That night, Shen Dingzhu didn't know how she got back to Yaoguang Palace. She only knew that she fell asleep after begging for mercy in Yuanyuan Palace.
In the blur, she could feel Xiao Langyan's wet and hot love kiss falling on her eyebrows.
But he still didn't give up torturing her!
It was when I returned to Yaoguang Palace the next day that I heard Shen Bi say: "The emperor said that the empress drooled while sleeping and soiled the skirt of her clothes. Later, when the empress came back, the emperor wrapped her in a dragon robe. The palace people also said everywhere that the empress is really favored!"
Shen Dingzhu was so angry that her chest still hurt.
Does she drool while sleeping? Xiao Langyan, this stinky man.
The thirteenth day of the first lunar month.
Xiao Langyan summoned some close ministers to discuss matters, held a banquet at the previous court, and allowed them to bring their female relatives.
Sun Qingya and Mrs. Sun were among them. After the banquet, the two of them obtained permission from Xiao Langyan and were led by the palace servants to visit the harem gardens.
But Xiao Langyan specifically asked Mrs. Sun and Sun Qingya to visit Shen Dingzhu.
Mrs. Sun said to her daughter in private: "Does the emperor want to see what the imperial concubine means by doing this? If the imperial concubine doesn't like it, we have to leave immediately?"
Sun Qingya remained silent for a long time before nodding: "That should be the case."
Mrs. Sun looked worried and lowered her voice: "Why is this? Does the Emperor still love Concubine Shen enough?"
Sun Qingya asked her mother not to talk nonsense. Mrs. Sun was arrogant, her husband was a popular person in front of the emperor, and her son was also popular, so she was unwilling to visit Shen Dingzhu.
Sun Qingya could not persuade her, so she could only find an excuse for Mrs. Sun's absence when meeting Shen Dingzhu.
"Please forgive me, my mother. I just drank some plum wine at the banquet. When I came over, I accidentally caught the wind and felt dizzy. When I saw that she really couldn't walk, I asked my mother to stay by the Qinxin Lake. The Nuan Pavilion is resting for the time being."
Sun Qingya said, raising her eyes to quietly look at Shen Dingzhu's expression.
At that time, the Yaoguang Palace was full of flowers. It was the beginning of spring, and the sky and the earth were still covered with ice and snow. However, the Yaoguang Palace was as warm as spring, and the fragrance of flowers overflowed. Looking around, you could see all kinds of exotic flowers and plants placed in the palace. It is for Shen Dingzhu to play with.
It is said that Xiao Langyan specially ordered the gardeners to be careful. The flowers that can be brought to Shen Dingzhu must be harmless to pregnant elephants.
Sun Qingya felt sour in her heart, and she persuaded herself not to be jealous, but seeing Shen Dingzhu being so favored, she was even more frightened, fearing that the emperor would no longer be able to tolerate others.
Shen Dingzhu was very caring: "Is Mrs. Sun okay? Do you need me to send a messenger to the palace to send a bowl of sobering soup to Ling Ci?"
She is wearing a bright yellow dress today, with the bright moon and auspicious clouds embroidered on the skirt. The pattern is exquisite and clever, and the moon is surrounded by circles of auspicious clouds, which is lifelike.
Sun Qingya looked up again and saw that in Shen Dingzhu's dark cloud bun, the hair accessory that matched her skirt was the moon palace Chang'e made of topaz and topaz, with small topaz rabbits hanging on both sides of her earlobes.
Xiao Langyan's clothes symbolize the supreme sun, but she is actually the moon. The sun and the moon depend on each other, and the deep love is visible.
Shen Dingzhu's complexion was rosy, without the slightest hint of haggard or sallowness during pregnancy. Instead, she looked energetic, and her beautifully contoured eyebrows were always smiling.
Sun Qingya felt sad and lowered her head: "Thank you, Madam, I don't need the sobering soup. Mother, she can rest for a while and she will be fine."
Shen Dingzhu knew that the Sun family was highly used in the previous dynasty, so she asked Shen Bi to take out a set of sea blue heads and masks given to her by Xiao Langyan and give it to Sun Qingya.
She had so much jewelry that she couldn't even use it all, so Sun Qingya was stunned when she saw such a generous gift.
"I don't have anything special around me, but I guess a girl of your age must like hairpins, rings and jade ornaments. You can take this set of hair back and wear it. The sea blue color will look very beautiful on you."
Shen Dingzhu's praise was very straightforward, with no hidden hints, but sincere praise, which made her even more beautiful and elegant.
Sun Qingya was frightened for a moment. With Shen Dingzhu's magnanimity, it was not an exaggeration to say that she was a queen.
Probably Shen Dingzhu's tone was so good that it reminded Sun Qingya of her, and all she thought of was gentleness and kindness. Sun Qingya could no longer bear the grievance in her heart and knelt down in tears.
"Empress! I want to ask you to fulfill my wish."
Shen Dingzhu was a little surprised to see her like this, and put her jade hands on her abdomen: "Miss Sun, what do you mean? Get up and talk."
But Sun Qingya couldn't afford it and insisted on finishing her speech. Seeing this, Xiucui took the rest of the people away decisively and guarded them at the door.
"Your Majesty, my daughter likes the emperor. She has noticed him since he was a prince and has liked him for eight years. When she learned that she could enter the palace and become a queen, she was happy all night long. Without sleep, can you understand that feeling?"
Sun Qingya said, raising her head, her young and beautiful face was full of tears, and her originally lively and cheerful eyes were full of sadness.
"But my daughter has done something wrong. The emperor does not want my daughter to enter the palace. People outside say that the emperor has made it clear in private that for your sake, he will not accept any more concubines. But my dear, my daughter has been waiting for a long time. , just waiting for this opportunity.”
"If I can't marry the emperor in this life, I will not be able to rest in peace. In fact, I have already seen that the emperor has you and only you in his heart, but I am not willing to accept it... Your Majesty, please help a group of ministers. !Even if I can’t be a queen, I am just a concubine and a noble person, and I will have no regrets.”
As she spoke, she kowtowed to Shen Dingzhu, her hot tears falling on the cold, smooth and bright blue bricks.
Shen Dingzhu was stunned when he heard the words. The twinkling eyes in her eyes, paired with her bright moon clothes, were like the moon casting a swaying shadow in the stream.
Shen Dingzhu looked complicated: "Do you want me to help you get closer to your husband?"
This question was simple but powerful, like a knife blade. Sun Qingya stopped crying, raised her head, and looked at Shen Dingzhu intently: "Empress... I, my daughter, I can make a promise to you."
"All the help the Sun family has will be given to the empress. I don't seek power and position, I just want to stay in the harem and see the emperor every day. The day after tomorrow is the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. I heard that the emperor will bring Your Majesty, please go see the lantern. My Majesty, can you please..."
Before she could finish her words, Shen Dingzhu interrupted: "I can't and won't."
Sun Qingya froze in place.
Shen Dingzhu's eyes were as distant as ice and snow, and the purple smoke from the gilt incense burners on both sides fell gently on her body with the light coming in from the window.
"You overestimate me. I don't need the help of the Sun family. In this harem, nothing is more reliable than the emperor's favor. I have the time to help you, so why not use this time to serve the emperor properly? , so that the position becomes more stable?”
She said and smiled, which seemed to pin Sun Qingya's embarrassment and awkwardness in place, making it impossible for her to escape or break away.
Sun Qingya's face gradually turned pale, tears were still there, but there was already hatred in her eyes: "Empress...if there is no servant girl, there will be someone else, why can't it be a servant girl? If Qingya can enter the palace, she will definitely be of use to the queen. "
Shen Dingzhu lowered her eyes and fiddled with an imperial purple jade Ruyi with her jade hand. She let out a faint sigh as her slender fingertips passed through the tassel on the tail of Jade Ruyi.
"Miss Sun, you don't understand. You already have a family background that others envy, and a father and brother who love you. You could have a better destination, so why would you waste your time in this palace?"
Sun Qingya suddenly stood up and said angrily with tears in her eyes: "My daughter doesn't need this! My daughter just wants to get what she wants. Even if she loses what she has, it won't be a pity!"
After that, she turned and left in a hurry. Shen Bi and Xiucui just poked their heads in and were almost knocked down by Sun Qingya who left angrily.
Xiu Cui hurriedly supported Shen Bi, and Shen Bi was annoyed: "Who are you, coming to Yaoguang Palace and yelling, are you tired of living?"
Shen Bi and Xiucui hurriedly entered the palace to check whether Shen Dingzhu had been harmed by Sun Qingya.
"Your Majesty, when the Emperor comes tonight, you have to tell the Emperor that this Miss Sun is too presumptuous."
Shen Dingzhu's beautiful eyes were faint, and she stood up gently holding her waist: "She is still young, and she doesn't understand that what she has now is so valuable that I can't even get it if I want it."
She didn't complain to Xiao Langyan after all.
For a girl who cannot love, time will teach her cruel lessons.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Xiao Langyan went to court early in the morning, kissed Shen Dingzhu's eyebrows, and told her: "I will put down government affairs early in the evening to accompany you to light the lanterns. Don't go to bed too early."
At night, Shen Dingzhu got ready.
The Lantern Festival is also a good day for men and women to find love.
Xiucui was absent-minded all day long, and Shen Dingzhu and Shen Bi were still curious, until Chen Heng's figure appeared at the door in the evening, and Xiucui's eyes lit up.
Shen Bihaha joked: "You Xiucui, no wonder you have been out of your mind all day long. It turns out that your soul has been taken away by Guard Chen!"
Xiucui's cheeks were hot and red, she pushed Shen Bi, and Xiucui led Chen Heng to Shen Dingzhu.
Chen Heng knelt down to say hello: "Your Majesty, in my humble position, can I take Xiucui to put out the lanterns?"
Shen Dingzhu smiled: "The emperor also gave you a holiday?"
Chen Heng nodded: "Your Majesty asked me to remember to be on duty tomorrow morning."
Shen Dingzhu laughed and looked at Xiucui: "Go quickly, tonight is a good day, don't miss it."
Xiucui quickly thanked her and left with Chen Heng.
Shen Bi looked at their backs and shook her head: "Mother, Xiucui will get married sooner or later, and you will only have slaves to accompany you!"
Chunxi teased from the side: "The emperor will come to pick up the empress in a moment. You can only spend time with me tonight, right?"
Shen Bi's face changed angrily: "Who wants to live with you! You are such a stinky kid, how dare you make fun of me?"
The two of them were chasing and fighting in the palace, and Shen Dingzhu was so happy that he asked someone to send a bowl of glutinous rice balls to Nanny Song who was recovering from illness, which was considered to be a sign of concern.
After dinner, Shen Dingzhu brought a basket prepared in advance, covered with a layer of cloth.
Shen Bi was curious: "Empress, what is this? Have you prepared a gift for the emperor?"
Shen Dingzhu blinked her slender eyelashes: "I can't tell you, I have to let the emperor see this for himself."
She felt that Xiao Langyan had done so much for her, so she should make him happy for once.
So, we waited for another hour.
It's almost time.
Shen Bidu stopped joking and went to the door to look around.
"Why hasn't the emperor come yet?"
Shen Dingzhu passed the time while embroidering her child's bellyband, and said smoothly: "She must be entangled in difficult government affairs."
Xiao Langyan has never made a mistake, so just wait.
At this moment, Yuebai came in with a smile: "Your Majesty, the Emperor has asked this servant to invite you to Qinxin Lake."
Shen Bi frowned: "It's so late, and the wind at Qinxin Lake is so strong. What if the wind blows when the empress goes there? Won't the Emperor come to Yaoguang Palace?"
Yuebai glanced at her, her round-shaped face with two jujube eyes a little aggrieved: "I just follow the emperor's instructions, how can I know the emperor's arrangements?"
"Then why are you here instead of Eunuch Xu Shou?"
"Eunuch Xu has also been released to accompany his wife and children. Today is the Lantern Festival."
Shen Bi still wanted to ask, but Shen Dingzhu had already put down her needle and thread: "Okay, Shen Bi, go get me my thin cloak. Let's go to Qinxin Lake."
The night was dark, but fortunately the orange palace lanterns in the hands of the palace people were bright enough.
Shen Dingzhu's soft sedan stopped at the edge of Qinxin Lake. Shen Bi lifted the curtain. She walked down and saw lanterns floating on the lake. They were probably set by the little palace ladies together.
She looked up at the night sky, where the stars were twinkling and the stars were densely packed, and she thought with some emotion, what is Chengcheng doing right now? Are you setting off lanterns with your parents?
Shen Dingzhu waited for half a stick of incense, but Xiao Langyan hadn't come yet.
Shen Bidu rubbed his hands coldly: "Mother, the wind is strong by the water, please get in the sedan and wait."
Chunxi was puzzled: "It's strange, why hasn't the emperor come yet? Madam, do you want me to run to the imperial study room and have a look?"
