The Queen Mother specially prepared a good start.
This was something Yin Zhu specifically mentioned before he left, but no one knows what it was.
Soon, all the palace ladies who received the invitation began to prepare, eager to show their talents in front of the empress dowager and have another bargaining chip to win her favor.
"My lady, the other ladies have gone to the palace maids to help them choose books. Should we..."
"No need." Wei Shuyi was still painting at his desk. "Knowledge is something that cannot be faked. Even if I start memorizing it now, the Empress Dowager will give me some impromptu questions. If I misunderstand her, it will only backfire."
"Then my lady, are you not preparing anything?" Jing Ning rubbed her hands nervously. "I'm looking forward to your promotion. The aunt in Shoukang Palace also said that the Queen Mother has her eye on you."
Jing'an took the opportunity to serve tea to shake his head at her, and then they left the inner hall together.
When the surroundings returned to calm, Wei Shuyi put down his brush and stared at the landscape painting in a trance.
After Meng Qingzhi became a concubine, no one was willing to support her due to her low social status. In addition, her personality was difficult to get along with, and she was unable to find a strong supporter until her death.
As for the "queen" mentioned, it is not known whether it is true or not.
Her current situation was similar to Meng Qingzhi's. Concubines only formed friendships when there was profit to be made. She could work on her personality, trying to please someone and form an alliance.
Would she choose the Empress who took the risk of suppressing the Wei family, or the favored Concubine Jin? Or someone else?
At this party, she had to make a preliminary decision.
Otherwise, when the novelty of the emperor wore off, the fact that he stayed overnight in the Changsheng Palace after the first video call would be enough to become a handle for some people to get angry.
She didn't want to die without a complete body before finding out the truth.
He Changzai has not been idle either. She has been working harder and harder in recent days and almost lives in Sangyuxuan.
Wei Shuyi was worried that something might happen to Long Si, and Changzai might have noticed it too. Whenever they chatted, they asked people from both palaces to stay in the hall as witnesses.
In addition, there was a distance between the two of them, and they were not intimate enough to communicate hand in hand, so she let down her guard a little and regarded it as an additional source of information.
"Sister, have you ever read since entering the palace?" He Changzai frowned. "Alas, the Empress Dowager has sent me an invitation. I'm so scared! I can't even read a single word. What if I show my weakness? What should I do?"
It turned out to be because of this matter.
Wei Shuyi replied half-seriously, "I didn't have the conditions to learn to read and write at first, but later I went to work in Shoukang Palace. The maids around the Empress Dowager had to learn a few lines of poetry, so I know a little bit."
"That's great! If you don't mind my stupidity, would you be willing to teach me a few words to deal with emergencies?"
"Emergency?" she asked, puzzled. "The empress dowager's rules for the Qushui Liushang game seem to have a pre-selected topic for each cup. No one knows the key to this. Could it be that Sister already knew it in advance?"
He Changzai took out a small paper ball from his sleeve and secretly put it into her palm.
No need to think too much, it must be another rumor heard from somewhere.
"Sister, this is..."
"Min agreed, my dear sister! I've been following Sister Wanyi for so long, so I can naturally benefit from the information she has learned. Now I've told you, so for this reason, can you teach me a few things?"
Wei Shuyi didn't rush to explain. Instead, he asked with a smile, "Since Wanyi knows all this, she should be able to teach me a few things, right?"
"Silly sister! Have you forgotten?" He Changzai covered her handkerchief and whispered, "Sister Wanyi's family are all warriors, and she is also illiterate!"
Now that things have come to this, it would be tactless to refuse in a pretentious manner.
Wei Shuyi opened the paper ball and saw the crooked handwriting on it. It was just like what He Chang often said in self-deprecating manner, he was illiterate and his writing was not as good as embroidery.
If what is written is true, it is not difficult.
She could just pick some of the classic poems she had learned at home since she was a child. Considering He Changzai's not-so-outstanding abilities, she chose poems that were easy to understand and taught them word by word.
By the time He Changzai successfully memorized it, the sun was already setting.
"Sister, today is all thanks to you! I will always remember this kindness!"
Before leaving, the other party was overjoyed and his steps became much lighter.
On the other hand, the usually cheerful Jing Ning came over with a frown on his face: "My lady, you are so kind-hearted. You spend so much time on others. Why don't you think about yourself?"
"Didn't you say before that He Changzai was a very good person, and that you all felt that I should get along well with her because you had received her kindness?"
"But if we really have to compare, I naturally still hope that the young lady is better than her!" Jing Ning responded stammeringly, "The young lady has taught others everything she knows. Will she be able to say anything else when the time comes?"
"No, leave it to fate—"
Wei Shuyi saw her pouting, her cheeks as pink as a peach, and couldn't help but want to tease her.
Jing Ning really fell into the trap: "Then, then my lady, hurry up and study at night! There is still some time before tomorrow, I will accompany you!"
"I'm hungry. Please serve me some food. Only when I'm full can I have the energy to study."
In fact, she went to bed earlier than usual that night.
The next morning.
Jing'an was dressing up Wei Shuyi, while Jingning was pacing around restlessly, muttering to himself.
"What are you mumbling about?"
"I, I was memorizing poetry for you! Oops, you said that and I got it wrong. Wind and rain...what was that?"
Wei Shuyi couldn't help but smile when he heard the conversation between the two.
The little girl couldn't even write her own name, but I was eager to help her memorize complicated poems. It was really not easy.
Just as the group was about to leave, they saw He Chang coming towards them——
"Sister! Let's go together. I want to walk around today, so I don't want to take the sedan chair."
"Sister, you have to consider the baby in your belly. It's still a long way to go from Lin'an Palace to Yanxiu Pavilion..."
He Changzai held her hand, his palms covered in sweat: "I'm just scared. Maybe walking a few steps will make me feel better."
"The Empress Dowager is kind and generous. Even if you can't answer, she won't blame you. Don't worry too much, sister."
In this way, they hurried to the party venue.
The two sides of the river in front of Yanxiu Pavilion are now full of people.
He Changzai specially sat next to Wei Shuyi: "Sister, if I get nervous and can't answer the question, you must remind me!"
"No problem—"
Not long after I sat down, a maid who looked unfamiliar appeared with a tray filled with exquisite pastries of the time, and there was nothing unusual about it.
She picked up a piece casually, but accidentally caught a glimpse of a small page of paper sticking out from the edge of the pastry. When she looked up at the maid again, she winked and left.
Wei Shuyi reached out to take the cake and hid the piece of paper in his palm. When no one was around to notice, he secretly opened it and took a look. The content on it was extremely concise.
"He Changzai is very suspicious."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
