After several snowfalls in succession, New Year's Eve finally arrived.
It didn't snow on New Year's Eve, and the palace banquet was held as scheduled at noon.
According to the usual practice, for this palace banquet, courtiers of the fifth rank and above and family members with imperial orders can participate.
The sound of silk and bamboo in the hall was very lively, and the dancers were dancing all kinds of dances. Yun Shang sat beside Luo Qingyan, dressed in bright palace attire, with a faint smile on her face.
"Mother, I want to eat candied haws." Sitting beside Yun Shang, Chengye raised his eyes to look at Yun Shang.
Yun Chang lowered her head and smiled at Chengye: "I don't have candied haws, but I do have hawthorn cake, which is also sweet and sour. It's very delicious. Do you want to try it?"
Chengye blinked and blinked: "Well, since mother said it was delicious, it must be delicious."
Yun Shang laughed, and raised her eyes to look at Peilan. Peilan quickly took out a plate of hawthorn cakes from the food box she had been carrying, and placed it in front of Chengye.
Chengye broke off a piece and put it in his mouth, his brows furrowed, but quickly relaxed, his face stained with surprise: "It really is delicious."
The smile in Yunshang's eyes grew stronger, he only reached out to touch Chengye's head, and then raised his eyes to look at the singing and dancing in the hall.
"Mother..."
After a while, Chengye spoke again.
"Huh? What's the matter?" Yun Chang asked quickly.
Chengye waved towards Yunshang, motioning for Yunshang to get closer.
Yun Chang looked at his mysterious appearance and was curious, so she leaned on him and got closer.
"Mother, I saw someone in the palace looking at you all the time."
"Huh?" Yun Shang raised her eyebrows, a little surprised: "Who?"
"It's the one sitting next to the pillar behind the father's side..."
Chengye doesn't know how to count well yet, and he can't express it clearly.
Yun Shang sat up straight, and swept towards Luo Qingyan's side, the courtier sitting against the pillar.
Yun Chang's eyes fell on the person next to the third pillar, and he narrowed his eyes slightly, Cao Han.
The singing and dancing in the hall was in full swing, but when Yun Shang looked towards Cao Han, he saw Cao Han looking away in a panic.
"He doesn't look at mother anymore." Chengye's eyes sparkled.
Yun Chang withdrew her gaze, tapped lightly on the armrest of the chair with her fingers, then turned around and beckoned for a drink, whispering something.
Qian Zhuo responded, and lowered her eyes.
Halfway through the palace banquet, Luo Qingyan made it easy for Yunshang to leave together, leaving the courtiers to revel separately.
Yun Chang returned to the apse, but circled around from the apse again, and went around to the side hall next to the meeting hall.
After a while, Qianzhuo brought Cao Han in.
"My minister pays homage to the empress..."
"Get up." Yun Shang fumbled for the embroidery pattern on the embroidered handkerchief: "You have been looking at me in the hall just now, but what's the matter?"
When Cao Han heard the words, he fell to his knees again with a plop: "I have no intention of offending my empress, but I do have something to report to my empress."
"Oh?" Yun Chang laughed: "Tell me, what is it that makes you lose your mind? Aren't you afraid that your aunt will find something wrong?"
Cao Han gritted his teeth: "The fire on the day of the enthronement ceremony was caused by my aunt, and those rumors were spread by my aunt and other people."
"Bengong guessed it." Yun Shang looked a little casual: "I don't have evidence for this matter, and I can't really convict him. Is there anything else?"
"The last time I saw my mother, I told my mother that my aunt has taken a fancy to the seventh son of Washington, and wants to betroth my niece to the seventh son..."
"There is such a stubble, what's the matter? What happened to this matter?"
"It's not an accident, Wei Chen feels that it's more appropriate to use the word progress." Cao Han's voice sank: "Some time ago, my aunt secretly sent someone to inquire into the Seventh Prince of Washington and several other close friends. Hunting in the woods outside the city, so I asked my niece to dress up properly, went to the woods, pretended that her carriage broke down, and had a chance encounter with the seventh son."
"Oh?" Yunshang squinted her eyes, but she laughed, her smile was full of playfulness: "Your aunt is an interesting person, knowing that it would be a bit abrupt to ask for a marriage if you rush to the door, so I came up with such an idea If the two of them fell in love with each other, the matter would be a matter of course. Although Cao's mansion is not comparable to Hua's mansion, it can be regarded as the best among Jincheng families, and the two families are worthy of it. If the inside story is unknown , the Washington side will probably agree."
"That's right." Cao Han nodded: "I don't know what the Seventh Young Master of Washington thinks, but I just heard what my niece said to my aunt later, the Seventh Young Master should have some feelings for my niece. I like it. My aunt said that since this matter has a good beginning, the rest of the matter will be much easier. Make more chance encounters, so that the seventh son believes that there is a destiny in the dark, and that he and I The niece is destined."
"Fate?" Yun Chang lowered her eyes and laughed: "It's really, it's the fate I worked so hard to get."
After Cao Han reported the matter, he just stood aside and didn't make a sound.
Yun Shang raised her eyes and looked at Cao Han: "Okay, I know about this matter, do you have other things to report?"
Cao Han shook his head, but his expression was a bit hesitant, and he never said that he would resign.
Yun Shang narrowed her eyes: "Just tell me if you have something to do, I don't like your deviousness."
Cao Han stood there for a long time before he finally opened his mouth: "This year's performance appraisal is about to start. My aunt asked my second uncle to spend tens of thousands of taels of silver to open up some joints in the court. She wants to buy some excellent grades for my elder brother." , when the time comes, it will be good for promotion... My eldest brother is already from the third rank, if he is promoted again, he will be at least the third rank. In that case, the position of the head of the family... "
The corners of Yunshang's mouth turned up, and she looked at Cao Han with a half-smile: "You have the determination to win the position of Patriarch, and you are always watching."
Cao Han smiled, with embarrassment in his smile.
"Don't worry, Ben Gong said that the position of Patriarch is yours, so it will definitely be yours, and you won't be able to escape."
Cao Han was overjoyed, and hurriedly bowed to Yunshang: "Thank you, Empress, if this humble minister can win the position of the Patriarch of the Cao family, he will definitely work for the empress and His Majesty wholeheartedly, and guarantee that the Cao family will continue to work for you in the future." I will definitely not do anything that harms the interests of Your Majesty and Your Majesty, and I will never betray you."
Yun Shang narrowed her eyes and looked at Cao Han: "I remember these words. I have always liked loyal people, and what I hate the most is betrayal. If you betray, I will definitely let the whole Cao The government will be buried with you!"