Cannon Fodder Strategy

"She said she was returning to Zhou Mansion to move reinforcements." Aji gently rubbed her shoulders. In the first three months of her pregnancy, Empress Dowager Lu's face did not look good. Because she was still 'recuperating' recently, she did not apply rouge or gouache. In addition to her trusted confidants, the rest of the people in Fengming Palace today are people brought for her by Emperor Yongming. They guard Fengming Palace like an iron chair and will never let the news of her pregnancy be exposed.

Hearing that Lily had asked Shiqing to go back to the Zhou Mansion to bring in reinforcements, Empress Dowager Lu curled her lips coldly and smiled: "Leave her alone. If something like this happens, let alone the Zhou family can't save her, I'm afraid Even the Zhou family can't protect themselves!" When she said that, a cold light appeared in her eyes, and her expression became ferocious and twisted for a moment. A Ji was startled, and when she turned around to look again, Queen Mother Lu had already yawned. He stretched out his slender jade fingers and covered his mouth: "I'm tired, I'll lie down for a while."

This year's draft is supposed to be drafted, but for some reason, Emperor Yongming, who has always known how to treat women well, refused this year's draft for the first time. He said that the late emperor had just passed away, so this year's draft was put on hold for the time being. Everyone in the harem was surprised and happy that the emperor could think this way. Empress Dowager Lu's birthday is in early April, and as soon as February passes, the palace will organize the birthday of Empress Dowager Lu.

Although the Queen Mother Lu has been widowed for a year, logically she cannot do anything big even if she turns eighteen. But after all, Empress Dowager Lu's status was different, so the specifications were laid out there. No matter how frugal she was, she couldn't be very simple. On that day, except for the ladies who wanted to enter the palace to pay respects, everyone in the palace had to kowtow and give gifts.

Concubine Xian came to Xianfu Palace for this matter, and she was a little worried: "According to my sister, what gift should I give to the Queen Mother for her holy birthday?"

A good concubine is naturally indispensable for some valuable things that she should have. But a few things that fit the occasion were missing. Concubine Xian was a little worried because she wanted to please Empress Dowager Lu and stand out. Come to Lily to make up your mind.

The Concubine Xian was not favored recently. Although she was beautiful, she had no heirs and the emperor had recently entered the harem. Occasionally resting in her Jianjia Palace does not necessarily mean doing things in London. She already has a faint feeling of falling out of favor, but she is very unwilling to do so. Concubine Xian has only turned eighteen this year. She is at the age of blooming flowers, but she is already an old man in the palace. Although Emperor Yongming did not have a draft this year, she will still not be pregnant before next year. Seeing her years go by year by year, when new people enter the palace again, there will be more people vying for favor, and her chances of being favored will become less and less.

Although Empress Dowager Lu was not Emperor Yongming's biological mother, Emperor Yongming still respected her and always went to Fengming Hall every morning and dusk to rest. The people in the palace saw the emperor's respect for the Queen Mother, and the Concubine Xian couldn't help but want to take advantage of Queen Mother Lu to make Emperor Yongming notice her, so she sat for a while, drank a cup of tea, hesitated for a moment, and still It is to speak out what is in your heart.

"Speaking of this, I really have an idea in mind." Lily listened to her question and took the lid of the tea cup to skim off the remaining foam. Concubine Xian's eyes were involuntarily attracted to her hand.

Lily's hands are well-proportioned. The fingers are slightly curled into an orchid shape. The finger tubes are as white and tender as green onions, plump but not greasy, thin but boneless, and so tender that one can see the blood vessels under the fingers. The complexion is crystal clear. The fingers are long and slender, and the nails are oval and pointed. The top was painted with Danko, and the tail finger was cut into a hollow armor set inlaid with gems. It was obviously gorgeous and tacky, but it looked somehow making the concubine Xian a little jealous.

"Oh?" Concubine Xian asked. When Lily didn't speak, her expression became stern: "Are you afraid that your younger sister will steal your limelight?"

After all, Concubine Xian wanted the opportunity to please Empress Dowager Lu, but it was possible that Lily also wanted it. Although Lily had nudged her twice before, it is not necessarily true that the two of them are close sisters. Besides, where did they come from in the palace? What kind of true sisterly love? Concubine Xian felt cold in her heart, and the smile on her face faded a little. She sat up straight and was about to speak, but Lily shook her head:

"To tell you the truth, I know the emperor's thoughts, and I have given up my thoughts." After she finished speaking, Concubine Xian smiled and said nothing. It was obvious that she did not believe what Lily said, and Lily sipped He pursed his lips and said, "You don't believe it? I was favored by the late emperor and the late empress dowager, and was given a marriage to the emperor who was still the crown prince at the time. However, after the marriage, he never displeased the emperor. After Mu Bei's accident, the emperor even thought that I was not taking good care of him. That's why." Speaking of this, Concubine Xian couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic. It was clear that Zhou Baihe should have been granted the title of concubine, but she only had the title of imperial concubine. After Liang Mubei's incident, the emperor became even more Taking the opportunity, she also took away her position as imperial concubine.

There are not many princes who can be raised and born in the palace. Emperor Yongming grew up in this deep palace, so he should be deeply aware of this. Sometimes, no matter how hard he watches, how can he withstand those Want to harm people? Although it is necessary to be on guard against others, if someone intends to harm someone, they can always find a way to do it. Lily was originally a victim in this matter, but Yongming blamed her. If the concubine Xian was in the past, she would have been gloating about others' misfortune, but now she is somewhat sympathetic. got up.

Hearing Lily say that she should stop competing for favor, Concubine Xian somehow remembered that she had been with Emperor Yongming for two years and her whole heart was devoted to him, but in the end he ignored his own dignity and was lucky to that bitch An Xue. , now that she can't come to her palace twice in a month, and she doesn't have to be lucky every time, the concubine Xian fell silent.

"It's fine if I give you some advice, but you have to agree to one condition. If you don't want to, just pretend that I haven't mentioned it before. My sister will just drink tea and eat some cakes." As soon as Lily said this, Xian The concubine hesitated, obviously worried that her conditions would be difficult to meet. Lily smiled: "My conditions are not difficult, it's just that my sister took it easy."

Now that she had said so, Concubine Xian's desire to please Queen Mother Lu finally gained the upper hand, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Sister, please tell me."

"The Empress Dowager Lu likes the scent of plum blossoms. If you want to please me, why not give me two boxes of ointment made with the scent of plum blossoms? It will definitely make a big splash. As for my condition, you must give me a copy of this ointment. ." Concubine Xian had originally thought that what Lily wanted her to do must be extremely difficult, but she didn't expect it to be such a simple and trivial matter. She was stunned for a while, and then came back to her senses for a while, and said with a smile: "Thank you sister for your advice, sister, please rest assured!"

Although Concubine Xian didn’t know where Lily’s rumor that Empress Dowager Lu liked the scent of plum blossoms came from, she could send two boxes of ointment made with plum blossom scent, even if it was not outstanding, it would definitely not go wrong. In addition, It doesn't take much effort, even if Empress Dowager Lu doesn't like it, the most she can do is explain it to her. What's more, Lily is giving advice for him, and it's not like she wants to make balm for him and give it away, and he's not afraid of her using it to frame him. , Concubine Xian didn’t know what gift she should give in the first place, but by adding this extra thing, she could win Empress Dowager Lu’s attention. If she failed, that would be the worst.

Lily is a noble concubine, and she has mentioned something about An Xue before, so she owes her a favor. According to her status, there is no need to use such false news to deceive herself, and it will not be beneficial to her.

Thinking of this, Concubine Xian smiled and said, "I just asked my sister to keep it a secret. I want to give the Queen Mother a surprise."

She was deeply afraid that if Lily told the news again, then the credit would not be hers. Lily nodded after hearing her request.

At the end of March, Concubine Xian quietly ordered a servant to bring a jar of plum blossom-scented ointment. When Lily got the item, she hid it in Xianfu Palace.

The third day of April was the birthday of Empress Dowager Lu. The day before, the palace had invited the singing troupe of Yangchun Society to come to the palace. Early in the morning, the ladies of the court, who had various ranks and titles, came to the palace to pay their respects. Because the day was special, even though Baihe was under lockdown, the emperor sent Shang Xi to deliver the message, making an exception and allowing her to go out once today.

Everyone presented gifts one after another. Lily's gift was quite satisfactory, with nothing wrong and nothing special about it. In addition to gold, silver, jewels and pearls, what Concubine De gave was a pair of huge luminous pearls that were said to be from when General Gao went to war. At that time, a tribal leader gave it to him, which attracted Empress Dowager Lu to look at it several times. Among the things given by Concubine Xian, there were indeed two jars of plum blossom balm, and Empress Dowager Lu accepted them with some surprise.

The palace was bustling with activity throughout the day, and a stage had been set up in the palace in the evening. The first play performed by the people of Yangchun Society today was ordered by Empress Dowager Lu herself, and the play was called The Peony Pavilion.

The Hua Dan who sings the role of Guiliniang in the play has a slender figure and a good appearance. The most important thing is that she has a good voice. She sings the oriole gracefully and sings the song so that the Empress Dowager Lu is fascinated by it.

When Lily turned to look at her, she squinted her eyes slightly and put some fine pink rouge on her face. Today she was wearing a purple and heavy palace dress, with a hairpin on her head. Empress Dowager Lu had become much plumper, and her hands Crossed and placed in front of her lower abdomen, the heavy palace clothes blocked her gradually gaining weight, so it was impossible to tell whether her belly looked strange. The emperor sat next to the Queen Mother and glanced at the Hua Dan. Apparently the beauty of the Hua Dan who sang the role of Du Liniang caught his attention.

When no one saw her, Lily glanced at Shiqing, who lowered her head and left quietly.

After singing the song "The Peony Pavilion", everyone still looked like they were still unfinished. Queen Mother Lu's eyes were a little moist, as if she had something to say:

"What a love that you don't know where it started, but it goes deeper and deeper. The living can die, and the dead can live. Those who can't live with death, and can't be resurrected after death, are all not the result of love." Her voice was a little low, and Emperor Yongming turned his head. Lai: "My dear, don't think too much, the theory of ghost reincarnation is always false." (To be continued.)

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