The favored imperial concubine

Chapter 196

For the concubines in the harem, the annual New Year's Eve palace banquet is the most anticipated event for everyone.In addition to the joy of saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new and celebrating the festive season together, you can also wear auspicious clothes and spend the festive season with the emperor in the Qianqing Palace.Although all the concubines know that they are doomed not to stay with the emperor on New Year's Eve, if they can impress the emperor at the palace banquet, they will be able to win a chance to sleep in the first month in the future, which will be enough to make the rest of the concubines They are envious.

According to the rules in the Qing palace, the palace banquet on New Year's Eve was an hour later than the usual dinner.However, in order to prepare all kinds of delicacies for the palace banquet, the imperial dining room has to prepare a lot of work in advance. Although the palace banquet will officially start in the afternoon of New Year's Eve, the palace people will start setting tables in the Qianqing Palace from noon. Cold cuts and delicate points.

According to the rules of palace banquets, the emperor alone had the golden dragon banquet table, which was surrounded by yellow satin embroidered with golden dragons and inlaid with precious stones. There was a long table between the banquet table and the emperor's dragon chair.All the imperial meals used by the emperor must be placed on the banquet table first. When the emperor is eating, the palace people in charge of presenting the meals will take the dishes that the emperor is interested in to the long table for the emperor to enjoy.

The royal meals on the banquet table are divided into eight sections from the outside to the inside. There are all kinds of meat and vegetable sweet and salty snacks, cold meals and hot meals. There are 63 items in total. pasta.The position of various meals and dishes on the table, and the distance between each other also have size requirements, which are quite particular.All kinds of meals must follow the rules of Qing palace banquets, and they are all served on copper-bodied cloisonné enamel tableware to show grandeur.

The concubines will sit at the east and west tables according to their grades, and the princes, princesses, clan relatives, and court officials will sit at the east and west sides from the fourth table.A total of 24 hot and cold dishes are placed on each table, all served in porcelain bowls.

Although the rules of the palace banquet on New Year's Eve are rather complicated and trivial, they are full of royal style and majesty.All the concubines, princes, princesses, and clan ministers are all proud to be able to participate in the palace banquet, as a symbol of their deep favor by the emperor, and talk about what they have seen and heard at the palace banquet.

In the Yikun Palace, Kangxi saw that Nian Xilan was wearing heavy auspicious clothes, and at the same time she had to wear gold promises, court crowns, collar contracts, court beads and other accessories. Beads of sweat, could not help but tighten her brows, and sighed softly: "Although the noble concubine's auspicious clothes are very expensive and grand, it is too hard to wear. If Lan Er wears this heavy auspicious clothes to accompany me in the Qianqing Palace After dinner, I'm going to have a sore back tonight, and I won't be able to sleep well."

Nian Xilan was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I thank the emperor for your concern and consideration! Fortunately, the dragon fetus in my womb is only five months old, so it is quite convenient to move around. Besides, I am honored to be able to attend the New Year's Eve palace banquet All the concubines are required to wear auspicious clothes according to their grades. This is a rule handed down from the palace. As a concubine, I should not act willfully. An example!"

Kangxi suddenly thought of Zen Master Huiming's judgment about Nian Xilan's face, his eyes flickered slightly, and he shook his head and sighed: "It seems that everything has pros and cons. Er'er's love and affection, but I didn't expect that it would also put a heavy burden on Lan'er, and on the contrary, I am not as comfortable as before."

Nian Xilan thought about it, thinking about the intention of Kangxi's words, but smiled on her face, and replied bluntly: "So the concubine is most suitable to be a little woman who is loved by the emperor. The position of imperial concubine is already a bit too much." Even now, I am still a little apprehensive and uncomfortable!"

Kangxi originally wanted to tease Nian Xilan, but now he saw that although Nian Xilan was calm on the surface, there was a terrified soul hidden behind that delicate and beautiful smiling face.

Kangxi carefully recalled what he said just now, and felt that his expression was indeed inappropriate. No wonder the delicate and sensitive Nian Xilan misunderstood his intentions, thinking that he deliberately said these words to test her.

Kangxi waved away Fang Lin and Fang Wan who were dressing Nian Xilan, bent down and embraced Nian Xilan who was sitting in front of the dressing table from behind, and whispered softly in her ear: "Lan'er is so wonderful. Well, it’s just too thoughtful! I’m just a joke, but it makes you think about all these things, you really deserve to be beaten! With my guarding and protecting, Lan’er only needs to live happily and carefree That's good. Sometimes being a heartless woman can lead to a happier life!"

Although Nian Xilan was still a little uneasy in her heart, she replied with a smile on her face: "I thank the emperor for teaching me, I have been taught!" The appearance was [-]% respectful and submissive.

Kangxi knew that Nian Xilan still didn't believe him, so he couldn't help but feel a little helpless. However, thinking about Nian Xilan's natural intelligence and sensitivity, and a bit of stubbornness and stubbornness in his bones, he felt that Nian Xilan would have such a reaction. normal.Besides, as a concubine in the harem, it is not wrong for Nian Xilan to be more cautious in the palace, but... every time Kangxi sees Nian Xilan showing cautious eyes and deliberately trying to please him, he feels very distressed.

(End of this chapter)