Looking at Tai'an from the full moon

"Oh? Is this the rumored 'Emperor's Concubine Sword Dance'?"

The emperor was instantly interested. When he was still a prince, he had heard the Imperial Tutor mention the Emperor's Concubine Sword Dance during his lessons, but everyone had only heard about it and no one had ever actually seen it. Imperial Tutor Baili was also lucky enough to see a mysterious woman dance a dance when he was young, but after so many years, it was definitely not exactly the same.

"It is said that when Emperor Mingde was fighting in all directions, he encountered a strong enemy. Due to the terrain, he lost several battles in a row, which caused the army to lose morale. Emperor Mingde's wife had been accompanying the army. Seeing this, she personally went on the battlefield, using her sword as a signal and dancing to cheer the soldiers. The morale of the soldiers was greatly boosted, and the enemy was defeated. Hence, there is a saying of "Emperor's Concubine Dancing with Swords."

Concubine Yun added something on the side, clearing up the confusion among the audience.

"It turns out that my beloved concubine is also interested in national history~"

The emperor was a little surprised. The sword dance of the emperor and concubine had been lost, and basically only the imperial tutor would mention it in class. Most private school teachers outside the palace did not know about it. But Concubine Yun, who had been staying in Yun Garden for a long time, knew about it. The emperor thought she had secretly read books on national history and was particularly excited.

Concubine Yun glanced at him and said nothing, but the emperor didn't care about her attitude. Compared with the past, Concubine Yun was very polite to him today.

"So your dance is a replica of the 'Emperor's Concubine's Sword Dance'?"

The emperor asked curiously, but Zhen Luo shook his head.

"I only got some instruction from a master by chance. I only know a few moves, and the rest are all made up by my own feeling. If compared with the sword dance of the emperor and his concubine back then, it is far inferior."

The emperor nodded to show that he understood, but he was thinking in his heart: What she said is not nonsense, how can she be compared with her ancestors.

Although the emperor thought so, he was also greatly shocked by Zhen Luo's dance just now. It is not difficult to imagine how much the princess' dance inspired the morale of the army.

The ladies in the audience who had never even seen an army were also shocked, and some women even cast envious glances at Zhen Luo.

"Humph, what man would like such a person~"

There were naturally some sour voices among the crowd, but they only dared to mutter in low voices.

"You've put in a lot of effort, reward!"

The emperor's satisfied voice came from above.

Everyone also echoed and complimented Zhen Yingqing. Lord Zhen also smiled and responded as if he had survived a calamity, and secretly turned his head to look at his "good" daughter.

How come even I, her father, don’t know that she can do this?

"Okay, is there any other little girl ready to perform?"

The emperor asked again, but the performance of a group of young ladies had already made the emperor and the imperial concubine feel bored. Now Zhen Luo's sword dance overwhelmed everyone else. Who would dare to bore themselves at this time? They all lowered their heads like wilted quails.

"Since there is no more, my beloved, look at the top three..."

The Emperor turned around and asked Concubine Yun, who smiled sweetly and spoke to the crowd below.

"In fact, I have no knowledge of music, chess, calligraphy and painting. If you judge from the perspective of skills, it would be a bit difficult for me. But if I were to say which performance left an impression on me..."

Concubine Yun looked at Zhen Luo.

"The daughter of the Zhen family will naturally have a share, and..."

Concubine Yun took Fang Jiawei's hand beside her.

"The singing of the little girl from the Fang family also touched my heart."

"As for the last one... why don't you let the emperor decide? It would be unfair for me to choose."

The emperor nodded. Concubine Yun's approach pleased him deeply. The first two places were chosen by Concubine Yun's favorites, but the purpose of holding the palace banquet on the Qiqiao Festival was to select wives and concubines for these princes, so who was rewarded was very important. As for the last place, it must be given to the person she wanted to win over.

The emperor looked around and thought that with the Sixth Prince's personality, it was useless to choose a concubine for him. If he had a girl he liked, he would definitely arrange the marriage himself. He would definitely not accept a concubine if one was forced upon him.

Then he looked at Prince Qing. He hadn't had a concubine for so many years, so he must have a very good relationship with the princess. And they already had a son, so he didn't get involved with them.

Finally, the emperor's eyes fell on the third prince. Originally, the queen wanted to use the phoenix hairpin to decide the future consort of the third prince, but Concubine Yun came, and the queen couldn't bring herself to sit next to her, so she slipped away with an excuse. Although the emperor didn't like the queen, the third prince was indeed old enough to get married.

The emperor thought about it again and finally made a decision.

"Zuo Xin!"

The emperor suddenly called out the name.

Zuo Xin was stunned for a moment. She thought the emperor would follow the imperial concubine's lead and choose those performances that she thought were weird.

"The folk girl is here."

"Her performance just now impressed me deeply. How about giving her the title of Queen?"

The emperor pointed at Zuo Xin and turned to ask Concubine Yun. Of course, Concubine Yun didn't care. Anyway, the things were not hers, and she didn't choose the people. Everything had nothing to do with her.

"Since the emperor likes her, it means that Lord Zuo's daughter is naturally worthy of being the queen."

This sentence gave the emperor enough face. Concubine Yun glanced at Zuo Xin and saw that she could not hide her excitement. Concubine Yun could not help but shake her head in her heart.

The ignorant girl will eventually become a victim of politics.

"The prize the Queen is offering this time is very valuable. You must keep it well."

"Yes, I will remember what the Imperial Concubine said."

"The remaining two, come with me to Yunyuan now."

The emperor was a little surprised and came to Concubine Yun and asked in a low voice.

"My beloved, are you going back now? These ladies have finished showing off, but there are still some gentlemen who haven't shown off themselves yet. My beloved, do you want to watch them?"

Concubine Yun spoke calmly.

"I will be back soon. Besides, I don't have a daughter, so I will just wait and see with those gentlemen."

"Ah."

"The royal concubine!"

Just as Concubine Yun was about to stand up and leave, Zuo Xin suddenly spoke.

"I shouldn't have said this, but I have always admired the Imperial Concubine. Just now the Imperial Concubine said that the top three can enter Yunyuan..."

The atmosphere in the palace suddenly became awkward. Although Concubine Yun did say so, the Queen later changed her words and said to take two people away, and the others would pretend not to know. But Zuo Xin actually took the initiative to propose it. Isn't this too bold?

The emperor frowned in displeasure. He naturally remembered this matter, but she was not the one chosen by his beloved concubine, so he did not mention it just now.

Concubine Yun, who was about to leave, stopped, turned around, and just said something to her with a smile.

"I just said that the Queen's prize is very precious."

With just one sentence, anyone with a bit of insight in the hall knew what the Imperial Concubine meant. Zuo Xin had won the prize for the Empress, so she was the Emperor's choice for the Empress. If she asked Imperial Concubine Yun for something at this time, she would be greedy.

"My lady..."

Zuo Xin was stunned. She didn't want to take Concubine Yun's things anymore, but she also wanted to go to Yun Garden to take a look...

"Xin'er!"

Madam Zuo called her softly and shook her head. Zuo Xin still didn't understand what was going on, but it seemed that she had said the wrong thing. She pursed her lips and adjusted her tone.

"Your Highness is right. I was just too drunk and made a mistake. I hope Your Highness will not blame me."

Concubine Yun waved her hands and pretended nothing had happened.

So under everyone's gaze, Zhen Luo and Fang Jiawei followed Concubine Yun and left together. Before Concubine Yun left, she glanced at her son, with an ambiguous meaning.

After Concubine Yun and others left, a new round of performances began in the palace, but this time it was the turn of the young masters from each family to take the stage.