[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

But it is said that today is the Flower Dynasty Festival, and Daiyu held the Jiji ceremony, but the concubines in the palace, led by the Queen, worshiped the Flower God at the Flower Dynasty Palace near Beiyuan.

After the ceremony, the empresses and concubines held a flower fight in the apricot forest in the Imperial Garden. Concubine Chen sat at the lower left of the empress, Concubine Hui sat at the lower right, and other concubines also sat in turn.

Originally, the climate of this era was not like that of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. It was warm for a period of time before and after the Flower Festival, but the spring was cold before and after, and it was not the time when a hundred flowers bloomed.However, there is a flower room in the palace, and eunuchs and maids have long brought various varieties of spring flowers such as peonies, roses, rhododendrons, spring orchids, etc., and all kinds of flowers are swaying in the sunshine and apricot blossom rain.

Xing Xiuyan was surprised to see it, she felt that the precious Wei Zi peony bloomed the most arrogantly, Xing Xiuyan originally thought that in this season, people would be able to fight poems.But I never thought that Empress Yang and Concubine Wu Hui were not good at composing poems, some elders in the palace at the Huachao Festival would not have made such a suggestion, and concubine De was good at composing poems, but she was seriously ill and did not attend.

In the harem, those who depend on their talent to be spoiled for a living usually die faster, such as Jia Yuanchun.If there were no legendary concubines like Concubine Yang Gui and Concubine Wan Gui, ordinary concubines would have to stick to the golden mean for a long time.A talented woman with an ordinary weak heart is not suitable to be a concubine in the harem. Xing Xiuyan has some talents, but she never wins attention at concubines' parties. Even Concubine Wen thinks that she has no rhythm when playing a song on New Year's Eve. After all, she has never shown it in front of others. Pass.

The empresses and concubines chatted about appreciating flowers, and suddenly Concubine Wu Hui looked at Xing Xiuyan and asked, "Which potted flower does Imperial Concubine Chen like the most?"

Xing Xiuyan did not doubt that it was there, smiled slightly and said, "I think that pot of Wei Zi blooms very well."

Empress Yang took a sip of tea and was noncommittal, but suddenly she heard Concubine Jing say indifferently: "I don't like purple the most in my life, and I always say 'Evil purple wins red'."

Concubine Jing hated Xing Xiuyan deeply, she was taught a lesson last time, when Xing Xiuyan insulted her like that, the saint seemed blind.She is also very clear now that she wants to survive in the harem, don't expect the saint to suddenly look at her one day.The only thing she can rely on is the queen, at least the queen can give her a better material life.Tell me what color you like and what color you don't like, will Imperial Concubine Chen dare to violently beat someone again?This is also the meaning of praising the queen and demoting the noble concubine.

Concubine Wen was also afraid of Xing Xiuyan, but she was still not as hostile as Concubine Jing.Last time the emperor stopped her at a critical moment, but she didn't dare to talk to Xing Xiuyan with the same attitude and tone as before.

Concubine Wen asked with a hint of respect that she didn't have before, "Does Imperial Concubine Chen like purple very much?"

Xing Xiuyan couldn't help but shudder, thinking to herself that she was careless, and was attacked with loopholes in trivial matters.But seeing Empress Yang watching a pot of white peonies carefully while drinking tea, she didn't seem to care at all.

But now he changed his words in front of everyone, and lost face again.So, she smiled and said, "I really like it."

Empress Yang looked at her coldly, and Xing Xiuyan looked back frankly.

Today's Flower Festival, the flowers are blooming beautifully, just like when a daughter is young, but in the harem, the delicate flowers are allowed to wither, and the youth is empty.The grievances of the concubines could not help but focus on Concubine Chen.Even if there are lower-level concubines who want to curry favor with the noble concubine Chen, but they dare not offend the queen, it is not their turn to intervene in this matter.

Although the queen was not liked by the emperor because of the strength of her natal father and brothers, the emperor did not show any intention of abolishing the empress.

She didn't punish Imperial Concubine Chen, and the emperor had no reason to get angry, anyway, he wouldn't look back at her.

"Evil purple seizes vermilion" comes from "The Analects of Confucius-Yanghuo". The ancients believed that vermilion is a positive color, while purple is a variegated color. "Evil purple seizes vermilion" means that evil suppresses righteousness.Among them, the evil of course refers to her, and Zhu can refer to the queen or the rules of the harem.

Empress Yang finally hooked the corners of her mouth without warmth, and said flatly: "I always feel that heresy is not the right way."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "The contest between nobles and purples varies according to the time. One purple is not the other purple. Have you not seen 'in the Zichen Hall of the Daming Palace, all the officials actually wear purple robes?' There is also 'purple energy coming from the east' which is auspicious. This How is it not the right way?"

The concubines couldn't help but change their faces. Although there is a saying of "evil purple wins Zhu", in fact, "Ziweixing" has been "Ziweixing" since ancient times, and there is no "Zhuweixing".As for the official uniforms of purple, vermilion, green, and blue, only officials of the third rank and above wear purple robes, ranking before Zhu. This custom has been around for a long time. 'Purple Qi comes from the east', let alone 'Zhu Qi comes from the east'.

Although all the concubines were dissatisfied with Concubine Chen to some extent, they wisely kept their mouths shut at this time, so as not to get burned, they did not have the foundation of a queen.

Xing Xiuyan is not a coward, and when others come to him, he has to ignore what he asks and fight back.

At this time, Concubine Hui, who always sat on the mountain and watched tigers fight, smoothed things over: "Why are you talking about Daming Palace and Ziluopao? Today is the Flower Festival, and the most important thing is to enjoy flowers."

Xing Xiuyan also borrowed the donkey to go downhill, saying: "Exactly, it's boring, let's not talk about it."

Shangshan eunuchs and maids brought snacks, and all the concubines stopped after tasting it.

At this time, the two eldest princesses, the eldest princess, and the second princess came back to the inner palace after class to enjoy the flowers with the other concubines. Because it was the Flower Festival, there were only two classes today.Eldest Princess Tu Xin has been sticking to Empress Yang's side since she came, and after paying homage to Empress with Princess De, she came to pay respects to Xing Xiuyan and get close to her.

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "I haven't seen Princess Hede for some time, I have watched Hede grow up."

Princess Hede's face was slightly red. She is 14 years old this year. She just had her period last month. She has received some teachings from the court nurse, so she is no longer the girl she used to be.

Princess Hede said with a smile: "I see that the imperial concubine is more and more elegant, and I still have a lot to learn!"

Xing Xiuyan asked: "What courses have you been taught in the school this year?"

He De said: "I have briefly studied the Four Books and Five Classics and the history of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and now I am studying common affairs, including common sense of farming and clear calculation."

Xing Xiuyan did not expect that Tu Yuanyi would actually give these courses to the princesses, he is a feudal emperor!It's a straight male cancer!

Xing Xiuyan said: "Your brother really took great pains to raise you as men. Now you are suffering through hardships, and you will become a master in the future."

Princess Hexiao suddenly said: "The words of the imperial concubine and empress are all biased. We are royal princesses, and we are masters."

Xing Xiuyan said: "The princess is going to get married too. Do the princess want to marry a talented person or an illiterate person? I don't think there is a princess who would think the latter? A woman without talent means virtue is a lie. Can a talented daughter understand the thoughts of a talented husband? A talented husband will say that you have long hair and short knowledge, and hate you in his heart! Can a talented woman give birth to talented offspring? Knowledge is different from ordinary backyard girls, Not only will it gain the respect of the future husband, but it will also benefit the family's continuation plan!"

Princess Hexiao couldn't help turning pale. It turned out that she had never been good in grades among the princesses and their companions, and she didn't study hard. Because of Empress Dowager Liu's love, she often fished for three days and posted on the net for two days. They are also the last ones, but the gentlemen will give her a little face, and her accompanying readers are all behind her.He Xiao never thought about the problem from this angle.

And Princess Hede's grades are among the best, and she has almost never missed classes, and there is no harm if there is no comparison.

At this time Xing Xiuyan saw the always timid second princess Tu Yue, she was even thinner than Daiyu, she was born to have pity for girls, like Jia Baoyu, she didn't like Tu Yuanyi in the past At this time, she couldn't help waving at her.

The second princess is a daughter who was completely ignored by Tu Yuanyi. At this time, Imperial Concubine Chen waved to her, she was a little surprised, she went over timidly, and bowed: "Imperial Concubine."

Xing Xiuyan saw that she was so thin that her eyes were very big, and her eyes looked like Tu Yuanyi's, so she couldn't help but feel soft, took her hand and said: "The second princess is too thin, doesn't she eat well on weekdays?"

Tu Yue said: "My concubine is seriously ill, I can't eat."

Xing Xiuyan knew that Concubine De was seriously ill, but it had nothing to do with her. She would not show the Holy Mother, but when she saw this child who was about the same age as Daiyu before, her heart softened, and she couldn't help asking: "What's wrong with your mother?"

Tu Yue said: "I don't know either. My concubine suffered from a cold once, but she didn't get a cure, so she just lay down and coughed up blood often."

Xing Xiuyan couldn't help thinking, it couldn't be pneumonia or tuberculosis, which was really difficult to treat in ancient times, unless...

But if Tu Yuanyi wanted Concubine De to live, he would have made a move long ago, just like when Yang Shi and Tu Hui were seriously ill and were rescued by him.She didn't want to take care of the family affairs of Tu Yuanyi's previous life, so she said: "See the imperial doctor more often, and take care of it slowly. But the second princess must eat well by herself, and your mother and concubine also want you to be healthy."

Tu Yue hesitated for a while, and suddenly said with a trace of fear: "Imperial concubine, you...you can let father and emperor go and see mother and concubine, just take a look..."

Xing Xiuyan was a little embarrassed at this moment, she was shocked by the second princess's thinness for a moment, and then pulled her to speak, never expecting the always timid second princess to say such a thing.

At this moment, Empress Yang continued: "My palace sent someone to invite the saint to see Concubine De, but the saint was probably delayed by something."

Xing Xiuyan was in a dilemma, if she agreed with the show, if she shouldn't appear cold and mean.

Xing Xiuyan said indifferently: "How can a sage control others when he acts?"

At this moment, the eunuch outside the garden was heard shouting: "The emperor is here!"

The concubines were refreshed, they couldn't help stroking their heads, making their most beautiful postures, and Yingying Yanyan got up to meet her.The princesses also stood aside in good order, and Tu Yue had restrained her begging expression just now.

"Chen and concubine see the emperor!"

Tu Yuanyi also just finished the early court, but he changed out of court clothes. He wore the emperor's golden crown on his head, and the cross-leather Hanfu gown designed by Xing Xiuyan. You can see that his clothes are similar to those of the imperial concubine Chen. It's the same, but the embroidery pattern is different.

The concubines suddenly felt suffocated, demon concubine!

Tu Yuanyi called Ju Pingshen, but gave the Queen a little help, and then helped Concubine Chen, and touched her hand.

"I don't wear thicker clothes if I'm afraid of the cold." Tu Yuanyi said in a low voice.

Xiuyan said, "It's quite warm today."

Tu Yuanyi took his seat first, and ordered everyone to return to their seats, and said with a smile: "But did I disturb everyone?"

The queen saw that the emperor actually smiled at her, since she borrowed Empress Dowager Liu to hit Xing Xiuyan, he had never given her a good face.

Empress Yang couldn't help being full of surprises, and said: "Where is the saint, it is a great honor for the concubines and sisters to have the saint come."

In the apricot blossom grove, Tu Yuanyi smiled slightly, as if lighting up the whole world, and the delicate charm of black eyebrows and star pupils was born against nature, which attracted the affection of all the concubines.He was their husband.

But Xing Xiuyan didn't know why he came here suddenly. It is said that he is a hard-working model emperor who would rather spend his time inspecting factories or practicing martial arts besides government affairs. He has no interest in spending time in the harem. with her.She also thought about what Tu Yue wanted, and wondered if she would ask Tu Yuanyi for Concubine De, and looked at her, Tu Yue was sitting with the princesses, when Tu Yuanyi came, she only dared to sneak a look at her father.

Tu Yuanyi said: "Today is the Flower Festival, and it is also the most important festival for women. The women in the harem have also worked hard. The Ministry of Internal Affairs issued an order to reward the concubines and concubines above the harem with a head and face and two palace flowers."

The queen and concubines stood up to thank them.

Xing Xiuyan withdrew her attention from the second princess and thought to herself: Is he rich?Taking the wrong medicine?Xing Xiuyan felt heartache, but then she thought again, why is she heartache, the House of Internal Affairs is not hers, and his money is not hers.She is a concubine, why do she want to be the mistress of the royal family, just manage the private treasury well.

After thanking her, all the concubines blushed with joy and forgot about the insignificant incident just now.No one spoke for Concubine De, including Empress Yang.

Empress Yang said: "Saint, just before your holy car arrived, my concubine wanted to ask Feng Wanyi to dance for everyone. Feng Wanyi arranged a new song for Hua Chao."

Tu Yuanyi raised his eyebrows, and said: "Oh, Feng Wanyi's dancing skills are the best in the palace, and I want to see it today."

The queen smiled and said: "It is Feng Wanyi's blessing that the sage has this kindness." Immediately, she called Feng Lian.

Feng Lian curled up and bowed down. She was wearing a pink dance dress, with a graceful appearance and beautiful eyebrows.Xing Xiuyan couldn't help staring at her for a moment, thinking that her facial features were just as good as her own, and her figure might be sexier, with bigger breasts than hers.

The court musicians played music, and Feng Lian danced gracefully in the middle, her sleeves and skirt fluttered lightly, and people's hearts seemed to follow her rhythm.

Xing Xiuyan was also dumbfounded. She had seen dancers dancing classical Chinese dance on TV, but it was the first time to watch it live. The jumping and spinning showed that it was a professional skill, no worse than modern dancers.

The dancing posture is graceful, graceful like a frightened bird, graceful like a dragon swimming, as if watching Luoshen come into the world.

The concubines present were anticipating and jealous, expecting Feng Lian to win the favor, but also jealous that it was not me who performed the dance at the time when the saint was interested, and regretted that I did not have this dancing posture.

The music stopped, but Feng Lian kept a posture like a flying fairy, and after three breaths, her chest heaved slightly, panting, and she stepped forward to bow down.

Tu Yuanyi clapped his palms and said with a smile: "Feng Wanyi's dance is indeed well-deserved, and the reward is 100 taels."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Feng Lian lowered her head, so that the people in the seat could see her graceful posture.

The queen couldn't help looking at Xing Xiuyan, but she didn't see any difference in her expression, and thought to herself that this witch is quite calm.

At this time, Li Dequan came back in a hurry, bowed down in front of the emperor, and Tu Yuanyi asked what was the matter.

Li Dequan replied: "This morning, the imperial concubine sent servants to congratulate He Yuxian Jun and Yan, and came here to report to the imperial concubine."

Tu Yuanyi smiled and said: "So it turns out that the righteous sister of Aifei was born on the Huachao Festival."

Xing Xiuyan thought to herself, Lin Daiyu is the heroine, you are the backdrop, you are jealous.

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Sister concubine is of course unusual."

Everyone saw that Xing Xiuyan could make Li Dequan, the boss of the factory, jealous and afraid. Li Dequan was someone who even the queen might not dare to use.In this harem, it is not just about status, but about real power.If you can send the chief eunuch of the West Factory, Zhao Gui, the chief eunuch of the East Factory, will also obey the order. Oh, what if you think about it this way, Zhao Gui didn't even give the queen face in order to save Xingcai who was beaten.

The east and the west can be dispatched, and it is easy to kill a little concubine in the harem, and it really is a demon concubine.All the concubines were very thankful that they did not participate in the contest between the empress and imperial concubine Chen. The offending would not be as simple as being beaten, but would result in an untimely death.

This is wronging Xing Xiuyan, she originally wanted Zhao Quan to declare the decree, but Li Dequan who was by her side "volunteered", Xing Xiuyan let him go.

Tu Yuanyi seemed to have suddenly remembered something, and said to the queen: "I remember He Yuxian Jun's cousin is working in front of the queen."

Jia Yuanchun stood behind him, both pleasantly surprised and apprehensive. The pleasant surprise was that the sage remembered her, but the apprehensive thing was that although she was conceited of her talent and beauty, she had already passed the age of Huaxin, and her appearance was only nine points of her prime.

The queen called Jia Yuanchun, and Jia Yuanchun came forward to see him.Xing Xiuyan thought to himself, the sage has a severe convulsion, does he really want to gather with all the young wives today, so that Jia Yuanchun can't be missed?

When Tu Yuanyi saw it, he said: "Queen, I asked you for the history of Jia Nu. Is the queen willing?"

Jia Yuanchun was overjoyed, she had been slaughtered by the harem slaughterhouse, so she was so proud and even dreamed for too long, the short-circuited woman thought to herself: She has finally made it through, even though she is at such an embarrassing age, as long as she can win the holy favor Is it worth it?

But the queen couldn't help being startled, Jia Yuanchun was turned in the hands of Concubine Zhen, if you say that she was amazing when we first met, and she also planned to take her as a firm favor.Especially since she is very good at business and has money in hand, she will rely heavily on it.But when she served Empress Dowager Liu, Jia Yuanchun did his best to assist Concubine Wu Hui in managing the palace affairs, and treated her so attentively that the Empress was a little bit offended.

However, the queen saw that Jia Yuanchun, who was so beautiful back then, never attracted the interest of the sage. This has the advantage of not being favored, and Queen Yang will not be jealous.

How could Jia Yuanchun, who is now aged, stand out among the young concubines?The queen was very suspicious.

But when the sage spoke, how could the queen refuse?

The queen laughed and said, "If the saint's begging is her good fortune, why would the concubine refuse? Jia Nushi, why don't you thank me?"

Jia Yuanchun bowed profusely: "Slave, thank you for your grace." She lowered her head, her heart was beating non-stop, she wanted to look up at the young and handsome emperor, but she didn't dare, but she thought that she would always see him when she slept for a long time.At the thought of sleeping in bed, she felt hot all over her body.

Xing Xiuyan was dumbfounded like the other concubines who were in the midst of jealousy, and gave Tu Yuanyi a strange look.

Tu Yuanyi's handsome face was indifferent, and he said: "Ms. Jia, I heard from the queen that you are a meticulous waiter."

Jia Yuanchun said: "It's all the empress who loves you, and the servants are terrified."

Tu Yuanyi curled his lips and said, "The rules are also very good."

Jia Yuanchun: ...

Princesses: ...

Xing Xiuyan's eyes widened: What do you want to do?Why do I have a bad feeling?

Tu Yuanyi went on to say: "It's a pity that I missed this time in the palace. It is said that there are flowers that can be broken, and you are already 29. Now you can marry when you go out of the palace. For the sake of Rong Guogong , Grace, you go out of the palace. Jia’s mansion is very unruly now, you behave well, so it’s time to go and see if you can help.”

Jia Yuanchun felt like falling into an ice cellar, with all his strength drained, he fell limp and could not speak.

Tu Yuanyi waved his hand, and the two eunuchs stepped forward and took Jia Yuanchun away. This concubine who had been "loved" for a few days in the previous life was about to be sent out of the palace.

Many concubines sneered, but the empress sympathized with Jia Yuanchun even more. She rushed to the palace for her father and brother, but in the end she spent tens of thousands of taels of silver and got nothing.

However, there is only sympathy.

But on the morning of the second day of the first lunar month, Tu Yuanyi asked Zhao Gui to investigate the ice on the road.It took Zhao Gui four days to interrogate the eunuchs and maids, and then combined with the confessions of all parties, the result came naturally.Some people think they are clever, but if you want others to not know, you have to do nothing yourself.

Tu Yuanyi originally wanted to kill her secretly, but he also wanted to make her completely ashamed of this kind of person. If she couldn't find a place in the world, it would be a torture to her soul.

After all, Tu Yuanyi had been A Piao, he would feel that sometimes death is a kind of relief, and he would not let her be relieved.Besides, according to what Xing Xiuyan said about the Red Chamber, the Twelve Beauties of Jinling all have some origins. For her, one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, her death may really be a "reshuffle", and she may be promoted to immortality after death.

Tu Yuanyi is a selfish feudal emperor in this regard, he does not feel that he is at fault, and he did not create the harem system, and he is not the biggest defender of the harem system now, but he will not go there because he has no interests. It's useless to break the system.

Compared to "abolishing the harem, disbanding concubines" which has no benefit to him but has a lot of troubles, he would rather spend his energy on mastering military affairs and running industries to collect money.

He is not a friend of women and a kind person like Jia Baoyu, and he has no sympathy for these poor women living in the harem.

However, whoever wants to play with Xing Xiuyan will play with their fate. Empress Yang doesn't dare to do such tricks and only dares to let her suffer. Who is Jia Yuanchun?

He is not afraid of anything immortal.

Tu Yuanyi kept silent, just waiting for a good time.