Leader Lan Palace

Chapter 2301 Seven Volumes 1 Struggle for Inheritance ([-] words completed)
The first month of the 25th year of Qianlong.

On the first day of the first lunar month, the emperor went to the first hall to salute, and then went to the hall to salute.

Lead the civil and military ministers below the king to visit the Shoukang Palace to celebrate the Empress Dowager.Li Cheng.The Palace of Imperial Harmony is under the court, and the music is announced like a ceremony.

After that, they went to Dagao Hall and Shouhuang Hall to salute.At the same time, officials were sent to sacrifice to the back hall of the Taimiao.

For the emperor, the New Year's Day, the first day of the new year, was always a busy day.There are so many gods in this palace, so many temples, all of which require him to burn incense and salute.

Everywhere he went, the sound of firecrackers followed, adding to the festive atmosphere of the New Year; but he couldn't stop, and he was so busy all day long that he never touched the ground.

Only in the afternoon, when all the gods and ancestors have finished worshiping, can they breathe a sigh of relief.

But as dusk fell quietly, he was going to give a banquet to the officials in the Hall of Supreme Harmony; at the same time, to give a banquet to the clan princes in the Qianqing Palace.

The female relatives also held a banquet in Kunning Palace.

This year's New Year's banquet is slightly different from the past.Originally, the Hall of Supreme Harmony gave a banquet to the ministers on the first day of the first lunar month, and the royal family and princes usually gave the banquet on the second day of the first month; this year, since the second day of the first lunar month, the emperor will go to the fasting palace, so this family banquet and the state banquet are held at the same time. It was held on the first day of the new year.
.
This year, because the children are all grown up and understand the taste of Chinese New Year, Wanxi is more serious about it.

Before dawn, Wanxi got up with the children, first burned incense, and then set off paper cannons to "collapse the door"; then Liu Zhuer and the eunuchs in the palace took down the gate bar of Yongshou Gate together, and threw three to the ground. Next.

With the sound of bang bang, Yong Lu was so happy that she also clapped her hands and stepped forward to fall along with her.

This rule in the palace is called "falling a thousand gold".

After being busy with this, Wanxi cooked the boiled buns by herself, and called the children to eat.Boiled dumplings are boiled dumplings, and the dumplings Wanxi made especially for the children are made with vegetarian fillings.

According to the rules, only vegetarian stuffing is eaten in the palace on the first day of the Lunar New Year.Because the royal family believes in Buddhism, the boiled pastry on the first day of the new year is based on the heart of worshiping Buddha, so it is mainly dried vegetables, including longevity vegetables (namely purslane), day lily (namely day lily), fungus, and supplemented with Mushroom, shredded bamboo shoots, and gluten are three flavors of filling.

Although Yong Lu muttered a little, Xiao Qi also patted him and told him to eat all the boiled buns he bit off.Wanxi laughed when she saw it—it was a vegetarian in the morning, so it was easy for the children to digest.

Yurui and Yuchan had already brought the women in the palace with them, and placed the "Pepsi Daji Box" everywhere.

The so-called "Pepsi Daji Box" is to pack persimmons, lychees, longan, chestnuts, and ripe dates in a box, and everyone eats together.

In addition, "chewing ghosts" are also prepared, which are cooked, pickled, or smoked donkey head meat to make snacks for people to chew at any time.
.
While the children were eating, Wanxi herself still had some work to do, so she got together with Yuqin early on, and started preparing the pastry for the god by herself.

Although it is an ordinary offering to the gods, it is natural that the housekeepers under the House of Internal Affairs and the leaders of the internal management will come to make arrangements; just like Wanxi's father Qingtai, the original errand was in charge of this.Those pastries are either used to set tables, or to worship gods, or to be rewarded by the emperor... During the holidays, the pastry tables are like mountains and seas, and it is always the busiest time in Qingtai.

It's just that the offerings to the gods on the first day of the new year are different from the usual ones.

Because of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the royal family will also hold family sacrifices in the Kunning Palace.As the hostess of the royal family, the empress is the officiant; although the empress dowager does not have to manage it herself, she still has to offer the pastry prepared by herself as an offering to the gods.

Naturally, the 69-year-old queen can't be asked to do this job in person, so Wanxi informed Yuqin early on.The two of them prepared the pastry first, and before offering sacrifices to the gods, they only asked the empress dowager to do it herself, or steam it in a tray, or deep-fry it in a pan.
.
Wanxi and Yuqin are so busy that they don't need to guess what the emperor is doing.In any case, you only need to listen carefully, if there is a burst of firecrackers coming from any direction in the palace, that means where the emperor has gone.

Yuqin heard the sound of firecrackers coming from the northwest, so she stood up and straightened her waist, "Listening to the sound, it must be the firecrackers set off at the Empress Dowager's Shoukang Palace. It seems that the emperor led the ministers to the Shoukang Palace The congratulatory gift to the Empress Dowager is over."

Wanxi also smiled mischievously, got up and called Xiao Qi and the others to come, and Concubine Ying and Concubine Wan to lead the children to Shoukang Palace to kowtow.

Yuqin was a little nervous, and stepped forward to stop her, "This is against the rules. The children are supposed to kowtow to the Empress Dowager at the Kunning Palace family banquet at night, so I'm going now. I'm afraid it will cause trouble?"

Because the empress dowager disliked the Han women in the harem, even though the empress dowager also liked the three children Xiao Qi, Xiao Luer and Jiujiu, her face was always a little tense.Yuqin is always reluctant to let the children be wronged, especially as Yonglu is the prince, the empress dowager's expression is more likely to be tense.

Wanxi nodded and smiled, "It doesn't matter, let the children go. Kowtow to celebrate the new year, go early and get early; add chaos and add chaos, and it will be lively when it is noisy."

Even though Wanxi said so, she still quietly called Xiaoqi to give instructions in a low voice.

Xiaoqi listened quietly, nodded and said, "Don't worry, Ernie, I will definitely watch Xiaoluer and Jiujiu and tell them to be obedient."

When Lawang saw it, he also came over and stood beside Xiao Qi, "I will go with Xiao Qi."

The children left immediately, and Wanxi and Yuqin delivered them to the gate of the palace in person.

The children are small and love to be lively, so four children squeezed into one sedan chair.It doesn't stop inside, and you can see the crackling inside the sedan chair from the outside.

Wanxi also shook her head helplessly, and turned her head to ask Yuchan to take two small purses and ask Liu Zhuer to stuff them with the eunuchs carrying sedan chairs.

Although Yong Lu was not her own, Yuqin was more nervous than Wanxi, so she held Wanxi's hand and murmured in a low voice, "Why don't I go with you... Even if the Empress Dowager gives me face, tell her to do it to me, don't be wronged the children."

Wanxi bowed her head with a smile, and patted Yuqin's hand.

"I remember when I was a child, it was very common for daughters-in-law to get angry with mother-in-law in the farm. A courageous daughter-in-law dared to confront her mother-in-law face to face; if she was soft-tempered, she could only bow her head and bear it."

"However, no matter the courageous ones or the timid ones, they all stop their children when they are angry, and do not let their children get close to their mother-in-law."

Wanxi raised her eyes to look at Yuqin.

"Their feelings are understandable, and this can be regarded as a silent resistance of the daughters-in-law to the mother-in-law. It's just that I don't think it's wise to do so."

Yuqin thought for a while, then sighed, "No. If this happens, the children will be brought in. By then, the children will be separated from the old man."

Wanxi smiled quietly, "That's exactly what I said. If it's a small family, it doesn't matter. After all, the old man is afraid that there are only a few grandchildren, and they will be fine sooner or later; but if they are placed in a large family, the old man will not only have one room. grandchildren. If you don’t let the children get close to the old man, the old man will naturally love the grandchildren in the other rooms.”

"What's more, we are in the palace at this time...the empress dowager has so many grandchildren, who would she love? She doesn't want to see us in the first place. If we keep our children together and don't see her, she will naturally be more embarrassed The reason is that we don’t even want to see our children.”

The smile in Wanxi's eyes slowly disappeared, and she quietly raised her eyes to look at Yuqin.

"...If we do that, what good will there be for our children?"

Yuqin also sighed softly, "Yes. No matter how much she doesn't want to see us, the children still have half of the blood of the Aixinjueluo family. Even for this, the empress dowager will not go too far go."

Wan Xi nodded, "The folks say 'the next generation'. It's not easy for us to please the elderly, but maybe it's much easier for the children."

"So no matter how I feel about the empress dowager, I will never complain about her in front of the children; I am willing to take the initiative to push the children over, they are the grandparents after all."
.
The children didn't come back after they left, and there was a message from Shoukang Palace at noon, saying that Yong Lu and Jiujiu just fell asleep after playing in Shoukang Palace.The Empress Dowager then ordered someone to fetch the little quilts that the children were used to taking a rest.

He also said that Wanxi, Yuqin and the others should not be in a hurry, and that the Empress Dowager would take the children there in a warm sedan chair at the Kunning Palace family banquet in the evening.He also asked the people from Shoukang Palace to bring back all the clothes the children wore at night.

Wanxi bowed her head and smiled when she heard this, and winked at Yuqin.

Only now did Yuqin breathe a sigh of relief, "...the old lady is okay, so I'm worrying for nothing."

Wanxi blinked, "Don't look at the old lady with a sullen face in front of us, in fact, the old lady is in good health, loves to eat, play, and be lively. The old lady is happy when the children are gone."

"What's more, we children are still young, so we don't have to be like the children of Yong Xing and Yong Xing. We have to stand by the rules and ask about homework when we go. They just go and have fun together."
.
Wanxi packed up and called the people from Shoukang Palace to take all the pastries back. Then she was free to tidy herself up and prepare for the family banquet in Kunning Palace in the evening.

But the fourth princess came and said with tears in her eyes, "My mother got up early today and choked again, so she coughed tightly. She said that it would be bad if she coughed up at the banquet at night, so she wanted to ask Ling A Let mother report, tonight's family banquet will not be over."

Wanxi hurried to visit Concubine Chun.

Wanxi didn't want to have bad associations for those who celebrated the Chinese New Year; but it was also because Concubine Chun herself was a Han woman, and Gao Yunsi, the concubine of Emperor Huixian, was also a Han woman. Much similar.

——Gao Yunsi, the noble concubine of Huixian Emperor, died in the first month when the oil ran out and the lamp dried up.

Wanxi hastily stepped forward and grabbed Concubine Chun's hand, "Sister Chun, don't think too much. It's just cold in winter. After all, my sister is born in the south of the Yangtze River. She can't bear the severe cold in the north and just choked on a few breaths."

Concubine Chun tried her best to smile, but her eyes were far away.

"It's very cold in the north... Yes, it's different from Jiangnan here; it's snowing in Rehe in August."

Wanxi lowered her head lightly, "Isn't that right? Rehe is a mountain city, and it gets colder faster than the capital; the new wind blowing from the prairie on the dam always arrives in Rehe first."

"Sister Chun is weak, and when the emperor's birthday is celebrated in August this year, Sister Chun still insists on personally sending the cakes to the emperor from the palace to celebrate the emperor's birthday... During this journey, she must suffer from the cold again in Rehe."

At that time, because Wanxi and Duogui were pregnant with children, they couldn't move around; therefore, on the eve of the Emperor's Longevity Day in August [-]th, both Wanxi and the palace prepared birthday cakes, etc., and they had to be sent from the palace to hot Going to the river, or Concubine Chun insisted on going.

At that time, although Zi Wanxi also wanted to stop her, firstly, her body was already heavy, and secondly - she heard that Concubine Chun was escorted by her third elder brother Yongzhang all the way.

With a heart of being a mother, Concubine Chun would rather drag her weak body all the way north to Rehe, all for Yongzhang.Wanxi understands this kind of heart, so she can't say anything more.

Concubine Chun and Yongzhang rushed all the way to send off birthday cakes. After celebrating the birthday at the Mountain Resort, on August [-]th, when the emperor drove from the Mountain Resort to Mulan, Concubine Chun was escorted back by Yongzhang. Beijing.

Wanxi didn't know what Concubine Chun had experienced in the Summer Resort; but, even though Concubine Chun had gone all the way, the emperor still officially decreed that Yong Rong would succeed her in December.
.
Concubine Chun stared at Wanxi, opened her mouth, but made no sound.

After a while, she lowered her eyes and clenched Wanxi's hand.

"...It's not the cold weather, it's the coldness in my heart. I thought that if I toss about like that, maybe the emperor's heart will be softened a bit. But, hehe, you have also seen that the decree to call Yongrong to succeed in December is still issued. gone."

Wanxi raised her head and smiled tolerantly.

"Sister Chun's going there is not for the emperor. That's Sister Chun's wish for the emperor, so she doesn't necessarily have to be associated with the children."

Concubine Chun is also slightly alarmed, raising her eyes to look at Wanxi seriously, and nodding her head solemnly.

"You're right, I'm sick and confused. I was going to celebrate the emperor's birthday, and I dragged Yongzhang, who was also sick, just because he also wanted to show his filial piety to the emperor."

Wanxi nodded with a smile.

The pure noble concubine suddenly pulled Wanxi over and asked Wanxi to come closer to her mouth.

She said very lightly, "...It's also thanks to the fact that I went to Rehe once in August. When you and Concubine Yu's child had an accident in September, I vaguely recalled that I came back from the summer resort. Palace, there are several monks and Taoist priests in the team."

"They were originally ordered to go to the Summer Resort to celebrate the emperor's birthday, and to perform rituals during the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the moon; after the emperor left for Mulan, they also returned to Beijing from the Summer Resort with me."

Wanxi was startled, and stared at Concubine Chun in shock, "Sister Chun means that what happened on the first day of September, the eunuchs and Taoists in the 'Ruiying Palace' visited the Summer Resort in August?"

Concubine Chun nodded, "So, don't look at the fact that some of you were not in the palace when the accident happened in September. But those who were in Rehe in August may have seen those Taoist priests... then Even face-to-face instruction is in time."

"We met in Rehe in August, and you and Concubine Yu had troubles one after another on the first day of September...at this time, didn't they just happen to be together?"

Wanxi clenched her cuffs tightly, hearing the echo of her heart pounding in her body.

"Sister Chun, do you know who they have met in the summer resort?"

Concubine Chun shook her head apologetically, "After all, I am not in good health, even in the summer resort, I would always be crooked in the dormitory, so I seldom go out."

Concubine Chun raised her eyes and looked at Wanxi, "In short, you know what you have in mind: you can't rule out someone as a suspect just because she's not in the palace at that moment."

"I can't help you too much, and my words can't be used as evidence, but anyway, you will have more days in the future, more than me... Take your time to investigate, and eventually the truth will be revealed one day."
.
That night at the Kunning Palace family banquet, the Nala family led the Six Palaces, together with the princess and the clan Fujin, to have a family sacrifice together.

Because the pure imperial concubine did not come, Wanxi became the queen Nala's family alone.

When the Empress Dowager came back, she brought Xiao Qi, Yong Lu, and Jiu Jiu with her three children.When Nala saw it, she couldn't help squinting her eyes, and hurriedly asked Yongzhen to go forward to kowtow to the empress dowager.

Nine-year-old Yong Xing, at this moment, looks like a real big boy, and the expression on his face already vaguely looks like an adult.

To salute tonight, the order can be according to the elder and younger, or according to the concubines.Yongzhen rushed forward to salute like this, so he naturally put the order of his concubines on the table - at this time he was the only one of his concubines, and the rest of the princes and grandchildren could only kneel down behind him .

Even Yongzhang, Yongxuan, Yongqi and others who are older than him can only be left behind.

On Yongzhen's face, the pride of being a son-in-law shone brightly.

Wanxi's gaze could not help but slowly turn from Yongxin to behind the group of children, staring closely at Nala's face.

The main wife of Zhonggong, as the hostess in this Kunning Palace, even standing in the majestic lights, she always raises her head high.

The hostess—especially in the Kunning Palace, which represents the Central Palace, especially at the time of the New Year's Day family sacrifice that only the hostess can preside over, her glory and magnificence are never allowed to be shared by others.

This pair of mother and son, at a moment like tonight, had the same light on their faces.
.
Wanxi and Nalashi put the offerings of meat and pastry on the table bowl by bowl.

The two of them were busy together, and they occasionally touched hands.

Nalashi couldn't help chuckling, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "What's the rush for your noble concubine? It's just a place for an offering bowl, it's not a big deal, there's no need to be in such a hurry to compete with me."

Wanxi's heart skipped a beat, she raised her eyes to look at Nala's family, and said with a little blessing, "It's not good to delay the auspicious time even if it's an auspicious time for offering to the gods. Your Majesty forgive me."

Nala cast a sideways glance at Wanxi.

"You are a newly-appointed imperial concubine, and this is the first year that you have set up this offering bowl with me. It's nothing if you are rude to me. After all, the emperor will protect you, and you are not afraid of what I will do to you; but if your rudeness is called ancestors God sees, that's really bad."

"After all, the ancestral gods of the Kunning Palace are the gods that my Manchus have believed in for generations. After all, they are not the same gods that you Han people believe in. In fact, I will ask you, a Han, to offer our Manchu ancestors gods. Bowls are disrespectful to the gods."

Wanxi stopped, looked sideways at Nala, and smiled softly, "I remember that no matter in the palace or in the garden, the emperor is worshiped by all kinds of gods, regardless of each other. Buddhism, Taoism , or the hall dedicated to the ancestors of the Manchus who believed in the gods, everything is available. The emperor has burnt incense and saluted everywhere since this morning."

"The emperor doesn't distinguish between the gods of the Manchus and the gods of the Han people; but why does the master and the empress make such a clear distinction?"

Nala sneered, "I knew you would say that! It's a pity that it was a national sacrifice, but this place is a family sacrifice at this time. The Kunning Palace only enshrines the gods that I, the Manchus, have believed in throughout the ages, and there are no such families as you mentioned." ..."

The words of the pure imperial concubine surged in Wanxi's heart again.

Wanxi couldn't help chuckling, "So for the master and empress, the day of worshiping the city god on the first day of September is meaningless, isn't it? After all, the city god is the god of the Han people, and the master and empress may not believe in it. Then it is What happened on the first day of the ninth lunar month, to the master and empress, it is not considered a violation of the gods, and there is no need to panic, right?"

The offering bowl in Nala's hand hit the altar table with a "dang".

"Concubine Ling, what do you want to say? By mentioning the first day of September to me, are you trying to provoke my relationship with Concubine Yu?"

"But don't forget, I was in Mulan on the first day of September, accompanying the emperor and the empress dowager on a siege! I have nothing to do with the affairs of the capital!"

Wanxi smiled and nodded, "That's right. That's why I dare to tell this joke in front of the mistress... After all, I can't find any connection with the mistress, so why should the mistress be angry?"

Nalashi sneered, "Why would I be annoyed? Besides, as the empress of the main palace, I also understand the pain you just lost your child. Even if you talk nonsense, it's just that your remaining pain is still there."
.
Return to the seat later, wait for the emperor to arrive, and worship the gods together.

The seats of the people in the Six Palaces are divided into two rows on the left and right, each headed by the Queen and Wanxi.

Yuqin sat beside Wanxi, reached out and squeezed Wanxi's arm.

"What's wrong with you? I just saw you talking to the queen for a long time, and when you came back, you looked a little bit wrong."

Wanxi took a deep breath, raised her eyes to stare at Nalashi who was sitting opposite the chief, and said quietly, "Sister, do you think it is possible for the queen to plot against Concubine Yu and her child?"

Yuqin frowned, "I can't say it's impossible, it's just that even I couldn't understand why she did it for a while. It's understandable to say that she harmed you; but even if Concubine Yu gave birth to a child, she and Yongzheng would not be happy." There is no threat at this time."

"This, even if we tell others, I'm afraid no one will believe it."

Wanxi nodded slightly, and smiled hard, "Yes, no one would believe it... What's more, she wasn't in Beijing at all at that moment! This was picked clean, and no one dared to question it."

Yuqin's hands tightened, "You should tell me clearly, what's the matter?"

Wanxi took a deep breath, "It's okay. It's just that Yongzheng is nine years old, and he is too busy to take the first place even tonight, as if he is afraid that others will forget that he is the first son... I feel that from now on, The brotherhood between the princes will be tested even more."

(End of this chapter)