Ci Jinzhi

Chapter 193 Entering the Palace to Congratulate
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, hundreds of officials and honorable officials will pay New Year's greetings to the emperor and attend a grand banquet.And the female relatives who have imperial orders will also enter the palace to congratulate the queen mother and queen.

The empress has been missing for a long time, and the master of the harem has been vacant. In addition to the empress dowager, there is also concubine Shu who takes care of the harem, that is, Queen Mother Qing.

Princess Zhaoyang will naturally enter the palace for a banquet tomorrow.

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." The Empress Dowager said it perfunctorily, and Princess Zhaoyang returned it perfunctorily.

Princess Zhaoyang knew it all too well, but the queen mother just said it casually.

Seeing that her son was in a bad mood, Xu Shi, the queen mother wanted to cheer up the atmosphere, and the conversation was quite intense: "The Ai family heard that there is a Kou girl who looks very similar to Zhaoyang?"

As soon as these words came out, Emperor Xing Yuan looked over, Princess Zhaoyang looked over, and even Concubine Shu also looked over.

The queen mother was puzzled: "Why?"

"Two days ago, the lotus garden hosted a banquet for the benevolent people in Beijing who donated to the disaster area in Dingbei. My son went there and met Miss Kou."

"Oh, the Ai family heard that this girl Kou donated 5 taels." The queen mother said in a calm tone.

Princess Zhaoyang saw it in her eyes, and the corner of her mouth twitched imperceptibly.

The queen mother still cared about money so much for others.

"Emperor, Miss Kou really looks like Zhaoyang?" The queen mother's interest is obviously here, not the money donation.

Emperor Xingyuan glanced at Princess Zhaoyang and nodded with a smile: "It is somewhat similar to Zhaoyang."

In fact, it is more like him, but it is too strange for him to say this.

"Tomorrow, I will order my wife to enter the palace to congratulate her, and ask her parents to bring her here to show the Ai family."

Princess Zhaoyang couldn't help but said: "Tomorrow all those who will enter the palace will be of high rank. Isn't it appropriate for her to enter the palace as a little girl?"

Entering the palace to pay homage seems to be a beautiful scene, but the wives have to get up in the middle of the night to dress up, and they have to go out at five drums, so don't worry about suffering.

Women with foreign orders who can enter the palace have orders and opportunities to socialize, and this kind of occasion is very happy for them.But Miss Kou is just a little girl, what good will it do to enter the palace when the queen mother has only a mediocre impression of her?
It's just a matter of suffering, if any discomfort is caused, it will be a disaster.

The queen mother glanced at her daughter: "The Ai family thinks it is appropriate, is there still someone who will gossip?"

"Daughter doesn't mean that." Princess Zhaoyang lowered her eyes patiently.

Emperor Xingyuan saw that the atmosphere between his mother and younger sister was not good, so he hurriedly smoothed things over: "It's really not a big deal. Since the mother wants to see Miss Kou, I can just send someone to Shaoqing's mansion to talk about it tomorrow morning."

Princess Zhaoyang gave her elder brother a sideways look, but she couldn't say anything more.

Concubine Shu smiled and said, "My concubine has also heard about Ms. Kou. I heard that Ms. Kou moved out from her grandfather's house to open a bookstore. The bookstore's business is very good. People praise Ms. Kou as a business genius."

When the Empress Dowager heard this, a look of disgust flashed in her eyes, and said lightly: "The Ai family is even more curious."

Concubine Shu bent her lips.

Princess Zhaoyang's eyes turned cold.

The emperor's sister-in-law has outstanding abilities, not inferior to men, and is not a low-browed and pleasing temperament.The queen mother doesn't like the emperor's wife, and she doesn't even like capable girls.Concubine Shu's words sounded like she was praising Miss Kou, but in fact she was digging a hole for Miss Kou.

When did Miss Kou offend Concubine Shu?

Could it be because Gu Changbo's son was punished, but she couldn't help but blame Miss Kou?
Princess Zhaoyang thought about this, and decided to take good care of Miss Kou tomorrow.

Here in Shaoqing Mansion, it was still pitch black, and the old lady got up.

In the entire Shaoqing mansion, only the old lady and Duan Shaoqing are eligible to enter the palace to pay homage.

Fortunately, the old lady was getting older and felt a lot less. Although she fiddled with dressing in the middle of the night, she didn't feel too uncomfortable, but a little confused.

This confusion, when I received the report from the front, I was completely awake.

Someone from the palace sent a message to let the old lady and Miss Kou enter the palace together.

"Go to Wanqingju to deliver a letter to Cousin!" the old lady hurriedly ordered.

This incident was too sudden, if it delayed the time to enter the palace, it would be a big deal.

Xinyou was woken up by a hasty call.

"Girl, wake up."

Xin You opened her eyes and immediately sat up: "What's wrong?"

Xiao Lian was also dumbfounded: "It is said that you will go to the palace with the old lady to congratulate."

Xin You lost the sleepiness in her eyes, turned over and got out of bed: "Take a set of concubine red skirt and jacket, a gold hairpin inlaid with red treasures, and other jewelry don't need to be prepared..."

While tidying up, someone came from Ruyi Hall to urge them again, lest they delay going out.

Xin You dressed properly, tied on a vermilion flowered cloak, and went to Ruyi Hall.

The old lady had just finished packing, when she saw Xin You come in, she looked up and down carefully, and breathed a sigh of relief: "It's pretty good. Why don't you even wear earrings?"

"I wear it too much, I'm afraid it won't fit."

The old lady thought about it too, the little girl who has not left the cabinet does not need to be full of jewels, a golden hairpin is enough.

"Let's go. In the palace, don't look at what you shouldn't, don't say what you shouldn't..."

The gate of Shaoqing Mansion opened, and firecrackers crackled, bringing the joy of the New Year.

Xin You followed the old lady into the sedan chair, sounded the gong to clear the way, and headed for the palace.

When we arrived at the imperial city, it was still dark, but there were lights and festoons everywhere in the palace city, and there were constant carriages and horses, which was no different from daytime.

Civil and military officials congratulated in the front hall, while wives went to the harem.

Along the way, Xinyou received countless surprised looks.

It's no wonder that others were shocked. Among the women who were all dressed in court clothes, the girl in ordinary clothes really stood out.

These ladies exchanged glances frequently, discussing in low voices why a little girl got mixed up in a group of appointed ladies.

This is the Kou girl who donated 5 taels of silver?
After knowing the girl's identity, the ladies' expressions became more complicated.

Although there is an old saying that money can turn ghosts, but the royal family can't do it, can it?

Next, I paid New Year greetings to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Shu according to the schedule. When the banquet started, the ladies relaxed a little, and they could have a good discussion under the cover of singing, dancing and music.

"Is the old lady of the Duan family, Shaoqing of Taipusi, here?" The queen mother sat on the top, her eyes swept down.

The ladies holding the chopsticks paused, and the whispering stopped.

The palace people on the side hurriedly said: "Reporting to the Queen Mother, the seat of the old lady of the Duan family is at the entrance of the main hall."

Those above the fifth rank in Beijing are eligible to enter the palace to congratulate on New Year's Day. Duan Shaoqing is a fourth rank official, and the old lady is a fourth rank respectful person. It is not bad not to sit outside the hall.

"Please ask the old lady of the Duan family to bring her granddaughter." The queen mother said.

Following the report from the palace people, the old lady took Xinyou step by step from the gate to the innermost part of the hall, and bowed down excitedly: "My wife has met the queen mother, I wish the queen mother all the best."

In previous years, the Empress Dowager would also talk to some wives during Zhengdan Celebrations, but for someone like her who is about to sit outside the hall, it would be nice if she could see the Empress Dowager's face clearly.

Is it because of your granddaughter this year?

"Old lady, you don't need to be too polite." The queen mother had no interest in the old lady, and her eyes fell on Xin You, "This is Miss Kou, right? Raise your head and let Aijia see."

(End of this chapter)