Chapter 31 Celebration Banquet
The lights are on and the moon is high in the sky.
The exquisite and gorgeous palace lanterns twinkled in the night sky like stars, decorating the entire palace in a poetic and picturesque way, making people feel as if they were in a fairyland.
Inside the Wuying Hall, a majestic and solemn five-clawed golden dragon hovered on the golden pillars with double eaves made of golden nanmu, which could barely be embraced by many people.
Delicacies, fine wines, seasonal fruits, and melon and fruit snacks were presented in an orderly manner by beautiful palace maids with spiral buns and wearing pink jackets.
The officials, wearing crimson and blue court robes, were divided into two rows, civil and military, and sat down with laughter and conversation.
In the back hall, the concubines and princesses took their seats early.
The ladies of high rank wore imperial robes and hair accessories appropriate to their rank.
The phoenix pattern was used on the shawls of first- and second-rank ladies, princesses of counties, and wives of dukes and marquises.
The chapei of ladies of the third and fourth ranks is decorated with peacock patterns, while the chapei of ladies of the fifth rank is decorated with mandarin duck patterns.
The shawls of ladies of the sixth and seventh ranks have magpie patterns, while those of ladies of the eighth and ninth ranks have no patterns.
A wife’s honor and glory due to her husband is not as great as a mother’s honor and glory due to her son. Many of the ladies present relied on their sons rather than their husbands to ask for titles.
Ye Mingyan was a first-rank lady with an imperial title. She wore a five-pheasant crown on her head and a shawl embroidered with cloud and phoenix patterns, making her look particularly young among the other ladies of the imperial family.
Who made her become a second-rank imperial lady before she was even thirty? It’s not bad for her to be a noble wife, and after she turned thirty, she was directly promoted to a first-rank imperial lady.
Bai Zhi combed Su Zhenzhen's hair into a bun today and put a golden crabapple flower crown on her head. Although the crown was small and exquisite, it was very delicate.
The inlaid pigeon blood ruby is of appropriate size, and the golden and red crabapple corolla is majestic and luxurious.
The pink tourmaline of crabapple blossoms gently fell on the girl's snow-white and smooth forehead, which was beautiful beyond words.
The girl was wearing a light pink brocade flowing skirt with a gold-woven cloud pattern, and lightly made up. She looked like an ethereal being, as beautiful as the goddess of the crabapple flower.
The main hall of the Weiyang Palace was brightly lit.
Emperor Rong Yue was wearing a black and gold woven nine-dragon uniform today, and a Tongtian crown on his head. He was leaning in front of a golden nanmu chaise longue, holding a book in one hand and sipping cherry pancakes in the other.
Through the jade-lined palace lantern with a glass exterior painted with flowers and birds of the four seasons, I saw a pair of perfect lovers walking hand in hand.
The stunning girl in the light pink dress and the handsome young man in the royal blue brocade robe, their petite stature and tall figure complement each other very well, making them a perfect match.
He waved warmly, and before they were about to salute, he said, "Chen'er and Zhenzhen, don't be so reserved. Come and keep your father company and fill his stomach."
Rong Jinchen brought Su Zhenzhen to Weiyang Palace first because he knew that she had overslept during her nap today and didn't have time to fill her stomach.
She only liked to eat seasonal fruits and pastries as snacks, so she came to her father to get some.
Su Zhenzhen smiled sweetly and said, "Father, do you have any fruitwood roast duck? I'd like to try some."
She has been craving this for two days. How can there be such delicious roast duck in the world?
Su Zhenzhen can eat half a banana a week!
Rong Yue was slightly startled when he saw Su Zhenzhen start to order dishes without any hesitation. Then he smiled and said, "Yes, Zhenzhen, if you want to eat, your father has plenty." He then teased, "Chen'er, do you want your father to reward you with a chef?"
After Su Zhenzhen cleaned her hands, she sat down on the other side of the imperial concubine's couch, and Rong Jinchen also sat down.
Looking at the intimate and natural pair of children opposite him, Rong Yue stroked his beautiful beard with a smile, his still handsome face full of smiles.
Yu Fuhai was very clever. The day before yesterday, he saw that His Majesty, His Royal Highness the Prince of Yan, and Miss Su had all used a lot of fruit wood roast duck, so he had ordered people to prepare it in advance.
Sure enough, he guessed right, the food was served at the perfect time.
I was also worried that the roast duck rolls would leave a bad taste in my mouth, so I asked someone to add some five-spice balls, which are similar to modern chewing gum.
Rong Jinchen looked at her wrist, which was as soft, delicate and white as mutton-fat jade, and his eyes deepened.
Su Zhenzhen looked down at the gold-threaded pearl bracelet on her hand and said in a soft voice, "Chenchen, what's wrong?"
She thought the bracelet was very luxurious and she liked it.
Rong Yue nibbled on the roast duck rolls with unrestrained movements, a hint of smile flashing across his phoenix eyes. "Bracelets look good on Zhenzhen. I'll pick some up from Father later."
Rong Jinchen pursed his lips and spoke to Su Zhenzhen in a low voice, just loud enough for Rong Yue to hear.
"My dear, don't be polite to the emperor. He is very rich."
She raised her eyes and looked at Rong Yue without any hesitation. "Father, the pair of gold-thread bracelets with double dragons playing with pearls, the imperial green jade bracelet, the mutton-fat white jade imperial concubine bracelet, the filigree ruby and golden phoenix pearl hairpin..."
Su Zhenzhen looked at Rong Jinchen with a little surprise. How did he know so much?
Could it be that he often goes into His Majesty's private vault?
Rong Jinchen raised his lips slightly, "Father is rich and powerful, we can always rely on him for support."
After all, he was just an ordinary prince with an annual salary of 20,000 taels.
Rong Yue looked at his beloved son teaching his future daughter-in-law to live off his parents, and although he seemed disgusted, he actually felt warm inside.
Chen'er is so filial.
He wanted his father to support him for the rest of his life.
At this time, a dispute broke out in the back hall of Wuying Palace.
Qi Gongren, the mother of the fourth-rank Xuanwu General Qi Yide, looked at the seat next to her and her face turned red with anger.
She wore a shawl embroidered with cloud and peacock patterns, a dark red Song brocade gown, and a single phoenix crown. Although she was only in her early forties, her hair was slightly gray.
Qi Tian looked at the old friend in front of her whom she hadn't seen for many years, pursed her lips, and stared at her with resentment.
After staying at the border for many years, Qi Tian's skin color is no longer fair. Because of the difficult life and overwork, it is believable that she looks nearly fifty years old.
The person she was looking at was her step-wife Qi Xu, who was a fourth-rank official in the Imperial College.
She has fair skin, a pretty face, and is well-maintained. She looks to be in her early thirties.
The chief academic officer of the Imperial College was a civil official, and she should have sat with the ladies of civil officials, but she had a lot of trouble asking the master to grant her an imperial decree.
This was the first time she appeared at a palace banquet in her life. She was so beautiful that she couldn't walk, and then she found a seat and sat down.
Today, palace maids and eunuchs came and went, and most of the ladies were familiar faces who frequently attended palace banquets. Qi Xu did not hear clearly what the young eunuch who led the way said.
Then she took the wrong turn.
After all, the court robes of women of high rank were not divided into civil and military types like those of officials.
He was observing the magnificent and bustling palace with a look of curiosity.
She didn't notice the secret disdainful looks from the ladies around her.
Just when she was about to pull the person over to talk, she found a middle-aged woman looking at her with anger and resentment.
"I am the wife of Qi Jijiu, the Imperial College. Who are you?"
Qi Tian calmed down and said, "My son is Qi Yide, a fourth-rank Xuanwu general."
"Mrs. Xu, I haven't seen you for many years. You've been promoted from a concubine to a legitimate wife."
The ladies around first learned that the wife of the Imperial College's chief academic officer had taken the wrong road, and then heard that another noble lady seemed familiar to her.
Oh no.
There are big melons!
Qi Xu's originally smiling face suddenly turned paler than a dead person.
She suddenly realized that this person's face overlapped with the beautiful face from many years ago...
"Ah..." He fell to the ground in shock, his face pale. "Help! Are you a human or a ghost?"
At this time, Su Zhenzhen was sent to the back hall by Rong Jinchen and Emperor Rong Yue.
I just happened to see this scene of impoliteness in front of the emperor.
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