The Empress Dowager summoned the Sixth Palace, headed by Concubine Tong, followed by the officials and women, and the main hall was filled with crowds. The Queen Mother also sat at the head. She originally thought she wanted to warn the Sixth Palace about the concubine being drugged, but
But when the Empress Dowager arrived and knelt down to listen to the lecture, the old man actually started talking about Taizu Taizong and kept talking for most of an hour. Everyone knelt until their knees were numb and their backs were sore. A few of the weaker ones fell down immediately.
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Seeing someone fall, the Queen Mother sneered: "You are so delicate, can't you hold on even after I say a few words?"
Concubine Tong gritted her teeth and endured, and kowtowed: "I will reprimand you later, and please ask the Empress Dowager to calm down."
"The noble concubine is becoming more and more stable now. You were too young in the past. Recently, the Queen Mother and the Emperor have often praised you in front of me. Today, it is really different. In this way, I can rest assured that the Emperor will hand over the Phoenix Seal to you."
When the Empress Dowager said this, everyone was in an uproar. Concubine Tong was also very nervous, but the old man said the second half of the sentence leisurely: "In December, the emperor will seal the six palaces. I have discussed with the emperor, and I will grant you the title of emperor."
Noble Concubine. The Imperial Concubine is the same as the Vice-Concubine, and has the supreme position in the harem. From now on, you will be in charge of Feng Yin, and you must take good care of the Sixth Palace for the Emperor. Things like the concubine De who was drugged this time can never happen again, Imperial Heir.
It is the lifeblood of the royal family, and it is so long and prosperous that the Qing Dynasty can be passed down from generation to generation."
"Congratulations to the Imperial Concubine..."
The concubines congratulated one after another, but Concubine Tong's eyes quickly flashed with disappointment. After all, Ama and the others failed to win the highest honor for her. Why didn't the emperor let her become the queen? It's not good for an upright queen to emerge from the clan of her biological mother.
Is it because she is not virtuous enough or has not truly given birth to an heir, so she is not worthy of being a queen?
But it seems that these are meaningless. The Empress Dowager announced in public that it was equivalent to an imperial edict. She will be the imperial concubine from now on. Although they share the word "emperor", the queen and the imperial concubine are after all the difference between a wife and a concubine.
There were all congratulations, and she could only cheer up and accept them with a smile, and kowtowed to thank the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother. With such excitement, the dull and awkward atmosphere just now was also broken.
The Queen Mother was sitting upright. She gradually got used to saying some decisive words to the concubines. She was smiling gently: "The imperial edict has not yet been issued, and the canonization ceremony has not yet been held. It is better for you to address yourself as a noble concubine." Everyone.
After saying yes, the Queen Mother continued, "Of course Concubine Tong is not alone in this happy event. An imperial edict will be promulgated in the near future. You will be busy congratulating each other then."
Everyone's faces were happy, but the Empress Dowager immediately talked about the draft in the coming spring, and it became unclear who the four concubines should be. When it came to new people entering the palace, the Empress Dowager once again mentioned the matter of De's concubines.
, and then said with a smile and then a cold face: "You are the emperor's concubines. For the peace and tranquility of the harem, you must work together as one. Although she is the only one to suffer in the matter of the concubine, it is only because of the unrest in the harem."
As a result, it was her this time, and I don’t know who will suffer next time. Each of you should reflect on yourself, and within the next three days, stay in your respective residences and think about your mistakes, and don’t go out again.”
The atmosphere in the palace became serious again. The Empress Dowager stood up to leave, but then she said, "It's warm here. Please stay here for another half an hour and think carefully about what I just said." Youyi pointed at Concubine Tong and said, "Concubine, please come with me."
I'm here, I have a few more words to tell you."
Concubine Tong quickly stood up, but after kneeling for so long, her legs had already become weak, and she almost fell upside down in front of everyone. She staggered and followed the Queen Mother, leaving a room full of women kneeling there, looking at each other, knowingly
The Empress Dowager intended to punish her, but she did not dare to say it out loud. However, after the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother left, someone whispered: "Since the Imperial Concubine is the Imperial Concubine, it is time for the Imperial Concubine Wen to be the Imperial Concubine."
Concubine Wen was kneeling there. When she heard the mention of her, she turned around and smiled calmly at everyone: "If it is as the sisters said, there will be a three-day flowing banquet in Xianfu Palace, and everyone will come to join in the fun."
On this side, the imperial concubine came in with the Queen Mother, but the old man had nothing to say to her. The Queen Mother took her to another room and asked if her legs and feet were okay. After a few words of concern, she asked her to go back to Chengqian Palace first.
The imperial concubine had to ask: "The Empress Dowager said that she had a few more words to explain to my concubine."
The Queen Mother smiled: "Just because you are noble, how can you kneel with them? Go back."
"But..." The imperial concubine wanted to ask again, but the Queen Mother had already turned around and left. She rubbed her knees and exited. Qinglian was already waiting outside, helping her to walk around the hall. She saw that there were many kneeling women inside. At the moment, there were only
Two people were not there, one was herself, and the other was Wu Ya who was having a baby.
"Didn't the child of De's concubine be saved? How angry is the Empress Dowager?" Concubine Tong could also see that the Empress Dowager intended to punish the Sixth Palace, but thinking about it just for a Wuya family, Concubine Tong was still very angry.
Those who were not convinced, fortunately did not ignore her dignity and did not confuse her with other concubines.
When Concubine Tong returned to the palace, several palace maids were busy giving hot compresses and massages. After her pain subsided and she rested for a long time, it took more than an hour to hear that the Cining Palace had dispersed. When Qinglian came back, she said:
"Less than half an hour after we left, the Empress Dowager ordered more charcoal pots to be added to the main hall. Later, she said not to waste it. It would not be too late to wait until those pots of charcoal burned to ashes before dispersing. This would last for an hour.
In addition, when the Empress Dowager was giving lectures for most of the hour, the ladies couldn’t stand up, and many of them were recited by their servants. The Empress Dowager was too cruel."
Concubine Tong frowned when she heard this, and said incomprehensibly: "The Empress Dowager did this, wasn't she afraid of making enemies for the concubine? Because she was drugged and harmed, everyone knelt down to reflect, and the Emperor also went to great lengths to search the Sixth Palace.
They put the German concubine at the forefront, aren't they afraid that this time it will be drugged, and the next time it will be poisoned?"
Her words were not unreasonable. The Empress Dowager also asked her mother-in-law privately that she felt that the search of the Sixth Palace was too much. However, the Empress Dowager said: "Someone provokes the emperor's majesty. If Xuan Ye continues to swallow in silence,
Next, those people should be even more proud. Only by confronting the situation head-on, can we shock those people. The emperor is in the light, and they are in the dark. It is not to their advantage, but because they cannot see the light of day. How can they last long?
?”
Let's say that the Empress Dowager ordered all the concubines to stay in seclusion for three days, but in fact there was no such order. No one would wander around the palace for the next three days. The pampered women knelt for nearly two hours, and their kneecaps were almost broken.
The Imperial Hospital was so busy that day that it almost couldn't cope with the medicine provided by De Bin. Naturally, no matter how busy other places were, Yonghe Palace could not be neglected. The imperial doctor delivered the medicine on time, and after several tests, it was delivered to Empress De Bin's mouth.
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Lan Qi was most afraid of taking medicine. Xuan Ye gave her a lot of candies and preserves to coax her. Now the palace maid brought the medicine to her mouth. She drank it with a frown, quickly stuffed a piece of candy, and smiled bitterly: "I have been a palace maid for a long time."
At that time, she was so delicate, even if she had a fever, she could just lie down for one night, but instead she became a concubine, asking the imperial doctor to boil medicine at every turn. This body is accustomed to being weak."
The people currently serving her are all temporarily transferred from Cining Palace. Lan Qi recognizes them all, but they are not very fond of joking. At this juncture, they have a straight face all day long. At this moment, Lan Qi
When Qi said this, someone mentioned the lecture given by the Empress Dowager of Cining Palace today, saying that the empresses of each palace had been kneeling for nearly two hours, and the doctors were all busy. No wonder today's medicine was delivered half a moment late.
Lan Qi was surprised when she heard this and asked repeatedly: "Did everyone really kneel for two hours?"
The palace maid responded: "The imperial concubine is leaving first. Everyone from the imperial concubine to the imperial concubine has been kneeling in the Cining Palace for nearly two hours. The Empress Dowager ordered that she should stay behind closed doors for three days to reflect on her mistakes."
"For what?" Lan Qi asked, but then she thought about it and figured it out. At this time, what else could it be for? She felt uneasy, and even the concubines Duan and Rong concubine knelt down. Sister Bu and Dai Changzai also knelt down.
, everyone is crying so much, just for her alone, how can she get along with others in the Sixth Palace in the future?
"Ms. Debin, it's time for you to lie down." The maids came up and took away the big pillow from Lan Qi's back, asking her to continue lying down. Lan Qi felt that they were difficult to get close to, but she wanted to find someone to talk to now, and in her heart
She was so fragile that she couldn't help crying and asked them, "When will Huan Chun come back? How long will they stay in the Sentence Department? Xiang Yue can't stand the beating the most. Please help me beg the Empress Dowager to let her go."
Is it okay for them to come back?"
As soon as Lan Qi cried, the palace maids knelt down to apologize, which made her helpless and embarrassed. She covered her mouth and did not dare to cry again. However, she felt so aggrieved that she couldn't bear it after two days. It was time to enter the hospital.
She pushed all the medicine and sprinkled it on the ground. The palace maid knelt on the ground but she was indifferent. Finally, she brought Xuan Ye from Qianqing Palace. She wanted to scold her, but she cried when they saw her, which made the emperor flustered.
Lan Qi never liked to cry, let alone cry to Xuan Ye. The last time she cried so sadly was when Yinzhen was bullied by the imperial concubine on her first birthday and was heartbroken. Two years passed before she saw her again.
Crying like this is even more pitiful than the last time. For someone who is helpless about everything at the moment, and dragging a delicate and sick body with a fetus that can't be saved at any time, it's no wonder that Lan Qi can't hold on. Xuan Ye finally relented, and then
Promise her to release Huanchun and the others.
"Don't cry anymore. If you do, I will kill them all." Xuan Ye said seriously, but then he coaxed her, "I have sent Eunuch Li to Ningshou Palace to bring Yinzuo back.
, There is nothing unclean in Yonghe Palace, you can keep your son by your side with peace of mind."
Lan Qi calmed down, but she was still sobbing slightly. She held Xuan Ye's hand and said nothing. She only listened to the emperor telling her to be careful about her health over and over again. She was stunned for a long time before asking about the Queen Mother's punishment of the Sixth Palace.
The Emperor wondered how she should live in the Sixth Palace in the future. On the one hand, she was grateful to the Empress Dowager and Xuan Ye for doting on her, but on the other hand, she thought they had done something inappropriate. The contradiction in her heart could not be resolved, day by day.
The accumulation has collapsed today.
Xuan Ye smiled bitterly: "How to deal with yourself? Do you think how Concubine Tong always deals with herself?"
Lan Qi looked at him blankly, and Xuan Ye pinched her cheek helplessly: "I give you honor to make you proud of others. Why do you have to be low-key and humble? Although Concubine Tong is arrogant in the eyes of others,
She is domineering, but she is in a high position and depends on other people's opinions for what she does. You will be the same in the future."
Seeing her half-understanding, Xuan Ye smiled and said, "What do I like about you? Why do you still don't understand when you say this?"
Lan Qi showed her arrogance and said unconvincingly: "I understand, although I understand it a little late. As long as I don't hurt others and don't be arrogant and unreasonable, it's fine. Otherwise, if you don't take care of your dignity, then it's fine."
Things like that will still happen, and Huan Chun and the others will still suffer, right?"
Xuan Ye patted her forehead and said with a sigh of relief: "I have spoiled you rotten. I should have thrown you into the harem and struggled around for a few years until you were injured all over, so that you could wear a suit of armor to protect you."
Myself." But looking at the person in front of me, I felt really soft in my heart, and I laughed at myself helplessly, "I just don't want to do anything. I would rather protect you with all my efforts, no matter how troublesome it is."
Lan Qi finally smiled. She didn't know how many years this kind of care would last, but she was greedy for everything in front of her. Just like Xuan Ye said why she had to live a low-key and humble life, why didn't she enjoy Xuan Ye's love and care?
She fell into the emperor's arms and gradually felt at ease under his caress.
Soon after, everyone in Huanchun returned from the Shenxing Division. From her down, there were jade sunflowers, fragrant moon, green beads, purple jade, and a few more palace maids and eunuchs in the small kitchen. More than a dozen people were taken there, and they all ate in these days.
After suffering enough, the emperor even scolded her a few words with a cold face, saying that they deserved to be punished for not serving their master wholeheartedly. After that, he left Lan Qi to deal with it on her own and gave her a few more words before leaving.
As soon as the emperor left, a few girls dared to cry. Xiangyue even came over and cried beside Lan Qi's bed, saying that she had been beaten so many times that she couldn't even sit on her butt. But Lu Zhu said from the side: "Master, don't listen.
She's talking nonsense, she cries like a ghost when she's beaten, and makes those eunuchs upset, so they don't beat her that much, just a few of us." She shed tears while talking, crying and laughing at the same time, which made Lan Qi feel extremely distressed.
He was not in a hurry to ask questions, and quickly sent them to wash up and rest. When Huan Chun came back after cleaning up, he wanted to say a word to his master. She pulled her to sit on the bed together. Since there were no outsiders, Huan Chun didn't have the strength to be stubborn.
They snuggled together obediently. Lan Qi groped her arms and shoulders and asked worriedly: "They beat you too, right? Show me and I'll ask the doctor to give you medicine."
Huan Chun smiled weakly: "How can I earn my respect in the palace these years? Xiangyue Luzhu and the others were beaten because of their tough words. I didn't get even a beat. It's just that I was tired of being there without seeing the light of day."
.”
"It's all my fault for harming you." Lan Qi said with tears in her eyes, but Huan Chun also cried and comforted her, "How could you say such a thing? If it was not a drug but a poison, then you would have just left.
The slaves don’t want to live anymore. You can stay well in the house, the soup and medicine all pass through the hands of the slaves, so it is naturally our responsibility.”
"In the final analysis, it's those people's fault." Lan Qi's crystal eyes flashed with sharp light, and her expression became serious and strong, "Don't even think about it, they don't want to bully me anymore."