After listening to Eunuch Wang's flattering words, Zhao Defang, who was originally in a good mood, was stunned on the spot. She secretly said, Today, what was going on? First, I met two magpies chirping on the branches, and then I heard this old magpie with a sweet mouth coming to give me good news. I'm a grown man who's still underage. I'm not married, and I'm not even a King yet. I'm not a pregnant woman, yet you're congratulating me?
Seeing Zhao Defang's confused expression, Eunuch Wang smiled slightly. His two eyes, which were not considered big, narrowed into a line as he said with a smile,"Your Highness, you really are forgetful. Today is Your Highness's 16th birthday. The officials ordered the imperial kitchen to arrange a few tables of imperial banquet in Shengping Building to celebrate Your Highness 'birthday at noon today.
"Well, there are already many old friends of the officials and the civil and military officials in the court who have come to Shengping Building. Even the officials have rushed over after seven in the morning. The officials have specially called this old servant to look for Your Highness. Quickly put on the new set of clothes that the Empress instructed this old servant to bring and hurry over with this old servant.”
After hearing Eunuch Wang's words, Zhao Defang, who had been stunned for a moment, finally came to a realization. I was wondering why I was so happy to see the three magpies so early in the morning. It turns out that today is the sixteenth birthday of a twenty-seven-year-old single male youth in ancient times. It can also be considered as my coming-of-age ceremony in ancient times. Hearing Eunuch Wang's words just now, he felt that it was quite grand. He held his birthday banquet in Shengping Building and even invited the civil and military officials of the court. From this, it seemed that today's birthday luncheon would definitely see many famous officials and good generals from the history textbooks that he had read in his previous life.
Zhao Defang was a little excited at the thought of being able to have a birthday lunch with many of the characters in the history textbooks she had learned in her previous life. Although he had the mind of a twenty-seven-year-old, after all, he was about to gather with so many historical figures. It was understandable for him to be a little excited.
Just as he was thinking about this, Zhao Defang suddenly remembered the conversation he had with his father, Zhao Guanjia, in Chuigong Hall a few days ago. Coupled with Eunuch Wang's words that he had invited many civil and military officials to his birthday luncheon today, he seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly asked Eunuch Wang, who was standing beside him waiting for his reply, in a probing tone,"Eunuch Wang, you said that my father invited many ministers to the birthday banquet to celebrate my sixteenth birthday. Then let me ask you, Eunuch Wang, are there Shi Shouxin, Gao Huaide, Wang Shenqi, Zhang Lingduo, Zhao Yanhui, and Luo Yanhuan among these ministers?”
Seeing the puzzled expression on Zhao Defang's face, Eunuch Wang smiled slightly and replied very straightforwardly,"Your Highness, even if you don't go out, you really know everything in the world. That's right. The generals you mentioned just now are all great heroes of our Song Dynasty. During the previous dynasty, the five generals were as close as brothers to the Zhao family. The Zhao family naturally remembered their old friendship. Three days ago, they ordered people to rush 600 miles to invite the five generals stationed at the border and fortress to attend your birthday banquet.”
After knowing that her guess had come true, Zhao Defang immediately sucked in a breath of cold air. She originally thought that this birthday luncheon would be lively, but she did not expect it to become a "killing field" where the soldiers were given a glass of wine.
In just a moment, Zhao Defang, who was overjoyed just now, suddenly lost much interest in his birthday banquet today. However, he couldn't resist the urging of Eunuch Wang, who was standing beside him. It just so happened that the palace maid Cui 'er had also brought some water to wash her face.
Therefore, under the service of the palace maid Cui Er, Zhao Defang changed into the new set of clothes that Eunuch Wang had brought. After washing up, she reluctantly followed Eunuch Wang to Shengping Restaurant.
Since Eunuch Wang had the written orders of the Zhao family and Empress Wang, he was naturally free to enter and leave the Eastern Palace. Li Heiniu, who was standing outside the Eastern Palace, did not stop him and allowed Eunuch Wang to enter the Eastern Palace. Otherwise, even if it was a fly, the loyal Li Heiniu would not let it in.
Along the way, Zhao Defang dawdled for nearly a moment before she followed Eunuch Wang, who was constantly urging her in a low voice, to Shengping Restaurant. As soon as he entered the hall on the first floor of Shengping Building, he heard a familiar woman exclaiming,""Fang 'er, my son is wearing this new set of clothes that I personally sewed. Not only does it look good, but it also fits him quite well. Sisters, tell me, what do you think of my son's new clothes?”
"Sister, our Fang 'er is your flesh and blood. It's been more than ten years, and you're still radiant, let alone our Defang.”
"That's right, that's right. Sister, what Shu Fei said just now was extremely true. Elder Sister's face doesn't age at all. She's as beautiful as a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl. The new set of clothes that our Defang is wearing was sewn by Elder Sister over the past few days. If anyone dares to say that it's not good, our younger sisters will definitely not let it go.”
"Sister, Consort Jing is right. Our Fang Defang looks good in anything, especially in this new set of clothes that you personally sewed.”
As soon as the woman opened her mouth, the people around her began to praise her. Of course, it had to be said that the new set of clothes that Zhao Defang was wearing, whether it was the high-quality silk fabric, the fine and exquisite needlework, the round neck style that was quite popular at that time, or the vivid python pattern on the light yellow fabric, were enough to make the professionals praise and talk about it with relish.
After listening to this group of orioles echo, Zhao Defang only focused his eyes and saw the dignified and beautiful madam surrounded by a group of gorgeously dressed women in front of him. Who else could it be but his mother, Empress Wang?
After Zhao Defang stepped into the door of Shengping Building, Eunuch Wang, who had led the way for him just now, did not follow him in. Instead, he stood under the eaves of the corridor outside Shengping Building and waited for the instructions of Zhao Guanjia, the empress, and the concubines. Naturally, he also wanted to take the opportunity to curry favor with the Fourth Prince, Zhao Defang, who was now deeply doted on by the Zhao family.
As for the ministers who were invited to the banquet, he did not even raise his head when he met them. Even though his attitude was so careless and friendly, almost all the officials who attended the banquet had to greet him as a gatekeeper before entering the living room.
When Zhao Defang took a closer look, she saw Empress Wang wearing a phoenix crown on her head with a smile on her face. She wore a green gauze dress inside, a dark green waist ornament that covered her knees, and a pair of white jade pendants. She wore green socks and green shoes below, and a pair of round-headed brocade leather boots.
The four imperial concubines standing beside Empress Wang were also dressed up. They were all wearing long sleeves, long dresses, medicine belts, and round leather boots. All of them looked delicate and moving. However, when they stood next to Empress Wang, they were still slightly inferior because they did not wear phoenix crowns on their heads. They only had two or three jade hairpins and hairpins inserted into their heads. Even so, if they were taken out individually, it was enough to be called a beauty.
"This child greets mother and all the imperial concubines.”Zhao Defang, who had walked into the hall, saw that she couldn't avoid them talking and laughing in front of her, so she simply walked forward in large strides and stood in front of them. She quickly lowered her head and bent down. She cupped her hands and bowed to Empress Wang and the four or five imperial concubines standing on her left and right. Then, she politely greeted them.
"Fang 'er, no need to be polite. Today is Fang 'er's 16th birthday. Today, don't be so formal. Your Imperial Father, your Imperial Uncle, Prince Jin, and the ministers of the court are all waiting for you upstairs. Fang 'er, go up quickly, lest you lose your manners.”Empress Wang, who was surrounded by four or five imperial concubines, saw that her son was so polite. This time, he had gained face in front of her younger sisters. She felt very gratified. She walked forward and helped Zhao Defang up as she instructed.
After bidding farewell to Empress Wang and the imperial concubines, Zhao Defang followed the wooden ladder next to them that led straight to the second floor. She climbed up the stairs and reached the hall on the second floor in a moment.
When Zhao Defang turned around from the stairwell, he didn't know that she had turned around and gave him a big jump. In the large hall on the second floor, there were five tables of banquets, and almost every table was filled with officials of the imperial court dressed in court clothes. His heart skipped a beat.
Although in his previous life, Zhao Defang had also seen a lot of things, but at this moment, he was alone in ancient times, and he had seen the faces of all the civil and military officials. This was the first time for him to see a beautiful wife in a sedan chair. How could he not feel nervous?
No matter what it was, as long as it was the first time, no matter how good a person's self-control was, if they refused to admit that they were nervous, it would definitely be a lie. Zhao Defang thought of himself as an honest and trustworthy man, so his legs were trembling uncontrollably.
Zhao Defang, who was standing near the staircase but could not move, looked around. Almost all the civil and military officials sitting at each table were wearing court clothes. They were dressed in red and tied with red clothes. They wore crimson silk robes and skirts, lined with white silk singlets, tied with large belts, and then tied with leather belts to cover their knees with red silk. They had square heart-shaped curved collars, or hung jade swords, jade pendants, brocade ribbons, etc., and wore white silk socks and black leather shoes.
Just as Zhao Defang was shocked by the scene in front of her and broke out in a cold sweat, she suddenly heard a magnetic baritone voice coming from not far ahead."Fang 'er, what are you still standing there for? Hurry up and come over. Meet these uncles of the opposite sex who came from afar to congratulate Fang' er on your birthday.”
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