On the first day of the new year, all those with imperial edicts of rank three or above go to the palace to pay their respects.
All the concubines in the palace also came to Jiaofang Hall.
The bright and dignified Empress Yu sat upright, with a light and reserved smile, not angry or authoritative.
This is the unique majesty of a person who has been in power for a long time. The imperial concubine and all the imperial concubines were trembling with fear and bowed their heads in submission. Concubine Mei, who had recently regained her favor and was sitting under Queen Yu, did not dare to raise her head and look directly at Queen Yu.
As for Concubine Li, she has been out of favor for a while and has been keeping her tail between her legs lately. Today she is even more honest and peaceful.
The young and favored Concubine Duan showed a bit of the frivolity of a favored concubine on her face. She said something like, "The Ninth Prince can speak recently, and the Emperor is particularly happy."
It's a pity that she wanted to show off, but no one paid attention to her.
Among the concubines here, who has never given birth to a prince? Who has not been favored? But for so many years, no one can shake the position of the childless Queen Yu in the palace.
As soon as the crown prince was not decided, the concubines would not dare to raise their heads and say goodbye to Queen Yu.
Queen Yu glanced around and saw everyone's expressions of awe, fawning, or ulterior motives. A faint sense of boredom arose in her heart.
Everyone in the harem wears a mask to live their lives. They think one thing and look another, and they don't mean what they say... She, the queen of the middle harem, is no exception.
Day after day, year after year.
A few years ago, she summoned her friend Gu Xianzhi to the palace on New Year's Day.
Gu Xianzhi came here once and refused to enter the palace again: "Everyone is pretending to be duplicitous, and my eyes hurt when I look at them. It is better to be pure and comfortable alone in the Lotus Pond Academy. Don't call me into the palace again in the future.
Even if you call me, I won't come."
She smiled helplessly and had no choice but to agree.
Thinking of her friend, Queen Yu's mood improved slightly, and she said with a gentle smile: "I have ordered someone to prepare a palace banquet. How about you come with me to the banquet?"
All the imperial concubines and imperial concubines stood up to express their gratitude.
…
Such a grand palace banquet is only held on New Year's Day.
In the next few days, they only had to have a banquet with all the concubines. Because Emperor Jianwen liked to see the scene of "children surrounding their wives and concubines respectfully" the most, Empress Yu and the concubines had to follow the holy wishes and act lively and festive
some.
She also had to deal with the fault-finding Empress Dowager Li from time to time, so Empress Yu had a tiring and hard New Year as usual.
Only when her daughter, Princess Changping, led the consort and the princess into the palace, did Queen Yu show a truly happy smile.
"Aqing," Empress Yu called her consort Gu Qing by his first name affectionately and casually: "Have you ever been to Lianchi Academy to pay your aunt a New Year's greeting?"
Gu Qing smiled and nodded: "I just went there this morning."
Today is the sixth day of the New Year.
Empress Yu smiled and sighed: "Xianzhi has a stubborn temperament, and no one can persuade her. She insists on staying alone in Lianchi Academy, and the New Year will be deserted."
"My mother was wrong this time." Gu Qing said with a smile: "Auntie's New Year this year is not deserted at all. On the first day of the year, all the students in Haitang Academy went to the academy to pay New Year's greetings to her. In the past few days, my aunt's
My disciples have always been by my side."
Empress Yu laughed dumbly: "I have been busy with trivial matters in the palace, and I didn't know about this."
Speaking of friends, Empress Yu missed her a lot, so she simply sent her maid Yu Qiao to the Lotus Pond Academy.
Yu Qiao made an oral announcement on behalf of Queen Yu: "Xianzhi, come into the palace for dinner. There is no one else except me and Ah Qing's family."
There is no pretense of being a queen at all, it is just like inviting an ordinary friend.
The only woman in the world who can be treated like this by the Queen is Gu Shanchang.
…
Naturally, Chief Gu Shan would not refuse such an invitation, and soon entered the palace.
She doesn't like to wear gold and silver, and she dresses plainly even during the New Year. She wears a sky-blue skirt, and her long hair is half pulled up. The other half of her green silk hair hangs down on her chest.
Queen Yu laughed when she saw her: "Look at you, you are still so young."
They are both the same age, forty-two years old after the New Year.
However, Empress Yu had a heavy mind and worked hard, and no matter how carefully she took care of her, there were traces of time between her eyebrows.
Gu Shanchang has a smooth forehead and only a few light wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. Today, he wears his hair in a girlish style and looks much younger.
Gu Shanchang was quite free and easy, raising his eyebrows and laughing at himself: "I am not married yet, but even when I am eighty years old, I still wear my hair like a girl."
Then, he winked at the little princess and said, "From now on, we will wear our hair in the same style."
The little princess responded with a smile.
Both Queen Yu and Princess Changping laughed.
Gu Qing also chuckled softly.
His aunt has been away from home for more than ten years. He doesn't spend much time with her on weekdays. He only sees her once in a month. However, the relationship between his aunt and nephew is very good.
He sincerely respects his aunt, who loves his noble character. Most of the "errands" that his grandfather told him in private, he did half-heartedly, and some of them were not mentioned at all in front of his aunt.
My aunt was born to be the headmaster of Lianchi Academy, and she should not be involved in worldly affairs. He was simply ashamed to say any advice such as looking back at home early and planning for wealth for the Gu family.
It was precisely because of his sense of shame and protectiveness that my aunt truly accepted him.
It's ridiculous and sad that my grandfather was not a father and only wanted to plot against his daughter, which completely chilled my aunt's heart and she no longer wanted to interact with her.
…
"Aqing," Gu Shanchang looked over with a smile: "Why have you been silent?"
Gu Qing composed himself and smiled: "I was thinking, if my aunt is entering the palace today, why doesn't she bring her disciples with her?"
Queen Yu's heart moved slightly and she looked at Gu Shanchang.
There was nothing unusual about Shanchang Gu, and he smiled casually and said: "I asked her, and she said she was young and ignorant, didn't understand the rules of the palace, and didn't dare to go with her. So I came alone."
Queen Yu suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and said with a smile: "I am also Xie Mingxi's wife. What should she be afraid of when she sees me? After all, she doesn't want to enter the palace."
Chief Gu Shanzhang was very protective of his disciple and immediately said: "If she doesn't want to come, just let her go. Why force it?"
Gu Qing deliberately expressed soreness: "My aunt loves her disciples the most now, not my nephew anymore."
Gu Shanchang gave a toothy smile: "You know it in your heart, why bother to say it out loud to offend me."
Everyone was talking and laughing, and the atmosphere was very harmonious and comfortable.
Unfortunately, the spoilers soon arrived.
Eunuch Lu came to deliver the message with a shy face: "The emperor was very happy to hear that Chief Gu Shan came to the palace today, and specially asked his servant to deliver the message. He will be here in a moment."
Emperor Jianwen is coming, everyone can only be grateful.
Chief Gu Shan said nothing, but his expression became cold.
Chief Gu Shan had a long-standing friendship with Emperor Jianwen.
If Emperor Jianwen hadn't insisted on marrying Queen Yu, Yu Lianchi wouldn't have died innocently.
He tried so hard to marry Yu Lianniang, but didn't cherish it properly. He had a concubine on his left and a concubine on his right. This is why he had the nerve to boast about the emperor's deep love...
