Chapter 127

The Empress did indeed intend to take a good look at the noble ladies of the capital during this birthday banquet, so she sent out many visiting cards to the powerful officials and their families.

On the night of the birthday banquet, Yingning went to the palace.

This banquet was not held in front of the Hall of Nourishing Life as usual, but was arranged in the Qin Garden Hall.

Qin Garden is a central hall in the Imperial Garden. Although it is not as solemn and quiet as the Hall of Nourishing Life, it has its own beautiful scenery.

In front of the hall sits a half-peach orchard, where scattered blossoms add a touch of tranquility.

After the palace servants lit the exquisite palace lanterns, Qin Garden was brightly lit in the night.

Yingning sat in a lower position not far from the front of the hall, gazing at the peach orchard stretching as far as the eye could see.

The noble ladies walked slowly to their seats on the carpet in Qin Garden, and soon there was a noticeable discussion.

Although the Empress's banquet was ostensibly a birthday celebration, the location was not the usual birthday banquet, but rather the tranquil and elegant Qin Garden, which gave everyone a clue.

The Empress was planning to select a candidate for Crown Princess.

In the imperial city, all the unmarried young ladies of official families who have reached the age of marriage gathered in Qinyuan Palace today.

Jeweled with precious stones and hairpins, beautiful women of all shapes and sizes.

Many beautiful women were well-versed in etiquette, and their melodious voices, like orioles singing in the valley, added much color to the Qin Garden and peach grove that night.

The people of the Min Dynasty pursued elegance and did not favor strong colors in their clothing. Instead, they often used light and elegant tones such as light purple, blue, pale yellow, and pink.

The women also wore hairpins, jade pendants, and sachets as accessories.

At this moment, Ying Ning, dressed in Western Region attire, seemed somewhat out of place.

Tonight, the maidservant styled Yingning's hair into an elegant bun, adorned with several small hairpins in the shape of frost flowers, a rare find in the Western Regions, and a vermilion water-bearing stone as her forehead ornament.

Beneath her high-coiffed hair, her phoenix eyes were slightly upturned, and the alluring charm at the ends was even more captivating.

The clothing of the Western Regions was quite different. Rouge's palace skirt was adorned with intricate and delicate frost and cloud patterns, which bloomed boldly from her slender waist down.

A vermilion glass beaded silver chain was tied around her waist, swaying gently as she walked.

When the ladies saw Yingning, they couldn't help but feel curious about this princess from the Western Regions.

Hearing that Princess Zhaoning had come to the dynasty to arrange a marriage alliance under the title of "Eldest Princess," the Western Regions were, after all, a defeated country in the Rongsu War, and the people couldn't help but look at her with a hint of mockery.

After all, when a princess from a defeated country comes to marry a foreign ruler, it is a sign of weakness on behalf of the other country, which inevitably leads some people to look down on her.

However, due to the princess's status, no one dared to say it directly.

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!" came a sharp eunuch's voice.

The women in front of Qinyuan Hall immediately knelt down and bowed in respect:

"Your humble servant/daughter pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty be well."

Yingning also stood up and performed a Western Regions-style salute.

The person in the main seat of the hall was Empress Sun, who wore a phoenix-shaped jewel headdress and a bright yellow long-tailed palace robe.

"Please, everyone, no need for formalities," Empress Sun said softly, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze.

The people in front of the hall slowly returned to their seats.

Empress Sun smiled, her demeanor extraordinary, and slowly spoke: "Today is my birthday, and I am very pleased that everyone has come to the palace to offer their congratulations."

"It's rare to see the palace so lively, so please don't stand on ceremony at the banquet today."

Everyone at the table immediately expressed their gratitude.

Yingning looked around at the seats in front of Qinyuan Hall and noticed that several seats opposite were vacant.

The palace servants began serving food to the women one by one, but few of them touched their bowls and chopsticks at this time.

They had all come for His Highness the Crown Prince, and were secretly delighted; they had no intention of focusing on the food in front of them.

Yingning looked at the food in front of her and found that it consisted of several imperial dishes, which were excellent in color, aroma and taste, but were a rare treat. So she picked up her chopsticks.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"

"His Highness the Sixth Prince has arrived!" The voices of the two eunuchs drew the attention of everyone in Qinyuan Palace.

A man dressed in a deep blue robe with a gold collar, a translucent Hetian jade pendant at his waist, and an air of righteousness in his eyes, entered the hall and bowed to Empress Sun before reaching the front of the hall.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, wishing you good fortune, health, and lasting happiness."

This person is His Highness the Crown Prince.

But as soon as he finished speaking, another voice rang out.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty eternal youth and good health every year."

Yingning looked up and saw that the person speaking was wearing a deep purple robe with a cloud pattern. His eyes were nine-tenths similar to those of Empress Sun. When he spoke, his eyes were full of spiritual light, and his eyelashes were slightly raised.

He seemed to be smiling, with a touch of nonchalant arrogance about him.

This person appears to be the sixth prince, Yan Jingxu.

Yan Dingjun beckoned, and an attendant immediately presented a brocade box. He said frankly, "I recently acquired a rare piece of azure jade and black jade, and had a craftsman carve it for more than a month. I thought I would present it to the Empress Dowager as a congratulatory gift today."

The attendant immediately opened the brocade box, and in the center of the inner box was a piece of azure jade and dark green jade pendant, on which was carved a picture of a phoenix dancing in the nine heavens.

After receiving the jade pendant, Empress Sun examined it for a while, and was delighted with it.

"Good, good, Jun'er is so thoughtful."

Empress Sun was very fond of it.

Yingning was not far from the main seat and could see the jade pendant clearly. The dark green color was extremely rich, and the carving was done by a master. It was truly a fine jade pendant.

She took a sip of tea and thought of the Western Regions white jade peony pendant that had just been presented. Although it was rare, it couldn't compare to this black jade pendant.

It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince still wields considerable power.

"Your Majesty has sent such a fine gift that I am almost reluctant to reciprocate," Yan Jingxu teased his half-brother Yan Dingjun.

This Crown Prince probably knew Yan Jingxu's temperament, and besides, the two brothers were very close, so he deliberately responded:

"oh?"

"What gift has Your Majesty prepared? Now that you've arrived before the Empress Dowager, how can you possibly keep it a secret?" Yan Dingjun asked.

Empress Sun instructed a maid to put away the brocade box and then looked at Yan Jingxu:

"Xu'er, let your mother see what surprise you have prepared."

Yan Jingxu chuckled lightly and clapped his hands, saying, "My gift is not as valuable as my brother's."

"Your Majesty, please don't look down on Xu'er."

He smiled faintly, and the peach blossoms behind him swayed gently, as if a fairy had entered his dream.

This caused all the women present to blush with embarrassment.