Li day.
Guan Zhiyue got up very early and instructed Bilian to bring her empress's court dress so she could wash and dress up.
"Your Highness, you look absolutely stunning in this outfit, I almost didn't recognize you!"
"This court robe suits you best. It feels like it was made for you. Wearing this outfit makes you look even more noble and imposing!"
Guan Zhiyue looked at the full-length mirror made of glass. In the mirror, she was wearing a bright yellow phoenix robe, her hair was tied up and covered by a court hat, she wore court beads on her chest, and her ring and little fingers were covered with nail guards with phoenix feathers.
She also had a thin layer of makeup on her face, and her bright and beautiful eyes blinked. If the empress's court dress gave people a sense of solemnity and majesty, then Guan Zhiyue was like a walking peacock.
"Indeed, it's quite good. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and gold makes the Buddha. Changing into this vest completely changes his demeanor. He instantly seems to have the power of life and death over everything!" Guan Zhiyue said with a light laugh.
Bilian chuckled and said, "Your Majesty has an air of elegance no matter what you wear, but you look even more imposing in the Empress's court dress. That sense of authority immediately comes through."
"Yes! That's what I think too!"
~~~
The sky outside was beginning to brighten, and sunlight streamed in through the glass windows, casting a dazzling array of colors that were hard to look away from.
"Bilian, prepare some food for me first, then go to the front yard and open the parasol for me. The weather is nice today, let's practice standing at attention!" Guan Zhiyue said with a smile.
Although Bilian didn't know what "military posture" meant, it didn't stop her from preparing the parasol. She then happily ran to the front yard to prepare it.
After having a leisurely breakfast, Guan Zhiyue went to the front courtyard, which faced the gate of the Cold Palace. Bilian had already found a huge umbrella to cover her, and a rocking chair was set up. A plate of snacks and a pot of tea were also placed on a small table.
"Wow, Bilian, you've prepared quite a complete set of things!"
"Hehe, whatever Your Majesty commands, must be prepared!"
Guan Zhiyue looked around and was quite satisfied. Just as she sat down in the rattan chair, the women dressed in brightly colored clothes walked in arrogantly.
"Greetings to Your Majesty the Empress!" The women looked at the elegant woman sitting gracefully on a chair to the side, and they all squatted down, half-squatting in the front courtyard of the Cold Palace.
"Hmm! My sisters are all so punctual! It seems everyone really enjoys this morning and evening greeting. Let's continue this tradition!"
"By the way, I observed the celestial phenomena last night, and the sun is shining brightly today. I suppose my sisters don't know that getting more sunshine is good for your health? Today, I invite all my sisters to enjoy a sunbath together."
Guan Zhiyue looked at the women below, a faint smile appearing on her lips. She didn't tell them to stand up, but watched them squatting.
"As the saying goes, a country has its laws, a family has its rules, and our palace also has its rules. For example, the etiquette for the concubines to bow to me is as follows. Today, I will examine whether the etiquette of all my sisters is up to standard!"
"Bilian, go and light an incense stick," Guan Zhiyue called to Bilian, who was standing nearby.
Bilian retreated in response, and Guan Zhiyue lay down on the rattan chair next to her. Cuijuan obediently held a peacock feather fan and gently fanned herself, occasionally whispering a few words to Guan Zhiyue.
After a while, Bilian came from the backyard with a stick of incense. When Bilian reached Guan Zhiyue, Guan Zhiyue's mouth dropped open in shock. (ΩДΩ)
"Holy crap, this incense stick is so long, how long will it burn?" This was Guan Zhiyue's question. What puzzled her even more was how long it had been since her palace had had such a long and large incense stick.
The other concubines couldn't help but swallow hard when they saw the tall, long incense sticks used for the sacrificial ceremony. Wouldn't it have been four hours by the time one stick was finished burning?
It's about this long
Shen Na looked at the incense and shouted, "Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?"
"What do you mean? Doesn't Consort Shen like to pay her respects morning and evening? I'll reinstate that rule today. Since it's the first day, let's start by lighting an incense stick and learn the proper etiquette for paying respects!"
"Bilian, why aren't you lighting the incense? Don't delay the sisters' sunbathing!"
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
After Bilian finished lighting the incense and placed it in the incense burner, Guan Zhiyue whispered in Bilian's ear, "Damn, where did you get this kind of incense? How come it's so big?"
Bilian replied softly, "This was used for the sacrificial ceremony when Your Majesty and the Emperor got married. We prepared a lot at the time, and I was afraid of wasting it, so I packed it all up and brought it to this Cold Palace. We originally intended to use it to repel mosquitoes, but I never expected to use it on this today."
Guan Zhiyue roared in her heart, "You're awesome!"
But he had a peaceful expression on his face, looking at the women who were half-squatting in the sunlight, which was just too nice.
However, the concubines in the crowd had already cursed Shen Na eight hundred times in their hearts, and even her ancestors were implicated.
"Pah! It's all Consort Shen's fault. Why did she have to call us sisters together to pay our respects to the Empress?"
"That's right. The Empress said before that we shouldn't have the custom of paying respects to the Emperor morning and evening. She told us to take good care of ourselves in the palace, dress ourselves up, and take good care of the Emperor. But Consort Shen is trying to get us to come and pay our respects again."
As soon as one person complained, the others followed suit, and the concubines below all began to complain.
"Your Majesty, spare me! I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have disobeyed Your Majesty's decrees!" a concubine whispered.
Guan Zhiyue jumped up from the rattan chair and looked at the person who had just spoken, asking, "Who are you?"
"This humble servant is Consort Shen."
"Oh, talented man, what wrong have you done?"
“Your Majesty, we all know we were wrong. We shouldn’t have disobeyed you. We shouldn’t have come to the Cold Palace to bother you because of Consort Shen’s instigation!” The other concubines and consorts also spoke up.
Upon hearing this, Guan Zhiyue smiled and asked, "Are those chamber pots you're carrying around your necks?"
"Can't you think for yourself? You came as soon as Consort Shen instigated you? What benefits did she promise you? Tell me all so I can hear it properly."
Guan Zhiyue's voice suddenly became somewhat high-pitched, causing the people standing below to tremble slightly, but they swallowed the words that were about to come out.
"What? Nobody dares to speak up?"
At this moment, Consort Xian, He Jiao, led a group of servants and carried a large pile of food boxes as she walked in through the main gate of the Cold Palace.
"Empress, I've come to see you." He Jiao strode in.
"Wow, it's so lively here! Sister, why didn't you invite your younger sister over?"
Guan Zhiyue looked at her good sister, Consort Xian, He Jiao, with a headache. Could it be that the food box she was carrying behind her meant she thought the food was bad, so...?
"Little sister, what's in this food box?" Guan Zhiyue looked at He Jiao in surprise.
He Jiao smiled and said, "Of course it's food. The food in the Cold Palace isn't good, so..."
Guan Zhiyue: "..."
"Oh, isn't this Consort Shen? What brings you to the Empress's palace? Weren't you going to ask the Emperor for some glass windows?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Zhiyue smiled slightly. "So that's how it is!"
What a shameless bastard!
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