The Concubine in the Palace_The Feast of Masks【Complete】(140)

She had slept a lot and was still groggy after waking up. She was helped by the maids to wash and dress. Prince Jin got up earlier than Yao Niang and was already dressed. He looked at her helplessly, feeling angry and amused.

When everything was ready, Prince Jin said, "Let her sleep for a while. Wait until the outside is ready before calling her."

So Hongchou was busy removing the hairpins on Yao Niang's head and helped her to the bed. Yao Niang asked what was wrong. When Prince Jin said it was still early, she fell asleep again.

When she woke up again, it was already light outside. Xiaobao had already gotten up and had breakfast with Prince Jin outside. Yao Niang hurriedly asked the maid to dress her up again. Fortunately, it was easy to just comb her hair. After she was done, she went to the outer room.

Xiaobao was full, and Prince Jin had just put down his chopsticks.

Yao Niang was a little embarrassed: "Have you finished eating?"

Xiao Bao sighed silently in his heart. King Jin ordered the maid to serve Yao Niang and pulled her to sit beside him: "Eat first and talk later."

Yao Niang hurriedly picked up the bowl of porridge and ate it in small bites. She smiled at King Jin while eating, as if she was very sorry for delaying things.

King Jin felt that since she was pregnant, she was much dumber than before, her eyesight was not as good as before, she was much more delicate, and she was confused and clumsy. It felt like... it felt like he had raised a daughter.

But unexpectedly, he didn't feel impatient, and even felt that this was the real her. In the past, her caution, humility and tact were actually her self-protection.

In fact, think about it, a daughter of a small family, although her family was a little poor, grew up freely. Suddenly, in order to make a living, she had to enter the big house as a servant. She must follow the times and customs, erase her own nature, and make some changes.

His heart softened immediately, thinking that she had to bear the burden of having a child out of wedlock at the age of only fourteen, being despised by her family and looked down upon by outsiders. He didn't know how she survived at that time and how she gave birth to Xiaobao. He immediately thought that it was okay to pamper her again.

Seeing that she was in a hurry to eat, he picked up the silver chopsticks he had put down, picked up a boiled shrimp, and put it on the plate in front of her.

"Eat slowly, don't rush."

"Aren't you in a hurry to enter the palace?"

"There's no rush now."

On the street in front of the Jin Palace, the full ceremonial guards belonging to the Jin King had been lined up. Several cars were parked in the front of the team. The most eye-catching one was the prince's carriage. Behind them were three gorgeous carriages with emerald covers and pearl tassels. The carriage of the Jin King's wife ranked second, followed by Yao Niang's, and the last one was occupied by Concubines Xu and Liu.

In theory, it was best for the concubines to share a car. But Yao Niang was pregnant and had to bring Xiaobao with her, so she added another car.

Seeing that the carriage had not moved, Concubine Liu lifted the curtain and asked the maid outside.

When the maid who followed the carriage went to the front of the motorcade and asked the maid beside the princess, she found out that the Prince of Jin had not arrived yet. Not only the Prince of Jin had not arrived, but Concubine Su had not arrived either.

Concubine Xu, who was wearing a concubine's crown and clothes, looked at her slender jade fingers painted with nail polish and said, "This person is getting more and more arrogant now. Not only the princess is waiting, but we have to wait too. There are so many people waiting for her. I don't know if she can bear it."

Concubine Liu didn't want to pay attention to Concubine Xu, but she started packing before dawn and went out to get in the car at dawn. Now it was already bright and she still couldn't leave, so she felt particularly impatient.

"If Concubine Xu is dissatisfied, she can tell the princess, His Highness and the emperor. After all, she is the concubine appointed by the emperor and gave birth to the only son of the palace." After all, it's not that she didn't feel anything in her heart, but she still had some sour taste.

As concubines, Xu and Liu were appointed by the Empress, while Yao Niang was appointed by the Emperor Hongjing, so she was naturally inferior.

"Yes, who told me..."

As she was talking, there was a noise outside. Xu opened the curtain of the carriage and saw two people coming out of the main door.

One of them was the Prince of Jin, wearing a standard crown and clothes of a prince, looking indescribably handsome and majestic, while the other was Yao Niang, wearing the usual clothes of a concubine.

She was wearing a red silk double-breasted jacket embroidered with flowers and blessings, and a royal blue embroidered phoenix pattern horse-faced skirt. She wore a golden bun on her head, with a phoenix and peony inlaid with red gold hairpins, and red gold tassels on her temples. She was obviously pregnant, but she did not hide her charm, and her red and white complexion was typical of a comfortable body and mind.

Yao Niang was helped onto the carriage frame, and the Prince of Jin got on his own car. Not long after, the ceremonial guard of the motorcade slowly moved forward and headed towards the direction of the palace.

At the same time, countless long lines of people from all over the capital were heading towards the palace.

As expected, they were late, and the convoy was forced to stop at Daqian Gate.

Looking forward, there were countless cars in front of them, forming a long line.

Fortunately, there were guards stationed today. A general received the news and rushed over. He began to command his men to let the cars in front give way, leaving a path in the middle of the road, so that the people from the Prince of Jin's Mansion could continue to move forward.

All the way to Donghua Gate, there were all kinds of precious cars parked in the square in front of the gate. Prince An and Prince Dai had already entered. Prince Yong was entering at this time. Prince Jin was fifth in the queue, so although he was late, he still joined the queue and got to the front. Prince Lu got out of the carriage, angrily flicked the whip in his hand, and then went back into the car.

When getting off the car, the King of Jin stopped and waited for the Princess of Jin and others to walk behind him before turning around and saying, "She is pregnant, please take good care of her."

This was said to the Princess of Jin, who nodded respectfully, but her hands under her sleeves were clenched into fists.

No matter how stupid Yao Niang is, she still feels that what Prince Jin said is a bit inappropriate. She is not a child. There are many people in the palace today. At worst, she will hide away. There is no need for Princess Jin to take care of her. It is not obvious that people can't find her. happy.

But she would definitely not speak on such an occasion and could only remain silent.

King Jin glanced at her, then at Yu Chan, and a man dressed as an eunuch following Yu Chan, before he straightened his face and went to the main entrance of Donghua Gate solemnly.

Prince Jin can go through the middle door, but Princess Jin and others can only go through the side door. According to convention, Donghua Gate is for the prince, prince and other pavilion elders to enter and exit, but today is different from the past, and female family members can also leave.

After leaving Donghua Gate, Prince Jin was nowhere to be seen. Yao Niang silently followed Princess Jin all the way. She was followed by Yuchan and a little eunuch, who was holding Xiaobao in his arms.

Not far behind her were Concubine Xu and Concubine Liu.

Princess Jin's steps were a little hurried, as if she was in a hurry to go somewhere, so Yao Niang could only hold her belly with one hand and follow her closely. It was very difficult to walk, but it was not uncomfortable at all. Fortunately, she was not wearing a crown dress today, otherwise she would have collapsed with such heavy clothes on her body.

Hurrying slowly all the way, we finally arrived in front of Kunning Palace.

Princess Jin stopped just now and said to Yao Niang apologetically: "I'm afraid Concubine Su is tired. We are already late. If we are late again, I'm afraid the empress will be displeased."

For some reason, Yaoniang thought of how the princesses had arrived before, but she and Prince Jin were late.

The princess is saying, even if you feel uncomfortable, you can bear it. Who told you to come late and suffer it yourself?

It was clear that the princess's demeanor and words did not express this meaning, but Yao Niang read it differently. It's probably because I saw many princesses in my previous life who didn't mean what they said. In this life, when I think about it again and again, I always get more unusual feelings.

Yao Niang was already out of breath and flushed, but she shook her head: "I'm fine, business is more important."

An almost invisible sneer came from behind, but it was Concubine Xu laughing for some reason. Yao Niang turned a deaf ear and lowered her head. Princess Jin had a smile on her face, but her eyebrows furrowed almost unnoticeably.

After being informed and entering the palace, everyone who was supposed to be there was indeed there.

The prince, Prince An and other female relatives of the palace were all there, and the formation was even greater than when Yao Niang entered the palace last time.

"I thought you were delayed by something." The princess said with a smile.

Princess Jin stepped forward and first apologized, then explained. Although Yao Niang was not mentioned a word inside or outside the words. But when she spoke, she glanced at Yao Niang subconsciously. Everyone present was a smart person, so they naturally understood what she meant.

It turned out that it was because the concubine of Prince Jin who was legitimately favored by Prince Jin was showing off on her belly that the female family members of Prince Jin's palace arrived late.

Queen Wei pretended she didn't understand the meaning and looked at Yao Niang with a smile: "What's wrong with Concubine Su? Look at you breathing like this."

Princess Jin also looked back at Yaoniang: "Concubine Su, are you okay? It was me who rushed to Kunning Palace in a hurry, but I didn't care that you were pregnant."

Princess Jin's face was worried, but there was a hint of ambiguity in her eyes.

She had laid a hidden clue that Yao Niang was pampered and arrogant. It would be better if Yao Niang knew what was right, but if she didn't know what was right and complained, she would definitely leave a reputation of being arrogant and domineering. She was determined to make Yao Niang speechless and complain.

A flash of anger flashed in Xiaobao's eyes, and when he was about to say something, he heard his mother say: "Thank you, Queen, thank you for your concern, Mrs. Yao is fine. Ms. Yao was originally from a humble background. When she was pregnant with Xiaobao, she could still choose Water for cooking and washing is just a quick step, nothing important."

On the surface, Yao Niang is looking down on herself, but her words contain a lot of meaning. She was able to cook and wash clothes when she was pregnant with her first child. She must not be a squeamish person, and naturally there was no hidden arrogance from Princess Jin. It also pointed out that Princess Jin deliberately made things difficult for her, a pregnant woman, by asking her to chase her from behind.

It is not a rare thing for an elder woman to make things difficult for her younger wife, either covertly or overtly. This is not something that happens in any house. But this is Kunning Palace, a royal place where dignity is important, and today is the Longevity Festival. No matter what, such trivial matters should not be brought here. In particular, the royal family attaches great importance to heirs. Even if Queen Wei does not value the child in Yao Niang's belly, she must not show it like this on her face.