Chapter 31: The Feast of Hundred Flowers and Concubine Selection Day
Time flies, winter turns to spring in a blink of an eye, the breeze is pleasant, the spring rain moistens everything, the vegetation is flourishing, and the beautiful and vibrant scenes everywhere seem to indicate that the people have stepped out of the shadow of the replacement of emperors and are facing a new and glorious future.
tomorrow!
At the same time, preparations for the annual talent show, the Hundred Flowers Feast, are also in full swing. Although Xiao Liuyue said that he would not join the court as an official, Feng Yuguo was in dire straits, and he often helped Feng Qingge handle court affairs.
, helping Mu Qingfei make suggestions and working until late at night every day. Xue Xichen felt quite distressed when she saw it. She always felt that Xiao Liuyue was busier when he was not an official than when he was an official.
Because Xiao Liuyue was entangled in court affairs and could not leave, she did not go back to Jiangdu by herself. She still stayed in the capital to run her beauty salon. Since Feng Qingge came to the throne, she has never entered the palace.
When a beauty customer hears Feng Qingge's story, she will feel as if she is from another world. She lives quietly in her own little corner, regardless of the gossip and rumors outside. She only sleeps quietly by herself late at night every day.
The wound, and then a sleepless night.
On this day, Xiao Liuyue, who had been missing for many days, suddenly broke into the beauty salon, grabbed her while she was doing beauty treatments for customers, and asked her if she wanted to go to the palace with him for a banquet.
Today is the day of the feast of flowers.
Hearing the news, Xue Xichen felt sour and sour that she couldn't describe how she felt.
After hesitating for a long time, she agreed to Xiao Liuyue and enter the palace with him.
On the way into the palace, Xiao Liuyue told her that there were eighteen beauties in this Hundred Flowers Feast. They were all young ladies selected from the families of high-ranking officials, rich eunuchs and generals in the capital. Some of them were good at piano music.
She may be good at calligraphy and painting, or she may be extremely beautiful, and she can be called a talented lady of her generation.
At the banquet, the first thing to do is to have a poetry couplet, that is, the emperor writes a poem and couplets according to the order of seats to test the literary talents of the beauties.
After lunch, take a short rest and perform a performance. The eighteen beauties will show off their unique skills one by one, including music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing and music. After the performance, the emperor will discuss with the queen and select eight beauties.
Two noble concubines were appointed from among them, and the remaining six were all Zhaoyi.
Xue Xichen sneered when he heard this. Men are indeed philandering animals. Even if they promised to be together for the rest of their lives, once they lose their love, they still forget what they said. Feng Qingge, you are really worthy of Xue Meitong!
Without further ado, Xiao Liuyue and I passed through the Chonghua Gate together. There were many cars and horses in front of the gate, and the flow of people was dense. The father-in-law had already come to guide Xiao Liuyue, leading the carriage around the Chonghua Gate toward the Yuhua inside.
Go to the door.
After entering the Yuhua Gate, Xiao Liuyue helped Xue Xichen jump out of the carriage. The father-in-law who came to lead the way saw that Xue Xichen was slightly confused and couldn't help but look at Xue Xichen a few more times. He was swept away by Xue Xichen's angry eyes and was frightened.
He shrunk his neck and led the way obediently, not daring to say anything.
Xiao Liuyue put her hands behind her back, walking in tandem with Xue Xichen.
It was the season of spring and flowers were blooming. Inside the palace walls were green willows and red walls. Thousands of trees were in spring, and hundreds of flowers were blooming. The fragrance was fragrant and refreshing. Xue Xichen walked carelessly, looking around, and occasionally saw people coming to draft.
The beauty is indeed as beautiful as a fairy. Unfortunately, the palace is cold, cold and empty. Is it really worth it for those beautifully dressed women to lock themselves in the palace for their entire lives just because of their own interests and selfish admiration?
As if understanding Xue Xichen's inner sigh, Xiao Liuyue asked: "Xichen, if it were you, what would you do?"
Xue Xichen curled her lips and replied calmly: "Brother, you know my temper, lively and restless, and I can't stand this constraint. You want me to stay in this small place with red walls and high tiles for the rest of my life, with those warblers every day?
They are competing for sex, and within a few months, I will definitely go crazy."
"Won't you miss me?"
"Nostalgic?"
"The imperial concubine is the lifelong dream and pursuit of many young women. Do you really not regret it?"
“Tsk—” Xue Xichen scoffed disdainfully, “I don’t like other people’s nostalgia. As the saying goes, if we have different paths, we don’t want to conspire against each other! If you want me to stay in a place like this for the rest of my life, it would be better to kill me!
"
While they were talking, a row of red lacquered wooden doors appeared in front of them, with many soldiers standing guard at the door. Seeing Xiao Liuyue, they all saluted, immediately opened the door, and respectfully invited Xiao Liuyue to enter.
Xue Xichen blinked. Obviously, these soldiers recognized Xiao Liuyue. Although Xiao Liuyue had no official position, he had a status no less than that of the prime minister. This shows that Feng Qingge was extremely fond of Xiao Liuyue.
He was given a high status and power in the palace.
No wonder Xiao Liuyue could take her into the palace at will.
"Brother, where are we going?"
"Hundred Gardens."
"Hundred Gardens?"
"Feng Qingge is hosting a banquet in Baiyuan Garden today, and all the beauties participating in the talent show will be present. Since we are here for this, we naturally have to go to Baiyuan Garden."
Xue Xichen curled her lips, "I'm afraid, the banquet has already started?"
Xiao Liuyue glanced at Xue Xichen and smiled instead of answering.
"Xichen, just follow me with peace of mind!"
…
When Xue Xichen and Xiao Liuyue arrived at the Baiyuan Garden, the banquet had already begun, and all the beauty contestants were presenting poems one by one. Xue Xichen looked around, and saw all kinds of orioles and swallows, as beautiful as heavenly beings. On top of them sat the Emperor Phoenix.
Qingge, accompanied by Queen Xue Meitong, followed by Prince Moyu Feng Biqing, Prime Minister Mu Qingfei and several important cabinet ministers and generals in the court. Xue Xichen saw someone on the left side of Mu Qingfei.
A vacant seat is believed to be reserved for Xiao Liuyue.
Xiao Liuyue kowtowed respectfully to Feng Qingge, "Liuyue is late, your Majesty, forgive me!"
Feng Qingge signaled Xiao Liuyue not to be polite, and her eyes fell on Xue Xichen. He was obviously frozen for a moment, and his eyes were deep and full of extremely complex emotions, bottomless, making it impossible to guess for a while.
Xue Xichen followed Xiao Liuyue and silently saluted Feng Qingge without saying a word. Mu Qingfei spoke, "Miss Xue is here too? Xiao Zhuozi, why don't you hurry up and give Miss Xue a seat!"
"yes!"
Xiao Zhuozi responded and left in a hurry.
Xue Meitong looked coldly at Xue Xichen, with sparks of jealousy flashing in her eyes. She held Feng Qingge's arm intimately, smiling sweetly, "Your Majesty, it's rare that sister Xichen is here today! Shouldn't you also let Xichen
My sister offers a poem to suit the occasion?"
Xue Xichen was stunned. She didn't expect that Xue Meitong would point the finger at her as soon as she arrived. She couldn't help curling her lips with a look of disdain on her face, and snorted in her heart: Just write poetry! Who is afraid of whom?
Feng Qingge took a deep look at Xue Xichen and saw that Xue Xichen had lowered her eyes and remained silent. She didn't seem to notice him, and it seemed that no matter what he did, she no longer cared. An inexplicable anger burned in her heart.
He got up. He snorted and replied coldly: "How can a common woman have any talent! Queen, please don't exalt her!"
What! Feng Qingge, how dare you say that!
Anger burned in his heart in an instant. Xue Xichen was so angry that she gritted her teeth and scolded Feng Qingge thousands of times and cursed him thousands of times!