Peach Blossom.

Not to mention the ministers who came to watch the ceremony today, even the Crown Prince Si Xiu saw his bride for the first time.

Because of the veil, Wang Yu did not wear a veil today.

How could Wang Yu have expected that on this clear and windless day, the veil would have fallen before entering the bridal chamber?

She knew very well that in order to prevent today's wedding from going wrong, Wang Jing had sent someone into the palace early in the morning to inform Princess Si Yao that she would soon be taking the Wang family back.

Moreover, Wang Jing was afraid that the Meng mother and daughter would cause trouble again, so he deliberately stated that Si Yao could not be brought back to the Wang family until the banquet was over, just to force them to behave themselves today.

However, Wang Yu did not expect that she would still make a fool of herself in this Tai Chi Hall where everyone was paying attention. The scene was even worse than the one when she entertained guests in the Wang family's backyard.

She seemed to feel countless unfriendly gazes, and she even heard faint laughter and slander in the distance. She couldn't tell whether it was her illusion or not, she just felt that her ears were about to explode from these sounds.

Mi Lan quickly picked up the red veil that had fallen to the ground, knelt down and presented it to Wang Yu with both hands: "I deserve to die, please forgive me, Crown Princess."

Wang Yu's hands were shaking. Although she took the veil, her hands were shaking so much that she couldn't cover it.

“Instead of hiding it, it’s better to be open about it.” Si Xiu’s voice was loud. He grabbed Wang Yu’s hand, took the red veil and threw it on the ground.

He looked around, sweeping his sharp eyes over everyone standing on both sides of the hall: "I want to see who is laughing. If you have something to say, come to me and tell me. I am all ears."

After hearing the prince say this, who among those present dared to whisper? They didn't dare to laugh anymore, and they didn't even dare to look up.

Si Xiu held Wang Yu's hand again, looked into her eyes, and said solemnly: "My dear, there is nothing shameful about being injured. The one who should be ashamed is the cruel person who maliciously injured you."

Wang Yu wanted to control her emotions, but she couldn't help it and tears rolled down her cheeks silently.

For many years, she had been suffering from her misfortune, but one day she discovered that she was so lucky.

In the hall, Si Yao, who was standing behind Meng, blushed even more than before.

Si Xiu turned his gaze to Mi Lan who was kneeling on the ground and said coldly: "Useless person, get out of the palace immediately."

Mi Lan knelt there in a daze. Everyone in the palace knew that Prince Si Xiu was a well-known good man. Before this, he had never reprimanded anyone, as if any mistake could be forgiven by him.

"Don't you know what 'get out' means? Or do you want me to beat you to death on this happy day?" Si Xiu's voice was even harsher than before.

"I obey your command." Mi Lan was really scared and had no choice but to do as Si Xiu said.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Qi Lan curled up and rolled out in circles along the path she had just walked in.

Everyone knew that this was Madam Han's personal maid. This was Si Xiu's first time punishing a palace maid, but he used such a shameful method, which was undoubtedly a slap in Madam Han's face.

Chen Ji, who was standing among the ministers, also watched this scene and couldn't help but frown. He was a little suspicious. He had previously thought that Si Xiu was weak and incompetent, so he helped him to become the crown prince... Now it seems that he has created trouble for himself, right?

Madam Han sat next to Si Yuan, but didn't dare to say a word, nor did she look outside. She just sat there with a long face, looking depressed.

Si Yuan smiled lightly and glanced at Madam Han: "Madam, are you unhappy?"

Madam Han forced a smile and replied, "I am ashamed that I taught such a servant to cause trouble to the prince. I hope the emperor will punish her."

"If I punish you for this, shouldn't I punish the "brutal man" who tattooed the Crown Princess on her face even more?" Si Yuan raised his eyebrows and smiled strangely.

Mrs. Han remained silent, and Si Yao was so anxious that sweat was about to break out on his head.

"Although Madam is not a good teacher, you have made everyone see clearly that the prince... is a qualified prince. On this day of great joy, punishment... should be waived." Si Yuanyan smiled and turned to look at Meng: "Isn't that what you agree with, mother?"

Mrs. Meng could only smile and complimented, "The children of the official family are naturally all good. Madam Han has been busy these days, so it is understandable that she is occasionally negligent."

Si Yuan followed Meng's words and sighed, "Madam Han has been really busy lately, and I'm afraid this is not the only thing she has neglected. I heard that she hasn't taken good care of my mother's Anshou Palace. I have to thank my mother for her tolerance."

During these days, many palace maids were released from the harem and new ones were added. The Anshou Palace was almost completely replaced with a new one. These actions were carried out bit by bit, like boiling a frog in warm water. Meng had no reason or opportunity to raise any objections and could only laugh it off.

So the wedding ceremony continued.

After the Crown Princess was welcomed into the Crown Prince's bedroom, Yanming Hall, the birthday banquet was held in the Taiji East Hall.

Si Yuan sat at the main seat at the banquet. Queen Mother Meng and Madam Han sat on his left and right respectively. The ministers and their families sat on both sides. Among them, Si Rong and Chen Ji sat at the chief seat on the east side, Si Yao and Wang Jing sat at the chief seat on the west side, and the rest sat according to their seats.

When everyone was seated, they heard the sound of music. The music was harmonious, elegant, clear, and deep, as gentle as the sunlight shining on the earth. It turned out to be the Sanskrit sound of the Buddhist world.

The musicians were either standing or sitting, opposite the seats of the emperor and his ministers, and were also divided into the left and right sides, forming a fan-shaped formation.

As the melody of the music became more and more mellow, dancers appeared from between the two rows of musicians. Each of them put her hands together in front of her chest and walked out slowly, like the sacred and solemn image of Guanyin.

The ministers couldn't help but open their eyes wide, wondering about the dancers' clothes.

In the past, at banquets of all sizes, dancers would always have fluttering sleeves and skirts. However, the dancers that everyone saw today were wearing such tight clothes, from the neck and shoulders to the arms, from the waist to the hips, the clothes stuck tightly to the skin, showing off each dancer's slender figure.

Only the ends of the skirts spread out like fishtails, hiding the dancers' small three-inch golden lotus. The entire top and bottom of the skirts were embroidered with scale-like golden armor, which sparkled in the reflection of the sunlight.

The dancers came from far to near, with twenty people in a row, twelve rows in total, and they all stopped in front of the king and his ministers.

The sound of bells came from behind the musicians, and the dancers began to dance. They wore golden armor and golden clothes, and each row of twenty people was in neat alignment. Sometimes they fluttered like skylarks, sometimes they spread their wings like eagles, with strong bodies and lightly fluttering sleeves, just like flying gods walking out of the Dunhuang murals.

Another round of bell ringing sounded, and the music in the back changed from soft to sonorous. The twelve rows of dancers suddenly united as one. Countless hands stretched out from the left, and in the blink of an eye, as if frightened, they all retracted at once. Countless hands stretched out from the right, and then retracted again.

The music stopped and started again. The first dancer in the lead clasped her hands together, and the hands of the dancers behind her swayed in all directions and gradually stretched out, like a peacock spreading its tail, interpreting the colorless and formless Thousand-Armed Guanyin.

At this moment, everyone in the room was surprised, except for the blind Wang Jing, who was totally unaware. Si Yuan couldn't help but applaud, and the applause from both sides was thunderous, which was deafening.

The sound of bells was heard again, and the dancers danced again, dividing one row into four rows. Their arms continued to spin gracefully, still gradually expanding and contracting forward and backward. The first moment it was a phoenix spreading its wings, and the next moment it became a hundred flowers blooming, gradually blooming from four rows to twelve rows, sometimes dispersing, sometimes gathering, and their dance moves kept changing with the melody, which was dazzling to watch, as if the unpredictable Guanyin had countless incarnations descending to the earth.

There was another round of ringing of bells, and all the dancers separated and fell like petals, scattering all over the stage, dancing together, with graceful figures and coordinated movements. The twisting of their waists was as soft as flowing spring water, and their dance steps rolled up like surging waves.

At the end, the music suddenly tightened and the rhythm became extremely fast. The bells started to shake faster and faster, and the dancers quickly gathered into an irregular shape. When the bells stopped for the first time, the dancers collectively formed a "wan" character.

The bells rang again, and the dancers dispersed again. When the bells stopped ringing for the second time, the dancers formed a Chinese character "寿" (longevity).

The bells rang again, and the dancers dispersed again. When the bells stopped ringing for the third time, the dancers collectively formed the shape of the word "nothing";

The bells rang one last time, and the dancers dispersed for the last time. When the bells stopped ringing for the fourth time, the dancers formed a Chinese character "疆".

"Great! It turns out that birthday wishes can be written like this?" Si Yuan nodded in praise, simply amazed.

After the Thousand-Armed Guanyin dance, Tao Ye walked out from behind the musicians holding a rattle, and kowtowed to Si Yuan and others together with the other musicians and dancers.

All the ministers stood up and raised their glasses to toast Si Yuan and wish him a long life.

Si Yuan hurriedly asked everyone to stand up and ordered a generous reward to all the people in the Taiyue Bureau.

Madam Han glanced at Tao Ye, then looked at the satisfied smile on Si Yuan's face, and asked with a faint smile: "Prime Minister Tao Le is so capable, why don't you take her into the harem? I think she will be a good wife."

"You're here again." Si Yuan chuckled and didn't take it seriously.

Madam Han's expression was really ugly this time, and her jealousy didn't seem to be fake: "If the emperor likes it, then he likes it. Why not admit it?"

"I just feel like I didn't understand her before. I don't mean anything else." Si Yuan smiled and took a sip of wine, then shook his head: "Besides, I'm already old and my health is like this, why should I delay others? She's still young."

"Young?" Madam Han smiled coldly: "Cheng Tao Le and I are the same age, so I can't be considered young."

"Really?" Si Yuan was surprised for a moment, then looked at Tao Ye again: "I really can't tell, I always thought she was the same age as Rong'er."

Mrs. Han didn't say anything, but her whole body suddenly felt hot, as if she could burn up in an instant.

At this moment, Prince Si Xiu came from Yanming Palace with Wang Yu. They were still wearing wedding clothes and came specially to congratulate their father on his birthday.

Si Yuan asked with a smile: "Why did you come here like this? Your big day has been delayed by my birthday."

"How can a son be absent from my father's birthday banquet?" Si Xiu said, and hurriedly called Wang Yu to kneel down and greet him.

Si Yuan ordered someone to set up another banquet table next to Madam Han's table, and asked Si Xiu and Wang Yu to sit down.

The emperor and his ministers ate and watched. Most of the male musicians from the Imperial Music Bureau came to the side of the dancers in front. Each man and woman danced opposite each other, with one hand on each other's shoulders and waists and the other hand holding each other. If you retreat, I advance, and if I retreat, you advance, or both of them step left or right together. After walking a few steps, the man raised one hand high and pulled the dancer to spin in a circle.

Si Yuan found it very interesting and asked, "Cheng Tao Le, what kind of dance is this?"

Tao Ye bowed quickly and replied with a smile: "My Lord, this is called ballroom dancing. In my hometown, if a person of status and reputation holds a birthday banquet, ballroom dancing is common. A man can invite a girl he likes to dance with him. This dance is simple and easy to learn, and it is very lively when danced."

"Your hometown..." Si Yuan repeated in a low voice.