On the day of the Emperor's birthday, all of the attendants in the palace were on full alert. No one dared to make any mistakes. If they offended the higher-ups, even if they didn't die, they would lose half a layer of skin.
The palace maids and taijian under the jurisdiction of the Department of Household Affairs were all properly taken care of. Even the inside of Luan He Hall was scrubbed over and over again. The white marble steps outside were wiped clean, not a speck of dust could be found.
"The weather today is really good," A blue-robed taijian raised his head to look at the sun hanging in the sky. He lowered his voice to say to his companion beside him, "Hey, did you hear, the princess of the country of Jing is so beautiful that she's preparing to dance at the banquet."
"What's so strange about that," His companion used the rag in his hand to carefully wipe the pillars of the corridor, "Just the princess of a small country, is it worth it for you to be so curious?"
"You blockhead, a perfectly fine princess, why would she dance and dance in front of the Emperor?" The blue-robed taijian said exasperatedly, "Her thoughts aren't simple."
"Isn't there the Empress?" His companion bent down to clean the rag in his hand in the bucket, "Just the princess of a tiny country, there's nothing to be curious about."
"No matter how good a woman is, it can't compare to a fresh woman … …"
"Who is talking nonsense?" A steward eunuch wearing a dark blue robe with water patterns walked over with a few young eunuchs. He expressionlessly pointed at the blue-robed eunuch. "Drag him away, drag him away. An idiot who talks nonsense about his master. Even if he lives, he will only make trouble for the others."
The blue-robed taijian didn't have time to beg for mercy before his mouth was gagged and dragged away. His companion beside him had already knelt on the ground in fright.
"You brat, at least you know what's good for you," The steward taijian rubbed his beardless chin and waved his hand, "Continue to work. If I hear anything I shouldn't hear again, what happened just now will be a lesson. At that time, don't blame me for not warning everyone."
"What are they doing?" Jin Zhan, dressed in a blue palace dress, saw a taijian being dragged away from a distance. When she came closer, she found that the expressions of the taijian and palace maids present weren't right. She asked, "What did that taijian do?"
"Jin Zhan guniang, it's just a boy whose brain is muddled, nothing major," The steward taijian saw Jin Zhan and instantly squeezed out a smile. He went forward to greet Jin Zhan, "Does Jin Zhan guniang have any orders for us?"
Jin Zhan saw that the steward taijian wasn't willing to mention the previous taijian and didn't force it. There were many things that couldn't be said in the hougong. She immediately said: "The Empress said that in consideration of everyone's hard work, everyone should go to the kitchen later to receive a bowl of lily meat porridge to drink to warm their bodies. The weather of this October will be cold at night."
"Many thanks to the Empress for her grace," The steward taijian instantly had a grateful expression. He made a full bow towards Tian Qi Palace, and said a few more good things about the Empress before closing his mouth.
Jin Zhan didn't linger. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the steward, she left.
The steward taijian looked at her back and sighed. Right now, the Empress' quarters were filled with flowers. If he could get on the Empress' side, he wouldn't need to be a steward. It was a pity that the Empress was surrounded like a metal bucket. A normal person couldn't even show their face in front of the Empress.
Other people said that the Empress was benevolent, but based on his experience of serving in the hougong for more than twenty years, the Empress wasn't a simple person. When Chang De Gong Fu had fallen, her reputation hadn't been damaged, but had become better. This wasn't something a normal woman could do.
And the incident of Han liangdi's accidental death, everyone knew that it had been done by Shu gui taifei and Ping cairen. The Empress had also been cleared of suspicion due to the tight security of Tian Qi Palace.
But he felt that the matter wasn't so simple. The Empress Dowager of the two palaces didn't get along with Shu gui taifei. Many people in the hougong knew that after the new Emperor ascended the throne, Shu gui taifei's people had been cleaned out. It wouldn't have been easy to work with Ping cairen.
Then, who was it that made it so easy for them to work together?
The steward eunuch's shoulders trembled slightly. He didn't dare to think about it anymore. As a small steward eunuch, he had to do his job honestly. He had already lost his family jewels, so he didn't want to lose his life as well.
"Niangniang, do you think this is appropriate?" Yu Zan and Yin Liu took out a mirror for Qu Qing Ju to clearly see what was in front of her and behind her. She carefully asked, "Is there anything that isn't appropriate?"
Qu Qing Ju's index finger lightly brushed the red flower on her forehead. She lightly smiled and commented: "Very beautiful. Yu Zan's craftsmanship is getting better."
Taking out a phoenix spreading its wings buyao from the treasure box and stuck it in her hair, Qu Qing Ju slowly stood: "It's late. Let's go to the main hall and meet with the Emperor."
After He Heng changed his robes, he heard the servants say that the Empress had arrived. He didn't hesitate and let the servants welcome the Empress in. He stood in front of the large mirror and let a bunch of palace maids and taijian arrange his clothing.
"Greetings to the Emperor," Qu Qing Ju walked behind He Heng and examined him from head to toe, "The beauty of a dragon and the beauty of a phoenix, natural talent, it really makes one sigh in admiration. The ancients had a poem about a bandit gentleman, like cutting and learning, like carving and grinding. Si xi xi xi, He xi xi xi, in the end, it cannot be Si xi. The Emperor is worthy of this phrase. "
The palace servants in the room heard the Empress tease the Emperor and jumped in fright. But they didn't dare to show any change on their faces.
"With pearls and jades at my side, I feel I am unpresentable," He Heng wasn't angry when he heard this. He smiled and turned to look at Qu Qing Ju who was wearing the vermillion phoenix robe with wide sleeves, "With Qu Qing Ju here, everything else in the world is just so."
The palace servants silently lowered their heads. So the Emperor and Empress were playing a game of you praise me, I praise you. As palace servants, it was better for them to be deaf and unable to hear.
Luan He Hall was brightly lit. Those that had the status to sit in the hall all had a happy expression on their faces as though it was their birthday. He Yuan sat to the right of He Ming, lazily swirling the exquisite and fine porcelain wine pot. Occasionally, he would take a sip or two, a disdainful smile on his face.
Of the people sitting here, how many were truly happy for the Emperor's birthday? It was just a good show that everyone knew, but everyone was deceiving themselves. Even if they couldn't fool others, they had to fool themselves first.
"The Emperor has arrived, the Empress has arrived."
He tilted his head to look and saw the Emperor and Empress walk in hand in hand from outside the hall. One was wearing a black brocade robe with red edges, the other was wearing a vermillion floor-length skirt. Yet they were unspeakably beautiful. His hand gripping the wine cup froze slightly. Then he stood with everyone else to kneel to welcome the Emperor.
Looking at the scarlet skirt meandering in front of his eyes, he felt as if something had swept across his heart. It was unbearably sour, but it also felt as if there was a breath that he couldn't get out. It was so stuffy that it made his head buzz.
"Everyone, please rise," He Heng held his hand as he and Qu Qing Ju sat down on the large two-seater chair. He said with a slight smile, "It's just zhen's birthday. For everyone to work so hard, zhen is very grateful."
Everyone hurriedly kowtowed to express that the Emperor was being too serious. They were truly happy for the Emperor and how loyal they were. When the Emperor said thanks, they didn't dare to accept the words of thanks.
After the officials performed the three bows and nine kowtows to celebrate the birth of the Emperor, they were given a seat by the Emperor. After that, it was time for the envoys of the subordinate countries to enter the hall to pay their respects. This was also the part that the officials liked.
Qu Qing Ju noticed that the order in which the subordinate countries entered the hall was particular. It seemed that the earlier the envoys came in, the more favored they were.
After seven or eight subordinate countries offered their gifts, Qu Qing Ju finally heard a name that interested her.
"Jing's Imperial Son Tu Er, Dai Rong Princess present!"
"Summon!"
Qu Qing Ju held a smile at the corner of her mouth as she looked towards the door. She saw a male and female dressed in the attire of a different race walk in. Both of them looked very young. Behind them were two servants.
"Jing's Tu Er, Dai Rong, congratulate His Majesty the Emperor for a long life, and for Da Long to prosper." Dai Rong walked to the center of the hall and made a full greeting of her country. Thinking that the country of Jing was arranged to be the second last to enter the hall, she felt discontent. Even a small country like the country of Wei was arranged in front of her country of Jing. The rites officials of Da Long were looking down on them too much.
Qian Chang Xin looked at the Emperor. Seeing the Emperor slightly raise his hand, he shouted: "Excused, rise!"
"Many thanks to the honored His Majesty the Emperor and the Empress." Tu Er bowed and stood with his meimei. He used the movement of standing to quickly glance at the Empress. He saw a woman even younger than his meimei, wearing a grand gown that was redder and more beautiful than a fresh flower. So stunning that he almost couldn't move his gaze. This was the first time he saw a woman that was more suited to wear red than his meimei.
"Both of you have come from afar, zhen is very grateful to both of you," He Heng raised his hand, "Please sit."
"The honored His Majesty the Emperor is too polite. It is the good fortune of the country of Jing that this one and meimei can come to celebrate your birthday. This one's mother has prepared a birthday gift for His Majesty the Emperor. I hope that His Majesty the Emperor will not dislike it." Tu Er turned to take the gift box from the servant and raised it with both hands, "For the honored His Majesty the Emperor to look."
Qian Chang Xin walked down the nine steps of stairs and took the gift box from Tu Er's hands. He first quickly opened it to check if there was any poisonous smoke or hidden weapons before he bowed and presented it with both hands in front of He Heng.
He Heng took the gift box and saw inside was a lotus flower ornament carved from a whole piece of mutton fat jade. He closed the box and said: "The Queen of Jing has worked hard. Please sit."
Tu Er couldn't see the emotions on He Heng's face and could only sit down with his meimei. Because his heart was in a mess of worry, he didn't even notice what gift the country of Duo Han had sent after him.
Since there was a birthday banquet for envoys from subordinate countries, naturally there would be songs and dances that represented the prosperity of Da Long. Many of the envoys looked at the beautiful song and dance of the dancers of Da Long and almost forgot to raise their chopsticks. Their faces were full of amazement and it greatly satisfied the vanity of many of the officials of Da Long.
Qu Qing Ju looked at He Heng beside her and found his expression was calm, as though these envoys of the subordinate countries hadn't seen the world and didn't please him. She nodded inside. These envoys might be from subordinate countries, but they were all nobles of each country. They wouldn't show such an embarrassing appearance just because of a song and dance.
They were just pretending to be like this to please the Emperor and officials of Da Long.
To be an envoy, how many of them had a face?
"The dances of your country really move one's heart. This little girl wants to perform a dance of the country of Jing for everyone. Will Your Majesty the Emperor allow it?"
For example, this one, her face wouldn't be thin. Qu Qing Ju looked at the red-clothed Hu Guo Princess who spoke, the smile on her face becoming brighter.
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