On the seventh day of June, it was a hot day. Xuan Ling and the Queen went out of the palace to pray for rain. Everyone saw them off outside the palace gate and saw the group walking away. www. Mrs. Xihua suddenly chuckled: "This time only the Queen of the Harem is praying for blessings.
Accompanying the emperor alone, I am afraid that not only will it bring rain, but I am afraid that I will also beg for a prince, so that the queen will be satisfied."
In front of everyone, Mrs. Xihua said such disrespectful words, and no one dared to say a word. Under the bright white sun, everyone was silent.
She suddenly turned her head to look at me. Her delicate face was still flawless under the scorching sun. She was indeed beautiful and strong enough. She looked at me with a half-smile but continued with the topic: "Wangui concubine, what do you think?"
My mind was a little stagnant, and I quickly said without being humble or arrogant: "If the queen is really pregnant, it will naturally be a happy event for the great Zhou Dynasty, and the lady will be happy, right?"
She smiled: "Of course. I hope your concubine will also be happy."
I kept my eyes on her and said, "The Queen empress is a mother to the whole world. Except for those with ulterior motives, naturally no one will be unhappy about it."
She raised her sleeves to cover the sun, squinted her eyes slightly, and seemed to be saying to herself: "Your articulation is getting better and better." She did not say any more, but her eyes silently and sharply scraped across my cheek, sharp and subtle.
The pain. Finally, her eyes fell on my slightly bulging belly, with a complicated and confused look on her face.
Xuan Ling and the Queen's first provocation after leaving the palace subsided silently.
Everyone knows Mrs. Xihua's hostility towards me.
I thought we could continue to be evenly matched like this, but who would have thought that the storm would come so quickly.
That morning when I woke up and dressed in the mirror, I suddenly felt a slight soreness in my lower abdomen and a soreness in my waist. I looked back in the mirror and saw that my face was pale and ugly, and I was startled.
Huanbi was a little panicked and hurriedly came over to help me lie down and said, "Miss, what's wrong?"
I was afraid that she would be worried, so even though I was quite panicked, I still managed to smile and said, "It's okay. I'm probably like this because I have to deal with Mrs. Xihua for several days in a row, so I was too careful."
Huanbi was young and careless after all, and looked panicked. Jinxi hurriedly came over and said, "Your Majesty, your body has been sore and tired these past few days. Why don't you take a sip of hot water and rest first? I'll go and ask for Dr. Zhang right away."
I nodded with all my strength.
As soon as Jinxi left the house, a deacon and eunuch beside Mrs. Xihua came over to pass the message. He was polite and thoughtful, but without any expression on his face. He said dullly: "As for Mrs. Xihua, please invite Concubine Wan to Mixiu Palace."
Let’s listen together.”
I turned my eyes in surprise: "What about the joint listening matter?"
He smiled as though he were smiling: "Now Mrs. Xihua is in charge of the affairs of the Sixth Palace on behalf of the Queen. All you ladies and gentlemen must listen to her orders."
Liu Zhu glared at the side and said: "Didn't you see that my young lady is unwell? A few days ago, the Queen also said that my young lady is pregnant, and even the daily greetings can be avoided. Now Mrs. Xihua's
You don’t have to listen to what matters you want to come up with!”
Before Liu Zhu could finish his words, another person came outside. It was Zhou Ninghai, the most capable eunuch beside Mrs. Xihua. He offered her greetings to the end, and when he got up again, he was already scolding the little eunuch who had just come.
: "Foolish thing! You are so lazy in inviting me to your concubine. It will only waste your time. Why don't you go to the Division of Punishment and collect thirty mouths yourself?"
Why didn't I understand that he was clearly scolding the little eunuch, but secretly he was criticizing me? I couldn't help but have a lot of anger in my chest. I couldn't help but feel the tightness in my chest, and I couldn't help but cast a glance at him.
Liu Zhu was about to speak, but Zhou Ninghai looked at me with a smile on his face and said respectfully: "Our madam knows that your concubine is weak, so we specially asked the servants to come to invite you, so that those ignorant servants will not rush into you. Besides, you
It won't be a big deal if you don't go. Although you are ranked behind Concubine Xin in terms of status, I'm afraid that none of the other concubines are as noble as you. If you don't go, how will Mrs. Xihua put things in order in the harem? Mrs. Xihua
It is the Empress’s will to take charge of the Sixth Palace, you must not disobey the Empress!”
Although he was glib, his words made sense. I couldn't refute for a moment, and while hesitating, he quickly added: "Little Master Tian and Concubine Duan are in such bad health that they cannot go. The other concubines have already arrived, Lian An
All the beauties are here, only you are waiting for me, my queen."
Naturally, I could no longer shirk it. I knew that I would have to be teased by her, but I couldn't break the etiquette. What's more, the Queen also said before leaving that I had to bear it no matter what these days. I struggled to get up, finished dressing, and got dressed again.
I put on makeup to look good, so naturally I can't let my illness show up in front of her. How can I show weakness?
After all, it's still too late.
Mrs. Xihua's Mixiu Palace is magnificent. The golden animal spines and beams are all painted in the auspicious pattern of a blue luan flying into the sky. The green luan is painted vividly and colorfully, and its majestic appearance is not inferior to that of the phoenix.
With Jinxi's support, I climbed up the stairs and bowed down in front of Mrs. Xihua.
There is a huge ice sculpture in the hall, which is as cool as water. The purple and gold lily cauldron beside the main hall is burning unknown spices. The aroma is sweet and soft, making people want to be drunk. It only makes people feel soft and crisp in the bones, which is indescribable comfort.
.
Mrs. Xihua was sitting upright, with long beads hanging on both sides of her cheeks. She was shaking the lacquered peony fan in her hand. Her eyes seemed to be open and closed, but her carefully painted distant mountain eyebrows were extremely dazzling.
. My late arrival made the already stagnant atmosphere even more tense. After I explained the reasons, she didn’t make it difficult for me and asked me to sit down. She let me go so easily, but I was a little suspicious.
After saying a few words, when it was time for snacks, everyone relaxed a little. Lingrong suddenly asked: "Madam, the palace smells so good, I wonder what kind of spices are used?"
Mrs. Xihua's eyebrows were filled with pride as she said, "Anmei has a nice nose! This is a spice that the emperor ordered me to carefully prepare for you. It's called 'Huanyi Fragrance'. I'm the only one in the harem who uses it. I want you to come."
It’s something I’ve never seen before.”
If such words were said in public, everyone would be a little embarrassed and jealous, but since she has such a distinguished status, they would naturally ignore her.
Lingrong smiled slightly, lowered his head and said, "I am not as well-informed as my wife."
After chatting for a while, the concubines of the Sixth Palace became silent again and listened quietly to her detailed description of the matters in the palace.
My body's soreness gradually improved, and her words also talked about the renovation of the palace: "Concubine Tian has committed suicide in fear of the crime, and I don't want to bring it up again. But from this incident, it can be seen that the people in this palace have evil intentions.
There are plenty of people. Moreover, there have been a lot of quarrels and fights among the maids in the palace recently, and they are all acting lawlessly. It’s time for the palace to be properly rectified."
Although Concubine Jing also had the power to co-manage the Sixth Palace, Mrs. Xihua could not even get in a word even though she was talking endlessly. Everyone was listening, and Mrs. Xihua just stroked her own smooth skin.
With long nails, she lightly changed the subject and said: "You can really be arrogant when you are pregnant." As he spoke, he glanced at me sideways, and his voice suddenly rose to a sharp and pointed tone: "Wangui concubine, do you know your guilt?"
?”
I had no intention of listening to what she said, but I was startled when she suddenly spoke so harshly. I stood up and lowered my head and said, "Madam, I am so angry. I don't know what is wrong with me? But please tell me, madam."
A sinister look suddenly appeared in her eyebrows, and she shouted: "Today, the concubines and concubines gathered in Mixiu Palace to listen to matters. Wangui Concubine Zhen came late for no reason. She has no eyes for me, so she still doesn't kneel down!"
Saying this is just to give me a warning, in order to shock the Sixth Palace. In fact, why bother? Everyone knows who is the most favored at the moment whether the queen is present or not, and she has a rich family background. There is really no need to do anything like this, but it will lose people's hearts.
I'm just pregnant. I can't serve Xuan Ling regularly in a short period of time. Why should she fight for the day and night?
However, I still remember the advice of the Queen and Xuan Ling, so I must endure this momentary anger and slowly kneel down.
Her anger did not go away, but became more severe: "Now that I am so disrespectful, what will happen if I really give birth to an heir? Doesn't it mean that all the harem will follow your surname Zhen!"
It's not that I can't tolerate it, but simply tolerating it will only make her more arrogant, not to mention Chun'er, whose death was not in vain. When I think of this, how can I retreat?
I lowered my head slightly and maintained a humble posture: "Although madam is angry, I have to say it. When the concubine is pregnant, the emperor and the queen must take care of her. This is not for the concubine, but for the sake of the ancestral temple. Concubine
It is not for nothing that I came here today. Even if I am offended today, there are the Queen Mother and the Emperor. The Queen is the Emperor's direct mother. The concubine is really frightened by what the Madam said about the harem bearing the surname Zhen."
Under the high bun on her temples, her well-groomed face was taut, and her eyebrows were as dark as the mountains in the distance, which made her pair of phoenix eyes even more powerful and unyielding. Her breathing quickened slightly, and the fan in her hand made a loud "click" sound.
Knocked on the armrest of the seat, everyone looked at each other in fright and quickly sat upright.
Concubine Jing hurriedly smoothed things over: "Madam has been talking for a long time and she is thirsty. Why don't we have a cup of tea and have a rest. As for Concubine Wan, let her get up and talk too."
Mei Zhuang tried his best to focus on me, looking back at Mrs. Xihua with a deep blue hatred hidden in her eyes, as hidden as the edge of a knife. Mrs. Xihua didn't notice it at all, she just stared at me, and finally said word by word: "A woman should be virtuous."
For the sake of superiority, Wangui's concubine Zhen Shi has been using her clever words and persuasion, but for the following offense, she has disrespected me..." She pursed her thin, bright red lips tightly and said angrily: "I will punish you by kneeling down outside Mixiu Palace and reciting the "Female Commandments" as a lesson.
."
Concubine Jing hurriedly said: "Madam, the sun is scorching outside and the granite is hard. How can you let your concubine kneel there? Mobile phone visit: 16Κ"
Ling Rong, who was far behind him, also begged for mercy: "Madam, please calm down. Please spare my sister for the sake of your concubine being pregnant with the emperor's heir. If anything goes wrong, the emperor and the queen will probably blame the madam when they return."
Rong's throat was damaged, and it was even more pitiful to beg like this. However, Mrs. Xihua was furious: "If the palace rules are not strict, naturally they need to be rectified, even if the emperor and queen are there. The concubine is the best example. Is it possible?"
Are you using the Emperor and Queen to threaten me?"
Lingrong was so frightened that her face was filled with tears and she didn't dare to speak anymore, so she could only kowtow "bang bang".
Mrs. Xihua stared at me and said, "Are you going to go out by yourself or should I have someone help you?"
There was intermittent slight soreness in my lower abdomen. I frowned and said proudly, "No need to work, ma'am."
Zhou Ninghai smiled slightly, lowered his eyelids and said to me: "My concubine, please come!"
I calmly walked to the door of Mixiu Palace, knelt down and said, "I am punished because my concubine is a first-class lady, her rank is only below that of the queen, and she is responsible for the affairs of the sixth palace on the orders of the emperor and empress."
." I ignored Concubine Jing's wink at me, and I didn't want to pay attention to the sympathetic or gloating glances around me. I raised my head slightly and said, "It's not that I'm sincerely convinced by my mother's rebuke. Justice lies in people's hearts, but punishment is not something that can be determined."
She laughed angrily: "Very good, I will let you know whether justice lies in the hands of me, Murong Shilan, or in what you call the human heart!" She threw the book in front of my knees, "Read it slowly for yourself.
!Read until I am satisfied.”
Meizhuang no longer cared about taboos and dignity, walked up to Mrs. Xihua on her knees and said: "My concubine Wan is pregnant, so it is really not suitable for her--"
Mrs. Xihua raised her eyebrows and interrupted Mei Zhuang's words: "I see that you have healed and your scar has forgotten the pain! Since you want to plead for her, go and kneel beside her and listen to the lecture together."
I didn’t want this to happen to Meizhuang. She was in good health, so how could she kneel with me under the sun? I couldn’t help but glance at Meizhuang to signal her to stop talking, and said softly to Mrs. Xihua: “Shen Ronghua is not a concubine.
Please forgive me, Madam, please don’t vent your anger on her.”
Her heavily made-up smile was full of teasing: "If I must express my anger at her, what can you do?" She suddenly stopped smiling and said to her eyebrows: "Aren't we sisters? Just hold the book in your hand.
Kneel down opposite Concubine Wan and ask her to recite it well and behave yourself!"
Meizhuang knew that begging for mercy was hopeless, and any further begging would only lead to a more humiliating situation. She picked up the book without saying a word, and whispered in my ear very quickly and softly: "I will accompany you."
Filled with indescribable gratitude and emotion, I nodded quickly, raised my head slightly, and raised it again, forcing back the tears in my eyes.
It was almost noon, and the sun was blazing. When I suddenly came out of the cool and pleasant Mixiu Palace, I felt a rolling heat wave sweeping away, hitting all the pores of my body.
Only then did I understand why Mrs. Xihua had to wait until this time without having an attack. It was cold early in the morning. In her eyes, I was not being treated too lightly.
The thin and soft skirt clung to her legs, and the hot air from the floor tiles spread to her heart, making her feel hard and hot from her knees to her toes, which was very uncomfortable.
Mrs. Xihua herself sat at the entrance of the palace, with ice sculptures placed beside the chair. She still felt hot, so she ordered four maids to fan her behind.
Move the chair to the front of the corridor and let them take a good look at it. What's the point of not abiding by the palace rules and despising me!"
The women in the palace cherish their skin the most, so how could they let the scorching sun expose them even to the slightest bit of white and delicate skin, as if it would kill them. Moreover, they are the most pampered, how could they sit under the scorching sun and be exposed to the sun with me. However, Xihua
How could I dare to disobey Madam's strict order? I'm afraid she would have to kneel down with me. As a result, everyone was crying and miserable, and they dared not speak out in anger.
I couldn't help but smile bitterly in my heart. Mrs. Xihua had good intentions. Being so pampered was not enough. She made those delicate beauties tanned, but I was the only one who was as white as snow. When Xuan Ling came back, she was the only beauty in his eyes who was as white as jade.
.
The place gradually became quiet, and the sun shone brightly on the granite floor in front of the temple. The floor tiles were originally black and shiny, and the light was discernible, like slabs of solidified black ink. Under the scorching sun, a layer of dazzling white light appeared.
Knowing it was impossible, Meizhuang and I knelt face to face in the white light. She raised the book in front of me and asked me to read it word by word. The reflection was strong and the book was old, so it was very difficult to read word by word.
Concubine Jing couldn't bear it and wanted to persuade her again. Mrs. Xihua turned around and glanced at her fiercely: "Kneeling for half an hour to recite the "Female Commandments" will not kill anyone! If you keep talking, I will let you kneel down too." Respect.
The concubine had no choice but to say nothing.
After reciting it once, Mrs. Xihua still refused to give up, and uttered two words sadly: "Read it again."
I had no choice but to read it from the beginning. I was worried about Meizhuang's body and the safety of the baby in my belly. I wanted to read it quickly several times, but Mrs. Xihua couldn't. I just read a word "fast" or two, and Meizhuang suffered serious injuries.
Click the ruler - it was originally used by Mr. Xi to beat naughty children, but in Mrs. Xihua's palace, it has become a torture instrument. The "crack" sound of the blow is particularly crisp and clear on the skin, and it is a deep red mark.
.Meizhuang held back the pain without saying a word, and she sweated heavily. I knew that the wound would hurt even more when she sweated.
After all, Mrs. Xihua didn’t dare to hit me, but seeing Meizhuang suffer this on my behalf, I felt anxious and distressed, even more sad than myself being blamed. I could only watch like this, word by word.
Read the words slowly and wait for the time.
I don't know how much time passed, but my legs were numb. I could only feel the prickly sweat flowing down my face, covering my temples. The clothes on my vest and cuffs were wet and dry, and there were white marks on them.
I recited over and over again:
"I am foolish and dark, with an insensitive nature. I have been favored by my ancestors and relied on my mother's teachings... The divine grace has given me gold and purple, which is not what I expected. Men can fend for themselves. I won't do it anymore.
I think it's a worry. But you should hurt the women in a suitable way, and don't teach them gradually, don't listen to women's etiquette, and are afraid of being disgraced by others and bringing shame to the clan."
"The first is to be humble and weak: In ancient times, after giving birth to a daughter for three days, she would lie down in a mound and make bricks before fasting. Lying in a mound, it shows that she is humble and weak, and she is the master of the servants... The second is husband and wife: the relationship between husband and wife
Tao is the combination of yin and yang, understanding the gods, believing in the righteousness of heaven and earth, and the great integrity of human relations..."
Is it the sound of cicadas chirping or the sound of the mausoleum still kowtowing, my head is dizzy, it is so noisy, and my ears are buzzing.
"The third thing to respect and be cautious about is: Yin and Yang are different in nature, and men and women have different behaviors. Yang is strong as virtue, Yin is soft as function, men are strong as noble, and women are weak as beautiful..."
It seems that the sun is too big, and the characters that can be seen are swaying one by one, squirming like ants.
"The fourth conduct of a woman: There are four conducts of a woman, one is called a woman's virtue, the other is called a woman's words, the third is called a woman's appearance, the fourth is called a woman's merit..."
My lower abdomen was sinking heavily, my mouth was dry, my body was sore and soft, as if my strength had gradually evaporated along with the water in my body.
Meizhuang looked at me worriedly, and Concubine Jing's anxious voice reminded: "It's been half an hour."
"Concentrate on the fifth: etiquette, the husband has the meaning of remarrying, and the wife has no two suitable articles, so it is said that the husband is heaven... Qu Cong Sixth: When a husband is happy with someone, it is said to be eternal; when he is disappointed with someone, it is said to be eternal.
.…”
The broken ice in Mrs. Xihua's bowl tinkled, like the tinkling wind chimes on the eaves, which kept tempting me. She held a piece of ice in her mouth and said vaguely and indifferently: "I'm not busy, just read it for another quarter of an hour."
"
"What if something happens? I'm afraid Madam can't afford it. Oh, sister Wan's face is pale! Madam!"
Mrs. Xihua was disdainful: "Is she doing this to Qiao Zhang Zuozhi for me to see? I think she is fine!"
"Seventh chapter with uncles and sisters: When a woman is pleased with her husband, her uncle and aunt love her; when her uncle and aunt love herself, she is praised by her uncle and sister... Modesty is the handle of virtue, and obedience is the conduct of a woman.
The two are enough to be reconciled. The poem goes: 'There is no evil there, there is no shooting here.' This is what it means."
My body is very sore, and the twitching pain begins to spread like a snake, as if something is draining out of my body little by little. Why do I feel cold when the sun is so bright? The bright white light is like snow.
Light is as cold as bone.
I really want to lean in, is Meizhuang calling me? "Huan'er? Huan'er? What's wrong with you?"
I'm sorry, Meizhuang, it's not that I don't want to answer you, I really don't have the strength.
Why do men's clothes appear next to me? Ah? Xuan Ling, are you back? Shiro! Shiro! Help me! - No, he doesn't have a bright yellow color on his body, and the uniform is not that of an emperor.
I looked up with difficulty. I saw a single robe made of silk gauze and a white jade fish and dragon buckle belt - yes, it was the prince's regular clothes. It was him, Xuanqing! I remembered that the Queen Mother was ill a few days ago, and he lived in Taiye.
The moon-shaped Kaiyun Pavilion on the lake was used to facilitate day and night inquiries. It was also because he was not yet married and wanted to avoid suspicion with the concubines in the harem, so he lived on the lake. However, when going to the Queen Mother's Palace, Mrs. Xihua's Mixiu Palace is a must.
Place.
His sudden appearance caused the concubines to flee into the inner hall in panic like birds and beasts.
King Qinghe, are you arguing with Mrs. Xihua? Fool, there are so many female relatives here, don’t you know how to avoid suspicion? You must be crazy to break into the palace without permission. Behind Mrs. Xihua is the power of King Runan, and all the
Among the brothers, King Runan hates you the most, so why should you?
Alas! I can't care anymore! I feel so much pain in my belly. Whose claws are stirring my inner organs, stripping away the warmth of my body bit by bit, and a warm, flowing feeling gushes out.
My eyes looked like they were separated by snow-white fog, and my eyelashes turned into layers of blurry gauze. Xuanqing, your expression is so angry and eager. Are you angry with her? Alas! You have always been gentle.
Meizhuang, Lingrong? Why are you so scared? Meizhuang, you are crying. Why? I'm just tired and a little sore, don't be afraid. Shiro, Shiro will be back soon!
You see, Shiro hugged me, his clothes stuck tightly to my face, and he hugged me horizontally. On that day, the sky was full of apricot flowers falling like rain, and he held me and walked along the long eternity.
Xiang. His hands were so strong that he took me away from Mixiu Palace. Mrs. Xihua sneered angrily, but why did her face look so frightened?...Ah! It was Shiro who scolded her...Meizhuang, you are crying, you have to chase me.
Are you coming? I'm so tired and I really want to take a nap.
But...but...Shiro, why does your face look so much like Xuanqing today? I can't laugh...it must be because I'm dazzled.
"My concubine!..." Before I finally lost consciousness, Shiro, I only heard you calling me that. Your voice was so affectionate, painful and forbearing. There was hot liquid falling on my cheek. Are those your tears?
?This is the first time you shed tears for me. Or maybe this is just my ignorant illusion...