Queen's scheming

Chapter 30 The Empress Dowager's Birthday ([-])

"Your Majesty, wear this silver-red dress. It's auspicious for the Empress Dowager's birthday." Yu Lian said excitedly, pointing to the outer dress with pipa sleeves and narrow waist scattered with flowers all over the place.

This day is the Empress Dowager's 37th birthday, and the whole palace has been busy since half a month ago.As the empress, Shen Qingyi was obliged to arrange the banquet.Mother Su, Eunuch Chen and Yu Zhu, who were once proficient in banquets, have already left the palace to run the silk and satin shop and tailor shop, and Shen Qingyi named it "Su Zhai".Su Zhai is just the beginning of the store, and everything has not yet become a rule, so the three of them can't go back to the palace to help.He could only tell Yu Lian and Yu He about everything that needs to be paid attention to. Fortunately, the two of them are also good hands.

Shen Qingyi shook her head slightly, today is a good day for the Empress Dowager, she can't take the lead.Glancing at the clothes held by the little court ladies, Qian Hong, Bright Red, Cherry Red, Claret Red, Magenta, Orange Red, all are the colors that Shen Qingyi is used to wearing on weekdays.

Shen Qingyi raised her head lightly, and asked, "Isn't there any more pure?"

Yu Lian pouted and asked in puzzlement, "Didn't Your Majesty always like red? There are very few plain colors in the Ningsu Palace, and besides, today is the Empress Dowager's birthday, and the old man is very concerned about it. The Empress Dowager has to be dressed in red and purple." If it is festive and plain, the queen mother will feel that the empress is cursing her, which is unlucky."

"You have only been in the palace for a short time, how do you know what the queen mother likes, and besides, the queen mother is only 37 years old this year, so she is an old man." Shen Qingyi smiled faintly, got up and searched in the green gauze cupboard by herself, and took out a monthly dress. She wore a white Shu brocade jacket with narrow sleeves and pinched the waist, embroidered with blue rich and noble peonies, and she wore a light pine-colored, high-waisted moon skirt.

While helping Shen Qingyi to dress, Yu Lian said, "There is a concubine here, and there is also a concubine who is pregnant like Concubine Min. The empress dowager is 37 years old, even if she is 30 years old, she must be considered an old man." Slander, in short, regardless of whether it is an old man or not, whoever celebrates his birthday and likes others to attend the banquet in white clothes is not cursing himself. Thinking of this, Yu Lian wished to tear the moon-white outer dress in her hands. To save the queen, the empress must wear this one.

"It's so beautiful!" Yu He just poured out the water from Shen Qing Yijing's hand, and just entered the hall, she sighed like this.

Yulian followed Yuhe's gaze, only to find that the moon-white outer garment was holding silver-white silk threads inside, and each blue peony flower was embroidered with a bowl-sized mouth, blooming prosperously and vigorously, and the silver-white silk threads were used to Wearing it, under the swaying candlelight, it is like rippling water, and the peony shines on the water, which is extremely bright.

Shen Qingyi looked at Yu Lian, and Yu He and the two were stunned, smiled and said, "Things that can enter the Ningsu Palace, how can they be ordinary products. You must know that it is much more difficult to render plain colored clothing than dark colored ones." The most difficult thing is pure white. It is not easy to dye this piece of Shu brocade into moon white. This embroiderer is so ingenious, embroidering such a unique pattern, this material can be bought every few years, but you still think this is Yulian. The outer dress is not good, don't think that this palace didn't see it, if your little trick just now really breaks, I will see what you can pay for it." Shen Qingyi smiled and pointed at Yulian's forehead, and said affectionately.

"Your Majesty didn't stop the servant when she saw her making small moves. Fortunately, the servant grabbed it with her hands. If she used scissors, the servant would not be able to afford the compensation. Your Majesty is deliberately asking the servant to pay back the money." Yu Lian fluttered her peach blossom eyes and said coquettishly.

"Oh, I can't stand you acting like a coquettish and idiotic person. Keep your coquettish attitude to be used by the palace people in other palaces." Shen Qingyi put on her outer clothes and asked Yu He to curl her hair for her. .Yu Lian has a charming face, and now she is a popular first-class court lady in Ningsu Palace, and most of the palace people flatter her.Yu Lian made good use of this resource and got a lot of news for Shen Qingyi, even if there were several rat holes in any palace, Yu Lian knew all about it.It has to be said that Yu Lian's communication skills are beyond the reach of others.

In comparison, Yuhe is much more stable and has quite a reputation in Ningsu Palace. Yuhe has taken over the job of Madam Su to discipline the upper and lower palaces of Ningsu Palace. Ordinary little maids are afraid of her.

Shen Qingyi tidied up and said with satisfaction, "Let's go. I think it's almost time for everyone to arrive." Only then did she raise her hand, but she heard Yu He say, "The servant has gone to call Zhang Yang to serve the empress."

"What? You two won't go?" Shen Qingyi was always served by Yu Lian and Yu He when she went out, and she was used to it, but she didn't know what happened today.

Yu Lian interrupted with a smile, "It's not that the slaves and maidservants are lazy, it's because Zhang Yang is so annoying. He always said that the slaves and maidservants didn't give him a chance to meet the world, but whenever there was a banquet, he didn't even look at it." Just one glance. The slave servant looked at him looking through the autumn water, and simply granted him once."

"To be lazy is to be lazy. I have been pushed around by you, that's all, let Zhang Yang follow." Yu Lian and Yu He have been busy for more than half a month, and they should rest rest.

When it came to Cihui Palace, it was already overcrowded.Shen Qingyi and Li Tianyou stood on both sides of the Empress Dowager, accepting the worship of everyone.

The etiquette of birthdays has not changed for many years. Both the front court and the rear palace will toast in turn according to the official rank.When it was the turn of Duke Yang's mansion, the Empress Dowager saw that only Duke Yang and his wife were sitting at the table, and did not see his son Gu Yiran, so she was slightly displeased and said, "Why didn't the son of Duke Yang come?"

Yang Guogong hurriedly saluted and replied, "Gouzi fell ill on the way. He was worried about being disrespectful in front of the palace, so he went back to the mansion to take medicine. Because he was worried about delaying the Queen Mother's birthday, my husband and I went first, and Gouzi arrived later."

When the queen mother heard that Gu Yiran would attend the banquet, she nodded in satisfaction and continued to accept other family's birthday celebrations.With the lessons learned from the last Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, the concubines and concubines paid their respects to birthdays this time, which made Shen Qingyi a lot quieter.

While pushing and changing cups, Shen Qingyi unknowingly drank a few more cups. Li Tianyou was worried about Shen Qingyi and wanted to send her back to the palace.Shen Qingyi said that the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet would be attended by Li Tianyou and declined.

Shen Qingyi was supported by Zhang Yang out of the Cihui Palace.The cold air of late autumn rushed towards her face, and Shen Qingyi suddenly felt a lot more awake.Far away from the Cihui Palace, the quiet alleyway was empty, and the dim palace lanterns were swaying in the wind. When passing by the Imperial Garden, Shen Qingyi suddenly became interested. A gift for Shen Qingyi on the second day.

"I'm going to go to the hunting garden, you go back first!" At that time, she was so happy, she was wantonly sweating in the hunting garden, but now she can only watch from a distance, maintaining her dignified queen posture.

"It's late at night and it's cold, if the empress is interested, why don't you come back tomorrow?" Zhang Yang asked tentatively.

Shen Qingyi took a deep breath, and sighed, "Tomorrow's scenery will be different from today's. Those beautiful scenery under the moonlight are fleeting, and looking back, they may be mottled." Li Tianyou and her used to be so affectionate, but in the end Throwing her child into the poisonous snake den, whether it is framed by others or provoked by others, if Li Tianyou really loves her, how can he distrust her and believe that the child is not his.

Zhang Yang knew that he couldn't persuade the empress, so he said, "The servant is going to look for Yu Lian, Yu He and the two are preparing a fur coat and a warm sedan chair, and they will pick you up later."

Shen Qingyi nodded silently, and walked towards the hunting garden.

The horses were all taken away, and under the cold moonlight, only a few archery targets in the distance stood alone in the depths of the hunting garden.Shen Qingyi laughed at herself, what is she doing?Can those ten bows and arrows that cut first and play later wipe out the past damage?When he turned to leave, he saw a man in a light blue brocade cloak wandering alone in the hunting garden.

(End of this chapter)