Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

The sun shines through the clouds onto the glazed tiles of the palace, reflecting colorful light. In this magnificent palace, a magnificent palace stands in the middle, which is the Penglai Palace where the queen lives.

At this moment, the Penglai Palace was solemn and dignified. Empress Xiao was sitting on the phoenix chair, her eyes were calm and majestic, as if she could see through everything. Below her, a group of gorgeously dressed and beautiful women stood in an orderly manner. They were all the emperor's concubines, coming to pay their respects to the empress.

"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen. May Her Majesty be blessed with good health and longevity!" the concubines said in unison, their voices clear and pleasant, like strings of pearls falling on a jade plate.

Empress Xiao nodded slightly with a faint smile on her lips: "Sisters, please stand up!" Her tone was gentle, but carried an unquestionable majesty.

The concubines stood up one after another, their movements gracefully and skillfully. Some of them smiled, while others looked a little nervous, but none of them dared to be negligent. After all, the queen was the master of the harem and had absolute authority.

After thanking the Empress, the concubines returned to their seats. Some of them were full of respect for Empress Xiao, while others were in awe. Yunxi and Lian Zhaoyi were among them.

However, among this group of people, there were two people who showed a different attitude. One was Concubine Ye Shu and the other was Concubine Hua Gui.

Ye Ling'er relied on the fact that she entered the palace earlier than Empress Xiao and had a son, so she didn't take the young empress seriously at all. She looked at Empress Xiao with disdain, and her eyes revealed contempt.

Concubine Hua was a little arrogant because of the emperor's favor. She wore exotic clothes and showed her charming charm. When she looked at Empress Xiao, she also showed a trace of disdain. In her opinion, this young queen could not be compared with herself.

At this time, Empress Xiao noticed the expressions of Concubine Ye Shu and Concubine Hua, and she couldn't help but feel dissatisfied. But she didn't show it, just smiled and said: "I summoned you sisters here today because I have something to tell you. A grand banquet will be held in the palace in the near future to celebrate the royal family's harvest. You sisters need to prepare well and show your best side at that time."

Concubine Ye Shu sneered and said sarcastically: "The Queen is really troubled, but I wonder if this banquet is also to show off your status?" Her words were full of sarcasm, which made people feel disgusted.

Concubine Hua said, "Sister, please don't say that. The Queen did this for the sake of us sisters." There was a hint of mockery in her tone. However, her words made Concubine Ye Shu even more dissatisfied.

Empress Xiao's eyes turned cold, and she showed displeasure on her face. She said coldly: "If you two sisters have any opinions about me, you might as well speak up. In this harem, fighting overtly or covertly is the most taboo. I hope you remember your status." Her voice revealed majesty and inviolability, making people dare not challenge her authority easily.

Concubine Ye Shufei and Concubine Hua Guifei looked at each other. Although they were unwilling, they also understood that it was not appropriate to argue with the queen at this time. They nodded their heads and said yes, indicating that they would obey the queen's teachings. Although they were not convinced in their hearts, they chose to be patient temporarily and wait for the right time.

Empress Xiao continued, "Well, if there is nothing else, all the sisters should go back and prepare. Imperial Concubine Xi and Concubine Lian, please stay. I have something to tell you."

"Yes," the concubines said goodbye and left the Penglai Palace. However, this seemingly peaceful ceremony of greeting caused quite a stir in the harem. All the people began to compete secretly, thinking about how to shine at the upcoming banquet.

After everyone left, only Empress Xiao, Yunxi and Consort Lian were left in the palace.

Empress Xiao glanced at the two of them, a faint smile appeared on her face, and she asked softly, "Two sisters, do you know why I want to keep you here?"

Yunxi and Lian Zhaoyi looked at each other and shook their heads in confusion.

Empress Xiao raised her lips slightly and said softly, "Since I was young, I have heard about the constant fighting and conspiracy in the palace. Now, in this harem, I can see that only you two are the ones who truly care about me. You two sisters are older than me and entered the palace earlier. If I have any shortcomings in the future, I hope you two sisters can give me more guidance."

Upon hearing this, Yunxi and Lian Zhaoyi quickly stood up and saluted, saying in unison: "We will serve the Empress wholeheartedly!"

Empress Xiao nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "With your words, I feel relieved. By the way, do you have any ideas or suggestions about this banquet?"

She looked at the two of them expectantly, as if she wanted to get some inspiration from them.

Yunxi nodded slightly and said thoughtfully: "I think we can invite some famous actors from outside the palace to perform in the palace, which will add some joy to the atmosphere!"

When Empress Xiao heard this, she nodded slightly, expressing her approval, "This is a great idea! This way, the banquet will definitely be much more colorful."

At this time, Lian Zhaoyi on the side also spoke up and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Such a banquet will surely make everyone happy. In addition, we can also arrange some poetry and song competitions to show the talents of the sisters."

"Good idea!" Empress Xiao nodded with satisfaction and looked at Consort Lian with appreciation. "This will not only add to the joyful atmosphere, but also showcase everyone's talents. It really kills two birds with one stone."

However, Lian Zhaoyi looked worried at this time and reminded softly: "However, you still have to be careful of someone doing bad things secretly at the banquet." Her eyes swept around, as if she was alert to potential danger.

Upon hearing this, Empress Xiao's face became solemn, a trace of worry flashed in her eyes, and she slowly said, "I know, so I need you to help me keep an eye on it. If you find any abnormal situation, be sure to inform me in time."

Yunxi and Lian Zhaoyi looked at each other and answered in unison, "Yes, we understand." They were well aware of the importance of this banquet and the responsibilities they shouldered.

"There is one more thing," Empress Xiao frowned slightly and said in a serious tone, "I want to give the emperor a special gift at the banquet to show my appreciation. Do you have any good ideas?"