At this time, Concubine Xiao Shu, who had been silent all the time, could no longer bear it and cursed: "Huh, those bullies are just two lackeys of the Queen. They think they can show off their power in the harem with the support of the Queen? They Don’t you think that the emperor really loves the empress? It’s really ridiculous. If the imperial concubine is still here, what’s the matter with the empress? You really treat yourself like a green onion!”
Concubine Zhuang Xian glanced at her and interrupted: "Okay sister, keep your voice down, don't let others hear your worries."
Concubine Xiao Shu said disdainfully: "What are you afraid of? Even with the Emperor and the Queen Mother here, she doesn't dare to do anything to us."
Compared to Concubine Xiao Shu, who was outspoken, Concubine Zhuang Xian was much more cautious. She looked at Chu Yingluo and the others and said, "The banquet is about to start, how about we come together?"
After listening to the good show, a few people calmly came back to their senses.
Chu Yingluo nodded: "Okay, let's go."
Walking from the Imperial Garden, and walking further forward, you will find the Queen's Palace.
After leaving the imperial garden, Chu Yingluo smelled the fragrance of lilies on Concubine Zhuang Xian's body. She felt a little strange, so she glanced at Concubine Zhuang Xian's belly and caught a glimpse of her belly being slightly bulging, and she suddenly felt something strange in her heart. A bad association.
Out of good intentions, and because Concubine Zhuang Xian had helped her just now, she asked in a low voice: "Mother, are you pregnant with a dragon heir?"
Hearing this, Concubine Zhuang Xian touched her pregnant belly and said with a gentle smile, "Yes, she has just turned three months old."
Chu Yingluo frowned, leaned closer and reminded in a low voice: "After your Majesty goes back, you'd better check the gouache and potted plants in the palace. I smell the fragrance of lilies from your Majesty's body. Although lilies will not directly cause miscarriage, they can Lily has a strong fragrance and contains a strange irritant. If a pregnant woman smells it for a long time, it will stimulate the nerves, easily cause the fetus to be restless, and risk miscarriage."
Concubine Zhuang Xian's eyes widened in shock. After hearing Chu Yingluo's words, she was startled. She recalled the box of fragrant powder she used today, and her palms became sweaty. "Concubine Yu did give it to me yesterday." I received a box of fragrant powder. She said that it was for the Queen's birthday, and she specially ordered the Ministry of Internal Affairs to give it to the empresses in each palace, so I accepted it. I just felt that the fragrance was stronger... If it is really as you said, then ..."
Concubine Xiao Shu covered her mouth: "Oh my God, they are so vicious. They actually want to kill the dragon heir in your belly? Sister, what should we do now?"
Chu Yingluo comforted her, "Don't worry, Madam, nothing will happen for the time being. If the fragrance at the banquet is too strong, Madam will leave the banquet on the pretext of being unwell. After I go back today, I must throw away the scented powder."
Concubine Zhuang Xian nodded and said with lingering fear: "I understand."
But Concubine Xiao Shu was so angry that she couldn't help but said: "Sister, at the banquet later, you must report it to the Emperor and let the Emperor make the decision for you."
However, Concubine Zhuang Xian frowned and said cautiously: "I guess I can't do anything to them with just a box of fragrant powder. Besides, the Queen has rewarded everyone, not just me. I can say that I don't know. If it weren't for today The Fourth Princess told me that I didn’t even know that the scent of lilies was harmful to pregnant women..."
"Is it possible that this matter has just been settled?"
"In my opinion, it's better not to alert the enemy first. It's better to discuss this matter in the long run. Let's go and attend the Queen's birthday party first. Remember, don't mention this matter at all later."
"..."
After saying that, Concubine Zhuang Xian looked at Chu Yingluo gratefully: "Fourth Princess, thank you for what happened today."
Chu Yingluo smiled slightly: "You're welcome."
As they talked, several people came to the banquet.
The banquet was very grand and solemn.
The etiquette is even more complicated. The emperor uses a golden dragon banquet table. On both sides of the emperor, there are the head table, the second table, and the third table. The queen, concubines, and princes all take their seats in order according to their status and identity, and wait for the emperor to take his seat. After that, others can take their seats.
Chu Yingluo was sitting at the end of the western banquet table. Because the fourth prince was not here, she could only sit alone. Unexpectedly, Princess Changning suddenly ran over and sat down next to her, followed closely by the seventh prince Mo Xianfeng. back.
The area suddenly became lively.
Princess Changning was very happy to see Chu Yingluo Sha, her face flushed: "Sister-in-law Si Wang, I knew you were coming. I knew you were coming, so I came to the banquet. Otherwise, I would definitely not come to such a banquet. bored to death."
Chu Yingluo raised her eyebrows and looked at her: "Can you still come to the Queen's Qianqiu Banquet?"
Princess Changning nodded, stuffed a piece of almond cake into her mouth, and said while chewing: "Of course, the Queen Mother makes the decision for me. I don't have to come if I don't want to. You see, the Queen Mother is too lazy to come."
Chu Yingluo looked around, and sure enough she didn't see the Queen Mother, but it was only the Queen Mother who dared not give the Queen Mother face.
Her eyes immediately fell on the Emperor and Queen Li. The Emperor was dressed in a dragon robe, which was quite serious. Queen Li was also dignified and gentle, looking like a mother who cared about the world. It was a pity that no matter how well she pretended, she could still be seen. Deliberately, her eyes were arrogant and selfish, as if she didn't care about anyone.
At the beginning of the banquet, everyone sent birthday gifts to the Queen, including many gold, silver, jewelry, and emeralds.
When Empress Li sees something she likes, she will smile. If she sees rouge pollen, or something that doesn't suit her liking, she won't even bother to look at it. This makes everyone panic, for fear of making the empress unhappy, but with the emperor here, The queen wouldn't say anything. As long as it was a gift, she asked her eunuchs to accept it.
Concubine Zhuang Xian gave her a pair of jade gourds.
Empress Li didn't know whether she forgot or on purpose. She didn't let the pregnant Concubine Zhuang Xian get up, but asked: "Concubine Zhuang Xian, why did you give me the gourd? I heard that people like to drill small holes in gourds. It is filled with spices and hung around the neck to drive away miasma and evil spirits. Could it be that you feel that there are evil spirits on my body and you need to use a gourd to remove them?"
Hearing this, Concubine Zhuang Xian just raised her eyebrows slightly and said slowly: "The Queen has misunderstood, gourd and fortune are homophonic, fortune means good luck, fortune means longevity, which means good luck and longevity, and receiving blessings means good luck. Otherwise, In addition, my concubine also carved the Heart Sutra on the gourd with her own hands, hoping to bring blessings to the empress."
Empress Li glanced at her lightly and said perfunctorily: "Concubine Zhuang Xian is interested."
At this time, the emperor's eyes fell on Concubine Zhuang Xian's hand, narrowed his eyes and asked: "Concubine Xian, what's wrong with your fingers?"
Hearing this, Concubine Zhuang Xian retracted her hand, and then said: "Your Majesty, I am not in the way, but I am clumsy and accidentally injured my finger while carving the Heart Sutra..."
The emperor frowned tightly: "Concubine Xian is indeed thoughtful. It's rare that you work so hard for the queen's birthday. However, you must put your body first in the future and don't hurt your body for such a trivial matter. You are pregnant, so don't kneel down." Now, get up and talk."
Little things? After hearing this, Queen Li was slightly unhappy with her eyebrows. Her birthday only happens once a year, what a big deal it is? The emperor actually said it was a trivial matter?
Therefore, she looked at Concubine Zhuang Xian with an increasingly unhappy look.
After Concubine Zhuang Xian stood up, she said, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I have been a little sleepy recently due to pregnancy. I feel really unwell and want to go back and rest."
The emperor immediately said: "Since you are feeling unwell, go back and rest quickly. Someone, please send Concubine Xian back to the palace, and then ask the imperial doctor to take a look at the injury on Concubine Xian's finger."
"yes."
After Concubine Zhuang Xian bowed to the emperor and queen, she left the scene. Before leaving, Concubine Zhuang Xian glanced at Chu Yingluo quietly, with a slight smile on her lips.
Chu Yingluo was relieved when she saw Concubine Zhuang Xian leaving. She might have guessed what would happen if she stayed.
After a while, it was Chu Yingluo's turn to give gifts. Chu Yingluo picked up the box and walked to the emperor and queen.
Empress Li looked at Chu Yingluo and her eyes widened slightly. The reason was that the gifts given by others were all small boxes or ornaments. Only Chu Yingluo was holding a huge box and wrapping it tightly. It's so tight, I don't know what's inside.
Chu Yingluo bowed and saluted: "See you, the emperor, see the queen."
Empress Li couldn't help but asked curiously: "Fourth Princess, what is in the box you sent to me?"
Chu Yingluo curled her lips and smiled: "Today is the Queen's birthday. It's better for the Queen to open it herself, so that there will be surprises."
With that said, Chu Yingluo handed the box to the eunuch, and the eunuch held the box in his arms and handed it to Queen Li in a small step.
The emperor couldn't help but came over curiously: "Open it and let me have a look."
Empress Li frowned slightly and ordered the eunuch beside her: "Open it quickly."
"Yes." The eunuch opened the gift box carefully.
Empress Li moved her face closer, and when she saw clearly what was inside, her pupils widened in horror——
