The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 131: Knowing the Queen’s birthday at a glance

Half an hour before sunset, a carriage with several layers of silk wadding slowly left the Pei Mansion and headed all the way to the west gate of Yongningfang. Kudi Yanzhong followed the carriage on horseback, as if he was attracted by the paper document in his sleeve. It weighed a thousand kilograms, and it was so heavy that he could hardly lift his head. His waist was slightly stooped, and he looked a few years older than when he came here.

Liuli watched the carriage go away and couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. She and Pei Xingjian turned around and entered the Wutou Gate. After walking a few steps, she felt a little sore all over her body.

Pei Xingjian looked at her and said, "Are you tired?"

Liuli shook her head. In fact, the whole day of waiting for doctors to prepare medicine and arranging carriages and manpower was nothing. It was just that looking at the current situation of Coral, the shock and disgust in her heart were still hard to get rid of - Da The eldest princess’s methods were more vicious than she imagined! After all, Coral was working for her, but she was able to be so cruel! After allowing her to be seriously injured, no one cared about her, and even gave her a mute medicine. If it weren't for a healing master like Dr. Xiao waiting in the house today, and if it weren't for Kudi Yanzhong, his biological father, who was watching from the side, Coral If she were killed like this, it would be difficult to escape the suspicion of mutilating her siblings. Even if Coral was lucky enough to save a life, she would probably be blamed for her loss of voice and illness in the future. It would just be her revenge for what happened back then...

Pei Xingjian sighed, held Liuli's hand, and looked at the setting sun on the horizon that had turned golden red, "I don't want you to get involved in this kind of thing if there is even a chance, but unfortunately, I will It can’t be done.”

Liuli calmed down, looked up at him and smiled, "You also said that she was just using those methods. For example, today, although her plan was well planned, she couldn't stop you from inviting these two people to wait. She also called in all the famous trauma doctors in Chang'an, but Hualu was speechless. Who could not see what was going on? With you here, even if you are involved in these things, what do I have? scary?"

Pei Xingjian looked down at her and smiled slightly, but there was still a sense of sadness in his smile.

Liuli simply smiled and said, "Is it okay if you don't speak? Don't worry, I will forget. You just said two days ago that you have to discuss everything with me, and in the blink of an eye, you kept me in the dark again! What did you say about the coral? For this kind of thing, I have to go back and see how the situation is at home, but it turns out that I have already made this idea! "

Pei Xingjian was stunned for a moment, shook his head and said with a smile, "This is really an injustice to me. I am only 60 to 70% sure about this matter. If I say it and it fails, wouldn't it make you worry in vain?"

Liuli asked curiously, "Then how could you have guessed that they were going to do this?"

Pei Xingjian smiled faintly, "I'm just making people keep an eye on the doctors who have been coming and going in Hedong Duke's Mansion these days. In the past two days, the imperial doctor who treated the eldest princess came in and out three times a day. Yesterday, it became once. But I also invited another trauma doctor who was familiar with Hedong Gongfu. Naturally, Princess Dachang's condition improved. Considering her habits, it was really abnormal for me to do this. Although I’m not very sure, I have to guard against her.”

Liuli hurriedly asked, "You actually sent people to keep an eye on that side? What about that side today?"

A hint of a smile appeared on Pei Xingjian's lips, "As soon as Lu Jiuniang returned today, the imperial doctor immediately followed her. It seems that she didn't leave the gate of Hedong Duke's Mansion for the second half of the day."

Liuli couldn't help but burst out laughing, and quickly covered her mouth. The two looked at each other and smiled, and the depression in their hearts was washed away a lot.

In the next few days, in addition to arranging a carriage to transport Dr. Xiao to Kudi's house for treatment every day, Liuli also asked Xiaotan to visit him twice and delivered some medicinal materials. After all, Coral was young and had a good foundation. On the fifth or sixth day, she gradually recovered. Due to timely treatment, her throat also improved slightly, but it was just dull every day, and no one paid attention to it. Mrs. Cao dragged her sick body around and was busy serving her, while Kudi Yanzhong saw that Hualu's life was no longer in danger, so he was completely relieved and turned around to concentrate on preparing the betrothal gift to the Cheng family in the next few days.

Liuli shook her head and said nothing, then Ani smiled and said, "Madam, I used too little in the morning, maybe I'm a little hungry, right? A few days ago, Madam used lotus leaves to make drinks, and the cook has been thinking about making lotus leaves in the past two days. When making cold pancakes, instead of using the usual lotus leaf juice, you can rub some lotus leaves into the cake and drink it. Madam, would you like to taste some first?"

Liuli cheered up and nodded. Not long after, Ani packed a small bowl of lotus leaf lengtao in a food box and brought it over. Liuli took a sip and felt that it had a more sour and cool taste than the ordinary lotus leaf lengtao. Feeling more refreshed, he nodded and smiled, "It's really good." After thinking about it for a while, he ordered, "Ask the cook to make four portions. After that, put them in good bowls and food boxes and send them to Su's house."

A Ni smiled and accepted the order and left. Liuli turned around and took care of some chores. Seeing that it was almost noon, and was about to have lunch delivered, the little maid ran to report: Mrs. Yu is here.

Liuli hurriedly went out to greet her, only to see Mrs. Yu walking over with a smile behind A Ni. When she saw Liuli, she smiled and said, "Your lotus leaf cold soup is really refreshing. I think you have a leisurely mind today, so naturally it's that Nothing is going on here, so I should come over and see you.”

Liuli smiled and nodded, "My mother is really clever."

Mrs. Yu tapped Liuli's forehead with her finger, "How come you keep your promise and don't learn anything else, but you learn to be smooth-tongued!"

The two of them sat down in the hall, and Madam Yu asked, "Do you know about the birthday banquet that the Queen is going to hold?"

Liuli couldn't help being surprised and quickly shook her head.

Mrs. Yu sighed, "I just heard the news that the Queen's birthday will be in ten days. This time, a banquet will be held at the Li Zheng Palace, and the wives and mothers of officials above the fifth rank of the court will be invited to the banquet. ” ˆ ˆ The wife and mother of an official of fifth rank or above? In other words, it stands to reason that I would also be invited? Liuli's heart couldn't help but stirred: a hibiscus banquet for the eldest princess of Linhai was enough to kill her, and this birthday banquet at the Li Zheng Palace didn't sound like a good thing...

Seeing Liuli's sad face, Mrs. Yu also frowned and sighed, "Speaking of which, there has never been any precedent for this. Now I am also worried about how to dress that day, whether to send a congratulatory gift, and what kind of congratulatory gift to give. There are no rules to follow.”

Liuli couldn't help but be a little surprised, "Is this the first time?"

Mrs. Yu nodded, "It's normal for ordinary people to hold a banquet to invite some relatives and friends for their sixtieth birthday, but how can there be a reason to hold a banquet on a normal birthday? It's just a bowl of soup cakes at home. Even the Holy One, We have never hosted a banquet for the birthday of the ministers, so there is no precedent for the etiquette of attending a banquet on the queen's birthday, but how should we prepare for it?"

Liuli thought about it for half a day. Although there are many festivals every year, she has never heard of the word "Wanshou Festival". The palace also held a banquet for Gaozong's birthday and gave gifts to the concubines. Come on - come to think of it, today's emperors and queens don't celebrate their birthdays very often? She could only sigh and said, "Mom, why don't you ask more about how others prepare. The queen is a person who pays attention to rules. Since this banquet is officially held, she should dress more solemnly when she goes. In addition, she also has a message. A more auspicious and exquisite birthday gift, such as jade and brocade embroidery, does not need to be too expensive, but it is more important to have a good luck. "

Mrs. Yu nodded and said, "Then what are your plans?"

Liuli smiled and said, "Of course I will start to get sick in a few days. I will have heatstroke, dysentery, fever, and cold. I can't get out of bed anyway, and it's hard to go to crowded places to make people sick. As for the gifts... I'll pick one up in the next two days." As for the jade arm necklace that is of slightly better quality, I will ask someone to send it to you at that time. Do you think I can use it? "Who in the world doesn't know that she is Wu Zhaoyi's? Going to the Queen's place to celebrate her birthday, isn't it like putting yourself in the awkward position of Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror?

Mrs. Yu also laughed and said, "Your idea is really good. It would be better if you stay away. Not only you, but also me, I have to be careful."

Liuli nodded and said, "If my mother really goes to that palace, it will be nothing more than anything else. Remember not to be left alone." Now that Su Dingfang had just won a victory in Goryeo and was on his way back to the court, Emperor Gaozong planned to let him serve as the Western Commander. As the vanguard of a large army, Queen Wang would not bother Mrs. Yu at this juncture, but it is always better to be careful in everything.

Mrs. Yu then sighed, "I heard that Mrs. Wei has to go in and out of the palace almost every day these days, and her temper is getting more and more irritable on weekdays. No one wants to get close to her. Now that the queen is planning a birthday, it is probably her idea! "

Liuli knew that although the Su Mansion was not crowded these days, it was still much more lively than in previous years. With people coming and going, the news was naturally the best. When he heard the words "good luck", he couldn't help but smile bitterly. - If this Queen Wang was really good, she probably wouldn't have planned a birthday celebration. I'm afraid it's just because she's not good, because the "Principles for Women" written by Wu Zetian is popular all over the world, that she's afraid that everyone will forget that she is the real one. The real master of the harem, now using the excuse of his birthday to invite his wife of rank five or above, is to announce his status to the world, but this trick does not seem too clever.

 In the final analysis, the position of the queen was not decided by a show of hands among the ministers. After all, it still depended on the emperor who had already disliked her. This matter would only make him more dissatisfied.

The two of them chatted a few words casually, and Mrs. Yu suddenly clapped her hands and smiled, "Speaking of this birthday party, I forgot to ask you what happened at the Lotus Banquet. You only sent the maid to tell me that nothing happened. I see you are busy here but you are not getting better, why don't you hurry up and say something."

Liuli had no choice but to briefly tell what happened that day. Mrs. Yu couldn't help but laugh. After listening, she said, "You don't know that there are so many rumors outside now. There really are all kinds of things."

"Some people say that the eldest princess of Linhai doesn't like to keep her promise and marry new people, so she wants to teach you a lesson. Others say that Cui is jealous that the prince has forgotten your old love, and deliberately instigated people to frame you. The strangest thing is that she actually Some people also say that the eldest princess is just greedy for money, and she wants to ruin the marriage between Shou Yue and you. They have also dug up many old accounts. Listening to those old things, they are generally pretty good. I thought about it for a long time, but I still have no idea. I don’t know who said it.”

Liuli lowered his head and thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "I know who it is!"

I’m sorry for getting up late, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…

p.s. The emperor’s longevity began with the extremely narcissistic Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty.

Thank you dear landb, Qingshui Jingxue, 246435, Le Youyang, book friend 100406144037267 and DM classmate Kan Scenery. Well, Alan’s eyesight is not good. I can’t see anyone who posts 6000 words or more plus updates, haha Roar.

 (End of this chapter)