The Empress Dowager also mentioned to Xuan Ye what the Empress Dowager had said to Lan Qi. After all, it was the twelfth lunar month in a blink of an eye. As soon as the twelfth lunar month passed and spring began, there should at least be an explanation for the draft, even if there was no rush to return to the palace.
As a result, the Empress Dowager mentioned it so that the Emperor would keep it in mind and not be afraid of making too hasty a decision later.
Xuan Ye was actually not very happy. Speaking of Queen Hesheli's biological sister, she was still very young. Although she had reached the age of drafting, Xuan Ye didn't know how he would get along with her after she came. After all, the former queen had never
She doesn't seek anything for the family, and only helps and stays by his side wholeheartedly. But I don't know what will happen to this sister, and whether she can be as peaceful as Tong Bin.
"You and the Queen have a deep love. I know that the Queen is still in pain in your heart. For the sake of love, just show some favor to her." The Empress Dowager persuaded, "Those who are coming sooner or later should come earlier.
, we can still train her slowly. I heard that she is a frail girl at home, so she should not be much different."
Xuan Ye shook his head: "The same is true for a noble concubine in the boudoir."
Speaking of Concubine Wen, the Empress Dowager asked the emperor if he had seen any changes in her. She said that Concubine Wen had been living a good life in the past two months. She was also radiant when she came to pay her respects yesterday. She advised the emperor not to deliberately neglect her and not to treat others so easily.
My heart, which had become warm, became cold again.
"My grandson understands." Xuan Ye also has a sense of proportion in his heart. Many things are too much and too much is not enough. It would be a good thing if Concubine Wen's awakening lasts for a long time, but if she continues to behave as before, he will no longer have the patience.
As for the change in the imperial concubine, another person also found it incredible. On the way back to Beijing, Jue Chan was prepared to face the sick and nagging imperial concubine again, so he was surprised to see her in high spirits and thought about these two things.
What happened in a month could make her wake up.
At this time, the imperial concubine was in her room, listening to her talk about what she had experienced along the way. She heard that Jue Chan had not been near the emperor for a day. She was happy and regretful at the same time. Now she was a bit like her former self. In her words, Jue Chan
Then I found that she just became more beautiful and energetic, without much change in her personality. It is difficult to change a person's temperament, but it is always a good thing to see her become better than before.
Concubine Wen was curious about everything and asked again: "I heard that Concubine De followed the emperor to climb Mount Tai. I have never been to Mount Tai. Is it really difficult to climb? Even you haven't climbed it?"
Mrs. Juechan accompanied Tong Bin that day. Empress Tong Bin couldn't climb anymore. Of course she couldn't continue climbing alone. She didn't know whether she could finally reach the top. At least the scenery halfway up the mountain was pleasing to the eye, so there was nothing to regret.
However, the journey was tiring and Jue Chan was in urgent need of rest, so Concubine Wen pestered her for a long time. Finally, she was taken away by the cries of her tenth brother, and she could finally take a breath. She lay softly on the couch, and Xianghe couldn't bear it when she came in.
He stopped and said: "The imperial concubine is so good at grinding. I can't stand or sit outside. I'm really exhausted."
Master Juechan knew that she was working hard and told her to go down and rest. Suddenly she remembered something and called Xianghe to stop her and said: "Don't mention what happened in the garden of Zhizao Mansion in Suzhou to others. The imperial concubine is just asking you, so just pretend to be stupid."
"
Although Xianghe didn't understand what her master was afraid of, but it was about her being reckless and making a fool of herself in someone else's house. It was best that no one mentioned it to settle the matter, so she agreed, and then she was busy packing her things. Both master and servant were too tired to move.
The emperor's trip lasted for two full months. In addition, Nalan Rongruo had been away from home for more than half a year. Everyone in the family was used to him often leaving Beijing on orders, but Shen Wan might not be able to bear this. It was a day of few gatherings and many separations, so as soon as Rongruo arrived in the capital and explained the emperor's affairs, he rode his horse to his private residence.
He reined up his horse and stopped at the door of his house. He saw the sedan chair in the mansion parked in front of the door. Rongruo frowned and dismounted. The boy in front of the door came up to him and said, "Master, you are back. You have worked hard all the way. The young lady is sending the little one away." I’ll pick you up at the palace gate.”
"Is the young lady here?" Rong Ruo asked.
The boy replied: "I have been here for a long time. I know you are coming back today, so come here and wait with Miss Shen."
While listening, Rong Ruo walked inside. A girl had already announced her entrance, and the young lady came out to welcome her. Rong Ruo saw that she was wearing a robe in the color of clouds, brocade and red. She looked very rich and graceful. Shen Wan, who was in Dingding, was only wearing a simple blue and white coat. For some reason, such a huge difference made Rongruo feel unhappy for no reason.
Shen Wan was obviously not happy either. He had finally waited for Rong Ruo to come back and wanted to take care of him to rest and listen to him talk about his experiences along the way. But the young lady came early in the morning and even said to her with great righteousness: "I know Rong Ruo I will definitely come to see you first, but the old lady at home is not well, and my mother and children also miss her very much, so I came here to wait for him and take him back. You must be unhappy, just for Fusen's sake Come on, my mother has never come to make things difficult for you, so you should be grateful, right?"
The young lady is not a sharp-tongued person, but she is the wife of the royal family. She has a reputation and a strong reputation for speaking. She is a woman with no reputation and is raised in a private house. She will never be able to say such a thing in her life. She also thinks that it will be easy for Rongruo to come back today. Don't make it unpleasant and just endure it silently until this moment.
"E Niang guesses that you will come to see Miss Shen. You should take more care of her alone, but the old lady is not well and the children miss you too. E Niang asked me to wait for you so that I can take you home. "Rong Ruo, please sit down for a while and have a sip of tea before we leave. It's getting dark very quickly now, so we should go back early." The young lady said these words to her husband gently and generously. Naturally, she also made a plan in her heart. To be rejected, she came with her weak heart fully armed. No matter what Ron Ruo said, she would persist to the end. She even glanced at Shen Wan and said with a smile, "Miss Shen means the same thing, right?"
Shen Wan glanced at her indifferently, turned away and said emotionlessly: "Since the old lady is not well, Rong Ruo should go home first."
Rongruo responded calmly: "I understand."
Although he has been very busy in the past two months, seeing his cousin happily traveling with the team seemed to be the happiest and most relaxing time for him in a long time. He even forgot about his home in the capital, whether it was a big house or a private house. He is the one who should be free and clear, but he is trapped in a life where he cannot do as he pleases.
"You go first, I will come out soon and have a few words with Wan'er." Rong Ruo understood that if he persisted, he would only make everyone embarrassed. Shen Wan would not be happy anyway, so he would still Good going.
The young lady was overjoyed and urged him: "You come out early. I will wait for you in the sedan. I came in a big sedan. If you are tired, don't ride on the horse. We will go back together in the sedan."
Rong Ruo silently agreed, and the young lady said goodbye to Shen Wan and walked outside. Only after her figure disappeared, Rong Ruo asked Shen Wan: "Why are you dressed so plainly? Why don't you take the brocade I brought you back from Suzhou?" Come to tailor clothes?"
Shen Wan smiled bitterly: "How could I care about brocade and silk from Suzhou? You don't remember where I'm from. I've never worn brocade and satin less. I thought you would give me something else."
Rong Ruo was stunned and said hurriedly: "A pen, ink, paper and inkstone? I brought it back."
"There are also new poetry collections and essays, and..."
"I brought all these back, I know you like them." Rong Ruo said with a smile, but turned around and wanted to tell his servants to bring them, then he remembered that he came alone, and those luggage had probably been sent directly back to Nalan Mansion.
Shen Wan really smiled bitterly: "Don't talk about things, you can't come back either? Come on, the young lady is waiting for you outside. It will be embarrassing if you ask her to come in and urge her again. I have been watching her all day, and I am tired of it." very."
"Wan'er..."
"Come back when you are free. I can't afford to offend your family, otherwise they will take the child away again when they are angry." Shen Wan looked gloomy, smiled at Rong Ruo, then turned around and went in. Her son is looking for his mother-in-law.
Rong Ruoli stood there stunned for a long time, what happened? But Shen Wan didn't come out again, and a boy came outside to politely ask when the uncle was leaving. He finally smiled bitterly, saying that he was in a restricted life. How could there be anything he could control? He strode out the door without looking back. Shen Wan heard the noise in the room and bit her lip tightly in pain.
Outside the house, the young lady was waiting in front of the sedan. The people coming towards her were full of resentment and dust. Her heart sank, but she still tried her best to smile and said cheerfully: "Take the sedan, you have not lost anything during this journey." Are you riding a horse? Mother asked me to pick you up in a big sedan chair."
Rong Ruo was full of displeasure, but when he saw his wife's generous and peaceful smile, how could a man with such a temper like him say bad words to his wife? He just politely refused and said he didn't want to ride in the sedan, then he just rode on the horse and left. , the young lady hurriedly sat back in the sedan chair to follow her. For her, bringing her husband back smoothly was a win.
They walked a long way before Shen Wan came to the door alone. Only a few vague figures could be seen in the dim sky. She had never felt that Rong Ruo was so far away from her, but even today she was face to face and within arm's reach. She still felt that the gap between herself and Rongruo was getting deeper and wider. After all, he was a person in that noble world, and she, Shen Wan, could never enter that world.
A gust of wind passed by, and snow began to fall in the sky. Shen Wan shivered. A girl behind her brought a cloak and put it on her, and asked: "It's the twelfth lunar month, can you make wine this year?"
Shen Wan blurted out for no reason: "No more brewing, and no one will drink it if it is brewed."
After that, the wind got stronger and the snow got heavier. It seemed that they were afraid of disturbing the emperor's return to Beijing. This year's blizzard did not fall until the twelfth lunar month. Finally, the Forbidden City entered the twelfth lunar month in a vast white sky, and everyone who was tired from the journey fell asleep soundly. When I woke up after a night, I suddenly saw the world covered in silver, and my spirits were lifted.
Entering the twelfth lunar month, we have to be busy with the New Year's Eve. The same things are repeated every year. Concubine Rong has already started planning on her way back. Fortunately, Concubine Hui is not lazy and waits for her to come back to make arrangements. Everything that should be prepared has been prepared earlier. It has been spread out, and Concubine Rong will not be too hard after all.
Concubine Hui even went to Jingyang Palace to apologize for the incident where the eldest brother threw the third brother off his horse at the Jiangning campus. After all, they had been in love for more than ten years, and even if they were no longer as close as before, she did not want to do it for
Why do we misunderstand each other or even become enemies with each other?
Concubine Rong had the same idea in her mind. At that time, she told Lan Qi that it was fortunate that it was not the third elder brother who injured the eldest elder brother. It was not easy for her to maintain this relationship. Moreover, Concubine Rong had no backer behind her. Although the two palaces
Trust and years of experience are enough for her to gain a foothold in the harem, but without the network of Concubine Hui, she will lose a channel to know and control the affairs inside and outside the palace, which is not a good thing for her. Now Concubine Hui specially came to apologize,
How could she put up airs?
After explaining the affairs in the palace to each other, they talked about next year's draft. Concubine Hui has not received any news yet. Only one thing is clear, that is, Queen Hesheli's sister has also reached the age to enter the palace.
Concubine Rong lamented: "I was still a baby back then, and I will be entering the palace in the blink of an eye." Thinking of Queen Hesheli's kindness to them, Concubine Rong even said, "No matter what, the Queen is so kind to us, young lady
My sister has entered the palace, we should take better care of her."
Concubine Hui was also taken care of by the queen. At that time, everything was so simple. Except for Concubine Zhao, who was aloof and aloof, the relationship between the others was really like sisters. But when it came to her status, she twirled her fingers and said: "Either
Just put her in the imperial concubine position, or she would be the same as Tong Bin, but she is the queen's biological sister after all. Xiaoniu Hulu will be the concubine as soon as she enters the house. The emperor will not favor one or the other, but she is so young and placed directly in the imperial concubine position, and
It doesn’t make sense.”
Concubine Rong thought to herself, are you still thinking about the vacant imperial concubine seat? But she just said: "We didn't guess Tong Bin accurately at that time. We may not know what will happen this time. Let's see."
A few days later, the news of the draft gradually spread in the palace, and finally on the day of Laba, the emperor issued an order that the nobles of the Eight Banners would select beautiful girls of suitable age, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager would select them to stay in the palace in February next year.
On the day of Laba, Lan Qi was in charge of the Cining Palace, dealing with the people who were being welcomed. In the afternoon, she took a breather next to the Empress Dowager. The old man taught Yinzuo how to play chess freely. The child was jumping around every day, with needles on his buttocks.
He couldn't sit still, but he was fascinated by the game of chess, and he followed his great-grandmother in a quiet manner for a whole day.
The emperor came over in the evening, and his son proudly showed off that he could play chess. After that, he went to wait for his fourth brother to go to school.
After counting, she continued with her grandmother. Lan Qi brought tea and said with a smile: "The Queen Mother has been pestered by Yinzuo for a day, and the Emperor is not worried about it. He said that he should let the Queen Mother rest?"
But the Empress Dowager smiled: "Are you tired of feeling sorry for the Emperor? I have people pinching my back and beating my legs. Why are you tired?"
Speaking of joking, we stopped playing chess. The three of them got together for the first time since Shengjia returned to Beijing. Xuan Ye finally had the opportunity to tell his grandmother about Lan Qi's journey. The Empress Dowager and Su
Aunt Ma La was laughing from ear to ear, and Lan Qi was shy and anxious. It was obvious that the old man was happy and happy to make them smile.
But Xuan Ye not only remembered Lan Qi's jokes, but also talked about how dignified she was outside and how she made those sour and self-righteous Jiangnan scholars admire her. He also talked about the memorial ceremony of the Confucius Temple in Qufu, which was the first time for Xuan Ye
He praised Lan Qi in person and asked her curiously: "How do you know what's going on here?"
Lan Qi became very proud and said confidently: "Don't you remember, Your Majesty? In the past, when you bullied others, you gave me some esoteric and difficult books to read. I didn't keep the books given by the Emperor."
Gathering dust, even though the days have gotten longer and slower, I have read each book carefully. Before I went on this tour, I knew I was going to Qufu to hold a memorial ceremony, so I did my homework before going out, and my fourth brother always loved it along the way.
I listened to my concubine telling stories, and when I was free on the road, I read a lot of books."
"My Lan Qi is capable." The Empress Dowager was very happy and repeatedly praised her for being thoughtful and smart. But when it came to the private visit in private, she also told Xuan Ye, "If you have another chance to go out, don't go there alone."
If you leave it in a crowd, who knows what will happen, and it will be too late to regret it by then."
Only then did Xuan Ye know that Lan Qi had not lied to her. The emperor's grandmother had indeed given these instructions, but Xuan Ye did not have the courage to confirm with his grandmother whether he could ask flowers and questions about Liu. Lan Qi was also sure that the emperor would not ask the Queen Mother such questions.
Because of this, I dared to make up a random edict on that day.
After Xuan Ye and Lan Qi had left, the Empress Dowager said to Aunt Sumala in private: "In the past, the imperial concubine hated her so much and tortured her, but now she has surrendered. As for the funeral ceremony, the emperor
The imperial concubine still can't write the word "submit" in her heart? I always think about how she could be so cruel as to send the fourth elder brother to Chengqian Palace. Now I feel that it is probably fate and God is guiding her. "
Asked where the emperor had been resting in the past few days, he learned that he had gone to Xianfu Palace and nothing unpleasant happened. They all said that Concubine Wen had really changed her appearance, but the Empress Dowager told her mother-in-law
: "You still have to be more careful. It's easy to change a country but hard to change its nature."
As the night progressed, many of the lights in Xianfu Palace had been extinguished, and the side hall of Noble Lady Jue Chan had been darkened early. She seemed to have not recovered from the fatigue of the journey. She rarely went out these days. Noble Concubine Wen had no time to take care of her and called her every day.
I was very alert and prepared for the emperor's arrival at any time, but after a busy day and waiting all night, the emperor went to Yonghe Palace.
Dong Yun originally thought that his master should be disappointed and despaired again, but Concubine Wen calmly ordered: "Close the palace door and take a rest if you need to."
After washing and changing clothes, when Dongyun packed up and was about to put out the candle, he saw his master climbing on the kang in his pajamas, opening the locked box, and unpacking a paper bag layer by layer. There were many more things scattered in the paper bag.
Dongyun came over with a small paper bag holding a candle, and saw Concubine Wen opening one, and unfolding it revealed something as delicate as pearl powder.
"Empress, what is this?"
Dongyun asked, but Concubine Wen didn't answer. She opened her mouth and licked some and ate it. She frowned and seemed a little uncomfortable. Gradually, Dongyun saw that her face was getting redder and redder, her eyes were misty and tender, and her body was a little soft.
Can't sit still anymore.
"Mother, you?" Dongyun called her loudly in fright. Concubine Wen suddenly came back to her senses. She hurriedly packed up those things, threw herself on the window lattice and opened the window. The cold wind filled with snow particles and finally made her feel hot.
My body calmed down a bit.
"master?"
"Don't ask." Concubine Wen blew the cold wind. No expression on her face could be seen in the darkness, but she could only be heard saying, "You can't kill someone if you eat them."