Half an hour later, the carriage stopped in front of the palace.

The sky was a little dark, and the front of the palace was full of people, and before Shi Qingluo got out of the carriage, he could hear the ups and downs of greetings around him.

He Yi stepped forward to open the door from the inside, and stepped out of the carriage with Shi Qingluo on a low stool.

On the side of the palace, there are more than ten carriages, and the ladies and ladies of each family are dressed up, and most of them can know who is who is in the past.

Shi Qingluo walked all the way to the door of the palace without squinting, and the guests at the door were greeted by the housekeeper of the mansion and the concubine's side.

Knowing that Shi Qingluo was a friend of An and the county lord, Cun Mama smiled and saluted her, "The old slave asks Miss Shi for peace." Miss Shi arrived coincidentally, not long after the Li family and the Wei family's young ladies arrived, the county lord led them to the backyard of the palace to enjoy the plums. ”

Cun's grandmother called a maid, "You take Miss Shi to the backyard to find the county lord." ”

The maid answered yes and accompanied Shi Qingluo into the palace.

The ladies and ladies of several families who stayed outside the palace to chat were very confused.

"This ...... I haven't heard that someone surnamed Shi has moved to Youzhou. The lady of the Judgment family frowned.

"This surname Shi is the surname of Lord Shangshu, which surname of ordinary people can get this. Mrs. Xu, the county commander, straightened her waist, "My Xue'er told me, Xue'er went to the county lord's banquet more than half a month ago, and had a conversation with this Miss Shi family at the banquet, she is the fourth daughter of Lord Shangshu, she is a concubine, and she came to Youzhou to be put down to think about it, but the county lord treats her very leniently." ”

Ding Xiuxiu was slapped by the princess because she pushed her. The daughter of the adult family covered her mouth and snickered.

"It turned out to be the daughter of Master Shangshu's family. Mrs. Tongju nodded clearly, "It's just a concubine, presumably the princess invited her in the face of the county lord, but she is just a concubine, what kind of birthday gift can she get, and she invited her to lower the status of this palace." ”

There are several restless concubines in the general judgment family, so Mrs. Tongju still has some dislike in her heart for the concubine woman.

A few people gossiped together, and then they also entered the door.

#

When the maid led Shi Qingluo to find Qi Jingqing and the others in the backyard, the four of them were sitting in the gazebo drinking tea.

The maid Xi'er saw Shi Qingluo's figure from afar, bowed down and said, "County Lord, Miss Shi has arrived." ”

Qi Jingqing turned his head to look, stood up with Xi'er's hand, and said with a smile: "It's been a long time for us to wait, come quickly." ”

There was a stove burning in the pavilion, and although it didn't have any heat, it was warmer than outside.

Shi Qingluo walked into the pavilion, and several maids withdrew. Qi Jingqing pulled her to sit down beside her and asked, "Are you here, we are still thinking, why are you begging me to hand you a post? With Zhang's little caution, he will definitely not pay you a birthday gift with two silver taels, isn't it embarrassing to come here from so many rich and noble families?"

Indeed, the invitation that Shi Qingluo received was begged by Qi Jingqing from the princess after a lot of begging.

Even if the princess and Shi Qingluo had a relationship, but on such a major occasion, she would not casually hand over an invitation to a concubine who had no reputation, it was Shi Qingluo who sent a letter to Qi Jingqing, and Qi Jingqing took an invitation to her.

Shi Qingluo said with a smile: "One is to thank Niang Niang for her help half a month ago, and the other is to use the excuse of going to the banquet to spread the news of me in Youzhou." Shi Qingluo lowered his head and sighed, "If I can't go back these days, when her mother and son regain their vitality, I'm afraid I won't be able to resist, I can only see if the news spreads back, can my father and grandmother pity me." ”

"That being said, can you get the birthday gift for the princess?" Li Sigui said bluntly, "The birthday gifts that the princess has received over the years are all excellent objects, and these people who come to the banquet are probably not many who sincerely wish their birthdays, in order to compare the birthday gifts, so that they can show their faces in front of the princess." ”

"Yes, extremely. Wei Zipei nodded, "There are many of those ladies who speak ugly, if you fall behind here, I'm afraid you will ......"

Shi Qing Luo Waner, "The birthday celebration is important in my heart, and what I prepared is not a valuable object, but I have spent more thought." ”

Qi Jingqing was anxious when she heard this, and just as she thought about what to say, Mama Cun appeared outside the pavilion at some point, and said loudly: "County Lord, young ladies, Niangniang's birthday banquet has begun, please move." ”

Qi Jingqing just wanted to make amends and had no time, so the group followed Cun's grandmother to the birthday banquet.

There is a large garden in the front yard of the palace, there are several rows of guest tables on the side of the garden, many ladies and ladies have already sat down, and there is no one in the position above the high head, presumably the princess has not yet come to dress.

Qi Jingqing reserved a few seats for a few of them in front, and Shi Qingluo came in with Qi Jingqing and others, which was a great honor in the eyes of everyone present.

Soon after Shi Qingluo sat down, the woman sitting beside her stepped forward and whispered, "Sister is really lucky, she can win the favor of the county lord. I heard that my sister is the concubine of Lord Shangshu?"

The woman looked harmless, but her words were not friendly at all. The woman sitting behind Shi Qingluo snorted coldly when she heard this, "Is a mere concubine also qualified to participate in the princess's birthday banquet?"

The woman who asked the question rolled her eyes and looked at Shi Qingluo but smiled silently.

Shi Qingluo put his hands in front of his abdomen, with a smile on his face, and did not look at the provocative person behind him, so he said: "In the past, in the capital, I went to the birthday banquet of the noble concubine and the queen's mother, but I only knew that this banquet was for the sake of celebrating the birthday, and I didn't know that the birthday celebration also depends on the height of the person." If I compare my background, I am a concubine of Shangshu Mansion, no matter what, I am more noble than the daughter of a local petty official. ”

"You-" The woman sitting behind Shi Qingluo's cheeks were flushed, and she was about to get up, but the woman next to her pinched her arm, and she almost burst into tears in pain.

"There are no rules, at the princess's birthday banquet, how can you talk nonsense. The woman first reprimanded her, and then looked at Shi Qingluo with a gesture of seeking peace, "The little sister is straightforward and fast-talking, and she offended Miss Shi. Today is the princess's birthday, Miss Shi will look at this, don't worry about her. ”

Shi Qingluowu drank tea by himself and no longer continued to be aggressive. The woman sitting next to her also rested the jealousy in her heart, and bowed her head in silence.

After half a pillar of incense, the little guy outside the courtyard shouted-

"The princess has arrived—"

The ladies present stood up together and bowed half-kneeling

"The folk girl said hello to the princess. Shi Qingluo moved his mouth and said with the people next to him.

The princess walked to the high seat and sat down, smiled and waved her sleeves: "Everyone, please get up, don't be polite." Today is the birthday of the main palace, so it is naturally lively and happy. ”

Drums in the park are playing, dancing girls are walking together, and rows of hollow lanterns illuminate half of the night sky.