"The autumn wind turns orchids into grass, and the desolation of the southern country has disappeared." [Title of Zheng Suo Nanlan]
In April of the fifth year of Jian'an in the Han Dynasty.
Weiyang Palace, Yeting.
As usual, the newly incorporated women must be drawn and presented to the public. What is different from the previous times is that in the past, the emperor had no intention of accepting concubines, so the drawings of the women were handed over to Empress Dong. Now the emperor wants to continue his heirs, and these pictures of the women are
Naturally, we have to restore the usual practice and leave everything to the emperor.
Therefore, the painters in charge of drawing did not dare to neglect. They lowered their heads to trace the shapes and looked at them intently. The girls were sitting or standing, wearing all kinds of beautiful clothes, and making movements that they thought were beautiful. They were as motionless as puppets and clay sculptures.
.
The only sound left in the studio was the rustling of the pen tip on the paper.
"Wu Cainv, Wu Cainv!" A painter said impatiently: "You look like this, I won't look good in my painting."
Wu Ran, who was sitting in the corner, was looking at a certain place sadly. Her eyes were full of sadness and sorrow. Ever since she learned that her uncle Wu Kuang died of miasma in Jiaozhou, the Wu family suddenly fell to the core. Where should the family go from now on?
, everyone was panicked for a while, especially Wu Ran.
Before entering the palace, her brother Wu Yi, who felt sorry for her, had promised her swornly: "You will stay in the palace safely for three years. After three years, if you are not favored, I will take you out of the palace and choose another wife."
"
Wu Ran originally only wanted to stay quietly in the palace for three years, but she didn't even stay for three months when she suddenly heard the news of Wu Kuang's death. The family was immediately in chaos because of this, and it was just a step away from her entering the palace.
Necessary leisure chess has reached this point, and even Wu Yi couldn't help but change his mind and sent a message to her: "Our family has no one to rely on, and we will have to rely on ourselves in the future."
'Relying on oneself' actually means 'relying on Wu Ran'. For example, her two brothers Wu Ban and Wu Yi will have a difficult time in the court without the care of their elders, and will become other people's pawns. Wu Ran actually knows very well in her heart.
After three years, I'm afraid I won't be able to leave the palace.
Because her family will try their best to maintain her relationship, just like now, even if she is listless when her portrait is being painted, a painter will take the initiative to remind her.
Wu Ran reluctantly cheered up, picked up a handkerchief and wiped the corners of her eyes. She was in a low mood now, not only because she had just lost a relative who had treated her well since childhood, but also because of her unfree destiny in the future.
The painter snorted softly and began to immerse himself in painting regardless of it. Having been reminded of this, the painter prided himself on being worthy of the money he received. Like other painters, no matter how distracted you are, they will not
Just a reminder!
"Stop painting for now. There is a happy event in the palace. Everyone comes out to receive the reward!" Zuo Cheng, a tall and thin man, came here with a group of people at some unknown time and called everyone out loudly.
Someone with keen eyes saw that what the visitor was holding was pieces of newly woven silk, and they immediately began to whisper excitedly. Some clever people pretended to be brave and asked: "Zuo Cheng, what happy event is today?"
"The noble lady of the Song Dynasty is pregnant!" Ye Ting Zuo Cheng said something earth-shattering. He looked sideways at the silks and gestured: "The country has edicts, and everyone in the palace has rewards. Why don't you thank me?"
So everyone present knelt down towards the front hall, bowed their heads and thanked him.
Wu Ran followed everyone's bows and knelt down in confusion, then stood up again. It was not until she received a heavy piece of silk in her hand that she finally came to her senses.
Song Du's pregnancy was indeed beyond people's expectations, but considering that she was favored by the emperor in the past and could be the first to become pregnant, it was not so difficult to accept.
This time there was no false alarm like last year when Princess Zhen entered the palace. After repeated diagnosis and treatment by the imperial physician, it was finally confirmed that she was nearly four months pregnant.
"I thought I was fat at first." Song Du touched his belly and smiled shyly.
"I sleep more than before." The emperor blamed him slightly, and said helplessly: "Don't you notice at all?"
"I've never given birth to a child." Song Du deliberately acted petty, but the emperor just accepted it, which made her feel that the life she was pregnant with had brought her even more unusual treatment.
Fushou, who came over to congratulate her for the first time, smiled helplessly. She looked around inside and out for a while, then suddenly pointed to a swing in the courtyard and said, "Tear this thing down first, lest you see what you are thinking."
It’s itchy and I can’t help but play with it.”
"That's what you said." The emperor agreed. He couldn't help but immediately asked Mushun to send someone to dismantle the swing.
"No!" Song Du couldn't help feeling aggrieved when he saw that the things he liked were pointed out by the emperor and Fu Shou, and then taken away by Mu Shun, Guo Cainu and others.
Fu Shou had no choice but to comfort her: "Just be patient and bear it for a while. It will be fine after the emperor's heir is born." After saying that, she couldn't help but reach out and touch Song Du's slightly bulging belly. If it was someone else,
, her mood may not be as calm as it is now, but the other party is Song Du, and Fu Shou can only be happy for the other party.
"I'll leave it to you to talk here. I have something to do in the announcement room. I'll come back later." The emperor stood up to leave. His eyes casually glanced at the palace maids brought by Fu Shou, and then looked at Fu Shou.
Shou said: "I know you have a good relationship. In the future, I will come with her to relieve her boredom when I have time. If there is anything missing, I can directly send someone to the Zhongzang Prefecture and ask them to ask for it."
"Jinnuo." Fu Shou stood up and bowed gracefully.
Song Du seemed a little unhappy that the emperor was leaving just a short time later. He sat on the couch without getting up. The emperor only smiled tolerantly, gave Guo Cainu a few words of advice, and left.
"What's wrong?" Fu Shou saw that Song Du was not in high spirits, and remembered the scene just now, so he simply took this opportunity to remind him: "Since you are pregnant with a child, you will be a mother in the future, so you must gradually become more steady in everything.
, you must not have the same childish temper as before. Especially when you are getting along with His Majesty, it is okay to act coquettishly, but you cannot go overboard, otherwise it will be disrespectful."
Song Duzheng stroked his belly with some novelty, and said without understanding: "But Your Majesty never said anything about me."
"That's because he dotes on you..." Fu Shou wanted to say that 'pampering' is often only temporary, but at this time, she suddenly couldn't say anything.
Fortunately, Song Du was not stupid. She lowered her head and looked at her belly covered with her palms, and whispered with infinite satisfaction in her tone: "Then let him always pamper me, wouldn't it be good?"
After listening to the doctor's advice, Guo Cainv put away all the food boxes in the house that contained sweet and greasy preserved fruits. There were several different styles, such as wine vessels used for decoration, and she added with a smile: "Your Majesty, you have
If you have an heir, if you give birth to a prince safely in the future, the country will only be more favored than before!"
After all the hard work, she finally got such a result. Guo Cainv was so satisfied that she felt a little carried away in front of Fu Shou.
Zhao Cainv snorted in displeasure and began to step forward to help Guo Cainv pack up her things. She first put the pipa that Song Du was so fond of into the brocade box, then stood up and looked around, found a suitable corner, and put the brocade box
I picked it up and wanted to put it in an open cupboard.
"Hey, hey!" Guo Cainv quickly caught a glimpse of the other party's action from the corner of her eye. She quickly put down the things in her hands and said urgently: "Don't touch the things there." She immediately closed the cupboard, as if she felt that she was overreacting.
, took the opportunity to snatch the brocade box from Zhao Cainu's arms, as if she treasured the pipa: "You don't know the place, so let me put it there."
Zhao Cainu felt a little confused and looked at the other party suspiciously.
"Why aren't these drinking utensils put together with the conch shell?" Song Du looked at the episode between the two and said with a blank expression: "It was the conch shell that was only used once last time. Why not put them all away?"
In that cupboard?"
"Drinking utensils cannot be placed in the palace." Fu Shou said with a gentle smile, and he was relieved invisibly: "I know you don't drink alcohol, but the smell of alcohol is not good for your health. Your Majesty will stay here at night from now on.
If you ask him to drink alcohol, you must not agree to it."
"Of course I know this." Song Du seemed to have remembered something, his cheeks turned red and he quietly lowered his head.
The news of Song Du's pregnancy quickly spread throughout Weiyang Palace, and it won't take long for it to spread throughout Chang'an. Everyone inside and outside the court will know that Ye Ting, who has been silent for several years, will finally cry out for a long time. Although they don't know it yet.
Gender, but the news of pregnancy is enough to make people extremely happy.
"Song Du's father, Song Hong, the doctor of Zhongsan, was worshiped as General Zuo Zhonglang and received generous rewards..." Chang Yu spoke with some trepidation in the Jiaofang Hall about the information he had learned.
"Rich?" Empress Dong suddenly snorted coldly. She held a golden walking stick tightly in her hand, her face turned pale, and she said coldly and sarcastically: "Is this considered rich? Has he worshiped the general?"
Chang Yu quickly followed her words and said: "Song Hong has no talent, and his temper is as loose as Song Du. How can he be a great general?"
Empress Dong's expression softened slightly.
Chang Yu breathed a sigh of relief and continued: "In fact, there is no need for your Highness to be too angry. Not to mention that it is not yet known whether Song Du is pregnant with a boy or a girl. Even if she is pregnant, who can ensure her safe delivery? Those powerful people
Yue Zhijia, is the reason for the decline in fertility just that she cannot conceive a child?"
Empress Dong's expression changed, and her gaze suddenly became dangerous. Chang Yu looked at her with expectation, as if she gave the order and the child Song Du was pregnant with would vanish into thin air.
"I cannot do such a thing." After a long time, Empress Dong gave up the dangerous idea and made this decision with difficulty: "The country is a wise and wise man, and he is not a gentle and benevolent king. Once discovered, you and I will be killed.
."
Chang Yu is also planning for Empress Dong. Now the Song Dynasty will threaten Empress Dong's status. As Empress Dong's confidant, she must consider it: "As long as this matter is prepared in detail..."
"No!" Empress Dong's tone was low, as if she was trying hard to suppress her impulse. She gave Chang Yu a sharp look and warned: "If you don't listen to my instructions and act without authorization, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
"Slave, please!" Chang Yu knelt down and said with a panicked look on his face.
The emperor wants to be a virtuous king and have a virtuous wife. I can't do that, I can't do that... Empress Dong was struggling in her heart. At this time, her heart was full of resentment, unwillingness and resentment. It was obviously her first
The emperor she got was obviously the one she spent the longest time with in bed, so why was it the Song Dynasty!
Didn't Ye Ting Ling say that at the end of last year, the emperor and the capital of Song Dynasty...how could all this happen so fast!
I thought that the Song Capital was the easiest one to deal with because it was a coquettish and innocent city. For a long time, Empress Dong had neglected the power of the Song Capital as her position had been consolidated. Now, Empress Dong was furious and unwilling to do so.
I believe that I have worked hard and my stomach is still silent, but the other party has obtained it so easily.
"There must be something hidden here!" Empress Dong speculated on Song Du with the greatest malice, trying to peel off the cocoon, but there was no clue at the moment.
"Get up." Empress Dong took a deep breath, finally overcoming the negative emotions that were almost beyond words, and returned to the solemn and solemn Empress Dong of Jiaofang Hall: "Tomorrow, you can choose some things from the palace and go to put on the incense yourself.
On behalf of the palace, I will reward the capital of Song Dynasty..."
"Your Highness..." Chang Yu looked at Empress Dong in surprise, and really didn't understand why she still showed generosity at this time.
Empress Dong immediately glanced at the other party, and then she changed into a kind and generous manner, without jealousy or jealousy: "What is in the belly of Lord Song is your Majesty's first imperial heir, and her body will be the whole of Yeting."
The most precious thing. No one can offend him. I am sending an order to the palace that if anything goes wrong, he will be killed immediately!"
This was a decision she made after much thought. Empress Dong saw it very clearly. Apart from Song Du, one of the concubines in the palace was Fu Shou, who had a good relationship with Song Du, and the other was Zhen Ji, who had just arrived. What if Song Du had something?
What's wrong, the first person to be suspected and have sufficient motives was Empress Dong herself!
Even though she hated it so much, she couldn't do such a stupid thing, let alone let others have this opportunity.
"Besides, you go to Pixiang Hall to greet me every day, and you don't need to bring anything to reward her." Empress Dong also deliberately reminded her at the end. She interrupted Chang Yu's attempt to raise objections and lowered her voice.
He said in a loud voice: "When you go to Pixiang Hall every day, you must secretly check carefully to see if there is any movement from Song Du or the people around her!"
Chang Yu's eyes flashed, he understood immediately and agreed immediately.
At this time, Ye Tingling was holding a bunch of scrolls outside the palace and asked to see him. Empress Dong didn't know what she meant. She only heard Ye Tingling say: "These drawings of women picking girls should have been handed over to the state for inspection, but the state said that it has no time to see them now."
, I will order my slaves to be handed over to Your Highness to make your own decision, and you can choose one or two people to be the 'palace servants'."
According to the Han family system, palace people do not refer to palace maids, but the title of first-level concubines below nobles and beauties. In fact, under palace people, there are also concubines of the emperor, but they have always been directly from the people.
There were a large number of Cainu selected into the palace, and the emperor did not want to have so many low-level concubines all at once. So at the beginning of his pro-government, Cainu was removed from the concubine hierarchy, and she was only used as a female palace official.
Empress Dong's suppressed annoyance finally came out after Ye Tingling sent the pictures and left. She pushed the pictures to the ground and said angrily: "What's the use of choosing so many!"
She completely forgot that she was the one who proposed to choose Nacai Nu.
Queen Guo, who came in with tea, happened to see this scene. Her expression did not change. She carefully avoided the pictures on the floor while walking and placed the tea on Queen Dong's desk.
Empress Dong seemed to want to have an attack, but when she saw that it was the tea that the emperor had praised so much, she gave up the idea in a flash.
Queen Guo knelt on the ground silently and picked up the drawings one by one and put them away. Chang Yu watched her finish, then walked over and grabbed the drawings, saying in a deep voice: "Go down."
"Jinnuo." Queen Guo saluted Queen Dong, lowered her head and retreated obediently.
Empress Dong drank tea at this time, her mood had calmed down, and she began to calmly prepare to look through a few drawings of Cai Nu.
Perhaps because the order was disrupted just now, the one placed in the first picture is a woman with a slightly sad look on her eyebrows and a quiet temperament.