manynovel Chapter 82 Mid-Autumn Festival Family Feast
Chapter 82 Mid-Autumn Festival Family Feast
"You worthless wretch, you've been bullied like this! Now you know to come to me!"
Li Yuanke handed the manual to Li Fude, saying, "Have someone send it to Shen Congzhang. If he doesn't understand something, have him ask Consort Yuan. Also, arrange for a few people to send half of the chrysanthemums from Qian Yuan Palace to her. Summon the Director of the Imperial Household Department to see me!"
Li Fude couldn't help but feel sorry for the flower room manager, wondering which idiot had fooled him into doing such a stupid thing.
"This servant obeys the decree!"
Inside Wangxian Pavilion, Consort Jin was still admiring the four extra pots of chrysanthemums. They were just ordinary chrysanthemums, nothing special, but the ones she had snatched from Shen Shixi were different.
Yunluo said, "So many of the concubines who accompanied the emperor were injured, and Consort Xian was also seriously injured. The emperor rewarded her, and she was promoted two ranks and given a title. The emperor still values her the most."
The maids below could see it clearly too. Even the flower room manager knew how to curry favor with their mistress, even giving her flowers meant for Consort Yuan. No one was a fool.
Consort Jin smiled smugly, "Of course the Emperor has me in his heart."
Then she thought again, and her hatred for Shen Shixi was so intense that she gritted her teeth. "If it weren't for the Shen family, I wouldn't have been demoted before. Otherwise, I would at least be a concubine today, the mistress of a palace."
That's right, she had already reached the rank of Beauty, but was demoted to Talented Woman.
If she were to advance two ranks from Beauty to Consort, wouldn't she become the Ninth Consort?
The more he thought about it, the more it felt like he'd lost a fortune. He wanted nothing more than to tear her apart and drink her blood. He cried out in anguish, "I will never let her off easily! I will never let her get away with this!"
In Chengming Palace, Consort Qing frowned upon seeing the pots of chrysanthemums. "Too early! Lady Shen hasn't fallen out of favor yet. Bringing these pots of flowers here will only incur the Emperor's wrath. Why bother? Who brought them back? Send them back to Zhaoyang Palace!"
Cao Liangchun led a large group of people to deliver the gifts to Zhaoyang Palace, but they were stopped at the gate.
"My master said that Consort Qing Zhaoyuan likes them, so she is instructed to look at them every day. It is a blessing for these potted flowers to make Consort Qing happy. Eunuch Cao, please take them back!" Chao Yu said.
Before Cao Liangchun could even enter, he saw the eunuchs from Qianyuan Palace carrying about twenty pots of chrysanthemums toward Zhaoyang Palace.
The flowers sent to Qianyuan Palace were naturally all the finest varieties. The petals of the Shuaiqi flower swayed like a flag fluttering in the wind. There was a pot of flowers with a deep purple color that was almost black, which I had never seen before. It must have been a variety that had just been bred this year. It was sent to the Emperor and was given to Zhaoyang Palace as a reward.
There was another flowerpot with a huge pot, long and curled petals, and a vibrant green color; it was incredibly beautiful.
There was also a potted plant called "Ten-Foot Curtain Flower" that was exceptionally large, with slender petals that stretched out like a curtain, and vibrant, exquisitely beautiful colors.
Cao Liangchun and the others looked at the potted plants they were carrying, then slunk away.
"Why did you bring it back? Doesn't she want it? If she doesn't want it, what will be displayed in the palace this year?" Consort Qing thought that Shen Shixi was angry and that's why she didn't want it.
Cao Liangchun said, "The people from Zhaoyang Palace said that Consort Yuan didn't want these flowers anymore and asked the Empress to keep them. Just as we were about to return, we saw the Emperor bestowing many precious chrysanthemums upon Zhaoyang Palace."
Consort Qing was furious. "She doesn't care anymore! Didn't she ignore the Emperor? Why is she now running off to beg for chrysanthemums? I knew she was a vixen. If she's so capable of ignoring the Emperor for the rest of her life, then I'll be truly impressed!"
Cao Liangfang thought to herself, "Yuan Jieyu isn't stupid!"
In Fengyi Palace, the Empress also heard about this and asked in confusion, "Who told the flower workshop not to send flowers to Zhaoyang Palace?"
Quan Degui said, "I heard it was Huaibo from Consort Song's place. When asked why there were a few extra pots, the flower shop manager said that Zhaoyang Palace hadn't sent them yet. Huaibo then said that Consort Yuan had offended the Emperor, and now the favored ones in the palace are Consort Jin and Consort Qing. This flower shop manager is also stupid. He was thinking of currying favor, so he distributed them."
The Empress said, "He was just promoted, wasn't he? How could he have promoted such a stupid person?"
Quan Degui said, "On the day Your Highness returned to the palace, Eunuch Wu, the eunuch in charge of the palace, came and mentioned to Your Highness that the former head of the flower room was old and frail, and the current head, Sun Shouliang, was also newly appointed and did not yet understand the situation in the palace, which is why he was tricked."
When the eunuch Wu Yingde came, he brought many fine things for the Empress, including a pot of precious chrysanthemums with phoenix wings spread, which were blooming exceptionally well. Only the Empress Dowager and the Empress were qualified to enjoy them in the palace.
The Empress liked it, and when he mentioned changing the staff in the flower room, she agreed.
The Emperor also learned of this matter at Qian Yuan Palace, but it was the Director of the Imperial Household Department who had complained to him. "Eunuch Wu and Her Majesty the Empress discussed the matter of replacing the person. Although the flower room is supervised by the Imperial Household Department, the cultivation of flower seedlings is always the responsibility of the Director of the Imperial Household Department. However, Her Majesty the Empress has the final say in the management. This servant dares not overstep her bounds."
The emperor was furious. "Hand this man over to the Ministry of Justice. He will be given sixty strokes of the cane. Whether he survives or not is up to him."
Li Fude then knew that the emperor did not intend to let this person live.
This is not just about a few pots of chrysanthemums; it is a warning to the Empress and the eunuch.
The Empress soon found out, and this was a slap in her face. But this time, she was indeed in the wrong. She ordered, "Send Huaibo to the Censorate and let him know what he should and shouldn't say."
Those who enter the Censorate rarely come out alive.
When Song Jieyu saw Huaibo being dragged away, she was so anxious that she fell off the bed. She was already in her postpartum period, and this anxiety made her health even worse.
"Who told him to gossip and say such things in the flower room?"
Qianyun hesitated and said, "Second Miss is doing this for Jieyu. We've suffered so much at Zhaoyang Palace's hands. If we can make Zhaoyang Palace lose face, it will be a way to vent Jieyu's anger."
Song Jieyu sneered. Her good sister had been practicing dance day and night for the past few days, and she still had the leisure to do such a thing. If she went to tell outsiders that this had nothing to do with her, no one would believe her.
Huaibo is her man, but now even Qianyun is speaking up for Song Zhihuan.
The palace banquet was held in the evening, and the emperor also had to offer sacrifices to the moon, so they had to wait for the moon to rise.
Around 5:30 PM, the moon came out.
In Qianyuan Palace, a screen was set up, an eight-immortal table was placed, and a large mooncake weighing seven or eight jin was placed on it. The emperor, wearing a black crown, conducted a moon-worshiping ceremony.
Kneeling, offering sacrifices, and burning memorials.
Afterwards, the palace banquet began, and everyone entered the main hall and took their seats in order.
Shen Shixi wore a pink, high-waisted ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a large crabapple blossom in the center of the bodice. The intertwined branches and leaves were embroidered with blue silk thread, and the black wide border was embroidered with intertwined lotus flowers in gold thread.
A band of pink pearls adorned the bodice, its brilliance complementing her fair skin.
She wore a matching long-sleeved robe, embroidered with a bluebird carrying a branch, the floral patterns on the sleeves seemingly exuding fragrance.
A matching gauze dress draped over her, trailing behind her, while a matching shawl fluttered gently with her steps, as if a goddess were descending on clouds.
Her hair was loosely tied up in a high bun, and her head was adorned with a headdress made of red gold, rubies, and pearls.
A bright ruby hairpin adorns her temple, with two diamonds the size of an adult's thumb below which sway a golden filigree sparrow, and four gold tassels with precious stones hanging below, glittering and dazzling.
But the first thing everyone saw was her beautiful and charming face, with snow-white skin, delicate features, and graceful figure. She arrived with a slender waist, exuding elegance and grace, outshining all others.
Li Yuanke sat on the dragon throne, propping his head up with his hand, looking at her with a broad smile.
The hall was completely silent. Everyone looked over, and no one could help but be amazed. Even the emperor's concubines gritted their teeth in envy, but there was nothing they could do; no one could compare to her.
The Empress was also dressed in her finest attire today, wearing a nine-phoenix crown and court robes. She was beautiful, but she looked like a statue enshrined before a Buddha, unlike Shen Shixi, who was vibrant, charming, and alluring.
Yuan Jieyu is really beautiful!
But you need real strength to pull off this look!
The exquisite Shu brocade she wore, as thin as a cicada's wing and as ethereal as a misty cloud, along with the gemstones and pearls on her headdress, were all tribute items that money could not buy.
It's truly enviable.
This set of jewelry was made by Shen Shixi using pearls bestowed by the emperor, designing the style herself, and having it crafted by the Imperial Household Department. It is one of a kind in the world.
The results now appear to be very good.
Women, living a long life is not easy. As long as you eat well, drink well, dress well, and are happy, that's enough.
She sat down, not looking at anyone, and sat there leisurely, inspecting the wine and dishes on the table, not even glancing at Li Yuanke.
What a waste of Li Yuanke's outfit today.
"Bring the mandarin duck roast and dragon whisker cake from my table to Consort Yuan," Li Yuanke said.