Today is the Queen Mother's birthday banquet.
The banquet at noon will be held in the magnificent Hall of Supreme Harmony to entertain ministers, royal relatives, and others.
Su Jingyao endured the discomfort and changed into palace clothes.
Since she suffered a little harm today, she must take back ten times the benefit.
Otherwise, how can I justify the pain she is going through today?
On the day the palace dress was delivered, Su Jingyao asked Li Jin to check it carefully, and it turned out that the problem was with the needlework.
The petals of Amaryllis are layered and extremely gorgeous, and the needles and threads soaked in Amaryllis juice are densely packed and stacked layer by layer.
Even though the embroidery was completed ahead of time and left in the house for two days, the medicinal properties still did not evaporate at all.
Especially the collar and cuffs of the clothes, she felt uncomfortable just by putting them on.
If Li Jing hadn't repeatedly assured her that the effects of the amaryllis poison on her skin would be restored to their original state under his treatment, she really wouldn't want to take such a risk.
After changing into palace clothes, Su Jingyao got on the sedan chair and headed towards the Cining Palace.
Jun Zechen and the imperial concubine would also go to the Cining Palace, and then the three of them would accompany the empress dowager to the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
When the four of them arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony, everyone else had to be present, otherwise it would be a great disrespect to the royal family.
Inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, tall and straight vermilion pillars support the dome with carved beams and painted rafters.
The sunlight streamed in through the half-open window lattices, forming golden beams of light that added a mysterious and sacred glow to the entire hall.
A sharp eunuch voice suddenly rang out.
"Your Majesty has arrived, the Empress Dowager has arrived, the Imperial Concubine has arrived, the Pure Concubine has arrived—"
Su Jingyao followed Jun Zechen gracefully, and the imperial concubine followed the empress dowager respectfully.
The four of them walked together in the spacious and solemn center of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The auspicious dress that the Queen Mother wore today was dazzling, and she was very satisfied with it.
The imperial concubine put all her attention on the empress dowager's auspicious attire and the arrangements for the banquet, so naturally she would not let anything go wrong at the banquet.
The palace dress she wore today also looked golden, with every detail carefully sewn with gold and silver threads.
In comparison, Su Jingyao's palace dress looks the most ordinary.
However, her fair skin, black hair, and bright red lips made her look exceptionally beautiful, like a bright pearl shining in the hall.
After hearing the eunuch's shout, everyone in the hall stood up and knelt to greet him respectfully.
"Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty, and a thousand years of long live the Empress Dowager."
"Your Highness, Your Highness, May you be blessed with good health and happiness."
"Stand up."
Jun Zechen sat upright on the highest dragon throne, his face serious and his voice majestic. His deep and powerful voice echoed in the hall.
Su Jingyao turned her eyes slightly and her gaze fell on the position of the minister on the left. Her father was in a conspicuous position in the front and could be easily seen at a glance.
Su Jingyao raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and gave her father a well-behaved and sweet smile, with a hint of playfulness and intimacy.
When Father Su saw his daughter's smile, he smiled back lovingly.
However, he only glanced at his daughter's palace dress, and then looked at the imperial concubine's palace dress.
His eyes couldn't help but darken. His daughter had always been dressed in gorgeous clothes at home. She had never worn such a dress which he considered "crudely made".
If this imperial concubine makes another mistake, he will definitely find an opportunity to impeach her. She is just a country girl and is not worthy of being above his daughter.
Afterwards, just like every other banquet, Jun Zechen stood up and made a solemn speech, congratulating the emperor on his eternal rule and the empress dowager on her birthday.
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall was filled with singing and dancing, and the court officials began to offer wine to each other. It was very lively for a while.
Among the concubines in the harem, except Su Jingyao and the imperial concubine who sat firmly on the high seats, the other concubines were separated by screens.
After all, women who enter the palace cannot easily meet outsiders.
Only the four concubines and the queen could do so, because they were on the royal list and were members of the royal family with extremely noble status.
Unless the other people in the harem have explicit permission from their superiors, they are absolutely not allowed to see their family members, let alone outsiders.
As the banquet was coming to an end, some princes and princesses began to stand up and present gifts to the Queen Mother.
The gifts from the concubines had already been given in advance.
At this time, Princess Minghui, who was raised by the Empress Dowager since childhood because her mother died early, stood up.
"Mother, I present you today with a phoenix-head incense burner made of pure gold and inlaid with sapphires, emeralds, and other precious gems. I hope you enjoy it."
"Okay, Minghui is thoughtful. I like it very much." The Queen Mother said with a smile, her eyes full of love and joy.
Su Jingyao turned her head slightly and glanced at Princess Minghui's gift. It was indeed extremely luxurious and valuable, and the dazzling light was even a little blinding.
In comparison, the gifts presented by the princes and princesses before seemed a bit petty.
Fortunately, the gifts from the concubines were not displayed in public in the palace, otherwise, many of them might not be presentable.
After all, not all concubines come from prominent families, and some of them would give handmade items as a token of their affection.
However, whether the Queen Mother can accept their so-called sincerity is still unknown.
When Princess Minghui heard the Queen Mother's affirmation of her, her face immediately showed a look of pride.
My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It will be even more exciting later!
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