kingnovel Chapter 230
Chapter 230
Entering the palace was a complicated matter. They passed through one gate after another, with red walls, green tiles, and big red bronze doors. Lianhua and Qingfang did not dare to look around, and Song Guanzhou was not curious at all.
When she was in modern times, she also liked these classical buildings. She once went on a long business trip in Beijing and visited the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and other places countless times.
The grand front palace square, towering towers, pavilions and terraces were not surprising to Song Guanzhou. But when he actually walked to Fengming Palace, where the empress entertained guests, he could not help but sigh in admiration. The palace seemed small, with red pavilions, low windows, long corridors and screen walls, and scenes within scenes, with shadows everywhere.
Measured by lotus steps, it is not small.
The lush green plants, the gorgeous flowers, especially the out-of-season peonies and roses, and the vines hanging on the walls, the person who created the landscape must be a master, and the red walls, green tiles, carved beams and painted pillars, make it majestic and luxurious everywhere.
Song Guanzhou brought Lianhua and followed the old lady of the Qin family, the aunt of the Huang family and Mrs. Min into the palace. There was a lingering fragrance in the air. It was stuffy outside, but as soon as they stepped through the threshold, they felt a refreshing coolness.
On the golden phoenix throne in the center, sat the Queen Mother, the mother of the country.
She was born in the Chen family of Xiangzhou and is the same age as Your Majesty. She is also forty-two years old this year. Under the golden and jade phoenix crown and wearing the queen's court dress, Empress Chen looks a little younger than her actual age.
Behind the phoenix throne, two palace maids each held a screen fan. On both sides of the phoenix throne stood four palace maids in brown palace skirts. Two steps below were two young eunuchs.
There were more than ten seats on both sides. After paying homage to the Queen Mother, she offered them seats. Everyone sat down and talked for a few words, and then another group of people came to replace them.
...It's not easy for Her Majesty to meet guests on this assembly line.
Song Guanzhou followed several elders into the palace and, following the palace etiquette he had learned yesterday, kowtowed three times and bowed nine times. When the Queen Mother gave the signal, the senior palace maid beside him sang the etiquette loudly, "Stand up, Your Majesty, please take a seat." They kowtowed in unison again to thank the Queen Mother, and then sat down.
The Queen Mother has a kind face and is a relative of the Qin family, so they are very close.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xiao Yinxiu, Madam Min, and the old lady of the Huang family, the queen suddenly pointed with her jade hand and said, "Sister Qin, is this the wife of Pei Qing?" The old lady Qin quickly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, this is Song, the wife of Pei Silang of the Duke's Mansion."
Song Guanzhou thought that was the end of it, but she didn't expect that the Queen Mother would call on her alone.
She had no choice but to stand up, bow to the Empress and say, "My name is Song, and I'm here to pay my respects to the Empress." She wanted to add a few nice words, but was afraid that times had changed and she might end up laughing if she said something wrong.
She lowered her head and had a serene expression. Empress Chen couldn't help but feel curious because her youngest son Liu Xian often talked about her, so she waved and said, "Come here and let me see her." She was heard to be a great beauty, but the way she was dressed today was rather ordinary.
When Song Guanzhou moved small steps to the foot of the throne and heard Queen Chen tell her to look up, she slowly raised her head.
She silently said in her heart, don't be curious, don't look around, keep your eyebrows down and don't get into trouble! Who knew that when she raised her oval face, Empress Chen was slightly surprised for a moment. It is said that the palace is the most beautiful in the world, but Song's appearance is still slightly better.
Compared with Concubine Lian, the most beautiful and gorgeous concubine in the harem, she is slightly inferior.
"It's a nice color indeed, your maiden name is——"
Song Guanzhou quickly bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty, my father named me Guanzhou."
"Lord Song is very knowledgeable and talented. It seems that you have a brother named Xinglu?"
Surprised that the Empress knew about his adopted brother, Song Guanzhou suddenly looked up, his eyes moist as a deer's, and said, "Your Majesty, my elder brother, Song Xinglu, is now living in seclusion in his hometown, guarding the tombs of my father and mother."
As soon as I finished speaking, I wanted to bite my tongue.
The emperor was celebrating his birthday, but she mentioned guarding the tomb. Fortunately, the queen didn't care and just said kindly, "Xian Ge'er mentioned you many times and always wanted to summon you to the palace. You fell into the water during the banquet, and luckily you are here."
When Song Guanzhou heard this, a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.
"Your Majesty, your words are too kind. I was so careless at that time that I didn't know that the Tenth Prince had come. Fortunately, the Tenth Prince was protected by the Emperor and the Empress, and good things have come. I was just doing something that happened by chance, and I don't deserve your thanks."
After saying this, he bowed according to etiquette.
Empress Chen had a smile on her face. After she kowtowed, she sent a palace maid to help her. Song Guanzhou bowed his head again and thanked her - you are so tiring!
As the mother of a country, it was a great blessing for her to be able to speak to Song Guanzhou alone. When she came out with the elders, Xiao Yinxiu walked up to her and said sternly, "You are reckless. Don't walk around on your own for a while. Just follow me and mother."
Song Guanzhou responded with a yes.
She was so well behaved that Xiao Yinxiu was a little overwhelmed.
The birthday banquet was held in Huiying Hall. On the golden throne in the middle, His Majesty and the Empress sat together. Below them were the seats for the princes, princesses and noble concubines in the harem. In the hall, facing the front of His Majesty were the most important ministers in the court. On the right were the male guests of the royal family and envoys from various countries. As for the female members, they sat on the left, but with a curtain in front of them to separate them from the court officials and relatives.
In each area, there are countless small tables, with three to four people sitting in front of each table.
As soon as Song Guanzhou followed the crowd in, he felt that it was a dark day!
It was not even 9 o'clock yet, but the room was already packed with people. Fortunately, the female guests had a separate entrance, so they avoided meeting the male guests and reduced embarrassment.
Once they were seated, all the attendants were driven away.
Song Guanzhou looked at the two strange women at the table and smiled awkwardly. Damn it! Xiao Yinxiu was really a bad guy. He actually threw her into the innermost corner.
Now that the birthday banquet has not yet begun, people are still arriving one after another. His Majesty and His Majesty are receiving male and female guests in their respective palaces.
Song Guanzhou wailed in his heart, how could he get through this day?
Fortunately, the two women at the same table were ten years older than Song Guanzhou. Song Guanzhou did not know how to distinguish the rank of court dress, but he thought that the one sitting in the corner like himself was probably not a high-ranking lady.
Thinking that I was young and would be staying together for a whole day, I took the initiative to strike up a conversation.
"Madams, I'm honored to meet you... I'm from the Pei family of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. How should I address you, madams?" Song Guanzhou wiped his sweat at the awkward communication.
Fortunately, the two were also very polite. The woman in the green cloak smiled and said, "Thank you, Madam Fourth Young Master. I am from the Third Family of Chen in the Duke of the Guardian State Mansion, and this is Madam Second Young Master Li."
"You two ladies seem to be a few years older than me. If you don't mind, I would like to call you sisters. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is possible. It is a blessing for both of us to have a sister of such a character as the Fourth Young Master's wife." The Second Young Master's wife of the Li family, who was wearing a turmeric dress, smiled faintly and responded politely.
After some greetings, the three of them gradually became familiar with each other.
In the back, apart from the palace servants coming and going, there were no guests arranged. However, those who were seated in front and beside all looked over and greeted Song Guanzhou. Song Guanzhou was stunned for a moment, and in his spare time, he whispered to the two young ladies of the Chen and Li families, "I am afraid that I was reckless in the past. I am ashamed that so many ladies and daughters recognized me."