"His Majesty is here!"
Someone shouted, and the noise in the square suddenly began to quiet down.
On the corridor outside the Golden Palace.
A group of eunuchs and palace maids surrounded a golden canopy and walked slowly towards the square.
Nangong Xueyi had just approached Luo Qingzhou and before she could say anything, she was grabbed by Nangong Meijiao and forcibly pulled away.
Nangong Xueyi had no choice but to turn around and say, "Mr. Luo, I'll come find you when the banquet starts this afternoon."
“Shut up!”
Nangong Meijiao had a cold face and pulled her suddenly, almost making her fall.
Nangong Xueyi said angrily: "Meijiao, I am your sister! Not a prisoner!"
Nangong Meijiao ignored her, quickened his pace, and brought her directly back to the group of royal family members.
Nangong Xueyi immediately started to complain to the elders and brothers and sisters.
When Luo Qingzhou saw the sisters leave, he turned around and looked in the direction where the people from Lingxiao Sect were standing, just in time to meet Linghu Qingzhu's gaze.
The two people's eyes met across the sea of people.
There was a pause.
Luo Qingzhou moved away and looked elsewhere, and happened to meet another pair of eyes.
He raised his eyebrows and said, "Bai Ling, why are you looking at my uncle?"
Bailing said nothing, retracted his gaze and looked towards the emperor's carriage.
Luo Qingzhou was slightly surprised. This girl didn't even pout and act stubbornly
At this time, everyone's eyes were looking there.
Luo Qingzhou also looked over there.
Emperor Nangong Yang, filially supporting the empress dowager, slowly walked down the steps surrounded by the crowd and walked towards the altar in the square.
The eldest princess, wearing a fiery red dress, followed behind, her face dignified and cold.
Following the eunuch's sharp shout, everyone in the square, whether they were royal family members, meritorious officials or ministers, or people from the five major sects, all bowed their heads and paid homage.
The emperor, along with the empress dowager, the eldest princess, and other members of the royal family, walked slowly up the red-carpeted steps to the altar.
The ceremonial officer began to read the sacrificial words aloud.
The royal family members on the stage and the people below the stage all bowed their heads in a solemn manner.
The sacrificial words were read for a long time, and then a ceremonial officer began to light incense and brought clean water for the emperor to wash his hands.
Then, they began to welcome the gods, perform rituals, offer sacrificial offerings, make the first offering, the second offering, and so on.
After a series of tedious rituals, the sun had risen into the afternoon.
The huge square was crowded with people, but it was silent.
Towards the end, the emperor ordered the palace maids to start distributing fresh fruits and white flour buns to the crowd, implying peace and prosperity in the country and a good harvest this year.
At this time, everyone's tense nerves relaxed. They took the fruits and began to stretch their stiff bodies, or sat down to rest, or talked in a low voice.
The silent square immediately became noisy again.
Luo Qingzhou looked towards the Lingxiao Sect team on the other side of the crowd.
At this moment, Linghu Qingzhu was also looking over here.
Their eyes met, Linghu Qingzhu stretched out a finger and gently scratched his face, indicating that she had recognized him, and then glanced to the side beside him.
Luo Qingzhou was stunned for a moment and turned to look beside him.
The pink and tender little lark had stood silently beside him at some point, and was now looking at him from a distance.
Luo Qingzhou immediately understood what Linghu Qingzhu meant.
He reached out his hand, placed it on Bailing's shoulder, and nodded to the distant gaze.
Linghu Qingzhu looked at him with disdain again, then retracted his gaze, turned his face away, and looked towards the altar.
Bailing took Luo Qingzhou's hand away, walked to the side, and stood behind Song Ruyue.
Seeing that she looked a little unhappy, Luo Qingzhou leaned over and whispered, "Why are you always peeking at me? Do you want to kiss me?"
Bai Ling looked at the altar and ignored him.
Luo Qingzhou and she were standing at the back. Seeing that no one was looking at him, he suddenly reached out his hand, gently hugged her slender waist from behind, put his mouth close to her ear, and breathed gently into her white little ear.
Bailing's body trembled suddenly, and two blushes instantly climbed up her cheeks. She subconsciously clenched her fists, and a hint of coldness appeared in her eyes, but soon, her clenched fists slowly loosened, and the coldness in her eyes gradually faded away. She just whispered: "Go away."
Luo Qingzhou was very surprised by her reaction. He suddenly opened his mouth and bit her earlobe.
Bailing's body suddenly stiffened and she stood still, as if she had suddenly turned into a sculpture, unable to move.
Luo Qingzhou bit her ear and was about to speak when he suddenly saw Song Ruyue standing in front of him preparing to turn around. He immediately let go of her mouth and hand and quickly stepped back a few steps.
At this time, Song Ruyue turned her head and looked at Bailing behind her, and said with a smile: "Bai Ling'er, are you happy to come to the palace? You... Hey, why is your face so red?"
Bailing raised her hand, touched her face, and said, "It's hot."
"hot?"
Song Ruyue raised her head and looked at the winter sun in the sky, wondering, "It's good enough that the weather isn't cold, but you're still hot? Your body is too hot, isn't it? What did you eat this morning?"
At this time, the palace maids brought plates and fruits.
Song Ruyue hurriedly stepped forward, took a few apples, handed her a red apple, and said with a smile: "Bailing'er, this red apple goes well with your face now. Eat it quickly. You must be thirsty after standing for a long time."
Bailing took the apple and said, "Thank you, ma'am."
Song Ruyue took another banana and handed it to Luo Qingzhou next to her, saying, "Qingzhou, this is for you."
Luo Qingzhou quickly took it in his hand and said, "Thank you, mother-in-law."
Qin Wenzhen, Qin Chuan and Mei'er all took the fruits and started eating.
These fruits symbolize ample food and clothing, and peace every year, so they naturally will not waste them.
Song Ruyue simply peeled an orange and started eating.
Luo Qingzhou pushed aside the banana, moved closer to Bailing, handed it to her and asked, "Do you want to have a bite first?"
Bailing was slightly startled, the shadow of the banana was reflected in her eye. She hesitated for a moment, then opened her little mouth and prepared to take a bite.
Unexpectedly, just as she was about to bite it, Luo Qingzhou suddenly retracted it and put it directly into his mouth, saying, "You should eat the apple."
Bailing turned her head and looked at him dimly.
Luo Qingzhou stretched out his hand and pinched her rosy cheeks, wondering, "Bai Ling, why are you so easy to bully today? You didn't make any noise? Are you dazzled by what you saw in the palace?"
Bailing opened his hand, walked to Song Ruyue's side and ignored him.
Luo Qingzhou didn't dare to go any closer. He took a bite of the banana and looked at the royal members. He happened to see Nangong Meijiao staring at him coldly.
Luo Qingzhou raised the banana in his hand and moved his lips: Do you want to eat it
Nangong Meijiao rolled her eyes at him, then looked away.
At this moment, Linghu Qingzhu was also looking at him.
Um
He suddenly turned his head and found that Bai Ling next to him was secretly staring at him again.
Luo Qingzhou couldn't help but ask: "Bai Ling, why do you always peek at your uncle?"
Bailing withdrew her gaze, continued to eat her apple with her head down, and ignored him.
At this time, Song Ruyue suddenly turned her head and looked at him and said, "Let Bailinger see what's wrong with you? You are standing here and you don't allow others to look at you?"
Luo Qingzhou smiled and said, "It's not that I don't allow her to watch it, she can watch it openly, but she always watches it secretly, as if I would ask her for money."
Song Ruyue laughed coquettishly and said, "You are the only one who knows how to talk. This is Bailing'er's first time in the palace, her first time seeing the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, and her first time seeing so many people. Naturally, she is not as comfortable as you."
"Humph, that's right! My son-in-law loves to bully people!"
At this time, Bai Ling suddenly pouted and said, "Madam, beat him! Beat the son-in-law! Do the trick for little Bai Ling!"
Song Ruyue smiled and said, "If you want to beat him up, do it yourself. I don't dare. If he complains to Wei Mo when we get back, Wei Mo will not let me off."
As the group was talking, the ceremonial officer suddenly shouted from the altar: "Silence! Your Majesty, please read the blessing!"
The ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven has come to an end, and it can be concluded once the emperor's concluding speech is read.
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately quieted down.
Those who were eating fruit and vegetable buns immediately put the food into their sleeves, lowered their heads, and looked solemn.
After a stick of incense.
After reading the congratulatory speech, the emperor said a few words of encouragement and gratitude, and then announced the end of the sacrificial ceremony and the beginning of the feast.
Everyone shouted "Long live" in unison.
The emperor came down from the altar along with all the royal family members.
At this time, the eunuchs and palace maids began to lead the guests to Chongming Palace in order of their status, to take their seats and wait for the banquet to begin.
The princes and envoys from neighboring countries were the first to leave.
Next came the people from the five major sects and members of the royal family.
Then there are the various meritorious families and officials.
The last ones are those who have no achievements.
The guests without any official titles included some centenarians, talented people and celebrities invited by the royal family, and officials’ families like the Qin family.
The Qin family followed at the end and walked towards Chongming Palace.
When Luo Qingzhou was observing those scholars in Confucian robes, Bailing suddenly came up to him and snorted, "Son-in-law, who is the woman in green clothes from Lingxiao Sect? She was peeking at you just now, and you were peeking at her too. Is she the woman you kept outside? Humph, her breasts are so big. Has your son-in-law started to become a vulgar bad man and started to like bad women with big breasts?"
Luo Qingzhou froze for a moment, then said calmly, "Don't talk nonsense, I don't know him."
Then he looked at her and asked, "Why are women with big breasts bad? Why are men who like big breasts bad?"
Bai Ling pouted and said, "That's right. A woman with big breasts is meant to seduce men, so of course she's a bad woman. A man who can be seduced by a woman's breasts is naturally a bad man."
Luo Qingzhou: “…”
He glanced at her chest and said nothing more.
Bai Ling immediately covered her chest and said angrily: "My breasts are not this big, it's all because of..."
At this time, Song Ruyue looked back and said, "What are you guys dawdling about in the back?"
Bai Ling stopped talking immediately, a bright smile appeared on her pretty face, and she said crisply: "Madam, you go first, I will talk to my son-in-law in the back."
Song Ruyue glanced at the two of them and ignored them.
at the same time.
Linghu Qingzhu, dressed in green, suddenly stopped at the intersection ahead.