Chapter 76
The Cining Palace Square Dance Orchestra quickly became popular in the harem.
Under the dual influence of square dancing and handsome sisters, the ladies are very enthusiastic and sticky.
Of course, we cannot put the cart before the horse. Qu Watanabe fully cared about the physical condition of the old concubines, especially Concubine Liang, and made a plan to perform square dancing every three or five days.
The rest of the time is spent resting, and the concubines do routine exercises in the Cining Palace.
Square dancing has opened up a new venue for the concubines to communicate and socialize, and has gradually become the most anticipated activity in recent times.
Many people practiced extra in their own palaces, hoping to snatch the lead dancer position from Concubine De, because the lead dancers received the most attention from the orchestra.
The most important thing is that the lead dancer has three flowers to give to the orchestra.
God knows they only have one flower each time, and they are really confused about who to give it to. Today they gave it to this sister, but not tomorrow, so they gave it to someone else. The one without the flower, just the aggrieved look made them feel uncomfortable.
well.
The Seventh Prince was really hard-hearted. No matter how many of them tried to persuade him, he refused to give him even one more flower.
With so many sisters, how can one flower be enough?
-
Zhiyi was writing a letter to Yuan Jie'er. Ever since the banquet at the eldest prince's mansion, the two of them had been on the verge of becoming close friends.
Because of the relationship with Concubine Xuan, the two of them naturally became closer.
She wrote quickly, "I'll be done soon, Xiaoqi, be careful when you send it out, there are some dried flowers in it."
Qu Dubian bit the pen and thought about the new questions that Master Fang had given him.
"Don't be in a hurry, sister. Take your time writing."
These questions were too tricky. They were all knowledge from the content they had learned, but the questions were asked in a very strange way.
Zhiyi finished writing and sealed the letter.
"Xiao Qi, my fourth brother, fifth brother, and sixth brother are all going to choose official study partners. Do you think I can still study with you in school?"
Qu Watanabe: "Don't worry, it's OK."
As soon as they talked about this matter, Qu Dubian was called to the Zichen Palace at noon.
"Noble Concubine Lan wants to choose a study partner for Xiaoliu. I have picked out a few good ones. Your fourth and fifth brothers also need one. The fourth brother is about to turn ten and will move to the prince's residence. He will definitely be the first to choose a study partner."
"Pick one first."
Emperor Chongzhao gave him the list of names.
Qu Duan didn't even look at him: "I don't want a study companion."
"don't want?"
"Well," Qu Dubian said with emotion, "Father, I believe there is no better study partner in the world than my sister."
Emperor Chongzhao: “?”
Qu Dubian waved his fingers and said, "In the morning, my sister wakes me up, and occasionally helps me carry my schoolbag. When I'm sick, she helps me with the homework that the teacher left for me. She also brings snacks to feed me every day, helps me walk Dahei, and pushes the swing behind me..."
The more Emperor Chongzhao listened, the darker his face became: "Zhiyi is your sister! Why are you treating her like a palace maid?"
Qu Watanabe: "This is my sister's love for me, you don't understand."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Can your sister live with you in the prince's residence?"
Qu Watanabe: "I still have four years until I turn ten." And if there is permission, I can live in the harem until I am twelve years old. He thinks he can get this permission.
Moreover, choosing a study partner is a hassle.
He followed her when she went out of the palace, followed her when she studied, and followed her when she lived in the prince's residence. It was like he had an extra surveillance camera. If he followed her for too long and discovered something like Master Fang, he would have nowhere to go and cry.
It is enough for him to have Ye Banban and Liuliu.
Moreover, a companion reader is basically the first staff member in the palace after the emperor leaves the palace and sets up his own residence, or a counselor who has grown up since childhood, and has the nature of taking sides.
If you want to make friends, then that's fine. If you get along well, you can play together normally. Forget about other things.
"It's hard for you to use the Weaving Ceremony as an excuse. Since you don't want to choose, I won't force you. You can choose when you want to." Emperor Chongzhao suddenly remembered something, "Your elder sister is old enough to go to school--"
Qu Watanabe: "Oh yes, it's time for Sister to choose a study partner."
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Sister Yuan from the Xie family is pretty good. My sister gets along well with her."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Miss Xie... No, I mean, now that your companion has been chosen, your elder sister has grown up and it is not appropriate for her to stay in the school any longer."
Qu Watanabe's eyes lit up: "You want to learn "The Instructions for Women", right? It's just right, now that the brothers' study companions are here, we can study together!"
"..." Emperor Chongzhao, "Why haven't you forgotten yet?!"
He took a few deep breaths, and couldn't help but imagine what his youngest son said. If the ministers knew that the children they sent to study with him were studying the "Admonitions for Women" in the palace, pinching their fingers and waving their handkerchiefs, how would they look at him as the emperor?
Emperor Chongzhao slapped Qu Dubian's expectant face and said coldly, "Don't even think about it. She won't learn. But she still has to learn the palace rules and the princess' diplomatic etiquette. It has been delayed for three years and can't be delayed any longer."
"But Aunt Su, I still need her help. How about finding a new teacher for my sister?"
At this time, Emperor Chongzhao had not yet realized what Nanny Su's busyness meant, and only asked, "Do I need to recruit another female tutor?"
"No need. Father Zhang Chansi, do you remember the deputy director of the Astronomy Department, who taught me how to count?" Qu Du said while maintaining a disappointed expression, "She is also very good."
For a woman who can successfully become the successor to the Astronomy Department by passing through all the men and women of this generation in a family, court etiquette and rules are all basic elements.
Teaching the weaving ceremony is no problem.
“And you don’t have to pay twice.”
Emperor Chongzhao thought for a moment and suddenly felt something was wrong. He asked suspiciously, "Why are you so attentive?"
Qu Watanabe said shyly: "This way I don't have to ask Ye Banban to go to the Stargazing Department every few days to get new questions for me. Sister can just pick them up for me on the way and hand them in for me."
Emperor Chongzhao didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Let your sister run errands."
He waved his hand and said, "Let me think about it."
Qu Dubian secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was a close call. The truth almost came out. If her stepfather had found out that he had deliberately prevented her from learning the Rules of Conduct for Women, her free days would have been over.
She will definitely be locked up by Nanny Su to teach her lessons.
Qu Dubian accompanied Emperor Chongzhao for dinner.
The second day.
Emperor Chongzhao took some time out from his busy schedule and decided to find a study partner for Zhiyi. He first asked Concubine Xuan whether the girl from the Xie family was willing to enter the palace to study with her.
There have been princesses who had study companions in the past, so Zhiyi’s case is not out of the ordinary.
Concubine Xuan sent someone to the Xie family to ask, and only after receiving an accurate answer from Yuan Jie'er did she tell Emperor Chongzhao.
Emperor Chongzhao no longer moved the weaving instrument that was being studied in the academy, and he also issued an edict, ordering Zhang Chansi, deputy director of the Astronomy Bureau, to be responsible for teaching the princess palace etiquette.
Every three days, the princess needs to go to the Observatory to receive instruction.
Zhiyi was happy for a long time when she learned that she didn't have to move out of the school and could still keep Yuan Jie'er company.
She said, "When Sister Yuan comes, let her learn the square dance in the Cining Palace and spread it. We are always in the palace and can't go out. There must be many people like the concubines and the queens who need to exercise outside."
"If it can be spread out, it will definitely be a good thing."
Qu Dubian smiled and nodded: "Yeah, good idea."
If it gets out, the square dance culture he brought to later generations would probably be gradually absorbed, accommodated, and assimilated by this era into a form that the public can adapt to more easily.
Another two busy days.
Emperor Chongzhao relaxed a little.
Finally, he remembered the concubines in the harem who had been waiting for him. Ding Changzai's massage technique was very good.
However, he seldom went to the harem, and the few times he did go, he went to Ding Changzai's place, which was unfair to other concubines.
Emperor Chongzhao stood up, pinched his sore neck, looked at the beautiful sunset outside, and felt better and better: "I'm going to stroll around the Imperial Garden and see who I can run into."
Eunuch Yu recalled that he went to Shunning Palace a few days ago and took a look at the bustling Cining Palace.
He looked at the excited Majesty, seemed to want to say something but hesitated. In the end, he said nothing and ordered his men to follow.
The procession stopped in the center of the Imperial Garden.
The brilliant flowers are in full bloom.
Emperor Chongzhao turned around and didn't see any concubines.
He stood in the middle of the road, listening to the birds singing around him, and fell into deep thought.
"Is it because I don't come here often, so they don't expect to meet me here?" That's not right. The flowers in the Imperial Garden are so beautiful, there must be some who have eaten too much and come out for a walk at night to digest their food.
There is no way there is none.
Eunuch Yu: "Maybe, maybe they are all busy..."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Busy? What do they have to be busy with? Could it be that they are busy planting crops and picking vegetables like Concubine Xuan?"
The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was not right, because it seemed that the Zichen Palace had not received any snacks and supplements sent by the concubines for a long time.
Emperor Chongzhao narrowed his eyes, "Yu Decai, is there something you haven't told me?"
Eunuch Yu secretly glanced up at his expression.
"explain."
Eunuch Yu smiled awkwardly: "Probably, possibly, they are all in the Cining Palace now..."
"?" Emperor Chongzhao, "Did you all go to visit the Concubine Dowager?"
He waved his hand: "Forget it, put on a show, I'll go take a look too."
-
A quarter of an hour later.
Emperor Chongzhao stood outside the gate of Cining Palace.
The sound of high-end music came into his ears, and he said, "Is this what Xiaoqi made? What kind of square dance is this?"
He had heard of it, but had never been interested in watching it. Since it would benefit the concubines, they allowed him to mess around with the music troupe.
Emperor Chongzhao said to the two palace guards at the door: "I will go in and take a look."
Eunuch Yu began to wipe his sweat.
The palace people bowed their heads: "Yes."
Emperor Chongzhao entered the Cining Palace and turned a corner.
In the largest open space in the front yard, there was a very spacious stage in front. The musicians were on both sides of the stage, and below was a group of dancing concubines, led by Concubine De and the two dowager concubines.
Concubine Liang was happily following along below, but her movements were always a beat slower.
The music suddenly ended and everyone took a short break.
The concubines took the flowers beside them and shyly walked towards the musicians on both sides, "You played much better today than yesterday..."
"Thank you, my lady."
Several concubines sat together, smiling and waving at the musicians who were dressed as guards, some of whom looked like men, but were actually women.
Concubine Liang smiled and pinched the head female musician's face, "Your little face looks tender again. It's really pleasing to the eyes and comfortable to look at."
Several older sisters nearby also laughed and said, "Yes, when people get old, they like to look at young people. He is much more handsome than a regular guard, right? The key is that we can still look at him casually."
"Yes, yes."
Concubine Liang: "Xiao Qi's method is really good. Look, those few people couldn't let go of their hands and feet when they first came. After everyone got familiar with it, it was so good!"
The concubines looked in the direction her finger pointed, and saw the 'shy scholar' massaging Concubine De's shoulders, the 'indifferent zither player' pinning flowers on Concubine Wen's head, and the 'silent knight' teaching Concubine Ding to play the flute.
The yard is full of people, harmonious, lively and full of laughter.
Emperor Chongzhao: “…………”
Light green leaves fell down, brushed past his shoulders, and landed leisurely on the ground.
The tomb of the late emperor is also full of spring.
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