Chapter 136 Welcome Banquet
The Zhanghua Hall has been renovated in a magnificent manner.
Above the many steps, there is a golden table with a double dragon playing with a pearl in front, which should be the emperor's seat.
On the side are two rosewood tables, needless to say, they should belong to Queen Mother Qin and Empress Cui.
A golden carpet covered the center of the hall, dividing it into two parts. On one side were the seats for the concubines, and on the other side, facing each other, were the seats for the clan members, important officials, and their families.
When Pei Tingyue arrived, the seats for foreign officials were almost full, but there were not many concubines.
The palace maid in the hall guided her to take a seat at the fourth table in the first row.
After Pei Tingyue sat down, he looked at everyone inconspicuously.
She hardly knew any of the clan members, important officials, or their families sitting across from her.
He only knew the concubine of Chu who was sitting in the chief seat. She was sitting alone and had not seen King Xuan.
As if sensing something, Concubine Chu looked up at this moment, and coincidentally, looked back.
The two of them smiled and nodded at each other from a distance, which was considered a greeting.
Pei Tingyue looked around and quickly looked away.
Perhaps because she was pregnant, the things on her table were different from those on other tables. There were no greasy things, and the dishes looked very fresh. In addition, there were fresh fruits and snacks, as well as steaming hot fruit juice.
There was no banquet, so Pei Tingyue didn't touch the dishes. She tasted the snacks and fruit juice. The snacks were the usual ones in the palace, nothing new. But the fruit juice was good, with a sweet and sour taste.
Pei Tingyue took a quick taste and quickly put aside her dignity and sat down, waiting for the banquet to begin.
After a while, someone sat down next to her.
It’s Lin Zhaorong.
She was dressed very beautifully for the banquet today, and came gracefully in a pomegranate red palace dress.
She first bowed to Pei Tingyue and said, "Your servant greets Her Majesty Zhaoyi."
Pei Tingyue felt a little emotional as she watched her bow and kneel.
At the beginning of this year, she was just a little Baolin, and she took too many risks to seek peace with Lin Zhaorong.
In less than a year, the situation has changed dramatically.
Now, it was Lin Zhaorong who saluted her.
Pei Tingyue collected his thoughts and said in a serious tone, "Get up."
Lin Zhaorong stood up, but did not take a seat. Instead, she looked behind her, "Yuqi, this is Empress Pei."
Pei Tingyue then noticed that behind Lin Zhaorong was a boy about five or six years old. He had a very handsome appearance and good temperament. This should be the eldest prince she gave birth to.
The eldest prince was not at all shy and stepped forward to salute, "Greetings to Empress Pei."
Pei Tingyue showed a gentle smile on his face: "Is this the eldest prince? He is so handsome. Come on, get up and sit down."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhaorong and her son took their seats together and waited in silence for the meal to begin.
Pei Tingyue had met the eldest prince and was curious about what the second prince looked like.
Soon she saw it.
Concubine Xie led a delicate little boy who looked as delicate as a piece of jade into the palace.
The boy suddenly stopped, looked up and said something. Concubine Xie had a helpless look on her face, so she let him go, stood there and watched him run over, then she sat down at the table.
"Brother! Brother! Yuchuan is here!" The second prince ran over with his short legs, panting.
Seeing this, the eldest prince hurriedly asked him to sit down and handed him a piece of cake, "Eat something and take a rest."
The second prince took it, his big black eyes twinkling: "Big brother is the best to Yuchuan!"
The eldest prince smiled shyly and wiped the cake from the corner of his mouth. Lin Zhaorong, who was standing by, handed him a cup of warm water and said, "Second Prince, don't choke."
The Second Prince's pointed fangs were exposed, and he thanked her politely, "Thank you, Empress Lin!"
He chattered incessantly while eating.
The eldest prince mostly listened without answering, and only occasionally agreed with a few words. However, he was no longer as serious as before, and looked more lively.
Pei Tingyue felt a little emotional when watching this scene.
Normally, the relationship between Lin Zhaorong and Concubine Xie was not good, and could even be considered incompatible, but this hatred did not extend to their children.
One does not stop the communication, and the other behaves unusually gently.
I have to admit, both of them are very qualified as mothers. If it weren't for the complicated interests, they might have become lifelong friends.
Unfortunately, fate plays tricks on them and they are destined to be in opposition.
Pei Tingyue was just thinking about it when the Second Prince suddenly tilted his head and asked, "Who is this lady? Yuchuan has never seen her before."
The eldest prince nudged him and said, "This is Empress Pei. Go and meet her."
The Second Prince obeyed obediently, put down the cake in his hand, stood up, and bowed in front of Pei Tingyue: "Greetings, Queen Pei."
Pei Tingyue smiled and said, "Get up quickly."
The second prince stood up, but did not return to his seat. He stared at Pei Tingyue.
"Empress Pei is so beautiful, she is the most beautiful Empress Yuchuan has ever seen."
"Really?"
The Second Prince nodded his head and said seriously, "It's true."
Pei Tingyue smiled.
The Second Prince didn't understand why she was laughing. There was a struggle in his eyes, but he couldn't help but say, "Empress Pei's belly."
"Um?"
The Second Prince said, "The palace maids told Yuchuan that a big belly means you're going to give birth. Empress Pei's belly is big, is she going to give birth?"
Pei Tingyue couldn't help laughing: "Yes."
The Second Prince asked timidly, "Can Yuchuan touch Madam Pei's belly?"
Pei Tingyue agreed.
The second prince carefully reached out his hand to stroke it, then quickly withdrew it, muttering something under his breath.
He spoke in a baby voice, and Pei Tingyue finally heard what he said, which was the word "sister".
Pei Tingyue suppressed a smile: "Why do you want a sister? Wouldn't it be better to have a brother as obedient as the Second Prince?"
Unexpectedly, this question completely stumped the second prince.
His delicate little face wrinkled into a ball.
"Brother...sister..."
After struggling for a while, he said, "Big brother and Yuchuan are both boys, and Yuchuan wants a good sister."
Pei Tingyue smiled and coaxed him, "Okay, then Madam Pei will give birth to a good little sister."
The second prince's eyes lit up after hearing this: "Now that I have a younger sister, there are many beautiful things at mother's place. Yuchuan will give them all to my younger sister!"
Pei Tingyue smiled and said okay.
It was not until the time for the banquet was almost over that Concubine Xie's palace maids brought the second prince back.
Suddenly, a loud announcement came from outside the hall, causing everyone inside to salute.
Empress Cui personally supported Queen Mother Qin into the palace.
Half a step behind the two of them was a strange, beautiful woman in palace dress.
Pei Tingyue immediately realized that this should be King Xuan’s biological mother—Concubine Chen.
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