Light Dance Jiajing

Beigong, the following days were peaceful and tranquil despite the simple meals, Kangpin gradually adapted to this kind of life, and Meng'er quickly became familiar with the environment of Beigong. Beigong was located in the suburbs of Beijing, covering a vast area, almost enclosing half of the mountain. It was originally a place for the emperor to escape the summer heat and hunt, and the emperor had not been here in recent years. Although the palace was not abandoned, it had not been renovated. The palace was built on the mountain, and there were many scenic spots in the mountains. However, the palace servants waiting for punishment were only allowed to walk in a courtyard in the mountains, and were not allowed to go anywhere else. Kangpin brought a lot of jewelry and silver when she left the palace. Meng'er took care of the things here. The chief eunuch and several aunts in charge also benefited. Anyway, Concubine Kang still had her position, the chief eunuch turned a blind eye, and the aunts in charge did not make things difficult for them. They could move around the palace freely without being confined to a courtyard. However, the palace was too far away from the city, with only a small village nearby. It was said that the few houses were all inhabited by hunters. Meng'er had lived there for more than two months without leaving the palace, but the palace was so big that she hadn't finished touring it. In addition, in Meng'er's view, the scenery here was natural, and there were not as many rules as in the palace. She was far away from the intrigues and was in a surprisingly good mood.

Concubine Kang seldom left their courtyard and had no interest in the scenery of the mountains. When she had free time on weekdays, she would make clothes for Meng'er and Zaihou herself. In ancient times, ladies of noble families were proficient in sewing and needlework, and Concubine Kang was an excellent one. All the exquisite fabrics she brought out from the palace were used by her to make clothes for the two children.

On this day, Meng'er had just changed into the new clothes sewn by Concubine Kang. She walked around the yard happily for a few times, and asked excitedly from time to time: "Mom, Zaihou, do you think I am beautiful?" Concubine Kang smiled slightly as she looked at her eight-year-old daughter who had grown into a radiant and beautiful girl. Zaihou ran to Meng'er's side, chasing his sister and laughing from time to time.

After a long while, Meng'er and Zaihou stopped running, only to find that Concubine Kang was looking towards the gate with a strange expression on her face. Meng'er followed her mother's gaze and saw a woman with long hair and white clothes standing at the door. She also stared at Concubine Kang without blinking. Both of them had cold eyes. They were not friendly. Meng'er muttered to herself, and after a while, the woman in white suddenly smiled: "I didn't expect to see my sister here."

Kangpin also put on a fake smile: "I was thinking of visiting my sister, but I didn't expect my sister to come first."

The woman in white looked around the courtyard and sighed, "Your courtyard is nice and quiet, but... do you know who lived here before?" Kangpin looked at her coldly and said nothing. The woman in white suddenly laughed, but her laughter had a creepy smell, "It was your good sister, Concubine Wen!" She glanced at the well in the corner of the courtyard and said, "Look, that's where she jumped in." Not only Kangpin, Meng'er and Zaihou, but also several servants looked unhappy. They drank the water from this well every day. Meng'er suddenly felt like vomiting. "Oh, there is one more thing that those servants didn't tell you? Your yard... is haunted. I heard that the soul of Miss Wen was taken away by ghosts." As she spoke, she shivered as if she had caught a cold: "Why is it so cold here in broad daylight? You should come to my place when you have time. Bye." The woman in white left, but the people in the yard were silent. Meng'er felt that the weather, which was not cold to begin with, suddenly became chilly, especially the well, which looked creepy no matter how she looked at it.

Mei'er looked at Concubine Kang, whose face was gradually turning pale, and said calmly, "Mother, who is she? I think this woman is talking nonsense and has no good intentions. We should not pay attention to her crazy words."

Kangpin said coldly, "This is the deposed Empress Chen." After a while, Kangpin suddenly pointed at the well and said in a hoarse voice, "Go, find someone to fill up the well, go quickly."

Chen walked back to the courtyard where she lived. A half-grown child followed her quietly. The boy bowed respectfully and asked, "Has the queen seen them?"

"Hmph, that slut has finally come to this day," she said with even greater hatred, "It's really unpleasant that she can still feel so at ease even after being sent to the cold palace." She is in this situation all because of these bitches, Concubine Kang, Concubine Yan, and Concubine Wang. They set traps and framed her everywhere, which led to the emperor deposing her. This deep hatred grew into a bone-chilling hatred as the cold palace became more and more desolate.

The boy's voice was still very childish, but the calmness in his voice didn't sound like the tone of an eight-year-old child at all: "Your Majesty, you are worrying too much. You can still be happy for a few days in the cold palace, not to mention that there is Zaiji to share your worries."

Chen sneered and said disdainfully: "What can you do?"

Zaiji replied slowly, "Your Majesty has not seen my methods yet, and they are also the people Zaiji wants to deal with." He paused and raised a determined smile, "Besides, if you don't trust me, who else can you trust?"

Chen suddenly turned around and looked at Zai Ji. She was the deposed queen and her family was implicated because of her. It was not easy for her to live in peace now. After all these years in the cold palace, who still remembered that she was the former queen? Only this child was like her, with hatred in his heart all the time. But who would believe that this child was only eight years old? Seeing him with his head down and submissive look, Chen suddenly felt a chill rising from the soles of her feet.

"Mother, look who's here." Mei'er and Zaihou ran into the house excitedly. Kangpin was sewing clothes. She looked up and saw Madam Wang coming in. Madam Wang looked around the shabby room and then at Kangpin, who was wearing coarse clothes and looked haggard, tears fell from her eyes. "Sister, you have suffered..." Kangpin choked with sobs and couldn't speak for a long time. The two sisters hugged each other and cried bitterly. The little fat man Wang Wei tactfully left the house. Mei'er and Zaihou also quietly left, leaving the two sisters in the house to talk.

The three children stood in the courtyard. Meng'er sighed softly as she recalled that the last time they met was in the palace full of flowers, but now they were in such a shabby place. Wang Wei suddenly remembered something and asked proudly, "Your flowers must not be alive, right?"

Meng'er glanced at him and remembered the pots of flowers that Wang Wei had sentenced to death. She brought them back to the house and carefully cultivated them. They all died in less than half a month. It seemed that this little fat man was really good at tending to flowers and trees. Meng'er snorted unconfidently and had to admit, "Yes, they didn't survive."

The little fat boy laughed happily: "You are still a girl, how come you can't even grow flowers."

Meng'er was very unhappy: "Do girls have to play with flowers and plants all day long?"

The little fat boy nodded: "Well, isn't that right? My mother said that a lady from a noble family should play the piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, needlework, embroidery, and enjoy the company of flowers and trees, so that she can marry a man of her dreams. My sister knows all of them, don't you? You are still a princess!"

Meng'er narrowed her eyes, looked at the fat boy with displeasure, and asked, "Then what do you think a man should know?"

Wang Wei puffed out his chest and said, "Of course I will pass the imperial examination and become an official, have a title for my wife and children, and bring honor to my family."

Mei'er frowned and said, "Is there no other way except becoming an official?"

Wang Wei nodded: "Yes."