Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 167: Yanjia Palace & Kunning Palace

Daiyu was stunned.

"The three of us, with no official rank or rank, are going to enter the palace for the Wanshou Festival? Are they asking us to follow the women of Rongguo Mansion?"

Aunt Cheng Qian, who came to convey the Queen Mother's decree, smiled and said, "Silly girl, if you were allowed to stay with them, I would naturally pass the decree directly to them.

"You three, go by yourselves. Prepare your own fine clothes and headgear that suit your status. Don't go with the Rong family. It's even better not to tell the Rong family or those irrelevant people."

This actually says it all.

The Queen Mother liked these three girls, but did not want to be entangled in the twists and turns of various mansions and families; so, she secretly gave them orders, rewarded them with honors, and allowed them to enter the Taiji Palace to see the world.

As soon as Daiyu understood this, she immediately bowed solemnly to Aunt Cheng and said, "Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your grace!"

Miaoyu was a little late, thinking that she was just being polite, so she hurriedly followed suit, but her greeting was not sincere.

Only Tanchun hesitated for a moment and asked Cheng Qian alone: ​​"Aunt, how is the Queen Mother doing recently? I actually prepared a gift just for her. Aunt, can you show it to me? Should you take it back or should I take it myself that day?"

Cheng Qian was surprised: "Girl, please show it to me."

Tanchun hurriedly opened the scroll she had brought with her, and it turned out to be a picture of a hundred years of longevity. Next to the strong and graceful big character for longevity, there were ninety-nine small characters for longevity in different fonts.

Cheng Qian raised her eyebrows and smiled: "Oh my! The Queen Mother really loves the Third Miss! The Queen Mother was complaining that the birthday gift given to the Emperor by the palace was not to her liking! This calligraphy is good, I think the Queen Mother will like it!"

Tanchun was suddenly a little excited. She knelt down with a smile and thanked Cheng Qian for her compliment. She quickly put the calligraphy away and put it into the simple paper box she brought with her. She said a little embarrassedly, "I don't understand this decoration..."

"Oh! There are too many of these things in the palace! I'll go back and find a suitable box!" Cheng Qian walked away with the box, smiling happily.

Miaoyu looked at Tanchun in confusion: "Why did you prepare this? Didn't you just ask us to copy the Heart Sutra?"

"I don't like copying scriptures." Tanchun smiled, "I love the secular world very much. So I thought, since it's a birthday, I might as well write a few longevity characters."

Daiyu smiled and asked Tanchun to go back first, and took Miaoyu to have tea, warning her: "No matter what you want the Lord to help you with, you must not do it on the birthday. Otherwise, the lives of the three of us will all be lost."

Miaoyu remained silent and nodded.

Cheng Qian excitedly took the Hundred Longevity Painting back home. She didn't even bother to change her clothes before entering the palace. She presented the treasure to the empress dowager first: "What do you think?!"

The Queen Mother touched her glasses and put them on. She leaned over and carefully read all the 100 characters for longevity. She was so tired that her waist ached, but she opened her hands and laughed out loud:

"It's really good! I only heard that this third girl loves calligraphy. The other day the emperor took a room full of her things, and several authentic calligraphy works were given to the emperor.

"When I went over and saw the painting by Yan Zhenqing, I knew that this girl was tough at heart! Now looking at the Hundred Longevity characters, it's true!"

Winking at Cheng Qian, he said, "The Supreme Master hates women who are disobedient the most, but our three girls are all rebellious!

"Look at what the Third Miss wrote. It's so tense, as if she wants to fight someone! It's perfect for us to give it to the Supreme as a birthday gift! Right?"

Cheng Qian laughed along with the Empress Dowager, and could not help but speak up for Tanchun: "Sister Lin is a wealthy woman, needless to say. Even her clothes are plain, they are all made of silk and satin.

"That Master Miao is a nun. Not only is she beautiful, but the monk's robes she wears seem to have been bought by Sister Lin, and they are Sichuan brocade!

“Only the third girl, dressed in white, coarse hemp cloth, with her hair neatly combed by a double maid, only tied with a coarse hemp hair rope.

"Not to mention the daughters of nobles, even ordinary wealthy families would find that dress shabby!"

The Queen Mother looked at her and said, "What do you know? The one who inherited the title from Yuanning Mansion, Jia Zhen, her cousin, is dead.

"Although she was expelled from the clan, she still observed the etiquette. So she was wearing mourning clothes on her head and body."

Cheng Qian suddenly realized: "So that's it." She smiled embarrassedly, "I was planning to ask the Queen Mother to pity this poor girl and give her two sets of nice clothes. Otherwise, when she enters the palace on the birthday of the Emperor, there will be those ignorant sarcasm..."

"That's perfect! I can use her clothes and this person to see who is the demon and who is the real gold that is not afraid of fire~!"

Daming Palace.

Kunning Hall.

Queen Wan was so busy preparing for the Longevity Festival that the waistline of her skirt became two inches narrower.

Finally everything was ready, and the celebration began inside and outside the palace. Emperor Zhaoming came several times to praise the ceremony, and even the two palaces in Taiji Palace sent messages to thank the empress for her hard work.

Queen Wan was now very proud and happy.

On July 16, gifts and congratulatory messages from officials from all over the country arrived in Beijing one after another.

That night, Su Hong smiled and complimented Empress Wan for a long time, then asked carefully: "My family asked, the wife of Marquis Cheng'en wants to bring my sister to the palace to pay tribute..."

Empress Wan's face darkened: "Does she want to pay tribute to His Majesty? Does she want to give her daughter to the Crown Prince?!

"Your Majesty is still in his prime, how can she see that I can't give birth to a legitimate son!?"

Su Hong sighed in her heart, but she could only force a smile to defend Queen Wan's sister-in-law: "That's not what you meant. You just want me to see more of the world!"

"Your Majesty, please agree!" Zhu Ying smiled and brought a bowl of Tremella soup. "In such a situation, every family brings their daughters here, so why can't ours? I heard that the Yanjia Palace has been visited by daughters from various families for the past two or three months. It's really lively!"

Empress Wan's expression became more and more unpleasant. After a while, she suddenly raised her eyebrows and said, "Then I will simply pass on my imperial decree. The female relatives of all the mansions who come to the palace to pay tribute can bring more younger generations if they are willing. The Empress Dowager likes young girls, so bring them all to her to see!"

Isn't this going to drive the Queen Mother to death?

Everyone knows that the Queen Mother hates crowds and hustle and bustle. She doesn’t even like to celebrate her own birthday and she even pretended to be sick to avoid celebrating last year!

Su Hong glanced at Zhu Ying.

After helping Queen Wan to sleep, Su Hong went out and walked around the corner of the palace. She grabbed Zhu Ying's arm and said, "Are you crazy? What good will it do you to let the Queen confront the Queen Mother?!"

Zhu Ying refused to give in. She pushed her away and sneered, "The Queen is the master of the harem. Anyone who can't see this clearly is not worthy of staying in this palace!"

"The Queen Mother is your Majesty's mother!"

"It's not dear!"

"you!!!"

Zhu Ying walked away.

Su Hong stood there biting her lip, feeling a dull pain in her heart as she thought of her dear "niece" who was placed next to the eldest daughter of the Cheng'en Marquis' Mansion.