Prequel to the Red Chamber: I Am the Second Wife

Zili followed Shunniang into the Empress Dowager's bedroom, sweating in her hands, staring at the carpet under her feet to greet the Empress Dowager.The performance of those three people just now really opened Zili's eyes. The knot between the emperor and the queen mother is a secret that everyone knows. In addition, the emperor was really angry, so Zhen Ningshan and the three of them sang a big show in front of Zili.Naturally, Zili couldn't understand the despicability of the three of them, but when she really waited for her to enter the Queen Mother's bedroom, Zili's heart began to beat violently.If the empress dowager vented her anger, it would be a blessing in disguise to be scolded and kicked out, but Zili was worried that the Wang family would be embarrassing.Waiting for her to go back and see the disappointed eyes of Mrs. Tang and the old lady, and she will be ridiculed by Ziqian.

"Get up, were you full just now?" The queen mother's voice seemed unimaginably angry, and Zili raised his head in surprise to meet the loving eyes of the queen mother.Zili hurriedly and respectfully agreed: "Thank you, Queen Mother, for the meal. The minister is full." As he spoke, a pair of dimples appeared on the corners of Zili's mouth, and he looked at the Queen Mother with shining eyes. expression.The queen mother looked at Zili's youthful face that didn't know how to feel sad, and felt relieved for no reason.She pointed to a chair beside her, her eyes became more gentle: "Get up quickly, it's tiring to stand. Do you like that dish tonight?"

"The queen mother is joking. I am the most ignorant person, and I dare to judge the craftsmanship of the imperial chef. Anyway, I saw that the dishes were all excellent, but there were too many of them. I ate a little of each, and I was a bit sloppy. Feeling." Zili recollected the dinner dishes, which were only for them, and it already surpassed the skills of ordinary chefs in seconds.Zili imagined what the emperor ate every day, and couldn't help but be speechless in his heart.Although being an emperor and empress dowager is very tiring, it is not only painful, it is also great to be able to enjoy delicious food!

The queen mother couldn't help laughing: "You girl, you made Aijia hungry with a few words. What do you think is the food for dinner?"

Zili saw Lan Gu winking at the Queen Mother, Zili thought about it and said seriously: "I think the plate of boiled silver carp head in it is delicious, light and not greasy, but easy to digest." Listening to Zili's words, Lan Gu said She secretly gave her a look of approval, it seemed that the Queen Mother liked to eat fish, she guessed it right.The queen mother thought about it and immediately told the people around her: "Oh, since you say it is good, try it." Lan Gu was busy asking people to prepare the silver carp head.

Waiting for the messenger to go out, the smile on the Empress Dowager's face suddenly disappeared, she stared at Zili, and said with emotion: "You are a sincere child, the Ai family is really an old woman who is not liked by others, the emperor doesn't like it." It's all right, even a few little girls despise me. You don't have to put on a cover for them. You are sincere to others. Unfortunately, others may not think you are kind, but they will say you are hypocritical. Although I am old, but I'm not blind, let alone under my nose. I'm just getting old, and everything that can pass will pass. It's a pity that some people treat me as a fool." The queen mother waved her hand to stop Zili from trying to help Ning Shan and the others made three excuses.It was only then that Zili truly realized what it was like to wear several masks.The empress dowager always shows others with a face of not caring about world affairs and loving charity, but in a blink of an eye, what the empress dowager hides deeply is frightening.The three of Ning Shan and the others knew that the Queen Mother was a generous person, and they would not really blame them, so the three of Ning Shan and the others made such a farce in order to avoid the Queen Mother's bad mood.It's a pity that their little thoughts have become a joke in the eyes of the Queen Mother.Zili was very glad that he didn't get confused with them.

Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager is a wise old man who sees everything calmly. She has long seen the small thoughts of these girls, Xiao Huahuo.Thinking of Mr. Wang's advice to her not to be shrewd when entering the palace, Zili still didn't take it seriously at first. She still joked in her heart that Mr. Wang had been an official for a lifetime, so why didn't she know the reality that being too honest outside would result in disadvantages.Now Zili has completely admired the wisdom of Mr. Wang.

Hearing the deep sadness in the Queen Mother's words, Zili couldn't bear it. Under the candlelight, the Queen Mother suddenly seemed to be ten years older, and the white hair that was carefully concealed glistened under the candlelight.The most honorable woman in the world is actually not happy at all. When she was young, she either ran around with her husband in the flames of war, or spent her best years in the deep palace. Unfortunately, her efforts did not get her husband's love.After the founding of the People's Republic, there were more beauties in the harem, and she was no longer in her prime.The son became the emperor, but the origin of the emperor was not so upright, and even the position of the empress dowager was also suspicious.

Zili hurriedly stood up, and she said earnestly to the queen mother: "Since the queen mother knows, the ministers will tell the truth. When we came to the queen mother just now, we met your majesty's holy car at the gate of the palace. Your majesty seems Furious, Sister Ning and the others are afraid that they were frightened by His Majesty's anger. Naturally, they shouldn't be selfish, but they still ask the Empress Dowager to recite it. We have never seen the world, and we really dare not face the anger of the Queen Mother and His Majesty. Please, Queen Mother Don't argue with us any more."

"You're still helping them talk, girl Zili, before you entered the palace, didn't your family tell you why you came here?" The queen mother couldn't believe Zili's honesty. Grandson Liang Di, but the Crown Princess prefers her natal relatives.Who knows that the silly girl of the Wang family is still helping the girl of the Zhen family to speak. Could it be that the Wang family really doesn't care about grandson Liangdi's position, or is she really an honest person who looks the same?

Although Zili's skin was rough and fleshy inside, her face was still red, she lowered her head and twisted the silk and said nothing.The queen mother looked at Zili's young daughter's mood, and she suddenly felt relieved.This child is really honest, "You child, you look like me in the past. The Ai family likes you very much, but the emperor will decide what will happen in the future." Taisun's regular wife It is the future empress. Although the empress dowager and the emperor often quarrel, there is a tacit understanding between the mother and the son in the grandson's marriage.Grandson Liangdi must not only be born in a famous family, but also have a gentle personality and be able to support her husband. After all, the emperor's wish is to be a three-generation sage. The crown prince does not see that he has any outstanding talents.That is to say, he is a conservative king, and the emperor wants to turn his grandson into a replica of himself.Therefore, the emperor was more cautious in selecting the grandson Liangdi than in choosing the crown princess for his son.

Hearing what the queen mother said, Zili was slightly relieved, she didn't want to live a lifetime of intrigue in the palace, and she was not interested in that grandson. "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the courtiers and daughters dare not have unreasonable thoughts. Before coming, the grandfather told the courtiers and daughters to serve the Empress Dowager with all their heart, to keep themselves safe and not to think about unreasonable wealth." Zili said very seriously that she is a good child, and her parents are the masters of marriage. , she does not listen to evil.

"You are such a sensible child. You must keep yourself safe and don't have unreasonable thoughts. It's easy to say. It's a pity that the world can't understand this truth. You understand it better than the emperor." The queen mother's eyes were full of worry, she remembered Before dinner, the emperor came to pay his respects, and said that he would go to Jinling to pay homage to the first mausoleum, because the capital was moved to the capital, and the first mausoleum was not convenient for the emperor to worship in person every year.The emperor looked regretful and lamented that he could not fulfill his filial piety. When he went to Jinling this time, the emperor asked the Qin Tianjian to carefully inspect the mausoleum of the first one, so as to prepare for the auspicious place of the empress dowager in the future.

Unexpectedly, the queen mother suddenly became angry and said to the emperor that she was ashamed to be buried in the first mausoleum, and she was even more ashamed to meet the first queen who was underground.The queen mother also said with a sullen face that not only would she have no face to see her husband after she died, but she would also have no face to go to Jinling to pay homage to her husband when she was alive. She would stay in Hangzhou and not go to Jinling.

The emperor's lungs were stabbed by his mother's words, and his face turned red immediately. He said angrily: "Mother has never taken me as her own son. My son really doesn't know what he has done wrong." Hearing his son accuse him The empress dowager felt sad because she couldn't see the child well, and she couldn't control her excitement and shouted at her son: "I know the emperor has disliked me a long time ago, so my old woman will calm down by bumping the emperor to death!"

In the end, the emperor was so angry that he walked away, and the queen mother quietly wiped her tears alone, and did not even have dinner.The empress dowager's anger was true, but it really scared Zili into a cold sweat. Seeing the anger rising in the empress dowager's eyes, her forehead began to sweat.How do you answer this? Follow the queen mother and scold the emperor.That's impossible, unless she wants to die.Besides, the emperor is something that she, a little girl, can talk about casually. The queen mother's status is aloof.But if she followed the queen mother and said: "Your son is the emperor after all, the lord of the world, your old man, even his own mother, should be kind to the emperor's son." Zili can guarantee that the queen mother will immediately scold her and drive her out. .

Faced with such an embarrassing situation just after entering the palace, Zili could only sigh. "The Empress Dowager is angry with Your Majesty. Your Majesty blames the Empress Dowager because of the deep love between mother and child between the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty. The courtiers think that there is no love in the world better than the love between mother and child. Even if the righteousness of the monarch and the ministers, the love between husband and wife can't keep up with the relationship between mother and child. The pure selflessness. The Queen Mother thinks wholeheartedly for His Majesty, and she puts all her face on her face. Your Majesty believes that only the Queen Mother in the world can understand his thoughts the most. No matter what people in the world think or talk about, the Queen Mother always stands behind Her Majesty. I support every decision of His Majesty. Close relatives and close relatives, both of them think that the other party knows what they want, but they don’t say it out loud. It is awkward to get along with each other in daily life. I remember that when I was a child, I followed my mother to visit relatives. It is to praise other people's children, so I think that my mother doesn't like me, but likes the children of relatives. When I was young and ignorant, I had trouble with my mother, but my mother taught me a lesson. I became more and more sad and went home and cried. Sick all night and the next day."

"That's because your mother can only praise other people's children in front of relatives, but you are the one she loves deeply in her heart! Is there any mother in the world who doesn't love her children? No matter how bad her own child is, look at it It is also the best in her eyes." The Empress Dowager obviously listened to Zili's consolation, and her thoughts completely followed Zili's.

"That's right. Isn't the Queen Mother and Your Majesty's life today the same as that of the courtiers? They pretended to be misunderstanding each other. Why don't the Empress Dowager and His Majesty speak to Chen Bugong and speak their minds, and the barrier between mother and child will naturally disappear." Zili took a cup of tea and placed it in the Empress Dowager's hand.From Zili's point of view, the Empress Dowager didn't want the emperor to keep building the mausoleum, or to show his filial piety to the first emperor, because she was worried that others would remember how the emperor came to the throne, and would think of the unlucky emperor mourning.The more the queen mother was not interested in the emperor's move to prove her ability, the more the emperor thought that even his biological mother disapproved of his move to snatch the throne.

When others scold the emperor for usurping the throne, the emperor can still get angry and arrest people and kill them.But his own mother didn't think highly of him, what kind of sadness and helplessness was that for the emperor.Both mother and son stubbornly love each other in their own way, but are misunderstood by each other.

The queen mother was stunned for a while after hearing Zili's words, the room fell silent, the queen mother was thinking about something, and Zili was waiting for the opening of the market.If she guessed the Queen Mother's thoughts correctly, everyone would be happy, but if she said something wrong, she would be crushed to pieces.The teacup made a crisp sound when it was placed on the table. "Aijia is so old and confused, no child can see clearly! Okay, okay, you are such a smart girl. This hairpin is given to you by Aijia." The queen mother put the teacup on the table, and she clapped her hands with joy. , directly pulled out the hairpin from his head and inserted it into Zili's bun.

As soon as Zili came back from the empress dowager's bedroom, Shunniang saw the hairpin on Zili's head, and she smiled slightly at Zili Fu: "Congratulations, the queen mother really likes the girl. This hairpin is the queen mother's favorite. What about the hairpin?" Zili pulled out the hairpin from her head with a helpless face. Back then, the queen mother directly inserted the hairpin on her head, so Zili could only suppress her curiosity and did not dare to take it off for a closer look in front of the queen mother. .Now that she is back, she can naturally appreciate the Queen Mother's reward.

But with just one glance, her heart sank to the bottom.This hairpin is so good that it makes Zili feel uncomfortable all over.She thought that what the queen mother took down was just a white jade or gold hairpin.Unexpectedly, it was a hairpin inlaid with filigree.The raw materials of this thing are still limited and not very precious, but the craftsmanship of the hairpin is very complicated. It is made of gold pulled into hair or even thinner than hair.The pavilions, towers, pavilions and gods, Xiangyun and Crane are all three-dimensional, and a ruby ​​is inlaid on the top.She only saw one in the old lady, which was not as delicate as this one.Even Mrs. Tang didn't have such delicate jewelry.It is said that filigree inlays are specially supplied to the imperial palace, and ordinary high-ranking officials and dignitaries occasionally get one or two pieces and regard them as treasures.The Queen Mother's reward was too heavy for Zi Likai.

Such things are too expensive, and I dare not accept them.I think it will be returned to the Queen Mother tomorrow.Zili looked at the hairpin in his hand in perplexity.Discuss with Shunniang.

There is no reason to take back the Queen Mother's reward, the girl just keeps it with peace of mind.It seems that the girl is afraid that there will be no good things to enjoy in the future?Shunniang smiled with deep meaning, but Zili was blocked in her heart.

"My sister is back, we were worried just now. Is the queen mother not angry?" Ning Shan and Fang Fang Yuanyuan came together, Zili felt a little tired when she saw the three of them, she stood up and hurriedly gave up her seat, Xiao Fuzi fell down When the tea was served, Ning Shan saw Zili's hairpin on the dressing table at a glance. She took it over and took a closer look, her eyes full of doubts.Shun Niang deliberately said beside her: "This is a gift from the Queen Mother, the girl from the Yuan family didn't burn it, right?"

The faces of the three of them became strange when they saw the hairpin, and the girl from the Yuan family smiled coyly: "I'm fine, I've delayed everyone. If we go in together, the queen mother will be happier."

The girl from the Fang family sneered, she glanced at the hairpin in Ning Shan's hand and said eccentrically: "We entered the palace together, there is absolutely no reason for me to leave you alone to curry favor. Besides, if we really go in , someone should be upset. It's better like this, so as not to block the way of others." Zili's heart suddenly became angry when he heard Fangfang's words, and he was about to retort when he saw Ning Shan's calm eyes.She smiled slightly, thinking to herself that you want to watch a show, but I can't do what you want.So Zili pretended not to understand what Fangfang said, holding his teacup in silence.

Ning Shan hurriedly came out to persuade: "I treat Zili the same as my own sister. It is also fate for everyone to enter the palace, so naturally we have to take care of each other. I dare not destroy such a good thing, but sister Zili is blessed , we came here to take a look because we were worried about you, since it’s okay, it’s getting late, we should go too.” Speaking of Ning Shan stood up, Aunt Shun personally took over the hairpin that Ning Shan had been holding, Ning Shan also Carefully handed it over to her.

Zili stood up and sent them out. When she returned to the room, she sighed deeply, feeling extremely tired.Shunniang saw that Zili's expression was not good, she helped her to sit down and asked Xiao Fuzi to fetch water. "Girls, don't think too much. The Empress Dowager knows how they behaved at dinner. People are jealous, let alone for such a good thing. It's their own confusion. Girls should rest. It's just that slaves have A word to remind the girl, be careful in the future, think about what others say, the rules of passing words in the palace are strict." Zili stared at Shunniang fiercely, and she suddenly understood something.

"Auntie Shun, please teach me." Zili's face became serious, she didn't want to be told by someone to go there that day, and fell into someone else's trap for no apparent reason.

"Young lady is a smart person. How she behaves at home is naturally the same in the palace, but the rules are more strict." Shunniang looked at Zili meaningfully, and didn't bring up this topic again. Zili thought about it carefully. , suddenly understood something.The slaves around the queen mother are the fixed ones, even if someone else sends the message to Zili, they will definitely not be called a face-to-face slave, as long as Zili doesn't believe it easily, no one will dare to take the master to pass the message casually Li tricked him into going elsewhere.Shunniang smiled slightly: "Miss is really a smart person, she understands everything." She helped Zili wash up and went to sleep.

The next morning the emperor came to pay his respects to the empress dowager, still full of anger, but the empress dowager did not continue to be angry with the emperor as usual, and the mother and son had a good talk for a while.Waiting for the emperor to come out, the dark clouds all over the sky cleared. Although the queen mother was still the same, there was a smile on the corners of her eyes and brows.

Not long after the emperor left, the most capable servant around the emperor brought a lot of things for the queen mother to enjoy. The queen mother looked at the exquisite food and drink, and played with a relaxed expression: "The emperor has a heart, he just needs to take care of it." I feel at ease, everything is secondary, since it is the emperor's filial piety, I will accept it. You should always remind your majesty to pay attention to your health when you serve beside your majesty." Eunuch Zhang beside the emperor said with a smile: "Your Majesty asked your servant to pass on the message Saying that you can’t be filial by the Queen Mother’s side all day is already disturbing in your heart. Originally, I came to Jiangnan this time to see the river workers in Jiangnan, and the second is to think that the Queen Mother misses her hometown. Since the Queen Mother doesn’t want to go to Jinling, I will follow the Queen Mother’s wishes, Your Majesty I still want to pay homage to the mausoleum of Emperor □□."

"That's natural. It's just that the emperor's coming to the south of the Yangtze River has already caused the officials under his command to mobilize the crowd. They are in a hurry. Ai's family has been away from his hometown for decades, so it's fine if he doesn't go back. Instead of wasting money and money, it's a waste of people's energy. Go back and tell your majesty, You don't have to care too much about other people's comments, filial piety is about caring, not putting on airs." The Empress Dowager looked at Eunuch Zhang kindly, and after hearing what the Empress Dowager said, Eunuch Zhang heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly resigned.

The relationship between the emperor and the queen mother eased, and the emperor, according to the queen mother's wishes, gave up the plan of mobilizing people to pay homage to the mausoleum of the □□ emperor, making a performance report before the □□ emperor's spirit, and mourning the emperor's crimes by the way.The queen mother no longer insisted on staying in Hangzhou, and agreed to follow the emperor to Jinling.Everything was back on track, and the emperor and the empress dowager, the most noble mother and son in the world, returned to the harmonious scene of mother's kindness and filial piety.

The emperor and the queen mother are in a better mood, and everyone's life is better.The queen mother regarded Zili as a hero, and she suddenly became the proud person in the eyes of the queen mother.Whoever the queen dowager liked, the queen looked at Zili differently, and asked someone to bring a lot of things to Zili that afternoon.The queen's reward was actually delivered by her personal servant Huang Quan'an, Zili kowtowed to thank her, Huang Quan'an said: "If the girl is free, the queen said to ask the girl to come and talk."

She was the first of the four girls who was invited by the queen to speak alone, and then the crown princess also gave Zili some things, and saw that the palace people who brought the rewards came to Biyun Academy in an endless stream.The faces of the remaining three girls were ugly.Every time they met Zili, the look in their eyes wished they could scrape a little flesh off Zili's body.Now Zili has become the common enemy of the three of them.

One day Zhen Ningshan came over to talk to Zili, and when she came in, she looked around Zili's house first, but fortunately Zili had already told Xiao Fuzi to put away all the rewards.Even so, Zili was still uncomfortable being looked at by Ning Shan's X-ray eyes.But she doesn't want to turn against Ning Shan yet, the feeling of being isolated is too bad.The two of them had just sat down and talked for a while, when Zili picked up what the Empress Dowager thought highly of Ning Shan and said, "...it is Sister Ning Shan who is more mature and prudent than us. If not, the Empress Dowager would never ask Sister Ning to take care of the Empress Dowager Jewelry..." Stretching out his hand without hitting the smiling face, Ning Shan's expression improved a lot after listening to Zili's words.

"My younger sister has won the prize, but my younger sister is actually considerate..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Xiao Fuzi joyfully leading a small eunuch in, who was holding a huge white jade jar in which water lilies and small red fishes were raised for a few days. "Girl, this is from Eunuch Xiao, to relieve the girl." Eunuch Xiao is Xiao Zhongliang, the grandson's companion.

It sounds like it was given by the grandson, Zhen Ningshan's face is really colorful and wonderful: "It's my sister's blessing~!" Zhen Ningshan's sourness is like old vinegar, Zili really wants to rush out immediately and pull out the grandson to beat him up He has a meal.Paralyzed, do you want to kill my old lady? !