Shi Baoning took Shi Qingxue and sat down in the room, her face flushed with embarrassment, and she whispered after a while: "Isn't it the Chinese Valentine's Day Qiao Qiao Festival in a few days?"
Shi Qingxue nodded, with even more confusion on his face. How could an annual begging festival be worth Shi Baoning's troubles
"In previous years, my health was not good, and my grandmother basically didn't allow me to attend any banquets. But this year, my health has improved a lot, and the Empress Dowager also sent me a flower note, so I think..." Shi Baoning hesitated, and finally I'm embarrassed to say it.
After all, it is impossible for anyone to believe that Shi Baoning, the eldest daughter of Duke Shi, has never attended any banquets and still needs to do homework to attend the banquets.
It's a pity that Shi Baoning really asked the wrong person on this matter.
Although Shi Qingxue understood, she was still confused and asked: "It's just a begging party. It's just about eating, drinking, having fun and chatting. There's nothing that needs special attention!"
In fact, in Qingxue's view, the status of the eldest daughter of Duke Shi is already noble enough, and there is no need to go out of her way to please anyone at the banquet. She can just maintain normal etiquette interactions, and Shi Baoning can do these things without being reminded. It has to be even more perfect than her.
Shi Baoning sighed softly and sighed inwardly: The sixth sister has a temperamental nature and never acts lowly. Although there is nothing wrong with it, she can't learn it no matter what, even if her identity is theoretically higher than that of the sixth sister. Noble, she will still worry about whether she has done something wrong and offended the noble, or whether the etiquette in the relationship is thorough enough
But these worries couldn't be explained to Shi Qingxue in detail, so Shi Baoning had to ask another question: "I haven't been out for a long time, and I don't know much about the popular clothes nowadays. I don't know what to wear to the begging party. Also, what is the temperament of the nobles in the palace, and what should be paid attention to when talking, can you tell me everything?"
"This is simple. I'll ask Xia Mang to ask the nuns from the palace's clothing bureau later to see what clothes the distinguished guests attending this year are wearing. I remember that the Queen Mother likes dark purple and gold patterns, and the Queen likes red. Liu The imperial concubine often wears Zhao pink clothes, just avoid clashing with the colors of these clothes.
As for temperament, the Queen Mother is old and likes to watch the younger generation make troubles. As long as your sister doesn’t get out of the circle, she will like you; the Queen is strict... "
Shi Qingxue often walked around the palace and knew the preferences of the empress in the palace very well. She spoke in a clear and logical manner, and did not hide her secrets from Shi Baoning. She told Baoning everything she knew.
At the end, she concluded: "Sister, don't worry. Your identity is there. As long as you don't make a big mistake, no one will criticize you. It's too late for them to flatter you! If you are too cautious, you will let others I thought you were weak and could be bullied."
"I also know this is true, but I'm still a little worried. I heard that the Queen Mother has invited all the legitimate daughters of famous families in Kyoto this time. I'm worried that if she doesn't do something right, our family will be lost. s face."
Shi Qingxue took her sister's hand with a smile, reassured her again, and assured her: "Don't worry, it's rare that you are well enough to attend the palace banquet now. Just relax and have fun. I'll help you if you need anything." You hold on!"
"You girl, you don't blush even if you boast all over the place! Aren't you afraid that I will really rely on you?" Shi Baoning relaxed after being persuaded like this, and teased back.
Shi Qingxue didn't blush, she held her chin high and said, "I'm not boasting. The Queen Mother loves me the most, and with Yuzhen standing in front of me, I have nothing to worry about."
Although Shi Baoning felt that his sister was too proud, he couldn't say anything to refute. He only lightly tapped Qingxue's forehead, feeling happy and envious at the same time, "Then my sister will follow you. You Don’t dislike it!”
"No, you don't know how much I've been looking forward to you joining in! Otherwise it would always be Sanniang and I attending the Shi family, which would be really boring!" Shi Qingxue curled her lips and complained softly.
Shi Baoning couldn't help but frown and persuaded softly: "I know you have a bad relationship with Sanniang, but in the end she is still your sister. Grandma has always been looking forward to the friendship and harmony between us sisters. Don't worry too much about her in everything. It would be bad if grandma is still worrying about your affairs at such an old age."
Shi Qingxue pursed her lips, a little disdainful of Shi Baoning's words, but thinking of her eldest sister's respect and love for Mo Shujun, she finally did not say anything and just changed the topic: "Qixi Festival, there are inevitably many activities at the palace banquet. Those boring things for women, if my sister is willing to do it, just push it away, don’t take it too seriously.”
Qingxue is a descendant of military commanders and was deeply influenced by his grandfather and father. In addition, he is outgoing and likes riding horses and archery. He is also good at dancing with guns and swords, but he doesn't care much about his daughter's family stuff.
Shi Baoning also knew this. He only nodded slightly and said in his heart: You have the ability to act willfully, but I have to abide by etiquette in everything. There is something different after all.
Shi Qingxue and Shi Baoning are really a pair of biological sisters. They both sincerely care about each other and want to think about each other, but the differences in their personalities cannot be ignored.
At this time, neither of them realized how much crisis this would bring to their future relationship.
—
The Qixi Festival, the Qiqiao Festival, is a big day for women in Mo country.
On this day, begging for skill to the moon can be used to seek marriage and wisdom. It is also a good day for communication and heart-to-heart talk among close friends.
At this time every year, the Queen Mother will hold a palace banquet and invite all the noble ladies of cardamom families to come to the palace to participate in the celebration and beg for luck together.
Shi Qingxue has participated in it for two years. In her memory, nothing major happened at this year's Qiqiao Banquet.
But as soon as she arrived at the banquet with Baoning, the third princess Mo Yuzhen ran over excitedly, "Qingxue, it's been so long, why don't you come to see me?"
Qingxue then remembered that since her rebirth, she had been worried about Shi Baoning's illness and had never had a good chat with Mo Yuzhen. She couldn't help but feel a little guilty, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it."
"I don't care about that, you just forgot about me for others!" Mo Yuzhen didn't know what Shi Qingxue was busy with these days, but she was not happy for him to ignore her for others, not even her own sister.
He put his hands on his hips and said domineeringly: "Unless you stay with me all day today, I will forgive you!"
Seeing Mo Yuzhen's arrogant expression, Shi Qingxue could not understand: her friend was inviting her into the palace to keep her company in disguise!
If it were in the past, Shi Qingxue would naturally be willing, but now Shi Baoning is looking at her expectantly. He doesn't want her to leave and it's hard to violate Mo Yu's true intention. She doesn't feel comfortable leaving Shi Baoning. Being left alone here, I had no choice but to choose a middle-of-the-road solution: "The Queen will never refuse you, why don't you come and sit with us!"
Mo Yuzhen then turned around and looked at Shi Baoning, who was sitting beside him, with a picky look on his face. After a while, he reluctantly agreed: "Okay, but you have to sleep in my palace tonight."
Princess Yuzhen had always had her own way, and now she was willing to settle for the next best thing. Shi Qingxue couldn't help but be touched, and she quickly agreed: "Okay, I'll accompany you."
After thinking for a while, she suddenly laughed and teased: "I think you want to be lazy again!"
Usually, whenever Shi Qingxue enters the palace, Mo Yuzhen has a perfect reason not to attend classes at Qinxuetang!
"No way!" Mo Yuzhen's fair face turned red, trying to pretend to pass, but Shi Qingxue, who knew her well, saw through it at a glance.
Feeling embarrassed, she put on the posture of a princess and feigned anger: "Humph! Shi Qingxue, you are so bold. Even this princess dares to laugh at you. Are you going to die?"
Shi Qingxue had long been accustomed to Mo Yuzhen's tendency to use her status to oppress others even if she couldn't tell her, so she didn't take this issue at all. Anyway, her princess wouldn't really do anything to her. However, Shi Baojin, the third wife of the Shi family, heard this and immediately lectured seriously: "Sixth sister, what do you look like? Have you forgotten all the etiquette that Mr. Zhou taught you
The third princess kindly invited you, but not only did you not appreciate it, you also made up the princess arbitrarily. Those who knew it would think that you and the third princess had a good relationship, but those who didn't knew that we didn't have a tutor at home! "
Qingxue and Mo Yuzhen were stunned for a moment while this long discussion was going on. They looked at each other and saw a smile in each other's eyes.
Mo Yuzhen was even more rude and laughed out loud, and scolded directly: "I am chatting with Qingxue, do you have the right to speak? Since you know that I am joking with Qingxue, then you should shut up for me. Q!"
Shi Baojin's original intention was to please Mo Yuzhen, but unexpectedly he was scolded by the other party. He immediately blushed and was so embarrassed that he wanted to find a way to crawl under the floor.
Fortunately, the Queen Mother entered the scene at this time, and everyone fell silent for the time being.
Queen Mother Ling Ruiyin is sixty-five years old this year. She is the biological mother of the current emperor. She has a distinguished status, but she rarely interferes in the affairs of the younger generations, so she has won the true respect of the younger generations.
The Queen Mother's kind eyes looked around the entire banquet, and finally fell on Shi Qingxue, who was wearing a goose-yellow double-breasted skirt. She couldn't help but smile, "Xiao Xueer, come to the Ai family quickly. The Ai family hasn't seen you for a long time!"
Shi Qingxue walked up to the Queen Mother, bowed the Wanfu ceremony in a polite manner, and said hello sweetly: "Qingxue has met the Queen Mother, and I haven't seen you for many days. Qingxue misses you so much! But you are rosy-cheeked and full of energy. Yes, I definitely didn’t miss Xiaoxue’er too much!”
In the entire Mo country, Shi Qingxue was probably the only one who was as humble as Shi Qingxue, and on the contrary, it made the Queen Mother feel comfortable.
"You girl, you are really..." The Queen Mother burst out laughing after hearing Shi Qingxue's words.
Obviously they all praised her for her good looks, but Qingxue's words especially made her feel better. She pinched the other person's nose and laughed and cursed: "We haven't seen each other for a few days, and even our little Xue'er has learned to speak glibly!"
Shi Qingxue obediently asked the Queen Mother to hold on to her vital point. She was just about to play nice with the Queen Mother as usual, but suddenly she saw her eldest sister sitting alone in the crowd, as if she was isolated.
She rolled her bright eyes and complained in a low voice, "No way, what I said is the truth, but the Queen Mother just doesn't believe me. I know, it must be you who saw Xiao Xue'er's sister coming. , I don’t like Xiao Xue’er!”
When other noble ladies from aristocratic families saw Shi Qingxue fawning over her in front of the Queen Mother, they felt jealous and disdainful, but it was of no use.
Anyway, as long as Qingxue is around sometimes, the Queen Mother usually doesn't see them.
But I didn't expect that Shi Qingxue would dare to openly compete for Shi Baoning's favor in front of the Queen Mother this time. If she did it so outrageously, would the Queen Mother fulfill her wish