Chapter 125 Chapter 125
[Chapter 125]
Pointing casually at a red bellflower dress that she usually wore, Ruan Yun picked up a pair of earrings and put them on. She then instructed, "Let Chunqing stay in the palace today. He is smart and will be able to find out if anything happens."
"Tell the wet nurses to be careful with the movements. This is the first time I am not in the palace today, and I don't want anything to go wrong."
Ying Ning bowed and said, "I will go find that person now."
Ruan Jun looked at herself in the bronze mirror and smiled slightly. She was indeed worried about what was going on in the palace, but if she didn't go to the dragon boat race today, she didn't know what people would say about her.
…
Xialan River
Many concubines had already arrived on the prepared platform, but a few people in high positions had not yet arrived.
Lady Su was wearing a bright red dress and waving a round fan, looking very graceful and charming. She said, "It's not too early, how come the emperor hasn't arrived yet?"
Someone heard what Lady Su said and said, "Perhaps the Emperor is going to pick up Concubine Ying. Sister Su, you'd better wait."
Lady Su snorted coldly. Concubine Ying was so lucky that she could even skip the rank and get a promotion after giving birth to the third prince. Although the ancestral rules did not allow it, the emperor was willing and who dared to stop it?
I heard that the last time the emperor came out of Shoukang Palace, the empress dowager had been ill for several days, and the emperor only visited her a few times and did not stay in Shoukang Palace for too long before leaving. I am afraid that the only person who could make the empress dowager and the emperor like this was Concubine Yinggui.
Lady Su looked unhappy, but the concubine in front of her was telling the truth and she couldn't refute it.
She only has the title of a beauty, but the emperor won't enter the harem for ten days or half a month. Even if he enters the harem, he will not come to her place.
She is good at talking, but she can actually do something.
Su Meiren was feeling sad. She turned around and saw Wen Baolin sitting there, looking unhappy.
Looking Wen Baolin up and down, recalling the way he danced in the palace a year ago, Su Meiren couldn't help but cover her lips and said:
"Wen Baolin can sing, dance, and play the zither, but how come his position hasn't improved at all in the past year? You are even worse than the former Wen Yunu."
Wen Baolin hated it most when someone mentioned his cousin, as if the two of them had always been compared with each other since they were born.
But my cousin can't compare to her in terms of appearance or talent.
Wen Baolin wanted to taunt her when he heard this, but he didn't know what he was thinking. He turned around and smiled, saying, "My sister is not worthy of the emperor's favor. If you have any ideas, why not teach her?"
These words made Lady Su's face turn pale and red. She shook her handkerchief and stood up slowly, no longer wanting to sit with Wen Baolin.
All Wen Baolin was thinking about today was that Ruan Jun would also come to the dragon boat race today.
She hasn't seen Concubine Ying Gui since she came out of Linxuan Palace last time. She couldn't swallow her pride and go to Linxuan Palace again, so she had to do this.
Concubine De did send someone to look for her, but she blocked the call on the grounds that she still needed to practice her piano skills.
I just don't know if Concubine De has discovered what she is thinking.
Wen Baolin's breathing became faster. If Concubine De really found out, she would have to rely on Concubine Ying, but Concubine Ying might not agree to her request.
Wen Baolin was really upset for a while, but he couldn't think of a good solution. He could only rub his eyebrows and feet, feeling extremely upset.
The voice of the eunuch outside the water pavilion came in.
When the concubines glanced over, Ruan Jun raised her hand and came down from the ceremonial procession in a very graceful manner.
The concubines stood up and greeted, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Ruan Yun walked past them without even glancing at anyone, and said clearly, "Everyone, get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
The concubine who was talking to Lady Su at the moment looked at Ruan Yun coming alone and said with a hint of mockery in her tone:
"I just wonder if you want to say that Concubine Ying Gui is too favored, or that she is too lawless and has lost her sense of propriety?"
Lady Su sneered. She never had a good face towards concubines of lower rank than herself.
Ruan Yun's gaze fell on the concubines below her. After not seeing them for a month, she hardly recognized some of them.
Zhou Xianshi looked at Ruan Yun, who was radiant at the top, and flattered her: "This is the first time that the concubines have seen the noble concubine since she gave birth. The noble concubine is more beautiful than before."
Ruan Yun looked at Concubine Zhou with a smile on her face, "My sister is not bad either. It seems that she has had a very happy month."
Concubine Zhou felt a little embarrassed when she was praised by Ruan Yun. She touched her face and lowered her head. She was always like this, and Ruan Yun was used to it. She didn't have any bad intentions, she was just straightforward and had to say whatever she thought.
Everyone was secretly looking at Ruan Yun. Who could have imagined that two years ago, Ruan Yun was just a little palace maid who was bullied by others, but now she has sat on the throne of the imperial concubine, and no one in the palace can compare to her.
The imperial procession of Consort De arrived at the same time as the Emperor and Empress. When she saw the Emperor naturally handing his hand to the Empress, Consort De's eyes moved slightly, and she quickly turned her gaze away, pretending not to care, and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, Empress."
The emperor didn't react much, but the queen asked, "The palace has been busy these days, is your sister healthy?"
Concubine De forced a smile and replied, "Everything is fine. It is the Empress who is in charge of all the affairs in the palace. I am really worried about her health."
The queen smiled but said nothing when she heard this. She looked towards the waterside pavilion and then looked at Yan Shiyu tenderly, "I see that most of the sisters have arrived. I'm afraid they are all waiting for the emperor."
It was obvious who this person was talking about. Yan Shiyu sneered and said, "She likes the hustle and bustle."
The Queen continued, "Sister Ying just gave birth to the third prince and has not left the palace for a long time. She has been staying in Linxuan Palace since then, so naturally she doesn't want to miss it."
However, Yan Shiyu had already started walking towards the waterside pavilion. The empress was not annoyed when she saw the emperor's expression, and she lifted her skirt and prepared to follow the emperor upstairs.
Seeing this, Concubine De had no choice but to do so. However, the Empress suddenly turned around and said, "Sister, be careful. The steps of the waterside pavilion were built by the palace maids on the spur of the moment. It is inevitable that some people are clumsy and have rough hands and feet. If someone falls into the water, it will be bad."
"How could that be?" Concubine De's eyes sparkled, and she quickly regained her composure by pinching her own palms. "We are on the shore here, and the water is not deep. Even if you fall into the water, you can be rescued."
The empress walked towards the waterside pavilion with grace, but Concubine De, who was dressed in gorgeous clothes and had pearls and jade on her head, staggered because of what the empress had just said.
Wang Yi supported the queen and reminded her, "The queen, the emperor is still upstairs."
De Fei rubbed her brows and said, "I have been feeling dazed lately."
Yes, the Queen was just reminding her casually. Why was she so nervous? Did she really do something shameful? In that case, the Queen would have to have something to hold against her.
Concubine De tightly grasped the handkerchief in her hand, forcing herself to wake up, and touched her skirt with her hand, saying, "Let's go."
So what if Ying was Consort Guifei? She was still Consort De, the biological mother of the eldest prince. Everyone in the palace had to respect her, but it was only a matter of time before she would become Consort Guifei.
Ji Zhaoyi was sitting next to Ruan Yun. The little princess depended on Ji Zhaoyi and sat obediently beside him, holding a nine-link ring in her hand.
Ji Zhaoyi said softly, "Sister looks much better than a few days ago. I think her health has improved a lot."
Ruan Yun's eyes curved slightly and she said, "I hope so."
Yan Shiyu stepped onto the waterside pavilion at this moment. The concubines stood up to pay their respects. Ruan Yun also stood up and wanted to squat, but Yan Shiyu stopped Ruan Yun's movements with his big hand, and said while looking at the concubines below:
"Get up."
The first thing everyone looked at when they stood up was the emperor, but who knew that the emperor just held Concubine Ying's wrist and didn't even look at them.
The Empress had a calm expression and did not show any dissatisfaction with the Emperor's actions. However, Concubine De was even more excited than the Empress.
The corners of her eyes were red, and Defei's chest was heaving up and down with anger. Wang Yi quickly supported Defei and said, "Your Majesty."
When Wang Yi called her, Concubine De suddenly came to her senses and murmured, "What's wrong with me?"
She knew best how she had been in the past, and she had endured it all these years, but now, seeing this scene, she couldn't help herself.
Defei's body was swaying, and Wangyi helped her sit down.
This waterside pavilion is occupied by concubines, and the waterside pavilions next to it are filled with princes, ministers, and the wives of officials.
Yan Shiyu said in a deep voice: "Begin."
Wei Maoyuan's loud voice reached every waterside pavilion, and everyone stood up and knelt, saying blessings.
The generals in the barracks had already prepared everything, and they rowed the dragon boats to the center of the river.
Ruan Yun gently waved her round fan and looked at the scene in front of her, with a different light flashing in her eyes.
With one hand resting on his chin and the other hand leisurely waving a round fan, everyone was fascinated as the drum beats became louder.
Not far away, princes and ministers were placing bets, hoping to bet on which dragon boat would win.
Many young ladies joined in the fun and it was really lively.
Ruan Jun naturally wanted to go as well, but due to her status here, she couldn't go in. She could only look at it by herself and feast her eyes.
However, it was already very good to be able to watch the dragon boat race today, and Ruan Yun had no other thoughts.
Yan Shiyu frowned as he looked at Ruan Jun. He knew what she was thinking at a glance.
The Queen smiled faintly, "Sister Ying has been detained for a long time, it is rare for her to see such a scene. If she could, I'm afraid she would go up and draw it herself."
Ruan Yun trembled and said tenderly, "Your Majesty, please stop teasing me."
Yan Shiyu's dark eyes fell on Ruan Yun, and he looked calmly at the waterside pavilion where the Duke's Mansion was located. His voice seemed calm, but it stirred up thousands of waves in Ruan Yun's heart:
"There are few people at the Duke's Mansion. If you really want to go and have fun, go to the waterside pavilion of the Duke's Mansion. However, you are not allowed to stay there for too long."
The Queen looked towards the Duke's Mansion with surprise. She was a little confused at first, but for some reason she was no longer surprised.
Ruan Jun stood up blankly, looking at the emperor with gratitude in his eyes. Yan Shiyu took Ruan Jun's hand and said, "Don't make me wait too long."
In front of so many people, Ruan Jun blushed, "I understand."
Wei Maoyuan quickly sent someone to the waterside pavilion at the Duke's Mansion to pass on the message that all the curtains blocking the way had been drawn and no one else was allowed to see.
Yingning supported the empress all the way there. The lady-in-waiting had already been waiting for Ruan Yun at the waterside pavilion.
Although the situation was urgent, Ruan Yun still showed all the necessary etiquette. Even though Ruan Yun wanted to support the lady, she couldn't and had to accept the lady's greeting.
A breeze gradually picked up, blowing the white veil.
A man in the waterside pavilion next to the Duke's Mansion just glanced casually towards the Mansion, but the wine cup in his hand fell to the ground in an instant.
A colleague at the side asked: "Master Ji, is there anything wrong?"
Following the direction of Lord Ji's gaze, his colleague hurriedly said, "That's the Emperor's concubine, Lord Ji, you must remember this."
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