Story of Yanxi Palace: Red Seal Spring Star

Caiyun felt that Concubine Rong had a lot of things on her mind these two days, but Concubine Rong didn't say what it was, so she couldn't ask.That evening, Concubine Rong didn't go to the mosque to worship, and the two Hui girls went. After returning, Concubine Rong asked Caiyun to go down, and talked with the two Hui girls for a long time. They spoke Hui language, and Caiyun couldn't understand.After the two girls withdrew, Caiyun came in to serve her, and couldn't help but ask, "Ma'am, what happened?"

Concubine Rong said: You better not know.Caiyun said: "The Empress Dowager's court meeting this morning, I think she treated you badly. Your feet have always been bad. You just went to the mosque yesterday, but you didn't go today. You already sent a post to explain to her. so harsh.Concubine Rong seemed to be absent-minded, and said: "She probably wants to give Liu Gong a prestige."

Caiyun said: Master, you have to be careful, I see that the Empress has been eyeing you recently, it must be because of the fifth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother, this slave has harmed you.Concubine Rong smiled and said: What can she do to me?Cai Yundao: Find out your fault, master, and punish you according to the palace rules, the emperor can't say anything.Concubine Rong thought for a while, and said: That's the day after tomorrow.Caiyun said: The day after tomorrow?Well, I just remembered, the day after tomorrow is Princess He'an's death day, and the main concubines will go to the Queen Mother's Shoukang Palace to salute, so what are you going to do?Concubine Rong shook her head and said nothing.Caiyun was anxious at the side, but she didn't know how the queen would make trouble.

Suddenly, someone outside said: The emperor is here.Concubine Rong and Caiyun immediately knelt down to receive him, and the emperor had already entered.The emperor's face was not good, and he said to Caiyun: "Go out."Caiyun looked at Concubine Rong worriedly, Concubine Rong shook her head slightly, signaling her not to worry.

The emperor asked Concubine Rong to get up, sat on the couch by himself, and said leisurely: I heard that your feet are finally healed, and you can go to the mosque two days ago.Concubine Rong didn't say a word, she also sat on the side of the couch.The emperor looked at her and said angrily: Shen Bi, what do you want to tell me?Concubine Rong said: "What do you want my concubine to say?"The emperor said: You...why do you want to meet him?He's here for you, isn't he?

Concubine Rong sighed, and said: Your Majesty, what do you want me to say, I have never liked him.The emperor said: You never liked him, how could he come to the capital to find you at the risk of a narrow escape from thousands of miles away?Concubine Rong looked at the emperor with burning eyes, and said: Isn't this exactly what you hoped for?The emperor was shocked and said: What did you say?Concubine Rong sighed, sat down in front of the mirror and combed her hair, and quietly said: Your Majesty, are you angry because you like Shen Bi, or because you couldn't catch him?The emperor was at a loss for words: You...

Shen Bi said: Your Majesty, I am here. If he is not dead, he will come and see me for the last time.Afterwards the sound was barely audible.The emperor suddenly felt sad, and said slowly: Shen Bi, do you blame me?Concubine Rong shook her head, and said: The way of those you help is not the way of the condemned, nor the way of the lost.The emperor said: What did you say?

Concubine Rong said: "This is Chinese dialect. Now my daily Chinese class has reached the translation version." □□ says that our hearts are deceived.So Your Majesty, you should ask your heart, if you think you are doing the right thing, then you are doing the right thing, if you think you are doing the wrong thing, then you are doing the wrong thing.The emperor was silent for a while, and said: "There are some things that don't follow one's inclinations."Concubine Rong said: Then you don't ask any more questions, neither yourself nor others.He came for me, not for you.I have not met him, but you know everything.

The two fell into silence, and after a while, the emperor suddenly said: The day after tomorrow is He An's death day.Concubine Rong said nothing.The emperor continued: Our hearts are deceived.Shen Bi, what you said above is right.Concubine Rong asked: What do you want to say to Shen Bi when you come tonight?

The emperor did not stay in Baoyue Tower.After the emperor left, Caiyun came in to serve Concubine Rong to bed. Seeing Concubine Rong's sad face, she hurriedly said: What's wrong?When the emperor came, he was very angry, but when he left, the slave looked fine.What did he say to you?Concubine Rong shook her head and said: "It's nothing, he... is going to die."Caiyun thought to herself: Which one is he?Suddenly, he thought of him that Concubine Rong had mentioned on a daily basis.Knowing that he is Concubine Rong's sweetheart, she is her ex-husband Xiao Hezhuo.Surprised, she went to see Concubine Rong.

Concubine Rong forced a smile and said nothing.Caiyun said: "Aren't you going to save him?"Concubine Rong said: I can't save him, I hurt him, Allah will never forgive me.Caiyun couldn't understand anything.Finally, when Concubine Rong lay down, she said again: You don't have to worry about the day after tomorrow.

Early in the morning of the day after tomorrow, the queen brought all the concubines to salute in front of the portrait of Princess An in Shoukang Palace.There are bright yellow paper Buddha flowers and fresh fruits in Youlanjian on the altar table, and the shaman wife is invited to dance the gods.The Empress Dowager knelt at the front, her face was sad, her eyes were closed, and she was chanting sutras.

All the concubines knelt behind the empress, concubine Jia knelt so that her legs hurt, and said in a low voice: "This is really strange. The princess is celebrating her death day, but we are detained here to chant sutras."Concubine Shu said: The emperor is famous for his filial piety, as long as he can make the empress dowager happy, he will naturally be obedient. If there is not a grand court meeting today, he will come in person.Then he looked at Concubine Rong next to her, and saw that she had her eyes closed and was chanting words, very pious, she didn't listen to what the two of them were saying at all.She curled her lips, thinking: She really knows how to put on a show.

After the salute, the empress took the lead in putting the Buddhist scriptures she had copied into the offering plate on the altar table, followed by Concubine Shu and Concubine Jia, and then Concubine Rong.

Concubine Rong walked to the altar and put down the Buddhist scriptures. The paper Buddha flowers on the altar suddenly caught fire, and the sparks exploded. She was startled, only to hear Concubine Jia shout: "It's out of water!"The queen mother opened her eyes and saw that the curtain on the altar was already on fire, and the entire altar was on fire!Everyone panicked, Concubine Rong was at a loss, suddenly saw Concubine Jia rushing forward, grabbed the portrait of Princess An and behind the altar, and handed it to the Empress Dowager.The queen mother hugged her in panic, and read: He'an and An, my peace!

Yuan Chunwang commanded the eunuch to go forward to put out the fire.The Empress Dowager nodded her head, and lamented: For so many years, I have celebrated He An's death every year, and nothing like this has ever happened!Everyone rushed to the queen mother, the queen supported the queen mother, and asked Mrs. Shaman: "What's going on here?"The queen mother said urgently: Mrs. Shaman, if the sacrifice is done like this, will my peace be affected?

Mrs. Shaman said: "Going back to the Queen Mother, the princess died young. It was because the yin had faded and the yin had not yet arrived, so she had no fate in the West. It was the Queen Mother who wanted the princess to be reborn in the Western Paradise. She would do good deeds and make meritorious deeds throughout her life. Years, it will be done, but unfortunately today... I'm afraid it was hit by something ominous.The queen sneered slightly and asked: What ominous thing?Mrs. Shaman said: It is the unusual things and people.

Before the queen could speak, Concubine Jia looked at Concubine Rong and said: "It's because you were born with too much beauty and body fragrance, which charmed the king. If you don't keep it well, it is an ominous thing."Concubine Rong was taken aback, and immediately knelt down at the side of the altar, and said: Empress Dowager, Shen Bi really doesn't know what's going on!But Shen Bi is by no means an ominous thing.The queen looked at Concubine Rong, her eyes were full of cold hatred, but she said in her mouth: Concubine Jia, don't talk nonsense.Suddenly, the Empress Dowager pointed at Concubine Rong with trembling fingers, and shouted: "Tie me up!"

Concubine Qing was taken aback, and hurriedly persuaded: Empress Dowager, from the perspective of my concubines, Concubine Rong is by no means an ominous thing, she is gentle and amiable to others, and the eunuchs and maids all said that she is sympathetic to servants.Concubine Shu was on the sidelines but did not speak.Concubine Jia said leisurely: Concubine Qing, isn't she unusual?You can't take care of the fifth elder brother with you. You two are close, so you have a protective heart. Here, the queen mother and the empress are in charge. Such a big event happened on the anniversary of Princess An's death. Even the emperor, he would not Palliative.

Concubine Qing was taken aback and said nothing more.For a moment, everything was silent, and the cold wind blew, Concubine Shu shivered unknowingly.

Several eunuchs came up, tied Concubine Rong, and taught her to kneel in front of the Queen Mother and wait for her punishment.When the queen mother smelled the fragrance on her body, she was even more disgusted in her heart, and said: "Push it down."The queen was about to issue an order, but Concubine Rong suddenly said: Queen Mother, apart from her body fragrance, the concubine is also different from ordinary people. I didn't expect to be pointed out by Mrs. Shaman today. The concubine didn't admit it just now, but it was definitely not to deceive the queen mother.The queen mother didn't know what she was talking about, she was surprised and said: What?

Concubine Rong looked at her and said slowly: In addition to being born with a strange fragrance, Shen Bi was often sick when she was young. When she was sick, she said that she lived in a crystal house, and she often asked Wen Nam and the villain who could dance. Son.My mother asked the lama in the temple to see a doctor. The lama said that this is called taking a fetus, and gave me amulet water. After drinking it, everything else was fine, but the strange smell could not be eliminated.The lama said that this is the original birth and must leave a mark to prove that she has returned, and it will never be removed.Shen Bi thought that the woman in the original birth was pitiful, and Shen Bi would definitely protect her and keep this body fragrance. If it wasn't for today, Shen Bi would never say anything.Because if Shen Bi died, she would also die.Shen Bi is not an ominous thing, please be aware of it by the Empress Dowager.

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager's complexion changed, her face was full of longing, her hands began to tremble, and she even reached out, as if she wanted to hug Concubine Rong.Everyone was very surprised, Liu Mama immediately took the Queen Mother's hand and said: "The Queen Mother is tired, let the master ask questions here, everyone else should leave."

After the queen and Concubine Shu came out, Concubine Jia said, "I never thought that Concubine Rong would make up such a joke to deceive the Queen Mother. Empress, who is Wen Nam? Why did the Queen Mother become like that?"The queen didn't speak, but thought in her heart.Concubine Shu snorted, and said: This is really the luck of this foxy girl!Wen Na is the emperor's wet nurse!Concubine Jia was taken aback.

The Queen's heart skipped a beat. Looking at Concubine Shu, she mentioned Mrs. Wen Shu, does she know what happened between herself and the Queen Mother?Concubine Shu was startled when she saw the queen looking at her, and said: Empress, what did the concubine say right?This Concubine Rong, I don't know where to find out about things with Princess An when she was a child, but if I think about it, I made a mistake and made her cheaper!

The queen was suspicious, and continued to think, thinking: What happened when He An was a child... When He An died, I heard that the queen mother was too sad, and all the eunuchs and maids who served her died. Everyone in the palace knows, except the queen mother , Mother Liu, who else?And... Thinking of this, I was taken aback, and felt that my steps were vain.

Seeing this, Concubine Jia hurriedly said: Empress Empress, let me send you back to Chengqian Palace.Concubine Shu took her leave when she saw this, and after she walked away, Concubine Jia said: Empress Empress, what's the matter with you?Nala looked at her, and suddenly he had some calculations in his heart, and said: Concubine Jia, what happened today, did you intend to target Concubine Rong?

Concubine Jia was shocked. It turned out that she saw the Buddha flower on fire, and Concubine Rong offended the Queen Mother, so she took the initiative to grab the portrait of He An in order to claim credit for herself in front of the Queen Mother.Later, seeing the Queen's expression and listening to Mrs. Shaman's words, I realized that the Queen wanted to take down Concubine Rong in front of everyone today, and it was a big deal, and Concubine Rong was doomed, so she said that. , mentioning the fifth elder brother is to stop the mouth of Concubine Qing.At this time, I suddenly understood that Concubine Rong seemed to be fine, the queen was going to push herself out, and the queen had never told me her real plan, and now she wanted to correct the queen, but it was empty talk.

I just didn't know what to say, but I saw a few eunuchs coming up from behind, and said to the queen: "Your Majesty, by order of the Empress Dowager, please go back and ask your concubine Jia."The queen nodded, and said to Concubine Jia: You just tell the truth, the queen mother must have some misunderstanding, just let it go.Then he motioned to the eunuchs to do something, and he went straight away.Concubine Jia fell to the ground and shouted: Empress Empress, how could you treat me like this!

When the queen entered Chengqian Palace, she felt refreshed. She suddenly became sober in the sun and thought: what was I thinking? What happened when I was a child must involve He'an, and Concubine Rong was just a temporary excuse to save her life, how could I be suspicious of the emperor?With a sigh of relief, as always, she walked back to the main hall gracefully.

The author has something to say:

The first half of the novel and An Jichen are the same as in the original play, and the second half of Shen Bi’s story about the crystal house, nuns, dancing villains and Duotai are also the same as what the emperor taught her in the original play.

[Historical origin] Bachelor of Baohedian University. (The following is adapted from my Fu Ying's long comment)

The Qing Dynasty’s Baohedian Grand Scholars were born out of the Ming Dynasty’s Jianji Temple Grand Scholars. Ming Jiajing used to be called Jinshen Temple Grand Scholars. During Jiajing, Jinshen Hall was changed to Jianji Temple. It was one of the Ming Dynasty Cabinet Grand Scholars. Qing Dynasty It is called the Bachelor of Baohe Temple.

At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, Ming □□ made great use of unjust prisons and punished meritorious officials. In the 13th year of Hongwu (1380), Hu Weiyong was killed, Zhongshu Province was dismissed, and the prime minister system for more than 15 years was abolished, and the six ministries were directly controlled by the emperor.However, due to the heavy workload, in the [-]th year of Hongwu, Zhu Yuanzhang had no choice but to set up a palace scholar to serve as an advisor to the emperor. At the beginning, the university scholar had no real power, similar to the post of secretary today. After Ming Chengzu Jingnan won the throne, he gradually relied on The cabinet, the power of the cabinet has increased.

In the Qing Dynasty, the Ji Hall was rebuilt as the Baohe Hall.The Bachelor of Baohedian was awarded the title of Zhengyipin in the Qing Dynasty.In charge of following Chen's rules and regulations, checking and playing questions, and reviewing and answering tickets.There were 15 people successively, including Fore Sehei, Cheng Kegong, Li Yu, Wei Yijie, Du Lide, Suo Etu, Wei Zhouzuo, Wang Xi, Liang Qingbiao, Wu Tong, Ma Qi, Zhang Tingyu, Ertai, Neqin, Fu Heng, etc. Served as a bachelor of Baohedian University.On the fourth day of December in the 13th year of Qianlong (January 1749, 1), the Dingcai Grand Scholars changed from four halls and two pavilions (Zhonghe Hall, Baohe Hall, Wenhua Hall, Wuying Hall, Wenyuan Pavilion, and East Pavilion) to Three halls and three pavilions (Baohe Hall, Wenhua Hall, Wuying Hall, Wenyuan Pavilion, Dongge, Tiren Pavilion), the title of the chief scholar of the Baohe Palace is the title of the chief scholar, and it is not often set.After this change, Fu Heng was the only bachelor in the history of Baohedian.In the 22th year of Qianlong (35), after the death of Fu Heng, until the fall of the Qing Dynasty, no one served as a scholar of Baohedian.In the 1770th year of Qianlong, it was the year when Naqin Jinchuan failed and was reassigned to Fu Heng. Naqin was the former Bachelor of Baohedian.

[Historical and cultural origins] "Four Scenery Landscapes" (the following is my long commentary by Fu Ying) This is the narration of Chapter 4 Shen Bi ([-]), and the addendum is here.

This is the painting that Fu Heng gave to the queen in the original play, and Concubine Chun borrowed it to copy it, a rare handed down by Liu Songnian, the four great masters of the Southern Song Dynasty.There is an inscription and postscript of Li Dongyang at the back of this picture scroll, which says: "Liu Songnian's novels of painting research are less than ten in his life, and it is rare for people. The four pictures of this picture were written for several years. Today, the brushwork is meticulous and the heart is exquisite. It can be called one of the paintings. saint".Liu Songnian's paintings are known as "the masterpieces among the academy members".Workers, figures, landscapes, and boundary paintings are the most delicate and subtle painting styles among the "Four Masters of the Southern Song Dynasty".It can be seen from the records of previous generations that his landscape paintings mostly represent the scenery in the south of the Yangtze River, especially the beautiful scenery of the West Lake gardens, interspersed with the leisure life of literati and nobles, and a few of them also painted the fairy world of fairy mountains and pavilions, which adapted to the upper class society of that era. Aesthetic taste.Hangzhou West Lake is famous all over the world for its beauty of mountains and rivers. After the establishment of the capital in the Southern Song Dynasty, the scenic spots of lakes and mountains were developed and built, making the scenery even brighter and more beautiful. "Outside the mountains, the green hills and the buildings outside the buildings, when will the West Lake dance stop!" The monarchs and ministers of the Southern Song Dynasty indulged in leisure and leisure. For a while, Huatang Liangge, high terraces and beautiful pavilions were all over the lake area. "Four Scenery Landscape Map" depicts the scenery of four seasons in the aristocratic garden villas of West Lake in [Kyoto] at that time.

Liu Songnian incorporated his familiar culture, officials' leisurely and elegant daily life scenes, and the beautiful four seasons, mountains and rivers, and garden scenery of the two lakes in Hangzhou into the picture, showing the specific humanistic spirit of this period, and artificially creating and decorating the four seasons of gardens. scene. "Landscapes of Four Views" uses vague and blurred light ink to make it appear vast and elegant, round and beautiful.This painting not only reflects the layout and facilities of the rich family's courtyard by the West Lake in Hangzhou in the Southern Song Dynasty, as well as the use of wooden lattice windows, but also reflects the gardeners' use of the West Lake's strange peaks, beautiful mountains, and smoked willows in garden design. "Because of its nature, It is a style that blends landscapes and architectural spaces. It is an image material that must be cited in the history of architecture and gardens when it comes to the Southern Song Dynasty. It occupies a place in the landscape paintings of the Song Dynasty and has a wide influence on that time and later generations.

This painting is uncommon but is a peerless treasure. It can be seen that the Fucha siblings have unusual family backgrounds and aesthetic tastes, which are in line with the queen's identity and temperament.The empress copied the summer scroll, in which the flowers and trees are flourishing, the new lotus is just unfolding, and the owner is sitting upright, enjoying the cool air.This is very in line with the fresh and elegant spiritual state of the Fucha siblings, which corresponds to the quiet time many years ago.The lotus in the painting is in the same line as the later Qinglian, and also refers to Yingluo.Mingyu also commented that this painting is "implicit in brushwork, but powerful and crisp", which is also an allusion to Fu Heng.

The "Picture of Lentils and Dragonflies" selected by Yingluo's embroidered sachet is also rare and exquisite.