On the day of the Longevity Festival, the palace is lit up with lights, and the banquet is set up in the Hanguang Hall by the Taiye Pool, and the people of the harem dress up early, and help the personal palace maid to come.

Jiang Suoyue also deliberately dressed up, painted her eyebrows and applied powder, her cheeks were lightly covered with rouge, the corners of her eyes were lightly swept with some gold powder, and her lips were smeared with brightly colored lipstick. Wearing the soft satin dress covered with light purple silk yarn with smoky purple embroidered daffodils, and tied a dark purple belt, it looked slender and slender.

Finally, he put on the set of red leaf jewelry given by the emperor, held a congratulatory gift with pearls, and took her and Coral to the Hanguang Palace.

At the gate of the palace, I happened to meet Yang Xiaoyi, who lived next to her in Chuxiu Palace, she has not yet accepted the favor, and it is rare among newcomers, I heard that she has received a lot of cynicism for this.

Jiang Suoyue could see that she had also bothered to modify it today, wearing a rain-swept azure embroidered gardenia jade brocade shirt, with a pear blossom white water-patterned Lingbo skirt underneath, and a purple jade inlaid pearl tassel hairpin, which was really refreshing and pleasant, lining her somewhat thin figure recently, quite a bit of Chu Chu and moving charm.

She made a curtsy and said, "It's a coincidence that I met my sister today, and my sister's dress is really beautiful and chic." ”

Jiang Suoyue caught the fleeting resentment in her eyes, and heard that she only praised her clothes, and she didn't understand her jealous thoughts. Thinking that the show girl surnamed Yan, who was good friends with her and had better qualifications than her, was not selected, you can know that this Yang Xiaoyi is not a good stubble, presumably she didn't design herself in Chuxiu Palace at the beginning, so she let the show girl surnamed Yan fall in love.

But now that she Jiang Suoyue is the winner, she can't put down her posture to argue with her, so she said lightly: "My sister's dress is also very delicate, I think the emperor will definitely like it." ”

Jiang Suoyue saw her unconcealed joy on her face, and smiled secretly in her heart, you are dressed so plainly on the emperor's birthday, do you think you are the Yao Zhaoyi who favors the crown of the six palaces and is high and self-proclaiming, only such people can be pampered and talented, and wear plain clothes at the emperor's birthday banquet, what are you! Even if you want to be different, it's in the wrong place, and it's really dizzy.

Jiang Suoyue didn't say much to her, only sat down quietly in her place, chatting with Zhang Ronghua beside her. This Zhang Ronghuafang's name is Zhang Xuewei, who was elected to the palace by Yongzhao in the fourth year, when Rong Di came to attack, the emperor selected several girls from the military general's family, and she was one of them.

Perhaps it is precisely because she was born in a family of military generals that this Zhang Ronghua is very straightforward and refreshing, and Jiang Suoyue has a very happy conversation with her.

Not long after, Concubine De, Concubine Shu, Concubine Jing, Concubine Liang and other high-ranking concubines arrived, and they had to salute and greet each other, but they still hadn't seen the emperor and queen.

This is the first time Jiang Suoyue has seen Concubine Jing herself, but she saw that she was wearing an emerald beaded group pattern scattered flower brocade straight placket, and the palace skirt with grass and sky patterns swayed gently with her footsteps, compared with the alluring appearance of Concubine Shu and Yao Zhaoyi, this Concubine Jing can only be regarded as beautiful and dignified, but her body exudes a bookish atmosphere, which makes the whole person a little more dusty, not inferior to the people in the harem. It's just that her face is a little pale, her body is a little weak, and she seems to be sick, so she has lost a little bit of her luster and shows a trace of twilight.

I don't know if this Concubine Jing was originally deficient, or if she had experienced too much in the harem to become what she is now. What kind of tragic experience can make a woman who is not yet thirty years old become such a disheartened and sick body!

Jiang Suoyue sighed slightly, and quickly withdrew her gaze.

After about a cup of tea, a eunuch outside said, "The emperor has arrived!" The Queen Mother and the Queen Mother have arrived! ”

The crowd got up and bowed down and shouted long live. The emperor took the queen mother, and the queen followed a little girl about ten years old into the palace, presumably the girl was the eldest princess Shen Jiahuan from the queen. If you don't count the little wives who are kneeling now, it is really a happy picture of the family.

The four of them sat down, and Emperor Shen Nuosheng said in a rambling voice: "Flat, today is a family banquet, there is no need to be formal." ”

"Your Majesty." Everyone sat down.

The queen waved her hand, and the banquet began in a harmonious atmosphere. The palace people kept shuttling and pouring food and wine, light and skillful, without a trace of superfluous sound. In the sound of silk bamboo, a group of dancers dressed in bright and elegant clothes stepped forward and danced.

The queen picked up her glass and said to the emperor: "Your Majesty, the concubine will give you a glass first." ”

Emperor Shen Nuosheng picked up the wine glass in front of him and said with a light smile: "The queen has worked hard. "Anyway, drink it all.

Gao Jingzhong hurriedly filled the empty wine glass, Shen Nuosheng picked up the wine glass again, and said to the Queen Mother: "Queen Mother, my son respects you." ”

The Queen Mother smiled kindly, drank the wine in the cup, and said with a smile: "Today is a good day for the emperor, you have a good time, you don't have to worry about this old woman." ”

The queen said: "The queen mother laughed. "I have to talk and laugh with the emperor and the queen mother.

Shen Jiahuan, the eldest princess of the queen, took her royal brother and sister to the center of the hall and congratulated: "My son wishes my father a long life. ”

The eldest princess is worthy of being a golden branch and jade leaf, and she has been carefully taught by the queen, and her actions are generous, calm and calm, and she has the bearing of a noble girl from a heavenly family. The eldest prince Shen Tingyu seems to have a weak disease, and he is a little thin and thin, but a pair of smart eyes shine with precocious wisdom, although his biological mother is only a humble palace maid, but Concubine Dede teaches that he is only eight years old and is already as mature and stable as a young adult. The second prince, Shen Tingyan, is only five years old, white and tender, looking a little honest, but also very cute. The second princess, Shen Huijing, is born by the noble concubine Xue Lianru, who is four years old, looks like a pink carved jade, and looks very good at her mother.

No one will not love the heartfelt blessings of their children, and the emperor is no exception, Shen Nuosheng looked at the four lovely children in the hall, and was in a very good mood, and said, "No courtesy." I am very relieved to be congratulated by the emperors. Your queen mother and concubine teach well. ”

The mother of the four children naturally looked proud and happy, and the faces of the other concubines were a little not very good-looking, in the end, the glory of this harem is the flower in the mirror, who knows when it will be empty, only their own children are the support of their lives. She has everything she has to rely on all her life, and she still has nothing, how can she not be envious and jealous?

The hand under the sleeve of the concubine's robe was clenched tightly, and her nails were pinched into the palm of her hand, but she didn't seem to feel the pain, and only glanced at the Queen Mother as if she had not yet done so.

The Queen Mother glanced meaningfully at Concubine Shu and looked away without a trace.

After another staggering, the Queen Mother left early and returned to Ci'an Palace on the grounds that she was too strong to drink. Concubine Jing, who rarely attends harem occasions, also left early due to physical discomfort. As soon as they left, Jiang Suoyue felt that all the concubines present were about to move immediately, and there was a hint of gearing up, which made her feel funny.

Under the queen is Concubine De, who has the highest position, she got up and said: "The concubine wishes the emperor a long life and Tianqi." ”

Concubine De's voice just fell. Qiu Yu and Qiu Tong, the personal female officials beside her, immediately held the brocade box and knelt down.

Concubine De smiled very gently, and said: "The concubine made a bed dress for the emperor, the needlework is rude, and I hope the emperor will not dislike it." In order to show filial piety, the eldest prince personally copied the "Book of Filial Piety" and dedicated it to the emperor. ”

Shen Nuosheng opened the brocade box, only glanced at the bedclothes, but the book of "The Book of Filial Piety" looked through for a long time, seemed to be very satisfied, and said: "Concubine Ai has a heart, thanks to Concubine Ai's teaching, Yu'er is now very successful." "It is also called to give a pair of white jade Fushou auspicious Qingwen Ruyi to Concubine De.

Concubine De hurriedly saluted and thanked her, still with that gentle and steady smile, and there was no smug look on her face.

Concubine Shu straightened her honey-colored beaded bullet flower dark pattern raccoon flower brocade dress, stood up, and said: "Your Majesty, the concubine recently got a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, and the Ganoderma lucidum is Ruicao, which has auspicious signs. Because the emperor ruled the country in a good way, Ze was the world, and God only descended this Ruicao. The concubine hereby dedicates to His Majesty and wishes His Majesty and I Kyushu a long life. ”

Ming Ying, the personal female official beside Concubine Shu, presented a brocade box, Gao Jingzhong took it, opened it, and sent it to Shen Nuosheng.

Shen Nuosheng stretched out his hand to take it out and take a closer look, and sure enough, it was a thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum, with a complete mushroom cap and a trace of the aroma of medicinal herbs.

In the hall, you can even hear the sound of everyone gasping, Ganoderma lucidum is also called Ruicao, the meaning is extraordinary, and the thousand-year-old Ganoderma lucidum is even rarer in the world, and only the concubine can take it out if she is backed by the Queen Mother and the Dou family. Everyone secretly said in their hearts that it was bad, but they were afraid that no one would be able to cross Concubine Shu tonight.

The queen smiled wisely and said, "Congratulations to the emperor for getting this treasure, it is really a treasure from heaven to show the emperor's kindness." ”

Shen Nuosheng picked up the wine glass and said loudly: "Give wine - Gao Jingzhong, take a box of Dongzhu from Xingong this year and give it to Concubine Shu." ”

Concubine Shu took the wine glass on the tray in Gao Jingzhong's hand, raised it to wish the emperor, and the two drank a glass together.

Everyone is envious and hateful, it is good to be backed by a big family, not only has a high position in the palace, but even the congratulatory gifts are so brilliant.