Chaos in the Chu Palace

Chapter 77
One day, Ouyang Ruo got up in the morning, had breakfast, and still took Wanhui to Shanglinyuan.Mingying also took Xiao Linxiang to follow.The group was in high spirits, the air was fresh in the morning, and Xiao Linxiang was almost three years old, and she liked to run and jump around very much.There was a small boat in the lotus pond in Shanglinyuan, and Mingying asked several servants to shake the boat to pick lotus.After a while, it was full, and a boat was picked, and the fragrance was tangy.

Wan Hui said with a smile, "Mother, put the lotus next to the ice cubes. As the ice cubes melt, the whole room will be filled with fragrance."

Ouyang Ruo also nodded in agreement, and said with a smile: "Choose some good lotus flowers to make lotus fragrance dew, and wipe away the sweat in summer." Wan Hui nodded with a smile: "Your Majesty, you don't need to interfere, let the slaves come. , It takes a lot of effort to make Xianglu."

Ouyang Ruo had no choice but to say, "Auntie, don't you think that I am too weak, and you are raising her every day, so you are not afraid of becoming a pig?"

Mingying burst out laughing after hearing this: "If your mother becomes a pig, she must be the most beautiful in the harem." Ouyang Ruo dotes on her very much, so she can't help her in words on weekdays.Now that he has tasted the hardship, seeing that her words are getting more and more outrageous, he can't help becoming angry from embarrassment, and pretends to hit her.

Mingying was not afraid, just hid with a smile.Seeing her hiding around, Xiao Linxiang thought it was some fun game, giggled, and ran wildly with her everywhere.

Ouyang Ruo was angry and funny, and said to Wan Hui: "Auntie, you see that this little hoof is becoming more and more unruly, what should I do when I get married?"

Wan Hui smiled and sighed: "She is the most heartless in this palace, but she is clever, but no one else can replace her."

Ouyang Ruo couldn't help sighing, for the past few days she was thinking about what to do when Ming Ying was old, if she got married, she was worried that she would lose her arm, if she didn't marry, she was afraid that she would lose her life.Really troubled.

Wan Hui approached Ouyang Ruo, and said in a low voice: "My servant sees that the Qin Yu doctor has some meaning for her, and the empress sees if..."

Ouyang Ruo nodded: "That's what I mean, but I'm afraid that if I overdo it, it will attract people's attention. Who in the whole palace doesn't know that Mingying is my confidant maid?"

Wan Hui also nodded.This matter will not be mentioned again.

Ouyang Ruo saw that the sun was about to fill, and was about to go back, when he suddenly saw a golden canopy from a distance, and a group of people meandering over.

Ouyang Ruo was stunned for a moment, according to this battle, could it be that the queen is here?She hurriedly asked Dexuan to send a servant over to check.After a while, the little servant came back and reported that it was indeed the queen.

Ouyang Ruo hurriedly adjusted her clothes, and Wan Hui helped her to go forward.She is pregnant by herself, if she is tired, she will not go to pay her respects often.Especially after Li Yinghong's death, she was so hurt that she seldom went out of the palace.It was a few days before I went to pay my respects to the Queen.With a trace of fear in her heart, she hurried forward.

When I got to the front, I took a closer look and it turned out to be the queen.She quickly walked a few steps, knelt down with difficulty and said, "Rou Fangyi respectfully wishes Jin An to the empress, and wishes her good health and happiness."

When the queen saw her, she left the nanny who was supporting her, stepped forward to help her up and said, "What a coincidence, I heard that the lotus in Shanglin Garden is blooming well these days, so I wanted to come and have a look. I didn't expect Rou Fangyi to be here."

As she spoke, she affectionately took her hand and went to the water pavilion opposite the lotus pond: "It's hot here, go over there and drink some green tea, and then some fruit. It just so happens that I'm in good health today. I just want to Pull people to chat gossip."

There was a trace of coldness in her hand, which set off the warmth of Ouyang Ruo's hand even more.Ouyang Ruo saw her smiling face, but her heart became more and more panicked.She had never dared to underestimate the Queen's methods, and seeing her so warm with her now made her feel even more uneasy.Thinking about it, she hurriedly broke away from the queen's hand, and supported her respectfully with her backhand, and then quietly took half a step back, not daring to walk with her.

Ouyang Ruo said with a smile: "The good health of the Empress is the blessing of our palace. The concubine has copied a Buddhist scripture these days, and after a few days, I will present it to the Empress for review, so as to add blessings and longevity to the Empress. "

Seeing how respectful she was, the Queen's expression became more and more kind, and she patted her hand and smiled, "You are pregnant now, so don't do these troublesome things, but having said that, the scriptures you copied are neat and neat. It’s very delicate, and I can’t put it down in the future.”

Ouyang Ruo hurriedly said modestly that he didn't dare.While talking, the two of them headed towards the waterside pavilion. Some palace servants had already prepared tea and fruit there, and they put down the thin bamboo curtains on both sides of the concubine Xiang to block the heat.Ice cubes were placed in the waterside pavilion, and melons and fruits were placed on top, presumably to be broken with ice before eating.

Ouyang Ruo sat down with the queen.The queen looked at the lotus blossoms around her, and said with a smile, "Staying in Fengyi Palace every day is really boring, but now that I am here, my vision is broadened and my spirit is much refreshed."

Ouyang Ruo's heart moved, and he thought about it carefully before saying: "If the empress thinks this place is good, if the empress is free, the concubines are willing to accompany the empress to come here for a walk."

The queen smiled and said: "It's rare that you have such a heart. In the entire harem, you are the most well-behaved and pleasant, and you have won the emperor's favor."

Ouyang Ruo hurriedly looked terrified, left her seat and bowed down: "My concubine is terrified, and my concubine dare not enter the court of elegance in my humble opinion. Please advise the empress."

Seeing her kneeling again, the queen made a slight annoyance and said: "We are both serving the emperor, but it's just because of the vacant position on the face, it's not good to kneel without moving." Then she ordered her to stand up.

She looked at Xiao Linxiang who was playing in the shade again, and suddenly said with a smile: "Is that empress Minmu? Take it here and let me have a look."

Ouyang Ruo didn't dare to neglect, and quickly asked Wan Hui to hug her.

Xiao Linxiang blushed from playing, her forehead was covered with sweat, she was not afraid when she suddenly saw so many people in front of her, she just looked at the queen and then at Ouyang Ruo with her big eyes like black grapes, then she threw herself at Ouyang Ruo It's called "Mother Concubine Hug."

Ouyang Ruo was pregnant and couldn't hold her, so she was about to call Wanhui over.Suddenly the queen walked over and picked her up.Putting it on his lap, he said with a smile: "This Min Mu Emperor Ji is really cute, carved in pink and jade, no wonder the emperor has mentioned her several times."

Ouyang Ruo watched the queen take Xiao Linxiang away, and hurriedly forced a smile and said: "This Minmu Emperor Ji is very stubborn, how can there be an empress and an emperor Ji who understands the general idea, the queen's empress praises so much, and the concubine is even more panicked."

The queen took out the handkerchief in her bosom, wiped the sweat off Xiao Linxiang's forehead carefully, and said with a smile: "Emperor Ji's temper is more stable like this queen's, but that's what a lady should be. I'm going to let her Set an example for the imperial concubine of the harem."

Ouyang Ruo saw the queen's gleaming golden armor dangling on Xiao Linxiang's delicate face, and she was so nervous that her hands and feet became cold.Although Xiao Linxiang was not afraid of strangers, he didn't stay with strangers for long, and after a while, he twisted his little buttocks to grab the fruit on the table.The queen was not annoyed, and just asked the maid to take slices of apples and put them in front of her, so she could eat them.

Seeing how kind the queen is today, Ouyang Ruo felt more uncertain.He only clenched the veil in his hand.Wan Hui was on the side, but she didn't dare to take a breath.She saw that the queen was looking intently at Xiao Linxiang with an apple in his left hand and another in his right, cold sweat dripped down his forehead.The queen didn't realize it, she just watched with a smile.

After a while, the queen put down Xiao Linxiang on her lap, turned her head and told the maid behind her, "Wait a while and get the jade Ruyi from this empress, and give it to the little Empress Minmu, and add blessings to the little Empress. "

The maid at the bottom hurriedly responded and went back to pick it up.

Seeing this, Ouyang Ruo knelt down and thanked Xiao Linxiang: "My concubine, thank the empress for pity on Diji Minmu."

The queen helped her up with a smile, and led her to the water pavilion, where all the fish and koi in the water swam over. The queen looked at it, ordered the palace servants to bring fish food, and then drove her away, only with Ouyang Ruo and Ruo sat in front of the railing of the waterside pavilion, throwing rain food every now and then.

Ouyang Ruo knew that she must have something to tell him, and felt uneasy at the moment.The hand holding the fish food couldn't help shaking slightly.She is not her opponent at all now, and she cares too much now, and every place is her fatal weakness.For example, the child in the stomach, such as Lin Xiang...

The queen admired the fish for a while, and suddenly sighed: "It's lonely in the deep palace, I really envy my younger sister." She said this with a bit of real emotion, and Ouyang Ruo was also slightly moved when she heard it.

She hurriedly said respectfully: "Why did the empress make such a statement. The empress is talented and virtuous, and the emperor respects her very much. He often asks his concubines to learn from the empress."

The queen glanced at her, and sighed quietly: "Everyone envies the scenery of this palace, but in fact, this palace would rather be a woman from an ordinary family than bear such a heavy burden. It is a joy to be a husband and a child, unlike the emperor who respects me and respects me now." , but no longer regards Bengong as a woman."

Seeing her confiding her heart, Ouyang Ruo was shocked, and could only show sympathy on her face: "The empress must not be like this, the empress is now the mother of a country, and the mother of the world, how can she think like this?"

With tears on her face, the empress said: "This empress thought that I would get a little pity from him when I came all the way with the emperor, but I hate that this empress can't regenerate, the emperor is disheartened, and this empress is getting old and her face is aging. This The relationship between husband and wife has also faded. Maybe after a while he will forget about this empress, just like the god statue in the temple who only looks at it from a distance and won't get close."

She spoke truthfully, and every word moved people to tears, but the more Ouyang Ruo listened to it, the more chilling her heart became, and a thought that was about to come out suddenly flashed through her heart, which made her feel cramped.She lowered her head, and tightly grabbed the hem of her clothes, the Bing Tilian embroidered on the skirt was deformed by her...

The queen's cool hand rested on hers, expressing sorrow: "This empress is brazen enough to ask Rou Fangyi for a big favour, I wonder if you will."

Ouyang Ruo raised her head and smiled in a trance: "Empress, please tell me, as long as the concubine can do it, the concubine will definitely do her best."

The queen was overjoyed, and hesitated for a while: "This...that will be discussed later, do you know Concubine Jingyu?"

Ouyang Ruo saw that she had betrayed her, and sneered in her heart, but she only said puzzled on her face: "The concubine is a fool."

The queen shook her hand and said with a smile: "It's no wonder you don't know that Concubine Jingyu is the biological mother of Emperor Shengren. She didn't expect her to be a boy in one fell swoop. It's a pity that she was so humble that she was not welcomed by the emperor even with her own prince, so she gave her child to the then Empress Dowager Shengchong to be raised. Finally, Empress Dowager Shengchong gave him As the crown prince, this Concubine Jingyu will be honored for the rest of her life. Do you think this Concubine Jingyu is open-minded and far-sighted?"

After hearing this, Ouyang Ruo felt like the sky in June was in an ice cellar, and after a while she smiled lightly and said, "I understand, the empress is asking my concubine to follow the example of Concubine Jingyu."

Seeing that she understood, the queen's next words went much more smoothly, and she shook her hand sincerely and said, "Actually, this is all due to my own selfishness. I can't conceive, and I'm afraid that the grace will decline day by day, so I want to ask The younger sister borrowed some blessings. This queen has seen the harem all over, and only my younger sister is educated and reasonable, with good looks and temperament. The emperor is very fond of him. If my younger sister is willing to let my child be raised by this empress, then he will be The authentic son was born by his younger sister, and the emperor will take good care of him. Looking at the harem, no one can touch him. This empress dare not say anything else. This empress will sit firmly in the position of this harem. This child's future The future, but we can see it..."

She paused, then continued: "Besides, my sister is young, so it's the same if I have another one. Besides, we are all in the palace, so if we want to see the child, we can see it. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"

The queen smiled genuinely, Ouyang Ruo had a smile on his face, but his heart was already frozen.

The best of both worlds.

She wanted to say no.She doesn't want anything, as long as her child is by her side, well, smiling around her every day, and getting tired of her.She doesn't want him to make great achievements, she doesn't want him to fall into the bloody storm of competing with the princes...

She doesn't want to!
But can she say no?She looked up and saw the queen looking at her nervously.What about the relationship between her and Chu Huotian, what about the emptiness under her knees!It's just her ambition, she wants to make a prince the emperor.It's just that she couldn't understand why the queen didn't go to snatch Lin's second prince, but wanted to snatch her child instead.Maybe she is as sensitive as she is and knows that Chu Huotian doesn't like Lin's son, or maybe the queen knows that she has a humble background and dare not refuse her.

Ouyang Ruo had a lot of thoughts in his mind, and after a while he lowered his head and said: "The concubine understands, but the concubine doesn't know whether it is a dragon or a phoenix. If it is a prince, then... let the empress teach her."

After she finished speaking, she clenched her fists tightly, and the armor pierced deeply into her palm like this, causing a piercing pain.In the scorching early summer, she felt that she didn't even have a trace of vitality in her body.

The queen got her consent, and smiled with her usually serious eyes, took her hand and said repeatedly: "Good sister, don't worry. Your child is the child of this empress, how could this empress treat him badly? From now on, you and I will be sisters, and we will be more strict in the past, and I hope my sister will not worry about it."

Ouyang Ruo tried her best to calm down her mood, raised her head and said to the queen: "What did the empress say, the concubine came from Huadi, and it is a blessing for the concubine to serve the emperor. Now if you get the dragon son, you can give it to the empress." Upbringing, that is the great luck."

Seeing that she was so sensible, the queen couldn't help laughing and said: "My good sister, you are worthy of the emperor's favorite person. The late Li Wanyi was too hot-tempered, and Lin was very cowardly. The children they gave birth to are not liked by the empress. My sister is beautiful. Young, with a big gap in his mind. The prince who was born will definitely be the pillar of our Great Chu Kingdom in the future."

Ouyang Ruo sneered in her heart, didn't it mean that Li Yinghong gave birth to a little concubine? If it was a boy, the queen would have snatched it away.

Seeing that her face was calm, the queen looked at her belly more pleasing to the eye, and hurriedly ordered the palace servants outside the water pavilion to say: "Go, ask the House of Internal Affairs to send another ten palace servants to Yunxiang Palace to serve Rou Fangyi, and bring the blood bird's nests from all over Weigh three catties, oh, and the best jujube and other nourishing supplements for pregnant women. Weigh some and give them to Rou Fangyi..." She babbled, ordered a lot, and gave gold and silver.

Ouyang Ruo looked at her posture and almost moved all the things in her palace to her.My heart hurts more and more.

In a trance, she seemed to be able to see Li Yinghong angrily taking the gold and silver given by the queen, and throwing them on the ground forcefully: "...I want to buy my flesh and blood of Li Yinghong with these scraps of copper and rotten iron, shit!"

The man has passed away, does she dare to throw the things she bestowed on her face like Li Yinghong?

Dare to say: "If you want to buy my flesh and blood with these things, I'll bah!"

She didn't dare, and she couldn't.But what else could she do.What should she do more?
Ouyang Ruo slowly and solemnly knelt down and said: "The Queen's Majesty understands that the concubine promised that the concubine is only thinking of the child in her womb. The concubine accepts the empress's wishes. There are many of these things. The concubine please take them back."

She was begging her not to insult her last dignity with these things.She sent her child to her not for these things, but for the child's future life...

Since the queen made up her mind to her head, she had no choice but to give it to her.She thought that Lin and Li Yinghong's children could save her from a disaster, but she still couldn't escape in the end.

Xiao Linxiang was in the empress' arms just now, and the empress gently wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, the shining armor made Ouyang Ruo's heart tremble.Just a touch of Xiao Linxiang's eyes or face would be ruined.It was too easy, too easy for her to hurt the people around her.

The queen looked at her kneeling on the ground, her smile deepened, she slowly helped her up and said: "Forget it, these are things outside the body, the ancients said that a gentleman keeps promises, and I believe that Rou Fangyi must have the demeanor of the ancient gentleman. "

Ouyang Ruo hid her hands in her sleeves, and the wound scratched by the armor dripped blood little by little, reminding her how much her heart hurts.She finally smiled and said: "The concubine understands."

(End of this chapter)