Meng'er, the envoy from Northern Desert, was very happy and bowed with the princess to express his gratitude.
Finally, the princess for marriage has been chosen, and he can report back when he returns.
According to old customs, the marriage of Princess Beimo represented the friendship between the two countries, and she was canonized as the head concubine of a palace.
However, the specific imperial edict of enthronement will be announced into the palace after the autumn hunt is over.
After the audience ceremony, the emperor went hunting with his court officials.
None of the accompanying concubines knew how to ride or shoot, so they stayed behind in the palace. However, the three Beimo princesses were all good at riding and shooting, and they went hunting with the emperor.
Ning Wanyin still lives in Ziji Palace. She has no time to see her mother today, but she doesn't need to rush to the first day of autumn hunting.
Audience and banquet.
It is an important etiquette for Great Yan to entertain foreign envoys. The audience was arranged by the Ministry of Rites, and the Autumn Hunting Banquet was handed over to Ning Wanyin. She naturally wanted to ensure that there would be no mistakes at the banquet.
The audience had just ended.
Ning Wanyin summoned all the participants of the autumn hunting banquet, including the managers of various places in the Zijin Palace, the actors who performed music, the imperial chefs in the kitchen, the palace servants who served the dishes, etc., as well as a palace guard specially left for her by Helian Qi, twenty imperial doctors allocated by the Imperial Hospital, and twenty eunuchs from the Criminal Justice Department.
"Your humble servant/slave pays respect to Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine. May Your Majesty be well!" Everyone saluted in unison.
Ning Wanyin sat upright on a rosewood carved chair, with the somewhat excited Wei Yingya sitting on her left, and Lian Rui standing on her right holding a book.
It was the first time that Wei Yingya participated in such a diplomatic event, and she found it quite interesting. She secretly thought that in her previous life, she would have been a senior official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, hehe.
Lian Rui stepped forward and read out:
"Today, an envoy from Northern Desert has arrived. Your Majesty is hosting a grand banquet. The Imperial Concubine has specially formulated 100 temporary palace rules for banquets at the Purple Gold Palace to ensure a safe banquet. Please cooperate."
"First, no one is allowed to approach the kitchen. This includes all concubines, ministers, and foreign envoys."
"Secondly, please have the four imperial doctors examine all the vegetables, fruits, firewood, rice, oil, salt, and other items in the kitchen before using them."
"Third, please have the imperial physician inspect all drinks and dishes before entering the banquet hall."
"Fourth, the maids who serve the dishes should be in groups of four, and should advance and retreat together."
…
"Article 97: The maid who serves the dishes shall ask a female doctor to examine the body (to prevent anyone from hiding poisonous substances)"
"Article 98: The musical instruments used by actors shall be inspected by the Criminal Justice Department (to prevent hidden devices in the instruments)"
"Article 99: Please ask the imperial physician to check all dishes on the menu to see if they are incompatible with alcohol, incense, etc. (to prevent someone from combining two non-toxic substances into a poison to harm others)"
"Article 100: Please ask the Criminal Division to check all the tables, chairs, vases, and screens on the banquet table to make sure they are all correct (to prevent anyone from hiding drugs or devices)"
All one hundred palace rules were read out.
Even though Wei Yingya was mentally prepared, she was still stunned by the shock.
Not to mention the group of palace servants in the Purple Gold Palace who were dealing with Ning Wanyin for the first time.
They were all dumbfounded and dazed.
These were some of the rules that Ning Wanyin had used to set for palace banquets. They had been added to and improved upon through many banquets, totaling to one hundred palace rules, which were very detailed and comprehensive.
Lian Rui reminded, "Do you understand?"
Everyone reacted and agreed in unison: "Yes!"
Who can understand how safe it feels! Especially the chef was almost moved to tears.
Generally, after a palace banquet is successfully concluded, everyone will be rewarded. After all the hard work, isn't it just for this little reward?
But the key is that those masters love to stir up trouble at palace banquets! Once something goes wrong, countless people will be implicated and held accountable.
We ordinary palace servants just want to work honestly and receive some rewards smoothly.
It feels so reassuring to follow the Imperial Concubine on her errands!
…
Princess Cai Ya went hunting with them for a while, then returned to her own residence due to feeling unwell.
She was determined to seize this opportunity of marriage.
This was not only because she thought the Emperor of Dayan was handsome and mighty, and more to her liking than the men on the grassland, but also because the tribe that was friendly with Dayan and had greater prestige would also be able to gain the dependence and support of more small tribes in the Northern Desert.
Now the three tribes are evenly matched, but Qizhu has become a princess married into a foreign country. As a result of the rise and fall of the three tribes, in a few years, their family will be inferior.
For the sake of her family's interests and her own future, she must stop Qizhu from entering the palace.
If something unexpected happened to Qizhu...
Put the blame on Lan'er again.
Then the only candidate for Beimo's marriage this time is herself.
"Your Highness, Princess, how come you came back so soon. Your riding and archery skills are superb. If you can catch the eye of the Emperor of Dayan, perhaps he will change his mind..." The maid came forward with concern.
Cai Ya shook her head. "Qizhu and Lan'er are both good at riding and shooting. The Great Yan Emperor has already issued an order. I heard that the Central Plains attaches great importance to the emperor's words. Unless something unexpected happens, he will not change the candidate."
Beimo admires the Central Plains culture, Caiya is proficient in Dayan Mandarin and has read many Dayan books.
There was a ruthless flash in Caiya's eyes, "Come on, let's go outside for a walk."
Cai Ya went to the kitchen first, looking for an opportunity to take action.
But she couldn't get close to the kitchen...
When they were far away from the kitchen, they were stopped by the guards. The leader, holding the chess pieces, said:
"The kitchen is a restricted area. No one is allowed to approach."
Cai Ya found an excuse and said, "I feel a little unwell. I think I have caught a cold. I want to go to the kitchen to get some ginger soup."
"Don't worry, Princess. I will ask the imperial chef to prepare ginger soup for you, which will be delivered to your tent later." Pengqi replied.
Seeing this, Cai Ya had no choice but to find another way, so she went to the banquet table.
Tonight's banquet was held at the audience banquet stage. The seats were arranged according to the audience order. She first found Qizhu's seat, and then looked around to see if there was anything she could use...
But before he could enter, he was stopped by Peng Qin who was guarding outside the banquet table:
"The banquet hall is a restricted area, no one is allowed to approach."
Cai Ya made another excuse and said, "My bracelet fell off. It might have fallen near the seat during the audience. I'll go in and look for it."
"Don't worry, Your Highness. If we find the bracelet at the banquet table, we will definitely send it to you." Pengqin replied.
Caiya never expected that when she wanted to take action, she couldn't even get through the door.
I knew that rules are important in the Central Plains, but I've never heard of it being so particular?
There was no one guarding the dining rooms and banquet halls on the grassland.
Cai Ya walked around helplessly and returned to the tent with nothing.
What she didn't know was that Pengqin and Pengqi immediately reported to Ning Wanyin that she wanted to get closer to the kitchen and the banquet table.
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