The princes' studies were suspended from the seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, and classes began on the eighteenth day of the first lunar month after the New Year. So Shen Huan happily bid farewell to Princess Dechang and went home to celebrate the New Year.
On Yuan Day, Shen Huan, her mother and Princess Linchuan entered the palace to congratulate each other.
After the banquet at noon, the emperor and the queen took everyone to Yudongyuan to appreciate the plum blossoms. In addition to the concubines, they were accompanied by ministers and princes and princesses. Shen Huan knew that this was also a test for the princes and princesses' academic performance. It's a good time, but Shen Huan has no intention of participating.
Shen Huan and Dechang followed slowly at the back. Dechang told Shen Huan about the origin of these plum blossoms.
"The late emperor's noble concubine's favorite thing is plum blossoms, and the late emperor's noble concubine is very favored by her father, so the father spends a lot of money to search all over the country. Look at the red plum blossoms now, and there will be more red plums over there later. There are winter plums, white plums and green plums!"
Shen Huan was speechless: "Isn't the Imperial Concubine the Queen's cousin? Does the Emperor like the Imperial Concubine so much?"
Dechang nodded: "Yes, even the sixth brother who was born to the imperial concubine is favored by his father. It's just a pity that the so-called beauty is unlucky, the imperial concubine has gone like this, and the sixth brother is not willing to stay in this sad place. Yu Traveled all over the world”
Shen Huan asked curiously: "Didn't you see the Sixth Prince during the Chinese New Year?"
"Well, yes, I didn't come back during the Chinese New Year." It can be seen that Princess Dechang must have a very good feeling for her brother. She seemed very sad when talking about this past incident, and she missed the sixth prince very much.
The distance between the two of them was getting further and further away from the people in front of them. Shen Huan asked quietly: "Then do you know how the imperial concubine died?"
Dechang whispered: "It is said that she died of illness... It's such a pity, that was when she was the most favored! It's true that the best must fall!"
Shen Huan didn't speak anymore. The tenth prince in front had already turned around and urged: "Hey, do you have so much to say? Come here quickly!"
The two of them followed up and happened to hear Princess Pingyang saying: "When I passed by a few days ago, some plum blossoms had not yet bloomed. When I saw them today, they were all in full bloom."
The Eighth Prince blurted out: "Thousands of trees are about to break due to the cold, but the lonely roots are so warm that they go back to the deep snow in the front village alone, and a few branches bloomed last night."
Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they all started to appreciate it.
The emperor smiled gently and said: "You can remember such a rare poem like 'Several branches bloomed last night'. It seems that you have put a lot of effort into studying. Come and give me a reward!"
The Eighth Prince quickly thanked her, and Concubine Rou's face showed a glow of glory.
Not to be outdone, the Ninth Prince chanted: "The sparse shadows are slanting across the clear water, and the faint fragrance is floating in the moonlight at dusk."
The prince praised: "This sentence is very wonderful. Although there is no word for plum, plum is everywhere, so I will sing it too! The plum and snow are fighting for the spring but they are not willing to fall. The poet spent pen and paper to comment on the plum. The plum is three points whiter than the snow, but the snow is inferior to the plum. A piece of fragrance"
Everyone cheered again, and King Ning even praised the prince's extravagant works, and then he also sang a poem. Then it was King Yu's turn, and King Yu said calmly: "I don't have much research on poetry. King Ping is here."
King Ping bowed his head and said: "My fifth brother has overstepped his bounds first. Don't hate the useless painter. There is no need to ask for differences. I just need to have the same jade face but not as good as the jackdaw color. Therefore, I ask you to use the dust to distinguish the Han Palace."
Prince Ning mocked in a low voice: "You are timid even in reciting poems."
Prince Ping stepped aside sarcastically, and the twelfth prince smiled and said: "Fifth brother writes about plum blossoms in this poem, and twelfth brother is also showing off his ugliness here. My family is washing inkstones on the tree at the head of the pond. All the flowers are in bloom and there are no traces of ink. Don't let others praise you." Color, leaving only pure energy to fill the universe."
The emperor twisted his beard and said with a smile: "Although they are both plum blossoms, their demeanor is indeed extraordinary, and they are all rewarded."
Linchuan said with a smile: "Now that my brothers and brothers have shown their talents, we daughters must not fall behind others! I don't read many books, well... this one is the most popular one, there are many in the corner. Ling Han bloomed the plum blossoms alone in the distance, knowing it was not snow because there was a faint fragrance coming."
The seventh princess over there also started. Dechang asked Shen Huan anxiously: "Oh, they have exhausted all the good poems, and I can't remember them right now. What should I do?"
Shen Huan smiled and said: "Don't worry, I have a song here." Fu'er stepped forward and said it again
Dechang kept it in mind and asked again: "Where is the source?"
Shen Huan said: "Don't worry about it for now. If you say it, someone will know the source."
Dechang still had questions, but the queen had already asked him, "Dechang, you have also read the book, and you can also say a poem!"
Dechang had no choice but to bite the bullet and read it out: "The snow drifting down is used as jade food, the cold dew is only considered as fine wine, the independent wind is proud of the heroes, and thousands of flowers bow to it."
Although her voice is small, everyone can hear it
As soon as this poem came out, four people were immediately shocked
The prince said hesitantly: "This poem is very familiar..."
"Isn't this...isn't it the poem my father wrote back then?" Princess Linchuan thought about it and said in surprise
After Linchuan said this, everyone remembered that this poem was exactly the plum poem that the emperor wrote two years ago!
As a result, all kinds of compliments and flattery came one after another: "Good poem, good poem, this poem is the best among poems!"
"Although all the poems have their own merits, this one is the most profound and majestic in artistic conception!"
"The emperor's talents are beyond the reach of others!"
Emperor Longyan was delighted, walked to the panicked Dechang, touched her head, and sighed: "It's hard for you to still remember your father's poems at such a young age. In the past, I paid too little attention to you. If you don't care about me in the future, If you need anything, remember to tell your father!"
Dechang lost her mother when she was young. Although she was raised by the queen, she was not her biological child after all. However, the emperor had too many children and had no time to take care of her. Such gentle and intimate actions and words were really unprecedented for her. Yes, so she was moved to tears and almost cried.
She choked up and said, "Thank you so much, father. My daughter is being taken care of by her mother and stepmother. Everything is fine."
The emperor nodded: "That's good, come and reward the eighth princess with the peacock fur tribute from the Dashi Kingdom!"
That peacock fur is extremely precious. There are only two of them in the entire palace. One is for the emperor. The other is for the princess who has been begging for a long time but has now been given to the eighth princess who has never been taken seriously.
In the eyes of everyone with envy or jealousy, Dechang thanked him again
Shen Huan raised the corner of her mouth, seeing Dechang being favored, she was also very happy!
Then, everyone went to see the green pines, ancient cypresses, etc. After everyone dispersed, Shen Huan and several princes of similar ages were still staying in the Royal Winter Garden.
Dechang went to receive the reward. Shen Huan looked at the plum blossoms in the garden, thought about the people present today, and curiously asked the eighth prince: "Isn't the imperial concubine beautiful? Otherwise, how could she be so favored by the emperor in the first place?"
The Eighth Prince said: "It is indeed beautiful. It's a pity that you have never met Sixth Brother. He looks very much like the Imperial Concubine. Apart from the Twelfth Brother, he is the most handsome among our brothers."
Shen Huan glanced at the twelfth prince and snorted disdainfully. The twelfth prince pretended not to hear. He was celebrating the New Year and didn't want to quarrel with her.