In the blink of an eye, the day of the beginning of the year has arrived, and the beginning of the year is called farewell to the old year. Every year on this day, the palace will hold a feast to celebrate, which is held from noon to nightfall. The palace banquet was attended by princes and ministers, as well as harem concubines and courtiers' families.

Li Shenlan was woken up by Li Mingyue early in the morning, and the two went to the main hall to greet the Taiwei and Mrs. Li for the New Year.

"Daughters to their fathers and mothers, may father and mother be successful in the new year, in good health, safe and smooth." The two spoke in unison, looking at each other like good sisters.

"Good, good! Hurry up, for the farewell tea that my father prepared for you in the morning, and I hope that the two of you will leave the dust of the previous year and be carefree in the new year. "Mrs. Li is also happy, and his eyes are full of love. The people hurriedly brought up the old tea, and Li Shenlan took a sip slightly, the taste was sweet and bitter, so that it was difficult to figure out.

On the contrary, it was Li Mingyue, who was full of joy after taking a big sip and laughing without knowing the taste. "The father prepares the old refreshments for his daughter every year, and the daughter still remembers that last year it was the Eight Immortals Porridge, which tasted sweet, and the daughter still remembers it."

"Hahaha, you're as naughty as a child when you're so old. Look at your sister, anyway, she also studied etiquette with Shen Lan, how can you not be as calm as your sister. ”

Li Mingyue listened to it, but she was not annoyed, she had always taken a lively and naughty path, and she had always behaved innocently in front of the captain.

"Father is really eccentric, as soon as the second sister comes back, you always praise the second sister, Mingyue was always praised by you before, but now she is robbed by the second sister."

Li Shenlan was still sitting there watching this father-daughter love drama, but she never thought that the captain suddenly fanned the fire on herself, and she didn't know what to say for a while. "Father, look, the third sister is jealous."

"Your sister has always been a vinegar jar, Shen Lan should get used to it."

"My son is late." While speaking, Li Yunhao led Aunt Xu's son Li Yunqi into the door. The doll is bigger, and the captain is an old man, so the family naturally hurts him.

"Daddy!" Li Yunqi shouted in a milky voice, and the captain who screamed was very happy. Even Mrs. Li, who is relatively cold on weekdays, is full of peach blossoms, hugging Li Yunqi and teasing non-stop.

The second elder teased Li Yunqi for a while, and then the captain looked at Li Shenlan and the three again. At the bottom, Li Shenlan was still drinking tea silently, Li Mingyue was lively and still said a few words to Li Yunhao from time to time, but Li Yunhao was also faint and not very quiet.

Taiwei coughed twice, and saw that the three of them turned their attention to himself before he spoke: "It's rare for the three of you to get together, Hao'er, I reminded you to spend more time with your sisters on weekdays, you see that you are estranged from them."

"What my father taught me was that there were a lot of things in the DPRK and China a while ago, but I forgot to talk to my two sisters. No, today's resignation, I specially bought jewelry for my two sisters, one is a gift for the New Year, and the other is to compensate for the few people who accompany you. As he spoke, the subordinates behind Li Yunhao delivered the gifts they had brought early in the morning to Li Shenlan and the others one by one.

Li Shenlan's is a plain jade pear flower tassel hairpin, which is very elegant but also very flattering to herself. Li Mingyue's peach blossom glass earrings, Li Mingyue loves pink, such a pair of earrings and a light pink gauze skirt are very good-looking and playful.

"Big brother is good, Mingyue took a fancy to this earring last time, but I didn't expect that the eldest brother sent it to Mingyue today." After Li Mingyue finished speaking, she looked sideways at Li Shenlan's gift on the side, and looked at the corner of her white mouth and couldn't help but hook it mockingly. "The second sister is very vegetarian, and the eldest brother doesn't pay too much attention to his daughter's thoughts." is obviously a very elegant hairpin, but when it comes to Li Mingyue's mouth, it looks like something brought at a funeral.

The people present are all smart people, and they can't hear what Li Mingyue means, it's just that they stepped on Li Shenlan with a joke, which made people feel that Li Yunhao didn't want to see her. But Li Yunhao didn't plan to get used to her, how to say that Li Shenlan is also his nominal sibling sister, even if she is not pro, but in the end it sounds better than this concubine's sister.

"I didn't think about it so much, I only thought about who matched what jewelry, and the second sister was quiet and gentle, thinking that Pear Blossom was worthy of her. Listening to the third sister say this, it's not mine. ”

"I didn't mean that, big brother......"

"Okay, speaking of which, your mother and I have also prepared a New Year's gift for the four of you, Steward Wu." Without waiting for Li Mingyue to explain, Taiwei interrupted her. Li Mingyue only felt that her face was burning for a moment, so she hurriedly sat there honestly.

"I'm old, and I don't know what you like, so I'll prepare a few satins for you, and go back and make some clothes for you."

"Thank you, father and mother."

"Alright, let's go back first if there's nothing to do. Shen Lan stays, I have something to explain to you. ”

After everyone left, only Taiwei and Li Shenlan were left in the house. Taiwei glanced at Steward Wu and asked Steward Wu to stand guard outside the door, and then he spoke to Li Shenlan. "You have to go to the banquet in the palace at noon tonight. How did you learn from Aunt He these days? I heard Aunt He's reaction that your foundation is not bad, and it is better than Mingyue, who has grown up in the mansion since childhood. ”

"My aunt praised it falsely, Shen Lan knew that her talent was not as good as others, so she naturally had to work harder."

The Taiwei only nodded slightly when he heard this, and then explained the matters to be paid attention to at the palace banquet at noon, and seeing that the hour was not early, he let Li Shenlan go back.

As soon as Li Mingyue came back from Bixi Garden, she sat in front of the bronze mirror and dressed up, looking at the dazzling array of pearl and emerald jewelry on the table, Li Mingyue was not satisfied with wearing this, trying to be stingy, and the maid waiting next to her was in a hurry.

"This can't work, I wore it at the Duanyang banquet the year before last, and the lady of the Shilang Mansion praised it, and wearing it again this year makes people think that Miss Ben is just this hairpin." The maid listened to the busy change of a begonia pearl hairpin, but Li Mingyue thought that the pearls were generally not outstanding, so she was not allowed.

"Miss, we've tried this headdress, but don't you have a suitable one?"

"The earrings that my eldest brother gave this time are very good, which are very good for my set of fairy dresses, but I don't look good with this headdress." Li Mingyue frowned and looked at herself in the mirror, not to mention that she was as beautiful as a fairy, but she was also graceful, how to dress up, how to be dissatisfied. "By the way, Miss Ben remembers the set of jewelry that Miss Shangshu bought on South Street with Miss Shangshu of the Military Department last time, go find it for me."

Most of Li Mingyue's jewelry and clothes are the same color, but sure enough, the maid quickly found a palm-sized box from the cabinet, which contained a set of hypericum headdresses. A peach blossom is in full bloom, the tail is chasing the pearl tassel, and the other side is inlaid with flower buds, and a set is very beautiful on Li Mingyue's head.

"Our moon is so beautiful." Aunt Xiao, who had been standing aside silently, couldn't help but admire at the moment.

"Naturally, aunt rest assured, with her daughter's beauty, she is a village of vulgar girls who are also worthy of competing with me."

On the other hand, Li Shenlan, who had just returned to Xiaoyuxuan, had not yet sat down to rest for a while and a half, and the Taiwei sent someone to send all the clothes and jewelry that he was going to wear when he entered the palace. Li Shenlan saw that the time was almost up, so she simply asked Bang Chun to wait for a few to change clothes.

The captain sent a set of crescent phoenix tail skirts, the moon-white skirt was embroidered with strings of lily of the valley flowers, and the stamens were decorated with pearls. Li Shenlan only asked someone to pull a simple hairstyle at will, and put on the pear hairpin that Li Yunhao had just given. Dressed as white as jade, Li Shenlan is quiet and elegant.

"Today is a festive day, although the second lady has always worn a white dress, but how can the lord still wear a white dress when he goes to the banquet today." Leaving the New Year and welcoming the new year, people have always liked to be dressed in red and festive, and it is no wonder that the autumn harvest complains.

Zang Dong didn't think much when he heard this: "I think it's good, our young lady is already quiet, and this dress is more temperamental."

Li Shenlan looked at herself in the mirror and was indeed a little simpler, but the Taiwei had always had his reasons for this arrangement. After a long time, he said: "I remember that last time my eldest brother went out hunting with the young master of your family, he brought me a cloak of mink fluff, and you brought it to me to put it on."

"Yes, the young lady also specially asked the slave maid to pick the light lake blue material to make it, and the slave maid will find it." It's not too plain with a bit of blue.

When it was almost cleaned up, people from outside came to spread the word that the carriages entering the palace had been prepared outside the palace, and the Taiwei and his party had also set off to the gate.

"Bang Chun will enter the palace with me, and the three of you will guard Xiaoyuxuan." After giving the order, Li Shenlan also got up and walked outside the house.

"The second sister is plain." As soon as Li Shenlan arrived at the gate, she saw Li Mingyue, dressed in gorgeous clothes, standing aside and waiting.

Li Shenlan is also polite: "The third sister is really good-looking, even my sister likes it when she looks at it."

The two of them said one by one, and with each other, the captain and his party arrived. According to the rules, officials can only bring their wives and children into the palace, Li Yunqi is too young, so in addition to Li Shenlan and the others, only Mrs. Li and Li Yunhao went together. Seeing that Li Shenlan was dressed properly, the captain did not hesitate to cast an appreciative look. He looked around again, and when he saw that all the people had arrived, he gave the order to set out.

There were three carriages, one for the lieutenant and his wife, one for his children, and Li Mingyue was a concubine and took a carriage alone. In the car, Li Shenlan was alone with Li Yunhao in a space for the first time, and because she didn't know him, Li Shenlan was inevitably a little nervous.

"What are you nervous about?"

"I don't know you, so I'm naturally afraid."

When Li Yunhao heard this, he suddenly laughed. Li Yunhao is not like an ordinary official child, although he can also do some kung fu, he is fresh and handsome. If it weren't for the cold speech, it would only make people feel that he was a personable literati boy.

"What are you laughing at?" Li Shenlan felt that the person in front of her was laughing inexplicably.

"I admit that I didn't like you at first, and I didn't like you very much." Unexpectedly, Li Yunhao also explained, "But I occasionally see you on weekdays, and I heard my mother say that you have learned etiquette very well, and I slowly choose to accept you as a younger sister." ”

To be honest, Li Yunhao's words made Li Shenlan a little surprised, she practiced hard because she was afraid that her identity would not be able to withstand the slightest suspicion from Li Yunhao. Now Li Yunhao suddenly recognized himself, which made Li Shenlan a little flattered. He lowered his head in a little panic and took care of his skirt irregularly, but he didn't see the coldness and alienation behind Li Yunhao's disappearing smile.

In the third carriage, Li Mingyue sat in it without a smile, and she didn't even feel happy to enter the palace. It's no wonder that she is in previous years, because there were only two people, Li Mingyue and Li Yunhao, Li Mingyue was a little coquettish, and the captain also let her sit in a carriage with Li Yunhao. But this year, because of Li Shenlan's existence, Li Mingyue could only sit in the back carriage alone, and the carriage from the concubine was far less tall and comfortable than the carriage in the main room.

"Miss is angry, after all, the second miss is a concubine that we can't compare. Besides, when the eldest lady was there in the past, weren't you also alone......" The maid's voice became smaller and smaller, but it still aroused the anger in Li Mingyue's heart. A "snap" slap was thrown on the maid's face.

"! Lao Shizi's concubine, a country woman is fighting with me for something. "Thinking that it was easy for me to get rid of a Li Mingjin, and another Li Shenlangu came to occupy the magpie's nest, Li Mingyue was angry and slapped the maid twice in a row." Do you eat things inside and outside, and increase the momentum of others to destroy your own prestige? ”

The maid was straightforward, and when she reacted, it was too late, and when she saw Li Mingyue getting angry, she knelt straight in front of her to admit her mistake and beg for mercy.

"Get out, clean up your face, let the nobles in the palace see it, and think that Miss Ben has wronged you!" Li Mingyue's eyes showed disgust, but she still threw out a box of lead powder from her arms.

About the time of touching the half-burnt incense, the carriage arrived at the gate of the palace. When Li Shenlan was helped out of the carriage by Bang Chun, she saw the open palace gate in front of her, and at a glance there was an endless stone road, and the stone road was twice lined with all kinds of flowers carefully pruned by the palace people. Looking at it again, there are red walls and green tiles full of palaces, and each palace is sacred.

"My sister is coming to the palace for the first time, you don't have to be too nervous, just follow me, everything has me." Li Yunhao's words are very down-to-earth, and it just so happened that Li Mingyue was approaching and heard this. For a while, Li Mingyue held the maid's hand and slowly tightened, she couldn't understand that Li Yunhao was still very polite and alienated from Li Shenlan, how could it be just a journey, the two of them were so good, like brothers and sisters.

Although she was puzzled and resentful in her heart, Li Mingyue still looked happy on her face. "The eldest brother loves to worry, although the second sister is the first time to enter the palace, but Mingyue is not, there is Mingyue with her sister in everything, you can rest assured."

Li Yunhao only nodded lightly when he heard this, and then the group was introduced to the palace gate by the eunuchs who were waiting in the morning.

According to the regulations of the palace banquet, the princes and ministers sit on the left side, and the right side of the main hall is the dining table of the concubines and their dependents. Li Shenlan and the others entered the main hall and walked to the right side of the statue of Mrs. Li. The first row on the right side sat all the concubines above the third grade, and according to Aunt He's words, the concubines who could participate in the feast were either of high rank or were quite favored by the saints. Li Shenlan entered and exited the palace, not daring to look around, but she also used her spare eyes to observe the palace concubines who had already sat down.

The leader is naturally the most favored Xu Guifei now, I heard that it was the official woman who was favored by the emperor when she danced two years ago, and she was named a noble person after entering the palace. Further down are a few concubines and a few little masters who are on the nine concubines.

Li Shenlan hurriedly sat down with Mrs. Li, Li Mingyue on her side was like a different person at the palace gate, and she was not too sticky to Li Shenlan, from time to time a few official ladies came to look for Li Mingyue, and the three or two daughters gathered together and chatted happily, but it seemed that Li Shenlan was a little unsociable. Fortunately, it was only about half a stick of incense, and the eunuchs outside the main hall sang and said: "The emperor and the queen mother, the queen mother has arrived!"

For a while, everyone in the hall hurriedly got up, bowed down in unison and shouted "Long live". It wasn't until the emperor sat on the dragon chair that he called to get up.

"Another year of the New Year, a few days ago, there was heavy snowfall, Ruixue Mega Year, I think this year must be a good year."

The emperor opened his mouth to signal the good scene of Ruixue's harvest year, and everyone naturally agreed in unison. The second is to congratulate the emperor on long live and be blessed, and the auspicious words of the royal family.

After most of the process was gone, the queen mother seemed a little embarrassed, and after a short time, she simply returned to the emperor and helped the palace people to return to Shoukang Palace early. As soon as the Queen Mother left, the people who stayed behind also felt more relaxed, and some of the bold ones who were eager to flatter and please toasted the emperor and queen one after another.

Li Shenlan watched people staggering, and no one paid attention to herself, so she quietly looked at the emperor below. It is said that the current saint ascended the throne at the age of ten, pacified the southwest martyrs at the age of fifteen, and now he is only in his early twenties, and he has created a prosperous era of peace and security in this country. Looking at the emperor who was talking and laughing with the princes and ministers in the palace, the air was lofty, and the jade tree was in the wind, Li Shenlan thought that the emperor was the dragon and phoenix among the people, the lord of Kyushu, and he was afraid that no matter how good a man in this world was, he couldn't compare with it, and suddenly felt that he was lucky to be able to marry the emperor.

Just thinking about it, the Ministry of Rites Shangshu recommended his daughter's dance to the emperor, and the queen on the side also said that the banquet was long, so it was better to let a few official ladies show some talents, but it would be fun.

Seeing the queen speak, the emperor readily agreed. The one who came up in response was the young lady of the Shangshu family of the Ministry of Rites, and the long-sleeved waist dance was like a fairy and a spirit, and the emperor was called to see it.

"Your Majesty, the courtiers are not talented but they are also willing to present a song for the emperor and queen on this happy day, and I hope that the emperor will be happy and healthy in the new year, and I will be happy with the wind and rain." Li Mingyue suddenly stood up and recommended herself, which was expected by Li Shenlan. As early as a month ago, I heard that Li Mingyue had been practicing the piano, and when I went out of the house this morning, I saw her close maid holding the zheng, so I thought that Li Mingyue would have this play.

Those who came did not refuse, and Li Mingyue was also happy to generously recommend herself as the queen, so she hurriedly ordered someone to take the Zheng prepared by Li Mingyue from the side hall and waited for tasting. It is not a loss to practice hard for a month, and with the foundation in the body, Li Mingyue's song can be regarded as an aftermath, and it will not stop for three days. After the song was finished, even the emperor was immersed for a long time before he came to his senses.

"Good, good! Mrs. Li's daughter really deserves her reputation. The emperor praised him, and Taiwei Li was also busy saying that he didn't dare to be it.

"The emperor praises falsely, the courtiers are just carving insect skills. The emperor has never seen the dancing posture of the second sister of the courtier, and a white dance is also like a heavenly man. ”

As soon as Li Mingyue said this, all the eyes of the palace focused on Li Shenlan in an instant, and Taiwei Li, who was originally full of joy, also suddenly changed his face. It's no wonder that Li Shenlan has never danced in front of Li Mingyue, although the Taiwei mentioned the performance before entering the palace, but it was just for Li Shenlan to do what she could. So since Li Shenlan entered the palace gate, she has been low-key and doesn't say much, but she didn't expect this Li Mingyue to suddenly blow the fire to herself.

Even with the emperor's eyes on him, Li Shenlan knew that he couldn't hide, so he simply got up and walked up to the center of the hall calmly.

"Courtier Li Shenlan, meet the emperor and queen, may the emperor be in good health, and the queen will be healthy."

The emperor looked at the woman who was kneeling down in front of him, and said calmly: "Raise your head."

Li Shenlan raised her head as she said, but saw that the emperor's eyes shrank invisibly, slightly shocked, and even the queen on the side was quite surprised to see her. Thinking that from the very beginning, Taiwei Li said that he was very much like Concubine Jin, and he thought that the emperor remembered Concubine Jin of the world.

Only then did I see the emperor speak: "I am still talking to the queen, today the daughters of the official family wear red and green in order to celebrate, but you are wearing a white brocade, although it is elegant, but it is also a little more dusty temperament, it turned out to be Taiwei Li's 2,000 gold." I have heard that Mrs. Li took you into the house, and I was finally able to see you today, speaking of which, Mrs. Li cherishes the second girl's tightness, and he has never let his daughter show up for so many years. ”

"The emperor said seriously, the daughter of the minister from the mother's womb brought out of the frailty, in the early years a traveling monk once said that the little girl needs to grow up in the mountains, forests and villages, in order to be safe. Only then did the minister relentlessly and sent the little girl to so many years. Now that it was time to go, the minister and his wife were very worried, so they hurriedly took it into Beijing. ”

"Well, it's hard to think about the pain of parting for decades." The emperor answered, and his gaze fell on Li Shenlan again. "I just heard the third girl say, your dancing skills are extremely high, now that you are standing here, it is better to dance a song and feast your eyes."

"The courtiers obey."

Although the white silk dance book is ordinary, it is difficult to dance well. Fortunately, the first teacher Xi Mama that Taiwei Li found not only taught etiquette, but also taught vocal and dance skills. In particular, this white silk dance was the favorite one of the grandmothers when she was young, so she taught it more than 100 times, and even Li Shenlan, a beginner, was slightly proficient.

When the music started, Li Shenlan danced. Coincidentally, the white silk dance requires the dancers to wear soft white shirts, and the group sent by Mrs. Li is not only gentle, but with the dancing movements, the lily of the valley flowers embroidered on the skirt are even more vivid and lifelike, as if they will bloom around Li Shenlan in the next moment. Although there is no long sleeve to bring a floating feeling, Li Shenlan skillfully used the pipa sleeves of the dress to half-cover her face, which has a unique charm.

Li Shenlan's devotion to the dance, the hair bun that was already held at will, at this moment, a few strands of green silk were scattered on his chest, bringing out a bit of elegance and agility. The girl's face with a little pink delicacy only adds color, and the faint redness on the cheeks creates a delicate and lovely pure skin like petals......

After the dance, there was applause and cheers from the thundering class in the hall, and the emperor praised it again and again, and the case was applauded. Not to mention Li Mingyue, who was thinking about Li Shenlan's ugliness, was already blackened at the moment; It's just that Li Yunhao, who is not very optimistic, is now full of shock, and his eyes are full of appreciation.

"It's really a good dance, at first I thought it was your sister who praised Haikou, but I never thought that the second girl really had such a stunt. It's not a loss to be Mrs. Li's daughter, it's really gorgeous. ”

"The emperor's appreciation is really tormenting the courtiers." Just finished dancing a song, Li Shenlan's chest rose and fell violently. Seeing this, the queen also praised a few words, so she hurriedly asked Li Shenlan to return to her seat to rest.

Because Li Shenlan's dance was really shocking, the daughters of the official family who wanted to show it behind them lost their fighting spirit to start. Everyone began to watch the singers' performances and start drinking and talking.

"I didn't expect the second sister's dancing skills to be so good, I'm really envious of Mingyue." Although Li Mingyue said it well, Li Shenlan was very close to her, and her face was a little unpleasant. Thinking that Li Mingyue was simply counting on herself to make a fool of herself, Li Shenlan was tired of being hypocritical with her, so she simply slapped her face.

"The third sister has good intentions, don't say that you are a father, you may not know that I am good at dancing. After I entered the house, my sister stared at me Xiaoyuxuan. "Speaking of which, if Li Mingyue knew that Li Shenlan was good at dancing, she would never say those words to the emperor, but I am afraid that the current Li Mingyue's intestines have already repented.

Li Mingyue was afraid that she didn't expect Li Shenlan to speak so ruthlessly, and she couldn't hold back her face, so she simply stopped talking to Li Shenlan.

The palace banquet did not end until the sun sank in the west and the bright moon slowly rose in the east, and Taiwei Li led a group of people out of the palace gate. According to the rules of previous years, the ministers returned to their mansions and held a dinner to show the prosperity and harmony of the family. But on the way home, the lieutenant ordered that after returning to the house, they should each return to their own courtyards, and this year's dinner did not have to be held.

"Is that really what my lord said?" The Xu family and the Xiao family, who were waiting for everyone to come back in the mansion in the morning, couldn't believe it when they heard the words of the next person who came to report first.

Xiao said: "The master wants to pay attention to the family banquet, why don't you hold it this year?"

Hearing this, the Xu family was not too impatient, hugged Li Yunqi and said softly: "Master Xu wants to spend time alone with the eldest lady this year." Since the dinner party was canceled, my sister went back first. Saying that, he blessed Xiao slightly, and led Li Yunqi out of the banquet hall.

"Is something wrong?" Xiao always felt that something was wrong, after all, in previous years, no matter how much the Taiwei attached importance to Mrs. Li, he would stay at Mrs. Li's place after dinner. "Ah Fu, you go and inquire if something happened at today's palace banquet."

Xiao returned to Bi Xiyun, waiting left and right for the news, but waited for Li Mingyue to come back. Seeing that Li Mingyue came back unscathed, Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief, and waited for Li Mingyue to slow down before asking about the palace banquet.

"You mean that the second lady is at the banquet today?" After listening to Li Mingyue's narration, Xiao finally gave a summary. "You said you, what kind of second miss did you mention. I originally expected you to enter the palace this time to enter the emperor's eyes, but the second lady stole the limelight. ”

Li Mingyue was also aggrieved, and she was angry all the way back, and when her son saw his aunt blaming him, his anger rushed to the top of his head. happened to be serving tea to the two of them, and Li Mingyue was angry and suddenly broke all the tea cups.

"How did I know that hillbilly could dance, and dance so well. I thought that she would make a fool of herself in front of the emperor, so that my father would know that I was the best candidate to enter the palace, but it turned out to be a good ...... What a self-defeating decision! I'm blind, and I'm dressed up ......."

As she was talking, Li Mingyue seemed to suddenly think of something, looked down at the clothes on her body, pulled off the hairpin on her head and stared at it for a long time, and suddenly threw the hairpin on the ground. "I just said that the slut's skirt is familiar, why can't I think of it. Now I think of this hairpin I see, isn't that set of clothes the treasure of the town store in Linglongfang? ”

Hearing this, Xiao Shi also suddenly shouted: "I heard Ah Fu say that that set of clothes was specially sent to the second lady by the old man in the morning!"

"Li Shenlan! I really can't understand my father anymore, why should a woman who has no blood relationship love him so much! Li Mingyue was puzzled, but the people outside the courtyard suddenly entered the door to report, saying that Mrs. Li was coming towards Bixi Garden.

"Shouldn't the lord be in the eldest lady at this time? How did you get here? ”

Li Mingyue was also puzzled, but she still quickly got up and cleaned up her makeup, and ordered someone to clean up the broken teacup. As soon as everything was taken care of, Mrs. Li stepped into the house.

"Father, shouldn't you be with your mother when you leave today? What the hell ......" Before Li Mingyue finished speaking, the captain stepped forward and slapped her. Even Xiao Shi on the side also exclaimed, kneeling on the ground to speak for Li Mingyue.

"Do you know why I hit you!" The lieutenant's voice was low, but he didn't want to spread the news.

"My daughter doesn't know." It was another slap in the face to Li Mingyue's words! Li Mingyue's face became red and swollen in an instant, and her originally bright eyes were also overflowing with tears.

But this time Li Mingyue's aggrieved appearance did not work at all in front of the captain. "Who asked you to deliberately mention Li Shenlan at the banquet? Fortunately, she is good at dancing, if she doesn't make a big joke! Or are you trying to make a fool of her? Li Mingyue, I asked myself if taking you can be regarded as a favorite, why are my wings stiff now, and even dare to intervene in my affairs! ”

"Father, the daughter knows that she is wrong, and the daughter really knows that she is wrong. The daughter just thought that what her father thought was nothing more than to let Li Shenlan enter the house to compete for favor, and use her to replace the role of the eldest sister in the harem. But fathers and daughters can too. Compared with her, your daughter is your rightful biological daughter, over the years, your daughter has been obedient to her father, and even flattered you a little, all she wants is to enter the palace as a concubine and renew the glory of the Li Mansion! ”

Li Mingyue is skillful, and her true thoughts are only clear to herself. But these words finally made Taiwei soften his heart, after all, she is her own daughter who has been pampered for many years, how can she not love it.

"Well, get up. As a father, he knows that you are for the good of the Li Mansion, so he can arrange for Li Shenlan to come in, which is naturally a consideration for the father. You used to be very shrewd, but why can't you understand this now? ”

Seeing that the Taiwei's voice was much softer, Li Mingyue finally calmed down a little, and hurriedly squeezed out a few tears and cried coquettishly: "What my father taught me was that my daughter couldn't tell the difference between right and wrong, and my daughter promised that she would only do it this time, and she would never dare to do it again in the future."

At this point, the captain finally nodded. "Remember, that's your second sister, the person who went out from the Li Mansion, no matter who it is, will be helpful to the Li Mansion. Since you have the heart to share your worries for your father, I will not disappoint you. In the early spring of the new year, it is the third draft after the emperor ascended the throne, and you and Li Shenlan go together, no matter who is selected, it will be a happy event to win glory. ”

I thought that Taiwei would let Li Shenlan enter the palace alone, but I didn't expect that now I would promise that I could also enter the palace to fight, Li Mingyue was overjoyed in her heart, and she knelt down to thank her.

In the Changle Palace at the palace gate, the queen is sitting in front of the dressing table and asking the palace people to take off her headdress.

"The slave is really angry, Niangniang, look at Xu Guifei like her halfway just now, she is just a concubine, and she dares to walk in front of Niangniang's phoenix, I really don't know the rules." On the way back to the palace, I met Xu Guifei's honor guard, because of the emperor's favor, Xu Guifei has always been a little unsightly, and it is no wonder that the people in the palace complained.

The queen looked at the phoenix crown that had just been taken off in front of her, and couldn't help but stroke it a few times. "This phoenix crown is innumerable glory and wealth in the eyes of others, and the power is monstrous, but this palace only feels very heavy, and the neck of this palace is about to break after this day."

"Niangniang, you are just good at talking, and it is not too much to blame the concubine in public when she sees that the concubine is so rude today!" The palace people saw that their mothers were still thinking about the headdress, and they were inevitably anxious.

But the queen still didn't care, she just took off her armor with all her heart. "The emperor likes her, and if she is more favored and partial, she naturally has rampant capital." As he was talking, he accidentally saw a pear blossom on the case, and he was silent for a long time before he said: "Besides, this is a harem, and there are endless beauties as beautiful as flowers, and there will be new ...... if they are defeated."

At this time, even the palace people beside him heard the meaning, "Niangniang refers to the second lady of the Taiwei family at today's banquet?" But at the beginning, Concubine Jin ...... Taiwei is still willing to send another daughter to the palace? ”

The emperor's decree is that no one is allowed to mention this person after the death of the Jin Guifei, and the people in this palace have always realized that the words are out of line, so they are busy suppressing their voices.

"Those two girls are beautiful and have good temperaments. Today's dance, don't say that the emperor, even the palace is moved. ”

When the palace people heard this, they calmed down and thought about Li Shenlan's appearance carefully, and suddenly seemed to have discovered something: "Niangniang, the eyebrows and eyes of the second girl Li, the slave and maid look like ......."

"It's good to know it in your own heart, don't talk about it." Without waiting for the palace people to speak, the queen interrupted her coldly. "I feel that I can dress up the palace, just pull my hair in a bun, and the emperor will come for dinner in a while, and I will order the small kitchen to prepare the emperor's favorite food early."

The palace people on the side hurriedly dressed up the queen and led the order out of the palace. Leaving the queen alone, she looked at herself in the mirror in a daze, and inexplicably shed a tear.

Besides, the emperor came to Shoukang Palace to visit the Queen Mother after the banquet, and the two were sitting up and down at this time, sipping tea, and chatting about today's banquet.

"The mourning family heard that there was a young lady named Li Shenlan at today's banquet, and a white dance made the emperor full of praise."

The emperor was drinking tea, and when he heard the words, he smiled and nodded yes. "She is the second daughter of the Taiwei family, she looks beautiful and gorgeous, and her dancing posture is also amazing."

"What can be praised by the emperor is also stunning." When the Queen Mother said this, her eyes looked at the plum tree outside the house. "This plum blossom was given to me by the first emperor, and now it has grown so strong."

When the emperor saw that the queen mother suddenly talked about the first emperor, he thought that he missed the old man, so he comforted him softly. But I didn't want the Queen Mother to suddenly change her words, and said with a slight sharpness: "When the mourning family remembered that the first emperor was there, the Taiwei could be said to have done his best and bowed to the essence, but now I don't know what's wrong, I think about sending my daughter to the palace every day."

"When people are old, they always have a hard time filling their desires." The Emperor replied.

"The emperor just knows what to expect, and the day of the general election will come in March after the next year. This harem is the emperor's harem, you can make up your mind. The Queen Mother said and took a sip of the teacup, watching the tea leaves that were originally floating in the cup slowly sink to the bottom of the cup, the Queen Mother seemed to think of something, and raised her eyes to look at the emperor. Is that woman's business all right? ”

Hearing this, the emperor was also stunned, but he also understood in an instant who the queen mother was referring to. "Huang Eniang rest assured, the people who started were all trained strictly when they were young, so naturally there will be no mistakes or omissions."

"That's it, the mourning family knows that the Taiwei has been secretly looking for this matter. But since the thing has been done, no one can get the handle on it. After a pause, the Queen Mother said with a smile: "Today is the New Year's Resignation, the emperor should accompany the queen tonight, look at the time is not early, you go early, you don't have to let the queen wait."

Seeing this, the emperor didn't say anything more, got up and saluted and retired.

There was still some distance from Changle Palace, and the emperor saw the queen standing outside the palace gate looking in his direction. This day was a harsh winter, and it was not necessary to wear a mink fur to keep out the cold, so the emperor saw this and walked up with three steps and two steps.

"The concubines see the emperor."

"It's cold, why should the queen wait outside and hurt her body carefully."

The empress just smiled slightly, bowed her head and followed the emperor into the palace gate. "I heard Xiao Dezi say that the emperor went to the emperor's mother for a banquet, and the concubines estimated the time to come out and wait, and they didn't wait long."

"The queen has a heart."

The two of them cleaned their hands and sat down at the table to have dinner, the jade pigeon soup on the dinner table, the wine quenched green vine are the emperor's favorite food, the emperor saw it in his eyes, and his heart was also happy. was having dinner, and Xiao Dezi, who was waiting outside, came in to report, saying that Xu Guifei was unwell and wanted to ask the emperor to take a look.

The report fell for a long time, but the emperor didn't speak, and Xiao Dezi was also helpless and hurriedly turned his eyes to the queen on the side for help.

"Can you summon the Imperial Doctor?" The queen asked softly.

"Yes, it's just that Fluttershy, who is next to the concubine, said that the mother is really uncomfortable, and she is worried, so she wants to beg the emperor to take a look." Xiao Dezi is talking about being frightened, and he is also afraid that the master of the body will be angry. But the emperor never spoke, but the queen on the side kept persuading the emperor.

The queen saw that Xiao Dezi was embarrassed, so she only gave him a look and let him retreat. "Your Majesty, although the concubine is a little pampered, but in the end it is a daughter's family, and she must be afraid of sudden illness. Otherwise, the emperor should go and take a look, don't let the concubine break her heart. ”

"The queen is really reasonable." It took a long time for the emperor to come up with such a sentence. simply put the chopsticks aside, and looked at the queen with some loss in her eyes, but the queen was still gentle and considerate.

"That's it, I'll take a look, and I'll come back later."

After the emperor left, the queen sat down again, looked down at the table of food, and felt uncomfortable, so she simply asked people to withdraw, and ordered to prepare water for bathing.

"Won't you eat any more? The emperor will come in a while, seeing that the dish has not moved a few bites, the slave maid asked someone to make some supper, and the emperor will come back to cushion his stomach in a while. ”

It was also for the queen's good, but he didn't want the queen to tell him indifferently. "No need, hurry up and take a bath, this palace is very tired."

"But Niangniang, the emperor will ...... in a while"

"The emperor won't come back."

Tonight's moon showed only one tooth, and there were no stars in the dark sky, and the moon was so lonely that it seemed to fall at any moment......

On the second day, Li Shenlan waited in the main hall early to teach Aunt Xi, and heard that Taiwei went to Aunt Xiao's last night and gave a big breath to Li Mingyue, and even Li Mingyue came later this morning, and her face was not very good. After waiting for a long time and not seeing Aunt He coming, Li Mingyue couldn't bear it anymore, and would complain a few words from time to time. In the end, Li Mingyue got up directly and planned to go back, but she didn't want Aunt He to trot into the house.

"What's wrong with my aunt today, why did she come so late?" Li Mingyue was thinking about entering the palace in the end, and when she saw Aunt He coming, she hurriedly put away her originally unhappy face, and stepped forward with a smile to care.

"On the way here, I passed by the palace gate, and the courtiers were retreating, and the road was blocked."

Li Shenlan thought about it carefully when she heard this, and then said: "Didn't the courtiers all retreat from the court half an hour ago, why did they retreat at this time today?" And even if it's in time to retreat from the dynasty, it shouldn't be so blocked. ”

Aunt He was afraid and didn't expect Li Shenlan to be so careful, so she hurriedly explained: "Originally, this was the case, but today there was an accident in the palace, and everyone from the first-rank senior officials to the ninth-grade minor officials went to the court to ask for instructions."

Li Mingyue was also curious, so she pulled Aunt He to ask non-stop, and Aunt He couldn't bear to grind before she explained the reason. Yesterday was the resignation of the New Year, the rules of the ancestors of the resignation of the emperor and the queen of the New Year's Eve to sleep together to show the harmony of husband and wife, the country and the people. But last night, Xu Guifei invited the emperor under the pretext of inviting her, and she didn't care, but she didn't think that she would get sick again, so she pestered the emperor and didn't let her go. The courtiers knew about this, so they naturally wanted the emperor to ask for a decree and punish Xu Guifei with the rules of the palace.

"I also knew when I came here just now, the Queen Mother personally came forward, and the Xu Clan's Charming King was demoted to a concubine and given a court staff! The courtiers saw the torture with their own eyes, and then stopped. Aunt He said, her eyes revealing a little emotion. Speaking of which, yesterday I saw Xu Guifei sitting there with infinite scenery, but in one night, there were no people.

Seeing that Li Shenlan and the others were silent, Aunt He realized that she had said too much, and said with a smile: "Hey, look at what I said unconsciously, the two young ladies hurry up and get ready, let's start today's teaching."

"Good person, it's just gone......" Li Shenlan still thought about the beautiful and moving, charming and charming Xu Guifei who sat in the queen's second book yesterday, and couldn't help but sigh.

Aunt He was a little helpless when she saw this, "The master in the palace, what kind of good treatment he enjoys, he has to bear the same amount of danger." Don't say these words in the future, the Xu family is already a commoner, and there is nothing to sigh about if she deserves it. ”

Li Shenlan also knew that Aunt He's words were for her own consideration, so she nodded hurriedly and said yes.

Because of the Taiwei order, Li Shenlan and the others will always enter the palace in the future, and they have learned the rules and etiquette almost the same before the year, and Aunt He will come once every three days in the future, and the rest of the days, the two should also go outside to make an appointment with some official ladies to eat tea, chat, and make some friends, and the road after entering the palace will not be too difficult to walk.

Early this morning, Li Mingyue came to Xiaoyuxuan early to find Li Shenlan, saying that she had asked the third lady of the Shangshu family of the Ministry of War to go to Caichunju for tea, and wanted to take Li Shenlan with her. Li Shenlan was not afraid of what Li Mingyue would do, thinking that she would always find more connections before entering the palace, so she agreed. After a simple dress-up, he went out of the house with Li Mingyue.

The third daughter of the Shangshu family of the Ministry of War is named Lu Xin and Li Mingyue have always been friends, and Lu Xin's cousin Wang Jun'er came with her. It is said that Wang Yun'er's cousin is the step-wife of the Ministry of War, that is, Lu Xin's mother.

It's just that the Wang family is taking the business route, and the secretary of the military department is also a big man, so he doesn't look down on this trader in the end, and he doesn't even treat Wang Jun'er very much with Lu Xin. Along the way, Lu Xin and Li Mingyue talked and laughed, Li Shenlan was the first time they met, and it was inevitable that they would be unfamiliar and talk less. It was Wang Jun'er, who had always been timid and didn't dare to speak, and from time to time Lu Xin sneered a few words, and Wang Jun'er was just Nuo's response.

When she arrived at Caichun Residence, Li Mingyue pulled Lu Xin and jumped up to the box on the second floor, leaving Li Shenlan and Wang Jun'er to walk slowly behind. Seeing that Wang Jun'er kept her head down, Li Shenlan couldn't help but think of when she first entered the Taiwei Mansion, at that time, she was also forced to pretend to be confident in front of the Li family, but in fact, in private, seeing a room of luxury objects that she once dared not think of, it was inevitable to feel inferior...... Li Shenlan simply slowed down, just waiting for Wang Jun'er to stand side by side with her, and then took her hand.

"Second Miss Li!" Wang Jun'er obviously didn't expect Li Shenlan to suddenly pull herself, and she also screamed in a low voice at a loss.

"I see that you didn't speak much all the way, Mingyue and the others went forward, why don't you be my companion?" Li Shenlan's voice was very soft, for fear of startling the rabbit-like girl in front of her. "If you don't dislike it, my sister can call me Shen Lan, and I can call you sister, not as rusty as others."

What Li Shenlan didn't expect was that when Wang Jun'er heard her words, there were tears in her eyes, and she didn't want to talk about others, even Li Shenlan herself felt distressed.

"Sister Shen Lan......" the girl called in a low voice.

"Huh." Li Shenlan is also happy, compared to Lu Xin, who likes to show off her merits in everything, she prefers the quiet girl in front of her. "Don't cry, Mingyue and the others have been in for a while, let's go in quickly." Li Shenlan said that she was about to pull Wang Jun'er in, but unexpectedly, Wang Jun'er suddenly grabbed her cuffs and was full of resistance to the box on the second floor.

Seeing the inquiry in Li Shenlan's eyes, Wang Jun'er said in a low voice: "I, I don't like to be with Cousin Xin. She doesn't like me, and I can see that I came out today because my cousin mentioned it, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to come out......"

Li Shenlan could see Wang Jun'er's grievances, so she asked her softly where she wanted to go.

"No matter where it is, I just want to follow Sister Shen Lan, you are different from them."

Li Shenlan was also happy in her heart, so she simply took Wang Jun'er into the box to say hello to Li Mingyue and the others, and then took Wang Jun'er to wander around the market outside.

In the box, Lu Xin laughed out loud when he saw the door closed, "Mingyue, what you said is really good, lowly people just play with lowly people." ”

Li Mingyue also laughed sarcastically, "My second sister beat the temple she saw in the countryside, and the taste of a rural woman is how my father asks someone to teach, and what has taken root since childhood can't be quit." ”

As she was talking, Li Mingyue seemed to have thought of something, and looking at Lu Xin in front of her, she suddenly had an idea. "Sister Lu Xin, there's something I want to ask you to help with......

On East Street, all kinds of stalls are one after another, and the shouts of the vendors are endless. Li Shenlan and the others had already taken a lot of things in their hands at this time, including hairpins, purses, and sugar people, both of them couldn't put it down, and the people who followed behind them were also carrying a lot of things.

"Jun'er, look at that wonton shop, do you want to eat." Li Shenlan suddenly saw a family selling wontons, which she had often eaten since she was a child.

Wang Jun'er also saw Li Shenlan's thoughts, and couldn't help laughing: "My sister wants to eat, why is my sister blocking the gun?"

Li Shenlan was also embarrassed to say this, but her face couldn't help her taste buds, so she hurriedly pulled Wang Jun'er to find a seat and sit down.

"Second Miss, this kind of food outside is not clean, and it is not useful." Bang Chun behind him didn't expect his young lady to eat a roadside stall, so he hurriedly stopped it. Helplessly, Li Shenlan didn't listen to her, and asked her to find four copper plates and hand them over to the hawker.

After a while, two bowls of hot bone broth wontons were placed on the table. Looking at the wontons in the bowl that looked like goldfish, Li Shenlan didn't care about anything else, picked up the spoon and gave it to his mouth. The familiar taste filled the mouth, stimulating Li Shenlan's memory.

When she was a child, she always came to Dongcheng District with her father to sell the prey she had caught the day before yesterday, and every time she earned money on the way home, Li Shenlan would pull her father to eat a bowl of wontons at home. The two copper plates are nothing to the current Li Shenlan, but when I was a child, my father was always reluctant. So he only ordered one bowl every time, and his father just smiled and watched Li Shenlan eat, every time Li Shenlan ate halfway, he would pretend to eat it, and then his father would be willing to eat the remaining half bowl.