The Biography of Concubine Wen Xi in Qing Palace

Chapter 71 New Year ([-])

The next day the concubines went to the Ciren Palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, because of the earlier instructions from the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, everyone was very tight-lipped, and no one dared to talk about the miscarriage of the nobleman.

The queen mother saw that the new concubines who entered the palace were bright and charming, and each presented a Buddhist scripture copied by herself and a string of beeswax beads as a token of her compassion.

A few days later, the Spring Festival came, and the emperor held a banquet in the Qianqing Palace. This was the first time for a new concubine to celebrate the New Year in the Forbidden City. Everyone was delighted and curious.

The New Year's Eve ceremony was handled by the Queen herself. She rushed to Qianqing Palace early in the morning, wearing a crimson red gold and silver double-patterned phoenix cloak. People before and after were busy arranging arrangements for singing and dancing and approving dishes. The concubines in the palace looked at her and gave pointers on the main seat. In the universe, the scenery is infinite.

Later, only when the emperor served the empress dowager and the empress dowager joined the banquet, the empress raised her hand, Kang Fushou waved the whip in his hand, shouted the word 'Xing' loudly, and started the banquet.

During the banquet, the concubines and concubines who had just entered the palace took turns to toast to the empress, and the empress dowager and the empress dowager had no time to spare, busy chatting with the concubines about household matters.

Concubine Hui drank a few more cups, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she said after resigning from the emperor that she wanted to go out and enjoy the cool breeze to sober up. The Empress Dowager laughed at her for losing the face of a Mongolian woman, and let her go with a flick of her sleeve.

It was originally a scene of a harmonious family banquet, but Wanyu sat alone in the banquet, seeming out of place with the crowd.

It was the Queen Mother who said: "Wan promised to look unwell today, but she is not feeling well?"

Wan Yu hurriedly came back to her senses, and answered the Queen Mother's words in a serious voice, only saying that she was fine.

The Empress Dowager nodded and said: "Then let's toast to the Empress, I'll just sit alone and waste my tender years."

Wan Lai raised a glass of wine and got up to walk towards the Empress, bowing respectfully: "The concubine wishes the Emperor and Empress good health, and the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager have a long life." After saying this, she drank the full jade cup and looked at the emperor. He said distressedly: "This wine is quite strong, Wan'er slow down, it will hurt your body carefully."

Wan Lai smiled faintly, added new wine to the spruce, and bowed again: "The concubine entered the palace and was favored by the emperor, and the empress took care of her. I am very grateful. Please the emperor and the empress have another drink."

The queen straightened the emerald cloud hairpin on her bun, raised her glass to take a sip, and said, "Wanna promises to have a heart, I am too weak to drink, so I can only take a sip to show your intention."

The emperor filled his cup with a smile, and said softly, "I will go to Chengqian Palace to see you tonight."

During the new year, the emperor needs to stay in the queen's palace, so grandiosely naming Wan Lai's name in front of everyone, the queen will not be able to hold back.

But she couldn't get angry because of her face, so she looked sad, and picked up the wine glass that she had only taken a sip of, and drank it all by herself.

The Empress Dowager was slightly displeased, remembering that when the late Emperor was here, he only favored Concubine Dong E and neglected her as the main palace for many years, every new year or when the moon was full, the days when she should have stayed in Kunning Palace went to Concubine Dong E without exception. In the harem, she was ridiculed by others.

Looking at the emperor now, he looks a bit like the former emperor. Naturally, seeing the present and thinking about the past, the smile on his face faded a little, and he looked at the emperor and said: "The Ai family has only been away from the palace for half a year, and now the emperor has more people serving him." Well, the Ai family sees that it is not as good as it used to be. The empress is in the middle palace, and it is unreasonable to stay at the concubine's place during the new year."

Wanyu saw what the Empress Dowager was thinking, before the emperor could reply, she hurriedly said: "The emperor is just joking with his concubines, the emperor and the empress are in harmony with each other, and the concubines are so envious, how can that be?"

The Empress Dowager raised her voice and said 'oh', she picked up a piece of crispy brocade goose meat in front of her, and said flatly, "The Ai family is talking to the emperor, what are you talking about?"

The emperor glanced at Wannao who looked embarrassed, quickly changed the subject, pointed to the 'quail stewed with ham' on the table, and said to the queen mother with a smile: "Mother, please try this, my son remembers eating it in your palace when he was young." However, it is not as good as it used to be when the imperial chef cooks it again, it is because a new chef was promoted in Mongolia a few days ago, and this makes it the hometown flavor of Huang Erniang."

It is also unlucky to have a tense scene during the new year. The empress dowager who has not spoken for a long time asked Su Ma Lagu to personally serve a bowl and put it in front of the empress dowager.

The queen mother just poured a tablespoon into the mouth, nodded intently and said 'excellent'.

The emperor took advantage of the situation and raised his eyes to wink at Wanyu, and then she retreated back to her seat and sat down.

Seeing her take a seat, Rong Yue put down the bowl and chopsticks and whispered to her ear: "After all, the queen mother is not the emperor's biological mother, so she naturally pays more attention to the court rules. The left and right emperors protect you, so don't take it to heart."

Wannai just shook her head.

Why does she care about these?
Although the emperor's handling of Mrs. An's miscarriage hurt her heart, but during these days when the embargo was lifted, the emperor either sent her to serve her bed for three out of five days, or went to Chengqian Palace to visit her. time no difference.

Presumably, as the eldest sister said, the emperor has his own helplessness, and he prays less in his own heart, so that he can live a more peaceful and comfortable life.

She was thinking secretly, but when she heard the sound of the orchestra outside the hall suddenly stop, everyone stopped the sound of bowls and chopsticks and gossip, and turned their eyes to the door.

The queen was puzzled, and just about to order Kang Fushou to check what was going on, when she heard Mongolian music being played outside the house, and another group of dancers in Mongolian costumes entered and danced Mongolian dances.

This scene made the Queen Mother and the Empress Dowager's eyes light up, and the Queen Mother praised: "The queen's arrangement is really novel. The Ai family and the Empress Dowager have entered the palace for dozens of years. It has been a long time since I saw such an orthodox mother dance. .”

The empress smiled awkwardly, but she was also confused, she didn't know anything about dancing skills, and the maikos in the palace were only good at Manchu dances, when did she arrange this Mongolian dance?

Seeing all the dancers dancing together, they suddenly dispersed after a few laps, only to see that the person standing among them was Concubine Hui!
All the concubines in the house were amazed, Wannai glanced at her, dressed in a wine red Mongolian auspicious dance dress with splashed ink and auspicious clouds, dressed in Mongolian women's attire, and danced in a variety of styles.

She has a slender and graceful figure, is weak and boneless, and the way she lowers her waist is even more accessible, which is amazing.

Wan Yu gradually shifted her eyes to the emperor on the high seat, seeing him staring intently, with a slight smile at the corner of her mouth, as if she was fascinated by it.

When the dance was on the rise, Concubine Hui stepped forward and hung the red dragon pattern cloud brocade satin around the emperor's neck.

The necks of the two were wrapped with a piece of satin, Concubine Hui looked charming, her fingernails lightly scratched the emperor's cheek and smiled.

When the emperor stretched out his hand to grab her, he leaped off the high stage lightly, dancing even more beautifully.

The queen's face became gloomy, she frowned and glared at Concubine Hui, but she was afraid of being noticed by others, so she had to put on a dignified and virtuous look and smiled embarrassingly.

(End of this chapter)