Chapter 29: Entering the Palace (IX)

Long Cuiyuan although the palace garden, that has belonged to the north of the palace, and night darkness, Liu Yi in order to ensure the safety of the emperor in addition to more than a few yellow door, but also from the nearest west Pingmen from the Hall of Hanyangzhang transferred to a few guards.

Many mouths are mixed, I do not know from the yellow door out, or from the mouth of the guards out, in short, the second day of the early morning, the palace up and down will be the emperor outside the palace on the Hu Cheng Hua Xi love at first sight thing spread to call its God.

Inside the Xuan Guang Hall, a room of purple veil, the fragrance from the incense burner, Yun Gui Concubine reclined on the couch of the West Warm Pavilion, teasing her beloved pet, the snow ball. This snow ball is the name of a cat, because of the snow white body, so named, at this time Yun Gui Concubine is using the crimson ten fingers to stroke the snow ball's head.

The reddish onion-like fingers are especially dazzling in the snowy white, Yun Gui Concubine touched the cat while scrutinizing the nails and said, "Qianqi, look at the Palace's nails should be trimmed?"

Qianqi glanced at it and answered with a yes, then turned around and went to the sandalwood incense box and took out the golden scissors, kneeling on the footrest to trim for Yun Gui Concubine.

Instead, a corner of the chamber threw a jealous glance at another courtesan named Qianfu.

Qianqi is Yun Gui Concubine's personal maidservant, the person Yun Gui Concubine brought out from Yunfu.

Although Qianqi has been the concubine's beloved for many years, she is only dedicated to her master and has a simple mind, not so much of a womanizer. While serving his master with all his heart, he said what he heard from the outside to concubine Yun: "Concubine, there is something that is spreading in the palace!"

"What is it?" Yun Gui Concubine did not raise her eyes for a moment, having been in the palace for many years, the general matter really could not attract her curiosity, her left hand was allowed to be pruned by Qianqi, and her right hand was still caressing the snow ball.

"I heard that Hu Chenghua was acquainted with His Majesty before he entered the palace!" Qian Qi said truthfully.

"How is it possible?" Yun Gui Concubine's winks slanted, rather disbelieving.

"I heard people say that the Emperor took Hu Cheng Hua to Long Cui Garden yesterday for the purpose of eliminating food, and for safety's sake, he didn't take few people with him, and in this way, there was the rumor just now."

"Heh ..." Yun Gui Concubine pulled the corner of her mouth and asked, "People in the palace are used to chewing on their tongues, even if it's true, so what? Can they still turn over the sky?"

Qianqi continued to trim the nails of Yun Gui Concubine, not daring to be born again.

Only to hear Yun Gui Concubine confidently say, "This palace is the Emperor's own cousin, both now and in the future I will be the most favored one in this palace."

Outside the Xuan Cherry Hall, a snowy plum, Xuan Cherry Hall, white curtains through the hidden plum fragrance. 

She did not wear a cloak and only wore a single robe standing under the porch, looking at the snowy plums all over the yard. But now it's nearly March, this plum blossom has long been thankful, the bare branches are very obvious bleak, she just so quietly standing, is very loveable.

"Guihua! It's not even spring yet, and it's cold outside! You just had a miscarriage, your body won't be able to withstand it, let's go back inside!" The personal maidservant said worriedly.

"This palace has been in the house for too long and wants to come out for some air." Sima Guihua's voice did not ripple, and there was no sadness or joy in her eyes.

The personal maid Qianlu see Sima Guihua this appearance, really heartbroken, then advised: "Your Highness, slave know you lost the child sad, but the emperor has always been in your heart, as long as there is the emperor's favor in, you are not afraid of not having a child."

Sima Guihua stroked the bare branches of the plum tree with his hand and did not speak.

Seeing Sima Guihua ignoring herself, Qianlu said anxiously, "Seeing that there are so many newcomers in the palace all of a sudden, I heard that the Emperor likes that Li Chonghua and Hu Chenghua very much. Guihua, you can't give up on yourself, it's time to plan for yourself!"

Sima Guihua glanced back at Qianlu, smiled coldly, and asked, "Planning something?"

"Naturally, it is to plan for the Emperor's favor!" Qianlu had an expression of the emperor not being in a hurry.

Sima Guihua glanced at Qianlu, didn't say that she intended to compete for favor nor did she say that she didn't intend to compete for favor, and only said, "This palace is tired!" Then she went into the hall.

 Before the showgirls entered the palace, there were only five concubines in the Yebei Imperial Palace, and four of the five were from the royal family when the emperor was a prince.

These were Empress Xu Baohuan, Noble Concubine Yun Shanyue, Noble Hua Sima Qingcheng, Jieyu Wen Lianyu and Jieyu Cui Yingdan.

These people, the emperor's favorite is Yun Shanyue and Sima Qingcheng, both a demonic fiery, a cold and noble, the emperor of the two favor is difficult to distinguish between.

If you look at the surface, since it is to go to Yun Shanyue room more often, but inside the emperor is more love Sima Guihua. She is a princess of the former dynasty, now her parents and brothers are dead, and she has no relatives in the world. Moreover, Sima Guihua can be patient, know how to advance and retreat, not sticky, these are since childhood was held in the hands of growing up in the heart of Yun Gui concubine does not have.

Cui Jieyu's father and maternal grandfather's family is also an official in the dynasty, and he himself has grown a pair of soul-stirring fox charming eyes, quite beautiful.

Wen Jieyu is the emperor or the prince when the side of the waiting maidservant, is the first to teach the emperor of men and women, initially when the emperor to treat it is also good, but since the marriage of the princess and concubines, will gradually cold down.

The concubines knew that Yuan Xi and the Emperor had known each other for a long time, and they didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing. In any case, this day, the Hall of Hanyangzhang was bustling with activity.

Lower-ranking housewives in groups of three or two, all came to ask for peace and wanted to socialize with them.

In the past days, after waking up from a lunchtime nap, Chen Shuling would head to the Zhenghe Hall to go to Li Chunghua's to sit down, but since the rumor that the Emperor and Hu Chenghua were acquainted with each other outside of the palace, Chen Shuling came to the Hall of Containing Zhangs on this day.

This day with the Zhang Hall gate like a city, Chang Yong Cui even stood in the door ushered in although very happy but also tired.

Two people will squat on the ground, want to lean on the side of the door to rest for a moment, who knows that Chang Yong only a closed eyes, Cui more will be shadowed to see Chen Chen Chenghua with a one by one courtesans come in style, and hastily kicked Chang Yong said: "Quickly get up, Chen Chenghua is coming."

Chang Yong was scared a jolt, thought Cui more in playing tricks on himself, just about to open his mouth to curse, look back between the Chen Chen Chenghua is walking towards the Hall of Huanzhang, so busy fluttering clean the dust on the body, the appearance of a solemn and respectful standing there.

When Chen Chenghua walked in, the two of them hurriedly bent down to do a salute and said, "Nuns have met Chen Chenghua, Cheng Hua Wan Fu Jin An."

Chen Chenghua smiled and asked, "Is Sister Hu available?"

Chang Yong hemmed and hawed and said, "In, Cheng Hua please come in quickly."

Chen Chenghua with Qianrui's hand to go inward, into the main hall of the Hall of Containing Zhang, see a maidservant is standing outside the door of the hall, see Chen Chenghua came in, bent down and said: "Slave girl to Chenghua to please good health."

This servant girl is Qian He, although she has not seen Chen Chenghua, but from her dress she knows her identity. In Yecheng Palace, the status of the concubines was obvious from the hair and jewelry they wore. In Daye, black was the most honored color, purple was the most expensive, followed by red and yellow.

Black only the emperor and queen can wear; purple is only located in the ranks of the three ladies can wear, and according to the status of the light, that is to say, Yun Gui Concubine can wear purple, and Sima Guihua can only partial purple; Wang Guiren again; nine concubines can wear red, yellow, which is still based on the difference between the color of the status of the gradual change in the light, such as Hu Chenghua, although it can also be wearing red, yellow, but compared to the Wen Jieyu and Cui Jieke can wear the red, can only wear Cherry red, enamel red, etc..

Secondly, the number of phoenix tails and the number of tassels in the hair ornaments are distinguished: "concubines and above can wear gold hairpin. To wear a phoenix hairpin, for example: the queen can wear a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin, the number of tassels in the rocker is nine; three ladies can wear a six-tailed phoenix hairpin, the number of tassels is six; nine concubines can wear a three-tailed phoenix hairpin, the number of tassels is three; a woman can't wear a phoenix hairpin, the number of tassels in the rocker is only one; the royal daughter can't wear a rocker."

This day Chen Chenghua is wearing a cherry red palace dress, that brocade embroidered rows and rows of Zhu Dan flowers, blooming dainty, as Chen Chenghua just youthful face. She combed a flowing cloud bun, with a pair of red glazed drop earrings, the three-tailed phoenix hairpin spit out the mouth of the red stamens and the red on the ear reflect each other.

Wen Qianhe gave a good greeting, the curtains of the West Warming Pavilion had been opened by Qianlan, revealing a warm bed, on which there was a kang table with an alabaster pot and some fruits and gourds; on the kang, there were a few white porcelain bottles in the Duo Baoge, which could not be seen in the year, but from the degree of sophistication, it was known that they were rare items.

Chen Chenghua walked in with a dimpled smile and bent down to Hu Chenghua, saying, "Greetings to sister, my sister has nothing to do today so she came to bother sister."

"There is no need to be so polite!" Yuan Xi also got down from the couch and returned the salute.