SFS Chapter 312: Consecration Ceremony 2
Chapter 312: Consecration Ceremony 2
The moment their eyes met An Lingrong, a hint of surprise flashed in their eyes.
Shen Meizhuang was the first to speak, smiling brightly, "You really look like a concubine in this dress!"
An Lingrong said coquettishly, "Sister, do you mean that I don't usually act like a concubine?"
Shen Meizhuang didn't say anything, just looked at her, and there were clearly a few words written in her eyes: What do you think?
An Lingrong touched her nose. Well, she really didn’t look like a concubine in her daily life.
Only then did Shen Meizhuang carefully examine An Lingrong's face. As she looked, her eyes gradually reddened, and sparkling tears began to well up in them. Her voice trembled slightly, and with a touch of emotion and relief, she said softly, "Rong'er, you have come this far, and you have gone through countless hardships. Only we know it in our hearts. Seeing you like this now, I am sincerely happy for you."
Then he took out a gold-inlaid pearl and kingfisher hairpin and put it on her hair, saying: "This hairpin was given to me by my mother when I entered the palace. I give it to you today. I only hope that you will have smooth sailing and good health in the future!"
An Lingrong felt a warm current surge in her heart. She stepped forward and hugged Shen Meizhuang, rubbing her shoulders affectionately a few times, and said softly, "Sister, we will all be safe and happy from now on."
Zhen Huan also took out a pair of pearl earrings and helped her put them on herself, saying, "Rong'er, I wish you happiness in the future."
"Thank you, Sister Zhen."
After presenting the gifts, An Lingrong said, "I don't know when the conferring official will arrive, so you should go to the Queen's Palace and wait for me first!"
Shen Meizhuang shook her head and said seriously, "We'll accompany you!"
"Ah? Isn't there a party? Don't you have to take care of it?"
"I have handed over all the matters for today to Sister Jingfei. We will stay with you throughout the whole day."
Seeing their serious expressions, An Lingrong said no more.
In Chonghua Palace, Feng Ruozhao was carefully examining all the decorations in the palace when he suddenly sneezed.
Seeing this, Hanzhu, who was standing by, quickly handed over a cup of hot tea and said softly, "My queen, please take a rest!"
"Okay!" Feng Ruozhao took the tea and sat on the chair. Just as he was about to lift the lid, the person in charge of the kitchen hurried over, bowed respectfully, and said, "Your Majesty, this is tonight's menu. Please take a look."
Feng Ruozhao put down his teacup, took the menu, and pointed to one of the dishes. He said, "Concubine Wen doesn't like this pork belly and ham soup, so change it to shrimp and cabbage soup. Also, Concubine Xi is pregnant and probably can't stand the smell of fish, so change hers to bird's nest and white fungus soup, but remember not to make it too sweet."
"Yes!"
After he left, before Feng Ruozhao's hand even touched the teacup, Zhao Yingjiu knelt before her again and said, "Your Majesty, a singer from the Vocal Music Department has caught a cold and her voice is broken. I'm afraid she won't be able to sing today. Here's the backup song list. Please choose another one."
Feng Ruozhao sighed helplessly, took it, opened it, and glanced at it casually: "Empress Wen is from Zhejiang, so let's choose this Jiangnan song!"
Anyway, no matter how the people from the Vocal Music Department sing, it won’t be as good as An Lingrong’s own singing, so just pick any song.
"The slave obeys the order!"
After Zhao Yingjiu left, Feng Ruozhao looked around to see if anyone else wanted to report something. She picked up the teacup again and just as she opened the lid, she saw the expression of Xiao Qiangzi, the eunuch in charge of Xianfu Palace, who seemed to be hesitant to speak. She asked curiously, "What's wrong? Just tell me if you have something to say!"
Xiao Qiangzi stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Longyue and Princess Xinyue have just picked all the flowers sent from the flower room, and are now playing with the petal rain in the side hall!"
Feng Ruozhao threw the tea lid back onto the teacup, then tossed the cup onto the small table. After a long while, he suppressed his anger and said, "Madam, why don't you do anything?"
"The two princesses made a feint to the east and attacked in the west, and Mammy... failed to control them!"
"Ask the flower room to deliver it again!"
"But, but..." Xiao Qiangzi observed his master's expression and said cautiously, "But Concubine Wen's favorite foxtail lily has only grown two pots in the flower room. They have already been delivered and are now sold out. What kind of flower do you want to replace it with?"
Hearing this, Feng Ruozhao closed her eyes helplessly, reached out to pick up the tea that had already cooled, tilted her head back and took two gulps, then kept repeating to herself in her heart: I can't be angry, I am the dignified and steady Concubine Jing, I can't be angry...
On the other side, officials set up a memorial case in the middle of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, a book case on the left for the golden book, a seal case on the right for the golden seal, and a colorful pavilion outside the cabinet door.
The eunuchs had set up a ceremonial table in the middle of the Yanx Palace and an incense table in front of it. The imperial guards had also displayed the ceremonial objects used by the concubine in front of the palace gate.
Officials from the Ministry of Rites wore court robes and held imperial seals. Officials from the Cabinet and the Ministry of Rites also wore court robes and held golden books and golden seals, which were placed in colorful pavilions.
After a while, the official of the Imperial Observatory came with two officials from the observatory to report that "the auspicious time has arrived."
The imperial guards carried the pavilion with a yellow umbrella in front of it. Led by a pair of imperial staffs, they passed through the Taihe Gate along the middle road and arrived outside the Zhusi Gate.
The chief envoy handed the imperial seal to the eunuch, who took the seal and carried the pavilion to the gate of the Yanx Palace. Then he took the seal, the book and the seal and entered the Yanx Palace.
An Lingrong was standing on the right side of the palace gate in a formal dress to greet them. After the imperial edicts, books and seals were passed in, she followed them in and stood at the worship seat according to the instructions of the female official.
The eunuchs placed the seals, books, and seals on the tables, and the female official in charge of ceremonies shouted, "Kneel."
An Lingrong knelt down.
The female official then shouted, "Announce the book."
The female official in charge of reading the book walked to the table where the book was placed, picked up the book and began to read it.
After the reading was finished, the female official shouted again: "Receive the book."
The female official who announced the book held up the golden book and handed it to the female official who served on the left. The female official who served on the left knelt down to take it and then handed it to An Lingrong. An Lingrong accepted the golden book and then handed it to the female official who served on the right. The female official who served on the right knelt down to take it and then stood up.
The female official in charge of ceremonies shouted again: "Announce the seal."
Follow the same steps to receive the golden seal.
After presenting the golden book and golden seal, the female official in charge of ceremonies shouted again: "Xing."
An Lingrong then stood up, but before she could catch her breath, she heard another shout: "Salute." She performed the ritual of six bows, three kneels, and three kowtows again.
"It's done."
An Lingrong respectfully escorted the imperial seal out of the Yanx Palace again according to the same etiquette as before.
The eunuch took the seal and went out to the outside of the Zhui Gate. He handed the seal to the chief envoy, indicating that the ceremony was complete. Since the enthronement ceremony was completed, the chief envoy and the deputy envoy could go and report.
An Lingrong breathed a sigh of relief, returned to the palace, took off her heavy court robe, changed into a relatively light auspicious dress, and went to Jingren Palace to pay her respects to the Queen.
(I know that today's two chapters will definitely have readers complaining. I wrote so much about something that can be explained in a few words, and it seems that I am watering down the plot, so I will explain it first.
First, many readers said that I was not good to the heroine. So I wrote a grand and solemn ceremony to let readers know that I really treat the heroine well.
Second, I didn't add any water to the plot. The time I spent researching and writing these two chapters was several times that of the usual two chapters.
Thank you for your support, fellow readers.)