Chapter 173 Peach Blossom Forest
Madam He clapped her hands and praised Murong Wan.
The two aunts also said that Murong Wan was more promising than her two cousins.
Murong Wan was not very happy to hear the praise.
She heard her grandmother say "most" instead of "all," indicating that some people danced better than her.
When Murong Wan asked Gongsun Da Niang before, she got a similar answer:
"The princess has practiced very well. With a few more years of practice, her dancing skills will definitely be above average."
What's the use of upper middle?
If it is not the best and the most outstanding, it is meaningless.
Murong Wan asked Gongsun Da Niang, what is the best way to practice? Who is the best?
But Gongsun Da Niang didn't tell her.
Because she did not get the praise she wanted from her grandmother and aunt, Murong Wan was in a bad mood when she returned to the palace from He Mansion.
When she passed by Murong Ming's yard, she heard angry scolding and quarreling coming from inside.
"You don't study hard all day long, you have no knowledge and skills, and you hang out with those dandy and mediocre people. In the future, you will be neither good at literature nor martial arts. How can you be so shameless?"
He Yan pointed at Murong Ming and was so angry that she lost her usual graceful demeanor.
Murong Wan walked in and saw that the ground in the yard was covered with broken porcelain pieces, chairs tilted to one side, and there were chicken feathers, dice, and a few torn pages of books scattered everywhere... It was a mess.
Murong Ming stood in the middle with disheveled hair and shouted:
"Why should I study? I'm the prince, and I'll be a prince in the future. I can live my life just fine even if I don't study!"
"The King of Chu has never learned anything and is now living a good life outside the palace. Why should I study?"
Murong Ming shouted out the truth.
He just wants to have fun all his life.
He was a descendant of the royal family and was born to enjoy a life of wealth and luxury. Those who had studied for decades, passed the imperial examinations and became officials had to bow to him when they saw him.
It has nothing to do with whether he studies or not.
Everyone was saying behind the scenes that Prince Murong Qi of Chu was naughty and unmotivated, and that he was driven out of the palace early by the Emperor. But Murong Ming envied the Prince of Chu, who was free and unfettered.
There is plenty of wine and concubines in the mansion, and you can do whatever you want.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" He Yan scolded. "Your father is a prince, and you can only be a county prince in the future. Your descendants will be demoted to lower ranks and inherit titles, and some will not even have a title. You are ignorant of learning and have no sense of the general situation. You have no real power in the court, and you can't provide any welfare for your descendants. Your future life will only be worse than the previous one!"
Although He Yan was not a man and did not serve as an official in the court, she had been influenced by the people in the He Mansion and knew that inheriting an empty title was far inferior to having real power in the court.
Murong Ming only understood half of what he heard and ran outside:
"If you can't plan it, then you can't plan it!"
He Yan had Murong Ming captured and tied up and taken back to the study:
"Let him think it over in there! He's not allowed to come out until he's figured it out!"
He Yan's words still carried a lot of weight in the mansion. Although the servants were afraid of Murong Ming, the little devil, when they heard the princess's words, they arrested Murong Ming without hesitation and locked him up.
After He Yan dealt with the farce here, she was about to go back to the yard to rest when she noticed her daughter standing at the door.
"Wan'er is back."
Murong Wan: "I'll go back to the yard with my mother."
He Yan took Murong Wan back to the yard, sat down, drank two sips of tea, and took a deep breath.
Looking at her decent and intelligent daughter, He Yan was glad that her daughter was a strong and ambitious person.
"Wan'er, did you hear what mother said just now?"
He Yan asked everyone around her to leave, and she and her daughter talked in the room.
"Ming'er may not understand what I just said. Do you understand? Do you understand?"
Murong Wan: "Mother said that a title is not as good as real power. I understand."
He Yan: "How do you understand?"
Murong Wan lowered her eyes and said after a moment of silence:
"Brother is the prince, and he doesn't have as much power in the mansion as mother. So as long as mother says something, the servants in brother's courtyard will not listen to him. If brother had power, he wouldn't be locked up even if he acted so presumptuously today."
"Wan'er, you..." He Yan didn't expect her daughter to say this. She thought her daughter was contradicting her. "I am your mother, so I naturally have the right to discipline you."
But Murong Wan continued to explain:
"Brother, you acted like this in front of Mother in the mansion today. When you grow up, you might act the same way in the court. Those who pay respect to you, brother, if they hold more power than you, will be able to suppress you and make you unable to raise your head."
After Murong Wan finished speaking, He Yan sighed in her heart again, wondering why Wan'er was not a man.
"If Ming'er were half as smart as you, Mom would have less worries."
He Yan touched Murong Wan's face:
"Mother has had a new pearl flower made. It will be sent to your courtyard soon. You can wear it at the Spring Festival Banquet in two days."
For the first time, Murong Wan was not happy about the jewelry. Instead, she asked:
"Mother, is Concubine Shu holding the Spring Festival Banquet also to fight for power?"
He Yan did not answer directly, but said:
"Things in the palace are hard to say. With all the fighting going on, no one can necessarily figure out who is ultimately gaining."
…
The spring breeze blows into Chang'an, and Chang'an is filled with fragrant dust.
Although it was cold in early spring, the weather was at least a little warmer on the day of the Spring Appreciation Banquet.
Many buds in the peach blossom forest were forced to bloom overnight.
When people walk into the peach blossom forest, they see pink and white everywhere, and even the wind carries the fragrance of peach blossoms.
Governor Gu came without any expectations and without any emotion to join the crowd.
In order to prevent himself from getting sick from sitting in the wind, he put on the thickest windproof cloak.
After following the palace servant who led the way to the peach blossom forest, my first reaction was not that the forest was beautiful, but that I noticed that all the seats this time were set up in the open air in the forest, and no one was in the palace.
Even the seats for the emperor and empress were set up in the peach blossom forest.
A layer of gauze was hung in the middle of the peach blossom forest to separate the male guests from the female guests.
The palace servant who led the way said, "The Concubine Shu said that this arrangement is most convenient for everyone to enjoy the flowers."
Governor Gu felt relieved and decided to let everyone blow the wind together.
"Governor Gu, it's been a long time since we last met in Lingnan." Someone walked towards Governor Gu.
Governor Gu took a closer look and saw the Imperial Censor Zheng Mingtang:
"I hope you are well, Censor Zheng."
Two years ago, Censor Zheng uncovered a major salt smuggling case in Xunzhou, Lingnan, and then the entire Dayu was swept by a smuggling salt investigation storm.
After returning to Beijing, Censor Zheng was commended for a while, but his glory only lasted for a short time. Because he was not popular in the court, his official career was not smooth.
Governor Gu and Censor Zheng were walking and talking in the peach blossom forest when they saw He Tingfang from afar.
Both of them deliberately looked up at the sky.
"The Emperor has arrived—"
Murong Yu appeared at this time.
The ministers saluted.
Murong Yu was wearing a casual robe and had a friendly smile on his face:
"My dear ministers, please excuse your formalities. Today we are all enjoying the flowers together. Don't be restrained. Just relax and be at ease. We will not discuss state affairs. Just enjoy the flowers, drink tea, and recite poems."
Murong Yu was not an open-minded and magnanimous emperor, but when he pretended to be one, he looked a bit like one.
Some young men who had not yet entered officialdom came to the palace with their fathers. Seeing Murong Yu being so amiable, they felt that the current emperor was truly a wise and benevolent monarch.
Murong Yu was indeed in a good mood.
During the Chinese New Year, Concubine Shu said that she remembered the day when she first saw herself.
She said that she entered the palace with her family when she was young. One time, she got lost and entered a peach blossom forest. She happened to see Murong Yu, who was still a prince at that time. She fell in love with him at that time.
Murong Yu was surprised but also felt relieved when he heard this.
Concubine Shu suggested holding a flower-viewing banquet in the peach blossom forest, and Murong Yu naturally agreed.
Murong Yu glanced at the opposite side through the veil in the peach forest.
Through the gauze, you can vaguely see the graceful figure opposite you.
The women's side was more lively.
The Queen and Consort Shu sat at the head of the female attendants' area. Both of them were in high spirits today, chatting and laughing among the female attendants.
He Yan brought Murong Wan forward to pay their respects to the queen and several concubines.
After greeting, Murong Wan was arranged to talk with Ning An and several girls of the same age.
The little girls sat together and talked non-stop regardless of whether they knew each other well or not.
"Wan'er, I heard that you have been learning sword dancing. How is it going?" asked Zhao Mo, the great-granddaughter of Duke Ming.
Murong Wan: "It's OK."
The tone seems humble yet proud.
Someone then asked, "Can you dance for us?"
Murong Wan: "I didn't bring a sword today."
"That's easy." Ning An said, "There are plenty in the palace. I can just have someone send some over."
Murong Wan was not used to using swords outside and did not want to respond, so she asked Ning An:
"I heard from my brother that the princess has been practicing her spear skills. How is it going?"
Ning An boasted about himself without any modesty:
"I've learned so well! No one in Lihe Hall is better than me."
The younger second princess listened with admiration and asked loudly:
"Can we watch Sister Huang practice spearmanship and Sister Wan dance with swords?"
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