Chapter 219 Victory Celebration Banquet
The two arrived late after getting a good night's sleep. In the banquet hall, wine glasses clinked, songs and dances were performed, and the singers played lullabies. The dancers made the same few moves over and over, but none of that mattered. Their presence was just a formality and a perfunctory act.
Xie Shang made no attempt to hide his relationship with Jiang Fenghua as they walked slowly together. Everyone greeted the Prince and Princess Heng and complimented them on being a perfect match and a loving couple.
Jiang Fenghua wore a polite smile, her demeanor dignified, elegant, and extraordinary; they seemed to be the protagonists of this banquet.
Su Tingwan sat at the banquet watching the two walk side by side, her heart bleeding. She was clearly the one beside Xie Shang, so why was it Jiang Fenghua instead? Her father and brother ate at the same table as the Emperor, wasn't that enough proof of the Su family's nobility? Why was her nobility stolen by Jiang Fenghua?
Ye Susu and a group of physicians were also at the banquet. She was thinking that Prince Heng hadn't appeared earlier, so he must have been with the Princess. The Princess was elegant, dignified, beautiful, and poised. She and Prince Heng were a match made in heaven. But she couldn't help liking him. She would be willing to be a maidservant by his side.
Today's banquet was very grand, with even the Emperor and Empress present. However, Prince Heng and his wife arrived late. Xie Yu raised his wine cup and said loudly, "Fifth Brother, you're late, so you'll have to drink a penalty cup."
Xie Shang led Jiang Fenghua to pay their respects to the Emperor, saying, "Your subject is late, please forgive me, Father."
"Sit down. Today we are not ruler and subject, but father and son. Let us drink together with all the soldiers." This was the first time the emperor had spoken to him so kindly.
Jiang Fenghua naturally knew the rules, so after bowing, she hurriedly walked to the Empress's table.
Xie Shang personally escorted her to the Empress's side before returning. Xie Yu deliberately said, "Fifth Brother and Fifth Sister-in-law are so loving; we are truly envious."
"The same goes for Second Prince and Second Prince's wife. I heard that Second Prince's wife has been a great help in the capital. It is thanks to Second Prince's wife's mobilization of troops in the capital that the supplies to the front line were able to be delivered so quickly, and the war at the border has been going smoothly. Second Prince's wife deserves a great credit for this battle!"
Xie Yu's trip to the border was merely a nominal one; he could do very little. His greatest talent was finding women. It's truly absurd that he's not credited as much as Princess Yu at this moment.
He looked unwell. He hadn't seen Luo Ziqiong since returning, and even if he had, it was only from a distance. Luo Ziqiong had taken over the palace banquets like a hostess, and he heard that the palace procurement had been entrusted to her this time.
It's really strange that she, an ignorant woman, was given a job.
As soon as Jiang Fenghua sat down, she felt a pair of eyes staring at her. She looked in the direction of the gaze and saw that Su Xuan's eyes were not on her. He was raising his wine glass and drinking with Xie Shang and the others.
She thought: Su Xuan shouldn't be too presumptuous in such a public place!
"Fenghua, come sit here." The Third Princess made room for her.
Jiang Fenghua asked, "Has Second Sister-in-law not taken her seat yet?"
"This is all thanks to the good job you found for her. She's very busy now, afraid of making even the slightest mistake, so she's keeping a close eye on things," said the Third Princess.
Jiang Fenghua originally wanted Luo Ziqiong to go to Jishantang to ease her mood, but unexpectedly, she was rewarded by the emperor for doing a good job at Jishantang. Then, when the palace was going to hold a banquet, she asked Jiang Fenghua to say some good words to the emperor and help organize the banquet.
Luo Ziqiong was usually very arrogant and had a bad temper, but unexpectedly, she was a very good cook. Her cooking skills impressed the emperor, so he entrusted her with the entire banquet. She cooked it very well.
The Fourth Princess Consort was also gentle and dignified. Naturally, she was not entitled to any reward this time, as she disdained to do things that should be the servants' concern.
She still maintained the airs of the Fourth Princess Consort, because she was related to the Duke of Zhang's family.
Even after the Duke of Zhang and his wife passed away, she still felt that the Zhang family had been noble since the time of the late emperor, but she had married a weak and incompetent coward like the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Princess secretly glanced at Xie Shang in the distance. She had always thought that the Fifth Prince was destined for great things, and sure enough, he was now leading troops into battle and winning a great victory in his first battle. No one knew what she was thinking, and she could only sigh to herself that she had married the wrong person.
Halfway through the banquet, Jiang Fenghua said to the Empress, "Your Majesty, my mother and the ladies are also here. I would like to go and pay my respects first."
When Empress Cheng decided to make Jiang Fenghua the Princess Consort of Heng, she had met Jiang's mother privately once. She said, "There is a saying among the common people that your mother and I should be in-laws, isn't that right?"
Jiang Fenghua was stunned. "Yes."
"Take me to see your mother!"
"ah!"
"What do you mean 'ah'? His Majesty said that today's banquet is not only a welcome banquet, but also an important occasion for us officials and commoners to get along well. Today, not only officials are invited to the banquet, but also doctors from the common people and merchants who have helped us fight the war. I heard that your second sister's husband's family has also helped a lot and is also on the list of invitees. I should naturally go and get to know everyone better."
Although she was the empress, she had always had many concerns and hadn't paid much attention to interpersonal relationships. Now things were different; the emperor had reconciled with her and even wanted to make her son the crown prince. Naturally, she should put aside her empress status and get to know him better.
Empress Cheng stood up on her own initiative. Jiang Fenghua looked at her and felt that she was a completely different person. She regretted that she should not have mentioned going to find her mother.
Upon reaching Jiang's mother, everyone present was so startled that they all stood up and bowed. The Empress said, "Everyone, there's no need for formalities. I just wanted to chat with you all about everyday matters. Please sit down."
"Yes," the crowd replied.
Empress Cheng even specially instructed the palace maids to place her next to Feng Jingyuan. Feng Jingyuan, seeing this scene for the first time, couldn't help but glance at her daughter.
Jiang Fenghua said, "Mother, please sit down. I just wanted to talk to you."
Two people suddenly joined Jiang's mother's table, and they were none other than the most esteemed Empress in the land. Naturally, everyone became reserved and took the opportunity to leave.
Feng Jingyuan sat respectfully beside the Empress, with Zhang Yumo and Jiang Rumeng also present. Jiang Fenghua then introduced their identities one by one.
The two exchanged greetings and bowed.
Empress Cheng sighed, "Madam Jiang is truly blessed to have given birth to such beautiful daughters and to have such a well-behaved daughter-in-law. I have only given birth to one child in my life, Shang'er. I am so envious of Madam Jiang for having daughters!"
Feng Jingyuan said, "I often teach the Princess Consort to be filial to her mother-in-law and to treat the Empress as her own mother. In our ordinary families, a daughter-in-law is considered half a daughter, so Your Majesty can also treat Ruan Ruan as a daughter."
Empress Cheng took Jiang Fenghua's hand and said, "That's right. I just feel a connection with Ruan Ruan. Otherwise, why would I have liked this lovely child at first sight? Ruan Ruan and I are destined to be mother and daughter."
Jiang Rumeng interjected, "It's a blessing for Third Sister to be favored by the Empress. Our whole family is happy for her that she's married so happily."
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