Chapter 9 [9] There are not many powerful rulers, but every generation has beauties...

【9】/First release

Instantly, everyone in the hall stood up, straightened their clothes, bowed their heads, and shouted in unison: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager!"

The uniform shouts from the mountains rang out in the bright and magnificent palace, and the tail sound lingered in the air.

Yun Ran also followed Zheng's example and bowed politely.

She had practiced this etiquette at home no less than a hundred times. It seemed very simple at the time, but now that she was in such a solemn and dignified occasion, her heart couldn't help but jump, and she even held her breath unconsciously.

After all, the one who is about to come is the emperor, the most noble man in the world!

There are also the Queen Mother and the Empress, the two most noble women in the world!

Yun Ran's heart was surging, and a steady sound of footsteps could be heard in the quiet hall.

Although Yun Ran really wanted to look up to see what the legendary empress dowager and emperor looked like, he held back.

She lowered her brows and listened to the footsteps gradually approaching and then gradually going away.

Soon, a gentle yet dignified male voice rang out from the podium: "My dear ministers, please stand."

Everyone bowed in unison and expressed their gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"slowly."

Zheng's gentle voice rang in her ears. Yun Ran turned her head and saw her mother holding her wrist: "You can take a seat now."

Seeing that everyone around her had sat down, Yun Ran also hurriedly adjusted her complicated skirt and sat down. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she quietly looked up.

On the high platform with brilliant candlelight, three noblemen in gorgeous clothes were sitting in the shape of a "mountain".

The figure seated on the throne in the center was undoubtedly the emperor, wearing a jade crown, a purple robe with dragon patterns, and a belt of gold, silver, and leather. He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight, young and handsome, completely different from the "old emperor" Yun Ran had imagined.

Look at the graceful woman on the emperor's right. She is wearing a pine green robe with a swastika and double happiness phoenix pattern, jade pendants on her ears, and a calm high bun. Although her fair face shows some signs of aging and her skin is a little loose, she is still a beauty.

Yun Ran originally thought that her mother had been well maintained. But when she saw Queen Mother Zhao, she almost mistook her for the emperor if there wasn't a woman sitting next to her who looked younger and was dressed more brightly.

As for the young woman on the left wearing a bright red dress with peony patterns, she is the current queen Zheng Yuyan.

Yun Ran felt a sense of familiarity the moment she saw the Empress, and couldn't help whispering to Zheng, "The Empress and my mother look a bit alike, both with oval faces and high noses."

Zheng laughed when she heard this: "We in the Zheng family all have noses like your grandfather. Look, if you don't believe me, just look at your eldest uncle and second uncle."

There was a palace banquet tonight, and naturally people from the Duke of Huguo’s Mansion, as the Queen’s maiden family, also came.

Yun Ran looked forward and saw that his eldest uncle and second uncle were sitting next to each other. One of the brothers was fat and the other was thin. Both of them had tall and straight noses with slightly hooked tips, which looked heroic and sharp.

However, when the same nose is matched with different faces, Yun Ran still thinks that his mother's and the queen's are more beautiful.

Perhaps because she stared for a little too long, Queen Zheng, who was sitting on the throne, suddenly looked towards her.

Yun Ran was slightly stunned. Before she could react, Queen Zheng smiled at her.

This kind signal also made Yun Ran relax. He blinked and smiled brightly in return.

Now it was Queen Zheng's turn to be stunned, but soon she bent down and whispered a few words to the little prince beside her.

The three-year-old little prince opened his eyes wide and looked towards Yun Ran.

"Mother, is that the eldest prince?"

Yun Ran sighed: "She is really pretty, like a little girl."

Zheng said, "The prince's appearance is more like that of a royal family member. The Sima dynasty has been established for three hundred years, and while there haven't been many great rulers, every generation has produced beauties."

Hearing this, Yun Ran looked at the emperor's face twice, eager to verify it, and frowned slightly: "Your Majesty is quite handsome, but..."

Her voice gradually became softer: "Not even close to being a beauty."

Zheng laughed upon hearing this: "Your Majesty's appearance is only average among the royal family. The most beautiful young Sima family member must be..."

She stopped herself in time when the words were on the tip of her tongue.

Yun Ran was intrigued: "Who is it? Mother, don't keep me in suspense."

Zheng pursed her lips and didn't say anything. She just glanced at the empty seat at the front below the main seat.

Yun Ran was stunned for a moment, but soon realized who the empty seat belonged to.

"King Jing?" Yun Ran was very surprised.

Perhaps influenced by the outside world and the words of his sisters-in-law, Yun Ran's mind was that King Jing was an ugly weirdo who held a snake in one hand and a mouse in the other, was surrounded by miasma, and laughed strangely from time to time.

But now his mother said that he was the most beautiful woman in the royal family.

A beautiful woman holding a snake in her left hand and catching a mouse in her right hand?

Yun Ran: “…”

It's really hard to imagine.

She shook her head, shaking off those strange thoughts, and asked Zheng: "Why didn't King Jing come tonight?"

Zheng was not surprised: "Prince Jing likes quietness. He rarely shows up at any banquet in the palace."

Yun Ran: "But today is Mid-Autumn Festival, the Queen Mother and His Majesty are both in the palace. If he doesn't come, won't he feel lonely staying in the palace alone?"

Zheng didn't understand either.

But how many normal people in this world can understand a weirdo like King Jing?

"It's none of our business anyway."

Afraid that her daughter would ask more questions, Zheng quickly picked up a sweet-scented osmanthus and honey meatball and put it in her bowl: "Try it quickly, this is an imperial delicacy that is only available in the palace. You can't eat it outside."

Sure enough, the beautiful little dessert, which was as soft and sticky as a snowball and embellished with a layer of attractive golden osmanthus honey, instantly attracted Yun Ran's attention.

She immediately put King Jing behind her mind, picked up the ivory chopsticks and started to eat the table full of delicious delicacies with open stomach and relish.

"Delicious! This lamb leg is roasted so nicely, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, not burnt!"

"...This honey-glazed short rib is also delicious, sweet and sour, and fatty but not greasy."

"Ah, this wine is delicious too!"

Yun Ran ate the delicious food and drank the newly brewed osmanthus rice wine, feeling as happy as a mouse that fell into a rice jar.

Seeing that she was so happy eating, Zheng's eyes were also filled with smiles.

Although my daughter picks up the chopsticks frequently, others will definitely mutter something about her being greedy and rude, but... they have the mouths to speak, so let them say whatever they want.

The daughter is thin and at the age of growing up. Anyway, their family will take in a son-in-law in the future, so they don't have to worry about other people's opinions.

Eat, eat as much as you want!

But when you eat and drink too much, trouble comes.

Halfway through the banquet, Yun Ran felt bloated and wanted to urinate.

She tried to hold it in for a long time, but finally couldn't hold it in any longer. Her face flushed red as she whispered to Zheng: "Mother, I want to... go to the bathroom."

Zheng was chatting animatedly with the noblewoman at the next table. Upon hearing this, she said a few words to the palace maid serving behind her, then looked at Yun Ran and said, "You should go with this sister."

Seeing the palace maid's humble and amiable expression, Yun Ran nodded and stood up, supporting herself on the table. "Thank you, sister."

"You are so polite, young lady. Please follow me."

As she followed the palace maid out, Yun Ran looked down at her bulging belly and secretly thanked her luck. Fortunately, it was autumn and her skirts were thicker. If she had worn thin summer clothes, someone who didn't know her would have thought she was five months pregnant.

Compared to the bright and noisy singing and dancing in the main hall, the corridor outside the hall is much quieter, and the palace lanterns hanging in the corridor are also dimly lit, with a unique hazy and ethereal beauty.

After Yun Ran finished his urgent work in the official room, he felt relaxed all over. Looking at the rockery, waterside pavilions, and winding corridors behind the Hanyuan Hall, he was not in a hurry to go back.

Anyway, she was full and there was nothing to do if she went back and sat there. Instead of sitting there like a wooden man and being criticized by others, she might as well go out for a walk.

"Excuse me, sister, which direction is the harem? Which direction is the front court?"

Yun Ran paced slowly to digest his food while curiously chatting with the palace maids: "Is this hall we are in now specially used for banquets?"

The palace maids also discovered that this young lady from the Marquis's Mansion was particularly talkative.

Moreover, she was not as proud as other noble ladies. When she spoke, she was just like a sister chatting with her own sisters, without any airs.

The palace maid was willing to talk to her more.

The two chatted casually and walked to the flowers beside the corridor to admire the moon for a while.

Just when Yun Ran felt that it was about time and was about to go back, a gust of evening breeze mixed with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus suddenly blew towards him.

Along with it came a faint and mournful sound of a flute.

Yun Ran's ears twitched: "Sister Qiulian, did you hear that? It seems like someone is playing the flute."

The palace maid named Qiulian frowned and nodded, "I heard it. But who would be playing the flute outside Hanyuan Hall at this time?"

Yun Ran: "Just go and take a look and you'll know."

Qiulian was startled for a moment, and when she came to her senses, she saw that the young lady in the red dress was already like a nimble little koi, following the sound in the watery moonlight.

"Little lady, go slower, slower..."

"Shhh."

Yun Ran turned around and made a gesture to keep quiet, not wanting to disturb the person playing the flute.

Qiulian also shut her mouth, but followed Yun Ran closely.

After passing a long corridor and two osmanthus trees, the sound of the flute became clearer and clearer, but Yun Ran stopped in his tracks.

There is no way out.

Behind the osmanthus tree was a large rockery of varying heights, and the entrance was not on her side.

Besides, it was pitch dark, and she didn't dare to go through other entrances.

But the faint flute sound was right above her head. She took two steps back and looked up. She saw a hexagonal pavilion standing on the rocky hill. A lamp was lit in the pavilion, and a person was sitting sideways under the lamp.

From Yun Ran's perspective, the lights were dim and the shadows were blurry.

Apart from being able to see that the figure with broad shoulders and narrow waist was a man, nothing else could be seen clearly.

Yun Ran stood there and listened for a while, then suddenly asked, "It seems like he's not playing the Xiao, but the Qiangguan?"

Qiulian: "Qiang pipe?"

Yun Ran nodded. "The Qiangguan is a musical instrument from the Hu land. At first glance, it sounds a bit like a long flute, but if you listen carefully, the sound of the Qiangguan is more desolate."

Listening to the mournful and mournful sound of the Qiang flute, Yun Ran couldn't help but feel a sore nose. He sighed, "I don't know who he is or what happened to him. It's a big holiday, and he's sitting here alone playing such a sad song. It's really hard to hear."

Qiulian was only a lowly palace maid and had no idea who the man was. But seeing that he was alone and played the music so well, she wondered, "Could he be a musician from the Jiaofangsi?"

Today's palace banquet will inevitably have the dancers and musicians from the Jiaofang Bureau come to perform.

"That should be it."

Yun Ran responded and didn't say anything else. He just stood quietly under the osmanthus tree dotted with gold flakes and listened to the entire song.

When the music ended, she still felt a little unsatisfied, and a sense of loss that she couldn't describe.

I saw a full moon hanging high in the sky, shining brightly, but the bright moonlight could not shine into the pavilion or onto the person.

The man was still holding the Qiang flute, sitting quietly under the solitary lamp, cold and silent, like a lonely soul.

Taking a deep breath, Yun Ran suddenly tightened the corner of his clothes, stood on tiptoe, and called out to the pavilion, "He... He, brother, are you okay?"

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