Chapter 1093: Chapter 907 County Master of Qingping_2
"Ah, so that’s it! I was wondering why the Celestial Dao has been frequently warning us lately?
It turns out it’s because this girl cannot kneel before heaven and earth or common people. What is her true origin?"
The National Master murmured to himself, and Li Yanyan, who was kneeling beside him, tugged at his sleeve, asking with confusion.
"Master, what are you talking about?"
The National Master glanced at her, and finally everything dissolved into a sigh!
For some reason, Li Yanyan always felt that her master’s gaze held something she couldn’t understand... pity!
"In the future, when you encounter Chang Rongshun and Princess, do not provoke her, understand?"
Li Yanyan stubbornly lowered her head without speaking. The National Master knew her little thoughts and couldn’t help but pat her head.
"Good girl, you are sisters. Even if there was unhappiness between you in the past, that was the concern of the elders and has nothing to do with you.
If you don’t actively provoke her now, you will surely be safe in the future!"
At this moment, the National Master had already begun to worry about his disciple’s fate.
Li Yanyan seemed to understand yet not comprehend, but still nodded obediently.
Over there, Nanny Xiao coughed softly.
"The Empress Dowager decreed, using the plum banquet held by Old Madam Ji, to issue a decree to avoid trouble. Next spring, when the peach blossoms bloom in March, the Palace will hold a peach blossom banquet where all young ladies aged thirteen and above from each family will perform at the imperial front. The Empress Dowager will assist the Emperor in selecting consorts to enrich the harem!"
With a boom, everyone’s hearts were stirred, and this good news came so timely!
The bad news was they seemed to have offended two newly prominent families in the court just now!
One newcomer is the Xie Family, and the other is the rising power among the influential ministers!
"The Empress Dowager decreed, if a young lady from any family is already engaged, she does not need to perform at the imperial front. If a family does not wish their young lady to enter the Palace, they can report to the Ministry of Revenue, and the Palace will not insist!
Furthermore, this choosing of consorts to enrich the harem differs from the late Emperor’s routine of selecting every three years.
The Empress Dowager said that selecting every three years is a great expense of resources and is temporarily shelved; this time, the selection will be from the daughters of officials in the capital.
Daughters of frontier officials, as long as they are from families above Third Grade officials, if they are willing, can also be sent to the Palace to participate in the selection!"
Upon finishing her words, Nanny Xiao turned to Xie Pan’Er.
"County Master of Qingping, this jade ruyi is specially bestowed upon you by the Empress Dowager, and she has words for you that she instructed me to convey!"
Nanny Xiao said as she helped Xie Pan’Er up and led her aside, whispering something into her ear?
Everyone strained their ears to listen for a long time, yet they couldn’t hear a single word!
Nanny Xiao then let someone place the items rewarded by the Empress Dowager to Xie Pan’Er down, and returned to the Palace to report!
Old Madam Ji originally wanted to keep Nanny Xiao and Eunuch Ling for a private banquet just for them, but as the National Master and Princess Lianchun, along with Chang Rongshun and Princess were present, they politely declined with awareness.
The celebration resumed once more under Old Madam Ji’s guidance.
The maids filed in, and the performers took the stage to sing, yet the mistresses and young ladies present were already preoccupied, whispering among themselves.
Only the Duke’s wife recalled the earlier conversation she had with the Duke during leisure time.
The daughter stayed in the Palace for a few days and then was caught up in the incident of the Emperor being poisoned, almost beaten to death by her own aunt.
If she somehow genuinely entered the Palace in the future, who knows how dangerous it would be?
The Duke’s wife suddenly felt a pain in her chest!
The Madam of Marquis Ting Sheng also had similar thoughts, as her lord’s instructions were still echoing in her ears, telling her to befriend the Ji Family and, if possible, ally by marriage!
However, her granddaughter’s impudence and arrogance regarding seating arrangements were not stopped by her, for she did not wish to marry into the Ji Family!
Now the Empress Dowager announced this decree at the Ji Family’s banquet, what does it mean?
What should the Marquis’s Mansion of Ting Sheng do?
The granddaughter wants to enter the Palace, that is clear, but with the Emperor being poisoned, and the Empress Dowager almost having her niece beaten to death, everyone in the Marquis’s Mansion of Ting Sheng felt a chill of fear for Xiao Ning’Er!
Everyone ate tastelessly.
The performers on stage sang in faltering tones, and time quickly passed. Old Madam Ji, seeing that the time was about right, got up and took Xie Pan’Er, having someone veil her in a scarf like Xiaosuisui.
