Hibiscus Tent: The Prime Minister’s palm is reborn

The sky cleared up after the snow and was blue.

Nancheng Palace is a crystal clear and beautiful scene. The sunlight shines on the ice and snow, like scattered gems, dazzling and sparkling.

Liang Qian stood quietly in front of the window, holding Hulu Qiangguang's handwriting tightly in her hand. A cold breeze blew, ruffling the hair on her forehead from time to time.

The Qi army set out at the hour of Mao under the leadership of Ande King Gao Yongsheng, Hejian King Gao Zongyou, and Hulug Qiangguang.

This time, the expeditionary force was divided into two groups. One group, led by Gao Zongyou, went straight to Meilin Island for reinforcement; the other group, led by Hulu Qiguang and Gao Yongsheng, went to Jinzhou.

The handwritten letter stated that although Zhou Jun led his troops to Lianzhou, he did not take any action for a long time. This move was most likely to deliberately confuse the eyes. Based on past experience, it was speculated that Zhou Jun was not interested in Meilin Island.

After all, the terrain here is dangerous, with deep trenches and high fortifications, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. On the other hand, the situation in Jinzhou is completely different. In the past, the Great Qi missed Pingzhou, which led to the passive situation today. If Zhou Jun uses Pingzhou as a base this time, it will take almost no effort to capture Jinzhou.

Liang Qian knew the situation in the two places clearly.

Yuwen Jue had no intention of hiding from her how he was going to send troops. He came to see her before the war, ready to confess everything to her. It was obvious that she didn't ask a single question and deliberately avoided the question, so he didn't say a word either.

It's not that they don't trust each other, but they all know that whether it's the Qi army or the Zhou army, those are real lives. How can the lives on the battlefield withstand the consequences of a mistake?

If possible, why would she want to have a handover of military forces?

Liang Qian sighed in her heart.

Not to mention the situation between the two countries, even the war situation on the battlefield is definitely not something that can be controlled by one person. Right now, she can only react randomly...

Jinlan had just come in from the outer room with cups and plates, but when she looked up, she saw Liang Qian standing in front of the cold window in a single layer of clothes, lost in thought. She quickly put down the cups and plates and went forward to remind her.

"Queen, it's time to take your medicine."

Liang Qian came back to her senses and looked over, then let her take the letter and put it aside.

When she woke up in the morning, Jinlan packed up the clothes she had taken off yesterday, and she saw the embroidered medicine bag that Yuwen Jue gave her.

In this case, I had to make up a few words to cover it up.

Just as she was talking to Jinlan, Gao Yang came to the main hall and bumped into Duanduan.

Gao Yang thought she was suffering from some serious illness, and he insisted on summoning Doctor Fu to check her out.

This wasn't a big deal originally, but once it happened, if we continue to cover it up, it would only make people suspicious and make up stories out of nothing.

Thinking of this, she no longer refused. After all, Doctor Fu knew her physical condition best.

Jinlan said as she first handed over the pills and then brought hot water: "You told the master not to catch a cold this morning, so why did you catch a cold this afternoon?"

Then he turned around and called, "Gu Ya, go get the queen's outer robe."

Liang Qian took the cup, and Jinlan turned around to close the window, saying, "Don't forget what Doctor Fu said. Not only should you avoid eating raw or cold food, but you should also keep your hands and feet warm."

Liang Qian smiled, swallowed the bitter pill, drank a few sips of water, and then said, "It's just to wake you up, I'm not that delicate."

Jinlan disagreed and said with some disappointment: "Now that General Hulu has left, we don't know what the situation is in the city. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself at this time."

As he was talking, Gu Ya brought his coat and waited on the side, standing timidly with her head lowered.

Liang Qian didn't even look at her, she took her coat and put it on.

"Are you afraid of me?"

Gu Ya's heart was filled with anxiety. She turned pale and knelt down in fear and trepidation: "No, no, I just..."

Last night, Gu Ya avoided people and brought the big banner over. She was originally instructed to just put the things in the bedroom.

But Gu Ya realized that this piece of clothing was unusual and did not dare to put it aside casually, for fear that it would be seen by the palace maids and eunuchs who came in to clean and cause rumors. She was even more afraid that it might be taken away by someone with ulterior motives and cause trouble.

After some consideration, Gu Ya became more and more afraid to leave. Finally, she decided to stay with him all the time, and would not feel at ease until the gift was handed over to her personally.

Liang Qian saw that the man looked honest and sincere, and thought he was a loyal person, so she simply kept him by her side.

Jinlan glanced at Gu Ya's face and said, "I saw that she was a thoughtful person, so I transferred her from the outer hall to the inner hall, but I didn't expect that she would be so timid."

Liang Qian smiled faintly: "Being timid also has its advantages."

Gu Ya didn't understand what was going on and continued to kneel upright.

Jinlan patted her gently and said, "Come on, stop kneeling like an idiot. Have you brought the silk thread that the Empress Dowager asked you to fetch?"

Gu Ya nodded truthfully, "I got it this morning, but the quantity is not much. If I want to finish the embroidery, I'm afraid I'm still short of some. Fang Siyi said that the silk thread is very precious. If there is no more on hand, I will go to the treasury to look for it. But I was afraid that the Queen Mother would have to wait for a long time, so I just said that I will personally deliver it later when I find it."

Liang Qian lowered her eyes. She just said it casually on a whim, but she didn't expect them to treat it as a chore.

How is my behavior different from those of those who indulge in extravagance and luxury?

She raised her eyes and said, "There's no need to make such a big fuss. It doesn't have to be this alone. You can just go to the clothing department and change it to something of a similar color."

Gu Ya was a little surprised. She lowered her head and responded. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, a palace servant came towards her.

"Empress Dowager, Fang Siyi requests to see you."

Gu Ya stopped and looked over hesitantly.

Liang Qian: "Announce."

Soon, a palace maid brought Fang Siyi in, presenting a brocade box with several rolls of kingfisher blue silk thread neatly placed inside.

Fang Siyi said some flattering words with a smile on his face, hoping to take the opportunity to ask for a reward, but the queen mother gave him a blank look and asked the palace maid to take the silk away, and also asked Gu Ya to get some ordinary silk threads.

Upon seeing this, Jinlan understood a little bit and just rewarded Fang Siyi according to the custom.

Fang Siyi was very disappointed.

*

I should have expressed my gratitude early on when I received the Queen Mother's reward.

Ruizhu took a quick look, lowered her head, and swallowed the words that were about to come out of her mouth.

Lu Wanying was completely unaware and walked towards Hanguang Palace with gritted teeth.

When she woke up in the morning, Liang Qian sent a palace maid to say that someone would be sent to take her to Yuetai Temple the next day.

Who doesn’t know Yuetai Temple?

After the death of the previous Wei emperor, all his concubines were sent here to become nuns.

It must have been because of the commotion last night that Liang Qian felt she was an eyesore and couldn't wait to send her out of the palace.

Fang Siyi had just come out of Hanguang Palace, and before she got close, she saw Concubine Lu coming towards them angrily.

I couldn't help but secretly groan. It was fine that I hadn't had a good time with the Queen Mother, but I just hoped I wouldn't get into trouble with this.

After all, everyone knows that Concubine Lu is a very cunning person, and if you offend her, you will definitely be punished.

Fang Siyi wanted to avoid it, but it was too late. He had to bow and step aside, then grit his teeth and greet.

Fortunately, the concubine ignored her and walked straight past her.

Fang Siyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

“…Who?”

He took a step forward and then took it back, Lu Wanying frowned.

Fang Siyi sighed inwardly, but said respectfully, "I am Siyi Fang Zhi, the Siyi servant."

"It turned out to be Fang Siyi," Lu Wanying stared at the small box in Fang Siyi's hand and smiled coldly: "What kind of great reward did you get?"

Fang Siyi's eyelids twitched, and without waiting for an answer, Ruizhu stepped forward, took the box from her hand, opened it and showed it to Lu Wanying.

Lu Wanying took a quick glance and saw that they were just a few small beads. He raised his eyebrows and sneered, "You are indeed a shallow-minded person."

Fang Siyi knelt down hurriedly: "Princess..."

Lu Wanying looked at the top of her head with a cold look in her eyes: "You slaves are used to flattering the powerful and bullying the weak. A few days ago, I said that the newly made winter clothes didn't fit me and asked you to make some changes. But you were so lazy that you only sent a little lady."

Fang Siyi bit her lower lip and said, "I am a damned servant. I didn't know about this. The messenger must have brought the wrong message. I hope the Concubine will forgive me. I—"

"Okay, stop trying to put me off." Lu Wanying picked up a small pearl from the box and looked at it lazily. "Tell me, what kind of gorgeous clothes did your clothing department present to the Queen Mother?"

Fang Siyi shook her head: "No, it was the Queen Mother who ordered me to find some silk thread."

"silk?"

Lu Wanying was stunned and looked at Ruizhu.

She didn't think that Liang Qian had the leisure time to paint phoenixes and phoenixes nowadays.

Fang Siyi nodded repeatedly: "Earlier, the Queen Mother sent palace maids to look for it. I only found a little bit, and just now I brought the rest here."

Lu Wanying bent down and asked, "What kind of thread is it? Do you need to find it specifically?"

"Kingfisher blue."

Lu Wanying frowned. She didn't like needlework and didn't understand the idea of ​​looking for silk thread just for embroidery.

She threw the beads into the box and waved her hand, "Okay, you can leave now."

After saying that, he turned around and left.

Ruizhu closed the lid of the box and placed it in front of Fang Siyi.

"She is in the mood to embroider?" Lu Wanying tilted her head to glance at Ruizhu who followed her. "What kind of rare silk thread is worth someone searching for?"

Ruizhu lowered her head and said, "The Concubine doesn't like needlework, so of course she doesn't know that the kingfisher blue silk thread is indeed rare."

"Is it?"

Ruizhu nodded: "The silk thread is not dyed with ordinary dyes, but is made from the purple-blue feathers of kingfishers and mixed with extremely fine silver threads. Not to mention that pure-colored feathers are hard to find, the thread-making process is also too delicate."

Lu Wanying was surprised: "I do have a few pieces of emerald feather jewelry, which were given to me by my aunt. I didn't know that emerald feathers can be made into silk thread."

Ruizhu said, "Maybe it was used to embroider for the master."

Lu Wanying frowned in thought, and suddenly stopped walking: "Didn't the imperial physician just summoned this morning to say that he was ill? Have you gone to the Imperial Medical Office to inquire?"

Ruizhu looked embarrassed: "Then Fu Jinan..."

"I know that he was loyal to my aunt in the past. As for now," Lu Wanying sneered without turning her head, "Anyone who betrays the Lu family should die."

Ruizhu pursed her lips: "Don't worry, Concubine, the Empress Dowager will make her own arrangements——"

"Ruiju."

Suddenly, Ruizhu raised her eyes again and saw Lu Wanying staring at her.

This look made her feel scared.

"Toffee?"

Lu Wanying looked at her for a long time, then suddenly smiled: "Ruizhu, only smart people can survive to the end. If you want to be a smart person, you need to have a heart that can see through everything and a pair of eyes that can judge the situation."

After saying that, he looked at her deeply, his eyes dim.

The floor tiles under her feet were cold and stiff. The chill penetrated her shoes and socks, invading her skin and flesh, and penetrating into her bones. Ruizhu shivered.

She opened her mouth and stood there motionless as if her body was frozen.

Lu Wanying didn't say anything either, just looked at her with a smile.

After a while, Ruizhu knelt down in that pitiful gaze, still without saying anything.

Lu Wanying patted her head with a smile, turned around with satisfaction, and continued walking towards Hanguang Palace.

*

The paperweight was pressed on the silver-colored paper, Liang Qian held the pen and carefully drew the last few strokes of the scroll.

Gu Ya knelt beside the table, grinding ink with her head tilted, watching the butterflies come alive little by little, eager to fly.

"It's so beautiful!" Gu Ya's eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something, "Madam, are you going to use that silk thread to embroider butterflies?"

"Yes." Liang Qian didn't look up, and continued writing until she finished the last stroke.

Gu Ya lowered her head in embarrassment and smiled awkwardly: "I thought you were going to use that thread to embroider chrysanthemums... The blue-purple chrysanthemums are indeed strange, but these blue-purple butterflies must be very beautiful!"

Liang Qian stopped writing: "Okay."

"Just one butterfly?" Gu Ya was slightly surprised and asked curiously, "Aren't they more beautiful in pairs?"

Liang Qian was stunned for a moment, looked at her, was silent for a moment, and then looked back at the embroidery pattern.

Just then, the bead curtain shook and someone walked in.

"Queen, the Concubine is here."

Liang Qian put down her pen, took another look at the embroidery, and said to Gu Ya, "Put it away."

The ink was not dry yet, so Gu Ya had to take the drawing paper to the inner room.

When Lu Wanying came in, he only caught a glimpse of Gu Ya's back.

She retracted her gaze and bowed to the person sitting in front of the table: "I pay my respects to the Queen Mother."

Liang Qian pointed to the first person below, "I know you are coming to see me."

Lu Wanying was not polite and sat down generously, watching the palace servants serve tea and water.

She was silent for a moment before asking, "Do you really have to send me away?"

Liang Qian didn't raise her eyelashes, and said while washing her hands: "You are free outside the palace, you can do whatever you want, no one will stop you."

Lu Wanying's heart trembled slightly, and she smiled: "Yes, freedom, but what use do I have for this freedom now? Besides, once I leave this palace, what can I do?"

She lowered her head and picked up the cup beside her: "Perhaps the fate of us Lu family members is to be imprisoned in this imperial city."

"Fate?"

Liang Qian wiped the water off her hands and asked everyone else to leave.

Lu Wanying smiled and nodded: "Yes, it is fate and mission. I have accepted it."

Liang Qian frowned: "You have never left Jinye, how do you know the scenery outside?"

Lu Wanying clenched the cup tightly, took a sip of tea, and then said, "So you sent me to Yuetai Temple just to let me see the scenery outside?"

There was a hint of sarcasm in her tone and expression.

Liang Qian looked at her calmly, with an inexplicable paranoia on her pretty face.

Thinking back carefully, she seemed to have not seen the girl with a smile as sweet as a silver bell for a long time.

Liang Qian hesitated for a moment and raised her eyes gently: "Aying, if he were alive, I think he would definitely want you to leave the palace."

Lu Wanying was startled, then lowered her head and laughed.

Liang Qian looked at her in silence. It's not that she had never thought about telling her the truth, but she was not sure about Ah Ying's thoughts and she couldn't afford to take the risk.

Of course, even if she kept the secret, there was no guarantee that others would not leak the news.

The more people know, the greater the risk.

The two countries are about to go to war. If it is revealed at this time that today's King Zhou is the former Grand Marshal Lu Xiu of Qi State, then more than just his life will be in danger.

can not say.

Liang Qian made up her mind, at least not now.

Lu Wanying smiled for a long time, and when she raised her eyes again, there was a gleam of water in her eyes.

"Okay, I'll listen to you and go to Yuetai Temple tomorrow."

Liang Qian did not feel relieved after hearing her say this.

Lu Wanying sat for a while, then stood up and bowed.

"Today, Ah Ying will bid farewell to my cousin's wife here."

Suddenly, she raised her eyes and smiled very lightly.

"Liang Qian, I have liked him since I was a child and wanted to marry him when I grew up, but unfortunately he is my uncle."

She paused: "Finally, he is no longer my uncle, but he is dead..."

Two chapters in one