Yongzheng period

The day of eating Laba porridge began to sweep the dust, and the queen mother "reviewed the almanac, prepared to choose an auspicious day, and started to do things" and started cleaning in the early morning of Laba.

Afterwards, "prepare a list for those who want to call to participate in the New Year's Eve ceremony", and start preparing for the New Year's Eve ceremony. The palace family members must purchase brand-new winter clothes; Ancestors; after the emperor and the government seal the treasures and seals, a letter of blessing will be written on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, and the guests or ministers who receive the letter will all think it is "a great honor".

After that, there are some trivial things, such as setting off firecrackers on the 24th of the twelfth lunar month, setting up sky lanterns and longevity lanterns on the 26th of the twelfth lunar month, and posting Spring Festival couplets, door gods, palace instructions, etc. on the pillars and doors of various places on the [-]th of the twelfth lunar month.Finally, we need to paint the pepper screen and the scroll painting.

Naturally, this year's Fucai and Fuzi Lin Jiashi got the most. Yongzheng also gave Jia Amnesty to the hereditary fourth-rank mighty general of Dafangju in the Jia Mansion for the first time.There is no other reason, just at the beginning of the first month, the palace and the nobles spread the good news that Yueyu is pregnant-Yongzheng also took this opportunity to start to divide the Jia family.

But the Tong family, Ulanara clan, and Wu Ya clan were bestowed by the Empress Dowager, and managed to maintain a three-point face in front of their clan and courtiers.

By the end of February, the Palace of Yanxi Palace also revealed the news that Wu Yachang was pregnant for nearly three months, and the front and rear palaces immediately moved.

Changchun Garden

The queen silently listened to the sound of firecrackers outside the palace gate, her face was haggard, with a string of Buddhist beads on her fingertips, but her whole body exuded a gloomy aura.Beside her, a young eunuch lowered his head, calmly reporting to her the recent major events in the palace.

"...Wu Ya's constant presence is considered favored, and she has the convenience of assisting in palace affairs... Now she is pregnant like a noble person... That's it."

The queen seemed to be unable to hear, and her expression was still blank.

The little eunuch waited for a long time, until he heard three long and one short knocks outside the door, then he quickly raised his head and glanced at it, and said nervously, "The empress dowager told the master to take care of himself and sincerely...repent sincerely."

Then the heavy door made a teeth-piercing 'squeak' sound. After a long silence, Queen Fang raised her head and stared at the deserted hall all around, with venomous and cold eyes.

"One day..." she murmured, "My good aunt... I still have the biggest handle on you..."

【43】

Cining Palace

The imperial physician has just been here, and the wind and cold are the most likely to occur when the two seasons alternate. After all, the queen mother is getting old, and she is overworked during the new year.Hearing about Wu Yachang's presence at first, he was exhausted for a while and finally fell ill in a groggy state.

There was a trustworthy little maid looking at the medicine pot in the small kitchen, the Empress Dowager was wearing a forehead wipe, leaning on her body with a tired face, and the noble lady lowered her eyes and tapped her arm lightly, with appropriate strength.On the contrary, Zhu Xi waited quietly outside the door.

The Empress Dowager believes in Buddhism, and the dormitory is also lit with extremely thick sandalwood because of the offering of scriptures.The Queen Mother half-closed her eyes, not knowing what she was thinking.

"Empress Dowager, the medicine is ready." The little palace maid walked to the bed with the medicine bowl in her hand, and reminded softly while bending over.

"Let me come." Xue Baochai took the medicine bowl calmly, and ordered while turning the soup medicine with a medicine spoon to adjust the temperature, "Go and get some candied fruit, this medicine is very bitter." After speaking, she lifted the whole medicine bowl to the lips, blew gently, and then handed it to the Empress Dowager, serving her to drink the medicine spoon by spoon.

"It's hard for you to guard Ai's family again to serve Ai's family." After drinking the medicine, the queen mother used a few pieces of candied fruit in Xue Baochai's hand, and after barely suppressing the bitter taste in her mouth, she seemed to be emotional, "Ai's family is in the end. It’s old, and the spirit is not as good as before.”

"Where is the queen mother getting old? You are going to live a long life." Xue Baochai slowly dipped a handkerchief in water, wiped the remaining medicine stains from the queen mother's mouth, and said softly, "You are the queen mother in this palace now. The backbone, only if you are in good health can all the sisters in the harem feel at ease, and the emperor can handle government affairs without distraction."

"As sweet as you are, come to coax this old woman from Ai's family." The Queen Mother looked coldly at Xue Baochai's submissive expression, and said suddenly, "A few days ago, Ai's family heard that you punished Wang Changzai of Concubine Yu's palace?"

"It was Sister Wang who spoke disrespectfully to Hao Guiren, so the concubine punished her as usual." Xue Baochai got up and wrung the handkerchief inch by inch, and said softly, "The concubine has to be trusted by the empress dowager Lai to learn to assist the palace affairs, and to say every word It all involves your prestige in the hearts of the concubines in the harem. Moreover, if there are concubines in the palace who disregard the palace rules, it is not only unreasonable for the concubines to govern, but also someone will slander you for improper employment. Therefore, the concubines naturally have to be more cautious , check everything carefully, so as not to fail your grace."

The Empress Dowager stared at her closely after hearing the words, and after a while she calmed down, patted her hand and said, "The Ai family naturally knows your filial piety, and you are safe in doing things, so the Ai family can rest assured."

The atmosphere suddenly warmed up, and seeing the Queen Mother closed her eyes to rest again, Baochai just wanted to get up and say goodbye, when she saw Zhu Xi leading a face-to-face young eunuch and Wu Ya's personal maid Dong'er in.

Dong'er bowed respectfully and pleaded guilty in a low voice, "Empress Dowager, the young master is not feeling well this morning, I'm afraid I won't be able to come here to pay my respects."

"Oh? Then this is a big deal. She is pregnant with the grandson of Ai's family. Did you ask the imperial doctor to see her?" The Empress Dowager's tone was not dissatisfied, but full of the elders' concern for the younger generation.

Wu Yachang was secretly pregnant because she was dissatisfied with the queen mother's arrangement. Being unwell was just an excuse for taking Qiao, how could she really ask for the imperial doctor?Dong'er had no choice but to lower her head and said, "I think I used too many jujubes yesterday, so I feel a little nauseous today, so my master didn't let the servants work as the imperial physician."

The so-called sour girl, Wu Yachang's reaction at the beginning was indeed a bit big, coupled with the compliments from people around her, and people from Wu Ya's family invited "Dao Dao Gao Zeng" outside the palace to calculate that this child must be a baby. elder brother.Wu Yachang felt extremely 'baby' about the piece of meat in her stomach—she was convinced that it was a big brother, so she withdrew all the sweets from her daily diet; - Those who are obsessed are almost stunned.

Wu Ya Chang Zai's temperament also became more tricky and reckless.Not to mention a lot of domineering people, the concubines below the concubine's position never saw her look at people in the eyes, and Liu promise was blocked many times to make trouble, and he was punished to kneel until his knees were bruised.

Yongzheng didn't want to talk to her at first, but when he saw that the trouble was really outrageous, he mercilessly reprimanded her, and then he became more honest.It's just that after such a toss, Wu Yachang's reputation in the palace can be imagined.

With such a sluggish and self-righteous niece, the empress dowager's heart can be imagined.Originally, under the circumstance that Yongzheng had to leave Gonggui, the seventh elder brother's biological mother, under the circumstances, she agreed to the girl from Wu Ya's family to enter the palace. Face, but now the queen mother can't wait to strangle Wu Yachang, this shallow-sighted thing.

The most important thing is that neither Yongzheng nor his concubines would want to see the Wuya clan get a real prince with Wuya's blood.With Wu Yachang's stupid appearance, after this incident, how much value can she have for the Queen Mother to use with confidence?In this case, she will be more cautious in her attitude towards the noble man.

The Empress Dowager's mind was changing in various ways, but her face was still kind, "Your young master is pregnant and should have rested in the palace. You don't need to come to pay her respects. This is the negligence of the Ai family."

Dong'er carefully looked up at the Empress Dowager's expression when she heard the words, and was relieved when she saw that she did not show any signs of anger, and said, "Then the servant will stop nagging the Empress Dowager to rest, and the servant will leave."

"Wait a minute, it's said that Yirong's child is pregnant, and Ai's family will not have time to send a congratulatory gift." The queen mother motioned to Zhu Xi and said lightly, "Go and get the string of mahogany fragrant beads."

Dong'er thanked the gift and left. Seeing this, Baochai got up and left at the right time, "The concubine has also returned to the palace."

Before leaving, she walked past the young eunuch who was born on the other side without looking sideways, then she stepped out of the palace door lightly, turned around the long corridor, and stopped under the window on the other side.

Xue Baochai quietly moved closer, holding her breath and listening to the intermittent voices inside.

"That..."

"... Changchun Garden... Your Majesty..."

"Still...don't..."

Baochai turned around and left after only listening to half of it. She repeatedly thought of the words 'Changchunyuan Empress', and then smiled as if relieved of a heavy burden.

Thinking about it, the opportunity to defeat the Empress Dowager must be found from 'that'.

*

The Huachao Festival on February [-]th of the lunar calendar is the Qianqiu of Concubine Hui, so Yongzheng ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to hold a banquet in the imperial garden to celebrate.Before the banquet, the concubines of each palace either personally or ordered the handy maids in the palace to cut five-color paper and stick it on the flower branches, as the meaning of "rewarding red".Firstly, this is a festival custom, and secondly, this "rewarding red" is also a way for concubines in various palaces to compete for favor. Which palace's "rewarding red" is the most dazzling, not only can they be rewarded, but also favored by Yongzheng.

In the evening, "Flower Lamps" will be placed beside the Thousand Carp Pond. These "Flower Lamps" must be made by concubines themselves.

Although this is a festive feast, it was prepared for Concubine Hui's birthday celebration, so apart from the absence of the Empress Dowager due to illness, even pregnant women, nobles and Wu Yachang were present, the former was walking with Concubine Xin , was talking softly, but the latter had a haughty look on his face, and Ma, who also entered the palace last year, promised to obediently follow him.

"The emperor is here—the concubine Hui is here—"

The concubines were gathering together in twos and threes, and in a blink of an eye, they saw Concubine Hui coming over with Yongzheng leading them, and they all stepped forward and knelt down to give blessings, "I have seen the emperor and the empress, I wish the emperor and the empress peace."

"Excuse me, all