Chapter 223 The Fake Daughter of the Imperial Palace 29
During the Dragon Boat Festival in midsummer, the Azure Dragon soars to the center of the sky in the south, being at the most "central" position of the whole year. This is what the fifth line of the Book of Changes, Qian Gua, refers to as "the flying dragon in the sky."
Therefore, both the common people and the royal family attach great importance to this day.
As for how to celebrate, ordinary families have their own way of celebrating, while the royal family will hold a banquet on this day as usual for the emperor and his subjects to enjoy themselves together.
Early in the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, not long after Su Youran got up, she received several Five Poisons Incense Bags that looked similar.
She picked one up at random and took a look. The sachet was made of five-colored silk threads, with five poisonous patterns woven on the surface, and its shape was made into a gourd.
Because the gourd is homophonic to "Fu Lu" (blessings and fortune), and its shape is quite similar to the word "Ji", it looks quite interesting.
When I took it in and smelled it carefully, I could smell a rich and fragrant aroma. I guess it contained not only medicines like cinnabar and realgar, but also spices like ambergris.
Su Youran counted them and found that there were nine sachets on the plate. She rolled her eyes and roughly knew who had sent them.
In addition to Su Tiangang and Xue E, there are four older brothers and one younger brother. The remaining two are probably the eldest prince's wife and the second prince's wife.
"Yes." Nanny Wei smiled and said, "I heard that the two princes made it themselves."
Um.
Su Youran nodded indifferently and waved her hand, “Just take the one that father gave you, and the fan that mother sent me earlier.”
The Dragon Boat Festival falls at the time when summer is approaching. The weather is getting hotter and mosquitoes are beginning to run rampant. Fans are indispensable souvenirs, so giving fans as gifts is one of the court customs on this day.
It will come in handy when I go boating on the lake later.
"Are we still going to hold a banquet and watch the dragon boat race in Xiyuan this year?"
"Yes."
Matron Wei half-knelt down to tie the sachet on Su Youran. “The Empress has entrusted the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to Consort Xian and Concubine Pan this year. This might be the first time they’ve managed such a big event, and the Empresses are worried about making mistakes, so they’ve all followed the previous practice without making any changes.”
Oh? Su Youran turned her head and asked, "Consort Xian and Concubine Pan?"
The virtuous concubine was the first to enter the palace after the founding of the country. She came from a prominent family in the south of the Yangtze River and was a bit aloof and arrogant.
Even when facing Su Tiangang, she always seemed to be a bit arrogant, which made him dislike her, but he made her his concubine only because of her family background.
She had never received any favors over the years, let alone had any children. She herself was not willing to socialize with others, and always kept to herself, living like an invisible person.
Why did Xue E think of dragging her out?
And there is Pan Jieyushi, a concubine who had just entered the palace and had not yet been favored, but she actually started to assist in palace affairs. How could this power not attract attention?
I'm afraid she has become a thorn in the eyes and flesh of most people in the harem.
"From what I can see, the Empress really likes this Concubine Pan."
Nanny Wei helped Su Youran up and carefully examined her to make sure there was nothing she had missed. She smiled and explained to her:
"Last time, in front of Fengyi Palace, Concubine Pan was pushed by someone and fell down the stairs. Although she was not seriously injured, she was still very angry. This time, letting her organize the palace banquet is not only to appease Concubine Pan, but also to deter other people in the harem."
Let everyone know that the queen's prestige cannot be challenged, and also let the people in the harem understand one thing:
It was easy for her to promote someone. No matter whether the emperor favored this concubine or not, as long as she wanted, she could give the other person glory and power.
Now, not only is Concubine Pan a loyal supporter of the Queen, but even the other concubines go to Fengyi Palace more frequently.
After all, there is only one emperor and he only has so much favor, so what each person can get is really very little.
Moreover, the emperor's favor is fickle. Someone might be favored today but out of favor tomorrow, like Concubine Li in the past and Concubine Zhong today.
Rather than flying to the top of a tree and worrying about falling all the time, it is better to hold some real power in your hands, at least you will not be treated poorly by the palace people.
Su Youran raised her eyebrows. No one is stupid. Even if someone was stupid before, they would become smarter after so many years of experience.
Just like Xue E now.
That’s good, because it saves her from having to worry about her accidentally getting tricked by others in the future.
Su Youran turned around. Two palace maids were holding a mirror half a person's height and standing one step away from her with their heads bowed respectfully. The mirror was clear and bright. It was said to be an imported product, and there was only one such mirror in Dayin.
She had not returned to Beijing when it was delivered, but Su Tiangang still had it placed directly in her Changle Palace, and no one else even saw it.
At this moment, she looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a long pleated phoenix-tail skirt with long sleeves and a golden cloud-mist shirt on the outside. A shawl made of silver thread was wrapped around the back of her hands.
Her jet-black hair was neatly tied up at the back of her head into a bun, embellished with exquisite hair accessories, and a hairpin with a phoenix holding a pearl was pinned on the right side.
Noble and dignified, yet charming and elegant.
Su Youran smiled gently, lifted her skirt, and slowly walked up the steps to the attic in front of the lake, surrounded by palace servants.
The hairpins in her hair swayed slightly, silently but touchingly.
The long and slender shawl meandered down from her shoulders, and as she moved, it formed two graceful arcs in the air, making her look extremely elegant and ethereal.
It was as if the steps she was stepping on were not ordinary stairs, but a ladder that went straight up to heaven, and she would become an immortal in the next second.
The officials who were standing close to the attic caught a glimpse of her and were stunned. Who was that? Was she the emperor's concubine?
Whose daughter is this, with such a fairy-like appearance...
"That's the eldest princess." The person next to him gently reminded: "Hurry up and lower your head, don't look around."
Be careful not to become the second Lin He.
Lin He was the unlucky young man who fell in love with Su Youran at first sight, wrote the world-famous "Ode to the Goddess", but was demoted to the lowest position.
I am still single now, and I am afraid I will always be single in the future.
Those outside were officials of relatively low positions and status, while those above the third rank were all in the attic.
Today, the emperor and his ministers are enjoying themselves together; there are not so many strict rules of etiquette and all ministers come with their families.
The concubines and royal family members were all at the top. This attic by the lake was very long, and people sitting near the door could only see a rough outline of it, and their appearance could not be seen clearly.
Of course, no one was bold enough to stare at the women in the harem.
When Su Youran arrived, everyone except the emperor and empress had already arrived. Everyone was sitting upright or talking quietly with their attendants when they heard the eunuch guarding the door yell in a shrill, drawn-out voice:
"The eldest princess has arrived."
Everyone immediately bowed their heads and said, "May the princess live long and long."
All they saw was a long skirt winding past them, neither fast nor slow, with calm steps. Occasionally, two huge oriental pearls on the embroidered shoes were revealed, shining brightly.
At the same time, a graceful female voice sounded: "Stand up."
Some people couldn't help but secretly look up. The graceful figure had already stepped onto the platform. Several princes stood up at the same time, all with smiles on their faces. They took a few steps down to greet her and walked forward around her.
The moon is surrounded by stars, nothing more than this.
I just wonder who will eventually pick this unique bright moon?
"It won't be us ordinary people anyway."
The people around him smiled and raised their glasses to him. Since it was the moon, it must be hanging high in the sky forever. People like them could only look up at it but could not reach out and touch it.
Yes, the man drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. They didn't deserve it.
"Do you think it's a good match?"
Sun Mingxin covered her lips with a handkerchief and looked at Su Youran, but she was asking questions to the personal maid beside her.
According to their plan, the two people at the head are the relatives, which seems hard to believe.
Sun Mingxin thought about the picture of them standing together and felt that they were indeed a mismatch.
"If that's the case, with that person's looks, no one is worthy of standing next to her."
The maid pretended to add more tea for her and said in a low voice: "Relax, Madam, the plan will surely succeed."
Sun Mingxin glanced at the girl indifferently. No one is worthy of her?
The maid realized that she had said something wrong and was about to kneel down to apologize. Sun Mingxin said in a low voice:
"Okay, the plan is more important. I'll settle the score with you when I get back."
Don't you see the current situation? She was able to come out this time because she asked her brother to beg the emperor for help, so that she could see the development of things with her own eyes. Before that, she didn't want to attract anyone's attention.
The palace maid retreated to the side trembling with fear, hoping that everything would go well today and that the queen would be in a good mood, otherwise she would probably be in trouble when she returned.
Lady Zhong sat in a very remote corner. She looked at the radiant Su Youran, then looked at Pan Yuyao who had her back to her in front of her, and couldn't help but clench her teeth.
Some people have everything when they are born. They are favored by heaven from childhood to adulthood, making it difficult for others to even envy them.
Although some people cannot possess it at the beginning, they can eventually get many things that others cannot get due to their inexplicable good luck.
God is so unfair.
Just as everyone was thinking differently, the eunuch's unique voice sounded again:
"The Emperor has arrived, the Empress has arrived!"
As everyone knelt down and kowtowed again, Su Tiangang walked in with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, and Xue E followed closely behind him, one body length behind.
"Everyone, please stand up. Today is a festive day. You don't have to be polite. Just enjoy yourself."
Su Tiangang shouted cheerfully, and took a few big steps over to support Su Youran, his tone tinged with anger:
"Didn't I tell you to wait for me? Why did you come here alone?"
"A person is in peace."
Su Youran sat next to Xue E, fanning herself with a round fan. She looked nonchalant, as if she was not talking to an emperor but an ordinary passerby.
Xue E patted her on the shoulder, feeling somewhat helpless. She didn't know what was wrong with Ran'er these days. She seemed to have lost all motivation. She spoke in a sarcastic tone to the Emperor and her brother and was very rebellious.
"Still angry?"
Su Tiangang pinched her nose lovingly: "You are too angry. Besides, it was the fourth kid who provoked you. Why are you taking your anger out on me?"
He looked at Su Jingxi, who looked embarrassed, and sold his son without hesitation:
"Tell me how you want to punish him, deep-fry or steam him. I'll ask the imperial kitchen to prepare the ingredients and cook it for you right away."
Su Youran couldn't help wanting to laugh, but she didn't want to lose face, so she could only turn her head away and cover her face with the fan, while humming softly:
"No matter how you cook it, it won't taste good. It's a waste of ingredients."
Su Jingxi was delighted, at least she was willing to talk, this was progress. He hurried over and said all kinds of nice words to her, just hoping that this delicate lady would calm down soon.
Su Jingtai sat on the side and watched with a smile. Su Jingming would add insult to injury from time to time, saying something sarcastic to Su Jingxi, and Su Jingan would come to smooth things over.
Su Jinghe was young and didn't interrupt easily. He just secretly stuffed the food he thought was delicious in front of Su Youran and gave her a shy smile when she looked at him.
As for the second princess, who was only five years old, she knew nothing and was still nestling in her adoptive mother's arms, being fed soup by her.
The ministers below occasionally glanced over and felt that the royal family was very harmonious, especially the princes and princesses, who stayed together, talking and laughing, and it was very lively.
Su Tiangang didn't care and said some polite words, and the Dragon Boat Festival banquet officially began.
Outside the attic, fireworks exploded one after another with the sound of "bang bang bang". The doors and windows on both sides were open. On the lake ahead, you could see several dragon boats ready to go, waiting for the order to head towards the bright red flag erected on the opposite bank.
Everyone on the boat wore uniforms of the same color, including a team of imperial guards, a team of military officers, and even a temporary team composed of young sons of ministers.
All the dragon boats were lined up in a row, and the momentum was extraordinary.
Su Tiangang waved his hand, and the eunuch holding a small flag on the shore waved it down, and the dragon boats rowed in unison, with occasional roars.
The scene suddenly became joyous.
At the same time, Sun Mingxin looked obscurely to the rear and saw a slender figure looming behind the pillar.
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