Chapter 175 Lantern Festival Palace Banquet
After Wang Shulan arrived in the capital, she received several days of emergency training in palace etiquette from the matrons sent by the palace, especially the etiquette for banquets.
Fortunately, Wang Shulan's memory was greatly improved after her cultivation, so although the etiquette in the palace was very complicated, Wang Shulan learned it all in one go, which made the nanny think that she had studied it before.
Momo sighed, "No wonder she was granted the title of County Princess. Not only does she learn quickly, but her movements are also very precise. Moreover, Wang Shulan didn't make a single mistake during the assessment."
So, the original plan was to train until the day before the palace banquet, but Wang Shulan only took three days to learn all the palace etiquette. This was because Momo herself was not physically strong enough to teach for too long at a time.
The time for the palace banquet arrived in the blink of an eye. On this day, Wang Shulan got up early to dress up.
At this palace banquet, each invited official or noblewoman could bring one or two family members according to their rank. Wang Shulan's rank allowed her to bring two, but she did not intend to bring her two daughters.
The main problem is that both daughters are still too young. Jinyan is now over 3 years old. Although she speaks fluently and is very well-behaved and sensible, she is still a child after all. Not to mention that Jinhua is only over 1 year old and cannot speak or walk fluently. She needs to be carried or supported to walk.
Taking two young children to a palace banquet isn't tiring, but I'm worried that the palace has many rules and a lot of people, which might frighten the children.
In addition, Wang Shulan took protective measures for the two children, including amulets and protective shields. She also put an invisibility talisman on her puppet, which stayed close to the two children so that she could know immediately and rush back in case of any emergency.
She wasn't familiar with Beijing, and her two children weren't with her, so she took extra precautions to ensure she felt at ease.
Once the carriage reached the palace gate, one had to disembark and walk. Following the custom, Wang Shulan walked with the other guests to the banquet venue.
Upon arrival, palace maids would arrange for them to change clothes and rest briefly. Then, when it was almost time, they would go ahead. The emperor, empress, and empress dowager, who held high positions, would be the last to arrive. Those below them could not be later than these three.
Although it's called a dinner party, it doesn't actually start in the evening; it begins at Shenshi (3-5 PM).
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"
"The Empress has arrived!"
As the palace attendants chanted and shouted, the three leaders finally made their appearance. Wang Shulan mingled in the crowd and followed the popular ceremony.
The banquet began after the Emperor gave the order.
While enjoying the delicious food at the banquet, Wang Shulan thought to herself that her family could occasionally hire opera troupes and entertainers to perform. The delightful performances really lifted her spirits.
While Wang Shulan was engrossed in watching the song and dance, a pair of eyes were staring at her hatefully. She had no idea that she had inexplicably made an enemy of someone on her first visit to the palace.
Looking at Wang Shulan across from her, Nangong Ning felt both angry and aggrieved: What was her uncle thinking? How could a commoner be granted the same title as her as a county princess, and yet she, a true member of the royal family, didn't?
Moreover, looking at the brightly colored Wang Shulan opposite, she doesn't seem to be from an ordinary commoner background at all. Her skin is like cream, and what's with her overall demeanor? Could it be that this person is not an ordinary commoner at all, but some fallen heiress?
Could it be that her royal uncle was attracted to her looks and that's why he bestowed such a great reward upon her? She didn't believe her father's story about being rewarded for offering good service. In the vast Da Jin Dynasty, how could a simple woman from a farming background have made such a great contribution?
At first, she thought Wang Shulan was the kind of rough-skinned, filthy, mud-legged woman, but now that she has met her, she finds that she is very different from what she imagined.
Nangong Ning was resentful of Wang Shulan, but she was unwilling to take the lead herself. Seeing Nangong Xiang eating fruit carefree beside her, Nangong Ning came up with a plan.
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