[Red Mansions] The Road to Empress Dowager

On the fifth day of October, Empress Dowager Zhou's Qianqiu Festival.

Early in the morning, all the concubines in the harem came to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. The last Jin concubines were Concubine Hui Wu, Concubine De Cui, Concubine Gong Zhao, Concubine Min Li, Concubine Wen Liu, Concubine Jing Shen, and three other noble concubines. Qi, Wei, Li, and below are several low-level concubines.

The queen also had to put on a smiling face today to flatter the Queen Mother of Zhou. No matter how much she hated and resented, she still had to live for one son and one daughter.Now who in the palace doesn't know that the saint is close to the Queen Mother Zhou and Princess Hede?Their relationship with Concubine Chen is also better.

But it is said that Tu Yuanyi has two sons and two daughters, both born in early years, or in previous lives.

The eldest prince Tu Hui is 11 years old this year, and the eldest princess Tu Xin is 12 years old this year, both born of Empress Yang.

The second prince, Tu Xian, is half a year younger than the first prince, and is only ten years old this year. His biological mother was a concubine, who had already died, and is now raised under Concubine Wu Hui.

The second princess is ten years old this year, and she is born of the virtuous concubine Cui.

They are also dressed up today like four live red envelopes. The children all have good looks and have inherited their father's facial features.

The concubines congratulated one after another, and after presenting the congratulatory ceremony, they sat aside and talked.Another seven or eight royal concubines brought their daughters-in-law, daughters, and granddaughters to congratulate the Queen Mother Zhou, and the entire Ci'an Palace was full of female relatives.

The prince and princess of Tu Yuanyi sat in the side hall playing with the emperor and princess De, ten princesses and the young children and grandchildren of the clan who were still in the palace.On weekdays, the prince and grandson would study in the Shangshufang. After Tu Yuanyi ascended the throne, he also attached great importance to the education of the Shangshufang. He taught the six arts of a gentleman, and set up interest courses. He hired a Western missionary to teach Western culture and natural science.

Moreover, Tu Yuanyi stipulated that there would be monthly exams, quarterly exams, and the ranking of results would be announced. Those who scored first would be rewarded, and the guy who got the bottom three times would be sent out of the Shang Study Room to go home and study by himself.These have become nightmares for the princes and grandchildren.It's a pity that this book has to be read until the age of 16, which is still a long way from liberation.

Of course, these are what Tu Yuanyi heard from Xin Xiuyan at the beginning. The education for all was like this in her time, and she was tortured terribly when she was a child.

The imperial chariot marched in the wind, followed by the imperial concubine's chariot, Zhao Gui followed beside the imperial chariot, and the royal imperial concubine's chariot was followed by the maids and eunuchs who drove the imperial guard.

After the emperor got off the chariot, he waited for Concubine Chen. Concubine Chen was on his left, a body distance behind him, and the two approached.

The emperor was wearing a casual dragon robe and a black gauze winged hat on his head.His face was cut like a knife, with dragon eyebrows and phoenix eyes, he was suave and suave, he had been in the top position for a long time, and he had his own majesty and majesty.

Concubine Chen is wearing a goose-yellow cross-necked apricot-yellow phoenix robe today, with phoenix embroidered on the skirt and cuffs.The slender waist is tied high with a treasure belt, and the lower body is a pleated skirt of begonia red silk, but the skirt is covered with a few layers of pink soft smoke. The forehead hangs down in front of the forehead.

She was fifteen or sixteen years old, and her skin was as beautiful as jade. She only had her eyebrows drawn and some rouge.But seeing the beautiful face, flowing eyes, elegant and light.

Many people have never seen this noble concubine who is said to be the only favorite in the harem, and only now did they realize that she was a stunning beauty.

If this woman is not the most beautiful woman in the harem, it is definitely hard to find someone who looks better than her, and it is even more unique to have such a refined taste.

The Empress Dowager Zhou did not come out to greet her, and many concubines and wives came forward to pay homage: "The concubine sees the emperor!"

The emperor got up, and Xing Xiuyan stepped forward to pay homage to the queen: "Concubines see the empress, and the empress is safe."

Empress Yang only said indifferently: "Your concubine and sister don't need to be too polite."

The emperor entered the main hall of Ci'an Palace, and the empress followed, and then it was Xing Xiuyan's turn.

The queen is not in charge of the palace right now, but after the sickness, the emperor did not suppress her any more. Xing Xiuyan also knew that unless she touched the bottom line again, Tu Yuanyi would not abolish her.

In fact, she didn't want Tu Yuanyi to abolish her either. It wasn't that she didn't hold grudges, but who would stand after Empress Yang was abolished?

She is not interested in being a queen to manage Tu Yuanyi's little wives eating and drinking, as long as she lives well, she doesn't like the false power of women in the backyard.What's more, the harem thrift salary stipulated by Tu Yuanyi can't deduct much money, and more trivial things just occupy her leisure time.In terms of power, Tu Yuanyi actually gave it to her, and Dongchang can actually let her do it. This is the real power.

After entering the room, the other people scattered around, and Imperial Concubine Chen still wanted to pay her respects to the Queen Mother Zhou, and the other people had all celebrated their birthdays.

After the emperor half-kneeled, he sat down next to the Empress Dowager Zhou. Xing Xiuyan put his hands in front of his belly, stepped forward cautiously, and knelt down and said: "The concubine sees the Empress Dowager, the good luck of the empress will last, and the immortal life will last forever."

Empress Dowager Liu is also here today, she can't keep complaining about her illness, if she doesn't come out to do some activities to show that her majesty is still there, everything will be as usual, and she will be even more ashamed in the palace, so no matter how painful it is to face Empress Dowager Zhou, she must hold on. With a kind smile on his face.

When Empress Dowager Liu saw Concubine Chen, she gritted her teeth and secretly hated her, but the last time she made a move, she learned to be good after taking the emperor's tricks, and let her know that the dragon has Nilin, and this Xing family in the harem is his Nilin .

Why does the emperor want to set up a fake target for the woman he really loves? The emperor really cares why a woman needs a target to block a gun?He casually took enough deterrents, with the power of the court, who could really embarrass him?Besides, there are plenty of ways to play with her natal family to death.

Wei Xiaobao, a servant who is favored by everyone in the palace, is praised by everyone in the palace. According to the famous people around the little emperor, a person like Wu Sangui would not dare to offend Wei Xiaobao easily before tearing his face, let alone a true favorite concubine?

But seeing that Concubine Yang was favored by Gao Lishi, Concubine Wan Gui and the eunuchs of Dongxichang joined forces, and the court ladies were also in her hands. It is said that many heirs in the palace were killed by her, and Xianzong didn't care if he knew about it.

So now there are many maids and eunuchs holding Xing Xiuyan in the palace, and even the five servants and two eunuchs beside her are proud in the palace.

Concubine Yang and Concubine Wan, the true favorite concubines, didn't die because of the secrets of the harem. Concubine Yang died in Maweipo, and Concubine Wan died because she couldn't have a son.This is the historical fact of the true favorite concubine.

Now it is the empress dowager of the two palaces, Tu Yuanyi has played a game of balancing the empress dowager's honor, devaluing it by more than half.

Tu Yuanyi was really not a good person, he couldn't bear the emperor's excited jumping around, so he secretly slapped him with a black hand during the sickness, so that he could change the direction of the court.But he also has a bottom line, he would not have killed his father unless he was driven to a desperate situation.

However, he is not so easy to talk to the shameless stepmother. If you want to make the baby unhappy, old man, can you bear it?

The smile on Empress Dowager Liu's face must not let people see anything.

But the Empress Dowager Zhou smiled kindly and said, "Chen Guifei, get up quickly."

Xing Xiuyan got up and went forward cautiously. The Empress Dowager Zhou grabbed her hand and said with a smile: "Zhen'er always thinks about Concubine Chen, you are here, and your sisters-in-law are so close. Zhen'er always says that I can't learn enough." Just in case."

Xing Xiuyan felt uncomfortable with thousands of swords on her body, so she could only pretend to be shy.Concubine Wen Liu Jingru and Concubine Jing Shen Man looked at Concubine Chen's back and wished they could tear pieces of her flesh off.

Xing Xiuyan was given a birthday gift again, which is a thick book.

As a writer of later generations, I can't write Tanmei stories now, I can only write other things.

She finally wrote "Seven Heroes and Five Instruments" forty times. This speed is really good when there is no computer, and it is the result of her hard work.Now the printing company has printed it out, but she still feels a bit like writing cat and mouse CP, but it's not the kind of flesh and blood.

Sending such a gift made the concubines present curious, and the Empress Dowager Zhou also asked He Shu.

Xing Xiuyan said: "It's a book written by my concubine in her free time, and I asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs to print it for me."

Liu Jingru couldn't help it, and didn't look at the warning eyes of the Empress Dowager Liu, and said with a chuckle: "The noble concubine actually wrote beautiful articles, and they were all printed, but is she better than Zijian?"

Xing Xiuyan said indifferently: "It's just a book for the entertainment of the elders, I dare not call it a talent."

Shen Man said leisurely: "It is said that a woman's lack of talent is virtue. When I am at home, I dare not break the rules, read crooked books, and change my temperament."

Xing Xiuyan didn't bother to talk to her.

Tu Yuanyi was already present at this time. Looking at these women, he felt that he still had a sense of stability in the court. There is no one in the harem in this dynasty. It is okay to pet only one, but only one, the courtiers have to say.

"Go down!"

Shen Man couldn't help being embarrassed on the spot, feeling as if blood was pooling in his chest, but he couldn't spit it out.How much she hates Xing Xiuyan, and how painful it is now, but she doesn't have the guts to make her rebel against Yuanyi.

There are so many clan princesses present, and her mother is also a member of the clan, and her grandparents are all present, so today she has some confidence.To be ashamed in public like this, just wanting to hide his face and run away, but he had to carry it back, his face was as white as snow, and he retreated, only looking at Xing Xiuyan with poisonous eyes.

He smoothed things over with Princess Dechang and said with a smile, "What book did Mrs. Chenhuang write?"

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said: "Once upon a time, I had a master who was the best at telling stories and teaching people to be loyal. I liked it very much. I just wrote the stories about loyal people told by my master for the empress dowager's entertainment. "

The Empress Dowager Zhou couldn't help being curious, and said, "What kind of story is it?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "It is the story "Seven Heroes and Five Righteousness" in the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song Dynasty. Renzong was a Ming emperor, so there were loyal ministers like Bao Qingtian in the court. bloody story."

The Empress Dowager Zhou couldn't help being startled, then smiled again and said, "So it's a story of loyalty and righteousness. I liked to hear these stories when I was young."

Xing Xiuyan smiled and said, "Mother Qianqiu, she is not old now."

All the imperial concubines also echoed, holding the Empress Dowager Zhou, and saying that Concubine Chen was clever.The Ci'an Palace is peaceful and happy, but Empress Dowager Liu, the Eastern Empress Dowager, is a bit out of the mainstream.Only then did Empress Dowager Liu realize that being an Empress Dowager also has face or no face, especially when she meets a powerful king who was not born and raised by herself.

Apart from the book, Xing Xiuyan prepared another gift.

She sent a doll of a cartoon version of the Chinese zodiac.The embroiderers from the Shangyi Bureau came to help drive it out. The inside is stuffed with cotton, and the animal's eyes are inlaid with high-quality gemstones.Just these gems are worth a lot, and they are much better than the things given by ordinary concubines in the harem.

Serving these things made people feel very happy, and the Empress Dowager Zhou couldn't help saying: "Why does this look like a zodiac sign, but it's different?"

Xing Xiuyan said: "My concubine is originally from Suzhou. I used to like to do needlework. Later, my eyesight was bad and I couldn't move needlework anymore, so I liked to draw some patterns. This is the twelve zodiac signs. I found this... It seems cute. The concubine is just doing it for the queen mother to play with in her spare time."

At this time, the Queen Mother couldn't help hugging a little rabbit, she was born in the year of rabbit.The rabbit doll was soft to the touch, he couldn't help touching it again, and said with a smile: "This is suitable for children to play with, but Concubine Chen gave it to me."

Xing Xiuyan said: "Both adults and children can play. The concubine likes to hold one while leaning on and reading a book."

Suddenly, Princess He Dechang, Empress Dowager Liu's tenth princess, Tu Yuanyi's eldest son and second son ran over from the side hall, and saw the baby's bright eyes.The children saluted Tu Yuanyi first, and then their eyes were glued to their heads.

Xing Xiuyan looked at the second son of the emperor, his eyes looked quite like Tu Yuanyi, and he was different from the other princes and daughters, his biological mother was dead, so she hardly responded, she could not help stroking his head, and said: "If you Like it, be filial to the empress dowager, the empress dowager is happy to see her children and grandchildren surrounded by her, so she relaxes if she can't say anything at hand."

All the children and grandchildren went to pay homage to the Queen Mother Zhou and say auspicious words, and the Queen Mother Zhou also gave some dolls to the children, not to mention.