Chapter 7 Chapter Seven Spring Cherry Blossoms (Part 2)

Yan Wan followed the palace people back to Qixiang Palace, she was trembling and didn't know what to do, but she saw Yu Yan slowly walked into the Nuan Pavilion and sat down, and told Li Xin, "Take Ying'er and change into clothes before coming up." Li Xin hurriedly agreed to go.When she came back again, Yan Wan had already changed into the clothes of a low-ranking palace official in Qixiang Palace, she was wearing the most common bun, and even removed all the velvet decorations on her head, and tied it tightly with a red string.Yan Wan looked at a loss, Li Xin took on the attitude of a maid in charge, and shouted proudly: "You still don't kneel down when you see your empress?"

Yan Wan was so frightened that her knees gave way, she hurriedly knelt down and said, "Slave maid Wei Ying'er, send my regards to Concubine Jia." Yuyan was reclining on the couch, the lake-colored soft velvet concubine couch, she was more and more beautiful in the rose purple dress, like a soft flower vine, charming and graceful.Yuyan picked up a cherry and ate it, and smiled contemptuously: "You are so cute, you like your new name so soon. Do you know why the empress named you Ying'er?" Yan Wan timidly shook her head: "This servant is ignorant, but this servant does not know."

Yuyan straightened up lazily, and said softly: "You! It's not wrong to send flowers today, and it's not wrong to send pots of Yao Huang. But the most wrong thing is your face, eyes and chin look so similar to Concubine Xian Tsk tsk tsk, tell me you don't make people hate you." Yan Wan's eyes were so frightened that she kowtowed and said, "Your servant deserves to die, my servant deserves to die." Yuyan chuckled: "Damn it, that's not necessarily the case. If you are willing to goug your own eyes and shave your chin, maybe the Empress will let you go back to work as an errand in the conservatory when the Empress is in a good mood. Since you look so much like her , her former name was Qingying, so your name is Ying'er, isn't it very appropriate?"

Yan Wan knelt down in a daze, trembling all over with fright: "My lady forgive me, my lady forgive me." Yuyan took a full view of Yan Wan's fear with great interest, and took a bright red peony flower from the white jade flower cup, tore it up petal by petal, and scattered the petals all over the ground. "I know you can't bear to part with your foxy face. That's right, if you want to disfigure your face, how can I have fun with you. After all, you still have to thank me. If it falls into the hands of Concubine Hui, Concubine Hui will I hate Concubine Xian for being like that, it would be strange if you didn't scald your face with a stove of hot incense ash."

Yuyan raised her face, Li Xin understood, twisted Yan Wan's ears and said forcefully: "From now on, you are from Qixiang Palace. These two slaps are to tell you that it is not thoughtful to serve your mother well. You will suffer." There was a sharp coldness on Yuyan's delicate and beautiful face, she suddenly sniffed lightly and said: "Today's incense burnt well, is it Su Hexiang?" Li Xin hurriedly smiled and said: "Yes. The young master burned half an hour before returning to the palace." Yuyan's beaded embroidered shoes of emerald green jade white satin lightly touched the ground, a hint of slyness flashed in her eyes: "The fragrance smells good, but it's just placed far away, and the smell is faint. Yinger," she looked at Yan Wan, much more With a hint of narrow playfulness, "You hold that little incense burner in front of Ben Gong."

Yan Wan hastily put away her tears and fear, and graciously brought the copper elephant cauldron to the table next to Yuyan, and put it down quickly when it was so hot, she quietly rubbed her hands behind her back. Yuyan shook her head displeased: "Who told you to put it down. Put it on the case table to block Ben Gong's sight. Just kneel here, use your own hand as an incense table, and hold that incense burner to serve Ben Gong." Yan Wan wanted to explain something, but when she looked up and saw Yu Yan's expression was as gloomy as the sky, she had to hold back the tears she wanted to burst out of her eyes, and put the incense burner high on her head.Yuyan glanced at Lixin, and yawned coquettishly: "I am very tired, so go in and take a nap. Remember, I will let Yinger take care of you like this from now on. Lixin, you should also teach her well. "After that, Yuyan left Lixin to look at Yanwan outside, twisted her waist like a willow branch, and went to the sleeping hall.

Since Li Xin was away, Zhen Shu came in to serve her.Zhenshu was originally Yuyan's dowry from Li Dynasty, and she was the most confidant and close person.Yuyan didn't like that her dowry was as busy as an ordinary court lady, and she lost her status. She was only allowed to spend some leisure time in the Qixiang Palace, holding the key to the small storehouse, and managing the valuables bestowed by the emperor.At this moment, Zhenshu saw Yuyan was alone, so she silently waited for her to change her clothes and lie down, and then asked in a low voice: "It's not interesting for the young master to torture a little girl like this. It makes people feel that the young master listens to the queen's orders, And I can't hold back my temper."

Yuyan leaned on the soft pillow, sneered, and the silver tassel and jade leaf earrings slipped from her ears, trembling slightly: "Sharp teeth, sharp mouth, uncontrollable temper, and clinging to the queen? Don't people outside always look at me like that?" Is it? It would be a good thing if you think so too." Zhenshu frowned, and said puzzledly: "Now the empress has no children under her knees, and she loves our fourth elder brother. Could it be that the young master is planning this way for the fourth elder brother to have a good future?" The corners of Yuyan's lips curled up in a cold arc, and she said lazily: "The queen's Yonglian is gone, so I can't help but feel anxious, and I also shy away from the age of the pure concubine Yongzhang, so naturally I can't help but plan on my Yongxuan. It's good to have someone to depend on. It's just that other people don't know her, don't I know? She desperately wants to have a son of her own, and right now she's just keeping Yongxuan as a later one. I just obey her Temper." She glanced outside the dormitory, and Li Xin's scolding came faintly, Yu Yan stretched her arms coquettishly, and said lazily, "Otherwise, what would I do with that girl as a raft? Girl, I can't get angry because of my face, so I just lend my hand. The more I torture that girl, the queen will think that I hate Concubine Xian and cling to her more."

Zhen Shu covered her mouth with a smile and said, "What did the servant say, what did the young master spend so much effort on, it turned out to be for the queen. Speaking of these days, the empress is really trying to win over the young master?" Yuyan slightly parted her red lips, her sneer sounded like ice beads falling into the jade plate, cold and brittle and piercing: "After so many years of being a little fuzz, she naturally believes in me more than other people! It's just that I'm not of my race. Their hearts must be different! They look at me that way, so why don’t I look at them that way? These people in the palace greet each other with smiles, but only they know how filthy their hearts are. Now they hold Tuan’er tightly, but However, if it is beneficial, it will be handed over, and if the profit is exhausted, it will be lost. What kind of true feelings do you have? Look at Concubine Hui, that idiot beauty, who has been clinging to the queen for the past few years. It's just taking her as a scapegoat, and by the way, becoming the Queen's favor."

Zhenshu was extremely dissatisfied: "At the beginning, the young master married Concubine Xian and Concubine Hui a few days after they entered the mansion. But a few days later, her status is a head shorter than them." She suddenly smiled triumphantly, "Then At that time, the two of them were the most favored, and Concubine Hui was named as the side Fujin from Gege. The emperor only had them in his eyes, so he didn't bother to come and see the young master. Even the empress of Fujin was left out in the cold, and we almost disappeared A place to stand on. Fortunately, the young master has an idea. Seeing that An Nanguo sent an exquisite emerald bead and silk red gold lotus bracelet, he came up with the idea of ​​stealing the sky and winning the favor of the empress. Otherwise, it is so easy to be scared every step of the way these years. gone."

Yuyan's face was already radiant and radiant, but now it contained a bit of hostility, and it also had a strange and unspeakable feminine beauty: "Nowadays, it seems that Concubine Xian is not easy to get along with. That's right. I'm alone in this palace, I don't trust anyone, I don't rely on anyone!" Zhenshu said calmly: "Young master is right. We have endured for so many years, and now the elder brother has no mother, the second elder brother Fu Bo is gone, and the third elder brother is not liked by the emperor. It should be our fourth elder brother's turn anyway." Brother. Besides, in this palace, when it comes to favored family members, apart from Hui Guifei a few years ago, she is the young master." Yuyan caressed her face, as if she was touching a rare treasure: "I was born with such a beautiful face, and it was not for nothing." She lowered her eyelids, and her thick eyelashes covered her as white as jade On his face, like a misty shadow of mountains and haze, curling and quiet.There was gentle melancholy in her tone, as if she was telling a sweet dream: "If I hadn't been a daughter of the clan, with this face and my background, I would definitely marry Li Chao My son. Although my son does not have such a handsome face as the emperor, he is so gentle and beautiful when he smiles." She closed her eyes, as if immersed in the most beautiful dream, and murmured like a baby swallow, "Since I entered the palace at the age of thirteen to meet you Queen, the day I first met Shizi, I was moved by his smile. I have never seen such a gentle smile. When he looked at me, it seemed like all the stars in the sky were pouring down on me. .On that day, I received more rewards than the daughters of nobles who accompanied me. Even in the days that followed, there were always gifts from the palace delivered to my home. Even my father hinted to me that the prince was very kind to me. I have a good impression, as long as I work hard to cultivate female virtues, one day I will enter the court and become the prince's concubine." Zhenshu sighed lowly: "Yes. The young master's grandmother is the cousin of the Great Concubine Wang, and she was born in the noble Jin family. Although the prince already had a concubine at that time, the young master became a concubine after entering the womb, and the prince succeeded to the throne. It is also expected that she will be named a first-class concubine as a queen." A drop of crystal water appeared from the corner of Yuyan's eyes: "But many things in life are often unexpected. When I decided to marry me to the Qing Dynasty to serve as the prince's concubine, even I couldn't believe it. I don't want to Leaving the homeland where I was born and raised for more than ten years, I was unwilling to leave my father and mother, but I could not disobey the will of the palace, so I could only wash my face with tears every day. It was not until two days later that I was ordered to enter the palace to bid farewell to the queen. When it comes to Shizi, I really want to ask him why he is willing to let me marry to a distant foreign country, why he once smiled at me like that, is it all just me being sentimental? But when I see Shizi’s eyes, I don’t know anything I can’t ask anymore. His eyes are full of tears, he is so sad. He told me that Li Chao, as a vassal state, must rely on the weakness and pain of Shangbang for everything. If he wants to get rid of this pain, he must let Shangbang give us More. He said, my beauty should not be trapped in the narrow palace of the Li Dynasty, but should bloom in a foreign land to gain our own glory." A trace of struggling pain flashed on her beautiful face, "I looked into Shizi's eyes, and I couldn't say anything. Like a demon, I firmly remembered every word he said, and brought it here. Every day I live, I open my eyes. Before the eyes, I will always think of these words that the son said." Zhen Shu lowered her head and said sadly: "Your servant has seen all the hardships of the young master these years." Yuyan's crystal-clear and beautiful eyes opened instantly, the sadness on her face was like rain evaporated by the scorching sun, and there was no trace of existence in a blink of an eye.She stretched out her hand to wipe away a teardrop on her cheeks without hesitation, and said coldly: "I bear Li Chao's trust and expectations, and I come here to fight for the glory of me and my mother's family. The little nobleman in the palace has been trying to win the emperor's favor bit by bit, not for anything else, just hope that he will not let down the prince, and don't let down the noble blood of the Li Dynasty flowing in me. There is Fucha One day, although I dare not extravagantly ask for the queen's honor, but if my child can become the future of the Qing Dynasty, then our Li Dynasty can get rid of the humbleness of the subordinate country." Zhenshu lowered her head, and said in a sincere and sincere voice: "Your master's will, the slaves understand. The slaves will definitely do their best to be loyal to the young master and Li Chao." Since then, Yan Wan's life has never been easier.During the day, I have to wash clothes for the maids of Qixiang Palace, and I can't stop for a moment.In the evening, she has to serve Yuyan to wash her feet.On the days when Yuyan didn't have to go to bed, she still had to kneel in front of Yuyan, holding a candle as a human candlestick, and let the hot candle oil drop by drop on her hands, scalding her flesh and burning her heart. But on that day when Luyun came to Yuyan Palace to gossip, seeing Yan Wan kneeling on the ground as an incense table, she looked down on her a little, and said: "So this girl is here to work in your palace." Gossiping among the concubines At most, Yuyan knew that the emperor had favored Yan Wan once she came and went.Yuyan is narrow-minded, how can she still have a good face for her? Originally, it was just a hard job, but food and clothing were fine, but gradually even the little maids of Qixiang Palace dared to beat and scold her at will, and the food was just leftovers Even if he wanted to see Ling Yunche to complain, he had no time to spare, but he was just taking his life and suffering day by day in Qixiang Palace. Ever since Yan Wan entered Changchun Palace, no one mentioned her whereabouts anymore.Ling Yunche asked again and again, but he was just a small guard working in Kunning Palace, and he couldn't leave normally, and he couldn't do anything to inquire about the East and West Six Palaces, and he couldn't get any news about Yanwan. On this day, Yun Che followed the eunuchs to the clothes washing bureau to get the clothes of the guards of Kunning Palace, so he caught a glimpse of Yan Wan from afar, and wanted to catch up and ask, but in the clothes washing bureau, all the palaces came to collect or wash clothes The maid in the clothes, how can he be allowed to approach.After finally inquiring about it, I found out that she is now working as an errand in Qixiang Palace. As soon as he was free, Yun Che took the opportunity to send the Shaman of Kunning Palace out of the palace, and turned outside the gate of Qixiang Palace, and sure enough, he saw Yan Wan.The palace was strictly forbidden, and there were so many guards outside Qixiang Palace, how could he get close.But he didn't have to get close, he could still see Yan Wan's thin and haggard face and hands full of scars.Yan Wan walked with a few court ladies, and when she saw Yun Che, she didn't dare to cry, let alone take a second look, she just wept silently, lifted her clothes and stretched out her arms, revealing her arms that were all beaten and injured.It just so happened that the maid in front turned her head and yelled a few times, then stretched out her hand and twisted her shoulder.Yan Wan was so frightened that she lowered her eyebrows and left quickly. Yun Che saw Yan Wan suffering with his own eyes, how could he bear this.After much deliberation, taking advantage of the opportunity on the 15th day when the queen brought the concubines into the Kunning Palace to offer incense, she gritted her teeth and told the heart of Ruyi. Ruyi was coaxing Fifth Elder Brother when she heard the news, she frowned and said, "What do you think the people in Qixiang Palace call her?" Tong Xin said: "Guard Ling said that everyone calls her Ying'er." "Ying'er?" A sneer appeared on Ruyi's face, "Why do you go to Qixiang Palace even if you are so good, and you are insulted by them like this, then it is aimed at me. Since it is aimed at me, don't you think You can't just stand by and watch. Just let Ling Yunche wait with peace of mind. Since Jin Yuyan likes to torture Ying'er, she will definitely not let her be too seriously injured or die. I will find a chance and see if I can save her. First rescue." The so-called opportunity soon arrived.That day was the Dragon Boat Festival in May, and most of the palace bathed in bluegrass soup, hung mugwort leaves and calamus, ate rice dumplings, white meat and salted duck eggs, drank realgar wine, and wore five poisonous sachets made of five-color silk threads for good luck and peace. In the afternoon, the concubines gathered in the queen's palace to receive the five poison sachets made by the queen herself. The queen watched Su Xin hand over the sachets to the concubine one by one, and said with a smile: "This sachet contains realgar, mugwort leaves and various fragrant medicines, which can repel mosquitoes and ward off evil spirits. One for each of you, and one for the children. Wearing it can be regarded as a little bit of my heart." With the most children under her knees, Lu Yun hurriedly got up and said with a smile: "Every year, the empress of the Dragon Boat Festival personally makes a sachet for the concubines in the palace. The concubines are grateful for the kindness of the empress." The queen smiled and said: "Concubine Chun is very polite. My palace wishes for you only once a year at the Dragon Boat Festival. If you like it, just keep it well." After finishing speaking, she ordered the palace servants to serve five poisonous cakes. The so-called "five poisonous cakes" are cakes decorated with patterns of five poisonous insects.In fact, it is just to make imprints of the "five poisons" of toad, scorpion, spider, centipede and snake on the rose cake, and cover it on the puff pastry. It is also fun to eat. Seeing that everyone was there, Yuyan wanted to shame Ruyi, and called out, "Ying'er!" Yan Wan timidly stepped forward, stood behind Yuyan in a regular manner, took the five poisonous cakes handed over by the palace people, knelt down and walked to Yuyan, raised the plate high and said: "I respectfully invite you to use the five poisonous cakes." Poison Cake." Rui Ji wondered: "What kind of rule is this? We don't know." Yuyan smiled and said: "Concubine Mei doesn't know something, this is called human kneeling. Ying'er is a stupid girl, but she has one advantage, she can bear everything. When I want to smell the incense, she is holding the incense burner An incense table; when I want to read a book, she is a candle holder holding a candle. There are also various benefits, next time I will show you all the new ones." Yi Huan said with a cold face: "Concubine Jia is from Li Chao, this is probably the only rule of Li Chao. We don't make troubles like this here." Yuyan didn't take it seriously, took a piece of Wudu cake and ate it: "Look at how well she holds it. A slave is born to serve others, so why is serving not a servant?" She looked at Ruyi and said, "Concubine Xian, you Say it?" Ruyi's smile was peaceful and peaceful, but it was Hailan who said: "I remember that this girl once served the elder brother in the Pure Concubine Palace, how can she do this job now? The maid in the palace After all, we are all from the Eight Banners, the emperor has always been the most lenient one, if you know, it will not be very good." Yuyan raised the corners of her mouth as a smile: "Concubine Yu is really too careful. What's wrong with the maids serving the master, it's worth talking about? And Ying'er is not serving the emperor, so what's the matter." She stared at Yan Wan said, "Ying'er, I didn't force you, it was all voluntary." How could Yan Wan dare to say "no", she hurriedly said: "Ying'er is a slave, she was born to serve her master." Yuyan pointed at her and sneered: "Ying'er, Ying'er, you have a small cherry mouth, and you can answer things neatly. It looks like our Concubine Xian usually talks. Looking closely, you have a few similarities with Concubine Xian. Very similar." When Ruyi heard her pointing at herself, she also smiled and said, "Just because of the resemblance, does Concubine Jia like Ying'er to serve you so much? I remember that Ying'er was originally a conservatory maid named Yan Wan. How did she come to be with my sister?" , the name has changed, and the job of serving has also changed?" Yuyan put down the five poisonous cakes in her hand and said: "Sister Concubine Xian is being overwhelmed. I just like her small cherry mouth, so I'm called Ying'er. It's not because my sister's former boudoir was named Qingying." Ruyi raised the corners of her lips indifferently: "It's natural. The Queen Mother personally named me Ruyi, who doesn't know. If you make a joke of this, it's really petty. It's just that Concubine Jia said that the girl looks good. If you look a bit like me, I will ask my sister for favors and let her go with me, how about it?" Yuyan called out "Oh my goodness" and said: "How can it be done! Not to mention that I can't leave this girl for a while, I just gave it to my sister. As soon as the emperor stepped into the gate of Yikun Palace, I got confused and pulled the wrong person, but what better, it's better to stay by my side." The queen watched with cold eyes, and said with a gentle look: "It's just a little maid, if Concubine Xian likes it, I will ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs to pick one for you." Ruyi and Hailan looked at each other, knowing that there was nothing they could do, they fell silent. After dispersing from the Queen's Palace, Ruyi and Hailan came out hand in hand, Ruyi frowned slightly, her face was rather desolate, and said, "Seeing Jin Yuyan making fun of Yinger and insulting her like this, I don't know why Yes, I always feel a little uncomfortable." Hailan persuaded: "It's no wonder that girl is somewhat similar to my sister. But I still advise my sister, don't try to save her. Once my sister opened her mouth, Concubine Jia refused to let go. It's better to wait for her." I was tired of it, and I felt bored, so I let go; secondly..." Hailan pondered slightly, "I have seen with my own eyes how this girl is trying to be coquettish in front of the emperor in the Pure Concubine Palace. She is really not a law-abiding person. people." Ruyi was quite surprised: "There is such a thing? No wonder she suddenly wanted to break up her childhood love with Ling Yunche at that time, and was sent to the conservatory later, only to realize that she wanted to change her mind. It turned out that there was such a reason in it " She turned her head and told Xin, "Go and tell Ling Yunche, I can't do anything right now. No one is suffering, let him feel sorry for himself too."