Biography of Concubine Shujia

Chapter 61

In October of the 12th year of Xijia, it was the fourth birthday of the fourth princess, and the dinner was held in Zhaoyang Palace.

A few days ago, the emperor was all focused on the new beautiful girl who entered the palace, but the old man in the palace didn't call him much.Therefore, at the birthday banquet of the four imperial daughters, the lords of the palace all dressed up in order to win the attention of the emperor and win favor again.

The emperor and empress are at the top, and Ning Shuyuan and the four princesses are at the left of the emperor.On the other side of the fourth princess is Lu Zhaorong.Not far from Lu Zhaorong is Ten Niang's seat.Hui Zhaoyuan had to sit beside De Shuyi.The queen is on the right side of the emperor, De Shuyi is on the right side of the queen, and Hui Zhaorong after De Shuyi, Hui Zhaoyuan should be next to Ning Shuyuan, because the fourth princess is the birthday star today, next to her mother The concubine sat, and Hui Zhaorong Chen sat beside De Shuyi.The rest of the people move down one place.

Although the four-year-old fourth princess is not in good health and looks thin, she has a delicate appearance, with the frailty of a sickly beauty, making people involuntarily want to hold her in her arms and take care of her carefully.

Ning Zhaoyuan taught her very well, and when she was about four years old, the little princess could eat by herself instead of being fed by maids.

Seeing the fourth princess who was eating slowly, the queen praised Ning Shuyuan, "Sister Ning taught the princess very well. She has the demeanor of my royal princess at a young age."

"The concubines who are praised by the master and empress are embarrassed. The concubines are just doing their job. The princess is the real well-bred. Compared with her sister, Xiao Si is far worse."

"The fourth girl is only four years old. When the second girl was four years old, she was not as good as her younger sister. I remember that girl couldn't even hold a spoon steadily." The queen said with a smile.

"Mother, you are talking about other people's embarrassment!" The second princess on the male chair said angrily.

"Second sister, I don't see that you were so glorious when you were a child." The third princess sitting next to the second princess said sarcastically.

"Of course my elder sister is not as capable as my younger sister. I heard that when my younger sister was four years old..." The second princess purposely kept half of her sentence and looked at the third princess with that kind of funny eyes. A small face was flushed.

"What's wrong with my sister?" The second princess asked knowingly, "My sister didn't say anything, my sister doesn't need to be shy, the mother and concubine present here won't make fun of my sister."

"Second girl, do you think everyone is messing around like you?" The queen smiled and said funny words, and while others were not paying attention, she gave the second princess a look. The second princess noticed the warning from her adoptive mother and restrained herself.

"Yes, yes, the queen mother is looking after Xiao Si now. Aren't the third son and I falling out of favor?" The second princess hugged the third princess' shoulders, "Sister, don't you think so?"

"You girl!" The queen couldn't laugh or cry when she heard the words, "When did I stop pampering you? Why don't I just take your royal father with me and stop pampering you?"

"Mother!" The second princess looked at the empress pitifully, "Father, you have to make decisions for your daughter!"

The emperor was silent, and the queen turned to pinch the absent emperor, "Your Majesty, the second girl is jealous. For the fourth girl's birthday, what good things did you prepare for our fourth princess? Also take it out to anger our second girl."

The emperor was in pain from being pinched, and touched his nose in embarrassment, "The empress and all the concubines come first, so that I can open my eyes and see what great gifts our little four can receive today."

Everyone presented their birthday presents one after another, and under Ning Shuyuan's instructions, the fourth princess hurriedly got up to thank all the mothers and concubines one by one.

"What did the second girl prepare for your sister?" The emperor looked at the sad look in the second princess's eyes, and hurriedly opened his mouth to make amends.

"Yes, I have prepared a gift for the fourth sister." The second princess stood up, took the box handed over by the nanny behind her, and personally delivered it to the seat of the fourth princess.

"Sister, open it and have a look, do you like it?" The second princess thought for a while, "I think this looks like a sister at first glance."

The fourth princess opened the box, and inside the box was a jade rabbit with crystal clear jade.When she touched it, it was cool at first, and then the jade began to warm up, "It's warm. Thank you, Second Sister."

"This warm jade, it's good for my younger sister to play with the fourth girl a lot." The queen said to Ning Shuyuan, "The second girl is reluctant to use this jade after getting it, and today she reluctantly parted with her. It shows that our second girl is a loving sister." of."

"Then Concubine Ning will thank our second princess on behalf of your fourth sister."

"Mother Concubine Ning is polite." The second princess returned her gift and returned to her seat.

Between the toasts and cups, "Since today is the princess's birthday party, I have the courage to make a proposal." A beauty in palace attire sitting at the end suddenly said.

"You are a small servant, where do you have time to talk?!" Before the empress could speak, the servant Ping who was sitting on the side reprimanded the woman.

"Could it be that Lingxuan really has some good idea to serve you?" Seeing that the woman seemed to be trying to defend herself, Nalan asked, with disdain and provocation in her words.

"Sister, don't worry, the emperor hasn't said anything yet." The woman didn't refute or fight back, but instead answered with a smile, it immediately seemed that Nalan was bullying others.

"And the mistress, the mistress can make her own decision, what do you think?" The woman asked respectfully, saluting the queen.

"The emperor hasn't spoken yet, so why should I speak?" The queen followed her words and replied bluntly.

The woman looked like she was about to cry after being wronged.

Shi Niang understood Ru Hua who was standing behind her. The Empress had always been tolerant and magnanimous, and rarely reprimanded the women in the harem face to face.This soul-selected attendant really violated her taboo, and she didn't like it.

This soul-selected attendant entered the palace as the queen's cousin, so her status was not low.It's just embarrassing about her status, when she first entered the palace, she had the same status as the other ladies in the same batch as her, and they all came from the Seventh Rank Baolin.After the six beautiful girls went to bed one after another, she was promoted to the selection of servants together with another one. The emperor chose "Ling" as the title for her, and then left her behind.

The empress had no choice but to let her enter the palace, but she no longer regarded her as a cousin.He didn't respond to her subsequent overtures, and even reprimanded her in private.This time, he showed his attitude in front of the emperor and the concubines and princesses.

"What good idea does Sister Ling have?" The woman sitting next to Lingxuan waiter saw her embarrassment, felt pity for her, and pretended to be curious.He secretly pulled her sleeves to remind her to pay attention to the occasion.This is the Zhaoyang Palace, not the time to act coquettishly and foolishly in front of the emperor of the Yangxin Palace.

There are too many enemies, isn't it waiting to be pinched by all forces!
Lingxuan attendant is not stupid, and she secretly observed the emperor's reaction, and found that the emperor really didn't care about herself and would not defend herself.I had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Ordinary silk and bamboo are messy, not as good as your ladies. It's better for the sisters to perform by drawing lots. Those who fail to sign the content will be punished with three cups. It's just for fun, and it will also open the eyes of the princesses." , Look at the skills of the concubines."

"This idea is quite a coincidence, all the concubines can also learn from each other." The emperor looked at the Lingxuan waiter who was ready to move after hearing his words, and said to Ning Shuyuan beside him, "Since it is to celebrate the fourth girl, you should also go and have a good time." Be prepared so that everyone can enjoy themselves.”

Lingxuan waiter hurriedly said, "Maidservant, go help Empress Shuyuan?"

"No, dear concubine, you have already proposed such a good idea, and the rest will be handled by the concubine Si Yatou herself. Come, have a drink with me, and I will thank you for Si Yatou as the father and emperor."

The Lingxuan attendant was flattered, "Thank you for the reward from the emperor, the fourth princess is ice-snow and smart, performing for the little princess, the maidservant is too happy, how can I deserve your thank you."

"I said you deserve it, so you deserve it." The emperor smiled sarcastically, "Come here, serve wine for Lingxuan."

Yang Zhong personally went forward to pour wine for the spirit selection waiter, "My lord, please."

Lingxuan waiter looked at his desk full of a cup the size of a teacup, wanting to cry but not crying.

"Why, Aifei thinks I'm not sincere enough?" The emperor asked with a smile.

"Enough, enough." The spiritual selection waiter hurriedly picked up the cup and put it in his mouth.

"Sister Ling has a lot of capacity, so she is a hero in wine." The queen looked at the flushed Lingxuan waiter and the empty cup in her hand, "I didn't expect that my sister is not only good at equestrian skills, but also good at drinking. My sister loves this cup, so I can ask the emperor Reward my sister with a few jugs of good wine. The emperor has a lot of good wine in his collection."

"Thank you, Mistress, for your guidance." The spiritual servant lowered his head, unable to see a clear expression.

"Your majesty, my lord, my concubines are ready. Do you see?" Ning Shuyuan asked for instructions holding a mahogany box.

"Let's start with your mistress. The mistress is playing, so you can draw one too. I haven't seen Shuyuan dancing for a long time."

"The concubine hasn't danced for many years, and she is younger than many younger sisters." Ning Shuyuan smiled embarrassedly, "Since sister Ling came up with the idea for the princess, why don't I let my sister do it. The concubine will stop showing shame. "

"Then you will be the commander of the line."

"Hey, my concubine obeys the order." Ning Shuyuan walked up to the queen with the box in her hand, and said to the queen, "Master, please."

The queen reached into the box and took out a signature. After opening it to read, she handed it to Ning Shuyuan and smiled at her.

"The empress has drawn Danqing." Ning Shuyuan said to the palace behind her, "Go get the pen, ink, paper and inkstone for the empress."

"The empress's painting stays, and the fourth girl is lucky to get your empress's drawing in person." The emperor nodded approvingly at Ning Shuyuan.

While everyone was talking and laughing, the queen wrote like a god, and the lines were delicate and bright.A picture of orchid grass and spring flowers is vivid on the paper.The bluegrass is tough, and the safflower blooms on it. The artistic conception is open and gives people a sense of strength.

"This painting is given to Si Yatou. The queen mother hopes that Si Yatou will be as tough as this orchid grass and live happily."

"Thank you for the painting." Ning Shuyuan took it with a salute, and came to the Spiritual Selection Attendant again, "Sister, please smoke. I thank my sister for her good idea."

The Lingxuan waiter smiled at Ning Shuyuan with ulterior motives, reached out and took out a lottery, and handed it back to Ning Shuyuan after reading it.

"Sister Ling is smoking Zuo Wu, please." Ning Shuyuan stepped aside to make room.

"The servant is bold and wants to ask sister Jia to accompany the servant. I don't know what sister Jia wants?"

"Sister Ling is well-informed. Sister Jia's Yueqin is a masterpiece, which is beyond the reach of the ladies in the palace. I still remember that my sister Hao played a reindeer song back then, and it was astonishing." Ning Shuyuan said, " Mistress, couldn't you praise your younger sister's superb skills?"

"You remember clearly. It's been three or four years. After that, I really haven't heard my sister play the yueqin. On weekdays, when the sisters get together, I only see my sister playing the guqin." The queen took Ning Shuyuan's words, and said yes Looking at Shi Niang, "Since the fourth and fourth princesses are having a good time, my sister will play a song for the princess to see."

"Your Majesty and Sister Ning's love, there is no reason to resign, but the Yueqin is too fierce, I'm afraid it will scare the princess, why don't the concubines play the same music instead."

"Oh? Is there anything else I don't know about Shi Niang?" Before the queen could speak, the emperor became interested.

"The emperor let his concubines go to prepare one or two, and we will know soon." Shi Niang smiled playfully at the emperor.

The emperor laughed and scolded, "You ghost! You are the mother of two children, and you look childish."

"The emperor just likes the truth of the concubine?" Xinghe's eyes shimmered, "The concubine is going to prepare."

"This girl is so mysterious." The emperor said to the queen in a good mood, and even the fourth princess asked curiously, "Mother Concubine, what exactly is Jiamu Concubine going to perform?"

"My concubine doesn't know either. Maybe your concubine Jia is shy, so she needs to put on makeup." Ning Shuyuan said perfunctorily.

This Du Shi, it's really difficult for her.

"dang dang dang" an eager voice sounded.

The young woman wrapped in a moon-white cloak flicked, picked, divided, hooked, pushed, and pulled with extremely fast fingers.The soul-selected attendant, who was getting ready for the music, froze, and quickly danced.The reindeer dance she had prepared was completely useless.

The tight rhythm of the tune created a tense atmosphere, and a chilling atmosphere came over her, making her almost out of breath.

She felt that she was surrounded by the music, her breath was short of breath, as if she was in a life-and-death struggle with the music and even the person who played the music.

"The sound of the golden and emerald feathers on the pipa is cold, and the strings are noisy like torrential rain." The emperor couldn't help but recited these two lines of poems, "What a moon night song!"

(End of this chapter)