The first year of Yanxi, summer.
In the scorching summer, the Forbidden City is filled with tall locust trees and deep bamboos, with a thousand layers of darkness.
Pushing aside the yarn, Fuying helped Su Ling to get up a little bit. As time passed, her stomach gradually became visible, and her movements became more and more inconvenient.
Fuying rubbed her shoulders for her, and whispered, "Today is fifteen, and the third concubine is already waiting outside the palace, but the goddess wants them in now?"
Su Ling nodded, "Okay, by the way, bring the new tea from Guanglu Temple."
The door of Kunning's palace slowly opened, and the three concubines entered the palace for a blessing ceremony, and said in unison, "My concubine and concubine, please greet the empress."
Su Ling smiled and said, "No need to be polite, come and sit down."
Fuying stood by the table and served tea, bowed and poured a cup for each of the three concubines. Concubine Liu took a sip and took the lead: "Empress Empress, this tea is fragrant and light, it smells like a quiet orchid, and it tastes mellow and refreshing. I don't know what it is. Where is it produced?"
Su Ling said, "It's Tongtian Rock Tea from Shicheng County, Jiangxi Province."
Concubine Li put down the cup and whispered: "I heard that Jiangxi has always produced good tea, Jinggang green, Fuzhou Yunlin, Meiling Maojian, and Fuyao Xianzhi are all produced in Jiangxi."
Su Ling looked at Li Yuan and smiled: "Exactly."
Concubine Xue couldn't help but snorted, the emperor wasn't here, why did you pretend to be knowledgeable
She turned her body and looked at Concubine Li and said, "Yo, I really didn't expect Concubine Li to have such insight. If I didn't know you came from Korea, I would have thought you were born in Jiangxi."
Liu Fei laughed dryly.
Li Yuan's mouth froze slightly.
It is said that the three concubines are on an equal footing, and Li Yuan has the favor of the emperor, so he doesn’t need to suffer from Xue Lanyi’s anger. Zi, Xue Lanyi was even more angry when she saw it.
At this moment, Su Ling suddenly lowered his head and "hiss", and the three people's eyes immediately fell on Su Ling's stomach.
Fuying immediately said nervously, "Is your maiden feeling uncomfortable? Do you want to call an imperial physician?"
Su Ling covered her lower abdomen, shook her head and smiled, "It's okay, he just kicked me."
Concubine Liu smiled and said, "This child will definitely have a lively temperament in the future."
On the surface, the three concubines respected the queen, but the feeling in their hearts can no longer be explained by just jealousy.
Although the queen is already two decades old, and her age is not fresh in the harem, but in terms of its color, it is still beyond the reach of others. For her, the years are like the process of peony blooming.
When Jin Se was so hot, it has become the fragrance of the country.
The plump figure and the bulging belly seemed to give her a layer of maternity brilliance, and even the strands of blue silk on the corners of the temples were inexhaustible tenderness.
The harem is in the right place, the emperor sends his wife, the only daughter of the general of the country, once he gets the eldest son of the emperor, no matter how many people are added to the harem in the future, she will be out of reach in the eyes of others.
Not to mention the emperor had a preference for her.
But it is not incomprehensible, after all, without the Su family, Xiao Yu's ascension to the throne would not have been so smooth.
Concubine Li looked at the queen's belly, Concubine Xue looked at Li Yuan, and smiled suddenly: "In a few months, the empress will be born."
Su Ling gave a "hmm" and said, "At the end of September."
"It seems that the palace will be more lively in the autumn." Concubine Xue turned her head to look at Concubine Li and said, "Yesterday, the Queen Mother also said that your Majesty's children are not prosperous, so spreading branches and leaves is a top priority, Concubine Li Why didn't you ask an imperial doctor for a pulse?"
Concubine Li suddenly raised her eyes and looked at Concubine Xue.
Concubine Xue said quietly: "If I remember correctly, Your Majesty has been resting in Changchun Palace for the past six months. Ordinarily, Concubine Li's stomach should not be moving?" Of course, there are three words for rest, yes Fei Xue looked at it.
Concubine Li's eyes were dyed with a layer of water mist.
The corners of Concubine Xue's mouth became higher and higher, and she continued: "If you want me to tell you, Concubine Li still has to find an imperial doctor to take a look. If there is any discomfort in her body, it is better to get treatment as soon as possible."
As soon as she finished speaking, Su Ling lifted her eyelids to look at Concubine Xue.
Concubine Xue felt tight.
In the past six months, she was really afraid of being punished by the queen. Copying scriptures and palace rules didn't sound like a heavy punishment. She had to find a personal female historian to write it on her behalf. Who would have guessed that the queen would find someone to watch her write, and she didn't know how to copy it for nearly half a year. How many books she has, her wrists are sore from this pair of eyes.
But the sarcasm was over, and Concubine Xue pretended to be obedient and said, "The concubine made a mistake."
Su Ling said: "This palace is tired, you all go back."
The queen has always been arrogant, but now her tone has changed, obviously displeased.
After Concubine Xue and Concubine Liu left, Li Yuan turned back, and Su Ling looked at her red eyes and said, "What's wrong?"
Li Yuan's tears burst down.
Su Ling said helplessly: "Concubine Xue is reckless, but you are both concubines. If there is no big mistake, this palace can't come back for you..."
"My concubine is not because of Concubine Xue." Li Yuan raised her hand to wipe her tears and said, "My concubine feels that her stomach is not good enough."
It is true that Su Ling doesn't feel much about certain things.
Su Ling looked at her and said, "Although the Empress Dowager is pressing hard on the matter of the heir, why did this palace and the emperor ever tell you about you?"
Li Yuan said: "I know that your majesty and your concubine treat me well, but the more this is the case, the more guilty I feel."
Su Ling patted her on the shoulder and said softly, "I'm married to your majesty on the seventeenth, and I won't have a child this year? What are you anxious about now?"
Li Yuan raised her head, looked at Su Ling with tears in her eyes and said, "Your Majesty and Your Majesty really have the same heart, and His Majesty also..."
This is half said, but the content behind it is not difficult to guess.
Li Yuan suddenly knelt on the ground and said, "It was the concubine who made a mistake."
Su Ling's eyes did not change, but she admitted that Xiao Yu used her weakness to comfort Li Yuan, which really caused a fire in her heart after a long time.
But it went out in an instant.
Su Ling supported her waist and stood up, looked at her and said, "Get up."
Li Yuan hesitated, "My concubine is guilty, and I ask the empress to punish her."
That being the case, Su Ling didn't call her to get up, but walked directly past her and returned to the inner hall.
When Su Ling woke up from a nap, it was already afternoon.
Today is fifteen, and Fuying was afraid that the emperor would come over for dinner ahead of time. Seeing Li Yuan kneeling outside, she reminded: "Niangniang, Concubine Li is still kneeling outside."
"Still kneeling?" Su Ling frowned, "When is it?"
Fuying said, "It's past noon."
Su Ling looked at Fuying and smiled: "She has been kneeling outside, why didn't you wake me up?"
Fuying said, "It doesn't matter if Concubine Li did it on purpose or not. She made the Empress uncomfortable, isn't she guilty?"
Su Ling said: "Okay, let her go back quickly, otherwise the Queen Mother will watch the fun again."
Fuying bowed her head.
—
There were too many messes left in the Yongchang years. The imperial court was getting thinner and thinner. In addition to the morning court, Xiao Yu also set up the evening court every day.
Today is fifteen, and no matter how late or busy he is, he will return to Kunning Palace.
After the Hai Shi, Xiao Yu lay behind Su Ling, put his hand on her stomach, kissed her shoulder, and said, "It's a little late to discuss the matter with Elder Ge today."
Su Ling turned back and saw that his eyes were faintly blue, and said: "The matter of the previous dynasty is important. If Your Majesty is busy, you can rest in the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
Xiao Yu's eyes were stained with a smile, "You don't miss me at all?"
Su Ling said helplessly, "My concubine also had dinner with His Majesty yesterday."
"I don't want to hear you call Your Majesty." Xiao Yu turned the person over, bit her lower lip, his hand gradually lowered, his voice lowered, "It's been a few months, is it still okay?"
Su Ling gave him a slight elbow with her elbow, "I feel really uncomfortable recently."
Xiao Yu asked her in a low voice, "Why is it uncomfortable?"
Su Ling murmured, "I'm so tired, I'm always sleepy."
Xiao Yu knew how hard her pregnancy was, and couldn't bear to scold her, so he rubbed his eyebrows and said, "Then I'll go to the clean room, you go to sleep first."
Su Ling looked at his back and turned over.
The night passed.
Xiao Yu croaked, Su Ling closed his eyes and sat up with him.
In fact, Su Ling's eyes are a bit charming, and it is not obvious that she is holding the queen's demeanor on weekdays. Now she is looking at him with sleepy eyes, changing his clothes, but it is a bit like before.
But at this time, he had never thought that it would not be the same as before.
Xiao Yu went to the morning in his regular clothes.
The civil and military officials on the left and right of the imperial road looked sleepy, and there was constant rustling around them.
Fifteen years after Yongchang, Da Zhou no longer went to court every day. These comfortable days are too long. Seeing the new emperor's diligent administration, everyone is naturally unhappy.
I remember when I just returned to the early morning, someone seriously handed the book and said that Mao Shi was tired and could not get up from the couch.
Xiao Yu not only took off the man's black gauze hat, but also gave him fifty boards.
After the emperor was seated, he blew his whip. (1)
When the ceremony was over, the yamen performed their duties in turn.
It is said to be a matter of fact, but most of it is, in fact, it is to settle accounts.
There is a saying that is right, the decline of all dynasties and dynasties began with the collapse of the economy.
There is no money in the national treasury, and local taxes cannot be levied. Now the war is tense, and the Ministry of Household is crying endlessly. He Chengmao, the Minister of the Ministry of Housing, is really a master with superb acting skills.
If he hadn't known how rich the He family was, Xiao Yu would have thought he was poor as pants.
He Chengmao said: "I know that Your Majesty feels sorry for the soldiers at the border, but I made a calculation last night. Since the war with Qi, the food and forage handed over to the army is more than enough..."
"There is more than enough?" Xiao Yu threw the fold on the case with a slap, and said sharply: "That's a full 60,000 people! If Lord He thinks there is more than enough, I will call Duke Zhen Guo back, and you will give it to me. I'll fight."
He Chengmao bowed and said, "Your Majesty calm down."
"There is no reason for soldiers and soldiers to fight hungry. Instead of crying with me, Lord He, it is better to check the accounts of the household department." Xiao Yu Shiba led his troops on the expedition.
He Chengmao gritted his teeth and bowed.
Followed by the implementation of the policy of stockpiling grain.
The old man read out the excerpt aloud, "Taking the fields can not only attract the homeless, but also prevent bandits from attacking. There are more fields to be cultivated, and this taxation will naturally..."
Before I said anything, I just heard someone outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony suddenly shouting: "Border rush—"
This is the rule in the morning.
As long as it is an urgent performance at the border, it can be played first.
Again, "The Governor of Langzhou has an audience."
"Let him enter the hall!"
The Governor of Langzhou, with dust on his face, holding a trumpet, knelt down after entering the hall and said, "Your Majesty, ten thousand soldiers are trapped in the Mihe River on Saturday, and I will not survive..."
He twitched his lips and said, "It was Su Jingbei who turned against him. This minister saw with his own eyes that he entered the border of Qi when he was attacked by the enemy."
"Never come back."