Fengqi crabapple

Chapter 59
The Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet is coming soon.

Mrs. Sun sent a message to Mrs. Cheng, saying that she would bring Haitang into the palace.For the past two days, Haitang has been learning etiquette from her adoptive mother and Aunt Liu in the Sun Mansion, and her back and legs ached from standing every day.It's getting cooler in the morning and evening now. I'm tired during the day and fall asleep soon at night.

Xie Ruitang was very busy, and he had found some clues about some things, but it was not easy to clear the air and see the light of day.The key is that Ling Yun has not been found yet.In the past few days since Ling Yun's disappearance, Xie Ruitang found an excuse to go to Prince Qing's mansion once. Prince Qing did not reveal any flaws, and the Tatar also appeared again.Ling Xue and An Qing visited Prince Qing's mansion at night but returned without success.

Haitang hasn't seen Xie Ruitang for several days.In fact, after she fell asleep, Xie Ruitang came in from the window to see her once.He didn't wake her up, and just sat quietly on the chair beside the bed, with the warm girl's fragrance floating in the air.

Xie Ruitang was like a person who was deprived of oxygen. When he arrived in a forest rich in oxygen, he could not help but open his heart and lungs and breathe happily.Begonia is his oxygen.In the cool night breeze, Xie Ruitang felt that although they did not talk, they felt as familiar with each other as if they had been communicating.

Before leaving, Xie Ruitang kissed the tip of Haitang's nose, but Haitang turned over and put an arm on his thigh.Xie Ruitang was startled. When he looked carefully, he found that the girl was not awake.Xie Ruitang couldn't bear to take away her hand, so he quietly leaned on the bedside and closed his eyes to rest his mind. He didn't leave until almost dawn when Haitang changed her posture.

Haitang woke up and smelled his scent in the air, knowing that he had been there.

You should be able to see him at the palace banquet tomorrow night, right?she thinks.

This year's palace banquet invited officials of third rank and above, noble wives and their children to participate.There were so many people that we had to hold the dinner in Shoukang Garden.

In this way, the dinner party was much less formal than in the palace. Although the male and female guests were seated at different places, they were only separated by a flower bed.Next to the banquet lawn is a large lotus garden. Unfortunately, the season is wrong now. Not to mention the lotus flowers, even the lotus leaves have withered.

Concubine Ji suddenly had a whim, and asked people to clean up the remaining lotuses, and use small wooden basins to hold clusters of chrysanthemums floating on the water.As night fell, the maids lit up countless lotus lanterns made of pink gauze, and the stars on the lake were dotted like a dream.

"The one who wins my heart is my beloved concubine!" the emperor couldn't help but proclaimed.Concubine Ji looked at the emperor with a smile and said, "Your Majesty, since you have praised me, how should you reward me?"

The main table for the emperor, empress and concubine Ji is placed in the middle of the men's and women's seats, with the intention of taking care of both sides.There happens to be a flower stand between the two seats, and when it is free, it becomes a natural performance stage.

The emperor laughed heartily: "I will grant you a wish!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty! I will keep that concubine." Concubine Ji's smile was as bright as a flower.

The Queen smiled and said: "Concubine Ji's ingenuity has allowed her to create such a beautiful scenery, and I am ashamed of myself. Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival when admiring the moon, naturally talented people and beauties are indispensable for their talents and performances. Why don't you ask Concubine Ji to suggest a theme for today's performance? ?”

Concubine Ji said: "It's the same playing and singing every year. This Mid-Autumn Festival, I wonder if there are any ingenious things that can make the emperor smile?"

When all the ladies heard this, they couldn't help but become nervous.What everyone prepared was nothing more than some ordinary Yaoqin, dance and other routine performances, and they were nothing more than exquisite skills. Who knew that the noble concubine asked for a "Knowledge"!
Mrs. Sun laughed softly and said: "I do know that Concubine Ji's niece has learned a set of Western tricks. This is probably Kit Kat!" Haitang nodded in realization.

Today, Haitang is wearing a dress with gradient colors. The upper body to a few inches below the waist is all white, and then gradually darkens to cyan.This is a very demanding printing and dyeing technique. After Mrs. Sun got one, she asked Haitang to make a dress. When she wore it today, it was really fresh and chic.

Just as he was talking, Ji Qinglan stepped forward, saluted the emperor, queen, and concubines and said, "I am willing to offer some advice and make you smile."

Ji Qinglan was wearing a wide-sleeved dress with a dark outside and a red inside, so that it could be easily covered up when performing tricks.Hearing the sound of silk and bamboo, she danced around a few times and conjured an osmanthus flower from her sleeves and presented it to the queen. While everyone was cheering, she conjured another osmanthus flower and presented it to the concubine.Ji Qinglan said softly: "Your Majesty, this is called making something out of nothing."

"Okay!" The emperor was so impressed that he couldn't help but smile and clapped his hands.

At the men's table, Xie Ruitang raised his wine glass to Xie Ruitang and said with a smile: "I didn't expect that girl Lan is also an interesting person. Third brother, you haven't made her a princess yet, why not marry her? Then wouldn't we be closer?" ?”

Xie Ruitang picked up the wine glass and drank it down: "My brother already has a sweetheart, and Ji Qinglan is not my good match."

"Oh? Let me guess, is she Pei Zhiheng, the legitimate daughter of Pei Shangshu?"

Pei Zhiheng is a well-known talented woman in Beijing. She is well-versed in books and courtesies, and has a beautiful face. There are very few young men in Beijing who are not good.

Xie Ruitang smiled but did not answer, and poured another glass for Xie Ruitang.

At this time, the maid came forward and handed Ji Qinglan a bow and arrow. A long rope was tied to the end of the arrow. She deliberately held the arrow and let the emperor take a look. It looked ordinary.I saw Ji Qinglan shooting towards the night sky, the arrow flew into the air, and a string of fireworks burst out from the rope, colorful and beautiful.

Everyone exclaimed and admired. "Your Majesty, it's called Liu Yin Hua Ming." Ji Qinglan bowed profusely, "I wish your majesty and empress a happy reunion!"

The emperor laughed loudly: "Concubine Ji, your niece is a treasure. I wonder if she has someone in mind?"

"Your Majesty, you've only had one glass of wine and you're already drunk! If you want to propose a marriage, it's better to wait until you sober up before I mention it to you!" With that, Concubine Ji smiled and toasted the Emperor with another glass. .

Ji Qinglan sat back down, causing several ladies around her to ask where the sweet-scented osmanthus came from.How to light fireworks?Yi Qinglan naturally smiled and said nothing, feeling secretly proud in her heart.

Today in her aunt's Green Shadow Palace, her aunt also mentioned that she wanted Ji Qinglan to be the concubine of her adopted son, King Xian, but Ji Qinglan was unwilling.

"Aunt, Lan'er doesn't want to be a concubine. If aunt hadn't thought poorly at the beginning, how would she have allowed Xu Guanping to become the concubine? If the princess can't do it, she wants me to be the concubine. I can't swallow this!" Ji Qinglan has been growing up! Growing up in front of my aunt, I was also willful.

"Although Xu Guanping is the concubine now, if Gao'er becomes the prince in the future, will she still be the princess? If Gao'er becomes the emperor, will she be able to become the queen? It's still unclear." Concubine Ji sneered and said, "Lan Son, if your aunt is here, so what if you have been wronged for two years?"

Ji Qinglan grew up with the princes and princes. The prince was generous and took good care of her. She had long been devoted to the prince.Little did she know that the prince took care of everyone, not just her.

However, her aunt and the queen were natural enemies. No matter what, she and the prince would never have a chance to meet each other.

(End of this chapter)