Seeing his embarrassed look, Mrs. Cao said enthusiastically: "Oh, you are still blushing. There is probably someone hiding in your heart. Hurry up and tell your great-aunt, whose daughter you have fallen in love with?"
Zhao Yue said uneasily: "Uncle and grandma, don't make blind guesses. It's nothing."
Mrs. Cao didn't believe it and said in a tone like someone who had experienced it before: "I'm sorry. Your majestic prince, if you fall in love with a girl from a certain family, are you afraid that she won't respond?"
Zhao Yue: "..."
Mrs. Cao seemed to have remembered something. She suddenly slapped her thigh and said seriously: "Don't be like your grandfather, the bastard who snatched your nephew's daughter-in-law and brought her into the palace to be your concubine instead of doing human affairs."
Zhao Yue covered her face silently.
The eldest princess of Yongning, Zhao Ruyi, said: "My good aunt, you are so old and confused. Why are you mentioning old things from the past?"
Mrs. Cao: "I am here to remind my grandnephew not to imitate your father's disregard for ethics and do all ridiculous things."
Princess Yongning was speechless.
Mrs. Cao looked at Zhao Yue and said: "Erlang, your grandfather is a great man. Back then, our Daliang army relied on him to conquer the country and the country to achieve peace and prosperity today. That guy has been like an old gangster all his life. If you teach ridiculous things to him since you were young, you will be very promising, but don't imitate his absurdities in the future."
Zhao Yue nodded and said: "My great-uncles taught me well, and my great-nephews have all memorized it."
Yongning didn't want to hear her fault about Emperor Wu, so he changed the topic and said, "I heard that Pingyang arranged "Pipa Ji", which is my aunt's favorite. You old man, don't miss it later."
This topic really aroused Mrs. Cao's interest.
Yongning winked at Zhao Yue quickly, and he slipped away quietly, fearing that the old man would pester him with questions again.
There are several members of the Zhao family's royal clan, and they are prosperous, so it's quite a lot to gather together.
People gather together to chat about daily life.
What Mrs. Cao said before actually worried Empress Ma, because it was really hard to describe what Emperor Wu did in his life, and Zhao Yue was raised in his hands when he was a child, and she was afraid that the top beam was not straight and the bottom beam was crooked.
It should be said that Emperor Wu was originally not qualified to ascend the throne. At that time, Emperor Huiwen only gave birth to three daughters, and there were no sons to continue the incense, so at the suggestion of the courtiers, he carefully selected from another room in the Zhao family and chose the one. Emperor Wu adopted him and raised him under the knee of Emperor Huiwen.
Emperor Wu was arrogant, warlike, and intelligent. After ascending to the throne, he conquered many lost territories from east to west, and his military exploits were outstanding.
He has experienced dozens of battles, large and small, in his life, and he acted decisively and resolutely.
For such a bellicose and unruly person, you naturally cannot look at him with ordinary people's eyes. That's why he could steal his nephew's wife and bring her into the palace to be his mistress.
Not only that, he could break through the worldly vision and marry the Yan family's mother and son into the palace, change the country's surname from Prince Tuoyou Pingqing to Zhao, abandon blood prejudice and elevate him to a prince.
It is extremely rare for a person with a foreign surname who does not have royal bloodline to be eligible to be included in the royal jade certificate and family tree.
What's more, after discovering that his two sons were blocking his chosen heir, he immediately killed them mercilessly, using extremely cruel methods.
Zhao Yue was raised under such a decisive and murderous grandfather, so she would be infected with some of his habits. Fortunately, Chen Ping restrained and guided her, otherwise Queen Ma would not even be able to sleep.
Fortunately, it seems that Zhao Yue is not crooked at present, at least not on the surface. As for what is going on in the bones, it is unknown.
Mrs. Cao's beating just now was not out of place, she was just afraid that he was a madman like his grandfather and ignored ethics.
Such a person is extremely terrifying, not to mention an emperor who holds the power of life and death.
Fortunately, Zhao Yue is still relatively shameless at the moment and has not snatched his uncle's wife into the East Palace to be his wife, otherwise his father would definitely be so angry that he would not even be the Supreme Emperor.
Everyone was chatting and laughing in the Yuqiong Garden. Zhao Yue usually did not like to join in the fun and retreated to the verandah to hide, but his eyes occasionally glanced at a certain place.
The women gathered together to chat, all in bloom, waving their fans and smiling.
His ears were so sharp that he faintly heard his aunt asking Cui to play leaf cards.
Secretly looking away, Zhao Yue's heart felt a little ups and downs. He had asked people to secretly check the situation of Xing'anfang Courtyard.
An ordinary woman would be haggard and anxious after being humiliated like this. However, Ms. Cui showed no signs of depression at all. Her whole body seemed to be covered with a diamond shield, invulnerable to all poisons.
The last time she came to the palace to be persuaded by her mother, she was generous and did not complain or show any grievances. She was decent and respectable from beginning to end.
The same is true today.
You must know that her marriage to Prince Qing was a sensation back then, and now that there are rumors of a divorce, it is inevitable that she will be criticized. Today, there are many women talking behind the scenes at the Spring Banquet, and he is aware of it.
Thinking of this, Zhao Yue took another sneaky glance at the girl, and was a little unsure of what she was thinking about the relationship between her and Prince Qing. After all, in a situation like hers, it was indeed the last resort to reconcile.
Just when he was thinking about it secretly, a servant came to announce that the banquet was ready.
People left in twos and threes.
During the banquet, men and women ate separately, with the female relatives at the Ruyi Pavilion and the male guests at the Peony Terrace.
There are three tables for female guests. Cui Wenxi's table is hosted by Pingyang, and the other two tables are hosted by Princess Yongning and another senior wife.
Fifteen people were seated at the large long dining table. Pingyang was the host, sitting at the top, and the other guests were seated in the back rows according to the left and right ranks. The distinction between superior and inferior was strict.
Most of the royal family members were arranged at the other two tables. This table was dominated by the nobles and daughters of the aristocratic families, because Pingyang wanted to see which family's daughter could attract the prince's attention.
Prince Qing was of high rank, so Cui Wenxi naturally sat at the first place among the guests. Opposite her was the wife of Duke Xuanguo.
Pingyang exchanged a few pleasantries with them, and the maid began to pass the dishes. The first thing they brought out were four cold appetizers, namely braised goose platter, cold fern salad, fungus and assorted dishes.
Four cold dishes were served on jasper porcelain plates, carefully arranged and in very small portions.
The guests will move their chopsticks only after the host moves them. The maid prepares the dishes for Pingyang. She takes a small bite of the fern moss to start the meal.
Cui Wenxi knew that her chef's braised food was excellent, so she recommended the foie gras in the braised goose platter across from Mrs. Liu, the wife of Duke Xuan Guo across the street.
Ms. Liu tasted a slice with great interest and found it very good. She couldn't help but ask how to make it.
Pingyang explained patiently, and then joked: "It seems that the Fourth Emperor Auntie knows the inside and outside of my family very well."
These words made everyone laugh.
Cui Wenxi smiled and said: "I will wait on an empty stomach to accompany your main course with wine."
Everyone laughed again, and she made the atmosphere more lively.
The noble ladies were a little restrained just now, but now they are more relaxed and use their chopsticks to taste the cold dishes on the table.
Pingyang observed them calmly, joking with the women from time to time.
After the cold cuts, the main dishes were presented later, including pot-roasted sea cucumber, braised bird's nest, Buddha jumping over the wall and roasted deer tendon.
Also presented was Huiquan spring wine.
Those who are not good at drinking can try sweet-scented osmanthus brew.
Pingyang is good at drinking, and he was so happy today that he took Cui Wenxi to have a drink with her.
Fang Ling was afraid that her mistress would get drunk after drinking on an empty stomach, so she quickly moved the fist-sized stew pot over, which contained half a cup of stewed bird's nest, so that she could rest her stomach first.
The stewed bird's nest is clear in color, and with a little rock sugar added, it has a delicate and smooth taste. Cui Wenxi took a few bites.
She was more interested in the pot-roasted sea cucumber, and Fang Ling put it into the bowl for her.
Pingyang looked at her and said, "Aunt Four Emperors must try Huiquan Spring Wine. If you get drunk, you can rest here in the afternoon."
Cui Wenxi replied: "Pingyang, please don't try to trick me. Wait for me to fill your belly with some hot food and then have a few drinks with you."
The girls in Daliang are generous and generous. Almost all of them can drink some wine and even play guessing games.
Huiquan wine is brewed from spring water and glutinous rice. It is amber in color and has a soft taste. It is very popular among the noble ladies in the capital. Liu Shi, the wife of Duke Xuanguo, drank a glass with Pingyang.
Cui Wenxi felt that the meat of the pot-roasted sea cucumber was elastic and tender, which was quite to her liking, so she used an extra piece.
She found the Buddha jumping over the wall too boring and did not move.
Fang Ling gave her a piece of roasted deer tendon. It had a soft texture and strong sauce flavor. She used two more pieces before giving up.
Pingyang invited her to drink wine again. Cui Wenxi did not refuse this time and took a sip with her. The amber liquid entered her throat and she suddenly felt soft and sweet.
People were enjoying delicious food at the table and listening to the girls playing music in the pavilion, which was very pleasant.
Pingyang felt that he was too drunk to drink too much wine, so he ordered people to set up a pot throwing game. Everyone had to throw, and those who failed to throw would be fined.
Entertainments such as pot throwing, bow shooting, shooting, and playing leaf cards are popular among the high-ranking aristocrats in Beijing. Everyone participates, which greatly increases the fun.
Cui Wenxi was unlucky today and was fined several times.
Fang Ling was worried that she was drunk and tried to persuade her, but she didn't take it to heart at all and instead played with them happily.
Seeing this, Pingyang understood her mood very well, and said to Fangling: "Let her play, I guess she was unhappy those days and has already suppressed it."
Fang Ling was about to speak but stopped.
Thinking carefully about those days when Cui Wenxi didn't cry or make trouble, no matter how unhappy he was, he never vented his anger at all. Today, after drinking some wine, he completely let go.
Who would have thought that a normally gentle and dignified person would show off his sharp fangs under the influence of alcohol and suppress King Qing with an absolutely powerful attitude until he was full of teeth.
Zhao Yue deserves a lot of credit for that trouble!