Chapter 2: The Subtle Fragrance and the Delicate Jade
Huanbi helped me rush back to the palace. As soon as I stepped into the gate of Weiyang Palace, I saw the candlelight in front of Rouyi Palace as bright as day, and my heart gradually calmed down. If life is like this, Rouyi Palace is nothing more than a palace.
A gorgeous place of detention, but it is not my safe place.
My heart was like a fan, but before I could close it, I saw Xiao Yunzi coming out happily (Xi Zizi describes the appearance of joy, and Xi Zizi describes the appearance of inner joy. One refers to the surface expression, and the other refers to the heart, so "Xi Zizi" is more appropriate).
"Your Majesty, I'm back. I'll make it easier for you to find me. Eunuch Li is here."
I frowned slightly, "I just went to the garden with Huanbi to sober up. Why can't he wait for a moment? He's so anxious."
Little Yunzi smiled from ear to ear, "It's really a big deal. Your Majesty will be happy to know it." Before she finished speaking, I saw a petite woman running straight into my arms, and her knees softened and she knelt down.
, raised his head again with tears streaming down his face, and called out: "Sister--"
Huanbi was surprised and happy, and whispered, "Miss Third!"
His heart suddenly softened, and he hurriedly pulled up the woman in his arms. He could hardly believe that the woman who looked like a jade hibiscus in front of him was actually Yurao who had been away for ten years. She had grown much taller, but her eyebrows were burning
Her expression and a pair of smart, smoky eyes were the same as when she was a child. When I saw her face to face, it was as if I saw my own appearance when I was young. I was overjoyed and laughed repeatedly: "Okay, okay -
—" Before he finished speaking, he couldn't help but shed tears.
Yurao hurriedly came to wipe my tears and said with a forced smile: "We have been separated for ten years, and now it is a joy to see each other. Why is the eldest sister crying instead?" After she stopped crying, she smiled at Huanbi and called "Sister Bi"
”.
Huanbi also had tears in her eyes, looked at Yurao and said, "The third lady has grown up a lot."
Li Chang stood by and said with a smile: "Don't be too happy, the second lady is here too." I raised my eyes and looked up, and I saw Yuyao standing under the corridor in front of the palace with her hands down, silently weeping. There have been countless changes in the family over the past few years.
, compared to Yurao, I feel more sorry for Yuyao who was let down and trampled upon by her housekeeper during her beautiful years, and she is still unmarried today.
I hurriedly stepped forward and held her hand, but before I could speak, she was choked with sobs and couldn't speak. After a long time, she gently called her "eldest sister". I looked at her carefully. Even though we met in the palace, she was still the same as before.
The color is flowing, the moire pattern is on the mantle, the eyebrows are downcast, and the expression is miserable. Although he is still gentle and quiet like before, he is much quieter, as if he has lost a ray of soul. The whole person is lifeless and as tired as in late autumn.
Like a weeping willow.
Yurao sighed softly and said: "Since their housekeeper..."
I held Yu Yao's hand and said gently: "I know it, but it's just a pain for you."
Yuyao's eyebrows jumped suddenly, her head dropped lower, and she said sadly: "Sister, I don't..."
I couldn't bear it and coaxed softly: "It's all in the past, let's not talk about it anymore, okay?"
She fell silent and said no more words.
Seeing each other's sadness, Li Chang stepped forward and said with a smile: "Your Majesty is happy for your Majesty, and specially invited your Majesty's family to the palace to give her a surprise. The Emperor also said that the two young ladies should stay in the palace with peace of mind.
Be a concubine."
I looked around and asked Li Changdao: "Why don't you see my parents? Are they here too?"
Li Chang smiled and said: "The emperor has issued an order to summon the lord and his wife back to the capital. In order to reassure the empress, the two ladies came over day and night. I believe that the lord and his wife will be able to come to the capital in a few days."
I said coldly: "I understand the emperor's wishes, but my father is a criminal. Although the emperor is kind enough to call these two old people back, what's the point of asking them to run around and work hard."
Li Chang cautiously smiled and said: "How can the emperor not be considerate of your Majesty's wishes? Although you have not reinstated the old man to his post, you have ordered people to repair the old house of your natal family. Please feel free to stay in Beijing and live your old age with your Majesty and Madam."
.”
I nodded silently, and Yurao snorted slightly, showing disdain. Yuyao quietly pulled her sleeves and shook her head secretly.
I calmed down and said gently: "The Emperor is at Concubine Zhen at the moment, so you don't need to disturb her. I will go to thank you tomorrow. Please step aside."
Li Chang hit Qian'er and said with a smile: "Yes. There is one more thing - the Sixth Prince said that the Queen is happy to be canonized today, so there is nothing else to do. He only gave the Queen all the albizia flowers in the Luoyue Kaiyun Pavilion.
The prince said that the albizia flower can soothe the five internal organs, harmonize the mind, and make people happy. Whether the queen comes here to enjoy it every day, or cooks porridge to replenish the body, she will live up to it."
My heart skipped a beat, and then I understood, and said calmly: "Thank you for your trouble, Your Majesty. Just thank Your Majesty on my behalf."
Yurao smiled softly, like a silver bell, and said: "This prince has a unique mind. He is not like ordinary people who only know how to give away some gold and jade."
Li Chang held the whisk in his hand and said with a smile: "The third young lady entered the palace on the first day. I don't know that our sixth prince has so many wonderful things in mind, not just this unique thing. The third young lady will know about it later.
.”
I didn't say anything at the moment, I just held their hands and went in, talking all night, telling each other our goodbyes.
The next day, I arranged for Yurao to live in the Yongbao Hall in the side hall of Weiyang Palace. Yuyao always loved to be quiet and didn't like to see people, so he chose to live in Yinyuexuan, the most remote place.
When I got up that day, it happened that Meizhuang brought Caiyue over. Before anyone came in, I heard a loud voice laughing: "I heard that Yao'er and Rao'er are here. Concubine Shu is so proud!"
I smiled and said, "It's just the Emperor's favor."
Meizhuang glanced at me lightly and said with a smile: "Why do you need to say such superficial words in front of me?"
I smiled lightly and said, "In the eyes of the Emperor, mother is more valuable than son."
Meizhuang snorted softly, turned around and saw Yurao coming out, and was startled. Then he took Yurao's hand and nodded repeatedly, "We haven't seen each other for many years. The smart girl from the past has turned into a beauty like a flower."
Yurao lowered his head shyly and said, "Sister Mei."
Meizhuang just pretended not to see her, and said with a smile: "Rao'er has looked like you since he was a child, and now he looks more and more like you."
Time flows away like spring water in the east, and only the traces of wind and frost are imprinted on the eyebrows. There is no longer the innocence and innocence of a girl, like a hidden pearl, everything is reserved and silent. Looking at Yurao, it feels like seeing
She is a shadow of her former self. However, she is more resolute and lively than I was back then, just like a dazzling gem, shining with brilliance.
After sitting down and having tea for a while, Meizhuang seemed to have something on his mind. Looking at Yurao, he was stunned and asked, "Have you gone to pay homage to the emperor?"
When Yurao heard this, she frowned immediately, feeling deeply disgusted. I knew that she deeply resented Xuan Ling for the incident in the Zhen Mansion and my leaving the palace to practice, and she was unwilling to go, so she shook her head and said, "I just settled down.
Not too busy to thank you."
Meizhuang held the tea lid and stared at me closely and said: "I think..." She remained silent for a long time, just looking at Yurao as if she had no intention of doing so, "If I'm not afraid of taboos, why does Raoer look so good?"
How much of Fu Ruyin’s character is he?”
I understood the next move in my heart, and was shocked without realizing it. I forced a smile and said, "We are similar. Are you afraid that the emperor will be disgusted by it?"
Yurao was curious, "Who is Fu Ruyin?"
Meizhuang sighed slightly, "The emperor's former favorite concubine was later sentenced to death by the Queen Mother."
Yurao frowned disdainfully, "Sister used to be his favorite concubine, but he later ruined his family; Fu Ruyin was his favorite concubine, but she was also sentenced to death in the end. It can be seen that being the emperor's favorite concubine is the most unlucky person in the world.
thing."
I glanced at her slightly, signaling her to be silent.
There seemed to be a faint smoke in Mei Zhuang's eyes, and he nodded and said: "Fu Ruyin's incident caused such a disturbance. The emperor was angry when he saw it, and it was just that he was tired of Yu Rao. It's just that she is your sister after all, even though she looks good.
She looks more like Fu Ruyin, but in the end she looks more like you. The queens and sisters entered the palace in pairs... Although the emperor has a new honor around him, he must be on guard."
I thought deeply of it, and I was even more grateful for her attentiveness, so I said: "Although they were summoned to the palace, they were not granted a title, and there was no need to go out of their way to express gratitude."
Upon hearing this, Yurao's eyebrows widened two inches, and her smile spread. I looked at her and said solemnly: "It is the cultivation of a daughter in the boudoir to not express her happiness and anger in color, let alone in the palace."
Yurao lowered his head and twisted his belt without saying a word, but Yuyao was calmer and quietly answered "yes".
Meizhuang opened the lid of the small hand stove, lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "Now that I'm here, it's okay not to go to see the Emperor and the Empress. You always have to go to the Empress Dowager's place, so it's not too bad to break the rules."
I was quite embarrassed and said hesitantly: "If there is anyone who hates Fu Ruyin, there is no one in the palace more than the Queen Mother. I'm afraid..."
She thought about it and said, "The Queen Mother is not an unreasonable person. Fu Ruyin is Fu Ruyin and Yurao is Yurao. They can't be confused. Let's go together now. If there is really something on the Queen Mother's mind, we can explain it by talking and laughing.
.”
I looked at Yuyao and Yurao, carelessly stroking the delicate patterns on the incense burner, and thought deeply, "My sister has thought it through. It's just that their clothes are too simple. I'm afraid they'll be rude. If they want to dress up or change clothes, I'm afraid they'll be
Ask sister to wait for another half hour."
Meizhuang stood up and took a purple chrysanthemum hairpin from an enamel double vase and placed it on her temples. The cold-scented flowers made her face as soft as clear waves. Shi Shiran smiled and said, "Home-made clothes are better.
Don't be careless, just let the Queen Mother know that these two people exist." She said seriously: "You have just been canonized, and the two sisters are provocative like this, be careful to let others take advantage of you."
I nodded and said, "If it's safe, it's only you."
So I supported Meizhuang and led Yuyao and Yurao to the Queen Mother's Palace. The Queen Mother recited Buddhist scriptures and was talking to Princess Zhuang and Princess De. When she saw Meizhuang and I coming in to say hello, she couldn't help but smile and said: "It's quite lively today.
, only the two handsome girls behind you look strange, they don’t look like ordinary married women."
Meizhuang smiled and said: "The Queen Mother has good eyesight. They are the two sisters of Concubine Shu's natal family. They have been ordered to come in to accompany Concubine Shu."
The Queen Mother felt refreshed and in high spirits, and said: "Since the late Emperor's concubines got married, the girls I haven't seen for a long time are wandering around the Ai family. Come up and take a closer look."
I quietly pushed Yu Yao, and they both came forward one after another. I just smiled and said: "My concubine's sister is young and doesn't understand the rules. Please ask the Queen Mother to teach her."
The Queen Mother took Yu Yao's hand and took a closer look. Seeing her reserved look, she couldn't help but feel pity for her, "Poor Jian'er, she looks very good, but her body is not strong enough, so she has to ask Concubine Shu to take good care of her."
Concubine Zhuang Hede also laughed and joked: "No, the second lady is so elegant and elegant." Yu Yao thanked her and stood aside with her head bowed.
The Queen Mother turned her head with a smile, only held Yurao's hand to look at it, smiled and said to the concubine: "Just look at these hands, they are as white as jade, they are really nice, not to mention their appearance." After that, she looked at Yurao's face. .
Yurao was neither arrogant nor timid, and she cleverly called out "Queen Mother" according to the ceremony. The Queen Mother was very interested, but when she saw Yurao's face, her face turned pale in an instant. She was stunned for a moment, and turned to look at the concubine.
The concubine was also startled for a moment, and the tea cup that was brought to her mouth stopped. She was quite surprised, and then she smiled and said: "You are so handsome, even our Queen Mother has noticed him."
The Queen Mother was absent-minded for a moment, looking at Yurao's face carefully, but she soon smiled, "She is really good-looking, very lively and lively, not like a spoiled child." The Queen Mother sighed slightly, "The desolate Shushui in Bashan is so tempering. Bring out a beauty."
Hearing this, Yurao calmed down and said softly: "Thank you, Queen Mother, for your sympathy."
The queen mother nodded slightly, turned to the concubine and said: "Our children are more innocent and delicate after all. But we know that children cannot be literate just by reading and writing when they are young. They need more experience."
The concubine put her hands on her knees, leaned forward slightly, and said with a smile: "The queen mother is joking, the daughter of a wealthy family can't even get out of the gate easily, let alone the golden branches and jade leaves in our palace, where did the experience come from?"
The Queen Mother sighed softly, leaned on the soft flower pillow at her hand, looked at the pot of white jade lilies on the table, and was slightly lost in thought, and said: "That said, they sisters are different after all."
I vaguely guessed it, but it was not convenient to point it out, so I smiled and said: "What the Queen Mother said is very true. My sister is much calmer than my concubine when I was young."
The Queen Mother smiled at me and asked Aunt Sun to give me a plate of mandarin oranges. She said, "Although the Ai family doesn't know what you were like when you were a child, looking at you now, I think you are no less impressive than before." After saying this, she paused and picked them. On her lower hand, a warm and clear jadeite bracelet was placed on Yurao's wrist. The bracelet had a very good water quality, it was emerald green, filled with water like a puddle of clear water, and was very transparent.
The concubine smiled and said: "Why don't you thank the Queen Mother quickly? This has been her favorite for many years."
Yurao thanked her hurriedly, and the Queen Mother said leisurely: "Why should you give good things to whom? This child is very good. When the red hand meets the jade bracelet, it finally does not disgrace the bracelet." After saying that, she looked down on it and added. He asked Aunt Sun to get a pair of hairpins for everything to go well, and said to Yuyao: "You are too thin and your clothes are light. I will only polish your makeup."
Neither Mei Zhuang nor I expected that the Queen Mother would be so fond of Yu Rao. When our eyes met, we both felt unexpected joy and felt a little relieved. Mei Zhuang was half leaning on the chair, holding her apricot red brocade arms and smiling. : "It's rare for the Queen Mother to like these sisters so much, why not choose a husband's family for them in Beijing? In the future, she and Concubine Shu can meet often."
The concubine was a little surprised and said: "Don't you have your husband's family yet?"
Mei Zhuang said: "Concubine Shu loves her sisters so much, how can she be willing to marry them in Bashu?"
The Queen Mother couldn't help laughing when she heard this, "Okay! Okay! We are deaf and dumb old ladies who have no ability to do anything else, but it is the best to arrange a match through a matchmaker."
The concubine nodded repeatedly and said with a smile: "Exactly. Now we just have the opportunity to pick and choose."
I peeled a tangerine and gave it to the Queen Mother, and said: "Now that Shu and Emperor Ji have grown up, although they will stay for another two or three years, they have to pick them up. Why don't the Queen Mother have a good time first and take Yurao?"
Let’s try our hand at it.”
The Queen Mother pointed her finger at me and couldn't help but smile and said: "What the hell, Concubine Shu, you are getting more and more arrogant. She obviously feels sorry for her sister, but she makes it sound like the Ai family won't care about her." After saying this, she said to Yurao:
"Come to the Aijia palace to sit and talk when you have time. On weekdays, in addition to your sister's palace, Shuyuan, Jingfei, and Zhengui are also welcome to visit." She hesitated slightly, but finally said, "Emperor
We are busy with political affairs, and we have to deal with the trouble of etiquette and etiquette when we meet, so there is no need to let them come if there is nothing to do."