Jiu Zhang Ji: The Daily Life of the Reborn Daughter

Chapter 176 Reunion Garden

After sorting out the matters concerning memorials and court proceedings, Qiao Lili finally had time to deal with the unruly little princess of Lana.

First of all, there has to be a welcoming banquet. Even though the guests are uninvited, we still have to give them face.

The venue was set at the royal garden Tuanyuan, the time was August 14th, the host was the princess of Lanna, and the accompanying guests were a group of noble ladies from the capital.

Tuanyuan was built in the first year of the founding of Dayan, implying a prosperous and peaceful world and reunion. After continuous repairs and improvements by several generations of emperors of Dayan, the scenery in Tuanyuan is now very beautiful and exquisite, with curved corridors and porches, carved beams and painted buildings, and a scene at every step. Ancient trees over a hundred years old can be seen everywhere, with old trunks and twisted branches. A natural stream flows around the garden. In the hot summer, it is cold and cool, and in the cold winter, it is like a hot spring, emitting warm white mist, which is extremely magnificent and magical.

So you can cool off by the stream in the summer, and in the winter the streamside is also covered with green grass and blooming flowers.

At this time of late autumn, red and yellow leaves spread out like an overturned palette, lavender and golden yellow. Chrysanthemums of various colors bloom in competition, standing proudly and holding fragrance on the branches.

From Princess Lanna to all the noble ladies in the capital, the invitations have been sent out. All the preparations in Tuanyuan are handled by the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rites, and the Honglu Temple. Apart from attending the morning court and reviewing memorials after court every day, it seems that Qiao Lili has nothing to do.

This is nothing?

The Crown Princess is so miserable. Who has ever seen a Crown Princess without a Crown Prince and yet has to participate in politics?

Yu Jingyan was the one who was miserable. The Crown Princess was already in the court, but he, the Sixth Prince with the marriage certificate in hand, was only the Crown Princess's fiancé. Who would believe it if he told them?

*

On August 14, the street leading to Tuanyuan was filled with beautiful carriages and fragrant smells.

The first person to arrive at Tuanyuan was the host, Crown Princess Qiao Lili. Later, her close friends, Chen Ruxin, Su Shiyun, and Xiao Wenchu, came to Tuanyuan one after another. They arrived early to help their good sisters to hold up the event.

Qiao Lili also invited Zhao Luxi. Although her father was only a minor official and Zhao Luxi was not qualified to be a noble lady in the capital, through her contact with her at the orphanage during this period, Qiao Lili liked this kind and caring girl very much.

When they first met, Zhao Luxi's little quirks were probably the result of her self-protection from living under her stepmother's control. As the external environment she was exposed to changed, those little shortcomings had long disappeared, so Qiao Lili wanted to take her out to see the world more often, but Zhao Luxi refused.

"Your Highness, I prefer to make snacks for the children in the kitchen. The aroma of the snacks when they come out of the pot makes me happy, and the smiling faces of the children when they eat the snacks make me feel happier. You are entertaining guests this time, and I am afraid of causing you trouble, so I will not go. Next time when you only invite Sister Xiao and a few others, I will go to play." When she said this, Qiao Lili and she were in the orphanage. Zhao Luxi was holding a one-year-old girl in her arms and feeding her a piece of shortbread.

Whenever the child opened his mouth to bite the biscuit, her mouth also opened slightly, and her eyes were filled with pure and beautiful light.

Forget it, Qiao Lili thought about it and realized that those noble ladies with eyes on their foreheads were not worthy of this girl making friends with them. They really didn't deserve it.

"Okay, then let's make an appointment next time when there are only a few of us. I'll take you to enjoy the Tuan Garden." Qiao Lili was referring to Chen Ruxin and the other three. Mrs. Song could also be included. But now, she was busy with work and had to find time to come to the Salesian Home. There were not many opportunities for a few people to make an appointment.

*

During the noon hour, the noble ladies arrived one after another. All the invited ladies were unmarried women from the families of officials of the fourth rank and above in the court. This was because the princess of Lanna was only a sixteen-year-old girl, and they wanted to have a common language.

Qiao Lili sat in the largest flower hall in Tuanyuan, waiting for the noble ladies who came to pay her a visit. These noble ladies were repeatedly warned by their fathers and brothers at home not to think that Qiao Lili was just the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Dingguo, and not to mention the fact that their engagements had been broken off.

She was Qiao Lili, the Crown Princess who was personally appointed by the Emperor before the Crown Prince was appointed. She was Qiao Lili, who reviewed memorials with a red pen every day. She was Qiao Lili, who could draft imperial edicts with the Crown Princess seal. She was Qiao Lili, who could sit behind the Emperor during court. The most important point was that she sat at the top and the Sixth Prince stood below, and the Sixth Prince was happy to do so.

In the past, the Sixth Prince often skipped the morning court, but since Qiao Lili started attending the court, he has never missed a morning court session.

In fact, Yu Jingyan used to accompany Qiao Lili when he was not in court. Now that Qiao Lili was sitting in the upper seat, of course he had to accompany her downstairs.

When a man has been away for three days, he should be looked at with new eyes. She is no longer the A'mon of Wu in the past.

Most of the noble ladies knew what was important and what was not. They kept their fathers and brothers' words in mind and followed their instructions. When they were led to the flower hall, they would either sincerely or falsely salute, or say loudly or quietly, "Meet the Crown Princess."

"No need to be polite, just sit anywhere." Qiao Lili would not make things difficult for anyone. Why should women make things difficult for other women? These noble ladies who looked glamorous and beautiful seemed to be the apple of everyone's eye. However, it was possible that tomorrow, their fathers and brothers would marry them to a man who was completely unsuitable for the sake of promotion, profit, family, or various reasons that could be said or not. Regardless of their wishes, they would be forced to marry off to a man who was completely unsuitable.

After that, they were left to waste their lives in the deep courtyard, like beautiful flowers, and wither away.

Some remembered their fathers and brothers' instructions and were well-behaved and obedient, while others were reckless and arrogant. They did not have the opportunity to attend the morning court and had no idea what was going on in the court. They could not understand why Qiao Lili, whom they looked down upon in the past, was like this now. It must be that their fathers and brothers exaggerated and deceived them.

By the end of the Chen hour, most of the noble ladies had arrived, because the Princess of Lanna would arrive at Tuanyuan during the Si hour, and these noble ladies had to arrive before the princess of other countries to avoid being impolite.

In the flower hall, Qiao Lili and a group of noble ladies drank tea and had snacks, chatting happily. The housekeeper then led two noble ladies into the flower hall.

Everyone stopped talking and looked closely at who the visitor was.

There are unwritten rules for ladies to attend banquets, and it is these rules that allow people to distinguish who is polite and who is rude. For example, at such a banquet, it is not considered impolite to arrive at the specified time, but people often follow other small rules.

Those with lower official positions arrive early, and those with good relationships arrive early. Those with lower official positions arrive early and find an inconspicuous seat to sit down so as not to cause trouble to others, while those with good relationships arrive early and can say a few words of personal conversation first and help entertain guests.

People with ordinary relationships will arrive at the time when everyone else arrives, and will rush to join the crowd to avoid the embarrassment of having nothing to talk about because of unfamiliarity. People with high status usually arrive at the last minute to show their status. The host will have to stay with them if they arrive early, which will affect the reception of other guests.

The time for the noble ladies to arrive today is Chenshi. It is already the end of Chenshi. Which noble lady of high status is coming at this last minute?