My Lady is well

Xu Niannian never expected that she would fall ill on New Year's Eve.

Aunt Shang said that she looked ill and was not suitable to attend the banquet, and forcibly had her carried back to Luhua Pavilion.

Seeing that Xu Niannian couldn't go, Shen Yueyao also wanted to stay and accompany her, but Aunt Shang said that the Queen's kindness could not be refused.

Shen Yueyao was wearing a lilac-colored long dress with jade brocade flowers and a moon-white silk ribbon tied around her waist. She had her hair done in a simple blue cloud phoenix silk bun and decorated her bun with two thin jasper pearl hairpins. She also had two simple white jade pendants on her earrings.

Her face was flawless as white as jade, so there was no need for her to put on too much makeup. She only lightly drew her eyebrows and put on some lip balm.

Without the glitz, there is a hint of charm in the beauty.

Her dress and makeup were not outstanding, but clean and complete.

She put on a soft fur cloak made of aster brocade and carried a food box in her hand.

When I went out, I saw it was snowing finely outside. The white snow fluttered down, swaying lightly in the soft light of the palace lanterns, which was magnificent.

She turned her head to glance at Nian Nian's room, and the beautiful figure on the window lowered and shook her head.

Shen Yueyao bit her lip and smiled, guessing that she was still upset about not being able to go to the party.

I must bring her some more delicious food later, otherwise this girl will be angry for several days.

She followed a group of concubines to the Qiongyan Pavilion and met some concubines' sedan chairs on the way.

The concubines made way and saluted one after another. Shen Yueyao deliberately hid at the back and evaded the crowd when she met someone she knew.

But when she saw Concubine Li's sedan chair, she could not escape her sharp eyes.

"Stop." Li Ning said lightly.

Shen Yueyao frowned slightly, knowing that she was probably recognized. She originally thought she would pretend not to see it.

After all, the two people's identities are very different.

Li Ning got off the sedan chair. Her high bun, pearl hairpins and hairpins showed her elegance and cool temperament, like a flower blooming on a high mountain.

She ignored the greetings from others and just looked at Shen Yueyao calmly.

"You're alright?"

Shen Yueyao smiled faintly.

"Thank you for your concern, Concubine Li. I am fine."

"Let's go together."

The court ladies who were paying their respects at the side were discussing in a low voice how someone as aloof as Concubine Li would treat Shen Yueyao with such courtesy.

“She’s really amazing.”

"After all, he is a former member of the Eastern Palace. He is different from the rest of us."

"So what if she is from the old palace? She is still a concubine."

"..."

Shen Yueyao walked beside Li Ning carrying a food box. Li Ning glanced back and said.

"Why bring a lunch box?"

"...Take the unused cakes and pastries home and eat them slowly."

Li Ning frowned slightly: "Is there not enough food in Yingxiu Palace?"

Shen Yueyao sighed: "Look at my waist. If it continues like this, the wind will blow it away."

"The emperor has ordered that you are not allowed to go to Yingxiu to look for you."

Shen Yueyao suddenly realized: "Oh, I was wondering why even Song... Concubine Rong didn't go to Yingxiu Palace to make a few remarks. The emperor is really thoughtful."

The corners of Li Ning's lips curled up in a smile.

"He's afraid you'll make some noise again."

"..."

The position of the concubine was originally at the back, and Shen Yueyao deliberately found the most secluded corner, kneeling beside the food table, and she glanced inside the hall.

The Queen sat solemnly and dignifiedly on the dragon and phoenix throne. Her face looked slightly gloomy due to her long-term illness. She would occasionally exchange a few words with the Queen Mother.

Jing Ruzhang had not arrived yet, and the atmosphere in the hall was relatively relaxed.

The concubines dressed up very carefully today, with rosy cheeks, pearl hairpins and silk skirts, every detail of them was exquisite.

They all hope that today they can outshine all the other beauties and have the honor of being noticed by the emperor.

Concubine Rong was wearing a scarlet dress that trailed down the floor, looking charming and lovely. The jade hairpin on Concubine Wu's head was also nice, and she was not as sharp as she was at the card table, with a gentle look on her face. There were also a few concubines in front of her who she didn't know, sometimes whispering shyly, and sometimes looking out of the palace silently with affection and expectation.

Several court ladies around Shen Yueyao lowered their heads and gathered their clothes, looking ready for battle.

She was very puzzled and didn't understand what they were doing.

They were sitting in the corner of the hall, looking at the person on the throne. They could only make out the color of his clothes, but how could they see his face clearly?

She just didn't believe that Jing Ruzhang had such sharp eyes.

The eunuch at the palace gate shouted: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Shen Yueyao knelt down and kowtowed along with everyone else. She took advantage of the situation and didn't prepare to shout slogans. She just looked up at him quietly.

Jing Ruzhang turned his head slightly, and his sharp eyes swept across the corner of the hall.

Shen Yueyao was so scared that she quickly buried her head on the ground and followed suit.

"...Long live, long live."

I heard him say.

"Flat body."

Shen Yueyao breathed a sigh of relief and slowly knelt down at the food table.

In front, there are bare hands plucking the strings, the sound of the piano is melodious, the sleeves are fluttering, and the dance is graceful.

Most of those who listened to the songs and watched the dances were princes and ministers. As for the concubines, most of their eyes were on the young king in the palace, who had cold eyebrows and a noble temperament.

The palace maids' skirts fluttered, making a rustling sound, and dishes were brought in like a stream of water.

Shen Yueyao was not a person who indulged in food before, but the food in Yingxiu Palace was too bad.

For her, a person who eats green vegetables and white porridge every day, today's feast is far more attractive than the blurry dance in front of her.

With so many people around, he probably wouldn't notice her. Besides, he probably couldn't see her clearly, right? After all, he was so far away.

Little did he know that it was her that he couldn't see clearly. The moment Jing Ruzhang stepped into the hall, his eyes swept across the corner of the hall and he recognized her at a glance.

He caught a glimpse of her eating with her head down as if she was alone, and he frowned slightly, barely audible.

Although there was singing and dancing in front of him, he had little interest.

The Queen Mother also felt that singing and dancing were not very interesting and sighed softly.

Song Chuyao, the queen's second brother, who was sitting below, saw what he was thinking. He stood up in white and saluted the emperor gracefully.

"Today is New Year's Eve. Since the emperor doesn't like singing and dancing, why don't you have fun with the ministers? Everyone here can join in."

The queen looked at him worriedly. Her second brother relied on his good personal relationship with the emperor and had always been unruly.

He spent the whole day traveling around the mountains and rivers, and even dared to refuse the honor bestowed by the emperor.

The empress dowager looked at the emperor with interest and nodded, and the emperor understood.

"What's a good idea? Tell me about it."

Song Chuyao said calmly: "Have someone bring up a drum and prepare a flower ball. When the drum sounds, start passing the flower around until the drum stops. Whoever gets the flower will be punished."

There was no expression on Jing Ruzhang's face, but the empress dowager found it quite interesting and asked.

"What is the punishment?"

Song Chuyao clasped his fists and bowed to the Queen Mother.

"The punished person can choose to sing or dance, or compose a poem."

Shen Yueyao said with disdain in her heart, I thought it was something strange, isn't it just passing the flower while beating the drum?

The Queen Mother nodded and said, "I think it's great. The palace has always had the same songs and dances at the New Year's Eve banquets over the years. It's time to change things up."

The emperor didn't want to disappoint the empress dowager, so he ordered someone to bring a drum.

As his eyes darkened, he inadvertently glanced at the person who was concentrating on eating, and his thin lips curled slightly.