Chapter 38: The Promise of the Fireflies

Yun Fenghuang was startled when he saw this, and thought something was wrong, but Qi Jiulu took out a moon white crepe brocade bag from his sleeve, and stuffed it to her with embarrassment: "I caught it for you before I came here, but I'll see you later." Then you forget... After being bored all night, I don’t know if it’s still bright or not.”

At this time, someone in front had already got up and walked around, he didn't dare to wait any longer, so he left in a hurry after speaking.

Yun Fenghuang was left staring blankly at the Yingying halo in his hand, Liuying likes warmth and cannot bear the bitter cold in the north. She didn't know it when she was young. She studied with her teacher and learned a poem "Ode to the Firefly" [Note] by the predecessors, saying "If it doesn't go to the sky, it will be a star by the moon". From Liuying's point of view, what kind of method is "the lights are hard to extinguish when the rain hits, and the colors are brighter when the wind blows".

Later, I learned that the Northland was too cold to produce such strange insects, and I cried and cried several times... At that time, Qi Jiulu knew, so he coaxed her, saying that when he grew up, he would take her to the south to see how many insects he wanted to catch. You can grab as many as you want, and you can look at it however you want...

At that time, she and Qi Jiulu were both too young, and even a trip out of the city felt very far away, let alone the south thousands of miles away, so that this promise seemed ethereal and unreachable.

Therefore, Yun Fenghuang was not comforted at all, and even lost his temper with him for a while, thinking that this kind of promise was insincere, but it was just a tactic to delay the attack, so that she would forget it after a while... She really forgot after a while.

Unexpectedly, he still remembered.

She held the kit bag that was obviously made hastily for a long time, and finally, Xi Le tentatively shouted outside after packing up, and Fang sighed quietly.

...After a long while, Xi Le was waiting for Yun Fenghuang to wash and wash up. Nian Xuan came in and said, "The little eunuch who is in front of your majesty just said, and your majesty asked to put the breakfast here."

Yun Fenghuang said lightly that he understood.

In a short while, the accompanying palace servants came in to say hello, and immediately went to the flower hall to serve dinner.

The meal was almost ready, and the emperor arrived.

Hearing that Mao Jieyu was still dressing, she stopped eating and went into the inner room to have a look.

As a result, when he came in, he saw the kit on the dressing table. The emperor picked it up and looked at it for a while, then asked with a smile, "Where did this come from?"

"Your Majesty didn't come last night. I was very bored, so I let Xi Le do it for me." Yun Fenghuang said without looking back, "Your Majesty knows that my concubine grew up in the Northland, and there is no Liuying in the Northland." , Didn't this happen on a whim, and you caught a lot?"

The fireflies in the moon-white crepe brocade kit are quite dead after being stuffed in Qi Jiulu’s sleeves all night, but there are still a few stubbornly flickering their tails, emitting a quiet light in the shadows .

The emperor stared quietly for a moment, put it back to its original place, and said with a light smile, "Jieyu said this as if she was jealous, so I'll stay with you tonight."

"The concubine is not the kind of stingy person." At this time, Yun Fenghuang had just finished dressing up. Hearing this, he turned his head, glanced at him, and said with a smile, "Your Majesty said before that the remaining concubines will be the concubines. Arrangements, but tonight please Majesty to go to Concubine Ji's place, His Majesty wants to accompany concubine, wait until tomorrow."

While speaking, she stood up slowly, gently pulled up the hem of the skirt, and the pair of jade pendants tied around her waist hit each other with this action, making a pleasant crisp sound, "After all, as a concubine, I must set an example for the concubines. It’s one; second, the concubine’s status as an offspring is difficult, but she doesn’t dare to serve His Majesty too much, so as not to delay His Majesty’s work for the royal family.”

The emperor smiled and didn't answer the words, just said: "My concubine is ready, let's go have dinner."

After they were seated in the flower hall, Yi Xingen came to ask for an audience, and came to serve Yun Fenghuang.

"This palace has its own maid, since you are here, let's sit down and use it together." Yun Fenghuang said casually, "Liu Hong, add a seat for Yi Fengyi."

"I don't dare." Yi Xingen said hastily, "As a servant and a member of Xuanqing Palace, it is only natural for me to serve the lord. Please don't dislike my stupidity."

After she said that, Yun Fenghuang didn't bother to be pretentious, and waved his hand to let Xijing, who was serving by the side, go away, and let Yi Xingen serve.

Yi Xingen's skills in serving people are definitely not as good as Xi Jing and others who have been court ladies for several years, but she is so beautiful, even if she doesn't dare to show off because of her status at the moment, only two silver gilt The golden silk carp hairpin, and the emerald hibiscus flower earrings around the ears were rewarded by Yun Fenghuang when he entered the Xuanqing Palace, and he has been wearing them for the past two days without changing them.

A newly cut bean green palace dress is well-regulated and without any flower decorations, but the sleeves are lightly removed, revealing a white wrist, the jade fingers are holding the tooth chopsticks, and the silver spoon scoops up the soup for Yunfeng Huang's vegetables. It's unfamiliar, but still indescribably graceful and charming, just like a picture scroll.

Yun Fenghuang was in a happy mood looking at it, but not far away, Emperor Chunjia turned a blind eye to it, after eating and drinking, he took the handkerchief from Yan Yin and wiped the corners of his mouth, took some tea to rinse his mouth, and finally let Yun Fenghuang slow down with gentle words No, he still has something to leave first——Originally, according to the rules in the palace, it’s fine to have meals with the emperor, but the emperor said that it’s fine to have meals with the concubines. .

But Chunjia has always been generous and never cares about such trivial matters.

Yun Fenghuang looked out, how could he be willing to wrong himself?

At this moment, he just waved his hand and said: "Your Majesty, go slowly, it's hot, please take care of yourself." He continued to drink soup on his own.

Sure enough, the emperor didn't mean to be angry, so he smiled and got up to leave.

During this process, he didn't even look at Yi Xingen again, causing the beautiful concubine to bite her lip subconsciously, but immediately lowered her head and continued to serve the lord obediently.

After a long while, Yun Fenghuang finally finished eating, rinsed his mouth, pressed the corners of his lips with a handkerchief, and then said to her: "The Japanese palace plans to arrange for you to serve His Majesty more these two days, so you should be more attentive and serve him well, and wait. Qishan Palace, I wish to ask for promotion for you and the empress... Although the palace has entered newcomers one after another this year, there are still many vacancies. "

Anyway, this kind of encouragement doesn't cost money, the promotion to the left and right queens is in charge, if the request fails, let the resentful queen go.

Yi Xingen hurriedly knelt down to thank her.

"You've been tired all morning." Yun Fenghuang said indifferently, "Let's go and have a rest... By the way, Nianxuan, get those pair of golden silk apricot blossom and pomegranate earrings, those are very suitable for Yi Fengyi."

A pair of earrings don't cost much, and it's comfortable to look at when you tidy them up, so you should let her wear them for yourself.

After dismissing people like this, Xijing came up and said, "Your Majesty, this servant girl looks honest, but she may not be careless. Your Majesty didn't stay in her yard for dinner, but just waited on her." Your banner ran over and didn't say anything, did you notice when I was serving you just now? Her voluptuous tone... It's fortunate that your majesty didn't pay attention!"

"How do you know that His Majesty didn't pay attention?" Yun Fenghuang smiled and said, "Yi Fengyi is beautiful, and his actions just now are pleasing to the eye. Even women in this palace can't turn their eyes away, but His Majesty didn't even look at him. Are you really not paying attention, or are you deliberately not paying attention?"

Hearing this, Xi Jing was startled, frowned and said, "Then, do you want to..."

"What do you want?" Yun Fenghuang said nonchalantly, "My palace's people strive for success, and it's too late for me to reward her. You all are not allowed to mess around, or I will know about it, and I will look good with you!"

Xijing subconsciously pinched the tip to be stronger. He was startled when he heard the words, and then thought of what Yun Fenghuang had said to the emperor just now, that the master of his family would basically not be able to give birth by himself, so it is true that there is no need to rely too much on the people in the palace. After all, she still expects Yi Xingen and his like to bear children for her, doesn't she?

She then showed a comprehending expression, and blessed her: "It's the servant girl who is confused."

He flattered again, "But even though Yi Fengyi has been here for a while, His Majesty still doesn't care about her, even if it's intentional, it shows that His Majesty still values ​​Empress more after all."

Yun Fenghuang just smiled at this, and changed the subject to ask Ji Muzi: "What happened after Concubine Ji went back yesterday?"

"It seems that someone sent a few messages to the outside world." Chen Zhu hurriedly came up to reply after hearing the words, "One of them is going to Qishan Mountain, probably for the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager."

"By the way, Ji Minggan and Yuan Ke didn't accompany you when they came back yesterday, so what did you find out?" Yun Fenghuang let out a "hmm" and said after remembering, "Your Majesty just left after eating, Could it have something to do with this?"

In fact, when the emperor came into the inner room to see her dressing up, she should have made insinuations, but who told the emperor to see the kit as soon as he entered, picked it up, and asked?

Yun Fenghuang seemed to be prevaricating in an understatement, but his heart was full of turmoil, and he forgot the business.

Simply put, Chen Zhu was quite capable, turned his head to look around, and dismissed all those idlers, only those who followed Yun Fenghuang when Xi Xingxuan was left, then whispered: "It is said that those two A man who bribed his servants to tamper with the hook has a lot to do with His Majesty's falling into the water, so he has been taken down by the Imperial City Secretary and is about to interrogate them for murdering His Majesty...Haixi Hou Xingning Bo has been from Qi since last night Come over from the other side of the mountain, and have been waiting outside His Majesty's courtyard all night!"

"So that's what happened." Yun Fenghuang waved his round fan and said thoughtfully, "Then these two people really have committed a heinous crime!"

He talked and laughed, with a playful look on his face, but he thought of the scene where Ji Minggan and Yuan Ke wanted to go fishing together on the boat yesterday, but she refused, and then they didn't look very good--the temperament of those two, After hitting a snag, they wouldn't just let it go, even if it was a concubine who stung them, most likely they wanted to make trouble.

In the end, she drove her to act coquettishly and ask the emperor to help him walk the fish, but she cheated the emperor?

It looked like this, after all, Yun Fenghuang himself gave the emperor the fishing rod.

But then I realized that the trip was my own proposal, but the lake tour was arranged by the emperor, and he was obviously traveling with his concubines, so why did he bring a bunch of companions?

I always feel that most of this matter still has an inside story, and most of it is guided or fueled by the emperor?

After all, the emperor had a previous record of summer banquets.

"The case of Zheng Fengxuan involved General Hushi and Cui Shangshu, and the emperor fell into trouble and dragged the Ji family and the Yuan family..." Yun Fenghuang thought to himself, there are only a few forces in the imperial court, except for the emperor. Pai's Duke Yi's Mansion, as well as the Emperor's temporary ally, the Regent, were all dragged in...

She couldn't help being shocked!

Although I don't know what Chunjia's next move will be, but judging from the current situation - as long as he succeeds, he might just get out of the cage and roar for nine days!

How can this work!

Although Empress Ji's ship is not very reliable, but for Yun Fenghuang who has offended Yuan Lianniang, the Queen Mother Yuan, Yuan Ke and the emperor countless times, the consequences of the emperor's power are even more serious!

So she must not allow the emperor's plan to proceed smoothly... Especially Ji Minggan's handle this time was given to the emperor indirectly by her. If the Ji family suffers a lot because of this, it is conceivable that they can't do anything to the emperor, and they will definitely doubt it. Yun Fenghuang, then took out her anger!

So what to do now?

Yun Fenghuang thought quickly, it would be the best if she could destroy the emperor's plan. The problem is that she has always been in the palace, and she doesn't know much about the emperor's movements, and even less about his private actions. Not yet, the action is restrained, and there is no clue... I'm afraid this idea will fail.

"For the current plan, it seems that we can only start from the two sides of Yiguo's mansion and the regent." Yun Fenghuang's eyes flickered, and for a moment, he whispered to himself, "If everyone is not innocent, the emperor should treat everyone equally. punishment, or amnesty without discrimination, there is no way to beat a group of people..."

Well, as for how to blackmail these two sides...

She thought for a while, and ordered: "Go and pass on Concubine Ji!"

Although this kind of thing can be done without going through Ji Muzi, but... why!

Ji's is the first to bear the brunt, whether Ji Muzi is willing or not, anyway, he must be the first to charge!

[Note] The author of this poem is Li Bai.