Chapter 15 Chapter 15
Except for the empress dowager, perhaps all the women in the harem felt that the emperor's birthday was a troublesome matter.
However, it was also a rare lively scene in the harem. Although it was not easy to think about how to dress up and compete with others in beauty, when Shen Youyi arrived, the ladies inside and outside the palace surrounded the queen and talked and entertained her, and everyone had a decent smile on their face.
She was the last one to arrive.
It's not that she wanted to intimidate anyone on purpose. Emperor Yuan Shuo had not many concubines, and they were divided into factions. There were old concubines who had served by his side since he ascended the throne, and there were also low-ranking concubines who were newly selected into the palace six or seven years ago. Except for the old ones who claimed to be sick, the empress and Yang Xiuyuan had already arrived, so there was no reason for them not to be present.
Shen Youyi sat on the sedan chair and looked into the distance. Including the queen, there were probably only seven concubines from the inner palace, and the others... seemed to be concubines from the Eastern Palace and vassal kings.
The imperial concubine had been claiming to be ill for a long time, and rumors had already been rife both inside and outside the palace, but due to the emperor's majesty, it was not convenient to discuss them openly. When she suddenly appeared, not only the ladies-in-waiting but even the empress stopped talking to others.
They looked at each other, some frankly, some secretly, with countless surprised, curious, and even resentful glances falling on them. Shen Youyi calmed her mind and walked uprightly to the Queen and saluted: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. I wish you a long and happy life and good health."
Fortunately, everyone was dressed according to their rank today, so recognizing people was not a difficult task. Her position was very high, so she did not need to greet women other than the queen. She only needed to smile and return the greeting. Otherwise, she would be in trouble.
The Queen smiled as she stood up and supported the beautiful woman who was bowing down. She said with pity, "It's been a long time since we last met. Ah Zhen has become much thinner, but also more lovable. I asked someone to prepare your favorite almond tea today. Would you like to try some?"
Before Shen Youyi could answer, she heard a cold snort from below: "Madam Noble Concubine is truly dazzling. If she doesn't make a splash, it's nothing. But once she does, she's stunning. As soon as she arrives, she outshines everyone else. No wonder she only came at this time and made us wait so long."
She was in a high position, but had an arrogant attitude. Her facial features were delicate, and she looked somewhat like the prince, but she was too shrewd, which made her appear harsh and mean. Shen Youyi had never seen this "mother-in-law" when she was having an affair with the prince, but now she had the leisure to take a closer look at her and even comment on her a few things.
Yang Xiuyuan might not be easier to fool than the Empress Dowager, but whether as a mother-in-law or a sister serving the same husband, she was obviously more difficult to get along with.
The queen was slightly displeased, and she patted Shen Youyi's hand gently, saying softly: "The imperial concubine has never been late, why are you saying these things? We are both grandmothers, do we still have to argue about who comes first and who comes later in front of outsiders?"
There was a hint of excitement on Yang Xiuyuan's face. The women in the harem had no worries about food and clothing, so didn't they all fight for who came first and who came last? Because of this little thing of her fighting for a seat, the Queen had privately sent someone to reprimand her, telling her not to think that because the prince was born from her womb, she could treat everyone equally.
The queen is usually the best at putting on a good show, and she wouldn't believe that there was no emperor's intention behind it.
The Crown Prince has been having trouble with his emotions these days. While his father is placing great importance on the Eastern Palace, he has suddenly become at odds with the Crown Princess and is acting very distant in front of others. Although the Crown Princess has not reported this to the palace, she suspects that the Imperial Concubine is also involved.
Shen Youyi smiled slightly: "I have been wearing no makeup in the palace all day long, and I feel suffocated after a long time. It was the Queen's compassion that asked me to come out and watch polo with everyone. After all, it is His Majesty's birthday, and I am afraid it would be inappropriate if I don't dress decently."
The Queen advocates naturalness and is not keen on taking care of her skin and hair. She is a beauty with a peaceful temperament. She has a pair of thin curved eyebrows and her eyes are not very big, but her eyes are clear and gentle. She is like a piece of warm jade. You don’t need to hold her in your hand, just get a little closer, and you can feel the coolness in the summer.
But Shen Youyi felt that she might have something to hide, and she was smiling but hiding a knife behind everyone else's smile. There was something indescribable in the queen's gentle and caring tolerance.
Following Concubine Wei's custom, she spoke cordially to the Empress and politely greeted the lower-ranking concubines. Only then did she have the leisure to sip her almond tea, glanced up for a moment, and quietly asked, "Your Majesty, who are the players on the two teams?"
The polo match has entered the second half. One team is led by a yellow team, while the others are dressed in scarlet. Another team is dressed entirely in blue. Both teams are wearing masks to cover their faces, but it is obvious that those in blue are far fewer than those in scarlet.
The Queen smiled, pointing at the young man in the distance, dressed in a yellow round-necked robe with a missing rib. "You're so forgetful," she said. "In previous years, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would lead these sons and daughters in a few bouts against selected fighters from the Forbidden Palace to celebrate his father's birthday. This year, I don't know who came up with such a unique idea, but both sides actually wore masks. It's interesting, but it's really tiring in this hot weather."
But as she spoke, her expression became a little lonely: "It's a pity that Zi Yan doesn't like this, otherwise it would make his father happier."
Except for the hunting ceremony held in spring, Emperor Yuanshuo seldom appeared in person in front of his subjects. The emperor hunted not for entertainment, but to train military skills and observe the customs of the people. However, the emperor was a horseman, and he must be satisfied that his successor could demonstrate the royal martial ethics well.
Shen Youyi nodded. She was very familiar with the prince's figure. After the Queen said that, she paid more attention. Sure enough, she could see it clearly after taking another look.
Even the masked prince felt her gaze. Although sweat was dripping from his forehead, he was very proud and looked back frequently, as if he was afraid that no one knew he saw her.
She quickly turned her head and said to the Queen with a smile, "A dragon gives birth to nine sons, each with their own strengths. The Second Prince is respectful and courteous, gentle and refined, but he hides his thoughts a little and doesn't like to personally participate."
Shen Youyi was not very good at playing polo, and was even a little scared of riding a horse. She wanted to learn more about it in order to please the prince, but the game was always more fun when there was a back-and-forth, and the victory or defeat on the field was obviously almost decided.
Regardless of whether the emperor is there or not, polo at the Wanshou Festival is more like a performance to please the emperor, and the opponent is the crown prince of the Eastern Palace. As long as the other team is not stupid to a certain extent, they will focus on how to lose more beautifully.
If there is anything interesting, it must be the Spring Banquet hosted by the Queen. All the gentlemen want to get the first place. It is lively and real, and there is no distinction between high and low. The audience also likes to watch it.
She lowered her eyes, pondering the undercurrents among the concubines, but a few exclamations drew her attention back to the scene.
The blue team hit the goal again. The leader made a backward shot with most of his body leaning out of the horse's back. The polo ball seemed obedient under the guidance of the curved moon stick in his hand, as if it was stuck to the ball.
The prince was no longer interested in the concubines' every move, and was giving orders with a kingly demeanor. Although the royal family members were pampered, they were devoted to entertainment. When their style was suddenly overshadowed by their ministers, they were inevitably angry and humiliated when they were running fast. They surrounded the team with both wings and intercepted the blue team from a distance. The rest of the people were like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey, biting the leader of the blue team tightly.
However, even though both sides' horses were galloping at lightning speed, after a gust of fine yellow sand was raised, the ball avoided the interception of several young men and still followed the man steadily.
The fights on the polo field required grace, skill, and strength. Shen Youyi simply couldn't take her eyes off the action. It wasn't entirely because of the rare spectacle that attracted her attention, but rather...
The sun is scorching, the light is shining silvery, and the man with the mask covering his face seems a little familiar when you take a closer look?
Not only was she muttering in her heart, the ladies beside her were also confused. It was not without precedent for a minister to defeat the prince, but what kind of occasion was this? To be so ruthless, wasn't it a bit too ignorant of etiquette?
But what was amazing was that although Yang Xiuyuan had a tense face, she didn't utter a single bad word.
At this time, she maintained a magnanimous attitude.
Shen Youyi thought for a while, and suddenly her expression changed. She said, "Why is it so familiar?"
His face was covered by a mask, and he was about thirty years old... Concubine Wei might recognize this person!
She had no choice but to turn her gaze once again to the empress, who was sitting comfortably. She blinked and feigned ignorance, "This gentleman is truly remarkable. Does your majesty recognize him?"
No matter how many lovers Concubine Wei had, it did not prevent her from distancing herself from all of them in public.
When the prince and his men were in such a mess, the queen didn't show any surprise. When she asked this question, she was really surprised. She looked at her back and forth several times. Just when Shen Youyi thought she had done something stupid, the queen covered her face with a fan and couldn't help laughing, "Silly sister, it's okay if others don't recognize you, but you don't recognize His Majesty either?"
Shen Youyi's mind exploded with a buzzing sound. The Queen's words also caused quite a stir among the ladies. Her loss of composure was not conspicuous, but amid the chatter of women, she could clearly hear the sound of her blood rushing through her ear bones, almost bursting!
She had actually met Emperor Yuan Shuo a long time ago!
Not only had she seen it, she had also pushed the emperor... She closed her eyes, and suddenly felt a panic that things were out of control.
Although she didn't see the emperor's full face, at Emperor Yuan Shuo's age, he hated being called old the most. She went to seduce someone, but she called him a lecher and disrespectful to the elderly!
What’s even worse is that the emperor knew she didn’t know him!
Even though he knew, he still took his time to leave her alone for these days. What was he waiting for?
Is he doubting and considering, or is he waiting for this lonely ghost to let down her guard and attend the banquet, and then convict her completely?
Shen Youyi was nervous and swallowed a few times subconsciously. Her heart was in a mess. Her original elegant and calm attitude towards the concubines and ministers was only superficial. She even felt that their shouting was annoying - wasn't it just the emperor playing ball? Why was he so flattering?
What are they all screaming about?
She had no intention of watching the game, with her eyes lowered and her brows lowered, wishing she could bury her head in the almond tea bowl. After she finished the cup of tea, she didn't even bother to wonder why the queen didn't care enough to ask someone to give her another one.
When the confrontation on the field was becoming increasingly fierce, the corners of the prince's lips became dry, and his heart was burning with thirst. He was used to smooth sailing, and was already at ease in the face of such filial piety scenes. He even felt a secret joy in his heart when he heard about the pomp when the imperial concubine came.
He wanted Yi Niang to see his high-spirited look and arouse her love for him.
Yi Niang really liked the confident look on his face when his husbands were chasing each other for polo. Every time after playing polo, he still had endless energy in his body, which was more nutritious than drinking deer blood wine, and he had to release it to her.
But the yellow sand blinded Pei Kaichen, and the decision of winning or losing also confused his mind. He lost so deliberately in the first half, but in the second half, he seemed to have taken a magic pill. Those few people actually ran freely in front of him, like a slippery dragon fish, and he was determined to use this game to show off in front of everyone!
Even if the prince did not care about his subjects' rebellion, he still felt a little annoyed.
There is no time when one cannot show off one's skills. The emperor's birthday banquet emphasizes the grandeur of a great country, and the royal family has not forgotten the tradition of archery and horsemanship. The prince, as the crown prince, actually lost to the imperial guards. How can his father, who is proud of him, save face?
What's more, Yi Niang just showed some intention of reconciling with him. In the cockfighting arena, roosters are fighting each other. The winner holds his head high and chest out, looking very proud. Who cares about the loser?
The prince was obsessed with her, and his mind was filled with thoughts. After Yi Niang fell into trouble, she had been coveted by countless people. Could it be that this man also had his eyes on his forbidden fruit?
This mask is really a burden. Sweat flows into his eyes along the outline of the golden pattern, and mixed with sand, it makes him feel painful and itchy. If it weren't for the rules set by his father, he would have wanted to throw away this mask!
As the game was coming to an end, the gap between the two sides was narrowing little by little, and the opponent even seemed to be overtaking. Several princes who were fighting with Pei Lang in close combat suddenly became hesitant, as if their prestige had been destroyed.
The prince gritted his teeth and spurred his horse to chase after him, holding the golf club tightly in his hand, but not intending to trip the opponent's ball.
At the last moment, Pei Kaichen knew what was going on and knew what to do. It would be best if he acted like a loser, otherwise...
He had never done anything vile on the course, and he was distracted for a moment, so his club narrowly brushed past his opponent's arm from the left rear. Pei paused, then flexibly turned his wrist, and without even turning his body, he hit the ball with a backhand, hitting the back of his hand!
The prince felt pain but tried hard not to cry out. He even heard a low, contemptuous laugh while enduring the pain.
How disrespectful!
In full view of the crowd, the crown prince was injured while hitting the ball. No matter how hard Yang Xiuyuan tried to endure it, she suddenly stood up with no blood on her lips. The golden gong to stop the fight rang loudly. The attendants of the Eastern Palace standing on both sides saw the people on the field stop, and like arrows from a bow, they rushed to the crown prince's side to protect him.
There were a few clever ones who wanted to drag the imperial physician over, and some wanted to hold the culprit accountable, but when the prince came to his senses after enduring the pain, he found that Pei Kaichen was among the people who helped him get off the horse!
The mask on his face had been removed long ago, but he was just as frightened as I was.
Pei Kaichen witnessed everything that had just happened and was terrified. His Majesty was a man from the top of the world and thought they were immature. Except in the military camp, he usually didn't play these games with young people. Occasionally, when he was in the mood, he would play with the younger ones. He thought nothing would happen and he didn't dare to disobey his orders, so he didn't think anything was a big deal.
But he didn't expect... He tried his best to signal to the prince, but fortunately, His Majesty had his back to people when he was hitting the ball, and might not be able to detect the prince's momentary evil thoughts.
In fact, the prince also concealed it very well. There were many people on the court who were red-eyed in the competition, and it was not uncommon to see blood, but no one could be sure that the prince swung the club out of revenge rather than to grab the ball.
The man on horseback seemed not to have expected the commotion caused by the slight punishment. He exerted a little force with his legs, reined in the horse, turned around, removed the 獠鬼 mask covering his face with one hand, and glanced at the center surrounded by the crowd.
The Crown Prince had not seen Emperor Yuan Shuo for a long time. He could not remember the last time his father lost his temper in front of him, or even had murderous intentions.
Emperor Yuan Shuo's eyes were indifferent, perhaps a little disappointed, but that glance did not hide the bone-chilling coldness before the bloodthirsty beast.
If he was not the crown prince, if this was not his father's birthday party, if he had assassinated the emperor in public... whether he did it intentionally or not, he would probably be dead.
The prince closed his eyes in despair. It was not Pei Kaichen's heart that was blinded by winning or losing, but his eyes. How could he dare to tell his father that his mind was so full of winning or losing and the imperial concubine on the observation deck that he could not concentrate at all to recognize that the minister under the mask had been replaced by someone else!
It was a great day, and it happened in front of everyone. Even if Emperor Yuan Shuo was unhappy, he would not embarrass the prince. He was not unaware of the prince's true intentions, but it was still a bit too much to say that he killed the king in public.
However, his son was still young and was afraid of his father's authority. When something happened, he even forgot how to smooth things over.
The emperor dismounted and everyone around him knelt down. However, the viewing platform, which was originally crowded with people, became chaotic. The usually steady queen also looked anxious and kept calling people over.
"Quickly call the imperial physician, the imperial concubine has fainted!"
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