Record of ups and downs in troubled times

"Concubine Fu, get back down."

A sighing order came from behind the curtain, and then asked inadvertently: "Why don't you stay in your own palace and come to Ai's house?"

Concubine Fu bowed obediently: "I haven't visited my mother for several days, please forgive my concubine's dereliction of duty."

"The war is raging, and everyone is still too busy to take care of themselves. How can you neglect your duty... After all, the empress will come to the Longevity Palace of Aijia for some days."

Concubine Fu lowered her head and smiled, silently refusing to make a sound.

Under the curtain, at the height of a person's knee and a half, there are nineteen exquisite beads and tassels hanging down.The tassels are bright red, the beads are white, and against the pair of three-inch jade feet embroidered with clear water and two phoenixes that are about to be exposed below, it makes people feel a little pity for no reason.

Fighting and killing outside, grievances and hatreds are all brought out by the sword and gone by the sword; but what about this woman who is said to have caused troubles and troubled women?But she can only sit in the palace, behind the embroidered curtain, and wait for others to pronounce her fate on matters that are originally related to her.

When meeting concubines in the harem, they have to hide behind the tents. It seems that the child in the empress dowager's womb has really revealed itself and can no longer be concealed.

"Concubine Fu?" The queen mother spoke slowly, her tone was slow, as if her body was very weak, "The Ai family called you for a long time, but you just stood there in a daze. What are you thinking?"

"Mother, please forgive my concubine." Fu Qizhen looked back, bowed and replied, "I don't know what kind of incense this is? It smells like an ancient pine in the mountains, it's very unique."

The queen mother was silent, but the old aunt she often talked to replied: "This is the incense made of cypress with dragon patterns in the deep mountains. It is about to burn out now, and the smell has faded."

Longwen cypress is also called "Huanyang wood" among the people, and some people call it "dead man's wood".It is said that after death, people are buried with dragon pattern cypress, so that the body will not rot, and the yin will return to yang.The quality of this wood is the most precious, the more inaccessible and quiet the place, the better the growth of the dragon pattern cypress, the taller ones can rise tens of feet from the ground, and the wood is as black as black iron, it is the hardest destroy.This thing has a price and no market. If anyone can get this one by chance, he can earn enough food and clothing for three generations of the family. Therefore, people in the world go to the mountains to dig wood in twos and threes, and often kill each other because of conflicts of interests, and both die under the tree. , so this tree is also called "dead man's wood".

The incense made of dragon-patterned cypress in the deep mountains can only be burned in the Chaoguo Temple, and only the emperors of the past dynasties burned this incense to comfort their souls when they were buried.

"It is rumored that this incense can attract souls. The Ai family still remembers that after the death of the first emperor, this incense was lit everywhere in the palace city, saying that it can guide souls to reincarnate." The queen mother slowly talked about the past, with a little sadness in her words, "this incense It burned continuously for five or six months. At that time, Pu'er was just born, wrapped in a small swaddle, and her body was covered with the fragrance of ancient cypress, which could not be washed off. The master in Huguo Temple told Aijia, This is something used by dead souls, and it cannot be dyed on newborn babies, otherwise it may cause bad luck... Aijia didn't listen... Aijia didn't listen..."

Inside the curtain and outside the curtain, there was silence again.

"Pu'er is a good boy," the queen mother said again, "with time, he will definitely be a good emperor. But, but..."

There was a burst of chattering from behind the curtain, and the aunt beside the queen mother hurriedly took the handkerchief and went in, softly comforting: "Your Majesty, don't think about it, it's important to pay attention to your body."

The Empress Dowager said something again, Concubine Fu stood far away and couldn't hear clearly.While hesitating whether to leave or not, the old aunt came out from the curtain and called her in: "My lady has something to say to you."

Fu Qizhen slightly lifted the hem of her clothes, and walked towards the back of the curtain in small steps, only to see clearly that the queen mother who was half leaning on the phoenix-carved dragon soft slab was full of glory and dignity, but her complexion was like plain paper, and a pair of pale and bony hands were holding on to the edge of the slum, protecting herself An untimely bulge.

"Have you found the emperor's body?" The Queen Mother's voice was so weak that it was almost inaudible.

Concubine Fu bowed her head: "Not yet. Under the city wall..."

The queen mother waved her hand and did not allow her to explain.

"The bones have to be found and buried in the earth, so that the emperor can go to reincarnation with peace of mind." The queen mother caressed the baby in her womb, tears dripped from the corners of her eyes and fell on the satin couch, "Qizhen, Ai's family can't go out of the palace, you Kindly help me to take a look under the palace city. Even if I can’t bring back my physical body, but bring back a piece of clothes and a handful of bloody mud, it can be regarded as the consolation of my relationship with the emperor’s mother and child, and the fate of your relationship with his husband and wife.”

As he spoke, he coughed again, and the teardrops stuck to his eyelashes, crystal clear.

Fu Qizhen lowered her eyes, was silent for a moment, then bowed her head softly and replied:

"it is good."

"Okay, okay, okay." After receiving such a promise, the queen mother was relieved and closed her eyes sleepily, "Qizhen, you are young, and you are about to be imprisoned in this golden cage for the rest of your life, Aijia I know that I have wronged you. But who in the world is not a little bit wronged? Alas, the younger generation and the older generation are walking the same path, which has never changed and cannot be changed."

Concubine Fu replied: "What the mother taught is true."

The aunt next to her saw that the queen mother was sleepy, and she thought there was nothing else to do, so she led Concubine Fu to leave quietly and slowly.Fu Qizhen saluted, and walked out quietly with the old aunt, passed through several corridors, and was about to walk out of the Longevity Palace, when she saw that there was still an old woman cleaning in the distance, she could only ask the old aunt in a low voice: " Auntie, there is a question I wanted to ask a long time ago—the queen mother is not feeling well, so why didn’t she call the hospital to take a look? Such a delay is not a problem after all!”

The old aunt also sighed: "Miss Fu has a kind heart, so why doesn't this old slave understand this truth? It's just that the old gentlemen with excellent medical skills inside and outside the palace have all disappeared, and the queen mother's body is different from others. careful……"

This is insinuating.

The Empress Dowager was pregnant, she was afraid that Cheng Nan would hurt her baby, she would rather be sick than take the medicine given by others.But the Fu family is Cheng Nan's confidant, the old aunt's words this time are secretly pleading with Fu Qizhen, asking the Fu family to raise their hand and save her master's life.

"The Queen Mother is suffering. You didn't see, Madam Fu. When the news came in, the Empress Dowager passed out immediately. Her teeth were clenched so tightly that she couldn't even pour a drop of water in. It was hard for her to recover, but she still couldn't get over it in her heart. , Hold a breath in my heart! Everything is safe and sound, if there is a side branch at the critical moment, what should I do?" Then he glanced at Concubine Fu sideways, and sighed softly: "The old slave also knows , Madam Fu, your family has its own position, and it is not good to come to the Longevity Palace often. But since you entered the palace, the queen mother has treated you well, hasn't she? I beg you to extend your hand and help us anyway."

Fu Qizhen hurried to help the old aunt who was short and bowed to her, and persuaded softly: "Oh, old aunt, how can I bear your courtesy? Get up quickly... If you want to find a way, I will go today Looking at the Empress Dowager, I just planned to think about ideas with the Empress Dowager, but I didn't expect the Empress Dowager to be unwell, and Qizhen didn't dare to say it just now."

"Madam Fu has a solution?" The old aunt couldn't help being overjoyed when she heard what Fu Qizhen said, "The old slave said, Madam Fu is kind-hearted and will definitely save us!"

"But I really can't express my idea in front of the queen mother."

Aunt: "Can you talk about it conveniently?"

"Well, according to my old aunt's qualifications, I'm afraid she has already seen it. Qizhen dares to tell you her humble opinion. If you offend me, I hope you can teach me a thing or two for the sake of my innocence." Fu Qizhen also No longer twitching, he said softly: "I am afraid that the mother and child of the Empress Dowager will not be able to survive. If you want to protect the empress, then the child must not be allowed. Now the whole world knows that the prime minister and King Xiang fought for the fetus in the Empress Dowager's womb. Needless to say, you have seen that King Xiang's power in the capital is weak, and sooner or later he will retreat to the southern border. He will retreat completely, but what about the empress dowager? At best, the child will take the blame, and the empress dowager may have to shave her hair and enter the Huguo Temple. Only then can you save your life."

Plan for the worst - if Cheng Nan wins, how can he have room for Changshou Palace?I'm afraid I will also kill this sister in the name of "cleaning the house", one dead body and two lives, clean.

"But it's different if you protect the child." Fu Qizhen continued softly, "It's King Xiang's child, or the emperor...the orphan of the late emperor, people outside the palace can't tell the difference."

If this child is born and placed under Liu Pu's name, he will be the next generation of emperors.Not only can she get rid of the title of "evil son", but also give the Cheng family a chance to hold the emperor in good faith, wouldn't she also save the child?

But this method can save the child, but not the queen mother.

You have to give the world an explanation, right?

The old aunt stumbled back half a step.

"Qizhen is just a small person who comes up with ideas. What to do depends on the Queen Mother's wishes. Besides, the Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother come from the same family, and she is also the Queen Mother's real niece. She will definitely not stand by and watch."

Concubine Fu's words could be regarded as disrespectful, but to the ears of sensible people, they knew that this was a practical solution that had to be considered.

The reason why the Empress Dowager dared to join forces with King Xiaoxiang to challenge Cheng Nan was because King Xiaoxiang promised to invade Miyagi and bring out the mother and son.This is true. A few days ago, the Nanjun army attacked violently, opening a hole in Miyagi's defense, but for some reason, they were unable to break in. They could only miss the empress dowager's master and servant who were waiting hard.

Opportunities, once they fly away, are probably hard to get back into their hands.The old aunt in the palace can be regarded as an old man who is used to seeing the world and people's hearts, so she certainly understands this truth.

"Okay," the aunt said bitterly, "Thank you, Madam Fu, for your suggestion."

"Don't dare to take it." Fu Qizhen hurriedly waved her hand, thought for a while, and said: "If my aunt is free, can you write me the medicines that the Queen Mother wants to use? Qizhen can ask someone to bring it in." Come to the palace."

"Yes," the aunt leaned over to bid farewell to Concubine Fu when she reached the gate of the palace, "I don't know if the queen mother is comfortable, and the old slave dare not go far, so I can only send it here. Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Fu. I will remember it in my heart, and I will never dare to forget it.”

"Auntie is polite."

Concubine Fu was going to say a few more words, the aunt had already made it clear that she was going to see off the guests, but it made Fu Qizhen feel bored.

"If you don't mind the old slave's nagging, then the old slave also has a few words to persuade Madam Fu." When Fu Qizhen turned around to leave, the aunt stopped her and said in a low voice: "The Queen Mother of the past is just now, Madam Fu. The old slave Talk too much, I advise you to... do it yourself."

There is something in the words.

Fu Qizhen walked all the way to the bedroom, thinking all the way.

During her visit to the Empress Dowager, she had memorized the lyrics a long time ago, in order to persuade the Empress Dowager to leave the child in the hands of the Empress of Jiaofang Hall, so that someone could sit on the throne, so that the palace would be stable, the hearts of the people would be stable, and the world would be peaceful.Now that the first emperor has no sons, the only ones who can legitimately sit on the emperor's position are King Xiaoxiang and the hands-off shopkeeper Yingchuan Xianwang. One of these two people is unworthy and the other dare not. She had no choice but to make such a plan to play with this "fake prince", and it was really a last resort.

Could it be that my aunt's old eyes are vicious, and she can see what she wants?

She guessed all kinds of things in her heart, and felt uneasy.

Although this woman has read the scriptures and fourteen histories since she was a child, she is actually a "paper general" who can only read books and has never been involved in the world.When it comes to ideas, she can talk endlessly; but when it comes to intrigues and intrigues in the court, she is really a fledgling young apprentice.

Thinking wildly like this, she stepped into the threshold of her own house and closed the two doors casually.

The jade pendant hanging on the door, Ji Ruyi, knocked out a series of dull sounds. In these dull tones, Fu Qizhen heard an old and tired sigh from behind: "Thank God, you are finally back."