frightfiction Chapter 415 Flower Conference (1)
Chapter 415 Flower Conference (1)
On this day, the clouds were light and the wind was gentle, with a red sun hanging high in the sky. It was a nice day.
The palace became busy early in the morning. Pots of flowers of various colors were moved to Anle Hall, and the Hundred Flowers Festival was held in this side hall.
When Yu Qingli arrived, quite a few people had already arrived, mostly daughters from official families, all dressed up gorgeously, more beautiful than the flowers. Some were sitting or standing, looking very pleasing to the eye. From a distance, it was hard to tell whether the flowers were more beautiful or the people were more beautiful.
Murong Feng had come a long time ago. When he saw Yu Qingli coming, he gently stood up and put his arms around her slender waist. Several people in the crowd cast glances at her, but Yu Qingli didn't care. It was just that Murong Feng's action shattered the rumors that the eldest prince's wife was unfavored. If she was unfavored, would the eldest prince come to pick her up in person?
Yu Qingli sat down at the designated seat, then looked up at the layout of the hall. The main seat in the middle belonged to Murong Shileng, the seat on the left should be the empress dowager, and the seat next to Murong Shileng on the right was the queen's seat. Further to the side, next to the empress dowager should be Murong Yanhui's seat.
From the left down are the positions of Concubine Lin, the Crown Prince, and General Lin, while from the right down are the positions of Concubine Yu, Murong Feng, and Yu Zhengsha.
The other officials lined up in order of their official rank. In the middle of the side hall, there were many low tables arranged like those in the imperial examination. These should be the seats for the daughters of wealthy families who came here today.
Just after taking a look at the layout of the venue, Yu Qingli heard the voice of Yu Zhenzhen beside her.
"Meet the eldest prince, meet my sister."
Yu Qingli turned her head and saw that there were already three people sitting in the seats next to her. Yu Zhengsha was in the middle and Yu Lihan was on his left. When they saw Yu Qingli looking at them, they responded with a sincere and doting smile. Madam Yu had also come and was looking at Yu Qingli expressionlessly.
Yu Zhenzhen's seat was in the middle of the first row in the hall, which was obviously specially arranged. She wore a pleated skirt with a white background and red flowers. The delicate roses bloomed on the snow-like satin fabric, which made her face look more delicate. She wore a white fox fur waistcoat on her shoulders, which complemented the furry fox tail ornament on her head. She looked charming and warm in this cold winter day.
After not seeing her for many days, Yu Zhenzhen was obviously thinner, but her complexion was still good. Her eyes looked big and watery. She looked somewhat similar to Yu Qingli. It was a pity that they were similar in appearance but not in spirit.
Hearing Yu Zhenzhen's greeting, Murong Feng smiled in response. Yu Qingli just nodded slightly. Yu Zhenzhen smiled uncharacteristically, bent down intentionally, and whispered in Yu Qingli's ear, "The position of princess that sister has been longing for, I'm afraid it can only be mine!"
The tone was full of pride and provocation, but Yu Qingli didn't get angry. She just curled her lips and replied, "Then I'll wait and see."
Yu Zhenzhen straightened her back, leaving Yu Qingli with an extremely proud figure, before sitting down in her seat. At this time, the young ladies from various families had already taken their seats, waiting for the protagonist to appear.
Soon, the emperor and his entourage arrived. As expected, the empress dowager was also there. Yu Qingli curled her lips and smiled slightly. What a good opportunity!
The most conspicuous person in the crowd was probably Murong Yanhui. After all, everyone came here today just for him. He was wearing a black python robe with dark gold patterns. He had changed his usual romantic and unruly look. His face was serious and steady, giving him the feeling of a prodigal son who had returned.
As soon as Murong Yanhui came out, the looks of the young ladies present changed immediately. They all became shy, with a hint of spring in the corners of their eyes and eyebrows, and they seemed very satisfied with Murong Yanhui's appearance.
Murong Yanhui frowned, and her originally charming peach blossom eyes became a little more sad, but it made people feel even more moved.
Even Yu Qingli felt her heart skip a beat when her eyes met his, and her ears began to heat up. She hurriedly brought him some tea, which only slightly eased her panic. She could only sigh inwardly, "Is this man really the reincarnation of a vixen? How could he be so alluring?"
The Queen Mother was obviously very satisfied with Murong Yanhui's performance. She had specially made this dress for Murong Yanhui, and it seemed to work well.
The emperor and his entourage also sat down according to their seats, and the Hundred Flowers Conference officially began.
Murong Shiling glanced around, and everyone fell silent. "I am deeply pleased that you all came here today. I believe you all already know the purpose of my holding this Hundred Flowers Conference. I will not waste any more time, and you may begin."
As soon as Murong Shiling finished speaking, the young ladies in the palace began to get excited. They came here for a blind date today, so they had nothing to be shy about. If they performed well, they might even be chosen directly. Moreover, after meeting the legendary Prince Yan, these ladies in seclusion once again determined their hearts and they must do their best to become the Prince Yan's consort.
As agreed before, in order not to embarrass these young ladies, the emperor asked them to perform in turn, and Murong Yanhui only had to leave the name she liked.
The first to appear was the Minister of Rites' youngest daughter, a plump, dainty, and charming girl. She had just stepped onto the stage, before she could even begin to showcase her talent, when a seductive and alluring voice chided her, "Don't act anymore! You're as fat as a pig! I don't think I can even hold you. Go back and lose some weight before you come back!"
The girl's face flushed red, tears welling up in her eyes. She bit her lip and turned to run. Murong Yanhui even shouted mischievously behind her, "Hurry up and go with the other two, or she won't drown my koi when she jumps into the river to commit suicide!"
For a moment, everyone on the field had different expressions. Some were trying to hold back their laughter, some were annoyed, some were relieved, and some were watching coldly.
The emperor glanced at Murong Yanhui and shook his head secretly. This seventh brother was becoming more and more eloquent. He could make people cry with just a few words, and even offended the Minister of Rites.
The Queen Mother also frowned, and among the young ladies sitting there, some of the fatter ones had already left on their own initiative, as they did not want to be called pigs.
The second woman who came up was very pretty and thin, holding a pipa in her arms. Before she even sat down, Murong Yan replied, "Wait, wait, wait, don't you have any food at home? You're as thin as a bamboo pole. I'm really worried that it will hurt your hands if you hold it. I might even have nightmares tonight, thinking that I'm sleeping next to a bamboo!"
The woman also turned and left angrily, and a group of people followed her and left. For a moment, there were only a dozen or so dignified and confident women left on the field.
Yu Qingli laughed secretly. This King Yan was really efficient!
Although the emperor frowned, he didn't say anything. It was fine this way. Prince Yan always loved beauties, and some requests were better than no requests. What's more, there were more than a hundred women coming today. If none of them could perform well, it would probably take until midnight. As long as one could be left to be the Prince Yan's wife, wouldn't it be fine? Moreover, even if she couldn't be left, he would not be allowed to disobey the order.
The Queen Mother saw through Murong Yanhui's purpose. He was not going on a blind date at all; he was simply deliberately making things difficult for her. Therefore, the Queen Mother decisively gave an order, "Hui'er, no matter what's wrong with the next girl, you don't have to say anything. Just keep the one you like."
Murong Yan looked back up, glanced at the empress dowager vaguely, and said weakly, "Yes!" Then he stretched out his legs and half-lay on the chair comfortably. The crossed legs on the table kept shaking as if they were beating the rhythm, which was very gangster-like.
Many women who had just harbored fantasies about the Prince of Yan suddenly paled as if their dreams had been shattered. How could this be considered a prodigal son's return? It was simply the beginning. With this frivolous appearance and that sharp tongue, it seemed like becoming the Prince of Yan's consort was no easy feat.
Then several women voluntarily withdrew.
The hall suddenly became empty, and the empty tables were removed. In the end, only three people were left. Yu Qingli sat up straight with a little interest. Apart from Yu Zhenzhen, she really didn't know the other two women. However, those who could stay under such circumstances were either very persistent in the position of princess, or very generous.
Murong Feng also laughed beside him, "Little uncle is so lucky, these things left behind are all treasures of the capital!"
"Oh? Are they famous?"
Murong Feng smiled. "The one on the left is Li Yingying, the eldest daughter of Minister Li. She's a famous talent in the capital, especially good at the zither. I'm told she plays the piece "Nichang" the best. The one on the right is Lin Zhi, the second daughter of General Lin. I'm told she's a master of both civil and military arts, and is as good at riding and archery as men. She's also skilled in calligraphy and painting, and is truly adept at both quiet and active activities. As for the remaining one, I guess I don't need to introduce her."
Yu Qingli nodded, then turned and said, "It seems that Your Highness is very familiar with the women in the capital. Could it be that you have imitated Prince Yan when he went out to play?"
Murong Feng laughed, "Qingli, what are you talking about? How could I do such a thing? In my heart, there is only you, Lili."
Yu Qingli sneered inwardly. It was a shame he said that. Mei Hong had just been dealt with, and he was planning to pretend that this had never happened. Even if Mei Hong turned into a ghost, she wouldn't let him go.
While the two were talking, the daughter of Minister Li had already stepped forward and bowed politely. Her voice was extremely pleasant, like a clear spring in summer or the rising sun in winter, finding the perfect balance between coldness and warmth. She was truly a wonderful person.
"My humble self, Li Yingying, is sorry to show off today."
Li Yingying sat down gracefully with a calm expression. Soon a maid brought a zither. Yu Qingli's eyes fell on the hands playing the zither. The ten fingers were as slender as scallions, and every joint seemed to be just right, slender and perfect. It was truly a pair of wonderful hands.