Xianyue smiled and said: "I am joking with the emperor, but the emperor takes it seriously. How can I be so ignorant? In fact, it doesn't matter whether I want to sleep with you or not. What is important is that the emperor has this concubine in mind."
people."
Hongli took her hand, sipped it lightly, and whispered: "I will always remember it, and I will never forget it."
Hearing his words, Xianyue's heart softened as if it was about to melt, and she said softly: "This... is enough."
After dinner, Xianyue said again: "Your Majesty, it's time for you to go back."
Hongli was wiping his hands when he heard this and said, "What's the matter? You started chasing me again after just a while?"
"I don't dare. It's just that I have to help the empress embroider the picture of a hundred cranes. Because I have to present it to the empress on her birthday, so time is tight and I have to embroider it very late. I'm afraid I won't have time to accompany the emperor."
Hongli thought for a while and said: "It doesn't matter, I still have some things that I haven't approved yet, so I might as well let Sixi bring them here to take a look."
Xianyue nodded and said, "As long as the emperor doesn't find it boring."
In this way, the two of them were in the side hall, one reviewing folding papers and the other embroidering a picture of a hundred cranes. They looked up from time to time, and occasionally when their eyes met, they smiled knowingly. The quiet and beautiful time slowly passed between each other.
At the same time, Mrs. Gao appeared in Kunning Palace. After Mingyu sent Shuiyue out as usual, Wenzhu carefully took out a porcelain vase from his sleeve and presented it to Mingyu with both hands. After the latter took it, he looked slightly shocked and said
: "Is this what you're talking about?"
Gao smiled mysteriously and said, "No, but it's better than that thing."
Mingyu asked curiously: "What exactly is it?"
After Mrs. Gao whispered something in her ear, Mingyu looked frightened and had the urge to throw the thing in her hand. After calming down, she said: "This thing is the most terrifying, you...
...Where did you get it? Also, if this thing is not used properly, it will cause a big mess. No, you should take it back and do as we agreed before."
"Your Majesty." Mrs. Gao forced the porcelain bottle that Mingyu had stuffed into her hand back into her hand, and said: "You believe me, I, this thing is the best. Besides, in just a short time, what kind of trouble can it cause. Besides, I think this is the best thing."
, I spent a lot of effort to get this. If I don't use it, wouldn't it be a waste?" Seeing Mingyu's hesitation, she said: "Don't worry, I asked the doctor, as long as there is no contact, it will not be used.
Something will happen."
Mingyu stared at the porcelain bottle for a long time, and finally slowly tightened his grip and said, "That's good."
A smile appeared on Mrs. Gao's face, and she said: "Then I will wait for the good news from the empress. As for the contents of the porcelain vase, after the empress has used it, remember to bury it to avoid being discovered."
After Mr. Gao left, Mingyu asked Xiao Liuzi to put the porcelain vase away and not let anyone see it, let alone open it without permission.
Xiao Liuzi had been following Mingyu during this period and knew why she did this. When he took the porcelain bottle, he whispered: "Master, do you really want to deal with Concubine Xian?"
Mingyu said coldly: "You are wrong. I don't want to deal with her. I just want to protect myself. Nala Xianyue is too terrible to let her stay."
Xiao Liuzi hesitated and said: "But...but wouldn't it be too risky to do this? If the clues are discovered, it will be in trouble."
Mingyu rubbed her forehead, which started to hurt again, and said, "I have no other choice but to continue on this road." At this point, she suddenly stared at Xiao Liuzi and said, "What are you talking about now?
Could it be that you want to betray me?"
Xiao Liuzi was so panicked that he quickly knelt down and said, "This slave will never dare to betray his master, never dare!"
Although Mingyu is not as shrewd as Xianyue, he is not without brains. He stared at Xiaoliuzi who did not dare to raise his head and said: "If you work hard for me, I will not treat you badly. On the contrary, although I have a compassionate heart,
But you can’t keep a person with harmful intentions around you, do you understand what I mean?”
Xiao Liuzi said anxiously: "I know that I am loyal to my master and I will never dare to have second thoughts."
"Just remember the word loyalty. Go out and ask Shui Yue to come in. Remember, don't let her figure it out. She is a chess piece placed by the Queen Mother beside me. If she knows it, it means that the Queen Mother also knows it.
, but this matter must not be known to the Queen Mother. Otherwise, although I will be in trouble, you will not survive."
Xiao Liuzi knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice: "I understand, Master, don't worry, I will keep my mouth shut and won't tell anyone who asks me. In fact... Aunt Shuiyue has asked me this before, openly and secretly.
Didn't say a word to her."
Mingyu nodded with satisfaction and said, "That's good. If she asks again, just talk to her and try not to make her suspicious."
Xiao Liuzi said in embarrassment: "But... every time Concubine Hui comes, you send her out. I'm afraid it won't be so easy to deal with it."
When he mentioned it like this, Mingyu couldn't think of a good way for a moment, so he could only say: "If she doesn't believe it, let her do it. Anyway, keep your mouth shut. This is the most important thing."
Mingyu naturally wants to keep this secret, but whether she can really keep it is not something she can decide.
The next day, when Hongli went to court, he issued an imperial edict regarding the smallpox incident in Baoding Prefecture. He immediately built a fence in Baoding Prefecture and imprisoned the infected people together with those who could live in it, and prepared a month's supply in advance.
Food, water, and medicinal materials, for a month, were enough for those who deserved it to survive the disaster of smallpox. Those who couldn't survive... would naturally die there.
A hundred meters outside, people from the Shenji Battalion were guarding the area day and night. Once anyone escaped from inside, they would be shot with muskets without mercy.
This was Hongli's greatest kindness to those innocent people. If he had been replaced by a more ruthless emperor, or someone who regarded the lives of the people as nothing, he would not have left them even a glimmer of hope.
Just a few days after this incident, Hongli did something that has been circulated for a long time in both the court and the harem, but has never been finalized, which is to establish a crown prince.
Just like Yinzhen when he established the crown prince, Hongli chose to establish the crown prince secretly. He sealed the edict in a secret box and placed it behind a large plaque in front of all the civil and military officials. Once he died, the edict would be taken out.
, announcing who will succeed the emperor.
This matter related to the next emperor, so it spread quickly as soon as the court came to the court. The rumors spread all over the previous dynasty and the harem, and everyone was guessing who Hongli had appointed as the crown prince.
But at the moment, among the three elder brothers, the eldest elder brother has mediocre qualifications and has always been disliked by the emperor. The third elder brother is young, and his biological mother has been deposed, so there is almost no possibility of being established as a prince. Therefore, it is most likely
There is none other than the second elder brother.