Along the way to the capital, people everywhere were getting rid of the old and welcoming the new.
The streets were extremely lively, with crackling firecrackers ringing from time to time, and children holding incense and lighting firecrackers everywhere, so happy.
Cheng Wanwan opened the car curtain and looked at the lively scene outside the window, feeling happy inside.
Such a peaceful and prosperous age should continue, instead of letting innocent people live in dire straits for the sake of greed.
The people are prosperous and suffer.
If they die, the people will suffer.
Without war, people can truly be happy.
As soon as the carriage approached the palace gate, it became crowded.
Even though the level of third-grade officials is quite high, there are hundreds of first-, second- and third-grade officials in the entire capital, plus their family members and servants, and there are even more people.
Cheng Wanwan got off the carriage, and Cheng Yi drove the carriage aside to guard her. Mrs. Qi stepped forward to support her, and they entered the palace together.
"Sui Shu!" Mrs. Zhang was waiting at the palace gate to enter. When she saw Cheng Wanwan coming, she immediately walked out of the team to greet her, "This is your first time attending the palace's New Year's Eve banquet. Is there anything you don't understand? Just ask me.”
Mrs. Lin, Taifu Lin's wife, also came over and said with a smile: "It's just a banquet. Suishu people can definitely handle it. We'll sit together later."
"Wanwan, it's better to sit with me." Mrs. Ruan came over and hooked Cheng Wanwan's arm affectionately, "This palace banquet happens once a year, and there are many rules every time. Wanwan just follow me and learn it. "
Seeing Mrs. Ruan and Cheng Wanwan so close, Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Lin were both a little shocked.
The Ruan family is a military general, and Mrs. Ruan doesn't like to engage in these interpersonal relationships. Her relationship with everyone is light. She didn't expect to be so familiar with Sui Shuren.
Mrs. Lin smiled and said, "Mrs. Ruan has to take care of Miss Ruan, so how can she have time to take care of Sui Shuren."
"My little girl is feeling unwell. My brothers are taking turns taking care of her at home. The children have not entered the palace." Mrs. Ruan said with a smile, "It's our turn. Let's go in quickly."
She knew something big was going to happen tonight, so naturally she would not let her children enter the palace to face the danger.
There are so many people tonight, but there are no more than ten people who know the plan. She and Wanwan are the only two people among the female family members who know about it. After the chaos, the two of them need to help evacuate the panicked female family members...
After checking their identities, the group walked towards the palace.
Red lanterns were hung everywhere in the palace, and red windows were posted. The maids and eunuchs were all dressed in new clothes, and the atmosphere of the New Year was everywhere.
"It's really strange." Mrs. Zhang looked left and right, "In the past, every time I entered the palace, I would be guarded by a guard every three steps. Today, it was strange. I didn't see a single guard the whole way."
Mrs. Lin also nodded: "Those eunuchs were in a hurry and didn't know what they were busy with."
"There are performances and dances at the palace banquet every year. Maybe I went to prepare for these." Madam Ruan changed the subject and said, "By the way, the second prince and the third prince have also reached the age of marriage, but they have not yet married the princess. Tonight, the palace There should be many rich ladies giving gifts at the banquet, I wonder which daughter will become the prince's concubine."
Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. Lin were both quite old, and they liked to think about this matter the most. They discussed it enthusiastically.
Walking all the way, we soon arrived at the main hall. There were charcoal fires burning inside and outside the hall, which was very warm. There were many low tables in the hall, and one table could seat two people. The courtiers were seated in order according to their status.
General Ruan did not come, Mrs. Ruan did not bring her family, and Cheng Wanwan happened to be alone, so the two happened to share a table.
As soon as the two sat down, they saw people from the He family arriving.
A group of four people, He Hanhai and Mrs. He, He Ling and the eldest young lady of the He family, walked in from the entrance of the hall and sat down at two tables.
Cheng Wanwan glanced at Luo Qi, the eldest wife of the He family. As far as she knew, Luo Qi and He Xiao were originally a couple, but during the brotherly struggle, Luo Qi chose He Ling and betrayed He Xiao. ... Being hurt by his family and his sweetheart at the same time, He Xiao was hit by countless arrows in his heart, resulting in him still being single...
When she was staring at Luo Qi, she felt a gaze falling on her. She turned around and saw Mrs. He looking at her and smiling softly.
She returned the smile and looked away.
She really didn't know what attitude to adopt towards a mother like Mrs. He.
"He Er is such a pitiful person." Mrs. Ruan whispered. "He has been unpopular since he was a child. He finally became the second-in-command in the army on his own. However, he was falsely accused of collaborating with the enemy and treason, and lived abroad for two or three years. Now he is back. , and don’t want to be close to the He family anymore. Every Chinese New Year is spent in the army with a few soldiers stationed there... Hey, if He Er hadn’t been a little older, I would have wanted him to be my son-in-law.”
Cheng Wanwan said softly: "It doesn't matter if you don't want such a family member. He is only in his early thirties and will definitely meet his beloved."
The two chatted in low voices, and soon the time came. As Eunuch Ming's sharp voice sounded, the royal family members slowly walked in.
The emperor, queen and queen mother walked in the front, followed by the princes and princesses.
Although Princess Rongqing was banned, she would not be left alone during the Chinese New Year, so she came.
The group of people walked to the highest place and sat down. The youngest fifth prince sat at the edge, looking extremely well-behaved.
"If Concubine Yun didn't seek death, the fifth prince wouldn't be so pitiful." Mrs. Ruan shook her head, "At only three years old, she has seen all the warmth and coldness of people, and her temperament has changed drastically... If the empress hadn't been tolerant, the fifth prince would have died long ago. I was bullied to death.”
The queen is the mother of a country, so naturally she won't treat the prince harshly, but she won't take it too seriously either.
The emperor has a son and a daughter, and he has many things to do every day, and he has no time to care about his youngest son's affairs, so the fifth prince's situation is even more miserable.
However, as a prince, he was already much happier than many ordinary people, and Cheng Wanwan had no intention of sympathizing with the child.
After everyone arrived, the emperor smiled and said some festive words, and the palace banquet began.
After thirty days of drinking, the Queen asked if anyone had prepared a talent. Immediately a lady stood up to perform.
Some people played the piano, some painted, some composed poems on the spot, and some sang a song... The atmosphere at the scene was heightened to the highest point.
"Thank you, thank you all." The queen said with a smile, "You ladies have raised your daughters so well. In the future, you can bring them into the palace to talk to me more often, so that you can get to know each other well."
The ladies immediately stood up and thanked them.
Being able to enter the palace to talk to the queen means that you have caught the eye of the queen, and you may be given the title of concubine to the second and third princes. This is a great honor.
While the rewards were being given, He Ling suddenly stood up.
He walked to the middle of the main hall, cupped his hands and said: "The Dayu Dynasty has had good weather for several consecutive years, and the country is peaceful and the people are peaceful... A few months ago, Wei Chen was chatting with a monk and heard that the Nanke star appeared in the suburbs of Beijing. Since ancient times, the Nanke star has been a sign of auspiciousness. , so Weichen sent many people to look for auspiciousness everywhere, and the emperor paid off, and Weichen finally found it! At this time of getting rid of the old and welcoming the new, Weichen sincerely asks you to offer auspiciousness to help our Dayu Dynasty prosper!"
Surprise appeared on the emperor's face, and Long Yan said happily: "Hurry up to Xiangrui!"
He Ling clapped his hands gently, and a dozen people appeared at the door of the hall. These dozen people came in carrying a huge thing. The thing was covered with red cloth, so you couldn't see what it was.
