Three days later.

Qing'er came to Qingyun Pavilion to comb Bai Muguan's hair, looked at the bright and incomprehensible girl in the mirror, and swore and said: "Miss Biao, the princess ordered the slave maid to help you make up, and today you will definitely dominate the crowd and compare all the ladies and ladies who participated in the Hundred Flowers Banquet." ”

Looking at Qing'er's confident appearance, the corners of Bai Muguan's lips in the mirror hooked just the right curvature: "The skirt that my sister prepared for me is light pink, and the headdress is still simple and elegant, and I don't like cumbersome golden hairpins and jade pendants." ”

"The slave knows." Qing'er agreed, and began to carefully curl her hair.

After about two teas, I heard Xiangyun's surprised voice: "Oh my God, Miss you are so beautiful!" It's amazing! ”

Bai Muguan, who was recuperating with her eyes closed, couldn't help but open her eyes when she heard such admiration, and the young beauty in the mirror made her deeply amazed.

The girl's fair skin was flawless, her eyes were like almonds, and under Joan's nose was a small mouth as full and red as rose petals. The rouge on both sides of the cheeks is slightly smudged, just like a peach blossom on the face, which is bright and dazzling.

It turns out that Bai Muguan, who is thin and powdery, is so beautiful and outstanding, even better than Ye Shiying, the first beauty in the capital.

As for this unique hairstyle, Bai Muguan had never seen it before. She had heard that all the ladies and ladies in the Xungui Mansion in the capital were very particular about curling hair, but she didn't expect Qing'er's hands to be so dexterous. The black hair is braided into four strands of twisted braids and then twisted into a peach blossom shape, and a small plum blossom pendant falls in the center of the bun, which is very delicate and beautiful.

"Miss, are you wearing this pair of Hetian white jade carved peony earrings today? Your Highness said that this is the same as the peony flower jade bracelet on your wrist. ”

Bilong, who had been waiting for a long time, suddenly walked over with a pair of delicate jade earrings, and said that she woke up Bai Muguan, who was intoxicated by her beauty. It is said that Bi Long was originally Yu Wenye's cronies, she was a few years older than Bai Muguan and Xiangyun, she acted thoughtfully, and her temperament was calm and generous.

The girl picked up one of them, made a few gestures to her ear, and put it on decisively. These white jade earrings resemble two blooming peony flowers, and their unique shape is carefully carved by skilled craftsmen, because the jade is transparent and looks fresh and refined.

After packing up and dressing up, Qing'er looked at the hour and said, "Miss Cousin, the slave and maid estimate that you should be ready to go, and the crown princess is waiting for you at the door." ”

Bai Muguan nodded with a smile.

Sure enough, the carriage and horses had already been prepared outside the main gate of the East Palace, according to the rules of the royal family of the Tianxi Dynasty, the crown princess Ye Shiying took a seven-top emerald covered carriage alone, and Bai Muguan, as the daughter of the official eunuch, should take a more ordinary carriage. There were dozens of guards with knives in front of and behind the two carriages, and they walked slowly in the direction of the inner palace. On the way, you have to take the smooth official road paved with blue bricks according to the etiquette, but the East Palace is too close to the Inner Palace, and even if you deliberately detour, you will come to the periphery of the Inner Palace in less than a quarter of an hour.

According to the rules of previous years, this year's Hundred Flowers Banquet is no exception, and it is still scheduled to be held in the Queen's Kunning Palace. Being qualified to set foot in the queen's palace for a banquet not only shows the benevolence of the heavenly family, but also the supreme glory of the daughters of all the noblewomen.

The emperor and the princes of the inner palace banquet naturally did not attend, and the queen was respected during the banquet, and there were several high-ranking concubines to accompany the banquet.

The singing and dancing in the huge Kunning Palace Jinluan Hall are leveling, and the dancing girls are enchanting, and with the tune played by the musician, they twist their soft and light bodies, curling and tingting.

"The Queen Mother has arrived—"

"Concubine Lin is here, Concubine Xian is here, Concubine Xi is here."

Several unusually shrill tenors sounded in the Jinluan Palace, one after another.

Before anyone arrives, the sound comes first.

During the banquet, the ladies present hurriedly lined up and saluted together: "Welcome to the queen's mother, Chitose Chitose, Chitose Chitose!" ”

A dark red figure walked out of the hall and slowly walked towards the high seat in the banquet, which was indescribably expensive. Behind him, there are three concubines with different appearances, who sit on the left and right of the queen according to their ranks.

"You don't have to be restrained today." The person who is qualified to speak is naturally Queen Tong.

Bai Muguan sat next to Ye Shiying in the front seat, and looked up at the dignity of the Tong family, and could see it clearly. She has been away from Beijing for several years, and when she came back, she went from an ignorant child to a slim girl, and she didn't expect that Tong's appearance was almost the same as she remembered, and she didn't show any old age.

The first to take over the conversation was the oldest concubine Lin in the harem, compared to the youthful queen Tong, Concubine Lin looked too mellow, and her old face was kind and kind: "Queen Mother, do you guess what outstanding talents have been prepared by the ladies of each province today?" ”

Before she could finish speaking, she saw the dancing girls in the hall retreat one after another, followed by a white figure jumping into everyone's sight. Just when everyone was confused, the long and deep flute of the tune sounded in an uproar.

I saw the woman in white waving the light veil in her hand as thin as a cicada's wings, dancing with the sound of the flute. Spinning quickly and jumping lightly, her flexible posture is like a butterfly fluttering among a hundred flowers, and two strands of light yarn appear like butterfly wings in her hands.

Admittedly, it was a very difficult dance, but she danced it gracefully and perfectly.

Especially at the end, the woman gently props herself up on her toes, lowers her waist in mid-air, and completes the last movement.

At the end of the song, the woman stood firmly, and the flute suddenly stopped.

Crisp and neat applause came from the silent Jinluan Hall.

"Courtesy Cai Liwan visits the queen." The woman was half-kneeling on the ground, smiling, with a side face like jade, and a pair of Danfeng eyes full of flying looks.

"Flatten." Tong Shi Shu frowned and laughed, taking away the majesty of the queen of the middle palace, and at this moment she was more like an ordinary elder, "It turned out to be Liwan!" Originally, this palace only knew that you were proficient in poetry and writing, but I didn't expect that dancing was so exquisite. ”

Hearing the praise from the superiors, Cai Liwan was extremely proud in her heart, but she said humbly: "Thank you for the praise of the queen, the courtiers are usually ashamed of their dancing skills." ”

Ye Shiying and Bai Muguan stared at each other, this is the second daughter of Cai Quan, the secretary of the Ministry of War. In the first two years of the Hundred Flowers Banquet, Cai Liwan has always said that she is sick and has never shown up, and she rarely goes to banquets in various mansions. Most of the ladies in Beijing know each other, although it is rare to see Cai Liwan, but many people privately copy the poems she wrote. Therefore, everyone only knows that she is a well-known talented woman with excellent calligraphy, and today she suddenly knows that her dancing is also very good.

The official family always loves to compete, in addition to the nephews of the descendants of the Chinese martial arts of the comparison family, the pampered daughters also have to be compared. Like Cai Liwan, who shines today, will soon be known.

Suddenly, a coquettish laughter interrupted the whispering ladies in the banquet: "Miss Cai's dance today is not inferior to the dance of the crown princess at the Hundred Flowers Banquet last year." It's a pity that the Queen Mother was not present this year, otherwise the name of the first beauty in the capital would have changed hands. ”

The one who spoke was the virtuous concubine Liu, who is now favored by the Son of Heaven. She is only in her early twenties, she has no heirs under her knees, and her mother's family is ordinary, so she can climb to the current concubine position so quickly, in addition to her extraordinary beauty, there are naturally other reasons not to mention for the time being. However, the crown princess is the daughter-in-law of the Tong family, and Concubine Xian belittles the crown princess to elevate Cai Liwan, which is tantamount to poking at the heart of the Tong family.

Ye Shiying bowed slightly, smiling without saying a word.

Cai Liwan's face flashed with a look of pride.

Tong's slightly cold eyes swept over the pampered and arrogant Concubine Liu Xian, and swept over everyone in the banquet one by one, and the smile on her lips was meaningful: "Liwan just danced very well, the white clothes fluttered like a fairy descending to earth, and this palace should be rewarded." Come on, the palace rewarded Miss Cai Er with a pair of cloisonne bracelets and a jade Ruyi handle. But whoever performs today will be rewarded by this palace. ”

"Thank you, Queen Mother." Cai Liwan softly received the reward, and her joy was hard to hide. To tell the truth, she doesn't care about the reward, who here is rare about the object itself? It is commendable that the queen of Tong rewarded her in public is of great significance, and what she is rewarded is face and glory.

After Cai Liwan sat down with a smile, the banquet began to be restless.

The annual Hundred Flowers Banquet is also the best time for the noble daughter who has not yet left the cabinet to show her face in front of everyone. From the selection of concubines by the prince to the marriage of the family, the number in the hearts of the ladies mainly comes from the impression of the ladies at the Hundred Flowers Banquet. Therefore, the ladies present laughed as usual on their faces, but in fact, they secretly held their breath and hoped to show their strengths.

Next, a little girl about twelve years old walked to the center of the main hall first, and said proudly: "Queen Mother, the courtier Shangguan Xiyue would like to show everyone the snake whip dance. ”

Tong Shi smiled slightly: "Okay, this palace has long heard that the youngest daughter of the Prime Minister Shangguan's family has been practicing martial arts since she was a child, and she dances with a snake whip in one hand very wonderfully." ”

Compared with Shangguan Xiyue, who was full of interest, her mother hurriedly got up and confessed: "The queen mother praises falsely, Xiyue is young and ignorant and only understands some fur, I'm afraid she won't be able to get on the stage." If she doesn't perform well, I hope the mother won't blame her. ”

"The prime minister's wife is too worried, the meaning of the Hundred Flowers Banquet is to gather in the palace, and the picture is lively. It's already good that the little ones have a heart, and of course Hongu doesn't blame anyone. Tong Shi was smiling all the time, but no one knew how real or false the smile was. The women in the palace are all good at acting, and her acting skills as a queen are simply perfect.

Shangguan Xiyue is still young, and her eyes are completely arrogant that belongs to this age, like a newborn calf who is not afraid of heaven and earth.

Standing in the center of the main hall and playing the snake whip a few times, Shangguan Xiyue raised her head and asked, "It's boring for me to play the snake whip alone, which of you is willing to come up and try it with me?" ”

She was silent.

Most of the young ladies in the capital are delicate, where are there so many girls who like to dance with knives and guns. Shangguan Xiyue's words clearly had ulterior motives, and the target she wanted to provoke was Bai Muguan.

Since Bai Muguan entered Beijing, the limelight has directly crushed all the nobles in the capital, first praised by the Son of Heaven Chrysostom as a heroine, and then was named the only four-grade female general, and then it was rumored that she was quite favored by the prince of the East Palace...... Why is it that all the good things are taken by her alone? Unconvinced, who hates her, why is Shangguan Xiyue alone?

"Queen Mother, the concubine heard that the daughter of General Mobei attended this year's Hundred Flowers Banquet, I don't know which young lady is here? Why don't you ask her to try a game or two with Miss Shangguan? "It's still Concubine Liu Xian, who has a lot of mouths and tongues.

Her words attracted the echo of many people at the banquet, it is rare to have a good show that does not cost money, who doesn't want to watch it?

Bai Muguan and Ye Shiying glanced at each other and fell into a dilemma.

After all, the other party is the prime minister's daughter, and if she accidentally misses and hurts her, I'm afraid that she will cause trouble. But if he openly refused, Bai Muguan's face would be directly swept away, would the dignified General Bai be afraid of the little girl in the boudoir?

"Miss Bai, do you dare to come forward and compete with me?" Shangguan Xiyue asked again, her voice was deliberately high, and the frivolity in her eyes was about to come out.

Bai Muguan raised his eyebrows and smiled, got up and walked out.