The family dinner on New Year's Eve was filled with joy. Shi Mingyue was happy and smiling since she had confirmed that Huo Qiuwen and Fu Baiheng would not be married. She had at least helped Huo Qiuwen and changed the events of her previous life.
Fu Yueli noticed that she was obviously very happy since she heard the emperor say that he would grant marriage to Fu Baiheng and Huo Qiurong. She couldn't help but feel a little confused. Aren't Huo Qiurong and Huo Qiuwen her friends?
At the family banquet, several of the emperor's concubines volunteered to perform, playing the guzheng or dancing. Seeing these young and beautiful women, Shi Mingyue suddenly felt deeply moved. How could a woman her age enter the deep palace and share her husband with others? How could a single word express the sadness of this?
Suddenly, she felt a sharp gaze directed their way. She looked in that direction and saw a beautiful woman, her hair adorned with pearls and jade, sitting in the seat closest to the emperor. Her eyes were slightly raised, a mixture of inquiry and disdain. Needless to say, it was Consort Cen, the most favored concubine in the harem. Although in her thirties, she looked like she was in her early twenties, and her features bore a striking resemblance to Fu Baiheng. Anyone who saw her would have thought she was Fu Baiheng's sister.
Shi Mingyue turned her head calmly and said to Fu Yueli, "This beef brisket with bamboo shoots on the table is pretty good. Come and try it."
Fu Yueli naturally sensed Concubine Cen's gaze and ate the dishes on the table calmly.
Shi Mingyue then lowered her head and whispered to him, "What does Concubine Cen mean?"
"Don't pay attention to her, but you seem very happy that Huo Qiurong married my second brother?"
Shi Mingyue was speechless. How could she answer this question? Suddenly, she remembered that in Fu Yueli's eyes, Huo Qiurong was just as much her friend as Huo Qiuwen. He didn't know about her past life, so he would be confused. She had indeed gotten a little carried away. Shi Mingyue hesitated for a moment before answering, "I'll explain this to you later. I can only tell you now that Huo Qiurong is not a good person, and she's not my friend."
Fu Yueli was stunned when he heard this, remembering when he first arrived at the Shi Mansion and his mother-in-law had tentatively mentioned the marriage between Miss Huo and Shi Mingji. Shi Mingyue's reaction was unexpected. She actually objected, then hurriedly explained that Huo Qiurong already had someone in love. Now thinking about it, it was just a lie to his mother-in-law. It seemed that Huo Qiurong must have had bad behavior, otherwise Shi Mingyue wouldn't have such a strong opinion of her. He agreed, "I understand."
With half an hour left until the New Year, the royal family gathered and toasted each other. Fu Baiheng, Fu Fenglin beside him, and the fourth prince Fu Qinglang all stood up and raised their glasses to Fu Yueli and Shi Mingyue. Fu Baiheng smiled and said, "Look at today, the steps are filled with fragrant plum blossoms, the plates are decorated with flowers and candles are red, and we celebrate the new year and bid farewell to the old one in one night. I wish you, brother and sister-in-law, a prosperous new year and a son soon. I would like to express my gratitude with this wine."
Fu Fenglin and Fu Qinglang also responded to him and drank the wine in their glasses.
Fu Yueli and Shi Mingyue also stood up, nodded to them, and drank it all in one gulp.
Then everyone toasted the emperor, ate, drank, and watched performances. Soon, the New Year arrived. Late at night, the banquet had ended. Shi Mingyue and Fu Yueli returned to the Master's Mansion in a carriage. She was in a particularly good mood. Besides Huo Qiuwen's matter, her cousins would all be coming to the capital from Yunzhou in the new year.
On the morning of Lunar New Year's Day, officials from all over the country would gather in the capital to congratulate the emperor and report on their work. Since Shi Mingyue's aunt and uncle died on the battlefield in Southern Xinjiang, her cousin Gao Siyuan had inherited the title of General of Southern Defense, and her cousin Gao Siqi was also a female general who was as capable as any man in the army. She counted the days and realized it had been over a decade since she last saw them. They must have already arrived at the Shi Mansion. In her previous life, after she and Qin Zheng went to Southern Xinjiang, she lost contact with almost everyone she knew, with the exception of Huo Qiuwen.
When the two returned to the master's house, the whole family was still awake and waiting for them in the hall.
"Sister Yue'er!" Gao Siqi recognized Shi Mingyue at a glance and came up to her and gave her a big hug.
Gao Siqi was dressed like a man and was tall. Fu Yueli was shocked at the time. Even a cousin couldn't be so close to his sister, right?
Shi Mingyue was also startled, then realized it was her cousin Gao Siqi, and was filled with emotion. In her previous life, this good sister of hers had always been stationed in southern Xinjiang and had never married. The emperor had introduced her to several young talents, but she had rejected them all.
After Gao Siqi let go of Shi Mingyue, Gao Siyuan came over again, but he didn't hug Shi Mingyue like his sister did. He just grinned happily: "Yue'er, long time no see."
Fu Yueli then took a closer look at the Gao siblings, who looked 70% alike. Only then did she realize that the person hugging Shi Mingyue was her younger sister, Gao Siqi. The Gao siblings were twins, a boy and a girl, who not only looked alike but were also about the same height.
Shi Mingyue was excited and looked at her two brothers and sisters with a smile, "Yes, it's really been a long time." It has been more than ten years.
"Okay, let's reminisce about the past during the day. Your brother and sister have to go to the palace early tomorrow morning to congratulate His Majesty. Yueli and Mingji should also go. Let's go to bed quickly." Shi Yuanshan gave the order, asking everyone not to stay up late and to go to bed early.
Everyone went back to their rooms to rest, but Shi Mingyue couldn't sleep. She recalled this time in her previous life, when she and Qin Zheng had spent the holiday alone in a shabby house in Western Xinjiang, with the wind howling and snow falling outside. But now, in Shangjing, there was no snow, and the charcoal fire in the house was as warm as spring. She had also seen so many people she had always wanted to see. She was truly happy.
She really couldn't sleep, but she didn't dare to toss and turn too frequently, for fear of disturbing Fu Yueli's rest. Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded in her ear: "Go to sleep."
The voice was as intoxicating as water. Shi Mingyue gradually calmed down and closed her eyes.
When she woke up, it was already daybreak, and Fu Yueli was gone. Not only him, but also her father, brother, and cousins were all going to the palace to congratulate the emperor today. So, she and Madam Shi were the only ones left in the mansion. They had a morning meal of dumplings and sat together to do some needlework.
Shi Mingyue embroidered a purse featuring the camel thorn plant, a plant native to Xinjiang. It grows in the desert, its pink blossoms endearingly charming. She planned to give it to Fu Yueli. She hadn't given him anything since marrying him, so this camel thorn purse was her first token of appreciation.
On the third day of the Lunar New Year, the royal hunting party was held in the Zichuan Valley in the suburbs.
Shi Mingyue went with Fu Yueli and the Gao brothers and sisters. The hunting party would last for two days, so tents were set up for people to stay temporarily.
Zichuan Valley is perpetually shrouded in mist, resembling a sacred place for immortals, hence the name. At the start of the competition, the eunuch beside the emperor read out the rules. First, there was a warm-up exercise: a row of targets were set up, and everyone stood in the distance shooting arrows to see who could hit the bull's eye.
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