The palace of Yining is vast, and the autumn wind blows endlessly, slightly cool, carrying with it the decadent atmosphere of the flowers and leaves that are about to wither. There is already a hint of coolness in the early autumn noon, and the half-yellow and half-green leaves begin to tremble on the branches.
This gesture of wanting to stay but not being able to stay is very similar to the helplessness of a dying struggle.
Concubine An's wife was brought here in a hurry. She obviously didn't have time to wash herself carefully. She still had that decadent look on her face and her body was trembling slightly. Because she was ill, her hair was loose and tied up sideways.
She wore a gold dragonfly hairpin inlaid with precious stones. The dragonfly was about to take flight. She wore a moon-white water-patterned damask wave skirt and a lotus-green elastic flower quilt. She was about to kneel down, and her knees were weak, like a
The petals were blown off by the wind and sat down softly.
Xuan Ling didn't even look at her, and the Queen Mother wasn't surprised either. She just said: "Ge Ji."
Ge Ji took her hand and clasped it with two fingers. Anli looked frightened and frightened, and on her wrist was a soft gold bracelet with beads and emerald green rings embedded in it. There was a lotus-petal gold holder in the ring.
Inlaid with a southern pearl, the emerald ring has an octagonal hollow support on the back, which is very delicate. However, because she was haggard and thin due to illness, the more brilliant the bracelet became, the more her arms appeared to be as skinny and lifeless as firewood.
Ge Ji quickly came back to life, "Your Majesty is weak, but she has absolutely no signs of taking the Five Stone Powder." Ge Ji paused, "I'm sorry to talk too much. The composition and pure color of this Five Stone Powder are similar to what Fu Jieyu used to drink."
The service is the same."
The imperial concubine sighed softly, like a rope falling on an autumn night, "It's a pity Fu Jieyu."
The queen was shocked, her face alternated between blue and red, and was finally replaced by anger and shock, "You gave those five stone powder to Fu Ruyin?! How dare you... dare to kill the emperor's dragon body!"
An Lirong didn't answer. After her eyes came into contact with Musk and Wushisan, she felt a kind of deathly hopelessness.
I have never seen the queen look so furious, as if countless thunder and lightning broke out in her emotions. The queen called Jian Qiu sternly, "Give me a hard slap on her mouth!"
The queen's so-called "palm" was not a slap in the face, but a slap on An Lirong's lips and jaw with a wooden ruler. When the wooden ruler hit the skin, there was a crisp "crackling" sound, which could make people mistakenly think it was firecrackers.
High-spirited. Soon, the area below An Lirong's nose swelled up, and blood continued to overflow from her mouth, until she bent over in pain and spit out two teeth.
Xuan Ling stretched out his hand to signal to stop, and looked at her with disgust, with a stern look in his eyes, "Are the deaths of Concubine Shu's children, Mei Zhuang, Meng Sheng, and Ru Yin all because of you?"
Her eyes were as calm as dead water, with no ripples of emotion visible. She was arranging her makeup, gathered her clothes and bowed before her, "Since then, I have already expected this day."
Xuan Ling looked at An Lirong with endless compassion, pain and disgust in his eyes, "Concubine Li, you have been with me for more than ten years, and you have never disobeyed me. Who knew you could be so vicious!"
"I don't like the title Concubine Li. What's more, the emperor has never really loved me. You are just doting on me. What's the difference between doting on a kitten and a puppy? What is Concubine Concubine? Concubine Li? It's just a concubine.
It's just a bird you raised." She smiled softly, like a delicate flower blooming on her lips, with graceful grace. "As for being vicious?" She looked around at everyone's faces one by one, passed by the Queen Mother, and finally
Focusing on Xuan Ling's face, "Who among the people here has not been cruel?"
Xuan Ling asked again, "Do you have anything to defend yourself against if someone instigated you?"
She prostrated herself again, her tone indifferent and tired, "Everything is my concubine's fault, please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Xuan Ling turned his face and gently uttered two words, "Death."
"Emperor, let her live." The Queen Mother slowly stood up, her face unchanged, and turned to Li Rong, "Everyone is vicious sometimes, just because everyone in this palace will be unable to help themselves. But your viciousness has already
A hundred times better than others. The Ai family will not let you die and will keep your title of Concubine Li. Jingchun Palace will be your cold palace. When you are healthy, the Ai family will order people to control your mouth every day and want you.
Kneel before the Buddha every day and repent of your sins. With you as an example, let’s see who in the palace dares to be so bold!”
Li Rong smiled softly and ignored it indifferently. The Queen Mother called Li Chang, "Take her down and ban her from the Jingchun Palace. No one is allowed to serve her anymore. All the palace servants who have served her will be killed with sticks if they are close to her, and the rest will be sold."
Slave, she will never be allowed to enter the capital. The Ai family will leave her to fend for herself, lest anyone kill her and dirty their own hands." After saying this, he shouted, "Drag her down!"
The autumn colors are like makeup, and the ocher-red maple trees ignite the sad and beautiful red flames all over the sky. Like a broken leaf of flowers, An Lirong is dragged and disappears in this red. Her last look in Xuan Ling's eyes,
There is no trace of nostalgia.
After the dust settled, I lit a stick of agarwood in front of the Guanyin statue for my unborn first child.
I was a little tired, so I leaned on the concubine's couch in the palace to look at the flowers. There was a bouquet of foxtail lilies inserted in it. Its stamens were curled like flowing clouds, with a charming posture. The pink and tender red color was like the color of warm love.
The pink color was almost exactly the same. I looked carefully at my slender fingers covered with red gold hollow armor. One day, a little bit of alum left in the armor allowed me to conceal the truth from the truth. Another day, I used the fingers of these two fingers.
Pick up a little warm-scented powder with your fingernails and mix it little by little into the stamens of the foxtail lily, then close the buds again, and then teach Kite Yu that sprinkling a little water on the blooming petals at night can prolong her beautiful flower posture.
I know that the imperial physician will examine the bouquet, but will not open the budded flower to examine its stamens.
I thought of Dr. Xu's hands that night. His hands were covered with warm blood from Oriole's body. I looked at the light and looked at my hands carefully. I couldn't smell a trace of blood, nor could I see a trace of blood.
.
However, I know clearly that the blood stained on my hands will never be washed away.
Jingchun Palace was empty overnight, just like a cold palace. An Lirong's downfall made the concubines in the harem not only happy, but also particularly aware of the unpredictable changes between being favored and falling out of favor.
The care of Jingchun Palace and the care of Concubine Li were all handed over to Li Chang. Thinking of Concubine Li's humiliation to Li Chang and Jin Xi, Li Chang would take good care of her. I only have one thing to say.
, "Don't teach her to die."
Li Chang bowed and smiled, "This slave knows the importance." He whispered, "The emperor has ordered An Bihuai to be killed and executed within the next two days."
I lowered my head and chuckled, "Tell her when the time is right. When a father and daughter have a relationship, they always cry to express their sorrow."
Li Changdao: "My slave will definitely choose a good time."
As the days passed, the palace became extremely quiet due to Concubine Li's dethronement. The initial joy caused by her downfall gradually made people realize the sadness of the emperor's grace. In the deep palace years, it is probably rare to have such quiet time.
Only the laughter of the three concubines who had just entered Ziao City for the first time still had the youthful and fearless vitality.
That night Xuan Ling rested in the concubine's palace. It was a quiet autumn night, except for the lights on the bedside that were popping up again and again. Jin Xi smiled and said, "I wonder what happy events will happen tomorrow?"
I woke up early to say hello to the Queen Mother, but it was fine. I hugged Yuhan and Lingxi and had fun reading under the lamp. Outside, little Yunzi came to report happily: "The Sixth King's Hidden Concubine has arrived, and the Nineth King's True Concubine has arrived -"
Before they finished speaking, Yu Yin and Yu Rao happily brought someone in and said, "Sister, who do you think is here?"
In sight, a man in blue slowly lowered his sleeves and bowed, "Your Majesty, Concubine Shu."
The familiar voice was like a string that plucked the long-lost warm family affection. I quickly stepped forward and helped him sit down. When I wanted to speak, tears fell first. Xunran sobbed, "Brother, are you okay?"
My brother was much more energetic than when he was ill. Although his expression was still a little pale, he had also become more relaxed. He was slightly thinner than before, and his blue dark patterned robe faintly revealed a hint of loneliness. I looked up and down.
Unable to stop himself, my brother smiled slightly and said, "I'm indeed fine. Shichu also came to check on me. I'm fine now." He looked at me carefully and said, "Huan'er, you look much better than before."
I spat: "Brother loves to make fun of me, so you can see he's really nice."
When the elder brother saw Yuhan and Lingxi, he said happily: "Are they my nephews?"
I nodded with tears in my eyes, "Yes, I haven't met my uncle yet." As I said that, I hugged him one by one. My brother, one on each side, was very affectionate. He had not seen Yurao for a long time, so he stretched out his arms to ask her to hug him.
Yu Yin covered his mouth and smiled and said: "Yu Rao is holding Lingxi now, but I don't know when she will have her own child."
Yurao blushed and scolded with a smile: "Second sister will laugh at me, and I will ignore you again."
The elder brother hugged Yu Han's small body and lamented: "It's like a big dream with constant nightmares. When I woke up, the Zhen family was rich and prosperous." He kissed Yu Han and hugged Yu Han's body tightly.
His hands trembled slightly, "If Zhi Ning is still here, Yu Han will have more than one cousin."
When talking about his sister-in-law and Zhining, his brother was so determined and his eyes filled with tears. Yurao and Yuyin couldn't help but look away and shed tears.
Holding back my tears, I sat down and said softly: "The Guan family has been wiped out, but I still want to know why my brother suddenly became abnormal when he was in Lingnan that day."
The elder brother lowered his eyes for a moment, "One day, a servant from Ziyun Palace came to meet me and informed me of the tragic death of Qian Tao and Zhi Ning. I could endure all the hard labor in exile in Lingnan because I missed my parents, wife and children.
I always thought they were all still alive." He told me the general situation in simple words, but I didn't know how much deep feeling there was in these two short sentences.
The four of us were in tears relative to each other. My brother patted my hand comfortingly and said, "It's okay, Huan'er, you're all right."
Are you all okay? Your body is naturally raised in a place of gold and jade, but your heart has been tumbling in boiling oil and ice water for many years, and it has long been broken.
While he was talking, he saw a figure flashing outside, but it was Li Chang who came in, called Qian'er and said, "Greetings to Concubine Shu, Concubine Yin, Concubine Yin, and Young Master."
I knew he was from something unusual, and sure enough he whispered a few words in my ear.
I thought for a moment and asked, "What is the Queen Mother doing?"
Li Changdao: "I'm afraid I'm chanting sutras in the Buddhist hall right now. After lunch, I'm afraid I'll have to sleep for two hours."
I smiled lightly and said, "Yu Rao and Yu Yin, let's go see Yu Yao. I'll have a few words with my brother. The Queen Mother loves Yu Rao the most. When the Queen Mother wakes up from her nap, it's time to go with Yu Yin to pay her respects to the Queen Mother." I especially
He specially warned Yu Yin, "The Queen Mother will definitely ask about You Jingxian. I am afraid that you will treat her poorly. You must answer every word carefully and don't make the Queen Mother worry too much."
The two of them left hand in hand, and when I saw no one, I said, "There is a slave who is quick to talk. Concubine Li knows that you are here and wants to see you. Are you willing?"
"Concubine Oriole?"
"That's the old An Lirong," I said indifferently. "She has been banished to the cold palace. Are you willing to go and see her?"
The elder brother was shocked, immediately lowered his gaze, thought for a long time, and said softly: "That's fine. There are some things I really want to ask her personally."
The color of the tea in the transparent glazed gold bowl was like a glint of rouge, and the aroma of the tea was the Ceylon intoxicant from Xingong. The bright color was like a poisonous heart, hiding countless thoughts. I nodded: "Yes.
Okay." I turned to tell Li Chang, "Quietly, don't disturb anyone."
Li Chang nodded and said: "Everything has slaves." He added, "Concubine Oriole said she wanted to eat sweet almonds."
I nodded, "The Queen Mother said, give her whatever you want to eat. There is no shortage of food and clothing, and she is still the Oriole Concubine."
Li Chang said "yes" and led his brother out.
I left Yu Yin and Yu Rao to have lunch together, chatting about home affairs, and then accompanied them to talk to the Queen Mother.
The sun was setting in the west, and when I saw no sign of my brother coming back at dusk, I felt secretly frightened. Putting on an algae-green cape of ruffled gold, rich embroidery, and begonia gauze, I took Jinxi's hand and
Go to Jingchun Hall.
Changyang Palace, which used to be prosperous and graceful, now has willows and smoke, and even the illustrious red walls have turned into a decadent red, like the rouge left on a woman's lips overnight. Under the illusion of dusk, the entire palace
The palace is like a giant beast that is lingering, lying there frozen.
At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and the sky was full of sunset. The setting sun in the sky had been swallowed up by the darkness, and the clouds for half a day were rendered extraordinarily bright and dazzling by the boundless glow, with colors of gold, red, delicate purple, bright blue, shrimp yellow, and pink.
Purple, many rosy colors blend into a fantasy purple and golden sky, like a spread of colorful tapestry that is endlessly shaken from the hands of the Nine Heavens Xuannv.
I stopped and watched. The glow was just like the day we were elected to the palace.
The same sky, the same sunset, the same people, but the girl's mood is no longer the same.
At this moment, the reflection in my eyes is like a piece of crumpled silk satin, with no more attractive features.
A tall figure slowly walked toward me in the dusk. The cool night wind picked up the corners of his robe and fluttered, like the wings of a bird that wanted to fly but couldn't.
I took a few steps forward and asked with concern: "Brother, why did it take so long?"
He nodded and said "hmm" softly.
"Brother, what did she say to you?"
My brother suddenly shook his head and said softly: "It's nothing. It's all in the past. She is really pitiful." My brother paused and asked me, "Does she like to eat sweet almonds? She kept talking to me just now.
Eating."
I shook my head, "I don't know."
My brother was standing close to me and asked softly: "Does she hate the Queen very much?" I was speechless, and my brother said: "The last thing she said to me was to tell you - Queen, kill the Queen."
At night, the many palaces were covered with dark clouds in a rich golden color. Under the reflection of the sunset, they gradually turned into countless overlapping dark silhouettes. Such slow sinking gave people a particularly oppressive feeling.
The feeling of being unable to breathe. A prisoner's voice suddenly broke out sharply, "Concubine Li is dead——"
My brother was startled and quickly turned his face. Maybe it was because the afterglow of the setting sun was still shining brightly. Maybe I saw it wrong. There was a hint of sparkle in the corner of my brother's eyes.
I was stunned for a moment, she was dead, An Lirong was dead - I laughed suddenly, so uncontrollably that even I could not imagine that such a hearty laughter burst out from my throat.
The laughter between Meizhuang and I back then was still ringing in my ears, and Li Rongjiao was shy and silent. After more than ten years, finally, both those I loved and those I hated left me.
So lonely.
The light shakes the golden floors of the houses, and the snow shines on the windows and jade palaces. In this magnificent Ziao City, there are just a few lonely figures wandering around in it.
After a long time, a clear tear slowly slipped down the cheek.