Chapter 27 Purple Shadow
Ever since Liu Yuetang had her meal in the Qinzheng Palace that day, Xiao Heng would occasionally call her over to have meals, play chess, grind ink, etc.
At the beginning of the evening hour on this day, Liu Yuetang was ordered to go to the Qinzheng Palace to accompany the emperor.
When Bu Zi'an saw Liu Yuetang, he came forward to greet her early.
"This servant greets Young Master Liu."
"The Emperor has just left for some matters. My lady, please go to the Purple Palace and wait."
Zichen Hall is where Xiao Heng usually rests and sleeps.
It is also the place where concubines sleep.
But when the person from the imperial court came to deliver the message, he only said to have a meal, so Liu Yuetang did not come to serve the emperor in bed, but just to have a meal.
When Liu Yuetang entered the courtyard of Zichen Palace for the first time, the scene that came into her eyes made her pause slightly.
There is a large birdcage in the courtyard, and in the cage is a snow-white parrot. Its feathers are glowing purple in the sunlight, and a light purple crest stands on its head.
As expected of a royal pet, even the bird exudes its extraordinary qualities.
Bu Zian warned: "My lady, this bird is a little shy, please stay away from it and don't let it scare you."
Liu Yuetang had heard a long time ago that Xiao Heng had a favorite bird named Ziying, and the palace people called it Purple Master.
The bird was taken care of by a special person who taught it to recognize objects, read and speak every day.
And the daily food is also delicacies from land and sea.
So, she understood what Bu Zian really wanted to say was that he was afraid that he had disturbed the bird.
She smiled bitterly and said, "In this palace, if you are not favored, you will live worse than a bird."
Yaohua Palace.
Concubine Zhao leaned weakly on the bed, her skin, as delicate as jade, without any redness, and appeared sickly pale.
The sound of "The Emperor has arrived" made her closed eyes tremble slightly.
When he raised his eyes, Xiao Heng had already walked to his side. He seemed a little anxious and his steps were hurried.
Zhao Fei was about to speak when she suddenly couldn't help coughing several times.
Xiao Heng quickly stepped forward and patted her back gently, saying with concern, "You were fine the last time I saw you. How come you're sick again?"
Concubine Zhao's eyes were cold, and she smiled bitterly: "Last time? When was the last time Your Majesty came to my palace?"
Only then did Xiao Heng realize that he had not set foot in Yaohua Palace for a whole month.
He said with a hint of guilt: "I have been busy with government affairs recently, so I neglected you."
Zhao Fei couldn't help but curl her lips into a cold smile: "Busy with government affairs? The emperor is probably busy accompanying the beauty."
Xiao Heng paused slightly and took his hand away from her back.
"Zhao Fei, please be careful with your words." His tone had become stiff.
Concubine Zhao turned her head away, pursed her lips and stopped talking.
Looking at her pale face, Xiao Heng couldn't bear to leave.
He said earnestly, "I know I owe you, but Jiaojiao, I am now the ruler of a country, and I must prioritize the country. I have three palaces and six courtyards, and I can't neglect the entire harem because of you."
Concubine Zhao turned her head and looked straight at him: "Why not? Didn't the Grand Emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager dote on them all their lives? They are still living out their days in Lingqi Mountain."
"That's different."
"What's the difference? We're both emperors, so why can others do it but you can't?"
Concubine Zhao bit her lip tightly, suppressing her resentment, her eyes full of grievance.
Xiao Heng's breathing stagnated, as if he was enduring it again and again.
"I am not our grandfather, and you are not our grandmother. Everyone is different. If every emperor emulated our grandfather, wouldn't the world be in chaos?"
Finally, he stood up, with his back to Concubine Zhao, his expression cold and stern: "While you are recuperating, think carefully about what I said. When you have figured it out, come see me again."
Hearing him say "come to see me again" instead of "I come to see you", Concubine Zhao's body suddenly softened and she leaned against the soft pillow.
Seeing this, Madam Kong hurried forward to support him.
She advised softly, "Your Majesty, you will only push the Emperor further away by doing this."
Tears welled up in Concubine Zhao's eyes, her gaze blurry and hazy. "He betrayed me. He said he would marry me when he grew up, but what happened in the end?"
She sneered: "In the end, she is just a concubine."
"A concubine!"
Madam Kong's eyes also turned red: "Your Majesty, that is all in the past. The Emperor is now the supreme ruler and is no longer the adopted son of Empress Wen Yi."
"Yes, he is no longer my brother Heng... He is now a heartless emperor." Concubine Zhao murmured, tears in her eyes silently sliding down her cheeks.
Zhou Defu was hesitating whether to step forward to remind Xiao Heng that Liu Yuetang was still in Chengming Palace, when he saw her coming out with a dark face again. His heart couldn't help but tighten, and he followed behind her cautiously.
He sighed secretly.
Those who want grace cannot get it, and those who have grace do not know how to cherish it.
If Concubine Zhao had stopped dwelling on the past, her current favor would probably be greater than that of the six harems combined.
What a pity...
Zhou Defu couldn't help but shook his head.
In the Zichen Palace, Liu Yuetang waited until dark.
Without the emperor's oral order, she naturally didn't dare to leave.
At this moment, the anxious voice of the palace maid suddenly came from outside.
She walked out and saw two palace maids walking back and forth in the courtyard.
"What happened?" Liu Yuetang asked.
The maid bowed and said, "My lady, Master Zi always lets him out of his cage to play for a while at dusk every day, but he was just injured by a wild bird, so he's lying on a branch and won't come down. I see it's going to rain soon, and I don't know what to do..."
As she spoke, her voice was choked with sobs.
That's right. If the imperial bird was seriously injured, the palace maid's life might be in danger.
Liu Yuetang said quickly: "Why don't you bring the ladder over quickly and have someone climb up to rescue it."
Another maid quickly said, "We went, but I'm afraid we can't save the bird."
Only then did Liu Yuetang realize that the upper part of the branch was very thin and the ladder was not that high. She was afraid that instead of rescuing the bird, the bird would be shaken off the branch, which would be very dangerous.
Just as the ladder was brought in, the sky rumbled and heavy rain poured down.
Everyone was trying to find a way to rescue Ziying.
Liu Yuetang looked at the branches swaying in the wind and quickly ordered the palace servants, "Ziying is in danger of falling at any time. Go find some quilts to pad the ground. The softer the better."
The palace maid serving Ziying agreed while crying.
Soon, the area under the tree was filled with quilts, and the palace maids each pulled up a corner of the quilt and held it high.
Liu Yuetang stood in the heavy rain and shouted loudly: "Ziying, come down quickly."
The maidservant serving Ziying also called out: "Don't be afraid, Master Zi, we are protecting you, come down quickly."
Perhaps hearing a familiar voice, Ziying raised his head and called out, flapping his wings slightly, and the next moment he tilted down and fell directly onto the quilt.
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