in front, and a catastrophe came suddenly.Blind bitch.Concubine Lan looked back with angry eyes, and spat on Concubine Zhunhui's face.At this time, the concubines stopped and looked back in a very tacit understanding.fox spirit.Concubine Han said.witch.Concubine Jin said.Shameless little bitch.Queen Peng said. At first, Concubine Hui subconsciously lifted the mandarin duck's sash to wipe her cheeks, and then bit the mandarin duck's sash in her mouth. She looked around the four allied concubines with horrified eyes, and she seemed not to believe her ears.She looked down at her foot, finally believing it had provoked a vicious insult.Are you scolding me?Concubine Hui held Concubine Lan's hand in a daze, and said seriously, I just accidentally stepped on the corner of your skirt. What careless?You are trying to make me ugly on purpose.Concubine Lan shook off Concubine Hui's hand with a sneer, and added relentlessly, what's the use of holding my hand?Let's go and drag the emperor.She's used to pulling people, and it's hard not to pull, just like all the sluts in Pinzhou.Queen Peng looked at Concubine Hui provocatively.Concubine Hui was like an autumn grass being blown down by a strong wind, slowly squatting on the ground, she saw all the female guests in the peony garden stop and look back, looking here.Concubine Hui's counterattack was as vague as a dream, and the clusters of flowers in the peony garden suddenly emitted a strong red light, and Concubine Hui fainted again under the light.Later someone told me that Concubine Hui kept shouting that day, Your Majesty save me, Your Majesty save me.But I left the palace secretly at that time, and I was mingling with Yan Lang to watch the performance of jugglers in the capital square.I didn't see the magical walking rope show that day.Therefore, he lost interest, and when he returned to the palace at dusk, he heard the news of Concubine Hui's humiliation. It was March in spring when the garden was full of flowers, Concubine Hui was sick and lying on the Liming Pavilion, her frowning eyes made me love her even more.The Imperial Physician ordered to come to see the doctor, and soon reported an amazing good news.The imperial doctor's order said, congratulations to the emperor, the imperial concubine has been pregnant with a dragon fetus for more than three months.For the first time in my life, I felt the joy of being a father, my depression disappeared, and I immediately rewarded the imperial physician order with a lot of money.I asked the imperial physician when the little emperor Ling would be born, and he pointed his fingers and replied that he would give birth after autumn.I asked again, can the imperial physician predict whether it is a man or a woman?The old doctor with gray temples caressed his beard for a moment, and said, most of the concubines of the imperial concubine are little emperors.It's just that the empress is weak and weak, and the dragon fetus is still in danger of being lost. If it is to ensure that it is not lost, it needs to be carefully nursed. I came to Concubine Hui's embroidered couch, grabbed her pair of crisp hands and put them in my arms, this is my usual habit of loving women.I saw Concubine Hui who was sick still had red flowers slanted on her temples, and her sickness was covered with a thick layer of powder on her cheeks. The sadness behind her smile could not hide from my eyes.I suddenly felt that Concubine Hui in front of me was like a beautiful paper doll, half in my arms, half floating.You are three months pregnant, why didn't you tell me? The slaves are afraid.afraid of what?Don't you know that this is Xie Gong's great joy and fortune? The slaves were afraid that if the news leaked out too early, it would cause disaster.Are you afraid of the jealousy of Queen Peng and the others, are you afraid that they will harm you?Afraid, the slaves are terrified.They couldn't tolerate me in the first place, so how could they be willing to let me conceive a dragon fetus first, and steal the glory from the concubine's face.I know they can do anything.Don't be afraid, as long as you give birth to a dragon son, I can wait for the opportunity to get rid of that vicious Peng woman and make you my queen.My ancestors and kings did this.But the servant girl was still afraid.Concubine Hui covered her face and began to sob, her whole body leaned against my shoulder like a willow in the wind, she said, the servant girl was afraid that she would not be able to give birth smoothly, and in the end she would only sleep on yellow beams, which would disappoint His Majesty's high hopes for the servant girl.Your Majesty does not know that there have always been many poisonous schemes in the palace to kill and replace babies, and the servants are afraid that they will be hard to guard against.Where did you hear this nonsense? Heard some and guessed some.The world's most poisonous woman's heart, and only a woman can understand a woman's femme heart.I am terrified, only His Majesty can make decisions for me.How to decide?You just say, I will naturally make the decision for my concubine.His Majesty moved his couch to Liming Pavilion, or his servants moved to Qingxiu Hall. Only with His Majesty's protection every day and night, could the servants avoid bad luck.Concubine Hui stared at me expectantly with tears in her eyes, then suddenly kowtowed on the edge of the couch and begged His Majesty to promise to save the lives of our mother and baby. I was speechless and turned my face away from Concubine Hui's gaze.As the king of Xie Palace, I know that this is Concubine Hui's wishful thinking. It violates court etiquette and exceeds the living standards of all emperors.Even if I accept this fantasy, Xie Gong can't accept it.Even if I promise Concubine Hui, I may not be able to do it.So I politely declined Concubine Hui's request.Concubine Hui's sobs became more mournful and endless.No matter how much I tried to comfort her, I couldn't calm down her traumatized heart.I wiped her tears with the back of my hand, but her tears kept flowing like a fountain.I also became irritable, and suddenly pushed away the grief-stricken body, and stood outside the color screen. It is absolutely impossible for me to move my couch, and it would be even more insulting to Xie Gong’s reputation if you moved to Qingxiu Hall. If you have other requests, I can grant permission to do so. The sobbing behind the multicolored screen stopped abruptly, and then there was a sound of desperate gnashing of teeth.The servant girl also wants to ask the emperor to vent my anger on my behalf, and ask the emperor to personally punish Concubine Lan, Concubine Han and Concubine Jin.If the emperor really loves the slaves, please also ask the emperor to ask Queen Peng personally, beat them with one hundred sticks, two hundred sticks, and I will be happy only if they are killed.I was very astonished, I couldn't believe that the sound of gnashing of teeth came from Concubine Hui's mouth.I turned back again and saw Concubine Hui's sad face and bright eyes. What I don't believe now is my simple judgment of women in the past.I can't imagine that the woman behind the colorful painting screen is the innocent and kind-hearted Concubine Hui. I don't know if the life in the harem for a year has changed Concubine Hui, or my deep love really spoiled Concubine Hui?I was silent outside the painting screen for a long time, and left Liming Pavilion without saying a word.The country is sinister, the court is sinister, and the hearts of women are even more sinister.When I walked down the jade steps of Liming Pavilion, I suddenly felt sad, and I told the palace supervisor behind me, if Concubine Hui is like this, the disaster of Xie Kingdom is really coming. I inadvertently repeated the prophecy of the dead old palace servant Sun Xin.The officer was completely puzzled, but I was taken aback by my own words. I did not vent my anger on Concubine Hui by beating other concubines.However, Concubine Hui's suspicion of concubine Hui's pregnancy made me half-believe. According to the official secret of history, there are many appalling precedents of abortion and child replacement in courts of various countries, and the only suitable thing for me to do is to hide Concubine Hui's pregnancy. And ordered the imperial physician and the eunuchs and maids of Liming Pavilion to keep this secret.Facts have proved that my efforts were in vain. A few days later, I went to Concubine Han’s Yifang Building to have a rest. Concubine Han suddenly leaned into my ear and asked, I heard that Concubine Hui is pregnant. Is this true?Who did you listen to?I was taken aback. Mrs. Meng told me and Concubine Jin.Concubine Han said quite proudly.Who did Mrs. Meng listen to?I asked. Does Mrs. Meng still need to listen to others?Your Majesty was born of her.That day when she was admiring the flowers in the Peony Garden, she could tell at a glance that Concubine Hui was pregnant.Concubine Han peeked at my expression and pretended to smile, why is Your Majesty so nervous?Although Concubine Hui is a concubine like a slave, this is a great joy in the palace after all.I pushed away Concubine Han's arm wrapped around my shoulders, looked at the railing and looked at the glazed red tiles of the Liming Pavilion, which was shaded by green willows in the distance, and the sick girl on the pavilion was sleeping in the unfathomable darkness.I hit the railing and sighed, and seemed to see an ominous and dazzling red light rising from the Liming Pavilion.What exactly do you want to do to Concubine Hui? Your Majesty has wronged your servants.Concubine Hui and I don't interfere with each other, what can we do to her?Concubine Han blocked my blunt questioning with sharp teeth, and flicked her red silk sleeves in the direction of Yanxia Hall. She said that slaves can't afford it, and His Majesty should ask the Queen about this.I think since sisters Lian Han and Jin knew about Liming Pavilion, Mrs. Peng must have already known about it.Sure enough, Mrs. Peng came to Qingxiu Hall the next day to congratulate Concubine Hui on her pregnancy. Her forced smile and bitter tone made me deeply saddened. I was too lazy to make any confession to her, so I just said coldly, Xin, why not go back to Yanxia Hall and cry bitterly?Peng Shi was stunned for a moment, and then there was an ambiguous smile on the corner of her mouth again, she said, the emperor has underestimated me, how can I compete with a side concubine after I am a country?In the Sixth Court of the Three Palaces, Concubine Huihui was the first to have a dragon fetus. It seems that Concubine Hui is really blessed. As a sister, I need to take good care of this good sister. During pregnancy, Concubine Hui is like a bird of fright. She is wary of every piece of food brought by the palace maid. She suspects that the palace chef is colluding with the concubines and poisoning the corn dessert. Every food must be tasted by the palace maid before she is willing to eat it. .During the pregnancy, Concubine Hui's beautiful face was washed away layer by layer, her complexion was haggard, and there was a bit of resentment and desolation between her beautiful eyebrows and eyes.Every time I go to Liming Pavilion to meet Concubine Hui, what I see is a thin paper figurine floating in the wind, which is very strange.I saw poor Concubine Hui floating in the wind, but I couldn't block the wind from all directions on the Liming Pavilion.Concubine Hui told me that she fed all the food that Queen Peng sent to the civet cats. Queen Peng also knew about it, but she still sent people to deliver all kinds of food every day, even in rainy weather.I don't know what kind of medicine she sells in her gourd.蕙妃说着眼圈又红了，她知道我不会吃，为什么还要天天送来？一碗又一碗，一碟又一碟的，难道她指望会打动我的枯石心肠吗？我看见那只狸猫伏在花栏上打盹，并没有丝毫中了蛊毒的迹象。妇人们的想法往往是千奇百怪扑朔迷离的，我无法排遣蕙妃锱铢必究的受害妄想，也无法猜透彭氏玩的是什么伎俩。至于我只是一个被卷进脂粉漩涡的帝王。我在三宫六院间来去匆匆，龙冠金履溅上些许红粉香水，也会溅上污水浊渍，一切都很自然。 这年春天燮国南部的乡村田野遍遭蝗灾。蝗害像一场黑色风暴弥漫了南部的天空，几个昼夜内啄光了田园的每一根青苗。农人们面对灾后的田园大放悲声，诅咒上苍在青黄不接之际又降灾祸，他们在田陌里搜寻死去的蝗虫，埋怨人饿着肚腹虫子却因饱胀而死。愤怒而绝望的农人们在谷场上堆起一座座死蝗虫的小山，点火焚烧。据说蝗虫之火一直燃烧了两天两夜，那股腥臭的焦烟一直传至百里之外的邻国城镇。宫中朝臣们谈蝗色变，深恐南部颗粒不收的灾情会导致秋后全国的饥馑和民心的动乱。在例行的朝觐中我满耳听到的是蝗、蝗、蝗，及至后来我浑身刺痒，似乎觉得满天蝗虫飞进了繁心殿。我在金銮龙椅上坐立不安，打断了丞相冯敖喋喋不休的奏言，不要再说蝗虫了。我说，群臣们能否议议旁的朝政大事？说什么都行，只要别说蝗虫。冯敖一时语塞，黯然退下。礼部尚书颜子卿义趋前递来一纸奏疏，他说，培县县令张恺在蝗灾中以身殉民，请陛下诏令嘉奖张恺家眷，以昭扬为父母官者的美德节操。我问，张恺如何以身殉民？是被蝗虫咬死的吗？颜子卿兴意盎然地禀告道，张县令不是被蝗虫咬死，而是吞食大量蝗虫而死，张县令那天亲领一班县吏去农田中扑虫救苗，因扑救无效而致迷狂，捉到的蝗虫悉数咽进了肚腹，在场百姓都被此举感动，涕泗交加。我听罢颜子卿的一番陈述，欲笑不能，只得含糊应允，我说，蝗虫吞食青苗，县令吞食蝗虫，天下之大无奇不有，可把我给弄糊涂了。我真的糊涂了，培县县令大啖蝗虫的举动既荒唐又悲壮，不知作为一种美德节操来彰扬是否适宜，我在临朝听政的时候经常处于如此尴尬的局面，结果只好答非所问。你们谁见过杂耍班的走索吗？我突然向冯、颜二臣提出这个问题。他们明显是猝不及防，猜不透我的用意，正在张口结舌之际，猛听见繁心殿外一阵骚动，守殿的锦衣侍兵纷纷跑到殿外。原来侍兵们擒住了一个私闯王宫禁苑的人。我清晰地听见那个人粗哑而激越的南部口音。 滚开，让我去见燮王。 那天我怀着一分好奇心将闯入者传到殿前。侍兵们押来的是一个四十开外衣衫褴褛农夫打扮的汉子。那个汉子脸色焦黄，神情疲惫，但一双鹰目中闪烁着凛然大气的光芒，我注意到他衣衫上被鞭棍拷打的条状痕迹，裸露的脚趾间还残存着夹刑带来的淤血。你是谁，胆敢私闯王宫朝殿？ 农夫李义芝，冒死前来为民请命。请求皇上开恩，免去虫灾地区百姓的青苗税、人丁税、灌溉税。 百姓耕田纳税，天经地义，为何要给你们免税呢？皇上明察，南方蝗灾所袭之处，青苗俱无，田园荒僻，何来青苗税？又何来灌溉税？至于人丁税更是苛刻无理，灾区百姓现在以野菜树叶为生，每天都有人饥寒而死、百姓处于水深火热之中，朝廷不问赈灾扶贫之事，反而课以人丁重税，税吏们天天登门逼讨，百姓们已经没有生路可求了。若皇上不能立刻作出免税之诏，南方必将民心大乱。燮国已经够乱了，还能更乱吗？我打断李义芝的直谏，问道，你说还会乱到何种地步？ 会有侠胆义士揭竿而起，反抗腐败的朝廷，也会有贪官污吏趁国难之际，欺上瞒下，中饱私囊，更会有素藏觊觎之心的外寇内贼在一缸浑水中摸鱼，以谋篡权易朝的狼子野心。区区草民怎敢在我面前危言耸听？我笑了笑，喝令李义芝退下。我说，本来对私闯朝殿者是格杀勿论的，但我赏识你赴死一谏的勇气，饶你一命，回家好好种你的地吧。李义芝领恩退殿时热泪盈眶，最后从怀中掏出一块布帕，打开了放在地上。布帕里是一只干瘪发黑的死蝗虫。对于它李义芝没作任何解释。朝臣们瞪大眼睛看着农人李义芝走下繁心殿，纷纷交头接耳起来。我听见的仍然是一片蝗、蝗、蝗的声音。我以为李义芝将蒙恩归乡，殊不知就此放走的是日后的心腹之患，后来的结局对于我是一个莫大的讽刺。四月，培、塌、蛤、涧四县的数千农人工匠在红泥河畔竖旗起义，旗号为祭天会。祭天会的队伍沿着红泥河向西进发，横贯南部云州八县，沿途招兵买马，很快壮大成一支逾万人的浩浩大军。消息传到宫中，满宫为之震惊。在燮国的两百年历史上，百姓们一直以温驯安分著称，祭天会的突然暴乱使整个朝廷措手不及，陷入紧张而惶乱的气氛之中。 丞相冯敖告诉我，祭天会的首领就是那个曾私闯朝殿的农人李义芝。我想起那个黑脸汉子凛然的目光，想起他在繁心殿上惊世骇俗的言行举止，深悔自己做了一件放虎归山的蠢事。暴乱是由蝗灾引起吗？我问冯敖。 是由蝗灾过后的税赋引起，暴民们大多是南部灾区人氏，对于朝廷重税素来抵触。现在李义芝就是以抗税赈灾的口号蛊惑人心。这倒好办，既然他们不想纳税，我可以下诏免减南部的税赋。除了抗税，他们还想干什么？想起兵打进我的大燮宫吗？抗税赈灾只是祭天会的幌子，李义芝在南部乡村素有侠胆义士的美名，野心勃勃，广交江湖三教九流之友，恐怕他图谋的是改朝换代之计，内乱较之外患，其危害有过之而无不及，陛下不可等闲视之。 对付这些暴民草寇，只有一个办法：杀。I say.我吐出这个熟悉的字音，立刻感到一种奇异的晕眩，似乎重温了几年前那场热病的煎熬。更加不可思议的是我觉得整个繁心殿就此簌簌震颤起来，在一道模糊的红光中，我看见被斫杀的杨氏兄弟血肉模糊的身体，时而扑地静止，时而走动摇晃。kill.我恍恍惚惚地重复着，看见一阵大风卷起繁心殿的璎珞珠帘，杨栋的淡黄色的人皮飘浮而来，它围绕着金銮龙椅款款而飞，一次次掠过我的脸部，终于使我跳下龙椅，抱住了丞相冯敖的身体。 kill.kill.kill.我的双手在虚空中抓挠着，一遍遍对冯敖狂吼，杀了他，杀了他们。 陛下切莫急躁，容我再和两位老人商议。丞相冯敖不慌不忙地回答。冯敖的目光跟随我的手在虚空中游移追逐，但他看不见那张可怕的淡黄色的人皮，他什么也没看见。只有我会看见大燮宫中的幽灵鬼怪，别人通常是看不见的。兵部侍郎郭象率军南伐，临行前向朝廷立下军令状，此次南伐志在必得，否则当以龙泉赐剑引咎自刎。郭象在朝中一直有骁勇善战之名，满朝文武对郭象南伐持有一致的乐观态度，孰料半月之后从南部传来了令人沮丧的消息，郭象兵败红泥河，官军伤亡惨重，死伤者的尸体被祭天会垒砌在红泥河两岸，筑成了一条人肉之坝。 据说祭天会在红泥河南岸诱敌深入，郭象求胜心切，令龙岸船连夜赶制竹筏。黎明时分官军登筏渡河，不期所有竹筏都在河心松散分离，那些不习水性的北方兵卒坠入河中，争抢那些溯流而下的竹料，郭象之军的阵形已经溃乱不堪，南岸的李义芝带领百名弓箭手在岸边狂笑不止，百箭齐发之后红泥河上响起一片惨叫之声，满河浮尸向下游奔涌而去，大燮的黑豹旌旗湮没于浮尸血水之中。 郭象在混乱中泅回北岸，他策马跑往临河的渔村，追杀了几名制筏的船。从未遭遇的惨败使郭象丧失了理智，他提着三颗船的首级急驰回京，一路恸哭不止。第三天郭象蓬头垢面满身血污地出现在京城城门口，他把手中的三颗人头扔在壕沟里，然后跨下马走到守城的士卒面前。 你认识我吗？郭象说。 你是兵部侍郎郭大将军，你率兵去南部讨伐祭天会了。守城的士卒说。是的，可我现在该引咎自刎了。郭象拔出龙泉赐剑时对士卒笑了笑，他说，我告诉你，你去告诉燮王，郭象既败，燮国的江山便朝夕难保了。郭象的临终遗言在京城内外传得纷纷扬扬，激怒朝中无数文武官吏。在郭象兵败红泥河的几天里，每天都有人前往繁心殿请缨出征，那些大小官吏对李义芝和祭天会的藐视之心溢于言表，他们认为官军之败应完全归咎于郭象的莽撞渡河，一旦组织起一支通谙水性的精兵雄师，祭天会之患可在一月之内迅速翦除。我觉得所有的请战奏疏都是一纸谎言，谎言后深藏着一些个人的私欲，晋爵升官或者一鸣惊人。所有的请战奏疏都显得浮夸而不切实际，这种怀疑导致我在物色南伐将帅时的犹豫不决。病榻上的老祖母皇甫夫人对此深怀不满，她似乎害怕李义芝的祭天会有一天会闯进她的锦绣堂给她送终。后来皇甫夫亲自钦定了南伐将帅的人选，已经镇守西北边界多年的骠骑大将军端文被急召回宫。