dognovel Chapter 987: I specially prepared a gift
Chapter 987: I specially prepared a gift
The court musicians who had been waiting on the side immediately played solemn music.
Nangong Xuanyu slowly climbed up the moon-worshiping platform to the sound of music, washed his hands, lit three incense sticks, and slowly worshiped.
Shen Zhinian led the imperial concubines to set up an incense table under the moon platform and followed them in performing the rituals and worship.
The royal palace, royal family members, and civil and military ministers were further back.
The director of the Imperial Observatory read aloud the "Prayer for the Moon": "... Pray to the Moon God to protect the health of the Zhou Dynasty and a good harvest!"
After reading it, the sacrificial text will be burned in the incense burner.
During this process, Concubine Chun's face was still a little pale, but she was still gritting her teeth and persevering.
After the moon worship ceremony, the emperor took slices of the moon cake from the offerings and distributed them to his concubines, royal relatives and ministers. The rest was taken to the Taimiao by eunuchs for offering.
Finally, it is today’s palace banquet.
Everyone's seats are distributed according to their status and rank.
The seats in the Hall of Supreme Harmony are divided into three levels.
At the top, the emperor's banquet table is in the center, with the empress dowager's table on the left and the imperial concubine's table on the right, two meters away from the emperor's banquet table.
The left seat was empty today, so Shen Zhinian sat on the right.
In the crowd, Shen Maoxue had a calm look on his face, but he was actually very happy in his heart!
He had never dreamed before that this concubine's daughter who had always been ignored by him would one day rise to a position second only to the emperor and above everyone else!
Wonderful! It's really wonderful!
And now he is also the father of Concubine Chen!
There were countless people around, looking at Shen Maoxue with either envy or jealousy.
Although everyone has witnessed the talents that Shen Maoxue has shown in the officialdom since he became the Minister of Personnel, what the capital lacks the least is talented people! Not everyone can get the opportunity to show their ambitions.
If Minister Shen had not had a good daughter, how could he have reached his current position?
No wonder everyone in the aristocratic family hopes that their daughters will be favored in the harem!
On the east and west sides of the middle level, there are tables for the prince and the duke respectively. Each table is five feet apart and covered with blue satin embroidered with dragon patterns.
Next came the civil and military ministers, divided into two rows according to their ranks. The first-rank officials were two meters away from the middle layer, and the second-rank officials and below were one meter away. The tablecloth was a plain blue pattern.
Soon, forty-eight tall and plain palace maids came in line carrying carved wooden food boxes. Each food box was affixed with a yellow label indicating the name of the dish and the name of the imperial chef.
The emperor's first dish was bird's nest and duck soup, which was personally served by the chief steward of the imperial kitchen, who knelt down and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, please enjoy the auspicious Mid-Autumn Festival meal!"
Nangong Xuanyu said calmly: "Let's start the banquet!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Only after seeing the emperor pick up the chopsticks did everyone dare to pick up their chopsticks.
There were twelve dishes on each table of other people, served in the order of cold dishes, hot dishes, soups and dim sum, and there was festive music during the meal.
No matter what everyone was thinking, there was an atmosphere of joy at the table.
The emperor drank osmanthus wine made from osmanthus petals that had been soaked for three years. The wine glass was a gold cup inlaid with gems, and it had an image of a jade rabbit pounding medicine on it.
Shen Zhinian raised her wine glass towards Nangong Xuanyu, bowed slightly and said, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival with a full moon. The sky is clear and blue, and the dew drops are dripping. It is a perfect match for your majesty's virtue and light shining upon the world. I offer this cup of wine to you, and wish God to bless the Great Zhou with clear waters and peaceful seas, and wish your majesty good health!"
Nangong Xuanyu picked up the wine glass in front of him and looked at Shen Zhinian with a very gentle gaze: "The aroma of this osmanthus wine reminds me of the osmanthus tea you roasted in Zhongcui Palace."
"It's a great pleasure to have a full moon, but it's rare to have you by my side."
After he finished speaking, Nangong Xuanyu drank up the wine in the glass.
Everyone knows that Imperial Concubine Chen is the most favored concubine in the harem, so they are not surprised to see His Majesty's attitude towards her.
Some of the concubines in the harem were envious, some were jealous, but they did not dare to show any dissatisfaction in such occasions.
Especially Shen Maoxue, when he saw the way His Majesty looked at Concubine Chen, endless joy surged in his heart!
When Shen Zhinian first entered the palace two years ago, he just thought that it would be great if Shen Zhinian could gain some favor from the emperor and thus help the family.
In a blink of an eye, Concubine Chen has become the person with the highest position in the harem, and she also has the Fourth Prince who is deeply loved by His Majesty!
Now it seems that even if it is the position of queen... the Shen family may not be unable to think about it!
The former Duke Zhenguo Mansion and the current Duke Dingguo Mansion were so glorious, which noble family in the capital would not envy them?
Shen Maoxue certainly hopes that his family will prosper and be as glorious as the Jiang family and the Liu family in the past!
Next, the concubines raised their glasses one after another to congratulate the emperor.
The King of Jin had gentle features and a mellow temperament. He looked at the emperor on the dragon throne and said respectfully, "Brother Emperor, on this Mid-Autumn Festival, I have specially prepared a gift for you!"
Everyone looked over.
Especially the concubines in the harem, their alarm bells were ringing!
They remembered that on last year's New Year's Eve, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin also said the same thing, and then presented the most beautiful lady in the Western Region, Concubine Chun...
Although Concubine Chun did not become the most favored concubine in the six harems after entering the palace, she was already very favored among the lower-ranking concubines, and she was also given a title specially bestowed by His Majesty.
If His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin presents another beauty to the palace today, wouldn't it be even more difficult for them to see His Majesty and receive his favor in the future?
Concubine Chun's breathing stagnated slightly, and her pale face became even uglier.
Could it be that His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin thought she was useless, so he chose a new person to enter the palace to replace her?
No! Will not!
His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin would definitely not be so cruel to her.
And according to the plan, they were going to do another thing today. It was impossible for His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin to suddenly send the newcomer into the palace without any notice and disrupt their original plan.
Thinking of this, Concubine Chun relaxed a lot and leaned back in her chair to take a rest.
Nangong Xuanyu looked at King Jin, his deep black eyes showing a hint of interest: "Oh?"
"Eighth brother is being so mysterious, I wonder what the gift is?"
As Prince Jin clapped his hands, a young eunuch came in, bending over, carrying a tray.
It was not until this moment that the concubines finally put their minds at ease.
Fortunately, it’s not a beautiful woman.
Prince Jin stood up and walked to the center of the hall, picked up the scroll on the tray and unfolded it.
In the painting, an old man in a straw raincoat is fishing alone on the icy river. Surrounded by a silvery white world, the brushstrokes are delicate, the ink is rich in layers, and the main colors are black, white and gray, giving people a sense of emptiness and silence.
The Prince of Jin placed the scroll back on the tray, bowed deeply, and said respectfully, "I, your humble servant, would like to congratulate you with this painting of 'Fishing Alone on a Cold River'. May your life be as deep and endless as the cold river in this painting, and may your blessings be as perfect and complete as the reflection of the moon on the water! May your Majesty have the leisure time of a fisherman fishing alone when you are busy with affairs of state, and may you enjoy the quietness of the world in the painting when you are admiring the bright moon at night!"
The minister who knew the value of the painting recognized it and exclaimed, "It's the original work of Master Yu Bai!"
Master Yu Bai was a world-famous calligrapher and painter at the time of the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty!