The Biography of Concubine Wen Xi in Qing Palace

Chapter 20

In September, the asters in the palace were in full bloom, and the ground cover rose newly planted by the House of Internal Affairs was also lit up in the imperial garden with the red color of the sunset. The breeze blowing at sunset carried the fragrance of flowers and added a little chill.

After the empress reprimanded Ma Jiachang that day, she restrained her behavior a little, and she also showed a lot of respect when she met the other concubines who were above her.

Rong Yue stared at her kneeling in the palace and reciting "Rules for Women" every day. Taking advantage of the opportunity of her elder brother Chengrui's birthday at the end of the month, the empress showed kindness and withdrew her punishment.

Li promised to be pregnant for four months, and the imperial doctor came to report that the fetal gas was stable. Seeing that the temperature outside had dropped, she also picked up the rules, and went to Kunning Palace with Wan Yu every day to pay her respects to the queen.

Xu Shi had Ma Jia standing there as an example, but she knew how to restrain herself, she treated the empress well, kneeling and bowing when she was pregnant, and she was so eloquent that she coaxed the empress to be happy.

Ten days later, the elder brother Chengrui's birthday will be over. The House of Internal Affairs and the Manufacturing Office have been busy at the end of last month. The Emperor and the Empress Dowager even appointed Chengrui's birthday to give a family banquet in the Qing Palace.

In addition to the palace of the Qing Dynasty, it is the emperor's bedroom. It is also the place for New Year's Eve, the emperor's longevity festival, the birthday of the empress dowager and the empress, or the place where the royal family banquet is held when the prince and princess get married.

It is the first time in the family system that the prince will hold a banquet here when he reaches his birthday.

The emperor's move not only valued this precious son, but also gave her birth mother Ma Jiachang a great honor.

There was discussion all over the palace, maybe the emperor was going to be promoted and Ma Jiachang's status as a nobleman was unknown.

In the blink of an eye, it has been two months since Wanyu entered the palace, but the emperor still hasn't turned over the sign.

Among the newly promoted concubines, Rong Yue was the most favored, Guo Luoluo promised to win the emperor's favor, served three times, and was promoted to the permanent position.

Greetings this morning, I heard that the Queen mentioned that Oboi, who was in the previous court, refuted the Emperor's face, unscrupulously united with his party members to impeach important military ministers, and even provoked the Queen Mother to be angry.

Although the Queen's words did not mention Concubine Yi and Wanyu, her eyes remained on the two of them.

Thinking about it, I know that since Wan Lai entered the palace, the emperor not only did not call her to sleep with her, but also did not even enter the gate of Yi Kun Palace where Concubine Yi lived.

It would be a lie to say that this unfavorable matter has nothing to do with the turmoil in the previous dynasty. Concubine Yi's already sad face is even more worried. In the past, Concubine Hui was always by her side, but now there are more Wannao and Rongyue to accompany her , this day seems to be easier.

Although Rong Yue is a holy favor, she has a very gentle temper, which is deeply loved by Concubine Yi.

The four of them often accompanied each other to enjoy the scenery in the imperial garden. Others only talked about Concubine Yi's flirting with Rong Yue, who was lower than her, in order to fight for favor. This word spread to everyone's ears, and it was just a joke. That's all.

In the evening, the sun was covered by dark clouds and the air was dull, thinking that there would be a thunderstorm in the evening, Wan Yu sent Concubine Yi and Concubine Hui back to the palace, and then had dinner with Rong Yue in her own palace and rested early.

Yun Shan and Shuang Ruo waited for her to change clothes and freshen up, Wan Yu changed her pajamas to tease Xue Rong, who would become more lazy after being pampered in the palace for several months, before Xu Shi felt sleepy and went to sleep on the couch.

She didn't know how long she had been asleep, but suddenly she heard a thunderclap outside the house, and Wannai was startled awake from her dream.

Outside the house, Yun Shan heard Wan Lai's yelling, and rushed in with a night candle to ask what was going on.

Seeing that Wanyu's face was pale and she was still in shock, she lit the candles in the house, poured another cup of warm water and handed it to her: "My little master is urinating because he is afraid of thunderstorms, look at the sweat on his head, drink some warm water first to calm himself down." Shan took out the silk handkerchief from her sleeve, and wiped the sweat from Wanyu's forehead.

Wan Yu leaned on the bedpost, shook the teacup gently in her hand, and asked, "What time is it?"

"Haishi is just over. When entering the house, the young master drank some water. Let's settle down earlier. The slaves are waiting for you, so you can feel at ease."

While talking, Xuerong jumped off the red sandalwood table, uttered a few 'meows' and tiptoed to Yunshan, squinting her eyes and rubbing her neck against Yunshan.

Yunshan smiled, leaned over and hugged it: "This hoof is clever, seeing that the little master has woken up, Baba is coming to say hello to you."

Wanyu hugged Xuerong from Yunshan's arms, Xuerong lay quietly in her arms, a pair of snow-white paws gently stepped on Wanyu's arms.

The two were amused by the cat's behavior. Suddenly, the nanmu cabinet made a dull sound, as if something had fallen and hit the wood.

Yunshan opened the cabinet and saw that the Yaoqin that was stored vertically had fallen down. She lifted the cloth of the qin and found that the body of the qin was in good condition. Put it sideways, don't hurt this fine paulownia wood, he just won't listen."

"Little Fuzi's family has a funeral, and I feel sad these days, and some mistakes and omissions are inevitable."

Wanyu put down the teacup, drove the velvet to the ground again, got up and came to the cabinet and stroked the surface of the qin: "The left and right qin are all fine, so don't teach him a lesson tomorrow."

"The little master is kind and treats everyone well, but the slaves are watching, afraid that some people have thoughts that should not be born." Yunshan pouted, looking very much like a wronged child: "Then I saw that the spices in the palace were exhausted, so I took Mu Xue to the House of Internal Affairs to get some. Unexpectedly, she hid in the small kitchen to dodge, and said that the little master has no favour, even if she goes to the House of Internal Affairs, she must look at people's faces, It’s not fun for herself. Later, it was Aunt Shuangruo who reprimanded her, so she pulled her face and reluctantly went to get it.”

Wanyu took out the Yaoqin and ordered Yunshan to help, and the two carried the Qin to the rosewood table in the bedroom and put it there.

She took a clean silk handkerchief, wiped the fine dust on the strings, and said to Yun Shan gently: "Serving in the palace, the honor of the master and the face of the servant are inseparable."

She smiled again and laughed at herself: "After all, the emperor doesn't want to see me. It's normal for them to be lazy. I just pretend that I don't see it. Tomorrow you can ask, if anyone finds a good job, just go. How can I use it?" Got so many people to serve."

Yunshan saw Wanyu sitting in front of the Yaoqin, with her hands on the strings, and asked, "It's late at night, why is my master still playing the piano?"

"It's okay, the hall is farther away. Both Li Ying and Dong Ying are sleeping soundly at this hour, so they won't be disturbed." Wan Lai plucked the strings of the qin, and the sound of the guqin was as clear as splashing jade, trembling like a dragon's chant, spruce Hearing it raptly, even Xuerong fell in love with it, nestling at Wanyu's feet.

A song fell, leisurely and far away, Yunshan smiled and asked Wanyu what the song was about, and replied "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix". ①
"The sound of the little master's piano is exquisite, but this piece seems a bit sad." Yun Shan finished speaking, but saw that the curtain on the door of the bedroom was lifted by someone, and the insider was wearing a bright yellow robe with excellent stitches on the face. There is a bright yellow belt inlaid with warm jade around the waist, and a lot of curved lines are arranged obliquely at the hem of the dragon robe. On the lines, lake blue needlework is densely woven with tumbling waves, and near the waves, mountain stone treasures are inlaid.

Wan Lai glanced at the clothes from the corner of her eye, and knew that it was the emperor who came.

Shocked, she hurriedly got out of the chair, knelt down and saluted and said: "The concubine and noble lady Niu Hulu respectfully invites the emperor to be safe, and the emperor is blessed with golden peace."

After she finished speaking, she saw Yunshan staring at the emperor obsessively, standing there like a lost soul, so she called Yunshan's name in a low and panicked voice, which brought her back to her senses, and she knelt down with a 'plop', He lowered his body and said, "This servant is reckless, please forgive me, Your Majesty."

The emperor glanced at the two of them, smiled slightly, raised his hand to flatten them, and walked slowly towards the Yaoqin store placed on the table.

Wanyu only dared to get up slowly when the emperor walked past her.

She was embarrassed, rubbing the hem of her clothes alternately with her hands, and couldn't help being curious, she looked up at the emperor.

The emperor faced her sideways, his eyebrows were thick and slightly raised but not messy, his dew-like eyes were clear and energetic, his black curly eyelashes cast shadows on the bridge of his straight nose under the candlelight, his thin lips were bright red, and his jaw leaned forward slightly .

Wan Lai was fascinated by it, she only heard that the emperor was handsome, but she didn't expect that there was such an aura of a king who ruled the world between her brows.

At this time, the emperor caressed the strings of the zither, turned his head, his eyes shone like the sun, and smiled heartily at Wanyu.

"You stiffen your neck, what are you looking at?"

　Remark 1: "Feng Qiuhuang" is said to be a Guqin melody in the Han Dynasty, which deduces the love story between Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun.Taking "Phoenix Seeking Phoenix" as the metaphor of the whole body not only contains passionate courtship, but also symbolizes the extraordinary ideals of the hero and heroine, the noble purpose, and the tacit understanding of bosom friends.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)