Mingde came out of Zhengtai Hall and didn't know where to go.
She was pacing back and forth in front of the imperial garden when she suddenly heard a burst of laughter coming from the garden. A woman's voice said sweetly, "Chenqie hasn't seen Empress for a long time. Why do you not look well today?
Normally, chenqie should kowtow to Empress, but chenqie is pregnant. The Empress Dowager has kindly decreed that there is no need to kowtow, so chenqie will dispense with this ceremony. Empress won't blame me, right? "
This voice belonged to the imperial concubine.
She was recently pregnant. Although everyone suspected that she killed Xia Zhaoyi, the Emperor did not blame her because everyone said that the imperial concubine's favor was above everyone else.
Mingde silently hid behind a snowy plum blossom. She saw the imperial concubine wearing a ferret cloak and a red satin skirt with peacock golden feathers. She was surrounded by people and stood in the snow, forming a contrast with the few palace maids and eunuchs who were led by the Empress.
The Empress was already old and had experienced everything in the harem. She would not get angry because of this. She only said faintly, "Little sister imperial concubine is so lucky. Take care of yourself. There is no need to greet me."
The imperial concubine covered her mouth and laughed, "Sister is so considerate.
I just said to the Empress Dowager that the pain of pregnancy is something that can't be understood if you haven't experienced it. Who knew that sister really cares for me. Sister's pain, sister also feels it. You don't even want to greet me. You are really magnanimous after one palace. "
Although the Empress was the head of the six palaces, she did not have a child. The Crown Prince was also not her biological son. He was just an adopted son.
The imperial concubine poked at her sore spot. The Empress was extremely uncomfortable. She only sneered, "Sister's mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter."
The imperial concubine smiled. She suddenly grabbed her waist and moaned, "Ouch!"
The people around her immediately panicked and rushed to support her. The personal palace maid hurriedly shouted, "Imperial physician!
Quickly call the imperial physician! "
The imperial concubine waved her hand weakly to stop her, "Enough!
Which pregnant woman is not like this? I think this is most likely a boy. It hurts when he kicks me. This is so painful … "
The Empress's face darkened and became even uglier.
However, she was pregnant with the dragon seed, which was the famous golden medallion of exemption from death. She was an unfavored and childless empress, so what could she do?
At this moment, a young man's voice came from afar. It was extremely gentle and slow. "If Imperial Concubine feels that giving birth to an heir for the Imperial Family is a crime, then this humble subject is willing to pardon Imperial Concubine.
What do you think, Imperial Consort? "
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The voice was so clear that it seemed to be coming from an empty valley, but it was impossible to tell how far away it was.
The imperial concubine hurriedly looked around. There was no one nearby. She immediately realized that she had misspoken and panicked. "Who are you?
How dare you trespass into the harem! "
The young man laughed and said in a very gentle voice, "I think that continuing the dragon seed and carrying on the family line is the main business of the imperial harem concubines. If you feel that this is a hardship, you can leave the palace and not be a concubine of the emperor.
If Imperial Concubine has this intention, this subject is willing to help inform His Majesty. What does Imperial Concubine think? "
The group of people panicked even more. A little eunuch hastily shouted around, "Somebody come!
Someone come!
There was an assassin!
Quickly protect the emperor! "
However, there were no guards around the imperial garden.
Just as the imperial concubine was panicking, the empress flung her hand and said majestically, "What are you yelling about!
Those are the Imperial Secret Guards on duty. How did they become assassins?
Making a fuss over nothing will make you a joke! "
The imperial concubine had never heard of the existence of secret guards in the Imperial Family. For a moment, she was stunned.
The empress said, "Younger Sister, you should also discipline the people in your own palace. It's obvious that they don't have the manners of the Imperial Family!"
The imperial concubine had never suffered such humiliation. She gritted her teeth and almost shed tears.
The empress nodded gently and said, "Imperial Concubine should be proud of raising the dragon seed.
After all, there has been no news of pregnancy in the palace for two years. Imperial Concubine's pregnancy is the focus of everyone's attention. "
Without waiting for the imperial concubine's reply, she turned around and slowly walked away with the palace maids and eunuchs.
The empress walked out of her bedroom and waved everyone away. She went forward and gently pushed the door open.
The Warm Winter Pavilion was filled with a warm fragrance. Mingde was kneeling on the ground. His long clothes were spread out, revealing a corner of his underwear. It was bright yellow.
The empress stepped forward to help Mingde up and asked in a low voice, "Where did the emperor come from?"
Mingde said expressionlessly, "If the empress was a little more foxy, this official would not have fallen into such an awkward situation."
The implication was that the empress couldn't grasp the emperor's heart. She was a failure.
The empress was almost speechless by his words. After a while, she said, "You're really … Xia Zhaoyi was killed by the imperial concubine. Did you know?"
Mingde laughed softly, "Prime Minister Xia has almost fallen out with the imperial concubine's maternal family, Minister Ding."
His smile disappeared in an instant. Then, he said with a straight face, "Niangniang, don't tolerate the imperial concubine. The emperor actually doesn't like her."
The empress wanted to ask how he knew the emperor's thoughts. But after thinking about it, she let it go.
This child seemed to have an extremely accurate insight into the emperor's thoughts. And Qianwandi, unexpectedly, didn't use any tricks. On the contrary, he admired him.
If this child was a girl … …
The empress shook her head.
Shangguan Mingde was forcibly summoned into the palace at the age of fifteen. From then on, there was no one in the harem.
If he was a girl, the one sitting on the empress's seat today might not be her.
"But then again," Mingde said softly, "the imperial concubine's child, I really … …"
Halfway through his words, he shut his mouth again.
Although he was resolute, he wouldn't tell the empress everything he had done.
It was hard to know what was in a person's heart. It was the same for blood relatives.
In this world, who could be trusted and trusted?
The empress saw that there was no one around and quickly covered his mouth, "Don't say it!
Do you want to go to prison for murdering a dragon! "
Mingde took half a step back and asked seriously, "Does the empress know that the emperor still goes to the imperial concubine's palace?"
The empress nodded, "He goes every day."
Mingde smiled slightly, "That's good."
There was a hint of gentleness and sweetness in that smile.
The empress knew in her heart that even if Qianwandi went to the imperial concubine's palace every day, it wasn't every time. That man mainly vented his energy on Shangguan Mingde.
The empress was wondering what Mingde meant. She saw him lower his voice and whispered to the empress, "You receive the emperor every time, but you don't come. The imperial concubine must be very anxious, right?"
The empress reluctantly said, "I know this feeling the best."
Mingde nodded.
To outsiders, the emperor and the empress were deeply in love. In reality, they were cold and deceitful. Not only the imperial concubine, the empress also knew this feeling.
But then again, who was truly favored in the harem?
Who wasn't suffering every day?
Once she became the empress, and then the empress dowager, it would be complete.
Mingde stood up and stared into the empress' eyes. He said word by word, "Empress, try to let the imperial concubine prepare a few beautiful boys to receive the emperor."
The empress was shocked, "Why would the imperial concubine listen to me? Besides, what are you doing?"
Mingde didn't answer. He only snorted softly.
Between his eyebrows, his face was delicate, but it was terrifyingly gloomy.
Qianwandi went to the imperial concubine's palace as usual at night. There was no other reason except that he couldn't get along with the empress.
These two days, his anger had been stirred up and he had nowhere to vent it. When he entered the Qitai Palace at night, he went straight to the bedchamber expressionlessly.
The imperial concubine's personal servants looked at each other and sighed in relief. After so many days of fear, the emperor's favor was finally realized.
This favor was the weight of countless battles in the imperial harem and even in the imperial court.
Qianwandi entered the inner chamber of the bedchamber. There was a curtain made of ice and shark yarn. There was a vague figure on the bed. Her figure was extremely graceful.
Qianwandi was too lazy to put together a curtain. He knelt down and begged for forgiveness.
There was a boy on the bed, kneeling at his feet in the most humble and helpless posture.
The child was only ten years old. His bones were as delicate as a woman's. His eyebrows were extremely beautiful. His skin was moist and delicate. He didn't look like a normal boy of his age.
Qianwandi didn't react at first. Then, he almost flew into a rage. He suddenly turned around and said sternly, "Who came up with this ridiculous idea!
Come! "
The chamberlain ran over trembling and knelt beside the bed, "Your, Your Majesty …"
Qianwandi was about to curse when he suddenly felt the corner of his clothes being gently pulled.
He looked back. The boy was trembling in fear. Even when the emperor was so angry, he could see the frequency of his fingers trembling.
The chamberlain was also afraid. He was so afraid that his teeth were chattering, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, Your Majesty …" Even though he didn't know what crime he had committed and why the emperor suddenly became so angry.
Qianwandi also didn't know why he was so angry.
It was just a little trick that women in the harem used to fight for favor. It wasn't like he hadn't ruined someone's chastity in a moment of lust.
But when he saw the child just now, he suddenly felt that he couldn't tolerate it. It was as if something in his heart had been tainted or even tarnished.
It was as if someone had ruined Shangguan Mingde in front of him.
He knew that it was actually a very ridiculous illusion.
The person who had ruined Mingde was actually himself.
But the feeling in that moment was that something precious that he had hidden in his heart had been forcefully tainted by someone, and it was under the banner of flattery and fawning over him.
Qianwandi froze in place for a while. He reached out to pull the boy up. Unexpectedly, he saw that the child was crying. His face was covered in tears.
The emperor opened his mouth and asked in a low voice, "… How old are you?"
The boy was so scared that he almost couldn't speak. After a while, he said, "Your, Your Majesty, fourteen …"
"Whose child is this?"
"My, my home is in the north and south alleys of the city …"
After all, he was still young and scared, so his speech wasn't smooth at all. Qianwandi listened for a while before he heard clearly. This child was given to the Konghe Manor by the state government and had been bought by the aunt in the imperial concubine's palace. As for his parents, they were probably crying at home.
As the child spoke, he began to cry. He knew that he couldn't cry, but he couldn't help it. He was so scared that his face was pale, as if he was going to die soon.
Qianwandi inexplicably thought of that night two years ago. Had Mingde also been so scared, so terrified?
… Probably.
In fact, his impression was already unclear. At the time, he should have been completely immersed in joy and excitement.
He only vaguely remembered that the child was also trembling slightly at the time. As for whether he cried at the most painful moment … he really couldn't remember clearly.
Qianwandi wanted the child to stop crying. He reached out to try and wipe away the child's tears, but the boy seemed to be even more scared.
It wasn't just his hand. His entire body was trembling, and his teeth seemed to be chattering.
Qianwandi's hand dropped. He opened his mouth, his voice wooden: "… Someone come, give this child a hundred taels of gold and send him home."
The personal attendant replied with a "yes" in a low voice. Then he bent over and walked in. He helped the boy up and carefully left.
Qianwandi sat for a while before slowly standing up and walking to the edge of the bed.
The imperial concubine knelt deeply on the ground, not daring to say a word. She didn't even dare to raise her head to look at the emperor's face. She just knelt there stiffly.
Qianwandi stared at her for a while, then said in a low voice: "Go to the cold palace to atone for my sins."
The imperial concubine suddenly pounced over, wanting to cry and complain, but Qianwandi pushed her aside and strode out.
The attendant behind him hurriedly rushed over. His trusted eunuch Zhang Kuo followed closely behind. He asked in a low voice: "Emperor, are you summoning Mingde's young master for an audience?"
Qianwandi suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The people behind him all waited there, not daring to make a sound. They didn't even dare to breathe loudly.
In reality, it was already late at night. The moonlight scattered in the courtyard, as if there was a pool of clear water.
The wind lightly brushed past the treetops. The leaves rustled in the endless night, like the whispers of lovers.
Qianwandi took a deep breath: "… Tell him to come.
Zhen wants … wants to see him. "
Shangguan Mingde received the secret edict in bed. The emperor said that he wanted to see him.
The Rong Shiba who delivered the edict sat on the edge of the bed disapprovingly and said: "Mingde, I think that having another imperial concubine in the imperial harem is not as valuable as having another captain in the hidden guards.
I've already said it to this point, why don't you understand what I mean? "
Shangguan Mingde turned in his half-asleep state and said: "Alright, this subordinate won't go."
Satisfied, the Rong Shiba got up and walked out of the Shangguan family's side courtyard through the window.
However, after taking two steps, he turned back and poked his head out of the door and said weakly: "… That's right, Mingde, what you're doing seems to be called disobeying an imperial edict."
Mingde pulled the blanket and said lazily: "It was Lord Rong who told this subordinate to disobey an imperial edict."
The Rong Shiba's hair stood on end: "Don't, don't, don't!
Mingde!
Mingde, you little ancestor!
You should go!
I, your superior, wouldn't dare to instigate disobedience!
This old man only has one head! "
Mingde was forcefully dragged out of bed and wrapped in a cotton robe. As soon as he went out, he shivered in the cold wind and immediately woke up.
The Rong Shiba jumped up and down and rubbed his hands: "So cold!
So cold!
Mingde, why don't you even have a heater in your room? "
Mingde said: "I'm just trying to save money."
"…" The Rong Shiba said: "I don't remember owing you any salary."
"I don't spend much money."
Mingde said, "Besides, the First Madam said that raising children should be accompanied by hunger and cold, so I'm often a little hungry and cold."
The Rong Shiba turned to look at him. The young man's thin profile was as silent as a rock under the moonlight.
The Rong Shiba turned back and hurried on his way. Suddenly, he heard Mingde say: "Lord Rong."
"What?"
"You're about to become a Ming Master?"
"Yes."
"Then what do you want to do?"
The Rong Shiba thought for a moment: "Probably be a Tiqi, or a commander or something like that … Of course, I could also be sent out. I'm more inclined to be sent out as General Zhennan or something like that. Although it's the border of Yunnan, the sky is high and the Emperor is far away.
Mingde nodded: "Oh."
"What about you?
What do you plan to do? "
Mingde smiled: "I want to guard the Imperial Mausoleum."
The Rong Shiba almost tripped and fell to the bottom of the tree.
Guard the Imperial Mausoleum?
Stay in the Imperial Mausoleum, worship the Buddha, eat vegetarian food, and never see the light of day?
"You, you, you, are you alright?
Are you having a fever and talking nonsense, or am I hallucinating because of insomnia? "
Mingde stared at the Rong Shiba's back for a while. After a while, he slowly smiled bitterly and sighed: "… I'm just kidding."
They walked very quickly. In a short while, they had already entered the palace from Waiguo City.
The towering gates of Zhengtai Palace were already faintly visible. In the darkness of the night, the fierce beast horns reflected the pale moonlight.
The Rong Shiba stood at the foot of the palace wall and said: "I'll leave you here. You can deal with His Majesty by yourself."
Most people would not speak like this at this time. Mingde knew that this was his personality, so he nodded and said: "Take care, Lord Rong."
The Rong Shiba took a few steps back. When he looked back, Mingde had already pushed open the gates and entered.
When he walked, he didn't make any sound. This person was always careful and cautious, as if he was afraid of something at all times.
In fact, based on his status and how much he was favored, no one would say anything no matter how arrogant and despotic he was. However, he was always like this, as if he was never at ease.
The heavy gates of the palace opened one by one in front of him. Shangguan Mingde walked down a long bluestone path. In front of him was the silent and majestic Zhengtai Palace.
His footsteps paused slightly, and he adjusted his breathing slightly.
What did the Empress say to the Imperial Consort?
How was the Imperial Consort?
Did she succeed?
How was the effect?
He did not know any of these things.
He only knew that since that man said that he wanted to "see him", it meant that the beautiful boy that the Imperial Consort prepared did not come in handy. Otherwise, why would that man summon him in the middle of the night?
That man would not give up without tormenting him for an entire night.
This kind of despicable matter of fighting for favor, if she succeeded, then so be it. If she did not succeed, then it would be really embarrassing.
As a dignified Imperial Consort, she taught the Emperor such a despicable thing. Any Emperor with a little self-respect would be furious.
Mingde took a deep breath and a cold smile flashed across his lips.
So stupid. Everyone in the harem was stupid.
They immediately took the bait after a little guidance. They were so greedy that they did not know how to control their desires.
He adjusted his emotions a little and was about to walk forward when he suddenly heard a slight sound of wind passing by his ear.
Shangguan Mingde's entire body tensed up. Almost in a millionth of a second, a black shadow swept across the night sky above Zhengtai Palace. It was so fast that it was almost impossible to see it clearly.
However, in this split second, Shangguan Mingde shot up like an arrow released from a bow. In an instant, he jumped up and fiercely pounced over!