Since they are all worn by the Qing Dynasty, you might as well be bold and choose Kangxi!

On the fifth day, starting from the morning, the palace began to hold various festival activities such as listening to operas and dragon boat racing. In addition to the formal Dragon Boat Festival banquet, there was also a rice dumpling banquet in the evening, inviting officials, concubines, princesses, and ladies to taste rice dumplings.

Shi Nanxi was pregnant, and she had to go to the West Garden for the dragon boat race, where there were many people, so she went to the Changyin Pavilion to listen to the opera. At this time, she had just returned, and Xiao Ruzi came in and reported in a low voice:

"My lady, everything has been arranged, we are just waiting for that person to take action."

"Very good." Shi Nanxi sat down, looked towards the direction of Yongshou Palace, his eyes deepened, and he curled his lips and said:

"Today is the Dragon Boat Festival and people are exorcising evil spirits and poisons everywhere. I will also help Concubine Niu Hulu exorcise evil spirits and poisons."

After resting for a while in Chuxiu Palace, Hongying walked in with a smile.

"My queen, the emperor has returned to pick you up."

"Okay." Shi Nanxi stood up.

……

On the other hand, compared to the bustling imperial palace, Yongshou Palace was so quiet that it seemed isolated.

It was evening at this time, and the vast sunset glow outside made the sky look as beautiful as a painting.

Concubine Niuhulu sat in front of the window wearing a face scarf. One side of her face was bright and shining against the sunset glow, while the other side was hidden in the dark. She spoke, her voice hoarse from not speaking often:

“It’s so lively outside!”

Once upon a time, she was a noble concubine who was high above everyone else. Every year during the festivals, countless people would come to give gifts, and the Yongshou Palace would be bustling every day.

But now, all the people in the palace who could use their connections to be transferred have left. Those who did not leave either had no connections or were members of the Nianhulu clan. The entire Yongshou Palace was so deserted and quiet that one could hear the echo of the noise.

When Nanny Qin saw the queen like this,

It's a bit uncomfortable,

comforted:

"My queen, you are the biological mother of the tenth prince, and you are also the concubine of Yudie. One day, the emperor will remember you."

However, Concubine Nianhulu knew that as long as that bitch was in favor, the emperor would never think of her, and that bitch would not let the emperor think of her either.

Thinking of this, her face suddenly became distorted and ferocious, and she said in a sinister tone:

"Have you arranged everything for the banquet?"

Even though Nanny Qin was used to the queen's changing expressions at any time, she was still startled and quickly bowed and replied:

"My lady, everything has been arranged. That person will show up in public during the Golden Plate Shooting Game."

"Okay." A hint of madness flashed in Concubine Niuhulu's eyes.

"I believe that even if Hesheli had doubts at the scene, she would have regarded it as a coincidence and tried her best to facilitate that person to enter the harem. When I think of her expression at that time, it must be very interesting. It's a pity that I can't see it with my own eyes. However, I am looking forward to the day when she falls out of favor, hahahahaha."

Concubine Niuhulu raised her head and laughed happily.

However, Nanny Qin, who was standing by, looked at the Empress and felt a little nervous for some reason, as if something bad was going to happen. Could it be that things would not go smoothly today?

Nanny Qin panicked, but then she comforted herself, saying that it wouldn't work, even if it didn't go smoothly, it would only lead to the Hesheli family, and they had cleanly cleaned up the mess.

But even so, she still felt a little uneasy, thinking that today was the Dragon Boat Festival and there might be something unclean, she couldn't help but touch the sachet hanging around her waist, which contained mugwort and calamus, which were best for dispelling evil spirits and poison.

Smelling the rich aroma coming from inside, Nanny Qin's uneasiness gradually subsided and she stood behind the Empress again.

Outside the window, beside the flower bed, a young eunuch who was trimming flowers and plants took in this scene. He lowered his eyes, a gleam of light flashed across them, and then he lowered his head to work again.

In the evening, there was a zongzi banquet. Mugwort and calamus were planted everywhere in the Qianqing Palace, and zongzi were placed on every seat, like small hills.

The throne in the middle was Kangxi's seat, with 1,276 zongzi placed on it. There were 650 zongzi placed on the empress dowager's seat on the left, and 550 zongzi placed on Shi Nanxi's seat on the right. There were also zongzi placed on the tables of other people.

After Shi Nanxi and Kangxi arrived, they finished the formalities and sat down at their seats. She looked at her own table and then at other people's tables. Even though she had attended this kind of Dragon Boat Festival rice dumpling banquet more than once, she still sighed in her heart, there were so many rice dumplings.

Prince Gong stood up from the seats below and congratulated with a smile:

"I congratulate the emperor. There is good news in the palace this year. The emperor will have more children for the royal family next year. I hope to share the emperor's good luck and shoot more rice dumplings later. I like this."

Kangxi laughed out loud upon hearing this:

"Okay, if it's not enough later, I will reward you."

"That's great." Prince Gong was delighted.

The so-called shooting the zongzi refers to an activity before eating zongzi, called "Golden Plate Shooting". It is to put many zongzi on a big plate, let the palace maids and eunuchs stand in a certain range, shoot with small horn bows, and whichever one is shot gets to be eaten first.

Because the zongzi is small and smooth, it is not easy to shoot. If you shoot it, it means good fortune has come. Kangxi will then reward the zongzi to someone he values, and the person who receives the reward will feel honored.

At this time, the banquet became more lively with the presence of Prince Gong, who had just livened up the atmosphere. Kangxi simply said a few polite words and then began the "Golden Plate Shooting" activity.

At this time, the palace servants placed two tables in the middle of the seats, filled with rice dumplings.

After everything was set up, a eunuch holding a small horn bow stood ten feet away and shot at the mountain of rice dumplings on the left.

With a whoosh, the little eunuch shot the ball into the target with his little foot. Kangxi immediately laughed and cheered, then gave him a reward. The little eunuch was overjoyed.

Kangxi had the shot zongzi brought to the Empress Dowager's table and said with a smile:

"Empress Dowager, this is the first rice dumpling of the year. Please enjoy it first."

The Queen Mother looked at the rice dumplings served to her and couldn't stop smiling.

"The emperor is filial, so I will use him first."

Then the young eunuch shot three more times, and two more dumplings were hit and sent to the tables of Kangxi and Shi Nanxi respectively.

Hongying opened the rice dumpling and placed it on the empress's bowl. Shi Nanxi ate it while looking at the field.

She saw another eunuch taking over the stage, but her eyes fell on the palace maid who was about to take the stage the next moment.

The palace maid was dressed no differently from the other palace maids. She had her head lowered at the moment, so her appearance could not be seen clearly.

Shi Nanxi paused slightly, then moved away as if nothing had happened.

Lady Hesheli, who was sitting at the bottom on the other side, didn't notice the maid because she had her back to her. However, Concubine Xi, who was sitting in front of her, suddenly frowned and inadvertently noticed the maid. Her heart skipped a beat. Why was she here?

"All the rice dumplings shot this time are for Prince Gong. Seeing his eager look, I can't wait any longer."

At this time, Kangxi's voice was heard in the room, and everyone laughed immediately, but Prince Gong was honored.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your consideration." Then he looked at the palace maid who took the small horn bow and said in a booming voice:

"Shoot well. If you hit the target, not only will the emperor reward you, but I will reward you too."

Now everyone's eyes fell on the palace maid in the scene.

Ningshuang clenched the small horn bow in her hand.