Chapter 255 The Battle Between the Dragon and the Phoenix
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There are three palaces and six courtyards, headed by the empress. Even if she is not favored by the emperor, she still has a status that other concubines cannot match. This can be seen from the tight guard of Huanqing Palace.
I heard that the Queen had the habit of worshiping Buddha in the morning. Bai Qige got up early and came to Huanqing Palace. It was a coincidence. As soon as she walked in, she saw a shower walking out of the palace. The two of them walked by each other and passed each other. .There were no pretentious greetings between each other. They each nodded slightly and let it go.
Bai Qige has always been careless about etiquette. Occasionally, Xueyu feels that saying hello is completely unnecessary. In the eyes of the simple-minded general's daughter, Bai Qige is just a humble woman sent to marry Yi Chenjing by the minister. No matter her status, she cannot be with her. On a par with each other. What's more, it was precisely because of Bai Qige's existence that Yi Chenjing refused Yaohuang's arrangement. Ou Xueyu always felt that people like Bai Qige should not exist in the first place. It was already a huge honor to look at her.
How could Bai Qige not see the hidden thoughts behind her arrogant expression? She didn't find it irritating, but rather ridiculous. She had no intention of being serious with a childish girl.
Everything she wants is in her hands. Why bother competing with O Xueyu for that vanity?
"I knew you would come." Under the guidance of the maid, she stepped into the Buddhist hall. The queen, wearing a purple and gold robe that swept the floor, was standing in front of the Buddha statue. She clasped her hands and closed her eyes without looking back.
Bai Qige knelt down and saluted. She stood at the door politely and said, "The Queen is very clever and can predict events like a god. She must also know the purpose of Qige's coming here."
"You are here to ask the Emperor about his choice of concubine for the Crown Prince. Why didn't he choose you?" She slowly waved her hand to dismiss the surrounding servants. The Queen turned around and faced Bai Qige. Her chin was slightly raised, but she still had a graceful and noble expression. " Please help me go for a walk in the back garden. I felt very uncomfortable after being quarreled by my girl for most of the night. I need my ears cleaned right now."
It was cold and windy outside, and Bai Qige was too cold to move around. But since the queen asked, she couldn't refuse. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded and helped the queen to the back garden.
Compared with the Imperial Garden, the small back garden of Huanqing Palace is much inferior. No one has cleared the snow on the path. The dead leaves of the trees on both sides are still there. When the wind blows, the snow drifts everywhere. At first glance, it looks desolate. Desolate. It doesn’t look like a place where the mother of a nation lives.
As if she understood Bai Qige's slight surprise, the queen stopped under a dead tree: "Since I was confined to Huanqing Palace that year, the servants in the palace have not been so attentive. The emperor wants to let People forget the existence of this palace. So those people, whether they really forget or pretend not to remember, avoid me one after another. They stay away from this palace like the plague. Everyone thinks that becoming a queen is like a pheasant turning into a phoenix. However, I don’t know that a queen who has fallen out of favor is worse than an ant."
"People's hearts are cold and warm. The world is hot and cold. Why should such an enlightened Queen lament this? No matter what, Queen Dayao is still you. Under one person and above ten thousand people."
"That's a good saying, 'One person is inferior to ten thousand people'." She looked at Bai Qige with a steady gaze. The queen raised her lips slightly and suddenly changed the subject. "Last night, that girl from my family didn't know who received blind advice with ulterior motives. Send it here. Many of the fruits that I like to eat on weekdays, but I still have to sleep in Huanqing Palace for one night. I asked some questions about how to be a qualified crown princess. After hearing this, I was very annoyed. She My thoughts are far inferior to yours. I don’t even have a single word of my birth date and I want to be a princess. It’s so stupid.”
When I saw Ou Xueyu coming out of Huanqing Palace just now, I thought she had a good relationship with the Queen. Now I understand the Queen's attitude towards her. Bai Qige didn't answer and just listened to the Queen quietly.
"The crown princess is not someone who can be favored by anyone. In the future, the crown prince will ascend the throne and become the emperor. The crown princess will become the queen. Indispensable is to have a mother who cares about the world and is in charge of the Sixth Palace. That girl from my family is simple-minded and doesn't understand human affairs. She can't do it. If According to this palace, no one in the entire palace can take up the position of crown princess. Not even you." The queen did not care about Bai Qige's face at all. After commenting on Ou Xueyu's work, she gave Bai Qige a not high evaluation. Bai Qige She was very aware of the flaws in her stubborn character. She neither refuted nor explained. The queen nodded before continuing: "Having said that, no matter what the emperor thinks, in the eyes of this palace, you are still the most suitable crown princess. The candidate. It’s just that there’s still something missing.”
Bai Qige lowered her head: "Please express it clearly, the Queen."
Bai Qige never wanted to be so humiliating. She had never bowed to anyone before. Even when faced with life and death, she had never been timid. However, after experiencing so many ups and downs, she gradually understood that no matter how hard a person's neck is, it will eventually soften. One day, for the sake of the one she loves, she must learn to show weakness without giving up her dignity. To those who are already stronger than her.
The Queen was very satisfied with Bai Qige's low-key posture. She reached out and picked off a dead leaf that had not yet fallen off the tree and played with it in front of her eyes: "What you lack is power. A huge backer enough for the Pope to appoint you as the Crown Princess. .”
"The Queen's intention is for me to coerce the Emperor." It didn't take much effort to guess. Bai Qige quickly understood the meaning of the Queen's words. She took a deep breath and her eyes darkened. "Please forgive Qi Ge for speaking bluntly. First of all, Qi Ge didn't I have high-ranking officials and powerful ministers as my backers. Secondly, I don’t want to become a major problem for the emperor. I’m afraid this road won’t work.”
The queen pretended to be disappointed and sighed: "I am telling you this because I see that you are a malleable talent. Why are you still stubborn? Think about it. With my help and your intelligence, you want to become a prince. Is it difficult to be a concubine or even a queen?"
Not difficult. But the consequences are disastrous.
Bai Qige is not a fool. If she can sit in a high position and enjoy the glory with only her backers, why did the queen end up in such a situation? It is precisely because she has two backers, the general and the prime minister, that she interferes in politics unscrupulously. In the end, her relatives lost power and she was banned from the harem. The queen Did she not learn enough lessons? Or maybe her appearance gave the queen the illusion that she wanted to interfere in the internal affairs of the previous dynasty by manipulating her again.
"You are a smart child. You should understand what I mean." Bai Qige refused immediately. The queen further confused her. "I have been sitting in the cold palace for so many years. I have more experience than you have in ten or twenty years." If you can't do it, you can get help from me. You are afraid that you can't compete with that little girl from my family. This land was conquered by the emperor in front of me. Since the emperor chose Jing'er to take over, then I should find someone for him. A wife who can take good care of the harem and do her best is the right wife. This is your opportunity. It is also my responsibility."
Bai Qige remained silent, but she was sneering in her heart.
She talks about her responsibilities and tasks without shame. The queen tried her best to make her the crown prince, but she is giving away the favor in vain. If she really accepts the queen's help and relies on the forces opposed to Emperor Yao to climb to the throne, she will no longer have her own choice in the future. freedom. By then, let alone her, even Yi Chenjing is likely to follow the footsteps of the empress and be controlled by an old woman who wields power in the harem.
She suffered a huge loss from this deal.
"Please remember the Queen's teachings, Qi Ge. It's just a matter of great importance. Qi Ge cannot make a hasty decision at once. Please give the Queen a few days of grace before replying." Bai Qi Ge's tone was calm. She couldn't see anything wrong at all.
The queen was not sure of her attitude. She wanted to say more but felt that it would be counterproductive. She could only nod her head and gave up. After Bai Qige helped her back to the front yard, she said that she had not slept well last night and needed to take a rest. She also explained some common etiquette before teaching Bai Qige. Leave. A moment after the straight and unbent figure left, another figure rushed into the room and knelt on one knee in front of the queen.
"I just saw Princess Qi'an leaving here. But she came to see the Queen."
The queen seemed unhappy. She raised her finger casually and said, "Get up and talk. She gets annoyed when she sees people kneeling. They all grovel and bend their knees. But they don't know how much evil is hidden in their bones."
The kneeling man stood up in a hurry. His tone was full of flattery: "How dare I, the minister? I owe everything to the queen for today's success. Even if I die, I will never betray the queen's kindness..."
"Okay. People say that father-in-laws are the best at speaking nice words. Why do you, Song Mujie, have a better tongue than them?" She interrupted the man impatiently. The queen tapped her forehead. "Back then, you flattered the fifth prince to become a bodyguard. Manager. After the fifth prince lost power, he was almost dismissed from his official position by the emperor. I only stretched out my hand to give you a hand because your mother had raised the eldest prince. I didn’t want you to continue to be like a dog as before. Listen. .I have secretly instructed several close ministers to advise the emperor to reinstate you as the head of the bodyguards. When you get back your third-grade ribbon seal and return to the emperor's guard, you can think of what to do and what position you should stand in. clear."
"Wei Chen understands. Wei Chen understands." Song Mujie was overjoyed and hurriedly handed over his hands to thank him. He glanced at the plates of fresh fruits on the table. Song Mujie's eyes lit up and he whispered: "I heard from the young father-in-law of Ziyun Palace that yesterday. At the reception banquet held by the five envoys from Southern Mo in the evening, envoy Yanhu stole the show. Not only was his appearance and dancing stunning, he also unexpectedly proposed marriage. Although the emperor did not agree on the spot, he left a message to discuss it another day. He did not know that the prince Who will be the concubine in the end?"
The Queen already knew everything about what happened at last night's banquet. When Song Mujie mentioned it, she sneered disdainfully: "What the Emperor wants most is to marry Yan Hu. But he has already announced that he will marry Xue Yu as his concubine. Suddenly there is a change. The idea will inevitably arouse discussion from outsiders. Even if Suiliang is willing to do it, the little girl won't let it go."
"What the Queen means is that the most likely person is the General's daughter."
"She, don't be ridiculous. That girl is stupid and willful. She can't do anything about it." She picked out a berry from the fruit plate and pinched it on her fingertips. The queen's eyes narrowed slightly, as if she saw the future scene from the smooth peel. "The country of Yanhu is a foreign country. How can I tolerate a foreign race contaminating the blood of my Dayao royal family? Although Bai Qige is a little ungrateful, she is after all the general of Zhao country. She is scheming and good at strategy. She is quite similar to me in the past. Similar. Only if she becomes the Crown Princess, I will feel at ease."
Song Mujie took a deep breath: "But the emperor's intention is very clear. Princess Qi'an cannot be the crown prince. Even the prince cannot resist her."
"The prince has been leading troops in wars all year round. How much does he know about the conspiracies of the harem? His random collision will only make the emperor firmer in his determination to make someone else his concubine. It will do all harm but no good. I am the only one who wants Bai Qige to become the crown prince. Only then can we help.”
Song Mujie suddenly felt a cold feeling on his cheeks. He subconsciously touched it and found that it was the deep purple juice of the berries. He looked up in surprise and saw that the round and juicy berries had lost their original shape in the queen's hands and were crushed.
Under the slanting eyebrows, the black eyes shine with a strange luster. They are plain and cold.
"This is the final contest between me and the emperor... Huaiyu, let us see who is the one who finally embarks on the road to hell with regrets."