Biography of Concubine De of Emperor Kangxi

The sound of "slut" lingered in her ears, Lan Qi remembered that Wang Momo used to call her and Pan Xia little bitches when she was in a hurry, at that time, she didn't bother to care about the old woman going crazy, and it sounded like it didn't hurt or itch, but today she listened Concubine Tong scolded herself like this, and she suddenly understood what dignity is.

Duan Guiren and Hui Guiren went to help Rong Guiren, she got up limply from the ground, watched the eunuchs and maids come in and out to enshrine the third elder brother, she was sobbing that she had no strength to make a sound, she was almost standing there supported by two people on the left and right, Later, Hui Guiren and Duan Guiren couldn't hold her back, and let her cry and fell to the ground. When the small coffin was invited in and San Elder Brother was about to be buried immediately, Rong Guiren cried so hard that his whole body convulsed and finally passed out.

Third Elder Brother was encoffined, Honorable Rong fainted, people came and went, and the room was in a mess. Concubine Zhao stayed outside and did not come in. When Honorable Rong was carried away, the coffin of Younger Elder Brother was also invited out, and Lan Qi was still sitting in the corner However, none of the people around her followed, and the people here didn't know what to do with her.

There were fewer and fewer people in the room, Lan Qi raised her head blankly, the cradle was empty, the poor little life really left.

There were footsteps coming from the door, and after a while the luxurious and exquisite clothes appeared in front of her eyes. Lan Qi raised her head and saw Concubine Zhao's graceful face. She reached out and pinched her chin, and turned slightly to the right, as if to see herself clearly. The scar on the left cheek, said softly: "Why bother, why do you have to go into the muddy water, this slap is really not worth it. Let's go, there is no business for you here, too many elder brothers and princesses have walked through the palace, I am afraid even The emperor's heart has long been numb."

Concubine Zhao turned around, as if she was worried, and told Dong Yun beside her: "Wu Chang is with no one, send Chang Zai back to Zhongcui Palace."

Dong Yun promised, sent the master all the way out, turned around and respectfully came to help Lan Qi, and said gently: "Wu Chang is leaving, everyone is leaving."

Lan Qi was pulled to stand up by her, but her legs and feet were already numb to the point of losing consciousness. Dong Yun didn't support her for a while, and she fell heavily again. Even so, the stinging pain of a needle is still not as painful as the pain in the heart when the dragon robe flashed past his eyes.

On the way here, the Empress Dowager asked herself what the emperor liked about her, but she didn't know, so she never understood what the emperor liked about her.

"Wu Chang is here, it's cold on the ground." Dong Yun was very polite, and called the little maid beside him to help her up, helped Lan Qi to let her try to walk, and waited for her legs and feet to regain strength before sending her back step by step. Zhongcui Palace.

When passing by Chengqian Palace, Dongyun still had some scruples, but the people around her were completely immersed in her own world. Dongyun didn't respond to what she said, and kept handing her over to Huanchun, and couldn't help but say something : "Be careful with your service, and... Concubine Tong lives in front, so keep a low profile these days."

Leaving Zhongcui Palace, when Dongyun walked through Chengqian Palace, she saw a cloth tiger under the stone steps at the entrance of the palace. She walked over to pick it up. The stitches of the cloth tiger were very rough and the shape was strange. Qinglian, who was serving Concubine Tong, came out, and they were old acquaintances. Qinglian saw the cloth tiger in Dongyun's hand, sighed softly, and stretched out her hand to ask: "Give it to me, Concubine Tong is looking for it, I am planning to Go to Elder Brother's place to have a look, sure enough, Elder Brother still doesn't want it and left it behind."

Dongyun gave her the cloth tiger, and Qinglian patted the dust on the cloth tiger, and sighed with lowered eyes: "The empress loves big brother very much, this cloth tiger was sewed overnight by herself the night before big brother came, it's a pity Eldest Brother has always disliked it, and always insisted on leaving."

Dong Yun didn't say anything. After saying goodbye, she went back to Yikun Palace, and saw the people from Elder Brother come back to her life. She waited for everyone to leave before she said to the noble concubine: "Wu Chang is in a state of despair. I don't know if it's because of testifying against Concubine Tong. On the way back from there, the servant picked up a cloth tiger that had fallen at the gate of Chengqian Palace. Qinglian came out and asked for it back, saying that Concubine Tong sewed it for the elder brother. The servant had seen it, and the stitches were rough and clumsy. Obviously it came from the hands of someone who does not do needlework, Qinglian should be telling the truth."

Concubine Zhao smiled wryly: "She is very attentive. What she said in elder brother's office just now must have come from her heart. I don't know if the empress dowager or the emperor will go to check the older brother's residence in Chengqian Palace these days. Under the bed in my house, did you hide the hair of your younger siblings?"

Dong Yun sighed: "I have been in the palace for more than ten years, and I have never heard such a statement."

"I'm in a hurry to go to the doctor. She must believe this kind of nonsense at this juncture." Concubine Zhao sat cross-legged on the kang, sorting out the various lists from the House of Internal Affairs, and suddenly looked up at Dongyun, "They It is said that Concubine Tong went to the third elder brother's house alone, but I saw her go to Rong Xian's house that day, and she was also alone, sneaky."

Dong Yun said: "If the words of Concubine Tong are true? Then the third elder brother..."

Concubine Zhao sneered: "Brother San didn't live long, but someone took advantage of his death."

Dong Yun frowned and thought about it, and asked the noble concubine in his heart: "Could it be that you are Huigui?"

"Whether it's Huigui or Ronggui, who can tell the difference?" Concubine Zhaogui sighed and called the maid to serve tea. When the winter cloud came, she frowned and drank half a bowl to relieve her energy before leaning tiredly on the side. The big pillow said, "This matter is to be blamed, it should all be blamed on the Long Live Lord, and the Long Live Lord must have understood it in his own heart, so let it go, and don't even bother to investigate."

Dong Yun knelt down and beat her legs for her, and then he heard the master laugh inexplicably: "Now that I think about it, I wanted to adopt a child all those years ago, but the empress dowager and the emperor never let go. It's not that I feel wronged. , It’s really for my own good, if you really let go and give me one or two, those impatient mother-in-laws don’t know how to plot against me, even if they hit a stone with an egg, they will have to fight hard.”

"Once the miss enters the palace, the empress doesn't have to worry about it." Dong Yun comforted her.

Speaking of her sister, Concubine Zhao smiled happily, looking forward to the future and said: "I still want to teach her how to manage the affairs of the Sixth Palace, and the burden on my shoulders will be lighter. Although Huigui and the others are capable, they are not reliable. , I can't believe it."

But Dong Yun said inexplicably: "I don't know what will happen to Wu Changzai this time, but this servant sent her back, looking at her appearance, it's so pitiful."

Concubine Zhao's long eyebrows trembled slightly, she didn't know what she was thinking, but her eyes gradually showed sadness: "What will happen to her, if that person didn't cherish her, why would he be so angry like this, you didn't see the way he looked at her today, It's so enviable."

For a while, Dong Yun couldn't tell the "he" and "she" in the master's mouth, and he didn't dare to talk nonsense, and silently waited on one side. As the sky gradually darkened, a word came from the front that the emperor turned over Yiguiren's signboard at night, and someone came to invite him. up.

Mrs. Yigui first came to the main hall to say goodbye, she was not here with what happened to elder brother today, and she didn't understand what was going on, she probably felt uneasy, and wanted to ask Concubine Zhao what she should do, but in the end it was someone who left the palace, The imperial concubine was finally willing to say a few words: "It's good to talk less, if the emperor asks you something, just be perfunctory, don't say stupid things that don't make sense."

This night, Mrs. Yigui didn't go to bed, she didn't even know when the emperor lay down to sleep, after going to Qianqing Palace, she waited stupidly for the emperor to move the bed from the desk, but she waited until she was so sleepy that she fell asleep the emperor She didn't move, and when she woke up, the emperor had already gone to court, so she should go too.

In the next few days, the emperor turned over Yigui's brand, but the Ministry of Internal Affairs never kept a record. Only she knew what Yigui had done with the emperor. Concubine Zhao asked insinuatingly several times, and Yigui was very honest. Concubine Zhao was dubious when she said that she didn't even speak to the emperor.

In the middle of March, the weather is getting warmer, and a hundred flowers are blooming in the imperial garden, but I don't know if it's because of the death of the third elder brother, the cloud is still lingering, and the days of spring are finally here, but the palace is inexplicably dead, and no one moves between the six palaces , since the farce that elder brother said, almost everyone has stayed behind closed doors.The Empress Dowager is here except to talk to the Empress Dowager every few days, or Concubine Zhao to pay her respects, all other concubines are gone, even Wu Changzai, who is her favorite, has not been with her for a long time.

Concubine Zhao and the Empress Dowager left the Palace of Compassion and Ningshou this day, and were returning to Ningshou Palace. On the way, they met Concubine Tong going out. They hadn't seen each other for a few days. Concubine Tong was still in good spirits, and she was still bright and charming. She respected the two of them. After the ceremony, Concubine Tong raised her eyebrows slightly when asked where she was going, "Long Live Lord sent someone to summon the ministers and concubines to speak in Qianqing Palace, and they are about to go there."

The queen mother smiled leisurely and said: "The emperor works hard every day and doesn't know how to rest. You should mention a few words when you pass by. The flowers in the garden are blooming just right. I advise him to move around more."

"The concubine remembers, the emperor is waiting, and the queen mother forgives the concubine for not being with me for a long time." Concubine Tong bowed and said goodbye, and walked proudly by the side, when a gust of wind swept the dust, Concubine Zhao was blinded, the queen dowager Asked if she was okay, the imperial concubine blinked some tears and said with a smile that she was fine.

Going forward, you will find the Zhongcui Palace. The gate is closed and clear. The Empress Dowager can't help sighing: "Emperor Taizong dotes on Concubine Chen, and Emperor Shizu dotes on Dong E's family. This is not the case. , Our Long Live Lord likes this little constant presence, good times and bad times, people can't understand." He advised Concubine Zhao, "You should understand in your heart, in the current situation, you should care about Zhongcui Palace, even if the emperor knows you It was intentional, at least he realized it, at least he understood that you knew who he cherished."

The noble concubine felt sour in her heart, and she lowered her head to answer: "The concubine thinks the same way, but every time I think about it, I just can't swallow it."

The Empress Dowager smiled: "Look at the long term, this is not condescension, you are doing things for the emperor. Come on, picking the sun is worse than hitting the sun, I will accompany you."

Concubine Zhao was very surprised, but she was dragged by the queen mother to the gate of Zhongcui Palace. The eunuch beside her had already knocked on the door. The people inside opened the door and heard that the queen mother and concubine Zhao were coming, so they hurriedly opened the door and knelt down to welcome them. When Shi Ran came in, he saw Bu Changzai and Wu Changzai coming out of the East Side Hall with the curtain drawn. The two of them, delicate and pure, hurriedly knelt in the courtyard.

"It's getting warm, but it's still cold on the ground. Get up quickly." The queen mother said with a smile, "I want to walk around instead of going back in a sedan chair. After all, I'm usually lazy and tired after walking for a while. Seeing that your place is quiet, I want to Come in and rest."

Huanchun and the others were busy going to tidy up the main hall and invite the queen mother to sit there, but the queen mother said that it was too cold and cold for no one to live there, it would be good to go to Wuchang in the room, and Buchang served tea in person, and few people came here, she remembered correctly , the Queen Mother should be the most distinguished guest she has ever received.

"I came from the Empress Dowager, and the new tea came, but I was annoyed that there was no one who was good at making tea. I asked why I didn't call you, and the Empress Dowager said that you were having trouble." The Empress Dowager kindly pulled Lan Qi to sit beside her She turned around and smiled at the imperial concubine, "I'm right, I'm staying in the house well, and when I go back to the old man next time, you have to talk about it."

Concubine Zhao tried her best to put on a friendly smile on her face, and choked out a sentence: "My sister, why didn't you go to the Palace of Compassion? No time to rest."

The queen mother smiled and pushed the imperial concubine: "Why are you relying on me again?" But she turned around and said to Lan Qi, "Those things are in the past, and I won't say who is right and who is wrong. There are too many such things in the palace. , I have seen it through in my generation. Good boy, even Concubine Tong has gone out, what are you hiding here? The empress dowager cannot leave you, listen to me, go to serve me tomorrow, and serve good new tea If no one dares to move, it will be wasted."

Lan Qi was panicked in her heart, and the empress dowager and concubine Zhao's singing made her even more flustered, but she obediently agreed without saying a word. Seeing her like this, the empress dowager wanted to leave after drinking tea. Chang Zai walked with her to the door, and only waited for the Queen Mother and Concubine Zhao to disappear before getting up, then he heard Jin He say: "It is said that the Lord Long Live summoned Concubine Tong to go to Qianqing Palace."

Lan Qi's eyes flickered slightly, she turned to look at the scene of Chengqian Palace ahead, and then went back without saying a word.Bu Changzai didn't go with her, and sighed in front of the palace gate: "How can she get well? What happened? What the Queen Mother said just now, I can't understand."

Huan Chun comforted her a few words, asked Pan Xia to send her back, brought in a pot of hot water, and saw the master packing up the books and papers by herself. She had been bored in the room for the past few days, writing one by one. Come on, she didn't even have time to wash off the ink stained on her hands, so she was always embarrassed when being held by the queen mother.

Lan Qi's hands were soaked in hot water by Huan Chun, watching her carefully wash her fingers, she suddenly remembered the time when she was washing her hands while serving Bu Chang, she couldn't help frowning, for no reason, Concubine Tong's low voice People rang in her ears again, she withdrew her hand in a panic, Huan Chun was startled, she quickly moved away from the water basin, wrapped her hands in a soft cotton cloth, and asked nervously: "What's wrong, master?"

Lan Qi stared at her blankly, but the breath in her chest showed signs of loosening. After ups and downs, she finally said: "Dress up for me, I'm going to see Mrs. Rong."

Huan Chun was stunned for a moment, but immediately agreed, and called Yu Kui and Xiang Yue to serve her, changed the master into new clothes that were in season, and dressed up carefully, then detoured to avoid the possible path of Concubine Tong, and went straight to Rong Guiren's house. Come to the residence, what a coincidence, I met Huigui who was about to leave in front of the door.

"Sister is here?" I haven't seen you for a few days, Huigui is obviously a little embarrassed, and seems to be hesitating whether to go or stay. Ji Xin has already come out inside, and while letting Wu Changzai in, he comes to Huigui and whispers, "Master, please Go back first."

Huigui nodded, looked at Wu Yashi's back inside, sighed and left.Ji Xin came back quickly, Zhang Luo served tea, and then stood aside with Huan Chun, rare, Wu Chang asked them all to go down, when Ji Xin left, seeing the master nodding to her, he warmly invited Huan Chun to drink too Mouth tea.

The room is quiet, Ronggui has long since returned to her former splendor, she has maintained a slender figure after having given birth many times, and her face is well-growthed again, no wonder the emperor's favor is tireless, but everyone sees it, third elder brother After she passed away, the emperor didn't have much to do with her for a few days these days, and even Huigui hardly saw Shengjia.

"These new teas were sent as a reward from the Palace of Compassion and Ning, so my sister should have them too?" Ronggui cooked the tea himself, with a natural smile on his face, "When serving the emperor, it's better to serve the nobleman's tea, I'm not as good She is dexterous, but she must not be as good as you, I heard that these days you don't go to the Palace of Compassion and Peace, and the Empress Dowager doesn't even drink tea."

"Your Honor." Lan Qi said.

Rong Guiren looked at her, holding a teaspoon in the air with one hand, a pinch of tea leaves in the teaspoon hadn't been put into the teapot, he paused for a moment, then put it down, lowered his head to serve the tea, and asked with a smile: "What do you want to ask, sister?" It’s rare that you are willing to come to me, and I wonder if I should go to Zhongcui Palace in person, I know, you have a knot in your heart.”

"Did the third elder brother be poisoned to death?" Lan Qi asked, her heart pounding. Didn't she not know the dangers of the palace, even if she hadn't experienced it before, didn't she hear few stories from the past dynasties?But she never thought that she would experience it herself. If Concubine Tong's words of "slut" linger in her ears, it is better to say that it is the empty cradle, the little life that passed away that brought her... The shadows kept her awake at night.

Lan Qi's heart sank, and she continued to ask, "Third elder brother, did you die of illness?"

Rong Guiren nodded, then raised his eyebrows and looked at her seriously: "Yes, the third elder brother died of illness, the emperor also said so."

"It's not the emperor who said it, the concubine is asking you..."

"Wu Chang is here." Ronggui interrupted her, "I said, I just ask you to say what you see. Didn't you do it? No matter whether the third elder brother died of illness or was poisoned to death, he is not the same as you. It doesn't matter."

"What if the concubine didn't see it?" Lan Qi stood up and approached her slightly, "How do you and Mrs. Hui know that the concubine will see Concubine Tong go to the third elder brother's house?"

The tea in Mrs. Rong's hand is ready, so I gave her a cup, and said with a smile: "Actually, you want to ask me if I used you? Why don't you just say it, because you can't say it?"

Lan Qi remained silent, Ronggui continued: "The empress dowager and the emperor both understand that it will be fine when they get over this, even if Huigui and I are no longer qualified to serve you, but this time is worth it." She said that she tasted the tea she brewed. She didn't know what it was like, so she put it down very dissatisfied, and poured Lan Qi's bowl of tea, and said casually, "You must be very strange, we do this , obviously aimed at Concubine Tong, trying to get Eldest Brother back, but Eldest Brother belongs to Huigui, so what I did was mixed in, right?"

But Lan Qi didn't know if she couldn't bear the sight of nobleman Rong spoiling those fine tea leaves, and took the initiative to fiddle with the tea set, nobleman Rong let go of his hands and sat back, and said leisurely: "Brother is crying all day long, there is always someone One day, even the emperor can't stand it anymore, and Concubine Tong herself doesn't know how long she can be patient, but as long as there is that day, she will abandon her elder brother and embrace other children. What she said to the emperor that day, you Did you hear that? The emperor promised that she could choose one, so why did the elder brother go to Chengqian Palace for so many days without an imperial decree, because she hasn't chosen yet."

Lan Qi devoted herself to serving the tea set, and listened to Ronggui's words. Ronggui continued: "We have no way to bring down Concubine Tong. If we want to stop her from raising a child, this is the only way to make a fuss. Relying on the emperor We still have a bit of an old relationship with us, because she is impatient and unrestrained, impulsive at the slightest tease, and because the two of us are brothers' mothers, even if we fight for our future, we can't let her take the child away. "

The tea in Lan Qi's hand was also ready, and she handed a cup to Rong Guiren. She happened to say that her mouth was dry, she took a sip, and there was joy on her brows, and she drank the whole cup of tea immediately, and said with a sigh of relief: "I I know you think I'm ruthless, and I've used you and my own children..." Crystal tears oozed from the corners of her eyes, Rong Gui wiped them away with a smile, looked at Lan Qi and said, "I'm already in this palace It's been more than ten years, and you think there is nothing I can't let go of, and in the next few decades, I will only have children."

Lan Qi didn't drink tea, she got up and left the kang, and they were silent for a while, she was blessed to leave, Ronggui asked her if she still had any knots in her heart, she shook her head: "The queen mother said that she doesn't care who is right or who is wrong, the minister The concubine also understands now that there is no right or wrong in this matter, thank you for being willing to speak your mind to this concubine."

Ronggui said with a smile: "Maybe one day, I don't want to tell you what's in my heart anymore, but I will keep your cup of tea today in my heart."

Lan Qi nodded and said nothing, turned around and was about to leave, when Ji Xin hurriedly said outside: "The Empress Dowager stepped aside in the Buddhist hall, Madam Su Mala came to look for Wu Chang, she knew it was here, so she came here directly, Please hurry up, Wu Chang, the people from the Compassionate Ning Palace are still waiting outside."

Lan Qi hurriedly ran out, Rong Guiren also asked Ji Xin to help change clothes, Lan Qi went to the Palace of Compassion first, and when Rong Guiren came here, she saw the emperor passing by from a distance, stopped for a while, thought about it and ordered Ji Xin: "Let's go back."

In the bedroom of the Ci Ning Palace, the Empress Dowager was lying on the bed, and Lan Qi knelt on the side of the couch. The Empress Dowager refused to let her touch them. Being reprimanded by the grandmother: "I don't want to see you two, get out quickly."

Xuan Ye hurriedly apologized: "Grandma's words, what did my grandson do to make you angry?"

Lan Qi raised her head to look at the emperor, Xuan Ye's eyes also fell on her face, she could still faintly see the scar covered under the makeup on her left cheek, she was immediately annoyed, but this angry look scared Lan Qi away again passed.

The Empress Dowager saw it all, stretched out her hand to pinch Lan Qi's chin, and said coldly, "It deserves it."