Quiet and Good

The two sisters talked a lot together, as if they wanted to make up for everything they hadn't said in the past ten years.

Concubine Kegui suddenly sighed, "Sister, it seems like you have never changed."

"Hmm?" Li Qingping touched his temples and smiled, "My temples are all white, and you still say I haven't changed?"

"It's not his looks." Concubine Ke Gui shook her head, carefully examining Li Qingping, and said softly, "It's his demeanor, his temperament. You see everything so clearly, able to take on and let go easily, as if nothing can defeat you."

She smiled bitterly and said, "I just can't do that. That's why I've hated him so much over the years."

"I hate him for sending me to the imperial farm, I hate him for not letting me see my children, I hate him for not even letting me see them for the last time."

Li Qingping was stunned for a moment, then hugged Concubine Kegui tightly with heartache.

Concubine Kegui leaned in her arms, her eyes red and her body trembling. "If I had stayed in the palace, I would have had a huge fight with him and would have ruined all the escape routes my sister had prepared before her death. So sometimes I think that maybe staying away from the capital is the best option. I wouldn't think about him if I couldn't see him. He knows me too well, so he gave us both a little bit of dignity."

Emperor Wuzong was too astute to know that Concubine Kegui was a woman of such strong will that keeping her in the capital would only lead to mutual destruction. Sending her to the imperial estate was the best option.

But it is also the cruelest choice.

Li Qingping gently stroked Concubine Kegui's back. His fingertips touched her shoulders that were tense due to trembling, and he couldn't help but feel a sore nose.

"But sometimes I feel like it might not be easy for him either. Sitting in that position, he seems to be the supreme ruler, but in reality, he can't even like or dislike anyone as he pleases." Concubine Kegui sneered as if mocking someone: "It's worse than when he was a prince."

"Yes, it's not easy." Li Qingping repeated the three words from his sister's mouth. The wind was getting stronger outside. It must be snowing again. Through the window, he seemed to see the last appearance of Emperor Yongping when he was dying.

The emperor who was once full of vigor and vitality was lying in the layers of curtains in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, without even the strength to raise his hands.

"I heard that he has issued an order that we sisters can be buried with him in the Eastern Tomb?" asked Concubine Kegui.

There was no precedent in the Great Qi Dynasty for concubines to be buried with the emperor. Even in death, only the empress was qualified to accompany the emperor. Even the imperial concubine could only be buried in the concubine's tomb. Wuzong's move was a great honor for the Li sisters.

Li Qingping said yes: "But he didn't force it."

In fact, at this age, they have become indifferent to life and death, and they talk about these things openly and generously without any reservations.

Concubine Kegui's thoughts drifted away. "I heard that if we're close after death, we'll meet again in the next life, and even continue our past relationship. Doesn't that mean we'll be buried together? Doesn't that mean we'll still be destined to be together in the next life?"

At this point, Concubine Kegui was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed, and then started crying again: "Next life? Who would want to have this fate with him in the next life?"

But even so, the resentment in his eyes faded slightly. She recalled how back in the palace, when Wuzong was still Emperor Yongping, he'd taken her on horseback outside the city walls to see the crabapple blossoms, saying, "Qingyan, if you like them, I'll plant a whole yard for you." Those days had been truly blissful, but the palace walls and imperial power had worn away every trace of them.

Concubine Kegui muttered angrily, "But I can't bear to leave my sister. I want to be a family with my sister in my next life."

Unfortunately, Empress Renque was the wife of Emperor Wuzong and the biological mother of the current Emperor Wencheng. It was so orthodox that it was absolutely impossible for her to be moved away from Emperor Wuzong's mausoleum.

Li Qingping was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

Concubine Kegui did not want to be buried with Emperor Wuzong, but she also did not want to be too far away from Empress Renque, so she got up and walked around anxiously.

Li Qingping picked up the handkerchief on the table and pulled her to sit down and rest. "The past, whether it was hatred or resentment, is all in the past. We can talk about the future later. It's good enough that we can sit together like this and talk and celebrate the New Year. As for him, let him suffer alone in the underworld."

She reached out and pulled her sister into her arms, rocking her gently like she had when they were little. She said softly, "Now we're all free. No palace walls, no calculations, no forced choices. For the rest of our lives, let's live beautifully, just as you said before you left."

Concubine Kegui nodded heavily, her voice muffled: "Then... from now on, we can celebrate every New Year's Eve together, okay? Just the two of us, staying up together, making dumplings together, and together... making up for all the excitement we missed over the years."

Li Qingping smiled and said, "That's what I thought originally."

Spring goes and autumn comes, and three years pass in the blink of an eye.

During these three years, Li Qingping followed the agreement made that year and went to Princess Yuxi's mansion in spring to appreciate the various flowers and plants, stayed in Yujin's mansion in summer to avoid the heat, went to Prince Kang's mansion in Hechang to taste crabs in autumn, and returned to Hezhen's mansion to soak in hot springs in winter.

But no matter where she lived, Concubine Kegui was always by her side. Emperor Wencheng appreciated the deep love between the two sisters and issued an order that Concubine Kegui should not be confined to the garden.

As soon as the decree came out, He Xian and Zheng Yulang became excited. The idea of ​​bringing their mother to live in their house to live with her in honor, which they had been thinking about for several years, had finally come into practice. Concubine Kegui could finally enjoy the happiness of being surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

In the sixth year of Wencheng, Li Qingping celebrated his seventieth birthday.

It is rare for people to live to be seventy years old. Li Qingping's birthday party was held grandly with the help of her children. In addition, the emperor and empress in the palace also attached great importance to it. They even brought the prince and princess out of the palace to congratulate her in person. For a while, Prince Hua's mansion was crowded with guests.

In fact, Li Qingping did not recognize most of the people who came to celebrate her birthday. Apart from the children, she and Concubine Ke only talked to Concubine Wan, Concubine Zhuang, Concubine Jing and others who came to visit as well.

The year before last, Consort Ronggui Wang passed away due to overwork in her youth. She was posthumously named Consort Ronghui by Emperor Wencheng and buried with the rites of a Consort.

Time flies by, and there are only a few old people left from Emperor Wuzong's harem.

No matter how much they fought in the palace in the past, they could now sit together and chat calmly with a cup of tea.

In the side hall of Songshou Hall, the charcoal fire was burning brightly, and the warm air was filled with the faint fragrance of tea.

Li Qingping and Concubine Ke sat at the top, while Concubine Wan, Concubine Zhuang, Concubine Jing, Concubine Le and Concubine Xu sat on both sides. The teacups in front of them were filled with freshly brewed Keemun black tea, the tea soup was bright red and had a rich aroma.

"I remember when we first entered the palace, we were so young and naive, following the Empress to pay our respects at the Cining Palace. Now, in the blink of an eye, we've become an old lady, half buried in the earth. Looking at this head full of white hair, I can hardly remember what I looked like at my most beautiful." It was Concubine Wangui who spoke: "Of those people in the palace back then, only a few of us are left, and we've disappeared one by one. The next time we see each other, we don't know who will be gone."

Concubine Wan Gui sighed softly as she held the teacup. Her hair had turned completely white, styled in a simple bun and pinned with a single silver hairpin. Compared to her exquisite beauty when she was the most favored concubine in the palace, she now looked a bit more weathered by time.

Concubine Zhuang also nodded, her tone tinged with emotion, "Before, Concubine Rong was always competitive and wanted to be the best in everything. Who would have thought that she would be ahead of us?"

She recalled how Concubine Rong had worked day and night, not even having time to eat, in order to help manage the palace affairs. Now thinking about it, it seemed not worth it.

"People, after all, can't defeat the passage of time." Concubine Jing was known for her gentle nature and slow speech. Coupled with her years of worshipping Buddha, she seemed to be detached from the world. "I endured the position of concubine for over twenty years. Now think about it, what's the point of all that empty reputation? I'd rather be like this now, planting flowers in my mansion, drinking tea, and living a carefree life."

Concubine Zhuang smiled at Li Qingping and said, "Now I don't ask for anything. I just hope to live to the age of the Imperial Noble Concubine."

Concubine Wangui also said, "The life your majesty leads now is truly enviable. Your children and grandchildren are filial and sensible, and the palace cares about them. You live a comfortable life, unlike me who has to worry about the affairs of those two debt collectors."

Li Qingping was originally listening to Aunt Kang outside the window singing the list of birthday gifts given to her by the children.

Last year, Yun Lian had already handed the key to the front yard storehouse to Aunt Kang. Aunt Kang was a clever woman, having completely cut ties with the Luo family, preventing any disturbances in Hexuan's residence. Now, she was valued by both Li Qingping and Hexuan.

Listening intently, Li Qingping turned around and said with a smile, "What's the point of being well-fed? It's just that the children are filial and willing to relieve me of my worries."

She glanced at everyone in the side hall and said with a gentle smile, "You said you worry about your children? Which family doesn't have this problem? My children gave me a lot of headaches when they were young. He Xuan can't sit still. When he was in the palace study, he was always punished by the teacher to stand. He was also often scolded by the late emperor. Yu Xi was spoiled by us. She has a spoiled temper and I had to persuade her when she quarreled with her husband. Now that she has grown up and become sensible, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Li Qingping took a sip from his teacup to moisten his throat, then continued to speak to Concubine Wan Gui: "Your Hexu and Heqing are filial sons, no matter how you look at it. I heard from Hexuan a few days ago that Heqing specially sent someone from the border to send the finest furs to make you winter clothes."

Upon hearing this, Concubine Wan Gui couldn't help but smile, but her tone was still filled with resentment: "That's all the filial piety you can offer. A few days ago, He Xu's wife came to me crying, saying that He Qing's wife had snatched away the headgear she had her eyes on. After these two daughters-in-law came to complain, the brothers He Xu and He Qing also came to me to argue. As an old woman, I'm caught in the middle and I'm really torn."

"Every family has its own problems," said Concubine Kegui with a smile. "My son He Zheng came to me a few days ago to complain about how his son was bothering him. It's funny, he's already grown up and can't even control his own son."

Concubine Zhuang, Concubine Le, and Concubine Xu were all a little envious: "Sisters are surrounded by children and grandchildren, and are blessed with a house full of blessings. We lonely widows can only play cards and listen to music with the old people who come out of the palace to serve."

Li Qingping pointed at them and said with a smile: "Don't be so ungrateful when you have so much. You are so free now. No one cares what you do. But if I eat a little too much sweet food, I will be nagged."

"Hahaha, that's what my sister said!"

The few of them chatted away, discussing everything from past court events to the current state of their children and grandchildren, the flowers and plants in the mansion, to the latest happenings on the streets. They were having a great time. The grudges and struggles of the past were now gone, leaving only a sense of nostalgia for the passing of time and a cherishing of the present.

As they were chatting, Yun Su came in and reported: "Master, the young men and women from all the mansions are waiting outside, and they want to pay their respects and kowtow to the concubines."

Li Qingping smiled and said, "Let them in."

Soon, a group of children dressed in new clothes rushed in. Some were older, some were younger. They lined up according to their seniority and kowtowed to the concubines, paying their respects and especially speaking well of the birthday boy, Li Qingping. The children's voices were clear and loud, making the atmosphere in the side hall even more lively.

Concubine Kegui looked at these lively and lovely children and said with a smile, "That's great! Looking at them, I feel that there is still hope for the future."

Li Qingping nodded, feeling relieved.

In the days that follow, perhaps until death, our lives will be peaceful and tranquil.