On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, the palace was decorated with lights and colorful lanterns. All kinds of exquisite and magnificent lanterns were hung all over the palace, exuding a strong auspicious and happy atmosphere. As usual, famous poems and riddles were inscribed on the lanterns. If the ladies of honor who visited the garden guessed the answer to the riddle, they would always receive a small and exquisite gift as a reward.
Mei Niang was unable to join the lively crowd. She sat in the warm room with the queen, sharing the joy and happiness of the people surrounded by bright lights through the gauze curtains.
Queen Sun Huiyun was dignified and beautiful. Just as Mei Niang had guessed, her stature and build were similar to hers, except that she was six months pregnant and her waist looked a little bloated. Her physical condition was very poor and her face was pale and bloodless, but she was in a good mood. She sat under the window with Mei Niang to watch the lanterns with a sweet and comfortable smile.
When the empress entered the palace to attend the ceremony at noon, the emperor was considerate of her and feared that she would not be able to sit in the palace for too long in her full attire, so he only allowed the first batch of higher-ranking ladies from outside the court to represent her to attend the ceremony. The rest were exempted from the ceremony and were allowed to rest in a room arranged for them in the palace.
The queen went back to the harem to change her clothes and lay down on the couch. She also received some ladies from outside the court who she wanted to see. Mei Niang went to see the queen together with her sister-in-law, the wife of Duke Dingguo Pang, the wife of Marquis Anyuan Mei, the wife of Marquis Ningyuan Gan, and the wife of Marquis Changle Wang. Mei Niang had known these ladies for a long time. They came to see her when she was resurrected, and they had barbecue at the Plum Forest. The impression she had on them was quite deep.
The eunuch led the way. As they walked inside, Lady Pang, the wife of Duke Dingguo, looked back at Mei Niang and said, "You look good. Why do you keep saying you're sick and making excuses when we invite you to come out to play? You don't look like a petty person!"
Mrs. Wang, the wife of the Marquis of Changle, also said, "That's right! I asked you to come and see the flowers, but you refused to come. You don't keep your word!"
Mrs. Mei, the wife of Anyuan Hou, said, "My mother-in-law is celebrating her 60th birthday and she specifically asked you to come, but Weiyuan Hou came early and didn't see you!"
Mei Niang was speechless and in great pain. She could only apologize repeatedly: "Ladies, please forgive Mei Niang. It was just a coincidence that I couldn't go. It was either me or my child. I was not well recently. Sigh! I'm sorry. I won't dare to do it again next time!"
Changle Hou pointed at her and said, "My peony flowers are about to bloom. You must come to the flower viewing party. Otherwise, I will beat you up!"
Madam Anyuan covered her mouth and laughed: "Madam Weiyuan, be careful, this guy is quite skilled!"
The ladies all laughed. Mei Niang raised her hand and said, "I must go! I must go!"
Lady Dingguo said, "There is also my house. Come here and I will teach you how to make balsam!"
"Okay, I'll definitely visit my sister some other day!"
Several ladies said, "Let's set a date and come together. We want to learn too!"
Lady Dingguo said, "Well, let me go back and check, and I'll set a date and send a message to invite you to come!"
After entering Kunning Palace where the Queen lived, they knelt down and saluted in order. The Queen asked them to sit up and talked to her sister-in-law. She asked about the situation of each family member, and then asked a few questions to each of the ladies in turn, but left Mei Niang unanswered. After a quarter of an hour, the eunuch said that the Queen was going to rest, and asked the ladies to salute and leave. The palace maids around them came to lead the ladies out, but bowed to Mei Niang and said:
"Her Majesty, please ask Madam Weiyuan to wait for a moment. I have something to say to you!"
Mei Niang stayed and sat back in her original seat.
But the queen said in the thin golden gauze tent: "Come here!"
A palace maid led Mei Niang into the gauze tent, and Mei Niang understood why the Queen saw her own sister-in-law also covered with gauze. She looked very bad, with a snow-white face that was a little swollen. She sat on the couch and stretched out her hand to Mei Niang. Mei Niang hurriedly walked up to her, gently held her hand, and sat down on the edge of the couch.
The queen smiled and said, "Although you and I have never met, you must have heard of me!"
Mei Niang said: "I am thinking about the Queen in my heart!"
The Queen shook her head and said, "Your good friend Lin Runan, I have known her since childhood in the south. She is my best friend. Later, she went to Beijing first and we never met again."
Mei Niang was stunned: Yes, Mother Wang said that Qin Mei Niang had a good friend who was a noble lady. It was she who invited Mei Niang to go boating on the lake. As a result, when Xu Junying saw Mei Niang, he was shocked by her beauty and decided to marry her immediately.
Mei Niang blushed and said, "I am ashamed. After waking up from a serious illness, I have forgotten many things, even my old friends!"
The Queen looked at her in surprise. "Did you really forget everything? Even though Marquis Weiyuan said so, I still don't believe it. Lin Runan mentioned you in our correspondence. She said you were very good, beautiful, gentle and virtuous!"
Mei Niang's face felt hot: "Don't praise me anymore, it's really hard to be virtuous!"
The Queen said, "Since you don't remember these things, you probably don't know what happened to Lin Runan later... Alas! How can I put it? Her father, Lin Changqing, was originally a third-rank official in Beijing. For some reason, he colluded with others to embezzle. After the evidence was found, the whole family was exiled to the southern border, and all the family property was confiscated into the national treasury. Poor Lin Runan was implicated by her father, and now she can't even get married..."
The maid brought the tea. The queen made way for Mei Niang and took a sip herself. She frowned slightly and continued:
"After she went to the south, I returned home to visit my parents. I heard about her family's situation from my brother. I didn't dare to mention it to the emperor until a few days ago. I only asked to allow Lin Runan to return to the capital. The emperor was merciful and pardoned Lin Changqing's crime and allowed his family to return to the capital. However, from now on, he can only be a commoner and can no longer enter the government. His descendants will not be able to inherit the family's influence. They must start from scratch and work hard to pass the imperial examinations."
Mei Niang said: "The emperor is already generous and kind, this is enough!"
The Queen nodded and said, "I am relying on my pregnancy and the Emperor's special favor to ask for this favor. I just want Runan to return to the capital, and at least rely on the relatives and friends she made in the past to find a good marriage and live a stable life!"
Mei Niang was touched and said: "Your Majesty is pregnant, and you are so hard-working, but you still care about Runan. You are really kind and virtuous. You are so sincere to your friends. I can't compare to you!"
The Queen smiled and said, "I must have you come just for this matter. I don't care about others, but Runan is also a kind and sincere woman, and I can't bear to see her suffer. Now that I have come this far, I can't take care of things outside. His family has received an amnesty order and should have returned to the capital. Their property has been confiscated, and I don't know if they have a place to stay. You just take care of them. If you have any difficulties, I'll be here..."
Mei Niang said hurriedly: "No, there is no difficulty! Since Runan is a mutual friend of the Empress and me, I will take care of the rest! I will not disappoint the Empress, nor let Runan suffer any more!"
The queen nodded: "You take care of it first, and I will think of a way. At least I can find some excuse to slowly return some of her family's inheritance so that they can maintain their lives!"
Mei Niang said: "From now on, this matter is handed over to me. Your Majesty, don't worry anymore. Take good care of yourself and wait for the birth of a strong and beautiful baby!"
The Queen and Mei Niang got along very well and were in a good mood. They did not summon other ladies to see them. They dismissed their attendants and the two of them sat on the soft couch in the inner room of Kunning Palace. The Queen sat, leaned or lay down, and Mei Niang was also casual, eating snacks, drinking tea, and chatting about all sorts of things. Mei Niang taught the Queen some little knowledge about pregnancy that she had accidentally heard in her previous life. The Queen was very smart and thought what she heard made sense, so she took a pen and paper and asked Mei Niang to write it down. Mei Niang asked her to drink less tea, but she pushed the tea bowl away on the spot and called the palace maid outside to bring hot boiled water, asking her not to lie down all the time and to exercise more. She frowned and said:
"The doctor said we need to protect the fetus, don't move!"
Mei Niang said quickly: "Then listen to the imperial physician. Everyone has a different physique, so what I say may not be right!"
The queen sighed, her face showing worry. "It was really hard for me to be pregnant with this child. I felt like I couldn't hold on any longer. At four months, I almost... almost died of illness. Fortunately, two extraordinary people from outside the palace came. I have been taking their pills and gradually got better. But I still feel weak. I don't know if I can give birth to him smoothly..."
Mei Niang held her hand and said, "Yes, Your Majesty can do it! I know those two extraordinary people, they will not let Your Majesty have any accidents. For the sake of the child, Your Majesty must be strong and brave. Don't worry, having children will always pass that test, and nothing will go wrong. After Your Majesty gives birth to this first child, maybe your body will be stronger!"
The queen smiled and said, "It's a pity that we met so late. I feel very relaxed when I am with you. Don't be so polite. I call you by your name, and you can call me by my name too!"
Mei Niang said: "I dare not!"
The queen was unhappy: "This is not good!"
Mei Niang quickly changed her words: "Mei Niang is afraid of offending the Queen!"
The Queen said: "This is limited to our private interactions. In public, we must follow the rules!"
Mei Niang then tried to shout: "Hui Yun!"
The queen smiled: "That's it, it's not that hard, right? Mei Niang, I've heard of you for a long time, but I just haven't had the chance to meet you. We have been friends for a long time!"
Mei Niang was also very happy. She took out the purple sweater she had knitted and unfolded it to show her: "This is what I just knitted. I'm giving it to you. It fits snugly, is elastic and tight, and is soft and warm. It saves you from having to wear too many clothes and making it inconvenient to move around."
The queen was surprised and delighted. She took it in her hand and stroked it, unable to let it go: "What kind of dress is this? It's so beautiful! So good! How come I have never seen it before?"
Mei Niang smiled and said, "This is called a sweater. It is knitted with a single piece of wool. It is light and warm. I can't do anything else but learn to knit this. When spring comes, I will find some suitable wool and knit you a close-fitting vest. When the baby is born and the weather gets warmer, I will prepare a sweater for him to wear in winter!"
The queen was very happy and kept saying, "That's great! Mei Niang, you have such a clever hand! You said you would knit a few more for me and the baby!"
"I remember it! I knitted it for you and your daughter with my own hands!"
"Okay! When this baby comes out of my belly, you bring your son to the palace and teach them to be good friends!"
Before they knew it, it was getting dark. The ladies outside the palace had already finished their dinner. The people in Kunning Palace had to follow the instructions of the imperial physician and have their meals on time. When the dinner was served, it was already dark outside. A cannon sounded and all the lanterns were lit up, instantly illuminating the entire palace with brilliant light, as if it were a fairyland. Mei Niang was so stunned by the sight that she forgot to eat.
The Queen said apologetically, "You are tired and you can't go outside to enjoy the scenery. The wind is strong. The Emperor told me to follow the doctor's advice and try not to go out. Today, the Emperor will give New Year's wine to drink with the ministers. After the ladies have enjoyed the scenery, the emperor and his ministers will also go to enjoy the lanterns. He can't accompany me. If you are not with me, my life today will be meaningless!"
Mei Niang smiled and said, "It's better to see it from a distance than to see it up close. If you get up close, you may not be able to see such a beautiful view, don't you think? I am honored to be able to accompany the Queen in the palace today. Knowing Runan is what I should do as a friend. If you are bored in the future and want to talk to me, just shout and I will come!"
The queen's brows relaxed and she chuckled: "You come just by being called? Can you fly?"
The palace maids placed the dining table under the window of the warm room, and the two of them talked while admiring the lanterns and the scenery while eating slowly. Mei Niang pointed and commented on the shapes of the lanterns and speculated on their meanings. The Queen listened, some agreeing and some expressing disapproval. The two of them discussed and argued, but they were quite happy.
Unexpectedly, before the emperor and his ministers went to the garden to enjoy the lanterns, the emperor actually came to the warm room to visit the queen. It was the first time that Mei Niang officially met the emperor, and she was a little nervous. She knelt behind the queen to greet the emperor. The emperor smiled and supported the queen, then glanced at Mei Niang and said:
"Qin Mei Niang, please stand up!"
Mei Niang was stunned for a moment. The emperor called her by her name instead of "Madam Weiyuan Hou".
The Queen smiled and said, "It seems that Mei Niang has forgotten the Emperor. Marquis Weiyuan said that she forgot a lot of things during her illness!"
The emperor said: "How dare you forget me? Without me, how could you marry Xu Junying?"
Mei Niang had already stood up. Upon hearing this, she bowed again and said, "How dare I forget the emperor? I thank the emperor for his kindness that day!"
The emperor smiled and said, "Well, good! You are still as beautiful as a fairy, well-behaved and gentle. Why did Xu Junying say that you looked a little dazed after coming back from an illness? Don't you think so?"
Mei Niang felt helpless: If Xu Junying were born in modern times, he would probably be able to do something like describing a normal person as having schizophrenia.
The emperor asked the queen what she had eaten and whether she had eaten well. The queen replied that she was in a good mood with Mei Niang by her side and ate more than ever before. The emperor praised them repeatedly and sat with them for a while. He picked up a piece of food for each of the two women with his chopsticks. He noticed that Mei Niang was secretly looking at him, so he smiled and said:
"It seems that you really have forgotten me. You have seen me by the lake that day! What do you think of my appearance? Do you think I am okay? Can I compare with your Xu Junying?"
Mei Niang burst out laughing, and the Queen also laughed: "Your Majesty, how can you talk to your wife like this?"
The emperor looked around and said, "There's no one else here, just the few of us, so it's okay to have a few jokes. Xu Junying and I are close friends, so there's no need to be polite with Mei Niang, right?"
Mei Niang nodded: "The emperor is the most handsome, wisest, and most cheerful person I have ever seen..."
She found that she couldn't continue. Should she say "The emperor is the most handsome, wisest, and most cheerful emperor I have ever seen"? Oh my god, that was a TV series in modern times. In this dynasty, Qin Mei Niang was only 17 or 18 years old. How many emperors could she have seen
The emperor and the empress had waited patiently for the second half of her sentence. The emperor stared at her, and Mei Niang had no choice but to continue, "The most cheerful young man!"
The emperor laughed: "Very good, another flatterer has appeared, much more interesting than Xu Junying!"
Being called a flatterer, Mei Niang couldn't help but pout slightly. The emperor found it even more funny and teased her a few more times, then turned to the queen and said:
"It's a pity that it's windy outside, otherwise I'd take you out, and Mei Niang could enjoy the lanterns with Jun Ying, which would definitely be fun!"
The queen gently stroked her belly and said, "Next year, let's bear it this year and take the baby out to enjoy the fun next year!"
The emperor placed his hand on the queen's and nodded, "Okay, next year our family will enjoy the lanterns with Junying's family!"
The Queen thought of something and looked up at the Emperor and said, "The Queen Mother..."
The emperor smiled at her and said, "The Queen Mother is accompanying the Prince of Qi, and the Prince of Qi refuses to come out. Just take care of yourself, and don't worry too much."
Mei Niang sat quietly aside, watching them with a smile. The rare deep love between the couple in the imperial family made her envious and jealous.
The emperor comforted Mei Niang again: "Jun Ying will accompany me in the hall to entertain the ministers. When I go downstairs, I will ask him to pick you up. You and your wife can enjoy the lanterns before returning!"
Mei Niang bowed and said, "I thank the emperor for his concern!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)