Although Chonghua Palace is large, it is only a corner of the palace. Therefore, there has been an explicit order in the palace that only those with an official title of fifth rank or above can enter the palace to celebrate the birthday of the Supreme Emperor. Moreover, with the exception of Wang Jue, every third-rank official and above can only bring at most one junior to the banquet.
To the west of Chonghua Palace, a waterside pavilion that was usually inaccessible was already bustling with people.
Many teenagers and young people gathered here in small groups, chatting, dancing and writing, or playing chess and drinking tea.
There is no doubt that every one of these young people is a prince and grandson with a prominent family background and a great reputation, and his followers gather everywhere wherever he goes. However, here today, each of them seems so ordinary.
Because among these people, princes and princes alone account for almost half!
It is conceivable that if nothing unexpected happens, the one or two hundred young people around this small waterside pavilion will be the ones who will dominate the empire's voice for the next hundred years.
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has arrived."
Following the announcement, the high-spirited prince, dressed in yellow robes, walked up surrounded by people.
It was also at this time that many people who had previously maintained their own identities immediately put down their airs and gathered towards the prince.
The prince said with a smile: "The lonely king is very busy today and has made many mistakes in his care. I hope you will forgive me."
The prince has been ordered by Emperor Ningkang to host today's birthday banquet. He was naturally proud of himself, because every time he presided over such an important event, he became more familiar with state affairs, and his status as prince became more stable.
Therefore, although he was busy, he did not dare to slack off at all.
Because all the princes and ministers came to the palace in advance to celebrate their birthdays, in order to reasonably arrange the time before the official start of the birthday banquet, he gathered the juniors of each family here alone. After all, adults are with adults, and young people are with young people. They have the same interests and are more harmonious.
Looking at the young men from various families who were following him like a shadow because of his movements, the smile on the prince's face became even wider. Even if he is a prince, it is not easy to bring together so many children from powerful families.
Obviously, this is an important moment for him to build a base and select followers and loyalists.
However, after glancing at the middle of the waterside pavilion, where the third prince looked at him with a smile, but did not come to greet him at all, the smile on the prince's face faded a little.
He saw that before he came, most of the people here gathered in the waterside pavilion. Even now, there are still many people in the waterside pavilion. Most of them are juniors from civil servant families.
Just as he was about to step into the waterside pavilion, he suddenly heard an important name. He glanced around, and a smile appeared on his face. Then, completely ignoring the third prince who had already approached to greet him, he turned around and quickly walked towards the outside. .
In the fence beside the pond, the fourth prince and a few people who usually played close to him gathered here to fish.
He is the most leisurely prince. Whenever there is a grand gathering, he doesn't care about anything and just has fun.
Suddenly seeing his companion coming back, he immediately dropped his fishing rod and ran over, but passed his companion and pounced on the person behind him.
"Hey Jia Lian, you are finally here."
Looking at the fourth prince who was full of enthusiasm at all times, Jia Lian took a step back, cupped his hands and said, "I have met His Highness the Fourth Prince."
"You were in the Chongqing Hall just now, right?"
"Back to Your Highness, exactly."
"Hey, there are some old antiques over there, they are really boring. Why don't you come here to fish, hehe, the fish in Grandpa Huang's clear pond can't be eaten at any time!
I have already caught several fish. I will ask Zhang Bao to take them back secretly later. After the banquet is over, how about you go to my palace and we bake them together? "
The fourth prince obviously had a plan and looked at Jia Lian expectantly.
He really admired Jia Lian in his heart. He was better at "martial arts" and better at poetry than him. Who knew that he could actually make food that was more delicious than the cooks in his palace? Damn it, it was really It's a genius!
I remembered the last time I accidentally ate the small crucian carp that Jia Lian had grilled by piercing it with bamboo skewers. The taste was burnt on the outside, crispy on the inside, numb and spicy, and it was... indescribable.
Later, he also asked the chefs in the house to bake it according to Jia Lian's method, but it was always a little bit different.
Furthermore, everyone said that the fish raised by the Supreme Emperor of Chonghua Palace were spiritual creatures that gathered the essence of heaven and earth. If you could eat one, it would attract wealth and prolong your life. Therefore, every prince and minister who received a reward from the Supreme Emperor regarded it as a treasure.
It's a pity that even though he is a prince, he usually doesn't dare to come in and steal. It was because of the crowds today that he became bolder and planned to steal some back early in the morning.
This kind of precious spiritual fish growing out of the dragon's veins, coupled with Jia Lian's miraculous skills, the final taste... just thinking about it is enjoyable!
Seeing the fourth prince drooling as he spoke, Jia Lian couldn't help but smile. Speaking of which, the fourth prince is quite easy to deal with. This silly boy who grew up in a fine life has never eaten spicy grilled fish on the street. He is addicted to it as soon as he eats it.
But this guy is also brave enough. He even dares to steal the Emperor's fish. I'm afraid he is the only one in the entire Wei Dynasty.
After giving a perfunctory word to the fourth prince and saying hello to Zhang Su and others, Jia Lian was about to take a look at the fourth prince's fish catch. Suddenly he saw the prince coming with a group of people. Jia Lian quickly straightened his appearance and bowed to see him.
"Haha, Marquis Zhenyuan doesn't need to be polite. I didn't think it through. Although Marquis Zhenyuan holds an official title and is my father's most valued confidant, in terms of age, talent and appearance, he is the leading young talent in the Wei Dynasty. .
It’s all my fault that I forgot to instruct the servants below. They must have led Marquis Zhenyuan to Chongjing Hall just now, right? "
The prince smiled and walked within two steps in front of Jia Lian. His familiar behavior was as if he and Jia Lian were close friends. The prince showed such favor to him, which made many people behind him who wanted to say a few words in front of the prince couldn't help but look jealous.
But when he thought that even the prince said that Jia Lian was Emperor Ningkang's most valued confidant, some people in the city quickly calmed down their expressions.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is serious. Your Highness has taken care of everything and arranged the Emperor's birthday banquet in an orderly manner. Just now in the Chongjing Hall, I heard many elders praising His Highness.
Besides, I am just an ordinary minister. When the palace deacon arranged for me to go to the Chongqing Hall, he followed the rules and made no mistakes. However, I came here without asking for permission. Please forgive me, Your Highness. "
"hehe."
As soon as the prince laughed, the fourth prince interrupted displeasedly: "Oh, we are all so familiar and we are not outsiders, so why are you so polite? Besides, I sent someone to call you, how can you be unauthorized? Do you mean that I shouldn't ask you to come, or that I'm not qualified to ask you to come?
Brother, please tell me, am I qualified to call him over? "
The prince did not mean to be angry with the fourth prince at all. Instead, he smiled and said: "The fourth brother is right. We are not outsiders. Why should the Marquis of Zhenyuan be so polite? As for the fourth brother's question, haha, of course you are qualified to call him over. Brother, I I also want to thank you for being so considerate in helping me.”
The prince looked easy-going, but when he said "not an outsider", he gave Jia Lian a meaningful look.
"Brother the First Emperor is right, Marquis Zhenyuan is famous far and wide. When he was at the Western Suburbs Courtyard of the First Emperor, the Marquis Zhenyuan casually produced a few masterpieces, and even his younger brother had no choice but to admire them.
Just now, when Cai Chen's younger brother was discussing literature and ink with a group of talented people, he was still sighing. It would be great if Marquis Zhenyuan was here. If he were here, I would be able to recite poems and compose poems, so that I can fully show the style of the younger generation of Wei Dynasty. But by chance, he was there. coming. "
The third prince walked over as if strolling in the courtyard. He ignored the prince's sudden furrowed brows and nodded in response to Jia Lian's greeting. He continued to smile and said: "I am fond of writing and doing arty things. I have long wanted to ask Marquis Zhenyuan to visit the palace, but I am only worried about Marquis Zhenyuan's official duties." It's so heavy that I don't dare to send someone to invite him easily.
Since there is a grand gathering today, I would like to consult with the Marquis of Zhenyuan for advice. "
"Your Highness is so kind to you, but I have no tricks and don't dare to show off in front of His Highness."
The people around felt very uncomfortable when they saw that all the princes were so affectionate towards Jia Lian. They are also children of powerful people. Many of them have a much higher status than Jia Lian, but the treatment they receive is very different. This cannot help but make people feel jealous.
Especially the group of clan children who had been harmed by Jia Lian and the fourth prince and were taken to the Ancestral Temple to eat white flour buns for more than a month looked at Jia Lian and almost got angry. It's just that I didn't dare to have an attack in the presence of the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.
How could the prince not know that the third prince was competing with him for someone? There was a frown on his face, but he sneered in his heart. You couldn't compete with me before, but from now on, you will have no chance.
Jia Lian is a smart man, and since he and this prince are about to have a new relationship, he is even less likely to board your pirate ship.
Just as he was about to ridicule the third prince, one of his confidants suddenly whispered into his ear. He turned his eyes and said to Jia Lian and others: "The lonely king has something to deal with. Please feel free to do so."
After saying that, he nodded specially to Jia Lian, the fourth prince and others, and then led the others away.
…
Weiyang Palace is the residence of the Queen Mother and the most majestic and solemn palace in the entire Chonghua Palace besides the main hall.
At this time, most of the internal and external officials and female relatives who came to congratulate the Supreme Emperor on his birthday also gathered here.
Logically speaking, on an occasion like today, the most eye-catching people should be the most noble concubines, princesses, and princesses. But this was not the case in the main hall at this time. The most eye-catching person was a delicate girl in her teens.
Because she was brought here by the Queen herself, and the Queen had just introduced her to the Queen Mother in person.
Theoretically, a woman who can receive special care from the queen must have an extraordinary status. But after people in the palace quietly inquired about her, they discovered that this young girl's identity was very ordinary.
The daughter of Jiangnan Weaving? It is indeed ordinary, because many young princesses and county owners have quietly asked their elders that Jiangnan weaving is only fourth or fifth grade.
In a small place like Jiangnan, maybe the fourth or fifth grade is not considered small. But in today's situation, she is just at the bottom. If there is no queen, she should not even be qualified to enter!
For such a woman whose status is so far behind them, but she has received the attention of many elders, the young ladies feel somewhat aggrieved.
She looks... quite handsome, but she looks so thin. Their family is too poor to take the blame, starving their daughter like this!
Facing everyone's looks, especially the unfriendly looks, Zhen Yuhuan, standing next to the queen and mother, was under great pressure.
Even though her mother and others had dressed her up solemnly in the morning and had given her many ardent instructions, she knew that today's trip to the palace was not an easy one. But I still didn’t expect that it would be like this.
Previously in Kunning Palace, she met countless elders under the arrangement of her mother and the Queen. Those elders were either princesses or county princesses, the lowest being second or third grade imperial concubines, all of whom had a much higher status than her mother.
Her family is second to none in Jiangnan. As the legitimate daughter of the family, she can be described as a proud daughter of heaven.
But facing those princesses and princesses of the same age, she felt as if she had become a common girl. Even though she knew in her heart that wasn't the case.
It's even better now, the Queen brought her and her mother to see the Queen Mother! Is she really the Queen Mother? She looks so young...so beautiful...
besides……
This person doesn't look easy to get along with!
Zhen Yuhuan secretly glanced at the young woman in the gorgeous palace dress opposite. Unexpectedly, the other party was also looking at her, and her indifferent eyes made her heart skip a beat, and she quickly averted her eyes.
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived. Please wait outside."
"Let him in."
Hearing these words, Zhen Yuhuan, who was already feeling uneasy, became even more nervous and hid her small body behind her mother.
"Qu'er meets the imperial grandmother and pays homage to the queen mother."
The prince walked into the palace under the guidance of the palace servants. Because behind the curtains on both sides were the imperial edicts of various families, in order to show his courtesy, he did not look sideways and came to the queen mother and empress to greet them respectfully.
"No need to be polite. Have you arranged everything outside?"
"Reporting to the Imperial Grandmother, the gentlemen of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Etiquette have been considerate. All external matters have been arranged, and no major mistakes have been made."
"Um."
The Queen Mother nodded casually, then changed her tone and signaled to the wife of the Zhen family below: "This is the wife of the Zhen family in Jiangnan. The Zhen family in Jiangnan was ordered to take charge of the weaving affairs in Jiangnan when your grandfather was in power. , decades of hard work, great achievements.
Their wife was the 'Principal of Xiu'an County' given by Taizu Yukou himself. When the head of Xiu'an County was still young, he and the late Empress Xiaowen were close friends. In this way, Mrs. Zhen's wife is also your elder, and you haven't met her yet. "
As soon as he heard the word "Zhen Family", the prince's heart moved and he subconsciously looked in the direction indicated by the queen mother.
Then his calm expression suddenly changed, and he looked blankly at the weak woman standing timidly behind Mrs. Zhen's wife.
Next to him, the young woman who had been staring at him saw this, her eyes became cold, and she immediately glanced at Zhen Yuhuan with a piercingly cold gaze.
This scene was all seen by the Queen Mother who was sitting upright above.
As someone who has experienced this, the Queen Mother naturally knows that the future of this little girl from the Zhen family will not be smooth. But that's no fault of others. From the day she chose to marry into the royal family, she should have expected this situation, just like herself.
With a slight cough, the Queen Mother said: "Prince."
Only then did the prince realize that he had lost his composure, and he quickly bent down and bowed to the middle-aged woman in front of him who had already stood up in fear.
At the same time, he couldn't help but smile in his heart. Ever since he grew up, he had never given such a big gift to a fourth-grade emperor!
I don't know whether the old lady and Queen Xiaowen are close friends. After all, when Empress Xiaowen was young, the imperial grandmother might not have even been born yet, so it seemed a bit strange and less credible to say such words from her mouth.
But regardless of whether he is true or not, they are all building a bridge to facilitate his marriage. He only needs to obey the arrangement. Anyway, he can marry the beautiful girl in front of him, and he will not be in a loss with this worship.
(End of chapter)
