The arrival of spring did not take away Winter's footsteps in time.
The heavy snow that lasted for several months covered the entire capital in white snow, as if it wanted to solidify everything, but it missed out on the time that had passed in a hurry.
Although it wasn't snowing today, the sky was unusually gloomy. The north wind was fierce, and it was even more obvious on the faces of this group of people. There was even a hint of sadness and sadness from parting in life and death. Reluctantly and heartlessly, they sent their biological daughter into the palanquin. The clothes inside and outside the palanquin were pulled together, and the mournful sound of farewell suddenly broke the dawn. The Forbidden City, this enviable and evasive word, had buried many beauties.
The dense snow and ice crystals were carefully laid out in every corner of the Forbidden City. On both sides of the brick-red wall road leading to Chuxiu Palace, two rows of guards were neatly arranged in a straight line. The silver-white armor was covered with thin snow, obviously left behind by last night's duty.
A lavishly decorated sedan chair was carried in from the corridor. Beside the palanquin, there were palace maids with gloomy expressions. They looked straight ahead as if they were familiar with everything that was happening around them. The eunuch carrying the palanquin had a dull expression on his face. He carried the palanquin and stepped on it, leaving deep and shallow marks in the snow.
Xie 'er's eyes were swollen from crying, and she accepted everything blankly. At this moment, she was surprisingly calm. She allowed her body to sway in the sedan chair, appearing obedient and peaceful. Other than the early east wind that lifted the curtains from time to time, everything was soaked in this lifeless and abnormally humid air for a long time.
Freedom, love, faith, and even life were thrown away in an instant. What awaited them was only fate.
" Stop..." With an ear-piercing sound, the palanquin suddenly stopped. Xie 'er was slightly shocked and instinctively fell forward.
" Get off the palanquin…" The shrill voice that made one's hair stand on end commanded again.
The palanquins fell to the ground and tilted forward slightly. The eunuchs who carried the palanquins lifted the curtains together. With the rustling of their clothes, the hundred or so women who entered the palace with Xie 'er slowly stepped out of the palanquins and landed on this land that they might never be able to leave in their lifetime. They sank into the soft white snow, feeling powerless.
" Line up properly…" It turned out that the sharp voice came from a young eunuch. He was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old. His lips were red and his teeth were white. His two bean-like eyes shone with a sly light.
The eunuchs who carried the palanquin quietly carried the palanquin out and disappeared at the end of the corridor, leaving only a winding and overlapping footprint and a past that could not be returned.
The beautiful women got off the sedan chair and saw that they were already in the rear palace. Their faces were all filled with similar uneasiness. Looking up, he saw dark and old vermilion pavilions and halls around him. They were standing in an empty courtyard that was tightly wrapped by layers of vermilion palace walls, alone. Other than looking at each other, there was no other freedom.
" Little Shunzi, how's it going…" At this time, an old eunuch in his fifties called out in a delicate voice. He was surrounded by a group of young eunuchs as he slowly walked in front of the young girls.
"Eunuch Zhao." When the young eunuch who spoke saw the old eunuch come, he hurriedly dialed a thousand respectfully. He glanced at the beautiful women and bowed." They don't know the rules…"
"Little Shunzi, it's their first time entering the palace, so they naturally don't know the rules. In the future, you have to take good care of them for me.”The old eunuch laughed in a terrifying manner. The flesh on his face had already formed a deep dent due to his long-term laughter, and his original face could no longer be seen clearly.
The beautiful women instantly fell silent like cicadas in winter. They hissed and looked around from time to time, panicking and uneasy.
"Yes, yes, yes. Eunuch Zhao, I will definitely discipline you well.”The young eunuch nodded repeatedly in awe.
"En, this lowly one has received the decree of the Grand Empress Dowager to come and take a look before leaving. Little Shunzi, I'll leave this place to you from now on. I still have to go back to the Empress Dowager…Oh right, I still have to invite Aunt Liangyue. The Empress Dowager is still waiting for someone to give a lecture.”Before the old eunuch finished speaking, he turned around and left in a hurry. He must be a busy person in the palace.
"Farewell, Eunuch Zhao." The little eunuch bowed and called out a thousand.
Then, he allocated all the rooms. Eight people in a room. Those who sang their names took their tokens and verified their identities. Then, they followed the aunties in charge of each room into the room to tidy up the things and arrange various matters. Only to hear the father-in-law Xiao Shunzi read out,"Guo Luoluo? Wanzhen, Andara? Xiu Rong, Fu Jia? Pei Lan…the eight of you, stay in the first room in the east. Auntie Alu will lead the way. Nala? Xie 'er, E Zhuo? Liu Yan, De Dun? Zixun…You guys, go to the second room in the east. Auntie Ah Gan will lead the way.”
After a while, the eight girls followed Aunty Ah Gan into the Second East House. The room was spacious and drafty, and it was decorated in an unusually simple manner. He looked up and saw a long bed carved with flowers. It was simple and elegant, and there were eight jade pillows and a cloud brocade blanket on it. There was also a long pearwood table in front of the bed, with four plum blossom stools placed in front and back. He looked over and saw a row of eight bronze mirrors on the left side of the room. There were also some moon-white cleaning towels hanging on the frames. Everything was meticulously decorated and exquisite. It was indeed the location of the palace.
"Hey, hey, hey, what are your names? Tell me quickly.”After sitting down for a while, before they could pack up, the sisters gathered together and started talking. The jubilant atmosphere seemed to have completely forgotten the life and death parting with their families a few hours ago.
" Have you heard? There's an imperial physician in the palace. He's born with peerless talent. He's the most popular person among the women in the Forbidden City besides the emperor..." A girl boasted.
"Really? Really? Tell us in detail.”When they heard that, they quickly curled up on the bed and pressed their heads together.
"My sister has been a maid in the palace for three years and has never had the chance to see the emperor. "But her greatest comfort is to be able to catch a glimpse of Doctor Duan…" The girl said proudly, and they couldn't help but get even more curious.
"Doctor Duan? Who is it?" A girl asked suspiciously.
" Hehehe…" The girl deliberately showed off and smiled at them.
"Zixun, Zixun, tell me quickly! I'm so anxious!" The other girl immediately urged.
" This Imperial Physician Duan is no different from other Imperial Physicians. He specializes in treating women in the harem like us…But I heard that he's very handsome…and very young…" Zi Xun could not help but look at him with admiration.
Everyone was frightened by her and fell into deep thought. Zi Xun was carefree and continued to laugh without restraint." There's a saying among the women in the palace,'I don't ask for the emperor's blessing, but I ask for Duan Lang'.'”
" Wow…Then, Doctor Duan is even more…" A girl quickly covered her mouth.
"Doctor Duan…Wow, he's really so handsome? I really want to see him quickly." Another girl blinked her eyes and said in a daze.
"There will be plenty of opportunities in the future, hehe.”Zi Xun winked playfully.
Xie 'er silently sat on the side of the bed and listened carefully, but she was not very interested in the doctor. Due to her fainting last night, her face was still pale and haggard. She was not in the mood to listen to their gossip, and her eyes wandered around.
Suddenly, her eyes fixed on a quiet and humble girl. She sat quietly on the side of her bunk and quietly packed her things. She looked at the sign and saw that her name was Liu Huan. It was a charming name, just like her, but her indifferent eyes seemed a little unsociable.
Upon closer inspection, she was thin and weak, her shoulders were thin and her feet were small. Her eyebrows were slender and slightly furrowed, like the thin willows in spring. The pink dimples were small and exquisite, and she looked somewhat familiar as if she had seen them somewhere before. Xie 'er couldn't help but stare at her in a daze.
Liu Yan suddenly caught a glimpse of the stern gaze from afar. She looked back and saw Xie 'er's warm smile. She responded with a faint smile, her eyes clear and clean. She didn't go closer and continued to tidy up the work in her hands. He glanced over and saw that most of the clothes she was arranging were 70 to 80% old, and there were no new tricks. Even the clothes she was wearing were the fashionable clothes of the old years. It seemed that she was not the daughter of a rich family. In this sister who wore gold and silver, she looked a little shabby.
"Do you have something on your mind?" Xie 'er looked at her bleak appearance and could not hide her inexplicable closeness. She quickly glanced at the group of playful sisters and greeted her with great concern.
"No, there isn't. Miss Xie 'er, I'm fine." Liu Yan stopped what she was doing and looked at her faintly. She shook her head lightly, but she answered politely.
"That's good. In the future, the eight of us will be good sisters. We'll help each other.”Xie 'er wanted to break this strange feeling.
"Yes." She gently nodded and a shy expression appeared on her face. However, the corners of her mouth curled up beautifully, as light and soft as a willow.
"Hey! What are you two hiding here for? He won't be coming with us." Zixun noticed that the two of them were whispering in the corner, so she brought a group of sisters over.
"Zixun, look. They look so similar!”A girl pointed at Xie 'er and Liu Huan and said in surprise.
"Especially between his brows, it's full of a frown. It's simply the same mold.”Another girl leaned over and looked back and forth at them.
"Are you two sisters?”Zi Xun said with a smile.
Xie 'er and Liu Yan looked at each other. The intimacy they shared just now was like a bond. Looking at it carefully, it was indeed as the sisters said, there was a 60 - 70% similarity, only then did he feel the wonder of the word fate.
"That's not it." Liu Yan replied embarrassedly.
"What a pity. However, we can become sworn brothers and form a golden orchid.”Everyone's curiosity was broken, and they looked a little embarrassed, but another interest rose.
Xie 'er and Liu Yan looked at each other helplessly and shook their heads in tacit understanding. However, they couldn't help but cover their mouths and laugh together. It was like two pieces of jade that had been separated. Once they met again, the crisp sound of luck could be heard.
At this moment, pastries were suddenly passed to the door. The sisters couldn't hide their delight. When the pastries were all placed, they quickly gathered together on the table. Xie 'er then squeezed up with Liu Yan. Looking down, this palace was indeed different from other places. Even the utensils used to hold the pastries were more exquisite.
There were eight pine flower cakes on the blue and white porcelain plate, eight small white sugar longevity cakes on the crystal glazed porcelain plate, eight rose rolls on the peach-colored jade plate, ice crystal cakes on the jade plate, and eight okra colored thick pear water in the eight dragon spring jade jars.
It was so exquisite that they hesitated for a moment, not knowing where to start. Aunt Ah Gan quickly instructed," These are all ordinary pastries. You guys had an important breakfast, and Mrs. Zhu from above still has to come over and give you a lecture." Just looking at it could fill his stomach?”
The sisters couldn't hide their joy. They quickly picked up the pastries with soup and ate them together. The imperial kitchen was really good at cooking. The pastries were smooth and not greasy or sticky. There was a fragrance left in the food. They couldn't stop eating for a moment.
The meal had just ended when the inner supervisor came in to summon them. Before they could respond, the group of eunuchs who had entered in a single file each held a large embroidered box made of yellow pear wood and stood in a row in the room. Aunt Ah Gan nodded slightly and slowly opened the red silk cover on the brocade box. She saw that the inside of the box was colorful and complicated. Upon closer inspection, it was actually a palace dress with the same dice pattern. The Hangzhou silk sleeves with three inlaid and three rolled white flags, the pearl buttons on the right side of the lapel, and the yellow horseshoe sleeves covered the hands. It was slender and beautiful, solemn and solemn, and noble and dignified.
The sisters all took their own clothes. Looking greedily, another brocade box was filled with silk scarves of various colors. Looking at it, there was an old yellow embroidered with gold and jade embroidered with flowers and phoenixes, a silver-red silk embroidered with river teeth and sea water inlaid with eight treasures, a glittering sesame hemp embroidered with gold, a jade silk lock inlaid with gold, and a marinated purple Sichuan silk handkerchief. There were also embroidered with jade patterns on the top of the gold, a pair of square knots, and a pair of pearls on both sides of the rim... It was really dazzling to choose eight treasures.
Nu Ke picked up one side and said," This white thorn has been pricked. What's the use of it? It's a waste of its age."”
However, Liu Yan went forward and gently picked up that piece. She smiled and said," Sister doesn't like this color, so give it to me." I like this white and clean one."
Nu Ke smiled and quickly gave her the jade colored handkerchief. Xie 'er covered her mouth and said," I've also taken a fancy to this white handkerchief. It's so clean that it's not eye-catching."”
Liu Yan held it in her hand and pushed it to Xie 'er." If you like it, give it to me. I don't like it either."”
"Younger Sister, don't be anxious. I was just casually saying it. Seeing that this maroon is also simple and unadorned, I want this one.”Xie 'er covered Liu Yan's hand with a smile and quickly held the maroon silk in her hand.
Liu Yan smiled and lowered her eyes. She thought that not only were their appearances similar, but even their tastes were similar. Moreover, Xie 'er's temperament was also generous and amiable. She liked Xie' er a little more.
Zixun waved a silver-red one and smiled." You all picked the white and elegant one. I want a demonic one so that I can match you."”
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.
Ah Gan couldn't help but poke her with a finger and said with a smile," You monkey, you better be careful with your words in the future. Be careful not to say anything wrong."”
Heng Jun casually picked a tea color and stuffed it into his armpit without answering. He didn't care about these colors and patterns, so he was somewhat casual and silent.
Pod 'er, who was still young but could not hide her appearance, quickly squeezed forward and carefully picked one out. Only then did she choose a golden spot with green patterns and brocade. She held it in her hand and looked left and right. It was obvious that it was still a child's habit, but it was childish and cute.
When the sisters had finished choosing the silk handkerchief, they swarmed over to another brocade box and saw that there were eight jade pendants of different colors wrapped in red thread in the brocade box. There were red, white, yellow, partridge-spotted, blue, blue after the rain, parrot-green, and old wine yellow. They are all exquisite and exquisite, small and beautiful, so that people can not bear to look away.
Xie 'er couldn't help but reach out to caress the snow on her wrist. Thinking of her cousin's feelings when he gave it to her, she naturally had another parting feeling now. The jade pendants given by the emperor had different descriptions and colors, just like the three thousand beauties in the harem, each with its own merits. However, she was similarly wrapped in a red thread, unable to escape and unable to be free. Such pampering was probably an extremely humble matter.
Nu Ke carefully picked up one and said happily," This delicate yellow is as transparent as the morning sun. When people see it, they will be surprised, love, and happy."”
Xie 'er nodded and said," The color of this delicate yellow is really calm.”
Liu Yan gently picked up a sacrificial red one and held it in her palm for a long time without looking away. She then handed it to Xie 'er and said," Sister, do you like it?”
Xie 'er was slightly surprised, but she quickly took the jade pendant and smiled gently." It's dignified and heavy. I like it very much."”
Liu Yan was even more delighted. She quickly hung it on Xie 'er's waist and said in a kind tone," Sister is always connected to me."”
Xie 'er returned the smile, her watery eyes landing on the red spot on the snow, her emotions complicated.
"Big sister is the steady old red, little sister should be the parrot green. Only then can we be compatible!" Zi Xun smiled and quickly handed the Yingge Green Jade Pendant to Liu Huan. Liu Huan was slightly startled, but she couldn't refuse. She slowly took it, but her eyes unconsciously fixed on the ivory white jade pendant.
Xie 'er understood what he meant and quickly took out the white jade pendant. She smiled and said," Just now, it was Bai Fang Sheng' er. This box is a white jade pendant. Only then can they be worthy."”
He handed it to Liu Yan and took the parrots green. He praised," The grapes are green and misty in the air, just like the color of this parrots green pendant. It is very suitable for Sister Jiao 'er's spiritual aura."”
Pod 'er blushed slightly and quickly took the jade pendant." You flatter me, sister. I'm afraid I'll sully your beautiful words."”
"You're the most worthy." Xie 'er and Liu Yan smiled and exchanged glances from time to time.
Ah Gan looked at it and nodded in satisfaction." You guys have declined. It's too late to fight for that house from three years ago.”
"Is it Consort Tong's wife?”Zi Xun blurted out.
Ah Gan glared at them. Everyone understood what he meant and quickly kept quiet.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。