On the palace banquet, the sound of silk and bamboo orchestras was endless. Gao walked in front, followed by Wen Jin and Yu Jin. Among them, there are already many official wives who carry their daughters to the seats.

The maid of the first palace stepped forward respectfully, "Please ask Mrs. Xiangye and Miss Xiangye to come here with the slave maid." ”

Gao took Wen Jin and Yu Jin and walked towards the seats. Not long after sitting down, the harem concubines also arrived one after another.

Wen Jin and Qingxi glanced at each other, then smiled at each other.

"His Royal Highness the Third Prince has arrived."

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess have arrived."

The eunuch's distinctive voice rang out outside the palace.

Wen Jin and Yu Jin both subconsciously looked up. Wen Jin looked at the three princes, and Yu Jin looked at the crown prince. It's just that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at Wen Jin, and Yu Jin was stared at fiercely by the Crown Princess.

As if he hadn't seen the jade brocade, the third prince walked straight to his seat.

A quarter of an hour later, the eunuch's voice rang out again, "The emperor has arrived, the queen has arrived, and the concubine has arrived." ”

All the nobles present stood up and saluted, "Welcome to the emperor, the queen, the concubine." Long live the emperor, long live, long live, long live, the queen mother thousand years old. ”

The emperor sat on the golden dragon chair, and then said majestically, "Let's be exempt!" ”

"Your Majesty."

After everyone was seated, the feast began. The so-called palace banquet is naturally inevitably a silk and bamboo orchestra, singing and dancing.

Between the staggered plans, Song Guozhong, the Duke of Ningguo, raised his glass and said, "The minister has something to play, and the minister will drink this cup first to show respect." ”

The emperor was in a good mood and was very satisfied with Ning Guogong's performance, so he asked, "What does Aiqing have to play?" ”

Song Guozhong saluted and said, "Weichen congratulates Xichu and the emperor." ”

The emperor was happy when he heard this, "Where does this joy come from?" ”

Song Guozhong's face was full of loyalty, "Weichen Dog has been guarding the border for the emperor, and recently received a message from a courtier of the Southern Xinjiang State, saying that the emperor of the Southern Xinjiang State intends to make peace with the Western Chu State and marry a concubine for the eldest prince." ”

Speaking of this, Song Guozhong looked adoring again, "Weichen congratulates the emperor, I want to come to this southern Xinjiang country because I worship the great wealth of my Western Chu land, so I want to be close." ”

When the emperor heard this, he laughed, "The small country in southern Xinjiang naturally envy me for the vast land of Western Chu. ”

"Now the envoy of the relatives has not yet entered my Xichu, but my Xichu royal family, there is no princess of the right age to marry. This matter is still pushed! The emperor sighed slightly.

Ning Guogong was righteous and awe-inspiring, "A small country in southern Xinjiang, asking for a prince, why do you need to give him the dignity to marry the princess?" It would be appropriate for the emperor to choose a noble girl from among the princes and ministers to be crowned princess. ”

When the emperor heard this, he pondered. The queen mother interjected and said, "Your Majesty, the concubine thinks that Ning Guogong's words are very reasonable. ”

The queen mother has a princess, and now she is twenty-six years old, and the heart of the queen is now being carried.

When the concubine Niangniang heard this, her eyes rolled, and she also smiled and said, "Your Majesty, the concubine thinks that the queen's words are reasonable, and now there is only one princess to be married in the royal family." It is really inappropriate to let Princess Yan marry a prince with a leg disease in southern Xinjiang. ”

The concubine's words are clearly speaking for the queen's mother, but in fact, she is telling the emperor that the queen's words are selfish.

The emperor pondered for a moment, but in the end he was reluctant to take the princess, so he asked Ning Guo fairly, "Aiqing is there a suitable candidate?" ”

Wen Jin's heart tightened when he heard this, for fear that Ning Guogong would tell him.

Ning Guogong also thought for a moment, and then said with a smile, "Now the most noble lady of the family in the capital is the one with the highest status of the concubine of the Wenguo Mansion, and the young lady of the Wenguo Mansion has reached the age of marriage. ”

Wen Jin's heart tightened, and he subconsciously looked at Qingxi, only to see that Qingxi's face was pale, and he almost broke the wine glass in front of him.

The second aunt and the eldest aunt also looked at the emperor with a panicked face.

The emperor asked, "Where is the princess of the Wen Mansion?" ”

Qingxi stood up tremblingly, and whispered back, "Courtier Lin Qingxi, see the emperor, long live the emperor." ”

The emperor looked at Qingxi, but didn't say anything. It's just that the queen mother praised, "The young lady of the Wenguo Mansion is really a beauty who has captivated the city and the country, and she is much stronger than the princess." ”

The concubine knew that the queen deliberately appreciated the thoughts of Miss Wenguo's mansion, so she said with a smile, "It is indeed a rare beauty, but compared to the identity of the princess, it is far worse." ”

The second lady of the Wen Guogong Mansion had lost her mind anxiously at this time, got up and saluted, "The dog girl is stubborn, I'm afraid that I won't be able to take on this big responsibility." ”

Duchess Ning Guo praised with a smile, "Among the nobles in the capital, Miss Wenguo's appearance and talent are the most top-notch, so don't be modest." ”

Wen Jin looked at Qingxi with an anxious expression, and then turned his head to look at the emperor. Wen Jin even turned his attention to Xiangye for help.

The emperor still hasn't made up his mind, but Ning Guogong continued to add, "The Duke of Wen has just been promoted to the first level of duke, and the hereditary three generations have not been demoted, such a glory, the Duke of Wen will naturally be grateful for the emperor's kindness." I think I will be proud of my daughter-in-law and relatives. ”

The deep meaning of this remark is too heavy, which will naturally arouse the suspicion of the emperor, but he is afraid that the Wenguo Mansion will be too favored, and he will not be subordinate.

Just when everyone stopped making a sound, the third princess Chu Yue stood up, "Father, Erchen likes Qingxi very much, and in the future, Qingxi's marriage, does Erchen still want to be the master?" Erchen begged his father to allow Erchen to be willful and not to send Qingxi to his relatives. ”

The emperor likes the third princess very much, and he was a little moved when he heard the third princess say this.

But the queen mother said, "Yue'er is really messing around, even if your identity is noble, can you still find a more noble family for Miss Wenguo's Mansion than Heqin?" ”

Chu Yue was not ashamed or annoyed, but said with a smile, "It's Erchen who is willful, Erchen just doesn't want this girl Qingxi to be too far away from Erchen in the future, and she can't even ask to speak." ”

After saying this, Chu Yue sat down, and then gave Lin Qingxuan a look, Lin Qingxuan was grateful for his heart, and he also smiled gratefully.

The emperor saw all this in his eyes, but his eyes became fierce. The Duke of Wen's mansion is powerful, and his original intention was to marry the princess so that they could wake up, but he didn't expect that his princess would collude with them.

Old Wen Guogong didn't speak from beginning to end, but when he saw the emperor's eyes, the alarm bell sounded in his heart.

Old Wen Guogong stood up tremblingly, saluted respectfully and said, "The minister is kind to the emperor, and he should share the emperor's worries, and it is also an honor for his granddaughter to be able to marry for the great cause of Western Chu." ”

As soon as Old Wen Guogong said this, not only Qingxi and Wen Jin, but even the eldest lady and the second lady were shocked.

When the emperor heard this, his expression softened and he laughed softly. "Wen Guogong is loyal and righteous, and I am very relieved. Now that the envoy of the Southern Xinjiang Country has not yet arrived, this matter is not in a hurry, and it will be discussed later! ”

"Come, everyone toast to celebrate the Lantern Festival." The emperor raised his glass and said.

Wen Jin breathed a sigh of relief, raised his eyes to look at Qingxi, and saw that Qingxi was completely paralyzed to the seat as if he had no bones, and he looked like he was not giving up.

It's just that the sharp-eyed Wen Jin also saw the gaze of Song Yi, the son of the former Duke of Ningguo, Song Yi looked at Qingxi with a worried face, and the affection in his eyes, although it was concealed, was also about to come out.

Wen Jin suddenly understood the purpose of Ning Guogong's move today. If Song Yi marries Qingxi in the future, it will be equivalent to having the backing of the Duke of Wen, and when the time comes, I don't know who will change the position of Duke Ning.

After all, the current Ning Guogong is only a concubine, and the title of Ning Guogong was taken over from Song Yi's father. As the saying goes, if the name is not right, it is not good.

The banquet was soon coming to an end, but the noble concubine Niangniang said out loud, "Your Majesty, the crown prince already has a main concubine and a side concubine, and there are countless concubines, and the third prince does not even have a concubine by his side now." The emperor might as well take advantage of today's banquet to choose a concubine for the three princes! ”

After the concubine finished speaking, she didn't forget to provoke the queen's mother. Now the most noble prince is the crown prince, but the most capable is the third prince, if the third prince marries a young lady of the family as a concubine, then it can be compared with the prince. I think this is also what the queen doesn't want to see.

And the queen is unhappy, and it is what the concubine wants to see the most.

The emperor loves the concubine, and the three princes are indeed at the age of marriage, if they delay the marriage of the three princes, it will be unreasonable, so the emperor is happy to come down.

The emperor looked at the concubine with a look of affection, "The concubine has already been chosen?" ”

The concubine smiled, "The concubine has the emperor's eyes like a torch!" The concubine is naturally not sure for a while, but the concubine has a few optimistic candidates in her heart. ”

The emperor smiled knowingly, "The concubine is naturally good, I don't know which lady it is?" ”

The concubine said with a smile, "The concubine is foolish, but I think that the princess of Jinghe, Miss Wenguo's Mansion, Miss Ningguo's Mansion, and Miss Rongguo's Mansion are all good." ”

"Oh, yes! The Prime Minister's Miss is also good. ”

Wen Jin's heart instantly became nervous when he heard this, if the emperor really chose him, he would naturally not be able to resist the decree. But he had promised Yuan Xi to wait for him to come back.

Wen Jin was irritable in his heart, and his face was also revealed. And the third prince naturally saw this scene, and his eyes dimmed.

The crown prince, who was also observing Wenjin, laughed when he saw this, it seems that this young lady from the prime minister's mansion also looks down on the three princes!

The emperor pondered for a moment, "The concubine chooses, the family background is naturally good, and she is worthy of the third prince." It's just that now I'm having a hard time making a choice. ”

The concubine laughed softly, "What's so difficult about this, as long as you let these young ladies show it in front of the emperor, then you will naturally be able to distinguish which is good and which is bad, and the emperor is still afraid that he won't be able to choose it when the time comes?" ”

The queen mother had a dissatisfied look on her face, "They are all young ladies of the family, how can they show off in front of people, not to mention that there are still ministers and nobles and sons of the kings and grandchildren present." I'm afraid that you young ladies won't be able to pull down their faces. ”

When the emperor heard this, he also raised his eyebrows and pondered.

At this time, the third prince saluted and said, "Father, the sons don't want to rush to get married, and the sons want to achieve a career first." What's more, the northwest is bitterly cold, even if Erchen marries a wife, he is afraid that he can't bear to bring it over, and then he will leave Miss in the capital to wait alone. ”

When the concubine heard this, she covered her mouth and laughed, "I can't imagine that the third prince who is iron-clad on the battlefield is a tender person?" ”

The queen mother comforted, "Xuan'er, as the saying goes, start a family first and then start a business, although you are dedicated to making meritorious contributions, but now you are at the age when you should start a family." ”

The queen mother was able to say this, obviously she was forced to be anxious. The words of the third prince have already moved the emperor.

Nowadays, compared to making the emperor look at the three princes with admiration, the queen would rather let the three princes marry a concubine with a strong family behind her.

But the emperor waved his hand and said, "Xuan'er can have this heart, I am very relieved." When you have established your merits, I will marry you myself. ”

"Thank you, Father." The third prince saluted respectfully and said.

As soon as the emperor said this, the matter was decided. In this way, it is natural that some people are happy and some are worried. Qingxi and Wenjin are naturally happy, while Miss Ningguo Mansion, Miss Rongguo Mansion, and Jinghe County Lord are naturally worried.