Deep Palace Pet Peach Blossom Flawless

Chapter 269 Autumn Chapter

Lan Qingwu watched Hupin leave Qiufeng Pavilion and asked, "Your Majesty, will you not comment on this?"

Emperor Shenwu looked at Lan Qingwu and said, "Ruoruo, I've always wanted to see the Butterfly Dance you performed for Yun Heng again. With Ruoruo's performance so impressive, what other dance could possibly catch my eye?"

Lan Qingwu recalled the dance they had done under the peach tree when they were little, and couldn't help but sigh, "Wei Ruo was only twelve years old then!"

Emperor Shenwu took Lan Qingwu into his arms and said, "I remember that Ruo Ruo gave me the butterfly in her hand. Ruo Ruo, do you know that the butterfly has always flown into my heart?"

Lan Qingwu said silently, of course she knew that from then on, Yun Heng's eyes looking at her had completely changed, he really cared about her in his heart.

"After Ruo Ruo gives birth to the little princess, Brother Heng can come and see her whenever he wants."

Emperor Shenwu smiled and said, "Then I will be waiting."

Lan Shuren's mother was ultimately unable to persuade her son. Lan Shuren was essentially marrying a tablet into the family, but he had promised his mother that he would get married in a year.

Emperor Shenwu also told Lan Qingwu about the Blue Tree Man. "I really don't understand what your cousin is thinking. He actually married a tablet? He hasn't even seen his fiancée!"

Lan Qingwu blinked his eyes. "Your Majesty, he is also your subject. Since my cousin has made up his mind and the Lan family hasn't said anything, then let him be! But my cousin's mother might be very disappointed."

A glint flickered in the divine emperor's phoenix eyes. He valued Lan Shuren's talent, but he could not tolerate him even harboring the slightest desire for Lan Qingwu. Lan Qingwu himself was unaware of this, but the divine emperor, a man himself, had already noticed.

Emperor Shenwu calmly embraced Lan Qingwu, and the next moment he sucked on her tender lips. He let her go only when Lan Qingwu was panting and her face flushed.

Lan Qingwu could sense that the Emperor was in a bad mood. Every time the two of them brought up the topic of the Blue Tree People, the atmosphere was always somewhat indescribable.

Lan Qingwu narrowed his watery eyes and looked at the Shenwu Emperor. The Shenwu Emperor continued, "Let Lan Shuren worry about his mother himself! Ruo Ruo, your Thousand Autumn Festival and my Longevity Festival will be soon. I want to give you a gift. If you have other wishes, I will also fulfill them for you! From now on, you can think carefully about what wish you want to fulfill."

Lan Qingwu couldn't help but smile slightly in the arms of the Shenwu Emperor: "Okay! I will think about it carefully!"

April 22nd was the Empress's Thousand-Year-Old Birthday, and April 28th was the Emperor's Thousand-Year-Old Birthday. Their birthdays were only six days apart, and the Emperor Shenwu even wished that they be celebrated on the same day.

Recalling the time at the border, their birthdays were close, so they would make plans to go out together on those seven days. On the 22nd and 28th, two official days, they would formally celebrate each other's birthdays.

Now, one of them was an emperor, the other an empress, it was impossible for them to celebrate their birthdays so purely.

Lan Qingwu also wanted to celebrate their birthdays on the same day, but she felt it was too extravagant, tedious, and exhausting. Just a few days after her own birthday celebration, it would be the Emperor Shenwu's turn. The officials in the Ministry of Rites must have been incredibly busy those days! However, she and the Emperor Shenwu both lamented that they could no longer celebrate their birthdays purely for themselves.

The 22nd arrived in a flash. The Imperial Household Department had arranged the empress's ceremonial procession in advance, and the Internal Ceremony Guard School had arranged the empress's ceremonial carriage in the front of the Jiaotai Hall, with the Zhonghe Shao Music Hall under the front eaves and the Danling Dayue Music Hall under the rear eaves of the Zheng Hall.

After getting up, Lan Qingwu put on the Nine Phoenix Crown and the Nine Heavens Phoenix Robe. After washing and dressing up, he led the concubines to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, and then went to the Fengqi Palace, which symbolized the central palace.

The palace supervisor would lead the long-awaited princesses, daughters-in-law, and other ladies-in-waiting from the various royal palaces through the Cangzhen Gate. They would then line up outside the Jiaotai Hall, standing before the Dan Majesty. However, not all princesses, daughters-in-law, and ladies-in-waiting could enter the palace; only those approved by the emperor could. The palace supervisor would then invite the imperial concubines, consorts, and imperial concubines to stand on either side of the Jiaotai Hall. The empress would then ascend the throne in her ceremonial attire, and the imperial concubines and below would bow once according to their respective positions. After the ceremony, they would take their seats and be served food. Besides the princesses, daughters-in-law, and others who entered to see the empress's face, the princes and nobles were also expected to make every effort to celebrate the empress's birthday.

In Qiulu Palace, the royal family, civil and military officials, and concubines from the six palaces had all taken their seats, all waiting respectfully for the Emperor and Empress to arrive.

Among the concubines in the six palaces, Concubine Jiang sat at the head of all the concubines, and next to her was the second prince Zhou Chengjin.

From below, Noble Lady Su whispered, "This Qianqiu Banquet is truly grand and lively! Do you think His Majesty will be accompanying the Empress today?"

Little Noble Lady Su also whispered back, "Yes!"

The upper concubine Hu sighed softly: "You are the queen, and you celebrate your birthday while pregnant with a dragon baby. The queen really has all the blessings a woman can have!" Her tone was filled with indescribable bitterness and envy.

Concubine Wen just looked coldly at the two empty seats on the platform.

Concubine Yang just smiled and said nothing, while Concubine Liang was all smiles and talking.

When Lady Liu heard what Concubine Hu said, she laughed sweetly and said, "The Empress's blessing is not something that everyone can enjoy! Does Your Majesty even look at other concubines?"

Hanpin glanced at Concubine Liu and said, "Your Majesty doesn't have eyes for you? Didn't he just promote you to Concubine?"

Lady Liu was choked by this and her face turned slightly red and she stopped talking.

The Second Princess's mother, Concubine Sun, remained silent. For some unknown reason, Concubine Sun had been a Noble Concubine since Lan Qingwu entered the palace, and even now, after all these years, she remained a Noble Concubine. She was the only concubine with an heir to the throne whose rank remained unchanged for so many years. The Second Princess also sat silently by her side.

Soon, a chorus of voices finally rang out: "Your Majesty has arrived! The Queen has arrived!"

The emperor and empress finally came together. Emperor Shenwu was concerned about Lan Qingwu's pregnancy, so he held Lan Qingwu's hand all the way and walked into Qiulu Palace.

The royal family, civil and military officials, and concubines all bowed to the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, may you be well! Your Majesty, may you be well!"

Emperor Shenwu led Lan Qingwu to sit directly on the upper seat. He waved his sleeves and Li Xiang immediately took two steps forward: "Stand up!"

Everyone took their seats one after another, and the royal family, civil and military officials, and concubines from the six palaces offered toasts to the queen in three groups.

Then the ceremonial officer began to sing and cheer for the birthday gifts presented to the queen by officials from all over the country.

Afterwards, the royal family, civil and military officials, and concubines from the six palaces presented gifts to the Empress.

Emperor Shenwu had ordered the Ministry of Rites to reduce the regulations as much as possible, but even so, more than half an hour had passed after the gift was presented.

Emperor Shenwu then gave a birthday banquet. The banquet was filled with singing and dancing, and everyone was toasting each other, drinking and chatting.