The banquet became a legend
Pei Zhaoying passed the message to the Dali Temple and copied the original file and sent it to the mansion.
The handwriting was as strong as bamboo. Pei Zhaoying didn't know that it was copied by Xiao Bo, the Shaoqing of the Dali Temple.
The file is neat and the key points are clear, which is far better than the previous files that were scribbled over and unclear.
Pei Zhaoying was concentrating on reading for a long time, and his attendants praised him:
"Your Highness is truly kindhearted. He is so dedicated and dedicated, giving hope to those who have suffered injustice."
Pei Zhaoying slowly raised his head from the documents at his desk. He looked unhappy at the compliment and there was a subtle bruise under his eyes.
It's not that she loves the people like her own children, but she is haunted by a nightmare. In the dream, she marries a man who dies miserably. Only then does she realize that getting married is a disaster in life for women all over the world. She puts herself in the other person's shoes and wants to fight for some chance of survival for the criminal.
However, the case had not made any progress yet, and Pei Zhaoying had to distract herself to preside over the Emperor's Qionghua Banquet for young men and women from the ministers' and noble families.
All the unmarried young men and women from noble families, officials and female servants in the capital gathered together. The emperor and the empress dowager were afraid that everyone would feel restrained, so as soon as they showed up, they said they were going to rest.
Young men and women compete in poetry and painting, and the spring flowers are in full bloom.
Pei Zhaoying's leg muscles were not only atrophied, but her arms were also thin and weak. She was distracted and her wrist shook, causing the wine to soak her dress.
So she called someone to go with her to the side hall to change clothes and rest, and was in a daze for a while.
It's not just that I hate the way others secretly look at a once-invincible person who is now confined to a wheelchair.
She knew even more clearly that the palace was holding this grand banquet to choose a husband for her.
Moreover, she already knew the emperor and the empress dowager's favorite candidate - who happened to be the one in the court whom she was most impatient with and who was the most bullying.
The throne changed hands three times in ten years. Before that, foreign relatives and powerful ministers frequently rebelled. The Xiao family had made great contributions in suppressing the rebellion and became the most powerful minister. There was no more title to be given. The head of the family, Xiao Yucheng, was promoted to the position of Grand Marshal. Even the emperor had to respect him. The Xiao family became the force that the royal family wanted to win over first.
Pei Zhaoying thought helplessly that now she had to treat herself as a gift to reassure him that he would not have any other thoughts.
She slowly buttoned the hem of her dress, hiding her resentment, and regained her spirits before asking Qiluo to push her out again, otherwise, without someone to take charge of the situation, the royal banquet would not be able to show its grandeur.
Xiao and Cheng sat in a stately manner outside a group of elegant young men and women, which was a real eyesore. They drank without savoring the wine and drank large glasses of aged wine in one gulp.
He is full of heroic spirit, but he has turned from a guardian of the dynasty into a threat, and his cruelty is growing.
Pei Zhaoying forced a faint smile:
"Today's fruit wine isn't intoxicating. It's brewed from top-quality fruits and vegetables, and it's rich and fragrant. I wonder if it suits your taste, Grand Marshal?"
"I can't taste anything, it just feels sweet."
Pei Zhaoying racked his brains to think of some topics to match the elegant atmosphere of the banquet, but in the end, Xiao and Cheng became more and more impatient.
Behind the shadows of the flowers not far from the two of them was Xiao Bo's figure.
He was extremely tired of socializing and was used to being alone. Even though he always looked kind and amiable, he was always so distant that others dared not approach him.
Even though it was a lively day, he quickly responded with a few flattering words and then quickly hid away... and kept an eye on Xiao and Cheng.
No one noticed at this moment. Xiao Bo showed a different side of himself from what he showed in front of others. The look he gave Xiao Yucheng was like a mixture of poisonous snake venom, cold and cruel.
As Xiao Yucheng's words reached him, he curled his lips in disdain and indifference, revealing a coldness that was completely inconsistent with his humble image. Xiao Yucheng had dared to be so rude to His Highness, but with him watching secretly, he would definitely not let this tragedy happen again.
Xiao Yucheng also said that he had fought hard to gain fame and fortune, and he hated pretentious behavior the most, and would feel uncomfortable listening to pedantic poetry.
They were not on the same page, and Pei Zhaoying didn't want to stay with him any longer. She turned the hub of her specially made wheelchair, thinking about where to hide, when she was caught off guard and met Xiao Bo's eyes.
Xiao Bo's empty eyes suddenly began to contain panic and joy, which was beyond his plan.
Just a fleeting glance at Pei Zhaoying was enough to make Xiao Bo no longer himself. His fingers loosened, and the Pisces jade pendant he was playing with fell and shattered into pieces.
There was the sound of jade breaking in my ears.
A piece of jade fragment rolled to Pei Zhaoying's feet.
Pei Zhaoying narrowed her eyes and looked in the direction of the sound.
It was only when he was away from official duties that Pei Zhaoying discovered that Xiao Bo was so handsome.
"Lord Xiao." Pei Zhaoying greeted calmly.
Xiao Bo bowed stiffly, then gently pinched his palm under his wide sleeves.
The noble ladies of the aristocratic families heard the noise and whispered shyly:
"No wonder I didn't see Xiao Lang just now. It turns out he was where the flower shadows overlapped!"
"Who among you dares to talk to Master Xiao? I wouldn't dare anyway."
"I don't dare either. The last time I spoke to Lord Xiao, although he was polite and easygoing, I always felt that I couldn't get close to him. I'd better just watch."
Xiao Bo is tall and graceful. Even if the most powerful official is sitting next to him, his elegance and grace will not be taken away by others with power and status. Only his manners and demeanor will be remembered.
Such a talented person of the country, with a noble character, a conscientious official and a good-looking appearance. Pei Zhaoying was in a good mood and wanted to bend down to pick up a piece of debris at his feet.
Xiao Bo bent down and stretched out his hand to stop him, and then apologized:
"I was reckless and accidentally broke a jade pendant, disturbing Your Highness. Your Highness is worth a fortune, so this shouldn't happen."
In fact, as soon as he saw her, his emotions were surging and he couldn't control himself. Pei Zhaoying was dressed up today, bright and beautiful, which corresponded to somewhere in his memory and made him lose his mind.
His finger accidentally touched her finger, and Xiao Bo quickly withdrew his hand, not daring to be rude.
Pei Zhaoying didn't care and picked up a piece of the fragment. When he looked at it, he found that it was half a fish carved out of white jade, which looked very lifelike.
"Did you find the remaining fragments?"
Xiao Bo nodded and opened his palm. It was a relatively large fragment, recognizable as a jade pendant depicting two fish linked head to tail. The material wasn't top-notch, but the carving was exquisite, and the meaning was also profound.
Pei Zhaoying felt distressed for a moment and said:
"It's a pity for this jade pendant. I have the best jade craftsman in my house who can repair it. Sir Xiao, can you trust me?"
She had seen Xiao Bo's career advancement record. He hadn't relied on the Xiao family to get his position, but had actually made achievements outside the government, and had been transferred to the capital step by step. He was a clean official among the officials who only held positions but did nothing. If he wanted to be of use to her in the future, he would have to make more contacts.
Furthermore, she noticed that both times they met, Xiao Bo bent over when speaking to her, trying to be at eye level with her.
Apart from the people in her family whose fortunes and lives depend on her, it has been a long time since anyone outside cared so much about Pei Zhaoying, the disabled and disgraced eldest princess.
The kindness and warmth in the smallest places quietly seep and spread.
Xiao Bo was stunned. "Actually, it's just a jade pendant. There's no need to trouble Your Highness. Gains and losses are determined by fate. Let everything go with the flow."
The ending is full of melancholy.
Pei Zhaoying was stunned. She didn't understand why he would be so sad and refuse such a trivial matter. She insisted:
"It's okay. This jade is beautifully carved. It must be something you carry with you all year round. I can't bear to look at it."
Xiao Bo no longer refused and handed the broken pieces to Pei Zhaoying's personal maid, bowing generously:
"I thank Your Highness."
As usual, he concealed the emotion in his eyes and remained cautious.
"It should be no problem for the craftsmen in my mansion to repair this thing, but the carving is very delicate. If you want perfection, you will have to wait a few more days if Lord Xiao doesn't mind."
Xiao Bo's face lit up unconsciously: "This humble official will only appreciate your Highness's kindness."
The smile on his face was even more beautiful than all the spring flowers here.
Pei Zhaoying frowned slightly, feeling the bitterness in her heart, and thought that this person had better not be a honey trap sent by someone.
Xiao Yucheng snorted disdainfully.
Xiao Bo's father's family was humble, and it was because he married into the Xiao family that he had Xiao Bo, a son who died early in his life.
Xiao Yucheng disliked the son-in-law's family. Xiao Bo was just a nominal bearer of the Xiao family's surname, and in the end he was as humble as his biological father.
"My brother is really capable. He made the princess happy with just a few words. I wonder where he learned this skill from."
Xiao Bo took it calmly: "It is the Princess who is compassionate to her subjects." There was no murderous intent or hatred in his heart, as he had cultivated the ability of forbearance to great perfection.
Before the two could continue to antagonize each other, Meng Jingxue, a female official who served the Empress Dowager, came over with a smile, followed by a group of palace servants, holding a tray covered with red velvet, which made the people who were playing chess and chatting fall into silence out of curiosity.
Meng Jingxue was five steps away from Pei Zhaoying before she bowed and announced the Queen Mother's order in a loud voice.
The Empress Dowager set a prize for the Qionghua Banquet. Women competed in painting and men competed in archery. The winners would each receive a hu of pearls and the famous sword "Ru Zhou". She specially ordered the eldest princess to select the candidates.
Pei Zhaoying accepted the order woodenly.
Most of the men who came to the Qionghua Banquet were young men from aristocratic families who were only good at literature and scholars from the Imperial College. Few of them had ever received military training. In terms of archery and horsemanship, no one could surpass Xiao and Cheng. It was obvious that they were trying to bring them together so that they could build momentum from the Qionghua Banquet and artificially create a love story.
The noble ladies were not willing to be outdone, and with the help of the palace maids, they spread out the paper and started to write.
Pei Zhaoying took off a single earring and signaled the palace servants to hang it in the air. She then set the rules for the archery competition. The winner was the one who could use a sharpened arrow dipped in lime to pierce the earring and hit the target hanging in the pavilion fifty steps away.
Fifty steps is not a long distance.
The round hole of the earring was so small that only an arrow could pass through it, leaving no room for error. However, it was not difficult for the battle-hardened Xiao Yucheng.
"Grand Marshal, take the bow." Pei Zhaoying was unable to disobey the emperor and the empress dowager's wishes for the time being. Since she was representing the royal family, she had to carry out their orders.
"My wrist happens to be sore today, so I can't draw the bow. I hope you will forgive me." Xiao Yucheng refused with a pretentious attitude.
Of course, he knew what the people in the palace were planning. Even if Pei Zhaoying was disabled, she was still a ferocious tiger, and he didn't know when she would bite his throat. Unless it was absolutely necessary, he was unwilling to marry such a woman.
The young men looked at each other, not daring to speak, and exchanged glances with each other - it was said that the Grand Marshal was powerful in the court and the eldest princess was on the decline, and it was indeed true.
Pei Zhaoying almost blurted out "You don't know what's good for you" and her smile froze.
It was spring, but she felt a chill under the warm sun. She could sense that the days ahead would be a torment.
She smiled bitterly. She had been hoping that Xiao and Cheng would respond, but she was also hoping that Xiao and Cheng would not respond. She was being controlled by fate and didn't know where to go.
Her loneliness fell into Xiao Bo's eyes, stirring up unknown waves.
Xiao Bo felt a pang in his heart. Perhaps, the turning point for change was right now—he had to save her—
With a thought, Xiao Bo stepped out.
"I'll give it a try." Xiao Bo responded without trying to save the situation. His tone was steady and he was confident of winning.
The heavy mulberry wood bow was taken by the other person with both hands. It weighed about fifty pounds, but the hand holding the bow did not tremble at all.
He was used to hiding his emotions, and what he presented to Pei Zhaoying was a pure minister who handled his duties impartially.
Pei Zhaoying looked up at him, not understanding why the man in front of her agreed with her position twice and even disagreed with his cousin.
She was unwilling to speculate that this was a double-edged sword played by the Xiao family. Moreover, his behavior and mentality were so normal, as if he was just completing an official task step by step.
Xiao Yucheng's hands no longer felt sore at this moment:
"You are a civil servant, why are you joining in the fun? Let me do it." Seeing others scrambling for it, Xiao Yucheng couldn't suppress his competitive spirit.
"Generals also have to follow a first-come, first-served basis. This is in the palace, so don't forget the etiquette."
Xiao Bo knew his temper. If he didn't subdue Xiao and Cheng at once, there would be a struggle, so his tone was aggressive and intimidating.
In fact, his hands were already covered with calluses from secretly practicing martial arts, but Xiao Yucheng never paid attention to him.
His abnormal behavior was also discussed by familiar faces in Beijing:
"Oh my god, is this still Lord Xiao? Lord Xiao never tries to be the first."
"Master Xiao is always kind and gentle, but this is the first time I've heard him speak so sharply."
"Could it be that he is standing up for the eldest princess?"
"Hush, just know it in your heart. Your Highness is not someone we can discuss."
Pei Zhaoying could only look at him with mixed feelings. Xiao Bo looked back and actually leaned forward to comfort her. He curled his lips and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear:
"Nothing, Your Highness, don't worry."
As gentle as coaxing a child.
Pei Zhaoying's eyes were swollen for no reason, so swollen that she couldn't utter any words of encouragement. Xiao Bo just like that barged into the game between her, the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and Xiao Yucheng, leaving her dazed and expectant.
Facing the burning gazes of Pei Zhaoying and others, Xiao Bo estimated the approximate position and distance, and tore off a piece of his sleeve with a "swish", blindfolded himself with the cloth, and prepared to shoot blindly!
"This...isn't it just a random shot?"
"Fortunately, I didn't participate in the competition, so I didn't have to embarrass myself at the palace banquet."
The powerless young masters of noble families were jealous of the sudden rise of the Xiao family, and were jealous of it in their words. They also did not believe that Xiao Bo had the ability to shoot blindly.
Xiao Bo turned a deaf ear to him. Before drawing the bow, he seemed to turn his head and look in the direction of Pei Zhaoying. The two could not look at each other, but there was an invisible emotion connecting them.
Pei Zhaoying held her breath.
She knew that Xiao Bo was doing this to save her face.
Still worried.
Looking at this man in a blue shirt, walking slowly and calmly, Pei Zhaoying's heart slowly calmed down.
She chose to believe.
Just like believing that Xiao Bo was a good official with a conscience, she believed that Xiao Bo could make her proud at the banquet and vent her anger towards Xiao and Cheng.
Xiao and Cheng smiled, folded their arms, and waited for their cousin to make a fool of himself.
The crowd was silent. Most of them thought that Xiao Bo would not be able to defeat Da Sikong, but they also did not want to disturb the people who were shooting arrows.
Unexpectedly, after the slight sound of the arrow breaking through the air, the crowd suddenly cheered and praised it endlessly.
After hearing everyone's reactions, Xiao Bo knew that he had hit the mark. With a subtle smile on his lips, he slowly untied the blindfold, allowing Pei Zhaoying's look of surprise to be the first thing reflected in his pupils.
"Good! Sir Xiao was the first to take the bow and the first to hit the target. His courage and skills are both the best among all the boys!" Pei Zhaoying announced impatiently.
Xiao Bo did not go to see the reward decided by the Queen Mother.
He had seen enough faces of people turning from disdain to flattery, and he didn't care much for the praise of the young masters and ladies of the aristocratic families.
Pei Zhaoying's joyful expression was the reward he wanted most.
The tension of the bow was extremely high and the bowstring was hard. Xiao Bo's finger was cut by a line of blood without a ring, but he could not feel the pain at the moment because he was always happy to see Pei Zhaoying.
Xiao Bo restrained himself again and again, making his words light and emotionless:
"I'm sorry for embarrassing myself in front of His Highness."
The only people present who were dissatisfied were Xiao and Cheng.
He had a grim expression on his face and stared at the lime mark on the bull's eye for a long time. He wondered when Xiao Bo had acquired such excellent martial arts skills, and they were definitely not inferior to his.
Xiao Bo has had a cold relationship with the Xiao family since his mother's death. It's hard to say whether there won't be a traitor in the Xiao family.
Pei Zhaoying met Xiao Bo's eyes with a smile. Xiao Bo was a calm and composed man. His eyes were as beautiful as black gems, making people unable to help but stare at him for a long time.
But she hurriedly looked away for no apparent reason, feeling bewildered.
"Master Xiao's skills have astonished everyone. How can you say you are showing off your skills? There is no need to be too modest."
Pei Zhaoying attributed her panic at the moment to the fact that Xiao Bo was the troublemaker in her current predicament, which was why she was in a state of confusion in front of him for no reason.
Xiao Bo listened to the crowd gradually linking his victory to the eldest princess's praise. Beneath his calm exterior, there was a silent thunderclap.
It worked. This time, he did not sit idly by and watch Xiao Yucheng and Pei Zhaoying being praised as a perfect couple.
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