As soon as Li Longji returned to the palace, he saw Li Chengqi who was waiting for him to come back. He had a lot of things to tell Li Chengqi, but he saw Li Chengqi's face was very gloomy and couldn't help but ask:
"Brother, what's wrong?"
"News just came out from the palace that Queen Wei and the emperor had a falling out just now."
"Ah," Li Longji exclaimed, "I have been in the palace all this time, why haven't I heard about it?" But then he thought about it, and it was normal that he hadn't heard about it. After all, he had always stayed in Mingzhu, that place.
It is a relatively remote place in the harem. "What on earth is going on?"
"It is said that because of the prince's affairs, Queen Wei asked the emperor to make Anle's son a king. The emperor said that firstly, the child was too young, and secondly, Anle's son had a foreign surname after all, and there was no precedent for making the king without merit. Queen Wei was so angry that she even
After drafting the imperial edict in person, and then stamping it with a jade seal, the emperor became angry, overturned the Dragon Case, and cursed Queen Wei. Queen Wei walked away. This was the first time they had quarreled in public since they entered the palace.
"Li Chengqi told the story in detail, and finally said: "Empress Wei has relied on the emperor to accommodate her over the years, and she has become lawless. When has she ever been so angry? I doubt she will let it go, so I want to
Let me tell you quickly so that we can make some preparations in advance."
After listening to Li Chengqi's words, Li Longji suddenly realized:
"I see."
"Third brother, what did you say?"
Li Longji sneered:
"Brother, you are right. Queen Wei is indeed unwilling to give up and will take action today."
"What is she going to do?"
"An Le started by poisoning the emperor with her own hands. As for what she will do after the emperor's death, I still don't know, but I estimate that she will probably ascend the throne and become the queen herself!"
Li Chengqi also changed his expression:
"Tonight! Where is the Pearl?"
"We started with Fang Mingzhu." Li Longji explained.
"I'm asking, will the Pearl be in danger?" This is what Li Chengqi is most concerned about.
"There will definitely be risks, but it shouldn't be a big problem." Li Longji's answer made Li Chengqi feel even more uneasy.
At the beginning of the lanterns, the harem looked even more magnificent under the illumination of layers of lights. Mingzhu sat alone in the house. The patron saint did not know where he had hidden. From dusk, Mingzhu began to appear again and again.
Walking to the door and looking into the distance. People who don't know must think that this woman who has recently become a palace attendant is too eager to get the emperor's favor. But only Mingzhu herself understands that what she is looking forward to is not the emperor's favor, but the emperor's favor.
It’s the emperor’s life and the safety of his mother and daughter!
It was already dark. I don’t know if it was a psychological effect, but Mingzhu felt a little cold. Suddenly, as if by magic, there were suddenly many more lanterns and many people in the yard. Mingzhu didn’t even look at it.
Knowing how they came in, these people had already walked in front of her. The one walking in the front was a man. He was in his thirties and his face was so fair that it made people uncomfortable. This man should be the legendary eunuch.
, just listen to him say in a sharp voice:
"Are you Fang Mingzhu?"
"Yes." Mingzhu replied quickly.
The eunuch looked her up and down and said angrily:
"Well, you look pretty good. Her Royal Highness the Princess loves you very much. She has already said hello for you, so I won't make it difficult for you. If it were another palace attendant, there would be nothing so cheap!"
Mingzhu was stunned for a moment, and then she remembered what she had seen on TV and novels in the past, about the women in the palace bribing the eunuchs and maids in charge. It seemed that the eunuch meant the same thing, but since everything was well taken care of,
, I don’t have to worry about it anymore.
The eunuch waved his hand and said:
"You guys, go ahead."
Mingzhu was puzzled. Just when she was about to ask him where he wanted her to go, she saw a woman in her forties flashing out from behind the eunuch. The woman had a very good appearance and was dressed beautifully, but there was nothing on her face.
With her expression on her face, she walked up to Mingzhu, made a symbolic salute, but did not actually salute, and said:
"Girl, please." As he spoke, he grabbed Mingzhu's wrist, dragged her behind the bed tent, and then said dryly, "Take it off."
"Take off!" Mingzhu's eyes widened, "Why do you want me to take off?"
The woman glanced at her, as if she thought the question she asked was idiotic:
"Of course I'm taking off my clothes, what else can I take off?"
"Why?" Mingzhu was a little flustered. Didn't she say she would drink with the emperor first? Why did she take off her clothes when she came up?
The woman was a little annoyed:
"Why are you so ignorant of the rules? If I don't check you out, how can I let you serve the emperor?"
It turned out that it was a physical examination, and Mingzhu breathed a sigh of relief, so just take it off, since there was no way to escape anyway. Under the supervision of the woman, Mingzhu took off her clothes one by one, until she was dead, the woman was considered
Satisfied, she checked Mingzhu's body in detail and searched Mingzhu's clothes to make sure there were no dangerous items, and then she said coldly:
"Put it on."
Mingzhu was very lucky that her glass vial did not attract the woman's attention. But just as she finished rejoicing, her naturally restless character showed up again. While she was getting dressed, she curiously asked the woman:
"If it's winter, would you check like this?"
"Of course!" the woman replied harshly. I really didn't understand why she was so angry.
"Wouldn't it make people sick from the cold?" Mingzhu began to worry unfoundedly.
The woman looked at Mingzhu and suddenly laughed sadly:
"So you'd better hurry up and please the emperor, otherwise I can guarantee you that not only can people freeze to death in winter, but in the cold palace, people can freeze to death all year round!"
Her voice was so sinister that Mingzhu couldn't help but shudder and thought to herself:
"I don't have to live in the cold palace. I can't live just looking at you people every day."
The woman ignored Mingzhu and turned around to roll up the bed tent. Mingzhu walked out of the bed tent and couldn't help but exclaimed, because in just this moment, the room seemed to have changed into a different world.
Inside the house, several tall gold candlesticks were placed along the wall. The red candles burned high on the candlesticks, casting a warm red halo over the entire room. Four delicate candlesticks were placed on the four corners of the house.
From the large incense burner, green smoke curled up, and bursts of fragrance hovered in the room. Blooming flowers were also placed on the dressing table. In the center of the room, a sumptuous banquet was placed, and everything on the table was
They were gold tableware. Even though Mingzhu had seen a lot in her previous life, she really couldn't recognize what kind of food was placed in the dishes.
God, is the emperor's life really so luxurious?
Before Mingzhu had enough of admiring the beautiful scenery inside the house, a summons came from far outside:
"The emperor has arrived."
Following this summons, everyone in the room knelt down as if a switch had been pressed. Mingzhu quickly knelt down in the same way, and after a while, she heard the sound of footsteps.
Come, Mingzhu didn't dare to look up, she only saw a bright yellow robe corner appeared in front of her eyes. Then the robe corner flashed, and she sat down at the table. Only then did Mingzhu hear a voice with deep weariness.
the sound of:
"Everyone, get up."
This voice is very different from the emperor's voice in Mingzhu's imagination, because in Mingzhu's imagination, the emperor should be high and majestic. But this voice sounds like someone who has been working all day and is very, very tired.
The voice of a man. Why is this happening?
Mingzhu was full of curiosity, so as soon as she stood up, she couldn't wait to raise her head and look in the direction of the sound. She saw a man who was less than fifty years old sitting at the table. His facial features were somewhat similar to those of Brother Li Longji.
He was very handsome, but his brows and eyes could not hide the deep boredom. At this time, he was not looking at anyone. He was just holding the cup and drinking the wine in mouthfuls. Looking at him, Mingzhu couldn't help but have four thoughts in her mind.
One word - drink to drown your sorrows!
After a while, the emperor seemed to feel Mingzhu's gaze. He raised his eyes and met Mingzhu's eyes. Mingzhu suddenly forgot the few words about etiquette that Anle had hurriedly told her. Instinctively
He curled his lips and blurted out:
"Hello."
Before the emperor could speak, the eunuch standing aside stopped and shouted:
"How dare you talk to the emperor like this? It's so unruly and you don't kneel down!"
Mingzhu had also realized that her behavior just now was very inappropriate, but just as she was about to kneel down, the emperor suddenly spoke:
"Forget it, she's not too old yet, and she doesn't look like she comes from a wealthy family. She's a girl from a poor family, so don't make it too difficult for her." The emperor's voice was still very tired.
After listening to the emperor's words, Mingzhu couldn't help but feel a fondness for this strange man.
"Are you the bedchamber who was just conferred by the queen?" the emperor asked again.
"yes."
"May I have your name?"
"Fang Mingzhu."
"Fang Mingzhu, the pearl in the palm of your hand." The emperor seemed to be murmuring to himself, "What a good name. It means your parents must love you very much. Sit down and have a glass of wine with me."
"Yes." Mingzhu sat opposite the emperor.
The emperor looked at the people around him again and said:
"You all go down and let Fang Mingzhu wait here."
When the emperor spoke, everyone exited one by one.
Mingzhu felt a little nervous because she didn't know how to serve the emperor. After thinking about it, she stood up and wanted to imitate the eunuch just now and pour wine for the emperor, but the emperor stopped her:
"No, I'll do it myself. Let them go out. Even if I want to be quiet for a while, you don't have to do anything. Just say whatever you want. Whatever you say will do."