Chapter 83 A Strange Birthday Ceremony
The carriage entered from the Imperial Gate. After entering the palace, the King of Qin and his wife got off the carriage and headed straight to Baoci Palace where Empress Mingde lived.
Baoci Palace and Baoci Hall were closely adjacent to each other. The wives of the important officials of the court arrived early with their daughters and wives.
The wives of the noble status would first go to Baoci Palace to meet the Empress, greet her, and chat with her for a while before going to Baoci Hall.
King Zhao Defang of Qin went to meet the princes, but Luo Li went directly to Baoci Hall where the birthday banquet was held. The hall was already full of guests.
The ladies and daughters, who were dressed gorgeously and had exquisite makeup, all gathered together with their acquaintances, chatting and laughing.
Luo Li walked into the hall with Ruhua and Tingting, and instantly attracted countless eyes.
The Princess of Qin, who was wearing a light yellow veiled long dress, had a charming face, her eyes were bright and shining, and she was dazzling!
When they saw the silly princess coming in, most people turned their heads and pretended not to see her.
There were also a few ladies who came forward with smiles, greeted a few words and tried to make friends. In their words
, they asked if they could buy some perfume, shampoo and other fragrances without queuing. Luo Li exchanged a few words with them while looking for the two idiots Yang Yanqi and Gao Ruoying, but she didn't see them.
I secretly wondered in my heart, these two mentally retarded patients are too dedicated! Did they go out of the city to recruit people today?
Luo Li smelled various perfumes in her nose and smiled! "Ruhua, Yingchun, the perfume smell in this hall is overwhelming. These distinguished guests are our source of gold and silver!"
Ruhua laughed!
In the eyes of the young lady, the ladies and daughters of noble families in the hall are all stupid customers who line up in the middle of the night with gold and silver ingots to buy their expensive perfumes, soaps and other goods.
Luo Li found a corner to sit down, admiring her stupid customers, who were all noble, dignified and elegant at the moment.
Scholar Luo was of an indifferent disposition, noble and upright, and did not like to make friends with others.
Madam Luo was even more disliked to show up in public, and generally did not attend such banquets, and was even more unwilling to take her precious daughter outside to be pointed at, discussed and laughed at by others. So it was the first time for Luo Li to attend such a grand event in the palace.
After Yang Yanqi and Gao Ruoying followed their mother to Baoci Palace to pay their respects to the Empress, they did not see Luo Li. They took their mothers and sisters-in-law and went straight to Baoci Hall to look for Luo Li.
The Princess of Bohai County and Lady She were of noble status. As soon as they walked into the hall side by side, talking and laughing, a group of ladies in gorgeous clothes came over with their daughters and daughters-in-law to greet them.
These two ladies were tall and very conspicuous in the crowd. Both of them were daughters of generals, heroines who could wear armor and ride horses to kill the enemy, and they were generous and magnanimous.
Yang Yanqi looked around and saw Luo Li sitting in the corner. She shouted happily, "Mom! The Princess of Qin is here."
She Taijun heard it and followed her daughter's gaze and saw Luo Li sitting in the corner far away. She smiled and said to the Princess of the County beside her, "Let's go and pay a visit to the Princess of Qin!"
The Princess of the County smiled and responded. The two of them left the ladies who were greeting them and walked towards Luo Li with their daughter and daughter-in-law.
The emperor was extremely magnanimous and kind and gave the children of the previous emperor the treatment of princes and princesses. His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin was equivalent to a prince who was conferred the title of a prince.
: "Your servant She Saihua,"
: "Your servant Liu Min,"
: "I have seen the Princess of Qin!"
Luo Li, who was whispering with Ruhua, who was standing behind her and leaning over, and making fun of those idiots, jumped up from her chair in fear!
: "Madams, there is no need to be polite!"
She explained a little embarrassedly, "I was only looking at the idiots! I didn't see the two ladies.
Quick! Please take a seat."
The ladies and girls around looked at each other. In this hall, besides the idiot Princess of Qin, where else could there be another idiot?
Yang Yanqi and Gao Ruoying knew who Luo Li was referring to as the idiot, and they couldn't help laughing.
Princess Liu Min joked, "Princess Qin is so beautiful that she can overwhelm the whole city. Even if you hide in the corner of this hall, you can't hide your dazzling brilliance!"
Luo Li was delighted to hear this!
She nodded in agreement!
"Princess, you have a good eye! I also think that my beauty that can overwhelm the whole city and the whole country cannot stand in the center of the hall, so as not to overshadow the beauty of the noble ladies."
Princess and Lady She couldn't help laughing. Yang Yanqi and Gao Ruoying covered their faces with laughter, ashamed for Luo Li, this brainless person!
The ladies and daughters of various families in the hall were indignant and disdainful. Where have they seen someone who brazenly praises her own beauty?
When someone compliments your beauty, shouldn't you reply: A figure of a reed or willow, how can it be worthy of such praise?
This Princess Qin is really a brain-dead fool!
Luo Li doesn't care about other people's eyes! She will be known as a fool whenever she has the chance, which is her means of survival.
Pulling the Princess of the County and Lady She to sit beside her, and after greeting Yang Yanqi, Gao Ruoying, and their three sisters-in-law to sit down, she chatted and laughed with them without any scruples.
Princess Bohai County and Lady She have similar personalities, and they usually have a good relationship.
Today, seeing the person praised by her daughter as unique, smart and interesting, and the Princess of Qin who is said to be wise but foolish, She Saihua was secretly surprised!
The Princess of Qin, who was considered a fool with brain disease by the public, seemed to be unrestrained in her words and deeds. But the lively light in her clear and bright eyes definitely showed that she was a wise person with a brilliant mind!
"The Queen is here!..."
The Empress Mingde, accompanied by several virtuous and virtuous concubines, several princesses and several other princesses, walked into the hall.
Everyone quickly stood up and knelt down to salute!
"May the Queen be well, may the virtuous and virtuous concubines be well!" The Empress
Mingde had a dignified and noble temperament, and had the bearing of a phoenix who was the mother of the world and the commander of the six palaces!
The Queen smiled and stretched out her hand to help, "Everyone, please stand up! ...
Today, the ladies and young ladies from all families have come to the palace to celebrate my birthday. I am very happy and there is no need to restrain yourself."
The Queen was helped by the palace maids to sit on the upper seat in the center of the hall, and the other ladies sat on her left and right.
Just as everyone sat down, the eunuchs outside the door sang again, "The emperor is here! ..."
The wives and young ladies who had just sat down quickly stood up and knelt down, "Welcome to the emperor!"
The emperor, wearing a bright yellow casual dress, led the princes into the hall.
"Stand up!" The emperor's majestic voice rang out.
Luo Li, who was not good at kneeling, secretly complained!
"This kneeling ceremony is too troublesome! As emperors and empresses, you have noble status, do you know that the knees of those who perform the ceremony will hurt?
What if you all kneel down and you can grow some meat? Can't you just bow your hands and make a kowtow? 】
The emperor sat next to Empress Mingde, and the princes sat on the left.
Several princesses sat at the lower right. Princess Yongqing took Luo Li and arranged her at the right seat.
Qin Wang Zhao Defang sat at the head of the princes on the left, and Luo Li's seat was also arranged at the head of the princesses on the right.
Luo Li, with a wide field of vision, glanced around the hall and was happy!
[How about status? This status and the sitting position match each other.
No matter how contemptuous you are in your heart, you have to be obedient at the feet of my silly princess and look at me from afar with envy and hatred.]
The birthday tribute ceremony before the birthday banquet made the female relatives secretly compete with each other in their hearts. She hoped that the rare treasures that she had spent so much time and money to collect would surpass those of others and win the favor of the Emperor and the Empress.
The eldest prince Zhao Yuanzuo was the first to stand up and congratulate his mother with the princess.
"Your son and daughter-in-law wish you a long life and all the best!"
Empress Mingde smiled with love and doting tenderness in her eyes.
Although the eldest prince was not her biological son, he was a child who was raised by her since childhood. He was sensible, filial, gentle and polite.
The gift presented by the eldest prince was a hand-painted picture of pine and crane longevity and a picture of longevity embroidered by the princess.
Empress Mingde smiled and praised her son and daughter-in-law for their filial piety. Concubine
Li Xian felt a little sad. The
eldest prince Zhao Yuanzuo was her biological son, but because the child born to Empress Mingde died, the emperor wanted him to be raised by the empress, and his relationship with his biological mother became distant.
The King of Qin stood up and said, "Your nephew wishes the Empress good fortune and longevity. I present you with a Jiaowei Fengqin to celebrate your birthday!"
Two young eunuchs brought up an ancient qin.
Empress Mingde asked happily, "Is it the precious Fengwei Guqin from the Sui Dynasty that is collected by your Qin Palace?"
Qin Wang Zhao Defang smiled tenderly, "Yes! I know that your majesty loves music, so I specially presented this Fengwei Guqin to your majesty as a gift."
Empress Mingde smiled with her eyebrows curved, "The Qin Wang is thoughtful! I like it very much."
Luo Li thought that after the Qin Wang presented the birthday gift, it was the turn of the second prince Zhao Yuanxi, and sat there steadily without moving.
Qin Wang Zhao Defang cursed in his heart!
[Silly girl! I let you learn from the nanny who taught you royal etiquette for a few days, but you acted lazy and complained about a headache and drove her away. You were dumbfounded at the critical moment, right? 】
The King of Qin smiled and reminded the princess sitting opposite him, "Princess, aren't you going to present a unique birthday gift to the Queen? Why don't you order someone to bring it up?"
Luo Li then realized that it was her turn to perform.
She stood up and walked out to the door of the hall and waved, "Hurry up and bring in my unique birthday gift!"
Everyone looked at the four eunuchs like curious babies, carrying a large red lacquered carved wooden box. There was also a little eunuch holding an exquisite red lacquered wooden box next to them.
Luo Li turned to Queen Mingde and smiled, and said, "Queen, this birthday gift was made by me and eight maids at three o'clock in the morning. I wish you eternal youth and beauty!"
Luo Li's words immediately calmed everyone's hearts. A unique birthday gift? What kind of precious treasure is it? It's just something made by this silly princess and a few maids. How precious and rare can it be?
Queen Mingde smiled slightly, "What kind of birthday gift did Princess Qin make for me! Open it and take a look."
Luo Li bent down and untied the red and green ribbons that tied the red lacquer carved wooden box.
She peeled off the colored paper on it and put down the carved wooden boards on all four sides.
Wow! ... Such a big and beautiful birthday cake?
Empress Mingde stood up with joy, and the palace maid helped the queen down from her seat and came to the exquisite birthday cake that was
more than half a person's height. On the exquisite big cream cake, clusters of bright and dazzling flowers surrounded the picture of pine and crane longevity. In the middle were ten bright red colored characters, written in a random and chaotic manner, but with a unique and beautiful charm.
"Happy birthday to the Queen!"
Empress Mingde read out with a smile.
: "Good! Good! Princess Qin is thoughtful. This birthday gift is unique, ingenious, and extremely wonderful! This palace likes it very much!" The Queen smiled and praised again and again.
Luo Li continued to flatter!
"My queen, this cream birthday cake I made has eleven layers, which means I wish you all the best!
I also have a gift here to make you happy and relieve your boredom."
Luo Li said, and took a beautiful wooden box with red lacquer carvings and inlaid with gold and jade from the eunuch next to him.
When he opened the lid of the box, a crystal clear, warm and beautiful mahjong tile appeared.
"Your Majesty, I asked skilled craftsmen to carve these mahjong tiles with flawless Hetian jade.
Three sets were made in total, one set is the treasure of the Luo Family Mahjong Shop, and one set is left for my mother to play with. This set with the best quality is presented to you to cheer you up."
Empress Mingde's attention shifted to this exquisite and precious set of mahjong tiles, and she picked up a tile with her hand to admire it.
She smiled with her eyebrows curved and her mouth wide open, praising it repeatedly, "Good! Good! It feels warm and smooth to the touch, and it is exquisite and elegant.
Princess Qin is so thoughtful, I like it very much! In the future, I will use this precious and rare mahjong tiles for entertainment."