Chapter 76: Gaining the trust of Lu Tingwan and being close to that person?
In an instant, everyone was immersed in the sound of wind instruments. As the eunuch's sharp voice sounded, Li Tingfeng appeared, and the music at the banquet came to an abrupt end.
Everyone saluted in unison: "Long live our emperor, and a thousand years of life for Concubine Rong."
Lu Tingwancheng felt that the banquet was not as simple as an ordinary birthday party because the empress dowager did not show up.
"My dear ministers, please rise. Today is Concubine Rong's birthday banquet. I will drink with you."
Officials and their families raised their glasses to celebrate.
After Jiang Haiyi sat down, he asked first, "The Empress Dowager hasn't arrived yet."
"The Empress Dowager is ill today," Li Tingfeng said, glancing over. "I was unable to attend. I just came from Jinhua Palace, so there's no need for you, Duke."
This is Jiang Haiyi, Lu Tingwu's father-in-law. Lu Tingwan glanced over there unconsciously and met Lu Tingwu's gaze.
Lu Tingwan smiled, raised his glass and nodded. Lu Tingwu turned sideways and called Jiang Yanli. Jiang Yanli stopped and looked in the direction of Lu Tingwu's wine cup and nodded to Lu Tingwan.
Lu Tingwan knew that her brother-in-law had nothing to say about Lu Tingwu, so he would not have any prejudice against her because she was a member of the Lu family.
At least to her, the Jiang family, the Lu family, the Cheng family, or the Gongsun family are all the same.
Her stance has never been on the Lu family, nor on the Cheng family, nor on anything else. She is just herself.
The aristocratic families were fighting overtly and covertly, and factions were ganging up on each other to attack those who were dissident. Because of her identity as Lu Mingqian's daughter, she was dragged into the turmoil. That was not the destination she wanted.
Rongpin smiled kindly, her gaze originally fixed on Lu Tingwu. She could still vividly remember the piece Lu Tingwu had played at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet. She couldn't help but say, "Mrs. Jiang Ershao and Doctor Jiang are newlyweds. They're a perfect match, a perfect match. I'm so envious of them."
Lu Tingwu and Jiang Yanli stood up. Lu Tingwu bowed and Jiang Yanli cupped his hands in greeting.
"Thanks to the grace of the Empress Dowager, you have granted us a good marriage. Your Majesty and I are a match made in heaven, which makes me very envious. Today is your birthday banquet, and I would like to offer a glass of sake to wish Dalan a prosperous and peaceful era. My lord is kind to the people and all things, and he is the ruler of Dalan's prosperity, and the people want him." Lu Tingwu was dignified and steady, and her words were just right. Even Jiang Haiyi, who always looked down on others, respected this daughter-in-law a little.
"The daughter of the Lu family is indeed talented and eloquent, brave and resourceful, and also righteous," Li Tingfeng said. "Lu Pushe really has a good way of educating his daughter. For the Jiang and Cheng families to each have a daughter is really icing on the cake."
At first, it was just praising Lu Tingwu, but the more he spoke later, the more Lu Tingwan felt that he was talking about himself.
"Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. I am unworthy of it. Your daughter has been sensible and obedient since she was young, but..." Lu Mingqian glanced at Lu Tingwan's position, shook his head, and stopped talking.
When Lu Mingqian sighed, Lu Tingwan laughed secretly in his heart, but what?
It's just that she is a concubine's daughter and refuses to be disciplined.
Rongpin continued, "Even before she married, Miss Lu was already famous throughout Kyoto. She and the daughter of the Minister of the Central Secretariat rose to fame. They were a pair of beauties, and were the epitome of women from aristocratic families in Kyoto."
Gongsun Xue, who was standing by, received Rongpin's praise and also stood up to express her gratitude.
Rongpin nodded in response, and Gongsun Xue sat down again.
"I heard that Minister Cheng sent troops to Tanzhou to suppress the bandits. Madam Cheng has been unable to sleep or eat, and has been chanting sutras and praying for him. Your Majesty, there are so many perfect couples in Kyoto that I am overwhelmed with envy."
Li Tingfeng coughed lightly a few times. Although he was sick, he felt happy when he heard the gentle voice. Rongpin's father was just a small official of the fifth rank and had no party or faction in the court. This was the important reason why Li Tingfeng doted on her.
Since there was no heir in the harem, Li Tingfeng did not dare to touch the women sent by the aristocratic families. Even the concubines he had favored would be fed with contraceptive drugs without anyone knowing.
Therefore, there was no good news in the harem for a long time. In addition, Li Tingfeng had always been in weak health, so he had to choose a woman with a good family background like Rongpin as his choice to reproduce offspring.
Queen Mother Jiang knew Li Tingfeng's character, otherwise, when the Jiang family had no girls of marriageable age to send to the harem, she could have let the girls from the Lu family enter the palace to serve. Since she knew that Li Tingfeng could not keep girls from aristocratic families, Lu Tingwu was spared the fate of entering the palace.
"Mr. Cheng has been busy with the training of new recruits in the military training grounds recently. I heard that the bandit army has changed its appearance and has even surpassed the sons of noble families of the former imperial guards. I wonder if this is true?" Li Tingfeng said.
Cheng Xianzhi adjusted his sleeves and nodded slightly, saying, "Your Majesty, among this group of new soldiers, there is indeed a capable man. He is Xie Zhao, who is from Qingyao Mountain. He is well versed in weapons and equipment. I was fortunate enough to witness him during the previous attack on Qingyao Mountain."
"Oh? Although Dalan is rich in resources and has produced many generals and wise rulers, it is rare to find someone proficient in bows and crossbows. In this case, Cheng Qing's trip to Tanzhou has indeed found a talented person for Dalan."
"Your Majesty's benevolent government and patriotism will naturally attract talented people from all over the world."
"When I was a prince in my early years, I also loved reading mechanical books in the Sutra Library, but the mysteries in them were too profound. After my father passed away, I devoted myself to government affairs and never mentioned this matter again. I am quite interested in the person that Minister Cheng mentioned. Since he has a deep understanding of mechanical research, he should be transferred to the Ministry of Works, so that I can see his magical powers." Li Tingfeng spread his sleeves, and Cheng Xianzhi nodded in acceptance.
Lu Tingwan heard everything clearly from the back seat. The emperor and Cheng Xianzhi were speaking in unison, not giving anyone else a chance to speak.
Cheng Xianzhi wanted her to be appreciated by Rongpin, but now it doesn't seem like she has a good impression of him.
She has some knowledge of music, chess, calligraphy and painting but is not proficient in them. As for the arts, she has only recently learned the basics. This Concubine Rong does not seem to be interested in these things.
Lu Tingwan looked around several times, and Rongpin felt that someone was looking at her frequently. She felt alert and followed the direction of his gaze. She found Lu Tingwan staring at her.
Rongpin was originally feeling uncomfortable, but Lu Tingwan nodded respectfully after meeting her gaze.
Because of her status, Rongpin couldn't refute him in public even though she felt uncomfortable. Instead, she asked, "Is this Madam Cheng Er?"
"Your humble servant Lu Tingwan greets Concubine Rong." Lu Tingwan's voice was gentle, and Cheng Xianzhi in front of him was not used to it. This was not the way she usually spoke to him.
"Were you looking at me just now?"
Humbly asking, "Your Majesty, I am here to see you."
Rongpin was a little surprised by Lu Tingwan's behavior. She covered her face with a handkerchief and looked at Li Tingfeng shyly.
"Why is Madam Cheng staring at me?"
Lu Tingwan stood up and said solemnly, "Greetings, Her Majesty Rong. I apologize for being rude, but I've always been very interested in makeup, so I've done some research. Today, I saw that Her Majesty's makeup was very sophisticated. The lines of black ink at the ends of her eyes and the smudged eyelids complement each other perfectly, making her look like a sleeping beauty. She also used indigo to smudge her eye sockets, making them deep and bright. Paired with the bird feather hairpin on your forehead, and your colorful dress with bird patterns, you are truly poetic and picturesque. I was distracted for a moment, so please forgive me, Her Majesty."
After Lu Tingwan's description, it was clear that any girl in the boudoir would have some understanding of makeup. However, the ingenuity of Rongpin's design was seen through by Lu Tingwan, which made Rongpin feel extremely satisfied and in a good mood.
"It turns out that Madam Cheng is also so devoted to makeup." Rongpin then set her eyes on Lu Tingwan's makeup.
Across from the green spring scenery of Yongle Palace, she chose a light makeup today. Her cheeks were painted with light pink rouge, which was only applied in small areas. Her eye makeup was only drawn with a black pen, and the eyeliner was just touched to the end of the eye. Without the outline of the line, there was no boldness.
The eye sockets were smudged with light blue powder, the color was not too heavy, and paired with the aquamarine peony and silver-patterned chest-length skirt she had chosen herself, she looked light and elegant, more like a deer in the forest, agile and charming.
"It's just my interest. Your Majesty, I'm too kind," Lu Tingwan said after a moment of contemplation. "I have some experience with hairpins and flowers. I wonder if Your Majesty has heard of Jiangling's hairpins and flower makeup."
When Lu Mingqian heard about Jiang Ling, he wondered what trouble his daughter was going to cause next.
"Empress Rong, my daughter has lacked discipline since childhood and doesn't know etiquette. If I have offended you, I will take you home and discipline you. Today is your birthday banquet..."
Cheng Xianzhi, who was completely absorbed in tasting the wine, could not help but raise his eyes and said coldly, "Lu Pushe, since Lu Tingwan has married into the Cheng family, if she behaves in a rude and disrespectful manner, it is the Cheng family who should discipline her."
Rongpin said, "It's alright. Madam Cheng is straightforward and has similar interests to mine. She is very much to my liking. There's no need for you two ladies to be too nervous."
"As for hairpins and makeup, I heard about it from an old maid in the palace. If Madam Cheng is free, please come to the palace to discuss it with me. You can also spend your free time with me."
"It's your honor." Lu Tingwan quickly agreed.
When he turned around, he glanced at Cheng Xianzhi. Cheng Xianzhi smiled, as if his goal had been achieved, and drank the wine cup calmly.
Gongsun Xue glanced at him from time to time, paying attention to his emotions. He had just spoken up for Lu Tingwan.
He has always been a person who doesn't like to meddle in other people's business and is a smart guy. However, when Lu Tingwan openly showed off, he was easily annoyed, which made Gongsun Xue feel a sense of crisis for no reason.
Cheng Xianzhi seemed to notice the gaze of the person beside him. His expression was calm, revealing a touch of warmth. He picked up the jade chopsticks on the jade butterfly, picked up the raw silk Jiang Yao on the jade plate, and placed it on Gongsun Xue's plate.
"This raw shredded Jiangyao is crispy and refreshing, appetizing but not greasy. Xue'er, give it a try."
The gloom just now also dissipated. She took it obediently and put it into her mouth carefully, chewing it slowly, with a gentle look on her face.
Cheng Xianzhi was overwhelmed by her naked love and just responded indifferently.
After the birthday banquet, Rongpin deliberately kept Lu Tingwan, not only because she shared similar interests with Lu Tingwan, but also because she was now the Guardian Marquis appointed by His Majesty. His Majesty relied on Cheng Xianzhi, although Cheng Xianzhi had a deep relationship with Gongsun Xue.
However, at the banquet, he defended Lu Tingwan in the face of Lu Mingqian's accusations and praised him in Hanzhang Palace. In addition, Lu Tingwan had previously offended the Queen Mother by pleading for him in Hanzhang Palace. Although he did not openly point it out, the undercurrent was obvious to everyone.
As for why Lu Tingwan abandoned the Lu family and turned to Cheng Xianzhi, Rongpin had no way of knowing.
Half a month had passed since the banquet, and Concubine Rong held a small flower-viewing banquet. Lu Tingwan received an invitation from Yongle Palace, and the families of officials from Kyoto were also on the guest list.
The headdress and makeup that Rongpin wore for the event were all made by Lu Tingwan. Today, she made a hairpin and flower makeup for Rongpin, which just blended in with this spring flower-viewing banquet.
"Mrs. Cheng's craftsmanship is comparable to that of the female officials in the palace." Concubine Rong stroked the hairpin with flowers.
"Your Majesty has delicate facial features and skin as white as snow. She doesn't need too much embellishment to be the most beautiful among all the beauties. But this hairpin and makeup need to be grand." Lu Tingwan continued to insert different flowers into the headdress. They were all picked by the palace maids from the imperial garden. The colors were mainly white, pink and blue.
Rongpin felt as if there was a garden above her head, with the faint fragrance of flowers wafting in her.
Lu Tingwan's novel makeup was appreciated by officials and their wives at the flower-viewing banquet, and this hairpin-flower makeup also became popular among the people in Kyoto. The flower market's business increased several times, and rouge shops followed suit, developing rouge colors based on the hairpin-flower makeup, which led to a business chain that was all the rage for a time.
When the Queen Mother learned about it, she sent people to investigate. In Jinhua Palace, Palace Master Hong handed over a freshly picked peony. Queen Mother Jiang took it and smelled it.
He asked casually, "Has Lu Tingwan been close to that person from Yongle Palace recently?"
Palace Master Hong bowed, "Your Majesty, at Concubine Rong's birthday banquet, Madam Cheng and Concubine Rong had a very pleasant conversation. Afterwards, Yongle Palace held a flower viewing banquet, and Madam Cheng even made a meticulously designed hairpin flower makeup for Concubine Rong. It's said that this was a skill used by fishermen in Jiangling to make a living. Nowadays, the people of Kyoto are vying to imitate this hairpin flower makeup, and the flower shops in the city are booming, and even the flower farmers in the suburbs are doing the same."
"His Majesty even specially rewarded Lu Tingwan for this."
"Lu Tingwan is so bold that he returned to Kyoto and was given the empty title of Protector. Now he wants to rely on the Yongle Palace for support."
"Aren't you unwilling to stay in the palace? Why do you want to get involved with Concubine Rong again?" Queen Mother Jiang seemed to be thinking about something.
"He disappeared for a while, and then returned to Kyoto because of Minister Cheng. Is he going to be his permanent ally?" Hong Zhanggong guessed.
"His Majesty has given her the empty title of Marquis of Guardian, which not only gives face to the Lu family but also to the Cheng family. Whatever she wants, Cheng Xianzhi has to appease her to get it."
"Your Majesty is absolutely right."
"How is the emperor's health recently?" Queen Mother Jiang inserted the peony.
"Rongpin's spirits have improved since the birthday banquet. Recently, the imperial physician was summoned to Guangling Palace to take her pulse. Her pulse is sometimes better and sometimes worse."
"The emperor was weak in childhood, and the imperial physicians would not have survived his early twenties. Now he is almost thirty. If it were not for this condition, the imperial heirs would not have been so decimated."
"The emperor rarely visited other palaces and mostly stayed in Yongle Palace, but there was no activity in Yongle Palace either."
Queen Mother Jiang waved her hand and said, "I remember that there is a hundred-year-old ginseng in the storehouse sent by the Lingnan prefect. Let's send it to Guangling Palace tomorrow."
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