Chapter 135 Who is the most unlucky

Her Majesty, apart from the ladies of high rank, all the others are girls of marriageable age.

Nianxi's family background is not at all impressive in front of all the nobles.

For this reason, she was happy and at ease.

In her previous life, because Pei Jian was too ambitious, she had attended palace banquets several times. The higher she sat, the more attention she received. She had to be dignified and smiling throughout the banquet. By the end of the banquet, her face was stiff from smiling.

She is a go-with-the-flow person and has little desire to be admired.

At Empress Lu's birthday banquet, His Majesty personally came to the harem to preside over the banquet. "The Empress is kind and prudent, and has immeasurable virtues. I am very pleased with her. I wish the Empress a long life and good health, and may she always receive the grace of God."

After the Queen thanked him and drank thirty cups of wine, His Majesty went to the front.

Next, it was the turn of the concubines, princes and princesses to congratulate the emperor, and finally it was the turn of the ladies of the imperial family and young ladies.

After all the procedures, even the most exquisite banquet lost its flavor. However, such a big banquet was not originally for eating. Nianxi still remembered the last autumn hunting. In the palace, people were even more cautious about what to eat.

Princess Wenshu Xiao Nanxi was also among them. As soon as she saw her, she winked at her fiercely. However, the whole hall was crowded with people, and the princess was under the discipline of Concubine Shu, so she could only sit there obediently.

Nianxi hasn't seen Princess Wenshu for a while.

Seeing that she was still energetic and innocent, I knew that the years in the palace had been lonely but stable for her.

"I heard that this time the congratulations to the Empress Dowager are also related to the selection of a concubine for the Fourth Prince." Someone sitting next to Li and Nianxi whispered.

"No wonder so many girls of the right age were invited this year."

Your Majesty has four sons and five daughters. The Crown Prince, Prince Jing and Prince Qi have all married, while the fourth and fifth princes have not yet come of age and have not been given fiefs.

As for the selection of a concubine, Li and Nian Xi looked at each other, neither of them had ever heard of it.

But both mother and daughter had no such intention, and Nianxi also knew the future candidate for the Fourth Prince's wife, so she just quietly served as a background board, listening to Queen Lu greeting the girls.

The future stepmother mentioned by Lu Huai, the daughter of the Grand Chancellor of Shaanxi Province, also came today. She sat very close to the Empress and was well taken care of.

She was a tall girl who seemed to be in high spirits at all times, and there was a heroic spirit between her eyebrows. Perhaps it was because she had served in foreign places with the army in her early years, so she was used to the vast world and was not as cautious as the other noble ladies at the table.

Nian Xi knew she was a generous and open-minded woman just by looking at her. Lu Huai's green snake could scare ordinary people, but it would not scare her.

Sure enough, halfway through the banquet, Miss Fang left her seat to perform a sword dance. She was truly as graceful as a flying dragon, and more heroic than an ordinary woman.

Afterwards, several more women left the table to display their talents, including the future Fourth Prince’s Consort and Fifth Prince’s Consort.

At this time, the atmosphere in the palace was just right. Nian Xi leaned close to Li's ear and smiled at her, "Mother, I guess the candidate for the Fourth Prince's wife is Miss Xing from the Honglu Temple."

Li was skeptical, "Really? How did you know that?"

At this moment, she showed the superiority of rebirth. She nodded calmly and said with a smile, "The hermit has a good idea."

Prince Jing Xiao Xun entered the palace at this time.

The hall was filled with brocade and silk, but at a glance he saw Wen Nianxi, who was sitting at the last seat with a charming smile.

It's strange to say, before, he just thought that this girl was quite pretty and didn't care much about her, but when he wanted to marry her into the house, he was repeatedly blocked and he actually had some unforgettable fantasies about Wen Nianxi.

Thinking of this, Xiao Xun secretly made up his mind that he must take this girl into his arms today.

The banquet was coming to an end, and the palace servants cleared the table and replaced it with tea and steamed buns.

Also coming with Xiao Xun were the fourth prince Xiao Ke, the fifth prince Xiao Kai, and the Duke of Fuzhou Lu Wensheng and his son.

Empress Lu smiled at the Fourth Prince with a genial expression, "I told His Majesty about your marriage the other day. You will be opening a palace next year, so how can you be without a princess in charge?"

She pointed at the group of beauties in the palace and said, "These are all the most outstanding women in the capital. Ke'er, take a look. Is there anyone that suits your taste?"

Xiao Ke's mother died early, and he was raised by Empress Lu since he was young. He was a very cautious person, so he did not look at the women in the hall, but only bowed and said, "It's all up to my mother to decide."

Queen Lu smiled even more kindly. She looked at the women, her gaze passed over Nian Xi, and finally stopped on Miss Xing.

Said to Miss Xing, "Good child, come here."

Xing Yan was flattered and her face immediately turned red. She stood up in a hurry and walked towards the empress's throne.

What is still unclear at this time?

Empress Lu took a fancy to Miss Xing and wanted to make her the Fourth Prince's consort.

Xiao Ke was very polite. He glanced at Xing Yan beside him, then bowed and responded, "Thank you for your kindness, mother."

What a perfect marriage.

Everyone had a smile on their face, congratulating this perfect couple.

Nian Xi only knew that Xing Yan was the Fourth Prince's wife before, but it turned out to be such a marriage.

She felt bored for no apparent reason.

My thoughts drifted away, and I no longer paid attention to the loving relationship between the mother and son in the Shangshoutian family.

Until everyone's eyes turned to her, her mother stood up angrily and said, "My daughter is not qualified enough to be loved by His Royal Highness Prince Jing."

It turned out that just now, when the empress was arranging a marriage for the fourth son, Xiao Xun also bowed and said, "Today is the day when your mother passes away. I have an unwelcome request."

This was something that the mother and son had discussed, so Empress Lu knew it all and asked with a smile, "Tell me about it first."

Xiao Xun then said, "I have been married for a year, but the princess has not given birth to a son or daughter. There are three unfilial acts, and the worst is to have no offspring. I want to choose another lady to marry into the family and continue the family line."

He spoke in high-sounding terms, but in an occasion like today, bringing up the words of Wu Si was like trampling Princess Jing's face in the mud.

Princess Jing's face was as pale as paper, and she was staggering as if she was about to fall down. She just bit her lips tightly and said nothing.

Empress Lu, who was always considerate and kind, seemed not to notice Princess Jing's strange behavior, and said in a friendly manner, "The expansion of the royal family is a serious matter. Do you have any girl in mind?"

The mother and son sang in unison, and everyone in the hall listened attentively.

There were those who wanted to curry favor with the powerful, while others avoided him as much as possible, just waiting for Prince Jing to say who he had taken a fancy to.

There are also those who are more thoughtful, such as Concubine Shu, who have almost guessed the true meaning of what the Empress and her son sang today.

The Fourth Prince's selection of a concubine is just an excuse; the real drama actually happens here with Prince Jing.

It all depends on which unlucky young lady is favored by this mother and son.

"I would like to take the daughter of Wen Yuanqiao, the director of the Imperial Academy, as my concubine. I beg your majesty to approve it."