After the banquet, Emperor Shengce summoned more than ten officials to discuss matters, most of whom were officials from the Ministry of Rites.
After everything for the flower banquet was arranged, the Emperor of Shengce called in several of his trusted ministers to talk alone.
Wei Shuyi was one of them.
The Emperor of the Holy Ce had a list at hand, on which were the candidates for the Crown Princess who had been secretly weighed and screened over the past few months. There were a total of more than ten people.
These so-called candidates for Crown Princess are naturally viable candidates in the eyes of the Emperor of the Holy Ceremonial Ceremonies.
However, even after repeated screening, it is not so easy to decide who to choose in the end, because in the eyes of the Holy Ceremonial Emperor, there is no choice among these candidates that she is absolutely satisfied with -
If there really was a candidate who met all her requirements, she would have arranged the prince's marriage long ago without the need for those aristocratic officials to propose it.
When it comes to selecting the Crown Princess, she needs to consider far more than those aristocratic officials.
First of all, his family background and appearance must not be bad. Before this candidate is put forward, he must first be able to convince the public.
Secondly, she needs someone she can trust or someone she can easily control...
These are the most basic conditions.
After Wei Shuyi and the others left, the Emperor of the Holy Ceremonies' gaze returned to the list.
She whispered to herself, "Perhaps we need to wait and see how the parties react at tomorrow's banquet before we can make a decision..."
After Wei Shuyi separated from his colleagues, a hint of worry appeared in his eyes.
Miao Qing is also on that list.
The position of Crown Princess sounds glamorous, but it is dangerous and beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
He didn't want to let his simple-minded sister be dragged into this vortex.
During the conversation with the Saint, he tried to refuse the matter several times. No matter what the reason was, he just wanted to let the Saint know that their Wei family had no intention of doing this...
But at the same time, he knew very well that the saint needed someone trustworthy to stand with her and fight the enemy together.
No emperor would need a minister who retreats out of selfishness at a critical moment.
There is no absolute trust between the monarch and his subjects. Isn't this move by the saint a test for him and the Wei family?
Wei Shuyi thought it over again and again, then went to see his mother and sister and explained the matter to them.
Wei Miaoqing was very surprised: "...My name is also on the Book of Life and Death?!"
"What nonsense! This is the list of candidates for the Crown Princess." Although Duan tried to correct him, she was worried: "However, with Qing'er's personality, how can she be suitable..."
Wei Shuyi glanced at his sister and said, "This is the only thing to be thankful for right now."
Wei Miaoqing: “?”
"There is no conclusion on this matter yet, and the Saint is still considering the matter." Wei Shuyi told his sister: "There will be noble ladies performing at the flower banquet tomorrow, so remember not to show off or compete with others, and don't show off your skills in front of others—"
Wei Miaoqing looked embarrassed: "Of course I don't want to stand out, but I'm afraid that if I stand next to those people, I will be too conspicuous. What should I do?"
Some of the cleverness does not lie in whether she reveals it or not, but in the fact that she cannot hide it at all.
"That's not difficult." Wei Shuyi smiled and gave a practical solution: "Then you can stand next to Madam Chang tomorrow, so you won't be conspicuous."
Wei Miaoqing was so angry that her eyes widened. She wanted to refute but couldn't.
He could only complain to Duan: "Mother, look at my brother!"
Duan smiled and said, "I think it's very good."
Isn't it great that she always mentions Madam Chang? Facing his mother's teasing, Wei Shuyi pretended to be unaware and stood up, poking his sister's forehead with his hand: "Remember, don't show off your skills, as for the rest... you can only wish for the best."
Wei Miaoqing rubbed his forehead and looked at him angrily, retorting: "Brother, you can't even marry a sister-in-law, you should just wish yourself good luck!"
Wei Shuyi was too lazy to pay attention to her and left with his hands behind his back.
…
The next day, there was a hibiscus banquet, and the girls from various mansions arrived early. These girls, who had been pampered since childhood and whose clothes and manners were impeccable, gathered together, which was more pleasing to the eye than a garden full of hibiscus flowers.
In such an occasion, even the Emperor of the Holy Book, who was sitting at the top, rarely let go of his dignity and had a slight smile on his face.
Soon it was time for performance to liven up the atmosphere.
This hibiscus banquet was very grand, and there were also sons of royal family officials who came along. Instigated by their companions, many of those young men stepped forward to perform.
The Emperor of the Holy Ceremonies smiled and personally named Prince Rong.
Prince Rong played a Jiangnan tune on a flute. The melodious sound of the flute made people feel as if they were in the beautiful scenery of Jiangnan shrouded in morning mist.
Among the noble ladies, a girl with a quiet temperament and wearing a warbler-colored skirt looked at the slightly frail young man and listened to the flute music in her ears with a dazed expression.
She watched the young man put away his flute, bowed and retreated, and couldn't help but whisper to the maid beside her: "Is that... Prince Rong?"
"That's right, girl."
The girl whispered to herself: "So it was him..."
It turned out that the man with the flute whom she had met twice in the music hall was Li Lu, the prince of Prince Rong... No wonder he was so well-mannered and well-educated.
"My nephew has also come to add to the fun of the flower banquet!" Ming Jin took the initiative to step forward, holding a sword in his hand.
The art he performed was sword dancing.
The long sword in his hand flashed with a cold light. As he leaped up, the tip of the sword pointed at a group of noble ladies not far away. Several timid girls were frightened and took several steps back.
Ming Jin curled his lips and smiled, his gaze fixed for a moment on Chang Suining's face behind the group of noble ladies, and there seemed to be a chill in his eyes.
Chang Suining blinked expressionlessly.
So scared.
This requires at least some basic skills.
Could it be that during the days of house arrest, he devoted himself to practicing martial arts and swordsmanship in order to avenge her? This is quite inspiring.
When Ming Jin put away his sword, he bowed to the emperor with a smile, and did not forget to say some auspicious words such as "...I sincerely wish the country to be prosperous and my aunt to be healthy."
He had made a mistake and was punished before, so he inevitably felt a little uneasy, so now he wanted to please and make amends.
The Holy Cemetery Emperor nodded with a smile: "Not bad, you have made some progress."
Ming Jin was very happy to hear this, and left after bowing.
"Sir, your swordplay just now was truly impressive..." The servant came up to him and flattered him in a low voice.
Ming Jin raised his eyebrows slightly and looked around with a smile.
Once the house arrest was lifted, he would still be the most glorious prince of Yingguo in the capital, and his aunt was the current saint - this point could not be changed by that little bitch's opportunistic pursuit of fame! His eyes were fixed on a certain place, and he clenched his teeth slightly.
The performances by the young men were just a foil, and everyone present knew that the ones who deserved the most attention today were the noble ladies.
The lady Zhangsun Qi was particularly eye-catching - whether it was her fascinating piano playing, her graceful demeanor, her exquisite and dignified face, or Zhangsun Shi standing tall behind her.
Such a young lady named Zhangsun Qi Niangzi is extremely eye-catching and has naturally received a lot of praise.
His father, Chang Sun Yuan, listened to the praise and sat still, looking unmoved: "…It's just a show of ugliness."
Yao Xia and others also came forward to perform.
"Madam Wei, aren't you going?" Chang Suining turned to look at Wei Miaoqing who had been standing beside him.
Why does it feel like the young lady from the Wei family is particularly dependent on her today? She follows her wherever she goes.
"I won't go. I'm a little nervous..." Wei Miaoqing asked Chang Suining in a low voice: "Madam Chang is not going either?"
Madam Chang had better not go, otherwise once Madam Chang leaves, who else can suppress her beauty! Qiao Yunmian, who was standing by, couldn't help but think of Ning Ning's chest breaking a stone, Ning Ning pulling up a weeping willow, and other scenes that shocked the whole audience.
Chang Suining: "I'm nervous too."
Qiao Yumian breathed a sigh of relief for some reason. It was good for Ningning to be nervous, because this way she wouldn't have to be nervous anymore.
At this moment, the beautiful chanting voice of a young girl reached my ears.
"Ningning...whose girl is this?" Qiao Yumian asked curiously in a low voice.
Seeing that Chang Suining didn't seem to recognize her, Wei Miaoqing said, "She is the granddaughter of Prime Minister Ma, Ma Wan... She doesn't go out very often."
The year is peaceful and clear.
It turned out that she was the granddaughter of Zhongshu Ling Ma Xingzhou.
Sun Yuan, the head of the Menxia Province, and Ma Xingzhou, the head of the Zhongshu Province, were known as the left and right prime ministers.
Unlike Changsun Yuan who came from a prominent aristocratic family, Ma Xingzhou was a prime minister from a humble family who had worked his way up through hardships. He was a talented person, but the reason he had come to where he is today was not only because of his talent, but also because of the recognition and promotion of the Emperor Shengce.
In the previous dynasty, Ma Xingzhou was a person who was in mutual restraint with Changsun Yuan.
Therefore, in the eyes of many people, Ma Wan, the granddaughter of the Ma family, is also one of the popular candidates for the Crown Princess.
The Holy Book Emperor was also thinking about it.
The girl wore a nightingale-colored skirt and looked quiet and gentle, but not as dignified and graceful as Zhangsun Qi Niang, and she lacked the grace that only a prominent family could cultivate.
Of course, these external phenomena are not the most important.
In terms of status, this lady from the Ma family is naturally the one who is most capable of competing with Lady Changsun Qi——
The Emperor of the Holy Ce's gaze vaguely fell on the gray-haired Right Prime Minister Ma Xingzhou.
The disputes in the court were intricate and involved more than just the distinction between the nobles and the commoners. Although Ma Xingzhou came from a humble family, as his position in the court became increasingly solid, he also gave the Holy Ce Emperor a feeling of being out of control.
The emperor's intentions are hard to predict, and the ministers' intentions are not completely hidden, and cannot be fully seen through at a glance.
Although she was sure that Ma Xingzhou would not associate with the gentry, there were many variables as to how the other party would choose between her and the prince.
The Emperor of the Holy Ceme was hesitating and judging in his heart, not daring to be careless in the slightest.
When the flower banquet was halfway through, the eunuch sang loudly, and it spread throughout the garden -
"Master Tianjing has arrived—"
There were sounds of surprise all around.
"Master Tianjing is here?"
"The Imperial Master has come out of seclusion?"
Everyone looked towards the person who came.
The person who came over was a Taoist priest. His face showed signs of old age, and his hair and beard were completely white. He was about seventy years old, but his steps were as light as the wind, and he did not look like an old man at all.
Chang Suining reacted for a moment and asked Xier in a low voice: "Master Tianjing... is he a fortune teller?"
Xier nodded and whispered, "That's right. Imperial Master Tianjing is an expert in physiognomy. All the predictions he made were very accurate... But for some reason, Imperial Master Tianjing suddenly went into seclusion three years ago and has not appeared in public since then..."
The year is peaceful and clear.
That's it.
She had heard before that there was a strange fortune teller in Langzhong who was an expert in Yi-suan metaphysics and was very good at reading people's faces. She had even sent people to look for him, but they couldn't find any trace of him. Wu Jue felt quite aggrieved about this, and after drinking, she hugged Lao Chang and cried, saying that she was eating from the bowl and looking at the pot.
Unexpectedly, after more than ten years, the other party had become the imperial teacher of Dasheng.
Rumor has it that he is not only proficient in physiognomy, but also seems to be interested in the art of longevity...
While Chang Suining was thinking, he saw that Master Tianjing was walking towards him.
She and Wei Miaoqing and others stood in front of a clump of flowers and trees, and Master Tianjing, who was originally walking forward, suddenly stopped when passing by them.
The Taoist turned his head, his eyes clear and quiet, as if he could see through everything.
Chang Suining was caught off guard and looked into those eyes.
The reason why they looked at each other was because the other person was also looking at her.
As they looked at each other, there was an autumn wind blowing up fallen leaves. The shawl on the girl's arms fluttered in the wind, and the pearl hairpin in her hair made a slight sound.
At this moment, Chang Suining inexplicably felt that he had nowhere to hide.
It was a feeling and uneasiness that came from deep within her heart, but she was best at concealing her emotions, no matter who she was facing or what the situation was.
The wind stopped, the shawl fell off, and the pearl hairpins were still.
The girl raised her hand and lowered her eyes in silent greeting.
National Master Tianjing nodded slightly, almost imperceptibly, then retracted his gaze and continued walking forward.
This scene was seen by the Holy Ceremonial Emperor.
Seeing the Imperial Master of Heavenly Mirror approaching, the Holy Ce Emperor said with a smile: "The Imperial Master has finally come out of retreat. I have been waiting for him for a long time."
For a moment, congratulations to Master Tianjing for coming out of seclusion were heard one after another, and the crown prince even stood up to congratulate him.
Chang Sun Yuan said nothing, but just looked silently at the Taoist with white hair and a youthful face - was it a coincidence that the other party came out at this time?
…
After returning from the garden to the study room where they temporarily handled government affairs, the Emperor of the Holy Ce and the Imperial Master Tianjing discussed Dharma alone for a long time.
Finally, the Holy Ce Emperor asked, "I saw the Imperial Master today... He seemed to be paying special attention to a girl at the flower party?"
"Yes." National Master Tianjing said, "This woman has a very strange appearance."
The Holy Ceremonial Emperor's eyes moved slightly: "What is the meaning of the word 'strange'?"
Master Tianjing did not answer for a moment, but said: "I would like to borrow this girl's birth date and horoscope to take a look. Is that possible?"
He knew that this flower banquet was for selecting the Crown Princess, and the birth dates of all those who attended the banquet would be recorded in a book.
The Emperor of the Holy Book nodded and motioned Ming Luo to bring it.
However, when he turned to the page about Chang Suining, Ming Luo said, "Your Majesty, the date of birth of Lady Chang is unknown."
The Holy Ce Emperor looked at the Imperial Preceptor of Heavenly Mirror and said, "Yes, Imperial Preceptor, you don't know that this girl was originally an orphan. Her family members died long ago, and she was adopted by General Chang's mansion by chance... so her birth date and time cannot be found."
“So that’s the case…” National Master Tianjing’s eyes moved slightly, as if he understood something, but also seemed to be more and more puzzled: “No wonder I felt that I couldn’t figure out his face when I saw it.”
Unable to spy?
The Holy Ce Emperor asked, "The Imperial Master just said that his face was particularly strange. Is this the strangeness that cannot be fathomed?"
Master Tianjing shook his head slightly: "Not only that..."
Half an incense stick later, National Master Tianjing left.
The Emperor of the Holy Book seemed to be thinking about something, his eyes falling on the list.
The previous page reads: Chang Suining, sixteen years old, birth date unknown, from the mansion of the General of the Cavalry in Xingningfang.
Ming Luo's gaze also slowly dropped.
After a moment, she considered and said, "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion, I wonder if it is feasible."
"Let's talk about it."
Ming Luo: "Now it seems that the lady from the Chang family may be the best candidate for the Crown Princess."
Good night (づ￣3￣)づ╭
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