in2ebook Chapter 520: The perfect balance of color and beauty, the gentle breeze brings a touch of heavenly f
Chapter 520: The perfect balance of color and beauty, the gentle breeze brings a touch of heavenly f
When Song Yuntang arrived at the pavilion, some people were playing the piano, some were painting, and some were holding a pen and thinking about poetry in their minds.
She had no intention of being in the spotlight. After paying her respects to the Queen, she just wanted to find a seat and sit down like most other ladies.
Zhuang Zihan, who was painting nearby, had already noticed her.
"Madam Xu, don't you want the Queen's prize?"
Song Yuntang's face showed no emotion. She folded her hands in front of her and turned to nod towards the queen.
"It's not that I don't want to, but with the pearls and jade before me, I know that I am not talented enough. I don't have the ability, so I won't embarrass myself in front of the Queen."
Shen Yanhua smiled, looking like a peony in the sun, gorgeous, noble and elegant.
At the age of 28, there is still no sign of aging.
"Madam Xu, there's no need to be so modest. Mr. Xu is both talented and knowledgeable, and Madam Xu must also be a person of good character and kindness. Whether or not the prize is won is not important; what matters is participation."
As she spoke, she glanced vaguely in the direction of the women participating in the competition.
Although he didn't say anything, his intention was self-evident.
Seeing this, Song Yuntang could no longer refuse.
She bowed to Shen Yanhua.
"Then I will present my shame."
Shen Yanhua nodded lightly and watched Song Yuntang ask the maid beside him to get the drawing paper.
When she first met Song Yuntang, she was surprised that a girl from a farming family could have such appearance and temperament, and her words and deeds were not stingy at all.
Later I thought that the wife of the top scholar, influenced by her husband, must be different from an ordinary peasant girl.
Zhuang Zihan was the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and was later conferred the title of noble lady in the selection at the beginning of the year. His Majesty valued the power of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and after the selection, he specially granted her permission to go home and accompany her parents for a month, and then move into Yonghe Palace in early May.
In previous years, concubines who had just entered the palace were given the titles of "Yingying" and "Changzai".
Even if she was given the title of noble lady, it was only after she had slept with the emperor.
Now, Zhuang Zihan has been conferred the title of noble lady before she even entered the palace, and has been granted the main hall of Yonghe Palace as her bedroom. This kind of preferential treatment has never been received before.
Zhuang Zihan is currently very popular and is naturally sought after by the ladies and young ladies in Beijing.
Moreover, she was already known as a talented woman in Beijing.
In today's talent show, anyone with a little bit of discernment would not pass her by.
Zhuang Zihan does not hide her edge, and the Prime Minister's Mansion is high-profile and flamboyant.
But she is the mother of a country, and today is her birthday. She naturally cannot let the Prime Minister's Mansion and Zhuang Zihan overshadow her.
Otherwise, how can she, as the master of the harem, intimidate the harem in the future?
Only Mrs. Xu is different.
Prime Minister Zhuang had previously tried to win over Lord Xu in front of His Majesty but failed. Madam Xu should be aware of this.
I don't know how talented she is...
At least, there is a grudge between the two of them, so she will not go easy on her in front of Zhuang Zihan.
And her face really makes people nostalgic.
Suddenly, she remembered that His Majesty had specifically instructed her to invite Madam Xu to the palace to attend the palace banquet. She had previously thought that His Majesty valued Madam Xu, so she mentioned her in particular.
But His Majesty has not left the palace recently, so he may not have seen Song's new face.
Is there anything special about her besides her looks?
Beside the Queen, the Imperial Concubine, dressed in a blue-purple palace dress, a golden hairpin on her head, and a violet jade pendant around her waist, smiled lazily, looking noble and beautiful.
"It seems that the Queen has miscalculated. Miss Zhuang is the most talented woman in our capital. In terms of talent, I'm afraid no one can compare to her."
Concubine Rong raised her eyes and glanced at the dignified and elegant queen beside her, with a lazy look of watching a show.
"Although Madam Xu looks different from an ordinary peasant girl, her background is there. A noble lady from the capital has been educated by a nanny and a teacher since childhood. She is talented and intelligent. How can a mere peasant girl compare to her? She is just one more person to become Zi Han's background."
The mothers of Prime Minister Zhuang and Concubine Rong are cousins two generations apart, and there is some kind of relationship between her and Zhuang Zihan.
When Zhuang Zihan entered the palace, she must be on her side.
Concubine Rong and the Queen entered the palace at the same time. The two have been fighting for many years. As the daughter of the Grand Tutor, the Queen was of noble birth and always looked superior. Now she was so happy to see her being humiliated.
However, Shen Yanhua did not take Concubine Rong's words to heart and remained calm and composed.
"It doesn't matter who wins. Since I've put up a prize, I'm not a stingy person."
After a pause, she looked in Zhuang Zihan's direction and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Miss Zhuang is young and beautiful, and is favored by His Majesty. After she enters the palace, I'm afraid she will take away the favors of the other sisters in the palace. However, my sister and Miss Zhuang are distant cousins, so I don't think she will mind, right?"
As the queen, her father was the emperor's teacher when he was young. Even if the emperor did not hold her at the top of his heart, he would give her the most basic respect and recognition, and would come to her palace to eat and sleep on the first and fifteenth days of the month.
There are three thousand beauties in the harem.
Your Majesty is now in his prime and in good health.
Whether the other concubines can gain favor depends entirely on their own abilities.
There is no man who doesn't like colors.
When new people enter the palace, they are always favored more than old people.
Shen Yanhua glanced in the direction of Concubine Rong.
"If I were his sister, I would spend more time on myself, trying to win His Majesty's heart and give him a prince or princess."
Speaking of the princes and princesses, it undoubtedly touched Concubine Rong's sore spot.
She originally had a child, a smart and lovely little prince, who died of a high fever at the age of two.
Later, she became pregnant again. At that time, the emperor was in great favor, and she did not want to lose the emperor's favor, so she kept her pregnancy a secret and enjoyed the emperor's love every night. Finally, her body could not bear it, and the fetus died before the third month.
The emperor thought it was his fault that she had miscarried, and he felt guilty about it, so he made her a noble concubine.
But since then, she has never been pregnant again.
He could only watch helplessly as the concubines in the palace became pregnant one by one.
Concubine Rong tightened her jade hands under her wide sleeves, and dug her red-stained nails into her palms, only then did she feel a little calmer.
After a while, the expression on his face finally relaxed.
She smiled.
"Sister is right. I will try my best."
The Queen glanced in her direction and said nothing more.
As time went on, the young ladies and girls present completed their talents one by one.
Upon seeing this, the Queen stood up and, with the support of the nanny beside her, led the ladies to linger around the easels and desks in the pavilion.
After viewing a few unsatisfactory poems and paintings, the ladies followed the queen and stopped beside a desk.
The slender jade fingers wearing armor stretched out and took the rice paper from the table.
"Standing proudly on the branches, it overshadows all the other flowers; the osmanthus and moss flowers all imitate it.
The perfect balance of light and dark makes her stunningly beautiful, while the gentle breeze brings out the heavenly fragrance."
……
(Original Poetry)