Empress Huaishu of the Harem

Chapter 2 Aunt Jinxi
I just remembered that there was a rumor that Brother Huang was about to be drafted.He is 16 years old.When the father was his age, he was already married and had a son.But now, apart from the recently registered mao concubine Yin, the imperial brother's position in the harem is still vacant.It is reasonable to choose beauties at this time.In the royal drafts, not only the concubine, but also the concubine are selected.Just like my eldest sister-in-law, Princess Qi Xu, was born as a beautiful girl, and was bestowed by the emperor himself.It is a good story so far.

Concubine Zhen then said: "The Queen Mother told me last time that Pei'er and Yuhan are both 17 years old, and it's time to become a concubine. To be honest, I naturally hope that he will get married soon and bear fruit. But This is Zhengzhangchao's first draft. It's about the position in the middle palace. I don't want to comment too much as an idler, everything depends on the queen mother's sister."

When she mentioned the Queen Mother, I had a thought and quietly watched her from the corner of my eye.But Concubine Zhen's expression was as calm as before.He even smiled slightly, without any dissatisfaction.Is that an expression of absolute trust in the Queen Mother?Legend has it that the Empress Dowager cared very much for the children of the first emperor, not to mention treating the emperor brother who lost his mother since childhood as her own, and raised the throne of the emperor with one hand.Even concubine Zhenmu was able to safely give birth to the second emperor brother under the murder of Queen Wen Yu, thanks to her help.Therefore, Concubine Zhenmu has been close to the Queen Mother for more than ten years, and she is willing to support her even when she is surrounded by enemies.

However, shouldn't she cherish her own daughter even more?Thinking of sister Ozuki, who is thousands of miles away, and. . .Sister Consonance.I can't do anything, I can only sigh in my heart.Married to a foreign country, to die alone, these fates that daughters in the world fear, but they happen to them.

Just because, is it Empress Dowager Zhen's daughter?
Concubine Demu lowered her head and took a sip of tea, then asked me: "A few days ago, I heard that Concubine Training is not well. My old lady was tired and lazy in spring and didn't go to see it. Is it better now?"

I replied: "Thank you, Concubine De, for your concern. Concubine Mu is also because Concubine Sui did not survive the serious illness in winter. Thinking about the love in the past is too sad."

Concubine Zhen also sighed, "Don't say that younger sister Ying and Concubine Sui lived together in the palace for a long time, even me, thinking of the three beauties of the palace back then, I can't help feeling sad."

Concubine Demu is the most exquisite, she hurriedly patted Concubine Zhen's slender hands with a round fan, and said with a smile: "Although they entered the palace together, each person's fortune is different. He was trained to be the first emperor and gave birth to Huai Shu, and now he is conferred the title of empress dowager by the emperor." Not to mention the concubine, there is a woman beside me, this is something that neither I nor my concubine and elder sister can compare to."

I was afraid of recalling Concubine Demu's nostalgia for Sister Ozuki, so I hurriedly changed the topic to say something else.

In fact, what the two mothers and concubines said is not wrong. The mother concubine, concubine Luo Xixi, and concubine Zhu Hanzhi were all recommended by the palaces of Pingyang, Qishan, and Qinghe to serve the late emperor in the 22nd year of Qianyuan.At that time, they were very favored by their father, and others jokingly referred to them as the three beauties of the palace. Of course, they did not ridicule their backgrounds as servants.Concubine Demu was afraid that I would be overwhelmed by what I heard.

It is said that at that time, Zhu's family was the most sacred to his father, and he was entrusted many times and finally reached the position of noble concubine. He often served in front of the imperial court.But people have misfortunes and blessings, and later because they pleaded for Qinghe Wang's uncle and offended his father, he fell out of favor and was hard to see.In the end, it was submerged in the endless stream of beautiful family members in the late Qian and Yuan Dynasties.Later, when the emperor's elder brother came to the throne, the queen mother thought that she was recommended by her adopted sister Qinghe Wang Yinfei.He took good care of him, and he was granted the title of Taigui concubine in the retirement palace.It's gone now too.And Concubine Xuan has always been very close to Empress Wen Yu, and has been proud of her for a while under her shadow.But later, Empress Wenyu murdered Empress Chunyuan, killed the emperor's heir, and was imprisoned in Fengyi Palace for life.The empress dowager who came from behind naturally didn't like her, and with the addition of newcomers entering the palace, the emperor's favor became less and less day by day.In the end, the Qianyuan Dynasty was nothing more than a concubine.Together with some low-ranking concubines, he was sent to a temple to become a monk, and went to pray for his father.Now there is no news.Only my mother and concubine could not serve the emperor because of her early pregnancy. Although she was no longer favored by the past after giving birth to me, she has not suffered for the sake of having an heir, and survived to the position of noble concubine in peace.After the emperor's brother ascended the throne, he followed the example of Princess Chen, the birth mother of the king of Pingyang, and became a concubine.

Just like the Queen Mother once said: "Those who are trained like this are blessed, and there are future blessings."

A few days ago, I didn't come to the Longevity Palace because of my concubine's unwell health. Today, the two concubines are very talkative. I sat with them for a long time before I got up to say goodbye. Unexpectedly, I asked Aunt Hanzhu to take me out.In fact, the concubines don't have to worry about food and clothing.But there is no interest in life on weekdays, and it is worse than the silence and intrigue in the deep palace when the father was alive.It’s okay if the children are not around now. Among the old sisters who came together from the Qianyuan Dynasty, Concubine Duangui was bedridden for a long time, and Concubine Xingong lived in the Princess Mansion with Shu and her sister, making the Sanshou Palace, which was already clean, even more beautiful. desolate.The Empress Dowager often said to us concubines who were waiting to be married: "Even though the concubines may not be your biological mothers, they should all be called 'Mother Consorts' anyway. Otherwise, once it lands, it will be troublesome to take a look.”

As soon as I entered the Ningshou Palace, the maid Ruxiu hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Why did Diji come back? Aunt Jinxi, who is next to the Empress Dowager, came just now and has been waiting in the side hall."

I was shocked and asked quickly, "What happened? Cui Shangyi came in person." Ruxiu also didn't quite understand, "I don't know. Aunt Cui just said that she wanted to find Diji, and the servant girl told Diji to accompany her for a few days." A concubine, she is not in a hurry, she just waited there."

I didn't bother to think too much, and rushed to the side hall after finishing my makeup.Along the way, my mind kept spinning. Cui Jinxi was the most capable palace man around the queen mother, and she had been with her for more than 20 years.On weekdays, us concubine concubines didn't respectfully call out "Auntie" when we saw that one.But what did she come to Ningshou Palace for?If the Empress Dowager summons it, how can she pass it on in person?

Sure enough, Aunt Jinxi was sitting there. She was in her fifties, and her carefully combed conch was already spotted with gray and gray spots, but the golden hairpin with a heart-shaped plum blossom on it looked energetic.Although she has a high status, she never shows off arrogantly. When she saw me, she calmly said: "This old servant has met Empress Huaishu, Empress Wanfu Jin'an."

Although I was full of thoughts, I could only help her up in a friendly manner at this moment, and said: "Hurry up and excuse me, my aunt has always been busy serving the queen mother, why should I come here now, but does the queen mother have any orders?"

Jinxi also smiled, and said: "The emperor is really smart, it is the queen mother who said that she has not seen the emperor for many days, and she is very concerned, especially let the servants from the south of the Yangtze River weave the Yuqian Longjing and a few Nanling blood swallows that were just tributed yesterday. They are all first-class goods. Di Ji please accept them."

Ruxiu's eyes widened when she heard it, and she couldn't be blamed for being ignorant.This season, the dragon well has just been picked before the rain, so it must have been sent urgently from [-] miles away, and the stock must be very small.The blood swallow is a first-class rare item. In the Longqing, Qianyuan and Yuan dynasties, only the middle palace and the first-rank four concubines could use it quantitatively.After the emperor's brother ascended the throne, he practiced strict frugality, and this kind of huge tribute was not included in the empress dowager's palace.Even he doesn't eat it often.I have never seen a blood swallow when I grow up.

I glanced at the gift box on the small table, it was just an ordinary decorated pine and crane box, it was not exquisite, and it was not sealed with the special phoenix pattern ribbon of Yining Palace.Being courteous to others, one must ask for something. I really don't know what labor empress dowager would bother a powerless Empress Dowager.The more I thought about it, the more I didn't understand it, and the more I dared not speak on my face.As time passed, the atmosphere became a bit awkward, and Aunt Jinxi finally said, "Doesn't Diji not like these?"

Empress Dowager Zhen Huan.

Emperor Zhengzhang, Yurun, and mother, Empress Dowager Zhaohui, Shenmeizhuang.

(End of this chapter)