Biography of Concubine Shujia

Chapter 180

Jian'an ten years, March.On the outskirts of Los Angeles, in a somewhat remote graveyard, a plain-clothed woman poured the peach blossom wine she had brought in front of the grave.The fragrance of peach blossoms smudged some withered peach blossoms on the tomb, which she brought with her when she came here a few days ago.Those peach blossoms were carefully placed in front of the grave, and she ordered the girl to break them specially a few days ago, and inserted them herself.

The person who came was wearing a light yellow green smoked sweater, a pleated skirt of water mist and green grass, and a thin green smoky veil. She faced the bouquet, combed the hair of an ordinary lady, and wore a simple jasper and peach hairpin. With her gray hair fixed and her figure looking thin, she brushed her finger over the celadon bottle containing peach blossom wine, "I brewed this wine by myself today, it tastes very good, I'll have a few glasses with you, but you can't drink more drink."

Her voice was a little cold, and there were quite a few wrinkles on her fingers. Although she was dressed young, it could be seen that she was already old.

Her clothes are not suitable, but because she is well maintained, she still has such a romantic charm from the back.

"I dreamed of you again last night. You were standing under the peach blossom tree and smiling at me. You were still so young. I didn't want to wake up. You are still the stunning and handsome sixth son, but I am already old. Some Every now and then I look at myself in the vanity mirror, worrying that you won’t recognize me when I’m down there.” Hearing some deserted voices echoing in front of the empty tomb makes people feel desolate.

"Yesterday, the emperor came to the palace with the empress dowager. I watched it from a distance. She is very majestic." As if thinking of something interesting, he said with a soft smile, "Who would have thought that the mother who is now in the world is the ignorant little girl back then?" Where's the girl?"

"If you were here, you would definitely scold me." Imitating the man's appearance when he was angry, "Don't be a good mother and empress dowager, do you regret it now?"

"I don't regret it. There is only one thing I regret in this life. It took nearly 30 years to fulfill my Zeng promise. He couldn't leave quickly and tied me up. He was the one who was sorry for me." A bit sad He continued, "It's not that I said bad things about him, he was actually quite pitiful. None of the two beloved women were buried with him in the end. What accompanied him was just an empty coffin."

Slowly pour the peach blossom stuffing into the white jade cup tightly held in his hand, and taste the somewhat bitter wine bit by bit.

If many words of this woman are heard by someone with a heart, it will naturally be unfavorable.But she is not someone else, she used to have a special status, even if the late emperor was still alive, even if she was scolded by her, he had to suppress his anger and respect him.If there are old people in the palace, for example, the concubine who entered the palace 20 years ago, she might scream in surprise.They thought that this person was cheating on the corpse during the day, but this person was none other than Empress Xiaocheng, Xiao Mengzhen, who died of illness in Los Angeles earlier than Emperor Ruidi in his later years.

Xiao Mengzhen leaned in front of his grave, drank a few more cups of peach blossom wine, her drunken eyes seemed to see the person smiling at him again...

Looking back on her life, she has a stable position, is envied by the world, loved by the late emperor during her lifetime, and respected after her death. Apart from being childless all her life, this Empress Xiaocheng can really be said to have had the best life among childless empresses. up.

She is the cousin of the first emperor, and her aunt is the queen mother. She grew up in the court and married into the court since she was a child.Especially after Yuan Empress entered the palace but ended in dismal, she became the most proud one.

However, no one has ever asked whether it is what she likes and is willing to be the queen.Only he will ask himself if he likes it, if he wants to...

In the fourth year of Zhaokang, after the emperor ordered Ouyang Ruixin, she was taken back to the Xiao Mansion, she was very happy.She didn't like the cage in the palace at all, and she couldn't think of what else she could do other than being used as a marionette by her mother, the empress dowager?
The education she received since she was a child told her that the family has spent a lot of effort in cultivating her. Since she has enjoyed the wealth brought by the family, she needs to pay for her marriage for the family.For the emperor's cousin, she can't say she likes it, nor can she say she hates it.After all, the two grew up in that cruel environment. As relatives, there is always concern.

But this concern is probably not as exciting as freedom.Especially she is lucky not to be the emperor's concubine.

Although the family felt that it was a pity, they would not allow the eldest daughter from the first line to be a concubine. Even if the empress dowager made the decision for her and the regent at the beginning, it was for the queen's throne.

Unlike the empress dowager, the aunt raised her after all.Even if she is not as important as the emperor in her aunt's heart, she will not let her family abuse her.The aunt was worried about her mother, the empress dowager, and the restless people in the Xiao family, so she secretly joined hands with her mother to choose a marriage for her.

The order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker were originally what they should be.She escaped from that place and ascended to heaven, and she will never go back in the future. If she has a good marriage, she can only be happy.

The person chosen by the mother is the sixth son of the Lu family and Lu Rongjing's brother.This marriage was chosen very well, the future mother-in-law is my cousin and aunt, and the husband is my cousin.Although not as close as the emperor who grew up with him, this cousin is also capable.

Hearing that he has been serving as a guard by the emperor's side, the emperor is full of praise for him.Coupled with the relationship between the two families, as well as her childhood friendship with the emperor, she believes that her life will be better in the future.

There are few girls from aristocratic families in her generation who are similar to her, and she has friendship with her cousin Lu Rongjingye.The two families got closer, but the timing was not enough, so it was inconvenient to announce it to the outside world.

Lu Rongjing was also very close to her because she had saved her.I often invite her to parties, and once even invited her to Zhuangzi to finish.

After coming and going, she met Lu Jia Liulang.Because of the secret marriage contract, the two had known each other since childhood, and the two parents also intended for them to get along before marriage.

It was a man with gentle brows and eyes, he could really be called a modest gentleman, as gentle as jade, his radiance was shinning inside rather than outside.His graceful and self-possessed demeanor, open-minded and unrestrained demeanor, does not show his sharpness, does not make publicity, but also has no great sorrow or joy, no paranoia and arrogance, as the saying goes, "Don't be surprised by favor or disgrace, just watch the flowers bloom and fall in front of the court; go and stay unintentionally, follow the sky Yun Juan Yun Shu." The state of his life showed a kind of mature mellowness.It was only after seeing him that he really understood the meaning of the phrase "Moshang is like jade, and his son is unparalleled in the world".

Both of them came from rich families, and they are restrained and respectful when getting along.He has always spoiled her as a little girl like his younger sister, and would often bring her some small objects through correspondence between her and his cousin.

For example, he found the rhinoceros horn to find this white jade cup and carved it himself; for example, he found the recipe for peach blossom brewing by looking through ancient books; and for example, the delicate round fan she often used, the fan surface was painted by him himself.What he gave her, she kept by her side all these years.At that door, there are cute kittens, blue peach blossoms, and green bamboos.

His paintings are very good, and his calligraphy is also very good.He doesn't look like a son from a family of generals at all, but like a son from a family of civil servants.

He would also write to her occasionally, and of course he would send her along with his cousin's letter.He can tell interesting anecdotes, tell jokes among colleagues, and guide her to write typos when she replies...

Thinking about it now, that was really the happiest time Xiao Mengzhen had ever lived in his life.No precautions, no calculations, no intrigue.Some are just full of shyness and happiness after being cared for.

At the end of the fifth year of Zhaokang after Emperor Rui got married, Xiao and Lu's two families had already started discussing marriage in private.It is not easy to continue the correspondence between the two, and the couple cannot meet before they get married.

On the Lantern Festival in the sixth year of Zhaokang, Lu Rongjing came to ask her to go out to enjoy the lanterns together.Xiao's mother has been holding her to embroider wedding dresses at home these days, and she wanted her to relax on this day, so she ordered someone to protect her and board the Lu family's carriage.

There were many people on the street, and she had to abandon the car when she reached Xuanniao Street. She was still worried that it would be unsafe for the two girls to go out alone, so the curtain of the car was pulled open, and a pair of white hands stretched out, "Sister, Cousin Xiao , get out of the car."

Lu Rongjing winked and smiled, she stared at her cousin, and said uncomfortably, "There are pedals."

Lu Rongjing opened the curtain of the car and got off from the other side. Before getting out of the car, she smiled at her brother, "Brother Seven is here, and I will go with him. Brother Six must take good care of my cousin."

Xiao Mengzhen had no choice but to stare at another hateful person, "Why are you here?"

"Mengzhen." He softly called her name, "Get out of the car, I will follow you, protect you, and prevent you from getting hurt in the slightest."

Xiao Mengzhen blushed and put her hand into his warm palm, and was led out of the car by him.When she stood still, he let go of his hand. For some reason, she felt a sense of loss.

In the midst of melancholy, a green bamboo pole was stuffed into the palm of his hand. It turned out that he stuffed a lantern with a picture of a white rabbit pounding medicine.As he walked, the white rabbit seemed to be moving, looking anxious.She used to get the round fan painted by him, so she naturally understood that he specially made this thoughtful lantern for her, the melancholy in her heart was diluted by the sweetness that came up, she pursed her lips and smiled, "Thank you, cousin."

"Come on, there are a lot of people here, I'll take my sister to put lanterns by the river." He suppressed a smile, watching her staring at the jade rabbit on the lantern like a child, and then speaking with a pampering that he didn't know , "The cat raised in the house gave birth to a kitten, and I will send someone to send it to my sister tomorrow."

There were too many people, and although the two were engaged, they were not meant to be abrupt, so he held her by the sleeves.Seeing her curiously looking at the lanterns and crowds on the street, I thought that I could take her to see the lanterns every year in the future.

At that time, neither she nor he knew that this was the first time and the only time they were so close.When we met, she was standing outside, but he was already lying inside.

When he arrived at the river, there were many people putting up lanterns. He protected her and put the peach blossom lantern with written wishes into the river.The peach blossom lanterns floated into the distance with the river. She remembered that she lit three lanterns and asked for blessings.

Firstly, I wish the family a stable and happy family, secondly, I wish prosperity under the emperor’s rule, and thirdly, I wish to grow old together with him.

Three lanterns were launched into the water, and the first two floated away quickly.The third light went out shortly after entering the water, and then drifted left and right.She felt unlucky in her heart, and looked uneasy when she looked at him.

"It's just a lantern, so it can't be real." He patted her head, and her appearance really made people feel comforted, "There aren't many people here, do you want to guess the lantern riddles?"

She nodded and followed him away from the river, naturally she would not know that the first light she lowered into the water also went out where she could not see it.

What she really wanted, and only one thing in her life has been realized, and that is prosperity under the emperor's rule.

In June of the sixth year of Zhaokang, she hadn't entered the palace for a long time, and suddenly saw the big maid next to her aunt in her room.

She put down the embroidered wedding dress, got up and asked, "Aunt Ling is here, but aunt?"

"The Empress Dowager sent a maidservant to pick up the girl into the palace." Aunt Ling looked at her with sympathy, but she was also genuinely happy, "The emperor is now in charge."

"That should be congratulations, but there is a queen in the palace to accompany my aunt, and I am getting married too. When Meng really gets married, I will go to the palace to thank my aunt."

"Girl, the sixth son of the Lu family..." Aunt Ling's words were interrupted by Mother Xiao who rushed over, and she couldn't continue.

"Mengzhen, since the queen mother misses you, you should enter the palace." Mother Xiao said unnaturally to her daughter's puzzled eyes.

Of course she knew about the major events of the past few days, but her daughter didn't.She is very fortunate now, because of the concerns of the Queen Mother, the marriage of the two families has not been made public.

"Auntie, what happened?" Xiao Mengzhen was always obedient, but it was the first time she wanted to get to the bottom of it, "You just said what happened to cousin Lu?"

"Four days ago, the regent rebelled, and the six sons of the Lu family died protecting the emperor when they killed the regent." Aunt Ling paused, "The son of the Lu family will be buried tomorrow. The queen mother loves you and announces you to enter the palace. "

Xiao Meng was really dazed, she caressed the bright red wedding dress with her fingers, and was pricked by the embroidery needle inserted on the wedding dress just now, a drop of blood seeped into the wedding dress, looking coquettish and beautiful.

"Liar!" She said softly, "my cousin said he would follow me and protect me, and he said he would not let me suffer any grievances. He promised me and he would not break his promise! Mother, help me prepare Is the carriage any good? I'll go to my aunt's house and ask him why he doesn't care about talking!"

"Really!" Mother Xiao looked at her daughter with confused eyes, feeling distressed, "Lu Liu is dead, he is dead!"

"You are talking nonsense!" Xiao Mengzhen interrupted eagerly, "He is still waiting for me to marry him, yes, he must be waiting for me, I will go find him right now!"

"Pa" Mother Xiao slapped her on the face, "Are you awake? He Lu Liu is dead, but you are still alive! Where did you put your parents and aunt?"

Seeing the dumbfounded daughter crying out loud, she hugged her distressedly, "Listen to your aunt and go to the palace. In the future, mother will help you choose something else, choose the best one!"

Xiao Mengzhen pushed Xiao's mother away, "I want to see him off for the last time, and then I will enter the palace! I beg my mother to help me."

There was determination in her eyes, she knew that once she entered the palace, she would not be able to get out.The Xiao family has always wanted the queen's throne. Now that the regent has been killed, and the queen's father is from the regent's lineage, the palace may not like the queen anymore.Then, as the first daughter of the Xiao family, her mother, the empress dowager, also carried her into the palace.

If possible, she would also like to keep festivals for him.But the marriage between the two has always been private, firstly, they did not exchange Geng Tie, secondly, they did not make it public, and thirdly, she was the one the royal family wanted.If she doesn't go, the Xiao family will immediately be convicted for her willfulness.

"Tomorrow, the maidservant will accompany the girl into the palace." Aunt Ling said, some things, it's better to cut them off, and only then can they put their heart into the emperor.

"Please trouble Aunt Ling." After Xiao Mengzhen finished speaking, she fell backwards, as if all the strength in her body had been drained.

When she woke up again, it was already night.Her mother arranged for her elder brother to go with them to the Lu Mansion to mourn the funeral. Seeing her daughter dressed in white, with white flowers on her hair, and red and swollen eyes, she swallowed the words.

When she arrived at Lu's mansion, Mrs. Lu took him directly to the mourning hall. She looked at him and her lying motionless inside through the coffin, and suddenly smiled, "Cousin, Mengzhen came to say goodbye to you."

There was no one else in the mourning hall, only their mother and daughter and Lu's mother and daughter. Mrs. Lu's eyes were red from crying, and she cried even harder when she saw her niece looking desperate.

"Cousin, you like Mengzhen laughing the most, Mengzhen doesn't cry. We made an appointment, but I just need to trouble my cousin to wait."

"Mengzhen, Liulang, my poor child!" Lu's mother cried loudly, and squeezed Xiao's mother's hand tightly, "If Mengzhen really has something, it's Liulang who did the crime."

"My cousin, I'm sorry, you still have brother Yan and girl Rongjing."

"Rong Jing, take your cousin to your room for a rest. I'll talk to your mother." Mother Xiao persuaded her to leave this sad place.

"Cousin, Mengzhen is gone." Xiao Mengzhen put the longevity lock hanging around his neck into the coffin, "Let it accompany my cousin first."

When she left that day, Xiao Mengzhen had a white jade peach hairpin on her hair, which Lu Liulang had found so hard to give her when he was hired.

Later, she entered the palace without waiting for his burial.After that, the Empress Dowager was seriously ill, and before she died, she was referred to the emperor's cousin as his successor.

For the sake of his mother's peace of mind, and to dispel the doubts of his mother, the empress dowager, the emperor agreed.But no one knew that the emperor had already talked to Xiao Mengzhen before agreeing that there would be no more children from the Xiao family in this life, and she also got the emperor's promise not to touch her for life.

After all, she is not the daughter-in-law of the Lu family. Lu Liulang is buried in the Lu family's ancestral grave, so she cannot see her.In order to be able to worship him every year on his festival day, she built a tomb for him in Los Angeles, not far from his home.

Inside were his old clothes from his early years, their correspondence, and small objects he had found to give her.

She only left a round fan, a white jade cup and a plum blossom hairpin, always by her side.

No one knows what is the truth about Empress Xiaocheng helping Emperor Rui guard the harem but she is magnanimous and tolerant, and no one knows what is the truth about her failure to succeed, and no one knows how she cheated to death before the emperor left the truth.

The emperor, the empress dowager Zhaojia and Mrs. Duanxian Lu Rongjing set up a situation for her to be relieved.

She was freed from the Emperor and was doing fine.Feel free and at ease, talk to him when you think of him.Ten years have passed since then, and it will still be like this in the future.

"I'm getting old, I always think about the past recently." Xiao Mengzhen laughed at herself, "I'm not as beautiful as you!"

"However, I believe you will remember me. Let's make an agreement, we will always be together." After pouring the last bit of peach blossom stuffing into the soil, she stood up and sorted out the peach blossoms on the grave.

"Take Hua Cong to look back lazily. I am half destined to practice Taoism and half destined to be a gentleman. I am leaving, and I will come to see you another day."

She straightened her back, turned around and strode away, promising to be a worldly man, leaving her to walk alone.

once having seen the best, the rest is not worthwhile looking.Take Hua Cong to look back lazily, half destined to practice Taoism and half destined to be king.

(End of this chapter)