Chapter 41 Secrets “She only has one.”
Many people were rushing back to the city before the curfew. As the goods in Caoshi gradually became less in demand, the vendors also packed up their stalls.
Qingzan heard that the voices of people had become much less, the wild water in the darkness had grown colder, and the yellow and thin withered lotus leaves were swaying, which was a bit shocking.
She unconsciously took a few more sips of wine.
Xiao Fang lay on the boat with his hands under his head, watching people drink one sip after another, without reminding her that the wine was quite strong.
It seemed like he was waiting to see when she would become too drunk.
As he watched, he couldn't help but smile and sighed meaningfully, "Last time, I was drunk after drinking only half a pot, but today, I am still clear-headed after drinking more than half a pot. It seems that since I am by your side, you dare not get drunk easily."
Qingzan had been sitting quietly, but now she stared at the man with a dazed look. Before she could say anything, she was pulled down by him and lay on his chest.
She felt that the emperor today was a hundred times more difficult to deal with than usual, or perhaps her mind was simply a mess.
She lay in front of him, thinking for a long time, and then, as if she had a flash of inspiration, she raised her head with a smile, wagging her finger and said, "It's better to say that it's because you're by my side that I don't want to get drunk."
The words were nice, but the attitude was that of a drunk.
It turned out that she was not drunk, but she was not drunk immediately, and she was too well-behaved and quiet just now.
For a moment, Xiao Fang was unable to tell whether she was really drunk last time.
He examined the man and spoke, "Since this is somewhat agreeable, I might as well be frank with you. Expecting me to give you a position and provide for your retirement before I neglect you is no different from expecting posthumous honors. How about this: the next time I'm unhappy, come and cheer me up, and I'll find a way for you to advance."
Qing Zan seemed to have not heard a word: "What path, what promotion?"
Xiao Fang lowered his eyes, then suddenly sat up and put his face in front of her: "Who am I?"
After asking, he seemed to feel that calling himself "I" was too obvious, so he changed his words and asked again: "Who am I?"
Qing Zan replied blankly, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Somehow, at this moment, Xiao Fang suddenly missed the sweet voice of her husband just now.
His eyes fell on the red lips so close to him, and he asked again, "Who is your Majesty?"
This time Qingzan shook his head slowly: "I don't know him."
"Don't know him?"
Xiao Fang lowered his head and looked at her silently. Qingzan did not hide, but just looked at him.
In the moist air, she raised her thick eyelashes in a daze, her eyes like an invitation.
Xiao Fang pinched her jaw, cutting off her possible escape route, and said hoarsely, "Then I'll introduce you to him."
Qingzan seemed to have no idea what he was going to do and had no intention of retreating at all.
However, the next moment, her body trembled, and tears rolled down her face like jade veins.
"Mother, I want to find you, I want to avenge you..."
Xiao Fang held his forehead, finally sighed, and carried the person ashore.
But Qingzan was very squeamish after being drunk, and refused to get on the horse. Xiao Fang forced her to ride, but before they had ridden far, Qingzan vomited on the side of the road.
Xiao Fang's face turned cold, but he couldn't scold someone who couldn't control himself at the moment.
Seeing that she was in pain, he simply tied his sword and bow and arrow to the horse, and he himself held the reins, carried her on his back and walked back.
The head drooped limply, as if it had lost support due to the confusion of consciousness, and drooped into the edge of his collar.
Warm and fragile.
"Green hairpin."
Xiao Fang tried to call her, but failed many times.
After confirming that she was completely drunk and unconscious, the emperor sighed deeply, supported her with both hands, and walked up the mountain road to the hunting palace.
"When I was a child, my father also carried my mother on his back like this. It was snowing that day, and I saw him carry her back to the palace like this."
After the emperor finished speaking, he paused and waited, but Qingzan still didn't react at all.
He continued, "That was the first time I learned the term 'deep love between husband and wife.'"
"But later, the most common thing I heard was that my father felt guilty towards my mother, and that's why he intended to make me the crown prince. So I don't need to be a master of civil or military affairs, or be extremely intelligent. Having a good mother is enough to overcome everything."
"Even the respect that my father holds me in high regard has become what they call compensation for my mother."
"At first, I was unwilling. Even if she was my biological mother, I didn't want to be her vassal. I studied all night long, practicing both literature and martial arts. My followers all advised me not to waste my energy, saying that my position was unshakable."
"I didn't believe it, and even resorted to violence against them. Later, I discovered that it was the truth."
In the darkness, the emperor laughed wildly and recklessly: "Perhaps this is a good fortune that others can't envy. It is destined that I will be the supreme ruler, and ascend to the throne of heaven."
These words were secrets that the emperor could not reveal to anyone else.
Long before the sons of ordinary families were old enough to take on the responsibility of supporting their families and being independent, the emperor had already pondered his thoughts thousands of times and decided to take them with him to the mausoleum.
There is no other reason. This is too humble and too damaging to the dignity and face of a solitary, wise and untainted monarch.
But tonight was the first time he carried someone on his back.
He inevitably thought of himself as a child, lying on the windowsill, watching his father returning home in the snow with his mother on his back, stepping deep and shallow.
The imperial concubine Yuan, who was the most favored concubine in the palace at that time, was actually not very happy. She was flamboyant and enthusiastic in front of people, but often shed tears behind their backs. Therefore, she often taught her son that the royal family was ruthless and the emperor was fickle, and asked him to learn to hide his thoughts and learn to be patient and silent.
But now when Xiao Fang thought about it again, he felt that no matter whether he was heartless or merciless, at least his father who carried his mother back to the palace that night must have had some sincerity.
It may not be enough, and it may not last long. Maybe you will regret it after just one night.
But for an emperor, sincerity at that moment is hard to come by.
The emperor no longer tried to figure out whether the person on his back was really drunk or just pretending to be drunk. Sometimes things just pass by in a muddle, and there's nothing wrong with that.
When they arrived at the Hunting Palace, the guards who came to take over the guarding shift saw them. They were stunned for a long time before they recognized that the two people in such simple clothes were actually the emperor and the favorite concubine in the palace.
He immediately asked the emperor whether he wanted to find someone to send Concubine Ying up, but the emperor just shook his head.
The guards just stood there, letting the emperor pass by them, lowering their heads and not daring to look any further.
The head guard was surprised, but he didn't know whether this matter could be spread or not, so he just treated it as something that could not be told to anyone and told his men: "Watch your mouths."
The night is silent and will swallow up everything. When the day breaks, the light of dawn will also swallow up everything of last night.
*
Inside the Qingyan Hall.
Xu Delu had not dared to rest, and had been guarding the doorway. Finally, when the emperor returned, he hurried forward to report: "Jieyi Zhen came and, seeing that you were not there, took Songtsen away. She also said that if Your Majesty wanted Songtsen, he should go to her in person to ask for him."
Seeing that the emperor had returned with someone on his back, Xu Delu was quite surprised. The mountain was so high that even a delicate person would have struggled to climb it on foot.
Just when I didn't know how to help the emperor, I heard the emperor's calm voice:
"Nonsense, anyone can take things from me?"
Xu Delu immediately tensed up, glanced at the emperor cautiously, and said with an apologetic smile, "Even this servant can't stop Concubine Zhen."
Looking around the entire palace, only Concubine Zhen dared to play such a bold trick with the emperor.
In the past, Your Majesty often indulged in this. After all, it was one of the few pleasures in the boring deep palace for years.
But now?
Xu Delu felt the change in the emperor's attitude.
Is it because of Concubine Ying?
Fortunately, although His Majesty seemed somewhat displeased with this, he did not get angry. Xu Delu wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with the back of his sleeve and followed the emperor into the Qingyan Hall.
The emperor carried the man into the inner hall, placed him on the couch, and loosened his shoulder bones twice.
He ordered, "Find someone to serve her."
"yes."
Xu Delu had already smelled the strong smell of alcohol on the two men and asked, "Should I have someone make two more cups of sobering soup?"
"Well, find me some clean clothes." The emperor said as he lowered his head and sniffed his sleeves twice, frowning.
Although he put her down in time when she vomited just now, he didn't know whether he was contaminated or not, so he naturally couldn't bear it as if nothing had happened.
Xu Delu saw obvious disgust on His Majesty's face.
I thought to myself, if you dislike me so much, why did you carry me all the way?
Can't you let the horse carry it back?
*
After Concubine Zhen returned, she fell asleep.
She always felt strange and uneasy. His Majesty seemed to be much busier than before recently, and his whereabouts became more and more erratic.
Unfortunately, the people in front of the emperor kept their mouths shut and refused to tell her where the emperor had gone no matter how hard or soft they tried to persuade her.
Concubine Zhen only knew that the emperor had not summoned anyone tonight. She originally thought that he was going out hunting at night, but there was no one in the enclosure.
Later, a more alert palace maid came to report that someone seemed to have seen Concubine Ying climb up the hill where the Qingyan Palace was located.
"It's her again." Concubine Zhen couldn't sleep.
Seeing the master so angry that he sat up in the middle of the night, hugging the quilt and sulking, the palace servant came forward and handed him a cup of tea: "Master, His Majesty is too special to Concubine Ying."
Concubine Zhen was already brooding over this matter. She pushed aside her teacup and said, "I don't have the leisure to drink tea. When I see him tomorrow, I will definitely ask him about it!"
The palace servant said worriedly, "I've heard a lot of gossip lately. Although Lady Ying is a palace maid and unlikely to achieve great things, with such a background, she must be more open-minded than the master and the ladies. Who knows, she might have fooled His Majesty with some kind of magic potion."
Concubine Zhen snorted coldly, "Is her reputation so resounding?"
Then he looked at the palace maid coldly and asked dignifiedly, "She is from the same family as you. Are you belittling her or yourself?"
The palace maid knelt down in front of the couch and said, "I dare not do that. I absolutely do not have such thoughts, nor do I have such ability."
Concubine Zhen said lazily, "Alright, get up. Stop saying things like that in the future. I hate her, but your words are demeaning not only His Majesty but also me. If I hear you again, watch your tongue."
The palace maids retreated in a panic.
But on the second day, Concubine Zhen found out that the emperor was going to host a banquet for princes and court officials. As a result, she would probably be either hunting or handling government affairs during the day and might not be free.
Sure enough, we waited until dark.
During this time, palace servants brought Songtsen three meals a day. After all, if a lion king was hungry, it would be much more terrible than a human being going hungry for several meals.
In the Qingyan Palace, the emperor tidied his clothes and was about to leave for the banquet. He paused and asked, "Are you still awake?"
Xu Delu knew the emperor was asking about Concubine Ying, so he quickly replied, "Master Ying may have drunk a little too much."
The noble lady had drunk the sobering soup, and the palace maids had wiped her body and changed her into new clothes. She didn't seem to be feeling unwell, but she had been snoring since she came back last night.
Xiao Fang frowned and said, "When she wakes up, let her go and get Songzan back herself."
Xu Delu then gave the instructions.
He put on an autumn cloak and accompanied the emperor to the banquet.
The night banquets at the Hunting Palace do not need to be subject to the same strict restrictions as those in the palace.
Following the emperor's instructions, the palace servants found a grassy slope, set up several tables and mats, and built a simple area in the center with stones and mud, and lit a dazzling bonfire.
Behind the grass slope are several palaces built on the flat ground, which is convenient for people who want to change clothes and rest during the journey.
The emperor sat around with everyone, drinking the strong liquor brewed by the Shan family and eating what they had hunted during the day. Naturally, everyone was in high spirits.
But halfway through the banquet, someone suddenly ushered in several dancers. They were all young women, some voluptuous, all with slender waists and bare feet. They clapped their hands and danced as they slowly entered the room. They wore very little clothing, and most of them had red beads on their faces. Only the lead dancer had a white veil covering her eyes.
Someone introduced them: "These are the maids in my mansion. They are all orphans with miserable lives. I have taught them some skills to make a living and to make you laugh."
These women had extraordinary skills, they could sing and dance, but the more they danced, the more they spun outward from the center and the closer they got to the emperor. In the end, they just had to take turns twisting their waists in front of the emperor.
Xiao Fang had an indifferent expression, with only a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
He suddenly put down his wine glass and asked softly, in a voice loud enough for everyone around him to hear, "Who arranged this?"
Xu Delu reported in a low voice, "It's the Transport Commissioner, Mr. Liu, and the Junior Minister of Rites, Mr. He. In previous years, the Imperial Rites would arrange some singing and dancing for the hunting palace banquet, but this year..."
But this year, someone apparently took advantage of his position to insert people who shouldn't have been there.
After the dance, the lead dancer came forward a little nervously. She was different from the woman behind her, wearing a plain dress with the most fabric, and her appearance was more elegant. However, even with the plain dress and simple decoration, her skin was as white as snow and her whole body was radiant.
A palace maid, who had been assigned early that morning, presented a small cup of wine. The woman stepped forward and said, "My name is Xiaoyin. I just danced to the piece I composed, Red Plum and White Snow. I wonder if I would be honored to receive your guidance, Your Excellency?"
The emperor didn't react at all, nor did he take the cup. He just narrowed his eyes without any emotion.
The woman then offered the wine cup to the emperor's hand on the table, and her little finger accidentally brushed across the back of his hand.
He Yingchu, the Junior Minister of Rites, saw this and scolded him, "You are so unruly! Do you know that the person in front of you is the current emperor?"
The woman, as if waking from a dream, panicked, and the white veil covering her eyes "accidentally" fell from her face. Without any obstruction, her blazing beauty stunned everyone's eyes at this moment.
The wine cups fell to the ground at the same time, splashing wine.
The woman immediately bowed down and said timidly, "I acknowledge my guilt."
The gauze fell on his body. The emperor picked it up with one finger and looked at it for a moment, and finally seemed to become interested.
He Yingchu's heart was also hanging in anticipation.
It is not easy to find a woman who is stunningly beautiful, clean, elegant, tactful, and has a cold demeanor, just like the favorite concubine in the palace.
But fortunately, His Majesty didn't seem completely uninterested. Even if he wasn't interested before he saw her face, he couldn't be indifferent to such a beautiful woman kneeling before him.
But the emperor laughed and seemed to praise: "You are quite thoughtful."
His body leaned back slightly.
The words he spoke afterwards were cold and dull, consisting of only one word:
"roll."
Not to mention the woman who called herself Xiaoyin, even He and Liu, and even some timid officials present, had hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.
The emperor's wrath is not something they can bear.
...What's wrong with Lord He? He could do such a ridiculous thing. No wonder His Majesty is not only unmoved, but even quite disgusted!
The emperor looked at the kneeling crowd and seemed to have lost interest.
As he suddenly stood up, the white gauze fell lightly to the ground and landed in front of Xiaoyin.
Xiao Yin didn't even have the courage to look up, and could only kowtow: "I shouldn't have offended Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to forgive me."
But the emperor didn't even look at her again.
Fortunately, he had no intention of ending the party and just said he wanted to take a rest.
Before leaving, he told Xu Delu:
"I'm going to change my clothes. When I come back, I don't want to see them again."
Xu Delu understood what His Majesty meant and immediately ordered his men to ask the dancers and their masters to leave.
He Yingchu deeply regretted following Liu Ren's bad advice. He hurriedly gave Xu Delu some silver, trying to make amends: "I beg you to say a few good words for me, sir. I was also confused for a moment."
Xu Delu pushed the silver away and shook his head with a profound and helpless tone: "I only have two words to say to you, sir."
"Please speak, sir."
"In short, His Majesty favors talented individuals with proven achievements. My Lord, please do not have any more evil thoughts that will ruin your bright future. If he has real achievements in the future, he will naturally not need our kind words."
Of course, this is actually a polite remark.
Xu Delu knew full well that Mr. He's career was drawing to a close. The position of Minister of Rites was a lucrative one, and His Majesty had long been trying to find a way to wrest such positions from those mediocre sons of aristocratic families.
Since he is not upright, this is simply a reason that comes right to his door.
Even he heard about what happened tonight, so how could Your Majesty really not know about it?
He Yingchu bowed his head repeatedly: "Thank you very much, eunuch. Anything else?"
"There's another saying... There's only one of these people. My Lord, please think about it carefully."
*
In the side hall, Xiao Fang changed his clothes, but the strong scent of powder still lingered, making people sneer.
Copying something and you end up with something else.
But the blindfolded dancing woman is not entirely without merit.
Xu Delu finished his work and immediately returned to serve at the emperor's side. Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the palace, the emperor gave him an instruction: "Go and prepare a white gauze ribbon about an inch wide."
After saying that, he chuckled slowly and said, "Send it to Lady Ying."
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