Chapter 268 Song Hui is instantly killed
Zhao Wanqing shrank her neck and retorted in a low voice, "But the First Prince said last time that the pearl on the hairband he was holding was bigger than the one on mine."
What if he sees me wearing a red headband and suddenly asks me for another one?
Moreover, she didn't like red hairbands; she preferred gold hairpins.
But she didn't dare say this to Song Hui.
Song Hui glared at her, annoyed.
"Are you stupid? If the Crown Prince asks you, you won't say that one is lost too, or that you can't remember where you put it."
As she spoke, she took out two red hair ribbons from her bosom and waved them in front of Zhao Wanqing.
“I found two large pearls in your maternal grandmother’s dowry jewelry and made two new hairbands for you.”
Is this pearl size alright?
Upon closer inspection, Zhao Wanqing noticed that the pearls at the end of the hairband were about the size of a thumbnail, almost identical to those in the hands of the First Prince, Shen Xu.
She nodded.
Song Hui gave the hairband to the maid and instructed the maid to tie it for her.
He repeated his instructions once more, "Remember, when you see the First Prince, you must..."
At the hour of You (5-7 PM), as dusk approached and the sun set in the west, firecrackers began to sound one after another in the streets, their crackling sounds adding a touch of liveliness to the air.
Li Nanke went out with Li Mu and Song Yi.
The carriage was already waiting outside the door.
Zisu tugged at Li Nanke, looking nervous.
"Master Nangong hasn't returned yet. Are you sure you want to take this carriage, young lady?"
Li Nanke smiled slightly.
"Don't worry, nothing will happen to us on our way to the palace."
They were going to the palace to attend a banquet. If they were late in arriving at the palace, the palace would definitely send someone out to inquire.
Therefore, they will be safe on their way to the palace and will definitely be able to enter the palace safely.
"I told Master Nangong some things, and she went to prepare. Sister Zisu, don't be afraid, we will come back safely."
She gently comforted Zisu.
"Ke'er, hurry up and get in the carriage, or we'll be stuck at the palace gate."
Li Mu urged her to get in the car.
Li Nanke called out with a smile, "Father, I'm here."
The family got into the car and headed towards the palace gate.
Marquis Anping and Li Yao watched the family's carriage leave, smiles appearing on their faces at the same time.
Li Yao said, "Father, rest assured, everything has been arranged perfectly and there will be no mistakes."
Marquis Anping stroked his beard and nodded in satisfaction.
"As long as Li Mu gets into trouble, you can rightfully become the heir of the Marquis's mansion. After waiting for so many years, this day has finally come!"
“Let’s go, let’s go have a reunion dinner with your mother and tell her the good news.”
Li Nanke and his family of three sat in the carriage.
Li Mu was quietly pondering how to avoid being toasted by his colleagues in the court tonight, without offending anyone.
Song Yi touched her hair, tugged at her clothes, and even took out a piece of paper.
The above is a list of precautions she prepared in advance for the New Year's Eve banquet, fearing that she might make a mistake due to nervousness.
In contrast, Li Nanke was the calmest one.
She lifted the carriage curtain and peered outside.
The carriage had already crossed the Rainbow Bridge, and the Imperial City Guards were already on high alert around the area.
There will be a grand exorcism ceremony in the palace tonight, and similarly, there will be one in the common people's homes.
It was some of the Imperial Guards who formed the "Children's Class," and at this moment the "Children's Class" had begun to assemble under the Rainbow Bridge.
When the appointed time arrives, they will wear green ghost masks, wield golden spears to drive away the plague, and scatter red beans along the Imperial Street.
People crowded under the Rainbow Bridge to scramble for the beans, which were said to ward off plagues and that whoever managed to grab them would be free from illness and disaster for the entire following year.
After crossing the Rainbow Bridge and boarding the imperial scepter, we soon arrived at the palace gate.
From afar, a long line of carriages could be seen at the palace gate.
Li Mu and Song Yi led Li Nanke off the carriage and separated to queue up.
Li Mu was to accompany the court officials to the Daqing Hall to pay homage to the emperor, while the female relatives were to go directly to the Ninghui Hall to pay their respects to Empress Xue.
At the palace gate, a group of people were talking to Song Hui and Zhao Wanqing.
Today, Song Hui specially wore the jade crown and embroidered robe that His Majesty had bestowed upon her a few days ago as a fourth-rank "Shuren" (a title for a virtuous woman).
The jade crown on her head is made of five feathers!
The frame is made of silver, with five pheasants carrying pearls and dangling ribbons. With each step they take, the "beaded necklaces" on their crowns tremble gently, making them exceptionally beautiful.
Logically, Zhao Hong was only a fourth-rank official, so even if she received an imperial decree, the jade crown she wore could only be three-pieceed.
However, because she saved the eldest prince, His Majesty added two pheasant feathers to the jade crown he bestowed upon her.
This alone drew envious glances and endless praise from many ladies.
"For Lady Zhao's merit in saving the Crown Prince, His Majesty specially instructed the Ministry of Rites to add two more pheasants to her jade crown."
"The eldest prince is the legitimate prince, and the Zhao family is destined for great success in the future."
"Just by looking at Madam Zhao's face, I can tell she's a person of great fortune. Why don't you come to my house for tea another day?"
Many noble ladies who were usually aloof and rarely interacted with her have now begun to show interest in befriending her because she saved the eldest prince.
Song Hye was the center of attention, thoroughly enjoying the glory of this moment.
His back was exceptionally straight.
Suddenly, she heard Mrs. Wang laughing and waving behind her.
"Ayi, come quick, we're here."
Everyone immediately turned to look.
Wearing a pheasant crown and a bright red silk skirt with gold-embroidered "cloud and phoenix" patterns, Song Yi looked exceptionally beautiful, elegant, and noble with just a touch of makeup.
Someone couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
“Oh dear, the jade crown worn by Lady Song is made of seven pheasants.”
"The wife of the Crown Prince of Song is a marquis's wife, so she should naturally wear the seven-pheasant hat."
"Indeed, it's rare to see Lady Song dressed up in full regalia according to her rank, so it's a bit unusual for her."
Mrs. Wang pouted.
"That's because they're low-key, unlike some people who, once they get a little glory, can't wait to tell the whole world."
Song Hui's face looked extremely pale.
Seeing Song Yi dressed up in her finest attire, she was a completely different person from the one who used to always wear old-fashioned clothes.
A strong sense of jealousy flashed in Song Hui's eyes.
Why is it that she worked so hard and schemed her way to get the Five-Phoenix Crown, while Song Yi could easily get the Seven-Phoenix Crown?
At the same time, Wang Tongyun and her sisters surrounded Li Nanke with smiles on their faces.
"Ke'er, your clothes look really nice today."
Li Nanke winked at Wang Tongyun and nodded with a grin.
"I also think my clothes look great today. My mother picked them out for me, and I really like them."
Today she wore a light pink diagonal-fronted jacket with a pale yellow pleated skirt. The cuffs and hem of the skirt were embroidered with a cluster of delicate crabapple blossoms, the petals were delicate and the stamens were lively, as if they could be blown away by a gentle breeze.
A small bow was tied at the neckline, and the light blue ribbon complemented the pink jacket, making it look particularly playful.
What's even more wonderful are the two bright red headbands tied around her head, with delicate gilded openwork balls hanging from the ends, making a tinkling sound as she walks. Paired with her big, bright eyes, she looks lively and spirited.
Zhao Wanqing, who was huddled next to Song Hui, stared intently at Li Nanke's clothes, biting her lip tightly, feeling extremely envious.
Why can her aunt help Li Nanke choose such beautiful clothes and jewelry, while her mother only forces her to wear clothes and jewelry she doesn't like?
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