Do you know: I am Xu Jiazi

Chapter 485 Xie Zhengzheng and Hualan [Thank you! Thank you again! I owe you 41k more]

Talking
The two walked forward and came to the weapon rack on one side.

Gu Tingye pulled the spear out of the weapon rack, weighed it in his hand, and said with a satisfied smile: "This is a spear that the palace specially came to my house and imitated according to my habit of using."

"Here! Try it?"

Looking at the exquisite spear that Gu Tingye held in front of him, Xu Zaijing took it and danced with one hand. The look in his eyes was somewhat similar to Gu Tingye's.

Then Xu Zaijing used his index finger to support the back of the spear. Looking at the spear that was trembling and keeping balance on his finger, Xu Zaijing nodded approvingly.

"No, Brother Jing, how did you find this location?"

Gu Tingye asked in surprise.

Xu Zaijing smiled slightly: "Experience."

At this time,

An eunuch walked over quickly, bowed and said, "Oh, the two gentlemen are here! Please follow me!"

Xu Zaijing nodded, put the spear back in place, and walked towards the entrance of the hall with Gu Tingye.

At this time, many people who looked like lieutenants were standing around the door and talking. Most of them were from the Western Army, such as Zhu Qinghu, Di Jing, and Cao Yi, whom Xu Zaijing knew.

Among them, four of them have a tough temperament that is no less than Ye Fang, Feng Dabao and others, and their clothes are also different from those of others.

Seeing Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye coming over, Zhu Qinghu, Ye Fang and others nodded in greeting.

When the two approached, Di Jing pointed at the four people with excitement and said: "Wu Lang, these four are from the Northern Guangrui Army. Find an opportunity..."

As he spoke, Di Jing kept raising his eyebrows, meaning that he was looking for an opportunity to compete with him.

Zhu Qinghu smiled and shook his head.

Xu Zaijing and Di Jing nodded, smiled and bowed to one of them, saying, "Master Gao, nice to see you again!"

"Meet Goro!"

This man was a captain of the personal guard of the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion. His surname was Gao. He had fought with Xu Zaijing on the ship to Yangzhou before. Later, they had destroyed bandit nests and killed thieves together in Chuzhou.

Having this experience of fighting side by side has deepened our friendship.

Seeing Mr. Gao talking to Xu Zaijing with a smile, and his attitude was slightly humble, the three Guangrui Army soldiers following behind him looked at Xu Zaijing curiously.

This Lord Gao was a general of the personal guards. He followed Marquis Gu in the north. He was arrogant and stern, and it was he who usually enforced military law.

After returning to Bian Jing, let alone the useless brothers from the fourth and fifth branches of the Gu family, he rarely smiled at even the manager of the Qi Province who was beside Marquis Gu.

The three of them looked at each other, with their eyes showing the meaning of "what happened today?"

At this time,

An official from the Ministry of Rites came over with black eyes, bloodshot eyes, and blisters on the corners of his mouth.

He bowed to the group of lieutenants and said, "Hello, everyone!" Then he smiled at Xu Zaijing and Gu Tingye.

Then, the official from the Ministry of Rites unfolded the scroll of rice paper on a brocade base in his hand, looked at it, pointed to the hall, and said, "Second Master Gu, have you seen the dancers in the hall?"

Gu Tingye nodded repeatedly.

"After they finish dancing, you and these four will take your spears and prepare to go on stage. Where are the spears? Bring them here quickly!"

The official from the Ministry of Rites said the following sentence to the eunuch standing beside him.

After the eunuch led his men to quickly bring the spear, the official from the Ministry of Rites stretched out his hand towards Gu Tingye and said, "Come!"

Looking at Mr. Gao and the other four Guangrui Army elite soldiers who were still standing at the door, he said, "You four should follow!"

Gu Tingye had already entered the hall and was casually practicing with Captain Gao.

The official from the Ministry of Rites came out again with the scroll.

"Thank you for your hard work, sir!"

Xu Zaijing smiled and bowed.

Di Jing, Cao Yi and other lieutenants standing by also bowed and greeted him.

Hearing the greeting, the official from the Ministry of Rites, who had been busy for who knows how long, smiled and cleared his throat and said, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness! When you enter the palace tomorrow, just like we practiced the day before, you..."

Afterwards, the official from the Ministry of Rites looked at the formation of Xu Zaijing and nearly a hundred other people entering the venue and nodded with satisfaction.

After Xu Zaijing, Gu Tingye and others practiced and left the stage,

At the entrance of the main hall, the official from the Ministry of Rites pointed to the colorful tent outside the hall and said, "Tomorrow's ceremony, when you come over, the female officials standing on both sides will dance to the music!"

As he spoke, the official waved his hand, and the sound of music came from the colorful tent under the colorful pavilion near the hall.

Looking at the female officials dancing rhythmically in unison, Xu Zaijing and others nodded to show that they understood.

Gu Tingye even came to Xu Zaijing's side, looking like an experienced person, and said, "This has changed so much. When we were young, there was no such grand ceremony here!"

Xu Zaijing tilted his head and said, "Your Majesty didn't recover the Baigao territory before."

"Too."

"Okay, everyone, take care!" The official from the Ministry of Rites bowed and walked towards the performers of the next show who were waiting at the entrance of the palace.

After Xu Zaijing and others returned the greetings, they walked over to the colorful tent to take a look.

At this time, the music in the colorful tent had stopped.
Xu Zaijing was looking at the musical instruments, and I don’t know about the others.

The front row of musicians in this colorful tent is a row of ten people using sandalwood boards.
Behind the sandalwood board sat two rows of about fifty musicians holding exquisitely painted pipa instruments. Both Wei Fangzhi and Yang Luoyou were among them. Although they were both famous, their seats were not near the front, which showed the level of the musicians playing the pipa.

Seeing Xu Zaijing's figure, Wei Fangzhi bowed while holding the pipa.

Behind the two rows of pipa are two konghous, and behind those are three large drums on stands with colorful flowers and golden dragons on them.

There was a circle of 羯鼓 (Jie drum) around the big drum, and the young girl Zhiyue was among them.

The emperor's birthday banquet was a big event, and this little girl was able to be among them. It was obvious that she had some abilities.

Around the big and small drums there are musicians playing instruments such as square chimes, chime bells, flutes, and Xiaos, ranging from one to five in number.

Xu Zaijing took a look and found that it was very similar to the orchestras that performed in concert halls in later generations.

At this time,

Gu Tingye pointed to the musicians playing the flute and the pipe, and something covered with silk, and asked, "Brother Jing, what is that?"

Xu Zaijing looked in the direction Gu Tingye pointed and said, "It's a horn used in the army."

"Oh! Who are you playing this for?"

Zhu Qinghu, Cao Yi and others who heard the conversation between the two smiled at each other.

Afterwards, everyone crossed the huge square in front of the palace, passed Jiying Gate, turned right, and left the palace through Xihua Gate.

night,
When the lights come on,

Chai family,

Qiushengyuan

Yunmu held a note in his hand, opened the door curtain and walked in: "Girl, I'm back!"

In the hall, Chai Zhengzheng, who was directing the wisteria flower arrangement, turned his head and asked: "Did you get the things?"

Yunmu nodded and handed over the post in his hand: "The palace just sent me the schedule for tomorrow's ceremony."

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and nodded, then walked towards the table while unfolding the post. After sitting down, he leaned over to the candlelight and began to read it at a glance.

suddenly,

Chai Zhengzheng paused, looked at the name of a program somewhere and smiled: "Okay!"

On the second day,
The birthday ceremony of the Emperor of Great Zhou.

The first quarter of the morning (5 a.m.)

The sky is slightly bright,

Rong family,

Back at Xueyuan, the lit candles made the room very bright.

A maid came out of the room carrying a wash basin that was slightly steaming.

inside the house,

Rong Feiyan was sitting in front of the bronze mirror wearing a clean white inner garment. The man standing behind Rong Feiyan was carefully combing his daughter's hair with a ox-horn comb that was as smooth as jade.

Ningxiang stood on the other side, opened the small drawer of the dressing table, carefully took out a flower ornament cut out of gold foil, and said, "Miss, are you going to wear this today?"

After taking a look, Rong Feiyan asked, "Are there any other styles?"

Ningxiang took out another exquisite pearl: "This one?"

Rong Feiyan looked at the pearls in front of her, thought for a while, and said, "Let's stick with the gold foil. Most of the ladies and noble ladies will wear pearls today, so fewer will wear gold foil."

"Yes, girl!"

Xibu helped Rong Feiyan comb her hair, while Ningxiang started to apply glue on the gold foil.

"Don't use those jewelry with necklaces and hairpins. They are uncomfortable to hang on your hair. Use these to fix them on your bun."

"Yes, girl!"

"Just take these blue, light green and lavender clothes." After listening to Rong Feiyan's words, she waved to the maid beside her, and the maid walked out with the clothes.

When Rong Feiyan left Xueyuan,
The sun has risen in the east.

At the second gate of Rong's house,
The wife of Marquis Fuchang looked at her daughter who came out with the maid and said with a smile: "My daughter is really good at dressing up. She looks six times more charming than your sister!"

Rong Xian, who was never very reliable, nodded and said, "Which guy wouldn't be confused when he sees my sister?"

"Shut up! How can you talk about your sister like that?"

Marquis Fuchang on the side scolded.

Rong Xian was embarrassed.

2:00 am (before 8:00 am)
The Great Zhou Imperial City,

Ximen Xihuamen,
It was as joyous as the other palace gates.

Standing on the palace wall,
You could also hear the sounds of opera singing and cheering coming from the colorful tents set up on the nearby streets by wealthy families or officials and nobles to celebrate the emperor's birthday.

Around the palace gate,
The imperial guards used red and colorful barricades to mark out a large open space for the royal family, nobles and officials who were queuing to enter the palace this morning to park their carriages and horses.

The sound of cars rumbles.

The sound of hooves.

The sound of "sigh" continues,

The coachman, wearing new clothes and obviously well-groomed, stopped the exquisite carriage near the palace gate.

From time to time, men and women in solemn and luxurious clothes got off the carriages and walked towards the palace gate.

On the roadside some distance from the palace gate,
In the queue of carriages,

Yunmu lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the open space behind the barricades along the way.

With his eyes fixed, Yunmu lowered the curtain and said to Chai Zhengzheng in the carriage, "Miss, I saw Brother Qingyun feeding the horses. It seems that the young master of the Xu family should have entered the palace a long time ago."

Chai Zhengzheng, who was wearing simple pearl makeup for the first time, smiled and nodded slightly.

"Girl, you don't have to be so careful. We use the best glue, it won't fall off easily."

Chai Zhengzheng blinked and said softly without moving his lips: "It's better to be careful, so as not to have to glue it again."

Yunmu nodded.

Chai Zhengzheng continued:

"If this glue is really that good, I'll use it to stick the feathers on my arrows in a few days."

Yunmu pursed his lips: "You are really willing to do so."

quickly,

The carriage gradually came to the palace gate.
When Chai Zhengzheng got off the carriage, he looked up and saw his mother, Madam Chai, who was sitting in the front carriage and talking with Sun, who was standing with her two daughters-in-law.

Next to them were Lord Xu and the master of the Chai family, who were laughing and talking.

"When did the Xu family's carriage appear in front of us?"

Listening to Chai Zhengzheng's low voice, Yunmu shook her head: "I didn't notice."

After getting off the carriage and walking closer, Chai Zhengzheng bowed to everyone.

"We've known each other for so long, but this is the first time I see Miss Zheng Zheng dressed like this! Well, it looks good!" Sun said with a smile.

Xie and Hua Lan behind Sun also smiled and nodded.

"Thank you for the compliment, Madam. I am so ashamed to accept it."

"Well deserved, well deserved!" Sun said with a smile.

Madam Chai smiled and glanced at her daughter, then said, "Sister Sun, shall we go in?"

"Walk."

The two couples from the Chai and Xu families walked in front, while Chai Zhengzheng, Xie and Hua Lan walked behind.

Chai Zhengzheng turned his head to look at Xie and Hualan's eyebrows and whispered, "The two sisters-in-law actually put on red petals?"

Hua Lan smiled and nodded: "Yes! These petals are lighter! Neither of us dared to use this pearl makeup, for fear that if it didn't stick well and one of them fell off, we would be sad."

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and said, "My maid said she has used a new good glue! I will try it for the two ladies today. If it works well, I will send some to the two ladies!"

Then Chai Zhengzheng looked at the faces of Xie and Hualan and said sincerely, "It's a pity for the two ladies not to use this pearl makeup to look good."

Mrs. Xie smiled and said, "Miss Zheng Zheng is really good at talking!"

Chai Zhengzheng said seriously: "Zhengzheng is just telling the truth!"

As soon as this word comes out,
The smiles on Xie and Hualan's faces became more charming.

Hua Lan looked at the mother-in-law in front of her and said with a smile, "Then we would like to thank Zheng Zheng in advance."

"Madam, you're welcome."

Everyone went straight through Xihua Gate.

After walking for a while, I turned left into Jiying Gate.

In the square in front of the temple,
Only then, under the guidance of the eunuchs, everyone bowed or waved their handkerchiefs to say goodbye and went back to their respective seats.

At this time, the emperor and empress had not arrived yet.

The atmosphere in the hall was quite relaxed.

Chai Zhengzheng had just walked a few steps with his parents when he saw Gu Tingyi, Zhang Jiawu Niang and several other girls from noble families standing and talking.

The flower ornaments between Tingyi's eyebrows were drawn with vermilion flower juice, which was very beautiful.

Zhang Jia Wu Niang did not wear any flower ornaments, nor did she wear pearl makeup like Chai Zhengzheng. Instead, she tied a blue-white headband with a ruby ​​in the middle and gold-rimmed edges on her forehead, which looked very heroic.

When Chai Zhengzheng came closer,

Gu Tingyi glanced at the Xu family and said, "Zhengzheng, how did you come in with Sister Hualan and the others?"

"It just so happened that we came here together."

"Oh!"

"Sister Tingyi, the flower ornaments painted between your eyebrows are rare!" Chai Zhengzheng said with a smile.

"Isn't it?" Gu Tingyi looked up at his forehead with pride and continued, "It was Qingzhi, the skillful maid beside my sister-in-law, who drew it for me!"

"Look, Miss Feiyan and Miss Dou are here."

A noble lady from another family whispered beside her.

Chai Zhengzheng looked at the noble lady who was speaking, and found out that she was from the Du family of Duke Yan. Chai Zhengzheng smiled and nodded politely.

Then he looked towards the door.

After reading it, the three girls looked at each other in silence. The reason was simple: the two girls from the Dou family and Rong Feiyan, who walked in with her chin slightly raised and an air of pride, standing together, looked like one girl with two maids in luxurious clothes.

After entering the hall, Rong Feiyan took a quick look around.
Looking at Chai Zhengzheng and others not far away, his eyes lit up and he walked over with a smile.

On the other side of the palace,
Sheng Hong stood next to a group of civil servants, listening to them with a smile on his face and nodding in agreement from time to time.

This was also his first time attending a ceremony of this level.

That is to say, Sheng Hong entered the Ministry of Personnel by chance and was promoted in recent years. Otherwise, as a fifth-rank official, he would not have been qualified to sit in the main hall.

Not far from Sheng Hong,
Wang Ruofu had a typical smile on her face and from time to time she chatted with the officials' wives who came over nearby. Rulan beside her also had a smile that was somewhat similar to Wang Ruofu's and smiled at the girls around the officials' wives.

"Wang family? Madam, are you from the Wang family that opened up the border in Hehuang?"

Listening to the questions from the official's wife,

Wang Ruofu smiled euphemistically: "No, my father deserves to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

"Excuse me! Who is your husband?"

"Ministry of Personnel, Sheng Hong!"

"oh oh!"

As they answered one question after another, the officials' wives around Wang Ruofu became more and more friendly.

"Mother."

Hualan came over with a handkerchief in her hand and smiled.

"Sister." Rulan walked over and hugged Hualan with a smile.

The official family noticed the direction Hua Lan was walking towards, looked at the position where the dukes were, and then looked at Hua Lan, who was dressed elegantly and wearing exquisite jewelry, and whispered uncertainly: "Are you the second lady of the Yongyi Marquis's Mansion?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your courtesy." Hualan let go of Rulan with a smile and bowed to the officials' wives around her.

This is also an admission.

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of the officials and their wives around changed when they looked at Rulan beside Wang Ruofu, and they whispered to each other from time to time.

Afterwards, two more ladies came and asked Wang Ruofu about Ruolan's marriage.

After talking for a while,
An eunuch came into the hall, and soon everyone in the hall began to take their seats, waiting for the arrival of the Emperor and Empress of the Great Zhou.

(End of this chapter)