The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 51 A good night is short and the green lake is rippled

 Wu Zhaoyi has something to do with him? Liuli was stunned and quickly sat up. The palace maid then added, "Zhaoyi asked you to bring Yueniang with you."

 Bring Yueniang with you? Liuli couldn't help but look at Mrs. Wu, and saw that she also sat up and looked into his eyes. She was a little confused at first, but then her face turned red.

Liuli suddenly understood, and almost hurriedly got out of the bath, wiped off the water and put on the clean clothes prepared by Aling. She didn't have time to wring her hair out, so she twisted it a few times and tied it loosely. The wet nurse over there also put Yue on it. Mother coaxed her out and was busy trying to change Yueniang's clothes. Yueniang was very displeased and twisted around uncooperatively with her little face on her arm. Liuli hurried over and smiled, "Zhaoyi saw that you are young and have been riding for a whole day, so she asked me to go back early with you. You should go to bed early. If you sleep well, you can come over tomorrow. How long do you want to play? You can play for as long as you like.”

Yueniang pouted and said, “My mother-in-law also spent a whole day riding in the car!”

Liuli was startled and thought for a while before saying, "Madam, she slept for a long time at noon. Naturally, she doesn't need to go to bed early now. Did Yueniang not sleep much in the afternoon?"

Yueniang was startled and nodded, her face no longer so awkward.

Finally, Yueniang packed up and put on her small cloak. Liuli asked the wet nurse to hold her in her arms. They hurriedly walked out. They didn't go far when they saw a palace lantern coming towards them. Liuli sighed and quietly Quietly avoiding the roadside, Yueniang glanced at it for a few times, then laughed, "Your Majesty!" It was Gaozong who came over with Wang Fusheng.

When Emperor Gaozong saw Yueniang, he also smiled and stopped, "Is Yueniang going to sleep?"

Yue Niang nodded and said, "Auntie said, if you go to bed early today, you can play more tomorrow."

Gaozong couldn't help laughing, but he glanced at Liuli, and saw that she bowed her head respectfully and said nothing after the salute as always, but her hair was slightly damp, and the small piece of skin exposed at the collar was as fine and white as the finest sheep. As fat as white jade, he moved in his heart and said with a smile, "You do know how to talk."

Liuli bowed respectfully, "I don't dare to be a common girl." She also lowered her head. Seeing that she was becoming more and more reserved, Emperor Gaozong couldn't help but feel a little bored. He patted Yueniang and said, "You are so obedient, uncle tomorrow." I'll take you to play." Then he turned and walked away.

Liuli secretly breathed a sigh of relief and did not dare to say a word. After Gaozong had walked about ten steps away, she quietly led a few people to the opposite place.

When they arrived at the Yichun Palace, the palace maid took them directly to Wu Zetian's bedroom. Wu Zetian seemed to have just taken a bath, with a bit of blush on her face. When she saw Liuli, she smiled and said, "But you still haven't had enough?"

Liuli shook her head hurriedly, "Fortunately, Zhaoyi called in time. When Liuli got up, she realized that she was already a little dizzy from the soak."

Wu Zetian asked casually, but when she heard her answer well, she couldn't help laughing. She joked a few more words casually, with a hint of tiredness on her face. Liuli hurriedly excused herself and started to yawn. Yueniang sent her back to her room, and then she took Arling back to the attic at the back. While loosening her hair and wringing it out, she secretly thought: It seems that the risk of bathing with Mrs. Wu is really high. How about the hot spring? It's not comfortable, and it's not worth the risk. After thinking for a long time, he turned around and asked Aling, "Is there a place for ordinary palace people to bathe in this Tangquan Palace?"

Aling nodded, "Yes, the sister just now told the slave girl that there are soup pots for the female officials of various bureaus in the palace to the west. There are few palace people coming this time, and the superiors said that you can also go to the soup pot there when you are not on duty. Take a shower." He said, with some eagerness on his face.

Looking at her appearance, Liuli couldn't help but smile and said, "There's nothing wrong with you, so why don't you go take a shower now."

Aling hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I'd better wait for the eldest daughter to go to bed first."

Liuli smiled and shook her head, "Where can I sleep? When my hair is dry, I'm afraid I have to read two more pages of the book. I'm not a delicate person, can't I sleep on my own? You go quickly, maybe it's too late. Too much. I’m all covered in gray today, so I need to take a shower to feel refreshed.”

Aling thought for a while and smiled, "Thank you for your understanding, ma'am." With a smile, he went back to the outer room to pack a change of clothes and other items, and quickly walked out the door.

Liuli sat under the lamp for a while, and suddenly something moved in her heart. She reached out and pulled up her long hair, which was already 80% dry. She opened the box and found a quilted cloak, blew out the lights in the room, and walked out. In the past two months since she arrived in the palace, she really didn't dare to take another step or say one more word. Now she finally arrived at Tangquan Palace, a vast and sparsely populated place. There was no threat from the queen and concubines, and there were not so many eyes staring at her. , not even Aling, who had been staying close to him, was by his side. As soon as the idea of ​​​​wanting to walk alone and be quiet came up, he could no longer suppress it.

 It was already after the second watch, and the night wind was getting colder. Liuli took a deep breath of the cold air, feeling refreshed. I saw that the garden was still brightly lit, and there was an endless stream of palace maids coming and going, but almost all of them were heading to the southwest, presumably to take a bath. She simply walked northeast along the bluestone path, and soon arrived at the lake.

Liuli once heard someone say that Tangquan Palace was rumored to have been first built by the First Emperor of Qin, and was also expanded by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. More than 70 years ago, Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty rebuilt the palace and planted thousands of pines and cypresses. When Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty ordered Yan Lide to preside over the construction After leaving the palace, it was named "Tangquan". Several generations of management have made today's Tangquan Palace quite different. The palaces are all exquisitely built, and there are many rockeries with flowing water in the courtyard. Weeping willows are planted along the lake, and there are still green leaves on the soft strips. There are also lights in the lake, all shaped like lotus flowers. The lights and water shadows reflect each other, which is particularly beautiful and moving. I think if it is summer, there will probably be lotus leaf boats in the lake at this time, singing, singing and laughing. I don’t know what it is like. What a sight.

Liuli stared at the lake in a daze for a while, then walked aimlessly along the lakeside path to the north. She didn't meet any of the palace maids, but she saw a group of guards patrolling the night from a distance. When she saw the second group, , she was shocked to realize that she was probably a little close to the front hall. She turned around and was about to go back when she heard someone shouting in a deep voice, "Who is that person in front of you?" Liuli paused and realized that she was the one who left as soon as she saw them. His actions aroused suspicion, so he had to turn around again. When they got closer, he bowed lightly and said in a leisurely manner, "I am the painter of Xianchi Palace. I was greedy for watching the night scene and left unknowingly." I’m here, no offense to you generals.”

There were about six or seven guards in this group. The leader was dressed as an officer and was about 20 years old. He raised a lantern and shone it in her face. She was suddenly stunned for a while and then said loudly, "You said you are Painter, do you have a palace card?”

Liuli was stunned for a moment and couldn't help but ask, "If you don't leave the palace, why do you need a palace card?"

The officer sneered and said, "You are a beggar, wandering alone in the palace grounds in the middle of the night. Who knows if you have evil intentions? You say you are a painter, who can prove it? Maybe you are a rebel assassin!"

Liuli looked at his straight eyes and felt a shiver in her heart. Logically speaking, he, a low-level officer, would not dare to do anything to the people in the palace, but with his foreign appearance, identity as a painter, and wandering around alone late at night, he did not even have a maid. If she didn't bring it, she might give people the impression that she could take advantage of it. From the officer's tone, it was clear that he wanted to scare her. Her mind changed rapidly, but her expression remained calm, "I would like to inform this general that due to the heavy traffic today, I just let my maid go to bathe in Changtang, so I am alone. Speaking of who can prove it, all the maids in Xianchi Palace know me, and the king's chamberlain and Pei Sheren beside His Majesty also know me. If the general does not believe it, Just invite anyone over and you’ll find out.”

The expression on the officer's face changed slightly, but he refused to give in. "What are the identities of the King's Chamberlain and Pei Sheren? Where can we go to invite them? Don't think that just naming these two people will scare you! You can't say anything in return. I want to take you back to the front and ask the maid in charge of Xianchi Palace to come and recognize you."

Liuli thought for a while and smiled, "The general is really meticulous. Today at noon in the Cui Family Courtyard, Your Majesty just summoned General Cao and Pei Sheren and praised them for their thoughtful arrangements. As expected."

The officer's face softened slightly, he looked Liuli up and down, and snorted coldly. A guard behind him also said softly, "Zhonghou, since she knows about this, I'm afraid she is really someone serving His Majesty and Wu Zhaoyi. Let's..."

Another guard said, "Just now I seemed to see Pei Sheren talking to the general outside the door. It's not far away. Do you want him to come over and take a look?"

Liuli was startled when she heard this. But the officer thought for a moment and then nodded and said, "Okay, go and ask Pei Sheren and the general to come over."

The guard hurriedly ran away. After less than a stick of incense, he heard the sound of footsteps and someone shouted, "Zhonghou, Pei Sheren has arrived." The guard moved to both sides, and Pei Xingjian strode over. He saw Liuli, a strange look flashed across his face.

The officer was slightly disappointed when he saw that Pei Xingjian was the only one coming over. He could only smile and said, "Thank you, Pei Sheren. Li saw a woman wandering alone here, and her behavior was a bit suspicious, so he stepped forward and asked her a few words. She said she was The painter in the palace also said that he recognized you and heard that you were nearby, so he took the liberty to ask you to take a look. "

Pei Xingjian glanced at Liuli calmly and nodded, "Pei did meet this painter in the imperial study room. I heard from the king's servant that she is Wu Zhaoyi's right-hand person."

Li Zhonghou suddenly looked embarrassed. He was just patrolling the night out of boredom when he suddenly met a beautiful woman with a beard. Seeing that she was not being served by a palace maid and she was plainly dressed, she was probably just a low-level servant in the palace, so he thought of scaring her and making fun of her. Next; later I heard that Pei Sheren and the general were nearby, and thought that I could show off my diligence and meticulousness in front of the general. Unexpectedly, the general did not wait, and what I had offended was indeed a popular person in the palace. I couldn't help but feel very upset. He could only hug Liuli and said, "This painter, Li's duty, has offended me so much!"

Liuli returned the salute and said, "You are too reckless."

Li Zhonghou clasped his fists at Pei Xingjian again and said with a smile, "Thanks to Pei Sheren for coming quickly, Li will continue his patrol now! Farewell!" After saying that, he walked away as fast as he could, and the soldiers behind him hurriedly followed. .

Liuli and Pei Xingjian were the only two people left on the spot. Liuli raised her head and glanced at Pei Xingjian, only to see him looking at her blankly, his eyes very strange. Liuli couldn't help lowering her eyes and saluted, "Thank you, Mr. Pei, for rescuing the siege."

Pei Xingjian didn't answer. He sighed and whispered, "Why did you come here alone? I just heard that they met a female Hu painter from Xianchi Palace. Did you know..."

Liuli couldn't help but raise her head blankly, "What do you know?"

  p.s. Thank you to my dear Toxin Bo Lollipop, lanwindy and verycooldog for the pink tickets, and thank you to Le Youyang. Ou Ye, Pei Jiu finally got out... I say shamelessly, students who like tender scenes, please give A Lan a pink one!

 (End of this chapter)