The red sun gradually rose, and flocks of geese flew through the sky, causing the magpies in the birdcage under the palace wall to chirp non-stop, as if they were lamenting that they were not favored by the firmament, and could not fly to the nine heavens, so they could only be confined to this golden wire prison all year round.

Hua Yan and Hua Shu and others followed the eunuch who led the way in front of them all the way to the imperial garden of the palace. It is the spring season, the garden is green with willows, flowers in full bloom, and the fragrance is rich, which has to make people fascinated.

In the center of the garden, three tables of tea tables have already been prepared, waiting for the arrival of the young ladies of each family.

Huayan pulled her sister and sat down at the tea table closest to the flowers, and was about to take a good look at it, but was interrupted by a voice.

"Don't get out of the way, this is the position of my young lady!"

Hua Yan looked at the person who spoke with some annoyance, it turned out that it was the group of people who met outside the palace gate, and the person who spoke was Zhu Biyu's personal maid.

The girl's cry naturally caused a wave of onlookers in the garden.

Hua Shu has always been gentle, she stood up from her chair, and said humbly: "Since the girl also likes to sit here, then the girl will go first." ”

Although it is better to have more than one thing to do less, she will never allow others to gain an inch. As if he hadn't heard, he picked up the teapot and poured himself tea.

"Hey! Are you deaf? What a big guts, don't get out of the way! The maid saw that the painting was indifferent, and began to be anxious.

Hua Yan gently held the teacup full of tea in his hand, and didn't look at the girl. "A slave dares to talk to a master like this, I think you are tired of living."

"You ......," the servant girl blushed and was speechless for a moment.

Hua Shu hurriedly walked to Hua Yan's side and said, "Yan'er, don't make trouble." ”

"Sister, blindly forbearance will only make people bully to the end, it's okay, I know it in my heart." Hua Yan whispered to Hua Shu.

Zhu Biyu on the side was immediately angry when she heard this, she stepped forward and said arrogantly, "Hmph, you really take yourself seriously, and you don't look at what you look like!" If you dare to fight with me, I'll leave the conversation here now, this seat is mine, and I'll tell you to get out of the way for me now! ”

Hua Yan turned her head and looked at her funny, "You said that this seat is yours, but you should ask it to see if it will respond to you, and if it does, I will let you." ”

Huayan's words made the onlookers laugh, which made Zhu Biyu even more embarrassed, she raised her hand and hit Huayan, but was stopped by the other hand.

"The girl has something to say, how can she learn from the rough and reckless man outside and start moving?"

Zhu Biyu pulled back the arm that was grabbed by the man, turned around and was about to teach a lesson, but saw that the person who came was Xu Suhua, the daughter of Duke Xu, and her anger suddenly suffocated. But she still didn't give up, saying: "The girl wants to use her father's official character to oppress people? Don't forget that my father is no less than yours! ”

Xu Suhua smiled and said, "The girl's words are bad, and everything is reasonable." The chairs in the garden are not marked with their names, first come, first come, since it is the painting lady who sits in this seat first, why should the girls fight again? Mrs. Zhang invited us to come here for a discussion, and we can only thank Mrs. Zhang a little bit for our kindness if we can be self-denying and courteous. The girl didn't let down Mrs. Zhang's good intentions, and made an unpleasant thing. ”

Zhu Biyu was speechless by Xu Suhua's preaching, she looked around and saw that she was ridiculed by everyone, and her heart was unbalanced, but because of Xu Suhua's family background, she didn't dare to face the competition, and she was afraid that she would really annoy Mrs. Zhang, so she threw up her sleeves and left angrily.

During the whole process, the painting was carefully observed. She remembered that when she was framed by Lin Yunrou in the palace, it was Xu Suhua who came forward to testify for herself at that time. When I saw him for the first time, Huayan had a good impression of Xu Suhua, and today I heard her remarks about solving the siege for herself, and Huayan felt that the gentle, skilled, and rigid and soft woman in front of her was not simple.

Huayan got up and said to Xu Suhua with the habits of Jianghu people: "Thank you girl for pulling out the knife and helping." ”

Xu Suhua smiled when he heard this: "Where did I get the knife on my body?" If it is listened to by people who do not know, many misunderstandings will arise. ”

"Haha......" Huayan laughed heartily when he heard this, but was glared at by Huashu.

Hua Shu bowed respectfully, "I have always heard that Miss Xu is talented and generous, and it is true that I saw it today." Thank you, the girl just said righteously. ”

Xu Suhua also hurriedly returned the salute, "Miss Painting is serious." ”

Hua Yanben didn't like these cumbersome etiquette, she said bluntly: "Miss Xu, at the last palace dinner, you could have stood by and watched, but you still spoke up, and Yan Er thanked you again." Last time and this time, I owe you a total of two favors, and I will repay them in the future. ”

Xu Suhua saw that the painting was really bold, and he wanted to get acquainted with him even more. She laughed and said, "I didn't do anything. Maybe it's fate, the first time I saw you that day, I felt that you were unusual, and I wanted to get acquainted with you, but I couldn't get to know you at any time. ”

"Actually, I also wanted to make you a friend a long time ago, and since we have a fate today, it is better for us to officially make friends here." Huayan filled the teacup, raised his glass and said: "I replace wine with tea, I salute you, it's a pleasure to meet you!" ”

Xu Suhua also poured a cup of tea and raised her glass forward, "I also respect you, we will be sisters in the future." ”

After the two finished speaking, they drank together.

Hua Shu looked at it from the side and smiled, "You two strong men, have you finished drinking?" ”

For a moment, all three of them burst into laughter.

"Mrs. Zhang has arrived!"

At this time, the eunuch who had just led the way shouted, and the ladies and maids in the garden all fell to their knees.

Hua Yan and the others also immediately knelt down on the spot.

The first eunuchs with lanterns appeared in the deep alleys of the garden, one on the left and one on the right, and then the two maids holding fans on the left and right, and then Mrs. Zhang finally appeared. I saw a woman dressed in a gold brocade robe walk to the pavilion in the garden and sit down slowly. Although she had a dazzling phoenix golden hairpin pinned to her hair, the bright eyes under her eyebrows were even more dazzling.

Mrs. Zhang smiled and said, "Flat." ”

The crowd was ordered to get up.

Xin Qiao leaned into Huayan's ear and whispered, "Miss, why are they still lighting up in broad daylight?" The rules in the palace are so strange! ”

Xu Suhua replied on the side: "This lamp is for insect repellent ants, not for lighting. ”

Xin Qiao suddenly realized, "So that's the case!" ”

At this time, another eunuch walked out of the alley, and shouted in the same voice: "Wang Meiren has arrived!" ”

Then they fell on their knees again. Seeing this, Hua Yan, who had just stood up, knelt down again.

Another group of people came out of the alley, only slightly smaller than Mrs. Zhang's. I saw that Wang Meiren was only dressed in plain clothes, and she never wore too much jewelry, and her dress was very low-key. With a smile on her face, she walked to the pavilion where Mrs. Zhang was and bowed respectfully. "I've seen Madame."

Mrs. Zhang also got up and said with a smile: "My sister is here, come and sit with me." ”

"Yes." Wang Meiren slowly walked up the steps, sat down on the chair next to Mrs. Zhang, and motioned for everyone to get up.

After this morning's tossing, Huayan felt a little weak in her hands and feet, but in order not to worry her sister, she still kept her composure.

But Xin Qiao was excited on the side, and she whispered: "Wow, I didn't expect Wang Meiren to be so beautiful!" Even if you don't need too much decoration, it's the most eye-catching. ”

Hua Yan casually tapped Xin Qiao's head, "Be cautious in your words and deeds, you know?" Besides, didn't you already see it last time? ”

Xin Qiao bowed her head knowingly: "Yes, miss." ”

"Yan'er, why are you sweating so much?"

Seeing that Huamian was pale, sweating profusely, and worried.

Hua Yan hurriedly wiped the sweat on his forehead with his sleeve, "It's nothing, it's just that the clothes are thick and hot." ”

"The palace invites you to come today, is to let you taste the peach blossom wine brewed by the palace recently, although it is not a rare treasure, but by the spring color of this imperial garden, the artistic conception is beautiful. Second, everyone is also of the same age, and it is also possible to say that it is a dating banquet. Mrs. Zhang said as she slowly walked to the middle of the crowd, and Wang Meiren slowly followed.

Huayan looked at the two of them carefully. Although Mrs. Zhang and Wang Meiren are both the emperor's favorite concubines, their temperaments are completely different. Mrs. Zhang is dressed in gorgeous clothes and emerald, exuding a kind of wealth and nobility, while Wang Meiren's plain clothes and silver hairpin have a forest wind.

"Since we have come to the Imperial Garden, wouldn't it be a pity not to enjoy the flowers? You might as well follow me to Flower Lane first, and then come to taste the wine. After Mrs. Zhang finished speaking, she slowly walked in the direction of another alley in the Imperial Garden.

"Yes." The crowd bowed and saluted back.

Flower Lane is part of the Imperial Garden, which is a 100-meter-long road lined with a variety of gorgeous flowers, tall and short, with butterflies flying in the air.

Mrs. Zhang and Wang Meiren led the way in front of the flower alley, and Huayan and others followed at the end of the crowd, and there was a lot of laughter and laughter in the flower alley along the way, and they all tried their best to please the two masters.

"The peony in this flower alley is extremely beautiful, and it is the first of ten thousand flowers, and its beauty is incomparable, just like Mrs. Zhang." Zhu Biyu followed behind Mrs. Zhang and took the opportunity to curry favor.

Mrs. Zhang stopped and picked a peony, looked at it carefully, and smiled silently.

After a while, she glanced back at Zhu Biyu again, and said with a smile: "The head of ten thousand flowers is to describe the queen, now that the first queen has gone, and there is no head in the middle palace, how can you compare the peony to the main palace?" In this way, what do you compare Wang Meiren to? ”

Only then did Zhu Biyu realize that she had said the wrong thing, and she was so frightened that she hurriedly knelt down, "Madam, please forgive Biyu for her gaffe." ”

Mrs. Zhang glanced at Wang Meiren again, and continued: "Miss Jasper, this palace has not punished you, you don't have to panic, just answer the question just now. ”

Zhu Biyu was already pale with fright, and when she could answer, she only trembled vigorously.

Hua Yan secretly marveled in her heart, Mrs. Zhang's army of Wang Meiren was simply silent, but aggressive.

"Apricot blossoms."

As soon as these words came out, everyone raised their eyes to look for the source of the sound.

When they found out that the person who had just spoken was a painter, they all gave way to both sides.

Even Mrs. Zhang couldn't help but look back, only to see Hua Yan holding a small branch with apricot blossoms in her hand and walking forward.