Li Huang

I went to sleep again after Shen Xiyao left Xinghua Spring Hall. But at an hour, a little court lady came in and spoiled me and I changed my clothes and left.

Where are you going? I stood outside the Xinghuachun Pavilion, like a lost traveler, looking around but not knowing where I was going. The shadow of the tree whirled, I was standing under the acacia tree, and suddenly felt lonely.

Where should I go? Suddenly, this huge Forbidden City suddenly lost my place.

Back to the Palace of Heart? Unless Shen Xiyao takes me in, no matter what I am, I cannot enter alone.

Back to the coat bureau? What I did that day was probably annoying many people, and Zhiqiu must have been punished. If I go back, I will end up worse than the bereaved dog.

Back to Fanfare? If I go back, I will face a more difficult and dangerous situation than before. Because I believe that someone will recognize me in that party.

The wind brought the fragrance, I looked at the rising sun, gathered my skirt, and adjusted my veil. I decided to wait outside the Hall of Nourishment for Shen Xiyao, and let him show me a place to go.

Slowly walking back to the Hall of Nourishing the Heart, the guards outside the hall stood like sculptures, all heroic, but expressionless. The silver guns in their hands had a daunting chill in the morning light. The wind quietly blew the red tassels on their hats, so the fluttering silk ribbon became the only anger in this bright but dull spring day.

I was hidden at the corner of the side platform, where the sun just happened to be able to warm up on my body. Kneeling and sitting on the ground with a light veil on the ground, adding a touch of softness to the hard white marble.

I didn't see Shen Xiyao coming back until midday. I was dazzled by the sun and suddenly reacted. He was in the Imperial Study Room in the morning and afterwards to deal with state affairs, even lunch and lunch breaks were there.

After taking a nap, sometimes he would take a walk in the imperial garden, and occasionally walk into any palace room at random, and he would smile like a flower. Sometimes, he would summon ministers to talk about state affairs or talk about a few rounds. Only at night when there is no sign, will he return to the Hall of Nourishment to rest.

I rubbed my numb legs and didn't eat breakfast. At this moment, there was a panic of hunger. Smiled self-deprecatingly, I actually had such a day of starvation, but the smile faded before it bloomed.

"Such days", such days that I thought I would never experience at all in my life, have I been out of the palace until now?

I am no longer the Ling Xuewei who was raised in a deep boudoir, nor the queen who was loved by all means. I am Xie Niang, and she should have lived a life like this.

The soreness on my legs gradually faded, and I stood up straight, getting up fiercely, and my eyes turned black. Staggering to hold on to the railing, until the black halo faded away, I saw the white flowered ground under the sun.

At the same time, a delicate pink figure appeared in the field of vision, she was facing the sun, and I couldn't see who it was.

"The emperor is not in the hall, please avoid me." The voice of the guard of the Hall of Yangxin was heard. I can see that it is Yi Zhaorong.

Yi Zhaorong hesitated to leave, and looked into the Hall of Yangxin from time to time. It's just that the door of the palace is locked, except for the carved windows, nothing can be seen.

What Huier said to the guard, he shook his head, his face expressionless and unwavering. Hui'er looked annoyed, but she kept begging. Only a few words came with the wind, she was asking if the emperor had brought back a strange woman.

As a guard who guards the emperor's palace, a strict mouth is the most basic requirement. They know the privacy of the emperor, but if they miss a word, they are afraid that the rest can only go to the palace of the king to speak.

"Big Brother Sun, you and I are in the same hometown...", "Tell me quietly...", "Why are you like this!"...

I looked at Hui'er's frustrated face, which contrasted sharply with the woodcarving face of the guard surnamed Sun, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Hui'er!" Yi Zhaorong's voice increased a little, "Let's go back."

Hui'er pouted discouragedly and retreated behind Yi Zhaorong, staring at the guard severely.

"Mother, are we leaving like this? Should we wait for the emperor?" Hui Er suggested.

Yi Zhaorong bit her soft and thin lips, but walked back without hesitation. However, she frequently reviewed what she seemed to want to explore. I saw her eyes suddenly dimmed, and the corners of her eyes seemed to flicker.

Following her gaze, on the half-covered inner window, the delicate flower heads of Begonia flower steps protruded from the edge of the window, and pink tassels the size of rice beads were hanging down, like a small waterfall on the white jade wall. Attracting attention. However, the location of that window is Shen Xiyao's bedroom.

I remembered that when Zhang Dehai called me, I put the Begonia Flower Step used as a bookmark on the window.

"Niangniang, maybe the emperor has gone to Changchun Palace." Hui'er's voice was getting farther and farther, but it became clear because of the silence around him: "There were also emperors who went directly to Changchun Palace early and later."

"Why don't you go for a walk in the imperial garden?" Hui Er suggested.

"Hui'er, you don't understand..." Yi Zhaorong said helplessly: "No matter, let's go back to the palace."

I thought for a while, and then I went out from the corner door beside me and waited for Yi Zhaorong on the long street.

When her figure appeared again, I whispered softly: "Manny Zhaorong."

"Xie Niang?" Hui Er recognized me first, but was not sure. I nodded and saw her open her mouth in surprise, "Xie Niang," Yi Zhaorong looked at me with doubts in her eyes: "Why are you here?" She paused and said, "That day... ......" She shut up suddenly, just looking at me carefully.

At this time, I was wearing a full-chested skirt with Yangliuqing heavy yarn and acacia flower pattern, and a water-pink embroidered silk drape on the outside. The light yarn on the surface was soft and long, hanging straight to the knee. , The above is also the Albizia flower pattern. Such a dress, the materials and embroidery work are excellent, and because of the gold beads the size of rice beads everywhere, it is exquisite and luxurious.

"Ms. Zhaorong, would you like to go for a walk with Niang Xie in the imperial garden?"

Yi Zhao Rong will definitely look at me for a long while, there was hesitation in her eyes, but finally nodded.

"Where to go?" Yi Zhaorong's voice was slightly cold. I can understand the hostility in her tone, and I just smiled at the moment: "It's okay for you to follow me."

"Who are you?" Yi Zhaorong walked side by side with me on the palace road. The surroundings were quiet for a while, only the sound of embroidered shoes walking on the ground.

"Xie Niang is just an embroidered woman." I can't tell her at this time. I'm afraid I can't tell her much in this life.

"Your skirt," Yi Zhaorong stopped: "This year Jiangnan weaving a new tribute gauze, so there is only one blue, I am afraid that you have made this skirt on you." Her eyes are piercing, with pressure. "You said, an embroidered lady who made a mistake, a maidservant who was demoted to the Huanyi Bureau, would wear such a skirt that even his concubine can't get?"

I also stood still, even though she knew that she couldn't see the smile on her face, she still smiled, taking a piece of albizia flower leaf from her like a honeycomb, and said: "Where did the empress come from?"

Yi Zhaorong was startled, as if he hadn't reflected my disrespect, but he didn't get angry, and said lightly: "You are not qualified to ask about my whereabouts."

I nodded: "What the mother said is." I held the leaf in my hand: "The mother cares about the emperor?"

"What are you trying to say?" Yi Zhaorong was a little moved.

I smiled and said, "This is Albizia Flower. Does the mother know the origin of Albizia Flower?"

Yi Zhao could not speak, but glanced aside.

I said to myself: "According to legend, Yu Shun died while visiting the barn in the south. His concubine Ehuang and female heroes searched for the Xiangjiang River and never found them. The second concubine cried all day long, tears and drops of blood, and died of blood, her gods. Later, people discovered that their elves and Yu Shun’s elves “combined into one” and turned into an albizia tree. The albizia flower blooms day and night, and they love each other. Since then, people have expressed their loyal love with the albizia." I looked at her surprised eyes: "Therefore, apart from a variety of plants in Junlu Hall and Xinghua Spring Hall, only the Imperial Garden and Kunning Palace have planted this tree in the harem."

I stared at Yi Zhaorong: "So, where did the empress come from?"

"Why are you questioning the mother! Who do you think you are!" Hui'er snapped.

Yi Zhaorong stretched out her hand to stop her, she stared at me, as if she could see through me like this, "How can you be so clear about the harem?"

I didn't speak, just looked at her, with enquiries and a little bit of pressure.

Yi Zhaorong was finally defeated. I think she must be puzzled. How could Xie Niang, who was stubborn and cautious and always bowed her head, had the courage he is today.

"I'm from my own palace." Yi Zhaorong turned his face to the side, his tone completely unwilling.

I held a light smile on my lips to suppress the sadness that was pouring in my heart.

"Niangniang must be curious why the emperor took Xie Niang away on that day, and at this moment Xie Niang appeared here, as if she had changed her person. Why."

Yi Zhao didn't speak, and nodded slightly for a while.

"So, what does the mother think?" My voice was still calm.

"Before you were disfigured, it should be beautiful." Yi Zhaorong said: "You are the embroiderer admired by the empress dowager. Naturally, you have the opportunity to approach the emperor. I think the emperor prefers you. For this, which concubine you offended was framed. The emperor missed the old sentiment and sent you to the cold palace instead of giving you death. This time," Yi Zhaorong bit his lip, and finally looked at me directly: "I mentioned you with the emperor and brought back his memories. This is how you are allowed to go. Coat Bureau."

"If this is the case," I folded my hands in front of me, and stood up straight to meet Yi Zhaorong's red eyes: "Is the empress sad?"

"What am I sad." Yi Zhaorong was slightly flustered.

"The sad emperor rekindled his old love for me and left the empress?" I joked.

"It's up to you!" Hui Er couldn't help but said: "A disfigured woman." She was full of disdain: "You can compare to my wife."

I kept smiling and only looked at Yi Zhaorong. She bit her lip, but her red eyes revealed the secret in her heart.

"There is an acacia in Empress's Changchun Palace, isn't it?" I changed the subject.

Yi Zhaorong heard my question and seemed to be relieved and ignored the previous conversation.

"Yes."

I held back the slight sourness in my heart, "So the mother does not have to question the emperor's sincerity."

"Just relying on an acacia tree?" Yi Zhaorong sneered, but from the joy in her eyes, I could tell that she was looking forward to an affirmative answer.

I smiled slightly and said: "Albizia tree is not found in the concubine's palace. But the emperor loves the empress, and before the empress enters the Changchun Palace, he ordered a silk tree to be moved in."

I paused and said: "The flowers do not grow old, and the leaves do not fall. They are in the same heart all their lives, and the whole world is happy! I am afraid, it is the emperor's confession to the empress.

"Moreover," I lowered my head: "Changchun, Changchun, is telling the empress that Chun En is here."

Yi Zhaorong's face showed huge joy, but she restrained in time.

"Then Xie Niang, was my previous guess correct?" she asked.

I brought a simple smile: "Niangniang really wants to know, just follow Xie Niang."

Yi Zhaorong stood there for a while, curiosity finally made her start again.

I walked with her all the way, without talking. Actually, I don't know where to take her and what to say. Walking slowly along the promenade by the Feilong Pond, the corridor is full of camellia of various colors, and occasionally there are blooming branches protruding into the corridor, the double petals of white gemstones, the single petals of golden light, the half double petals of drunken concubine Charming and moving. Yi Zhao couldn't bear to fold a flower in his hand and play with it, as if this way could drive away the stagnant air.

I also folded a golden light, the white petals have pink lines, like a woman who was first dyed in the dust, no longer pure, but with a different style, perhaps even more fascinating.