According to the rules of the Dashun Dynasty, every year on the first day of the Lunar New Year, officials of the fourth rank or above in Beijing would bring their family members to the palace to give New Year's gifts to the emperor and queen. The ministers would have an audience with the emperor, and the female family members would have an audience with the queen. And if there is a child under the age of eight in the family,
The legitimate son can also be brought into the palace to meet the Queen with the female family members.
Entering the palace means giving gifts, especially during the Chinese New Year. No one’s gift should be too shabby. Of course, gifts are mainly brought to the emperor by men in the family as representatives. On the queen’s side, if she is interested, she can give them to the emperor.
That's fine. If you really can't find something suitable, it won't be rude if you don't give it as a gift. In a word, it all depends on personal feelings.
He didn't tell what kind of gift Feng Jinyuan had prepared, and the children didn't ask. The Feng family also prepared another gift for the children, which was presented to the Queen by their legitimate daughter Feng Yuheng.
That thing was a jade pillow. The quality of the jade was very outstanding. It was said that the old lady had kept it in the warehouse for many years and she never wanted to use it.
Feng Yuheng also prepared two gifts, one for the Queen and one for Concubine Yun. They are a complete set of cosmeceutical products from facial cleanser to serum to powder. This is purely a personal emotional act.
, has nothing to do with the Feng family, so she naturally has no need to tell the Feng family.
Of course, there are many ladies and ladies who have the same idea as her. In addition to the big gifts for the masters, it is also necessary to prepare some small items such as golden melon seeds to reward the palace people. These are all necessary.
The Feng family also gave each of the girls a handful of golden melon seeds. After all, they were the family members of a high-ranking official, and they must not be shabby when they went out.
In this way, on the early morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Feng Jinyuan, her four daughters and one son got on the carriage and rushed to the palace.
Zirui and Feng Yuheng rode in the same carriage, which was the palace carriage given to Feng Yuheng by Emperor Tianwu. It was the first time for the child to ride in this carriage. Everything felt very fresh and he kept asking Huang Quan what it was.
What is that.
Feng Yuheng looked at Zi Rui and said, "You really don't need a maid to serve you in the academy?" She originally sent a maid to follow her, but she only went there for a few days before she was sent back.
Zi Rui told her: "Even the book boy is not allowed to take care of the maids in the academy. Where can I take the maids? The mountain chief said that we have to do everything ourselves and we can't expect anyone to help. Sister, don't worry, I have long been used to it, and I feel
It’s good to do it yourself.”
Hearing what Zi Rui said, Feng Yuheng felt relieved and felt a little more affirmation and respect for the imperial master Ye Rong.
The group of people quickly arrived at the palace gate. Feng Jinyuan's carriage headed straight for the front door, but the female family wanted to take a side door and go directly into the harem. However, Feng Yuheng's carriage was stopped before it could turn around.
The person who blocked the carriage was an eunuch, whom Feng Yuheng had seen before. He was the one who served Emperor Tianwu with Zhang Yuan. The carriage driver lifted the curtain and saw the eunuch saluting her respectfully, and then said: "County Master
, Your Majesty has ordered that the young master of the Feng family should accompany Prime Minister Feng to the palace. Your Majesty would like to meet your junior brother."
"Oh?" Feng Yuheng blinked. The emperor wants to see Zi Rui? Come to think of it, Emperor Tianwu has not officially received Ye Rong's disciple. "Okay, please wait a moment, father-in-law. I will give my brother a few words."
Just let him go with you."
"Princess, please."
After the car curtain was lowered, Feng Yuheng took Zi Rui's hand and said to him seriously: "Meeting the emperor is no joke. You have to be careful in everything. Watch what others do when you salute. When the emperor asks questions
Just answer, don’t say anything when you don’t ask. Do you understand?”
Zirui nodded: "Sister, don't worry, Zirui understands all this. After a while, Zirui followed the father-in-law to find his father. I believe that his father will never let Zirui make a mistake in front of the emperor. After all, this affects the entire Feng family.
Honorable favor.”
Feng Yuheng had to sigh that this child was indeed taught very well by Yunlu Academy. Not only was he sensible, but he also spoke clearly and logically, and he was also able to analyze the truth of things by himself, which made her very relieved.
So he said no more and personally sent Zi Rui to the eunuch. At this time, Feng Jinyuan also rushed here. When he saw Zi Rui, he immediately took his hand and said, "Just follow me.
As a father, you must never leave your side for even half a step, do you understand?"
Zi Rui replied: "Father, don't worry, Zi Rui understands."
Feng Jinyuan then nodded to Feng Yuheng, turned around and took Zi Rui away. The eunuch also saluted her and followed quickly.
In fact, Feng Yuheng could see Feng Jinyuan's love for this son, but this love was mixed with many impure things. It was not the father's love for his son, but he saw hope in this son.
, and also analyzed how much glory and future glory having Zirui as the legitimate son of the Feng family would bring to the Feng family. They say that there are no fathers and sons in the palace, but they don’t know that in the mansion outside, the affection between father and son is also rare.
It's pitiful. There are only dry calculations between people, so there is no talk of family ties.
She sat back in the carriage, the driver whipped his horse whip, and rushed straight to the Jingxuan Gate where she entered the harem.
The number of people present on the first day of the Lunar New Year was unprecedented in the previous palace banquets. People waiting in line to enter the palace lined up for two miles from the palace gate. Feng Yuheng's carriage stopped at the end of the queue.
Huang Quan opened the curtain and took a look, and couldn't help but frown: "It snowed a little this morning, and it's very cold. How long can we wait to get in?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw a nanny walking forward with a smile on her face, leaning towards the carriage, and asked: "But the Lord of Ji'an County is here?"
Feng Yuheng stood up and walked outside the carriage, smiling: "Exactly."
The nanny's smile became even bigger: "The County Lord's carriage can go further inside, and you can get off at the second gate. The family members of the first-class officials are already advanced, and you are still the County Lord, so there is no need to
queue."
Fortunately, Feng Yuheng thought to herself, she really didn't want to wait in such a long queue. So she thanked the nanny and led the three carriages behind her to the second gate.
The New Year's audience is actually just a formality. The Queen is sitting on the phoenix chair in the Zhengyang Hall. The hall is full of people, all kneeling to her, and auspicious words are coming out one after another, which is very festive to hear.
.
The four sisters of the Feng family knelt in the crowd and followed everyone to say hello. The queen was far away and did not receive much attention.
After this scene was over, the palace officials informed all ladies and ladies to move to the Jade Palace. The New Year's Palace Banquet will begin in two hours.
Feng Yuheng calculated that there were still two hours, four hours, enough for her to go to Yuehan Palace where Concubine Yun was. Of course, she still had to meet the queen once before that to give out the gifts.
So while everyone was walking out, he found a female official accompanying the queen and asked her, "I wonder if I can see the queen?"
Although she didn't say it clearly, the female officer certainly knew in her heart that the people who wanted to see the queen at this time were all people who gave gifts in private. Apart from Feng Yuheng, there were many people queuing over there. But Feng Yuheng didn't have to line up.
The female official nodded and smiled at her, and first said: "The county master is polite! I wish the county master a happy new year and everything you wish for."
Feng Yuheng smiled gratefully and handed over a small box, "For my aunt's good words." Inside the box were small packages of chocolates that she had packed when she was at home.
The female official had long heard that the Lord of Ji'an County always had some novelty things in his hands. Seeing that the rewards she used this time were not like ordinary people's tacky things, she felt even more happy. "County Lord, please follow me. The Queen has already prepared for you."
The county magistrate will definitely ask for an audience alone when he arrives, as he told me early in the morning that there is no need to queue up."
As the female official entered the small hall at the back of the Zhengyang Hall, the queen was sitting on the throne inside, with many things placed beside her, presumably all gifts from ladies from various families.
After Feng Yuheng came in, he bowed first and then said: "A-Heng has been cared for by the Queen many times since she returned to Beijing, and she is very grateful. Unfortunately, A-Heng cannot find those precious and rare items sent by other ladies.
My son, I don’t know if this little gift can catch the eyes of the empress." She said, raising the gift box in her hand to her body, and grandma took it.
The queen was very warm when she saw her, and said quickly: "Get up quickly, stop kneeling, and give me a seat."
"Thank you, empress." Feng Yuheng stood up, walked to the guest chair and sat down.
The queen was opening the gift box herself, with unconcealed anticipation on her face. After the gift box was opened, she was a little confused when she saw a box full of cosmetics - "What is this?"
Feng Yuheng stood up, stepped forward, and explained to her personally: "This is a complete set of skin care products. Madam, please see, this bottle is called facial cleanser. It is the most comfortable and clean for washing your face. Smell it, it's very clean."
Fragrant." She said as she opened the lid and let the queen smell it.
The queen was very surprised when she heard it, "Can this thing wash your face?"
Feng Yuheng nodded, then pointed to other things in the box and said: "This is the serum. After washing your face, gently apply a layer on the face. It is the most nourishing to the skin. This is the facial cream..." She gave them to the Queen one by one.
He explained it to the Queen and helped her try it on the back of her hand from time to time. The Queen's initial surprise turned into wonder, then ecstasy, and in the end, it became obsession.
"Is this all from your Persian master?"
Feng Yuheng nodded, thought for a while, and then said: "There are also those developed by A-Heng according to the method taught by the master. Queen, please feel free to use them. If you think they are good, A-Heng will send you new ones after using them."
Come."
As soon as she heard that there was still more left after running out, the queen immediately became happy and praised Feng Yuheng non-stop, wishing she could praise her so much that she deserves to be in heaven.
All the palace people around her were also very envious. No wonder the Lord of Ji'an County was so favored by everyone. There was indeed a reason! Compared with her gifts, the pearls, emeralds, agate and so on given by the ladies were nothing.
It's so ordinary that I can't even look at it.
The palace people were very good at guessing the master's intentions. Before the queen could give her orders, they had already started to move out all the customary gifts that had been collected before, leaving only Feng Yuheng's cosmetics set on the table.
The queen couldn't put it down and simply said: "Ah Heng, I know that when you enter the palace, you must go to see Concubine Yun, so you should go quickly. I will go back to the dormitory first, and I will give you the reward later.
Go back to your house. Go quickly! Go quickly!"
This was almost chasing people away, but Feng Yuheng didn't care. She knew what the queen meant, so she took a few steps back, saluted, and left respectfully.
Sure enough, as soon as she walked out of the hall, the queen immediately stood up, picked up the box of medicine and cosmetics with her own hands, and walked away from the back hall. The palace people hurried to follow and heard the queen say: "Quick, go back and help me
Freshen up, I want to use this good thing to put on my makeup again!"
Feng Yuheng exited the Jade Back Hall, and as soon as she went out, Huang Quan greeted her. She pulled Huang Quan forward quickly, and said at the same time: "Hurry, let's go to Yuehan Palace." Just after she finished speaking, she suddenly remembered something.
, the steps stopped immediately. [End of this chapter]