Traveling through the Tang Dynasty: The Concubine Goes to War

Yunxi lowered her head in thought for a moment, then looked up at Empress Xiao and said softly, "Your Majesty, as far as I know, the Emperor is quite interested in antiques, calligraphy and paintings, especially authentic works by famous artists. If we can find a rare work and give it to the Emperor, I believe it will please him."

After hearing this, Empress Xiao's eyes lit up and a smile appeared on the corners of her mouth: "Well, this is a good plan. However, there are so many fakes in the market nowadays that it is not easy to find a genuine authentic work of a famous artist." She sighed softly, a trace of worry appearing on her face.

Lian Zhaoyi stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have heard that there is a well-known collector in the capital who has many precious calligraphy and paintings at home. Perhaps we can find a suitable painting through him."

Empress Xiao nodded slightly, indicating her agreement: "Then please contact the collector to see if there is a suitable painting. This matter must be kept confidential and must not be leaked to avoid unnecessary trouble."

Lian Zhaoyi responded, "I obey your command." Yunxi looked at Empress Xiao and secretly sighed in her heart that this young queen was not only extremely intelligent, but also meticulous and capable of managing the harem.

Empress Xiao nodded slightly, her lips curled up slightly, revealing a touch of satisfaction. "In addition, I also hope to prepare some unique programs to bring an unexpected surprise to the emperor." She whispered softly, with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Yunxi smiled slightly, with a hint of deep meaning in her eyes. "I have an idea. We can arrange for a group of palace maids to carefully rehearse an elegant and moving dance, and match it with pleasant music. I believe it will please the emperor."

"This is a brilliant plan!" Empress Xiao couldn't help but praise, with a look of joy on her face. "Then I'll leave it to you to be in charge of the choreography of this dance, Concubine Xi."

"I will definitely try my best and live up to the Queen's trust." Yunxi agreed happily, her eyes full of confidence and determination.

At this time, Lian Zhaoyi suddenly interrupted, with a gentle smile on her face, and whispered softly: "I also heard that a neighboring country presented a batch of extremely precious spices. Those spices exude a charming fragrance that makes people feel relaxed and happy. If we can use these spices to make exquisite sachets and present them to the queen mother, wouldn't it be a unique and thoughtful gift?"

After hearing this, Empress Xiao's eyes flashed with surprise, and she responded excitedly: "This is a great idea! It can express our respect and love for the Queen Mother, and at the same time show the charm of foreign culture. It really kills two birds with one stone!"

Lian Zhaoyi smiled and nodded, then continued, "Moreover, these spices are rare species. Their fragrance is strong and long-lasting. They can make people happy, bring a sense of tranquility, and even help them sleep well."

"That's great." Empress Xiao clapped her hands happily and praised, "The Queen Mother will definitely like this unique gift."

“Of course, in addition to spices, we also need to carefully select some beautiful fabrics and delicate silk threads, and carefully design and make exquisite and beautiful sachets,” Lian Zhaoyi added.

Empress Xiao nodded in agreement and gave the order: "Very good, let's do as you said. Concubine Xi will be responsible for the choreography of the dance, making sure it is full of vitality and beauty; Concubine Lian will be responsible for the production of the sachet, making sure every detail is perfect."

They discussed some specific details in detail, including the layout style of the banquet venue, the selection and matching of various dishes, the background music, etc. Empress Xiao couldn't help but secretly delighted after hearing this, thinking that with the help of these two capable helpers, this banquet will surely be a complete success.

Then, everyone started to get busy, each taking on their own tasks. Yunxi carefully selected a group of palace maids who were good at dancing, and then began to choreograph the dance program; Lian Zhaoyi carefully selected the best spices and found the most outstanding embroiderer in the palace to make exquisite sachets.

During this process, Empress Xiao also personally participated in various tasks and discussed with them how to make the entire banquet more perfect. She believed that this banquet was not only to celebrate the festival, but also a rare opportunity to fully display the talents and charm of the women in the harem.

Therefore, she hoped that through this grand banquet, the emperor would witness the outstanding demeanor and outstanding talents of the women in the harem. At the same time, she also hoped to use this opportunity to narrow the distance between her and other concubines and further enhance their relationship.

After a long preparation, the banquet finally kicked off. As night fell, the palace was brightly lit and bustling. The palace maids, dressed in gorgeous clothes and holding flowers, shuttled lightly between the palaces. The dancers danced gracefully on the stage, singing melodiously and pleasantly, like fairy music. The whole palace was filled with a cheerful and joyful atmosphere.

With everyone working together, every detail of the banquet was perfect. The dances rehearsed by the palace maids were exquisite, and the sachets were made with great skill. Empress Xiao was very satisfied with all the arrangements, with a pleased smile on her face.

At the banquet, the emperor and the empress dowager praised the performance highly, especially when they saw the exquisite sachets, they couldn't let them go. Empress Xiao, Yunxi, Lian Zhaoyi and others were praised by the emperor and the empress dowager for their outstanding performance.

The Emperor and the Empress Dowager were very satisfied with Empress Xiao's careful arrangements and gave her high praise. Empress Xiao humbly said that this was the result of everyone's joint efforts, and she also thanked the Emperor and the Empress Dowager for their support and trust.

This banquet not only demonstrated the prosperity of court culture, but also made people feel the majesty and glory of the royal family.

It became a wonderful memory that no one would forget. This banquet was undoubtedly a grand celebration in the palace, which made Empress Xiao and others very happy. They knew that as long as they were united, they could create more beautiful things. This night will be engraved in everyone's heart forever.

A few days after the banquet, the emperor became more and more fond of Empress Xiao, often rewarding her with rare treasures. This made the other concubines jealous, and they secretly competed with each other, trying to show their charm in front of the emperor.

On a sunny day, Empress Xiao was in a good mood and decided to invite the concubines in the harem to go to the imperial garden to appreciate the blooming flowers.

After receiving the invitation, the concubines dressed up carefully, hoping to show their best side on this occasion.

Among them, Yunxi wore a simple and elegant long dress, as fresh and refined as a lotus emerging from the water; while the other concubines wore gorgeous palace costumes and dazzling jewelry, which were beautiful beyond words.

Everyone strolled in the Imperial Garden, immersed in the sea of ​​flowers. Yunxi suggested that everyone play a poetry game to add to the fun.

This proposal was unanimously agreed upon by all the concubines, and thus a wonderful literary contest officially began.

As the poems were recited, the atmosphere became more and more tense and intense. Each concubine tried her best to show her talent.

At this moment, the pregnant Concubine Zhu unexpectedly succeeded in finishing the last line of the poem with her profound literary attainments and unique insights. Her performance was amazing and won the admiration of everyone present, and even the emperor took a new look at her.

Seeing this, Empress Xiao smiled and rewarded Concubine Zhu with a precious pearl necklace, praising her for her outstanding talent. However, this move aroused the jealousy of other concubines.

They realized that in order to win the emperor's favor, in addition to appearance, they also needed to have a certain level of cultural accomplishment. So they began to secretly plan how to improve their literary accomplishment in order to better attract the emperor's attention.