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In June, the heat was scorching, and the air hung heavy. On the country road leading to Beijing, a carriage moved slowly along. 。The carriage was emblazoned with the crest "National Protectorate Office," its jade roof and vermillion lacquer paint giving it a solemn and imposing presence. Yet, four guards from the palace surrounded it, flanking it both in front and behind, resembling an escort rather than protection. 。 In the carriage, Song Jianing rested her head against the left corner of the car, dozing soundly on a tatami mat covered with bamboo mats. Her face, as white as tofu, rippled with each gentle sway of the carriage, adding to her captivating beauty. 。Li Ma'ma watched from the side, and for some reason recalled going upstairs earlier to ask questions. She pushed open the door curtain and was startled to see the young master had arrived at some point and was holding his master in his arms. 。That brief glimpse, the master's rosy and chubby little face looked just like this, no, it was shaking even more than now, accompanied by whimpers. 。It's been two days, and every time Li Mamá thinks back to that scene, her face flushes and her heart pounds. 。Anger surged, and suddenly a bird chirped outside the window. Li Mama glanced up and saw a black-winged magpie flapping its wings and flying away. 。A magpie perched at the door is a good omen, but Li Ma'ma was stunned for a moment, her brows furrowing even deeper. 。Song Jianing's appearance, throughout the capital city, it is known that the prince has a little concubine who has been favored for seven years without interruption. 。Now that Princess Duan Hui is about to marry the crown prince, she unexpectedly invited Song Jiaming into the palace while the crown prince was away from the capital. This is clearly a banquet with hidden intentions. 。Unfortunately, after serving this master for seven years, he didn't have any brains. He just wanted to eat, drink, play, and tease the cats and dogs. Look, disaster is upon us, and this man is still sleeping!"Miss, wake up, we're about to enter the city. " 。"Li Mama took a handkerchief to wipe Song Jianing's drool while gently calling out, " 。Song Jianing woke up, her small hand covering her rosy yawns. 。A person just waking up, with moist and clear eyes. 。" “Miss, when you enter the palace later, if the princess asks questions, you can answer them. If you don't know how to say something or feel embarrassed, you don't have to force yourself. Just pretend to be foolish and get by. In short, never anger the princess.” " 。“The carriage entered the city gate, getting closer and closer to the palace. Li MaMa once again instructed," 。Song Jianing nodded obediently. 。Li Mamā always said she was foolish, but after experiencing so much, how could she really be stupid? It's just that she was breaking the pot and throwing away her life, just waiting to die. 。Her mother was the daughter of a wealthy merchant in the capital, and her father was a handsome scholar. Song Jianing had lived a life of comfort and ease, with no worries about food and clothing, just like a beautiful and delicate flower in a small and peaceful home. 。Not until both her parents passed away, leaving her with a disfigured face and no one to rely on, was she given in marriage by her uncle as a concubine to the newly appointed county magistrate, Liang Shao. 。Rather be the wife of a poor man than the concubine of a rich one, the Song family was a scholarly family, though now fallen on hard times. How could her uncle and aunt, just because she didn't look conventionally beautiful, simply send her away so carelessly? Song Jianing, with red eyes, was carried into the county government office. Seeing Liang Shao, who was dashing and elegant like jade, her grief unknowingly dissipated by a third. 。Liang Shao was a进士 (Jinshi, meaning an imperial examination graduate), and he left his wife at home to care for his elderly mother. He only came to take up his post. 。He treated Song Jianing very well, the two of them were harmonious and loving, spending their days happily together. 。After a year of sweetness, Guo Xiao suddenly appeared before her. 。Guo Xiaoneng is the son of the Duke Guo, residing in the capital city. He was sent to handle business in Huzhou. 。Liang Shao was related to the Guo family, and when he heard that Guo Xiao was passing through the county town, he went to meet him in person. Guo Xiao gave him face and accepted his invitation to visit the county office. 。Liang Shaosong and Jia Ning came out to greet him. Song Jia Ning was delighted, feeling that this showed her husband’s favor. However, she didn't expect Guo Xia to covet her beauty, nor did she anticipate that on that night, the two cousins would drink all night. The next morning, after taking a sip of tea poured by Liang Shao, she opened her eyes again and found herself in Guo Xia's carriage!It turned out that Liang Shao had used...in exchange for Guo Xia’s promise of “future support.” 。It turned out that the year of love between Liang Shao and... was nothing at all. 。Song Jianing was heartbroken. Guo Xiaoguo saw her resistance and did not force her. After returning to the capital, he arranged for her to live in a manor house and gave her lessons on knowing when to yield. He accompanied her on outings to mountains and waters, entertaining her until she could be amused by maidservants, only then did Guo Xiaoguo make his move. 。That night, Song Jianing tasted the difference between a martial artist and a scholar, and shed the last tear for Liang Shao. 。For Song Jiaying, forgetting Liang Shao wasn't difficult at all. 。In terms of family background and talent, Guo Xiao is the son of a Duke's mansion and a military prodigy highly praised by the Emperor. He surpasses Liang Shao by miles. 。In terms of appearance and bearing, Guo Xiaolong had sword-shaped eyebrows and piercing eyes. His build was strong and sturdy. If Liang Shao was a spirited steed, then Guo Xiaolong would be a magnificent qilin. Even when sleeping together at night, Guo Xiaolong was more comfortable than Liang Shao. 。To be frank, as long as I'm comfortable, who would care about those who aren't? Anyway, they are just concubines. 。Song Jianing forgot Liang Shao, but even though in the eyes of outsiders, Guo Xiao had pampered her for seven years, enough to be deeply righteous, she never thought about Guo Xiao again. 。Because he was clear, Guo Xiao for as good as he could be, in his eyes, he was just a concubine, someone who could be taken and occupied at will. 。With this kind of life, Song Jianing didn't think about anything else. He lived happily on the estate by himself, calmly waiting for the day he would grow old and pass away. 。Since she had no expectations, when Guo Xiao told her he was going to marry Princess Duan Hui, Song Jia Ning was slightly surprised, but then sincerely expressed her happiness. 。Guo Xiao probably didn't believe it. He was silent for a long time, then spoke at length, saying that Princess Duan Hui was his cousin and he had to give her face. He said that the number of times he came to Zhuangzi would change in the future, but he would never forget her. 。Song Jianing wouldn't dare to vie for attention with a princess. He repeatedly assured her that he would be honest and obedient, and said that if Guo Xiaolong wasn't convenient, it was fine for him not to come to the manor. 。Guo Xia, with a black face, left. Before leaving Beijing, he sneaked into the room like a thief and rummaged through things for a while in silence. 。After that, Song Jianing lay on the bed, feeling wronged to her core. Did he enjoy being jealous?What a strange man. 。Hu's thoughts, the carriage stopped 。Getting off the car, Song Jianning wanted to admire the Imperial Palace of Tianjia, but he found himself standing between two towering city walls. His view was blocked on both sides, leaving only a narrow path leading in an unknown direction. It was dark and eerie. 。Song Jianing was very disappointed, and she followed Li Mamai to a place that looked very solemn. They walked in twists and turns for a long time before finally reaching the legendary garden. They were warned again to bend over and keep their heads down, not to look around at all. 。Song Jianing didn't dare to look anymore. 。Two hours later, I was brought to a pavilion by the lake. The lake was full of green lotus leaves, each flower standing tall and beautiful. 。Well, Princess Duan Hui's reason for being summoned to the palace was to admire the lotuses. 。Ke Song Jining felt that the palace pond was too small, far inferior to Taihu Lake in Suzhou. Thinking back to the vast lakes he had seen before, Princess Duan Hui was confined within high walls, facing this tiny pond every day. Song Jining felt a pang of sympathy for her. 。"Are you the Song family? Raise your head!" 。From the pavilion came a languid and disdainful voice. Song Jianing, nervously raising her head, saw a stunning woman in crimson gauze sitting by the stone table, adorned with a gemstone jade hairpin. Behind her, two palace maids fanned to cool her, exuding an air of elegance and luxury. 。“Bold, to spy on the princess!” an attendant shouted angrily. 。Song Jianing was startled, and hurriedly wiped his forehead. He didn't even feel the heat anymore. 。Lowering her head, Princess Duan Hui stared blankly, but before her eyes was still Song Jianning's pretty face. 。The women of this dynasty favored thinness. In the time of the previous emperor, his consorts all wished to have waists so slender they could be grasped in a single hand, and they starved themselves to achieve it. 。I had heard that my cousin doted on a special concubine, and I imagined her to be beautiful. But I was surprised to discover that she was also intelligent. 。It's true that she is plump, seemingly even doubled layered, but even so, Princess Duanhui couldn't bring herself to say Song Jianing was ugly. Honestly speaking, Song Jianing possessed a fox-like charm that surpassed everyone she had ever met. No wonder she could steal away her childhood sweetheart cousin! Jealousy burned in her heart. Princess Duanhui coldly glanced at Song Jianing and said to the palace attendant beside her, "I'm tired, I need a short rest. Please don't disturb me." 。Let's all answer together. 。Princess Duanhui moved gracefully, leaning against someone, truly closing her eyes. 。Beneath the pavilion's steps, Song Jianing knelt with his forehead on the ground. Under the scorching sun, he perspired profusely in less than a quarter of an hour. His arms trembled incessantly. 。Difficult, wronged, but she was a princess. A princess wouldn't speak up, so daring to wait would only result in a beating, or even the Grim Reaper himself. 。Song Jianing endured it with difficulty. 。When the sweat on his face kept dripping down, his knees ached numbly and he could barely hold on, Song Jianing suddenly didn't want to live anymore. Tears mixed with sweat and fell together. 。Want to be Guo Xia's concubine? Want to offend the princess? You don't want to, but this is your fate. What can you do? You live because you're afraid of death, but now life is worse than death, what's the point of living? Just as the thought of suicide grew like weeds, just as Song Jianing was about to climb up and jump into the small pond, committing suicide for a quick and painless end, suddenly someone ran out from the pavilion, thump-thumping their way over and kneeling on either side, bowing respectfully: "This servant pays respects to Your Majesty" 。"Your Majesty?" Song Jianing wanted to see what the most honorable emperor in the world looked like. Suddenly, she remembered the instructions and was told not to look. Song Jianing was about to continue kowtowing when she thought, "I'm already preparing to die, so who cares about rules?" To be able to see the emperor one last time before death, this life wouldn't have been lived in vain! Thinking this way, Song Jianing took a gamble and turned her head back. Unexpectedly, because she had knelt for too long, her arms and knees were numb, and with a slight turn of her head, she toppled sideways!This sudden change caught the new emperor who was about to pass by, causing him to instinctively look down... 。Song Jianing knelt for a long time, his entire shirt was soaked. Now he lay on his side, both cheeks flushed and tears in his eyes. His hairpins were askew, and the sweat-soaked strands of hair clinging to his temples made him look like someone who had been pitied. 。The new emperor, at the age of twenty-seven, ascended the throne. Before this, he had not yet been married. For these three years, he had primarily served his late father by observing filial piety. Though he was now a man of standing, he still had no children. At first glance, such was Song Jianing that he rarely paused for a moment. 。Song Jianing seized the opportunity to see clearly the emperor's。The emperor wore a plain crimson dragon robe, tall and slender, like bamboo standing tall before one's eyes. 。He looks to be about the same age as Guo Xiao, with fair skin like jade and serene eyes. 。Guo Xia also was a cold man, cold enough to make people afraid. However, the emperor was different. His coldness resembled mist lingering atop a mountain peak after rain, inaccessible and inscrutable. 。 Song Jianing suddenly remembered a snippet of gossip she had heard three years ago when she went out with Guo Xia, saying that the Emperor was able to ascend the throne because he was cunning and deceitful. He appeared harmless on the surface but secretly assassinated the Crown Prince and his elder brother, the prince, otherwise, how could the throne have ended up on a bastard son's head. 。So, this emperor was a ruthless and cruel man?Song Jianing shivered involuntarily and quickly knelt down again, her head bowed low, exposing a stretch of fair and slender neck. 。Zhao Heng glanced at him. 。When Princess Duanhui woke up and saw this, she smiled sarcastically: “How come, Your Imperial Brother also finds Song Shi attractive? It’s rare to have someone who catches your eye, Your Imperial Brother. Why not let Guo Xiao send her to the palace to serve two men? She'll likely get used to it and won't resort to that suicide act.” 。Song Jianing's face was as white as paper. 。Zhao Heng did not enter the pavilion, standing with his hands behind him by Song Jianing's side, and said indifferently: "Zi Jie, be jealous, just enough." 。Zhao Heng had a speech impediment, speaking in short and concise sentences, which required listeners to possess strong comprehension skills. 。Princess Duan Hui grew up with her several older brothers, so she naturally understood what her brother meant. He was reminding her that Song Shi, her cousin's concubine, had gone too far. When her cousin returned, he would definitely settle accounts with her. 。 Song Jianing strained to support himself, bowing his head in gratitude. 。In the end, she was carried out of the palace by Li Mamá. She got on a carriage, and Li Mamá helped her sit down comfortably, with concern in her eyes. She said many words of comfort. 。Song Jianing was distressed. Princess Duanhui was so capable, would she come up with other ways to deal with him in the future?If Guo Xiao was willing to let her go, it would be great. 。The future was bleak, and catching sight of the plate of lychees that Princess Duan Hui had been enjoying, Song Jianing swallowed nervously. 。Since I was young, I had one illness: a love for food. No matter how heartbroken I was, as long as someone brought me a delicious dish, my sorrow would be instantly forgotten. Perhaps the reason I didn't commit suicide after being drugged by Liang Shaoming and given to Guo Xiaolong was not only because I thought Liang Shaoming was unworthy, but also because of the delicious three meals a day that Guo Xiaolong provided.Looking at the plate of plump, bright red lychees, Song Jianing didn't seem to hurt as much anymore. He grabbed one and peeled it seriously. 。When Li Mama saw it, she chuckled, "Oh, how innocent! How can you be so carefree?" 。 Lychees are peeled slowly, the carriage has left the city, and there is half a plate left. 。But the road started uneven, after another bump, Li Mama softly reminded Song Jianing: "Eat slowly, be careful not to choke." 。“Song Jianing laughed, how could she be so foolish?”"As soon as she put the freshly peeled lychee into her mouth, the carriage suddenly jolted violently again. Song Jianing only felt a…” "Half a month later, the streets of the capital were abuzz with a new story: Princess Duan Hui had killed the concubine beloved by the son of the Duke's Mansion! The son was furious and refused to marry her!” |
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