Chapter 16 Chapter 16
When Chen Rongshou heard the commotion on the stage, he secretly thought that something was wrong. He didn't care about the cold sweat all over his body. Without waiting for Emperor Yuan Shuo's order, he asked the eunuch to go and find the Song Court envoy who usually took the emperor's pulse.
The emperor has been acting distant these days. Although he is not as difficult to please as he was a while ago, the relationship between the two of them is always so lukewarm, and the people below don't know when it will start. He was also encouraged by the good example set by the imperial concubine and was bold enough to mention today's polo inadvertently.
——It is true that Marquis Lingyang was born into a military family. He rode a white horse with a silver saddle and was a young and romantic man. He did not care about the humble background of the imperial concubine. The two were of similar age, so it was natural for the imperial concubine to like him.
However, Marquis Lingyang died young. No matter how great his achievements or how famous he was, how could he compare to the current emperor who has united the four seas?
It's just that the imperial concubine is too young and has not witnessed the emperor's years of war and battle. Some things cannot be said with words alone. If the emperor is willing to lower himself and show some of his abilities in front of the imperial concubine, so that the imperial concubine can see the emperor's style, then wouldn't all the love in her heart be transferred to the emperor again?
But he thought so in his heart, but he didn't dare to say it in front of the emperor. He only implicitly mentioned that the Duke of Yan was a nobleman who followed the emperor, and the imperial concubine should be quite interested in entertainment such as polo that can show off a man's masculinity.
Otherwise, why didn't the imperial concubine think of climbing up the tender new branch of the Eastern Palace and staring at the emperor, the big Buddha, with her affectionate eyes?
When the imperial concubine is obsessed with someone, it is much more direct and affectionate than the obscure and reluctant displays of affection in the Purple Palace. What young woman doesn't like a man who wants to be in the spotlight? The imperial concubine might be so confused by the man's coaxing that she will forget about anything else and it is not impossible that she will leave the table with an excuse to personally help the emperor change his clothes and wipe his body.
However, considering the emperor's status and reputation, it is not appropriate for him to go on the field in person, and it would also seem deliberate... Anyway, it is not the first time that the emperor has taken this step. They, as servants, coaxed and persuaded, and helped the imperial concubine to pad the steps under the emperor's six-way boots. After all, the emperor's polo playing skills are unmatched in the three armies. Even if he doesn't let people see his true form, he is not afraid that the imperial concubine will not be able to see it.
But no one expected that the prince was so young and ambitious that he was determined to fight with "Pei Kaichen" regardless of the danger he was in. It didn't matter if the son was hit by the emperor, but if the emperor was really hurt and the empress dowager investigated, all the servants in the Purple Palace would be killed.
Chen Rongshou lamented that he had frightened the imperial concubine again, which was thousands of miles away from Emperor Yuan Shuo's original intention. Seeing that the emperor looked unhappy and the prince, who was obviously frightened, was right in front of him, he had no intention of calling out to him. The crescent-shaped golf club gently tapped the ground in front of the prince, making a dull and solemn sound.
But his eyes were fixed firmly on the beautiful figure in the distance. There was an unyielding sharpness in his suddenly gloomy expression, and he was unwilling to miss even the slightest movement.
The ministers and relatives around him all knelt on the ground. The emperor's good days almost turned into disaster. They did not dare to plead for the prince, for fear of making things worse and arousing the emperor's suspicion. They also did not dare to care about the safety of the women in the inner court. It seemed that the imperial concubine was not their turn to care.
They just bowed their heads in the dust and pricked up their ears.
Fortunately, the imperial concubine was not seriously injured and woke up after a while.
After the hustle and bustle, Chen Rongshou stepped forward a few steps, bravely apologizing, and whispered a few nonsense words: "My lady just saw it wrongly. I thought Your Majesty was in danger and was so worried that I couldn't breathe. Fortunately, the Second Prince is quite knowledgeable in medicine and happened to be serving by your side. He just gave you acupuncture, so I think it will be fine."
Fortunately, the imperial concubine couldn't move at the moment, let alone make any excuses. No matter whether she had heatstroke or was frightened, she could use it to protect the prince from disaster first, resolve the situation, and then slowly make up for the lie later.
She was so concerned about him in her heart that Emperor Yuan Shuo was dazed.
Since she was fine, he should have asked a few female officials to go to her side and scold her for being timid and cowardly, and for making such a big fuss over such a small matter, which brought shame to the royal family.
Maybe she did it on purpose, in which case she should be punished even more.
Her thoughts were churning wildly. She was not a timid person at all. Sometimes she was willful and capricious, but she always knew the rules of etiquette in big situations. If she was not so concerned, she would not be so confused.
In fact, this was nothing. She didn't know that the times they were surrounded in the past were much more dangerous than this. The little tricks in playing polo were nothing to worry about. He almost fainted from anger because of his own son's disobedience. She was just a spectator who couldn't help at all, but she was scared to this extent.
But then he thought that the past was the past, and he did not like his subjects to boast about their past achievements, as he suspected them of being arrogant and greedy. So he restrained himself with stricter rules and did not feel proud when his subjects flattered him and praised his past achievements.
She was born to enjoy life, to be cared for and considered. Men fighting for a ball was a big scene for her. Why let her know about all that unbearable and bloody things again?
But I, at my age, still have to compete with the younger generation for attention. These young men grew up in a wealthy family. What's the point of a tiger fighting with a royal horse even if I win?
Chen Rongshou's idea was extremely perverse, and he had also had that kind of secret thought in his heart... She was very vain, and when she found out that the king she served was no worse than those young men, she might sincerely run down from the high platform and fall heavily into his arms and act coquettishly.
He himself is the rule. Even though he doesn't like her being spoiled, he also hopes that she will be less disciplined sometimes, even if not in private.
The prince knelt on the ground. Each time his father struck the ground, it felt like he was hitting the back of his neck. The fear and worry in his heart had long since overshadowed the pain. He was uneasy, but still worried about Yi Niang. His heart felt sour at times, and strangely sweet at times.
In front of the emperor, Chen Zongguan could only say this, but the emperor was a great man. Not to mention that he was not injured, even if he was injured by a sword, why would he need the concern of a disfavored concubine? How could it be such a coincidence that Yi Niang fainted after the emperor hit him with a stick?
Is it because she saw through his difficulties from the high place, so she came to help him out?
Thinking of this, the prince couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at his own inappropriateness. It was a game, and losing was losing. If he was magnanimous enough to reward the other party in front of everyone, it would not be considered as losing the demeanor of a crown prince, and it could even be regarded as respecting the wise and humble.
Now, not only has he made his father angry, but even Yi Niang has been dragged down by him.
The emperor exerted great effort to restrain himself from approaching her to check on her injuries in front of everyone. He no longer cared about his son's impulsiveness and calmly said, "You are quite capable. How long are you going to kneel down for such a small injury?"
Chen Rongshou took the emperor's polo club, bowed, and stepped back a few steps, only to hear Emperor Yuanshuo's order: "Tell the Imperial Medical Bureau to send a few more female doctors to serve the imperial concubine well."
A storm disappeared without a trace. The prince stood up silently and followed Emperor Yuan Shuo with a heavy heart. He keenly noticed that his father was still angry, but now was obviously not a good time to make amends.
But the truth was clear, he really didn't recognize his father, nor was he so bold as to be impatient waiting for the throne.
Tan Rui didn't know why the imperial concubine, who was drinking almond tea, watching polo, and tripping up the concubines, suddenly felt chest tightness and shortness of breath. Several palace servants were so anxious that they first surrounded the imperial concubine with a human wall and brocade, but were shouted away by the second prince who came hurriedly.
He wasn't exactly fierce. The Second Prince had always been a gentle person, speaking slowly and calmly, yet possessing the convincing composure of a superior: "Mother, since Mother Wei is suffering from Qi syncope, she needs to lie down flat. Having too many people around her will only disturb her breathing, which is not good."
Shen Youyi was naturally pretending. She was extremely uneasy. Her former lover and current husband were competing in the arena, wrestling with each other and fighting for their lives. Whether it was the prince's sneak attack or the emperor's counterattack, others were just watching the excitement, but she found it extremely strange!
She was about to find an excuse to escape, and just as she was about to wake up, she was laid down gently on a soft mattress by several maids. She heard the young man say, "I am a doctor through long experience, and I think I have a good grasp of acupuncture. Mother, please teach me a little. Perhaps it will help Mother Wei feel better."
The queen scolded him for being rude, but it would take some time for the imperial physician and the female doctor who served the concubines to catch up. She was a gentle person and could not bear to go against her son's filial piety. She knew his ability and agreed reluctantly.
A scent of sandalwood accompanied by a slight stinging blew towards her face. Before she felt the danger of the silver needle provoking her tendons and veins, Shen Youyi slowly opened her eyes.
She saw a pair of slender, soft hands, with hard joints hidden under the snow-white skin, appearing as soft and boneless as a girl's.
The owner of these hands has a handsome appearance, pale complexion, but lips as red as rouge, with a bit of the elegant style of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. If you don't look closely, you can't see the similarity with Emperor Yuan Shuo in appearance, but the sharpness of his eyes is exactly the same.
He pinched a few silver needles that could kill someone and smiled gently, with a bit of innocent childishness: "My son has fulfilled his mission. Mother can put her heart at ease now."
The Second Prince spoke in a respectful tone and treated his stepmother with great propriety. When he was giving and removing the needles, their sleeves were just touching. But even that little bit... suddenly a scorpion's tail grew out of the soft silk. It wasn't poisonous, but it would sting and cause a pain in the fingertips.
She subconsciously retracted her hand under her sleeve and actually pinched a ball.
Shen Youyi quietly opened her eyes and caught a glimpse of the sarcastic smile on his lips. He didn't look like the filial son she had imagined in her mind. She thought he had guessed that she was just pretending to faint. For a moment, her head really hurt. She closed her eyes and tilted to the side to rest. When she answered the Second Prince, she was much weaker.
The queen also asked a few questions, not asking why she fainted, but just asking if she could hold on.
Shen Youyi couldn't faint again. If the people from the Imperial Hospital really came up, they would be exposed. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration. I just feel a little unwell. Maybe it's the heat. I'll be fine if I rest in the dressing room for a while."
This was just an excuse. As usual, the emperor rewarded two teams of young men and wanted to go up to the tower with the empress and concubines to watch the lions and elephants, and then hold a banquet. The schedule was well-organized and he couldn't wait for anyone, so he had to show some mercy and sympathy and never care about her again.
The beginning of this Longevity Festival had a bad atmosphere. The empress pondered it for a while, sent someone to ask the emperor's opinion, and gave her a few concerned instructions before setting off with Emperor Yuanshuo.
Tan Rui supported the imperial concubine's hand and said with some concern, "My lady, if you can't hold on any longer, I will help you back to Yaoguang Palace and call the female doctor over, okay?"
Shen Youyi shook her head, clenched the paper ball in her hand, and told them to stay away: "I'm not that squeamish, I just want to find a place to sit quietly for a while, and it will be fine once I figure it out."
The road ahead may be bright and beautiful, but it may not be a ladder to success. If she takes a step forward, she may be shattered to pieces.
But after seeing the dazzling colors in one corner of the Heavenly Palace, even though she knew the fate of being a moth flying into a flame, she was unwilling to stop there.
The maids waited far away, waiting for her instructions. Shen Youyi quietly unfolded the cloth ball. The cursive script was flying and dancing, and the ink spread out in a small ball, still retaining the spirit of the time when he wrote it. With just a few short words, she could imagine the cynicism in his words.
"We are reunited in the East Palace, and the old friend's grave is dry. I wonder what Marquis Xiao is thinking now?"
She didn't even dare to unfold the cloth strips. She hurriedly lit them with incense and looked up at the maids. They seemed to be unaware of what was happening here.
In the battle for the crown prince, Wei probably preferred the empress's legitimate son. Even if she remarried into the palace, it might not be without the intention of the empress and the second prince. However, Wei Lanzhen secretly interacted with the prince, not only was she trying to have her feet on two boats...but the second prince also caught her weakness!
She bit her lip, her face drained of all color. Did the Queen know all about it too?
How did this person know this!
The Crown Prince and the Emperor's favorite concubine have an affair. Once it is brought to light, it will not be enough to completely defeat the Crown Prince, but both she and Wei will die, which is a more serious crime than the Shen family being involved in treason!
Just thinking about it makes my hair stand on end.
But adding "Hou Xiao" at the end is inexplicable and sour.
It is not shameful to marry a second time. To remarry is to put a hat on your ex-husband. When she became the concubine of Emperor Yuanshuo, the hat on the head of the former Marquis of Lingyang was already known to the world. Why did she have to wait until today to feel sad in the afterlife?
The queen treated her very well, gave her palace maids, and did not despise her for being useless even though she had fallen out of favor for a long time. However, once she wanted to do something, she was always restricted because she had no reliable people around her.
Tan Rui originally saw that the imperial concubine had a rosy complexion and suspected that her ladyship did it on purpose, but the imperial concubine sat there blankly, her face turning pale and blue, her body trembling slightly, and she waved for her to come over and serve her, which made her a little surprised.
The imperial concubine originally just wanted to show her face in front of His Majesty and then find an excuse to slip away. She didn't see anything that was worthy of the lady's anger.
Shen Youyi touched her face, a smile still floating on her face, and said softly: "You were originally serving the queen, and you were pointed to be my maid, which is also wronged for you."
Tan Rui shook her head in fear, "Your Majesty, you are really insulting me. You have treated me very well and promoted me to be your closest palace maid. No master has ever valued me so much before. How can I say that I am being wronged?"
The imperial concubine seemed to disdain her loyalty and smiled, "But I'm going to die now. Do you think it's good?"
Although the Imperial Concubine often had thoughts that were incomprehensible to her servants, this was the first time she had said such words. Aside from that night in Zhaoyang Palace, Tan Rui had never seen her so discouraged. She trembled and asked, "Madam, are you feeling unwell?"
Shen Youyi could only see worry and confusion on her face, full of doubts. After a moment of contemplation, she slowly said, "To be honest, I have done many things that have let down Your Majesty, and I have repeatedly provoked the concubines. Women are supposed to be faithful to their husbands. I have already let my husband down by surviving to this day. Now that outsiders have known about those shameful things, I am definitely going to die. I just want to write a letter of petition to Your Majesty before I die, and then go to death calmly... I hope Your Majesty will be lenient and spare my family's lives for the merits of the Duke of Yan's Mansion."
In just half a day, Tan Rui pondered what could have caused the lady's temperament to change so drastically. Although the three-year memorial ceremony for Marquis Xiao was approaching, there was no need for the imperial concubine to be so upset and hurt herself that she wanted to commit suicide. She forced herself to calm down and comforted him, "Jealousy is a woman's nature. Even if Your Majesty was angry for once, you have always been obedient in the palace and are determined to fight for it. What could have made you dare not even argue, but be obsessed with..."
The imperial concubine closed her eyes and said tiredly, "This matter is much more serious than that one. Even the Second Prince knows about it. It's only a matter of time before His Majesty finds out. It's better to save some dignity for yourself."
Just because she asked for exclusive favor, the emperor turned against her and was ruthless. This time, she was frightened by the Second Prince and wanted to confess in front of the emperor. It was reasonable that no one was left alive in the Yaoguang Palace.
The Second Prince would not report her for this matter. The Queen's close concubines and the Crown Prince have an unclear relationship, and neither the Eastern Palace nor the Central Palace will benefit.
As long as there is a glimmer of hope, people always hope to survive, and those who are in Cao's camp but their hearts are with Han are no exception.
…
The distinguished guest arrived late and took her seat just before the Empress Dowager started the banquet. Emperor Yuan Shuo wore a theatrical costume and went on stage to perform a lively fairy play for her. The emperor's birthday celebration with colorful costumes to entertain his parents was a grand event recorded in history books, but when her eyes fell on the table, she noticed something unusual.
The emperor changed his clothes and turned around to sit down. He still had the majesty of an emperor. Although he didn't laugh easily, he seemed more relaxed than usual.
But on the contrary, the expressions of the empress and concubines were very subtle... The seat for the imperial concubine was empty, but Yang Xiuyuan, who was used to being in the spotlight, was much quieter today.
The Queen Mother frowned slightly: "Is the Imperial Concubine still ill?"
This question was addressed to the Empress, but Emperor Yuan Shuo turned his head slightly and said calmly, "Don't be upset, Mother. She didn't mean it. She's just... a little timid and was frightened just now. I've already asked someone to invite a female doctor, and I'll go take a look at her later."
It was not appropriate to talk about these private matters of children with his mother in public. She was courageous but timid. If outsiders knew her thoughts, she would be furious. Emperor Yuan Shuo had no intention of deposing or enthroning the prince for such a small matter, so he deliberately avoided the unpleasantness on the field.
The Empress Dowager just asked casually and was not particularly concerned, but she was quite surprised by the Emperor's reaction. In the past, she wanted to bring the two of them together, but not to mention how awkward the Imperial Concubine was, the Emperor might not even be willing to meet her, and rarely even mentioned the word Imperial Concubine. But today, he actually took the initiative to speak up for her.
As a mother, do I have to care whether he goes to Yaoguang Palace tonight?
Although they live closest to each other, it seems as if the palace road has drawn a chasm of the Milky Way. Although the two people on the other side cannot see each other, they are at loggerheads with each other, and neither of them is willing to soften first.
I really don't know why the emperor is still competing with the ladies in the harem at this age. Since he still likes her a little bit, he has issued an oral order to summon her to the Qingping Palace to enjoy his favor. How dare the imperial concubine not come?
At most, the imperial concubine showed a hint of regret... She didn't notice that her son and Wei had reconciled so unexpectedly?
But what kind of reconciliation method could make the imperial concubine unable to get up?
The empress dowager's eyes became subtle, but when she thought about it this way and looked at the concubines sitting on the seat, it seemed to make sense.
Thunder, lightning, rain and dew all fell on one person. When the imperial concubine was in favor, there was nothing much to say. She was young and charming, and the king was still greedy for novelty. But after she fell out of favor, no one could get even a little bit of it until the imperial concubine was favored by the emperor again.
Although it was a good thing that the emperor was fine, she still felt a little angry. This was too much. "The emperor should be more considerate."
Emperor Yuan Shuo agreed very obediently. He was no longer at the age where he would blush and feel nervous. There was no need to force correction on harmless matters and embarrass both parties.
The mother's thinking may be a little biased, but not completely wrong.
She spent all her time on the bed, and once they fell out, there were only so many ways for her to seek reconciliation... Perhaps her late husband never needed her to be humble to win him back. She would become discouraged when she encountered any setbacks, and it was unknown how many days it would take for her to muster the courage to try again.
Although he did not have many royal heirs, he did not require her to give birth to a prince. But since she had become a concubine, no matter how well the man had treated her, she should not think about him at all.
Fortunately, she finally figured it out and was not stupid. She even knew to embroider sachets to please others.
But people from the Ministry of Internal Affairs said that the embroidery was not very delicate.
It was very polite of the servants to comment on the imperial concubine's embroidery skills, but since she had already admitted her mistake, it would be more satisfying to let the matter pass amicably than any gift.
Although he already knew what she would give, and the ancestor who was used to embarrassing others was not around, when the people who came to Yaoguang Palace presented the birthday gifts, Chen Rongshou clearly saw that the emperor's expression was much softer.
The emperor might not be able to stay at the banquet for long, and today is probably even more so.
However, on the tray that the eunuch of Yaoguang Palace presented with both hands... were three thick handwritten scriptures.
"The Imperial Concubine knows that Your Majesty is a devotee of Buddhism, so she used her blood to write three copies of the Amitabha Sutra, praying for Your Majesty's eternal blessings."
The eunuch bowed his head deeply until the emperor nodded, then he handed the scripture over and retreated with his hands hanging down.
The Empress Dowager knew that they were deeply in love at the moment, and she believed that the Emperor would like anything the Imperial Concubine gave him. She praised him, saying, "It's rare that she is so young and calm, and willing to put her heart into her work. The Emperor, please give her something as a reward."
The eunuchs before the emperor were terrified. The imperial concubine's arms were smooth today, so where would there be so much blood to make ink?
And... Chen Rongshou poured the wine into the cup, but saw the emperor raise his eyes and smile gently.
"You said the other day that the Imperial Concubine wanted to give me something?"
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