On the eighth day of April, it was auspicious. Xuan Ling appealed to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pray for the Queen Mother's health, and the Empress Dowager's emblem was named "Renzhe". In addition to the emblems given by the previous emperor's accession to the throne, wedding, and the Empress Dowager's 50th birthday, the whole
The title was "Empress Dowager Zhaocheng Kang Yi Min Jing Renzhe", and she was known as "Empress Dowager Zhaocheng" in the world.
At the same time, Mrs. Yu'e, the biological mother of King Runan, was granted the title of Concubine Xian, with the posthumous title "Sisu" and the title Concubine Sisu Xian. It is planned to be moved to the late emperor's concubine mausoleum in June. She will also be granted the title to all those who are being raised in the palace.
The concubine was given as a sign of praise. Princess Qinren, the biological mother of King Qishan, was honored as "Princess Qinrenshu", ranking first among the concubines in the harem; Princess Zhuanghe, the adoptive mother of King Pingyang, was named "Concubine Zhuanghede", and the biological mother was treated as Princess Shun Chen.
Yao respected Concubine Shu Gui, who had become a monk and practiced as a monk, as Chong Jing Yuanshi and the leader of Jinting.
King Runan intended to respect his mother as "the noble concubine". The four concubines have always been noble, virtuous, and virtuous. Although they have the same names, the noble concubine is the most honorable. The noble concubine naturally became the first among the concubines.
Because his mother is noble, King Runan's status is naturally more noble.
King Runan deliberately made this suggestion, most likely because his biological mother fell out of favor due to Concubine Shu when he was young. As a result, he was not taken seriously by the late emperor, and he was not able to be crowned king for a long time. He felt deeply resentful. Now that he is so prominent, of course he does not want to be seen as such in the eyes of the world.
His background was inferior to that of Concubine Shu's son Xuan Qing, and he was even more superior to the late emperor's eldest son Xuan Ji. What's more, Xuan Qing was good at poetry and had no interest in political affairs. Xuan Ji was mediocre and drunken, which was what he despised the most.
Now his biological mother is posthumously named Concubine Xian. On the one hand, she is of the same rank as Concubine Noble, Shu, and Concubine De, so she is nominally acceptable; on the other hand, Concubine Qinrenshu is above her to suppress her, and the status of King Runan is also reduced.
The King of Qishan cannot be surpassed to dominate; Sanzeyao respects Concubine Shu Gui as Chong Jing Yuanshi and the leader of Jinting. This is also to appease King Runan - Concubine Shu Gui is already a foreigner.
It's just a few titles, but it involves all kinds of taboos and considerations, intricate and meticulous.
Three days later, Concubine Murong was reinstated as Concubine Hua. The Murong clan also felt a little more at peace with this.
I thought that there would be a big disturbance in the harem due to Concubine Hua's restoration, but it was only Concubine Tian and Concubine Shen who complained with the palace officials. The rest of the people, from the Queen to Ling Rong and Cao Qinmo, were all just concubines.
If nothing happens, don't mention it at all.
That day, the Queen invited me to enjoy the flowers in Fengyi Palace. It happened that the imperial edict of Xuan Ling's restoration of Concubine Hua and her instructions to the Sixth Palace reached the Queen. The Queen quietly read the edict and ordered her maid to serve it. She said to me calmly: "Finally, here we are.
Already."
I just didn't know and said, "Don't you feel surprised, Queen?"
The queen seemed to be smiling but not smiling: "It's just a matter of time." After saying that, she pointed to a pot of peony flowers in full bloom under the window and said: "It seems that the flowers will bloom sooner or later." After saying that, she ordered Jianqiu to take the small silver.
She came with scissors, and picked up a huge red peony flower in front of her with her slender jade fingers. She cut it off with a sharp "click" and threw it into Jianqiu's hand, saying: "This flower is an eyesore, so I don't want it."
With a sudden movement in my heart, I picked off a yellow peony and placed it squarely on the Queen's high bun. I said with a smile, "This flower blooms just right, and it is suitable for the Queen's status. It is very beautiful."
The queen looked forward and smiled and said: "How can a woman who is almost thirty look good?" She paused and said as if unintentionally, "Concubine Hua is much younger than me."
I smiled modestly: "Beauty does not depend on age but on magnanimity. The queen empress and mother-in-law honor the world. How can this elegance and splendor be compared to the thin young beauty? Just like this peony is the king of flowers, and that pot is the king of flowers."
No matter how beautiful and delicate the peony blooms, it cannot be compared to it."
The queen put a pearl bouquet on the mirror. Although she did not say any words of approval, she looked deeply convinced and said slowly: "My concubine is getting better and better at talking."
The queen ordered the maid to change her steps, and held her hair with a hairpin. Her fingers gently stroked the jewelry wrapped around the sardonyx jade plate, as if casually, and said: "I heard that your brother's recent reputation has been very bad.
Well, the whole family is in turmoil over a woman with fireworks."
I was slightly embarrassed, twisted the silk with my fingers, and gritted my teeth and said, "I have also heard about it. This really bad thing has been spread for thousands of miles. It is really my fault that such a shameful thing disturbed the Queen's hearing."
The queen half-turned around and said kindly: "It doesn't matter. Your brother is young after all. He is young and successful and doesn't know how to take care of his body. It is inevitable that he will ignore everything when he gets excited. It's just that your sister-in-law has been pregnant for more than three months.
It’s really pitiful that I still feel angry about this.”
I felt ashamed and angry for a moment, turned my face and said: "I just hate that my brother doesn't know how to behave at all. That firework girl named 'Jiayi' is from a humble background. My brother actually ignored my father."
My mother objected and my sister-in-law was pregnant, so she insisted on redeeming her body and setting her up as a concubine." I frowned and said, "If my parents and sister-in-law hadn't been desperately opposed, I would have taken her into our house as a concubine."
The queen shook her head repeatedly and said: "This is too unbearable. For the sake of such a woman, we have forgotten the relationship between husband and wife and their parents' upbringing. What does this mean?"
I was so hateful that I almost cried in front of the Queen. I gritted my teeth and said, "Brother is so determined to be deceived by the charming woman that he never enters the house again. I have already ordered someone to go back and tell my parents that we must never let such a woman come in and humiliate us."
The lintel of the Zhen family."
The Queen said: "Talent and virtue are cubed to make a good man. My dear concubine, although your brother is talented in military affairs, his moral character is lacking." She then sighed unhappily: "It was in vain that those people behind Concubine Hua looked at me.
joke!"
I returned to the palace and rested for a while, but I felt extremely tired. In the past few days, I had worked hard with Xuan Ling to consider the details of the matter of pursuing the title of concubine. Finally, everything was settled, and all parties were considered.
Only then can we breathe a sigh of relief and take a break. The wind and rain in the future will only be more violent, and it will not be any easier than today.
Jin Xi and others also knew that I was working hard, so they burned a furnace of soothing benzoin for me to sleep in, leaving only Liu Zhu to serve me.
Fang Mengmeng fell asleep. Then he heard Liu Zhu whispering urgently in his ear: "Miss, someone from the Queen Mother's Palace has sent someone to ask Miss to come over and talk."
When I heard the word "Queen Mother", I suddenly woke up and said, "Did you tell me what it was about?"
Liu Zhu said: "The father-in-law who came to deliver the message did not say anything. He only asked the young lady to come over quickly."
I have always been respectful to the Queen Mother, so I didn't dare to waste a moment. I ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair, called someone in to wash and change clothes for me, and hurried away.
There is a calm, watery smell of sandalwood in the Queen Mother Hall, and the light smoke lingers, making people feel like they are outside the world. The sun at noon is not too bright, it is light and rainy, and the color is as smooth as azure porcelain, which makes people feel
Unreasonable calmness.
It is quiet in the palace. Looking out through the green window screen of spring clothes, the bustling and brilliant spring flowers have a hint of calmness and simplicity. Even the gold of the sun is hazy, like the distant mist.
The Queen Mother looked good. She was leaning on the silver antler-encrusted imperial concubine's couch next to the window, and slowly drank the medicine sip by sip with Aunt Sun's hand.
I said hello respectfully, and the Queen Mother casually asked me to get up and sit down, and said, "I haven't talked to you properly for a few days. What have you done recently?"
I replied: "It's nothing, I'm just passing the time."
The Queen Mother didn't even raise her head and said, "Then let's talk about something to pass the time. The Ai family will feel relieved listening to it." So I picked up some interesting things to say. The Queen Mother had a faint smile,
As if listening, he took the water from Aunt Sun and rinsed his mouth with one hand, frowning and said: "It's so bitter."
Before I finished speaking, the sapphire blue skirt behind the ebony-carved mirror screen with the Chinese character "Shou" in the hall swayed, and it was Meizhuang who came out. Meizhuang looked at me, didn't say much, and just held a white porcelain plate in his hand.
, there were several pickled hawthorns on the plate. He walked to the Queen Mother with a smile on his face and said: "These are newly made hawthorns. I ordered people to make them sweeter. They are sour and sweet to appetize. The Queen Mother took some medicine to eat them."
It couldn't be better."
A faint smile appeared on the Queen Mother's face and she said, "I guess you have a filial piety." She picked up one and held it in her mouth. She nodded and said, "It's really good."
Meizhuang lowered his eyebrows and smiled, with a humble and generous expression, and said: "As long as the Queen Mother likes it. I just thought that the medicine is bitter, and if you eat something extremely sweet, it will feel uncomfortable in your mouth, and it will not be as delicious as sweet and sour."
The Queen Mother nodded and smiled, agreeing very much. Just then she turned to look at me and said calmly: "Wangui concubine, do you know your guilt?"
Ben chatted harmoniously and discussed family affairs together, and the whole room was peaceful and peaceful. Suddenly hearing such a sentence, his heart trembled, but he didn't know where he had violated a taboo, so he knelt down in a hurry and said: "I am afraid that I don't know. Please make it clear to the Queen Mother."
.”
The Queen Mother's eyes were so sharp that I didn't dare to raise my head at will, feeling uneasy. The Queen Mother narrowed her eyes slightly and said coldly: "You are so brave, you dare to interfere in the government affairs as a concubine."
Meizhuang stood aside. Hearing the Queen Mother speak with such an expression, Mei Zhuang's face suddenly turned white in shock. He could not hold the porcelain plate in his hand steadily, and the hawthorns in the plate immediately fell out.
Far away, leaving only a little bit of dark red juice, dripping all over the ground.
The Queen Mother glanced at her sideways and said, "The Ai family asked her, but you panicked first."
I was confused for a moment and didn't know where to start my answer, so I hurriedly bent down and kowtowed: "I don't know why the Queen Mother said this. I really don't dare to commit such a capital crime."
The Queen Mother sat up. She did not speak harshly, but the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes made people feel stern due to her solemn expression. She said calmly: "Aijia, you can tell yourself how much you participated in the issue of the title of concubine."
I kowtowed and then said: "I am extremely frightened by the Queen Mother's words. No matter how young and ignorant I am, I still know that concubines in the harem are not allowed to interfere in politics. This is the legacy of our ancestors, and I will never dare to violate it. Your Majesty is a wise monarch.
I have already made up my mind about the title of concubine, but I can't influence it. All I can do is to comfort the emperor not to worry about the affairs of the government. If I talk about 'participation', it is just to support the concubine in the cabinet.
Among the several titles that have been agreed upon, I will give the emperor some detailed information, and then leave it to the queen and the queen mother to make a decision." I looked up at the queen mother and said, "I am ignorant, thinking that the title of concubine is a matter for the harem, so I dare to say a few words.
One or two words. If you talk about government affairs, you will never dare to have the slightest contamination." After saying that, he hurriedly lowered his head.
The Queen Mother pondered for a moment, her eyes flashed, as if she could see me as a crystal figure who had nothing to hide, and said slowly: "Even if you have no intention of being involved in political affairs, do you dare to say that you have no selfish motives in this matter?
"
After just finishing what I said, my mood calmed down a little, but I knew that it would be bad to be too defensive, so I said: "The Queen Mother clearly knows that the matter of pursuing the title of concubine has nothing to do with me." I paused and met the Queen Mother's gaze.
Said: "But when it comes to selfishness, I do have some."
Seeing that the Queen Mother was just listening without any intention of blaming her, I gradually felt more at ease and said: "I live deep in the palace. Although I don't hear about external affairs, there are different opinions in the palace, and some of them are heard. Your Majesty is a
The king of the country is always worried about the government and forgets to eat and sleep. I am lucky enough to be able to serve the emperor. I just hope that the emperor can have everything he wants and his beauty will always show." I thought about it several times and finally said it: "But sometimes it happens.
God does not fulfill man’s wishes.”
The Queen Mother is Xuan Ling's biological mother, and she was once in charge of the government. There are some words and things that are really unnecessary and there is no need to hide them from her. The Queen Mother thought thoughtfully and said: "Why is God unwilling to obey people's wishes? I'm afraid there are people
It’s time to go against the will of heaven.”
I knelt in the shadow of the sun, and there was a vague heat and restlessness on my back, and a prickly itch. I whispered: "What the Queen Mother said is absolutely true. But I know that the emperor is the son of God, and he will definitely be protected by God.
I don’t dare and cannot participate in political affairs, so I can only try my best to pay attention to the emperor’s food and daily life. If there is any selfishness, it is my selfishness that cannot be put on the table. When the Queen Mother asked today, I had no choice but to tell the truth. I hope
Long live the emperor and be safe, and may my concubines be cared for and live in peace until their old age."
After listening to my explanation, the Queen Mother looked slightly relaxed. She casually pulled the hair that was scattered behind her head and said kindly: "Which concubine in the harem doesn't have this kind of selfishness? That's fine. Get up."
As if I was receiving a general amnesty, I straightened my clothes and stood up, and stood aside with my head bowed respectfully. The Queen Mother stroked the wind hair on the soft brocade blanket covering her body, and sighed slowly: "Your selfishness
, everyone is the same. You are the only one who has the emperor. When the emperor is here, no matter whether you are out of favor or in favor in this palace, you will always have hope and hope. If the emperor is gone, the queen will naturally not say anything about it.
The Queen Mother, even Cao Jieyu and Concubine Xin Gui finally have a daughter to rely on. But those like you and Mei'er who have no children, despite their current glory, will only be able to be lonely concubines in the future.
You can't count on your position either. Although she is a concubine, she has no one to rely on and her old age is miserable. To put it bluntly, she is just waiting to die. So your hopes are all in the emperor." After the Queen Mother finished speaking, she said to herself
He was also a little sad and coughed twice.
Although Mei Zhuang said "yes" in her mouth, she turned away and just looked out the window, as if she was missing something. The Queen Mother looked at her and said: "Mei'er, although you have filial piety towards the Ai family, but this is not the case."
It should be used more on the emperor. Although we don’t talk about favors, the good thing is that even the child Tianbi is not as good as him. The young and young people wear so plain all day long, and the Ai family is still willing to wear brighter clothes now, but you are on the contrary
I don’t want to anymore. There’s no point in hanging around with this old woman from the Ai family - you should always make your own plans."
Meizhuang's dress is indeed too plain for her status. A double-breasted feather gauze dress with hazy silver background, narrow sleeves, a few sparse azure and green wisteria patterns, and a sapphire blue nuro skirt with no pattern, which is not even reaching the floor.
They also don’t wear sachets or jade pendants. In spring, all the women in the palace like to put flowers in their buns, but they don’t even use a few gorgeous pearls and jade hairpins in their hair in Meizhuang, let alone flowers and silk flowers. They are like clouds of blue silk,
She made a neat bun with a straight bun, and only wore a black silver flat hairpin inlaid with dark red agate beads as decoration. On her plain dress, only the twist of the chin was embedded with a hairpin.
A pearl. Dressed like this, even the most popular aunt in the Queen Mother's palace is more luxurious than her. Mei Zhuang lowered half of her face and said: "The Queen Mother said this, it seems that I didn't do it on purpose. It's not that I don't mean it."
I wish to be close to the Emperor, but first of all, the Queen Mother's well-being is the Emperor's wish, and I should be more filial to the Queen Mother; secondly, my sisters also serve the Emperor very well." Meizhuang smiled slightly, "I am not good at dressing up, how can I compare?
I have the Queen Mother's discernment, but I ask the Queen Mother to give her some guidance and teach me when she is free. I have benefited a lot from the Queen Mother, and even if I drive her away, I will not leave."
The Queen Mother smiled and said: "This girl Ai Jia used to look stable, but now she is becoming more and more eloquent. With you accompanying Ai Jia and Dr. Wen's medical skills, how can Ai Jia's health be so bad?"
Meizhuang said with a smile: "This is all the work of Imperial Physician Wen. I am just a follower, and it is really of no use."
The Queen Mother said: "I'll have dinner with Ai's family later, and then go back if I have nothing to do. It's boring to stay here all day."
Meizhuang said: "Mr. Wen told me to come back after dinner to take the Queen Mother's pulse. If everything is fine, the dose of medicine should be reduced accordingly. I would like to stay here with you and listen to what Mt. Wen has to say."
The Queen Mother's medicine must not be neglected when it comes to reminding those little palace ladies who prepare medicine."
The Queen Mother nodded with satisfaction and smiled: "You are always more careful than others." After saying that, she turned to look at me and said quietly: "I heard from the emperor that it was your idea to restore Concubine Hua as soon as possible."
My heart suddenly felt horrified. I didn’t know what the Empress Dowager’s intention was, so I had to bite the bullet and answer: “Yes.” As she said that, she glanced at Meizhuang unconsciously. Her face changed slightly, and her sharp eyes were piercing my face, which was a little more serious.
With a mixture of shock and anger, I lowered my head sadly, she was going to blame me after all.
The Queen Mother frowned into three soft vertical lines and said slightly suspiciously: "Are you willing?"
I said sincerely: "The Queen Mother is wise. The Queen Mother just said that someone wants to go against the will of heaven. Although I am stupid, I understand what the Queen Mother means. I sincerely ask the Queen Mother to understand clearly. Under the situation, the front court must appease people's hearts, and the harem should also do the same. I
I cannot interfere with the overall situation of the state for my own personal grudges." I paused and said, "Someone will always be wronged in this matter, and I am willing to accept this wrong."
The Queen Mother was silent for a moment, then she looked pleased and joyful. She called me over, took my hand and said, "Good boy, I didn't expect you to have such a spirit. I don't blame the emperor for being partial to you. You are allowed to stay in the imperial study to accompany me."
I was about to kneel down and said, "The Queen Mother made a serious statement. I really don't dare to be my concubine."
The Queen Mother ordered me to sit in front of her and said: "The Ai family originally heard from the Queen that it would be very appropriate for you to accompany the emperor in the Imperial Study Room, but the Ai family was not at ease. The Imperial Study Room is not a place that a concubine can enter without permission, and you have always been a
You are smart. If this intelligence is not used in the right way, or if you blindly encourage the emperor to handle state affairs or punish people according to his own likes and dislikes, and become a disaster to the country, the Ai family will never tolerate you."
I hurriedly lowered my head and said respectfully: "I don't dare."
The Queen Mother said: "The Ai family is just worried for nothing. When I talk to you today, you are indeed a thoughtful and knowledgeable person. The emperor has good taste. After all, the maids in the imperial study are not as good as you, so you should be good.
Go and accompany the emperor - there is only one rule: you are not allowed to discuss state affairs arbitrarily, and you are not allowed to interfere in politics. Otherwise, the Ai family can tolerate you, and the ancestors and ancestors cannot tolerate you."
I bit my lip, looked humble, and said: "The Queen Mother taught me a lesson very well, and I will take it to heart. Not to mention that I don't have the ability to understand political affairs. The Queen Mother is above me, and there are hundreds of civil and military officials below me. The Emperor is wise and decisive."
, how can I have any room for my concubine to comment? I am young and ignorant, and have not experienced any major events. It is inevitable that my actions and words are not thoughtful enough. I would like to ask the Queen Mother and the Empress to teach me more."
The Queen Mother raised her eyes slightly and said: "You are young, but you have been in the palace for three years. After all, you are still an eighteen-year-old girl. It is very good to have such a big heart and magnanimity. With you by the emperor's side, the Ai family is also very happy."
Don't worry. You will serve the emperor well, and it will be even better if you can have a son and a daughter as soon as possible."
I felt a little relieved and said in a deep voice: "Thank you, Queen Mother."
The Queen Mother looked slightly tired and leaned back on the soft pillow. I saw the opportunity and walked to the cabinet in the corner of the palace. I opened the copper filigree sugar bowl in the lacquer plate with double dragon pattern and added half a spoonful of snowflake sugar to powder it.
In the water the Queen Mother drank, she said: "The Queen Mother has been teaching me for a long time. Drink some water to moisten your throat."
The Queen Mother drank with a smile, and said with kind eyes: "Mei'er is calm and steady in temperament, but you are clever and quick. After the death of Queen Chunyuan, the emperor always has no one who can help him. If you can serve him with all your heart,
Not only can the queen feel more relaxed, but the emperor can also have no worries."
Meizhuang stood behind the Queen Mother, always facing me with an indifferent expression. Hearing what the Queen Mother said, Fang smiled and said, "The Queen Mother is too flattering to my concubines."
The Queen Mother lay in the sun for half an hour. She became increasingly sleepy and said lazily: "It's time for the Ai family to take a nap. Why don't you go somewhere for a stroll first?"
Meizhuang and I quickly stood up to say goodbye. The Queen Mother closed her eyes for a moment, then slowly called me and said: "This is a very appropriate way to deal with the matter of pursuing the title of concubine. It covers everything. If it were the Ai family who made the decision, it would probably be like this. The emperor has always been like this.
You are a bit impatient and don't think things through very carefully, so you need someone to help you. But if this is all your idea, then it is too big an idea."
I was planning how to explain to Meizhuang after I went out. The Queen Mother suddenly said this, and my heart seemed to be lifted up again, making me uneasy. The smile I maintained was a little stiff, and my cheeks were a little sour. I said: "Your Majesty,
How can I know so much? It’s really impossible.”
The Queen Mother smiled with emotion, "There is an old saying that 'a woman is virtuous if she has no talent', but the Ai family doesn't think it makes sense; but if you are too talented, you will end up with a bad life, which is a pity. Talented people can know how to advance and retreat, and they can also cultivate blessings.
Virtue, that is rare. After all, this palace is different from ordinary people." The Queen Mother said meaningfully: "In this harem, although you are just a prostitute, it is a place where every woman's cry or smile can cause trouble in the previous court. Every word and every deed is...
Just be careful."
I nodded silently and carefully understood the deep meaning of the words. The Queen Mother said: "You are a sensible person, and the Ai family likes you. If you have time, you can come here often to copy Buddhist scriptures for the Ai family."
I resigned as I was told and quickly walked out of the Queen Mother's Yining Palace. I felt physically and mentally exhausted and it was hard to relax for a while. Beads of sweat fell from my forehead, and it took me a moment to wipe them off.
When Huanbi came out, I saw Meizhuang disappeared in a blink of an eye. I felt anxious and asked, "Have you seen the young master of Meizhuang?"
Huanbi said: "I saw you. I took the palace maid to the small kitchen to prepare snacks for the Queen Mother."
I knew I wouldn't see her for a while, so I took the sedan chair back to Tangli Palace.
When we arrived at the west bank of Taiye Pond, we happened to see Cao Jieyu and her maid, holding Emperor Wen Yi in their arms, moving willow branches by the long bridge near the water to tease the golden carp in the pond, laughing again and again. Seeing my sedan chair passing by, I was busy
She stood solemnly and said hello. I ordered her to get up, leaned sideways on the sedan chair and said with a smile: "Jieyu is in such a good mood."
She also smiled, looking at Wen Yi with infinite love and care in her eyes, "When I had nothing to do, Wen Yi shouted that she wanted to go out for a walk. This ghost spirit really gave me a headache."
I smiled: "No one else can ask for the blessing of having headaches like Jieyu every day." I stared at Wen Yi, she was almost three years old. The three-year-old little girl was very pink and delicate.
, her features were picturesque, and her mouth was babbling non-stop. She had never gotten to know me well, and was a little shy of strangers, but she didn’t cry or fuss. She only opened her round eyes and looked at me curiously, very well-behaved.
cute.
She was held in Cao Jieyu's hands. When she saw me smiling and looking at her, she knew that I liked her. Suddenly she flattened her mouth, laughed happily, opened her arms and asked me to hug her. I was also surprised, I
I was sitting on the sedan chair, but when I saw her cute look, I fell in love with her from the bottom of my heart and walked down.
When Cao Jieyu saw Wen Yi reaching out for me to hug her, she hurriedly stopped and said in a low voice: "Don't be disrespectful to me, you are so naughty."
I laughed: "It's interesting for children not to be afraid of life. Why should Jieyu talk about her?" As he said this, he held her in his arms and lovingly stroked away the sweaty hair on her forehead. Even though Wen Yi was young, she could tell the difference.
Do you really like her? She is very affectionate to me, leaning on my shoulder, rubbing her pink face against my neck, hugging me with one hand, and breaking open the golden bee on the buttons of my clothes with great interest.
Asshole pin.
Cao Jieyu smiled and said to the side: "Wen Yi likes the empress very much." Then she came close to Wen Yi and said: "Please call her 'Wanmu Concubine'."
Wen Yi didn't scream, she just lowered her head shyly and twisted her buttocks on me like candy. When Cao Jieyu saw her squirming, she turned around and called her wet nurse and said, "Take the Emperor Ji away and see the empress's clothes."
It’s also wrinkled.” Soon he whispered in my ear: “I have been waiting here for a long time.”
I understood and knew that she had something to do with me. I acted as if nothing had happened, let go of the thermometer, took off several golden bee and chrysanthemum brooches pinned to my clothes with one hand, put them into the wet nurse's hands, and said, "You worthless little one."
Keep this stuff for Di Ji’s amusement.”
The wet nurse didn't dare to answer the question for a while. She just looked at Cao Jieyu's face and saw that she was just smiling, so she quickly thanked her with a smile.
I said: "The spring weather is very beautiful. I want to go to Yingchun Garden for a walk, so I have to take a step first."
When I arrived at the Yingchun Garden, only Jinxi was left to walk with me. The spring light was strong at that time, and like the early-blooming Yingchun, the flowers had already withered and scattered, and few people came to watch and walk around. It was a pure place for conversation. Sure enough,
Not long after, Cao Jieyu came alone.
I folded two Yingchun flowers and played with them in my hands, and said casually: "Sister Cao, what matters do you want to see me about?"
She said in a low voice: "Concubine Hua has been restored to the throne. Yesterday she summoned her concubines to Mixiu Palace."
My heart was slightly touched, but I still smiled slightly and said softly: "That's very good. Concubine Hua has always been in contact with you. Now that she has been restored to power, you should also go and congratulate her."
She remained calm and said, "I have already sent you gifts." She looked at me and said, "It's just that Concubine Hua summoned my concubine this time to ask about your actions and words during her confinement.
"
I was stunned for a moment, just fiddled with the flowers in my hand, and said leisurely: "A smart person like Sister Cao can naturally deal with it appropriately. What's more, no matter how we deal with it, it all depends on Sister Cao's own plan." I changed my words secretly.
Zhong Jifeng smiled sweetly at her, "Actually, Concubine Hua is Sister Cao's old master no matter how you say it. Although she was mean to her and Di Ji in some places, at any rate she also supported her, given her status and family background.
And she is far above this palace. It is reasonable for Sister Cao to want to be close to Concubine Hua, not to mention that now that she has been restored to the throne, the emperor does not favor her."
Cao Jieyu's eyebrows moved slightly, and she quickly pursed her lips and smiled, saying: "Why do you have to play riddles with me?" Although concubine is not smart, she also knows that her current restoration and favor are temporary, just like in summer.
A short-lived flash in the pan, after all, is the end of the war." She smiled, "Concubines and emperors want to settle down, so naturally they won't take risks."
I stared at her for a moment and said, "Sister Cao is very observant and quick-thinking, which is beyond comparison with ordinary people. But I don't want my sister to become estranged from Concubine Hua."
Cao Jieyu opened her lips and smiled, as bright as a spring flower. A golden jade cicada was placed on her bun, and the tassels hanging from her hair swayed. "Since I have entrusted myself and the emperor to the queen, naturally I am the queen."
It is my destiny to obey, so how can I lean towards her again? It’s just my Majesty’s order, I understand it, and I will not disappoint my Majesty.”
I smiled softly: "Sister Cao has a certain degree of advance and retreat, so I have nothing to worry about. Since Concubine Hua likes to inquire about my activities, I have no choice but to repay her in the same way." I added.
Question: "This time Concubine Hua is restored, and the emperor is favoring her again. What are her thoughts?"
Cao Jieyu showed a hint of disdain and summed it up in one sentence: "Tao Taoran is intoxicated, but she is often worried that she will fall out of favor again." She glanced slightly: "But because of the previous incident, and what I heard about Qin Fangyi and Lu Shunyi,
After the accident, I was quite afraid of my empress."
I didn't take it seriously, and said with a hint of cruelty in my words, "She has long regarded me as her mortal enemy, not just from now on. Of course, I do the same."
Cao Jieyu said: "Of course the empress has ways to deal with her, and the concubine is just trying her best. There is just one thing. There is no direct benefit in getting along with the concubine. To put it harshly, it is just a matter of mutual benefit.
If he has exhausted all his power, he can break up the two in one fell swoop. Since his concubines and concubines are humble, they cannot compete with the empress, so I am afraid that they will not be able to help her with peace of mind."
She and I looked at each other and smiled. We already knew each other's plans. "Sister Cao, please be happy. Your concerns are also my concerns. I have nothing to do with you so far. Emperor Wen Yi, Ji Yuxue, is lovely. I am interested in you."
After the matter is completed, I will accept her as my adopted daughter, so that we can both rely on each other. What do you think, Sister Cao?"
Cao Jieyu smiled happily, held a branch of Yingchun and clasped it on her wrist to form a bracelet, and said, "This way we can rest assured." She turned her head and looked at the garden full of green and yellow, with dots shining like stars, "Empress, I have a bright future.
Infinitely, it is Wen Yi's blessing to have such a mother-in-law taking care of her."
I looked at the golden silk emerald cicada on her bun and said with a smile: "This thing looks familiar. I seem to have seen it once in the emperor's warehouse. Is it a new gift from the emperor to my sister?"
Cao Jieyu's face turned slightly red and she said, "Yes. It's just a little thing."
I picked up my clothes and stood up. I smiled quietly when I passed by her. I sprinkled the winter greetings on her palm, took her delicate fingers and said, "Sister Cao's hands are so beautiful. It's just that dyeing her nails with jasmine is just too small."
That’s all, if you can use Yingchun to inlay it on your nails, such a unique design will surely please the emperor even more.”
She smiled brightly, bent her knees and sent me away, "Thank you for your advice."
Jin Xi and I returned to the palace. She dismissed everyone, looking quite worried, and said: "Cao Jieyu has nothing to worry about, the empress can control her. But the Queen Mother..."
I sat in front of the dressing table and took off the pearls and glazed jade earrings from my ears. After leaving the Queen Mother's Yining Palace for a long time, I still had lingering fears. I secretly felt that the Queen Mother's words and deeds were so sophisticated that I could not stop them. The admiration and awe in my heart became even more intense.
A layer deeper.
I said quietly: "I am not interfering in politics, and the Queen Mother also knows it, otherwise she would not be able to let me go easily today. The Queen Mother's intention is not to blame me for everything today, but to remind me not to interfere in political affairs. The purpose is to prevent it from happening in the future.
." I sighed: "Although the Queen Mother has not heard about political affairs for a long time and does not interfere in the harem, her intentions are very good. I am afraid that she is afraid that I will follow in the footsteps of Concubine Hua, so she deliberately beats me."
Jin Xi said: "The Queen Mother has been in the palace for a long time and has experienced a lot. Your Majesty must not offend the Queen Mother."
I nodded and said, "Of course."
Jinxi thought for a while and said: "When you have time, it would be better if you go to the Queen Mother's place to say hello. The young master of Meizhuang seems to like the Queen Mother very much."
I said: "She doesn't want the emperor to punish Concubine Hua. She is probably trying to influence the Queen Mother. Anyway, having the Queen Mother by her side is much more reliable than the Emperor."
Although I have some thoughts about this, I am afraid of the Queen Mother, and I dare not act rashly in matters of government.