In a blink of an eye, it was New Year's Eve. On New Year's Eve, the emperor usually held a banquet, and invited his close courtiers to drink and have fun together, saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. The Empress Dowager is surrounded by many concubines and wives who are happy.
Everyone gathered around the Empress Dowager Yang, juggling and saying nice things, laughing, and punching out endlessly, which was extremely lively.
However, amid the excitement, there was a little discord within the Yang family. Although Empress Yang listened with a smile, her face was stiff and she did not look in the direction of Empress Dowager Yang. And Yang Yan sitting next to Queen Yang is even more obvious, her face is cold.
Cheng Yujin wandered among the crowd, smiling as a wallflower, but her eyes kept silent for a moment, quietly observing the people around her. The difference between Empress Yang and Yang Yan fell into Cheng Yujin's eyes early, not only that, but she also found that Dou Xiyin was not here today.
Strange, Dou Xiyin can't wait to treat the palace as her own home. In the past, whenever there was an occasion to show her face, she would definitely dress up to attend, but this time, with such an important opportunity to accompany Empress Dowager Yang for the New Year, all kinds of princesses and princesses gathered together with their daughters, Dou Xiyin but not there.
Cheng Yujin smiled without saying a word, and watched leisurely without speaking.
Cheng Yujin noticed that Empress Dowager Yang had looked at several young ladies, and Empress Yang was sitting on the side, unable to speak. Looking at her face, she was not happy.
In fact, for Cheng Yujin and Li Chengjing, it is in their best interest for the second prince to marry Dou Xiyin. There is no difference between Dou Xiyin's surname Dou or Yang's surname. It is not beautiful to allow the second prince to add a powerful foreign relative.
Cheng Yujin pretended to have found nothing, and still smiled and flattered the audience.
In the evening, many ladies said goodbye. Those who can accompany the emperor and the empress dowager to attend the royal family's own New Year's Eve banquet are all big celebrities, and they can be used for a year in any family. Usually, Yang Yan's mother and daughter were left behind by the scenery, but this year, before the banquet was held, Yang Yan left the palace with a sullen face.
After she left, Cheng Yujin, who had been listening quietly to the Queen Mother Yang, silently glanced in Yang Yan's direction. Then Cheng Yujin looked back, as if nothing had happened.
The New Year's Eve banquet is also divided into inside and outside. The men's and women's seats are displayed in two halls. There are corridors between the palaces. In the square in the middle, a stage was set up, and the singing and dancing kept going.
After all, Empress Dowager Yang was too old and couldn't stand it. She showed her face at the New Year's Eve banquet, and was supported by her mother to go back to the Cining Palace to rest. After Empress Dowager Yang left, Empress Yang and Cheng Yujin took the throne. However, what kind of fun can women have when they watch singing and dancing, Cheng Yujin and Empress Yang seldom talked to each other. The queen and crown princess above are like this, and the people below don't dare to make trouble.
Compared to the women's place, the man's hall was much more lively, with laughter and applause from time to time. The banquet lasted until the moment of the arrival of the New Year, which took a very long time. In the later period, the female family members found excuses to leave and go outside to breathe.
Cheng Yujin was very patient and sat firmly for a long time, until Queen Yang also left to change her clothes, and she took the maid to the apse to relax for a while. Forsythia followed behind Cheng Yujin and admired it very much. Don't look at sitting in the main hall, it's actually not as easy as standing, because you have to keep sitting upright and smiling all the time. Forsythia is tired just looking at it, and the Crown Princess persisted for two hours almost motionless. This concentration, just thinking about it makes me feel in awe.
Cheng Yujin was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief in the apse, but even if there was no one around, Cheng Yujin never showed a loose posture, and maintaining her manners had become routine for her.
Forsythia brought out sobering soup to Cheng Yujin and said, "Prince Concubine, do you need a servant to beat your waist?"
Cheng Yujin shook her head: "No need. When I came out just now, I saw that some eunuchs had already moved out fireworks, and they must be setting off fireworks soon. I'll just take a rest here. If my clothes are wrinkled, it's not good. "
Forsythia should be. Cheng Yujin drank the sobering soup and two cups of tea to refresh herself, feeling that her chaotic brain was gradually sobering up, so she got up and walked out. The palace was already very lively at this moment, the eunuchs were busy moving guns and setting off fireworks, the juggling group showed their magic in the open space, and the fence was full of palace maids watching the excitement, pointing excitedly at the square. Looking straight ahead, the bright candles have been lit there, reflecting the bright yellow tents around it as if it were daylight, and the sides were crowded with people.
Presumably, the imperial driver had already moved out of the main hall and moved it outside. It's not even the New Year, and firecrackers can't be set off yet, but the smart little eunuch set off fireworks sticks and dashed up and down to make the master happy.
The ladies were also gathered in a pile at the moment, their clothes were fragrant and their temples were full of pearls.
Cheng Yujin approached, and the palace concubines all backed away to say hello to Cheng Yujin. Cheng Yujin nodded lightly at them, and spoke to everyone with a smile. It was late at night, the wind was dry and cold, the night was surprisingly dark, and the air was filled with the unique smell of fire, which reminded people of the Chinese New Year.
Cheng Yujin was a little ecstatic in this atmosphere. She remembered that at this time last year, she was still in Yichun Hou's mansion, and she was full of excitement and lack of interest. Who would have known that a year later, not only did she get married, but she was still celebrating the New Year in the Forbidden City.
Cheng Yujin looked up and looked in the other direction, just to see Li Chengjing standing beside the emperor, staring at her.
At this moment, a huge sound of firecrackers suddenly sounded outside, and the fireworks in all corners were lit together. Cheng Yujin was startled, and naturally raised her head to look at the sky. At the same time, the sky outside the palace also lit up, and bursts of colorful light flashed.
Time does not discriminate, and at this moment, a new era has come to the land of Kyushu at the same time.
Cheng Yujin moved in her heart, and immediately turned to look at Li Chengjing, and found that there was no one in that position. At this moment, everyone was looking up at the sky, and the sound of crackling firecrackers was deafening. Cheng Yujin quietly retreated to the back, turned around and walked out quickly.
She was just halfway there when she met Li Chengjing on the way. Unconsciously, she smiled and ran two steps towards Li Chengjing. Li Chengjing also opened his hand and caught her firmly.
Cheng Yujin was wearing a red auspicious robe and a snow-white cloak today, standing there like a red plum in the snow, extremely beautiful. Cheng Yujin jumped into Li Chengjing's arms, and the cloak almost glowed in the night: "Happy New Year, Your Highness."
Li Chengjing also smiled and embraced her with the cloak in his arms: "You too. Happy New Year."
"Am I the first to congratulate you?"
"Yes." Li Chengjing's voice sounded in her ear, with a low smile, "I only hope that you will be the first every year."
At this time, Cheng Yujin didn't rationally analyze the possibility with him, nor did he avoid it, but also hugged him back: "Yes."
After the New Year, fireworks are set off in joy everywhere in the palace. Everyone sees it, whether they recognize it or not, whether they are dirty or not, they all bow their hands in congratulations. The emperor was very relieved to see this. He looked in front of the steps of Qianqing Palace for half an hour, then his energy was low and he went back to the palace to rest.
After the emperor left, the other princes, princes, and courtiers dared to leave, and the concubines also returned to the palace in twos and threes. Li Chengjing sent the emperor away, and had no intention of wasting time outside. After a few waves of people who came to celebrate the New Year with him at will, he walked quickly to the gate of the palace.
When he saw the snow-white figure in the night, Li Chengjing found himself relieved: "Why didn't you leave?"
Cheng Yujin turned around when she heard the sound, she was still holding a palace lantern in her hand, and the red dress on her body was illuminated more and more warmly: "I'm waiting for Your Highness."
Li Chengjing naturally held her hand, took the lamp in her hand, and circled her hand as soon as his palm turned. Cheng Yujin smiled and asked, "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
Li Chengjing lowered his eyes to look at her, and the light illuminated his eyes with a smile and sparkle: "Okay, now you and the lamp are mine."
It is reasonable for the two to return to the palace to have their own chariots, but today Li Chengjing is reluctant to let go of Cheng Yujin's hand. He remembered that on the day of the big wedding banquet, Cheng Yujin went back without waiting for him after the banquet. Today, he is willing to stay outside and wait for him, which is really a big improvement for Li Chengjing.
Li Chengjing didn't want the third person to come up to make trouble, so he sent the palace servants away. He took Cheng Yujin's hand and walked slowly in the Forbidden City on the first day of the new year. At this time, the fireworks had almost been set off, and there were only bursts of noises in front of the Qianqing Palace Square.
The air is filled with the coldness of the late night and the smell of fresh nicotine, and there is a strange feeling of home. Although the night wind is as cold as a knife, it is not annoying.
Neither of the two said a word, enjoying the rare quietness and warmth. Li Chengjing walked for a while, and suddenly said, "Yujin, do you think our future children will be like you or me?"
Cheng Yujin was surprised, and then laughed dumbly: "Your Highness, why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
"Because this is the first New Year I spent with my family, I naturally think of my child." Li Chengjing said plainly, but Cheng Yujin suddenly felt distressed. She squeezed Li Chengjing's hand and said, "I like one the most among all numbers, because one has two, and there will be many more."
Li Chengjing let out a chuckle, the laughter was clear and pleasant in the night wind, more intoxicating than the old wine at the banquet. Cheng Yujin felt a little hot on her face, while Li Chengjing held her hand and thought about the future seriously: "If you want me to say, if it's a boy, it's better to be like you, if it's a girl, it's better to be more like you. "
Cheng Yujin was curious and turned to look at him: "Why?"
"When a boy gets a wife, no matter who he is like, he will not be bad. But girls always want to get married, so it's better to be more like you, so that I don't have to worry about her being cheated by men in the future."
Cheng Yujin raised her eyebrows and looked at Li Chengjing with a half-smiling smile: "Your Highness, what you said is not authentic. You can just praise yourself. Why do you still step on me?"
Li Chengjing couldn't help laughing. Although he usually smiles lightly, he rarely laughs like this: "You silly girl, I'm complimenting you."
Cheng Yujin glared at him with a smile and said, "Then I really thank your Highness."
The two held hands like this and slowly walked back to the Ciqing Palace. At this moment, the top and bottom of the Ciqing Palace are all dressed up in the yard, with smiles on their faces. After seeing Li Chengjing and Cheng Yujin, they saluted: "Greetings to the crown prince and crown princess. The crown prince and crown prince will be happy in the new year, and Wanfu will return to Thailand."
These voices were joyful and loud, Cheng Yujin couldn't help but smile when she heard it, and Li Chengjing rarely smiled, saying, "You have done a good job in serving the Crown Princess, and everyone will be rewarded with three months' salary."
The palace maids and eunuchs were happier when they heard it, and said auspicious words more and more vigorously. Cheng Yujin walked back to the inner hall in the joy of the yard. She watched the fireworks in front of the square for a long time, and she smelled of saltpeter all over her body. There is hot water in the clean room all day, so she went to take a simple shower and changed, changed into a new middle coat, and then slowly walked outside.
The inner hall was filled with red shadows, and the lanterns outside illuminated the window grilles bright red. Cheng Yujin didn't see anyone in the inner hall.
Li Chengjing was sitting behind the screen, and when he saw her, he naturally took the hair from her hand. But today, instead of twisting her hair as usual, he clenched the handkerchief tightly, sucked the water from the ends of her hair with the handkerchief, then threw it aside and hugged her horizontally.
Cheng Yujin was caught off guard and subconsciously grabbed his shoulder. "Your Highness, what are you doing?"
Li Chengjing took her and strode towards the bed tent: "Naturally, it is a major event that is conducive to the inheritance of the country and the sacrifice of the ancestral temple."
Cheng Yujin was very helpless when she heard that. Her cheeks were flushed, and she put one hand on his shoulder, not knowing whether to push it away or down: "Why are you doing this suddenly? Tomorrow Yuanri, there will be a big congratulations."
"I know." Li Chengjing put her on the big red brocade quilt and supported her on the side of her neck with a smile, "Because of this, we have to step up. This is a major event related to the stability of the country, and it has been urged several times outside. , If you don't get pregnant again, how can I save face?"
Cheng Yujin bit her lip, endured and endured, but still couldn't hold back her ears turning red: "You are just... You said such a thing, and you even looked like you were going to the court."
Li Chengjing raised his eyebrows: "Why not? Is your neck red like you?"
Cheng Yujin glared at him angrily, and immediately reached out to cover her neck. Li Chengjing easily intercepted her hand and pressed it on the quilt: "Dear, this is my duty, cooperate tonight."