Chapter 94: Defense
Does the Queen Mother really want to see her?
There are still people doing this under the guise of the Queen Mother.
Shen Tang was not sure in his heart.
But the palace maid said that the Queen Mother wanted to see her. Chen Tang did not dare to take it lightly, but she would not go to see the Queen Mother just like that. Didn’t Chen Xian tell the old lady that she would accompany her wherever she went in the palace?
Chen Tang followed the palace maid to Yongning Palace. When leaving the pavilion, he winked at Yinxing, who quickly went to find Chen Xi.
Chen Xi was not far away, but Gingko looked for her in vain, and soon returned and said, "The eldest lady said that the Queen Mother summoned the young lady, and it would not be appropriate for her to go with her."
Shen Tang had expected this answer. How could Shen Xian accompany her to see the Queen Mother? She asked Yin Xing to find her just to be prepared that if something happened to her in the palace, Shen Xian would turn the tables and blame her for not inviting her to see the Queen Mother.
Shen Tang followed the palace maid towards Yongning Palace. When they were almost there, the palace maid suddenly covered her stomach and said, "Excuse me, Second Miss Shen, I suddenly feel uncomfortable in my stomach. Please go see the Queen Mother first."
Chen Tang said, "What a coincidence. I was wondering whether I should go wash my hands first before going to see the Queen Mother. Let's go together."
Palace maid: "..."
The maid probably didn't expect Chen Tang to say that, and she stood there in shock. Chen Tang said, "Isn't it urgent? Which way are you going?"
The maid said, "It's a bit far away, and it will take a while to go back and forth. Miss Shen Er should go see the Queen Mother first, so as not to make the Queen Mother wait anxiously."
Chen Tang thought about it and said, "Okay."
The maid bowed and left quickly.
When they walked a little further, Chen Tang followed. Ginkgo was confused and hurried to catch up.
Ginkgo asked in confusion, "Aren't you going to see the Queen Mother?"
Chen Tang said, “This maid is most likely not from the Queen Mother’s palace.”
She wanted to see if the palace maid was really going to the bathroom. Even if she was the Queen Mother's man, it would be normal for her to get lost without a palace maid to lead the way as she seldom went to the palace. The Queen Mother would not blame her for being late, and she did not have an extra eye, so the Queen Mother would find it novel and would want to see her immediately.
The maid didn't expect that Chen Tang said he was going to see the Queen Mother, but turned around and followed her. Not only did she not go to the toilet, she also turned back to the Imperial Garden.
Feeling someone was watching her, the maid turned around and saw Chen Tang walking towards her.
Palace maid, "……!!!"
Isn’t Miss Shen Er at the Queen Mother’s place?
Why are you here? !
The maid turned around and was about to run, but Gingko blocked her way. Chen Tang walked towards her and asked, "Is the Imperial Garden the only place with a toilet?"
The maid was about to cry, "I don't know..."
Chen Tang said coldly, "Did the Queen Mother really summon me?"
The maid shook her head and said, "I don't know. Someone asked me to invite you to Yongning Palace. As for the rest, I don't know anything."
It turned out that it was Kuang who went to see the Queen Mother.
There must be a trap waiting for her in Yongning Palace.
Last time, Concubine Ye didn't wait for Xie Guimo to save her, so this time she wants to use the empress dowager's hand to repeat the same trick. She angered the empress dowager and was severely punished by her. As long as she sends someone to guard the emperor, they will naturally know who asked the emperor to save her.
Chen Tang's eyes were cold, "Who asked you to do this?"
The palace maid was timid and almost cried, “Second Miss Shen knows it in her heart, so why bother this slave.”
She bowed and turned to leave, but Yin Xing stopped her. Chen Tang said, "Let her go."
The maid left with a grateful look on her face. Ginkgo said, "Fortunately, the young lady was more careful, otherwise she would have fallen into their trap again."
Chen Tang didn't feel relieved that she had escaped the disaster. She just hoped that Concubine Ye had only dug such a pit for her and she would be fine if she could avoid it.
Chen Tang sat in the pavilion for quite a while, then walked around Yongning Palace. When he walked towards the crowded area, a palace maid came to report that the banquet had begun and asked everyone to move to Feng'an Hall.
Chen Tang entered the palace with the ladies from prominent families and sat behind Shen Sui with Shen Xie.
After all the officials and their families had been seated, and about half a cup of tea had passed, a drake voice finally rang out:
"The Emperor has arrived!"
"The Queen Mother has arrived!"
Everyone stood up and greeted the Emperor and the Queen Mother respectfully.
Normally, the Queen Mother would not attend such a banquet. Everyone knew that this banquet was held for the selection of a princess consort for Prince Ning. The Queen Mother's appearance showed that she attached great importance to Prince Ning's Mansion.
Shen Tang, who values Xiao Huan so much, doesn't know whether she should hope that Xiao Huan is her big brother.
Her father had no children and was in urgent need of finding her eldest brother, but Xiao Huan was the only son in the Ning Palace. If he was really her eldest brother, it would be too cruel to the Ning Palace, and Chen Tang couldn't bear it.
Chen Tang looked in the direction where Xiao Huan was sitting, but Xiao Huan's eyes were really like her father's. In her previous life, she felt that Xiao Huan was very kind and protected her like an older brother.
How she wished Xiao Huan was really her biological brother.
Today she will definitely find an opportunity to ask him. If he doesn't have a birthmark on his lower back, then he is not her elder brother, and she can continue to look for her biological elder brother.
The emperor asked everyone to stand up, Shen Tang stood up, and then sat down.
The Queen Mother smiled and said, "Today, many ladies from prominent families have come. The Emperor's sons have reached the age to marry, and it's time for the Emperor to grant them marriages."
In one sentence, the banquet changed from one for selecting a crown prince's wife to one for selecting concubines for Xiao Huan and several princes.
There are also unengaged sons in the mansion who all want to take this opportunity to take a good look. Such a good opportunity to choose a daughter-in-law must not be missed.
But Chen Tang felt that at this kind of banquet, one could only choose those with good looks and talents, but not those with good character. Shouldn't character be the first priority when choosing a wife? Besides, in such occasions, even the most spoiled person would pretend to be nice.
Those ladies from prominent families showed off themselves one after another in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry and songs, each one more outstanding than the other. Chen Tang found it very interesting, but he had not drunk a sip of tea in the palace for a long time. Chen Tang subconsciously raised the teacup, but when he was about to drink it, he quickly put it down, thinking that it is better to be safe than sorry.
You won't die from thirst if you endure it for a long time, but if there is something in the tea, you will regret it.
Chen Xian drank tea and ate snacks. She wanted to go on stage to show off, but she was too embarrassed to do so. After all, she had been engaged to the Prince of Jingyang. Going on stage would mean that she wanted to become the Prince of Ning's consort or the Emperor's consort. Besides, she had no confidence.
Chen Tang looked at Xiao Huan several times, wondering how she could talk to him alone. However, as she looked so often, Xiao Huan noticed and also looked at her several times.
Chen Tang didn't blush. She had already rejected the proposal from Prince Ning. No matter how she looked at it, Xiao Huan would not think that she liked him.
It's just that Chen Tang was calm and Xiao Huan didn't think too much about it, but some people still thought too much about it.
Xie Guimo was sitting next to Xiao Huan. Seeing the two of them flirting with each other, his face became increasingly colder and he drank glass after glass of wine.
Chen Tang was worried about how he could talk to Xiao Huan alone. When the banquet was halfway through, Xiao Huan stood up and left. Almost as soon as Xiao Huan left the table, Chen Tang hurriedly stood up.
This scene made a certain gentleman's face turn as black as the bottom of a pot.
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