allonlinenovel Chapter 213 Palace Banquet
Chapter 213 Palace Banquet
The officials and guests in the hall stood up one after another, lined up in order of rank, bowed, and waited quietly for the Emperor and Empress.
Following the sound of clear bells and chimes, the emperor and empress slowly walked into the Golden Throne Hall. The emperor wore a dragon robe and a crown on his head, looking majestic; the empress wore a phoenix crown and a bridal robe, with pearl curtains hanging in front of her, looking graceful. Behind them were a group of palace maids and eunuchs holding palace fans and lanterns.
Following the eunuch's loud shout of "Long live the emperor, a thousand years live the queen", everyone shouted in unison, and the scene was solemn and dignified.
As dusk deepened and the lights came on, the Golden Palace in the imperial palace was decorated brilliantly. Inside the palace, people were drinking and toasting, and the sound of stringed instruments was melodious. The palace servants, dressed in splendid clothes, shuttled between the guests, busy and orderly.
The emperor and the empress sat on the throne in the center of the Golden Palace, and on both sides of the throne were civil and military officials arranged according to their ranks.
The eldest prince, the third prince, the fourth prince and the sixth prince sat below the emperor's throne, each occupying a seat to highlight their noble status.
The eldest prince is like a piece of jade that has been carved by time, gentle and restrained.
To this day, the eldest prince has no principal wife, only a concubine who has been in the palace for three years and has no children.
The Third Prince's eyes were sharp and deep, and his demeanor was filled with an innate majesty that made people afraid to approach him easily.
He had already married a wife, but due to poor health, he did not attend the palace banquet on New Year's Eve.
The fourth prince is fourteen years old this year. He is chubby and looks like a cute dumpling. He is also very easy-going and always has a carefree optimism. What he loves most is food, and his smile is always so bright that it seems to be able to dispel all the haze.
Deeply favored by the emperor.
The fifth prince is ten years old and lively.
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, looking majestic and dignified, with a sharp gaze, scanning the people in the hall. His voice was loud and magnetic, echoing in the hall.
The emperor spoke slowly, his tone gentle but dignified: "Today's palace banquet, I am very pleased to see you all join in this grand event."
The emperor raised his glass, and the ministers quickly stood up and held the glasses with both hands. Others followed suit, also picked up their glasses and stood in their respective positions.
As the emperor raised his glass high, everyone raised their glasses above their heads. At this time, only the sound of the glasses clinking and the breeze blowing through the palace echoed in the air.
"Your Majesty!"
"All the nobles are seated"
He paused for a moment and continued, "I see that our dynasty is prosperous and the people are happy. I hope that you can continue to be diligent and loyal and work together to protect the prosperity of our dynasty."
After the emperor finished speaking, Prime Minister Han Qi stood up. He stood tall and straight, like a pine tree, showing calmness and majesty.
His brows revealed profound wisdom, and his eyes were bright and sharp like cold light. This changeable look made people dare not approach him easily.
He bowed slightly and said, "Your Majesty's words are what your subjects should follow. I will definitely live up to your Majesty's trust and do my best to serve the country and share your worries."
Other ministers also stood up and echoed: "I am willing to share your worries!"
The emperor nodded slightly and turned his gaze to the princes in the palace: "My princes are all the pillars of the country. I hope they will love each other and work together for state affairs."
Upon hearing this, the princes all stood up, their faces solemn, and said in unison: "Father, your majesty is wise, and we are taught by you. We must remember your teachings, be close to each other, live in harmony, and work together for the prosperity of the country. We will follow your example, work diligently, and live up to your expectations."
At this time, the emperor showed a satisfied smile on his face: "Tonight, let's raise our glasses to celebrate the prosperity of our dynasty, and pray for good fortune for all the meritorious officials present here, as well as my descendants. May our dynasty prosper and be safe forever!"
As the emperor finished his speech, all the civil and military officials as well as the princes and princesses in the hall stood up and raised their glasses to celebrate, and the atmosphere of the palace banquet reached its climax.
The children of the ministers, the daughters of the rich families, sat near the palace door. They would have the opportunity to present their talents later.
As the dinner progressed, the daughters of wealthy families began to come forward one by one to present their talents.
The eldest prince has no principal wife yet, and he is currently the most likely heir to the throne. The noble ladies of each family still have the opportunity to become the most honorable women in the Great Zhou.
So she wanted to do everything she could to attract the eldest prince's attention.
The daughter of a first-rank official performed a dance with a figure as graceful as a butterfly in love with a flower; she won unanimous applause.
Some wrote a New Year's greeting with calligraphy as free and easy as flowing water;
Chen Yayuan played a piece of guzheng music, the melodious sound of the music lingered in the ears for three days.
And General Chu's daughter is even more eye-catching.
She was dressed in a simple red dress, with long sleeves dancing in the center of the hall. Her long sleeves danced exquisitely, like a dragon swimming out of the sea, vigorous and powerful. Her posture was light and graceful, like a fairy descending to earth.
Her performance not only won praise from the emperor and the empress, but also amazed everyone present.
After the dance, the emperor was the first to applaud, and then the queen also praised it highly, and then asked: "I always feel like I have seen this dance before?"
The emperor nodded when he heard this: "It seems that some Kung Fu has been integrated into it."
At this time, Chu Jing replied calmly: "Your Majesty and Empress are wise. This was originally a sword dance, but I changed it into a long-sleeved dance."
The emperor and the empress praised Chu Jing for her intelligence. The emperor rewarded her with ten taels of gold and the empress rewarded her with a set of coral jewelry.
Of course, each daughter's performance won applause and cheers from the crowd.
Xia Xuelian stayed beside Madam Wang, secretly glancing at the eldest prince from time to time.
Seeing the talents of the noble ladies from various families, she felt jealous. Why did they all want to seduce the eldest prince when their status were not as good as hers?
She lowered her head, so I couldn't see her face clearly, only her pale fingertips.
Xia Xuelian, who was worried, suddenly felt Mrs. Wang touching her arm. She looked up suddenly and found that people were looking at her.
I only heard Madam Wang nervously say: "The Emperor is calling you, go quickly!"
When Xia Xuelian heard this, her legs suddenly felt weak. What was he asking her to do?
The maid next to her pulled her up, half pushed and half supported her to the center of the hall, and whispered something in her ear.
Everyone saw Xia Xuelian's body stiffly being carried over by the nanny, and it was obvious that her dress was shaking slightly.
"Your humble servant... has seen... the emperor. Long live the emperor... Long live the emperor." She finished her words haltingly.
Some of the noble girlfriends showed sympathy, some looked contemptuous, and some looked disdainful.
People who grew up in the countryside are indeed not presentable.
The emperor looked at Xia Xuelian and said, "Raise your head."
The nanny kneeling beside her pushed her gently, and Xia Xuelian raised her head and looked upwards.