The Emperor's Favorite: The Beauty Disturbs the World

Chapter 23 Pale yellow but old-fashioned makeup
"The empress's dress today is different from the past. What I see is more elegant and charming." Li Longji was dressed in a white brocade suit, loose on the inside and tight on the outside. He wore black boots and a jade crown on his head. He looked even more handsome, and when he first entered the palace, his expression remained unchanged, but he seemed to be a little annoyed, and when he saw the elegant and refined attire of Wang and Empress, most of his anger dissipated, and he gave out admiration.

Queen Wang was overjoyed, she always had a dignified and solemn face with a smile on her face, and said softly: "Your Majesty hasn't praised your concubine's attire for many years."

"Really! That's my fault!" Li Longji smiled and took Queen Wang's hand, and the two sat facing each other.

Gao Lishi and Chang Xi waited on the emperor and the empress. Li Longji rolled up his sleeves, glanced at Chang Xi who was serving the empress, and asked suspiciously: "Aren't you the dancer of the Jiaofang Division? Arrived at the Queen's Kunde Hall?"

Chang Xi bowed, and replied: "The slave girl admires the demeanor of the Queen's mother, and wants to change her impetuous and flamboyant temper, so I beg the queen to keep the slave girl by her side and train her well.

Li Longji remembered the "Carmen" she sang that day and her chasing the imperial chariot in the rainy night, nodded and said: "Your impulsive temper should be changed, but it is rare that you are affectionate and righteous, and your singing and dancing that day was also very special. "Said with a slight smile.

I don't know what's going on, but every time Chang Xi sees this slightly majestic smile that can warm the ice and snow, his heart will be pounding like he's about to jump out, he calms down slightly, and says: "Thank you, Your Majesty. Praise."

Li Longji smiled and said nothing, held up his chopsticks and looked around, and found that there was a unique dish that could be layered in the shape of peony flowers, let alone what it was made of, so he took a piece and said : "Queen, what kind of dish is this? Why have I never seen it before?"

Queen Wang covered her mouth and said with a smile: "This is dried peony, Chang Xi made it with her own effort, of course Shangshi Bureau will not." She talked about Chang Xi's greedy child stealing peony flowers for food, which provoked Li Longji laughed loudly, and the depression in his heart was swept away.

Li Longji saw that the dishes on the table were light, elegant and thoughtful, so he tasted a bit of everything, took a sip of preserved egg and lean meat porridge with a porcelain spoon, and asked in doubt: "What is this long black strip?"

Chang Xi said: "This is a preserved egg."

"Preserved eggs?" Li Longji said, "What kind of ingredients are they?"

Seeing that it was his turn to perform, Zhou Sishan quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this is a secret method of pickling eggs in Sichuan. Fresh eggs are baked in the ashes of the furnace and peeled off. The eggshell, the egg inside is dark and shiny with white patterns, it tastes smooth and refreshing." Then, he took out a whole preserved egg from the food box with a porcelain cup, and put it in front of Li Longji.

Li Longji took a closer look at the strange-shaped preserved egg, leaned over and smelled it, and found that there was indeed a different fragrance. He took another sip of the porridge, and said to the queen: "Thanks, this is your breakfast. Otherwise, if I saw this thing, I would definitely be furious."

Everyone was taken aback, and the queen quickly asked, "Is it not to His Majesty's taste? The concubine let them withdraw."

Li Longji waved his hands and said with a smile: "If this is somewhere else, I must think that it is the poison someone came in to poison me."

"Your Majesty really knows how to joke!" Queen Wang raised her lips and smiled.

Li Longji praised: "The taste of this preserved egg is really unique, I like it very much! Zhou Sishan, you still hide this craftsmanship? Why did you bring it out today when you have been in Shangshi Bureau for many years?"

Zhou Sishan hurriedly said: "If there is such a skill, how dare the servant keep it secret until today, this secret method was taught by Miss Chang Xi."

"Oh?" Li Longji was very surprised, and said: "I didn't expect you to be so many."

Chang Xi smiled slightly, two dimples appeared on her pink face, and said: "Your Majesty forgot, this slave has been greedy since she was a child!"

"Hehe! Yes! I forgot." Li Longji slapped his forehead violently, making Queen Wang laugh out loud.

Li Longji looked at the smiling Wang Huanghou and said with emotion: "Ten years of husband and wife, only this morning is the most similar to the scene when I and you were newly married."

When Queen Wang heard what Li Longji said, she suddenly thought of the time when the two were newly married, and they were in love with each other, with a sweet smile on their faces, as if they had returned to the time when they were 16 years old.

Li Longji said: "Since I came to the throne, you have been the lord of the six palaces, you have taken care of everything for me, and you have kept the harem in order, so that I don't have to worry about the future. I remember all these in my heart, but you always keep a straight face. , dignified and serious, without the lively and active appearance when I was young, let me see, although there is more awe, but less intimacy."

After hearing this, Queen Wang, although her eyes were moistened, her face was more radiant than before when she had dominated the Six Palaces, she said softly: "The concubine made it down!"

Li Longji said softly: "You don't have to be so polite when you get married. From now on, you can still call Zhen Saburo to your newlyweds!"

"Yes, Saburo!" Queen Wang lowered her head shyly, like a delicate peony in the rain.

Chang Xi was originally watching the two people's chattering love, and was very moved, but when she heard the word "Sanlang", she suddenly remembered Liu Lezheng, that day when she was unconscious, she called Sanlang affectionately, but it was a pity that Sanlang was ruthless. He made up his mind not to save her, and let her die tragically in the hands of Concubine Li.Thinking of this, his eyes were blurred, and he couldn't help hating this handsome but ruthless emperor.

But I heard Li Longji say again: "Yesterday my fifth younger brother (Xue Wang Liye) came to talk to me, as if he had been rejected by some girl, full of depression and displeasure, and chatted with me all afternoon, I was very happy He always deceives other beauties with sweet words, but this time I don't know what kind of clever woman he met, but he can make him look ashamed, it's really satisfying!"

When Chang Xi heard it, he was angry when he thought of that slobbering prince who was not doing his job properly, and the good first kiss was gone!

Seeing that what Li Longji said was interesting, Queen Wang laughed and said, "The fifth younger brother is so flirtatious, it's because His Majesty indulged him!"

Li Longji said: "Original fifth brother, if he robbed the women, I would definitely not allow him to mess around! But those women all fell in love with him, and I wanted to punish this sloppy man for them, but I couldn't do anything!"

Queen Wang said: "It's true! Yesterday, the fifth younger brother was rejected by Chang Xi, but they didn't force her to leave the palace."

"It's you again?" Li Longji looked at the charming woman in front of him in surprise, and joked: "So! You don't like me, and you don't like His Royal Highness Xue, I want to see how you choose in the end. What kind of wishful gentleman will open my eyes!"

After hearing this, Chang Xi quickly knelt down and said, "Your servant dare not!"

Seeing her kneeling down, Queen Wang ordered You Lan to help her up, and said with a smile, "It's just a joke, don't take it seriously."

Li Longji looked at the kneeling woman and seemed to think of something, so he said to Queen Wang: "There is something I almost forgot. When I was chatting with my fifth brother yesterday, Princess Yuzhen, please see me. I have something to ask."

"Oh?" Queen Wang wondered: "My sister, she became a Taoist priestess, she has long ignored these worldly things, why is it that she can enter the palace to ask for something important this time?"

Li Longji said slowly: "The wife of the late Wang Wuyouzhi of Heng'an, Mrs. Yang, came to ask Yuzhen to help her find her long-lost daughter."

"Wu Youzhi?" Upon hearing the name, Queen Wang was taken aback. That day Wu Sansi, the leader of the Wu family, and others rebelled, and most of them had been killed. This Wu Youzhi died early, so he could avoid this catastrophe and leave behind. There are two men and one woman. The two men are now unemployed at home, and the one woman was taken into the palace by Empress Zetian to be raised. She disappeared suddenly during the turmoil in the palace a few years ago.

Li Longji sighed: "Speaking of Wu Youzhi's youngest daughter, in terms of seniority, I still have to be called my cousin."

"Cousin?" Chang Xi couldn't help pricking up his ears when he heard such explosive news. It is said that in ancient times cousins ​​and cousins ​​were the same popular marriage models as male civil servants and female teachers in modern times.

Queen Wang looked into Li Longji's eyes as deep as the sea, and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty, do you want to help Princess Yuzhen find this Wu family's orphan?"

Li Longji groaned for a while and said: "Back then, when I led the troops into the palace city during the rebellion when Queen Wei was killed, I met this cousin. She was only six or seven years old at the time, and she even gave me an emerald bamboo for peace." Jade pendant." He untied a piece of translucent suet white jade from his waist, and there was a black oval thing in the pure white and flawless jade, I don't know what it was.

Chang Xi craned his neck curiously to have a look, there were several tall and slender bamboos carved on it, and some incomprehensible small seal characters, which were supposed to be auspicious words such as peace and prosperity.

Li Longji said: "Although the rebellion of the Wu family is a major crime of family punishment, Wang Wu Youzhi of Heng'an did not commit any serious crimes. I also had a relationship with this cousin since childhood, and Empress Lao took the trouble to find it for me in the harem. I also Instruct Jing Zhaoyin to search around Chang'an City, and this jade pendant will be temporarily entrusted to you for safekeeping."

Empress Wang took the jade pendant and handed it to Youlan to put it in the makeup box, saying: "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will try my best to find it."

Li Longji said: "There is one more thing for you to tell the Sixth Palace for me. Ten days later, I will invite ministers, scholars and concubines to write poems and enjoy peonies in Furong Garden. Let them prepare well."

"No!" Queen Wang replied lightly, and then smiled: "The peonies in the Furong Garden are at their most blooming at this time of year, and my concubines like it very much."

Speaking of peonies, Chang Xi recalled that rainy night, the one that was thrown from the imperial chariot by Li Longji, and felt very sad in her heart, with a little sadness naturally showing in her eyes.

Li Longji saw it and smiled and said: "Last time on a rainy night, you dared to stop my imperial driver, and I threw away your peony. This time, if you perform well in the Furong Garden, I will reward you with another peony."

Chang Xi was taken aback when he heard this, and thought to himself that Li Longji's eyes were really poisonous, and he could guess so thoroughly with just a thought, that's right!I have never seen such a big storm, so young can create a prosperous Tang Dynasty, of course, there are a few brushes, it is better to be careful in the future.

Queen Wang glanced at Chang Xi, then at Li Longji, and wondered, "What peony?"

Li Longji smiled but did not answer, and led the conversation to the various peonies in the Furong Garden. The emperor and empress chatted happily on this topic.Seeing this, Gao Lishi leaned forward and said, "Your Majesty, it's time for the morning court, and you have to go to Hanyuan Hall to meet the ministers."

Seeing this, Li Longji hurriedly rinsed his mouth, changed his clothes and went to the court. The queen sent her to the gate of the hall. Li Longji said: "Come back, you still have to meet the concubines. I will talk to you again in the evening."

Queen Shi Shi knelt down and watched the imperial chariot go away.

After returning to the palace, the whole hall was filled with joy. The Queen was too happy to ask about Peony, but took Chang Xi's hand and said: "Today, the palace and His Majesty are in harmony, thanks to you! The palace wants to reward you!" As he spoke, he bestowed many precious jade objects, and told Chang Xi to go back and rest for half an hour and just come and serve her.

After leaving the palace, the rest of the people came forward to congratulate Chang Xi. Chang Xi returned the gifts one by one, and chose an exquisite jade cup to present to Zhou Sishan. Put it in your sleeve and go back to Shangshi Bureau.Chang Xi saw that the Queen's trust in him had deepened today, which was a good start, so she went back to the ear room in the southwest corner of Kunde Hall with peace of mind, and took a good night's sleep.

　The mountain rain is about to come and the wind is all over the building.Looking forward to the big event in Furong Garden

　　
　
(End of this chapter)