In the pavilion facing the water in the Royal Garden, heavy gauze is rolled up, and you can clearly see the flower clusters outside the pavilion. Only crabapples and camellias are planted around the waterside pavilion. It is the season of blooming, and the flowers in full bloom in the garden are growing in layers.
together, like weaving
The brocade is so colorful that it overflows with beauty. The color is so bright that it looks like it has been artificially dyed. Surrounded by the bright sunshine, the brocade is as beautiful as a painting. I don’t know who put a brazier inside, which makes the whole pavilion warm.
of.
Xia Houshu followed the fragrance of crabapple flowers after school and picked a few flowers out of joy. Seeing the pavilion empty from a distance, she squatted beside it for a while. No one came, so she rubbed her hands and ran away.
He went in to warm up the fire and threw the crabapple flowers on the stone table.
This was Xia Houshu's first real visit to the Imperial Garden. The freshness and curiosity made her couldn't help but look around. Looking out from the waterfront pavilion, she could have a panoramic view of the surrounding scenery, not a single detail was missed.
Although she was still confused about leaving the palace in no time, she admired it carefully for a while. After admiring the beautiful scenery, she was so idle that she took out a book from the bookcase and flipped through a few pages.
In fact, she was not good at studying. In the past, at home, in addition to going to the private school on time, she spent more time practicing martial arts. Most of her usual homework was done by Yunxi for her. Unexpectedly, now she
I was forced to learn it again.
She didn't know whether it was because the charcoal fire was too warm, or because the place was too quiet, or because the blooming crabapples and camellias in the imperial garden had a hypnotic effect, but she soon began to doze off.
In a daze, she seemed to have a dream. In the dream, Xia Houyi came to greet the morning sun, waving to her with a smile as bright as the sun, and took her to explore the secret of her elder brother Xia Houyi. Together they walked through the mountains and rivers.
Heavy curtain, polished across the prairie,
Deep into the hinterland of Beiyuan, the light went from bright to dark. When she realized that there was another light passing through the thick haze, the light stung her eyes. Another smell came, washed away and lingered on the tip of her nose, peaceful and soothing.
The smell suddenly hits my heart.
Xia Houshu opened his eyes instantly and saw a flowing and elegant red-yellow figure behind the desk, more dazzling than the begonias in the garden, with a dragon-patterned jade pendant and a fragrant sachet hanging around his waist.
The emperor of Nanqi, whose surname was Dugu and whose given name was Che.
The mystery and calmness of his purple clothes faded away, and he wore a red and yellow uniform with twelve dragon coiled collars, which reflected his majesty as the king of a country.
Once, he told her that his name was Qinan.
"See your Majesty!" Xiahou Shu hurriedly bowed and saluted. He never expected to meet him here and see her like this.
No wonder there is a brazier placed in this pavilion for no reason.
Recalling what happened at Huguo Temple and the paddock, Xia Houshu was afraid. If she had known this, she should have stayed well in Yaoxueyuan. She would rather be annoyed to death by Princess Pingkang than be scared to death by the man in front of her.
"Let's get back together." Dugu Che said while flipping through the books on the desk that were blown by the wind.
That is a Book of Songs.
Although there were many kinds of books in the palace, there were only a few that Xia Houshu was interested in. Furthermore, due to the demeanor of a lady from a famous family, she was too embarrassed to borrow those so-called vulgar books to read.
Dugu Che shook his head and said, "Nanqi women seem to prefer this book, and I didn't expect you to do the same."
Xia Houshu couldn't understand whether he was a compliment or a disgrace, so he said modestly: "My daughter is just one of the thousands of ordinary women in Nanqi, so she is naturally unconventional."
After hearing this, Dugu Che raised his head and looked at her. There was no dignity in his eyes, but more of leisure. He chuckled and said, "You were not so gentle and obedient before."
You never said you were the Emperor of Nanqi before.
There was anger in Xia Houshu's eyes, thinking to himself, what does it matter to you whether I am gentle or not, and whether I am submissive or not? And now that I know you are the emperor, how can I not be respectful? How many lives do I have to live?
"Are you still used to these days in the palace?" Dugu Che asked again.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." Xiahou Shu said politely, "Everything is fine, my lady."
So what if I'm not used to it? Will you immediately agree to let me leave the palace and go home?
Dugu Che nodded and continued to read the "Book of Songs" with a calm expression as if there was no one else around.
Xia Houshu stood aside stupidly, at a loss. Should he stay or leave, that was the question.
A slight breeze carried the fragrance of flowers and lifted up her hair. If time was frozen at this moment, the scene would be beautiful.
"So His Majesty is here." From a distance, a beautiful lady in royal attire dressed in vermilion and embroidered with bright red peonies seemed to blend in with the blooming crabapples in the garden.
Just hearing this voice made Xia Houshu's scalp numb.
Concubine Yao walked slowly, wearing a jingle bell around her body. She bowed slightly to Dugu Che, and Fang Jiao said: "Why did your Majesty come here? It's so easy to find my concubine!"
As she spoke, she moved lightly with lotus steps and entered the Linshui Pavilion, bringing with her a strong fragrance of peonies. When her eyes followed Dugu Che's movements to the begonia flowers on the stone table, her face suddenly changed -
- She has been with Dugu Che for so many years, so she naturally knows that he does not have this leisurely will, so naturally there is someone else who picks flowers.
"Why is it you again?" Concubine Yao's eyebrows were almost knotted, her tone was full of anger, "Xia Houshu, you are so brave, you dare to pick flowers from the imperial garden!"
Xia Houshu was shocked. No one told her that flowers in the imperial garden could not be picked. Besides, she had seen Princess Pingkang asking people to pick camellias for a bath. Could it be that Princess Pingkang deliberately misled her?
Regardless of whether she was misled or not, she picked other people's flowers. And it was Concubine Yao who was looking for trouble, so she had to be cautious.
"My daughter has just entered the palace not long ago, and she didn't know that flowers in the imperial garden cannot be picked. I hope that the imperial concubine will forgive her." Xia Houshu quickly admitted his mistake.
"You mean those who don't know are not guilty?" Concubine Yao still frowned, "That's very good. If everyone in the palace is like you, is there any royal law?"
Didn't I just pick a few flowers? Why is it still online?
Xia Houshu didn't understand very much, but he already guessed that Concubine Yao wanted to take the opportunity to avenge her private revenge.
"Now that you have violated the palace rules, I have to punish you." Concubine Yao looked majestic, and then coldly ordered the palace people behind her, "Come here, pull me down and hit twenty big boards!"
Is this such a violation of the rules? Why do you always hit someone twenty times? A good person will lose half his life after twenty times!
"Wait a minute!" Xia Houshu stopped her and tried to explain, "Your Majesty, I don't know, otherwise I definitely wouldn't have picked it!"
Concubine Yao raised her eyebrows and said decisively: "Stop quibbling! I have always made clear rewards and punishments, and I will never tolerate this matter. I will not allow people to talk about my faults. Come on, pull it down!"
This happened so suddenly that Xiahou Shu knew he was in the wrong and couldn't find a suitable excuse to defend himself, so he turned to Dugu Che for help.
Dugu Che just looked at the book in his hand, as if he had found a treasure.
It's just an ordinary book, nothing more. As for that? But he is the king of a country, and she is just a little companion, so how can you expect the other party to intercede for you?
Just as the two palace ladies were about to come to visit Xia Houshu, a beauty in green palace clothes appeared outside the pavilion. She had a kind face and an elegant temperament. She stood outside the pavilion near the water and looked at this scene, feeling sad.
Her dark eyebrows also relaxed slightly.
"Wait a minute!" she said.
When Xia Houshu heard the sound and looked over, he was surprised in his heart. Although the marks left by the passage of time could not be concealed on the other person's body, looking at him from a distance, there was a kind of elegance that could only be seen from a distance.
Just as Xia Houshu was marveling at the admiration that was gradually rising in his heart, the beauty stopped in his tracks. It turned out that the palace officials who had gathered around her had already retreated and were standing on both sides, and they all saluted.
"See Your Majesty!" The beauty in green clothes was half-short, her skirt reached to the ground, as soft and beautiful as the swaying lake water, but still half-hearted with sadness.
"Get up." A voice so calm that it sent chills into one's heart suddenly cooled down the brightness in the garden.
Xia Houshu stared at Dugu Che blankly, full of doubts. It was said that the emperor was as gentle as jade, but how could he be so indifferent to his concubines?
Looking at the beauty in green, she bowed to Concubine Yao and said gracefully: "Sister, can I say a few words?"
After hearing this, Xia Houshu turned to look at Concubine Yao in surprise. She glanced coldly at the beauty in green and said impatiently: "Concubine Shu, what do you have to say?"
It turns out that she is Concubine Tong Shu, no wonder she is so beautiful and refined!
Xia Houshu was secretly amazed.
"I don't dare to give you advice, I just want to give my sister a suggestion." Concubine Tong Shu said, neither humble nor overbearing, "This girl must be Xiahou, the daughter of the Duke of Yue, who was summoned to the palace to study with the eldest princess a few days ago. It is understandable that she does not know the palace rules.
It turns out that if my sister punishes her according to the palace rules, I am afraid that she will make Duke Yue unhappy. In my opinion, it is better to punish her with a small punishment but with a big warning."
"My sister is really as meticulous as dust and considers everything. No wonder she is so pleased with His Majesty." Concubine Yao looked at Concubine Tong Shu with a sneer, "On the contrary, I cannot take the overall situation into consideration and am as heartless as a snake."
"Sister, you are serious." Concubine Tong Shu said with a smile, "Sister, I have no other intentions. I hope you don't think too much about it."
"Don't act in front of me, as if you are showing off how virtuous and virtuous you are." Concubine Yao said coldly, "Don't forget that I still have the final say in this harem!"
"That's what my sister said." Concubine Tong Shu said softly.
Xia Houshu looked in surprise at Dugu Che, who had been silently watching from the side. Logically speaking, when the two palaces were fighting, he should stand up and seek justice. But instead of doing this, he turned a deaf ear and allowed the two palaces to fight.
Then he acts as a gentleman on the sidelines and handles the dispute with the two princesses Yao Xueyuan and Shicui Pavilion in exactly the same way.
This is completely different from the image of him as a wise and powerful person in the rumors.
"Your Majesty." Concubine Yao turned to Duguche and complained, "Now even Concubine Shu dares to teach me a lesson. How can I establish my authority among the concubines and manage the harem in the future?"
Only then did Dugu Che look away from the book, turned around and said, "What Concubine Shu said is not completely unreasonable."
"Your Majesty." Concubine Yao did not expect to receive such a sentence. Her face suddenly darkened, and she glared at Concubine Shu fiercely.
Concubine Shu turned a blind eye and still smiled lightly.
"In my opinion, let's fine her one month's salary." Dugu Che suddenly said.
Xia Houshu receives a monthly salary of 2 taels of silver as usual, but right now she can't leave the palace. Apart from occasionally giving rewards to palace officials for their accommodating relationship, she usually has nowhere to spend the money. So this month's monthly salary is, to her,
It's nothing at all.
Concubine Yao knew that if she continued to make trouble, it would only make her more unreasonable, so she followed Dugu Che's wishes. Finally, she demonstratively said to Xia Houshu: "Xia Houshu, your majesty is speaking for you today. Please forgive me."
If you do it again this time, don’t blame me for being unkind!"
It was so sweet to say that even though she was fined a month's salary, she was asked to spare her.
It's one thing that she can't be used, it's another thing that she's been detained.
Although he was quite slanderous, Xia Houshu still expressed his gratitude on the surface: "My lord, thank you for your great kindness!"
At this time, a young palace maid ran in in a panic, bowed one by one and said: "Your Majesty, the young prince is crying non-stop. My master, please come and have a look."
