After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 1087 Entering the Palace
On the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, Haitang washed and dressed up early in the morning, ready to enter the palace.

She was dressed elegantly today, with a few pieces of jewelry embellished just right, neither too extravagant nor too shabby. Outsiders would only think that she was the daughter of a noble and well-educated scholarly family, and would never look down on her just because her grandfather was only a fifth-rank doctor.

She had long ago inquired about Empress Dowager Xu's preferences and taboos from Jin Jiashu, and even heard about the preferences of the Grand Empress Dowager from Wu Qiong's daily gossip. She was very sure that her outfit today would not displease these two nobles. Even if she didn't look particularly outstanding, she would definitely not be the one that gave the worst impression.

Haitang silently repeated in her mind the things she must pay attention to after entering the palace, as well as the taboos of the harems of the previous emperor and the new emperor, constantly reminding herself not to say the wrong thing or violate the taboo. Other than that, she had nothing to worry about. She was always familiar with the palace rules and etiquette, and had confirmed with her brother in advance. The current palace rules were not much different from those sixty years ago. With her memory from her previous life, she could handle it completely.

Haitang acted very calm, but the others in the family were much more nervous.

Mrs. Hu asked her for the third time, "You just wear these few pieces of jewelry, are they enough? There are so many ladies from official families invited to the palace today, I'm afraid everyone is dressed up properly and not outdone. Although you are dressed elegantly, you have too few jewelry. Won't it make people feel too shabby?"

Haitang smiled and said, "It's okay, this is enough. The pearls on my headdress are not ordinary, and the earrings and bracelets are all made of high-quality Hetian white jade from the northwest. No matter the workmanship or the value, they have nothing to do with the word shabby. They just look simple and elegant, not very gorgeous. But among the ladies invited today, I am neither the one with the most prominent family background, nor the one with the highest status of future husbands, nor the one with the closest relationship with the royal family. At this time, why should I show off? Just get through today safely. As long as I don't make mistakes in the palace, I am polite and considerate, and my words and deeds are appropriate, no one can find fault with me. Dressing in a simple and elegant way is also the style of the younger generation of scholars and celebrities. With a head full of pearls and jade, what are you trying to show off to others?"

Mrs. Hu thought about it and agreed: "I was thinking wrong. Although our family has some wealth, it is not good to make a fuss about it. Why should we compete with those daughters of wealthy families? Although the Jin family is the Queen Mother's relatives, they are not rich and noble. You look so gentle and refined, and you look like a well-educated and gentle lady. Your words and actions are full of scholarly fragrance. You are a perfect match for the young master of the Jin family!"

Lu Bainian paced in the front yard, occasionally looking back at Haitang standing in the yard, and couldn't help sighing: "Why haven't your grandparents and Old Xie come back yet?! If they were at home, we would feel more confident."

Haitang was still very calm: "I heard that there was a strong wind in Tongzhou. Maybe grandpa, grandma and my great uncle were blocked on the road by the strong wind. For safety, they had to stay there temporarily. But Tongzhou is so close to the capital. I think they will be able to come back as soon as the strong wind stops. Don't worry, Grandpa Lu." She felt that it was better for her grandparents and great uncle not to be at home, otherwise she didn't know what would happen after entering the palace, and the three elders would be worried at home.

Hearing this, Lu Bainian sighed again, "It just so happens that at this time, your brother has been ordered to go out on business and is not in the palace. Otherwise, he could still take care of you. Even if he is not on duty at Shoukang Palace, he could ask the guards he is familiar with to take care of you."

Haitang smiled and said, "Grandpa Lu, I just went to the palace to attend the Empress Dowager's flower-viewing banquet. Why do you make it sound like I'm going to a Hongmen Feast? How can the Empress Dowager embarrass me? No matter what she thought in the past, I was married to Brother Jin by the order of the late emperor. If the Empress Dowager embarrasses me, will Brother Jin be proud? Even for the sake of her nephew's dignity, the Empress Dowager will treat me well."

"I hope so." Lu Bainian was still a little worried. He wanted to give Haitang a few more instructions, but he heard footsteps coming from the front door. He turned around and saw that it was Hai Changan who came back. "Changan! Why are you back? Weren't you on duty today?" Hai Changan smiled and said, "I asked for leave from my boss and came back to see my niece off. When I was going home just now, I saw the Feng family's carriage had already set off for the palace. It's getting late, Haitang should have set off."

The daughter of the Feng family was betrothed to a certain prince of the royal family, and was also a distinguished guest at the flower viewing banquet held by Queen Mother Xu today. Although it was a little early for her to leave at this time, since some people were already preparing to enter the palace, it would be bad for Haitang to leave too late. If she fell behind most people, she would appear frivolous.

So Hu immediately went to the front yard to inquire whether the carriage had been harnessed. Seeing that the coachman and the attendants, Madam Li and Xiangcao, were all ready, she sent Haitang onto the carriage, gave her many instructions, and asked the attendants to be cautious and careful not to commit any crime in the palace and implicate the master's family.

Although the coachman Qiu Shugen was also born as a servant of a wealthy family, he had never done the job of escorting his master to the palace, and he was very nervous now. Mother Li and Xiangcao had never thought that they would have a day to walk into the gate of the imperial palace, and they were so nervous that they could not speak. After listening to Mrs. Hu's instructions, they became more nervous, fearing that they would make mistakes accidentally. It was Haitang who noticed their abnormality and persuaded them calmly: "It's okay, isn't it just driving a carriage into the imperial city? This section of the road is so short, and it is a straight and wide road, what can go wrong? Uncle Qiu just needs to follow the instructions of the imperial city guards, and do whatever they say. Mother Li and Xiangcao don't have to be afraid, you will just follow me into the palace, but you will not follow me into the main hall of Shoukang Palace. When the time comes, the palace people will come to arrange you, just obey orders, don't walk around, and don't talk casually."

After all, she was going to marry the Queen Mother's nephew. Who would be so blind as to provoke her in the Queen Mother's palace? That would be a slap in the Queen Mother's face!

After hearing this, Qiu Shugen and Li's mother and daughter finally calmed down a little.

Seeing that everything was ready, Hai Chang'an went out, mounted his horse, and walked in front to escort his niece out: "Let's go. I'll take care of everything. How could I let you go to the wrong place? After entering the palace, I will also ask my familiar colleagues to take care of you. No one will cause trouble for you."

Hearing this, Qiu Shugen felt more at ease and subconsciously used his usual excellent driving skills to drive the carriage steadily, following Hai Changan's horse and heading towards Zhengyangmen Avenue.

With Hai Chang'an leading the way, Haitang and her group entered the imperial city safely and smoothly. Afterwards, she and her servant were taken over by the palace servants sent by Shoukang Palace to lead the way. Hai Chang'an and Qiu Shugen could only stay outside the palace gate and watch them walk into the palace.

Haitang followed the palace maid at a leisurely pace, and turned to look at Zhang Yingfeng, the daughter of the Zhang family's branch, who was walking on the same road as her. The other girl also turned to look at her, and the two smiled at each other and nodded to each other in a friendly manner.