The thunderstorm fell when night fell, and the cool and heavy rain washed away a lot of the sultry and oppressive air. Devouring Novel www. I lay on the couch and listened to the pouring rain, which knocked on the window lattice and rattled the plantains in the courtyard.
I was very upset and worried about Xu Jieyu's pregnancy. Jin Xi finally managed to persuade me, "What if the empress is also injured? Isn't it better for those who love me and hate my enemies more?"
After waiting for a long time, Zhu Ru ran in covered with rain and said in a panic: "Our little master has been unconscious all this time. Doctors Wen and Wei are very anxious!"
I stood up and asked, "Where is the emperor? Have you arrived at Yuzhao Palace?"
Zhuru was covered in water, dripping from the corners of her skirt, and her hair was stuck into strands on her snow-white face. She was so anxious that she was about to cry, "No, Scutellaria has been there several times, and even Eunuch Li is not there."
The solution is that the emperor is only guarding Concubine An Gui in Jingchun Palace, I'm afraid she still doesn't know about it."
"Does the queen know?"
Zhuru bit her lip and said, "The Queen is unwell, and this servant cannot enter Fengyi Palace at all."
I thought for a moment, then called Jinxi, "Have someone prepare an umbrella for the sedan, and bring me my cloak. Let's go see the Queen Mother." I told Huanbi to invite Meizhuang to accompany me, and at the same time I called Xiao Yunzi.
I and Pin'er went to invite Concubine Duan, and Concubine Jing went to Jingchun Hall to see Xuan Ling and report the matter. I said to Zhuru: "Hurry back to Kongcuitang and guard your little master. Jieyu is in the ground, and you run like this
It's not a small crime to come out."
Zhuru's face turned green with anxiety, and said: "Liu Deyi secretly sent the slaves out to report the news. If something happens to the mistress, can we slaves still be okay? Let's fight together!"
I nodded secretly and said, "You are quite ambitious."
She said happily: "Kongcuitang is short of manpower, so I have to leave first." After saying that, she turned around and rushed into the rain again.
I changed my clothes and braved the rain to arrive in front of the Queen Mother's Yining Palace. Meizhuang happened to be there as well. I briefly told her what had happened. Meizhuang pondered for a moment and said, "This matter is related to the safety of their mother and son. I can't just stand by and watch.
"Immediately, Bai Ling was asked to knock on the palace door.
Just when Bai Ling was about to step forward, Hua Yi came over holding an umbrella, stamping her feet and saying, "I'd like to inform you, the news from Fuxiang Xuan is that Yang committed suicide by swallowing gold."
I was shocked, "Can we still be saved?"
Hua Yi shook his head and said, "When the palace ladies found out, their bodies became cold."
Meizhuang raised his eyebrows and said in wonder: "Things didn't turn around in the slightest, so why did she commit suicide first?"
When I thought about the situation between Concubine Li and Concubine Fang, I was filled with pity and said: "Another one died in vain. This has added a new soul to the harem."
Meizhuang said: "She has been deposed. Even if she dies, she cannot be buried as a concubine. It is really pitiful."
At this time, there was a loud sound of wind and rain, and there were many trees outside the Queen Mother's Yining Palace. In the dark night of wind and rain, there seemed to be a faint sound of sobbing passing through. Accompanied by the cold wind and rain, it was like the sobs of a lonely soul, which was particularly sad.
It was miserable. The cold rain hit me slantingly on my clothes, and even holding an umbrella was of no avail. I was so excited that I turned around and told Hua Yi: "Go tell the Master of Tongming Hall and ask them to secretly perform salvation for the Yang family."
Meizhuang shook his head regretfully, and took my hand to pick up the skirt and go up. Fangruo was the one who came out. She was full of surprise, "Why did the two ladies come here at this time in such a heavy wind and rain?"
There was a touch of anxiety in my smile, "Please ask my aunt to send a message that I have something important to do and need to meet with the Queen Mother."
Fangruo knew it was important when she saw my expression, so she quickly went in, and came out after a while and said: "The Queen Mother, please go in and talk to the two ladies."
It was a windy and rainy night, and the Queen Mother had already been in bed. When she saw water droplets on our clothes and hair, Meizhuang and I couldn't help but feel distressed and reproached her, "If you have anything to say, we can't say it tomorrow. It's raining heavily like this. Meizhuang, you've always been in poor health, Wan
The concubine is pregnant again. Who will take care of her if something happens?" Meizhuang and I hurriedly knelt down. The Queen Mother frowned and said, "Why do you keep kneeling all the time? Fangruo, please bring a chair."
I thanked Meizhuang and considered how to speak in a way that would not frighten the Queen Mother and explain the seriousness of the matter. Meizhuang looked at me and I had no choice but to say to the Queen Mother: "I came here late at night to disturb the Queen Mother because of the imperial doctor.
It seems that Xu Jieyu's fetus is not well, the queen is also very ill, and the emperor is busy with government affairs and can't make it for the time being, so he can only come to ask for help from the queen mother."
The Queen Mother's weak face trembled slightly, and she blurted out: "Xu Jieyu? How about the child? Does it matter?"
Meizhuang hurriedly consoled her and said, "The Queen Mother is relieved that both Imperial Physician Wen and Imperial Physician Wei are in Yuzhao Palace."
The Queen Mother pondered for a moment and said in a deep voice: "If it is true that everything will be fine if the imperial doctors are here, why do you come here in the rain late at night?" A clear light flashed in the Queen Mother's eyes, "Although Xu Jieyu is under grounding,
However, everything is supplying as usual, so why is it suddenly bad?”
I had no choice but to briefly recount what happened today, deliberately covering up the fact that Xuan Ling was at An Lingrong's place and Xu Jieyu was not known.
The Queen Mother was thoughtful and sneered: "This harem is really lively. So many things can happen to the Ai family if they don't go out in one day. Such a good Yang Fangyi, what a poor child."
The Queen Mother seemed to be speaking carelessly, with only the indifferent smile that an old woman should have on her face. On the small silver sling in the side hall was rolled the soup that the Queen Mother drank daily, tumbling, and overflowing with the heat.
The sweet fragrance of herbs in the room. All this seemed warm and peaceful on such a rainy night. However, when I looked at the expression on the Queen Mother's face, I felt a chill in my body. When I peeked at Meizhuang, I also had a look of silence on my face.
Just keep silent.
The Queen Mother thought for a moment and said: "The Emperor always values his heirs. Even if there are any important matters of state, he will put them aside and rush. Why haven't there been any news?" I lowered my head and became more and more afraid to speak. The Queen Mother looked at me and asked.
Zhuang: "Concubine Wan is worried about the emperor, but you are not worried about it. Just tell me."
Meizhuang said briefly, "Concubine Duan and Concubine Jing have gone to Jingchun Palace to seek an audience with the emperor."
The Queen Mother already understood, hummed softly, and said to Aunt Sun: "In the past, An's family seemed to be very cautious, but now she has shown signs of it." Then she called Aunt Sun, "Help Ai's family get up, let's go and take a look together.
"
When Meizhuang and I heard that the Queen Mother was going to go in person, we hurriedly advised: "It's stormy and windy outside, and the Queen Mother's body has not recovered yet, so it's really not suitable for outsiders to go out."
Meizhuang added: "Perhaps the Queen Mother sent Aunt Sun to have a look. It would be even worse if she works in person and catches the cold."
However, the Queen Mother didn't seem to hear anything. She asked the little palace maid to serve and put on her clothes, and said calmly: "The heir is important, but there can't be another Fu Ruyin in the palace." The Queen Mother's tone was flat, but there was something in this flatness.
There is an irresistible sense of chilling.
When the Empress Dowager's phoenix chariot arrived at Yuzhao Palace, Xuan Ling happened to arrive. Seeing that the Empress Dowager was also there, Xuan Ling couldn't help but change her expression and said with a smile: "Why is the Empress here? It's raining so heavily. It's better for me to escort the Empress back to the palace."
"Seeing that I was also accompanying her, even though it was in front of the Queen Mother, she couldn't help but said: "Huan Huan, you are pregnant. You are going through wind and rain like this. What will happen if you hurt the baby?"
I was about to bow down and agree, but the Queen Mother already smiled and said: "The emperor only remembers Concubine Wan's child, how could he forget that Xu Jieyu in Yuzhao Palace is also pregnant with the emperor's child. Only now did the emperor think that heirs are important, so he was here just now
Where? For whom and what have you forgotten even your heirs?"
Xuan Ling hesitated for a moment and then said with a smile: "Concubine An Gui was frightened today. My son and I made a mistake when I visited her. I didn't know that Xu Jieyu was suddenly in poor health."
The Queen Mother still smiled, but there was a hint of coldness in that smile, and said: "Today's palace ladies are becoming more and more skilled in their duties. They don't know to report to the emperor immediately if something like this happens."
Platycodon grandiflorum, who was serving Xu Jieyu, had already accompanied Liu Deyi to welcome him outside the palace. Seeing what the Queen Mother said, he hurriedly said: "The servants ran to Jingchun Palace several times but could not meet the emperor, and even Eunuch Li could not get in touch with him.
"
The Queen Mother sneered, with a hint of sternness, "Sure enough, what the Ai family knows is true. Is it the people in Jingchun Palace who deceived the superiors and deceived the subordinates, or is it that the emperor has no intention of caring about the affairs of Yuzhao Palace?" The Queen Mother could not argue, and said coldly.
: "Of course the emperor is not wrong, it is the people below who are wrong. If you tell the Ai family what they want, everyone in the Jingchun Palace will be fined one year's salary. Small punishments, big punishments."
The eunuch beside the Queen Mother turned away, leaving Xuan Ling standing by with a slightly embarrassed expression, saying in a low voice: "What the Queen Mother said is absolutely true, but I was worried about Concubine An Gui at that time, so..."
The Queen Mother did not say anything, and only said: "Then which is more important, the life of a concubine, or the heir?" The Queen Mother's brows were kind, and her tone had changed to her usual gentle and kind tone, "It was raining heavily outside, and the Emperor went into Yuzhao with the Ai family.
Palace."
Xuan Ling Nuonuo agreed, held the Queen Mother's hand and went in. Meizhuang, Concubine Duan and Concubine Jing followed behind.
In the inner room of Kongcuitang, Xu Jieyu looked very bad. Her face was as pale as paper, and she seemed to have collapsed. She was lying softly on the bed. Her body was already thin, and her belly was six months old.
The bulge was even more incompatible with her thin and fragile figure, as if she was so weak that she would be blown away by the wind at any time. Xu Jieyu didn't know anyone else. For a long time, she only whispered, "Your Majesty..."
It wasn't that Xuan Ling didn't care about his heir, he was also distressed and anxious at this moment. He stepped forward and took Xu Jieyu's hand and said: "Yan Yi, I'm here." After saying that, he shouted to Wei Lin who was waiting by his side: "It's better during the day.
Okay, what’s going on?”
Wei Lin lowered his head and said: "The young master is depressed and can't feel relieved. Coupled with the drastic change in mood today, he has been having a fever. If this continues, I'm afraid..."
Xuan Ling looked slightly angry and scolded: "You're confused! Since you have a fever, why don't you use prescriptions to reduce it?"
Wei Lin looked troubled and said: "Xu Jieyu is more than six months pregnant and cannot take medicine at will. Moreover...Jieyu's body is weak. She vomited out the medicine she was fed and couldn't swallow it at all."
A moment before Wei Lin replied, Xu Jieyu's delicate face twisted in pain, and she whispered: "Your Majesty..."
Concubine Jing tentatively touched Xu Jieyu's forehead with her hand, and exclaimed in surprise: "Why is it so hot!"
The Queen Mother held Aunt Sun's hand, holding a string of Buddhist beads in one hand, and muttered something. After a moment, she sighed: "He is also a poor child."
Wen Shichu invited the Queen Mother and Xuan Ling to come out and asked for instructions in a low voice: "Please forgive me for speaking frankly. If Xu Jieyu cannot swallow the medicine, she may be in danger of life. If it is absolutely necessary, the mother and fetus can only choose one to protect her."
, may I ask what the Queen Mother and the Emperor mean..."
Xuan Ling pondered for a moment, with a slight reluctance to give up, but within a moment, there was a sharp and decisive intention of giving up on his lips and teeth, and he said: "I want a child!"
Xuan Ling spoke too hastily, and the Queen Mother glanced at him slightly, twirling the beads and said: "Xu Jieyu's fetus is already more than six months old. If we force the labor to be induced, she can probably raise it safely. The Emperor does not have many children at his knees.
, and the concubines are all here, so naturally the royal bloodline is important. If you can preserve it, you should do your best to preserve it. If you can't... you should know what to do."
The Queen Mother spoke softly and calmly. I stood nearby and felt a chill in my body, almost from the bones. Meizhuang's eyes were sad and she looked down at the ground. Concubine Duan had a sad look on her face and just looked at her.
I hid myself behind Concubine Jing, and both of them were silent. When no one was paying attention, I quietly grabbed Wen Shichu who was retreating, and said solemnly in a low voice: "We must keep two of them."
Wen Shichu nodded, a trace of compassion flashing in his eyes, "I understand."
After struggling for a long time, the Queen Mother's face became more and more tired. Meizhuang supported the Queen Mother and gently advised: "The Queen Mother should go back to Yining Palace to rest first. If there is news here, I will immediately send someone to report it to the Queen Mother."
After a long illness, the Queen Mother's energy was not as good as before, so she said: "That's fine." She turned to tell Xuan Ling, "The Emperor should stay with Xu Jieyu here. If something unexpected happens, it will be the last time the Emperor stays with her."
These words sounded desolate, and I was so sad that it was hard to express. Xuan Ling lowered his eyes and agreed. The Queen Mother cared about my health and that of Concubine Duan, so she just asked to go back to rest first, leaving Concubine Jing and Meizhuang to accompany Xuan Ling.
I returned to the Rouyi Hall. Huanbi and Jinxi came up to serve me, changed into clean clothes, and brought hot ginger soup. Jinxi saw the sad look on my face and said softly: "What's wrong, empress?"
?" Jin Xi's voice was very gentle, with the softness of her dialect, which made people feel reassured.
I rested my forehead on my hands and closed my eyes tiredly, "My lips are dead and my teeth are cold. I'm just sad for Xu Jieyu." The sweetness and spiciness of the ginger soup mixed in my mouth, stimulating my weak spirit, "If mother and child only
If they can choose one person to protect the child, the Queen Mother and the Emperor will not hesitate to choose to give up their mother to protect the child. Xu Jieyu is like this, and I will be like this if I encounter any danger during childbirth in the future."
Jin Xi said lightly: "No one will be an exception, because this is the harem."
I raised my lips and almost sneered, "Children are the most important thing. Women are just tools for giving birth to children. I'm not surprised that the Emperor would think so. It's just that the Queen Mother is also a woman. Just because of her different status, she can
Decide the life and death of other women at will."
"This is power and the imperial family." Jin Xi's voice contained a hint of temptation and determination, "Do you want to have the greatest power among women?" She didn't allow me to answer, and added: "Before returning to the palace,
The empress once promised me that I would give up my heart to adapt to everything in this place."
I stroked the cold and gorgeous rose petals painted on the perfume bottle, "I can't bear Xu Jieyu. So..." I turned around, with a cold face, "I will do my best to save her.
.”
It was a stormy night, and I couldn't even get a moment's peace in my sleep. It was already dawn when I struggled to wake up, and Zhuru came over again, with a face full of joy and said: "The emperor has guarded the little master all night, and also gave the medicine himself, and now the little master has woken up.
Already."
I asked anxiously: "But are mother and son safe?"
Zhuru's tone was relaxed and cheerful, "Yes. My master's fever has gone away, and there are no signs of fetal dysphoria anymore. Everything is fine."
I breathed a long sigh of relief, as if something fell heavily in my heart, and said with a smile: "Your little master has just woken up and is weak and needs to be nursed back to health. I asked Jin Xi to bring out the bird's nest and poria. You
Take them back together."
Zhuru smiled and stepped back. I called Xiao Yunzi, whispered a few instructions, and he hurried away.
Because the Queen was unwell, the routine greetings were omitted. I told Jinxi about the Queen Mother's anger yesterday. Jinxi pursed her lips and smiled faintly, "Since the Queen Mother said she would punish everyone in the Jingchun Palace, it is natural for Angui to do so.
It’s impossible to escape the relationship. It’s ridiculous that she only gained the emperor’s pity during the day, but was punished by the queen mother at night.”
I half-bent on the embroidery frame, carefully embroidering a "Two Dragons Grabbing Pearls" bellyband for the child in my belly. On the red embroidered satin, two black and round longan eyes stood out. "It would be fine under normal circumstances.
, but with the lessons learned from Fu Ruyin, the Queen Mother will probably become restless when she thinks that the Emperor neglected Xu Jieyu’s unborn child for An family.”
Jin Xi compared the golden threads used to embroider dragon scales for me, and said with a chuckle: "Concubine An Gui planned to dote on her all the time, but she forgot that there is still an empress dowager here. It was really a miscalculation."
I picked up the silk thread, carefully threaded it through the eye of the needle, and said: "The Queen Mother has been in bed for a long time. If someone hadn't woken up earlier, I'm afraid I would have taken it lightly. She was smart but was misled by her cleverness."
Jin Xi smiled knowingly, "The Queen Mother has ignored the affairs of the harem for a long time. Ever since Fu Jieyu's incident, she is not as indifferent as before. The Queen Mother should also try to win the Queen Mother's favor."
I looked at a small silver needle reflecting a faint shining light in the skylight outside. Although it is usually inconspicuous, it is indispensable for sewing and cutting cloth, and it can be used to save people.
You can also kill people if you are not good. I took a breath quietly and said: "Actually, the Queen Mother likes Meizhuang and Concubine Jing the most, so she asked them to accompany the emperor yesterday. Otherwise, of course she was considering my health and Concubine Duan's health.
It must be because the Queen Mother likes Xuan Ling to favor them more."
Jin Xi's smile was as light as light, revealing a trace of indifference, "If the Queen Mother is interested, the Emperor must be interested, and even if the Emperor is interested, what about Hui Gui?"
When the thin bright needle passed through the fine-grained satin, there was a tight, subtle chi chi sound, which sounded smooth and harsh. I raised my head and said softly: "Meizhuang is not a person who changes his mind easily.
However, after yesterday’s incident, I also understand better the importance of An Lingrong in the emperor’s heart.”
Jin Xi lowered her head slightly and thought, "Yes. With her favor, if she can't overwhelm her in one fell swoop, I'm afraid it will be even harder to deal with."
I didn't say anything, just looked up at the sky. After the rain, the sky had a bright color that had been soaked in, like a clear white jade. Occasionally, flowing clouds floated by in a clear and elegant manner, which made people feel refreshed.
Refreshing. My mind is a little dazed. This kind of weather makes me miss Xuanqing.
I rarely dare to miss him like this. I am really afraid that my eyes and expression will betray me when I miss him like this. However, at this moment, I can hardly restrain my longing.
Such a beautiful blue sky and white clouds, if he hadn't stopped and watched with me, it would have lost all its beautiful meaning.
And Xuanqing, the day after sending me back to the palace, went to Shangjing. Shangjing, the place where we once traveled hand in hand. Those beautiful and splendid times, like gems treasured in memory, shine brightly beyond my reach.
as bright as a dream.
I almost can't bear to think about it. Every time I think about it, it tells me clearly and cruelly that it is already a thing of the past.
I composed myself, turned around and saw Xiao Yunzi coming in, so I asked, "Is it done?"
Xiao Yunzi said with a hint of joy, "It's done."
I nodded and said nothing more, just embroidering the bellyband in my hand.