As soon as Yushu left, Nalan started coughing. Several doctors on duty at the Imperial Hospital rushed into Zhaoyang Palace, taking his pulse and boiling medicine. They were busy for more than two hours.
The hall was filled with a strong smell of medicine. Nalan Hongye was lying on the bed, still gasping for breath. After half a day's tossing and turning, her face became even more pale.
"Empress, I have heard that the Emperor will be staying in Qinglu Palace tonight and there will be no master to serve him."
Nalan covered his chest with his hands, his breath was a little weak, and asked: "Is Concubine Cheng not in Qinglu Palace?"
"No, Concubine Cheng is having her period and is staying at the Red House to avoid the red."
Nalan nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "The weather is getting colder. Tell Cao Qiu to tell his servants to be careful and not let His Majesty catch a cold."
"yes."
Just as Wen Yuan was about to leave, Nalan suddenly called out, "Forget it, you don't have to go." After that, he turned around and lay down inside, and his voice came over very softly, "Don't call for dinner, I want to sleep for a while."
"Yes, madam."
Yan Xun has been in power for five years, and like many emperors throughout the dynasties, his harem has gradually become lively. Countless young and beautiful women flowed into the palace. Some of them were pretty, some were cool and beautiful, some were well-read, and some were naive and cute. It was as if all the flowers in the world had bloomed overnight in this lonely palace, and the whole day was filled with flowers and prosperity.
Unfortunately, even though she had been in the palace for four years, Nalan Hongye still hadn't given birth to a son or daughter. Instead, other concubines were pregnant again and again. General Cheng Yuan's sister, Concubine Cheng, even gave birth to a pair of boys. Their status in the harem was almost as high as that of the queen who had retired from the world due to illness.
And he had not set foot in Zhaoyang Palace for a long, long time.
Today, if Yushu hadn't brought Yong'er here, I'm afraid he wouldn't have come.
The sun gradually set, the moon climbed up to the treetops, and a pair of red candles burned high, flickering bright light. Nalan Hongye is very thin now. She curled up in the quilt like a skinny bird. She coughs softly from time to time.
Maybe, I haven't thought about it for a long time.
On the day of the Guanxia Alliance six years ago, the news of the birth of the young prince in Qinghai spread throughout the Simon Continent. The young prince was in poor health due to catching a cold and being shaken in the womb, and he almost died shortly after birth. The Princess of Qinghai was also in danger due to postpartum weakness. The King of Qinghai is well-known for his emphasis on his wife and children. Back then, he gave up the opportunity to compete with Yan Xun for the world for his wife, let alone today.
Qinghai immediately issued a notice, offering a reward of 10,000 gold coins, seeking a famous doctor of the time. It was heard that Mr. Qingzhu of Maoling was an excellent doctor, but he was old and conservative, and regarded Qinghai as a barbaric place and was unwilling to move. The King of Qinghai at that time actually dared to lead only 3,000 elite cavalry out of Cuiwei Pass at the peak of the alliance between Yanbei and Huaisong, and charged all the way to Maoling, where he captured Mr. Qingzhu and ultimately saved the lives of the young master and King Xiuli.
The day the news came was the day she and Yan Xun were engaged. The golden invitation and the red mandarin ducks, everything fulfilled her long-cherished wish.
She opened the golden card and saw their names written in his own handwriting at the top.
Yan Xun Nalan Red Leaves
Just like that, side by side, every stroke, every horizontal line and every fold, it seemed to outline her long half-life. Her fingers passed over the white-headed phoenix, the double red gold stickers, and the gold-stamped seal characters, and stopped at the eight words that exuded joy:
Watch over each other and stay together forever.
Although these were just the simplest eight words, they made her eyes moist.
That evening, the two of them sat in the Hehuan Hall to enjoy the double wedding banquet. Outside the courtyard, an apricot tree was in full bloom, like flaming clouds. When the wind blew, the petals fell in all directions, and the sky was filled with red and pink flying petals, like gorgeous rain.
He sat in front of her, his face calm and his words full of diplomatic rhetoric. His words were few but precise, neither seeming rude nor overly familiar.
Nalan Hongye wanted to speak out some of her past that she had hidden for a long time several times, but was blocked by his indifferent expression. As it was getting dark and he was about to leave, she couldn't help but feel anxious. Just as she was about to speak, his personal bodyguard suddenly said that there was urgent military intelligence to report.
The King of Qinghai was almost approaching Maoling when these people reported this important news.
Yan Xun was usually calm and indifferent, but his expression changed at that moment. He ordered the troops near Maoling to assemble on the spot. He was determined to stop the King of Qinghai in the pass for one day at any cost.
But before the guard walked out, he called out to the guard. The evening setting sun shone on his face, with a dim light. His hand was half extended, maintaining the same posture, as if he wanted to say something but didn't. In the courtyard, apricot blossoms fluttered and fell to the ground, covering the ground.
"Forget it." He lowered his hands and regained his usual calmness.
"Forget it?" The guard was slightly stunned and asked unconsciously.
Yan Xun raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this. He didn't say anything, but his eyes swept across the guard's face, like a pool of freezing cold water.
The guard was so frightened that he fell to his knees and retreated.
The sky gradually darkened. Yan Xun turned his head and smiled at Nalan Hongye naturally. He picked up a piece of green bamboo shoots for her and said, "Eat more bamboo shoots. It's good for your health."
Nalan Hongye had been through ups and downs in the officialdom for half his life, and had already mastered the art of nourishing qi to perfection.
She also smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
This was just a very small episode. All the servants who were there forgot about this insignificant matter in an instant, but she was the only one who remembered it vividly.
That evening, in the afterglow of the setting sun, she seemed to realize something in a trance, but for so many years, she had refused to admit it.
A low cough was heard in the bedroom. Wen Yuan, who was serving in the outer hall, grabbed a handful of Suhe incense and put it in the incense burner, frowning slightly.
The moonlight outside the window is dim and the shadows of the trees are dancing. Winter in Zhenhuang is coming again.
Yushu slept during the day and felt sleepy at night.
She put on a silver fox-trimmed cloak, carried a lantern, and went to Yong'er's room. Yong'er was very well behaved. He didn't kick the quilt and slept soundly with his little mouth pouting, as if he was dreaming about eating something.
Yushu sat down beside his bed. The night wind was so quiet. The soothing incense in the corner swirled up in circles, like curling smoke from a kitchen in the countryside. Yushu reached out to touch his son's face, but was afraid that he would be exposed to the cold air from outside, so he just gestured at his forehead, then raised the corners of his mouth and smiled slightly.
Before he knew it, the third watch drum sounded in the distance, and the night watchman's voice was long and distant. Yu Shu was filled with peace at this moment, and even the sound of the cautious candles sounded particularly peaceful.
She stood up and walked out, closed the door for the child, and was about to turn back to her room, but when she turned around she saw the candlelight in that room.
For a moment, she was stunned.
Just like thousands of times over the years, she stood there and stared quietly.
Five years have passed. The stone statue in Donghai is covered with dust, and the upright officials in the court and the public have forgotten his name. Even the coastal people who once prayed for him day and night have probably removed his memorial tablet and replaced it with that of their own parents and relatives.
Everyone gradually forgot that person, forgot his achievements, forgot his contributions, forgot his voice, his smile, and even forgot the high price he had paid for this country and this land.
However, only she, this silly woman, did not forget to light a room of candles for him in his study every day when night fell.
She didn't dare to approach him, just like when he was alive. Even if she made the soup herself, she could only ask the maids and servants to bring it to him.
He said he had government affairs to attend to and would not allow anyone to disturb him, so she believed him.
He said he had urgent military information and no outsiders were allowed to approach, so she believed him.
He said he would be busy until late tonight and would stay in the study, and asked her not to wait for him, so she believed him.
She is such a silly woman that she believes whatever her man says. But sometimes, she also wanted to say something, just a few simple sentences, like she was just like a servant, who came out to bring a bowl of soup and would not disturb him; like she was his wife, perhaps not an outsider; like she actually slept very late every night, so even if he was busy until very late, he didn't have to worry about waking her up.
But she still didn't dare to say it. Perhaps, she just felt a little shy and couldn't say it.
So, she would lie on the window frame day and night, looking at the light in the study. Only when the light went out could she climb into bed and close her eyes peacefully.
Sometimes she would wonder, does this count as sleeping together?
But as soon as this thought came to her mind, her face turned red with embarrassment.
Every time she went back to her parents' home, her sister would quietly ask her if her prince had an affair. She would get angry every time she heard this. What kind of person is the prince? How could they slander him with such intentions?
But she was not good at speaking, and she couldn't win the argument with her sisters after several attempts. Gradually, she even went back to her parents' home less often.
She knew that she had the best husband in the world. He was upright, kind, and talented. His paintings were praised by the whole court, his calligraphy was the best in the capital, and his poems were widely circulated. He never drank at home, and even when he sometimes socialized outside, he never got drunk. He did not take concubines and did not engage in prostitution. He was a famous Xuanxian King in the court and the most prestigious general in the army.
Although he sometimes neglected her because of his busy government affairs, so what? Compared to her mother, her sisters, and those noble ladies who were vying for favor all day long, she was already much luckier.
He is her husband, her heaven, her whole world.
Wasn't she supposed to trust him, take care of him, and wait for him?
How can there be doubt, suspicion, slander, and resentment due to sadness about the passing of time?
What's more, even if he is gone, she still enjoys the achievements he left behind during his lifetime, and also has the most precious child he left her.
There is nothing to be dissatisfied with.
She smiled slightly, her smile was clear and pure. She tugged at the collar of her cloak and said silently, "I have to go buy window paper tomorrow. It's getting cold, and I need to change the window paper in the study."