Chunman Palace

Chapter 97 Sapphire
In the Palace of Yanxi Palace, Mo'er was tending to the flowers sent by Qunfangyuan. Apart from the ordinary roses and magnolias, this white jade peony was the most novel. Not only was the flower plant huge, but it also smelled extremely sweet. Like a blooming jade plate.

Mo'er gently put her dew-soaked hand on the flower branch, she liked it with all her eyes, the flower became more and more beautiful and exuded an intoxicating smell.

Lin Qingyu flipped through the books at the table, quite absent-mindedly, she looked at Mo'er who was playing with the peony, and finally made a decision in her heart, "Mo'er, take this peony and follow me to see Concubine Chang."

Mo'er withdrew her hand and said: "But if there is no order from the emperor, no one can enter and leave the Guanju Palace of the concubine Chang, why don't you go to Qingxin Hall to explain to the emperor first?"

"Alright." Lin Qingyu nodded slightly, supported Huaye and went straight out.

Seeing that from spring to summer, Mu Pingting's month also increased, and it was time to give birth, but Xuan Yin did not look for her.On the contrary, this made her very unnatural. Originally, what she was worried about was the fact that she would sacrifice her flesh and blood, but she had been back to the palace for so long, but Xuan Yin never mentioned this matter.

Could it be that you have changed your mind?
Just when she was thinking, she had already reached the gate of Qingxin Hall, Li Qiao greeted her with a smile, and asked why.

She smiled and said: "Seeing that it is midsummer, I remembered that the emperor is afraid of heat and sweat, so I specially made a cool and refreshing thin green ointment, please use it."

"My concubine, please wait a moment before the guards will go in. It may take a while before the emperor is free to see you." Li Qiao got up and went in to report.

After about a moment, Li Qiao came out from Qingxin Hall: "My concubine, the emperor invites you in."

She was about to step in, but at this moment Zeyi was also coming towards him from the palace gate, and behind him were four maids, all of whom had raw faces and pale lips, as if they had just been punished.

In an instant, she had arrived at Xuan Yin's desk.

"The concubine sees the emperor, and the emperor is blessed."

Xuan Yin's tone was flat: "Get up, why do you look so absent-minded."

She raised her head slightly, and smiled face-to-face: "I'm thinking about what to use to make pastries that are cool but not greasy, and make fire to get rid of sweat."

"Then have you thought of it?"

She turned to the side and said, "Mo'er."

Mo'er untied the food box on her arm, took out a plate of pastries covered with a bowl, held it up with both hands, and said: "This is the thin green ointment made by our mother, it is best for relieving summer heat."

Xuan Yin looked at it with interest, and told Li Qiao to go forward.

The body of the bowl is cold to the touch, and it was soaked in ice early in the morning. After opening, the green and transparent pastry exudes air-conditioning, just like misty clouds in the fairy world. Then nodded again and again: "The entrance is cold and clear, and the taste is sweet and sour, which is not bad."

Lin Qingyu smiled calmly: "It's good that the emperor likes it. The concubine has not made pastries for many years. I don't know if it is a step backward. I hope the emperor will not blame it."

"The craftsmanship is better than before." Xuan Yin picked up another piece and put it in his mouth, chewing carefully, then frowned and slowed down, "There are grapes and mint in it, but there is still a fragrance, what is it?"

"Back to the emperor, this fragrance is exactly the white jade peony sent by the emperor."

"White jade peony?" Xuan Yin laughed out loud, "You actually used that white jade peony as an ingredient to make cakes?"

The smile in her eyes is as cold as cold jade, but there is a honey-like smile on the corner of her mouth: "The ingredients, chefs throughout the ages have been innovative and selected to make different delicacies, just like the first person to eat crabs. If you are not bold, how would you know that crab tastes so delicious?"

"Very good, you can often make it for me to eat in the future."

After Xuan Yin finished speaking, he looked at her for a while, and Fang Shen said in a deep voice: "Concubines in the harem are often promoted to concubines because of their seniority or heirs. When I named you a concubine, it was actually Concubine Jin who spoke to me several times. When you are free, you should often visit her in Xuanji Palace."

It was fine if Xuan Yin didn't say this, but after finishing speaking, Lin Qingyu immediately felt sick in his heart, and almost vomited.

"Yes." She forced herself to remain calm and saluted slightly, and asked Mo'er to take out a celadon bottle from the food box. The body of the bottle was slightly stained with hoarfrost, as if it had been buried under the ice for a long time, "This is... sweet-scented osmanthus wine, The concubine originally wanted to serve green plum wine, but green plum wine is mostly enjoyed by women, and I was afraid that the emperor would not like the sour taste of green plums, so I offered this mellow sweet-scented osmanthus wine."

Li Qiao smiled and held the jug with his sleeve, and poured a cup for Xuan Yin courteously.

Xuan Yin picked up the wine glass, sniffed it lightly, and thoughtfully said: "This is... the golden osmanthus from last year?"

"Back to the emperor, this is Jingui from three years ago." Lin Qingyu spoke for a while, and Xuan Yin had already drank the wine.

"three years ago?"

"Yes, this golden osmanthus was picked by me, my concubine Jin and my concubine Chang, and we kept it together under the osmanthus tree in Shanglinyuan. It has been three years now." She said this, and she couldn't help it. I fell into the memory, thinking of that not so pure time.

This jar of sweet-scented osmanthus wine, when she went to dig it, the soil was still old, and even the lid of the sealed jar was corroded and faded by the mud, maybe Mu Pingting and Chang Xiuru had forgotten about it long ago, but she kept thinking about it Yu Huai, she took out wine specially today to give this "Sister Chang" away.

"You have a very good relationship." When she was waiting for a reply, Xuan Yin said such a sentence.

This sentence almost made her laugh out loud.

She hooked her lips and said eloquently: "Yes, back then, my two elder sisters and I drafted into the palace together, helping each other, and our relationship was very good. At that time, the three of us promised to serve the emperor with one heart and one mind. Let’s fold gold and osmanthus wine together." She raised her eyes, her eyes moved slightly: "I think about it, sister Chang and my concubine's feelings for the emperor have not changed at all."

Xuan Yin was a little embarrassed for a while, Li Qiao was about to refill his drink, but he blocked it with his hand, "I am sorry for Concubine Chang, the imperial physicians in the palace have seen Concubine Chang's illness, and they are all helpless. If Concubine Chang is left alone in the palace Tossing around, I'm afraid..."

She took advantage of the situation and said: "The concubine knows the embarrassment of the emperor, and the concubine does not ask the emperor for anything, but only asks the emperor to allow the concubine to enter the Guanju Palace to visit sister Chang, which is also considered to be the fulfillment of our wish to collect wine together that day."

Xuan Yin frowned and said: "Concubine Chang's illness is getting more and more repeated now, and there are always more times when she is confused than when she is awake. Are you sure you want to go?"

"The concubine begs the emperor for permission!"

Seeing her persistence, Xuan Yin couldn't say anything, poured himself down and drank the sweet-scented osmanthus wine, sighed: "Yun."

She raised her lips and smiled: "The concubine thanks the emperor, then the concubine will go to Guanju Palace to visit sister Chang Concubine first."

Xuan Yin said in a very low voice: "Go."

"The concubine resigns." She saluted again and slowly exited the Qingxin Hall.

Outside the hall, Zeyu was standing in front of two white jade lions, under the scorching sun, fine beads of sweat covered his forehead, and his lips turned gray and lost their color.

Lin Qingyu hesitated for a moment, she looked back to make sure that Li Qiao was still serving in the hall, and then walked quickly to Zeyu's side.

Seeing the black brocade clothes on Zeyu, she was afraid that she didn't wrap her hands and feet together, which would be cumbersome, so she handed over a handkerchief and said, "Master Zeyu, it's hot in summer, you should change into light and cool clothes, why are you still wearing these clothes?" Clothes, wrapped so tightly."

Zeyu's voice was a little weak: "Thank you for your concern, Madam, I will replace you tomorrow."

She looked at Zeyu suspiciously, and saw that his figure was trembling slightly, as if he was leaning on the ground with his feet, and he was about to fall if he touched it lightly, and she worried in her heart: "Master Zeyu, is he unwell? "

He moved the corners of his dry mouth, and smiled faintly: "It's all right."

"Could it be that the emperor...?" Her heart was trembling, and she gently and quickly grabbed Zeyu's arm, and Zeyu snorted, and her face became paler.

She lost her voice: "It's true...then why didn't the emperor ask me to make medicine for you?" She suddenly remembered that Zeyu had brought four court ladies out when she came out, and she was immediately surprised: "Could it be the one who went with you today?" The four maids are meant to replace me?"

Zeyu stretched his arms, frowned and said, "Stop thinking about it."

"Then I'll go and tell the emperor that I'm willing to make medicine to cure Concubine Jin, so that the emperor will let you go!"

"No way...!" Ze Zu grabbed her, took a breath, and said, "The emperor is using those four women who match your birth date to experiment. If you break it rashly, the emperor will have no scruples. I'm afraid I won't let the four of them go."

"You mean, the four of them are not court ladies?"

Zezu was silent for a long time, nodded and said, "I found them outside the palace."

She was shocked: "You know exactly what Concubine Jin's purpose is, and no matter who you find to replace Concubine Jin, her condition will worsen. If you make use of it, aren't you harming them?"

Zeyu suddenly said excitedly: "But I have no other way to protect you!"

She frowned, and asked quietly: "So you dragged in four people who were supposed to be outside the palace and had nothing to do with this matter? They are so innocent, how could you do this! Zeyi, I thought You're doing the right thing..."

Ze Zu hurriedly interrupted: "I'm not!" His knife-sharp brows and eyes instantly became wet, and the originally flying and sharp phoenix eyes were bent, becoming soft and fragile, but in the next moment, he His voice became sharp and tough: "I never said that I am a good person."

Lin Qingyu stared at him blankly, with a lot of thoughts in her mind, but she didn't know how to answer.

She slowly retracted her gaze, and left here as if fleeing.

She was walking on the road without daring to stop for a moment, that emotion seemed to follow behind her, and she couldn't get rid of it no matter what, as long as she stopped for a moment, the emotion hidden in her heart would burst out.

At this moment, her mind was completely blank. She couldn't believe that Zeyu did those things for her, and she couldn't believe that Zeyu actually shed tears in front of her.

It was such a cold and arrogant man with indifference and pride in his eyes, such a man who was usually unsmiling and calm, turned out to be like a wounded deer, becoming fragile and confused.

She kept moving forward, trying to calm down, until Mo'er reminded her in front of the gate of Guanju Palace, and she suddenly woke up like a dream.

Before entering the door, Mo'er said: "Actually, the guards of Zezu are also for the good of the empress, and the empress should not be so harsh. Let me ask, people are not sages, how can there be a perfect person in this world?"

She pondered for a moment, thinking about what she did before and what she wanted to do later, it was indeed not a bright method.

She is indeed too strict with rules.

How could she ask others for something she couldn't even do herself?Now that I think about it, I am really strict with others and lenient with myself.

She took a deep breath, and said slowly: "After returning to the palace, you can help me choose those wormwood, put them in the silk sleeves I cut to make a pillow, and send it to Zezhen."

"I understand." Mo'er nodded, and stretched out her hand to push open the door of Guanju Palace.

This Guanju Palace used to be the residence of Concubine Min, who was extremely favored for a while. Since Concubine Min lost her power, this luxurious palace has been owned by Chang Xiuru, but now the scene of depression and defeat does not have the slightest brilliance of the past. .

She walked straight into the main hall, and the empty hall was greeted by no one, just like the Jinhan Palace that had been silent for a long time.

She remained silent, walked in a few steps, and finally found Chang Xiuru lying on the bed.

The glory of the past has long faded, Chang Xiuru was tied to the bed, looking like she was struggling with all her strength, her eyes were big and hollow, her mouth was stuffed with a cotton cloth, making it difficult to speak, and her twins were waiting beside her, indifferent.

"What are you doing?" She threw her voice at people coldly, and Shuang'er was startled when she heard the sound, and looked back at her blankly, as if she had lost her mind.

After a long time, Shuang'er bowed like a puppet and said: "My servant greets my concubine, please forgive our master for being unwell and unable to salute you."

Lin Qingyu frowned and reprimanded: "Why did you tie up Concubine Chang and gag her? Although Concubine Chang was treated slightly coldly by the emperor, she is also the head of the first palace. How can you allow you to ruin it like this?"

Only then did Shuang'er panic and said: "My concubine, our master is dying of illness, and he is having an attack now, if he undoes it, he will become agitated again!"

Lin Qingyu asked knowingly, "What does this cotton cloth mean?"

Shuang'er said sadly: "My concubine, our master will yell indiscriminately every time he gets angry, and has the idea of ​​suicide. The emperor and the empress dowager are very dissatisfied because of our master's noise, and this servant has no choice but to do this."

"Then you shouldn't gag Concubine Chang's mouth, immediately take out the cotton cloth from Concubine Chang's mouth!"

Shuang'er bowed again and said: "My concubine, if our master's yelling scares you later, please read that our master is seriously ill now, so don't blame her." Then, she gently took the cotton cloth in Chang Xiuru's mouth Pulled out.

In an instant, manic shouts shook the entire Guanju Palace, Mo'er couldn't help frowning, and covered her ears with a handkerchief.

Chang Xiuru yelled wildly, vaguely asking for something, and cursing something.

But Lin Qingyu sat calmly in front of the dressing table in the distance, as if she didn't hear anything, she sat facing Chang Xiuru, carefully watching every demeanor and expression of Chang Xiuru, Take a panoramic view of the unbearable and distorted appearance.

She gently opened her lips: "Mo'er, go make a pot of tea. When Sister Chang wakes up, I will have a good tea with her."

(End of this chapter)