The Lady of the Red Chamber

Looking at Baoqin's pale face, Jia Yuanchun was very puzzled: "It's just a trip to the empress's main hall. This is not a big event that I haven't done before. Why are you so anxious?"

Holding the qin, she almost burst into tears, speaking incoherently: "I heard from Manao that a few days ago, a concubine sent a private letter back to the mansion, but it was accidentally intercepted by Shuangxue who was beside the empress dowager. The empress dowager Fengyan was furious, and even The empress has been reprimanded. Now the empress has ordered a thorough investigation of the harem, and all those involved have been punished, and now our Rongguo mansion has been investigated."

After hearing this, Jia Yuanchun stood up suddenly, his eyes widened.After a while, he sat down slumped and murmured, "How could this be? How could this be..."

Before the master and servant could discuss a countermeasure, Empress Meng's nanny, Meng Shi, who was also the nanny in charge of Fengning Palace, came to the gate of the side courtyard, blessed her body, and treated her with a kind of contempt that was so casual. He said in a calm tone: "Jia promised, the empress summoned you and ordered you to go to the main hall immediately. Jia promised to leave as soon as possible, don't let the empress wait for a long time."

Yuan Chun was shocked by Baoqin's words, his mind trembled, and he stared blankly at Nanny Meng, even forgetting the daily rewards.

Still holding the qin cleverly, seeing that Mengmao's face was not right, she hurriedly stepped forward and took out a purse from her arms, put it in Mengmao's hand, and said with a smile: "Mommy, our master has been ill recently, and I still hope Mommy is accommodating, let us wait a little longer, let our master freshen up, and don't offend the empress."

Nanny Meng shook her purse, put it in her sleeve, and said: "Since that's the case, please promise to hurry up. If it takes too long to wash and groom, the old slave of the empress will not be able to explain it."

Baoqin quickly responded: "Naturally, naturally."

When Baoqin returned to Jia Yuanchun's side, Jia Yuanchun held onto the hand holding Qin in a daze, his face was like golden paper: "Huaqin, what should I do?"

Baoqin held Jia Yuanchun's hand tightly, and said calmly: "Master, don't panic, you are an old man in the hidden mansion, and the Rongguo Mansion standing behind us is not an ordinary family. No matter what the empress is, look at it In the face of our Jia family, it is better not to reprimand you. When you enter the palace, you don't have to refute, the empress asks, just admit it. This is not a serious crime, as long as you don't contradict the empress, you will be fine. "

"Confess directly..."

Seeing that Jia Yuanchun was hesitating, he exerted a little more strength on the hand holding the piano: "Yes, admit it directly. Empress, don't be confused at this time. Have you forgotten that when Empress Shengwu was in charge of the harem, she once said in a golden way that all women who are married make mistakes? , Those who take the initiative to admit their faults, the crime will be reduced. If the master commits a crime at this time, this will add another crime of offending the empress and being dissatisfied with the empress dowager."

Baoqin's warning and dissuasion seemed to give Jia Yuanchun a reassurance.Jia Yuanchun carefully recollected what he said just now, and then thought of his mother's family and his uncle's family. He breathed out a breath, and his heart went from panic to stability: "What you said is true, but I think I'm thinking about it." Hug Qin, change my clothes quickly. We are here to apologize, we shouldn’t be too gorgeous, we don’t need to shake the golden hairpin for now, it’s better to be simple.”

"Yes." Seeing Jia Yuanchun's gloomy brows disappear, Baoqin replaced it with a calm and confident smile, the stone fell from his heart, and hurriedly helped Jia Yuanchun wash and dress up.

After everything was tidied up, Jia Yuanchun went out, looked at Nanny Meng, and nodded slightly: "Please, Mommy, lead the way."

Empress Meng sat on a padded high chair, looked at the white and plump little prince in Yun Zheng's arms, could not hide the smile on her face, and held a delicate small wave drum in Situ Zhan's Shaking in front of her face: "Zhan'er, Zhan'er, do you like it?"

The crisp sound of agate beads hitting the cowhide drum surface echoed above Situ Zhan. Situ Zhan was trapped in a bright yellow swaddle, stretched out a fat arm like a lotus root, pulled the wavy drum beads, and pulled hard. , making a "giggle" laugh.

Standing on the other side of Empress Meng, Xiawei looked at Situ Zhan's big grape-like eyes, pink lips, and chubby little face, flattering with Empress Meng's joyful words: "Your Majesty, our Highness looks so beautiful." It's really good, I cried loudly when I was born, and the voice was so loud that I could hear it through the triple door. Your Majesty has already said that the little prince will be blessed in the future."

Sure enough, when Empress Meng heard Emperor Detai's approval, she smiled deeper, pointed her son's cheek with her light-white slender jade, and sighed: "I don't ask for any great luck, as long as Zhan'er can be safe and sound, I will be happy." Everything is enough."

Yun Zheng followed with a smile and said: "Mother, the little highness is so distinguished that no one else can match it. This kind of good fortune and luck are all added to her body. The previous eldest princess was still full of enthusiasm, waiting for the little highness to grow up. Riding horses and archery with His Royal Highness must be in good health."

Thinking of her unconventional daughter, Empress Meng suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Princess Huining for a long time, and asked quickly, "What is Hong'er doing these days? She always sees no one." .”

Xia Wei said: "Your Majesty doesn't know, His Royal Highness specially set up a horse farm at home, and Miss Yun often rides horses and shoots arrows there with His Highness. After hearing this, Her Royal Highness felt that the big guys are the most lively when they are together. When class was over, I took people straight to the Ying Wang's mansion, and Radu couldn't come back."

"This..." Empress Meng felt both helpless and funny when she heard this: "Why is Hong'er so blind, she wants to ride a horse, isn't there any in this palace? Why bother Ah Jin and Huan Huan."

After hearing Empress Meng's complaint, Yun Zheng and Xia Wei joked along with her.

Since becoming the prince, Empress Meng devoted almost all of her body and mind to her son.She shook the wave drum in her hand again, and teased her son: "Zhan'er, your imperial sister is ignorant, so don't learn from her in the future. Otherwise, your Uncle Ying will be unhappy."

The corner of Situ Zhan's mouth was dripping with crystal saliva, which wet the cloth pocket in front of him.Babbling and babbling, waving the chubby hand, I don't know whether I understand or not.

Just when Empress Meng was chatting and joking with the two confidants, the little maid came to report: "My Lady, Jia agrees to see you."

Empress Meng's face paled all of a sudden.

Using her eyes to signal the nanny to carry Situ Zhan down, Empress Meng regained her usual dignity and solemnity: "Xuan."

Jia Yuanchun walked in, knelt down, and bowed to the superior person, covering the envy in his eyes just right: "Concubines see the empress."

Empress Meng didn't cry out, she lowered her eyes condescendingly, watching the people in the palace crouching in a ball, an imperceptible coldness flashed in her eyes: "Jia promised, are you guilty?"

Jia Yuanchun knew that the empress must have had full evidence of the crime, so he ordered her to come here.Thinking of Baoqin's words, she didn't shirk, but said directly: "The concubine is guilty."

Jia Yuanchun's sincere attitude made Empress Meng feel uncomfortable.

Empress Meng looked at it carefully.

Jia Yuanchun made an apology today, and deliberately took off his fine clothes and brocade skirt, wearing only plain green palace attire, also only wearing a plain silver hairpin on his head, without any makeup, and kneeling in the main hall of Fengning Palace with low eyebrows and pleasing to the eye , The end is Su Li Wushuang.

The queen raised her eyebrows——

Since entering the palace, Jia Yuanchun is also smart.If she was in the hidden mansion, she would have relied on His Majesty's illusory favor to boldly and arrogantly defend herself, claiming that someone has framed her.

Empress Meng continued: "What is the crime?"

Jia Yuanchun: "A concubine should not write private letters to her family, please punish the empress."

In Daqing, it is not a big crime for the harem concubine to send letters back to the government privately, at best it is a violation of palace rules.Even the crime of contradicting the queen is higher than this.

Unlike later generations, the concubine's fornication with the family can even be upgraded to the crime of treason.

Therefore, although Jia Yuanchun committed a crime, whether it is big or small, whether it is light or serious, it all depends on Queen Meng's will.

But the queen empress obviously didn't intend to give Jia Yuanchun this face.

Empress Meng sneered, looked down at Jia Yuanchun, her voice was unclear: "Jia promised, there are orders in the palace, but you knowingly broke them. Is this not taking this palace seriously, or not taking the empress dowager and the concubine empress seriously?" .”

Jia Yuanchun originally thought that he would bow his head and admit his mistake first, and the empress would not be too harsh on her for the sake of the Rongguo Mansion behind him.

But I didn't expect that when she came, Queen Meng would put such a big hat on her before she said a few words.Jia Yuanchun fell to the ground in panic and replied: "Your Majesty, forgive me, my concubine was confused for a while, and made such a big mistake, and she had no intention of offending your Majesty. I hope your Majesty will see clearly."

Empress Meng was unmoved, and even the expression on her face did not change at all, as if Jia Yuanchun was just an insignificant ant under her fingertips: "Really?"