Chapter 76 Night Party (1) Internal and External Cooperation
The pair of parrots were originally sent to Chengluan Palace quietly without much publicity. In addition to the parrots, there was also the red fox fur coat, the brush washer used by the emperor in the hunting palace, and two boxes of tonic medicine for pregnancy protection.
Duobao put down all his things and left in a hurry. His back was sweaty and his expression was miserable.
When he returned to Taiji Hall, he didn't know how to report this to his master and the emperor, but he really couldn't control a parrot's mouth. Besides, the bird was very smart. It would not open its mouth before seeing its master. Who knew that once it opened its mouth, it would be a bolt from the blue.
In front of the Zhaoshui Palace, Qingzan held the cage and asked someone to find a small hexagonal flower table with legs as tall as a person. She placed the cage on it and placed it under the corridor.
After feeding them some chopped fruits and vegetables and asking someone to cook a whole egg in the small kitchen, the two parakeets started calling "Qingzan" one after another, without getting tired of it, and it gave people a headache.
The young palace maids also loved the plump, fluffy birds. Doukou and Suoying gathered around to admire them. Doukou stared at them intently, "Are they thanking their mistress? Otherwise, why do they keep calling out their mistress's name? Such rare little creatures are truly rare in this world."
When Suo Ying realized that this was a gift from the Emperor, a ploy to appease Sister Qingzan, she curled her lips in disdain, "How could he be so clever? He's just a parrot. I guess he's heard it too much."
This sound made Qingzan uncontrollably think of the scene where the emperor called his name to them. Suddenly, he reached out and opened the lock on the small door of the cage.
Unexpectedly, the two parrots did not move and remained in the cage.
Qing Zan said in a low voice, "I told you to leave, but you didn't, you idiots."
She was about to go back to the house when she remembered that tomorrow was the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. She had seen a Lantern Festival scene painted by a court painter hanging on the viewing corridor beside Taiye Lake. The entire Forbidden Palace was like a lantern market in the sky, with flaming trees and golden buildings everywhere, and bright light streaming down. The concubines and palace ladies walked around together, playing and laughing.
He then stopped and instructed the people behind him, "I won't be attending the palace banquet tomorrow. Please ask for leave for me and say I'm still feeling unwell. You can go and have fun by yourselves. There's no need to stay here to serve me."
Doukou and Suoying looked at each other, feeling helpless. Did their master intend to live like this for the rest of his life?
With the master in such a depressed mood, the palace servants were actually reluctant to go out and play on the fifteenth day. Not only might they be bullied in a sarcastic manner, but it would also be unethical to leave the master behind and have fun on their own.
So only a few of the old acquaintances and friends who had been assigned to other palaces left, while the rest were content to remain cooped up in the Zhaoshui Palace. Lighting a few more newly acquired candles made the interior and exterior brighter than usual, even as a way of decorating the palace.
Qing Zan knew that they were burdened by her, and felt a little sorry for it, so she asked someone to light the stove in the small kitchen, cooked a few tables of delicious dishes, and called the palace people in. But even the small kitchen was given to her by the emperor, and she felt indescribably awkward in her heart.
After dinner, she personally ordered them all out to enjoy the lanterns. Hearing that the Emperor was conferring a grand ceremony on the six palaces today, Consort Ming had people waiting on the road to distribute silver melon seeds, giving everyone a few, not a lot, to ensure everyone in the palace could enjoy the fun.
Qingzan fell asleep early and hid herself in the thick bed curtains to avoid the irreconcilable reality.
In the second half of the night, the excitement died down and many palace people returned. Qingzan was suddenly awakened by a burst of noisy, surprised and exclaiming sounds.
Suo Ying heard her getting up and putting on her clothes, so she came in and pushed her, saying, "Sister, come out and take a look. It's really beautiful!"
With such a commotion, it was impossible to sleep anyway. Qingzan had originally planned to go out and see what was going on, so she just followed the crowd and was dragged out of the hall.
As soon as he took a step outside, he saw hundreds of lotus lanterns floating on the water above the lotus pond, shining brightly above and below, illuminating the cold and dark night with a unique look.
Ten thousand buckets of golden lotus, bright as day.
But when asked, none of the palace maids knew who had arranged the lotus lantern. Qingzan pondered for a moment and ordered no one to tell anyone about this.
Who else?
If he hadn't mobilized the secret guards, how could he have displayed his magical powers in front of her silently?
Qingzan squatted down and picked up a lotus lantern. Even though her hands were wet with cold water, she held the bright and colorful lantern and looked at it for a long time.
*
The emperor hadn't announced anything about the gifts being delivered to Chengluan Palace or the Lantern Festival lights. Xu Delu was initially puzzled and chased after the emperor, asking, "If everyone knew you still cherished Master Ying, they would surely not dare to neglect her."
The emperor only smiled faintly upon hearing this, then sat down at his desk and removed the gauze wrapped around his palm. The blood clot had dissipated, but the bones in his hand were still somewhat stiff and painful to move.
Xu Delu raised his eyes and saw the calm and composed expression of His Majesty, and suddenly he realized something. Could His Majesty have done this on purpose?
He actually thought that His Majesty had not considered it.
Xu Delu thought deeply and realized that if Master Ying was not allowed to suffer a little, how could he know the benefits of being favored and held high by the emperor?
The emperor remained silent, only looking down and turning his palms, trying to adjust to the feeling of moving his wrist and writing after removing the plaster. However, Xu Delu continued to flatter him, "Your Majesty, you are great!"
From this perspective, His Majesty probably had ulterior motives in allowing Master Xun Huan to live in Chengluan Palace.
However, Xu Delu pondered this intention for a while but still couldn't figure it out.
Xun Huan moved into the Baoyuyou Pavilion in Chengluan Palace the day after the Lantern Festival. The emperor hadn't conferred a title on her during the grand ceremony, but judging by the situation, it wouldn't be long before the emperor could confer a title on her.
She entered Chengluan Palace with great fanfare, carrying only a few boxes and cages, and was accompanied by only a maid assigned to her by the empress dowager to serve temporarily. However, she made quite a commotion as soon as she entered, as if she wanted to let everyone know that such an ancestor as her was now living in Baoyuyou Pavilion.
The palace maids in Zhaoshui Palace always felt that this master was deliberately showing off, so they started to defend themselves in front of Qingzan: "He lives in our place, but he still wants to show off to us. He hasn't even been canonized yet!"
Qingzan cut a few pieces of Hangzhou silk and was making a windproof hat for the baby. She seemed calm and composed, as if she was oblivious to what was happening outside.
Hearing this, one would stop talking nonsense: "She is not that kind of person."
Besides, the places in the palace ultimately belonged to the emperor, and he could give them to whomever he wanted, even the place where she had lived before.
The palace maids did not know that their master and Miss Xun had a past relationship, and they thought that their master was kind-hearted, so they continued to pout and look in the direction of Baoyuyou Pavilion. Although they did not dare to say anything, they still felt uncomfortable in their hearts.
Someone just came to lift the curtain and report: "Miss Xun Huan is here, she said..."
"What did you say?" Qingzan asked.
"He said... he came to pay his respects to the Lord."
The little palace maid, unable to contain her temper, immediately said, "Look at what this servant has to say!"
Qingzan couldn't help but frown slightly.
Paying respects to the main seat, it seems that the emperor really wants to enthrone her.
It would be a lie to say that she was not upset at all, but what made her most uncomfortable was that she was actually upset about this matter.
She sighed deeply and said calmly, "Let her in."
Xun Huan wore a red plum blossom in her hair today, a rich red rabbit fur shawl, and a crabapple-colored skirt underneath. When she entered, she stood out from the silence in the room. Before she even saw her, she heard someone laugh: "Your Highness, where are you? Huan'er is here to pay her respects to you——!"
She quickly raised the curtain and said, "It's hidden so deeply. It must be hard for people to find it, Madam."
Qingzan didn't take her anger out on her. Thinking about how they hadn't seen each other for over half a year since the Empress Dowager's birthday, she raised her hand and invited her to sit down. Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, she said, "From now on, you don't have to be so distant with me. Now that you've settled into Chengluan Palace, you can do whatever makes you feel comfortable. You don't have to pay me respects. I'd actually rather... we just get along like we did back then."
That day, when she was first conferred the title of noble lady, she received a lot of cold stares, but the time when she talked with her in the side hall was the only one that she felt relaxed and at ease when she recalled it.
Xun Huan rubbed his hands, hung them over the charcoal fire for a moment, then walked towards Qingzan. He first looked at her bulging belly curiously for a long time, and then noticed the work in her hands.
When Qingzan was trying to sew the Hangzhou silk and the white cotton lining together, the stitches were a little messy. Even Xun Huan, an amateur, could see that the new stitch was more sloppily done than the previous one.
After sizing him up for a moment, Xun Huan burst out laughing and said, "I'll only be staying for a few days. You expect me to greet you every day? That's not possible! I was just teasing you. Are you jealous?"
Qingzan lowered her brows and did not answer, but Xun Huan was not annoyed. She sat next to Qingzan in a very familiar manner, as if she wanted to see clearly what exactly she was going to sew.
She herself has never liked these women's embroidery works, but she finds it fresh and interesting to watch others do it.
After a long while, he turned to Qingzan and explained, "Your Majesty said that he didn't want to waste the manpower to clean up the house for me. Since your Baoyuyou Pavilion has been renovated and is relatively neat and clean, he simply asked me to come over and keep you company."
Qingzan then raised her head from the fine stitches and looked at her: "Aren't you going to stay in the palace this time?"
The rumors were spreading like wildfire, and coupled with the parrot - the palace servants could no longer hide it from her, and she heard yesterday that Xun Huan was going to stay.
Xun Huan smiled mysteriously, leaning over, and said, "Who says the palace can only have concubines? You are so narrow-minded, just like those vulgar people!"
Her peach blossom eyes sparkled with a strange brilliance, and she said proudly, "If I want to be one, I'll be Liu Shang's female official!"
The misunderstanding was resolved, and Qingzan breathed a sigh of relief without even noticing it.
When she faced people again, she finally felt less awkward. Seeing Xun Huan's curiosity about what she was holding, she explained, "This needlework is called ming sui. If you turn it over, you can't see the stitches from the front. It's just that I haven't done it in a while, so my hands are rusty."
In fact, she shouldn't care who the emperor wants to enthrone, but if he really arranges someone to live in Chengluan Palace, she may not be able to get along with him with a completely normal heart for a while.
When Xun Huan mentioned that she would be taking up the position of Si Le, Qing Zan couldn't help but feel happy for her. This was not only Xun Huan's interest, but she would also have a glorious and promising future in the future and would not be confined to the boudoir.
Qingzan cut the rough stitches and carefully re-tidied them, smiling as she said, "I'm just an ordinary person, not a supernatural being. It would be even better if you could become a court lady, and it wouldn't be a waste of your talent."
However, Xun Huan did not allow her to continue sewing. She snatched the things away and put them on the table.
He stared at her for a long time and said firmly, "You had a quarrel with your brother, the Emperor."
Qingzan was stunned, neither admitting nor denying. He glanced at her, and then his gaze disappeared like smoke and flowing water.
Without the tangled needle and thread in her hands, she could only let it hang on her knees, tightly clutching the cuffs of her inner garment.
"How about I give you some advice?" Xun Huan suddenly said.
She stood up, closed the door, and sat down again. A young woman, unmarried and untouched by human desire, brazenly acted like a teacher: "I saw those two parrots in the corridor. They're for you! I say, you need to change your mindset. Look, you and His Majesty are already husband and wife. You're even pregnant with a child, a future princess or prince! If ordinary couples were at odds, I would advise you to divorce quickly. Wouldn't you be free and unrestrained on your own? But your husband is the emperor."
Qing Zan pursed her cherry lips and couldn't help interrupting, "If you say this to me again, I'll kick you out."
The current situation somehow reminded her of the time when she went to Huying Pavilion to comfort Concubine Yang.
Yang Pin was trapped by love, and so was she. However, this love was not just a love between young people, but also included sorrow, self-blame, resentment, and guilt...all kinds of things, and her heart was already tangled.
Xun Huan insisted on finishing his words, raised a finger and said, "Just one more sentence, just one more sentence!"
"What I'm saying is, you've worked so hard to get to where you are today. Even if you're tired of him now, while he's still willing to coax you, you should try to find some benefits for yourself and your unborn child. Even if we're done with each other, you can still continue your business. How can you just leave yourself to him for nothing? Besides, don't you have any unfulfilled ambitions? Do you really think he's useless?"
Although he said only one sentence, it was obvious that he said a lot more, and every sentence was like the wind blowing past Qingzan's ears.
The only thing is that vision that has not been achieved...
Yes, she does.
She asked herself that she never cared about fame and wealth, but her mother risked her life to save someone. Why should this kindness that should have attracted worldwide attention be buried under the loess? Why did the world only know that Marquis Yongning was heroic in saving the woman, but did not know that he clearly robbed and replaced a woman's credit, and that he was clearly a blood debtor with an ugly face!
Qingzan's fingertips moved slightly, and although she still did not agree, after a long while, she finally said, "Thank you."
*
At night, since she was no longer living alone in Chengluan Palace, Qingzan naturally had to consider others. She ordered the female officials to lock the doors at the curfew time.
The moon was at its zenith, and the frosty night was deep. Qingzan fell asleep on the pillow, feeling a little drowsy. Suddenly, someone knocked on the window. She almost thought she had misheard, but the sound hitting the wood of the window frame was muffled and clear, and continued intermittently for several times. Qingzan finally got up to check.
When he opened the window, the chilly air suddenly hit his face. Qingzan shivered and only then could he see the clear outline of a figure standing in the pitch-black darkness in the moonlight.
"I thought that if I didn't freeze myself to death, I wouldn't be able to see you again."
There was a thud in Qingzan's head...
How did he get in without alerting anyone?
Suddenly, she thought with some gritted teeth that she finally understood why he let Xun Huan live here.
Both side doors were bolted and could be unlocked without a key. If Xun Huan were here, he could have collaborated with this late-night uninvited guest and opened the door for him.
This was all his plan, why is he still pretending to be pitiful to her?
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The author has something to say: The dog still has some scheming in him [sunglasses]
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