Time is passing, it is late summer, and it is the time when twilight falls.
The afterglow of the Golden Crow spread over the long courtyard. Shen Dingzhu was sitting in front of the window, sewing children's clothes with his own hands, while Grandma Song was teaching and giving guidance attentively.
Suddenly, there was a crisp sound of "pop" in the yard, followed by Shen Bi's complaining voice: "Xiucui, you don't even have eyesight when you walk now, do you?"
Shen Dingzhu put down her needle and thread, and looked into the courtyard through the half-open window with her beautiful eyes.
Xiucui was squatting on the ground collecting the broken tea cups. It seemed that she just wanted to come in and give Shen Dingzhu some tea.
Shen Bi looked at her shamelessly and complained endlessly: "Don't think that because the queen relies on you, you are allowed to run rampant in the palace. Look, my new clothes were rewarded by the queen, and they were wet by you. How else can I wear it?”
Xiucui held the tray, which was full of broken porcelain pieces. She was full of apologies: "Sister Shen Bi, don't be angry. Take it off and I'll help you wash it."
"No need!" Shen Bi waved her hands angrily and dusted her sleeves, looking more and more angry the more she spoke, "Who knows if your reckless character will ruin my best clothes."
Chunxi couldn't stand it anymore and stood up with a smile to smooth things over.
"Sister Shen Bi, you can't blame Xiucui for this. I saw it clearly from the side just now. It was clearly you who was lowering your head angrily and twisting your handkerchief shyly, and then bumped into Xiucui."
Shen Bideng looked at Chunxi and raised his voice: "What nonsense are you talking about? You are so stupid, but now you dare to talk about my aunt?"
She pointed at Chunxi and Xiucui: "You two are good friends and are bullying me together, right?"
Xiucui turned pale with fright: "Sister Shen Bi, don't say such nonsense!"
Whether it is with eunuchs or guards, palace maids cannot give or receive privately, as a word can easily lead to death.
Chunxi also repeatedly begged for mercy: "Forget me for talking too much, please be merciful, okay?"
Seeing that they were scared, Shen Bi raised her chin proudly. Before she could speak, a majestic female voice came from behind: "Shen Bi!"
Shen Bi turned around and saw Shen Dingzhu holding the door empty, standing in the gorgeous afterglow of the sunset.
She had a serious look on her face, and her beautiful eyes were dark and dull, but her red lips had already curled up in an unhappy arc.
The three people immediately walked up to Shen Dingzhu dejectedly and bowed their heads in greeting.
Shen Dingzhu's eyes swept away: "I usually indulge you too much, which is why you are so lawless. Why do you dare to say anything?"
Shen Bi felt aggrieved: "Mother, I am Xiu Cui..."
"I still want to make excuses!" Shen Dingzhu interrupted sharply, her beautiful face turned red with anger, and her milky white chest rose and fell with anger, "You have let me down so much, Aunt Song."
"My servant is here." Aunt Song stepped forward quickly.
Shen Dingzhu turned around, not looking at Shen Bi: "You take my place and slap her ten times, a small punishment but a big warning."
Everyone was shocked, and Shen Bi was also shocked: "My Lady... you, you want to beat this slave?"
She started crying, as if the sky was falling: "I have been with you since I was a child. When I was in the most difficult time, I was with you by my side, but you have to slap me for the few words of an outsider."
Shen Dingzhu closed his eyes: "Take her to the entrance of Yaoguang Palace so that all the palace people who come and go can see clearly. Palace people who speak indiscriminately and do wrong below, even if they are my personal maids, will not be punished." Wrong. "
"Chunxi, what are you still doing? Drag her down!" Shen Dingzhu urged again, which shocked Chunxi out of her confusion.
Shen Bi kept crying and threatened to hit her to death. Chunxi had no choice but to drag her with another eunuch: "Sister Shen Bi, just leave. Don't make me angry."
Xiucui knelt down quickly and begged for mercy on Shen Bi's behalf. Aunt Song couldn't help but say a few nice words. The rest of the palace people, including Yue Bai, tried hard to persuade Shen Dingzhu.
However, Shen Dingzhu only lowered his eyes slightly, then turned around, looking as beautiful as a peony with thorns.
The setting sun ignited the red gold in her eyes. The beauty's eyes were scorching, and she seemed to be wearing colorful drills on her shoulders. She said coldly: "If you make a mistake, you should be punished. If you plead for mercy again, you will be guilty like her."
Everyone trembled and could only keep silent and lower their heads. Only Xiucui was still kneeling on the ground, crying for Shen Bi's experience.
That night.
Xiao Langyan's chariot came to Yaoguang Palace. When the sky was dim, he stepped off the dragon chariot and saw a thin back, kneeling in the shadows.
"Who is that?" Xiao Langyan asked with a frown.
Xu Shou took a look: "It seems to be Miss Shen Bi, Chunxi, what's going on?"
Chunxi, who came to welcome the door, quickly bowed and explained the reason briefly.
When they were talking, Shen Bi was kneeling not far away, listening to everyone's voices.
Her cheeks were swollen and she sobbed from time to time, looking extremely embarrassed.
After Chunxi finished speaking, she sighed: "My Majesty actually didn't punish her to kneel down, but Shen Bi was not convinced and had to kneel down and wait for Madam to listen to her explanation. My Majesty is resting with a headache because of this."
Xiao Langyan's thin eyes were extremely dark, and under the flickering light of the surrounding palace lanterns, they looked calm and powerful, with dark shadows.
He said coldly: "Since you have offended the imperial concubine, let her stay away and not be an eyesore here."
"Yes." Chunxi lowered her head and agreed, urging Shen Bi awkwardly, "You go, don't stay here for the time being, you will offend the emperor and the empress."
Shen Bi raised her red tearful eyes, and Chunxi couldn't bear to look any further, waiting for Xiao Langyan to enter the courtyard.
Seeing the warm lights all over the courtyard, Nanny Song and Xiucui accompanied Shen Dingzhu to pick him up. Shen Bi's eyes were as cold as water. She choked and wiped away her tears, supported her stiff knees, and slowly supported the palace wall to leave. go.
She walked forward aimlessly and stopped at the edge of Qinxin Lake. The late summer wind blew up from the water and blew up her thin palace skirt.
Shen Bi cried heartbrokenly facing the sparkling water under the moonlight.
At this moment, there was a slight sound of footsteps behind him, as if someone was stepping on the grass.
"Who?!" Shen Bi turned around warily and saw a woman holding a lantern. Due to the angle of the backlight, Shen Bi couldn't see her face clearly, "Who are you?"
The woman's voice was soft: "My surname is Wan, and I live in the side hall of Yilan Palace."
Shen Bi wiped away her tears: "It turns out that you are a noble man, and I would like to pay my respects to you."
While the two were talking, the woman had already approached with a lantern. In the light, a fair and delicate face appeared with a warm expression.
She took out a handkerchief and handed it to Shen Bi: "I went for a walk after dinner and heard someone crying on the other side, so I came over to take a look. Your name seems to be Shen Bi. I vaguely remember that you are the maid next to the imperial concubine. Why are you crying here? Woolen cloth?"
Shen Bi took the handkerchief and whispered thank you. She lowered her head and her voice was lost.
"This slave is too clumsy. He is not as quiet and lovable as Xiucui. He is not as mature and capable as Nanny Song. He is not even as smart as Yuebai. In the master's heart, everyone is better than this slave."
Speaking of this, she couldn't help wiping her tears: "But slave, slave has served the empress for more than ten years. I have been in the Shen Mansion when I was three years old. I have been with you all the way. But, the imperial concubine, For embroidery, I slapped my slave ten times."
Wan Guiren sighed, feeling sorry for her: "I'm afraid there is some misunderstanding. Besides, as the concubine with the highest status in the Sixth Palace, there must be a reason for her to punish you."
"What's the reason?" Shen Bi was a little annoyed, "It's just that the slave was walking a little faster and knocked down Xiucui who was serving tea. But the slave didn't mean it. The slave knew that His Highness was about to pass away, so... "
Sudden!
Shen Bi realized that she had said the wrong thing, closed her mouth suddenly, her tears stopped abruptly, and she looked at Wan Guiren in panic.
Sure enough, she tilted her head slightly and looked at Shen Bi with doubts in her eyes.
The whole palace didn't know that Shen Dingzhu had given birth to a child for the emperor outside!
