First Concubine

Chapter 44 The first encounter between mother and son (3)

Guo Yan suppressed his racing thoughts, raised a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, and said: "The royal family of Mobei has changed its heir. The newly appointed Emperor of Mobei wants to send an envoy to the Great Zhou Dynasty to establish good diplomatic relations with us. Your Majesty, please I am responsible for receiving the envoys from Mobei."

When the third princess heard that Guo Yan was going to deal with the Mobei people, she felt a little uneasy: "No! You and the Mobei people are basically natural enemies, and it is very dangerous to get together! Besides, we are getting married soon, Xun The prince said, it is best to go on a honeymoon trip after the wedding, so that the relationship will be better! If you are so busy, how can you have time to accompany me? "

Suddenly hearing Xun Feng's name, Guo Yan's heart felt as if he had been pricked by a needle. Then he shook his head with a smile: "This matter has just been put on the agenda. By the time the Mobei envoy actually enters the Zhou Dynasty, it will probably be summer, uh... or autumn." "About honeymoon travel, avoid talking about it.

The third princess took a long breath and said with a smile: "Then you can come and play with me every day after court, okay?"

Guo Yan subconsciously planned to refuse, but he didn't know what he thought of, and he nodded mysteriously: "Okay."

The third princess shyly leaned into him little by little, and then she boldly wanted to hook his fingers. Guo Yan suddenly raised his hand to straighten the hem of his imperial robe and asked casually, "I heard... Shui Linglong is ill."

 He seems...very concerned about Shui Linglong! The third princess's face turned stern, and she took back her hand that was frozen in the air: "Yes!"

 Guo Yan did not notice the change in the third princess's mood, and only said: "Can you go check on Shui Linglong for my sister? My sister is quite worried about her."

 There are some moves that work once but fail twice. The third princess looked at Guo Yan suspiciously, not letting go of the sadness in his brows and the distress in his eyes when he mentioned Shui Linglong. The third princess felt sour in her heart, and her nose also became sour. She quickly turned her face away to prevent Guo Yan from seeing her look like a jealous little woman: "My mother sent someone to see her, and the results will be available soon. ”

Conscience told Guo Yan that he should not take advantage of this innocent girl's feelings for him, but when he thought about Shui Linglong's life or death, he felt that it would not matter even if he was despicable. He took a step forward and held the third princess's hand: "How can you make me feel at ease like no other?"

The third princess gritted her teeth and held back her shyness: "Then kiss me!"

He had no experience of kissing a woman in this... two lifetimes combined. Guo Yan's long eyelashes blinked rapidly and she was silent for a moment. Then she tilted her head and gently brushed her lips against her tender cheek...

 Guo Yan, you bastard! You can be so aggrieved for her...

The third princess left with tears in her eyes. On the way, she met Yunli, who had also gone to court. Seeing her lost look, Yunli couldn't help but ask, "Third sister, what's the matter?"

When the third princess heard a familiar voice, she threw herself into Yun Li's arms as if she had seen a savior. The tears she didn't dare to shed in front of Guo Yan flowed down unsatisfactorily: "Brother, tell me, the person you like is If you fall in love with something and value it more than you, what will you do? "

Yun Li's eyes flashed. Could it be that Guo Yan has someone in his heart? He helped the third princess up, and slowly wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with his slender fingers. His warm eyes, smiling eyes, and melodious magnetic voice calmed the third princess's restless heart bit by bit: "I will think about it, Why not? That’s human nature.”

 The third princess breathed a sigh of relief quietly. She was afraid that she was not normal!

Yun Li saw that her face softened slightly and added: "But I know that if I destroy something she likes, she will hate me. Instead of getting into trouble, it's better to like what she likes and love what she loves. This way, at least our relationship can be closer.”

 Like what he likes, love what he loves... The third princess's bright black pupils moved: "But what should I do if I feel uncomfortable?"

Yunli patted his sister on the shoulder and said earnestly: "If that person hates you, wouldn't you feel uncomfortable? Ruin his things, relieve your anger yourself, but make him hate you, or protect his things, hold your breath in, But to impress him, which one do you think is easier to accept?"

 The third princess's pupils shrank, as if she had an epiphany...

The news of Shui Linglong's illness spread quickly, and within a few days, the entire capital was in uproar. The once-suppressed "Zhuge Yu Ke's Wife Theory" once again became the talk of the streets.

“Have you heard? I have a high fever and am unconscious. Even the imperial doctor is helpless!” said a passerby.

“Isn’t that the only thing? I heard that she has rashes all over her body. Could it be an epidemic?” Passerby Yi said.

"What kind of rash? It's basically redness and swelling all over the body, and the skin on the face is almost bursting! Oh, it's terrible. According to me, she is probably in trouble this time!" Passerby C.

“Then Prince Zhuge has to find another fiancée? Old Wang, don’t you have a lame concubine in your family? Do you want to consider getting married to the Prince of Zhenbei?” A passerby said.

　　Bang!

 The passerby was knocked unconscious!

Zhuge Yu was upset and went to the Yao family that afternoon. Not long after, the Yao family's carriage drove into the palace. The current queen's surname is Yao, and she is Yao Cheng's aunt, and Zhuge Xi is her niece-in-law. Zhuge Xi put on the imperial attire of a second-grade imperial concubine, and put on the gold seal of Zhenbei Palace, and hurriedly entered the harem. She first went to Weiyang Palace to kowtow to the queen, and then sat with the queen for a while. When he was about to leave, Yunli happened to come to check the seventh prince's homework. They chatted for a while, and it was not until sunset that Zhuge Xi went to Guanju Hall with a solemn expression.

As the saying goes, when passing by Taiye Pond, Zhuge Xi met the eldest princess who was returning to the palace to visit her biological mother. These two people have been estranged from each other since they were children, and they unexpectedly bumped into each other when they got married. The eldest princess’s biological mother was just a concubine with a low status, and there was no comparison with the daughter of the Kashgar Qing clan. When it came to getting married, the eldest princess lost. It was so miserable that even after several years, she still couldn't swallow it.

The eldest princess wore an apricot-colored spring dress embroidered with begonia flowers, lined with a white pleated skirt, and her bun was pulled diagonally behind her head and fixed with two gold hairpins. Compared with Zhuge Xi's slender, fair and supple skin, she With a plump body and rosy cheeks, one hand was placed intentionally or unintentionally on her bulging belly. She looked at the stunningly beautiful Zhuge Xi and said with a smile: "It turns out to be Mrs. Yao! We haven't seen each other for a while, and Mrs. Yao is getting slimmer and slimmer." , unlike me, I got pregnant not long after giving birth, and my figure has not lost weight in the past few years. I am so envious of Mrs. Yao!"

Zhuge Xi's biggest pain is that she and Yao Cheng have been childless for five years. The Yao family rarely takes concubines. Her father-in-law and mother-in-law are very kind, and they have never urged her in front of her. But she knows in her heart that her father-in-law and mother-in-law are secretly afraid of her. Extremely anxious. Her husband loved her dearly, but she couldn't even give birth to a child for him... Zhuge Xi gritted his teeth, but smiled and said: "Look, you envy me, and I envy you! We have been married for five years and have given birth to four children. , you are pregnant with another one now. The prince-in-law loves you so much that he takes concubines as soon as you are pregnant, for fear of exhausting you and the fetus in your belly! Strictly speaking, pregnancy plus confinement, haha... you have lived a good life these five years. It’s pure, but then again, it’s actually a good thing not to have to serve a man, what do you think?”

 The eldest princess's face turned pale and she could no longer smile.

Zhuge Xi smiled coldly, turned around and left the place.

　　In a confrontation, no one got any favors, and both of them were stabbed in the heart.

Jade Concubine is extremely pampered, and Guanyong Hall has always been crowded with people, but the visit rate on this day almost broke the previous record. It is worth mentioning that even Jade Concubine’s arch-enemy Xiang Concubine also came!

Xiang Fei and Yu Fei entered the palace in the same year and had a son, ranked eleventh. The Chenxiang Palace and Guanju Palace where she lived were not far away, but she and Yu Fei did not move around much. Compared to Concubine Jade's reputation as a virtuous person, she was simply infamous in the palace, but with the Queen's backing, even the three concubines had to give her a bit of a thumbs-down.

Guanyong Hall, in the north main room, Shui Linglong leaned softly in Zhi Fan's arms. Zhi Fan picked up the medicine bowl, took a sip, and waited for a long time. There was no abnormality in his body before he started taking spoonfuls of medicine. Linglong was fed water, but she didn't notice that the hands of the palace maid who brought the medicine in were shaking...

　　 Yilanxuan.

"Hey, what brought Sister Xiangfei here?" Concubine Yu asked with a smile like a flower. Without waiting for Concubine Xiang to answer, she quickly ordered Miss Xin to say, "Make tea. Sister Xiangfei likes to drink West Lake Longjing. It just so happens that Long Live Lord is here." The day gave me some."

Xiang Fei seemed to have become accustomed to it, and there was no expression on her face. She took the tea from Miss Xin's hand, took a sip quietly, and then said: "The tea is good tea, but it's a pity that I don't like this kind of taste recently. ”

Just as Concubine Yu was about to speak, Concubine Xiang quickly started talking again, "Yesterday, Long Live the Lord gave the Eleventh Prince some pineapples. I saw that the Eleventh Prince couldn't finish them all, so I sent some to Concubine Yu's sister."

After saying that, Xiao Anzi handed the fruit basket to Miss Xin.

The corners of Yufei's mouth twitched. Although West Lake Longjing was good, it was inferior to the priceless pineapples: "Thank you, Sister Xiangfei!"

Xiang Fei still had an ice face, and was as arrogant as a flying eagle on the snowy plateau. Her tone was clear and a little careless: "Oh, I am here. I have been entrusted by the Queen to lead Zhang Yuan to Miss Shui. For diagnosis, Sister Yufei, please take us to Miss Shui’s residence.”

Concubine Yu covered the corners of her lips with a handkerchief, and there was an unnatural look in her eyes: "Why don't you, Sister Lao Xiangfei, please let Miss Xin lead Zhang Yuan to sentence you, so as not to give Sister Xiangfei the chance to do that if you are over sick?" , I can’t explain it to Lord Long Live.”

Xiang Fei tapped the table with her purple gold armor, and said lightly: "Long Live Lord, I have my own queen to take care of it. Why, do you think the queen of a country can't compare to a second-grade concubine in front of Long Live Lord?" Weight?"

Concubine Jade's face darkened: "In just three or two sentences, I charged my sister with disrespecting the queen. My sister has a sharp tongue, but I can't talk to you! Sister, please ignore my sister's good intentions!"

Xiang Fei will not let her lead her around: "I feel guilty for ignoring your kindness, but I cannot bear the crime of disobeying the Queen! Which is more serious, sister, I am not a fool. Besides, who in the palace I wonder if my sister is kind and generous? Even if she really offends her, she won’t argue with her, don’t you think?”

Concubine Jade turned red with anger, and Concubine Xiang wore a gorgeous azure blue palace dress. The skirt and cuffs were embroidered with blooming peonies with pure gold thread. When the sun hit it, it reflected a circle of dazzling light, just like her temperament. Cold, but always arrogant and beautiful: "What? Sister Yufei doesn't agree? In that case, I can only report the truth to the Queen and ask the Queen to make the decision herself."

Concubine Yu tightened her hand on the handkerchief and said sincerely: "To be honest, my sister didn't let her in because she was really thinking about her. Linglong has a high fever and has a red rash all over her body. Doctor Chen said it's possible It’s an epidemic disease and it’s extremely contagious. How can I let my sister take this risk?”

Concubine Xiang glanced at her lightly, and her condescending attitude made Concubine Yu feel angry: "Now that I'm here, I won't be afraid. Besides, sister, I have always been a thorn in your side. What if I really get infected with the epidemic?" "Damn, sister, you should be happy. Why are you acting so coquettishly? It makes me suspicious. Is there something fishy hidden in Miss Shui's illness?"

"You..." Concubine Yu's face turned the color of pig's liver. There were some palace secrets that outsiders didn't know. She and Concubine Xiang didn't deal with each other not only because they entered the palace at the same time, but they were also the second-grade concubines, holding the position of Virtuous Concubine. The most favorable candidate for competition was because Xiang Fei accidentally miscarried during an argument and pushing. Since then, Xiang Fei has been against her in every way, and even gave her musk for half a year, causing her to almost lose her fertility. Ability, just to deal with these new and old grudges, could the two of them not be mortal enemies?

Of course, she was worried about letting Concubine Xiang go in to visit Shui Linglong. The most fundamental reason was that she could not guess Shui Linglong's inner thoughts. The plan that night was originally flawless. Shui Linglong was cooking, and the emperor went directly after smelling the fragrance. After entering the small kitchen, the emperor fell in love with the scene and began to feel affection for Shui Linglong. She spent so much effort to make Shui Linglong, the person involved, think that everything was just an accident, because only by making Shui Linglong think that it was an accident could she become more affectionate. to make the next plan; if Shui Linglong becomes suspicious, it is not that there is no backup plan, but Shui Linglong has been unconscious since the day after the incident. She cannot guess what she is thinking in her heart. The backup plan is risky, so she dare not rush use…

What if Shui Linglong accuses Xiang Fei in front of her?

Concubine Yu, who took the initiative, felt that she had become very passive for the first time.

“It seems that Concubine Yu is determined not to let me in?” Concubine Xiang asked, raising her eyebrows.

While Concubine Yu was hesitating, Xiao Dezi walked in with a fruit plate and winked at Concubine Yu as he passed by her. The stone in Concubine Yu's heart finally fell: "No, since Sister Xiang Fei is determined to go, she will go." Right! But my sister is pregnant with the dragon child, so I’ll be waiting outside the door later just to be cautious.”

Xiang Fei sneered disdainfully: "You don't have to go at all!"

Concubine Yu’s expression froze.

"That...Gaqi'e...Geqi..." A crisp, unclear voice suddenly sounded at the door, startling Zhi Fan. Zhi Fan's hand shook, and the soup was smashed to pieces on the ground! She was so anxious that she slapped her forehead hard. This was newly brewed medicine, and she hadn't given the eldest lady a bite yet!

Two palace ladies suddenly changed their minds. Oops, the eldest lady didn’t drink the medicine. What should I do? Su Xin pouted and signaled Su Rong to hurry up and get a bowl. Xiang Fei and Zhang Yuanxuan would be arriving soon, so nothing could go wrong! Su Rong turned around and walked out the door.

Zhifan looked toward the door with sullen eyes, only to see a two or three-year-old child, wearing a brand new royal blue jacket and trousers, blinking with watery eyes, and running towards the door. Beside the bed, he was mumbling something, but Zhi Fan couldn't hear it clearly.

Su Xin and Su Rong saw the person coming clearly and hurriedly bowed their knees and saluted: "My maid, please pay homage to His Highness the Eleventh One!"

The branches are changing color, Your Highness Eleven?

"Then...Gaqi..." The eleventh prince muttered something unclearly. He stepped on the wooden couch and wanted to climb onto the bed, but his legs were too short and he couldn't get up.

Zhi Fan held Shui Linglong in his arms and couldn't move his hands away, so he glared at the two palace ladies. Don't they know that the eldest lady is sick? Do you dare to let the eleventh prince, who is only two or three years old, come in? What kind of peace of mind is this?

Su Xin and Su Rong looked at each other and ignored him. The eleventh prince deserved to die from illness! Su Rong decisively stepped out of the room.

Zhifan consoled him: "Your Highness, please don't come over. The eldest lady of my servant's family is sick and will be contagious. You can go somewhere else to play, okay?"

The eleventh prince continued to climb: "Then...Gaqi..."

What is this little highness talking about in a daze? Zhifan laid Shui Linglong flat on the bed and pulled the quilt to cover her. He planned to use two pieces of cake to coax the eleventh prince out. But at this time, Xiao Dezi's voice came through: "Xiang The Concubine has arrived—the Jade Concubine has arrived—"

Su Xin’s expression changed. Oops! I haven’t given the eldest lady the tranquilizing medicine yet!

"Eleven! Come to the concubine quickly!" As soon as Concubine Xiang entered the door, she saw her son crawling onto Shui Linglong's bed. She was immediately frightened to death. Regardless of whether Shui Linglong had the epidemic or not, just the ordinary wind and cold would be easy. It's too sick to give to a child, not to mention her eleven is less than three years old!

"That's... Qi... Er Geqi!" The Eleventh Prince pulled Shui Linglong's finger, turned around and said softly to Concubine Xiang, he looked so cute, like a pink glutinous rice ball, when he spoke , with bright black eyes and thick curled eyelashes, she is really cuter than an angel!

Suddenly, Xiao Anzi's expression changed. He walked to the bedside in a few steps and picked up the Eleventh Prince. He turned around and said to Concubine Xiang, "Your Majesty, it's a bit boring here. I'll take His Highness Eleven out to play first."

Xiang Fei’s bare hands were squeezed tightly, and her long eyelashes trembled in an irregular rhythm, but it was so fleeting that no one noticed her strangeness. She waved her hand: "Send His Highness Eleven back to Chenxiang Palace."

 (End of this chapter)