This palace comes back in this life, only to be Nian Shilan

Chapter 25

Concubine Hua called Zhou Ninghai in and told him to take her sedan chair to Sui Yuxuan to pick up Concubine Wan for a small gathering.

When Shen Meizhuang heard what Concubine Hua said, her eyes sparkled with a bright light. Concubine Hua really doted on her.

In the Sui Yuxuan, Zhen Huan felt strange when she heard Zhou Ninghai say that Concubine Hua had invited her. But when she heard that Concubine Shen and Concubine Jing were also in the Yikun Palace, she knew that it must be Sister Mei who begged Concubine Hua to invite her over, and she was happy.

After changing into a light blue cheongsam and putting on a cloak, Liuzhu stuffed a hot stove into Zhen Huan's hand. Huanbi helped Zhen Huan get on the sedan chair. Zhou Ninghai, Cui Jinxi and others followed on both sides of the sedan chair and went to Yiku Palace.

"Master Wan is here." Zhou Ninghai announced at the entrance of the main hall of Yikun Palace.

On the dining table in the palace, Songzhi and the little palace maid had already placed the pot. It was a colorful enameled mandarin duck copper pot that had just been tributed from Shu. It had a small chimney in the middle with charcoal fire inside.

The red and white hot soups in the pots were slowly heating up, and the copper pots were surrounded by various freshly cut vegetables and meats from the small kitchen.

The wine cup was filled with new wine that had just been dug from under the osmanthus tree, and the room was filled with the mixed fragrance of osmanthus and wine.

"What a nice smell! This smell makes people drunk even without drinking any alcohol."

Zhou Ninghai first opened the cotton curtain for Zhen Huan and let Zhen Huan in.

As soon as she entered the main hall, Zhen Huan smelled the aroma of osmanthus wine.

Inside the palace, Concubine Hua, Concubine Jing and Shen Meizhuang were using a cloth tiger to tease Wen Yi to crawl forward.

Just now when Zhou Ninghai went to invite Zhen Huan, Jingpin simply asked the nanny to bring Wen Yi over from Xianfu Palace.

The snow has stopped and will not melt for a while. If you wrap Wen Yi with another quilt, it won’t be too cold on the road.

Now, if Jingpin leaves Wen Yi for a moment, she will become extremely anxious.

What's more, they have to have lunch in Yiku Palace before they can go back. Jingpin simply can't bear it. She must keep Wen Yi in front of her before she feels at ease.

"You are finally here. We have been waiting for you for a long time."

When Shen Meizhuang heard Zhen Huan's voice, she hurried over to greet her.

As soon as they met, they happily held hands and even forgot to greet each other.

"The roads are slippery due to the snow. It's my younger sister who delayed the elder sisters' meal."

When Zhen Huan saw Concubine Hua and Concubine Jing behind Shen Meiyu looking at them with smiles, she hurriedly stepped forward to greet them.

"I pay my respects to Concubine Hua and Concubine Jing. Thank you, Concubine Hua, for granting me the sedan chair to travel with me."

Although Zhen Huan was happy, she did not forget the etiquette.

Jingpin helped Zhen Huan up with a false help, while Huafei ordered the wet nurse to take Wen Yi down to feed her. She then walked towards Zhen Huan, took her hand and sat down at the dining table.

"It's okay for us to wait, but you asked Miss Shen to wait for a long time. She has been craving for the sweet-scented osmanthus wine here for a long time. Songzhi just warmed up the wine, and Miss Shen walked back and forth at the door for several times."

Everyone was seated separately.

Songzhi poured wine for each of the ladies.

Zhen Huan was a straightforward person. She raised her wine glass, and the blue and white porcelain wine glass made her slender fingers look even more delicate. "It is my honor today to be invited by Concubine Hua to meet with the sisters here. I am late, so I will drink a glass first as a punishment."

With bright eyes and a gentle and charming manner, even through the smoke rising from the pot, Concubine Hua felt that Zhen Huan was really beautiful.

After finishing the glass of wine, Songzhi filled it for Zhen Huan again. Zhen Huan raised her glass again and said with a smile:

"This second cup, I wish all the sisters to have the same good times as today every year."

Zhen Huan was about to finish the drink when Shen Meizhuang stopped her. "You are still ill, so why should I punish you with three cups in a row? Maybe you wanted to drink two more cups on purpose because you wanted Concubine Hua's wine."

Shen Meizhuang raised her glass and said, "Let's wish you two good luck together."

Seeing Shen Meizhuang stopping Zhen Huan, Concubine Hua and Concubine Jing smiled at each other and raised their glasses in response.

The four of them drank it all together.

The atmosphere at the table gradually became lively, and everyone let go of their restraints.

The four young ladies all thought it was troublesome for the palace maids to prepare and serve the dishes, so they just did it themselves.

"This tribute vegetable is extremely rare in winter. The tribute vegetable is wrapped around the tofu and does not fall apart after being cooked for a long time. It has a crispy and tender texture. I have never eaten it before. Sister Hua Fei's small kitchen is indeed well-deserved."

Zhen Huan dipped a piece of tofu in the red oil pan.

Concubine Hua never expected that Zhen Huan, who looked frail, could eat spicy food.

The spicy hot pot prepared by the chef specially hired from Shu for her palace was not spicy enough to make Zhen Huan feel uncomfortable.

"Sister Mei, try this duck blood. It is very tender after being boiled in red oil."

Shen Meizhuang was not fond of spicy food, but the mushroom soup pot was very much to her liking. Considering her figure, Shen Meizhuang only drank three bowls of soup.

"Sister Shen doesn't like spicy food, so don't make it difficult for her. The matsutake in this mushroom soup is also excellent. Meizhuang, you should try it."

Concubine Hua used a public spoon to serve a matsutake mushroom to Meizhuang.

"What a pity that Sister Mei can't enjoy such delicious spicy hotpot." Zhen Huan hid behind the soup bowl and blinked mischievously.

Concubine Hua likes spicy food very much, and she would ask the kitchen to make some Sichuan dishes for her from time to time to satisfy her cravings. She didn't expect that Zhen Huan had similar interests to her, and she even had a better impression of her.

The only one who could eat spicy food was Concubine Jing. She kept silent and finished the whole plate of mutton by herself.

Seeing that Jingpin liked it, Hua Fei asked the kitchen to cut a few more plates of lamb.

The wine is over thirty, and the food is over five flavors.

Concubine Hua, Concubine Jing, Shen Meizhuang and Zhen Huan all had particularly beautiful blushes on their faces. They propped up their chins and looked out the window. The snow began to fall again.

The clusters of red plum blossoms outside the window are covered with a thick layer of snow.

Red plum blossoms and white snow, warm wine and a hot pot, and best friends by my side, life is so happy.

Hua Fei thought, it would be great if her life could always be as good as this.

Jingpin thought, she never expected that there would be such a scene in her life.

Zhen Huan became excited and suddenly stood up, wanting to go outside to appreciate the plum blossoms.

"Wait for me to pick two beautiful red plum blossoms for Sister Hua Fei to enjoy."

Concubine Jing and Concubine Hua were drunk at the moment and did not stop them, so Shen Meiyu went outside with Zhen Huan.

Originally, the two were picking plum blossoms under the plum tree, but they didn't expect that when Mei Zhuang turned around and wasn't paying attention, Zhen Huan quietly picked up a snowball from the ground and threw it at her.

Mei Zhuang fell for it, turned around, and smiled dotingly at Zhen Huan: "Okay, Huan'er, you wait."

Shen Meizhuang pretended to pick up a snowball and throw it back, but Zhen Huan quickly ran away.

Hua Fei and Jing Fei were watching from outside the house.

Outside the house, Meizhuang and Zhen Huan were laughing and making noises, and even their maids joined in the snowball fight.

At the door, the wet nurse was holding Wen Yi and watching the two people having a lively snowball fight. She was so happy that she danced with joy.

Inside the house, Hua Fei and Jingpin watched the two of them playing silently, occasionally toasting each other, thinking of how they had also experienced such a good time, but that good time was spent on Yongzheng.

Songzhi felt that Yikun Palace had never been as cheerful and lively as it was now.

Everyone was having a great time.

Suddenly, a palace maid came hurriedly to report.