Chapter 76 The Fairyland of Jade Terrace Your humble servant has come to find a young palace maid named Niannian...
Time flies, and the people of Beijing have endured the sweltering heat and finally welcomed the cool autumn season.
In just two short years, the powerful and wealthy families changed hands more rapidly than the seasons. First, Prince Chun, who had been stationed in the capital for many years, suddenly returned to preside over the imperial examinations and established himself in the Ministry of Personnel in less than half a year. Then, the previously unknown Chu family also rose to the ranks of the powerful and wealthy by marrying two daughters into the palace.
The Xie and Chu families became the most sought-after newly rich families in the capital. Some people envied them, some were jealous, and some even tried their best to squeeze into the Xie and Chu families' homes to get a cup of tea.
After Princess Zhu returned to the capital with her young son, she entered the palace to pay her respects in accordance with proper etiquette.
Having lived in the palace since childhood, Xiao Yun had never met a playmate of similar age. While Chu Yueyuan and the Princess Consort were having tea and chatting, the two children hit it off immediately and played happily until the palace gates were about to be locked, at which point they reluctantly parted.
As they parted, Young Master Xie secretly told Xiao Yun that the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar was the beginning of autumn, which was his birthday, and invited him to a banquet at his residence.
Xiao Yun was overjoyed to receive an invitation for the first time. No sooner had the young prince Xie left the palace than he took Chu Yueyuan's sleeve and went to the storeroom to choose a congratulatory gift.
Lady Zhu had intended to hold a low-key celebration for her youngest son's birthday, but to her surprise, her son had boldly invited the Emperor to be his guest. She was both amused and exasperated, tapping the heart-shaped hairpin on her youngest son's head and sighing:
“If your father had had your ability to climb the social ladder back then, my son and I wouldn’t have had to suffer all these years of hardship in Jingzhou.”
Since the Emperor and Empress Dowager were coming to the Prince's residence as guests, the young prince's birthday banquet could not be shabby. The Princess Consort, who was usually thrifty, gritted her teeth and set aside a large sum of money, intending to splurge.
The news spread like wildfire, and by the time of the Autumn Equinox, the vermilion gates of the Prince's Mansion were bustling with activity. No family in the capital with any standing wanted to miss this spectacle.
Guests walked past the carved screen wall, and a brand-new carpet was laid out all the way into the courtyard. Two rows of wisteria trellises in the courtyard were in full bloom, with pale purple flower spikes hanging down like curtains. Under the trellises, eighty-eight huanghuali tables were set up in order of seniority. The main table at the head of the table was covered with newly made brocade, and the entire set of tableware was made of the finest Ru porcelain.
In the west wing, a special area has been designated for children to play, furnished with a variety of toys: a nine-linked ring puzzle, a Luban lock, shuttlecocks, spinning tops, rocking horses, and more...
Xie Yu wore a brand-new dark green brocade robe, and his waist belt still looked as lively as a peddler's.
He pulled aside the princess who was entertaining guests and whispered, "An urgent report has arrived from the northern border. The internal strife in the Canglang tribe has been quelled, and a new Khan has ascended the throne. Old Geng, who is guarding the border, is worried about unforeseen circumstances and has requested the troop deployment. However, I am held up by this matter and cannot attend the banquet today."
Tsk, what a pity, he didn't get a chance to show off the sash Zhu Niang made for him in front of that kid.
Zhu was so busy that her throat was hoarse. She raised her hand and called to the steward: "Go quickly and remove a set of tableware from the main table and put it away carefully."
Xie Yu poured a cup of tea for the princess with great care: "You've worked hard, Madam. Tonight I will punish that sycophantic scoundrel by making him copy the Biography of the Loving Mother three times. Also... all the congratulatory gifts received today should be put into the storeroom for registration. In a few days, the people from the Censorate will collect them."
Zhu gulped down her tea in two mouthfuls, rolled her eyes at her husband who was good at talking, and said, "Don't worry, I already ordered them to register it carefully."
"Wow, my wife is really capable!"
As Xie Yu watched four servants carry a glistening roasted pig past him, his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Madam... this birthday banquet must have cost a lot of money, right?"
Madam Zhu picked up a glass of chilled plum juice and took two sips before sighing softly, "With His Majesty's presence, if Xuan'er's birthday banquet is held in a meager manner, it will make our Prince's Mansion seem pretentious and aloof. If we are impeached by the censors for 'disrespecting His Majesty,' wouldn't that be troublesome? We have no choice but to hold a grand banquet. However, the bills outside can't be paid until next month, and I'm too embarrassed to extend the credit. So, I've managed to scrape together what I could to make ends meet."
A sense of unease rose in Xie Yu's heart, and he quickly asked, "...How did Madam manage to raise the money?"
Zhu casually replied, "I don't have the Midas touch, so of course I pawned some jewelry to scrape together the money..."
Xie Yu then noticed that the belt around his waist had become much lighter. He quickly looked down to check, his face suddenly changing as he wailed, "Zhu Niang... the dragon and phoenix jade pendant from our wedding day, you actually pawned it? And the purple jade pendant you gave me on the Qixi Festival two years ago..."
Madam Zhu adjusted the jade and gold hairpin in her hair, gently took her husband's arm, and greeted a lady from a prominent family with a smile in her eyes. At the same time, she subtly pinched her husband's elbow: "I need to entertain guests, I can't pawn my own jewelry. Stop wailing and howling, it's a temporary pawn, it'll be back next month..."
The couple were whispering to each other in the flower hall when they were suddenly interrupted by the woman's clear, crisp voice.
"Sister-in-law, shall I go to the front hall to greet the guests?"
Madam Zhu turned around and saw Xie Nianzhi dressed in plain clothes. She couldn't help but frown: "Why aren't you wearing the crimson pomegranate dress that I had someone send over?"
Zhu knew that her sister-in-law's relationship with her former husband was lukewarm. Now that she had escaped that den of wolves and tigers and returned to the capital, why should she continue to mourn for such a person and waste her precious youth?
I remember when she first married into the Prince's mansion, she was a young girl at the age of marriage, her eyes always sparkling with a smile like the spring breeze in March, radiant and beautiful, pure and bright.
Her beauty remains undiminished, yet her clear, watery eyes always seem to be shrouded in an endless twilight.
Xie Nianzhi smiled, pursing her lips, without saying a word.
Thinking of her sister-in-law's sacrifices for the clan, Madam Zhu felt both guilty and pity. She said gently, "Never mind, wear it if you like, it's just that your hair is a bit too plain..."
After saying this, she took off the cloud-shaped pearl curl hairpin from her hair and put it on the woman.
After looking them over for a while, Madam Zhu smiled with satisfaction: "That's much better. Come, let's go and greet His Majesty and the Empress Dowager."
At noon, a jade carriage with intricate carvings and gold decorations stopped in front of the Prince's Mansion.
Prince Chun and his wife, along with Princess Nianyi, waited respectfully at the steps. When they saw the carriage come to a stop and the Emperor and Empress Dowager alight together, the three of them immediately bowed and greeted the Emperor and Empress Dowager: "Welcome Your Majesty and Your Highness the Empress Dowager."
The guests standing behind the door followed suit and bowed, and in an instant, the crowd swayed and billowed.
Chu Yueyuan led Xiao Yunmai onto the steps, and said with a smile, "Today, the Empress and the Emperor have come to celebrate the young prince's birthday. You all need not be so formal. Just treat it as an ordinary family banquet."
It was Xiao Yun's first time leaving the palace to attend a minister's family banquet. Everything he saw seemed novel and interesting, especially the various folk toys under the flower hall, which made his eyes light up.
After taking his seat, he finished his meal as quickly as possible and winked at Young Master Xie at the next table.
Upon receiving the imperial decree, Young Master Xie nodded obediently.
Xiao Yun then turned to Chu Yueyuan and began to plead, tugging at her sleeve, "Mother, I'm full. Can I go outside and play with Prince Xie for a while?"
Chu Yueyuan picked up a handkerchief and wiped Xiao Yun's mouth, reminding him, "Your Majesty has just eaten. Let's play some elegant games like pitch-pot to aid digestion first. Don't rush to run and jump, or your stomach will hurt again. Also, when playing hide-and-seek, Commandant Jing must stay by your side. Don't be as willful as you were last time and leave him behind."
Xiao Yun pouted in dissatisfaction: "But Mother, Commandant Jing is such a big guy. If he stands next to me, won't everyone else be able to find me?"
Chu Yueyuan smiled and said, "Your Majesty, don't be fooled by Captain Jing's big size. He is actually the best at hiding. If Your Majesty can't find a suitable hiding place, just ask him for a suggestion. He can guarantee that he can find a place where no one can find you."
Xiao Yun was delighted upon hearing this, and his gaze towards the burly Captain Jing changed completely.
Most of the guests attending the banquet today brought their children with them. The children, who were of similar age, played and laughed under the flower hall. In no time, they were all playing together, not caring about whose clothes had more noble patterns.
But the atmosphere at the banquet of these distinguished guests was completely different.
Princess Anxian picked up her wine cup, bowed slightly to the Empress Dowager, raised her slender willow-leaf eyes, and said with a smile, "I have heard that when Lord Chu went to Qingzhou to supervise the canal construction, he not only learned about the local conditions, but also did everything himself. In the counties and prefectures he passed through, officials and people alike praised Lord Chu for his diligence and integrity."
Another noblewoman smiled and chimed in, "As the saying goes, like father, like son. Young Master Chu is just as outstanding in the Ministry of Works."
"I heard that when the memorial tower was first being built, the soil in the palace was so soft that it could only be built to a maximum of seven stories. But after Young Master Chu took over the construction department, he personally revised the blueprints and reinforced the foundation, managing to build the tower to thirteen stories! Now, the golden top of this pagoda soars into the sky, and no matter where you are in the capital, you can see the tower's towering Buddha light."
"The Chu family is full of talented people; Your Highness is truly blessed!"
Listening to the constant flattery at the banquet, Chu Yueyuan remained calm, only slightly raising her eyes to look towards the palace. There she saw the newly built pagoda against the blue sky and white clouds, its dome-shaped spire shimmering with golden light.
The woman's eyes also shimmered with tiny, fleeting light.
She raised her wine cup and smiled, "My father and brother were simply fulfilling their duties and serving the court."
Seeing that the young Empress Dowager remained gentle and composed, Princess Anxian smiled and said, "The Chu family father and son are exceptionally talented, and with the Empress Dowager speaking highly of them to the Regent, they are naturally destined for great success..."
She glanced around at the expressions of the nobles around her, smiled slightly, and said as if teasingly, "The Regent Prince cherishes the bond between brothers and is especially concerned about the Empress Dowager. My prince could say a thousand or ten thousand words, but none of them would be as effective as a single word from His Highness, his sister-in-law!"
Although Chu Yueyuan held the highest status among these royal wives, she was the youngest. These noblewomen all had powerful maternal families behind them, and they never bothered to enter the palace to pay homage to her, the nominal Empress Dowager.
Times have changed. Although the woman only ascended to the throne with the support of the regent, and the rumors between her brother-in-law and widowed sister-in-law were widely known, the Chu family has now truly joined the ranks of the powerful and wealthy, which has confirmed the power of "pillow talk".
These noblewomen, born into prominent families, maintained the dignified demeanor of royalty and uttered flattering words, but their contempt for Chu Yueyuan never diminished in the slightest.
Upon hearing Princess Anxian's pointed words, their carefully drawn eyebrows unconsciously curled up with a hint of sarcasm.
If Chu Yueyuan were an ordinary, shy widow, she might have been too ashamed to lift her head if people openly or subtly teased her about her ambiguous relationship with her brother-in-law.
But she had lived under the Du family for many years and had heard all sorts of cold words and insults. Back when she held the title of the most beautiful woman in the capital, she was also ostracized by noble ladies.
Since she has allowed treacherous officials to climb onto her bedchamber, why should she care about that empty reputation?
Chu Yueyuan's expression remained unchanged. Holding silver chopsticks, she picked up the fattest pork knuckle from the dishes before her and gracefully placed it on Princess Anxian's plate, smiling as she said, "The eldest brother is like a father, and the eldest sister-in-law is like a mother. Since I, as her sister-in-law, have spoken, the Regent will have to give me some face. The chef at the Prince's residence is quite skilled; this braised pork knuckle is fatty but not greasy. Sister-in-law, please try it..."
When the emperor bestows food upon us, we must first taste it at the main banquet.
Princess Anxian's face stiffened for a moment as she tried to refuse, but the Empress Dowager moved swiftly and in the blink of an eye, she placed two large pieces of fatty pork knuckle on her plate.
Her lips twitched uncontrollably, and the veins on her forehead were faintly visible beneath her makeup. She forced a smile and said, "Thank you for the food, Your Highness."
Chu Yueyuan's bright eyes curved into crescents, and she treated all the other noble ladies equally, bestowing upon them large, fatty pork knuckles as a reward.
The noblewomen in the capital were very particular about their appearance. At a banquet, leaving leftover food on the plate was considered impolite, so they rarely touched their chopsticks. Even if they did, they would only pick up a few pieces at random.
These ladies, who usually ate vegetarian meals every day, had to suppress the nausea rising in their throats and, with furrowed brows, put pieces of oily and fatty pork knuckle into their mouths. The atmosphere at the table was unusually quiet for a moment.
Chu Yueyuan slowly sipped her tea. A maid brought over some chilled bayberry soup to cleanse her palate. She glanced at it indifferently and said calmly:
"It's already autumn, and cold drinks are bad for the spleen and stomach, so take them away."
Princess Anxian's expression immediately turned even more unpleasant.
If it weren't for Prince Anxian's behind-the-scenes maneuvering in the court, how could the Chu family father and son have so smoothly established themselves in the Ministry of Works? Seeing that the Chu family father and son had submitted to her husband, Princess Anxian thought that her previous advice to the Empress Dowager had taken effect, so she wanted to suppress her in front of the woman, and also to establish her authority in front of other princes and nobles.
But instead of establishing her authority, she was given a stern warning by the young empress dowager. The other noblewomen, while enduring their nausea and swallowing the fatty meat, secretly cursed Princess Anxian for being reckless and stupid.
Of all people to offend, why did he have to offend this young widow who has both powerful backing and seniority?
"This humble official pays respects to the Empress Dowager and wishes Your Highness a long and happy life!"
Chu Yueyuan turned her head to look at the official who was bowing. She vaguely felt that he looked familiar. After a moment of concentration, she remembered that he was the military governor of Huzhou.
Huzhou was rich in mineral deposits, and the imperial court specially established a casting bureau there. The local craftsmen were highly skilled, and the bronze mirrors they cast were as clear as water, making them the finest bronze mirrors of the Great Qi Dynasty.
At Xiao Yun's birthday banquet last year, the gift presented by the military governor of Huzhou was a "Myriad Flower Mirror," which, when its mechanism was turned, could conjure up a hundred different patterns.
She smiled slightly: "Lord Yi, I remember you. Last year, the Emperor was very fond of the Myriad Flowers Mirror that you presented."
Lord Yi was surprised that the Empress Dowager still remembered him. His expression immediately brightened, and he bowed repeatedly: "It is my honor to be noticed by His Majesty... Some time ago, I specially ordered craftsmen from Huzhou to make three new 'Jade Terrace Immortal Mirrors' to present to the palace. I wonder if Your Highness is satisfied with these mirrors?"
Upon hearing the words "Jade Terrace Mirror," Chu Yueyuan's eyes flickered slightly, and she immediately recalled the absurdity of that night...
Not long ago, the Imperial Wardrobe delivered seven sets of newly tailored palace gowns to the Phoenix Perch Palace. Jin Tong placed the tray on the long table in the inner chamber and said happily, "This 'Jade Terrace Immortal Mirror' has finally come in handy. Your Highness, come and try on these clothes in front of the mirror."
The original three-foot-long bronze mirror in the bedroom was only enough to reflect half of a person's silhouette.
Later, the "Jade Terrace Immortal Mirror" sent by the Imperial Household Department was quite remarkable. The three mirrors were five feet long, with a frame made of rosewood, standing in a triangular shape. The mirror surface had been repeatedly polished by skilled craftsmen from Huzhou, and it was so smooth that it could reflect one's image.
If you stand in front of any mirror, you can see your makeup, the hairpins in your hair, and even the folds in your skirt through the mirrors on both sides. As the mirror light shifts, it's as if three people are doing the same thing at the same time, which is novel and interesting.
Chu Yueyuan felt tired after trying on two outfits, and casually pointed to a sunset-colored dress on the tray: "This one will do."
Just as Jin Tong was about to pick up her clothes to iron them, a tall and imposing figure suddenly appeared in front of her. She quickly bowed and greeted the Regent.
Chu Yueyuan raised her eyes and saw three cold faces staring at her quietly through the mirror, their dark eyes exceptionally deep.
She casually removed her pearl earring and instructed Jin Tong, "Go to the small kitchen and see if the bird's nest and snow pear soup is ready."
Jin Tong put down the clothes on the tray, left the dormitory, and closed the carved door.
"Why did Pei Qing come here?"
She looked at the minister who had arrived without prior notice. Her bright eyes and brows were reflected in the mirror, like layers of blooming peony petals, adding a touch of charming allure.
Seeing the young empress dowager brazenly feigning ignorance in front of him, Pei Muwei narrowed his phoenix eyes, realizing that the lovemaking that night was nothing more than a one-off affair.
He hadn't been busy with official duties lately, but he stayed overnight at the Qin Zheng Palace every night, waiting for the little palace maid who kept saying she admired him to reappear.
However, he waited for many days, until the eunuch Wang, who was guarding outside the palace, could not bear it and fell ill, and until the civil and military officials sang praises for his dedication to public service day and night, but he never saw the beautiful figure of that night.
Pei Muwei stepped forward, his long fingers brushing a strand of hair behind the woman's ear, his voice low and husky: "Your humble servant has come to see a palace maid named Niannian."
The overlapping mirrors and the interplay of light and shadow meticulously dissected the surging desire in the man's eyes, revealing every detail.
Chu Yueyuan felt her heart burning as he gazed at her with intense intensity.
In fact, she had not intentionally neglected men during this period. It was because she had her period and was too embarrassed to say it openly. So she would find an excuse to leave early when the court meeting was about to end, so as not to be detained in the imperial study by treacherous officials and cause trouble.
Seeing that she couldn't avoid it tonight, she raised her slender hand and took the initiative to hook it around the jade belt at his waist. Her eyes sparkled, and she softened her voice, saying, "Come with me to the inner chamber..."
The man, who had been neglected for seven or eight days, was clearly dissatisfied with the little comfort the woman offered.
Pei Muwei glanced at the dresses on the tray and asked in a calm tone, "Your Highness, are there any other dresses you haven't tried on yet?"
Chu Yueyuan blinked her bright eyes, somewhat puzzled as to why the Regent was suddenly concerned about her banquet attire. She simply replied truthfully, "I haven't tried on those outfits on the red lacquered tray yet, but I have already chosen the dress I like."
Pei Muwei picked up a light purple embroidered phoenix-tail dress from the tray, his dark eyes fixed on her: "Your Highness, why don't you try this one on?"
Chu Yueyuan immediately understood the man's intention. She glanced around at the three full-length mirrors that reflected everything, her face flushed red, and she decisively shook her head.
"I will not change!"
Pei Muwei stepped forward, pulling the strong-willed young Empress Dowager into his arms. His phoenix eyes held a smile, and his voice was low and deep: "Since Your Highness is being lazy, then I shall serve you..."
The weak phoenix was destined to be no match for the domineering eagle, and its magnificent feathers were soon pecked clean.
As the last piece of clothing slipped to the ground, the woman stood before the mirror. The three bronze mirrors reflected every inch of her body with exquisite detail, revealing the shyness in her eyes, the blush spreading across her skin, and her slender arms folded across her chest, all of which made the allure of her springtime beauty even more breathtaking.
Pei Muwei's dark eyes reflected the ripples of spring, with a touch of bright red at the corners, yet he still gently helped her change into her dress.
After changing into countless sets of clothes, Chu Yueyuan finally couldn't bear his torment any longer. Every time his rough fingertips caressed her skin, the calluses on her skin would tremble slightly, like ants gently biting her, a tingling sensation seeping into her bones.
She tilted her head back, stretched out her snow-white arms to climb onto his slender neck, her dark eyes shimmering with beauty, and softly called out, "Wei Jin..."
The woman called him by his courtesy name softly, her voice gentle, like a wife calling her husband, with an unconscious intimacy. Pei Muwei's throat tightened, as if he had drunk a large bowl of scalding hot deer blood soup, and his blood suddenly boiled.
His eyes darkened, and he gripped the woman's slender waist tightly with his large hand, lowering his head to kiss the lips he had been craving for days.
As the surrounding temperature rose, a thin layer of fog gradually condensed on the mirror surface.
On the misty mirror, a swaying figure was reflected. A delicate hand suddenly covered it, but in the blink of an eye, another large hand grabbed the wrist and pulled it back.
A long finger brushed across the mirror, clearing a winding trail of water. The moment the mist dissipated, the woman's wet eyes were suddenly reflected in the mirror, water droplets trembling on her eyelashes like rain-soaked butterflies, swaying unsure where to land...
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Chu Yueyuan snapped out of her reverie, looked at the eager-looking Lord Yi before her, composed herself, and smiled faintly: "I...really like the dressing mirror that Lord Yi gave me."
Lord Yi smiled so broadly that the wrinkles around his eyes blossomed into flowers: "I'm glad the Empress Dowager is satisfied. I also plan to have artisans from Huzhou craft a six-sided dressing mirror, named 'Dragon Soaring and Phoenix Dancing,' which I will present to Your Highness once it is completed..."
"Ahem...that won't be necessary..."
Chu Yueyuan had just picked up her teacup and taken a small sip, trying to soothe the ripples in her heart with the tea, when she heard Lord Yi offer up another "masterpiece" mirror.
Her hand trembled, and she almost choked.
The Regent has already created so many variations on this "Fairyland of Jade Terrace" alone. If he were to add a "Dragon Soaring and Phoenix Dancing" design, she would probably end up with nothing but fallen petals.
She said solemnly, “Many ordinary people toil for half their lives but still cannot afford a bronze mirror. They can only use water from a basin as a mirror. Huzhou is the best place in Daqi for bronze mirrors. We should put the people first and make high-quality and inexpensive bronze mirrors to benefit the common people, instead of pursuing fancy but impractical precious mirrors.”
Upon hearing this, Lord Yi immediately looked ashamed and bowed deeply: "Your Majesty's admonition is correct. It was I who put the cart before the horse, pursuing superficiality and forgetting the realities. After returning to Huzhou, I will immediately reorganize the Mirror Casting Bureau and cast mirrors for the benefit of all people!"
The Princess Consort spared no expense for this birthday banquet, not only hiring a famous opera troupe from the capital, but also building a stage in the backyard. After the guests in the banquet hall had eaten and drunk their fill, they would go to the backyard in twos and threes to watch the opera.
In front of the stage, there was a row of rosewood tables, on which lotus-shaped eight-treasure boxes were filled with various delicacies such as amber peach kernels, cherry fritters, and golden thread plums, which were exquisitely made by the candied fruit bureau. Maids held celadon teapots and poured fragrant cloud and mist tea for the guests.
Princess Anxian forced down two greasy pork knuckles, and even after drinking a bellyful of tea, her throat still felt greasy, and she felt as if a layer of lard had been smeared on her heart, making her feel uncomfortable.
Just then, she saw Lady Shen and Lady Lin arriving together, followed by a beautiful young woman dressed in blue silk.
Princess Duan's gaze fell on the woman in green, and a smile immediately appeared on her lips. She waved her fan lightly and took the initiative to greet her, "Madam Chen, Madam Lin, please come and sit here."
Madam Shen caught a glimpse of the young Empress Dowager sitting beside Princess Duan and was about to find an excuse to politely decline when Madam Lin, who was unaware of the situation, walked away with a smile.
"May Your Majesty the Empress Dowager enjoy boundless blessings, and may Princess Anxian be well."
Chu Yueyuan nodded calmly, "Madam Shen and Madam Lin, you may dispense with the formalities."
After Madam Shen and Madam Lin were seated, Princess Anxian seemed to only then notice the woman behind Madam Lin, and a perfectly timed look of surprise appeared on her face: "Oh, this must be Headmaster Lin's granddaughter, she's really beautiful. What's your name?"
Miss Lin gracefully curtsied, her voice as melodious as a nightingale's: "This humble girl, Lin Yuzhen, thanks Your Highness for your praise."
"I remember hearing about the marriage between the Shen and Lin families at the last flower arrangement banquet. Miss Lin is indeed from a scholarly family; her temperament is different from that of women from humble families. Madam Shen, I congratulate you on having such a wonderful daughter-in-law!"
Madam Shen frowned slightly and said calmly, "Your Highness is too kind. The Shen and Lin families are old friends, and I treat Yuzhen like my own daughter."
Princess Anxian seemed not to hear Madam Shen's explanation, and continued to praise Miss Lin while holding her hand, then smiled and looked at the young Empress Dowager beside her:
"Your Majesty, I remember that the Empress Dowager and Lord Shen are old acquaintances. Based on Your Highness's understanding of Lord Shen, do you think this talented man and beautiful woman are a good match?"
On the stage, the clappers rang out crisply, long sleeves fluttered in the wind, and actors in elaborate costumes and makeup appeared one after another. However, compared to the unexpected encounters between new and old fans in the audience, this meticulously rehearsed opera lost its brilliance.
Many guests craned their necks to watch the show.
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