Empress Huaishu of the Harem

Chapter 14 Zhen Huan and Jin Xi

Every time the Empress Dowager took a nap, incense was always burned in Yining Palace to soothe the nerves.Jinxi was about to add a handful of submerged spices to the eight-clawed hollow golden incense burner, when she suddenly heard a slight noise inside the phoenix tent, and Zhen Huan said, "Jinxi, what time is it?"

Jinxi said: "Queen Mother, it's very early, you should rest for a while."

Zhen Huan tore open the curtain, perhaps because of the lack of sleep for days, her face was so pale that Jinxi was instantly startled.But she quickly came back to her senses and stepped forward to help Zhen Huan change her clothes.Zhen Huan muttered to herself, "In such an eventful autumn, how can the Ai family sleep peacefully?"

Jinxi knelt down and tidied Zhen Huan's clothes, and said comfortingly: "The queen mother has never experienced any storms in her life, and no amount of difficult things have made you sleepless, and now there is nothing you can't make it through. What's more, I heard that the empress dowager is bothering you today. After a morning of exhaustion, you should take more rest."

Zhen Huan shook her sleeves and said with a sneer: "It doesn't matter how much she talks, her niece and granddaughter are not only slightly better-born, but she acts recklessly and recklessly, so she will never be able to get on the stage. Run'er is young and greedy for beauty, please dote on her." It's ridiculous that this family is coveting the next position." After a pause, he suddenly sighed: "It's the debt of the sons and daughters that grinds people, I don't care if the consonance doesn't make me feel at ease, and Han'er is so ignorant."

Jinxi knew that what the queen mother said was that King Qinghe recommended officials to the emperor through the cultivation of longevity peaches.I had no choice but to persuade: "The empress dowager calms down, the prince is young and energetic, and only wants to do something. After all, he is only the prime minister of the Liupin Temple of Si Nong Temple, and does not involve military power. Besides, the current sage is the most filial to you, and treats King Qinghe like a brother. , I won’t think too much about it.”

Zhen Huan said in a deep voice: "If you want to do something, you have to be cautious. If the emperor sends him to do things, you should do your best. But if you recommend people rashly, if they fall into the hands of the officials, isn't it a ready-made party member? Although the emperor is not like the first emperor Suspicious, but the regent of the prince is a taboo for kings. Besides, Han'er was once discussed as the crown prince. The five generations of the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, who is too powerful, will have a good end. The regent, the capital of Runan..." A name that penetrated into the bone marrow In her heart, the gentle and jade-like figure in her memory seemed to be right in front of her eyes.Zhen Huan was throbbing with pain, and could not continue speaking. In front of Jinxi, she did not hide it, and let out another heavy sigh.

Jinxi naturally knew who Zhen Huan was thinking of, and also knew that this was a knife in her heart, and it would never get better, and she couldn't touch it.I had no choice but to avoid the seriousness and said lightly: "You don't have to be too pessimistic, the Queen Mother. Back then, you decisively let the prince have an heir, so that he would no longer have the possibility of inheriting the throne, and you fundamentally eliminated the suspicion of the emperor. Besides, our three kings are not so greedy for power. .”

After thinking about it, Zhen Huan felt that it made sense, and besides, she could only take one step at a time.But then he changed his mind and said: "For the sake of consonance, Jinxi, do you think I am too selfish. Yu Che is not only Yu Rao's son, but also... his bloodline."

Jinxi said: "Queen Mother, people's hearts are always biased. After all, Diji is your biological daughter. How can you watch her obsessed? Besides, you just let your son go to Luzhou for military training. Even if your son is eager to serve the country, you must If you want to go to Bingzhou, didn't you repeatedly ask Concubine Chen not to allow him to charge the enemy directly."

Zhen Huan rubbed her temples wearily, and said: "That is a child with a big idea. Chen Shun is old, and he may not be able to control him. Besides, Xuanfen and his wife are always looking forward to his achievements. Forget it, let people pay more attention to protect him." Well, if he really is a general, it will fulfill his father's lifelong ambition." After a pause, he continued: "Next year is when the magistrate will go to Beijing to report on his duties, and before that, there must be a result from Lingxi. "

Finally came the most difficult part. After going through three dynasties and immersing in the harem for 40 years, Jinxi still felt uncertain and pondered for a long time. She said, "Emperor Ji lived in Feishuang Palace for seven or eight months and lost a lot of weight. I heard Heng'er said that sometimes I just sit in front of the Buddha statue for a whole day. These days I don't even touch meat. Queen Mother, servants are afraid."

Zhen Huan didn't comment, picked up a string of gold-plated jadeite bead bracelets on the dressing table, stroked them, and said thoughtfully: "This bracelet is studded with passionflower, which is the mascot of Buddhism. Back then, the Queen Mother Zhaocheng It was originally given to Ai's family as a pair. Later, Yuyao believed in Buddhism, and Ai's family gave her a string as a token for sisters. At that time, Yuyao's heart was ashamed. Who would have thought that she would have the courage to marry Ai's family in the future, and the honor of the empress concubine now? Rong."

Jinxi's heart skipped a beat, and she said, "What the Queen Mother means is..."

Zhen Huan said: "You have to teach her to cut her own hopes, so that she can die and live." After a pause, her brows were filled with infinite sorrow like autumn rain, and she sighed: "After all, there are too many children since I was a child, and I am not enough." Caring about her" made the child and I feel so alienated, and gave birth to many strange thoughts. "

Jinxi was about to say a few words of comfort, but Zhen Huan sighed heavily, and then said: "The Ai family has a plan for this matter, but we need someone who has a good understanding and trust to do it. By the way, I haven't seen Huai Shu for a long time. oh, what is she doing?"

"Emperor Concubine Huaishu, she is still the same. When she is free, she will accompany Empress Concubine Lingxi, or pay her respects to Concubine De and Concubine Gui. But," Jinxi thought about it a little, and felt that she could not hide it from the Queen Mother, so she said : "Emperor Concubine just recommended a female historian who is the school secretary and the palace maid of Yiyuan Palace the day before yesterday."

"Oh." Zhen Huan's expression turned slightly, and said: "That's an errand for the imperial court, how many people are watching. But why did she get involved? Have you checked this person's background?"

"Yes, the woman's ancestors were from the Yuhang family in the east of the Yangtze River, but in this lifetime, the wealth and honor have been dispersed. But after all, she was born as an official, and her father was too high. She is not very old, and her appearance is pleasing, but she is not considered beautiful. .The knowledge is passable."

"Then how did she catch up with Huai Shu?"

"My servant has checked, and the mother's family who was trained as a concubine has nothing to do with the Xie family, and the Xie family only entered the palace this year. If there is any connection, it seems to be through the popularity of the Concubine Emperor Concubine." Jinxi said Come on.

"Walking around and going back, what's the temperament of that woman?" Zhen Huan asked.

"The servant has only seen her twice, so I dare not tell the whole story. But it seems that she is an honest person."

Zhen Huan nodded and said: "Jinxi, Aijia believes in your vision. Forget it, the emperor's pen and ink are usually served by the inner eunuchs, and palace ladies who hold ink are not very popular. Huai Shu's temperament is very similar to her mother and concubine, and she is cautious and understands. Maybe it's just that I feel sorry for my slave. But tell me, why does the Ai family always feel that this child is afraid of me?"

Jinxi said: "When Emperor Ji Huaishu was sensible, you were already the empress dowager, so naturally you were in awe of your aunt, the empress dowager. If it weren't for the kindness of the empress dowager back then, how could the empress dowager be where she is today?"

Zhen Huan carefully trimmed the blooming bonsai begonias, talking about small things like flowers and birds, she said: "The children in the palace are difficult to raise, and there are more mandarin ducks who suffer. The Ai family just can't bear it."

　When Zhen Huan should be cruel, she is really cruel

　　
　
(End of this chapter)