Thousands of miles away in the capital.

At the banquet in the palace on Chinese New Year's Eve yesterday, the emperor only showed one face, and then went back with his new love.

The Queen Mother didn't come forward at all, only said that she was not feeling well, and she was exempted from everyone's greetings a month earlier, and it was not surprising for everyone to come out today.

The remaining concubines and princesses looked at each other, either smiling reluctantly or looking at the queen with their own hearts.

The queen's face was calm, and she couldn't see her joy or anger, so she only ordered someone to send the Nine Emperor Princes back to Changchun Palace early.

Immediately, Concubine Xian stood up with a smile, and now the second prince under her knees was equal to the eldest prince in the previous dynasty, and he was quite powerful.

In the harem, there are already many people who have taken refuge in her, and the mother and queen of the eldest prince now have a three-legged trend.

So although she is respectful to the queen now, she is actually very confident, and she spoke in front of the royal family: "Speaking of which, the days go by really fast, looking at the Nine Emperors, the concubines remember, Ming'er is not only the first day of the Lunar New Year, but also a good day for our Royal Highness the Nine Emperors, tomorrow we all have to go to Changchun Palace, ask for a cup of wine, and touch the joy of the Nine Emperors." ”

The queen's face froze, and she smiled reluctantly: "Concubine Xian has a heart!" It's just that the Nine Emperors are still young, and Ming'er is the first day of the Lunar New Year, so there is no need to make a big deal-"

Before the words were finished, the eldest prince's mother, Concubine Shu, also stood up and said: "Niangniang said that, our Royal Highness the Ninth Emperor is one year old, how can we not do it?" Ming'er must be lively! Niangniang, don't worry, our sisters in the palace, and your highnesses are definitely going to congratulate you, and look at our nine highnesses, what to catch tomorrow. ”

The concubines under the virtuous concubine and the concubine Shu, you look at me, I look at you, and they all got up and agreed.

Even the eldest prince and the second prince also opened their mouths one after another, saying that they would enter the palace tomorrow and participate in the first birthday banquet of the ninth brother.

The queen stopped talking.

Concubine Xian and Concubine Shu have already sung and harmonized, and they have given the matter of everyone attending the first birthday banquet of the Nine Emperor Princes tomorrow.

Naturally, everyone else took a stand.

The queen had to show a helpless smile: "Since this is the case, then wait for the first banquet of the new year, set up a few tables in Changchun Palace at noon, and don't invite foreign women, just let our own family be lively." ”

Concubine Xian raised her eyebrows: "On such a good day as tomorrow, it is the first birthday banquet of the Nine Emperor Princes, it must be congratulated both inside and outside, I am afraid that our Majesty will also come to sit down, after all, the Nine Emperor Princes have always been the most favored by His Majesty, right?" Why didn't you come to the first birthday party? Niangniang can't be stingy, everyone wants to get involved in the blessings of the Nine Emperors! ”

Concubine Shu also smiled: "If the mother is afraid that she will not be able to be busy, Ming'er will let her sister and Concubine Xian's sister help together, and keep the first birthday banquet of His Royal Highness the Ninth Highness lively, proper!" ”

This is almost a blatant provocation.

The queen took a deep breath, the smile on her face became more and more uncomfortable, and finally reluctantly said: "In this case, after the big banquet at the beginning of tomorrow, the first birthday banquet of the Nine Emperor Princes will be held in the Baohe Hall at noon." ”

The concubines below, as well as the princes and princesses, all got up and smiled and responded.

With such a play, the queen couldn't sit still, and it didn't take long for her to withdraw early under the pretext of worrying about the Nine Emperor Princes.

As soon as the queen leaves, the remaining concubines and concubines are the most noble people, and without the queen, the object of the two of them, they don't like each other.

You choked back and forth a few words, exchanged a look that knew each other, and then they all dispersed.

Because of this scene, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, the well-informed foreign women arrived at the Baohe Palace, and they all knew in their hearts.

Except for those who have obvious biases, the other foreign women all have their signature smiles, but they are worried in their hearts.

There are now three legs in this palace, and none of them can afford to offend, but if they make such a fuss, fools can see that the first birthday banquet of the Nine Emperor Princes will be made at noon for a while, but I am afraid that it will make waves.

If they hadn't already entered the palace, these people would have been sick and gone home immediately, and they really didn't dare to get involved.

But now I can't get out if I want to, so it's worth holding on.

The old lady of the Gu family is still sick at home, only the eldest lady of the Gu family followed Gu Changqing to attend, the daughter-in-law and brother-in-law of the family are not of enough grade, and this year Gu Changqing reminded them, so they all stayed at home.

The same is true of several other families, leaving the juniors who are not of enough grade at home just in case.

However, there are also those who are bold or have ulterior motives, but they brought their unmarried daughters in, and they are all dressed up in fancy clothes, and they are all young and jade, which is very eye-catching.

The banquet in the first year has always been like this, and the emperor still just came out to sit and was about to leave.

However, Concubine Xian was bold, and took the opportunity to talk to the queen under the pretext of saying that it would be the first birthday banquet of the Nine Emperor Princes in a while, but they were all ready? Is there anything they need help with?

The queen's face was quite calm, she only glanced at Concubine Xian, and before she could speak, the emperor heard it.

stopped, looked back at the queen and the Nine Emperor Princes beside her, and asked, "Is Xiao Jiu's first birthday banquet ready?" ”

The queen respectfully got up and replied: "Your Majesty, everything is ready, the banquet will start at noon, I wonder if Your Majesty is free?" ”

The people in the hall were silent, waiting for the emperor's answer.

The Emperor pondered for a moment before he said, "That's nature. That's a promise.

The Xian Concubine on the side twitched, but soon returned to normal, but said with a smile: "Your Majesty really loves the Nine Emperors, I don't know what to reward the Nine Emperors today?" ”

The officials and foreign women all bowed their heads together, this virtuous concubine is really bold, in front of the queen and the civil and military of the Manchu Dynasty, she invited the emperor for the queen? This is a sin of transgression!

Someone used his peripheral vision to look at the faces of the emperor and empress above.

The queen is calm and worthy of the title of the mother of a country, and at this time she is as stable as Mount Tai and graceful and generous.

The emperor was stunned, but he was happy: "What Concubine Xian said is that Xiao Jiu is a concubine, which is naturally different from ordinary princes, so let's do it, according to the first birthday of the prince in the past, the reward will be increased by three percent." In addition, I will find out the utensils I used to catch Zhou back then, and let Xiao Jiu catch one well. ”

As soon as these words came out, the faces of several princes immediately changed, even Concubine Xian and Concubine Shu couldn't help but pull their veils, they provoked this, but they didn't let the emperor say this.

I thought that these days, the emperor was very indifferent to the queen and the nine emperors, and he didn't even pay attention to the first birthday banquet, and thought that the queen's mother and son had fallen out of favor.

Today, I mentioned it in public, with the emperor's temperament, I am afraid that it will be perfunctory, in front of the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, the queen and the Nine Emperor Princes have lost face, and they will naturally not be able to stand in the future.

I didn't think about it, but I reminded the emperor, wouldn't it be a slap in the face when I said this?

I wanted to say something, but the chief manager Su on the side was sluggish and ordered people to go down and prepare.

After the emperor gave these orders, he nodded to the queen: "In this case, I will go to change my clothes first, and then come back later." ”

As he spoke, he took people and left.

The whole hall stood up and sent it off.

As soon as the emperor left, the atmosphere in this hall became a little strange.

However, the queen has always been stable, only to be invisible, and when the time is almost up, she said that everyone should go to the changing room behind the palace to rest for a while.

After the first birthday banquet begins, everyone will be invited to the table.

Then he took the people and left.

As soon as the queen left, Concubine Xian and Concubine Shu also got up and left angrily, and the rest of the concubines also got up and left.

However, those foreign women and officials were also invited by the chamberlains and palace maids to the apse to change their clothes and rest for a while.

For a while, they were all divided into men and women in twos and threes, and went to the apse.