Chapter 441: Birthday Banquet

Regarding the birthday of the loving mother Empress Dowager this year, Gu Zhen had a separate discussion with Yun Fenghuang before leaving, and decided to make a big deal to ease the relationship between the two parties... At least to ease the relationship between the two parties on the scene, for example, let Yuan Ke Don't bother with Gu Shi any more.

It was brought up at this moment, and it was just as Yun Fenghuang expected, the loving mother empress dowager just made a symbolic excuse, saying: "The Ai family is so old, and now people are not in the palace, but there is no need to bother." The empress and concubine are so worried?"

When the queen said that this was not a troublesome matter, the concubines all wanted to express their filial piety for the emperor. Most importantly, the emperor himself also agreed, so the loving mother empress dowager no longer insisted on it, but followed the public opinion.

After all, the loving mother Empress Dowager, who has experienced defeat in Fuyang County and the palace, tossed half her life to finally return to the imperial capital, but has not been able to return to the court, really needs a grand birthday banquet to show her His position is still firm.

While arranging the birthday banquet, Gu Zhen was also worried about Yun Fenghuang's tricks, so he was very busy.

Simply, Yun Fenghuang paid much attention to cultivating the young heirs these days, and also had to deal with the jealous King Zhaoqing of Qin. Many things were left to Concubine De and the others, as if he had no other ideas.

"The imperial concubine has specifically asked the foreign ministers about the situation of returning to Beijing for the banquet in the past two days." The servant told the queen again, "Everything else is as usual."

Gu Zhen frowned and said, "Why does she ask this?"

"Have you forgotten?" the waiter reminded, "After the imperial concubine rose to power in the palace, she supported some members of the Xie clan. But these people were mixed, and they once caused trouble for the imperial concubine. They were sent away. As a result, they escaped the catastrophe of the destruction of Huizhou City. Counting the time, although some people here have no achievements, their qualifications are enough to mention. The servant girl thought, the imperial concubine is about to fight this idea."

"Her brothers are all keeping their filial piety now, counting the days, there is still some time to be filial piety." Gu Zhen said, "Are you thinking about it right now?"

I was a little skeptical, "Which courtiers did she ask specifically?"

The waiter said: "I mainly asked some courtiers in remote places and rich places. I didn't pay much attention to those in the middle."

Of course, a rich place is rich and lacking. Although the conditions in a remote place are not good, the victory is that the political achievements are very impressive.

Gu Zhen pondered for a while, and said, "It does seem like she wants to benefit her brother, but she is too impatient."

The waiter apologized and said with a smile: "That person comes from a humble background, he has never been a person who can hold his breath, has he?"

"Let's not take it lightly." Gu Zhen said worriedly, "Keep an eye on it."

But Yun Fenghuang followed and there was no movement.

Even when Chunjia learned of her actions, she took the initiative to ask if she wanted to find a job for her brother, and hinted that she could give him a certain amount of care and favoritism, but Yun Fenghuang refused: "Although I am self-willed, it is a matter of national importance. How dare the superiors intervene without authorization? Isn’t the reason for doing this for Meng’er?”

She gave Chunjia a blank look, "Your Majesty was a good matchmaker at the beginning. After the incident, I'm afraid he will forget about the prospective couples? Didn't I say it earlier, so Deng Chengzhai will also be sent out for training in the past two years? Concubine pondering So, based on the relationship between him and His Majesty, he would either go to a rich place, or go to that remote place, and there is no one in the middle, right? The most beloved niece of my concubine is Meng'er. She is too young to understand. Can you help her take a look?"

It turned out that he was concerned about his niece, which the emperor thought was reasonable.

After all, Yun Fenghuang had just settled Xie Kuo's matter, and now thinking of Xie Meng, isn't it logical?

So he couldn't help laughing, and promised that he would not treat Deng Chengzhai and Xie Meng badly, and the matter passed.

Soon it was the birthday of the Empress Dowager, the empress dowager, under the invitation of Chunjia and the empress, the empress dowager went to live in the former residence of the palace one day in advance, so as not to be too busy the next day.

With the momentum of great victory, Guochao is in a good mood, and they are more interested in participating in this birthday celebration.

The whole palace is decorated with lanterns and festoons, and is completely new.

In order to please the Queen, she specially arranged for the Royal Beast Garden to domesticate some tame animals, dressed in red and colorful, and raised them in the palace to increase the joy.

He also taught the Royal Workshop to make a batch of dishes and tableware, including dishes, which are carefully designed and embedded with various auspicious meanings.

There are also songs and dances rehearsed by Jiaofang Secretary, which can also be seen everywhere.

All in all, this birthday banquet has satisfied the monarch and ministers from the beginning.

So much so that Chunjia, who had never had much hope for the queen, specially toasted the queen after drinking for three rounds, and said: "The queen and the noble concubine have worked hard this time."

Although I was not angry that the imperial concubine didn't touch her hands very much, but she was honored by the emperor just like herself, but Gu Zhen still had a smile on her face, feeling that her busy work was not in vain.

When old people celebrate their birthdays, rich people will have to sing a big show for three days and three nights. The royal palace banquet is held in the palace. Three nights of wanton fun.

However, in order to show the importance attached to the Empress Dowager's birthday, a compromise was finally adopted, which was to hold a banquet in the palace for three consecutive days, get up early and leave late, and congratulate the Empress Dowager together.

On the first day like this, everything went smoothly, including the loving mother, the empress dowager, they all praised the empress full of praise, the way is that the Ming emperor gave birth to a virtuous empress, and the Chunjia harem is full of virtuous and virtuous virtues.

The next day, Gu Zhen had a private discussion with Yun Fenghuang: "Do you think I can talk to my loving mother, the Empress Dowager, today?"

Yun Fenghuang knew that what she called was the old grievance that Yuan Ke went to Gu's summer resort two days ago to make a fuss, so he persuaded the queen to relax: "Tomorrow is still one day, if the loving mother The empress dowager is not willing to reconcile, so why don't you explain that it's embarrassing? Besides, there is still a palace banquet, you go and talk about this, so you don't have to make the empress dowager think that you are threatening her. If she doesn't forgive, and doesn't help you to persuade her, then Yuan Ke, I won't give her a banquet tomorrow, isn't that unfair?"

When Gu Zhen was reminded by her, she also felt that she was too impatient, so she couldn't help sighing softly: "Where does this palace have that meaning? It's just that the loving mother, the Empress Dowager, looked very interested yesterday, and thought it might be possible to strike while the iron is hot."

"Your Majesty, why don't you ask His Royal Highness the Sixth Prince to accompany the Empress Dowager, the loving mother." Yun Fenghuang thought for a while, and then gave her some advice, "My concubine sees that the Empress Dowager, the loving mother, came to the palace the day before yesterday. But after all, I took a few more glances at the sixth prince. This one was raised by the loving mother Empress Dowager herself for a while, so there must be a difference in affection. In addition, the sixth prince suffered from smallpox, and the loving mother Empress Dowager felt distressed."

Gu Zhen said: "Oh, I am afraid that the kind mother, the Empress Dowager, will feel even more distressed when she sees the marks on Xiao Liu's face..."

All in all, it is so difficult not to be favored by her husband or seen by her mother-in-law.

Because they have no feelings, these two will not put themselves in her shoes, they will only find ways to find fault.

It's no wonder that Gu Zhen was originally a very straightforward person, but now he looks forward and backward.

Yun Fenghuang was in a calm mood, and after a few words of persuasion, he ignored it.

This day may be because the empress had something on her mind, and something went wrong at the end of the day, that is, the sixth prince fought with the tenth prince over a toy.

Gu Zhen was heartbroken.

Because she was not there at the time, but the loving mother Empress Dowager was present. Although the loving mother Empress Dowager scolded the sixth prince and gave the toy to the tenth prince, the queen was not clear about how much affection the loving mother Empress Dowager had for the sixth prince. I like Ten Princes.

But she leaned towards the tenth prince. This decision was definitely not out of an elder's idea that being an older brother should give way to a younger brother. It was probably because she hated the tenth prince since then.

Sure enough, in the evening, the waiter carefully reported to the queen: "Just now someone in the palace heard that the loving mother, the empress dowager, spoke to her majesty, saying that the tenth prince has the air of not letting his brothers down at such a young age.

This is almost saying that the Tenth Prince is overbearing and will not tolerate brothers.

Gu Zhen sighed in his heart, pulled himself together, and called the tenth prince to persuade him: "You are a younger brother, so you should respect your elder brothers. If you like the toy today, I will get you a new one when I turn back." Yes. But why fight with your sixth brother? And let your imperial grandmother see it."

The tenth prince was young and not very good at reading facial expressions. He heard the words plausibly and said, "The toy originally belonged to my minister. The sixth brother wanted to borrow it to play, but my minister didn't want to give it to him. Why should he take it secretly? Besides, the emperor Grandmother also agrees with my son!"

The queen looked at his confident and determined expression, and was quite powerless. Your grandmother agrees with you?

She doesn't know how much she hates you right now!

"But you are the son of a direct son, you should set an example for your brothers." Gu Zhen has been very tired these two days, but he dare not let it go.

After all, this is the future prince, so you can't make a mistake.

It's just that the tenth prince has been raised with a pampered temperament in the past two years, how can he listen to it?

After a few words of persuasion from the queen, he asked back with tears in his eyes: "Could it be that the queen mother doesn't like Erchen anymore, but Sixth Brother? Otherwise, why would she say that about Erchen?"

Gu Zhen pinched his forehead, feeling that he really couldn't explain clearly to this child. After a long time of helplessness, he finally let him go to rest, and only said to the left and right: "This child really can't be spoiled like this anymore... Wait until this birthday... After the banquet is over, I must discipline him well!"

This time, the left and right sides did not speak for the tenth prince, because they knew that even if there was a private promise from the emperor, the existence of the imperial concubine and others would inevitably go through a storm.

This is not the time to let the Tenth Prince be willful.

But a careful waiter raised it again: "Your Majesty, I feel that something is wrong, you think, His Royal Highness the Sixth Prince is a natural person - Zirou, although he comes to our palace for a short time, he never takes the initiative to take other people's things. Not to mention the fact that His Highness the Tenth Prince’s talent means that His Highness clearly does not want to lend it to His Highness the Sixth Prince’s to play with, so would His Highness the Sixth Prince’s usual disposition take it without authorization?”

If the sixth prince hadn't gone to get the toy, of course there would be no conflict between the brothers.

Gu Zhen couldn't help being awe-inspiring, so that the whole person trembled slightly with anger: "Bengong worked so hard, she said it was good, and she said she was grateful for Bengong... But in private, Bengong was wrong. , she even took advantage of such a small child!!!"

"Your Majesty, don't be angry, the empress dowager is always like this." The waiters sighed and said, "Let's not argue with her, anyway, His Majesty is aware of it, and His Majesty really thinks that it is really difficult for you this time. "

After all, Empress Dowager Yuan and Gu Zhen used to be just mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts, but after Yuan's family's grievances and grievances were mixed in, how could it be that Gu Zhen helped arrange a birthday banquet to calm things down?

It's just for Chunjia to see.

Even so, Gu Zhen was still in a bad mood, so much so that when he got up the next day, he needed to put on a thick layer of powder to cover it up.

Fortunately, the loving mother, the Empress Dowager, seemed a little tired this day, and did not take the initiative to find trouble.

It was the last day, seeing the afterglow of dusk slowly dragging away outside the palace, both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law felt a little relieved.

Counting the time, we will be able to leave in a while, but at this moment, a palace official ran in in a panic, and whispered to the queen: "Your Majesty, something happened later, please go and see immediately !"

Gu Zhen was startled when he saw this, and was still thinking about what was going on when it was all over. The empress dowager, the loving mother, had already cast a half-smile glance and asked, "What's going on here?"