"You here..." Prince Chen lowered his head and got closer and closer to Jiuzhu's face.
What are you doing, Your Highness? Although Miss Ming is his fiancée, this is the gate of the palace, and His Highness's behavior may be a little disrespectful.
"It turns out it's a carp ornament." Prince Chen stood up straight and asked, "Why did you draw the carp ornament so plump?"
"Mother said that the ladies in the palace all like to wear flowery makeup. Today is the Queen's birthday, so I specially painted a carp, which has a good meaning." Jiuzhu moved her forehead closer to the Prince of Chen so that he could see it more clearly: "I used gold powder to embellish the tail. The carp's tail is dotted with gold, which means prosperity, happiness and longevity. Doesn't it look good?"
"Did you draw it yourself?" Prince Chen looked at her fair face. She looked so petite, so why did she like to draw puffer fish?
"Yeah." Jiuzhu is very confident in his craftsmanship.
"It's... okay." Seeing that the girl was still looking at him eagerly, Prince Chen added, "You are dressed well today."
Jiuzhu smiled happily: "Since His Highness has agreed, then Her Majesty will definitely be satisfied."
Prince Chen felt something was wrong when hearing this. Whose fiancée was she?
After listening to the conversation between the two, Xiangjuan retracted her foot.
It was her fault for thinking too much and overestimating His Highness. There was no solemnity or rudeness involved, just two "ten-year-old" kids chatting.
"Let's go. I'm going to see my mother too. You come with me." Prince Chen threw the whip to his attendant and strode ahead.
After walking for a while, he looked back at Jiuzhu who was following him at a distance. He stopped and waited for Jiuzhu to come closer before asking, "What's wrong with you?"
You used to be able to break an inch-wide dogwood branch with your bare hands, so why are you walking so slowly today?
Don't you want to go with him?
Jiuzhu tugged at the hem of her skirt, embarrassed to let others hear her, and whispered, "The hem is a little long."
Her cheeks were slightly red, and she seemed a little shy. Prince Chen walked up to her and lowered his voice: "No wonder women in the palace walk so slowly, it turns out it's because of their skirts that they are dragged down."
Jiuzhu suddenly realized that she was not the only one who had trouble walking in this kind of palace skirt with wide sleeves and long hem.
"There was a concubine in the palace who wore a skirt with a hem two meters long at the annual banquet. On the way back to the palace, a strong wind blew and the hem of her skirt wrapped around her whole body, which made many people watch the excitement."
"Two zhang..." Jiuzhu heard of such a long skirt for the first time: "How much fabric does it take?"
Prince Chen estimated Jiuzhu's stature and said affirmatively: "I can make two sets of clothes for you."
Jiuzhu sighed, the ladies in the palace are different, they can even wear such long clothes.
Xiangjuan looked away, pretending not to hear the two people's whispering. As long as she can't hear what the two are saying, she will always be the most disciplined Aunt Xiangjuan in Mingyue Palace.
"There are steps ahead." Prince Chen suddenly stopped and stretched out his arm in front of Jiuzhu.
"Ah?" Jiuzhu was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly reached out to support King Chen.
Prince Chen: “…”
"Your skirt is long, help me walk." He sighed: "I'm not asking you to help me."
He is a grown man, but he doesn't even need the help of a little girl to walk up a few steps.
"Oh." Jiuzhu reacted, put her hand on the King's arm, and thanked him with a smile: "Thank you, Your Highness."
Walking down the stairs, Prince Chen said with a twisted voice: "I'll lend you my arm to hold on to, so you don't get hurt and cry."
"I don't like to cry." Jiuzhu explained seriously: "Really."
Prince Chen: “…”
Xiangjuan lowered her head, slowed down her pace, and took a few steps away from the two of them.
Being too close, she could easily hear what His Highness said to Miss Ming, and she was afraid that she would not be able to help laughing.
As the first female official in Mingyue Palace, she also needs to maintain her reputation.
"Your Majesty, His Highness and Miss Ming are here."
"Come in quickly."
"Mother, no need to greet me, I came in by myself." Prince Chen walked into the room and said, "Bring me some breakfast. I was so busy going to the palace today that I didn't even have time to eat breakfast."
"Greetings, Her Majesty." Jiuzhu knelt down and saluted Concubine Su.
"Hurry up." Concubine Su personally helped Jiuzhu up and praised: "Jiuzhu is really beautiful today, especially this flower hairpin, it is very interesting."
"I drew this flower ornament myself." Jiuzhu was very happy to hear Concubine Su praising her.
"That's perfect. I just don't know what kind of flower ornament to choose." Concubine Su held Jiuzhu's hand and said, "Come and draw one for me. I want a flower ornament like yours."
"Okay." Jiuzhu rolled up her wide sleeves and said, "Drawing is what I am best at."
Prince Chen still hasn't figured out why she started drawing flower ornaments after just a few words?
If you can draw a carp as a fathead fish, do you have the nerve to say that you are good at it?
Seeing that the two of them had gathered together to discuss whether to use gold foil or gold powder for the fish tail, Prince Chen clicked his tongue. One dares to speak, and the other dares to actually draw. It’s unclear who is the bravest.
"Your Majesty is as pretty as a fairy, and any flower ornaments will look good on her." Jiuzhu used a brush to blur the fishtail and praised sincerely: "People say that flower ornaments complement people, but Your Majesty complements the flower ornaments."
Concubine Su was coaxed into laughing by Jiuzhu: "Your mouth is so sweet, did you apply honey before going out this morning?"
"No honey, but I like to tell the truth." After adding some gold powder, the fishtail gold appeared. Jiuzhu put down the brush and half-knelt in front of Concubine Su: "When I first saw Your Majesty, I really thought that Your Majesty was a fairy who fell from the sky."
"If I am a fairy, Jiuzhu is the most lovable fairy in front of the Queen Mother of Yaochi." Concubine Su turned her head and looked at her son who was eating breakfast quietly: "Du Qing, am I right?"
"Whatever you say is what you want, just be happy."
Anyway, he was wrong and he shouldn't be sitting here.
There was no queen in the palace. As the highest-ranking concubine in the palace, Concubine Su would go to Feifeng Hall at the end of the hour of Si every year on her birthday to receive congratulations from ladies of the third rank and above.
Shen arrived at Feifeng Hall at a time neither too early nor too late. After exchanging greetings with the ladies present, she took her seat quietly, as if she would not speak unless there was something to say.
Everyone noticed that Shen did not bring her daughter into the palace, and they were secretly shocked. They wondered to what extent the Ming family was dissatisfied with Prince Chen's marriage that they did not even bring their daughter to celebrate Concubine Su's birthday.
The female relatives exchanged glances, and no one approached Shen.
Concubine Su is not a considerate person. The Ming family is so disrespectful to her that the situation may become awkward later on.
Sun Caiyao sat behind her mother. She looked at the calm Mrs. Ming and felt mixed emotions.
The world is in turmoil, all for the pursuit of profit. Everyone present was afraid of offending the Imperial Concubine, and even Shen didn't dare to approach...
There was a sound of clapping outside the hall, followed by an announcement from the eunuch.
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived."
Sun Caiyao quickly stood up and bowed towards the door.
Led by the concubines, the ladies all bowed in unison: "Congratulations to the noble concubine, may you live forever. May you live a long and healthy life, and may spring and peace last forever."
"Bow, kowtow."
"Bye."
"rise."
Sun Caiyao stood below, listening to the ceremonial officer reading the birthday message that the emperor had personally written for Concubine Su, and recalled many things about Concubine Su.
In the early years, some civil officials accused Concubine Su of being unworthy of being worshipped by a lady of honor. His Majesty was furious and personally held a banquet for Concubine Su. From then on, His Majesty would write birthday essays for the Imperial Concubine every year and open the main gate of Feifeng Palace for Imperial Concubine Su to receive the homage of the ladies of honor.
Among all the concubines in the palace, only Concubine Su was favored like this. Some people therefore accused Concubine Su behind her back, calling her a seductive concubine who bewitched people, but no one dared to complain in front of her.
"Thank you all for congratulating me on my birthday. Please take a seat." Concubine Su sat at the top and looked at everyone. "I thought it was just a birthday celebration and shouldn't have caused so much trouble. But your majesty said that I am the master of Mingyue Palace and all the ladies and husbands are the backbone of Dacheng. I should hold a banquet to entertain the ladies and thank them for taking care of the harem so that they don't have to worry about anything and can work for Dacheng wholeheartedly."
He ordered the women in the household to say they dared not.
"It is my honor to be able to contribute my humble efforts to the country."
"Your Majesty is so considerate of us, and we are deeply moved."
Concubine Ning sneered in her heart, wondering who she was acting for. Everyone knew that His Majesty was only trying to save face for Concubine Su and wanted to celebrate Su's birthday with the same standards as the Empress.
What does it matter if they try to save face? The Ming family doesn't even want to bring their daughter into the palace.
Concubine Ning looked at Concubine Su with sarcasm, but found a girl of about fifteen or sixteen standing behind her. The girl had a pretty face and was wearing an embroidered palace dress. Even the flower ornament on her forehead was similar to Su's.
Who is this person?
"Jiuzhu." Concubine Su waved to Jiuzhu, asked her to come to her side, gently held her hand and looked at everyone: "This child is young, kind-hearted, and innocent. Please take good care of her in the future."
The ladies who didn't know Jiuzhu were wondering who this girl was and why Concubine Su could personally support her.
Ming Jiuzhu? !
Sun Caiyao almost lost her balance when she saw Ming Jiuzhu, whose hand was held by Concubine Su.
Why is she next to the imperial concubine?
Why was the imperial concubine so close to her? !
Sun Caiyao's mind was in a mess. When she came to her senses, the ladies were already praising Ming Jiuzhu. Even the strange flower ornaments between her eyebrows were praised with words like "lively and bright" and "full of blessings".
In a flash, she turned her head and looked at Ming Jiuzhu's mother, Shen.
Shen still had that calm look on her face. She was not happy that Ming Jiuzhu was supported by Concubine Su, nor did she show any dissatisfaction because she was close to Concubine Su.
Concubine Ning, who was sitting in the first seat on the left, looked at Miss Ming who was holding a teacup for Su and smiled coldly.
Things raised outside can never compare to a real lady from a noble family. He is so short-sighted and acts so flatteringly. He is not afraid of bringing shame to his family's reputation.
After the ceremony, the lady was taken by palace servants to Mingyue Palace to watch a play and drink tea. Concubine Su was still sitting there, waiting for the prince and princess to come in and pay their respects to her.
Jiuzhu wanted to leave with her mother, but was kept back by Concubine Su.
"Jiuzhu, you don't have to leave." Concubine Su smiled at Jiuzhu, "You should spend more time with them in the future, so that they can get to know you earlier."
It sounded as if these words were telling them to be more careful and not offend Jiuzhu.
Jiuzhu nodded blankly and walked back to Concubine Su: "Oh."
She is indeed a fairy-like lady, speaking with such authority.
Soon the princes and princesses entered the hall. Jiuzhu saw Prince Chen, who had changed into a four-turn dragon pattern robe. She lifted her skirt, walked down the steps, and bowed to the princes and princesses.
The King of Qi nodded slightly to her, very gracefully.
Prince Chen glanced at the stairs and raised an eyebrow at Jiuzhu. Why do you walk so fast when going down the stairs? If you fall, it will be painful and embarrassing.
Jiuzhu thought that His Highness was greeting her, and smiled at him with her beautiful eyes.
Prince Chen: “…”
well.
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