ebookland Chapter 345 Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet
Chapter 345 Mid-Autumn Festival Banquet
In the blink of an eye, it is Mid-Autumn Festival.
As it was still the mourning period for the Empress Dowager, Yongzheng ordered that all stringed instruments, music, singing and dancing, and operas be cancelled. Only the noble princes were allowed to bring their families into the palace for the banquet, so that the family could reunite and celebrate the festival together, without losing the royal affection.
Chonghua Palace had already been fully decorated. Although it hadn't been decorated with much fanfare, in accordance with Yongzheng's wishes, it exuded refinement and elegance, with no trace of shabbyness. After all, the palace's reputation and the imperial grandeur must not be compromised, even during such a special period.
In order to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival today, An Lingrong also gave them a day off.
Seeing that Su Ye wanted to go with her to Chonghua Palace, An Lingrong thought for a moment and said, "Su Ye, Sister Zhen is about to give birth. You should go to Yongshou Palace to check the supplies for the birth. Liu Zhu should also go, and let Ju Qing wait on me!"
I don’t know if Zhen Huan will give birth tonight, but it’s always better to prepare early!
Su Ye and Liu Zhu responded and went to Yongshou Palace.
During this time, Ju Qing had been taking care of An Lingrong personally. Ju Qing was meticulous in her work, and while An Lingrong was busy with various affairs, she was always quietly taking care of everything, from food and daily life to clothing and accessories, every detail was arranged properly.
When she finished packing and arrived at Chonghua Palace, the hall was already full of people. She looked around and found that only Prince Guo had not arrived.
A moment later, Su Peisheng shouted, "The Emperor has arrived."
Everyone stood up and saluted: "May the Emperor be blessed with good health!"
Yongzheng waved his hand casually: "Everyone, sit down!"
Then he walked over to Zhen Huan, helped her sit down, and asked with concern, "Your hands are so cold, have you caught a cold?"
Zhen Huan bowed slightly, a perfectly placed smile on her face, and replied softly, "I've been feeling a bit chilly at night lately. Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Yongzheng nodded, then returned to the throne and sat down. He pointed to the seat below and said loudly, "Old Seventeen..."
Before he could finish his words, he heard a clear and pleasant voice: "I am late, I hope your Majesty will forgive me."
Following the sound, I saw Prince Guo wearing a moon-white robe, with an upright posture, elegant temperament, and a faint smile on his face. However, if you look closely, you can find that his face reveals some fatigue.
An Lingrong sat aside, observing all this calmly. She saw Zhen Huan's eyes fluctuate for a moment when Prince Guo came in. The subtle change might be imperceptible to others, but she keenly caught it.
Yongzheng was still very fond of his younger brother, and asked with concern: "I've long been accustomed to you being late and leaving early at banquets, but I see that you seem a little thinner, and the people serving you are not attentive enough?"
Prince Guo maintained a respectful smile and bowed, "Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your concern. Perhaps it's because I've been busy with some trivial matters in the palace recently, which has taken a lot of effort."
Yongzheng acted like a brother: "You are in need of someone to take care of the household affairs. Do you have anyone you like?"
"If I had someone I liked, I wouldn't have come here alone today!"
"You're too picky!"
The Queen thought for a moment and said, "Actually, Yunxi has grown up a lot. It's time for him to find a wife and live in peace and contentment!"
Her voice was gentle, and she wore a proper smile, but in her heart she was secretly thinking about the women of marriageable age in her family. In this palace, every prince's marriage could affect the situation in the court.
Yunxi was dressed in a sky-blue robe with a mutton-fat jade pendant tied around his waist, his demeanor elegant yet clear. Hearing the Queen's words, he stood up, bowed, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Your Majesty, I'm joking. I have the same thoughts as Seventeenth Brother. We must find someone we love."
The Queen choked, and the smile on her face froze for a moment, then she said with a smile: "You see, it's not good for the older ones to teach the younger ones bad things. Even Yunxi doesn't dare to get married!"
Prince Guo glanced at his younger brother, with a flicker of approval and satisfaction in his eyes: "As long as the emperor has you, the Qing Dynasty will flourish, and we, the ministers, can be lazy!"
Yongzheng laughed a few times.
Prince Guo turned his gaze towards Shen Meizhuang, revealing just the right amount of respect: "I'm sure Her Majesty Hui is well. I haven't congratulated Her Majesty yet."
Shen Meizhuang stood up gracefully: "Thank you, Your Highness."
It was only then that Prince Guo casually shifted his gaze to Zhen Huan. For a moment, a subtle, complex emotion flashed across his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and calm. "Empress Xi is well."
Zhen Huan quickly helped Huanbi to her feet: "I wish you the best, Your Highness."
"Your Majesty is about to give birth. Are you in good health?" Prince Guo's words revealed genuine concern. Although he tried his best to remain calm, his slightly clenched fists revealed a hint of nervousness in his heart.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Everything is fine!" Zhen Huan answered calmly, but she never dared to look him in the eye.
After saying these words, Prince Guo sat down in his seat, but his eyes could not help but stay on Zhen Huan for a moment before slowly moving away.
Sure enough, you can't hide the look in your eyes when you love someone.
On the other side, Yunxi also stood up and raised a glass of wine: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Imperial Concubine and to the Imperial Concubine Xi. I wish you both good health and everything goes well!"
The two stood up together: "Shen Beile is honored!"
Yunxi looked at Shen Meizhuang again and said, "Your Highness, I went to Ningshou Palace the day before yesterday to pay my respects to Mother. I learned that her chronic illness has greatly improved. Thank you for sending people to take good care of her. I would like to offer this wine to express my gratitude to you."
Shen Meizhuang had a faint smile on her lips. "You are too polite, Lord Shen. This is my duty. I really don't deserve your thanks. I am pregnant now and cannot drink alcohol. I will offer you this cup of tea. I hope Lord Shen will not mind."
Her voice was neither hurried nor slow, and she gracefully picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip. Every move she made showed the dignity and grandeur of a royal concubine.
"Your Majesty, please do as you please. With Your Majesty assisting in the management of the six palaces, I feel relieved!"
An Lingrong listened to their conversation quietly, with a slight smile on her lips, and she had a new understanding of Yunxi in her heart.
This exchange of words seemed to be just a simple greeting and thanks, but in fact it cleverly exposed the Queen's daily negligence and dereliction of duty in the affairs of the harem, and quietly and severely humiliated the Queen.
This was also Yunxi's protest against the Queen's attempt to interfere in his marriage.
Yongzheng said with a smile: "Mei'er has taken good care of the harem. I am relieved."
"Thank you for your compliments, Your Majesty. I am only doing my best to share your worries."