"Concubine Zhao is still happy with that water lily?" The emperor asked when Gao Dezhong came back.
"Back to the emperor, Concubine Zhao likes water lilies very much, and immediately asked the eunuch of Taoyu Pavilion to move the water lilies into the house." Gao Dezhong answered honestly.
"Well," Feng Jin nodded when he heard the words, and waved Gao Dezhong to retreat.
Concubine Shu Gui's birthday was held at the Queen's Jingyang Palace. Zhuang Luoyan arrived neither too early nor too late, and she did not stand out among the concubines. After sitting next to several concubines of similar rank, she shared the table with her. Several of her concubines chatted with her.
"Sister Zhaobi looks very good today," said Jiang Xianbi at the next table with a smile.
"Sister, too," Zhuang Luoyan smiled back, although she didn't know if Jiang Xianbi was just polite or had ulterior motives, she didn't want to guess too much.
Concubine Yangui sat on the head of Concubine Zhao, and when she heard the conversation between the two, she turned her head to look at Zhuang Luoyan, and said with a smile: "Sister Concubine Zhao looks really good, maybe her birthday is coming, and she is in a good mood."
Sure enough, this kind of clear-sounding but hidden needle really made Zhuang Luoyan feel overwhelmed, she smiled and looked at Yangui's concubine: "Today, the birthday of Concubine Shugui is so lively, my sister is superficial. I was a little bit happy first, but it made my sister see a joke."
Yangui's concubine smiled but said, "Naturally, Concubine Shugui's birthday is a happy birthday." After speaking, she looked away, and seemed to have no interest in talking to Zhuang Luoyan again. Concubine Jiang Xian and Concubine Wang on the other side looked at each other, and they only acted as if they did not see the confrontation between them.
"The Empress is here."
Zhuang Luoyan got up and saw the queen appeared in a phoenix robe, the corners of the luxurious robe gleamed in the candlelight, and followed the concubines and concubines to greet the queen. Look at the ground.
"Today is Concubine Shu Gui's birthday. We are all sisters, and we don't have to stick to the rules. Just have a good time." The queen held Concubine Shu's hand and sat down. With a look, he understood Yu Yu, and waved to let the musicians waiting outside come in to sing and dance.
The first dance was Magu's birthday. The main dancer had a soft body and a graceful dance. Zhuang Luoyan, a person without dance skills, enjoyed watching it.
"Bengong sees this dance is not bad, it's auspicious and graceful," the queen said after the dance, "Heyu, reward!"
"Slave and maid, thank the Queen Mother," the woman who played Ma Gu gave a big thank you.
Seeing that the queen was rewarding things, other concubines and concubines followed one after another. Zhuang Luoyan was also happy to see it, so she also rewarded some things. Looking at the age of this dancer, I am afraid she is only fifteen or sixteen. For some reason, she always felt that the smile on Concubine Shu Gui's face was a little stiff.
Peeling a piece of longan into his mouth, the sweet taste made Zhuang Luoyan feel good. After Magu celebrated her birthday, several dancers with pipa in their hands came up.
"In the early years, Concubine Shugui danced a pipa to crown the harem. Although these dancers are not as good as you, you can still watch them if you want," the queen said, clapping her hands and letting the dancers begin.
As expected of the court dancers, these women's dances are so beautiful that they give people a feeling of flying.
The sound of the pipa was falling like beads, and when Zhuang Luoyan was having a good time, he only heard the sharp voice of the eunuch from outside.
"The Emperor is here!"
This time, the song stopped singing, the dancing stopped, the concubines stopped touting each other, and even the queen got up and went out.
When Feng Jin arrived at the Queen's Palace, he looked at all the beauties in the room, with a smile on his face, "You don't need to be polite." After saying that, he held the Queen's hand and walked towards the upper position.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the concubines stood up and stepped aside. They didn't take their seats again until the Empress was seated, but they were much more cautious than before.
Zhuang Luoyan covered his mouth with a handkerchief and spat out the longan core in his mouth, and then sat honestly, never being the eye-catching person.
"Today, Concubine Shu's birthday, I will come to see," Feng Jin smiled at Concubine Shu, and gave a bunch of things down.
The concubines and concubines were both jealous and hated, but seeing that even the Empress was not dissatisfied, they all laughed and said auspicious words, and I am afraid that only they themselves knew what they were thinking.
The queen brought the wine cup to Feng Jin, Feng Jin took a sip, looked at the dancer standing quietly, "How did you dance just now, let's do it now."
"Yes," the dancers danced again after a blessing. Feng Jin looked at it for a while, then put down the wine cup and said, "This dance is a bit worse than Concubine Shu."
Hearing the words, the queen smiled and said, "Concubine Shu's dancing is really rare. If these girls can dance out of Concubine Shu's charm, it's really hard work."
"Well," Feng Jin nodded, "In terms of dancing, Concubine Shu is the first and the concubine is second." After speaking, Concubine Shu was given a glass of wine, but there was no reward for the concubine.
Seeing that Concubine Shu shyly and timidly drank the wine, Zhuang Luoyan couldn't help but sighed that the wine that the emperor rewarded, I am afraid that even people who don't drink will insist on drinking it.
After listening to the song for a while, Feng Jin glanced at the concubines and concubines under the seat, and noticed the concubine Zhao who was peeling the longan shell, and looked at her comfortable appearance while listening to the song while eating the longan. Feng Jin couldn't help but take a second glance.
The longan in front of her was almost eaten. Zhuang Luoyan wiped her hands with a handkerchief with some regret, and listened to the song carefully. Although she did not understand the meaning of the ancient song, it was good to appreciate the beautiful voice.
"It's not bad looking at this longan," Feng Jin peeled a piece of longan into his mouth and said to the queen, "Each one of you will give another longan."
The queen said yes, and everyone present added another plate of longan.
Seeing an extra plate of longan, Zhuang Luoyan smiled and continued to listen to the music. He peeked in the direction of the emperor by the way, and when he saw the first few people, no one paid attention to himself, so he took out the way he used to mix dinner, as if eating Be slow, but never be soft when it's time to be fast.
Because Concubine Shu drank a few more glasses of wine, her cheeks were reddish and her eyes were blurry as she looked at the musicians singing below, thinking of the time when she stunned the emperor with a pipa dance, now there are more and more newcomers, I wonder if the emperor has forgotten her. day
After the banquet was over, Feng Jin took the slightly drunk Concubine Shu Gui and left, and the rest of the concubines also politely asked to leave.
Sitting on the phoenix seat, the queen looked at the silence of the whole hall, and glanced at the wine cup and fruit plate in front of the emperor, only to see that the longan, which the emperor called a good one, did not move much.
"This palace is exhausted, let's settle it." The queen's face was as calm as water, she stood up with Heyu's hand, glanced at the plate of longan again, and walked away.
"Master, the emperor rewarded you with some fragrant pears, saying that it was to go to the fire to reduce the heat." Tingzhu came in with a food box, and there were four fragrant pears in it.
Zhuang Luoyan was stunned for a moment, and then relieved, it would be better to eat some pears to kill the fire on this hot day.
Seeing that the master liked it, Yun Xi picked a pear and peeled it, thinking while peeling it, the master used so many longan tonight, and his body is easy to get angry, so eating a pear is very suitable for the body.