Gu Nanjiao worked tirelessly for several days and finally managed to get everything the Zhuangyuan Mansion needed in order.
The two newly purchased maids are named Cui'er and Guo'er. They are responsible for taking care of the two's daily needs. A servant boy was also hired to run errands.
I wanted to arrange a page for Lu Yanzhao, but Lu Yanzhao said it wasn't necessary.
Now that he is a fifth-rank official, he is qualified to attend court. Every day before dawn, he must rush to the Golden Palace.
Fortunately, the carriage was still usable, so the servant boy Fulai acted as the coachman. Gu Nanjiao felt that there were not enough people. After all, he was a fifth-rank official. How could such a grand mansion only have two maids and a servant boy?
But Lu Yanzhao said that the number of people in the family was enough. He was busy with court affairs during the day, and Gu Nanjiao was busy with business affairs. They were never home, so there was really no need for so many people.
After a while, we'll find a slave trader to buy some people who know martial arts; they can not only help with the work, but also protect the master's safety.
Gu Nanjiao nodded. It was necessary to buy some maids who knew martial arts, but the division of labor should be clear: those who should do the work should do the work, and those who should protect the master should protect the master.
Three days later, it will be the Emperor's birthday.
Officials, ministers, and their families flocked to the palace to offer birthday greetings.
The weather in mid-March, when everything comes back to life, seems to symbolize the beginning of something wonderful.
Gu Nanjiao helped Lu Yanzhao straighten his official robes, combed his hair meticulously, and put on his feathered crown.
Lu Yanzhao suddenly grasped her hand, tightening his grip slightly: "Are you ready?"
"Um."
Gu Nanjiao looked outside. She hoped that she could still see such beautiful weather after returning from the palace.
"Have you prepared the birthday gift for the Emperor?" Gu Nanjiao suddenly asked before leaving.
"Okay, I'm ready."
...
The emperor's birthday banquet was very lively, with civil and military officials gathering in droves, and ladies and young women arriving in luxurious carriages and congregating at the palace gate. The smell of rouge and face powder was somewhat pungent.
Most of the women of official families were kept in their private quarters, and it was rare to see the sons of officials except on occasions like today. Today is the Emperor's birthday, and the unmarried girls are dressed up in their finest attire.
Gu Nanjiao kept a low profile, put on her veil, and stood at the end of the line.
"The Crown Prince's concubine has arrived!" With the eunuch's loud announcement, the crowd parted to make way for her.
Many ladies of lower rank knelt down to pay their respects. Gu Nanjiao, being only a family member of a fifth-rank official, also squatted down with the others.
They just didn't kneel.
Zhou Wan, supported by her maid, stepped down from the sedan chair and looked at everyone with a gentle expression: "No need for formalities!"
"Thank you, Consort Xie!"
Gu Nanjiao secretly glanced at Zhou Wan and noticed that although she was smiling, her smile seemed somewhat forced.
Noticing the gaze, Zhou Wan looked up and met Gu Nanjiao's eyes.
Qingci immediately rebuked, "How dare you! Whose official's wife are you, daring to look directly at the concubine?"
Gu Nanjiao immediately squatted down and said in a low voice, "This humble woman is the family member of the newly appointed top scholar. I was momentarily overwhelmed by the demeanor of Your Highness and lost my composure. I beg Your Highness to forgive me."
Zhou Wan narrowed her eyes slightly, then smiled and said, "It's alright, it's just that Qingci is too particular about rules." She paused and then asked, "Are you a relative of the newly appointed top scholar?"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
"Get up and answer!"
Zhou Wan recalled the Crown Prince's instructions: if she wanted to show her loyalty, she must make sure that Lu Yanzhao's wife appeared before the Emperor.
Although she didn't know why this woman had to appear before the emperor, she had no choice but to comply in order to show her loyalty.
I had intended to ask Qingci to find out which one was Madam Lu, but I never expected her to run into me herself.
Zhou Wan smiled and said, "Madam Lu, please come in with me first."
"yes!"
After Gu Nanjiao went in with Zhou Wan, the ladies and wives behind them erupted in excitement.
"She's really lucky; she's been so eager to get close to the concubine."
"Who can argue with that? Look at her fawning expression..."
The banquet was held in the Hall of Preserving Harmony. The hall was magnificent and resplendent, with each of the giant red pillars carved with lifelike golden dragons, making it a spectacular sight.
The seating was arranged with men on the left and women on the right. After the guests took their seats, Gu Nanjiao went to sit in the back row, but Zhou Wan grabbed her arm and said, "You sit with me."
Gu Nanjiao feigned surprise and said, "This...this is against the rules."
"What's wrong with that? You're sitting behind me, what right do you have to say anything to anyone?"
Zhou Wan insisted, so Gu Nanjiao had no choice but to obey and sat down behind Zhou Wan.
Qingci glared at Gu Nanjiao with annoyance, really not understanding why her young lady was being so friendly to the family member of a fifth-rank official!
The top three scholars of the day have all arrived. All eyes were inevitably drawn to these three.
The second-place scholar was the grandson of Minister Zhou and the nephew of the Imperial Concubine; everyone had seen him before, so there was nothing unusual about it.
This top scholar was indeed exceptionally handsome, and his bearing was no less impressive than that of the princes and nobles present. Most of the women secretly glanced at him, and couldn't help but blush.
The women, who had originally set their sights on princes and noblemen, all changed their focus upon the appearance of Lu Yanzhao, a man of extraordinary bearing.
I heard that this young scholar, who achieved the highest honors in the imperial examinations at a young age and also saved the emperor's life, was personally appointed as a fifth-rank official by the emperor himself, and his future is truly limitless.
Such an outstanding scholar deserves to be the emperor's son-in-law.
It's just a pity there wasn't a princess of suitable age.
As the eunuch shouted, "His Majesty has arrived!"
"Consort Yue has arrived!"
Everyone immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Imperial Concubine!"
With the emperor's order to rise, the banquet proceeded smoothly.
Today's Consort Yue is different from the one Gu Nanjiao saw that day. She wore a yellow silk dress with five-colored phoenixes embroidered with five-colored gold thread and the rising sun. The bottom of the dress was a yellow phoenix tail skirt with butterflies and flowers. She held a yellow embroidered silk gauze in her hand. Her phoenix hairpin with five phoenix tails in a row was inserted into her cloud-like phoenix bun. She had a calm and graceful demeanor and was very much like an empress.
Bright yellow was traditionally reserved for emperors and empresses throughout history, but Consort Yue's bright yellow robes clearly demonstrated her ambition.
No wonder she is the most favored concubine in the palace; she is so beautiful and has such an extraordinary demeanor. It's no wonder the emperor still favors her to this day.
Lu Yanzhao carefully raised his eyes and his gaze fell on Consort Yue's face. He was stunned for a moment. With this face and this attire, if you said that she was eight parts similar to Gu Nanjiao, probably no one would believe it.
However, the emperor and the imperial concubine had known each other for many years, so Gu Nanjiao's face probably couldn't be hidden from view.
The Crown Prince will definitely make a move today. Everything is now seen as the domain of the Wang and Bai families.
Halfway through the banquet, there was a song and dance performance.
Gu Nanjiao watched with great interest. She truly deserved to be a dancer in the palace. Just look at her figure and face; even today's celebrities couldn't compare.
Not to mention her dance moves; if she were to participate in a dance competition, she would definitely be the first place winner in the classical dance finals.
Lu Yanzhao's gaze swept back and forth through the crowd, searching for Gu Nanjiao's figure.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com