The golden gauze hanging from the top of the bright red and gilded sedan chair in the Marquis's mansion was blown up by the wind, revealing the graceful figure of a woman in the curtain. First, a pair of slender white hands pinched the golden gauze on both sides, and then came Liu's stunning face. Her makeup today was particularly bright, with bright red lips, eyebrows stretched to the temples, and a look of disdain in her eyes.
If it was said that Liu's appearance was what stood out at the beginning, but now that she has been married to Gu Yong for a long time, she has actually acquired Gu Yong's fearless and rough temperament.
Not only men love to look at beauties, but women do too. Everyone's eyes were on Liu.
Changping bit his lip, his face showing some dissatisfaction, but he heard the girl beside him say, "You are just a woman, why do you have such an expression? The talented people present are only young men, who are you showing off your charm to?"
Changping felt much more comfortable after hearing such words, and tried to show a noble smile on her face. No matter how beautiful she was, no matter how fine lines she had, she was still an old woman in her thirties! At this time, Shen Qingqiu was helped down on the footstool by the maid. But soon everyone saw another pair of white and tender hands coming out of the tent, followed by another face that looked similar to the head of the Liu family, but with a very different spirit and bones.
The girl's hair was tied up high, and she wore a crown on her head. There were five gold peacocks hanging around a red weft, and pearls hanging in three rows and two lines. Her blue satin was lifted up, revealing a dress made of blue peacock feathers. This dress alone was very rare.
Looking at the girl's face, she was lightly made up, with only her eyebrows and cheeks flushed, but she was already a natural beauty. If a beauty is rich, she will be unrivaled in the world.
Shen Qingqiu raised her beautiful eyes slightly and saw Princess Changping wearing a white peacock feather shirt. Anyway, it's not a big deal to wear the same clothes. Whoever is ugly will be embarrassed...
She smiled. The Ninth Princess came over and patted her. "You bastard! I just built a new mansion just two steps away from the Marquis' Mansion, but you didn't come to see me for two whole months!"
If someone else hit her, Shen Qingqiu would hit her back tenfold, but this was a good friend, so she smiled coquettishly, "Isn't it coming now? "But why are you so thin?" The Ninth Princess patted her hands and said, "I heard that you haven't been recuperating at home recently?"
Shen Qingqiu thought: ...It was because she was kept at home embroidering that useless dowry that she lost a few pounds out of annoyance.
"Where is the gift you gave me?" The Ninth Princess stretched out her hand to pick up the gift.
Several of them were friends since childhood. Although they have grown older and are restricted by their families and cannot play together as often, their friendship is still there, which is certainly not comparable to that of ordinary people.
After all, the Ninth Princess was the birthday girl at this birthday banquet and the focus of everyone's attention. Since she took a fancy to Shen Qingqiu, naturally Shen Qingqiu became a guest of honor.
"Come on, Madam, Princess, sit next to me."
The one who spoke was Concubine Rou. Just seeing that so many people had come just now but Concubine Rou did not say a word, and only looked at the arrival of Marquis's wife Liu and Princess Kangle, it was known that the two of them had extraordinary status.
Concubine Rou smiled gently. Liu had already sat next to her. She said, "Although I don't see you very often, but now that I'm sitting close to you, the more I see you, the more I think you are a special person. The more I see you, the happier I feel." Shen Qingqiu has a good relationship with his daughter. It is also because of Shen Qingqiu that his daughter can be so happy during this period.
She only has this one daughter, so she will be nice to whoever is good to her and makes her happy.
Concubine Rou doesn't care about Princess Changping or Queen Pei.
Seeing Shen Qingqiu sitting next to Concubine Rou and the Ninth Princess, Changping, who was also a princess, was naturally embarrassed. She was also a princess, and she was also a princess of the royal family! Did Concubine Rou have something stuck in her head? She was a princess, but she asked Shen Qingqiu to sit in the main seat without even asking.
However, Concubine Rou had no time to care about Princess Changping's dissatisfaction. Today was the Ninth Princess' birthday, and she had to take good care of it.
Now it was time to give gifts. Everyone knew that the Ninth Princess was the Emperor's favorite daughter, so naturally, each family and courtyard brought out the most valuable things. But that was all. It would be boring if there were no treasures to be seen in the inner courtyard of the palace.
"Qiu'er, what did you give me?" The Ninth Princess was still thinking about the gift Shen Qingqiu gave her.
"Remember me, why don't you take a look at what Changhe sent first?" Princess Changhe is one year older than the two of them and had been married a year ago. Her husband's family lives outside the Great Wall and she cannot be summoned back to the capital.
Therefore, even if it is a friend’s birthday, I can only send a gift from a distance.
When they mentioned her, they both smiled. "I bet you that the gift my cousin gave me must be some local delicacies."
Shen Qingqiu shook his head, "I won't bet with you."
"Why, you don't dare?"
"What do you mean you don't dare? It's obviously you who cheated. I will definitely lose this game." They grew up together almost since childhood, so they knew Changhe's personality. He is a foodie, and he is still a foodie even after he gets married.
Sure enough, the gifts sent by Princess Changhe from outside the Great Wall were carried over. Thinking about the bet, the Ninth Princess ordered people to open them directly.
Opening a gift given by others in front of others is not a very polite thing to do, but of course no one dared to say anything wrong about the Ninth Princess doing this.
When the gift from Princess Changhe was opened, it turned out to be a large round object with two green leaves.
"What is this?" Some noble ladies pinched their noses impatiently, "It stinks, why does it smell fishy?"
"This kind of thing that is not worthy of being put on the table is also placed at the princess' birthday banquet. Could it be that Princess Changhe did it on purpose?"
The Ninth Princess and Shen Qingqiu naturally did not believe that their good friend would deliberately play a prank on others in such an occasion, especially Shen Qingqiu, who had already recognized what was in front of her.
"What is this?" The Ninth Princess pointed at the box of things she had never seen before.
The person sent by Princess Changhe to deliver the gift stepped forward. He deliberately lowered his voice and said only to the people on the stage, "To answer your question, Princess, this is something our Princess saw by chance when she was outside. This thing grows in patches underground. It was originally a local disaster, but after the Princess brought it home and cooked it, she found that it tasted surprisingly good and could even be eaten as a staple food."
The Ninth Princess was young and naturally did not understand the deep meaning of this.
But that didn't stop her from thinking it was fresh. "Since my cousin said it's delicious, it must be delicious. Go, send it to the kitchen for me."
Concubine Rou was no fool, and quickly stopped the servant, "What kitchen are you sending? Hurry, send it to the emperor for me——"
Shen Qingqiu pulled her sleeve to stop her, "Madam, today's banquet is not over yet, why don't we talk about it later."
Seeing that Shen Qingqiu seemed to be trying to stop her, Concubine Rou held back for the time being.
There followed several more rounds of gifts, which the Ninth Princess watched with boredom.
"Qiu'er, what did you give me?" The Ninth Princess pulled her sleeve, "Tell me quickly, I'm so sleepy now."
The Ninth Princess's body was originally weaker than others. A normal person would only feel tired after attending a whole day of banquet. However, it was only the afternoon and the Ninth Princess already had faint dark circles under her eyes, which showed that she was very sleepy.
Concubine Rou felt sorry for her daughter, so she said, "Just give it to her in advance. Look how anxious she is."
Shen Qingqiu smiled and shook his head, "Okay then. But I can only show this gift to you and Concubine Rou."
She deliberately kept it a secret, and the Ninth Princess looked at Concubine Rou, "Mother~"
Concubine Rou always responded to her requests, and today was her birthday. "Okay, okay, mother will accompany you." As she spoke, she began to give orders to the servants around her.
The servant then helped Concubine Rou and the Ninth Princess up.
Shen Qingqiu said something to Liu, and the three of them left the table together.
It was Princess Changping's turn to present a gift. She was about to stand up with a smile on her face, but at this moment, Concubine Rou and Princess Nine suddenly left the hall. Changping was already embarrassed, but at this moment, the maid came out and said, "Concubine Rou and the princess are a little tired. They are going to rest first. You can leave the gifts with the housekeeper."
The maid continued, "This is the new residence that the emperor built for our princess. You are all welcome to visit at will."
Only after that did they slowly retreat.
It didn't matter to others, after all, the banquet was already halfway through, and it was well known that the Ninth Princess was in poor health, so of course no one would make things difficult for her and force her to attend the entire banquet.
Except Princess Changping.
Why did the sickly girl suddenly become ill when she gave the gift? Why did she have to leave? Don't think she didn't see that Shen Qingqiu also went with her! It's possible that the Ninth Princess deliberately embarrassed Shen Qingqiu in front of so many people just to vent her anger.
Princess Changping was so angry that she clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly, Shen Qingqiu, just wait!
Shen Qingqiu had no idea what she was thinking. After all, she had never considered Changping as her rival.
After arriving at a palace with the Ninth Princess and Concubine Rou, they went in.
The Ninth Princess was simple-minded. "Where's the gift? Where's your gift, Qiu'er?"
Shen Qingqiu came in empty-handed, how could he have any gifts? Concubine Rou saw it, "Qiu'er, do you have something to say to us mother and daughter?" Otherwise, there would be no need to call them here alone.
Shen Qingqiu nodded and went to see the Ninth Princess first, "Did you listen to me and take the pills I gave you on time?"
Concubine Rou was stunned for a moment, "What pills?" How could she not know.
The Ninth Princess nodded and did what Qiu'er said. "Your pills are indeed very effective. I sleep much more comfortably at night after taking them."
Shen Qingqiu nodded, and asked the Ninth Princess to stretch out her hand, and she carefully felt her pulse.
Although Concubine Rou didn't understand what happened, she inexplicably felt that what Shen Qingqiu said today concerned her daughter's life, so she held her breath and waited for Shen Qingqiu to finish taking her pulse.
About a quarter of an hour later, Shen Qingqiu loosened his hand and said, "I got the medicine half a year ago, and should have treated you earlier. But your physical foundation is too weak, and I just felt your pulse and thought you were almost recovered."
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