The Biography of Concubine Wen Xi in Qing Palace

Chapter 14
The next morning, the servant eunuch came to report, saying that the Empress Dowager was feeling ill due to a sudden wind attack, so she excused Liugong to greet her.

Wan Lai got up early in the morning, Yun Shan and Shuang Ruo waited on her to wash and change her clothes.

Yunshan took a piece of golden flower tin and lit an agate jade hairpin to put it on the hairpin of Wanyu. Wanyu looked left and right at the bronze mirror and felt that it was a bit too ostentatious, so she casually took a silver hairpin and replaced it.

After tidying up, Fang went out of the dormitory, and saw Dong Wenyin waiting outside the door early in the morning.

Wanna saw that she was dressed very delicately, she was dressed in bluish-purple streamer satin, which perfectly complemented her graceful figure.What's exquisite is the plain silver hollowed-out drop bottom dragging pearl earrings on the ears. The pearls are hanging on the earrings, and they don't sway when they walk, making them more dignified.

Wan Lai and her bowed to each other to greet each other, and did not forget to praise her cute outfit, Dong Wen Yin's face was pink, and she smiled.

It is not allowed to bring maids of honor below the rank of concubine, after Wan Lai settled down everyone in the palace, she and Dong Wenyin walked towards Kunning Palace together.

Before leaving the palace gate and passing by Li Xu's door, Dong Wenyin glanced at the eunuch and maid who was still guarding outside the house, and said disdainfully: "Last night, my sister slept early, but I didn't hear her tossing around in the palace all night."

Wan Lai questioned suspiciously, only to find out that in the middle of the night, bright candles were lit in Li Xu's palace, and eunuchs and maids would come in and out from time to time, and they came and went in a hurry, and they didn't know what they were doing.

Wan Yu thought, it was getting late, and it would be bad if Li promised to greet the queen later, so she stopped outside the hall, and said solemnly to the gatekeeper: "It's time for greetings, your master hasn't got up yet?"

The palace maid had dark circles under her eyes, and her eyes were blurred. She bowed to Wanyu and said, "Your honorable master is concerned, the master has got up and is going to Kunning Palace immediately."

Hearing what the court lady said, Wan Yu didn't want to talk much, so she went to Kunning Palace with Dong Wenyin.

The empress lived alone in Kunning Palace, which together with Chengqian Palace were repaired by the late emperor during his reign.
The palace sits north and faces south, with nine wide corridors and three deep ones, with yellow glazed tiles and double eaves on the roof.

Dongpian Hall is the wedding room of the emperor and empress. The walls of the room are decorated with red paint, and the ceiling is double-hung with double-happiness palace lanterns, which is very festive.

Wan Lai and Dong Wen Yin walked into the hall, seeing the girls who were selected to be selected gathered here, Wan Lai and Rong Yue nodded and smiled at each other, then looked around and saw that there was no one in the Phoenix Seat in the hall, everyone was standing, only one person was seated.

That man had a domineering expression, he looked at all the beautiful girls coldly and ignored them, he just drank the tea on the table by himself.

At this time, the servant eunuch said in a solemn voice outside the door: "Concubine Yi is here."

Everyone turned around and saw that Concubine Yi was wearing a crimson embroidered auspicious cloud blouse, with high buns on her head and three emerald auspicious cloud golden hairpins inserted on each side, red lips and beautiful eyes, and a fragrance wafting from inside.

Everyone greeted Concubine Yi in unison and said: "Concubine Yi's mother is blessed and safe." Only Wanyu stared at Concubine Yi without turning her eyes, tears filled her eyes and swirled around.

Concubine Yi looked at Wanyu, nodded to her with a smile, and then told everyone not to be rigid.

She walked forward with her head held high, and when she passed the woman who had been sitting for a long time, she only heard the woman lazily say: "Concubine concubine pays her respects to concubine Yi, concubine is not feeling well when she wakes up this morning, the imperial doctor said it was confinement It is a pity that I let my concubine stay in peace, so it is inconvenient to get up to greet Concubine Yi, and I hope she will forgive me."

Concubine Yi didn't even look at her, she just nodded and replied: "Ma Jia often contributes to the birth of the eldest son, it's a trivial matter to be rude in this palace, but don't lose your sense of proportion in front of the queen."

Wan Lai looked at Ma Jia's presence, how dare she be so rude to the elder sister, but the elder sister still acted like she was used to it, thinking that the life of the elder sister in the deep palace these years was not easy.

In her heart, she was eager to continue her sisterhood with her elder sister, but the empress hadn't come yet, if she talked to her elder sister rashly, she was afraid that it would cause criticism, so she endured it and kept her eyes on Yide.

Yide's face is painted with exquisite makeup. She used to be a well-known beauty in Beijing in the mansion. Now that she has been immersed in the palace for a long time, her beauty has added a bit of mature charm.

"The Empress is here."

Behind the main hall is the queen's bedroom. The eunuch in charge, Kang Fushou, called out, and the queen followed two personal servants, and walked out of the bedroom in response.

All the people knelt down and saluted the queen, and from the corner of her eyes, she saw that the queen had slender eyebrows like spring water, thin lips on oval cheeks, high and straight nose, she was a typical Manchurian woman.

The man is wearing a court dress with yellow embroidered phoenix and peony pattern, a beaded emerald curtain and a phoenix crown on his head, and one ear with three pliers gold earrings shining brightly, and the armor on his fingers is decorated with jade stones. Dressed up.

Wanyu thought to herself, if it comes to appearance, the queen will be slightly inferior to the eldest sister after all.

The queen entered the Phoenix seat, and with a flick of her sleeves, everyone was flattened: "Let's sit flat."

After everyone was seated, Kang Fushou leaned forward and whispered in the empress's ear: "Empress Empress, Empress Hui was summoned by the Empress Dowager earlier this morning, so I'm afraid I won't be able to come to greet you today."

"It's okay, Concubine Hui is the Empress Dowager's cousin, and she will take care of her, so it will be more in line with the Empress Dowager's wishes."

She looked at the crowd and saw that Ma Jiachang did not kneel down when paying her respects, she asked with concern: "Ma Jiachang is here, but is he sick again?"

Ma Jiashi nodded, coughed pretending to be ill, and said weakly: "Empress, you know that Chengrui is young and sick, and it is necessary to pay more attention to raising concubines in elder brother's house. Now he has just recovered from serious illness. However, the concubine's body has been broken. It's not last night, but it's another night in elder brother's place."

As she said that, Ma Jia raised her forehead and frowned, and coughed several times: "Thinking about the bitterness of being a mother, it is true that not everyone can bear it. My younger sister envies the sisters next to her, and she has never experienced the pain of giving birth to a child." Suffering, in the end it is my younger sister who has no blessings, and she has to fulfill her mother's responsibility early on."

"You are a very lucky person, and all the sisters are watching." The queen was not angry when she heard Ma Jiashi's words, but said gently to everyone: "Now that the emperor is lonely under his knees, sisters have to work harder. Bring more children to the royal family."

Everyone stood up and saluted with a low voice, and replied in unison: "Concubines and concubines will follow the teachings of the empress."

The queen nodded, seeing that the seat Li promised was empty, she asked, "Why don't you see Li promised?"

Seeing that no one knew the answer, he raised his hand and called Kang Fushou to go to Yanxi Palace in person to see why Li promised to greet him in the future.

When Kang Fushou exited the palace, the empress was sitting, and said pleasantly: "The emperor and the empress dowager have excellent eyesight. The newly elected sisters who have been selected to serve in the palace are all in the closed moon posture. I am really happy to see them."

As she spoke, she asked again: "Where is Concubine Xian?"

Rong Yue rose up in response, saluted and replied: "My concubine, concubine Tong Jia, I invite the empress Jin An."

"Very good, you are dignified and gentle. No wonder the emperor has favored you. You are the only one who has entered the palace this time as a concubine and a title. From this point of view, you can also be worthy of the word Xian. "

Hearing the queen's boast, Ma Jiachang sneered, looked up and down Rongyue, and said in a strange way: "The empress Xian is of high status, she lives with the concubine, and the concubine is very happy."

After saying that, he looked up at Concubine Yi again, and said with a smile: "I heard that Concubine Yi's relatives and sisters were also elected to enter the palace this time, but they only got the status of a nobleman. The emperor is really partial."

Concubine Yi turned her head, her slender eyes were radiating chills towards Ma Jiachang, and said in a solemn voice: "Ma Jia is always at the side of Chang Banjun, the emperor has listened to many teachings, but why is he becoming more and more confused? During the banquet, no matter whether you are a concubine or a concubine, It's noble lady Wan, whose status is above yours, and the moment you open your mouth, you criticize the two of them, is it a vain loss that fell during the confinement, and has your mind become confused as well?"

Concubine Yi was obviously angry with her words, so Ma Jiachang had no choice but to shut up and stop talking.

Everyone was silent for a while, and the queen said again: "Where is Mrs. Wan?"

Wan Lai got up, saluted and replied: "My concubine and noble lady Niu Hulu, I invite the queen empress Jin'an."

The queen looked at her, then looked at Concubine Yi, and said with a smile, "Sure enough, they are the daughters of Niu Hulu's family, all of them are bright and charming. Concubine Yi has a beautiful face, and Lady Wan is also charming and charming."

Concubine Yi replied that the queen praised her absurdly, and she tactfully agreed.

The two sang together, and the queen didn't say anything more.

Afterwards, they called and greeted each of the show girls by name, allowing them to get acquainted with the concubines who had entered the palace early, and after such a back and forth, it took almost an hour to greet them.

Wan Lai sat upright and didn't dare to break the rules, it's just that after a long time, she dared to be sour, but she didn't dare to show her face to be seen by others, so she had to force a smile on her face.

When the Kunning Palace was full of excitement, Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch in front of the imperial court, entered the main hall at this time. He bowed to greet the young masters, and then said to the queen in a serious voice: "Your Majesty, the imperial hospital is here to report, Yanxi Palace Li promised Yuxi, now that the emperor has left the court early and has already rushed to the Yanxi Palace, a special servant came to inform him, if you are free, please go too."

As soon as this remark came out, it was like a thunderbolt that exploded among the concubines, and there were endless discussions, but the empress was dignified. She first scolded everyone, then smiled and replied that Liang Jiugong would go immediately, and then ordered her personal maid Qingyue sent him out.

"Empress, the emperor has rarely entered the harem for the past two months, so how can she be happy if Li promises to be old and has not been favored?"

Among the crowd, Ma Jia was often the first to speak out, and then Yan Nala, who was sitting beside her, also responded: "When she meets a happy event, she should first report it to the empress, and then the empress should report it to the emperor. How can it be done directly?" What's the proper way to put the cart before the horse and let the emperor send someone to inform me instead of the empress?"

"Li promised to meet a happy event. Have you all forgotten what I said just now? What's the trouble?" The queen shook her head and got up, and walked towards the outside of the palace: "I'll go and have a look first, you should go your separate ways."

Behind her, all the maids and eunuchs followed, Qingyue shouted 'Prepare the sedan chair', and all the concubines knelt down together, saying: "The concubines and concubines are waiting to send the empress to the empress."

After the queen got into the sedan chair and left, everyone got up.

The newly promoted concubines looked ignorant and ignorant, but Ma Jia often promised the two old people with Nala, and his face was unbearably ugly.

Concubine Yi winked at Wanyu in the crowd, and then walked out of Kunning Palace with the help of the maid. Wanyu understood what the elder sister meant, so she quietly retreated from the crowd, and followed closely behind the elder sister. behind.

(End of this chapter)