The Holy Birthday Festival is a major event in the imperial court, especially if the emperor intends to do a big thing, which has a greater influence. For Taohua, the most intuitive impact is that the six rites drawn up by the Ministry of Rites for her will be put after the Holy Birthday Festival.

It's a bit unorthodox to say. If according to the royal rules, the six ceremonies are completed one by one, and this will be delayed for at least a year to show solemnity. However, the auspicious day for marriage selected by Qin Tianjian has been set by the emperor as the ninth day of October, and if you start to ask for names after the Holy Birthday Festival, there will only be less than four months in between, and you will not be in such a hurry.

"This is obviously the Ministry of Rites making things difficult for the prince!" Dieyi puffed and said.

Cicada Yi was embroidering a bed of tents, and when she heard this, she said, "Actually, there is nothing." The emperor was married in the first month, and it was nearly a year until October, which is not unorthodox. ”

"Why doesn't it count?" Dieyi's eyes widened, "It's only the birthday of the saint in June, why can't you ask for a name in the past few months?" It has to be delayed until this time! "With an interval of about half a year, this matter is decent.

The cicada clothes didn't raise his head and said: "Or let the prince go to the emperor and move the wedding date to next year?" ”

"How can this work...... "Butterfly's clothes wilted. The Ministry of Rites saw that the prince was over the age of weak, and he couldn't wait, so he dared to do such a thing.

Cicada Yi said lightly: "This doesn't work, that doesn't work, what do you say?" ”

Dieyi was silent. Those of them who served the prince personally could see that the prince was eager to marry Miss Jiang as soon as possible, even if he was old enough to wait, he would not be willing to wait any longer.

Cicada Yi embroidered the gauze tent and beckoned Dieyi to branch it with her to see the effect: "You have time to say this, why don't you help me lock this tent quickly, seeing that the weather is getting hot, the prince's tent should be changed." ”

Dieyi stuck out her tongue and hurriedly said, "I'll lock it, I'll lock it, Ming'er will do it." "During this time, there was a lot of noise about whether the Queen Mother wanted an amnesty for the Holy Birthday, and the people who watched the excitement also forgot the time, and it was about to enter June in the blink of an eye.

Cicada Yi said with a straight face: "I told you earlier, we are serving the prince, just listen to other things, serving the prince is the duty, is the most important!" ”

Dieyi lowered her head and listened to her lecture a few words, and hurriedly said in the gap: "The prince should come back from the palace at this time, I'll go and see if the lotus seed soup in the kitchen is boiled." Sister, don't worry, I will lock this tent tomorrow. After saying that, he quickly slipped away.

It should be said that Dieyi's time was estimated accurately, and after a while, Shen Shu stepped into the county king's mansion. Wu Zheng saw that there was a relaxed look on his face, and he knew that the matter was mostly done, and asked with a smile: "Lord Wang, but the pardon has come down?" ”

"Sir, God counts." Shen Shu was indeed in a good mood, "Today, Lu Xian made a setback, and the Yu party had no objections, and the emperor 'reluctantly' agreed." Next year is the Queen Mother's full life, what grace is there, and it is not too late to give it next year. "As for whether or not to be gracious next year, that's for another matter.

"It's just that in this way, my subordinates are a little worried about Miss Jiang."

Shen Shu's eyes sank slightly: "I think so too." It's just that she said that Yu Ge is old and stubborn, and she won't put women in her eyes. But—send someone to follow her, lest anything happens. ”

Wu Zheng nodded: "This matter is arranged in the future." In addition, the Ministry of Rites sent the day of the six salutes, as well as gift lists and other things. ”

"I listened to the emperor in the palace." Shen Shu didn't bother to look at it, "The Queen Mother's birthday has become an excuse for them." ”

"According to the subordinates, don't be too concerned at this time, it's important to get married early. I'm just afraid that Miss Jiang will be dissatisfied. ”

Thinking of Taohua, Shen Shu smiled slightly: "How could she not know such a truth?" It's just that Taohua cares about the overall situation, and he also has to make her face, "Remember that my father left me something?" ”

"Yes." Wu Zheng was a little puzzled. When the first emperor was dying, he left some antiques, jewelry, calligraphy and paintings for his young son in the far northwest, and also left two imperial villages. These things, the Queen Mother, as the victor, was naturally quite generous, and they were all sealed, claiming that they would be delivered when Shen Shucheng returned to the capital in the future.

After Shen Shu returned to Beijing, he didn't move these things. After all, his county king's mansion has only been built for a short time, where will he put it when he gets a bunch of things?

"Could it be that the prince wants to-"

Shen Shu nodded: "I can't use these things in vain, Mr. Lao will go and give half of them to the Jiang family, and the other half will be put into the dowry." "Half of it is a dowry, and half is a dowry for Taohua, which is more beautiful.

Wu Zheng was dumbfounded and said, "...... All, all? "The dowry is the man's vacation, but it belongs to the woman after it is finished, whether the woman's family keeps it herself, or puts it in the dowry and brings it over, it belongs to the woman's private property. Shen Shu's words are equivalent to giving most of the things left to him by the first emperor to the Jiang family girl.

"Nature." Shen Shu thought for a while, and said, "It's good that she likes it herself." In addition, after all these years, there may not be anyone doing something in private, Mr. Find someone with the eye to take a look, don't give away fake things. "Antiques are relatively easy to manipulate, and if someone finds out in the future, it will become a joke.

The queen mother's holy birthday festival is very exquisite, the emperor not only pardoned a group of people, but also gave incense oil in various temples in the capital, and lit 5,900 sea lanterns on the day of the holy birthday to pray for the queen mother.

In addition, it is of course a common practice for foreign women to enter the palace to congratulate and give banquets. Although Taohua has not yet married, since she has received the emperor's decree to marry, even the wedding date has been set, and the queen mother has summoned her to the palace.

"Holy Birthday is a big day, there are many people entering the palace, and the girl only needs to have good rules on the surface." The surnamed Zheng, who was sent by the Shangyi Bureau to guide Taohua's rules, looked as rigid as Aunt Hai's, but when he got along, he knew that his temperament was much better, "It's just that it is estimated that the Queen Mother will call the girl over, so you must not make a mistake at this time." ”

Taohua felt that there was no need to think about this at all, the Queen Mother was going to call her over eight to nine times out of ten. However, in front of the public, it is estimated that the Queen Mother will not be able to make things difficult for her obviously.

Aunt Zheng also had the same opinion: "At most, let the girl be blessed for a while when she salutes, but on such an occasion, it will not be too much." However, most of the snacks or dishes served to girls may not be convenient to eat. ”

Inconvenient to eat, refers to serving you those snacks that are easy to drop the residue or dishes that need to be peeled, and if you don't eat well, it is easy to lose your demeanor and be laughed at.

Taohua has to admire some people's heads, how can they come up with so many tricks for the whole person, why is it bad to have all this time to think about something? What's the point of these petty stumbling blocks?

"Don't underestimate these things, girl." Aunt Zheng looked at Taohua's new clothes critically, and motioned for Mint to add two more beaded flowers to her head, and then nodded to indicate that it was okay, "The palace pays attention to this." Although it is not very interesting, after all, it follows the local customs. The girl will be the princess of the county in the future, and if there is any rudeness, it will inevitably attract discussion, and maybe there will be a meeting with the king of Anjun. After all, those who come out of the family also value these. ”

Taohua sighed: "I understand. Thank you aunt. "What Aunt Zheng has told her in the past few months is not only the manners and rules, but also the taboos in the palace and even the temperament, words and deeds of the concubines and concubines of the palace. In her words: "It is not required that the girl be virtuous in terms of etiquette, but it is impossible to find fault with others in her behavior." That is to say, it is enough to do more than eighty-five points in the matter of prostration, but it is better to meet people and talk about people, and talk nonsense when you see ghosts. If you really can't do it, at least don't say that it will violate the other party's taboo.

"Girl-" Kikyo Er went back to serve Jiang Bohua happily since Aunt Hai was sent back to the palace, and at this moment she blinked her eyes and poked her head out of the door, with an irrepressible look of excitement, but as soon as she saw Aunt Zheng, she quickly put away her smile and lowered her head and stood in a proper manner.

Aunt Zheng said with a little reproach: "No matter what happens, you can't be so out of shape when you enter the girl's room." What if there is a guest in the girl's room? Or in the future, when the girl marries into the county king's mansion, and the prince is in the room, can she be so reckless? The girl is a kind person, so you should know the rules. Otherwise, if outsiders know, they will not say that you are rude, but they will say that the girl cannot be controlled. ”

Kikyo's head was almost down to his chest, and he didn't dare to breathe for the training. Seeing her pitiful appearance, Taohua couldn't help but smile and shook her head: "Auntie spare her this time." She is still sensible these days, but now I don't know what is happy to be like this, so she forgot the rules. ”

Since Aunt Dahai came, the people in Taohua's courtyard have been restrained. Later, when Aunt Zheng came back, she also had to teach them the rules, so the maids' actions these days were different from before, and there was a new atmosphere. It's the first time in a few months that the bellflower has been stuck in the peach house like today.

Aunt Zheng had already signaled before she came, knowing that this future princess of the county was quite popular with the emperor, so naturally she would not be too responsible for her maid, so she nodded and said: "Since the girl said so, don't thank the girl quickly, don't do it again in the future." ”

The bellflower hurriedly saluted Taohua, and only after getting up did she say, "The county king's mansion has sent a lot of things, the girl should go and have a look." In the end, he still couldn't hold back, the corners of his mouth turned up again, and he showed a big smile.

Taohua also felt curious when she saw this girl like this. Shen Shu wants to send something here every now and then, and it is said that it will not make Kikyo Er happy like this, what kind of good things are you sending?

Aunt Zheng is a very discerning person, and she will never stop her at this time, so she said: "The girl is tired for most of the day, so it's good to go and relax." ”

In order to enter the palace, Aunt Zheng specially instructed to make new clothes, and said that the jewelry should not be too little, so she simply put on all the head and face inlaid with red treasures that Jing gave at the beginning, and then practiced the salute.

Jing's shot was generous, the face was made of red gold, and it did look magnificent when inserted, but the weight was also full, Taohua had been on the top for a long time and already felt that her scalp was hurting, and she couldn't wait for Aunt Zheng's voice, so she quickly freed her head and followed the bellflower.

After moving to the new house, Jiang Xi specially allocated a few rooms next to Taohua's small courtyard to serve as her private treasury, so as to prepare her dowry - although it was said that the Internal Affairs Office would prepare the dowry according to the specifications of the princess of the county, but those things were all to cope with the scene, and Jiang Xi naturally had to prepare them for her daughter.

Now, the door of the warehouse that was originally going to be used to install the new furniture was open, and there were ten wooden boxes in it, and a middle-aged man was standing in the warehouse talking to Jiang Xi, and when he saw Taohua coming, he clenched his fists: "I've seen the girl." ”

This person Taohua recognized-Wu Zheng, a strategist from the northwest, had seen him in the process of purchasing medicinal materials before, but at that time, it was mainly Jiang Xi who dealt with him. He actually came to deliver these things today, which must be very important.

But before Taohua asked, Jiang Xi said happily: "Sister Tao, these are sent to you by the prince of the county as a dowry." ”

Trousseau? Taohua looked at Wu Zheng in surprise. She thought that Shen Shu should still send things over, but it should be the same as the box of gems sent before, but what happened to these ten big boxes?

This spare room is the largest of the storerooms, and it was originally used for the preparation of bed cabinets, which can be seen as spacious. But now ten boxes are also full of ground, so many things, where did Shen Shu move them from?

Wu Zheng twisted his mustache and said with a smile: "These are all left by the first emperor to the prince, and they have been sealed in the Internal Affairs Office. A few days ago, the prince went to see it, picked up these and sent them to the girl, and the other half would be used as a dowry. ”

Jiang Xi was also stunned at this time. Just now Wu Zheng said that this was Shen Shu's dowry to Taohua, although he was happy, he never guessed that this was something left by the first emperor, let alone that half of it would be a dowry, which is equivalent to the things left by the first emperor to Shen Shu, all of which were transferred to Taohua's name!

Wu Zheng looked at the surprised expressions of the Jiang family's father and daughter, and secretly thought that the prince's goal had been achieved, and said with a smile: "The prince said that the Ministry of Rites set the time of the six ceremonies too quickly, and I am afraid that someone outside will despise the girl because of this, so——"

Taohua looked at the box on the ground in a daze, so, is this here to save her face?

"Trouble Mr. Wu replied to the prince, just said-just say that I know everything." What to say? Shen Shu's mind has been clearly spread out in front of him, how much he gives, how much she will return in the future, there is no need to say more.

Jiang Xi personally sent Wu Zheng out, and Mint pinched a stack of lists and stood there in a daze: "Girl, there are a lot of things on this." "What jewelry, jade, ornaments, antiques, it can be said that there are everything, more expensive than all the dowries that the Jiang family can prepare for Taohua combined.

"Count on the list, and put it away." Taohua was also a little distracted, and opened one casually, containing a bunch of brocade boxes, and the color of the brocade had turned black, which showed that the sealing time was indeed not short. Taohua picked up the top one and opened it, and it contained a pair of white jade rings.

This pair of white jade rings is not the same size, the small one can fit into the big one, but it is a pair of concentric rings. The ring is white jade, plain and unmarked, but there is a light red jade skin on each of the two rings, which happens to be in the shape of a lotus flower. When put together, it is like a pair of lotus flowers, which means very well to the couple.

Taohua looked at it carefully, the corners of her mouth curved slightly, and she held the box in her arms: "You don't need to put this in the warehouse." Help me think about what color silk thread should be used to tie it up to look good. "A pair of lotus flowers, she and Shen Shu each wear one, and it is not in vain that the first emperor deliberately left this concentric ring, and it is not in vain that Shen Shu specially put this box on the top.

Shen Shu took the things left by the first emperor and sent them to the Jiang family, so naturally he couldn't hide it from everyone, and it was inevitable that there would be some discussions outside for a while. However, when the first emperor left, he said that these things were for him to use after marriage, and as for how people want to use them, others really can't care.

However, people are so idle, the more things they can't manage, the more they like to chew their tongues, until the day of the holy birthday, Taohua was ordered to enter the palace, and she felt that many people were looking at her behind her back, whispering, obviously talking about something.

Momoka just didn't see it. Before entering the palace, Aunt Zheng reminded her that Shen Shu's move was to earn face for her, but in the same way, it also attracted more criticism to her. Those who envy her will also slander her behind her back because of jealousy. However, Aunt Zheng also said that most of these people can only talk about it, and they don't dare to show it in front of her, so they don't have to pay attention to it. What she really needs to pay attention to should be those ladies who have a high status and belong to the party.

However, after Taohua was guided by the palace people and stood in a fixed position, she found that what Aunt Zheng said was not so accurate.

Although she has not yet officially married, and there is no fateful grade, the Queen Mother still arranged her according to the position of the princess of the county. This is also reasonable to say, after all, the holy decree has been made, and it is impossible to treat her as the former medical girl anymore. However, because the clothes he was wearing were not at all, he stood there and stood out extraordinarily, which seemed very unreasonable.

However, in this way, she was far away from the party's fateful wives, but unfortunately stood by the side of the lord of Nanhua.

The face of the county lord of Nanhua is not very good, although the fat powder is used, Taohua can still see it. Seeing Taohua, she pulled the corners of her mouth very stiffly, but there was no smile in her eyes, and even a little disgust, which made Taohua inexplicable - do the math, she has always been only good and no bad for the lord of Nanhua, right? Others don't know, but she has treated the four people of the Jiang family, and the lord of Nanhua doesn't thank her, where does this hatred come from? Is it because the Queen Mother is disgusted, so she has to make it clear that she doesn't like it? But now the Queen Mother still has to take care of her face, why is the Lord of Nanhua so anxious?

Wen is here today, too. She only has a six-grade edict on her body, but because she follows the lord of Nanhua, she still stands in front. She smiled at Taohua when the county lord of Nanhua was not paying attention, and said in a low voice: "The second brother is sick, and the county lord is a little worried. ”

Jiang Heng came back from outside that day, and he had a low-grade fever that night. At first, the lord of Nanhua County thought that he was suffering from a cold, and while scolding his subordinates for not being able to serve, he asked someone to ask the imperial doctor to come for diagnosis and treatment. The doctor came to see him, but he said that he was depressed, so he had a slight wind.

The lord of Nanhua only thought that his son was under too much pressure for Qiu Yu, and for several days he said that it didn't matter if he didn't hit Qiu Yu, and after he finished speaking, he had to ask his eldest son to relieve his younger brother. Who knew that the more he explained, the more ill Jiang Heng became, so frightened that the lord of Nanhua forcibly moved him out of the study, and didn't even let him touch the books.

It's just that these measures are useless, Jiang Heng's illness fluctuates, low-grade fever is always constant, and people are gradually declining. The lord of Nanhua was so frightened that he scolded his subordinates, and finally asked Jiang Heng to go out on the day he became ill.

This matter naturally fell on Qingzhan's head, and the lord of Nanhua County almost beat his butt with a board, only to know that Jiang Heng went to Jiang's mansion that day.

As soon as these words came out, the lord of Nanhua suddenly lost his voice. When Taohua was pointed out to Shen Shu, she was secretly happy in her heart - in this way, she didn't have to explain to her son why she refused to let him marry the Jiang family - but she never expected that Jiang Heng would be so affectionate, obviously in her opinion, in addition to being born better, the Jiang family had no merit at all.

However, it will never be his son's fault. In the eyes of the Nanhua County Lord, Jiang Heng will definitely not be wrong, and the mistake is naturally the Jiang family! However, he only met a few times in Wuxi, and he confused Jiang Heng like this, if it was said that the Jiang family did not deliberately seduce, how could the lord of Nanhua accept it?

The matter involves Aiko, and the matter that Taohua had diagnosed and treated the four members of the Jiang family before was suddenly left behind by the county lord of Nanhua, and he hated her wholeheartedly. I met in the palace today, how could I give Taohua any good face?

Wen was very worried, but she was only a daughter-in-law, and she couldn't influence the likes and dislikes of the lord of Nanhua, so she could only try to mediate in the middle.

However, the lord of Nanhua County is still a little sensible. Today is the birthday of the Queen Mother, and the emperor has pardoned a group of people for this, if she makes trouble on such a day, isn't it to add to the Queen Mother? Therefore, although he was full of disgust, he just glanced at Taohua coldly and turned his head over, out of sight and out of mind.

Although it is her birthday, the Queen Mother's mood is not very good, but outsiders can't see this, because the Queen Mother has been smiling since she appeared, not only talking cordially with the orders who came, but also calling the future princess of the county to her side, as if she intends to use actions to refute the rumors that she intends to arrange a person she doesn't like to the king of Anjun.

Taohua sat under the Queen Mother with a decent smile, secretly admiring Aunt Zheng in her heart. The palace people set her up an embroidered stool, which was too short for her, and if she wanted to sit firmly, she had to lean forward, which looked very unsightly from the side. But she was facing the row of Commanders below, and their eyes were very sharp. If Aunt Zheng hadn't given her special training for these small methods, I am afraid that as soon as the Holy Birthday Banquet is dispersed in a while, the future princess of the county will have no manners at all, and it will spread throughout the capital.

Taohua didn't care if someone said this, but she cared that some people would laugh at Shen Shu for it. Shen Shu has done a lot for her, so she should try her best to reciprocate.

Although the Queen Mother called Taohua over, she didn't talk to her much, but would suddenly lead the topic to Taohua when talking to the rest of the internal and external wives, or just ask directly: "What does the Jiang family think?" "It's mental torture to have to listen to things that have nothing to do with you or even interest you in from beginning to end!

Finally, the Queen Mother ended this "talk", mainly because someone from the palace came in to report that it was time for a banquet, and the Queen Mother got up. Taohua quickly stood up, and also stretched out her hand meaningfully - not really planning to support the Queen Mother, but to show that she had the intention of supporting the Queen Mother - this was also taught by Aunt Zheng.

"Chongyi Niangniang, what's wrong?" Suddenly, the voice that sounded drew everyone's attention to Zhao Chongyi, who was being supported by the palace people, her face covered with thin fat powder revealed a pale color, and there was a strong discomfort between her eyebrows and eyes......