Chapter 43 Meet the King at the Summer Solstice Night Banquet

The summer solstice is the wheat harvest. Since ancient times, there has been the custom of celebrating the harvest and sacrificing the ancestors at this time to pray for a good harvest. Therefore, as a festival, the summer solstice was included in the sacrificial ceremony a long time ago.

"Zhou Li Chun Guan" contains: "From the summer day, to the local things." The summer solstice is sacrificed to gods, which means to eliminate famine, hunger and death.

The Qianxi Dynasty also attached great importance to the Summer Solstice Festival. The emperor had to bathe and change clothes and fasted three days ago. On the day of the summer solstice, she had to get up for a moment of Yin to bathe incense to carry out the sacrifice ceremony. After that, he would lead the royal family to the ancestral temple to offer incense and sacrifices to the ancestors.

When these things are finished, it's time to have dinner, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Imperial Dining Room, etc. have prepared a grand dinner in the banquet hall of Chongde Palace. Luan Yiwei and others have also done a good job of strict security in all parts of the palace in case someone takes advantage of the chaos.

Yanping Hall is the largest palace in Chongde Palace, even more than Qianyuan Hall. It can accommodate hundreds of people to attend at the same time. In addition to the celebration of the palace, it will only be held here when the national guests are invited.

Although Ling Xiao was not qualified to worship the sky with the queen, or even to worship the temple, she woke up early. Excited? Are you nervous? Finally, I'm going to see my high-ranking husband. I met him far away during that election, and I didn't even know what he looked like. Later, I never saw him again.

And today, today, she will sit with that person with many women in the palace and keep a closer distance from him than ever before. About many women like her have the opportunity to meet the emperor who exists like a god in the eyes of everyone at this time every year.

Before the banquet began, Lin Xuanyu came to Lingxiao Palace and planned to go to the Chongde Hall with her later.

"Sister Xuanyu, you are still so plain."

"Sister Xiaoer, so are you." The two of them looked at each other and smiled, both with a complicated look.

When Ling Xiao and Lin Xuanyu arrived at the Yanping Hall, there were mostly some low-ranking palace concubines and emperors who were barely qualified to attend the banquet. After that, other talents came to the scene one after another. The order of arrival is also exquisite. The more important the person is, the later it is. It seems to be casual, but in fact it is arranged.

Naturally, the emperor and queen came last, showing the family style. Naturally, no matter how arrogant the noble concubine is, she dares not be presumptuous on such an occasion. She sat in her own seat at about the same time, dignified and generous, even not inferior to the queen.

After all, it was a grand banquet co-hosted by the emperor and queen, and a group of relatives were present. The atmosphere was very solemn and solemn, and no one dared to laugh easily. Ling Xiao lowered his head and lowered his eyes. He didn't dare to make it at all. He only felt that the emperor's voice was not as ethereal and remote as he heard in the Qianyuan Hall last time. Probably because of the large number of people and warm weather now, even the emperor's voice was a little warmer.

"Today is the summer solstice. According to local officials, most areas have achieved a bumper harvest this year. I pray to God to bless the Qianxi Dynasty in the future, and the people will live and work in peace and contentment." After saying that, the emperor sprinkled the wine in his hand on the ground facing south.

"The grain of the Qianxi Dynasty is abundant, thousands of generations, long live the emperor." The queen first stood up and raised her glass to the emperor. Everyone under the seat also stood up, raised their glasses and prayed together. Everyone's voices came together, extremely loud and inspiring.

With everyone, Ling Xiao also drank all the wheat wine in his hand. This is the first batch of wheat brewed before the summer solstice. Although it is not as thick and mellow as old wine, it has a very different meaning.

"Your Majesty, this is the powder of the new wheat mill that has just been beaten down. You can taste the noodles made by my concubine." Xie Guifei took a small bowl of coarse porcelain and sent it to the emperor.

"Winter Solstice dumplings and summer solstice noodles, the concubine's heart is very good." The emperor personally helped the noble concubine get up and took the small bowl. Seeing the golden wheat on the wall of the bowl, he praised, "This bowl is also very good."

The noble concubine smiled shyly and said, "I just want what the emperor thinks. I saw that the emperor worked hard for the people and was very happy because of the grain harvest, so I just laughed at the emperor."

"Okay, okay." The emperor said "Okay" twice in a row and said with a smile to a middle-aged man with an extraordinary serious face at the bottom right, "The Prime Minister's daughter is really different."

"The emperor has praised you." Prime Minister Xie stood up. He was not very tall. He was thin with a literati, but he was full of momentum. He looked modest and did not lose his prestige, and he was awe-inspiring and not disrespectful.

It turned out that he was the prime minister. Ling Xiao thought that the noble concubine really had arrogant capital. In today's summer solstice banquet, except for an extremely powerful prime minister and a powerful prime minister, even the father of the medical concubine was not qualified to come from the first-class official department.

Next is naturally another polite speech. On this occasion, people at the level like Ling Xiao are not qualified to speak at all. Even if Yao and Luo Chang are used to quarreling, they will never dare to be presumptuous today. However, if the emperor likes it, such as the recent rookie, Mrs. Yan, it is naturally different.

"Your Majesty, I would like to have a toast to you." Yan Xurui is still dressed in purple. Her goose egg face is rounder than before. It is not ugly. On the contrary, it adds a little more beaded jade beauty. It is probably very moist recently. "This wheat wine is the most fragrant, and it doesn't hurt the body. It's okay to use a few more cups."

After entering the palace, Ling Xiao had less contact with people. Even if she came out of the same place, she rarely walked around, that is, when she met in Zhaoyang Palace, and Yan Xurui had always kept a low profile, which was even less conspicuous. Ling Xiao did not have a deep impression of her, but somehow, a few days ago, she suddenly heard that there was a Yan lady in the palace. , is also quite favored by the emperor. Even her seat at this summer solstice banquet was arranged in Ling Xiao's hand, which can be seen.

"Good." The emperor finished it happily and looked at her with a smile, "Madam Yan is really considerate."

Yan Xurui smiled, and Xie En sat down.

In this regard, other people did not show a trace of strange color. Even if the medicine concubine and others are as usual, they all look pale and smile. No one will easily lose their temper on such an occasion. Yao, who has always been sour, didn't seem to care much. Even when she saw Luo Zhang's bad face, she smiled more brightly.

In fact, Ling Xiao understands Luo Chang very well. She used to be so beautiful, but this scenery is so short, and Yao's all. It can also be said that she is because of her empress dowager's family, but what about Yan Xurui? The rising star is fine, but she was also registered as a woman, which made her suffer all kinds of ridicule and ridicule. At this time, how can you look better?

"Yan Niangzi is considerate, unlike me, but they are all wooden people." Luo Zhang couldn't help it and finally said it. Although the voice was very soft, the people around him still heard it and looked sideways one after another.

The emperor also looked this way, but he obviously didn't hear it clearly because of the distance. He just saw the reaction of the crowd and asked, "Yours, what are you talking about? It makes me happy to say it."

When the emperor said this, more eyes came over, and Luo Shang's face suddenly became more difficult to look. She couldn't say that she couldn't see the emperor's new favorite. Let's make sarcasm.

Luoshang hesitated for a moment and was about to answer, but she didn't expect someone to speak for her first.

I saw the medicine concubine "sneer" and smiled. The wide light red dark flower brocade palace butterfly sleeves covered her small mouth and replied, "Mrs. Luo means that Mrs. Yan is considerate. In this palace, it is probably only Mrs. Yan's heart to the emperor. We are all wooden people." I don't know if it means that the word "girl" sounds particularly clear.

This is really exaggerated. Even if Yan Xurui is a new favorite, everyone knows that her limelight is far more than the noble concubine and the medicine concubine. It can be seen that the words of the medicine concubine are too exaggerated. However, it was also because of this that everyone understood that it was Luo Shang's jealousy and sarcastic words.

This is what is good for people in the palace. There is no need to say anything too clearly. Just click and leave a thin face for everyone. Anyway, I understand it in my heart.

Sure enough, the emperor looked pale when he heard it. He glanced at Luoshang and looked at the queen and said, "It seems that it is really inappropriate to have two women in this palace."

Hearing this, Ling Xiao knew that Luo Zhang seemed to be a tragedy. Looking at her, she really understood and her face was blue and red.

"What was Mrs. Luo's original position?" The emperor's voice is still warm.

"To the emperor, Mrs. Luo used to be the servant." The queen seemed to be a little unbearable.

"It's better to choose a waiter and stay calm." The emperor said casually, "Let her go back to her original position."

In just a few words, the queen is like a family, and then a woman is hit to the bottom. Although Ling Xiao did not like Luoshang and did not sympathize with her, he couldn't help feeling a little cold and ruthless.

Ling Xiao hasn't seen the emperor since he entered Zhaoyang Palace. I don't know if he doesn't want to see this man who has changed his fate, or he doesn't dare to look at it. His lifelong husband is in front of him, but can he really let her rely on it?

"Thank you for your grace." Luo Shan trembled and knelt down Xie En, with tears in his eyes. But no one will sympathize with her. Some are just cold-eyed or even gloating.

Yan Niangzi also stood up to plead for her, but her seemingly kindness only seemed to be smaller and smaller, and the emperor praised her and gave her a reward. The hatred in Luoshang's eyes became even stronger.

In fact, what's wrong with Luo Shang? She's just wrong that she is not spoiled by the emperor. Ling Xiao felt sad in his heart.

The emperor continued to say, "This year's lychee is very good. You should use it more." The topic has long changed. How could he destroy the atmosphere of the banquet for a small waiter?

"Speaking of this lychee, I think of Yang Guifei, who has harmed the country and the people, and I dare not enjoy it." Mu Junyao got up and said with a frightened face.

"My sister Yao is really mean, but our emperor is not Emperor Tang Ming." The queen said with a smile, and got up and bowed to the emperor again, "The emperor is wise in heaven, and the Qianxi Dynasty has been for thousands of generations."

"The emperor is wise in heaven, and the Qianxi Dynasty has been for thousands of generations." Everyone got up and worshiped.

Ling Xiao's heart was depressed. After that, he walked out of a small door behind him while others were not paying attention.