Ping Guiren frowned and used his armor to pick up the lock on the box and opened the lid. Inside, there were two exquisite jade bottles lying on the red silk satin. He raised his hand and motioned to the palace maid to come get it. The palace maid pulled out the cork and placed it in the box.
He sniffed with the tip of his nose and replied: "It smells of roses." Seeing the noble man nodding, he took some silver hairpins and applied them on the back of his hands. After a long time, nothing happened. He touched them with his hands and said, "My hands are very slippery.
It doesn’t seem like something bad.”
Ping Guiren took it and looked at it carefully, smelled it again, and said to himself: "Concubine Hui must not dare to give me bad things. It's just that my uncle said that there are no well-meaning people in this palace.
You have to look at everything that comes in carefully." He put down the jade bottle, looked at the scar on his forehead in the mirror, and said nonchalantly, "Keep it, I won't use it anyway."
The palace maid quickly packed it up, but after thinking for a moment, she said: "Your Majesty, you have been resting in the house these days, but this is the first time someone has brought something. I know that Concubine Hui is a good old lady who has everything she wants in the palace. I think Changchun Palace must be interested."
I’m on good terms with my master.”
"Be on good terms with me?" Ping Guiren seemed disdainful and snorted, "I'm only a few years older than her son. It's good that she matches my sisters and doesn't feel at odds with each other. You want to be on good terms with me?"
The palace maid continued: "Master, there is no one in the palace who can speak to you. Although you disdain to associate with them, after all, you are still only a noble, and the ones in charge always have the final say on anything.
Wouldn't it be a good thing if there were one or two empresses to help? Just like what happened this time, Concubine De suppressed the situation by herself. If Concubine Hui, Concubine Yi and the others could say a few words from the side, Concubine De would not be the only one to dominate.
.”
Ping Guiren tapped his forehead lightly with his fingers as if he was thinking, and muttered for a long time: "She must have had her own intentions when she suddenly sent something, but she gave it generously and was not afraid of others' comments? Don't forget, she is giving birth.
The eldest brother is the only brother of our prince. How can he feel better if his younger brother takes over Gao Zhier? Maybe they plan it. Mingzhu and my uncle have always been sworn enemies. If I were on good terms with her in the palace, my uncle would be even more angry.
Yes? She must also have this thought. It is inevitable that we will not be friends with each other. I don’t know what other ideas I have, but I have to guard against her first."
The people around Mr. Ping Gui were full of bad ideas. After hearing what the master said, they said quietly: "The words that Master and Mingzhu are sworn enemies are just what the master or the slaves said in private. How dare the court openly say which one is the enemy?"
If there is any discord, don’t the ministers all have to work together to do errands for the emperor? So, if you and Concubine Hui can do the same and say unpleasant things, if anything happens to involve Changchun Palace in the future, it will be better than us
It’s better to suffer losses alone.”
"I was really pissed off that I didn't persuade Xianfu Palace to come in last time. Concubine Wen deserves to be in such a miserable state that she can't even make a movie about a little girl." Ping Guiren hummed angrily, "Let's take a look, look at Concubine Hui.
I mean, after that little bitch gives birth to the child, she won’t have anything to do with me anymore, so let’s see how I deal with her.”
The palace maid kept saying: "I heard that Zhang promised to be born in late September or early October. If the master stays up for a few more months, he will eventually deal with them."
Ping Guiren smiled with sharp and vicious eyes, nodded slightly and said: "If you can give birth to a child, you must also be able to support it. There are so many people working in the palace, who knows which hand is not important, right?"
Obviously Ping Guiren's scheme cannot allow Zhang to promise that the child in his belly will grow up in the future. According to the previous view of Jingyang Palace, Wan Changzai's twelfth elder brother was sent to the elder brother's house. Zhang promised that if he gave birth to a son
, she would definitely not stay in Jingyang Palace, but even if she was a princess, Ping Guiren would not allow her to live. She couldn't see Zhang being proud of her promise, and she couldn't see these lowly women being good, and the young people seemed to have been infected with the poison of the world.
With evil, her long and slender fingers are as white as awls. Anyone who touches them will draw blood to make her feel comfortable.
The scorching heat passed with the sound of cicadas. Speaking of the anniversary of the death of Sixth Elder Brother, the emperor was in Yonghe Palace after the court. He did not come out for the whole day, and did not go to Cining Palace to pay his respects. The two emperors and concubines were locked up.
The people in the palace were really curious about what they were doing here. After many inquiries, they found out that the two of them were just teasing the little princess by talking, writing or reading, and the emperor had been sleeping all afternoon, spending their time very normally.
One day later, some people were even curious that Concubine De would cry bitterly to gain sympathy from the emperor, but that day was obviously the death anniversary of the sixth prince, and it was said that Concubine De did not shed a single tear.
But whether Lan Qi shed tears is not allowed to be speculated and spied on by outsiders. She mourns her son's feelings, and she is not allowed to be used as a conversation piece after dinner. For the sake of Yin Zuo, she will no longer cry in front of others. As for shedding tears in front of Xuan Ye,
She was often amused by his one or two words. That day, Xuan Ye did everything she wanted, and even agreed to her request for him to take a nap. Such an emperor who was tireless and cherished time like gold, actually accompanied her
She had nothing to do all day long. She could just keep the affection, sweetness and warmth to herself and savor it slowly. There was no need to show it off everywhere, and it was not the turn of others to judge.
It was July in the blink of an eye, and there was a happy event in the palace at the beginning of July. The emperor decreed that the youngest daughter of Keer Kun, the Minister of Household Affairs, be given to the eldest brother as a blessing. The wedding will be completed in the spring of next year. Naturally, another thing will happen.
Choosing a house for the eldest brother outside the palace, one of the emperor's princes finally wanted to leave the palace and start his own family. People still remember that the young master was young and his assistant ministers were in power. In the blink of an eye, the emperor's son was about to start a family.
Counting them one by one, he captured the emperor, defeated the three feudal lords, and recovered Taiwan. Many major events have been accomplished in the year since the emperor was established. Although the Han people are still dissatisfied with the rule of the Manchus, it can be seen that the national destiny is becoming increasingly prosperous, the economy, agriculture and trade are prosperous, and as long as the people live a good life,
They gradually don't care who is in charge.
But it’s always cold at high places. The more you realize the achievements of governing a country and the hardships that go with it, the more you worry about losing it all one day. The thought of being prepared for danger in times of peace will naturally come out of your heart. For Xuan Ye
, right now, he cares about the dragon chair under his seat more than ever. Tightening the imperial power and consolidating the court are things that he must consider every day.
After the Hungry Ghost Festival, Cao Yin was ordered to go to the palace to meet the Holy Spirit. The emperor secretly talked with him in the study room of Qianqing Palace for a long time. Naturally, what he said was not enough for outsiders. After the death of Nalan Rongruo, Cao Yin was even more important to the emperor because he was
The Han people were not tolerated by the Manchus in the court, and were shamed by the Han people outside the court. It was rare to meet a close friend with such a big heart as Nalan Rongruo, but Rongruo died young and now he is the only one left.
Although he likes literature and poetry as much as Rongruo, as a Han Chinese, he is less sentimental about Spring and Autumn than Rongruo, a Manchu. In comparison, he is more suitable to be an official running errands for the emperor. The emperor also values this in him.
After Rong Ruo, he was gradually entrusted with important responsibilities.
When Cao Yin left Qianqing Palace, it was about to sunset. When he went out, he saw a soft sedan approaching. He knew which lady was in the palace, so Cao Yin had to wait nearby. Soon he heard the loud voice of children. He raised his head slightly and saw the setting sun. The beautiful woman got down from the sedan chair, and the child jumped under her knees, shouting: "Master Juechan, hurry up, hurry up."
In front of the door, Eunuch Liang came up to greet the 10th prince and the noble Lord Jue Chan. The noble concubine Jue Chan smiled gently and said, "The imperial concubine asked me to bring the 10th prince to greet the emperor, so I don't have to go in. The emperor is very busy with everything. , I would like to ask my father-in-law to report this. If the emperor sees the tenth elder brother, just bring the tenth elder brother in."
While he was talking, he looked up and saw Cao Yin in front of the door. His heart trembled and he quickly averted his eyes. Cao Yin bowed respectfully and did not dare to come forward. Eunuch Liang quickly went in to inform the emperor. Soon he was the emperor. After receiving the order, I came to bring Brother Ten in for a meeting. Mrs. Juechan stood calmly next to the sedan chair, surrounded by palace maids and eunuchs. She could not say anything to Cao Yin, and Cao Yin was not suitable to stay for a long time. After bowing and saluting , and left in a hurry.
There was a slight gust of wind as Cao Yin walked by, and the lapis lazuli tassels on Noble Jue Chan's bun swayed. She raised her hand to hold it, and the coldness of the tentacles made her suddenly wake up. She knew in her heart that she just glanced at Cao Yin, and her thoughts I don't know where to fly.
It has been a year since Rong Ruo left. She has never lit an incense stick or burned a piece of paper for him. Not even on the anniversary of his death in May, nor on the Ghost Festival a few days ago, she has never had any condolences. Some are just tears that outsiders can't see. Every bit of them is swallowed up in the stomach, and even Xiang He can't notice it.
The tenth brother came out not long after he entered. The emperor was very busy. It seemed that there were ministers waiting to receive the sign for the audience. However, when he came out, he grabbed a big grapefruit in his hand and showed it to Jue Chan happily: "Your Majesty, my Majesty. I play."
Eunuch Liang smiled at Jue Chan and said: "The Guanxi pomelo that came from Caigong was only sent to Cining Palace and Ningshou Palace. Before it could be distributed in the Sixth Palace, the emperor asked his servants to prepare two more. Please invite the nobles. Take it back and treat it to the imperial concubine, the emperor knows that the imperial concubine likes this bite."
Jue Chan was a knowledgeable person and asked, "Where do you get grapefruits at this time of year?"
Eunuch Liang really laughed: "It is exactly this year that there is something different. The local people rushed to send them to the emperor, saying that it was a sign of good harvest. They only paid a rare tribute of about ten. The six palaces were not evenly divided, so the emperor did not mention it. "
"Then I know what to say to the imperial concubine." Mrs. Juechan smiled happily and pulled the tenth brother to get on the sedan chair, but the tenth brother acted coquettishly and wanted to go for a stroll. The weather was cool and pleasant at the moment, and he had been lazy all summer. She also wanted to take a walk. The imperial concubine had arranged a sedan chair for her before going out, so she didn't have to be restrained when she went back now.
Jue Chan then ordered someone to take the other two grapefruits and follow him, leading the 10th prince back to Xianfu Palace. Xianfu Palace and Changchun Palace were both in the Sixth West Palace, and Changchun Palace was closer to Qianqing Palace. We must pass by him along the way, but no one paid attention to it. The group of people walked forward normally. The tenth prince was lively and active, holding the grapefruit in his arms and running from time to time. Mrs. Juechan stepped on the bottom of the flowerpot to keep up with him, just like mother and son. The chasing and playing made the tenth prince very unhappy.
It's just that the child's feet were unsteady and he was running happily. Suddenly he fell down hard. When he fell, he cried immediately and rolled on the ground and refused to get up. Master Juechan hurried over to hug him, patting and coaxing him, because he understood very well. My brother’s temperament made the child happy with just a few words. There were still big tears on his face, so he suddenly remembered and asked: “Where is my grapefruit?”
Jue Chan looked around to see where the grapefruit had gone. When he turned around, he suddenly saw a child standing not far away, holding a golden grapefruit in his hand. He must have rolled out of Brother Ten's arms.
.
"Eighth Elder Brother, it's time for us to leave." Bao Yun from Changchun Palace was talking and followed from behind. When he saw the Tenth Elder Brother and his group, he quickly came up to greet him. Juechan just nodded without saying anything, while Eighth Elder Brother praised him.
He came over with the grapefruit and handed it to Brother Ten with a smile, "Brother, your grapefruit is here, don't cry."
When the tenth elder brother saw his elder brother, he became more lively. He pulled the eighth elder brother and said, "Brother, how about we go play?"
The eighth elder brother smiled and said: "I want to go to Cining Palace to pay my respects to my great-grandmother. I can't play with you. Next time I will ask E Niang to take me to Xianfu Palace to find you, or..." He looked up at Jue
The noble Zen man smiled and said, "Let the noble man Jue Chan take you to the Changchun Palace."
The tenth elder brother responded loudly, and noble Juechan said to him: "Let's go. We don't want to delay my brother to pay his respects to my great-grandmother. Tenth elder brother, let's take a sedan. Your knee hurts from the fall."
After Bao Yun saluted Mr. Jue Chan, he also led his eighth brother away. Not far away, the child turned around to look at his younger brother and Mr. Jue Chan. When he saw them getting on the sedan, he turned back and waited until he followed Bao Yun away.
, suddenly asked her: "Is the tenth prince the child of noble Jue Chan?"
"Of course not. The tenth prince is the child of the imperial concubine. The noble concubine Jue Chan lives with the imperial concubine and often plays with the tenth prince." Bao Yun responded with a smile, and he actually remembered the eighth prince and the noble concubine Jue Chan.
Because of the relationship, no one in the Changchun Palace has mentioned the birth mother and adoptive mother so far, and even she doesn't care much about it.
"It's great that Lord Jue Chan can play with my younger brother." Ba Age said with a smile, "Eniang no longer plays with me. Eniang said that I have to go to the study and can't play anymore. Baoyun, if I study,
Okay, will you still let me play?"
"Of course you can play. Didn't my elder brother also say that he would take you to ride horses and shoot archery? That would be more interesting than playing."
"Baoyun, I heard my eldest brother say last time that the noble Jue Chan is my mother-in-law..."
The children's voices disappeared in the long palace road. Bao Yun suddenly stopped and looked down at the little child. The eighth prince looked at her calmly and said: "I understand, the fourth brother is the child of Empress De Fei.
, but he is also the child of the Imperial Concubine, so am I the same?"
"Eighth Brother, do you understand?"
"I understand the fourth brother's matter," the eighth elder brother replied, "but I don't quite understand myself. Baoyun, am I really the child of noble Jue Chan?"
Bao Yun was very confused and didn't know what to say. He could only ask first: "If I explain it to you, can you not mention it in front of the queen?"
Brother Ba nodded seriously: "I know this can't be said, otherwise the eldest brother wouldn't tell E Niang secretly. E Niang seems to be a little angry. I know I can't ask E Niang about this. Don't worry, Baoyun, I will do it myself."
It’s good to know.”
Bao Yun looked at the little elder brother with some surprise. They said that the minds of royal children grow up early, but is the eighth elder brother too early? I have always thought that this child is very good at reading. It is not so much that Concubine Hui is raising him.
, it would be better to say that he coaxed Concubine Hui to take care of him. At such a young age, he would never act coquettishly, and he could do anything to make Concubine Hui happy. And Concubine Hui was someone who couldn't understand, knowing that it was Ba'a.
My brother is smart. I once heard her murmuring inadvertently, as if she longed for her elder brother to be as good as his younger brother. He was clearly more than ten years younger than his younger brother.
Bao Yun then slowly told the child about the eighth elder brother, comforting him that it was not a big deal. There were too many similar things in the palace, just like the seventh elder brother and the twelfth elder brother were alone in the elder brother's house.
It's just a change of place and raised by nobler people.
But the eighth elder brother didn't seem to care about these words. He seemed to just want to know whether the elder brother's words were true. Then all the way to Cining Palace, Bao Yun only heard the eighth elder brother murmur: "But every time
When I met Mr. Jue Chan, she ignored me, as if she didn't recognize me."
This is not only the eighth prince's doubt, but also what everyone in the palace is surprised about. As the eighth prince's biological mother, Lord Jue Chan has never looked at the child from the beginning to the end, as if he was not born by her at all.
Everyone knows about the farce in Xianfu Palace back then. After so many years, now we can often see the nobleman Jue Chan leading the tenth prince to greet him everywhere. He is as close and harmonious as a mother and son. But every time he meets the eighth prince, he still feels
They are like strangers.
When the eighth elder brother came to Cining Palace, he caught up with the fourth elder brother who came back from the study. He came to pay his respects to his great-grandmother. The empress dowager had long since not seen the concubines in the harem except for festivals, but all her great-grandchildren were her sweethearts.
Honey, you will definitely meet anyone who comes. Now, the fourth elder brother and the eighth elder brother are standing in front of each other. They are the two most beautiful boys among the grandsons. The old man smiled happily and said to Yinzhen: "Next year, Yinzhen will also go to school.
It's time to go to the study, and the older brother should take good care of his younger brother."
However, Yinzhen was not very enthusiastic and just nodded in a muffled voice. Seeing him like this, the Empress Dowager suddenly thought that it might be because of Yinzuo. She felt sad for a while and stopped mentioning it. She asked the two children what they had done today and sent Su away.
Aunt Mara took them to wash their hands and come back to have snacks.
When the two turned around, they saw Concubine De coming in with the palace maid. She smiled sweetly and said to Yinzhen: "Today's lotus roots are very glutinous, even better than the ones the day before yesterday. If Wen Xian doesn't come to make trouble, grandma will be new."
The osmanthus honey has opened, you can dip it in and eat a few more pieces." He then asked Yinsu kindly, "Does the Eighth Prince like to eat lotus roots?"
"I like it." The little guy responded loudly and followed his brother to wash his hands. While waiting for the palace maid to bring him a basin, there was no one around. Yinhu suddenly pulled his brother and said, "Fourth brother, you know, I am not Concubine Hui.
The queen’s child.”
Yinzhen glanced at him indifferently, of course he knew. Several elder brothers in the study had already mentioned this matter, and the eldest elder brother also told them not to mention it in front of the eighth brother, but now that Yinzhen already knows,
He didn't care and said nonchalantly: "Like me, it doesn't matter. Lord Jue Chan is your biological mother. From now on, you should respect Lord Jue Chan more."
But Yinhu asked: "Fourth brother, can you call Concubine De, Empress Eniang?"
"Yes." Yinzhen didn't think twice, but he also understood that there seemed to be no chance to call E Niang, and he had always called his mother De Fei Niang. His mother was not unhappy, so he didn't want to change it deliberately.
Zhe'e Niang seems to care about these things. He used to be so afraid that he would leave her, so for E Niang's sake, he doesn't care about the title. Anyway, he has always liked his biological mother in his heart. To him, De Fei, whether he is his biological mother or not, is too late.
It doesn't matter, even if it's not for Yinzuo, I will definitely honor her in the future.
"Then next time I see Noble Jue Chan, I will call her E Niang. Will she just pay attention to me?"
Don’t even pay attention to me.”
"Then you'd better not..."
"Fourth brother, stop talking."
Before Yinzhen could answer anything, Yinzhen suddenly interrupted him. It turned out that a palace maid had brought a basin. He winked at his brother and signaled not to mention it in front of others. After washing his hands, he came to his great-grandmother.
Yinsu whispered to her brother again: "Fourth brother, please don't tell other people, okay? My mother-in-law doesn't know."
Yinzhen just nodded, and then the two brothers accompanied their great-grandmother to have snacks. Yinzhen was very good at making the Queen Mother happy, and Yinzhen occasionally found his words interesting. After the brothers left Cining Palace together, the Emperor
The Queen Mother then said to Lan Qi: "The two children were coaxed to eat a few more bites, so there is no need to prepare dinner."
Lan Qi didn't force it. The Empress Dowager was eating less and less now. As she got older, it was better to eat less and more delicately. So she stood with her under the eaves and talked. The Empress Dowager held a crutch with one hand and leaned half of it on Lan Qi.
, the old man is getting thinner and thinner, Lan Qi can still support her body, and occasionally feels sad. She still remembers the appearance of the Queen Mother back then. It would be great if the Queen Mother could always be so energetic.
"Can you see what changes happened to Yinzhen after Yizuo passed away?" The Queen Mother asked in the silence. The last golden ray of sunset gradually dispersed from Cining Palace, and the sky gradually darkened. The old man's
His expression was also a little sad, and he said solemnly, "Looking at the way he treated the eighth elder brother today, and they told me some things about the child in the study room, this child is not as enthusiastic about his brother now as before."
Lan Qi actually heard about it, but she was not always by Yinzhen's side. She didn't see many things, so she didn't dare to think about it. She even had a slight feeling that this was not a big deal.
"It is normal for children to have different personalities. However, if he is indifferent to his brothers in the future, he will be criticized by others. You and the imperial concubine should be more careful. If he does not want to be close to his brothers by nature, he will be misunderstood by others as being aloof.
It's not good to be arrogant. Even if you pretend to be enthusiastic, as princes, they can't help themselves. It is also their responsibility to maintain the harmony of the royal family." The Queen Mother said these words in one breath, as if she was tired.
, and finally said lazily, "Help me in."
Lan Qi's heart felt heavy after hearing this. While helping the old man to enter, she recalled Yinzhen's performance just now. Suddenly, the strength in her hand sank. Just as she was crossing the threshold, the body of the Empress Dowager fell down, and people around her were crowding around her.
He came over to help, and hurriedly carried the Empress Dowager back to the couch. After sitting down, the old man smiled weakly and indifferently: "Don't make a fuss, you just didn't pay attention to your feet. Don't scare the emperor."