The palace was quite large. Zhu Xiluo walked through all the corridors and took a long time to reach Kunning Palace, the residence of Queen Huang.
Although she is the mother of a country, the queen's residence is still very simple, not even as luxurious as a rich man's room. There is a table, a few chairs, and the bedroom behind the screen. The long curtain blocks the spring light on the bed. There are no ornaments or potted flowers. Everything is very simple, which is in line with the style of a woman with a military background.
At this moment, the queen had already eaten and simply washed and dressed up. No heavy makeup, or even no makeup, just leaning on the soft chair, sitting with legs folded together.
In order to show the differences between people of different ranks, Zhu Yuanzhang made clear regulations. As a queen, she must have a double phoenix and dragon crown, and jewelry and bracelets made of gold, jade, jewelry, and jade. Gold-embroidered dragon pattern, various colors of true red big-sleeved clothes, Xia Pei, red Luo skirt, red back. The crown is shaped like a special bun with dragon and phoenix decorations on it. The clothes are woven with gold dragon and phoenix patterns and embroidered. Even in daily life, you must pay attention to the etiquette of the queen. The clothes will be bright but also very cumbersome. The main purpose is to distinguish herself from other classes and ordinary people. As a queen, she is the mother of a country and the daughter-in-law of God. Naturally, she You must always show a dignified posture, a focused look, and royal nobility in your words and deeds.
However, with the emancipation of some thoughts, many ancestral rules have been abandoned, such as real experiences before marriage. In addition, the queen was born in a military family, so she naturally dislikes some etiquette. Therefore, except for large-scale occasions, Queen Huang I usually dress according to my own preferences, and wear whatever I like. Wearing a simple gauze skirt, it is fat and doesn't show off your figure at all, but it's a lot cooler in this hot summer.
The queen is about fifty years old. The traces of time are very obvious on her forehead. There are also some traces of middle-aged fatness between her cheeks. However, her face is white and rosy. She seems to be in a good mood and her face is fair. , and no makeup, but she also has a kind of elegance that middle-aged women don't have. Although she is older, she was definitely a beauty when she was young. Although Zhu Xiluo was willing to marry the Huang family in order to disintegrate the Shun Dynasty army from within, Zhu Xiluo was still unwilling to marry the Huang family if they grew up too poorly. After all, they had to be hugged to sleep at night. If they were too ugly, their lives would be short-lived. .
Zhu Xiluo walked in. At this moment, the Queen was watching the TV series "Men and Women Should Be Equality" by the TV. This TV was bought a few years ago. It is probably the only household appliance in the Queen's house. There is no air conditioner or refrigerator.
The queen did not stand up when she saw Zhu Xiluo coming in. She just greeted like other couples: "Your Majesty, you are here. Have you eaten?"
Just like all greetings between friends, asking you if you have eaten is not because I want to invite you to dinner, but I simply don’t know what to say.
Zhu Xiluo didn't pay attention. He found a stool and sat down next to the queen, saying, "I've already eaten. What are you looking at?"
""Men and Women Should Be Equality" was a very popular TV series last year. That girl Xiaojunjun acted really well." The queen said while watching, her eyes always fixed on the screen. It is obvious that the queen also has the habit of watching TV dramas like ordinary women, especially The kind that comes and goes. Maybe the Empress wants to experience the first love she lacks in her life from the TV series!
Zhu Xiluo still doesn't like the current urban dramas, especially when the female protagonist abuses the male protagonist in various ways. In the end, after abusing the male protagonist, the two of them abuse each other. Zhu Xiluo despises such male protagonists. Emperor Zhu is trampled under the soles of millions of people. That is also chauvinistic. The love and love in TV dramas have lost the dignity of men and have no masculinity. They are desperate to die and cry here and there without shame. , I really don’t know if their parents have taught them that men should not shed tears easily.
Although equality between men and women is now emphasized, it is still difficult to change Zhu Xiluo's concept for a while.
Zhu Xiluo was also bored, and the queen kept watching TV. Ignoring him, he simply stood up and said, "I'm leaving."
"Oh, go and do your work." the queen replied.
"By the way, Xiaosi sneaked out again," Zhu Xiluo asked before leaving.
"Well, he said he wanted to go out and see the world," the queen replied.
"It's just nonsense. It's so big and it doesn't make people worry at all." Zhu Xiluo was very unhappy. As the prince of the Ming Empire, how could the noble Tianhuang escape so easily? What if something unexpected happened? He had already After losing two sons, I still cherish a few who survived.
"You don't have to worry. Xiaosi is so old. It's okay to go out and have a look. He has been staying in the palace and doesn't even have any friends." Huang looked at Zhu Xiluo, and then turned his eyes to the TV screen.
It has to be said that the advancement of science and technology has improved people's quality of life, but it has also affected people's lives and created countless otakus and otakus.
Zhu Xiluo no longer stayed and left Kunning Palace. He didn't have much love in the first place. It was purely the man's desire and the needs of the country that maintained the couple's life for decades. In addition, the Huang family was already old and yellow, although they were still She is a beautiful woman, but her physical strength, smoothness of skin, and attempts at various postures are far from those of those young people. Therefore, Zhu Xiluo only comes to sit there and finish a drink every day in a symbolic way. I'll leave after tea and won't stay here overnight. But the queen has long been accustomed to it. As long as the child is healthy, nothing matters anymore.
Zhu Xiluo once had the idea of replacing the queen with someone else, but he was opposed by the four princes after just a few words. After all, they had fought together for so long and had some deep feelings. In addition, the queen followed the army. During the southern and northern wars, he also had a good relationship with the grassroots soldiers. Many of these soldiers now have become the backbone of the army. Zhu Xiluo was very worried. The queen was not replaced, but the emperor was replaced. The danger was too great, so Zhu Xiluo simply gave up. .
According to the ancestral system, the status of the emperor's woman determines the enjoyment and treatment she receives. Obviously, the queen's status is still very high, but everything is also very ordinary, ordinary furniture, ordinary life, ordinary hobbies, The queen is like the aunt next door, without the slightest airs or any thoughts of being superior to others. This is why she has a high reputation among the grassroots soldiers.
Because Kunning Palace is the closest to Zhu Xiluo's dormitory, the next one is naturally Changchun Palace, the residence of the imperial concubine.
When they arrived at the Changchun Palace, the maid standing at the door had already announced her entrance and exit. As soon as Zhu Xiluo walked into the porch, the imperial concubine came out. She was wearing a wide-sleeved shirt with a bijia on top. The shirt was yellow, with a deep green scarf, and gold fish, shrimps and dragons woven on it. Pattern, pearl and jade pendant. Wearing red loose trousers with embroidery down the mountain, and flowing cloud boots. Walked towards Zhu Xiluo.
The imperial concubine was born in a famous scholarly mansion, and she also received the education of Confucius and Mencius since she was a child. She always has the habits of a scholar in her words and deeds. Slightly gentle, very noble and elegant.
Walking into Zhu Xiluo, the imperial concubine bent down and saluted and said: "Your Majesty, why are you here? You have to take care of everything every day, so you should get more rest."
Zhu Xiluo held up the imperial concubine with a smile and said, "You and I are husband and wife, so there is no need to be polite."
"Rites cannot be discarded"
Zhu Xiluo knew his wife's temperament, so he didn't say much. He took the concubine's hand and walked towards the palace, "I just finished the meeting and came out for a walk."
Compared with the simplicity of the queen's living room, the imperial concubine's room has much more things. There are a few simple potted plants and a large bookshelf, which takes up most of the space in the room. It is densely packed with books. It is indeed a home. Literary people, the imperial concubine has many books here.
There was no modern equipment such as a TV in the house. I disliked these concubines very much, especially the one with exposed breasts and exposed thighs. It was simply the style of a promiscuous woman. For a woman who has received etiquette education since she was a child, the imperial concubine has her own unique morals and values.
Helping Zhu Xiluo to sit down, the imperial concubine stood behind Zhu Xiluo and gently pressed his shoulders with a gentle and moderate force. Zhu Xiluo also enjoyed it.
The imperial concubine kept her hands on it and said: "Your Majesty, I made some sour plum soup. You can drink some to relieve the heat."
She motioned to the maid on the side to bring it, and the maid brought up a bowl. Then the imperial concubine continued: "Eunuch Hao Lian is still waiting outside. Go and give him a bowl too. It's a thank you for his hard work on such a hot day."
"Haha, my dear, you are so considerate. Brother De has been with me for more than twenty years and has always been devoted to his career," Zhu Xiluo said with a loud laugh.
The imperial concubine smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty also treats him like his own brother."
"Haha" Zhu Xiluo laughed a few more times. Without saying anything else, he took a sip of sour plum soup and immediately felt much cooler.
"Your Majesty, I just learned a massage technique recently. I'll give you a massage." The imperial concubine said. There was great expectation in his eyes.
"Oh. My beloved concubine can also give massages." Zhu Xiluo looked at her and was also very curious.
"The Holy One has many things to do every day. As a woman, I cannot help the Holy One with his official affairs. I can only do my duty as a concubine and relieve some of the fatigue of the Holy One." The imperial concubine said calmly.
"Haha, I love my concubine's kindness. How dare I disobey it? Well, I'll give it a try."
The imperial concubine was very happy and helped Zhu Xiluo to a soft platform. There was also such a soft platform in the queen's living room. It was probably used for resting.
Zhu Xiluo was lying on it, and the imperial concubine pressed Zhu Xiluo's head and squeezed it gently. After a while, Zhu Xiluo could hear the sound of sleeping snoring. The imperial concubine stopped what she was doing, found a thin blanket, and covered it with Zhu Xiluo's head. on the body. He sat aside and picked up a book called "Nv Fan Jie Lu". This book was written by Liu, the mother of Wang Xiang, a Confucian scholar in the late Ming Dynasty. 11 chapters on wisdom, diligence, thrift, and talent.
The imperial concubine read very seriously. The quiet woman is always so beautiful and pleasing to the eye.
At this moment, Hao Liande was sitting under the shade of a tree. On the small table was a bowl of sour plum soup sent by the imperial concubine, as well as several plates of snacks. Hao Liande took a sip of the sour plum soup, listened to the chirping of the cicadas on the tree, and watched the fish playing in the water. , I fanned myself for a while, and my body felt much cooler.
The scorching sun, the breeze, the chirping of cicadas, what a beautiful and warm scene. Picking up the tea cup and looking at the birds flying in the distance, Hao Liande wanted to recite a poem.
A half-life encounter, a half-life fate, the willow leaves have fallen and the flowers have faded.
When there is a storm, everyone is competing to save them. Who will pity the withered bones under the river?
Zhu Xiluo slept for a long time. When he opened his eyes, he saw the imperial concubine reading a book at the side. He said with a smile: "My dear concubine, the pressure is so comfortable, I almost fell asleep."
"Your Majesty works too hard, you should pay more attention to rest." The imperial concubine put down the book and smiled, like a blooming lily, showing white teeth and thin lips. The imperial concubine picked up a towel, soaked it in the water, and Zhu Xiluo wiped his cheeks.
"It's getting late. I have to leave. I'll see you again when I have time." Zhu Xiluo stood up.
The imperial concubine supported Zhu Xiluo and said with a slight smile: "The work of the emperor is important, I understand." Then he motioned to the maid to get something, and then said: "A few days ago, the mistress sent someone to bring back some local specialties. They said they were called coconuts. Your Majesty, please try them too. For my sister and sister, I just asked someone to send them over. ".
"Oh, right, I haven't seen the mistress for a long time. How is he over there?" Zhu Xiluo asked.
Xiaosan is naturally Zhu Xiluo's oldest surviving son and the son of the imperial concubine.
"It's good. He called and said that he learned a lot there and knew how hard it was for His Majesty to govern the country. He said that he would work hard to share the pressure for His Majesty." The imperial concubine talked in a leisurely manner. Concubine Gui also liked her son very much and was even more proud of him.
"Haha, the mistress has been staying outside for a year. It's been a hard time for him, so it's almost time to let him come back," Zhu Xiluo said with a smile.
"This is what he should do as the son of the Holy Emperor. Only by living with the people can we truly understand the lives of the people and know what they think, need and want. I originally wanted him to stay for a few more years. , Since the Holy One asked him to come back, I will call that boy later." The imperial concubine agreed with a smile.
After sending Zhu Xiluo away, a short while later a maid came to report, "Your Majesty, the Holy Concubine has gone to the Tihe Hall."
"Pa" slapped the maid's face hard, with a ferocious look on her face. The imperial concubine cursed fiercely: "Bitch, you are a fox."
