The palace is shrouded in pale white, and the Forbidden City in early summer looks like the twelfth lunar month in the cold winter.
In May of the 13th year of Kangxi's reign, Queen Hesheli died in childbirth.
*
"I'm giving birth, I promised to give birth." Three days later, in Zhongcui Palace, a plain-dressed Nanny Wang ran out of the delivery room with sweat on her head. The little eunuch outside hurriedly stopped her and reminded her in a low voice, "Nanny, don't dare to laugh. ah."
Grandma Wang was shocked when she heard this, and quickly covered her mouth. She looked back and saw the palace maid Lan Qi coming out of the house with a blood-red basin. She was about to change it to clean hot water, so she raised her hand and called out: "Go to Qianqing Palace. One trip.”
"Slave?" While asking the question, Grandma Wang had already taken the basin from Lan Qi's hand and pulled it in front of her to take a closer look. Seeing that the plain clothes were clean and unstained, she said, "Go to Qianqing Palace to report to Li Father-in-law, tell me that Bu promised to give birth to the little princess, and that mother and daughter are safe."
"But?"
"What are you talking about? Hurry up and go." Grandma Wang pushed Lan Qi outside. "Be careful what you say. Don't say the wrong thing and get in trouble."
"……yes"
Walking out of Zhongcui Palace, Lan Qi smelled the moist breath in the wind. She looked up at the sky and saw that the east was indeed dark with dark clouds. The long palace road was dyed white with silk, and she was not familiar with the road to Qianqing Palace.
At present, the whole country is in mourning, and it is a happy event to have a daughter, but the great joy cannot offset the sadness of the Queen's death. I heard that the Emperor has not eaten rice and water for three days, and now I go to Qianqing Palace, even if it is to report to the Emperor that another child will be born. Even if a girl's happy event happens, she will inevitably be scolded by Eunuch Li.
Walking in the general direction, the palace roads were long and complicated, and there were layers of high walls blocking her sight. Lan Qi finally got lost and no longer knew where she was.
"What should I do?" I was worried, but I saw a chariot coming from a distance, so I knelt down beside it in a hurry.
The chariot was walking slowly, and when she heard a "stop", Lan Qi's heart tightened. Sure enough, she heard another question, "Why are you wandering around here alone? Where are you from?"
Lan Qi raised her head slightly and saw a pale woman sitting on the chariot. She was Rong Gui. She kowtowed hurriedly and timidly explained the reason. Then she heard Rong Gui sigh softly, and after a while he ordered the maid beside him: "Take her to Qianqing Palace. Just point her in the direction and stay away. No need to step forward."
She seemed to be saying to herself: "I can't even take care of the people my brother is living with. It's her good fortune to be able to stay with the child for a while longer."
Lan Qi prostrated on the ground again, not daring to raise her head. After a while, she walked away. The palace maid who stayed behind said to her, "Get up quickly. I will take you there. Why are you walking so randomly? This place is in the wrong direction."
"Yes, I'm stupid." Lan Qi stood up and followed the maid. She couldn't help but look back at Rong Guiren's back, lamenting that she lost her son at the beginning of the year, gave birth to the prince two months ago but died on the same day, and was still in the harem last year. Everyone was envious and lost everything in the blink of an eye.
"What are you looking at? Let's go quickly. It looks like it's going to rain." The palace maid was so impatient that Lan Qi didn't dare to neglect her. She lowered her head and followed her all the way until they finally got close to Qianqing Palace.
"Go by yourself, I won't go there." The palace maid said these words, turned around and left.
Lan Qi didn't dare to stop her, but she murmured in her heart that she might not know the way back. But now she had to go and report the promise of giving birth to a baby first. After taking a deep breath, she bravely walked to the gate of Qianqing Palace.
"Where did the palace maid come from, so ignorant of the rules?" The little eunuch in front of the door scolded her when he saw her.
Lan Qi hurriedly said: "This servant is the maid of Zhongcui Palace. Bu promised that she just gave birth to the little princess. Mother and daughter are safe. I hope my father-in-law will inform Mr. Li."
As soon as she finished speaking, there was a sudden thunder in the sky, frightening everyone. But before the little eunuch in front of the door could send a message, many eunuchs and maids suddenly came out. Lan Qi was pushed to the bottom of the steps, and she heard those people say: "Hurry up. Yes, Your Majesty is driving Queen Zi Palace."
But at this moment, the sky suddenly turned dark, the wind was blowing and the rain was pouring down, the black sky was filled with fierce lightning, and the thunder was rumbling incessantly.
"Long live my Lord, please don't get wet in the rain. Long live my Lord, let me hold an umbrella for you..."
Accompanied by Eunuch Li's anxious voice, Xuan Ye walked out of the Qianqing Palace as if there was no one around. He raised his eyes to the dark sky and let the rain fall on his face. Eunuch Li came with an umbrella, but he waved it away with his big hand, "Get out!"
"Your Majesty." Eunuch Li knelt in the rain, crying and begging, "I am thinking of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, please take care of your dragon body!"
Xuan Ye clenched his fists, and his face could no longer distinguish between rain and tears, and the words were heavy: "But I can never hear the queen say these words again, never hear..."
He walked resolutely into the rain and headed towards Queen Zi Palace.
Eunuch Li followed closely, no longer daring to hold an umbrella for the emperor. The maids and eunuchs followed him in the rain. Everyone dispersed in front of the Qianqing Palace. No one realized that in the corner under the steps, Wu Yalanqi was already soaked. .