When the emperor and his entourage entered the Fu Lin Palace, according to the etiquette, the orbs were to be greeted at the door.
But that day, he might have been over-worried and overwhelmed. Baozhu's forehead was hot, and he was lying on the bed with soreness all over, so naturally he didn't go.
But she was just an invisible person in the Floating Lin Palace. No one ever noticed whether she went or not. Baozhu, who was lying on the bed, was in a daze and thought of some irrelevant questions.
Why does Your Majesty come to this floating palace to escape the summer heat in the month of May?
Haitang, who was blowing the soup, patiently explained that maybe it was extremely hot this year, and the palace that His Majesty often visited before was flooded, so he came to the Floating Scale Palace, which he had not set foot in for several years.
Baozhu listened to Haitang's words and could only say "hmm" feebly. Finally after those two or three days, an uninvited guest came to Lanyue Pavilion.
That day Baozhu just got up from the bed, and a woman's figure appeared in the small courtyard. Baozhu couldn't see clearly through the window coffin, but she heard Haitang respectfully call Aunt Yilan.
Bao Zhu heard this and asked Yue Nu to quickly put on her clothes. When Bao Zhu walked around the screen, the woman was already standing in the main hall.
The woman was dressed in elegant palace clothes, and her hair was tied in a way that only an old man in the palace would do. Although the clothes were not complicated and gorgeous, it could be seen that the fabric was very good, and her calm and unhurried aura, her spine that was neither humble nor overbearing, Completely different from Haitang and others.
Bao Zhu knew in his heart that this Aunt Changqing was probably a more powerful person than the Aunt Changqing he had first met, and her status in the palace would not be lower.
The woman heard the noise behind her and turned around immediately. First he looked at the whole body of Baozhu calmly, then put on a decent smile and saluted like Baozhu.
"This slave is Yi Lan, who is with the Queen. I have met Song Guifei." After saying this, he followed all the etiquette and was generous.
Bao Zhu was slightly shocked that he was actually someone close to the Queen. Then he nodded and said, "Aunt Yilan, there is no need to be polite. I wonder if Aunt Yilan is here for something?"
Yilan nodded and smiled, and with a wave of her hand, the little palace maid behind her came forward with a set of services.
"Concubine Song has lived in this floating palace for a long time. Now that the Queen is here, she misses you very much."
Baozhu's heart pounded as he listened to Yilan's polite words. miss? When I first entered the palace, I didn't even see the queen. There was no news about her in Fulin Palace for nearly a year, so there was no need to worry about her.
Yilan took the pink-blue palace dress and respectfully held it in front of Baozhu. "That's why the Queen has come to invite Concubine Song to go to Yaohua Pavilion to talk to the concubines."
Oh, it turns out that I have been going around for a long time just because I wanted to see Song Baozhu, the abandoned concubine. Baozhu's eyes briefly glanced at the gleaming palace dress, but now, he could only bite the bullet and take it.
Following Yilan as she walked down the long street, Baozhu's dignified hands were actually sweating slightly. Yue Nu, on the other hand, was holding the orb seriously, with a serious look on his face.
"Song Guibin, don't be nervous, our empress is the most docile person." Yilan's voice floated in the front, following the wind. Although she did not look back, she seemed to have seen through Baozhu's tightness.
Baozhu couldn't help but feel relaxed, stiffened the corners of his mouth, and replied softly, "Yes."
The tassels on the hairpin swayed and tickled her ears, as if they were tickling Baozhu's heart. When I was still in Mi Gen Kingdom, I heard about the Queen of Li Kingdom in her boudoir.
I heard that she and His Majesty are a young couple and have been together for more than ten years. I have two sons and a daughter. Unfortunately, my daughter died a few years ago.
I heard that... it was also related to the previous noblewoman when Baozhu was sent to the palace, so Baozhu has always been a little worried about it.
If it is true as the rumors say, I am afraid that the Queen will come with bad intentions.
Thinking of this, Baozhu's heart couldn't help but tighten, as if he had been living an idyllic life too comfortably for the past year, but he had forgotten the purpose of Mi Gen Country sending him here.
When approaching Yaohua Pavilion, I heard the laughter of a woman coming from inside. When the treasure arrived at the door, the chatter and laughter inside suddenly stopped, as if everyone was waiting for the arrival of the treasure.
Yilan entered first, announcing the arrival of Song Guibin. There was silence in the hall for a moment, and Baozhu seemed to be able to hear his own heartbeat.
Following the announcement from above, Baozhu entered the palace where he didn't know the way forward.
There was an unknown incense burning in the hall, and a hint of sweetness penetrated Baozhu's nose. Along with it, there are also various smells of makeup and powder, which seem to indicate the different personalities of the women here.
Baozhu lowered his head respectfully according to the etiquette he had learned. Only the skirts and uppers of the women sitting in the aisles on both sides could be seen.
It's like spreading the paint around to make it more colorful. The further you go, the more complicated the hem of the skirt becomes, and even the hem of the skirt is rolled with pearls. The treasure cannot be admired, the splendor of this Li country is truly worthy of its name.
When he saw a section of stairs, Baozhu knew he had arrived. Fold your hands respectfully and kneel down.
"Concubine Mrs. Song, pay homage to the Queen." After saying that, she bowed to the ground respectfully, and there was still silence in her ears.
After half a minute, a voice came from above, "Get up."
Baozhu straightened up respectfully, but still half-kneeling.
"It seems that Concubine Song has been serving His Majesty for a year, but she has such a frivolous personality for a long time and has never met me or any other sisters."
As soon as these words came out, Baozhu seemed to hear a malicious smile in a corner.
"Come, raise your head and let me take a good look at you." Although the tone was the gentlest, it was also full of unquestionable majesty. Baozhu touched his neck and raised his head.
The afternoon sun was very good, reflecting from outside the palace and shining on the equally bejeweled Queen's upper body.
The simple hairstyle, but decorated with gorgeous phoenix hairpins, calmed down the excessive burden. A pair of eyes as gentle as autumn water, with traces of time now appearing. Two huge East Pearl earrings are a symbol of status.
It was not a beautiful picture, but it was still a conspicuous presence among the crowd when he was young. Even though she can see that her beauty is aging, her skin still looks delicate and soft.
It turns out that this is what the queen looks like. Baozhu said silently in his heart, and then keenly caught the change in the queen's eyes.
It was not as calm as before, but Baozhu didn't understand what happened in a flash. After a while, it disappeared again.
The Queen smiled brightly and asked Yilan to help Baozhu get up. She said that Your Majesty has found a beautiful woman again, and then motioned to Baozhu to turn around and let Baozhu look at the spring scenery in the garden.
So many beauties gathered together that the peonies on the table lost their color. The orbs were a little dazzled, but there were also some who looked evil among them.
Aunt Yilan thoughtfully introduced Baozhu in order. From the left to the bottom, they were Cheng Fei, Fang Guiren, Liu Guiren, Jing Changzai, and Zhen Cairen.
Song Baozhu's eyes fell on the different faces on the piece of paper, and she sighed in her heart that His Majesty is so beautiful and blessed, and there is no one who is not outstanding.
Seeing that the first seat on the left was empty, Song Baozhu looked at Aunt Yilan with some confusion.
Aunt Yilan immediately understood: "This is Concubine Shu's seat. Concubine Shu is feeling unwell today and did not come."
Song Baozhu nodded slightly. There were not many women in the palace. Apart from the queen, this was the highest-ranking concubine.
"Tch," before Song Baozhu could finish thinking, a voice sounded out. "Any physical discomfort is obviously intentional."
The queen motioned for Song Baozhu to take a seat. Song Baozhu followed the voice and looked over. It was Liu Guiren who had just been introduced.
Liu Guiren was dressed delicately, with scattered lotus patterns on her pink and white gauze. Although she was not of high grade, it could be seen that the jewelry and fabrics were of excellent quality. At this moment, he impatiently took out his handkerchief and covered the corners of his mouth.
"Your Majesty, Concubine Shu will not be able to wake up to greet you in the morning and evening. This is more and more excessive." Liu Guiren continued what he just said.
Song Baozhu picked up the tea cup and pretended to brush away the tea leaves, but secretly looked like a queen sitting high. But the queen always smiled and seemed not to take Concubine Shu's rudeness to heart.
"It's okay, I know. Your concubine has always been like this. Forget it, forget it." The queen seemed to be comforting the aggrieved Liu Guiren, her voice as gentle as the spring breeze blowing through the willows.
The Queen is such a good-tempered person. Song Baozhu was thinking silently in her heart, but she was also full of curiosity about the absent imperial concubine. She didn't know what kind of person she was.
Liu Guiren became even more angry when he saw the queen's magnanimous appearance. The fair and small face was full of sullenness, but she still kept praising the queen's virtue.
Song Baozhu looked at the other concubines who looked a little bored, and it seemed that they were not surprised.
At this time, Concubine Cheng, who was sitting next to Baozhu, suddenly patted Baozhu's hand. He leaned over and covered his mouth to get closer, and Baozhu subconsciously moved closer.
"That's how Liu Guiren is. He especially likes to praise the Queen. You shouldn't be surprised if she gets used to it." Concubine Cheng said in a low voice.
Bao Zhu looked at Concubine Cheng's sparkling eyes and round face like a silver plate, and felt a lot of intimacy for some reason.
Although Concubine Cheng's appearance is not as bright as other concubines, she looks very kind and lovely, especially the two round pear dimples at the corners of her mouth when she smiles, like the round ladies in paintings.
Hearing this, Baozhu couldn't help but smile. This was her first experience of meeting Li Guo's harem.
After Liu Guiren praised him for a long time, he finally got tired and started drinking tea. Seeing this, the queen took advantage of the opportunity and said that everyone should disperse and let the orb stay.
Concubine Cheng patted Baozhu's hand and told her not to be afraid. Baozhu followed the queen and her party to the inner hall, where a maid brought a plate of flowers.
The queen sat in front of the dressing mirror and motioned for Baozhu to come over.
Aunt Yilan looked at the somewhat confused Baozhu and explained, "It is my rule that new concubines must give the Queen a hairpin."
Baozhu went to get the flowers as if she had just woken up from a dream. Among the piles of colorful flowers, she stopped for a moment in front of a peony that was as red as blood, but she still chose a more elegant peony.
The queen watched Baozhu's every move calmly. When Baozhu carefully inserted the flower into her temples, the queen opened her red lips lightly.
"I saw just now that you originally wanted to choose the reddest one, why did you choose this light orange one?"
Bao Zhu's heart skipped a beat, it seemed like the queen was testing her on purpose. Then he said with a calm expression: "The Queen's clothes today are simple, elegant and white. If you choose flowers that are too bright, you will lose the priority and break the balance."
After Bao Zhu finished speaking, he pawed at his hands with concern, wondering if there was something wrong with what he said.
After a while, the Queen laughed softly, "He is a sensible child. I heard that you haven't met His Majesty yet, right?"
The experience of that day made Baozhu feel a bit stuck in his throat, but he still said yes.
"I can help you become your favorite concubine, are you willing?"
Baozhu raised his head in astonishment and looked at the queen's face. Time seemed to have stopped.
