The Queen Mother of the Red Chamber

Early in the morning of the second day, Xiao Rong woke up early, looking haggard with two dark circles under his eyes.

Nanny Cui was worried about washing her hair, while combing her hair, she persuaded: "The Queen Mother's body is the most important thing, no matter what it is, you should take care of yourself."

Looking at the older face in the mirror, Xiao Rong became more thoughtful, sighed, and lowered his eyelids, "Xingxin, I will order Zhongshun to come to Changle Palace later."

"You mean..." Cui Momo looked a little surprised.

"The authorities are confused by the bystanders. No matter what, Aijia always wants to make a point. How to choose is still up to him."

"This... Nuo." How could the King Zhongshun, who was so understanding, do such stupid things? The Queen Mother's body has been getting worse recently, so there are so many things to worry about.

Xiao Rong hastily ate his breakfast, and then waited for the loyal beauty in Changle Palace.She was struggling with how to speak so as not to hurt this brat, but also to let him know that what he is doing now is very bad.

Waiting left and right, but instead of Zhongshun, Xue Baochai with a big belly came.

Seeing that Xiao Rong hadn't moved, Cui Momo asked tentatively: "Queen Mother, but Concubine Bao is going back?"

Xiao Rong put down the book and rubbed his temples, "Forget it, I haven't seen her for a long time, let her come in and sit down."

Ever since she became pregnant, Xiao Rong took her a bit more leniently, not because a mother is more expensive than a child, but looking at Xue Baochai's current appearance, Xiao Rong thought of Concubine Jia.The same is the fateful person in the Boming Division, Concubine Jia has already left early, Xue Baochai doesn't know what the situation will be in the future, why bother to make things difficult for her now, not to mention that she is now her half-daughter-in-law, and a pregnant woman again , Why do women make things difficult for women.As long as she is honest in the future and doesn't make too many fools, I will still treat her like Feng Baoyi.

"You have been pregnant for the past few months, so you should have a good rest in the palace. Are the supplements sent by Aijia useful?"

Xue Baochai pursed her lips and said with a smile: "The things bestowed by the Empress Dowager are naturally excellent. The concubines are using them every day, and their health is getting better and better."

"That's good." Xiao Rong nodded with a smile, "You should pay attention these days, if there is anything you don't understand, you should ask those old mothers, they all served concubines who were pregnant with dragon heirs, and they have enough experience .”

Xue Baochai lowered her head, and said meekly: "No." Looking up again and seeing Xiao Rong's face was still good, she thought about getting close, "It's time for Sister Lin to come back."

Xiao Rong took the heat-relieving tea handed over by Nanny Cui, and said with a smile: "I was supposed to come back this month, but the weather was too hot, she felt uncomfortable on the way, so I let her escape the heat in the palace over there." When I come back again, Ziyan will take care of me, and the Ai family will feel at ease."

Xue Baochai also smiled gracefully: "My sister is not here these days, but my concubine misses her very much. When I was in the boudoir, I was also a close friend in my boudoir. The concubine often admires my sister for her talent in singing Xu."

"That's good. She's always nostalgic. If you two get along well, it's also great."

"Concubine..."

"Wow wow..."

Xue Baochai was startled when she heard a baby crying before she finished speaking.Yinger next to him helped to soothe her heart.

Xiao Rong stood up worriedly, and said to the side: "Go and see, but Qi Er is crying."

When the nurse outside heard Xiao Rong's voice, she hurried in and knelt down on the ground, looking panicked.

Seeing this, Nanny Cui asked with a sullen face, "Hurry up and report to the Queen Mother."

The nanny looked very flustered, "Back... back to the empress dowager... servant girl..." she was speechless in a panic.

Xiao Rong had already shown an angry expression, "Go find a servant who can talk!"

The little maid at the side ran out in a hurry, and after a while, she saw the little maid leading a younger nurse in. The nurse also had a frightened face, and knelt down on the ground and kowtowed as soon as she came in.

Cui Momo hurriedly said: "What happened, where is the second prince?"

Hearing the words, the nanny shrank her body and arched her body, "Just now, Nanny Li didn't pay attention, and knocked the second prince down."

"What?!" Immediately after the sound of "bang", the teacup in Xiao Rong's hand was smashed in front of the nanny.

"Hurry up and bring Qi'er in."

Nanny Cui had already led the little maid to the outer hall.

Xue Baochai has long been disturbed by the situation in front of her, because of Jia Yuanchun's matter, she has many scruples about the second prince Yuan Qi, and every time she sees the child, she will think of Jia Yuanchun's dream of chasing after his soul at midnight .Thinking of this, Xue Baochai hurriedly stood up, and said to Xiao Rong: "Empress Dowager, the concubine will kneel down first, and I will come to greet you tomorrow."

Xiao Rong was furious at this time, so he just nodded, "You should pay more attention to yourself when you go back."

Xue Baochai bowed his knees and saluted, "No, my concubine will remember."

Ying'er hurriedly stepped forward to help Xue Baochai to retreat outside the hall.

As soon as he left the inner hall, he saw Cui Mama holding a bright yellow milk baby in her arms, and the clothes were embroidered with the words "Xiaofu".The child seemed very quiet in Cui Nanny's arms, but his little hands grabbed the material of the clothes in front of Cui Nanny.

Xue Baochai nodded to Nanny Cui, then walked forward without taking her eyes off it.It's just that the fingers in the sleeves are tightly held, and the long nails are painful when they touch the palm.That child really looks like Concubine Jia...

In the hall, Xiao Rong's face was flushed with anger, and he stood up and pointed at the two kneeling people, "Qi'er fell down after being so well, you are all old people who have been selected out of thousands of people, how could you be so careless and intentional?" Concealing, what should be the crime?!"

The second prince, Yuan Qi, was born prematurely, and his health was insufficient.They are raised with medicines on weekdays, Xiao Rong naturally thinks that they are more expensive than ordinary children.It's a pity that this child lost his mother when he was born, and his father was involved in government affairs all day long, but he never enjoyed the love of his father and mother for a day, and even these servants in the palace are used to seeing wind.Seeing that the child's mother clan has no influence and the emperor doesn't like him, he has long been ignored, otherwise there would be no such thing as today.This is so rampant right under my nose, when I'm not here, who knows what kind of crimes the child has suffered? !

The two nurses kowtowed vigorously, and shouted: "The slaves are convicted, please forgive the Queen Mother, the slaves will never dare again."

"Hmph, the empress is busy with the affairs of the sixth house, and she is used to being generous to you, so you are so negligent. When Ai's family was there, she was so negligent. If Ai's family is not here in the future, wouldn't you want to be slaves and bully the master?!"

The two were so frightened that their tears and noses flowed down, they cried and shouted: "The Empress Dowager Mingjian, the servants will not dare to die, the Empress Dowager Mingjian..." The body kneeling on the ground was already trembling with fear, shivering .

Xiao Rong looked at the two with cold eyes, sat on the big chair carved with a phoenix, and ordered: "Satisfied, pass on the family's will, these two slaves failed to protect the master and hurt the prince, so put the two into the treasury of Xin Zhe, Never pardon."

"Forgive me, Queen Mother. The slaves don't dare anymore, don't dare anymore... woo woo..." Their mouths were already gagged, and two strong and healthy old ladies dragged the two of them away. go outside.

Nanny Cui held the child and sent it to Xiao Rong.

Xiao Rong stretched out his hand to take the child, and hugged it in his arms. Looking at the child's innocent smile, his heart softened into a puddle of water.

"Xingxin, you go and replace all the people around Qi Er who were taking care of you, and choose a few reliable people to take care of you."

"Yes."

Xiao Rong teased the smiling child, with pity in his eyes, "The only thing this child can rely on now is Aijia, and now Aijia is not young anymore, and I don't know how long I can protect him. Aijia must find a way out for him."

The emperor is unreliable, and the empress herself has a legitimate son, so naturally she doesn't have the energy to take care of him. If she wants the child to grow up well, she must find a reliable mother for him; but now all the reliable ones in the harem have their own Flesh and blood, the other concubines are either too weak from the mother clan, or their status is too low, but there is no suitable candidate for a while.

How can the child understand the hardships of the world in the future in his arms, and now he is smiling brightly in his grandmother's arms. "Cluck cluck."

Son, how can this palace accommodate a prince who has lost his mother's protection...

Zhongshun came over after noon.At that time, Xiao Rong was wiping a piece of suet jade that seemed warm to the touch.The movements are very gentle, and the appearance is indeed unusually serious, Fang seems to have fallen into deep thought.

Nanny Cui walked in with light steps, and said softly: "Queen Mother, King Zhongshun is here."

Xiao Rong raised his eyelids, wrapped the jade pendant in a handkerchief, and put it in a brocade box, "Let him in."

Zhongshun was wearing a purple brocade robe with wide sleeves and moiré patterns today, and his stunning face was even more enchanting.When he entered the door, Xiao Rong was already sitting on the phoenix chair in the Hall of Changle, and the brocade box on the table next to him was just the box containing the mutton fat jade.

After saluting as usual, Xiao Rong smiled and said, "Get up."

Zhong Shun just stood up, and was about to coax Xiao Rong with nice words, but saw that although Xiao Rong had a smile on his face, his eyes were not as relaxed as before.

"The queen mother has something on her mind"

The smile on Xiao Rong's face faded away, "The Ai family just sorted out the old things, and suddenly found the relics of your mother and concubine, and thought of the scene of getting along together back then."

"The queen mother rarely mentions the concubine mother, why today..."

Xiao Rong smiled lightly, the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Old people always like to recall the past. When your concubine mother left, you were very young, so I'm afraid you won't remember her."

"My son had just turned one year old at that time."

"It's no wonder you can't remember her. The Ai family remembers that your mother and concubine's appearance was unmatched by anyone in this palace, even the Zhen family who was under the favor. Zhen'er, you are very similar to you mother and concubine."

"I heard that the royal father fell in love with the concubine mother at first sight."

"Admiration? Zhen'er, the suffering of your mother and concubine is due to the word "admiration". Back then, the late emperor took Concubine Zhen to tour Longnan, envious of everyone in the harem, but he never thought that when he came back, he would bring your mother and concubine back. Others only said that the Zhen family fell out of favor, but they didn't expect that after only a few days, your father loved the Zhen family again and rewarded the Zhen family, but your mother fell out of favor. Do you know the reason?"

"I know that Concubine Zhen's face is very good."

"Hmph, you're wrong. Compared to your beauty, among the three thousand beauties in the harem, which one can rival your concubine mother? Your concubine mother was the most beautiful in the world back then, but judging by your current appearance, you are far inferior to her. One can imagine I know her demeanor back then."

"Then why...?"

"Others only thought that your mother's beauty was the reason why the first emperor took a look at it, but they didn't know the reason. Back then, the Zhen family was domineering and never restrained in front of the first emperor. The two of them were young and vigorous, and they turned red. In a fit of anger, the first emperor left the parade team and went to Longnan, where he met your mother and concubine. Your mother and concubine came from the nobles of Longnan, with a gentle temperament and a talent for singing Xu. But the first emperor didn't care about these things, He's looking at your concubine's eyes."

"Eye?"

"Your concubine's eyes... are very similar to Zhen's."

"Your mother and concubine fell in love with the first emperor, but the first emperor only loved Zhen's family. Back then, he favored your mother's concubine, and it was a moment of anger. Later, Zhen's family gave in, and he pampered Zhen's wholeheartedly. It's only because of your mother's concubine. In his heart..." He paused, then turned around, looked at Zhongshun with regret in his eyes, "Your mother and concubine are just the shadow of Zhen Shi for the rest of their lives."

When Zhongshun heard this, the color on his face suddenly disappeared.No wonder my father often hugged me and looked at my face back then, but the always majestic person looked at me with a look of longing. At that time, I thought that my father was looking at me to remember my mother and concubine. After all, everyone said He looks very much like his concubine mother, but it turned out that... he was looking at Zhen Shi through his own eyes...

Xiao Rong sighed, and walked to the wide open window, where the lark in the golden wire cage was flapping its little wings.

"The box on the case contains your mother's concubine's favorite thing, you can take it away, it should be yours."

Zhongshun murmured softly: "Mother..."

Xiao Rong waved his hand, "Go back and think about it first, think about what you should do, and then come to see Bengong."

"My son...kneel down."

Zhongshun held the brocade box on the case, but the small brocade box was like a thousand pieces of gold in his hands, pressing every step was so difficult.Walking slowly to the door, I heard Xiao Rong's voice from behind, "Zhen'er, your concubine mother is a descendant of the Longnan nobles, and she is famous far and wide. She should have her own life." Not as someone else's. The substitute finally died of depression in this dark palace.