Story of Yanxi Palace: Red Seal Spring Star

The queen mother held the emperor's hand with both hands, and said: "I know you are filial to me, good boy, I am a blessed one, even if I stretch my legs tomorrow, I will have enough of your blessings in my life."The emperor hurriedly said: "Emperor Niang, please don't say that, it's my son's fault that you went to Yuanmingyuan for three years, and my son regrets it very much, just forgive him."Although the son was not born to the Queen Mother, he was raised by you.Parenting kindness is not as big as raising kindness, my son understands.The queen mother said: "Oh, your mother is unlucky. She gave birth to such a good son as you, but she didn't enjoy the blessings. Instead, she favored me."As he spoke, he shed tears.The emperor also felt sad in his heart, his eyes were red, and he was silent for a while.

The Empress Dowager wiped her tears and said again: But this matter must not be let anyone know, otherwise it will be bad for the emperor and bad for the court.The emperor nodded and said: Yes, thank you, Queen Mother.The queen mother glanced at him and said: "Now, I am relieved that Shen Bi is following you. She is a good child and a smart person, and she can think about it. There will be no troubles in the future. Just like the Queen Mother took care of you back then, she will be single-minded. , you have to cherish.The emperor hurriedly said: Yes, my son has written it down.But I was laughing in my heart: She just doesn't show it in front of others, she can make her temper jealous!No small trouble!The more I think about it, the happier I am.

The queen mother said again: "She is beautiful and right and wrong, but as long as you two don't doubt it, it will be fine."I know your temperament. I think that among these people, she is the only one who is suitable for you. She has a background, looks, and a good temper. She can help you in the front, and it is rare to get along with you.People like her must have good eyesight, and they will never be casual. You have to know how to distinguish when others make rumors about her.The emperor smiled and said: Yes, son is not that confused, you have seen the incident with Yongqi before.The queen mother shook her head and said: I am also very angry about that matter, it is the queen's dereliction of duty again.Anything can happen in this palace, if you think about those things in the past, you must be careful.Knowing that she was talking about Rong Yin, the emperor couldn't help feeling sad.

The mother and son walked silently for a while, the emperor sent the empress dowager back to her residence, and then returned to her own courtyard. After returning, she asked Li Yu to summon Concubine Rong. Li Yu just turned around, and he stopped him again, saying: Forget it, these few days Today she is tired, let her rest.Suddenly hearing Concubine Rong's voice outside the window, she said with a charming smile: Are you going to call someone else?Then he stepped into the house.The emperor smiled and said: You are thinking wildly again.Li Yu and Caiyun looked at each other and smiled.

Concubine Qing didn't go to the Rehe palace because she took Fukang'an with her, so the queen mother gave Hongzhou's daughter to take care of her, because the child was too young, and the queen mother herself had to go to Chahar.Only Concubine Qing is left as the head of the inner court in the Old Summer Palace.After seeing Concubine Rong, Wei Mei made up her mind to get close to other concubines, so in the past month, she often went to Xinghuachun Pavilion where Concubine Qing lived.

Concubine Qing didn't talk much, but she got to know Fu Kang'an and some things about the emperor's favorite minister Fu Heng.Fu Heng is the younger brother of the late empress, and Wei Mei admired the late empress Rong Yin, so she had heard about Fu Hengyuan, and knowing that Fu'an Kang'an was being taken care of by Concubine Rong at the same time, she was more willing to get close to Concubine Qing.Concubine Qing also likes Wei Mei's contented and gentle personality, and the two get along very well.

Wei Mei mentioned it to Li Shi again.Since the people in the palace moved to the Old Summer Palace, Mrs. Li had a face-to-face meeting with all the concubines, so she nodded and said, "The emperor has many concubines. You are a smart person. You just need to remember to do it for your own children, no matter how difficult it is." Don't give up, don't always feel that you are inferior to others.Concubine Rong is of course needless to say, but look at Concubine Qing, she is far behind Concubine Rong, but she and Concubine Rong take care of the fifth elder brother and Fu Kang'an together, this must be the emperor's intention, she must also be the emperor important person.Wei Mei said: Thank you.Wei Mei has no mother and doesn't understand many things.Li smiled and said: You are a smart person, and you will gradually understand. Even if you don't enter the palace, it's the same if you marry into other families. Which family doesn't have three wives and four concubines.Wei Mei nodded.

After the emperor and his entourage arrived in Chahar, Wei Mei went to Concubine Qing's place again in the Old Summer Palace on the outskirts of Beijing, but Lingzi blocked her from the door, saying: Concubine Qing has a guest, Mrs. Wei will come again next time.So she turned around and thought: Sister Qing Concubine will have any special guests here that no one will know?Just thinking about it, the nurse came with Fu Kang'an, and when Fu Kang'an saw her, he shouted happily: "Aunt Wei, why don't you go in, my aunt is here, and she is about to see An'er, so you come too."As he spoke, he dragged her into the house, but Lingzi couldn't stop her.

It turned out that Wei Mei liked children very much. After getting acquainted with Fukang'an, she often made toys for him, so Fukang'an also liked him.Entering the room, I saw Concubine Qing and a lady sitting and talking to each other. Looking from the side, the lady was slender and smiling like a flower.Concubine Qing saw her and Fu Kang'an coming in, and hurriedly greeted her: "Your Majesty Wei, this is Mrs. Nalan, the wife of Mr. Fu Heng, just in time to meet you."

The lady immediately turned to look at her, and Wei Mei was startled when she saw her bright eyes shining on her face like lightning.The lady immediately withdrew the light in her eyes, stood up with a smile and saluted: "Hello, Mrs. Wei."Wei Mei hurriedly said: Mrs. Nalan is free.Fukang'an immediately shouted from the side: Aunt!He walked up to her and looked up at her.

Yingluo hurriedly squatted down, smiled and took him into her arms, kissed him on the cheek, then gestured to Pearl at the side with her eyes, Pearl immediately opened the package, and put all the small things that Yingluo bought for Fukan'an on the overpass He took it out and dumped it on the table beside him. Fukang'an ran over immediately, looking at this and that excitedly, but was reluctant to do it for a while.Yingluo gestured to Concubine Qing with her eyes, and Concubine Qing said, "Mrs. Nalan, Mr. Wei Gui, come with me, and led the two of them to the inner room."

After entering the inner room and closing the door, the three of them sat down again. Yingluo smiled and said to Wei Mei: Congratulations to nobleman Wei for having an heir.Wei Mei entered Yuanmingyuan at the beginning of the year and didn't know anything about the outside world, but Fu Heng gave birth to a son after the emperor arrived in Yuanmingyuan in summer, so Wei Mei knew that Fu Heng's newly married Mrs. Nalan gave birth to a son, so she felt close. meaning.So he smiled and said: Thank you Mrs. Nalan, Wei Mei was fortunate to meet Mrs. today, and congratulations to you and Mr. Fu Heng for their precious son.

Seeing her humble attitude, Yingluo felt good about her, and said: Thank you!Then he turned to Concubine Qing and said, "I'll show you next time I hug you."Concubine Qing nodded with a smile.Wei Mei is now seven months pregnant, and Yingluo asked Wei Mei how she is and how she feels, because Yingluo just gave birth to a child, and many things are still fresh in her memory, so she talked with Wei Mei for a while, and Wei Mei also expressed interest Asking about Yingluo's newborn son, and envious of her recovering her figure so quickly... Concubine Qing couldn't get in the way, so she quietly went outside to see Fu Kang'an.

After the two had finished talking, they realized that Concubine Qing had disappeared. Wei Mei felt very uneasy, but Yingluo smiled, not paying attention, then stood up and said, "Your Majesty Wei, it's a pleasure to meet you today. I've been here for a long time and I want to go back." I'm going home, take care, see you next time.Said and walked out.Wei Mei came out with her, Concubine Qing looked at Yingluo, Yingluo shook her head, meaning that she would not say anything to Fu Kang'an today, Concubine Qing nodded.

Yingluo walked up to Fu Kang'an, and said to him: An'er needs to listen to Aunt Qing, Auntie is going home, come to see An'er next time, and bring something delicious and fun for An'er.Fu Kang'an hugged her happily, and said to her: Thank you, auntie, goodbye!Say hello to Amma.In the past half a month, Yingluo has come here twice, and this is the third time. Fukang'an is no stranger to her.So Yingluo kissed him again, whispered to Concubine Qing for a while, and left with Pearl.

Before Wei Mei had time to say goodbye to her, she felt a little melancholy.Just listen to Concubine Qing say: Don't tell others what happened today.Wei Mei looked at her puzzled, and Concubine Qing said: "Women are not allowed to enter the palace if they have no purpose. We are all for the sake of our children."Wei Mei then understood, nodded, looked at Fu Kang'an who was playing over there, and asked, "Why is An'er called Auntie?"Concubine Qing said in a low voice: I haven't let the child know that she is his mother.Wei Mei nodded again immediately, and said: Don't worry, sister, Wei Mei won't say anything.

One day, Fu Heng was very excited after seeing Yingluo coming home, and he didn't know why, so he put down the folder in his hand, and Yingluo told about the nobleman Wei who happened to meet at the concubine Qing's place today.Then she smiled and said: She doesn't look like me at all, she doesn't have the same temper, she doesn't look like me anywhere, young master, don't worry about it anymore.Fu Heng wrapped her into his arms and said: How can there be a second Yingluo in this world, the emperor hardly sees her.

Yingluo looked at Fu Heng in surprise, and Fu Heng smiled and said: Yilu told me that the emperor only saw her once when he returned to Yuanmingyuan, and he was still with Concubine Rong.Yingluo felt sad for Wei Mei, and felt even more sad when she thought of her conceiving and giving birth alone. She sighed and said, "It's all because of me."Fu Hengdao: If it wasn't for you, she wouldn't be able to enter the palace.Yingluo said: That's why I feel guilty. Where is that in the palace? She wasn't born beautiful. You said that the emperor didn't even see her. It's because of me that I hurt her.

Fu Heng shook his head and said: I heard from Yilu that she was going to enter the palace herself, and the emperor also investigated her life experience.Yingluo asked in surprise: What is her background?Fu Heng then told about Wei Mei's family background, and said: "It's nothing special, because the emperor is just a little worried about the palace she is going to enter."Yingluo wondered: Why did she enter the palace?Fu Heng shook his head.

Yingluo said: I have talked to her a lot, she is not like someone who is greedy for vanity and wealth, by the way, I remembered, every time I mentioned the emperor, she seemed to be very happy, so she likes the emperor, she still loves the emperor. Speaking of admiring the Queen's sister.Fu Heng also looked at her in surprise.Yingluo said: If this is the case, we should help her even more. She is all because of me, but she still can't get into the eyes of the emperor, so the emperor invited someone to teach her piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, thinking: At that time, the emperor himself taught me the piano Chess calligraphy and painting...

Just listen to Fu Heng said: Don't think about it, why is everything related to you?Moreover, helping her might affect Concubine Rong, aren't you on good terms with Concubine Rong?And how to help?She is not Concubine Rong.Yingluo knew that he was still angry about Mr. Wei, so she smiled and said: I have no family background, and I am not beautiful.Fu Heng pinched her cheek and said, "What's wrong with you?"And Miss Yingluo is a beautiful little palace daughter!As he spoke, he kissed her on the cheek.

Yingluo smiled lightly and kissed his lips.The two kissed for a while, and Yingluo said in a low voice, "I asked Doctor Ye yesterday, and he said it's ok, it's gone, and it won't be in the middle of this month... Fu Heng just smiled without saying a word, and Yingluo leaned her head against him." In front of the chest, the two stayed quietly for a while.

Fu Heng said: Don't think about that nobleman Wei, when she gives birth to a child, no matter male or female, she should be promoted to concubine.Yingluo said: Well, I don't know if the Queen will give birth to a boy or a girl, and Mr. Queen, if it wasn't for Elder Brother, if Wei Gui gave birth to Elder Brother, she might be in trouble.Fu Hengdao: "The emperor has so many sons, and several of them are adults, why should the empress be like this."Yingluo said: But she was pregnant at about the same time as the empress, and she stayed in Yuanmingyuan all the time, the emperor didn't let her go back to the palace, maybe it was because she was worried that the empress would be unfavorable to her.

Fu Heng thought for a while and said: You are right, so the emperor doesn't ignore her, let alone worry about her.Ying Luo smiled and said: Well, I don't worry about others, I only worry about Long'er and the young master.Fu Heng smiled and said: "Sure enough, I gave birth to a son, so I will stay behind."Ying Luo immediately whispered something in his ear, then broke away from him and left.Fu Heng looked out the window, the sun was slanting towards the west, he took out his pocket watch to see, it was almost the end of the time, so he smiled and put away the scattered notes on the table.

The weather is getting colder, so the charcoal fire has started in the house.Fu Heng hugged Yingluo under the quilt, and smelled the familiar fragrance of gardenia on her body.Yingluo often carries a sachet containing gardenia flowers, and likes to use gardenia petals in the bath, so she always has a faint fragrance of gardenia flowers on her body, but today the fragrance is stronger, because she used gardenia flowers after bathing just now. The sub-petals were soaked, and when Fu Heng went to wash, the other bath was still full of those petals.Fu Heng took several deep breaths on her neckline, only to feel the fragrance was strong.

Yingluo was originally thin, and she didn't gain much weight during pregnancy. After giving birth, she wore a belly band every day, and she was still slim, but she was still plumper than before, and her slenderness was just right.The couple hadn't really been intimate for four months... "The red gauze is soaked in fragrant sweat, and the green pine is shattered in messy hair. The powder flows out of the mirror, and the vermilion lips are warmer and more mellow"... Yingluo's whole body is soft, completely submerged in Fu Heng's overwhelming pain. excited.After Fu Heng lay beside her, she hugged his head and said softly: Are you comfortable?Fu Heng hummed, and she said again: Because Long'er got pregnant so soon, I'm taking medicine now, and it's still doctor Ye's prescription, he said it won't harm my body.Fu Heng nodded and said: We don't want children anymore.Yingluo said: Doctor Ye said wait, let me take care of my body first.Then we have another daughter like yours.

Fu Heng hummed again, and said: You can do whatever you say.Yingluo laughed in a low voice: I also can't bear to let you go back to being a monk so soon.Fu Heng laughed softly, and said: My son is still inferior to me with his mother.Yingluo was in a trance for a moment, and the words "my son" that Fu Heng said hit her heart heavily again. She hugged Fu Heng tightly, wishing to erase all the humiliation he had suffered before.Fu Heng also understood her intentions, and said: It doesn't matter, in fact, I have not been...

Yingluo hummed, and said: But I can't forgive those who have hurt you.Fu Heng smiled and said: Yingluo, thank you!The person who hurt me has already been killed by you... Don't feel sorry for me anymore, I am very happy with you.Yingluo's heart was full of tenderness, she lightly pondered on his lips, he didn't move, let her kiss him lightly like a child.

The two cuddled in the quilt and whispered for a long time, and they didn't get up for dinner.When I finally got up, it was past half hour.Yingluo taught the kitchen to make porridge and brought it. The two of them ate, took a bath again, and then went to see their son hand in hand, before coming back to sleep soundly for the night.

The author has something to say:

[Concubine Rong's Body Fragrance] According to historical legends, it is the aroma of sand jujube flowers, as detailed in the previous section.This is an important detail in the novel, related to many plots.

[Qingyi Garden] is the original name of the Summer Palace, and the Summer Palace is only a part of the original Qingyi Garden, which is far inferior to the original appearance of the prosperous age.

In the 15th year of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1750), in order to prepare for the 60-year-old (1752) birthday of his mother, the Empress Dowager Chongqing (Empress Xiaoshengxian), Emperor Qianlong ordered the excavation of the West Lake under the pretext of governing the water system in the west of Beijing, intercepting the West Mountain, Water comes from Yuquan Mountain and Shou'an Mountain, and the high-water lake and Yangshui Lake are excavated on the west side of the West Lake. The three lakes are used as reservoirs to ensure water for the palace gardens and provide irrigation water for the surrounding farmland.Emperor Qianlong changed the name of West Lake to Kunming Lake based on the allusion that Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty dug Kunming Lake to practice the water army.In the 29th year of Qianlong (1764), the Qingyi Garden was completed, which cost more than 480 million taels of silver. At this time, the Queen Mother was 72 years old.

In Qingyi Garden, based on the idea of ​​"Three Immortal Mountains on the Sea" in ancient Chinese mythology, three small islands are built in Kunming Lake and the two lakes on the west side: Nanhu Island, Tuancheng Island, and Zaojiantang Island, which are used as a metaphor for the three mountains on the sea: Penglai , Abbot, Yingzhou.The overall plan of Qingyi Garden is based on the West Lake in Hangzhou, and at the same time, it is extensively imitated to build Jiangnan gardens and scenic spots, such as Fenghuang Pier imitating Taihu Lake, Jingming Tower imitating Yueyang Tower, Wangchan Pavilion imitating Yellow Crane Tower, and Houxi Lake Trading Street imitating Suzhou Water Street , Xisuo Trading Street imitates Yangzhou Ersi Bridge and so on.The main building in the park is the Dabaoen Yanshou Temple, and there is a long corridor more than 700 meters long. Its architecture and decorative paintings are quite wonderful, with artistic value and many tourist buildings.

There are very few political and residential buildings in Qingyi Garden. Emperor Qianlong visited Qingyi Garden only on the same day and never lived in the garden.After the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, due to the weakening of the national power, it was announced that the three mountain furnishings would be withdrawn, and Qingyi Garden gradually fell into disuse.In the tenth year of Xianfeng (1860), Qingyi Garden was burned down by the British and French allied forces during the Second Opium War.

During the 21th to 1884st years of Guangxu (1895-26), the Empress Dowager Cixi retired to recuperate after she "returned to power", and Prince Chun Yizhen used the funds raised in the name of Beiyang Navy to rebuild Qingyi Garden.Due to the limited funds, they concentrated their financial resources to repair the buildings in front of the mountain, and built walls around Kunming Lake, and changed the name of Qingyi Garden to the Summer Palace in the meaning of "restoring and harmony", and became the Palace of Li.In the 1900th year of Guangxu ([-]), the buildings and cultural relics in the park were destroyed by the Allied Forces of Eight Powers, and were restored two years later.