lcionline Chapter 384: Niuhulu
Chapter 384: Niuhulu
Inside the pavilion, Qi Yuebin sat quietly on a stone bench, a book in hand, basking in the warm spring sun. She wore a light blue dress, simple yet elegant. Her eyes were focused, immersed in the world of her book, seemingly oblivious to the bustling surroundings. Occasionally, she looked up at the distant flowers, a faint smile playing on her lips.
An Lingrong's eyes flickered as she said, "Why don't we go over and say hello?"
Having said that, he walked straight over without waiting for Zhen Huan and Shen Meizhuang's consent.
"Sister Duan Fei, you are so elegant, reading and enjoying the scenery alone. Am I disturbing you?"
Upon hearing this, Concubine Duan looked up and saw An Lingrong and the others. She smiled slightly, closed the book and said, "It's just some idle reading to pass the time. But how come you have time to come to the Imperial Garden today?"
Zhen Huan understood An Lingrong's intention and said with a smile, "It's spring, so we went out for a walk. I didn't expect to meet you here. An invitation is worse than an accident. If you don't mind, why don't you go to Yongshou Palace and sit with me? We haven't spoken to you in a long time."
Qi Yuebin nodded, stood up and said, "Okay, excuse me for disturbing you then!"
The crowd walked slowly towards Yongshou Palace along the winding stone path of the Imperial Garden.
Along the way, a gentle spring breeze blew, carrying the fragrance of flowers and the freshness of the earth, ruffling everyone's sleeves. Colorful butterflies danced gracefully among the roadside blossoms, and occasionally a few playful butterflies landed on people's shoulders, causing An Lingrong to laugh softly. She gently waved her sleeves, trying to shoo the butterflies away, but she was afraid to startle these spring spirits.
Shen Meizhuang walked quietly by the side, her eyes occasionally scanning the surrounding scenery, her eyes filled with admiration for the beauty of spring. She said softly, "The Imperial Garden presents a unique sight every spring, but with the hustle and bustle of the harem, it's rare to find the leisure time to truly appreciate it."
Zhen Huan nodded slightly, agreeing, "Sister Mei is absolutely right." She turned to look at Concubine Duan and said with a smile, "Sister, you're in the palace on weekdays. You should go out more often and get some sun. It's good for your health."
Qi Yuebin smiled slightly, "Thank you for your concern, sister. The harem is much calmer now. I also like to come here to stroll around and read books. I feel at ease."
Soon, everyone arrived at Yongshou Palace. Zhen Huan warmly welcomed Qi Yuebin into the room and ordered the maids to serve tea. Soon, the maids filed in carrying exquisite teacups, and the aroma of tea rose and filled the entire room.
Zhen Huan personally poured a cup of tea for Concubine Duan, handed it to her, and said, "I'm afraid the tea in my palace is not as good as the one in yours, sister. I hope you won't dislike it."
Qi Yuebin lifted her lotus finger, took the teacup, and brought it to her lips. She took a sip, the rich aroma instantly spreading across her taste buds. Her eyes narrowed slightly, a look of satisfaction crossing her face as she exclaimed, "Hmm, this tea has a rich, mellow, and long-lasting aroma. The sweetness lingers after a few sips. It's much better than the tea in my palace!"
"As long as Sister Duanfei doesn't mind, please."
After finishing his tea, Qi Yuebin put down his teacup and leisurely looked around the palace. He sighed, "It's been a while since I last stepped into Yongshou Palace. Coming here today, I realized the decorations and furnishings have changed dramatically since then. It's clear that the Emperor's favor for my sister is growing day by day!"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Huan's eyes flashed with curiosity and asked, "Has Concubine Duan ever been to Yongshou Palace before?"
Qi Yuebin nodded gently, a glint of reminiscence in his eyes as he continued, "Yes, back then, this Yongshou Palace was the residence of our Holy Ancestor, Noble Consort Wenxi. She came from a distinguished family, of unparalleled status, and after giving birth to a prince, she enjoyed every bit of glory. Her situation is quite similar to yours, my sister!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qi Yuebin seemed to suddenly remember something, and raised his eyebrows slightly, and added: "Speaking of which, this Concubine Wenxi and my sister are from the same family. You are both from the Niuhulu clan."
After saying this, she didn't care about the change in Zhen Huan's expression at the moment. She picked up the teacup calmly and took another sip leisurely.
Noble Consort Wenxi, of the Niuhuru clan, was a member of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Manchus. She was the granddaughter of Eyidu, a renowned founding general of the Qing dynasty, the daughter of Ebilun, the Grand Tutor and Duke Guoyi, the niece of the First Consort of Emperor Taizong of the Qing dynasty, and the younger sister of Empress Xiaozhaoren. She entered the imperial palace in the 19th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign and was granted the title of Consort. In the 20th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, she was canonized as a Noble Consort. Two years later, she gave birth to the emperor's tenth son, Yinzhen. She died in the 33rd year of Emperor Kangxi's reign.
Concubine Wenxi was of noble birth and unruly. She lost the struggle with Concubine Tongjia and turned to contact her son, the tenth prince Yin'e, to get involved in state affairs, but was reprimanded by Emperor Kangxi. She was resentful of Kangxi's favoritism towards Concubine Shu and complained about it, which angered Kangxi and led him to forbid Concubine Wenxi to be buried in the imperial mausoleum and not to be posthumously honored for generations.
(It’s fake, don’t believe it.)
Although it was a compliment, the irony contained in it made the three people present change their expressions.
An Lingrong's lips curled slightly, revealing a faint sneer. "What Concubine Duan said is true. It's a pity that Sister Zhen doesn't have the same good fortune as Noble Concubine Wenxi. She has the blessing of her own sister, the Empress, and everything has gone smoothly for her. Unlike Sister Zhen, in this palace, she has to handle everything on her own. The slightest mistake could lead to her utter ruin."
After a pause, she continued, "However, if we really want to talk about good fortune, looking at the entire harem, we have to look to our current Empress. The title of Empress Chunyuan's sister alone guarantees her a lifetime of honor. Empress Duan, don't you agree?"
After saying this, An Lingrong picked up the teacup and took a sip. She just couldn't stand Qi Yuebin's calm and composed demeanor, like he was sitting on the mountain watching the fight between two tigers.
Qi Yuebin saw that there was a hint of anger between An Lingrong's brows, and a dark emotion flashed in her eyes, which seemed to have deep meaning but disappeared in a flash.
She lowered her eyes slightly, then raised them after a moment. Her expression had returned to normal, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her tone was gentle and calm, "I'm just revisiting an old place, and it's inevitable that I feel some emotion. Why should you be so angry, Sister Wen? If my words just now were inappropriate and have upset you, then I will apologize to you with this cup of tea."
After saying that, she gracefully picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. The lingering aroma of tea lingered between her lowered brows, making her look particularly indifferent.
An Lingrong's face stiffened slightly when she heard this, and a hint of coldness flashed in her eyes, but she didn't respond. She turned her head and looked away, as if she didn't want to look at Qi Yuebin again.