After the marriage, the cousin was spoiled by the whole family of the Marquis's Mansion

Chapter 80: Annual Palace Banquet
The sky was just getting light, and after a night of snow, the streets were already covered with thick snow.

When the two servants from Xinlin Marquis's mansion pushed open the door with shovels, cold wind rushed in. The two of them shivered involuntarily, and their sleepy heads instantly became clear.

Ji Xing pulled his cloak closer, yawned loudly, and patted the two servants standing in front of him.

"Move aside, move aside. It's too late. Old Zhang has sold out his buns again."

The two servants quickly made way.

However, he saw several people gathered at the gate of the Marquis' Mansion to watch the fun.

"What's wrong? What are you all doing here?"

Ji Xing stepped forward and the crowd made way for him. He saw a little beggar lying on the ground, his face purple from the cold and his body stiff.

It's obvious that he froze to death after freezing all night.

The crowd was somewhat saddened. It was the end of the year, a good day for celebration, but someone froze to death on the street.

And it was at the gate of the Xinling Marquis Mansion, which had a good reputation.

Someone quietly said, "The rich are feasting and drinking, while the poor are freezing to death on the streets."

Jixing's pupils shrank, dog!

Yuhui Garden had been completely cleared, and all the snow was piled at the base of the wall.

Rong Peilan has woken up. She was woken up by the urge to hold it in. Over the past two days, she has been going to the toilet more frequently than usual.

The people next to her had long disappeared, and she was now used to Ji Shizi's elusiveness.

Coming out of the bathroom, she touched her relaxed belly.

I found that my originally flat belly now had some movement.

A strange feeling spread from the fingertips to every part of the body.

When Haitang came in, she saw the young lady standing there in just her middle dress.

She put down the copper basin in her hand, and while taking her clothes, she muttered, "Madam, it's snowing heavily now, why are you standing here wearing only a middle dress?"

"If I get cold, not only the Madam, but even Madam Zhou will skin me alive."

Rong Peilan smiled and said, "You guys have burned too much fire in this room. If the quilt was thicker, I would be sweating. How could I be freezing?"

Qingtan also came in, "Madam has sent someone to say that we need to go to the palace at 3 p.m., so there is still plenty of time, let's slowly prepare first."

Then she took out a small bag embroidered with orchids and said, "I made this last night."

"Madam, you are prone to hunger right now. I will pack you some preserved fruits so that you can fill your stomach when you get hungry in the palace. This way, you won't lose your manners by making your stomach growl."

Rong Peilan let Haitang help her put on her dress while she took the small bag made by Qingtan.

The palm-sized bag is cute and exquisite, with neat and fine stitching.

"It's rare that you're so thoughtful. Manager Zhou will send some gifts purchased by the mansion later. You can take an extra one and send it back to your parents."

"Thank you, madam."

At the palace's annual banquet, all officials above the fourth rank will bring their families into the palace to attend the banquet.

Zhong was a first-rank imperial official, and had to wear a regulated uniform that was complicated and heavy to wear.

Rong Peilan did not have an imperial decree, but was a family member accompanying him, so he was dressed appropriately for ease of travel.

Qingtan tied her hair up and put on a jade headpiece for her. The person in the mirror looked even more dignified and elegant.

After dressing up, Rong Peilan found that it was almost time to enter the palace, but Ji Yunzhang had not returned yet.

"The prince hasn't come back yet?" Rong Peilan frowned slightly.

"Back! Back!"

Bai Yu ran in breathlessly, holding up the hem of her skirt.

Then Ji Yunzhang strode in with an unexpected look on his face.

He looked up and saw Rong Peilan's concerned look and forced a smile.

As soon as she saw him like this, Rong Peilan knew something might happen. Now she was about to enter the palace, and her father-in-law was away. The New Year was a day for the emperor and his subjects to celebrate together. If he entered the palace in this state, there would probably be gossip again.

She held his hand and said, "Everything will pass, but tonight's banquet is the most important. We can't keep such a face when we enter the palace."

Ji Yunzhang sneered, "Two hundred thousand soldiers are fighting bloody battles, and Your Majesty still has the mind to hold a banquet."

Rong Peilan squeezed his hand and said, "At this juncture, Your Majesty must celebrate with the people to stabilize their hearts and demonstrate the demeanor of a great country."

"I know you don't like to hear these words, but the gap between the monarch and his subjects can never be crossed."

"Otherwise, how can father-in-law maintain his loyalty?"

Lanterns were already lit on the long street of West City, and the palace gate of Chonghua Gate was wide open.

All officials and their families got off here and walked into the palace.

Only members of the royal family could enter the palace by special carriage.

At Chonghua Gate, there are already quite a few carriages parked here.

They are all wealthy people with delicate bodies. They have never walked so many roads in the past. Today, they have probably walked all the roads for the year.

As soon as Rong Peilan and Zhong got off the car, a young eunuch came forward.

"I pay my respects to Madam Ji. Eunuch Cao has already told me that His Majesty has granted a sedan chair to the Xinling Marquis family."

"Madam Ji, please come this way. The sedan chair is ready."

Mrs. Zhong nodded, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace."

A sedan chair is also a small carriage, but it does not have a carriage. It only has two layers of gauze curtains hung around it. It cannot prevent wind or rain, but it can be seen at a glance to prevent people outside the palace from smuggling private items.

This was Rong Peilan's first time entering the palace.

She was accustomed to the world and mountains outside, and the luxury and wealth in the imperial city was another kind of scenery.

On the long palace road, with red walls and glazed tiles, no other sound can be heard except the sound of wheels and footsteps.

There were always palace maids and eunuchs on both sides, walking hurriedly with objects in their hands or holding lanterns.

The palace maids and eunuchs always kept their heads down and walked in a hurried pace, but their formation was not at all disordered. Even when the palace servants spoke, the amplitude of their heads moving was exactly the same.

At just one glance, Rong Peilan felt that this imperial city was nothing more than a luxurious big cage.

The banquet was held in Yongle Palace, facing the Imperial Garden.

A carriage is always faster than walking. When they arrived, only the Crown Prince and Prince Sheng were in the hall.

Your Majesty, the only adult princes are the Crown Prince and Prince Sheng. The remaining princes will come with their mother.

The Crown Prince is the eldest son of the late Queen, and Prince Sheng’s mother is just a palace maid, who was said to have been left behind by His Majesty after a one-night stand.

She died during childbirth of Prince Sheng.

The Crown Prince is somewhat similar to Prince Sheng. The Crown Prince is gentle and modest, yet has the aura of a superior.

King Sheng was completely different; he always had a sense of being detached from the world.

Zhong came forward with Rong Peilan and Ji Yunzhang, "I, your humble servant Zhong, my son Ji Yunzhang, and my daughter-in-law Rong, greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Prince Sheng, His Royal Highness the Crown Princess, and Prince Sheng's Consort."

The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess stood up and stepped forward to support her, "Madam, please get up quickly. Today is a banquet for the New Year, so there will be no empty ceremony."

Prince Sheng and Princess Sheng simply stood up and nodded slightly at them.

The Crown Princess looked at Rong Peilan, whose eyes were becoming more and more dazzling, and said softly, "The last time I saw Madam Ji was at the wedding banquet of the Duke of Weiguo's mansion."

"I saw that day that Madam Ji was pregnant. How is she now? How many months has it been? Is she still vomiting?"

Rong Peilan bowed and was about to respond, but was stopped by the Crown Princess, "The Crown Prince just said that there would be no empty ceremonies."

She was stunned for a moment, then pursed her lips and smiled, "To reply to the Crown Princess, my mother took very good care of me and I am no longer vomiting."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but touch her belly, her face glowing, "It's been four months now."

Princess Sheng, who was not far away, had a calm look in her eyes, but after hearing Rong Peilan's words, her eyes changed a little.

(End of this chapter)