The Gilded Cage

Chapter 21: The birthday banquet turned out that the niece was also a cheerful person

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On the night before the birthday banquet, Cui He finally embroidered a lifelike lotus on the hem of the robe.

On the second day, the official government took a break, and Chu Ning first handed Xiao Yu the luggage that he was going to bring on the second day to the servants and loaded them into the carriage in advance, and personally led a few people to arrange everything in the car in front of Xiao Yu. Okay, finally check the birthday gift to be presented to Empress Dowager Qi, and then go back to her bedroom to change clothes in the evening.

Cui He had already incensed the underwear again, and when Chu Ning came out of the bath, she served her and put it on.

The soft and smooth silk fabric fell gently, and pressed against the naked body, immediately sketching a undulating and moving curve. Seeing Cui He's face flushed, she couldn't even breathe smoothly, so she quickly took the Ru skirt next to her. Come and put it on for her.

The beautiful body was wrapped in layers of heavy and complicated clothes, and it returned to the dignified and generous appearance of the past.

Chu Ning gathered up her long loose hair, sat in front of the dressing gown, and asked Cui He to tie her into a high bun, and then decorated her with golden steps swaying step by step, but her flawless face was still without makeup, only her mouth was wiped. Fat, but stuck a piece of golden flower tin between the eyebrows, which complemented the swaying of the hair.

After finishing her makeup, she looked at the bronze mirror left and right, then got up and left the house.

Xiao Yu had also come out of his clothes, and when he saw her appearance, he couldn't help but swayed.

The sky was splendid at sunset, shrouded her body, and the colors were magnificent, which reflected the golden steps in her hair and the flower tins between her eyebrows. She clearly didn't look much different from her usual outfits, but when she looked back and smiled at him, she looked like a beautiful goddess.

He was stunned for a moment, then approached, his fingers gently caressed her eyebrows and eyes, then slipped down her neck and chest, and finally hugged her slender waist, whispering in her ear: "Come back early at night."

Chu Ning's face turned red, and his wet eyes gave him a strange look, but his heart was pounding, and he just hoped that he could drink more wine at the banquet.

After a while, the two entered the Taiji Palace together and went to the Liangyi Hall.

In the Liangyi Hall, most of the princes and nobles have already come, and they are gathering in groups of three or five to chat and laugh. A full month after the national mourning, the relaxed and happy atmosphere of the past has finally recovered.

When everyone heard the announcement from the inner servant that the prince and the princess were coming, they all stood up and saluted the two of them.

Although their etiquette has not been abandoned, their attitude is still respectful, but they are far more distant and reserved than before, and they no longer have the diligence and enthusiasm of the past.

Fortunately, Xiao Yu had experienced such a gap many times recently, so even though he was unhappy, his expression remained the same. After nodding at the crowd with a smile, he took the guidance of Chu Ning's maid to sit in front of the case.

Whether in terms of closeness or proximity, or in terms of status, their seats must be set up close to the emperor and the queen mother, and this time it was the same.

After the two sat down, there were naturally people around them who took the initiative to greet and talk, but it was less than half of them before.

After a while, when the sunset completely sank, the emperor and the empress dowager slowly entered the hall surrounded by the crowd.

Empress Dowager Qi is still wearing a simple dress, but her always solemn face is a little more smiling than usual. On the contrary, Qi Chenxiang, who was supporting her, was wearing a slightly lively dress, showing a little girlish beauty. While reminding the Queen Mother Qi to be careful about the stairs, she quietly glanced at Xiao Kezhi on the other side.

As for Xiao Kezhi, although he entered the palace with the Queen Mother Qi, he did not know whether it was intentional or not. He was separated from him by a distance of a full zhang, and his handsome face was as expressionless as usual. Happy, it doesn't look like he's here to participate in the birthday banquet.

Everyone stood up and saluted again. Chu Ning's eyes swept across Xiao Kezhi who was getting closer and closer. His movements were intentionally slower than others for a moment.

When they passed by, the two of them held their hands behind their backs and looked straight ahead, the other bowed their knees respectfully and kept their eyes down, as if no one cared about the other.

Liu Kang, who was following by the side, was already covered in cold sweats with fright.

Others were busy saluting or didn't know the inside story, so they didn't notice, only he could see clearly that when the silk handkerchief of the crown princess' cuff was exposed, the emperor's hand, which was half covered by the robe, clenched tightly behind his back!

These two people, I don't know how long they will make him frightened today!

After a while, the Queen Mother Qi took her seat and motioned everyone to get up. Under the guidance of the ceremonial officer, everyone first raised their glasses together, toasted the Queen Mother, and after several times, they could take their seats.

Because the birthday ceremony had been handed over to the maids in the palace earlier, after the Queen Mother Qi rewarded everyone, she ordered a banquet: "Although today is my birthday, this banquet should not be held for me alone, so don't be cautious, let it go. Let's drink."

For a while, the sound of silk and bamboo sounded, dozens of beard women wearing gauze clothes on the high stage danced enthusiastically to the beat of cheerful drums, while the maids filled the hall with fresh melons, fruits, meat and wine, and presented each food table. above.

The chatter and laughter that had just subsided gradually resumed, setting off the atmosphere in the hall even more cheerfully and enthusiastically.

In the end, it was a birthday banquet. Even if he was unwilling, Xiao Yu had to toast the Queen Mother before all the officials.

He didn't move for a while, watched the singing and dancing for a while, and took a few bites of the side dishes before he motioned for Chu Ning to get up, took her to the steps, and raised a glass to the Queen Mother Qi for her birthday.

She was not a grandfather or grandson, and the relationship was always tense. Empress Dowager Qi looked at the two in front of her, raised her hand lightly, took a sip of wine, and turned her attention to the musicians on the high platform below.

Xiao Yu was disgraced, and his face was a little ugly, but he had to refill the wine and walked to Xiao Kezhi on the other side.

The people below seemed to be still eating and laughing, but in fact they had quietly shifted their attention to the pair of uncles and nephews in the main seat.

After all, it has long been known that the Empress Dowager Qi and the crown prince were at odds with each other, but the new emperor has always been detached, teaching people to understand the details.

In front of everyone's eyes, Xiao Yu raised his wine glass in a respectful salute, and said loudly, "My nephew, greet Your Majesty, please drink a full glass."

Xiao Kezhi had been sitting on the seat for a while and didn't move, and then he turned his head slowly as if he had noticed him, but he still didn't get up. He only looked away from Xiao Yu, who was still bowing his head and saluting, and fell to his side. on the woman.

The woman just had a smile on her face, and stood there dignifiedly, a few beams of light shone on her face, making her eyes clear.

The golden steps and Hua Dian complemented her snow-white skin, her eyes were clear, and those two full red lips were saying something along with her salute.

Xiao Kezhi didn't hear a word clearly, but felt that the blood in his body suddenly boiled.

She was clearly wrapped tightly, and she couldn't see any figure or curve, but it all changed in his eyes.

"Everyone..." Seeing that he had not moved for a long time, Liu Kang could not help but tremblingly walked behind him and reminded him in a very low voice.

There are already many people below who are simply staring at the movement here. Seeing that the emperor is not moving, they can't help but wonder if he is going to embarrass the prince in public.

However, in the next moment, Xiao Kezhi suddenly laughed.

He got up from the couch, walked directly in front of Xiao Yu, stretched out his arms to support him, as if he was really a loving elder.

"Okay, since it's between uncles and nephews, why do you need to be so polite?"

As he said that, he raised his wine glass and simply drank it with his head up, obviously acknowledging the Prince's wishes with great respect.

Xiao Yu didn't expect him to respond like this, and at the same time surprised, he had to raise his glass to drink.

"My nephew seems to be weak, but drinking is also bold." Xiao Kezhi patted his shoulder with a smile, and then turned his eyes to Chu Ning, who was standing aside, "As for my niece, she is a woman, if she is not good at drinking, I will not force it. ."

Chu Ning looked directly at him, smiled slightly, did not speak, only raised the glass with both hands, raised his head in front of everyone, and drank all the wine in the glass slowly.

The slender neck was fully exposed in front of him, and he undulated from time to time as he swallowed the wine.

After a while, she drank the wine, she put down the glass, a layer of powder slowly floated on her white cheeks, and her full red lips were also plated with a layer of water.

"My niece is frightened, so I can only drink this cup full to thank Your Majesty for your understanding."

Xiao Kezhi squinted at her, couldn't help licking his upper jaw, barely restrained the hoarseness in his voice, nodded and said, "So my niece is also a cheerful person."

He forced himself to look away, patted Xiao Yu's shoulder again, and said, "It really is my descendant of the Xiao family."

As he said that, as if he didn't know that the prince was not good at drinking, he ordered Liu Kang loudly: "Go, get a pot of Liangzhou wine and give it to the prince."

The voice fell, Xiao Yu's face was gloomy for a moment, but Chu Ning's heart moved, and he glanced at Xiao Kezhi without a trace.

Liangzhou wine is a strong drink that can only be drunk in the northwest frontier area. Compared with other sakes and turbid wines that are popular in Chang'an, it is much more spicy. Xiao Yu is not good at drinking it. Having to drink Liangzhou wine was really embarrassing for him.

Xiao Kezhi was deliberately trying to give him alcohol.

However, in the public, he couldn't have the slightest disrespectful words and deeds to fall into the wrong hands.

After a while, a waiter brought a pot full of Liangzhou wine.

This pot of wine is like a silent signal, telling everyone at the banquet that at least today, the emperor has given enough face to the prince.

So, in the next toast, everyone did not forget to walk in front of Xiao Yu's table.

Xiao Yu couldn't, so he had to drink the Liangzhou wine cup by cup, but after half an hour, he had already drank a full half of the pot.

"Drinking too much hurts your body, your Highness should use some vegetables to make a cushion." Chu Ning sat on his knees, and Tiqi arranged a few light dishes for him, and brought a small half bowl of mutton houto to his eyes.

His eyes were slack, and he was already a little drunk. Hearing the words, he nodded, barely holding the spoon and chopstick firmly, and after taking two bites, he rubbed his forehead from time to time and frowned.

"His Royal Highness, don't hold on for a while. If you are really drunk, let's go to the side hall and take a rest."

Her face was worried, but her heart was strangely calm.

Xiao Kezhi obviously understood her hint at that moment, and also told her in this way that he accepted her intention.

It's just that Xiao Yu can handle it temporarily, but on the other side, I don't know if Xiao Kezhi noticed it.

While everyone was chatting and laughing, she quietly looked at the seat a little further away.

At that place, Zhao Yu'e was getting up from the couch, holding the cup and the pot and walking up the steps.

On the other side, Empress Dowager Qi patted Qi Chenxiang next to her and said with a smile, "Okay, Liu Niang said she was going to perform a dance for her aunt, but are you ready?"

When Qi Chenxiang heard the words, there was a hint of shame on her face, and she said, "Liu Niang is ready, she will be there in a while, just ask the Queen Mother and Her Majesty to wait."

She said, quietly glanced at Xiao Kezhi who was drinking a glass of wine, as if hoping to see encouragement or expectation in his eyes.

However, he never heard of her, and he didn't even look at her.

She was lost in her heart, and she was not easy to attack, so she could only step aside under the comforting gaze of the Queen Mother, and when she turned and went outside the palace to prepare for changing, she was just like Zhao Yu'e, who was dressed charmingly and boldly and could compete with Hu Ji on the high platform. .

"You—" She stopped and was about to say something, but Zhao Yu'e didn't even look at her, and passed her directly.

"Miss, let's go, it's time to change." The maid carefully pulled Chenxiang's sleeves, "Don't worry, madam, the Queen Mother is here."

Qi Chenxiang didn't speak, and after standing there for a while, she continued to move forward.

Wanting her to marry the new emperor as his wife is the meaning of the queen mother, and the queen mother will naturally help her. But can she really rest assured

These days, she often came to the palace on the grounds of accompanying the Queen Mother, but every time she saw him, he was indifferent, as if he didn't take this matter to heart at all.

Whether it was her father, mother, or the queen mother, they all told her with certainty that she would definitely become the queen of Great Liang, but she always felt that things might not turn out as they expected.

In the main hall, Zhao Yu'e held a jade pot in her hand, lowered her eyebrows and offered wine to the Queen Mother Qi for her birthday.

Empress Dowager Qi took the wine glass she brought, took a sip, and put it aside. Although there was a three-point smile on her well-maintained simple face, the smile did not reach the bottom of her eyes.

Someone had previously told her about Zhao Yu'e's "random encounter" with the emperor outside the palace that day. Although she didn't think that a mere daughter of a military commander, or a widow who lived after her father's death, could shake the position she gave to Liu Niang, but she also felt that this woman was daring and did not take the Qi family seriously.

Before Liu Niang got married, she didn't want to see anyone living in the Tai Chi Palace first. As for what happened to others, as long as the queen's surname was Qi, she could open one eye and close the other.

"Second Mother, I heard that your deceased husband's filial piety has not yet passed, so why did you come to the palace to congratulate me on my birthday? Don't make you break the rules because of me, an old woman. If you really want to come to the palace, wait three The period of the year has passed, it will not be too late to come again, I will have this birthday every year."

Her words were clear, and Zhao Yu'e naturally understood that she was taking a step back and asked herself not to stand in the way of Qi's family.

Zhao Yu'e smiled, with a very respectful attitude, but her words were not soft or hard: "The Queen Mother Rong Qi, after the second mother lost her husband, she returned to her mother's family, and she is still Zhao's daughter, so there is no need to keep such a long filial piety. I wish the Queen Mother’s birthday today, it’s not a broken rule, please relax.”

"That's good." Empress Dowager Qi heard her retort, smiled slightly, and didn't give her a chance to come before the emperor, she just waved, "I take your heart, since you don't need to be mourning, drink more with them later. It's okay to have two cups, let's go down."

Zhao Yu'e didn't insist on staying, she only turned around and bowed in front of Xiao Kezhi, then returned to her seat under the eyes of Empress Qi, and laughed with a few women nearby.

After a while, the music on the high platform suddenly fell silent, attracting everyone to look up, and then, the music of Qiuci with a lively and jumping rhythm suddenly sounded around.

A young girl stepped onto the high stage in the eyes of the crowd, and danced a galloping and cheerful Hu Xuan dance to the beat of the drum. It was Qi Chenxiang who was about to perform the dance.

The ru skirt on her body has been replaced by a bright gauze skirt inlaid with gems, and the makeup on her face is also much more colorful, diluting the quiet and beautiful atmosphere that originally belonged to a girl, and becoming more mature and gorgeous, which is eye-catching. .

She obviously practiced this dance hard for a long time. Every time she tapped and rotated, she stepped on the drums just right. From her posture to her movements, she was full of enthusiasm and joy that Hu Xuan Dance should have. Hu Nv, who has danced for many years, is one of the best girls in Chang'an City.

People from Great Liang have always loved singing and dancing, but when they saw it was a girl from the Qi family, they cheered more and more, and from time to time they applauded, making the atmosphere in the hall very warm.

However, Chu Ning didn't have the heart to appreciate it.

She looked at Xiao Yu, who was finally poured unconscious next to her, and reached out her hand to call Cui He: "Go and report to Chief Supervisor Liu and ask him to tell His Majesty that the prince is drunk, and I'll help the prince to the side hall to rest for a while. "

When she mentioned the words "Liu Dajian", she gave Cui He a deliberate look.

Cui He immediately understood, turned around and walked quickly towards Liu Kang's position. The other two chamberlains stepped forward to help Xiao Yu up from the dining table, and supported him on the left and right to the side hall.

The Liangyi Hall is located in the forbidden area and occupies a large area. Originally, only a few clan members could enter it. When Gaozong arrived, it gradually became a place where the royal family held banquets, and then other ministers were gradually able to enter.

Because it is located in the forbidden area, there are many houses for rest nearby. Chu Ning found a room not far from the main hall, and asked the two servants to help Xiao Yu to lie down on the couch.

"His Royal Highness, bear with me first, I have already sent someone to prepare the hangover soup, and it should be here in a while." She said softly while taking the wet hand towel that had just been brought in to wipe his red and dry cheeks.

Xiao Yu was half asleep, squinting for a moment before nodding.

In the confusion, he reached out and grabbed her wrist that was close at hand, and pulled her hard into his arms.

In the main hall, Qi Chenxiang's dance was frozen at the last moment amid the cheers and applause of the crowd.

Empress Dowager Qi looked at Xiao Kezhi with a smile, and asked, "Liulang, look at this dance of my family's Liuniang?"

Xiao Kezhi hooked the corners of his lips very quickly, and said calmly: "The dance dedicated to the Queen Mother's birthday, if the Queen Mother likes it, it is good."

He left himself very clear, and the Queen Mother Qi was not annoyed, only said: "I naturally like it. I will ask Liulang to reward her for me later."

At this time, Liu Kang approached quietly and lost a wink at Xiao Kezhi.

With a move in his heart, he ignored the Queen Mother's meaning and said, "Then give her a hundred gold. I'm tired, go down and rest first, and I will order someone to bring the gold in a while."

Saying that, without looking at the face of the queen mother, he got up and left the table.