The night in the Forbidden City seemed to be particularly deep. Ruyi remembered that when she was in the palace, the yard was also a large courtyard, and the concubines of the concubines each had their own pavilions, but that night was shallow, and I could see the other end. Standing in my courtyard, counting silently, and entering the courtyard a few times before I entered the courtyard was Hongli's study. I was so tired that I could get out of the pavilion. A few steps out of the pavilion was the pavilion of the concubine next to me. Although there were conflicts and favors when we met, it was all under my nose. There were always a few people who were a little better, pouring tea, using snacks, talking and laughing, and filling in loneliness. Even if Hongli walked into someone's attic, the lights of the beloved man's pavilion were particularly bright, and he could see the sorrow and jealousy, and he became more and more hopeful.

But now, the rules are getting bigger and bigger. The palace walls are deep and under the vermilion shadows, people have become tiny ants. The long street is deep, even if the palace maids are full of maids, it is silent and so quiet that it is scary. Many times Ruyi sat in the warm pavilion, listening quietly, thinking that there is no one around, but when she turned her head, she stood like mud puppets, outside the hall, under the corridor, inside and outside the palace, but they are all people who can't speak. Among the concubines who entered the palace, there are especially better ones, only Su Lujun and Keli Yete Hailan. They are both peaceful people. In the past, she was sharp and arrogant, and she had always been unable to see each other. Gao Xiyue had Huang Qiying and Jin Yuyan around her, and she was even more attached to the rich.

Chalang, she just said coldly and didn't say much to them. But now, Su Lujun is immersed in the sorrow that her son had not been able to meet her, and every time she was often depressed. Hailan, who was forgotten by Hongli, was ridiculed and rolled her eyes. Although Ruyi didn't like Hongli's new favorite, she couldn't stand everyone bullying her. Occasionally, she made Hailan's identity successful and had a place to live in the mansion. For this reason, Hailan also likes to always follow her, timid, like a wounded bird looking for a wing-shading shelter, always looking pitiful. Now Hailan lives with Xiyue, and she is not inconvenient to always interact with Hailan, so as not to mind Xiyue, making Hailan even more sad.

As a result, Ruyi felt even more lonely. She was like a candle burning in the hall, only she was burning alone, and no matter how she was, she was just tormenting and burning herself.

The emperor had just ascended the throne and did not have much time to enter the harem. Every day, the Jingshifang handed over the sign, and only three or four days passed the green-headed sign, first the queen and then the Concubine Hui, as if they were coming according to the ranking. Ruyi was looking forward to counting, thinking that it was her turn, but the emperor had not turned over the sign for a long time.

Gradually, she also realized that this loneliness was useless. The days in the palace would only grow longer day by day, and even the golden beast ridges suppressed the resentment of the women in the palace.

The wind came that night, and even the few colors of chrysanthemums in the Yanxi Palace were blown off and the petals were piled up all over the ground. In the weather in the capital, after mid-October, it became colder day by day. Ruyi exchanged the elegant green silk embroidered branches of Yanju’s five-petal plum shirt. On the spring silk that was thick and light blue plain dark flowers, there were only a few sparse branches of light crimson-shaped branches and five-petal plum blossoms. The stamens of each plum blossom were embroidered with pink white rice beads as big as rice grains. The tourmaline and plum blossoms reflected the candlelight and shine. Several new warmers were added underground, all of which were equipped with high-quality silver charcoal, which was quite clear when burned.

Ruyi held a volume of palace poems and leaned on the couch in the warm pavilion. She listened to the sound of the wind outside the window sobbing like a complaint, and her eyes became a little tired. She closed her eyes in her misty eyes, and suddenly she was empty, and the book in her hand seemed to have been pulled away by someone. She opened her eyes lazy and said softly: "A Ruo, I want to read that book."

She seemed to have been yelled by someone on her face. She was startled and suddenly opened her eyes. She saw the emperor leaning in front of her with a smile, shaking the book in her hand and saying, "I also said that reading books has become a sleepy cat."

Ruyi hurriedly got up and said angrily: "The emperor is coming and there is no word outside. He is just to see my concubine's joke."

The emperor smiled and rubbed his hands and sat down on the couch. After taking the tea from the small table of rosewood, he wanted to drink it. Ruyi hurriedly stopped him and said, "This tea is cold, please change the cup of hot for the emperor."

The emperor shook his hand and said, "Forget it. I was going to Cining Palace to pay my respects to the Queen Mother. The people from the Interior Affairs Office replied at noon, which means that the sun is probably going to be cold. The Queen Mother is old and can't stand the cold. When I go to pay my respects, I will take a look and ask the people from the Interior Affairs Office to quickly warm the earth dragon and don't freeze the Queen Mother. I was so cold that I couldn't stand it. Thinking that there must be hot tea here, I came to have a drink, but you still refused."

Ruyi grabbed the teacup and said with a fright, "I won't give it to you. It's okay to feel cold now. I feel uncomfortable after drinking it later, and it's time to blame me again." She turned around and saw that no one of the palace ladies guarding the house was there. I thought the emperor came in, so they all rushed back. Ruyi called out the window "A Ruo". A Ruo responded, then brought the hot tea in, poured a cup into the golden thread green lotus teacup.

The emperor took a sip and asked, "Is it Qi Yungua slice?"

A Ruo smiled pretty and said cleverly: "Qiyungua slices are the best among Lu'an teas. At this time, I guess the emperor had just used dinner, and it was inevitable that he would use more meat and fish when the weather was cold. This tea was the best to remove dirt and stagnation."

The emperor smiled at Ruyi: "You trained it with all kinds of cleverness and thoughtfulness."

A Ruo smiled and said, "What can I understand? These words are all said in my daily life, thinking about what the emperor used and whether it was good. I just heard it familiar and said it casually." After that, she bowed and retreated.

The emperor held Ruyi's hand and led her to sit down together: "No wonder I think of your tea, it turns out that you think of me too."

Ruyi lowered her head and said with a smile: "The emperor is just thinking about tea. I will disperse the tea in each palace tomorrow, so as to attract the emperor to sit in each palace."

The emperor held her hand tightly: "It's cold when it's cold. I don't know how bad I am, and I don't wear too much clothes." Seeing that a lake-colored white vine flower pipa-collared jacket was thrown on the couch, he reached out to put it on Ruyi, and sighed and continued, "That's anger." He spread out the book Ruyi had just read, and read word by word, "The makeup on the twelfth floor is all over the morning, and the king is looking at the curtain of the main hall. The robe of the palace swept the imperial bed 1."

Ruyi blushed and was about to take the book: "No reading is allowed. This word is only allowed, not read."

The emperor returned the book to her: "I can't read it, I feel sad as soon as I read it."

Ruyi said strangely: "The palace poems are about women, what is the emperor sad?"

The emperor said quietly: "I sat in the Grand Palace to court, discussed matters with the ministers in the Qianqing Palace, and reviewed memorials in the study of the Yangxin Palace. You think of me, don't I miss you? When you were 'locking gold beasts and holding a chain of cold, water droplets and copper dragons leaked long day', I was also listening to the missed handling of state affairs; when you were 'after combing the cloud bun and facing the mirror, and the silk clothes were about to change and add fragrance', I was thinking about how your life in Yanxi Palace was, and whether everything was going well?"

Ruyi was moved and leaned on the emperor's shoulder, feeling his warm breath. The emperor had a faint fragrance, which was the ambergris used by the emperor's family. The fragrance was gloomy and had a faint bitter smell, but it was delicate and appropriate, making people calm. There was a pair of crane-carved copper lamp stands in the warm pavilion, and the red candles on the rack were covered with the milky white palace gauze like cicada wings. The lights revealed turned into the moonlight of 18 or 19, as clear as porcelain, but warm in the dim color. The emperor stood with his back on his back, and there was a halo behind him. Ruyi felt heavy and stable, and there was nothing to worry about.

After a long time, Ruyi snuggled up to the emperor and said softly: "When I first married the emperor, I was actually nervous and didn't know what kind of man I would be if I had entrusted my lifelong life. But after getting married, the emperor was considerate and grateful. Now the emperor is responsible for the heavy responsibility of the world. Although he thinks about the feelings of the harem, he also endures the country and admires it very much."

The emperor's voice was deep in his ears: "What I endure is my childhood affair, but it's only for a moment. And you must be like me. If you have any grievances, you should endure it first. I know that after entering the palace, your life will be difficult, but it will be difficult. Thinking about me, you should endure everything. I have ascended the throne and everything is complicated. If you are in the harem, don't let me make things difficult."

Ruyi's eyes instantly opened her eyes and said, "What did the emperor hear?"

The emperor said, "I am the emperor, and there are sounds from all directions in my ears. It can be heard, but it may not be touched. But I know that living in this Yanxi Palace is a grievance for you. Just giving you a concubine is also a grievance for you."

Ruyi said: "Yanxi Palace is close to Cangzhen Gate, which is the only gateway for the eunuchs to enter and exit the harem. There are many people entering and leaving, and it is difficult to keep the guards tight, so it is naturally not good. But where is there no one in the palace? I just think it is quiet in the midst of a quarrel. As for the position, with the emperor's words, I have no grievances."

The emperor let her go slightly: "With your words, I know that I did not give it wrong." He paused and called out, "Wang Qin, bring it in."

Wang Qin agreed outside, brought two little eunuchs with a picture of words in, and called Qian'er to Ruyi with a smile: "Please treat Empress Xian."

Ruyi nodded with a smile: "Get up."

Wang Qin agreed and ordered the eunuch to expand the character, but it was four characters that were big - Shenzan Huiyin.

The emperor smiled and said, "What did I write for you with my own hands?"

Ruyi felt a fever and wanted to bow: "I thank you, the emperor."

The emperor hurriedly supported her and said softly: "The Book of Songs says, 'The Great Si's Huiyin is the sound, so the Baisi'. The sound of Huiyin is the reputation. The word "shen" tells you that only by being cautious can you gain reputation. If you live in the harem in the future, I will give you these four words first."

Ruyi understood the deep meaning of the emperor's words and pondered: "Then I instructed the people of the Interior Office to make a plaque of the emperor's words and place it in the main hall of Yanxi Palace, how about it?"

The emperor gathered her shoulders: "You and I understand each other's meanings, that's best."

In the days ahead, the emperor rested in each palace for a night in his position, which was called "the rain and dew were equally mixed". After that, the emperor flipped the signs casually and counted them down. The days when Concubine Hui and Concubine Jia went to Yangxin Hall to sleep the most. In addition to the first and second month of the month, the emperor also liked to sit in the empress's harem and chatted. When Ruyi's favor was no longer hidden in the residence, he fell silent with Chunpin, Concubine Yi and Haichang.

After a few snowfalls, the Forbidden City became winter. The Interior Affairs Office was busy with the affairs of each palace and gradually became lazy in the Yanxi Palace. On the afternoon of that day, Ruyi was sitting and drawing flowers with Hailan, but A Ruo lifted the curtain and came in and said, "The Interior Affairs Office is more and more good at bullying people. The white flower pills and sea vines that the Empress gave to each palace today were made into sachets, saying that the palace was heavy in moisture and could dispel rheumatism and relieve pain. As a result, I opened it and saw that the white flower pills stuffed inside were all inferior goods. I wanted to ask the Interior Affairs Office again, but they said that the Imperial Hospital sent these things, and there was nothing better. I thought, they dared to send such a gift from Concubine Hui? Even the sachets were loose and loose, and the stitches were not in shape..."

Hailan stopped and put a hint of worry: "Sister is like this here, let alone me."

Ruyi looked up at A Ruo: "It's better to be second, it's better than not. Let's put it aside first."

Hailan said: "Yes, it's snowing outside, so you can save you from going back and forth. So, A Ruo, you can send these sachets to me first. I will sew all the stitches for my sister, so that they can be dispersed if they are used."

Ruyi said: "Just teach them these minor skills, why do you have to be so tired?"

Hailan smiled quietly: "Sister has forgotten. I am idle and I know these skills the best. Just use it to pass the time for me."

After a morning of snow, Wang Qin, the eunuch who was beside the emperor, came here in person. Wang Qin was originally the eunuch who was the leader of the late emperor. Because the emperor was diligent and capable of serving the prince, he stayed by his side as the deputy chief eunuch of the Yangxin Palace after the emperor ascended the throne. Because the position of the eunuch of the chief eunuch was always vacant, he was close to serve the emperor, so even the queen in the palace was particularly polite to him.

When Wang Qin came in, the queen wore a lotus-colored satin embroidered peony round longevity pattern robe, covered with a moon-white background, green bamboo pattern woven gold satin sable vest, and a painted enamel flower and bird hand stove. She watched Su Xin and Lian Xin folded wax plums to insert into the bottle.

When Wang Qin saw the queen, he hurriedly bowed respectfully and said, "Slave Wang Qin pays homage to the Queen."

The queen smiled and said, "It just snowed outside and the ground was slipping. Why did the emperor send you here? But what's the important thing?" As she said that, Lianxin gave her a seat to tea.

Wang Qinnuo thanked him, and said, "I really don't dare to overcome the rewards from Empress Dowager. After saying that, I'm still waiting for other errands." He said, "The emperor has ordered that tomorrow it will be the fifteenth day, and I will have dinner in the Empress's Changchun Palace, and I will stay in the Changchun Palace. Please prepare for the reception."

The queen smiled slightly between her eyebrows, but her face was faint: "I understand. Ye Lai Froshe slipped her feet, you told the eunuchs who carried the sedan chair to carefully under their feet. Also, make a few more lanterns and follow the emperor's road."

Wang Qin hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Empress, I dare not be careful."

The queen nodded slightly, raised her face, and said "reward". Lianxin immediately took out ten taels of silver from the trunk and put it in Wang Qin's palm.

Wang Qin thanked Lianxin for her a thousand gratitudes, but her eyes glanced at Lianxin's face. Lianxin blushed and hurriedly retreated behind. Wang Qin said again: "There is another thing. It snowed all night last night. The emperor remembered the biological mother of the eldest prince who died in the residence last year and said several words "What a pity."

The queen said regretfully: "Zhuying is the sister of the Fucha clan of this palace. She has been serving the emperor for a long time. Who knew that she was sick last year and went there well, and she didn't enjoy the blessing of the palace for a day." After that, she pressed the corner of her eyes with silk and continued to say slowly, "Zhuying is the biological mother of the eldest prince. She was just a princess in the secret residence back then and had a low position. Although she has lost her blessings and left, the emperor cannot help but give her a grace, set a name, and give a noble or concubine, which is also a consideration for the face of the eldest prince."

Wang Qin said respectfully: "The Empress is kind and sincere. The Emperor said last night that he would posthumously be named Concubine Zhe. He would perform the posthumous title in two days, and would hold a great ritual in Baohua Palace. He would also ask the Empress to take charge."

The queen was slightly stunned, then smiled and said to Wan: "It's the emperor's concerns and thought of it first. Then you go and report to the emperor that Concubine Zhe had a fight with my sisters, and I am the clan girl of my palace. I will order people to preside over her posthumous title."

Wang Qin smiled and said, "Yes. That slave took his leave first."

The queen watched Wang Qin go out, and her smile slowly condensed on the corner of her mouth, like a condensed frost flower, faintly bursting with cold air.

The queen watched Wang Qin go out, and her smile slowly condensed on the corner of her mouth, like a condensed frost flower, faintly bursting with cold air.

Su Xin and Su Zhi Queen were thinking, so she brought a cup of tea and said softly: "It is inevitable that it is hot and angry. The white chrysanthemum that entered the palace in Jiangnan was still admired by the emperor. It is said that it is the most clear and heat-removing fire. The queen will try it."

The queen took the teacup but didn't drink it. She just said slowly: "I am the queen and the lord of the six palaces. What's so angry about?"

Su Xin glanced at the queen and said lowly: "What the Empress said is. In fact, the emperor gave Concubine Zhe face to see the Empress. If Concubine Zhe and the Empress were not the same clan, they were both daughters of Fucha, even if she gave birth to the eldest prince, what would it be? Chunpin gave birth to the third prince, wouldn't the emperor only give her the position of concubine?"

The queen smiled faintly: "Concubine Zhe is the same clan as me, but she served the emperor early, and at least she had some affection with the emperor, so she was the eldest prince."

The queen sighed depressedly and looked at the pile of carefully embroidered children's clothes sent by the Interior Office on the couch: "I feel a little sad when I think about this. I married the emperor as my wife back then, but the emperor often only went to Ruyi and Xiyue's room for a long time. After a long time, I was very fond of favor and had no hope. Before I was anxious, my mother's family was anxious and forced Zhu Ying in, saying that she was a member of my tribe. If she was lucky enough to give birth to a child, it would be the child of my palace."

Su Xin said with emotion: "The Empress is wronged in this matter."

"As soon as Zhu Ying entered the mansion, he became pregnant with the eldest prince within a few months. Although I was relieved, I was even more sad. Fortunately, the emperor had eyes and the emperor was more and more favored by the palace, so he had the second prince." The queen caressed the children's clothes and said sadly, "It's just that the legitimate son is not the eldest son, so he has lost the face of the palace."

Su Xin said, "Although they are all Fucha, Concubine Zhe cannot be comparable to the Empress. No matter how, she is just a princess when she was in the residence."

The queen shook her head and frowned slightly: "Not mentioning her identity, the emperor must be careful now that she is a concubine. The mother is noble by her son, and the son is noble by her mother. Now Concubine Hui and Concubine Xian have nothing to come out, and the Chunpin is slightly lower. Apart from the second prince in this palace, the eldest prince has the most honorable status. In ancient times, the crown prince was either a legitimate or a eldest. If Yonglian was the eldest son, it would be even better."

Su Xin hurriedly persuaded: "No matter what, Concubine Zhe is gone. Even if the eldest prince is successful, what kind of god can a child without a mother come to? The Empress is the Queen of the Palace."

The queen took a sip of tea and pondered: "Everything is perfect. I have already made Concubine Zhe less blessed, but I can't let the eldest prince be more blessed. Remember, there must be many people who take care of the eldest prince, and you must not treat this motherless child unfairly."

Su Xin was a little puzzled: "Empress? Is it like treating the third prince well?"

The queen smiled slightly and looked calm: "The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have always praised me as a virtuous queen, so I naturally have to be able to bear these two words. But the third prince is still young and can naturally be determined by pampering from the cradle. The eldest prince has grown up. When he was in the first place, the emperor taught him personally for a while. Only then do he spoiled and protected him. If he was naughty, wouldn't it betray the emperor's thoughts? The mother with a blessed mother is the best at giving birth to a blessed child. Even if there are many people, it is not helpful. Is it because there are many people who are busy?"

Su Xin knew it and immediately smiled, "I understand."

Notes:
Chapter completed!