Chapter 11
Meng Yunluo's movements were subtle, but she couldn't hide from the bright-eyed and bright-hearted ladies.
A few light laughter came into Meng Yunluo's ears.
Meng Yunluo was embarrassed in public, and her fair and charming face was stained with a blush of embarrassment.
Jin Can'er, a boudoir friend, didn't mean to appease Meng Yunluo at all, instead, she covered her face with her sleeves and laughed, her eyes full of schadenfreude.
This is the "friendship" of the ladies in the capital.
Lu Mingyu's "joy" that she was about to reunite with her old friend was also diluted a little, and the corner of her mouth was slightly raised, and she walked to the main hall with Cai Lan.
Stepping over the high threshold, Lu Mingyu did not look sideways, stepped forward steadily, and saluted: "I have seen the Queen."
Queen Qiao, who was sitting on the phoenix chair, smiled and said, "No ceremony, get up."
"Thank you, Empress." Lu Mingyu stood up neatly, and when she got up, her eyes swept away, and she had a panoramic view of everyone in the hall.
Queen Qiao was born in a prestigious family. She was quite talented when she was young. Now in her thirties, she is still dignified and beautiful, with a gentle smile.
At this time, Queen Qiao's eyes were filled with scrutiny.
Several princes have reached the age of choosing princesses and concubines. What is the purpose of today's palace banquet, everyone knew as well. Naturally, Queen Qiao had to look carefully.
Sitting under Queen Qiao was Noble Consort Meng. Concubine Meng and Queen Qiao were of the same age, and they were both well maintained, with beautiful and charming faces, and the look of a mature woman between her eyebrows and eyes.
Noble Consort Meng had a son and a daughter. The eldest prince got married the year before and went out of the palace to build a mansion. Princess Jing'an is only fifteen years old this year, so she is still young.
Princess Jing'an sat beside Noble Consort Meng.
Princess Hui'an, who was born to the Queen, had reached the age of twenty and had already recruited a consort.
Today's palace banquet, of course, Princess Hui'an cannot miss. Sitting on the other side of Queen Qiao, she looked arrogant, her eyes were cold and critical, and she was like picking on her future sister-in-law.
The one next to Concubine Meng is Concubine Qin.
In terms of appearance, Concubine Qin was far inferior to Concubine Meng. However, she was also a beautiful woman with extremely white skin and a cheerful and smiling personality. At first glance, she looked soft and kind.
Sitting next to Concubine Qin was the biological mother of the third and fifth princes, the mother-in-law in her previous life, Su Zhaorong.
Su Zhaorong was favored by Emperor Yongjia as a dancer back then. Of course, she was born extremely beautiful, with curved eyebrows, black eyes, and Qiong nose, and cherry lips. Even more beautiful than Concubine Meng.
However, Concubine Meng was born in a warrior family, and she was beautiful and heroic. However, Su Zhaorong was like a vine that can only cling to trees, beautiful but weak, making people feel pity.
It was this woman who seemed weak and helpless and cried at every turn when she was in trouble. She endured dormancy for several years and finally became Empress Dowager Wei.
She does not understand the government, she is not good at power and tactics, and she does not know military affairs.
Short-sighted, narrow-minded, selfish, and vicious.
For her own selfish desires, she instigated her son and daughter-in-law to separate from each other, regardless of the throne.
This kind of person is not worthy of being the Dowager Empress! Not even a mother-in-law.
Lu Mingyu had a strong killing intent in her heart, but her expression remained the same.
When Su Zhaorong saw Lu Mingyu, her whole body trembled invisibly. The sharp pain of being pierced by the sharp sword in her chest came instantly.
She almost wanted to get up and run away, or to have the cruel daughter-in-law in front of her be killed immediately.
No, be patient!
Must be patient!
I have to wait until my son ascends the throne and sits firmly on the dragon chair. At that time, as her mother-in-law, if she wants to grind, the daughter-in-law only will have to bear it.
Su Zhaorong quickly adjusted her facial expression and gave Lu Mingyu a kind smile.
Lu Mingyu looked back indifferently as if she had not seen it.
Su Zhaorong: "…"
…
"You are Lu Mingyu, the daughter of King Xingyang?" Queen Qiao's gentle voice sounded in the main hall.
Lu Mingyu raised her eyes and looked at Queen Qiao: "Yes, there are six siblings in the family, and I am the fourth. Thanks to the love from the Empress, I was able to enter the palace to meet the Empress today."
The girls who entered the main hall for an audience stepped into the harem, the most powerful place in the harem, and faced the most honorable Empresses and Concubines of the Wei Dynasty, were either nervous with excitement, or anxious and full of joy and hope.
There is no one like Lu Mingyu who is as calm and composed.
Gu Pan's splendid expression is even more difficult to describe with brush and ink, which is heartbreaking.
Qiao Wan and Zhao Yu, who first entered the hall to meet with them, were also top-notch ladies from famous families, each with their own strengths. But as soon as Lu Mingyu showed up, she immediately made the other two look as bleak points.
Queen Qiao's eyes fell on Lu Mingyu's beautiful and glamorous face, a series of thoughts flashed in her heart, and her tone became more and more gentle: "King Xingyang led the army together with the emperor, and have worked hard."
Lu Mingyu smiled slightly and responded appropriately: "My father is a general of the Great Wei Dynasty, and it is his duty to lead troops to fight. I don't dare to think that this hard work is high."
Queen Qiao asked with a smile, "What do you do in the mansion? What books have you read? Have you ever studied piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"
Lu Mingyu replied without being humble or arrogant: "Answering the Empress, I have been dancing with swords since I was a child. I like riding and shooting martial arts, but I don't like reading. I only know a few words, and I haven't learned much about piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting."
Queen Qiao was born in a well-known scholarly family, and she likes a girl with a gentle temperament and outstanding poetry, literature, and talent like Qiao Wan.
Sure enough, Lu Mingyu couldn't understand Chen Mo, and Queen Qiao frowned slightly.
Su Zhaorong interjected unexpectedly: "I heard that Fourth Miss Lu is excellent at riding and shooting, and she is very skilled, quite like the king of Xingyang. It's a pity that I can't see it with my own eyes today."
Noble Consort Meng Gui picked up the veil and covered her mouth with a smile: "Oh, it's rare to see Su Zhaorong complimenting a girl."
To choose a princess and concubine, it is natural to have the second prince first. Queen Qiao had to choose first, and then it was the turn of the third prince and the fourth prince.
Su Zhaorong opened her mouth at this time, it was already reckless.
Concubine Qin also pursed her lips and smiled: "My concubine and Su Zhaorong thought of something. My concubine looked at it, and Miss Lu Si was also very good. However, for today's palace banquet, you can enjoy some songs and dances, write some poems, or play the qin for fun. That's all. It's inconvenient for people who dance with knives and swords. Second, it's hard to guarantee that there will be no accidents."
Queen Qiao's smile faded.
Su Zhaorong came from a humble background and had no strong family to rely on. It was common for her to be ridiculed and mocked in the harem from time to time.
Su Zhaorong gritted her teeth, swallowed her embarrassment, and smiled in a low voice: "The concubine has been talking too much for a while and said the wrong thing, please forgive me."
Queen Qiao said lightly: "Since you know your mistake, just shut up and say a few words less."
Su Zhaorong's face was hot, she responded and quickly lowered her head.
Lu Mingyu looked at Su Zhaorong's humiliation with cold eyes and felt quite happy.
After she married Li Hao in her previous life, she felt pity for her mother-in-law in such embarrassing situations and supported her from time to time. It was common to have a confrontation with Concubine Qin, Queen Qiao Meng Guifei.
Now that I think about it, Su Zhaorong's use of weakness to show inferiority and self-pity is all a mean to let her daughter-in-law, who was born in a noble family, charge into the battle and shield hers from the arrows.
Now, she doesn't have to do anything, she can just watch a good show.