At the beginning of the lanterns, the sound of silk and bamboo can be heard in Changning Palace. Thousands of colored lanterns illuminate the whole hall in a golden and beautiful way. Today's family banquet will be held in Changning Palace. Firstly, the Empress Dowager has limited mobility, and secondly, the family banquet, which is intended to be a welcome feast for Song Ran and his Nanjun Princess, should not be too extravagant.
Song Ran replaced the plain brocade with the Yun brocade specially ordered by the Empress Dowager. The pattern was bright and elegant, and the needlework was exquisite and flawless.
The clothes are embroidered with jade, the makeup is red, the eyebrows are dotted with crimson lips. Raise your hands and feet to show your ladylike dignity.
When all the female relatives saw Nanjun Princess, they all came forward to congratulate her. Only the Wang family and her daughter were sitting there, and Wang Chan looked like she was gnashing her teeth with hatred.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
Everyone bows down!
The Empress Dowager accompanied the Emperor with the support of palace attendants, and behind her were the Empress and the concubines.
"Princess Nanjun, please get up quickly. You are the elder, no need to be polite!" Emperor Chen Chaoci motioned to the palace attendants to help Princess Nanjun up.
"My wife, thank you Lord for your kindness."
Chen Chaoci looked at the woman beside Princess Nanjun. The woman lowered her head and bowed respectfully, and her face could not be seen clearly for a while.
"This must be Princess Anyang."
"Anyang has met the emperor."
When Song Ran slowly raised his head, Chen Chaoci was a little stunned for a moment. In his mind, she still looked like she was eleven or twelve years old, but now she is in her prime and graceful.
Song Ran was not as pretentious as the noble ladies in the capital. She is tall and handsome, with an aura of lightness between her brows. The wind and sand in Nan County did not seem to leave any traces on her face.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
Seeing that Chen Chaoci was lost in thought, the queen called out softly.
Chen Chaoci, who came back to his senses, smiled to cover up his embarrassment and said: "Seeing Princess Anyang reminds me of the eldest sister Huang. When I was young, Princess Anyang and I met once at the eldest sister Huang's house. . Now the eldest sister of the emperor is marrying in another country, alas——."
"Your Majesty, today is a family banquet, don't say such sad things. It's so easy for the Ai family to meet An Ning, and you have made me miss my granddaughter again." The Queen Mother squinted her eyes and smiled, and Princess Nanjun hurriedly stepped forward to follow the palace guests. Help together.
"Let me tell you, why did the sixth child reject so many daughters from famous families in the capital but fell in love with Princess Anyang? Now that I see him, he really agrees with that sentence: a fair lady, a gentleman is so jealous." The emperor looked aside. Chen Chaobai raised his hand, pointed at him, and joked.
"Your Majesty, stop teasing me." Chen Chaobai stood beside the Emperor and looked at Song Ran with a smile in his eyes.
The Emperor and the Empress Dowager burst out laughing when they saw Chen Chaobai's expression.
"Okay, today is a family dinner, don't be restrained. Everyone, please get up and take a seat!"
Everyone: "Thank you, Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager!"
For a while, there was singing and dancing in the hall, and the silk and bamboo were melodious. The dancing girl is as graceful and charming as a fairy descending from the earth.
From time to time during the banquet, women from various families called out in a low voice and raised their glasses. Song Ran responded politely.
After half the wine tour, most of the people looked reddish and half-drunk.
When Song Ran was bored, she felt the gaze from the queen. She did not meet his gaze, but pretended to be calm, lowering her head and playing with the wine glass in her hand.
After a while, the hall suddenly became quiet. When she raised her head, the dancer had already faded away.
"Today is a family banquet, and it should also be a time for my family to have fun. These others can't say anything close to themselves." The queen ordered people to dismiss the singers and dancers, and then said: "I heard that my sister Chen Fei knows the music very well. , I have always loved playing the piano, why not play a piece for everyone at the family dinner today."
Concubine Chen's face was livid. The queen's words were obviously asking her to play the piano for fun, but secretly she was lowering her status, implying that even if she was favored and ranked as a concubine, she would still be like a singing and dancing diva and be at her mercy.
Although the family behind the queen is prominent, to make things difficult for the emperor's favorite concubine at such a family banquet is to lose the identity of the mother of the country. No matter how strong your backing is, you should also consider your own reputation.
Song Ran was puzzled.
There was deathly silence in the palace, and everyone looked at the emperor. Chen Chaoci glanced at the queen and dropped the chopsticks on the table. Eunuch Cao on the side winked at the little palace maid next to him. The little palace maid immediately put on a new pair of chopsticks.
The Empress Dowager coughed slightly, and she could faintly hear heavy breathing, as if she was trying her best to suppress the displeasure in her heart.
"My daughter is willing to play for the eldest sister to entertain you all."
It was Wang Chan who spoke.
She was encouraged by her mother beside her and stood up shyly.
Chen Chaoci knew that the queen was jealous and wanted to embarrass her. He was still hesitant just now and didn't know how to speak, so he heard Wang Chan recommending herself and immediately ordered the palace servants to bring the piano.
The queen looked angry and her eyes darkened slightly!
Everyone looked at each other.
After the song, Chen Chaoci was very happy. He turned to the queen with a glass of wine and said: "The singers in the palace are indeed not as good at music as the ladies in the capital. In the future, when the legitimate daughter is born, the queen will have to put more thought into her cultivation. .”
Chen Chaoci seemed to be trying to ease the atmosphere.
"Your Majesty." The Queen softened her expression after hearing the word 'Daughter-in-law', showing a shy look, and said softly.
Chen Chaoci turned to Wang Chan again and asked with a smile: "She is indeed Concubine Chen's sister, and her piano skills are not inferior to her sister's at all. Tell me what reward you want."
Wang Chan heard this and raised her head with joy: "Can I ask for anything?"
"Chan'er." Concubine Chen was deeply afraid that Wang Chan would make a mistake and hurriedly tried to stop her.
"Oh, but it doesn't matter."
"Your Majesty, please be brave and wish to imitate Emperor E's daughter and marry Princess Xuan together with Princess Anyang." Wang Chan tremblingly knelt on the ground and spoke out all the words in her heart.
"My daughter has loved His Highness King Xuan since she was a child and hopes that the Emperor will fulfill her wish."
As expected, Wang Chan lived up to Song Ran's concern for her all night. Among the people who helped break up the engagement, she must be remembered for her merits.
The hall was silent again.
Everyone was ashamed, but they still couldn't help but sigh in their hearts, today's show was particularly exciting.
Everyone looked at Princess Nanjun, who was still sitting there without making a sound. Then he looked at Song Ran next to him. She also had an attitude of being unconcerned, and she didn't forget to put the wine glass to her lips.
On the other hand, he looked at King Xuan again. Seeing that King Xuan didn't even raise his head, he was just pouring wine into the wine glass. It's clear in my heart.
Everyone looked back and forth for a few times, and finally turned their attention to the Emperor Chen Chaoci.
Wang Chan knelt down, not hearing any sound, and raised her head cautiously, wanting to observe the holy face.
Chen Chaoci was in agony inside, thinking: Why should I hold this family banquet? He is the one who suffers! How could so many troubles arise?
Finally, Song Ran broke the silence.
She stood up, blessed the emperor and the empress dowager, and said: "My daughter first entered the palace when she was young, and was deeply protected by the emperor and the empress dowager. Now she is willing to stay in Nanjun, guard the border, and keep the stability of the Chen country forever."
Song Ran stretched out her calloused palms and continued: "My servant's hands have been holding spears and swords for many years. They are not the delicate hands of ordinary women. She also knows nothing about music, let alone female celebrities. Song Ran thinks that she is not qualified to be King Xuan. A good wife, and now that King Xuan is a better match, Song Ran volunteers——"
"Your Majesty, I have already said that I will only marry one wife and never take concubines. Now that I have decided to marry Princess Anyang, I will live up to the holy will."
Song Ran was greatly surprised by Chen Chaobai's words. She turned sideways and looked at him, not wanting to, looking at Chen Chaobai from side to side. He was affectionate, but Song Ran didn't know where his love came from. Their interactions were really few.
Chen Chaobai is the one who kills people and punishes his heart.
It is very clear that a wife should not take concubines. Even if Wang Chan wants to marry, she can only be a concubine. And he doesn't even need a concubine.
Wang Chan was just the sister of a beloved concubine, so how could she be compared to Song Ran, the princess.
"It's okay for me to teach you my sister. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Concubine Chen staggered and knelt on the ground. It was really a wave of anger that started again. Concubine Chen was still grateful. Her younger sister knew about her embarrassing situation and was willing to step forward to help her, but she didn't want to cause even greater trouble.
Wang Chan was unruly and willful. She was so pampered by her family that she didn't know how high the heaven and earth were. She was too self-sufficient in the face of the imperial power.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Nanjun has been on the battlefield all year round, and has dedicated his whole life and soul to the people of Chen Kingdom to live and work in peace and contentment. Now that his daughter has been married to the capital, she has not yet been married and is already being remembered by others. How can this make her feel at ease?" The queen looked at her with disdain. At a glance, Concubine Chen was kneeling on the ground, and she didn't forget to add a little more fire to her mouth.
"Your Majesty, please don't make people feel cold."
"Your Majesty, the Ai family is tired." The Empress Dowager raised her hand and rubbed the center of her brow, looking tired. He raised his eyes and glanced at Wang Chan who was kneeling below, and said: "Concubine Chen, let your mother choose a husband for her sister some other time. At that time, a hundred taels of gold will be given as a dowry, which can be regarded as a reward."
The Empress Dowager's words showed extreme displeasure. After Concubine Chen entered the palace, she won the heart of the dragon. The emperor was very fond of her, which originally made the Empress Dowager dissatisfied. Today, her younger sister, regardless of the occasion, forced a marriage to the king in order to seize the husband of the princess of the Empress Dowager's mother's family, which made the Empress Dowager even more displeased.
Many of the royal family and female relatives came to this family banquet, and what happened was discussed in the capital for many days. The young masters from the aristocratic family who originally intended to propose marriage to the Wang family were deterred when they heard about the palace banquet.
After the family dinner ended, Chen Chaobai did not leave immediately. Sitting there with great interest, drinking wine alone.
During the family dinner in the evening, the concubines naturally had to enter the palace with the emperor, and the female relatives of each family had to enter the palace in advance to wait. Song Ran had also stayed in the palace for several years, so she naturally understood. So she took the red lotus to guard outside the Splendid Palace early.
She didn't want to really meet this stupid person.
She seemed to have lost her way, leading the red lotus around. Hong Hao cooperated with her princess and said loudly: "Princess, the girl from the Wang family seems to have a deep love for Prince Xuan. What if she asks the emperor for Ehuang Nüying and marries the prince with you?" manage."
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
"Princess, this slave knows that you are wrong!"
"Hurry up and leave. Mother and concubine will be anxious if we don't see us soon."
These words were naturally meant for Wang Chan, and they did work. But she didn't know that when she said these words, there was another person who heard them, and that person was Chen Chaobai.
He definitely didn't want to listen to the corner, his original intention was to find Song Ran to enter the palace together. After all, they had an engagement now, and he also wanted to take this opportunity to announce it publicly. But after hearing this, he changed his mind. Thinking that today's family dinner will be extremely interesting.
