Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Undercurrent (Part 2)

Taking advantage of the moment of the wine sacrifice ceremony, Luyun and Ruyi listened to the eunuchs and palace people from all over the palace to report trivial matters.Hailan knelt for a long time, but felt that her knees were sore and numb. Seeing that the other concubines did not appear to be resting in the side hall, she beckoned to Ye Xin to bring the medicinal wine, and followed her to the side hall. Ye Xin helped her out, and said in a low voice: "Young master's knees are not good, I can't stand kneeling like this." The two of them were talking, Ruyi happened to help him out, and was about to go to the side hall to change clothes. Seeing Hai Lan, he said, "Is it because your knees can't take it anymore. You go to the side hall to have a rest first, and I'll ask someone to serve you a bowl." Baotian soup is here for you, and then apply some medicinal wine."

Hailan waved her hand and said, "After giving birth, I'm not as good as before. Sister, please keep your voice low, don't let people say that I'm disrespectful to Empress Daxing." What Hailan said was not unreasonable. After the death of Empress Xiaoxian, the emperor was very sad and moody. Two days ago, because he accused several ministers of the previous dynasty for not mourning enough at the funeral, he immediately beat him to death with the imperial stick.If other people knew that Hai Lan suffered from sore knees because of kneeling in front of the coffin of Empress Xiaoxian, they wouldn't know how much right and wrong it would be.

Ruyi knew what she meant, and sighed: "The emperor's current temper... Forget it, Empress Daxing passed away, and the emperor lost his first wife. After all, it is sad." Hailan sneered: "It wasn't so good when I was alive, but now I'm a loving couple. If Queen Daxing knew about it, wouldn't she feel that she died too late and couldn't get such respect and kindness earlier?" Ruyi looked around and hissed softly, "You're becoming more self-willed when you speak." Hailan's face was transparent: "What is a person like me afraid of? It's just seeing through the love that my sister can't see through."

Ruyi was holding Hailan's hand and was about to enter the side hall, when suddenly she heard whispers inside.Seeing that someone was there, they couldn't go in for a while, they turned around and wanted to leave, but they vaguely heard Yonghuang and Fujin Yilalishi talking. Yilalishi persuaded in a gentle voice: "Master has been tired for so many days, drink some ginseng soup to refresh your spirits, I have prepared hot water for you, please apply it on your face to refresh yourself." Yong Huang seemed to be very impatient: "What are you doing with these things? I have to go and watch before the Queen's Lady. The Queen's Lady has passed away, and I am the only elder among the brothers. For a while, there is no one else to do it." But, my eldest son is not here, what does it look like?"

Ilari was very distressed: "Master, I have been trapped by the word "eldest son" all my life. You are not a hard-working person, but what's the matter if you take a rest? If you have time, you have to run to Empress Xian. Your former adoptive mother, you have to take care of the face of Concubine Chun!" Yong Huang sneered and said: "I want to take care of the face of the pure empress, and I have to walk around with my mother. After all, the pure empress has her own son, so even if she raises me for a few years, what is it? Shi Fujin mostly comes from the eight major surnames in Manchuria, but you are only from the Yilali family, a small family with a small surname. Speaking of which, if the pure empress really loves me, why would Huang Ama point out such a small surname as me and not speak? The prince is married After all, the family name is the most important thing."

Ilari shyly said: "They are all concubines, so I can't help you much." Yong Huang said: "It's okay if you can't help, you have to rely on yourself after all. The Queen's mother died, and she didn't love me when I was young, and almost killed me in elder brother's place. Clean, otherwise she is here, and I will never climb up one day." Yilali thought carefully and said carefully: "It's just that the Queen's mother is dead, and the back seat is just falling on the pure concubine, the concubine Xian or the concubine Jia. I have to see who it is."

Yonghuang said: "If Empress Chun becomes the empress, can I still have hope? Her sons Yongzhang and Yongrong will become sons-in-law. Concubine Jia came from a wild way, so there is no hope. Empress Xian... Mother, she After all, she suffered from her family background and has no son. But what I am sure is that she has no son, and she will love me as an adopted son if she has no son. I don't believe it. I will compare it with her upbringing. Shang Yongqi, that brat. Even if Concubine Xian can't become a queen, as long as she mentions to Huang Ama more about me being the eldest son, I will have a better chance of winning."

Yilali said: "Speaking of which, it is Concubine Xian who loves Master more." There was a moment of silence, as if the warmth of the past was flowing again, but this illusion, like a brilliant rainbow in the sky, disappeared in an instant.Yong Huang seemed to be sneering: "Whether it hurts or not, who knows? It's just that it's useful to look at each other, so use it a lot. I've grown up in this palace to this age, don't I understand this? What kind of family affection and filial piety?" Righteousness, it’s all fake! Only when you become a prince and hold great power can you be the most real.”

It seemed to be Yilali's obsequious answer, Yong Huang sighed a long way: "There are many things at hand, and I have time in the evening. I have to go to Baohua Hall to offer incense and pray. Today is Erniang's birthday." Choked up, "My mother, she died unjustly!" Yilali said: "Please be patient, don't mention this. Although Mrs. Er is not here, the concubine should be filial on her birthday. I heard that Empress Xian and Empress Jia were given sacrifices early in the morning. " Yong Huang said: "You and I are too polite to go together, so as not to be used as a reason to say that we are disrespectful to our aunt. I'll just go by myself."

After he finished speaking, there was no more sound from inside.After a while, footsteps gradually approached, and then the door opened.Ruyi and Hailan stood at the bottom of the steps, pointing at the palace in the distance as if talking about something.When Yong Huang saw them, he had a filial and humble expression, cupped his hands and said, "Hello, Mother, and Mistress Yu." He seemed a little nervous, "Why are you two mistresses here?" Ruyi smiled calmly and said, "I am just talking to Concubine Yu that the glazed tiles on the opposite side from Changchun Palace are very bright in color, and it doesn't seem suitable during the funeral. It's better to cover it with a white cloth."

Yong Huang breathed a sigh of relief: "The son will do it immediately." He said that and left in a hurry. There is a drizzle outside the eaves, and the Forbidden City in March seems to be melted into the dark gray misty rain, and it is sad and desolate.Ruyi murmured softly, as if asking Hailan, but also asking herself: "Hailan, the child I loved so much, how did it become like this?" Hailan didn't care about Ruyi's sadness at all: "The children of the royal family will grow up like this in the future. I think this kind of Yonghuang is more like a prince." She looked at Ruyi and stretched out her hand to cover her from the wind. Meng Meng Yinsi jumped in, "Is sister very sad?" Ruyi stretched out her hand to catch the fine raindrops. The wetness, like tears, fell on her palm: "Yonghuang, after all, he is the child I really loved. In the days when I didn't have a child, I always regarded him as a child." own children." Hailan's voice was thin and tough, like a stretched thin thread, cutting off the sadness of the drizzle: "Does my sister love Yongqi? Perhaps one day, Yongqi will also become like Yonghuang, which is not as good as we expected Brothers and friends are respectful, fathers are kind and sons are filial, it is just a joke in this palace, and it is just a compliment written into the merits after death. In the future, Yongqi will have her own thoughts and ideas, and even more What I want to get. There are many things in this world where mother and child are at odds, and husband and wife are separated. Therefore, whether mother and child, or husband and wife, this kind of relationship that may end up being estranged is not as good as our sister's relationship with each other for many years. Sister, maybe One day, Yongqi has her own relatives, and the emperor no longer loves her, so only you and I will continue to accompany you in the deep palace, just like before." There was deep dependence in Hailan's tone, but Ruyi's mind was fluttering in the drizzle, wondering: "Hailan, I never asked you why you can't believe in love in the world?" Tears flashed from the corners of Hailan's eyes: "Sister, do you know how my Ama and my mother died? My mother and my mother were affectionate and close when they were young, but one day my mother No more beauty, Ama fell in love with other women, my mother couldn't bear it, she accidentally stabbed Ama to death during a dispute with each other, and then committed suicide in grief and indignation. I was raised in the care of my uncle's family since I was a child, so I always thought that if you love each other again How, in the end, there are too many hates because of love, it is better not to have any love. The love between men and women in the world is just flesh and blood, and it is really unreliable." Ruyi was silent, and just sighed softly: "It's just that Hailan doesn't believe in anything, is it too empty, as if she can't find support?" Hailan smiled lightly, with deep dependence in her eyes: "Sister, I believe in you." She leaned close to Ruyi's side, "So sister, no matter what I do, you have to trust me." Ruyi nods her head gently, letting Yusi desolately brush her upper body: "Yes, I believe it." Hailan said softly: "Sister, I know that you are actually a little different. After you came out of the cold palace, you have always wanted to persuade yourself not to think too much, just trust the emperor. But when one person persuades herself like this, she herself is It's already starting to disbelieve. Right?" Ruyi closed her eyes to reject the void in front of her eyes: "Hai Lan, stop talking." Hailan nodded knowingly: "Then I'll talk about another thing. Sister, Concubine Chun is aspiring to the next position. She has a good chance of winning, and now she is getting closer to the Palace of Compassion. Sister, we have to think of a way." Ruyi suddenly opened her eyes with a cold feeling in her heart: "Her best chance of winning is an heir." Hailan raised the beautiful curve of her lips: "I understand this. What is the most beneficial thing for a pure noble concubine, I have to get rid of her most beneficial things, so we can feel at ease." Ruyi nodded, but hesitated slightly: "But, Yonghuang is not her chance of winning. No matter how bad he is, don't touch him." Hailan smiled, and stretched out her hand to carefully wipe off the glittering rain on her brocade gown with plums and silver thread: "My sister still loves Yonghuang." She breathed a sigh of relief, "Now my sister is on the cusp of the storm, everything is on the cusp. It’s better not to move, everything is mine.” Ruyi looked at the drizzle fading outside the curtain, and brushed away the rain from her temples, as if she didn't care: "Nowadays, the most taboo thing for the emperor is to hold a funeral. Let's go to the side hall to get the medicine, and go back quickly." When Ruyi returned to the palace, Luyun and Yuyan were distributing the white fungus and lotus seed soup that they drank during the afternoon break. The wives of Fujin seemed to have foreseen the prosperity and glory that Luyun might have in the future, and they were extremely flattering, just like stars holding the moon generally.In contrast, Ruyi, who walked in slowly, seemed much more deserted, except for Yi Huan, Yan Wan and Wan Yin, few people greeted her with a smile.Ruyi didn't know why everyone was changing so quickly, but Yihuan couldn't help but said: "Just now the dowager came later, and she sympathized with the hard work of the Fujins, so she personally sent tremella and lotus seed soup, and rewarded the pure noble concubine for her hard work in mourning but doing everything well." Appropriate, with everyone's style. He also said that although the third elder brother is underage, he is very capable of taking care of a few younger brothers, and is also very capable." After the death of Empress Xiaoxian, the harem was already undercurrents. The empress dowager's praise is undoubtedly more in favor of Lu Yun in her position as empress. How can everyone compliment the pure noble concubine everywhere. Yan Wan and several promises, Chang Zai, talked enthusiastically around Lu Yun and Yu Yan.Yan Wan carefully brushed the dust from the corners of Lu Yun's clothes: "Sister Concubine, step carefully, your delicate robes are not good if they get dusty." Lu Yun smiled nonchalantly, accepted her hospitality calmly, and said: "Let the palace people take care of these matters, so you don't have to do this." Yan Wan filled her face with a smile, and was about to talk, but she heard Yu Yan laughed abruptly, raised the apricot and green white ribbon silk in her hand and said, "Don't worry, Sister Pure Concubine, Ling Gui was born as a maid of mine. It's the best thing to do." Yan Wan can be regarded as favored now, her face turned pale when she heard this, and seeing that everyone looked at her with their mouths covered and smiling, they became more and more ashamed, so they had no choice but to withdraw their hands and hide behind them. Yuyan smiled contemptuously, and chatted with Luyun more and more enthusiastically, her hands fluttered like butterflies: "I don't know if I'm pregnant with an elder brother or a princess, I look at my sister's fourth princess really well, and I'm full of envy. The imperial doctor also said that this baby looks like a girl...I just ask, if a brother can be half as good as his sister's third brother..." When the two talked about their children, they couldn't finish talking.Yuyan flattered Luyun again, coaxing Luyun almost from ear to ear, holding hands with her affectionately and confiding in her heart. Yi Huan watched from a distance, twitched her cherry lips and said: "One is happy to be flattered, and the other has no virtue." Ruyi made a slight booing gesture, and laughed in a low voice: "You are the only one with the best temper! You are the least lonely!" Yi Huan picked up the water-blue silk that hit Huang Yinger's eight-treasure tassel, and sneered: "I know I have a lonely temper, and I just have to be different from them." After saying that, He Xi came to invite: "My lord , it’s time to take the birth control pill.” Ruyi was slightly surprised: "I remember that the emperor didn't call for luck these days, why are you still taking this medicine?" "Now it's probably hopeful, I begged the emperor twice, and it will be delivered within two days." Ruyi knows Duan's truth, but he really can't tell the truth, so he forced a smile and said: "Whether it's the anti-fertility medicine or what, it's three-point poisonous, so don't take it. Back then, the imperial concubine Huixian was eager to have a child, so she often took it Fertility medicine, but it has no effect. It can be seen that everything is false, only grace is true." There is a sweet smile on the corner of Yihuan's lips: "Actually, I also know that the medicine stone may not be effective, but..." Her always cold face is full of sweet and soft blush, as if the ice and snow have just melted, and the hibiscus spring dawn, "But the emperor treats me well and loves me, I know it all." After she said that, she was even more shy, and hurriedly helped He Xi's hand and left. Ruyi froze there, not knowing whether the expression on her face was joy or sadness.She knows it, only she knows it, the emperor knows it, Qi Lu knows it.But no one would say, not tell her.Such distress, such kindness, what kind of unsightly is behind it?She can only close her eyes, she can't say, she can't see, she can't think, she just thinks that she is a piece of filth in the chaotic quagmire, and she will continue to flow with the filth.Only in this way can Yihuan's vague and gentle dream be preserved. Seeing her standing there in a daze, Hai Lan led Yong Qi over and said, "Sister, what are you doing looking at Concubine Shu?" Ruyi came to her senses, and said with a quick smile, "It's nothing, I'm a little tired." Seeing that Hai Lan brought Yong Qi over, she asked, "What's the matter? Are you taking Yong Qi out?" Hailan's face was filled with worry: "Just now I heard that Yongqi coughed twice, I'll take him to the imperial hospital to see if he wants to drink some loquat dew." Ruyi caressed Fu Yongqi's face lovingly, and said, "Then go and come back quickly, don't catch the wind on the road." After Hailan left the Changchun Palace, she led Yongqi to the West Chang Street. Due to the inconvenience of mourning, only a close nurse and Ye Xin followed.After walking to the corner behind Chuxiu Palace, she saw Yongzhang also hurriedly walking towards the imperial hospital, she stood still and raised her voice: "Yongqi, now you have to listen carefully to what Erniang is telling you. gone." Yong Qi opened her eyes wide and said, "Yes." Hailan said loudly: "Yongqi, the day after tomorrow your Empress's mother's Zigong will be enshrined in the Jingshan Guande Hall. That day is a big gift. You must remember that you must not cry or be sad, you know?" Yong Qi was puzzled and said: "The imperial concubine Er Niang told you that you must cry very sadly, otherwise Huang Ama will be angry." Hailan bent down and said mysteriously: "It's usually like this, but the day after tomorrow, Concubine Xian will also tell you the same. That day all the elder princesses will go to the funeral, and everyone will cry very sadly. Only you can calm down If you don't cry at all, your Huang Ama will look at you differently. Because you are the only one who is sober and rational among all the people who are crying and immersed in sorrow." Yong Qi's eyes were a little confused: "Er Niang, why?" Hailan solemnly said: "Because for your Huang Ama, not only did you lose your empress mother, but also your seventh younger brother, a legitimate son. So for him, getting a few dutiful sons is not the most important thing, the most important thing is It’s a future prince who won’t be swayed by joys and sorrows, do you understand?” Hailan turned her head and stood not far away when she saw Yongzhang, as if listening to her conversation with Yongqi.Hai Lan immediately felt a little flustered, took Yong Qi's hand tightly to hide him behind her, and said in embarrassment: "Brother San, why are you here?" Yongzhang smiled nonchalantly, and saluted humbly: "Miss Yu, Wan'an, hello fifth brother." Yong Qi also politely called "Third Brother".Yongzhang touched his forehead, and said with a smile: "My son saw that several younger brothers had mouth sores due to fatigue, and thought about the upcoming major event of Fengyizi Palace, so he couldn't be exhausted, so he wanted to go to Taizhou The hospital brought some honeysuckle flowers to boil water for the younger brothers to drink." Hai Lan uncomfortably touched a snow-white crabapple flower on her temple: "Third elder brother is really caring. After all, he is a good child raised by a pure imperial concubine." Yongzhang waved his hand and said, "Miss Yu, I'm honored. The minister there is one step ahead." He turned sideways, gave Yongqi a meaningful look, and left with a smile. After Yongzhang took care of everything, he returned to Luyun Palace.When he saw Luyun, he couldn't hold back his temper, so he told Luyun everything Hai Lan told Yongqi.Lu Yun sneered and said: "I used to be a peaceful Concubine Yu, but I changed my mind. I thought that Concubine Xian was planning Yonghuang's idea, but now it seems that we underestimated her heart." Yongzhang hesitated: "Then Erniang means..." Luyun caressed his son's braided hair, and straightened his clothes: "My good son, Yong Qi is still young, how much thought can he have. Even if he doesn't cry and pretends to be an adult, it's just that he is in a daze. Just be sensible. You study hard, even if Yongqi doesn't cry, Erniang has the ability to make him cry." Yongzhang breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Erniang, for planning for my son." Luyun said distressedly: "You child, you have come to talk to Er Niang like this. If Er Niang doesn't love you, who else can she love? Although Yonghuang is also fostered under Er Niang's knees, he is not his own after all, Er Niang My mother loves him just out of face. Good son, apart from Yonghuang, you are the oldest in Agoli. You have a mother, and my mother has survived to the position of imperial concubine. Everything is for you, heartfelt It is also willing to dig out the lungs. You just have to fight hard for Er Niang, win your Huang Ama's favor, and become the prince. What's more, we still have a recommendation from Queen Daxing before she died, so you have to be careful Be careful." Yongzhang said solemnly: "Don't worry, Er Niang, Er Niang's wish is the son's wish. On that day, the son will comfort Huang Ama well." Luyun smiled firmly and said: "That's all right. Er Niang has already told you that Concubine Jia is a smart person, and she flatters Er Niang in everything. Although she is favored, she is Li Chaogong's daughter, and she can never be counted on for the rest of her life." Empress, as long as she is of one mind with us, you will have an extra level of protection." Her tone became more secretive, "As for Yonghuang, the emperor valued him and let him preside over the funeral, but he is not serious, you must pay attention to him. Every move, as long as you get the wrong place, it will be easy to handle." Yongzhang smiled mischievously: "Emiang is willing?" Luyun felt a little sad: "Emiang is timid and soft-hearted, Yonghuang is also Emiang's adopted son after all." She paused, took a deep breath, "But for you, Emiang would give anything." The mother and son closed the door of the palace and plotted more and more closely.