princess's sorrow

Time quickly entered the 29th year of Wanli. I was nine years old, and my figure had grown taller. When I stood up, my head had reached the chest of the son-in-law, but the son-in-law was already 17 years old. Everyone inside and outside the palace said he was a good son-in-law, which made me extremely happy.

As the days went by, I still felt happy. Although there was always the haze of Nanny Liang above my head, but because I had a son-in-law to share the burden with me, I no longer felt particularly bitter.

However, between August and September of this year, there were quarrels inside and outside the court over the establishment of the crown prince. A group of ministers supported the establishment of the eldest son Zhu Changluo, the son of Concubine Gong, as the crown prince. Another group of ministers supported the establishment of my own brother, the third prince Zhu Changxun, as the crown prince. Of course, there were also those who supported the establishment of the fifth prince of the concubine Duanfei. Because of this incident, I entered the palace three times in a row without seeing him. In front of my father, I heard from my mother and concubine that he was dizzy from being quarreled by the courtiers every day, alas, my poor father.

In this matter, the mother and concubine seemed to have a well-thought-out plan. I don't know why, the emperor taught us very early on that "the harem must not interfere with the government affairs", but I clearly heard the mother and concubine told me very definitely that , my elder brother Zhu Changxun will definitely be established as the prince, and later the emperor, and she will become the empress dowager, and I will become the emperor's sister in the future, and my status will be more respected than now.

I don't care about these things. No matter who becomes the prince or the emperor, they can't change the fact that I am the daughter of my father, nor can I change my identity as a princess. Therefore, whoever becomes the prince depends on me What does it matter.

Then, things in this world are not as simple as I imagined. One day at the beginning of October, the eunuch in the palace hurriedly knocked on the gate of "Yiyuan" and told me that my concubine was seriously ill. I was shocked , The concubine's health has always been very good, so how could she suddenly become seriously ill?

So I hurried into the sedan chair and went straight into the "Jingyang Palace" where my mother and concubine lived. The beaded curtains were opened, and what I saw was the red and swollen eyes and pale face of my concubine. I aged ten years overnight, and my own brother, the current third prince Zhu Changxun, knelt on one knee in front of her bed, holding a bowl of medicine in his hand, and was persuading her to take it.

The mother and concubine in my impression are always beautiful and delicate. The father's harem has three thousand beauties, with thin swallows and fat rings. If they don't maintain a beautiful posture and appearance from time to time, they will easily become a floating cloud and disperse from the emperor's heart. There is no trace, I think, the concubine mother has always been very clear about her beauty, and, all the time, she has used it very well, as she looks like now, from the time I can remember to now, it is really It's the first time I've seen it.

"Mother Concubine, Mother Concubine, what's the matter with you?" I went to lean on her bed and asked, but I found that Mother Concubine's face turned cold, and I was still surprised by what I saw, I thought I know what happened to the concubine mother, I only entered the palace once the day before yesterday, why did the concubine mother become like this after only two days?

The concubine mother called: "Xiang'er." That was her personal maid, who was extremely doted on by her. Hearing her call, Xiang'er quickly stepped into the bead curtain, knelt down and said, "Why is your empress calling?"

The concubine mother pouted at me, and Xiang'er answered "yes", I don't know why, but Xiang'er helped me up and said: "The princess has worked hard all the way, let's go to the side hall to rest for a while and then come to talk to the empress .”

I looked at Xiang'er, a little confused, I wanted to say that I'm not tired, why should I go to the side hall to rest for a while?I want to ask why the concubine mother lost her composure like this, and what happened?I also want to know why my brother came here faster than me, and seeing what happened just now, it was mother and son who were crying relative to each other?

But I couldn't help asking, because I knew Xiang'er wouldn't tell me anything, although her attitude towards me was extremely submissive.

When I sat down in the side hall, I asked Xiang'er, "Xiang'er, when did my brother come?"

"The Third Highness has just arrived, one or two cups of tea earlier than the princess." Xiang'er replied.

I nodded and counted the time secretly. It is estimated that the eunuch passed on my brother first, and then I entered the palace. That's why my brother rushed ahead of me. But, why did the concubine see me when she saw my brother? ?What important things does she have to discuss with her elder brother, and even my daughter wants to avoid it?

Confused, I waved my hand and said: "Xiang'er, go to the concubine's side and wait. I'm afraid that the concubine needs to find you for something. I feel bored and want to look around." Xiang'er did not doubt With it, he saluted and walked away.

I walked around the courtyard of Jingyang Palace, there was no one around, the eunuchs and maids had been driven far away to guard, and no one noticed me at all.

I don't know what the mother concubine and brother are talking about?I thought to myself.

Quietly went to the window, looked inside, but heard the mother concubine said in a crying voice: "Xun'er, you, do you blame the concubine mother?"

Brother blames mother and concubine?why is that?I was afraid of being discovered by my concubine, so I quickly squatted down, and a voice said to me, go away, it is really disgraceful to eavesdrop on the conversation between concubine mother and elder brother, concubine mother knew it, but another voice said He said to me again, go and listen, and see what secrets there are between the concubine mother and the elder brother. Anyway, you are the concubine mother's daughter, so what does it matter?Or, can you also enlighten the concubine mother?

Driven by my curiosity, I wanted to know why the concubine mother was so strange today, and my curiosity finally prevailed, I quietly squatted under the window to eavesdrop.

But I heard my brother say: "Mother Concubine, don't be sad, you have always planned for my son, how can I blame Mother Concubine?"

The concubine mother was silent for a long time, and the hall was silent for a long while before I heard the concubine mother continue to say intermittently: "Xun'er, this matter is still to be blamed on the concubine mother. Since I asked for the imperial decree back then, I should have kept the imperial decree well." , when your father came over last night, mother and concubine excitedly took out the imperial decree, asking him to make you the crown prince, but who knew..., hey, Xun'er, your father, hey, you haven't seen your father At that time, he kept yelling 'God's will, God's will', then, and then rushed out of Jingyang Palace and returned to the imperial study, even your mother and concubine were gone."

I was confused, I didn't know what kind of God's will or imperial decree, I just thought, looking at the current situation of the concubine mother, I'm afraid it has something to do with my brother's ability to become a prince, as the saying goes: the greater the hope, the more disappointed It will only be bigger, the concubine mother hopes that her brother will be the prince, but at the moment, it is probably in vain.

Later, it was my elder brother who comforted my concubine mother. I didn't pay much attention to it, so I quietly got up and left.

After wandering around Jingyang Palace for a while, Xiang'er came to call me, saying that my concubine wanted to see me, so I followed Xiang'er to the inner hall, and saw that my concubine was still lying on the bed, and brother, at this moment Then he stood aside dignifiedly.

I went up to salute respectfully, called "Mother Concubine", then bowed to my elder brother, called "Brother", and then asked, "Mother Concubine, are you feeling better?"

The concubine mother still looked depressed, looking at me, she suddenly let out a long sigh, and then said to me: "Shou Ning, your father loves you a lot, from now on, you have to help your brother, Say good things about your elder brother in front of your father, and you must firmly remember that you and Xun'er are real brothers and sisters."

I nodded, and then asked again: "But my concubine, my father loves my brother very much, what can Shouning say for my brother?"

Concubine Mu gave me a blank look, with a very worried look on her face, "Just listen to what Concubine Mu says."

Don't wait for me to speak, just listen to her call: "Xiang'er."

That Xiang'er hurried forward, and the concubine mother said: "You can send the princess out."

"Concubine Mu, you are not in good health, let Shouning stay here to serve you." I don't understand where I offended or angered Concubine Mu, why she sent me away just after I came here.

But the concubine mother waved her hand feebly, obviously she didn't want to hear anything from me.