Chapter 197 Palace Banquet
Emperor Xiao Jing rarely held palace banquets during his reign.
Unless something major happens.
Don't say that a palace banquet is held only when a new emperor ascends the throne, appoints a crown prince, or wins a great victory.
The founding emperor of the Great Yu Dynasty once said that no matter what festival it is, it is a day for family reunion.
If everyone were to gather in the palace to celebrate the festival every year, it would be a disregard for human ethics.
Of course, there was another reason, which was that the Taizu always thought, why should he always have to treat everyone to meals, and always the best ones at that!
Go home and eat your own food...
Therefore, the Da Yu Dynasty did not hold many palace banquets.
When it came to Emperor Xiao Jing, the number of palace banquets held was countless...
Fortunately, thanks to the great victory that the King of Qin won over there this year, Emperor Xiao Jing decided to hold a palace banquet.
Upon hearing the invitation, all the noble families who received it were determined to do their best to perform well.
It was called a palace banquet, but wasn't it really just a small matchmaking event?
No matter whose son or daughter they are, they can meet openly and naturally...
If both sides are satisfied and the palace banquet ends, then people can start moving around.
There is also a major opportunity.
The young ladies and gentlemen of the various households rarely had the opportunity to meet the imperial family.
This is a rare opportunity to be in the same hall as the imperial family. Who knows, maybe the imperial family will suddenly see their young lady!
Even if you don't like the young lady, there's still the young master, isn't there?
The imperial family also has two princesses, one of whom is the daughter of the empress.
That way, if Princess Shang becomes a prince consort, it will bring glory to the family, won't it...?
Shangguan Jin could clearly sense that everyone who came today, whether old or young, had dressed up carefully.
“Madam Shen, come this way, sit here.”
As soon as Shangguan Jin was led into Linde Hall by a palace maid, she saw Lady Huangfu waving at her.
Three kilometers from Da Yu, the Lady of Qi State Duke did not come due to illness; instead, the old lady from An State Duke's Mansion came.
However, as soon as they entered, Old Madam Huangfu pulled them to sit together.
Lady Huangfu also sat in the seat that the Empress had arranged for her long ago.
In the past, the Marquis of Wuding's mansion was the head of the eight marquises.
But since Marquis Changsheng took over the Weiyuan Army last year and formed a marriage alliance with the Duke of Qi, his status has suddenly risen to the top among the eight marquises.
When Empress Xu was arranging the seating, she deliberately placed the two ladies of the Changsheng Marquis's residence next to the Duchess.
Shangguan Jin smiled and quickly walked towards Madam Huangfu.
After the two sat down side by side, Shangguan Jin looked at Madam Huangfu.
"I thought you were going to dress more formally today!"
Lady Huangfu stretched out her hands, revealing wrists adorned with four bracelets on each wrist.
"Is it grand?"
Shangguan Jin...
She quickly pressed Madam Huangfu's hand down.
"So grand, so very grand! How are you? Are your hands tired?" Shangguan Jin asked with a smile.
Lady Huangfu smiled and carefully sensed it.
"It's a bit tiring, but it's better than wearing it on my head and accidentally losing it while I'm watching the show!"
Let me tell you, ever since the imperial family started this palace banquet, all those noble families in the palace have been bewitched.
The cosmetics shops, silk shops, and jewelry shops in the capital were doing incredibly well!
My eldest daughter-in-law saw that other people's homes were always full of people doing this and that, so she quickly ordered two pairs of jade bracelets for me as well.
Look, these two pairs I'm wearing on my wrist.
I heard that it was four pairs of bracelets that were dug out from a stone, and two pairs were sent to the capital.
There are also two pairs in the hands of a particularly blessed old lady in Jiangnan.
These two pairs of bracelets alone cost a full three thousand taels!
Fortunately, our household hasn't had many expenses in recent years, otherwise, I would be heartbroken.
As she spoke, Madam Huangfu showed off the two pairs of emerald green bracelets with excellent clarity to Shangguan Jin.
Shangguan Jin took a closer look, and something seemed familiar...
"Which jewelry store did your daughter-in-law order it from?" Shangguan Jin asked in a low voice.
"Don't you know? Oh dear, you're always busy at home, and lately I haven't even seen you coming out for tea."
There's a newly opened jewelry shop on Qianmen Street, and business is booming.
Not only are the patterns of those jewelry pieces from Jiangnan, but there are also many jewelry designs from foreign countries!
In the past two days, almost all the jewelry in their shop has been sold out.
These two pairs of bracelets I have were obtained by my daughter-in-law after a lot of effort!
How about it? Isn't it beautiful!
Oh, by the way, that jewelry shop is called Linlang Pavilion, and those pieces of jewelry... really, let's go take a look together sometime.
However, the shopkeeper said that the new style of jewelry would not arrive until October.
Another batch of South Sea pearl-style hairpins will arrive. My daughter-in-law has already arranged with that company to notify our household on the first day of their arrival.
They also offer customized services!
"You bring beads, gemstones, and other jewelry, and they'll customize it to your specifications..."
Madam Huangfu's words echoed in Shangguan Jin's ears.
Linlang Pavilion...
Isn't that Aunt Xin's jewelry shop?
No wonder Aunt Xin had a large batch of jewelry delivered to her for her to choose from two days before the shop opened!
She immediately took a liking to those four pairs of jade bracelets...
Thinking about what to buy for the children, Shangguan Jin kept two pairs of clothes.
So the remaining two pairs ended up in Lady Huangfu's hands!
However, the price...
"Madam, it really is only one hundred and fifty taels, that's the cost price, it's not expensive." Aunt Xin said through gritted teeth that it was one hundred and fifty taels for a pair.
Then Shangguan Jin had Steward Shen pay three hundred taels of silver...
Taking another glance at the bracelet on Madam Huangfu's wrist, Shangguan Jin suddenly felt that even three hundred taels wouldn't be enough...
"How was it? Was it a good deal? Three thousand taels for two pairs!"
I've made up my mind. I'll give one to my eldest daughter-in-law, one to my second daughter-in-law, and one to my future third daughter-in-law.
"I'll keep the last one for myself." The more Madam Huangfu looked at the jade bracelet, the happier she became.
You probably can't find two bracelets with such good quality in the entire capital...
"Worth it! Absolutely worth it! It's worth a fortune!" Shangguan Jin said, forcing herself to speak.
Lady Huangfu smiled smugly, but after watching for a while, she suddenly tugged at Shangguan Jin's sleeve.
What are your thoughts on the matters concerning your household?
After hearing about it that day, I discussed it with my wife.
If the Empress Dowager insists on bestowing the marriage, then pack some things for your son. Our household will prepare manpower to protect him as he goes to the north.
Once they arrived in the north, the Empress Dowager could no longer care about such things.
"She wants her family's daughters to be like waiting-for-husband stones, so let them be!" Madam Huangfu said softly.
Shangguan Jin shook hands with Madam Huangfu.
"It's alright, it hasn't come to that yet!"
Let's wait and see!
"Today's rare palace banquet is going to be incredibly lively!" Shangguan Jin said with a smile.
Lady Huangfu smiled, said nothing, and then took Shangguan Jin's hand to chat about other everyday matters...
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