Heng Shu listened to her words, took a few steps forward, and asked tentatively: "If there is anything unclear about my little master, I can answer it for you."
Xie Hengwu raised his eyes, glanced at Heng Shu's handsome face, and handed the roster back to him.
"Tell me one by one the families who have entered the main hall."
Heng Shu responded with a smile and started with Duke Jingguo.
"Jing Guo Gong is a marquis with a different surname. He was granted the title for his meritorious service from Long in his early years. The Duke's family is honest and loyal, and he is a famous loyal minister in Beijiang." Heng Shu spoke of Duke Jing Guo with a look of reverence.
"The one who inherits the title now is the eldest son of the old Duke, who serves as Minister of War in the court."
Xie Hengwu raised his eyebrows and motioned for him to continue speaking.
"Cui Zuocheng... is the brother of the current Empress Dowager. This Cui Zuocheng is the daughter of Zuo Cheng and the eldest daughter." Heng Shu deliberately emphasized the last three words and said hesitantly, "Little Master, slave, you have I don’t know whether to say something or not.”
Xie Hengwu lowered his eyes with a lazy expression: "Then don't talk about it."
Heng Shu laughed awkwardly: "Haha, my master is really good at joking... That's it. Everyone in Beijiang knows that Lady Cui is the candidate for the queen."
"Oh?" Xie Hengwu asked curiously, "Then why hasn't she entered the palace yet?"
"Of course it's because of Your Majesty." Heng Shu sighed with emotion, "If Your Majesty doesn't want to, Lady Cui will not marry, and naturally no one will dare to ask for marriage."
Xie Hengwu understood and looked at him with a half-smile: "Why are you telling me this? Aren't you afraid that I will tell His Majesty?"
Heng Shu begged for mercy a few times and said with a bitter face: "My lord, don't you want me to be more careful?"
Xie Hengwu also understood that Heng Shu had good intentions and did not embarrass him.
"You go on."
Heng Shu responded and continued referring to the list. After an afternoon passed, Xie Hengwu roughly understood these people.
In other words, they were the forces in the Beijiang court.
For example, the Duke's Mansion and the Cui Mansion are in opposition to each other, and no one likes them.
What Heng Shuhui told her may be what Xiao Yanzhou meant.
As for Cui Luyi...
Xie Hengwu thought of her again.
This rumored queen-to-be is the eldest daughter of Zuo Cheng, a noble and noble person.
Xie Hengwu was looking forward to meeting her.
Although according to Heng Shu's words, Xiao Yanzhou's unwillingness to make her his queen should be because he didn't like her. But Xie Hengwu felt inexplicably that the relationship between the two should not be that bad.
While she was thinking, Li Luo entered the palace with several palace maids, holding newly made palace clothes and a complete set of headdresses in her hands.
It's time to prepare for the palace banquet.
After she finished dressing up, the royal chariot stopped outside Shicui Palace.
Xiao Yanzhou personally came to pick her up for the banquet.
The night is vast, and there are beauties, as jade as jade.
No matter how luxurious the silks, satins and pearls were, they all seemed to be a foil on her body.
Under the moonlight, the satin light flows like water, swaying with each step, which is very beautiful.
Xiao Yanzhou's eyes were fixed on her until Xie Hengwu walked up to her.
"very beautiful."
He thought so and said so.
The people in the Internal Affairs Supervisory Office were very good at catering to his needs and spared no effort to turn Xie Hengwu into a bright pearl.
She smiled slightly and said softly: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xiao Yanzhou's lips curled up, and he took her hand and got into the chariot together.
--
There was singing and dancing in the Huayi Palace, and after Xiao Yanzhou and Xie Hengwu took their seats, the palace banquet began.
Queen Mother Cui claimed to be ill and did not attend.
Under the seat, King Qin was a little depressed, perhaps because He An was taken away. Without He An, he first had to worry about whether he would be exposed to Xiao Yanzhou, and secondly, he worried that he would have no leverage to restrain Queen Mother Cui and would be at her mercy in the future.
He sighed and saw the calm-looking Xiao Yanzhou sitting on the main seat. His hand holding the wine bottle couldn't help but strain, and his fingertips turned white.
Except for King Qin, the other ministers in the palace did not observe the interest and courage of their tyrant.
In comparison, the beauty next to him is more interesting.
Firstly, she is a marriage princess from Nanliang, and secondly, she is the only person in the past few years who has survived more than a month and still has a holy heart.
There were female relatives in the hall who secretly looked at Xie Hengwu, and then looked at the young girl in the second seat on the left.
Xie Hengwu followed his gaze and guessed that it was Cui Luyi.
The waiter Heng Shu stood by and looked at him with a look on his face. Seeing Xie Hengwu glance down from time to time, he leaned over and whispered: "My young master, that is Lady Cui."
Xie Hengwu was twisting a piece of pastry, wondering if it was sweeter than what he had eaten before, and he hummed slightly when he heard this.
Cui Lujin is worthy of being a noble daughter cultivated by a wealthy family.
If Xie Hengwu is as bright as a peach and plum, then Cui Lujin is as clear as a cold plum.
The corners of his eyes and eyebrows are full of noble bookishness.
Feeling the sight, Cui Lujin raised her eyes and smiled at Xie Hengwu.
For such a cold person, her smile is as moving as snow.
Xie Hengwu was stunned and smiled in return.
interesting.
Heng Shu's worries were completely overblown.
This Lady Cui did not regard her as an enemy who could compete with her.
After three rounds of drinking, everyone was a little drunk and no longer as restrained as at the beginning.
Xiao Yanzhou actually didn't value this kind of rules, but most people were afraid of him and tended to be cautious.
Many people had begun to move around the banquet and toast, including the female family members.
Duke Jing Guo and other ministers toasted to Xiao Yanzhou.
Xiao Yanzhou was impatient to listen to such nonsense, but since the other party was Duke Jingguo, he still managed to endure it and listen to him finish.
Xie Hengwu watched quietly from the side.
Duke Jingguo is already over fifty years old, but his speech is still full of energy. Although he is already a highly respected minister, his words and deeds are humble and his sincerity is evident.
He is indeed a famous loyal minister.
Xu Shi noticed her gaze. After finishing his toast, Duke Jingguo also looked at her with a smile in his eyes: "I also wish the beauty good health all year round."
Xie Hengwu was surprised and quickly stood up to return the courtesy.
As the Duke of Jingguo, there was no need to toast her.
This move probably made Xiao Yanzhou happy. He raised his glass and accepted Duke Jingguo's toast.
The Duke's wife walked up to Xie Hengwu. She was a very kind-faced woman. Although she was dressed luxuriously, she did not feel as oppressive as Queen Mother Cui.
She smiled and said some congratulations to Xie Hengwu, and Xie Hengwu returned the favor.
In the end, the Duke's wife did not leave, but stared at her, seemingly filled with emotion.
Probably realizing that she was being rude, she quickly looked away.
Xie Hengwu's heart moved and he said softly: "Madam, if you have something to say, it's okay to just say it."
"Nothing, I'm rude." The Duke's wife's smile was a little forced. Seeing this, Xie Hengwu didn't ask any more questions.
She looked down and saw Cui Lujin being surrounded by two or three noble ladies and talking.
After the Duke's wife left, several more officials' wives came. Xie Hengwu dealt with it easily and finally calmed down.
After a while, a young girl came over.
She looks cute and speaks likeable.
"Your Majesty, please call your daughter Ying'er." Wang Ying'er said with a smile, the wine bottle in her hand swaying.
Xie Hengwu paid attention.
A palace maid passed by from behind. Perhaps in order to avoid the moving nobleman, she turned sideways, but stumbled into Wang Ying'er.
Wang Yinger let out a low cry and spilled all the wine on Xie Hengwu.
Xiao Yanzhou noticed the movement here and looked sideways. Seeing that Xie Hengwu's clothes were soaked, his eyes darkened immediately.
The palace maid had already knelt down and her body was trembling. Wang Ying'er was so frightened that her face turned pale, and she hurriedly begged for mercy. She tried to wipe it with a brocade handkerchief, but the mark got bigger and bigger.
Seeing Xiao Yanzhou's eyes getting colder and colder, Xie Hengwu didn't want him to bleed for her in this hall, so he quickly said: "It's okay, I'll just change myself."
Xiao Yanzhou slowly said: "...This is the tribute moon brocade, this is the only one."
Somehow, Xie Hengwu heard some grievance in his straight tone.
She smiled apologetically and advised softly: "Your Majesty, it's not a big deal after all. I'll go and come back."
Xiao Yanzhou's murderous eyes stayed on Wang Yinger for a long time, and finally took them back.
Wang Ying'er felt as if she had been pardoned, and said quickly: "My maid, please take the beauty to change clothes."
Xie Hengwu nodded and followed Wang Yinger and left Huayi Hall.
Cui Lujin was talking to the noble girl. She smiled and glanced at the two people's leaving figures, which looked very unintentional.
The palace maid who hit someone just now disappeared silently into the Huayi Palace.
She won't survive.
--
Xie Hengwu was brought to Nuan Pavilion.
There are charcoal basins placed in the four corners of the Nuan Pavilion, and the auspicious animal incense burner is placed, which is emitting a milky white mist, and the smell is very soothing.
There are snacks and white jade pots placed on the golden nanmu carved table, with wine bottles on both sides, and behind it is a large Suzhou embroidery landscape screen.
The candlelight flickered, leaving streaks of light and shadow on the large screen.
This is a place for the nobles attending the banquet to rest temporarily, and their changes of clothes will also be placed here in advance.
The palace servants from Nuange went to pick up the clothes sent by Cuigong earlier, and Xie Hengwu and Wang Ying'er sat at the table and waited.
Wang Yinger looked apologetic and kept apologizing.
"It's okay. It's not your fault. His Majesty won't blame him." Xie Hengwu said soothingly, knowing that it was actually Xiao Yanzhou she was worried about.
Wang Ying'er was annoyed: "It's all because I didn't stand firm, otherwise..."
Her eyes passed over the wet brocade dress: "Moon brocade is hard to find, so it's a pity that it's so dirty."
"No matter how hard it is to find a fortune, it is nothing more than an external possession." Xie Hengwu said softly.
The palace servant who went to look for clothes came back and asked Xie Hengwu to change his clothes.
Wang Yinger sat alone at the table, the apology in her eyes faded.
She quickly took out the paper bag carefully wrapped with floral paper from her sleeve and sprinkled the powder inside into the wine bottle.
Then, she filled the two wine bottles with wine.
Party dresses were always cumbersome to put on, which gave her enough time to prepare.
After doing all this, Wang Ying'er sat upright, her hands folded on her knees slightly exerting force, and her fingertips turned white.
As soon as she saw Xie Hengwu dressed and came out, she quickly stood up and greeted him. She took Xie Hengwu's hand very attentively and sat down at the table.
"It's cold outside, and it's cold to change clothes. Beauty, drink some to warm yourself up." Wang Ying'er was worried that Xie Hengwu would refuse, and said, "These are fruit wines, not intoxicating."
Xie Hengwu lowered his eyes and looked over with a half-smile: "Why don't you drink first, Mrs. Wang?"
