The Noble Consort is the most favored in the harem

Chapter 136 - Palace Banquet

Lin Wanyi's calligraphy had been rigorously practiced for several years during her youth. At that time, she was recovering at her maternal grandfather's house, with little ability to move. To prevent her from getting bored, her grandfather took her to either practice writing or paint every day. This experience tempered her character, making her more calm and composed.

With just a few strokes, she completed the inscription. The emperor glanced at it and was quite pleased.

"Dong Yuzhong."

"Your servant is here."

"Find someone to mount this painting and then hang it on the wall."

He pointed, specifying the exact location.

Dong Yuzhong had no choice but to comply, immediately responding, "Yes." Then, he carefully rolled up the painting and sent it to the Jixian Academy.

The Jixian Academy was a place where many painters of the Great Wei gathered. Inside, there were at least dozens of court painters, each specializing in landscapes, flowers and birds, or figures, each with their own merits.

The emperor turned his wrist and picked up a cup of tea from the table in front of the bright window, taking a sip. The taste remained as distinctive as ever.

"Is today's fruit honey peach-flavored?"

"Yes, this peach honey jam was personally made by the Second Prince; Your Majesty can have a good taste of it."

Upon hearing this, the emperor was somewhat surprised. Not to mention the princes, he had eaten very few dishes made by the concubines in the harem.

"Well, how is it?"

Lin Wanyi looked at the emperor with curiosity, trying to gauge his reaction from his face. However, the emperor remained calm and composed, not allowing anyone to see his true thoughts. Thus, he casually glanced at Lin Wanyi and playfully said, "Not much."

Lin Wanyi raised an eyebrow at the emperor, noticing the amusement in his eyes. She realized he was just joking.

So, she "threatened" him, saying, "Not much, huh? Then I'll tell the Second Prince not to learn anymore, since no matter what he makes, Your Majesty doesn't love to eat."

Caught off guard, the emperor found himself at a disadvantage, rendered speechless by her words. Then he smiled and changed the subject.

"Will you be attending the Qiqiao Festival banquet?"

"Yes, the Yi Fei sent someone to invite me. I've been ill for almost half a month now, and it's not good to keep hiding at home."

The emperor thought for a moment and found her reasoning sound. He remembered that as a child, he was also reluctant to face those serious and stubborn ministers. At one point, he resisted attending court altogether. Yet gradually, he began to enjoy that sense of confrontation, relishing the feeling of growing stronger and seeing those so-called old ministers fail one by one.

He then told Lin Wanyi, "Then dress up nicely and go."

Dress up nicely? The emperor certainly had a knack for suggesting troublesome things. At such banquets, it was obvious that many palace concubines would be waiting, each one adorned to the nines. What would she be joining in on? She simply smiled and replied, "Yes."

As for how she would dress, that was up to her to decide.

Time flew quickly, and soon it was the day of the Qiqiao Festival. The banquet was held as usual at the Shengjing Building.

When Lin Wanyi appeared there again, memories from half a month ago surged back. Xia An did not have a good impression of this place. Had it not been for the circumstances, the mistress's cold ailment would not have been triggered, and she wouldn't have been forced to drink medicine like water day after day. Therefore, she was well-prepared with medicine for this visit, her eyes vigilant, fearful of any dangers.

Upon entering Shengjing Building, Lin Wanyi quickly spotted the tall colorful pavilion outside the hall, named Qiqiao Pavilion. The pavilion was constructed of wooden steps, each level adorned with various fresh and interesting items. There were carved gourds, valuable writing brushes and inkstones, and colorful threads and needles.

However, what Lin Wanyi liked most were the clay figurines. Each one was vividly crafted, not only painted but also excellently sculpted. Some represented figures from ancient myths, while others depicted daily life of common people. They even created figurines based on the appearances of the palace concubines.

Lin Wanyi recognized herself immediately, not for any other reason but the pearl ornament in her hair, which was an exact replica. This thoughtful detail made the palace concubines visiting Shengjing Building unusually harmonious. There were no schemes or harsh words; instead, everyone was fully immersed in the Qiqiao Pavilion, chatting amiably.

Lin Wanyi picked up her figurine and examined it closely. Just as she was observing, two people suddenly appeared beside her.

"Elder Sister Lin, this figurine is really beautiful; it looks much better than mine."

The speaker was Mu Lanchun, standing beside her was Ying Fei, both smiling warmly at Lin Wanyi. The two of them now seemed inseparable, always appearing together wherever they went.

"Younger sister Mu, you're joking; your figurine is truly lifelike. Just look at the eyes; doesn't it resemble you, quite spirited?"

Everyone loves hearing flattering words, and Mu Lanchun was no exception. Hearing Lin Wanyi's words, she was naturally delighted. Meanwhile, Ying Fei held her own figurine, maintaining her gentle and polite demeanor, even the slight protrusion of her belly was carefully sculpted. It was truly a delicate thought.

"I wonder where Yi Fei found this skilled artisan; each concubine has been crafted so well. It seems Yi Fei will be rewarded."

Speaking of which, this level of creativity was indeed rare. Yi Fei came from a family of military officers, yet she had such an impressive organizational skill. This Qiqiao banquet was much more interesting than previous ones.

The three of them walked together into Shengjing Building. According to palace rules, they each took their seats. This time, Mu Lanchun sat behind Lin Wanyi, and she was somewhat displeased. However, her rank was lower than the two, so she didn't dare show her unhappiness.

Lin Wanyi sat in the middle, with Du Changzai and Ming Changzai on either side. Since learning about Du Changzai's connection to Du Momo, Lin Wanyi had been somewhat wary of her, fearing that she might inadvertently say something offensive.

However, Du Changzai was unaware that Lin Wanyi knew her identity and still maintained the same courteous demeanor as before.

"Younger sister Lin, after your illness, you've been recuperating at Huifangya Academy. The emperor decreed that we sisters shouldn't disturb you; I wonder how you are now?"

"Thank you for your concern, elder sister. I feel much better, but the imperial physician said that I might suffer during windy or rainy weather."

Although Lin Wanyi had not deliberately spread the news about her difficulty in getting pregnant, those who needed to know were generally aware of it. So when she spoke, Du Changzai appeared to empathize with her pain for a moment.

Thus, she began to comfort her, "You and I are both unfortunate. Many years ago, I also had a child, but before he was born......"