Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 620: Meeting at the Banquet (2)
"Certainly, certainly." This news was undoubtedly great news for Lou Qianyu—if the empress could indeed resolve the infertility of the land and enable crops to grow from the earth, then the empress would become the benefactor of the entire Sunset Kingdom.
Dugu Chen gave a cold huff to himself, his expression darkening as he leaned on the dragon case. Seeing his unfavorable countenance, Lou Qianyu forced a smile and said, "Young Master Dugu, is there perhaps some event taking place in the palace recently?"
"Yes, the Empress has organized a grand banquet, inviting some of the young elites and daughters of prominence from the Capital City to gather the day after tomorrow in the Warm Pavilion. They will be there to admire flowers, drink tea—Lou could certainly go and take a look," Dugu Chen said, visibly calming somewhat with a slightly more pleasant expression.
Dugu Chen’s words reminded him of the beauty he happened to encounter on Capital City Street when he signed the century-long agreement in Xueyan Country years ago—she seemed to be the Prime Minister’s daughter. But after three years, he wondered if she might have married.
"I have long heard about the peculiar flowers and exotic plants in my sister-in-law’s Warm Pavilion; I am quite curious. When the time comes, I shall definitely go and have a look," declared Lou Qianyu. Though he was aware it was a disguised matchmaking banquet, the memory of a certain lady compelled him to decide to attend, to see if the beauty was still there.
"Indeed, in the Warm Pavilion, my wife has indeed planted some rarities—flowers and plants that are hard to find in the world," Dugu Chen said, his mood very somber. After the banquet was over, it meant his wife might leave at any time. He was distracted while talking with Lou Qianyu, his thoughts filled entirely with his wife.
Lou Qianyu then realized just how much the Emperor doted on his empress. He had originally thought that the Emperor fought so fiercely in war because he had bellicose genes, but it wasn’t so—the fact was that he had someone in Capital City he cared for, and that’s why he charged forward like a daredevil on the battlefield. It was widely rumored that Dugu Chen, for the sake of a woman, abolished his entire harem, and based on what he had seen in the Imperial Palace these past two days, it was indeed true.
The young masters and daughters from various households received the invitation sent by the Ministry of Rites, stating that the event was to admire flowers, drink tea, taste wine, write poetry, with the Empress providing the topics. Those who answered correctly would also receive gifts.
After the officials and mothers of various households learned of it, their minds spun with thoughts. Since her enthronement, the Empress had never hosted such a banquet before, especially one at the Warm Pavilion—is this meant as a personal banquet, or is it an indirect way to select concubines for the Emperor? In any case, those with daughters rushed to dress them up as best as they could. Though the invitation did not say illegitimate daughters were not allowed, concubines and illegitimate daughters also couldn’t restrain themselves, knowing it was a good opportunity to be seen. Should one catch the eye of a young master, it wasn’t impossible to become the mistress of a household—after all, Feng Xuxu, a mere farmer’s daughter reeking of the smell of copper, managed to become Empress. Even if one were an illegitimate daughter, at least one was still considered a young lady of status; perhaps it was possible to even catch the Emperor’s eye. Besides, the Empress had already borne children, was fading in beauty and losing her figure, hardly a match for a young maiden fresh like a blooming flower.
On Capital City Street, one could see the sedan chairs and carriages of various young ladies shuttling back and forth, bustling with activity. The rouge shops did a roaring trade—the essential oils they refined were hoarded by these young ladies, causing prices to surge dramatically from the original two hundred to five hundred silver note range, all the way up to a point where not even a thousand-silver note could buy what used to be the cheapest essential oils.
Yunyi Workshop was also busy. The tailor masters from the workshop were almost all dispatched to various residences to take the measurements of the distinguished young ladies personally. However, the price of clothes only went up by a bit—ranging from thirty to fifty silver notes.
