Chen Palace

Chapter 12 Star Drop
In the morning of the second day, the morning dew woke up a little late. Today she was on duty in the afternoon, and just after washing up, Qu Yun unexpectedly came.

He bypassed the front hall and came to this clean courtyard, he couldn't help feeling: "It turns out that your place is the most secluded!"

Chen Lu made tea for him with her own hands, but Qu Yun hurriedly waved her hands and said, "Forgive me, I still want to live for two more years—the food prepared by your hands is really hard to swallow." He picked up the porcelain bowl , sniffed lightly, and said with a wry smile: "Sure enough...you use overheated water to make tea, such astringency, no one else can make it except you."

Chen Lu couldn't help being ashamed, a faint blush appeared on her crystal face, she snatched the teacup, and said angrily, "If you don't want to drink it, don't drink it! A man is so picky! If you don't want to be on the mountain, it's all yours." Food..." In the last sentence, the voice became softer and weaker, as if he felt a little embarrassed.

Qu Yun laughed, and nimbly grabbed the teacup, and while dodging the morning dew, took a big sip, and then sighed in satisfaction: "This is your unique skill!"

Here, he was in high spirits, and the elegance and prudence of a middle-aged man seemed to have disappeared without a trace, as if the years had never passed, he and she were still two bickering disciples under the master's school.

"By the way, I remember that you also have a little maid to serve you. Why do you let you do these trivial things by yourself?"

"When it comes to food, I don't want anyone to interfere."

Chen Lu simply replied, but there was a slight strangeness in that voice, but Qu Yun instantly understood what kind of nightmare was left in her heart by the "Putting Machine" 26 years ago.

The water is passing like this, the years will never stop, and they are no longer the carefree young men and women.

He sighed and changed the subject: "Xiaochen, are you really going to meddle in Concubine Mei's affairs?"

Chen Lu said helplessly: "It's not that I have too much sympathy, and I don't like to be in trouble, but your emperor let me live here so that I can protect her nearby and win his trust, so I have no choice but to take care of this matter." .”

"Xiaochen...it's dangerous!"

Chen Lu sneered and said: "If you want to take revenge on 'her', any method is dangerous. Here, the emperor can become my amulet instead."

Qu Yun sighed, knowing that he couldn't persuade her, he could only hold her hand, and use his true energy to guide her weak inner force to run.This is the only guarantee he can give her.

After a lot of work, both of them were sweating on their foreheads. Chen Lu felt that she had benefited a lot, and said with a wry smile: "It seems that this body is really not suitable for martial arts... Yesterday in the imperial garden, I was full of energy in the dental card. , it’s just a little painful, it’s really useless!”

She recounted yesterday's situation again, and said with certainty: "I'm not mistaken, the red mark on the palm of that maid is clearly the 'Devil Flame Palm' of the Extreme North Mahā Sect, if she holds her waist Acupuncture point, Concubine Mei will have a miscarriage at night and die."

She was a little angry - just because when she first met at the palace banquet, she had a good impression of Zhou Guifei, a woman with the charm of Wei and Jin Dynasties.

Such a calm and heroic woman is actually the same as those palace ladies who are jealous and set up plots...

She sighed in disappointment: "You should report this matter to the emperor, I guess the maids on both sides will keep silent—and let him know how tiring my errand is!"

****
In the afternoon, it started to rain. Chen Lu held up a paper umbrella painted in ink and walked out of the courtyard gate. Seeing the greenery everywhere, she left the usual courtyard gate and walked around by the side path.

Going all the way to the side of the front hall, I saw Aunt Yue leading a middle-aged woman, walking lightly and hurriedly along the corridor.

She looked a little panicked, but when she looked up, she saw Chen Lu standing in front of her.

She smiled unnaturally: "Is Master Shangyi on duty in the afternoon?"

Before Chen Lu could speak, she smiled again, pointing to the woman behind her: "This is the old palace lady in front, Madam wants to ask her some old anecdotes, so as to avoid taboos."

Chen Lu glanced at the woman noncommittally, her walking posture and her hurried palace attire showed something strange.

Looking at her hand again, there is a box wrapped squarely, which looks like a small box.

She exchanged a few pleasantries quietly before leaving.

After a cup of tea, she came outside Concubine Mei's bedroom, leaned against the window lattice, and carefully lifted a strip of light silk from the window.

Only a woman's voice could be heard inside: "Your Majesty, your body doesn't matter, it's just a deficiency and cold, and your liver qi is stagnant. You can take some medicine."

Concubine Mei said impatiently: "The imperial doctor will say these things, I want to know whether this baby is a boy or a girl?!"

After a moment of silence inside, the woman said: "I am a native of the apricot grove. Healers have the heart of their parents. The theory is that you should not peek into the secrets of heaven. However, Master Mei has already told you all about your suffering. If that is the case, let the old man use the family tradition to tell you the truth." Let's have a try with the 'line'!"

Then there was a rush of movement inside, Chen Lu didn't want to listen any more, she turned and walked away.

****
Yuan Qi has a lot of memorials today, and Chen Lu has been assisting him all the time, and he didn't return to Changchun Palace until it was time to light the lanterns.

As she approached the main hall, she was worried, so she leaned into the gap and took another look.

I saw the lights in the main hall flickering and extinguishing by the wind. In the darkness, Concubine Mei was sitting blankly, with the light projected on her face. Her expression was changing, she was miserable for a while, gritted her teeth for a while, and finally, she was a little distorted. Convulsively, laughing.

"Since I'm a woman, don't blame me for being cruel..."

Words barely audible in the lowlands are barely heard by the morning dew
Her smile was actually vicious and proud.

Chen Lu couldn't bear to watch, and turned back to her courtyard.

After surviving two near-deaths, Concubine Mei's temperament has undergone a subtle change. She is no longer as innocent and naive as she was when we first met. She has also imitated other concubines and has her own scheming and plans.

This is the mental journey of palace women. No matter how beautiful a woman is, in this quagmire of blood and cannibalism, she will gradually be infiltrated and contaminated, and finally, she will spit out poisonous juice from the bottom of her heart to harm others.

There is no silt here without staining, only those who are close to vermilion are red, and those who are close to ink are black.The concept of survival of the fittest and the victor is king has almost become the law of heaven.

Chen Lu glanced at the bright moon in the sky, and the silvery round surface, under the rendering of the skylight, actually showed a slight ocher red, as if it was covered with a layer of blood.

Chen Lu felt ominous.

****
The matter happened very quickly, the second day was just past, Yuan Qi was discussing matters with several important ministers, only to see Qin Xi stumbling towards the front of the hall, anxiously and fearfully looking inside from time to time.

"What are you doing with your head down?! What happened?" Yuan Qi glanced at him, looking at his sneaky appearance, a little angry.

"Long live... It's not good, something happened to Mistress Mei of Changchun Palace!"

Qin Xi was so anxious that he ignored the presence of others and shouted out of breath.

The faces of all the ministers in the palace sank. In the past four years since Yuan Qi took power, the empress and concubine have rarely been pregnant, and there have been several cases of miscarriages and miscarriages, which have attracted rumors inside and outside. In a stable state, as important ministers, they are very unhappy to see this situation.

Yuan Qi's face turned pale for a moment, and the next moment, the anger in his heart surged like a raging wave.

He stared straight at Qin Xi and asked, "How's the situation?"

"The imperial doctor said...it's very bad, the child... probably won't be saved."

Qin Xi was stared at by that god-like terrifying gaze, and it was difficult to speak.

Yuan Qi gritted his teeth and sneered: "It finally succeeded!"

He was usually gentle and tolerant, but with such an angry attitude, everyone was at odds, wondering if the thunderous anger would descend on him.

Yuan Qi raised his clothes and stood up: "Go to Changchun Palace!"

"Depart from Changchun Palace—"

Hearing the eunuch's sonorous voice, he was extremely startled at this moment.

When Yuan Qi arrived, Concubine Mei's life was no longer in serious danger, but the one-month-old fetus had disappeared with shocking blood.

When he came to Concubine Mei's bed, she had already woken up faintly. Seeing Yuan Qi kissing her, she struggled to get up, but Yuan Qi stopped her.

"You are so feeble, why are you here with me for these vain rituals?" Yuan Qi tucked her quilt up in pity, with an indescribable guilt in his heart: "It's all my fault, I didn't take good care of your safety."

Concubine Mei's eyes were red and swollen. Hearing the emperor's self-reproach, she burst into tears immediately. Pearl-like teardrops slowly slid down her white and jade-like cheeks, soaking the embroidered pillow on the side. Everyone will feel sad for it.

"Your majesty, you have a deep and righteous love for your concubine, and the emperor's kindness is so great that your concubine is already in a state of fear..." She looked at Chen Lu next to her, and smiled gratefully: "If nothing else, you let Shangyi live In my palace, I take good care of my concubines... Do you know that Shang Yi has saved me several times!"

The emperor's eyes turned cold and stern, obviously thinking of the "Juxiangyuan incident" reported by Qu Yun, he quickly asked Concubine Mei: "What's going on this time?"

It was fine if he didn't ask, but when he asked, Concubine Mei seemed to think of something terrible, shivering, wrapped up in the quilt, crying so hard that she was very sad.

(End of this chapter)