All the ancestors in the capital begged me to be a substitute

"The Empress Dowager is here!"

Following the eunuch's chorus, everyone at the banquet stood up one after another, welcoming the arrival of the Queen Mother.

Everyone only saw the Empress Dowager, who hadn't appeared in front of people for a long time, holding the hand of a young woman and walking into the banquet.

The woman was extremely beautiful, although she was wearing a plain dress with only a few pearl hairpins in her hair, but her black hair and snow-skinned complexion was even more beautiful, like a hibiscus emerging from the world.

The Empress Dowager took her seat at the right hand of the emperor, and the woman stood beside her.

This time, the palace banquet was named after the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, and there were no separate seats.

Many aristocratic family members of the right age looked straight at each other, and couldn't help inquiring in private about the origin of this woman:
"...Is it the daughter of Xuan Ping Hou who came back home, or the real Miao Ling, the closed disciple of the late Xuanqing Women's Crown of Jinxianguan..."

"It's the one who was treated so poorly by Hou Xuanping. She was supposed to marry into Duke Cheng'en's mansion, but in the end, Hou Xuanping secretly replaced her with the unmarried daughter..."

"I heard that he was raised in a coffin shop. He dealt with corpses all day long. He is famous in Dali Temple. He even helped Dali Temple solve several unsolved cases..."

"...beautiful and talented, but now she is a female officer of Fengyi personally promoted by the Queen Mother. Which family girl has such a courtesy, and I don't know which family she will marry in the future. The Queen Mother values ​​it, but it is the Dou family who values ​​it..."

In less than two cups of tea, everyone spread the word about Shen Lingxi's identity and deeds.

Because of the empress dowager's praise, the emperor, empress and Concubine Zhao, who was most favored by the emperor, all praised Shen Lingxi.

The Empress Dowager's illness only got better after Shen Lingxi entered the palace.

The emperor bestowed many rewards for "serving the sick with meritorious service", and the queen and concubine Zhao naturally followed closely behind.

For a while, Shen Lingxi became the most popular woman at the palace banquet.

Even Princess Changle and Princess Qinghui, who were the most favored in the past, were compared to each other.

It stands to reason that on such occasions, during the Xuanping Hou Shouxiao period, there is no need to participate, and you cannot participate.

Unable to hold back, the empress dowager specially asked the empress to set up a link of offering sacrifices to the deceased elders on top of the banquet.

After being the most favored hero, Shen Ji had to recite scriptures with those monks and Taoists at the ceremony, so he had to sit in the banquet.

He has lived for most of his life, and he has never felt the feeling of "sit on pins and needles" in this kind of occasion, and his heart is full of anger, but he can't show it.

While listening to the sour compliments on his face from the crowd:

"Marquis Xuan Ping has a beloved daughter who is favored by the Empress Dowager, what a blessing."

"Back then, Lord Hou was credited with saving his family, but now his beloved daughter is credited with serving the Empress Dowager. Xuanping Hou's mansion is all auspicious stars!"

On the one hand, he had to listen to others whispering behind his back.

"I don't know what to think about pampering Yumu and abandoning pearls."

"I've heard people say that this is the original wife's daughter, and the one who gets married is a daughter born outside. The family is in chaos, and the inner curtains are not repaired. Sooner or later, something will happen."

"This girl is really out of the sea of ​​suffering when she enters the palace to serve the Empress Dowager..."

And Shen Yuyao, who was sitting not far away, was not much better, and was constantly compared with the top Shen Lingxi.

In the past, it was obvious that she was the focus of attention at the banquet.

But now... Not to mention being forced by Shen Lingxi to marry a worthless dude, she still has to be judged on this occasion.

Shen Yuyao originally felt guilty towards Shen Lingxi.

But when she found out on the wedding night that the person who married her was not Mu Huai'an, but Mu Huaijie, she realized later that she had been tricked by Shen Lingxi!
she hates...

But now, what can hate do.

Shen Lingxi is already the most favored person around the empress dowager, how could she be so stupid as to go against her.

Even if there is a trace of jealousy and resentment, he dare not show it, for fear of being looked down upon.

Shen Yuyao tightly squeezed the handkerchief in her hand to hide the emotion in her eyes. Under the scrutiny of everyone, she looked at Shen Lingxi with a look of pride and honor for her sister.

She secretly decided that one day, she would take back everything that belonged to her and trample Shen Lingxi under her feet, just like what Shen Lingxi did to her today...

*
At the top, Shen Lingxi, who was standing beside the Queen Mother, looked at her nose with her eyes and her heart with her nose, and didn't care about the eyes of everyone at the banquet.

He didn't dare to glance around.

There is no other reason, in her eyes, at this banquet, behind the extremely well-dressed nobles, some dead souls will follow sparsely.

Most of those who died in vain had never been taken away by others, and their death conditions were so miserable that it was unbearable to look directly at them.

The more high-ranking people are, the more secrets are hidden, and the more dead souls are behind them.

With Shen Lingxi's current status, she can't help every grievance, so she can only choose to turn a blind eye.

All her attention fell on the two vacant seats not far away.

According to the seating order, one is the position of the eldest princess, and next to the eldest princess is the position of the emperor's grandson Chuyan.

Earlier, she asked Xiaodouzi to inquire that the eldest princess had entered the palace today, and since she didn't show up at the banquet, she should probably be in the Yutan Palace.

Concubine Zhao devoted herself to worshiping Buddha and never participated in this kind of banquet, not to mention that if the Empress Dowager was to come, it was even less likely that she would come.

There are many people in the palace banquet today, and the palace ban is not as strict as usual, maybe she can find a chance to go around the Jade Sandalwood Palace, maybe she can run into those two dead souls.

The Empress Dowager planned to bring Shen Lingxi to the banquet, so that this girl who was treated poorly at home would also show off. By the way, she can see for herself what her royal grandson really thinks about this girl.

Unexpectedly, Liu Lang didn't attend, Shen Lingxi, the girl, glanced at Liu Lang's seat from time to time...

The Queen Mother thought for a while and smiled.

She covered her face with a round fan, and said to Shen Lingxi: "You can do whatever you want, and let Xiaodouzi accompany you."

Shen Lingxi only thought that the queen mother asked her to find Xuetuan's body, so she responded in a low voice, and left the palace banquet with Xiaodouzi.

Xiaodouzi took out a white jade belt card and handed it to Shen Lingxi like a treasure, "Girl, as long as you hold this belt card, you can travel freely in the harem. Where should we start looking for it now?"

"Give me the waist card." Shen Lingxi found an excuse, "I still have a few talisman papers, which are left in the Shoukang Palace. Take them to the Imperial Garden for me. I will wait for you in the Imperial Garden."

Xiaodouzi didn't doubt that he was there, so he responded with a smile, handed the belt badge to Shen Lingxi, and went.

The Jade Sandalwood Palace is right next to the Imperial Garden, and those who retreat from the palace banquet to change their clothes to sober up usually walk in the direction of the Imperial Garden.

Therefore, even if Shen Lingxi wandered around the Yutan Palace, no one would be suspicious.

She tucked her waist badge into her sleeve, and started to walk in the direction of Jade Sandalwood Palace.

"Meow...meow..."

Xue Tuan refused to follow her, and stopped in front of her, meowing.

If you don't go with it, it will keep screaming.

Shen Lingxi knew that it wanted her to go to the East Palace, so she didn't know what to do for a while, thinking that there might be no one in the East Palace at this time, she simply said: "Let's go, you lead the way, but let's say it first, I won't climb over the wall, you You have to find a way for me to get in."

"Meow." Xuetuan yelled, turned around and ran towards the East Palace...