The Jade Level Hall was already filled with all the furens and young ladies. Almost all of them were relatives of high officials and nobles. There were also many nobles in the palace who took care of them. At this moment, they were all gracefully and quietly exchanging greetings. They did not appear overly formal or presumptuous.
On the high seat, the Empress sat in the middle, and the four consorts sat below her with a smile. At this moment, they were also smiling at the furens and young ladies below, occasionally exchanging a few words of greeting. They looked very cordial.
The young eunuch who was waiting to deliver the order announced loudly, "The Madam of the Minister's fu has arrived —"
Everyone's gaze uniformly turned towards the door.
The Minister of War, Jiang Quan, had recently been in the limelight in the capital. This was not because of anything else, but because Eldest Young Master Jiang, who had just returned to the capital, was currently the youngest Deputy General in the Great Jin dynasty. Moreover, as soon as he returned to the capital, he had repeatedly performed meritorious deeds. It was said that he had been favored by His Majesty. It could be assumed that in the future, his official career path would be smooth and he would have a bright future. As furens, they would more or less hear a word or two from their masters. There was no lack of young ladies present who had reached the marriageable age. Some of them had thoughts in their hearts that they wanted to climb up the Jiang family's door. Now that they heard that Minister Jiang's family had arrived, they naturally cast their gazes in their direction.
Xia Yan and the others actually thought that the furens were looking at her, and could not help but straighten their backs. The smile on their faces was gentle and dignified, and they walked very steadily.
Everyone watched in silence. Xia Yan and Jiang Su Su appeared gentle and elegant. Jiang Li was in high spirits but slightly frivolous. Jiang Dan was delicate and timid, and could not stand up to such a grand occasion. On the contrary, Jiang Ruan, who walked behind Xia Yan, walked at a pace that was neither fast nor slow. There was a bright smile on her lips. Her smile was bright and charming, and her every movement revealed a noble elegance that only people in the palace possessed.
Looking at her like this, everyone remembered that Xia Yan was not Jiang Xin Zhi's biological mother. Jiang Ruan and Jiang Xin Zhi were real brother and sister. If Jiang Xin Zhi were to be promoted and become rich in the future, Jiang Ruan would also rise with him. Looking at Jiang Ruan's ability to advance and retreat, even when entering and leaving a grand occasion like the palace banquet, she did not seem the slightest bit nervous. She did not seem like someone who had been raised in the wilderness. Some of the madams also had other thoughts in their minds. They were wondering if they should settle this young lady of the Jiang family back home as soon as possible.
Xia Yan and the rest stepped forward to pay their respects to the Empress. The Empress was over forty years of age and had taken good care of herself, so she did not appear to be very old. She had been in a high position all year round, but did not have the air of superiority. Perhaps it was because she was not favored and only had the Emperor's respect and the Crown Prince's son. At first glance, she looked no different from an ordinary official's wife. She smiled and motioned for Xia Yan and the rest to rise, her expression very sincere and cordial.
Consort Xian was slightly younger and appeared to be cute and lovely. She had a kind of naivety about her. It was no wonder that she gave birth to the Fourth Prince, Xuan Lang, who had such a mediocre son. Concubine De was older, and she was dignified and virtuous, worthy of the word "De". The Fifth Prince, Xuanhua, was also very reliable in the imperial court. He was loyal, filial, brave, and resolute. At least, he was a virtuous person.
Consort Shu was born beautiful and charming. If Imperial Consort Chen was said to be the misty rain in a corner of Jiangnan, then Consort Shu was a smear of light in a foreign grassland. Her temperament was also very capricious and shrewd. Princess He Yi had inherited her beauty, and also her temperament. She was equally capricious and domineering.
Sitting next to the Empress, the one who appeared to be the most gentle and beautiful was Imperial Consort Chen. If the Empress and the other consorts were said to have some of the elegance and bearing of the nobles of the Imperial Palace, this one was like an ordinary young girl from Jiangnan. There was not the slightest trace of a refined air about her. Sitting here, she seemed to be out of tune with the Imperial Palace. It was as if she had brought this area into the misty rain of Jiangnan.
Jiang Ruan smiled and bowed, but her heart seemed to have stopped at that moment. The people sitting here were all old acquaintances from her past life. It was just that she was too lowly and could not often see these consorts. However, Imperial Consort Chen was an exception.
Not only did she not ridicule or belittle her like the other consorts, but she would often summon her to the Palace of Contemplation to talk. Imperial Consort Chen had a gentle temperament and was also Xuan Li's birth mother. In her past life, Jiang Ruan had regarded her as a close friend and also as an older sister. She was a relative that was worthy of her trust in the ice-cold palace.
However, the things that this Imperial Consort Chen did behind her back, in the end, made her feel as if everything was a joke. She was like a sinister snake beauty. Hidden in her gentleness was a fatal trap. She and Xuan Li were the same kind of people. They were completely cold and unreservedly used, then abandoned and killed.
Imperial Consort Chen looked at Xia Yan and the others and suddenly said, "You must be Eldest Jiang Miss, right? Come forward and let ben gong have a look."
The Empress was startled and looked at Jiang Ruan thoughtfully. Jiang Li unwillingly glanced at Jiang Ruan, unable to conceal the jealousy in her eyes. Jiang Dan lowered her head, not daring to raise her eyes. Jiang Su Su's face stiffened, as if she couldn't believe it. Jiang Ruan slowly raised her head. In the split second that she raised her head, the smile at the corner of her lips disappeared. When she raised her head, she saw a slightly cold and indifferent face.
Imperial Consort Chen carefully looked at her and did not seem to see the displeasure on her face. She smiled and said, "Truly a beautiful child."
When the surrounding madams saw this scene, they began to discuss in low voices. Dong Yinger, who was sitting on the side, felt a little uneasy. She recalled that her mother had previously mentioned that Imperial Consort Chen had the intention of choosing a consort for the Eighth Prince. She could not help but break out in a cold sweat for Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Ruan indifferently said, "Thank you, niang niang, for your undeserved praise. Ruan niang does not deserve it."
Her words could not be said to be warm, and there was not even the most basic of respect. There was only a faint resistance. When this resistance was heard by Imperial Consort Chen, she paused for a moment. After a moment, her smile became more amiable, "I wonder if Jiang Furen, Eldest Miss is betrothed?"
Xia Yan's body stiffened, and an indescribable fire suddenly erupted in her heart. Jiang Ruan, it was Jiang Ruan again! What kind of person was this Imperial Consort Chen? She was the most beloved woman in the palace, yet the first person she had inquired about was Jiang Ruan, not Jiang Su Su. Could it be that these people were all blind? Jiang Ruan was born with a foxy face, and with one look, one could tell that she was not a peaceful person.
However, even though she had a thousand thoughts in her heart, her face did not show the slightest trace of it. She still replied humbly, "Replying to niang niang's words, Ruan niang is only eleven this year, and has yet to betroth to anyone."
"Ah, that's good." The smile on Imperial Consort Chen's beautiful face became even more sincere. That spotlessly white and smooth face seemed to be covered with a faint layer of mist, and her emotions were unexpectedly difficult to guess. Her words were shocking. "Such a lovely child, of course we can't just casually marry him. BenGong seems to like Eldest Miss Jiang very much, and I really wish to personally betroth her. "
These words were too explicit, and the faces of the surrounding furens could not help but reveal a complicated expression of surprise and understanding. Consort Xian looked at Jiang Ruan with great interest, Consort De did not bat an eyelid, and the Empress smiled without moving. However, Consort Shu could not help but speak up, "What is Chen jiejie saying? In the end, this marriage arrangement still depends on whether the young miss likes it or not. Could it be that Chen jiejie is also getting old, and also likes to do these things that only icemen do? "
Consort Shu and Imperial Consort Chen had always been at odds. Consort Shu could not bear to see Imperial Consort Chen acting subservient and aloof from the world of mortals. Of course, more importantly, she was jealous that Imperial Consort Chen had such an astonishingly talented son like Xuan Li. However, the child that crawled out of her belly was a daughter, which meant that no matter how much she was favored, she would not have a son who could be the heir to the throne. Although the Fifth Prince's popularity was also quite high, Consort De was not favored, and could even be considered to be very low-key. In comparison, Consort Shu hated Imperial Consort Chen the most. Whatever Imperial Consort Chen said, Consort Shu would retort.
When Imperial Consort Chen heard Consort Shu's words, she was not angry, and only looked at Jiang Ruan with a smile without saying a word. She was born with gentle features, and when she looked at someone with such a gentle smile, those who did not know her would think that she truly loved Jiang Ruan, and that she could not bear to part with her.
Jiang Ruan's gaze was slightly lowered, and she did not meet Imperial Consort Chen's gaze. Outsiders looked at her bashfully, but no one knew that at this moment, her heart was surging with hatred. In just a few short minutes, it was as if two masters were exchanging blows. The furens and young ladies present could not see anything, and only Jiang Ruan herself knew what she was thinking. How was Imperial Consort Chen's gaze gentle? It was clearly that of a poisonous snake eyeing its prey.
Poisonous snakes, she naturally had a way to deal with them.
Imperial Consort Chen's' generosity 'towards Jiang Ruan caused Xia Yan's heart to feel extremely stifled. Her following answers were somewhat perfunctory, and in the end, she still revealed some reluctance. If this was in the past, then it would have been fine, but after what Great Master Hui Jue had said about her being a jinx, everyone began to doubt the virtuous and magnanimous attitude that she had previously pretended to be. At this moment, with her actions, everyone was even more certain that the minister's wife was, in fact, a person with a sweet face but a bitter heart. Otherwise, why would Imperial Consort Chen deliberately inquire about Jiang Ruan?
Imperial Consort Chen asked a few more questions, and the Empress waved for Jiang Ruan to withdraw. Jiang Ruan had just followed Xia Yan to sit down when Dong Yinger got up and walked to Jiang Ruan's side to sit down. In a low voice, she said, "Just now, I was really worried to death about you. Are you alright?" After saying this, she said with some admiration, "Ruan meimei, you are really bold. Just now, I saw that you were talking to Imperial Consort Niangniang without a trace of nervousness. If it had been me, I'm afraid that I would have long been scared speechless."
Jiang Ruan smiled, "There's nothing to be afraid of. I didn't do anything, so I won't be punished."
Dong Yinger said with some hesitation, "But … Imperial Consort Niangniang seems to like you very much. Could it be that she wants to marry you to His Eighth Highness?" Realizing that her words were somewhat overstepping her boundaries, Dong Yinger looked at Jiang Ruan uneasily. Seeing that Jiang Ruan's expression did not change, she slightly relaxed and said, "Imperial Consort Niangniang usually rarely cares so much about people, but today, she pulled you aside and talked for a long time. Ruan meimei, don't blame me for being overly sensitive. I'm afraid that right now, all the furens present here are thinking the same thing as me. If that's really the case, what should you do?"
"Really what?" Jiang Ruan asked in reply, "It won't happen." Her tone was not as gentle as usual, and it carried a faint chill. When Dong Yinger heard this, her heart skipped a beat. Thinking that Jiang Ruan was angry and unwilling to marry Eighth Prince, she hurriedly said, "You don't have to worry too much, I'm just making wild guesses. Perhaps Imperial Consort Niangniang simply likes you. You're still so young, even if it's really the case, there's no rush. "
This consolation was too feeble, and Dong Yinger herself also felt guilty. However, from beginning to end, Jiang Ruan did not show any special emotions, as if she was just a bystander watching other people's affairs.
After a while, seeing that it was almost time, the Empress got up and called all the furens and young ladies to the main hall to start the palace banquet.
In the main hall, the Emperor and the male side of the banquet had already taken their places. Because the flood had just passed and the state treasury was a little tight due to the disaster relief, everything at the banquet was simple and not extravagant. It was a far cry from the extravagance of the past. Even the dishes and pastries served at the banquet were very simple.
The womenfolk sat down at the female side of the banquet. The Emperor and Empress sat on the high seats, and next to them sat the current Empress Dowager, Empress Dowager Yi De.
Empress Dowager Yi De was now sixty years old, and there were already streaks of white at her temples. The turquoise gold thread inlaid with jade and auspicious cloud pattern buckles were luxurious and imposing. Even from the current Empress Dowager Yi De's face, one could still vaguely see the elegance of the past. At that time, Empress Dowager Yi De was known as the number one beauty of the Great Jin dynasty. Her facial features were slightly heroic, and when she was young, she had two sons and a daughter with the late Emperor. When the Eight Princes fought for the throne, in order to quell the rebellion and ensure that the Emperor ascended to the throne, she sacrificed her eldest son. She even allowed her daughter, Princess Yuan Rong, to marry into another country and borrow troops from the Great Jin to help the new Emperor ascend to the throne. It could be said that without Empress Dowager Yi De, there would be no Great Jin dynasty today, and there would be no Emperor. Empress Dowager Yi De was a person who acted swiftly and decisively, even a little callous.
She looked at the people below her indifferently, and the ruby armor on her fingers emitted a threatening luster. When she saw a person at the female side of the banquet, Empress Dowager Yi De was suddenly startled. She involuntarily sat up straight and looked at that person.
It was a young girl who still looked immature. Because she was sitting at the lower banquet, her face could not be seen clearly, and only the top of her black hair could be seen. Her hair was combed into a simple single spiral bun, and on top of it was a magnificent rose hairpin. She wore a peach pink dress that was simple and warm. Among the well-dressed young ladies, she appeared particularly fresh and pretty.
Although they were too far apart, the young girl seemed to suddenly feel Empress Dowager Yi De's gaze, and suddenly raised her head. When she saw Empress Dowager Yi De's expression clearly, she did not panic. After a slight astonishment, she returned a smile to Empress Dowager Yi De. That smile was clean and clear, but it also had a kind of maturity and maturity that did not match her age.
It actually overlapped with another person in Empress Dowager Yi De's memory.
With great difficulty, she resisted the urge to go down and pull that young girl back. After that young girl finished laughing, she went back to talking with the young ladies around her, as if she had not noticed them at all. Empress Dowager Yi De, however, sat upright in her seat, slightly absent-minded.
As Jiang Ruan and Dong Yinger spoke, the corners of her lips involuntarily curled up slightly. From the corner of her eyes, she saw that Empress Dowager Yi De was sitting motionless in her seat, and she could also feel her gaze following her.
Jiang Ruan picked up the teacup in front of her and took a sip. It seemed that her original goal had been achieved. It must be known that for this simple goal, this simple action, she had practiced dozens of times in front of the mirror overnight.
At the male side of the banquet, it was assumed that the rewards had already been bestowed. Seeing the smile in Jiang Xin Zhi's eyes, it must have been a very generous reward. However, Jiang Quan's expression was not very good. The male and female side of the banquet were seated separately. Gu Yi De had not seen Jiang Ruan for a long time since the last time. At this moment, he saw Jiang Ruan sitting at the female side of the banquet. The longer the days passed, the more moving she became. His gaze towards her was incomparably warm.
There was a gentle smile on Xuan Li's lips, and it seemed that there was no difference from the past. However, his left hand unconsciously rubbed it. This action was something he often did when he was in a bad mood. Obviously, regarding the matter of the Prime Minister's fu, even if he tried his best to appear indifferent, it was still difficult for him to conceal the melancholy in his heart.
Today, he was dressed in a black brocade robe embroidered with a golden qilin treading on fire and burning wind at the collar. This made his temperament even colder, and his appearance was incomparably handsome. Many of the girls at the female side of the banquet were secretly stealing glances at him.
Not long after, another beautiful young girl came from outside the banquet. This young girl was about fourteen or fifteen years old. She was dressed in a feather-blue brocade robe with a golden pheasant heart collar. She was wearing a floor-length, silver-red embroidered skirt with dark embroidery. She was also wearing a gauze embroidered with multicolored flowers and plants. This was already a very gorgeous attire, but when she wore this kind of attire, it did not appear to be mixed up. Instead, it had a kind of gorgeous beauty. Her facial features were deep, and she had a kind of exotic charm. She walked forward and smiled, "Imperial Father."
"He Yi, why have you only arrived now?" The Emperor rebuked her, but his tone was very intimate. Princess He Yi was deeply favored by the Emperor.
"This son has picked out the wrong clothes, I must not lose face for Imperial Father." Princess He Yi winked at the Emperor. The Emperor laughed heartily. Her gaze swept across the male side of the banquet, and when she saw Xiao Shao, her heart jumped. However, the falling flowers yearn for love, but the heartless brook does not. Xiao Shao did not even glance at her. A trace of disappointment flashed in Princess He Yi's eyes.
Dong Yinger touched Jiang Ruan's arm, "Ruan meimei, you said that Princess He Yi likes Xiao Wangye. Is this true?" Dong Yinger had always been extremely fond of hearing such gossip. Now that there was a ready-made material, she naturally would not let it go.
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly. In her previous life, the matter of Princess He Yi being infatuated with Xiao Shao was no longer a secret. Almost everyone in the Great Jin dynasty knew about it. Princess He Yi had also vowed that she would not marry anyone but Xiao Shao. She had even wanted Shu Fei to persuade the Emperor to grant a marriage. However, between Princess He Yi and Xiao Shao, the Emperor had unexpectedly chosen Xiao Shao. He had first asked for Xiao Shao's opinion. Xiao Shao was a cold person, so he naturally refused. After hearing the news of Xiao Shao's rejection, Princess He Yi sought death every day. She had even personally gone to Jinying wangfu to seek an explanation, but the other party remained stubborn and unmoved. In her previous life, until the end, Princess He Yi and Xiao Shao did not end up together.
Jiang Ruan's eyes drooped. Princess He Yi's experience made people sigh, but that did not include her. This was because in her previous life, Princess He Yi had often tripped her up when she was in the palace. Princess He Yi was a narrow-minded person, and by nature, she was jealous. When Jiang Ruan first entered the palace, she was the most beautiful among the batch of beauties. She was incomparably charming, but Princess He Yi was gorgeous. She did not want anyone to steal her limelight. She often found people to cause trouble for her. There was even one time when she slandered the maidservants in her courtyard for stealing, and all the second-rank palace maids in her courtyard were killed. That scene had appeared in Jiang Ruan's dreams countless times, and every time it happened, she was extremely frightened.
Among her old friends in the palace, none of them were kind to others.
However, at this moment, the Empress Dowager suddenly said, "Deputy General Jiang, you said today that tomorrow is your younger sister's birthday?"
Empress Dowager Yi De had not avoided the conversation with the men. She had a good relationship with the Emperor, so there was no need to guard against anything. Now that she had brought it up, it was thought-provoking.
Jiang Ruan was slightly startled. She had forgotten her own birthday. In her previous life, after entering the palace, except for Xuan Li who would come to see her on her birthday, there was no news of the others. However, that warmth was also fake. Now, after another lifetime, Jiang Xin Zhi had actually mentioned her birthday in front of the Emperor. This made her not know what to feel.
"Replying to the Empress Dowager, it is." Jiang Xin Zhi stepped out of the ranks.
"Where is the eldest daughter of the Jiang family?" Empress Dowager Yi De, after all, was someone who had experienced the war of the chaotic princes, so her tone was slightly dignified.
Jiang Ruan stood out and softly said, "Subject Jiang Ruan kowtows in salute to the Empress Dowager."
Her movements were formal and humble, even containing an inexplicable piety. The salute was clearly the salute that an ordinary official's family would give to the Empress Dowager, but for some reason, there was an inexplicable emotion in it. It was incomparably solemn, not like a greeting gift, but like a farewell.
Empress Dowager Yi De looked at her quietly, looking at the white neck, the rose swaying back and forth, the peach colored clothes gorgeous and lively. Such a delicate and moving young girl, from head to toe, actually emitted a calm aura. Very much like that person.
Her eyes actually became somewhat absent-minded.
The Emperor saw that the Empress Dowager was lost in thought and coughed lightly. Empress Dowager Yi De seemed to recover. He looked at Jiang Ruan and said, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Jiang Ruan stood up. She tried her best to ignore the pressure from the Emperor and only looked at Empress Dowager Yi De with a faint smile. She was born to be extremely beautiful, and she deliberately maintained a gentle smile on her lips. Unexpectedly, she had more of a princess's temperament than a princess.
The eyes of the people around were red. Empress Dowager Yi De's hands were iron-blooded, and she usually did not get close to people. How did Jiang Ruan gain her favor? Everyone was puzzled after much thought. Jiang Xin Zhi looked at Jiang Ruan nervously. Although he had mentioned Jiang Ruan, he did not expect Empress Dowager Yi De to suddenly speak. How could the thoughts of the imperial family be so easy to guess? He could not help but feel nervous.
Below the stage, Jiang Su Su and Xia Yan's expressions were somewhat unsightly. Today, first it was Imperial Consort Chen, then it was Empress Dowager Yi De. Jiang Ruan's limelight had really been blown away. At the same time, they had a doubt in their hearts. Forget about Imperial Consort Chen, but Empress Dowager Yi De regarded Jiang Ruan so highly. Could it be that she had really taken a fancy to Jiang Ruan as a Prince Consort? Which Prince was it, the Eighth Prince or the Fifth Prince? Or the Fourth Prince?
"Eldest daughter of the Jiang family, aijia promises Deputy General Jiang to fulfill your birthday wish. If you have any wishes for tomorrow, you can say them today and aijia will fulfill them. "Empress Dowager Yi De said.
Jiang Xin Zhi had mentioned it to the Emperor before, or perhaps he had used his meritorious service in exchange for Jiang Ruan's birthday wish. What protection did Jiang Ruan want? She could say it now.
Xia Yan and Jiang Su Su breathed a sigh of relief. It was fine as long as she was not interested in becoming a Prince Consort. If Jiang Ruan really became a Prince Consort, she would certainly not have a good attitude towards the Jiang fu.
However, the smile on Imperial Consort Chen's lips was somewhat strange. If Jiang Ruan took advantage of the situation and asked which family's son she wanted to marry …
Jiang Ruan smiled slightly, and her tone was somewhat desolate. "Empress Dowager, please have mercy. Ruan niang has no request. I only wish to go with niangqin to Ning Shui Valley to see the newly bloomed peach blossoms."
"However, this wish is impossible to fulfill." She smiled sadly. Empress Dowager Yi De suddenly raised her head.
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