When she arrived at the Qianqing Palace, she found that Helian Qi was waiting for her with his back turned.
Today, Helian Qi was dressed in court attire. A bright yellow dragon robe draped over his body made him look extremely majestic. Even the sleeves of the robe were trimmed with golden auspicious clouds, every stitch and thread proclaiming his status and position.
Ru Yi beside him was putting on the beaded crown for him. After the crown was fully in place, the man turned around.
He immediately caught sight of Dongfang Yi behind him. Almost at the same moment, the corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched into a faint smile.
The woman in front of him was wearing a long scarlet dress today. There was a silk shawl embroidered with golden patterns on her shoulders. Her hair was coiled up in a cloud - like style, and delicate phoenix hairpins and dangling ornaments were inserted in her hair. A floral sticker between her eyebrows made her look especially graceful.
What a beautiful yet unpretentious woman, he thought to himself.
Dongfang Yi's heart seemed to be instantly shattered by his tender smile. She quickly lowered her head and said, "Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Helian Qi watched the charming woman in front of him suddenly look flustered. The smile on his lips deepened, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. But all he said was a cold "Hmm."
Then he added, "Let's go."
With that, he strode towards the outside of the palace. Dongfang Yi quickly followed him.
It was getting dark outside. After they got into the carriage, they reached the outer perimeter of the city tower in less than the time it takes to burn an incense stick.
As soon as they got off the carriage, all the noisy sounds rushed into their ears.
Dongfang Yi looked at the city tower with full expectation. All the lanterns were lit, and colorful ribbons were fluttering in the wind. It was really a beautiful sight.
Just as she was staring blankly, she suddenly felt her hand being held by a warm one.
Looking down, she saw Helian Qi's hand tightly holding hers. Surprised, she also heard a voice coming from above her head: "Only when the emperor and the empress are harmonious can the people feel at ease."
So it's just for the sake of an outward show of harmony, Dongfang Yi thought to herself. Then she took a deep breath to calm her heart, raised her head, hooked her lips, and let the man beside her lead her up the city tower.
Since they had to pretend to be harmonious, they should do it well and give all the people an illusion.
Helian Qi watched the woman beside him perk up in an instant, with a smile on her lips. He seemed quite satisfied, and the two of them strode up the city tower.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty—you're here!"
As soon as they got on the city tower, they saw Concubine Shu waving her hand continuously from her seat below and calling out in her direction. Concubine Dong sitting beside her kept reminding her to pay attention to her image.
Dongfang Yi found their behavior quite amusing. She quietly waved back in their direction and then went to her own seat.
Looking at the seat at the highest point on the stage, she hesitated for a moment. Her eyebrows frowned involuntarily, as if she was recalling the scare she had received on this chair a few days ago.
Helian Qi seemed to see her concern. He lowered his voice and said, "Sit down. I've already sent people to check carefully."
With that, he waved his sleeve and sat down on the dragon chair beside.
Dongfang Yi straightened her dress and sat down on her seat.
Suddenly, there was a cheer from below the city tower.
"Long live Your Majesty! Long live the Empress!"
The cheers were deafening, which made the ministers and concubines below bow in unison and shout.
Helian Qi raised his hand to signal everyone to be silent. Then he said in a powerful voice, "Today the whole nation celebrates!"
With that, he raised his hand, lifted his wine cup, and drank it up in one gulp. Everyone below cheered in unison, "The whole nation celebrates!"
The Mid - Autumn State Banquet thus kicked off. Since this was the first time the emperor and the people celebrated together since the founding of the country, the people below the city tower were extremely excited. For a moment, the lively noise reached up to the sky.
"Your Majesty, this old minister wishes Your Majesty good health, the Empress good fortune, and our dynasty everlasting peace!" Prime Minister Dongfang below said.
Then the other ministers also raised their wine cups one after another and said auspicious words to Helian Qi.
The concubines beside also chatted with Dongfang Yi one after another.
"Your Majesty, you are truly a peerless beauty. You've managed to organize such an interesting banquet." The wife of the Minister of Works bowed slightly to her and praised.
Dongfang Yi listened and responded with a shallow smile, maintaining her ladylike demeanor.
Lady Nangong beside her heard what these women were saying. They were all flattering one after another. She couldn't help but roll her eyes secretly when no one was looking.
These ladies were still laughing at the empress with her at the ladies' banquet in the capital just a month ago. Now they were vying to flatter her. They were really hypocritical.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but look at the seat of Concubine Shun, her niece.
Concubine Shun was sitting quietly in her seat, taking a few sips of wine from time to time and saying nothing.
Lady Nangong felt even more annoyed when she saw this. She thought that woman had lost the right to organize the banquet, which had made her lose face in front of the ladies in the capital, but she remained indifferent here.
Thinking of this, she strode over. When she reached Concubine Shun, she said, "Concubine Shun, you're really carefree."
Concubine Shun saw that it was her aunt. She quickly got up, bowed, and greeted her.
Lady Nangong looked at her submissive look and became even angrier. She continued mercilessly, "How could you be so useless? You lost the right to host the banquet, and now you're still indifferent here?!"
Concubine Shun bit her lips involuntarily when she heard the scolding. Just as she was about to retort, she heard a female voice coming from not far away.
"Auntie, don't be angry."
The person coming was Concubine Chu, dressed in a red dress and looking very coquettishly dressed. She said to Lady Nangong with a smile.
Concubine Shun felt a bit embarrassed when she saw her. After all, this was a conversation between her and her aunt, but someone else had butted in, especially at a time when she was being scolded.
Lady Nangong looked disdainfully at the woman who called her auntie. She had already heard about Concubine Chu falling out of favor in the palace at home, so she was not polite to her at all.
"Who are you calling auntie? Has Concubine Chu never learned the rules?" she said bluntly.
Concubine Chu didn't seem to care. She continued smiling and replied, "Uncle still loves his adopted daughter very much."
With that, she glanced at Nangong Liuyun who was socializing among a group of people.
But Lady Nangong just snorted and didn't care about her words. After all, she hadn't heard any more news that the Nangong family would continue to protect Concubine Chu.
"Concubine Chu, you're being too nosy. After all, this is a family matter of our Nangong family!"
Concubine Shun said, deliberately emphasizing the words "family matter", as if to tell the woman in front of her that she was just an outsider.