female concubine

"It's the minister who moved the mirror of Emperor Taizong of the previous dynasty, according to Duke Wen Zhen." Han Si cupped his hands again and said, "But the minister can also be the mirror of the official family."

"Both the Jianyuan and Yushitai are too far away from me," the emperor picked up the memorabilia from Yushitai and randomly threw it on a stack of scattered memoirs, "I still like to talk to people face to face!"

"The same is true for the minister." Han Si went to the table again, "but the minister cannot stay in the palace tonight, it's a family matter."

The emperor raised his head, leaned forward and smiled at Han Bang, "You are not afraid of facing the king when you are sitting in court, why do you become afraid when you return home?"

Han Si raised his head and explained, "I'm not afraid of internal affairs, I'm just humility from a man!"

The emperor leaned back and laughed heartily, "What a man's humility, that's enough, you can go back."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The Done Bell and Drum Tower beat drums one after another, and a pile of purple robes, scarlet robes and green robes rushed out one after another, and the sky gradually dimmed until night, when the lights came on.

In Han Zhai's study room, the scorching wind came in from the window, sweeping through the bamboo slips with hanging tags on the shelf, and the candles also swayed accordingly, making the room sometimes bright and sometimes dark.

The well-articulated black stone in hand is settled, but the white stone that is playing against it hangs in the air, hesitating.

After Heizi settled down, Han Bo put his hands back into his sleeves, "Don't look at the three kings, because there is no way."

King Zhao threw the white pieces back into the chess box, and tugged at the hem of his robe, "Sir, you look gentle and elegant, this chess is even better than the officials."

Han Bang cleaned up the chessboard again, "I was chatting with the officials today when they were playing chess." Han Bang looked up and said, "The officials said that the imperial physician asked for pulse, and the fetus in Donggong Liangdi's womb is very likely to be the emperor's grandson." .”

Zhao Wang put his arm on the square table, Han Si picked up a sunspot, Zhao Wang looked down at him and raised his eyebrows and said, "Did your majesty say that you want to be the grandson of the emperor?"

Han Bang shook his head, "Your Majesty said that he is not a direct descendant, so we can't be hasty. We will wait until he grows up."

"That's intentional!" Zhao Wang lowered his head, "Once the emperor's grandson is established, it will be difficult for Yi Chu to reach the sky!"

Han Bang stopped his hands, "Not to mention that this child has not yet been born, even if An Ran is born, it will take five or six years to test his character when he grows up. It is good to prevent it before it happens, but don't act too hastily."

"That is to say, but the prince and concubine have not been married for ten years. According to the rule of seven, they can be deposed, and because of the prince's love for Chen Liangdi, I am afraid that after the birth of an heir, the concubine of the East Palace will change hands!"

Just when Han Bo was about to say something, there was a knock on the door outside the study, and he stopped and said, "Come in."

A female envoy walked in with a plate of red fruits, "Third Prince, the girl said that you have come here after all, and she is very worried about her sister, so she ordered my slave to bring you hawthorn. This is from Shaanxi Road. Good fruit is brought over there."

Zhao Wang smiled and said: "Oh? When did my sister become so caring?"

After the envoy left, King Zhao picked up a few raw hawthorns, took a bite, narrowed his sour eyes and said, "She doesn't care about me, she's chasing me!"

Han Bang looked at the red fruit on the plate, "Hawthorn is warm in nature and has the effect of promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, so pregnant women should not eat it."

"This king is a man and not a woman..." King Zhao raised his head immediately, "What do you mean by that sir?"

"I saw Concubine Zhao a few days ago, and saw her complexion..." Han Bang lowered his head and smiled, "It's time for the third king to ask the medical officer to have a look, maybe there will be a happy event!"

"Mister also knows medicine?"

Han Si shook his head, "I just read a few medical books."

King Zhao lowered his head and stroked the mustache on his chin. After a long time, he sat up and glanced sideways at Shilou, "No wonder Yuanling wants to drive me away. It's already Haishi."

"The three kings are leaving now?"

Zhao Wang smiled slightly: "It's late at night, I won't bother you sir."

"The night is dark and the wind is high, the Three Kings have to be careful when they return."

King Zhao got up, brushed his sleeves, and strode forward: "Kill people and set them on fire!"

--------

In the late August of the eighth year of Jianping, the seventh night of the seventh month of the lunar calendar, clay dolls were sold in Wazili and all the streets of every city. Among them, vendors on both sides of the main street set up curtains to sell water floats, grain boards, and flower melons. , General fruit food, seeds and so on in season.

On the night of Qixi Festival, the streets are crowded with pedestrians as soon as the genius is darkened. Whether it is a wealthy family or a scholar-official family, they will send people out to carefully select clay dolls and buy them back to worship the Cowherd and Weaver Girl. The little lady with a face towel went out to set off lanterns.

In the courtyard of King Chu's Mansion, several female envoys and servants are busy building a colorful building.

Xiao Youqing sat in the yard watching them busy, and then propped his head up to stare at the crescent moon on the treetops. Today, on Chinese Valentine's Day, when it was dark, Xichun and Xiqiu went out with a few servants.

It took a full hour to return to the mansion, sweating profusely. "There are too many people on the street tonight, especially in front of the craftsman's shop. The servants squeezed in for a long time before they got in." Come on, she carried out a pair of small clay Buddha statues in red gauze and green cages.

"I went to the famous craftsman's house specifically according to the girl's instructions. When I left, only this pair of mills and drinks were left, and there were some bidders, who brought them up to five hundred gold."

Xiao Youqing turned his head, looked at the painted clay dolls decorated with gold, silver, pearls and spices and thought for a long time.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Xichun asked: "Should we put it in the Qiqiao Building now? I heard that this is also called Huasheng. After making offerings, you can pray for a boy. Miss, you and my uncle..."

Without waiting for Xichun to finish speaking, "Send it to the East Palace and give it to Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess."

Xichun looked down at the clay doll in her arms, nodded and said, "Yes."

In the Qiqiao Building, there are small clay statues of Buddha, flower melons, wine and vegetables, pens and inkstones, etc., and children wear new clothes chasing and playing around the Qiqiao Building.

Seeing the king of Chu sitting on a stone bench in a daze staring at the moon in the sky, the little six sons approached him with a lotus lantern, "Ah Lang won't go to release the river lantern, so why don't you go? Luo was originally called Huasheng, and the two qi interact with each other, transforming and producing all things, so you can have many children and blessings, and pray for auspiciousness, peace and happiness."

The King of Chu turned his head lightly, looked at the lotus bud in Little Liuzi's hand, stretched his sleeves to take it, and said to himself: "Bingdilian, I don't know if my sister has received the item or not... .”

"Wei county magistrate, Wei county magistrate!" The yamen servant entered the lobby yard of the yamen from the east corner gate, and hurried to the king of Chu, "Someone came from the post office, saying that there is a letter from your family!"

She then stuffed the lotus buds in her hand back into the arms of Little Liuzi, and hurried out from the west corner door with her skirt in hand, standing in front of the screen wall was a young man dressed like an official.

"Your Majesty is Wei Qianwei County Magistrate?"

"I'm."

"The younger one was ordered by the eldest lady to deliver a letter to the county magistrate."

The little six followed her out, and said with a smile, "Madam is really caring, and just in time to send it on the night of Qixi Festival." Immediately, he approached and took the letter, and took out another silver coin, "It's hard work."

"The little one is afraid that the county magistrate will blame him if he misses the time. How dare he say it's hard work."

Xiaoliuzi forwarded the letter to King Chu.

The person who took the letter was overjoyed, "I'll go back first, you can accompany them."

"Yes."

After receiving the letter, the king of Chu swept away all the previous melancholy, and ran all the way back to Houya. After a while, the study in Houya was lit up.

"Who came here just now to make Wei County magistrate do this?"

"Oh, it's my eldest lady who sent a letter from home."

------------

A very high colorful mountain was also set up in the courtyard of the East Palace, inside which were placed Mohele, flower melons, needlework, and women's embroidery, and the servants lit incense.

The prince and the concubine kowtowed in turn. The prince knelt in front of the enshrined Mohele and prayed: "The heaven and the earth are touched and all things are born. Pray for the East Palace, so that the offspring will prosper."

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, Your Highness the Crown Princess, the Palace of Chu sent someone to say that the Princess Chu has something to give to the Crown Princess."

The prince got up, glanced at the princess beside him, and immediately walked towards Liang Di.

Chen Liangdi took advantage of the situation and took the prince's hand and put it on his protruding stomach, "Your Highness, look, he kicked me."

"Oh, is that so?" The prince pulled Liangdi to the side and sat down, squatting beside his legs and carefully leaning over beside him, "This kid is really strong!"

The crown princess went out with the palace people to meet the envoys from the Prince of Chu's mansion.

Seeing the female envoy holding an exquisite red gauze and green cage, she asked, "Isn't this pair of running locks made by the famous craftsman surnamed Yuan in the south of the old city?"

"Yes, Your Highness's eyes are really sharp, you can see it with just one glance."

"Huasheng..." The Crown Princess waved her hand, signaling to the palace servants to take it, "Tell Princess Chu, I have accepted the things, and let her come to the East Palace as a guest whenever she is free."

"Yes."

"You know the relationship between Princess Chu and the East Palace, but you are still so close to that person?"

"The court is the court, and the inner house is the inner house..."

Chen Liangdi looked at the palace servants behind the crown princess holding a red gauze cage with two exquisite and vivid clay dolls inside, "Is this the running-in Luo made by craftsman Yuan?"

The Crown Princess nodded, "Princess Chu sent it."

The clay doll sculpture was very gratifying, Chen Liangdi frowned with displeasure on her face, "No wonder I asked them to buy it today but they didn't get it, so she was the one who bid!"

Liang Di rubbed her stomach, and said to the Crown Princess: "I heard that the Run He Luo is also known as Huasheng, and after worshiping, you can pray for a boy. In Tokyo, the one made by Yuan Craftsman is the most effective. You don't need this, Your Highness, Crown Princess. , why not..."

The Crown Princess gently raised her hand towards the palace, "Since Di Liang likes it, give it to Di Liang."

------

After returning from the East Palace, Xichun walked to Xiao Youqing's side.

"Has Her Royal Highness accepted it?"

Xichun nodded, "I accept it."

"What did you say?"

"I just talked about why the girl gave such a valuable thing, so that the girl can go to the East Palace to be a guest in another day, but..." Xichun raised her head slightly, "When your highness first saw the pair of mills and drinks, he said "Huasheng two word."

"Chemical..."

Li Weng walked into the courtyard in a hurry, "Princess, there is a postman from the Xijing Post Station outside. He wants to see you, but the villain has asked him to wait in the middle hall."

"Who still sends things to the palace at such a late hour?" Xi Chun raised his head sideways, and suddenly realized something, then stared and said: "Today's Qixi Festival must be sent by my uncle, right?"

"He's from Xijing?" Xiao Youqing took off the hand that was supporting his head, sat up and turned around, and hurriedly said, "Let him come here!"

"Yes."

The postman waited in the nave holding a delicate box panting.

"My princess has an invitation, please come with me."

The postman followed Manager Li through the large and small corridors and courtyards of the palace, and finally came to the courtyard where the Qiqiao Building was built.

"The next official sees Princess Chu."

The postman held a box in his arms, Xiao Youqing asked, "What's in it?"

"It was sent from Fengxiang Mansion. It was said that it was sent by a county magistrate surnamed Wei. The lower officials didn't know it. The messenger only said that it would be sent to Chu Wangfu to hand it over to Princess Chu."

"At this hour, the city gate has already been locked." Xi Chunhou said vigilantly beside Xiao Youqing.

The postman explained: "Actually, I arrived early in the morning, but the person who changed the shift told me that it would not be handed over to the concubine until nightfall on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month. The officials were afraid of valuables and did not dare to leave in a hurry, so it was a little late. .”

Seeing Xiao Youqing nodding, Xichun stepped forward to take the wooden box, which seemed quite heavy.

Today was Qixi Festival, so many people stood in the courtyard where the Qiqiao building was built. Not only Xichun was curious, but also the maids and servants in the courtyard were also very curious to stare at the box.

"girl..."

"Just open it here." She knew that the king of Chu was very thoughtful, so he would definitely not pass the secret back as a letter from home.

Xichun glanced around, walked to Xiao Youqing's side and gently placed the box on the stone table, "Yes."

Xichun whispered beside her: "When I took the box, I seemed to smell a fragrance, very much like the musk in rouge." After finishing speaking, Xichun took a step back and handed the key.

Xiao Youqing bowed slightly to open the box, the moment it was opened, there was indeed a sweet fragrance, warm and rich like musk.

"No wonder my uncle asked him to wait until tonight to deliver it...it turned out to be Mojiale!" Xichun looked at it with amazed eyes.

Xiao Youqing picked up one of the little dolls, which still had a faint smell, opened his eyes slightly and said, "Amberx..."

Inside the box are a pair of small Buddha statues carved with Longyan bergamot incense, and the lotus leaf half-arm dress, holding the lotus leaf, is very delicately carved.

"It turned out to be a running-in Luo carved with ambergris. I remember that the price of the best ambergris in the capital is no less than 150 guan per tael, and the market value in Guangzhou is no less than a hundred thousand guan per tael. Sixty thousand!"

Li Weng, who was standing beside him, also smiled and said: "Every year before the Qixi Festival, Xiu Nei would enter [-] kilns into Da Nei. They were also carved with Longyan bergamot, but they were rarely seen because they were too expensive. The six kings chose this one. It must have taken a lot of thought to send it to you."

"This couple is worth a fortune, right?" Xiqiu looked suspiciously, "The ambergris comes from the sea, and my son-in-law is in the west. Where did you get it?"

Xi Chun pulled her away and said in a low voice: "Master's business, why are you bothering?"

Xiao Youqing didn't care about it, but looked down at the two small figures in his hands, the carvings were upright and delicate, smiling with frowning eyes, very gratifying, and said with a slight smile: "I don't think the official gave it because it is expensive. Bar!"

Xichun was puzzled and said, "Today is Qixi Festival, so is there any other meaning in giving away the ambergris-carved Mohele?"

Xiao Youqing looked up at the crescent moon hanging in the dark night. Under the moonlight, her gentle eyes trembled slightly, "Because it has the meaning of being with the sun and the moon for a long time!"