Tangled

In the twinkling of an eye, it was New Year's Eve, except for the indispensable people in the palace, the rest of the idlers were all on vacation, and it was deserted, but it was a happy and harmonious one.

"The flowers in the plum garden are blooming, and it's covered with snow again. Don't you want to take a look?" Zhen'er said to Su Qingwan who was crouching on the couch doing embroidery.

"Forget it, it's uncomfortable to sit for a long time, so it's good to go out for a walk." Su Qingwan put down the embroidery shed, and a pair of mandarin ducks had already taken shape.

It was rare for Su Qingwan to be interested, so Zhen'er was in a hurry to wait for the change, and then took the newly rewarded cloak and put it on Su Qingwan. After confirming that it was warm, she helped Su Qingwan out of the house.

"It's so tightly wrapped, I'm afraid my own mother wouldn't recognize it." Most of Su Qingwan's small face was covered by the fur collar of the cloak, and the brim of the hat was pulled down extremely low by Zhen'er, leaving only a pair of eyes.

"Miss Mu has ordered that if the empress goes out, she must be wrapped tightly. If it is caught by the wind, the servants will not be able to bear it." Zhen'er smiled back.

"Her orders are more important than imperial edicts." Su Qingwan held a hand stove in her hand and was wrapped in a cloak, it was really inconvenient to stick it out, so she had to joke around.

The snow that had been falling for three days had stopped at this time. It was a rare sunny day, and it was indeed a good day to go out.Su Qingwan didn't bring any other maids, only Zhen'er, and the master and servant walked slowly towards the plum garden.

In the imperial garden, it had been ruined in a mess, Mu Xiaoxiao, Zhu'er and two young maids were having a snowball fight in an open space, having a great time.

Coming out of the corner, Zhen'er didn't have any defenses, and was hit by a snowball all over her face.

"You guys had a lot of fun." Su Qingwan couldn't help laughing as she looked at Zhen'er who was in a panic.As soon as she made a sound, Mu Xiaoxiao and the others knew who it was.

"See Concubine Shu, Concubine Shu, Wanan." Mu Xiaoxiao hurriedly blessed her body and saluted, "The servant didn't know that the empress came, so he bumped into the empress clumsily, and asked the empress to forgive me."

"Where are there so many collisions and non-collisions, you play with yours, don't lose your interest because of this palace." Su Qingwan looked at the little maid who was kneeling on the ground, but remembered the scene when the maids were playing snowball fights in the yard when they were young, and it was rare to relax. Come down, "Zhen'er, go and play, people in Shangqing Palace can't be bullied in vain."

"Thank you, ma'am." Zhen'er thanked her, and couldn't wait to play with Xiaoxiao and others.

"Why don't you go with them?" Su Qingwan slowly walked towards Mu Luoluo who was sitting alone in the pavilion beside her.

"Perhaps it's because I'm getting older, but I don't have that kind of thought anymore." Mu Luoluo supported Su Qingwan and made her sit down steadily. "Your complexion looks much better."

"My illness requires rest and a good mood. With the care of Miss Mu every day, my mood is naturally good. When I am in a good mood, I look like a living person." Su Qingwan blinked playfully, Stretching out her head hard, she kissed Mu Luoluo's forehead.

"Nonsense, you never look like a living person." Mu Luoluo flicked Su Qingwan's forehead lightly, deliberately lowering her face to reprimand her.

"When you're not by my side, what's the difference between me and a dead person? It's just that I can eat something." Su Qingwan didn't care, and stretched out her hand to clasp Mu Luoluo's cold hand into her palm.

"You." Mu Luoluo was helpless, all her tenderness melted into water, her eyes were watery, and she looked at Su Qingwan tenderly.

"Tonight on New Year's Eve, as usual, His Majesty will rest in the Central Palace, but the Central Palace is vacant. All these years, His Majesty has been watching the New Year in the Shoukang Palace. If so, come and watch the New Year with me tonight. Bring Xiaoxiao, and our family will be together "The long-lost stars in Su Qingwan's eyes were lit up again, making people lose their way inadvertently.

"Okay." Mu Luoluo responded in a warm voice, pulled Su Qingwan's hand to her lips, and kissed lightly, "Our family is keeping the New Year's Eve together."

Su Qingwan tilted her head and smiled, her lover was close at hand, what she held in her hand, what she saw in her eyes was all about her.

·

"Tonight is New Year's Eve. Let all the concubines and lovers raise their glasses together to celebrate the prosperity of the coming year." The emperor held up the wine glass and made a respectful gesture to the audience.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, I hope that I will stay in Taiping forever and the people will be safe and healthy."

Mu Xiaoxiao took a sip and handed it to Mu Luoluo who was behind her. She was not used to alcohol.Mu Luoluo took it and drank it down in one gulp. The fine clear wine has a lingering aftertaste.

"Why doesn't Aifei drink?" The emperor looked at Concubine Zhang De, "Isn't Aifei always good at drinking?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive my concubine's crime of not telling me. I have been pregnant for two months. The imperial doctor said that I should avoid alcohol and cold." Concubine Zhang De got up and blessed her body towards the emperor.

"Congratulations to Concubine De, congratulations to Concubine De."

"Hahaha, okay, this is happiness on top of happiness!" The emperor was overjoyed, "Come here, give the few dishes in front of me to Concubine De, remove the clear wine from Concubine De's table, and replace it with green plum juice."

The green plum juice tasted sour, the emperor really had great expectations, Mu Luoluo lowered her eyes, the child was really happy to come.

"My younger sister is two months pregnant, why did you say it now? This was caught off guard. This elder sister didn't prepare a gift. It's really rude." Song Guifei laughed.

"Who's to say it's not? If my sister had said earlier, when my sister was preparing for the New Year's shopping, I'd ask someone to give her a pair of gold bracelets." Song Guifei opened her mouth, and Concubine An Xian had to follow suit.

Su Qingwan was younger, so she didn't need to speak at this time, she just listened silently, this gold bracelet is a girl's jewelry, there is absolutely no reason to give it to the prince, the implication of Concubine An Xian's words is self-evident Metaphor.

"I just found out about my concubine's body. I've always been weak. I thought it was winter and I was lazy. Yesterday, the imperial doctor came to ask for my pulse, so I found out that I have a body." Fortunately, Concubine Zhang De has always been generous. The green plum juice rewarded by the emperor, or the golden chaizi mentioned by Concubine An Xian, they all accepted it completely, neither happy nor annoyed, "If I have time to report to His Majesty in the future, I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."

"Don't get in the way, don't get in the way, now that Concubine Concubine Concubine Concubine Concubine De is already pregnant, the unnecessary courtesy will be avoided." The emperor waved his hand, signaling Concubine De to sit down.

Counting it, there has been no new life in the palace for three or four years, so it is no wonder His Majesty is so happy. However, some people are happy while others are sad. Su Qingwan thought, and glanced at Zhang Meiren. As expected, this might be an opportunity, Su Qingwan said Eyes, hide your thoughts.

"You should all do the same as Concubine De, and spread your branches and leaves for the emperor." The Empress Dowager rewarded Concubine Zhang De with a few refreshing side dishes in front of her.

"Follow the teachings of the Empress Dowager."

"Since happiness is added to happiness, that concubine also wants to be blessed by sister De Concubine, and dares to ask His Majesty for a reward." Su Qingwan stood up and said with a smile.

"What kind of reward does my concubine want?" The emperor was overjoyed, not to mention that Su Qingwan asked, so naturally there was no reason to refuse.

"This concubine has been in the palace for five years. Being with His Majesty, I still feel a little homesick. Please allow me to return to my hometown to visit my relatives." Su Qingwan bowed her knees and saluted.

"It's really unreasonable to be a concubine but never return to Ning." The Empress Dowager said, "Forget it, the Ai family is in charge of the emperor, and you are allowed to go home to visit your relatives."

"Since the emperor's grandmother opened her mouth, it is naturally a golden mouth. After the new year, Concubine Shu will return to her hometown on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month to show the emperor's great grace. She comes and goes to the official road, and goes early and returns early." The emperor waved his hand, and as soon as Jinkou opened, It can be regarded as an oral order.

"Thank you Your Majesty, thank you Empress Dowager." Su Qingwan saluted again, and then sat down.

"Why don't you see Shen Jieyu's child?" The Empress Dowager asked aloud, squinting her eyes.

"Back to the Empress Dowager, Sister Shen is unwell, and it is difficult to get up. I forgive you for not being able to attend the palace banquet. Please forgive me, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager." Zhou Zhaoyi got up and answered on her behalf.

"The child of the Shen family has lost his foundation since he gave birth to Rong'er, and now he can't get up, which is pitiful." The empress dowager frowned, "Did you go see the imperial doctor?"

"I've seen it. The imperial doctor said that this disease is incurable, so I have to keep it." Zhou Zhaoyi and Shen Jieyu were close, and their concern and anxiety were real, but they couldn't be cured.

"Forget it, there are still some medicinal materials in the Aijia Palace. If you need them, just come and get them." The Empress Dowager has a good impression of Shen Jieyu, and she is even more interested in the third prince. "Come on, Ronger, come to Aijia here."

On behalf of Rong Yiyan, the third prince stepped forward and set up a seat beside the empress dowager's table.

Singing and dancing all night, pushing cups and changing cups, the banquet was not stopped until the early hours of midnight.The middle palace was vacant, so the emperor went to the empress dowager's palace to watch the year together, and the other concubines, who expressed their good relationship, stayed together to watch the year.

"Sister Su's palace is so warm." Mu Xiaoxiao stood beside the earth dragon to dry her hands, and her own maid removed the snow-stained cape.

"If you like it, you can take this earth dragon." Su Qingwan smiled, then turned around and told Zhen'er to bring out the snacks prepared earlier in the morning.

"Sister Su likes to joke like my sister, how can I take this earth dragon?" Mu Xiaoxiao sat down at the table, and offered to help Zhen'er set the table.

"How can the little master do anything, just let the servants come." Zhen'er was flattered.

"The gate of this palace is closed, and there is only our family in the room. The two sisters have followed her for many years, and they are already a family. Why do you need to see outsiders?" Mu Xiaoxiao smiled and stretched out her hand persistently.

"Look at her mouth, it's like touching honey." Su Qingwan walked to Mu Xiaoxiao's side, raised her hand and gently twisted her cheek, "Sure enough, she is favored by His Majesty, and the way she behaves and talks now is different from when she first entered the palace." Much different."

"She is like this in front of you and me." After changing her clothes, Mu Luoluo turned out from behind the screen, walked to the table, and naturally took out snacks from the tray held by Zhu'er.

Seeing Mu Luoluo's actions, Su Qingwan felt an inexplicable pain in her heart. The once proud and resolute young miss of the Mu family finally became what she is now under the shackles of the imperial palace.Su Qingwan walked over and hugged Mu Luoluo from behind.

"What?" Mu Luoluo turned her head and smiled lightly.

"It's okay, I just want to hug you." Su Qingwan shook her head, then buried her head in Mu Luoluo's neck.

Mu Xiaoxiao and the other three watched from the side, naturally they could only laugh.

·

"It's boring to sit like this. It's better to sing a few Jiangnan ditties back to the masters. It's time to relieve boredom." Zhu'er said.

"I didn't know that you can sing Jiangnan ditties." Mu Luoluo picked up a piece of plum blossom cake and fed it to Su Qingwan. The latter was reluctant at first, but after taking it, she realized that it was not very sweet, but rather refreshing.

"Miss has never asked the slaves, so naturally she doesn't know." Zhu'er smiled back.

"Slaves, big or small." Mu Luoluo smiled and stretched out her hand, and smacked Zhu'er's forehead moderately.

"Zhen'er go and take out my pipa to accompany your sister." Su Qingwan pushed Zhen'er, who was only eating snacks, "It's so gluttonous, it's like I don't give you food on weekdays."

"On weekdays, Miss Mu's cooking is not as good as Miss Mu's. Now that I have the opportunity, I should eat more." Zhen'er swallowed the snacks in a hurry, and went to the room to take out Su Qingwan's rosewood pipa.

"Then why don't you continue to eat, and I'll accompany Zhu'er for you." Mu Xiaoxiao stretched out her hand with a smile.

"Then how do you make it?" Zhen'er sideways avoided.

"Look, I said just now that we are a family, but now we are seeing each other. Could it be that you are a family and I am an outsider?" Mu Xiaoxiao teased intentionally, but Zhen'er couldn't refute.

"Shangyuan festival, Qingwan returns to Ning, I will go back with her, Zhen'er will follow Xiaoxiao." Mu Luoluo picked up a cup of clear wine, before she could drink it, Su Qingwan snatched most of it.

"Let my sister tell you." Mu Xiaoxiao took the pipa, discussed with Zhu'er, and adjusted the strings.

Outside the window, the snow falls one after another, but without any sound, it falls on the lanterns that have been hung up long ago, and the red and white complement each other.There was a lot of laughter in the house, far more carefree than the palace banquet.

After half an hour, a servant brought firecrackers. For a while, crackling and screaming pierced the quiet night sky, and there were Kongming lanterns released by the little master of the other palace, red, yellow, and blue. connected.

Mu Xiaoxiao was childish after all, regardless of the cold weather, she casually put on a cloak and ran out to light firecrackers with her own hands.Although Zhen'er Zhu'er is very afraid, she must be accompanied by her, covering her ears and waiting on her.

Su Qingwan stood in front of the window, watching the commotion in the yard, the smile on her face could not be suppressed.Mu Luoluo put her arms around Su Qingwan's waist from behind, and the latter turned her head to meet Mu Luoluo's smiling eyes.

"To watch the New Year with you this year, I don't know how long it has been a long-cherished wish." Mu Luo laughed, but was covered by the sound of firecrackers outside the window.

"What?" Su Qingwan tilted her head, she really didn't hear clearly.

"I said I will love you for the rest of my life." Mu Luoluo kissed Su Qingwan behind the ear, without further words.

Get rid of the old year and welcome the new year, amidst the sound of firecrackers, stay together until the end of life.