Zhang Yu'er raised her hand and said timidly, "Your Majesty, I also remember a line: I look up to the sky and laugh loudly, then leave, and ask with a smile where the guest comes from."
Well, it's not easy. You can still remember the poem I asked you to practice calligraphy with. Since you've been struggling with your big belly, I'll give you a reward.
Zhang Yan covered her mouth and laughed secretly. She thought of several poems that ended with the word "come", such as "Suddenly, like a spring breeze, it comes overnight", "The drums of Yuyang shake the earth", "A lone sail comes from the edge of the sun"...
Concubine Wang Liang laughed and said, "They all have the word 'come' in their verses. Then I'll also write 'The endless Yangtze River rolls on!'"
Well, since everyone is here, it doesn’t matter if I give out awards to my wife. Zhu Youxiao waved his hand to give out the awards and looked at Empress Zhang Yan with a strange look on his face.
Zhang Yan smiled and nodded, chanting in a crisp voice, "The silkworm may die without finishing its silk, and the chrysanthemum withers, yet its branches stand proudly against the frost. Your Majesty, is everything alright with you?"
"Okay, that's great." Zhu Youxiao smiled happily. "Finally, it's not coming anymore." Reward. "My wife is sensible enough to change the couplet poem."
"Royal brother, Royal brother." The Sixth Princess shook her hand and said, "Look up to the sky and laugh loudly, then go out, as if a spring breeze has suddenly arrived overnight."
It’s “coming” again! Zhu Youxiao smiled strangely, his eyes almost growing longer.
Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "Sixth Princess, you did a great job. Give me a prize."
After a pause, she continued, "Let's not always laugh out loud and leave. Let Wansui say something again, and we'll try not to say it twice, okay?"
Zhu Youxiao nodded quickly and said aloud, "Outside the long pavilion, beside the ancient road, a group of egrets fly into the blue sky."
The fifth, sixth, and eighth princesses looked at each other in bewilderment. The eighth princess even frowned and complained, "This, this is so difficult!"
Concubine Duan Chun chuckled and said, "The first part is the hairpin phoenix, and the second part is a rhyming seven-character verse. Well, I'll say one: red and tender hands, yellow vine wine, two orioles singing in the green willows."
Concubine Wang Liang smiled and said, "Sister Chun is indeed clever. Then I'll make one too. The horn sounds cold, the night is fading, and the smoke from the jade censer sinks into the water."
Zhang Yan smiled and said, "Spring is the same as before, but I am thinner and empty. Where is the Moonlit Tower where I long for you?"
The fifth princess, Zhu Huiyan, was older and more intelligent than her two younger sisters. She said to Zhang Yan with a smile, "Sister-in-law, would you please lend me a line of your poem?"
Zhang Yan smiled and nodded, saying, "The emperor's sister-in-law also borrowed the poem. Yan'er can use it if she wants!"
Zhu Huiyan chuckled and said, "Then I've also put my thoughts together. Spring is the same as before, but I'm thinner and emaciated. My old friend bids farewell to the Yellow Crane Tower."
"Give out the awards, give out the awards." Zhu Youxiao smiled happily. He was just trying to have fun, so it didn't matter if he took some shortcuts.
The Eighth Princess Zhu Huiti blinked her eyes, looked at Concubine Duan Chun, and said with a flattering smile, "Third Sister-in-law, I would like to borrow a line of your poem."
Concubine Duan Chun curled up the corners of her mouth and smiled as she said, "It's fine to borrow the poem, but why do you call me the Third Emperor's sister-in-law?"
Xiao Ba chuckled and said, "The Empress is the eldest sister-in-law, and Concubine Liang just called you sister, so she is the second sister-in-law. So -"
"What a clever princess," Duan Chunfei praised with a smile, and said, "Then tell me the poem you have put together!"
"Red tender hands, yellow vine wine, the whole city is full of spring colors and the palace walls are covered with willows."
Xiao Liu looked at Concubine Wang Liang, her expression too obvious. Before she could say anything, Concubine Wang Liang smiled and said, "Sixth Princess, you can borrow the Second Emperor's sister-in-law's poems at will."
The Sixth Princess Zhu Huijing chuckled and said, "The horn sounds cold, the night is late, and the spring light is faint on the Cold Food Festival."
Although a bit opportunistic, the atmosphere was lively and joyful. Prizes were handed out frequently, and everyone was happy. It was like a drinking game, suitable for all ages and quite elegant.
What surprised Zhu Youxiao a little was that Zhang Yuer also matched a sentence, which was also borrowed from someone else, but considering her cultural level, it was already quite good.
"Concubine Yu is also studying!" Zhu Youxiao praised: "That's good, but don't overwork yourself. There's no need to rush. There's plenty of time in the future!"
The prizes were doubled, and pregnant women had to be given preferential treatment. Zhang Yuer was happy that she had not brought shame to the emperor. She would learn more in the future when she had time!
The poem competition came to an end, and starting with Empress Zhang Yan, everyone took turns to toast the emperor. The toast was not in vain, as the emperor would reward them.
After three rounds of wine and five dishes, several plates of hot dumplings were served. Although they were staple food, the quantity was not too large, after all, everyone had eaten and drunk most of the food.
The small quantity makes sense, as there are "mascots" inside, so the probability of winning is higher, so people won't have to eat too much just for the prize.
"Eat the dumplings slowly, don't hurt your teeth." Zhu Youxiao reminded with a smile, picked up one at random, took a bite and his eyes fixed.
Zhang Yan knew she had won the prize by looking at the emperor's expression, and said with a smile, "Long live the emperor and may he have great fortune."
Zhu Youxiao chuckled, spat the small jade token in his mouth into the bowl of water on the table, examined it carefully, and said, "Look, I have tasted Ruyi. In the new year, everything will go as planned."
"Long live good fortune and good luck."
"My Royal Brother, all the best."
"Everyone is happy and satisfied." Zhu Youxiao shook the jade ruyi that Wang Tigan presented to him tactfully. This was his only prize tonight.
After the emperor had eaten, everyone else started eating. Princess and Wan'er stared at the dumplings with wide eyes, thinking they could see the special thing about the dumplings with the "mascot".
Zhang Yan and the concubines didn't care at all. They just ate casually while chatting and laughing.
It’s Chinese New Year, time to eat dumplings!
Zhu Youxiao felt this somewhat familiar scene, and could not help but feel a lot of emotion. Although things and people have changed, the family reunion and affection remain unchanged.
……………………
The bonfire was burning brightly. Yingzi threw a thin bamboo pole filled with a small amount of gunpowder into it. The explosion stirred up a cloud of sparks and dust, which caused loud laughter.
The village is called Longtou Village, and it has only about thirty households. It's not exactly bustling, but with couplets posted, lanterns hung, and a bonfire lit in the courtyard, there's still a festive atmosphere.
Having experienced the turmoil of war and settled down, people now feel that this is a peaceful year. As for memories from even more distant times, they have mostly become sighs and lamentations.
"It's time to go make dumplings." Yingzi brushed the stray hair from her ears and said with a smile, "Brother Zhang, leave the firecrackers for me!"
"Okay." Zhang Zhuzi nodded vigorously and asked, "How about a three-eye? That thing is even louder!"
Yingzi hesitated a bit and asked, "Can I hold it?"
"I'll help you hold it." Zhang Zhuzi smiled innocently, "I'll go load the medicine right away."
The three-barreled gun was basically eliminated from the army and distributed to the reserve troops. Zhang Zhuzi got one.
That thing is only filled with gunpowder but not bullets, and can be used as a firecracker. In some places, it is also used as a tool to exorcise demons and drive away evil spirits.
Yingzi smiled and nodded, turned and went into the house, added two pieces of firewood to the stove to make the water boil faster.
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