Folk jugglers are skilled in fire tricks. With just a few flicks of a long pole, they can make the blazing fire become an "obedient" follower, appearing at fingertips, in the mouth, and disappearing in an instant.
After a bang, the stage was filled with thick smoke, making it difficult to distinguish the scene above.
A few timid concubines thought they had failed and couldn't help but scream.
Wei Shuyi and Wen Yu exchanged a glance: "Could it be that this Minister of the Central Secretariat has hidden a secret?"
Artists who dared to perform before the Emperor and Empress Dowager must have practiced countless times in private and would not easily make mistakes. Especially at such a grand banquet, the probability of such mistakes must be reduced.
The white smoke is hazy and the music is soft.
Everyone retreated to the edge of the stage, and a woman in an orange dress appeared in the center!
Her face is fair and her lips are red, but she is too shy to speak.
The dance is light and graceful, with unparalleled beauty!
At the end of the sparrow feather pinned diagonally into her hair were hung two jingling bells, swaying with the rhythm and attracting everyone's attention.
Besides her bright eyes and white teeth, she also exudes a wildness that is different from that of a lady.
At a glance, Wei Shuyi knew this person was no ordinary creature. A woman who could make the Minister of the Central Secretariat take the trouble to send her to the Emperor must be extraordinary!
As expected, after the dance was over, Xie Yanci left the dancer behind and said, "Master Qu, is this the gift you truly want to present?"
The woman did not offer any flattery to the emperor, but instead took the opportunity to glance at Concubine Jin several times. The latter was clearly in an abnormal state, with a frown on her face, and she avoided the burning gaze.
Jing An also noticed this scene: "My lady, is this woman acquainted with the Imperial Concubine?"
"That's right, the Imperial Concubine always treats people with a smile. How could she be like this now? She almost ordered her to be thrown out!"
Wei Shuyi also didn't understand: it was natural for the emperor to take a concubine. Concubine Jin had been immersed in the palace for many years and would not be jealous or angry about such a trivial matter and completely ignore the overall situation.
The thin man walked forward, his voice shrill, like the sound of a cat's claws scratching the window frame, making people feel uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine has been in poor spirits lately. I am deeply concerned upon learning of this! My youngest daughter, Yuexi, feels sorry for her elder sister and has begged me many times to bring her to Penglai Palace just to see the Imperial Concubine."
"You...are also the daughter of Master Qu?"
The woman in the dancing dress bowed gracefully. "I am Qu Yuexi, the youngest daughter in the family. When my elder sister was still unmarried, she treated me well. Now that I heard that my elder sister is ill, I am extremely worried and want to come to the palace to see her, even if it would be helpful to say a few words of comfort."
Xie Yanci understood, but still asked, "In that case, you can just sit with Master Qu. Why bother preparing this performance?"
"Your Majesty has granted me permission to visit my elder sister. This is a favor, not a duty! I don't have the habit of taking advantage of others, so I thought of this plan. I hope Your Majesty will like it." She bravely raised her eyes to look up the jade steps. "If Your Majesty is pleased, then all my hard training these days will be worthwhile."
The two daughters of the Qu family each have their own strengths.
If Concubine Jin is the model of gentleness, then her sister has the completely opposite characteristics.
The fact that the Secretary of the Central Secretariat was able to raise a daughter with a completely different personality and who was quite pleasing to the emperor cannot be summarized as pure goodness.
Wei Shuyi was thinking about the twists and turns of the previous dynasty when he heard the empress dowager snort coldly: "Master Qu has worked hard and made great contributions. You have never relaxed for a moment in the affairs of the court. You also keep a close eye on the affairs of the emperor's harem!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! I did not mean that!"
"I guess your longing for my elder sister is fake, and your real wish to stay in the palace is not?" The Queen Mother, without a care for his dignity, directly exposed his mistake. "I am really a little scared. The Emperor's future concubines will be the domain of the daughters of the Qu family!"
Concubine Jin's originally gloomy face finally eased.
She looked towards the high seat with a hint of gratitude, then left her seat and said, "Please calm down, Empress Dowager! My younger sister has always been very kind to me. Now that she wants to visit me in the palace, my father must have been pestered so much that he staged this drama. They have no ill intentions. It's just that my frail body always makes people worry."
interesting!
On the surface, he spoke sincerely to exonerate his relatives, but in fact, he was targeting his sister who had just entered the palace!
Being spoiled and willful is not worthy of being accepted by the upper class!
Wei Shuyi looked at Qu Yuexi as if watching a play, trying to find any trace of anger in her expression, but she concealed it very well, even showing a bit of panic, as if she was extremely afraid of the person sitting in the main seat.
Seeing this, Xie Yanci spoke to comfort them, "Alright, Queen Mother didn't mean any harm. It was just a joke. You don't have to take it seriously! Everyone, get up!"
"Yes, thank you, Your Majesty."
Qu Yuexi sat obediently next to the Minister of the Secretariat. During the following banquet, she ate the cakes in front of her peacefully and did not make any other eye-catching moves.
Wei Shuyi made eye contact with her several times, and she always smiled back, but there was a bottomless well hidden in her eyes, which made people feel scared.
——The main hall of Chengqian Palace.
Qu Yuexi put down the teacup in her hand and said nothing.
Seeing this, the head maid Qian Dai asked nervously, "Fifth Miss, is this tea not tasty? Would you like me to bring you another cup?"
"No need." She stood up and looked around the decorations in the hall. "It's because it's too expensive. With my current status, I don't deserve it. That's why I won't drink it."
"Miss Fifth, please excuse me! You are the younger sister of the current Imperial Concubine. How can there be any tea that you are not worthy of drinking?"
"What's the meaning?"
Facing Qu Yuexi's half-smile, Qiandai became increasingly uneasy. She gritted her teeth and replied, "It's...it's what the Imperial Concubine owns, and you can own it too. The Imperial Concubine specially asked me to serve tea. Are you..."
"That's very well said!" She took out a silver ingot from her purse and placed it in Qiandai's hand. "What my sister has, I can have too. It's a good explanation."
Qiandai wanted to refuse, but didn't know what to say.
Just as she was in a dilemma, Imperial Concubine Jin finished changing her clothes and came out from the inner room: "You go down first! I have something to discuss with my fifth sister."
Qiandai felt as if she had been pardoned, and immediately closed the door and left.
Qu Yuexi sat back down and drank the tea in one gulp: "Eldest sister is indeed the emperor's favorite concubine! The treatment in Chengqian Palace is much better than that in the backyard of the Qu Mansion!"
Concubine Jin frowned slightly, her tone clearly unhappy: "What exactly do you want to say?!"
"My father asked me to convey this message." She stepped forward and pointed at Concubine Jin's belly. "It's been so long, and my elder sister hasn't given birth to a son or daughter for the royal family. My father is anxious and decided to send me to the palace to help my elder sister."
Sure enough, it was about this matter again!
Imperial Concubine Jin sat down in the main seat, feigning composure. "Father doesn't understand the situation in the harem, and hastily sent you here, which has already displeased the Empress Dowager. Let's just abandon this plan!"
"If the Queen Mother is unhappy, I naturally have a way to resolve it. I'm just worried that my eldest sister will get in the way and refuse to fulfill Father's wishes!"
"you?!"
Qu Yuexi grasped her outstretched index finger and slowly bent it back to its original position. "Don't be upset, elder sister! We are sisters from the same roots. How could I possibly harm you? The harem is treacherous. I imagine you've been worried and anxious today. It must have been tough, hasn't it?"
"snort!"
"Eldest sister, you know that I have always lacked patience. Don't make me wait too long, understand?"
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