Miao Cuilan smiled and said: "This is the clothes and jewelry that Nanny Ping helped choose, sister Qing, please help me see if it fits!"
"That's very good! It's just right!" Mu Qing smiled, and ordered Nanny Ping to bring the copper hand stove, and the four of them took the maidservant into the carriage and left.
This was the first time for the queen to hold a winter banquet in the palace in so many years, and all the wives brought the girls from their respective mansions with them.
When Lu Xiaoshu's mother, daughter and sisters came to the Hongmei Pavilion, many people had already gathered.
Hearing the deacon and the little eunuch sing and announce the door of the house, everyone couldn't help looking at them. Most eyes fell on Miao Cuilan and Xiaoxue.
Especially Miao Cuilan, everyone wanted to see what kind of wife this Lu Xiang's son married in the countryside.
Seeing Miao Cuilan and Mu Qing chatting and laughing, Xiaoxue's behavior was very decent, and this is the imperial palace, everyone was a little surprised, so they didn't say anything, and a few even came forward to greet them.
Liao Yuanyuan and Mrs. Liao also arrived. Mu Qing saw that she nodded and smiled at Mrs. Liao, and smiled at Miao Cuilan, "Sister Miao, that Mrs. Liao is the most kind, let's go and say hello to her!"
Since entering the palace, Miao Cuilan felt that she had entered a wonderful and dizzy world, everything she saw in her eyes was full of freshness and novelty, and her mind was a little dizzy.
When I came here, I saw so many noble ladies and young girls dressed in extravagant and gorgeous clothes, and saw so many court ladies and eunuchs busily serving them, all of them behaved solemnly, as if that person was rule.
She was beating her heart, and when she heard that Mu Qing was going to take her there to greet someone, she immediately felt a little ashamed, and quickly shook her head and said: "Well, people don't recognize me, so it's really appropriate to go up there for no reason...or , just leave..."
Mu Qing smiled and said: "Just to say hello, it's okay! In fact, I just returned to the capital not long ago, and I don't know these people very well, so let's forget about others. The daughter of Mrs. Liao and Xiaoshu are also The sisters who get along very well!"
Lu Xiaoshu was holding Xiaoxue's arm all the time, waiting to go with the two mothers. Hearing Mu Qing's words, he nodded and smiled and said, "Yes mother, my mother is right! Sister Liao is a very good person. , I am going to greet her with my sister too!"
When Miao Cuilan heard this, she calmed down a little for no reason, looked at Lu Xiaoshu, finally nodded and smiled reluctantly: "Okay, then—go! Really, sister Qing, may I give you a little more time?" Sorry for the trouble..."
"Sister, don't say that! What are you talking about!" Mu Qing hurriedly said with a smile: "My sister is just like me back then, but she is not used to it at all! After a long time, I will get used to it!"
Miao Cuilan smiled, but said in her heart, I am different from you, I will never get used to it. Sure enough, everything in this imperial palace looks good, but why does it make people feel so uncomfortable? It’s not as good as staying at ease in our tofu shop...
Liao Yuanyuan had already been waiting, and when she saw Lu Xiaoshu, she came up to say hello, the three girls said hello to the adults, and went aside to talk.
"Is this your sister? I've heard you talk about it countless times, but I finally met you today!" Liao Yuanyuan looked at Xiaoxue with a smile and asked Lu Xiaoshu.
Xiaoxue felt warm in her heart when she heard her say that, and smiled at Xiaoshu.
Lu Xiaoshu smiled and said: "No, this is my sister! We grew up together since we were young! Sister, this is Liao Yuanyuan, the third daughter of the Liao family. I don't know who is older between you two!"
Xiaoxue met Liao Yuanyuan with a smile, and the two told their ages, but they were the same year, but Xiaoxue was a month older, so Liao Yuanyuan saluted her and followed Lu Xiaoshu to call "Sister!".
Xiaoxue was still a little bit hesitant to take it, so Lu Xiaoshu smiled at her and said, "I'm only a friend of Sister Liao in this capital, Sister Liao is not that kind of person, just don't worry, Sister is!"
The three of them laughed so much that Xiaoxue accepted it and returned the gift.
The three of them just said a few words here, and then they heard a woman laughing and calling "Second Sister!" coming towards this side.
Lu Xiaoshu looked up and saw that it was actually Lu Yiqing, he was startled.
Liao Yuanyuan said in a low voice, "I heard that today's plum feast is organized by the Empress Dowager with the help of the host..."
"That's no wonder!" Lu Xiaoshu sneered slightly.
"Second Sister!" Lu Yiqing approached Lu Xiaoshu while she was speaking, and kissed Lu Xiaoshu with a smile, as if she was a very affectionate sister.
Lu Xiaoshu took a glance at her attire: red brocade was everywhere, gold hundred butterflies wearing flowered trousers, orange red embroidered silk begonias, gold silk and silver thread hem pleated skirt, peony wishful temples, and dazzling red Coral inlaid with treasures and hanging with pearl hairpins, extremely rich and luxurious, as if afraid that people would not know that she has now been raised as the second wife of the young master of the Li family.
"How sooner did Second Sister come? I haven't seen you for a long time. How is Second Sister?" Lu Yiqing said with a smile.
In front of everyone, Lu Xiaoshu couldn't help but ignore her, so he said with a smile: "Not bad! But compared with the third younger sister before she got married, it's very good!"
Lu Yiqing smiled and said: "That's good! By the way, where is the eldest aunt? Today the eldest aunt should come too!"
How could Lu Xiaoshu bother to talk to her hypocritically? He said: "My mother must be chatting with some lady, there are so many people here, I really didn't see where they are at this moment!"
Lu Yiqing gritted her teeth inwardly, and suddenly felt that the smile on her face couldn't hang on.
In fact, she had already seen where Mu Qing was, and knew that Lu Xiaoshu must have seen it too. She just wanted to take advantage of Lu Xiaoshu's advice to take the opportunity to meet Mu Qing, so there was a good reason for that. But who would have thought that Lu Xiaoshu would pretend to be deaf and dumb for her!
"Sister, I'm a little thirsty, let's go over there and have a drink of tea!" Lu Xiaoshu smiled at Xiaoxue and Liao Yuanyuan, calling them to leave.
Liao Yuanyuan nodded to Lu Yiqing and smiled slightly, followed Lu Xiaoshu. Xiaoxue was still a little confused about the situation, didn't understand why Lu Xiaoshu would treat this person like this, she was in a daze, but was dragged away by Lu Xiaoshu.
Lu Yiqing was left standing there alone, which was very embarrassing. For a moment, it seemed that everyone's eyes were on her, pointing fingers.
Lu Yiqing was ashamed, hated and embarrassed, and glanced at Mu Qing who was with all the wives, but she didn't have the courage to go there.
After a while, the queen was surrounded by Concubine Sun Gui, the Crown Princess and other high-ranking concubines in the harem, and everyone hurriedly knelt down to greet her under the guidance of the eunuch in charge.
The queen said "Pingshen" with a smile, and led the crowd into the main hall of the Hongmei Pavilion. She said with a smile in a good mood: "It's all from this palace, isn't it? On a whim, I passed on the ladies to come to accompany the flowers. It can be said After all, there is nothing rare about plum blossoms, but this palace is just looking for something lively in the dull winter! All the ladies don’t know how to complain about this palace’s busyness!”
All the wives laughed and flattered, they all said that they were bored at home, it was a great honor to have this opportunity to serve the Empress, it was a blessing that no one could ask for, how could they complain
The joking room was already inside, and the queen sat up dignifiedly, and then ordered the people below to sit down on both sides.
There is floor heating in the hall, and the room is as warm as spring, and the green smoke from the incense burner rises and fills the air, filling the room with an elegant fragrance, which is refreshing.
At each banquet, there is a small flower vase or vase, which enshrines the red plums in full bloom. In the open space in the corner of the hall, there are huge blue and white vats with a height of half a person, in which are transplanted plum trees in full bloom, red as rouge, gorgeous as clouds, and the fragrance wafts out, blending with the fragrance from the elegant incense burner , not only does not feel turbid, but forms a special sweet fragrance, which is refreshing.
A court lady gently opened the rows of windows directly opposite the queen, and the hall suddenly lit up, but they didn't feel the cold, and everyone couldn't help but look over. There was a flash in his eyes as soon as he entered his eyes, and a large area of Merlin not far away came into view.
It turns out that behind the wooden row of windows is a layer of windows inlaid with Western glass, which gives a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery in the plum forest.
Everyone unconsciously praised such a luxurious and refined idea.
The Queen smiled and said, "The Red Plum Pavilion was originally specially built for the purpose of appreciating plum blossoms, but after so many years, this is the first time I have come here! Who knows, it's not bad!"
Concubine Sun said with a smile: "Thanks to the queen's sister, the concubines have to see and see for themselves today! It's the first time for the concubines to come here. This is the place the emperor specially built for the queen's sister!"
Everyone suddenly realized, and compliments on the empress' love were all over the sky, and it was very lively.
The empress is naturally useful, and the smile on her face deepened, but she took a look at Sun Guifei and said with a smile: "Look at what my sister said! All the sisters can go to the place in the palace, how can you say yes?" It was specially built for this palace! If this palace knew, I would have called you here long ago, and it is in vain to call such a good place lonely for so many years!"
"Then how can it be possible! This is a place specially built by the emperor for the queen's sister. You have to come to the sisters first to be justified, and it's good to have your blessing!"
All the concubines laughed and made fun of it, and all the wives also complimented endlessly.
Lu Xiaoshu couldn't help but secretly stunned, thinking: What a harmonious harem, I don't know how sincere it is.
Since it is a plum blossom feast, it is inevitable to talk about plum blossoms, and it is inevitable to make plum blossom poems.
"I haven't seen plum blossoms blooming so well in a long time! It's the first one this year! Ladies from all prefectures, don't be modest. This green plum blossom inlaid with eight treasures inlaid with Ruyi and dotted with red gold is today's Bu Yao. The lottery, whoever wins the first prize, this Bu Yao will be his!"
As the queen said, she signaled the female officer beside her to treat everyone with Bu Yao as a reward.
I saw that the hairpin was about four inches long, with a red gold hairpin body, a cluster of plum blossoms inlaid with emerald greens from the head of the hairpin, surrounded by a golden placenta, surrounded by twine patterns, embellished with red sapphires and pearls, and several strings of gold in different lengths. Tassels hang down from the head of the hairpin, and in the middle and at the end are emeralds or pomegranate rubies in the shape of little finger-sized raindrops, which are lustrous and dazzling.
Not to mention the invaluable price, it is such an honor bestowed by the empress, which cannot be bought even with money!
All the girls' eyes became hot all of a sudden, and their eyes brightened.