It’s Better to be the Empress Dowager

Chapter 113 Palace Banquet

It was December when Jing Wangfu and his entourage arrived in Beijing. It didn’t take long for them to settle down, and the New Year was here.

On New Year’s Eve, there is a banquet in the palace, and Tang Shishi, as Princess Jing who has just entered Beijing, must attend. On the thirtieth day, Master Tang got up early in the morning, groomed, tied her hair, changed clothes, and will get dressed up when she is busy.

Today is the New Year’s Eve banquet, Master Tang put on a grand dress. First, she put on a blouse, a blue vertical collar jacket on the outside, narrow sleeves, a light-colored auspicious cloud collar at the neckline, and a red dress underneath. After finishing the primer and finishing, I changed into a cyan costume. The face was luan and phoenix woven gold pattern, and the inside was dark red shadow gauze. The waist was **** with a jade band, which immediately showed Master Tang’s slender waist and slender figure. After hanging up the jingle accessories, the maid brought a red big-sleeved shirt. Master Tang stretched his arms and put on a long, reachable shirt.

Counting the jade jewelry on the head, this outfit alone is worth five or six catties.

After Tang Shishi got dressed, he had to walk slowly. When he walked, he saw that the skirts were layered on top of each other, but the outermost big shirt and jade pendant did not move at all, looking dignified and solemn.

Zhao Chengjun was playing with Zhao Zigao outside. He turned his head when he heard the voice, and when he saw Master Tang walking slowly, he was taken aback.

After reacting, Zhao Chengjun smiled and said, “It’s very beautiful.”

Zhao Chengjun thought about it and found that it seemed like Master Tang was wearing a princess-grade dress for the first time. Before the big wedding, she should be dressed up, but at that time she already had Zhao Zigao in her belly, and her pregnancy was not stable. Everyone was afraid of what would happen to Master Tang. As long as the etiquette could be simplified, the wedding dress was greatly simplified. Up.

But today, she is wearing the princess’s Chinese dress, like a pearl in the beginning, full of colors and brilliance. It was the first time that Zhao Zigao saw such a grand Master Tang, and he waited for a while before recognizing that this was his mother. Zhao Zigao immediately flopped, twisting to let Master Tang hug.

Others looked pleasing to the eye, but Master Tang himself was very hard. She walked slowly to the collapse, looking at Zhao Zigao, but didn’t dare to hold her hands: “I’m not easy to bend over now, you can sit and play by yourself. If you put your saliva on me, I don’t have time to change. All in one.”

Zhao Chengjun also wore prince-grade clothes today. Hearing her words, he asked: “Is it heavy?”

Master Tang nodded heavily: “Very heavy. But it doesn’t matter, I will get used to it for a while.”

Zhao Chengjun had to wear public uniforms, sacrificial uniforms, and mian uniforms to attend ceremonies from time to time when he was young. He forgot that Master Tang was wearing this kind of clothes for the first time. Zhao Chengjun stretched out his hand to hold her fingers and said, “Don’t put all the weight on your waist, or you should have back pain after a while. The breath sinks, use your legs to go. support.”

Teacher Tang adjusted his posture according to Zhao Chengjun’s instructions. Zhao Zigao lay down on the collapsed tree and found his father walked up to his mother to speak, his eyes were very focused, as if he had completely forgotten that they still had a son. Zhao Zigao stared at him for a long time and found that his parents ignored him. He was dissatisfied in his heart, climbed to the side of the cave, and patted the beautiful flowers under him hard, still screaming in his mouth.

Teacher Tang turned his head and saw Zhao Zigao lying on the side of the collapse, shocked. The maids hurriedly stepped forward, hugged Zhao Zigao, and smiled: “The little princess is jealous. If you don’t let the prince see the princess, you must let the prince see him.”

The crowd laughed, Master Tang wanted to smile, but finally couldn’t help but laugh. Zhao Chengjun nodded Zhao Zigao’s head and said, “No matter you have to go to the house for one day, take him to the wing. It’s time to breastfeed after a while.”

The nurse responded and stepped forward to take Zhao Zigao away. Today, Tang Shishi and Zhao Chengjun are going to the palace to participate in the banquet, Zhao Zigao obviously can’t go, and can only stay in the house with the nurse. When Master Tang saw Zhao Zigao being taken away, he could still stare at them pitifully before leaving. Master Tang sighed and said, “This is New Year’s Eve. It is clearly the day of family reunion, but Gao’er wants to stay alone in the palace.”

Zhao Chengjun thought of this and sighed: “He is too young to be brought into the palace. It will be fine after a few years.”

How can Tang Shishi not know that it is good for him not to take Zhao Zigao? This is an unsolvable situation, and all she can do is sigh. Teacher Tang nodded slightly, not paying attention to the “a few years passed” in Zhao Chengjun’s mouth.

There was a banquet in the palace, not only Zhao Chengjun and Tang Shishi, but Zhao Zixun, the elder son, also attended. Not long after Master Tang got dressed, Zhao Zixun came with Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun.

Entering the palace to congratulate the concubine should come forward, but first Lu Yufei is not in Jinling, second Zhou and Ren are not ordinary concubines, but a reward from the queen mother. Now that the festival is over, it is supposed to go to the palace to thank the Queen Mother. Therefore, Zhao Zixun took Zhou Shunhua with him, but Ren Yujun was nothing but a piggyback.

Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun also dressed up, painted eyebrows, and carefully matched each hair. However, they are the concubines of the elder son after all, and their status is several orders of magnitude different from that of Master Tang. No matter how they dress up, they are not as luxurious and brilliant as Master Tang.

As soon as Zhou Shunhua entered the door, he immediately felt the crush of the class. She looked at the magnificent and solemn Zhao Chengjun, Tang Shishi and his wife in the center of the main hall, and then looked at herself, the whole morning’s intentions suddenly vented. Her identity is here. What is the use of how to dress up? Can a lady with a clear soup and a little water and a Jingchai sarong really compare to a noble lady with a beautiful dress and a ring of ornaments? This is nothing but the hope of a civilian woman. In fact, people rely on clothes, horses, and saddles. Zhou Shunhua carefully matched them in the morning, which was not as eye-catching as a big infrared shirt by Master Tang.

Zhou Shunhua can indeed make herself more conspicuous with her dressing skills, but her collocation is like carved out of plants and trees, and Tang Shishi’s costume is like a tiger in the mountains. No matter how elegant the vegetation is, how can it be as eye-catching as a tiger.

The costumes of the prince and concubine, the bright red, the arrogant gold pattern, every step is a bright and powerful coercion. Zhou Shunhua felt uncomfortable at once. She used to attend court banquets from time to time, but never once made her feel humble from the bottom of her heart like she does now.

Zhou Shunhua couldn’t even stand beside Zhao Zixun. She is just a concubine who sighs.

After Zhao Zixun walked in with two beautiful concubines, Zhao Chengjun glanced at Zhou Shunhua indifferently, without saying a word. Master Tang knew that Zhao Chengjun was upset, and she didn’t want to be upset on a good day, so she quickly said: “Well, now that everyone is here, let’s go.”

The banquet lasts from day to day, which is really a lot of physical work. Teacher Tang is even more miserable. After she stays with the Queen Mother tonight, she will enter the palace early in the morning to participate in the Yuanri Day celebration. Rough calculations, Master Tang is equivalent to being unable to sleep for two days and one night.

Tang Shishi had a headache just thinking about it, but the palace gave a banquet, and she could not express any dissatisfaction, and she had to be grateful to the Queen Mother Yao. Tang Shishi separated from Zhao Chengjun at the palace gate, and then the two went to the front court and the harem.

Master Tang first went to Ci Ning Hall to greet the Queen Mother. Today, the Queen Mother Yao is very lively here, and the wives inside and outside, the upper and lower palace people, all come to give the Queen Mother Yao kowtow. When Master Tang arrived, Ci Ning Hall had already surrounded many people.

Most people kowtow to the Queen Mother Yao outside the hall, and leave. Only a few decent female families can enter the hall and celebrate the new year face to face with the Queen Mother. As Princess Jing, Tang Shishi received a lot of attention as soon as she appeared. The **** of Ci Ning Palace saw her without notifying her, and immediately led Tang Shishi into the door with a smile.

“Princess Jing is here, and the princess is happy in the new year! The princess will please come inside.”

The people in the hall stopped talking when they heard the movement. Master Tang brought Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun into the hall. As soon as she entered the door, she smelled a fragrant and warm fragrance. She looked up and found that Princess Nanyang was also there.

Master Tang only glanced at it and withdrew his gaze, and obediently bowed to the Queen Mother Yao: “Concubine Master Tang sees the Empress Dowager, see the Grand Princess. I wish the Empress Dowager and the Grand Princess a happy new year, and good luck and peace.”

The Grand Princess Nanyang and Master Tang said they were the same generation, but at this moment Nanyang didn’t mean to stand up, and still sat firmly beside the Queen Mother Yao. Queen Mother Yao smiled and said: “So you are here, so please sit down quickly.”

“Queen Mother Xie.” Master Tang got up, moved slowly to the seat, and sat down one side. Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun followed Tang Shishi, their faces quietly down. They were different from Tang Shishi. The master did not ask, and they could not speak actively.

Master Tang knew that the Grand Princess Nanyang was the eldest daughter of the Empress Dowager Yao. After she became an adult, she went to Yao’s house, gave birth to a daughter, and married back to the court. She is now the queen.

Speaking of which, the princess Nanyang is still regarded as Master Tang’s eldest sister. However, Tang Shishi did not expect good things such as aunts-in-law’s friendship. He heard that Nanyang Princess Nanyang was not beloved by Sejong when she was young, and was always overwhelmed by Guo Guifei’s three sons. Nowadays, only Zhao Chengjun of Guo Guifei’s heirs is still alive. Zhao Chengjun is still Sejong’s most beloved and most reliant son, new hatred and old hatred are added together, Nanyang Princess Nanyang refuses to shake her face in public, Master Tang thanked God.

Empress Yao saw the woman behind Tang Shishi, her voice lazily, and asked, “These are the two beauties who married the son?”

The concubine could not say marrying, but the empress dowager Yao spoke, who would dare to correct it, Master Tang nodded and said, “Yes, it is them. The queen dowager may still have impressions, one is Zhou Shunhua, a lady from the Zhou family of Cai Guogong, and the other is Ren Yujun. The girl from Anning Hou Mansion.”

The Queen Mother Yao had no impression of these two people, but when she talked about their family, the Queen Mother Yao remembered them. The Queen Mother took a closer look at the two people again and said: “We haven’t seen you in a few years, you have changed a lot, and the Aijia almost didn’t recognize it just now.”

The empress dowager Yao is pampered, and she doesn’t know how many young girls will be seen in a year. It has been almost three years since Zhou Shunhua and others have left the palace. It is common for the empress dowager Yao to remember her face. But on the one hand, time is long, on the other hand, they have really changed.

In less than three years, Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun were not going to become ugly, but that kind of unspeakable and bleak feeling. Unlike Shishi Tang, the Queen Mother Yao even downplayed her memory, as soon as Shishi Tang appeared in front of her, the Queen Mother Yao could immediately remember it.

No one can forget such bright and arrogant colors. But Zhou and Ren are not the same. Ren Yujun is only 20 years old this year, and his breath is like an old woman who eats the Buddha and recites Buddha. And Zhou Shunhua also changed, the once high and quiet spiritual energy was wiped out, but a utilitarian aura was revealed, and the whole person looked particularly impetuous.

Ren Yujun was about to speak, and was preempted by Zhou Shunhua: “Thanks to the great blessing of the empress, the concubine has lived well in Jingdi for the past three years. The concubine has been thinking about the empress dowager, and today I can finally thank the empress, and the concubine is very grateful. .”

Ren Yujun was choked on what he said, and returned to his position, with a sneer in his eyes. When the Queen Mother Yao heard Zhou Shunhua’s words, she felt even more regretful. In vain, she had high hopes for Zhou Shunhua back then. It seems that this woman is abolished.

Unexpectedly, I did not expect that the Queen Mother Yao carefully selected Zhou, Ren, Feng and others for Zhao Chengjun, one by one, they fell into the sand. On the contrary, the most unreasonable Tang Shishi became a new army. The Empress Dowager Yao raised Master Tang so high back then, she was originally targeted for these three people, but the target was fine, and all the real eggs were shot.

The Queen Mother sighed for a moment, and soon let go of the stubbornness. She is the queen mother after all, the chess piece is ruined, just change a few more useful ones, why is it worth her second glance? Zhao Chengjun was scheming and calculating. He didn’t know what method he used, so he sent Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun to his adopted son. He only kept Tang Shishi, and then took the opportunity to drive away other eyeliners. The Queen Mother Yao also had to obey the skill of four or two.

Zhao Zixun has nothing to do with the royal family. Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun followed Zhao Zixun, and they were completely abolished. Now, the only thing the Queen Mother Yao can use is Tang Shishi.

Queen Mother Yao comforted herself, stupidity also has the benefits of stupidity, at least it is easy to manipulate. Queen Mother Yao disliked Master Tang as being dull, but never doubted Master Tang’s second heart.

Queen Mother Yao gave up Zhou Shunhua and Ren Yujun in her heart, and naturally she didn’t bother to deal with her. The Queen Mother Yao ignored Zhou Shunhua’s goodwill. She smiled and said: “You two are good children. Next, you must live and serve your elder son, and take over the royal family as soon as possible.”

Ren Yujun smiled sarcastically, and Master Tang coughed and reminded him softly: “Niang, Concubine Zhou has been pregnant for four months.”

“Oh?” The Queen Mother was surprised. She took a look at Zhou Shunhua in good health, and said strangely, “She didn’t show her confinement. It has been four months, and the Aijia didn’t even notice it.”

Queen Mother Yao said this, and the princess Nanyang, who had never paid attention to Master Tang, also looked in this direction and looked carefully at Zhou Shunhua’s belly.

The sarcasm on Ren Yujun’s lips was even worse. Teacher Tang lowered his head to drink tea. Zhou Shunhua was embarrassed and said quickly: “The concubine wears a lot of clothes today. This child doesn’t know what’s wrong. The month seems very shallow. Everyone said that it looks more than it actually is. It’s small.”

Zhou Shunhua entered the palace today, and the layers of clothes he wore were so concealed, if it hadn’t been known in advance, no one would really think about pregnancy. Master Tang stayed still and concentrated on blowing his own tea. In fact, if you are four months pregnant, even if your belly is not visible, your waist will be stiff, an experienced woman can tell at a glance.

Fear, she is not four months pregnant at all.

Teacher Tang thought that she couldn’t hear it, what did Zhou Shunhua do to her if she was pregnant? She was only waiting to accept the baby in six months. Teacher Tang can remember clearly that Zhou Shunhua still owes a board.

After reading this, Princess Nanyang also said: “It does not look like four months. However, each body is different. When I was pregnant with Pei’er, her belly was also very small. Now Pei’er is not smooth. grown up.”

Peier is the daughter of the princess of Nanyang, now the queen Yao Peier. The queen is very good in the palace, with the Queen Mother Yao inside to support her, and the grand princess outside to help her. No one dared to say that the queen was not good, everyone responded together: “The princess said yes.”

Speaking of Yao Peier, Princess Nanyang also sighed. Although she kept saying that she would be good for her daughter and send her daughter to the palace to live a good life, it is an indisputable fact that Yao Peier is now a widow. Princess Nanyang remembered that Peier and Master Tang entered the palace at about the same time. Yao Peier married in the first year of Shentai, and Master Tang entered the palace in the second year of Shentai.

Now that five years have passed in the blink of an eye, Master Tang gave birth to a son, Zhou Shunhua is pregnant, but Yao Peier has not yet consummated the emperor. Princess Nanyang didn’t say anything, she couldn’t care about it in her heart.

Did she harm her daughter?

Grand Princess Nanyang suddenly felt restless thinking about this, she looked around and asked, “Where is the queen?”

The maid walked out and asked. After a while, the maid came back and said, “Going back to the princess, the queen mother just said she was dull and went out for a walk.”

On the New Year’s Day, the Queen went out for a walk alone. The Queen Mother didn’t have any expression on her face, and said indifferently: “The incense burned in the temple is too heavy, and I feel bored after smelling it. No wonder the queen can’t sit still. Mother Feng, you go outside to find the queen, people are coming today. People go, don’t let people run into the queen.”

Sister Feng gave a promise, stepped back to the door, turned and raised the curtain and went out. Master Tang lowered his eyes, watched his nose and nose, and didn’t make any comments on the queen’s affairs.

Regardless of whether the Empress Dowager Yao or the Princess Nanyang regretted it or had no regrets, it had nothing to do with Master Tang. Teacher Tang had seen Yao Peier before. The young queen was different from her mother and grandmother. She looked sentimental, cowardly and quiet. After five years of widowhood in a place like the Forbidden City, the queen is also a pitiful person, but no matter how pitiful the queen is, her surname is Yao.

The Yao family and Zhao Chengjun are natural opposites. Just listen to these things.

Speaking of Yao Peier, neither the Empress Dowager Yao nor the Grand Princess Nanyang were in the mood to deal with other people. Master Tang heard the song and knew the elegance, and stood up when he saw it, and said: “The concubine body has been harassing the queen mother for a long time, and the empress and the princess still have something to say, so the concubine body will not be disturbed.”

Queen Mother Yao nodded, did not stay, and said: “You have the intention. When the next day, you will bring Zhao Zigao in and let the emperor and empress take a look. Speaking of which, this is the youngest brother of the two of them.”

Teacher Tang promised with a smile: “The concubine is obedient, and it is a blessing to be remembered by the empress and your majesty. The queen mother and the princess are happy, and the concubine will retire first.”

Master Tang slowly withdrew from the inner hall, and the servant stepped forward, leading Master Tang to leave Ci Ning Palace. Zhou Shunhua walked out of the steps of Ci Ning Palace, feeling a little unhappy. She was also pregnant, but the Queen Mother only mentioned Zhao Zigao in her words, and didn’t care about her child at all.

The winter sun is cold white, shining on the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, reflecting a circle of icy glow. Ren Yujun walked to Zhou Shunhua’s side, apparently helping Zhou Shunhua down the steps, but in fact quietly said in Zhou Shunhua’s ear: “The empress dowager mentioned that she let the princess carry the child into the palace. The empress dowager likes children so much, why didn’t she ask her sister?”

Zhou Shunhua pressed her lips tightly and did not respond. Ren Yujun chuckled softly and said, “Maybe it’s because the empress dowager doesn’t like it.”

It is not difficult to notice the difference in the attitude of the Queen Mother just now. The attitude of the Queen Mother to them and Tang Shishi is completely different. Obviously, they have been abandoned by the Queen Mother.

Zhou Shunhua smiled coldly when he heard the words, and also replied in a gentle and subtle voice: “What is the difference between my sister and me? At least I have children and sons.”

child? Ren Yujun snorted coldly, and said, “Sister Zhou has been a concubine for a few days, and is she really treating herself as a pregnant woman? This gold medal for death-free is probably not easy to use.”

Zhou Shunhua just smiled faintly at this: “Sister Xie Ren reminded me. I don’t need to worry about how I live my life.”

The two sisters supported each other to walk, and the longer they walked, the slower they were, and the further and farther they were from Master Tang. As soon as Master Tang couldn’t hear the faint voice behind, he walked quietly with the maid in the corridor. It was also a coincidence that she had just walked not far, and a group of people turned to the front. The **** who was on the opposite side saw Master Tang, and asked for peace from a long distance: “Minions see Princess Jing. Princess Jing is auspicious in the New Year.”

Only then did the person on the opposite know that this was actually Princess Jing, who had been well-known in the capital during this period, but met Princess Jing who had never seen the end. The headed old lady stepped forward to salute Tang Shishi: “The minister’s wife, Cai Guogong’s mansion, Zhou Li, see Princess Jing. The princess is blessed.”