What Zhou Cairen prepared was a pair of fairly exquisite pastel gold tea cups with patterns of flowers and birds.

Showing the gift he had prepared to Lu Wanning, Zhou Caicai added: "Although the famous inkstone prepared by Lu Meiren is good, it lacks the ingenuity and intention. Why don't Lu Meiren make a painting or play the piano and dance by herself?"

How about a dance?"

This is a normal way to fight for favor.

Lu Wanning understood what Zhou Cairen meant. She smiled and said, "Has Zhou Cairen ever heard of Weng Jieyu's talent?"

Zhou Cairen nodded, "I think I heard someone say that Weng Jieyu is the most talented woman in Beijing."

Lu Wanning said: "That Zhou talent must have heard that Weng Jieyu is good at playing the piano. Her piano skills can be compared with Mr. Liang's."

Weng Jieyu fell out of favor within a few days after entering the palace. If she still wanted to be favored, she would definitely not give up this opportunity to stand out.

As for dancing, not only does she not know it, but she does. There is also Wen Zhaoyi in the palace who is good at dancing.

While the two of them were talking, the other concubines slowly came to the conclusion that Qu Cairen came a little later than many high-ranking concubines, but she was pregnant now and had the confidence to do so.

Qu Cairen was less than three months pregnant and her belly was not yet visible. She was supported by her personal maid and walked in. When she saw Zhou Cairen and Lu Wanning talking together, Qu Cairen stepped forward and said to Zhou Cairen

: "Why doesn't Sister Zhou wait for my sister?"

Zhou Cairen sat up straight and said with a smile: "Sister, I heard the maid next to my sister said that my sister was not in a hurry to come over, so I had to come over first."

Qu Cairen sat in his seat, gently touched his belly with one hand, and said to Zhou Cairen with a smile on his face: "Sister Zhou, you can come with me too. You're here early anyway, so you're just waiting."

Zhou Cairen knew what Qu Cairen wanted to hear. She shook her head and said: "My sister is pregnant with the dragon child now, so it's okay to come a little late. It would be inappropriate for my sister to come late."

Qu Cairen looked down at his belly and was about to say something more, but Zhou Cairen said, "Empress Hui is here."

After hearing this, Qu Cairen immediately stopped showing off to Zhou Cairen the special treatment he received because of being pregnant with Long Si, and instead turned his attention to Hui Bin's belly.

Concubine Hui came extra late today. At this time, Concubine Jing and Concubine Jing had already arrived.

Concubine Jing looked at Hui Bin, who was proud of the spring breeze, and said: "Sister, I thought that sister Hui Bin was not feeling well today and could not come to today's family banquet. I was thinking about whether to visit my sister after the family banquet. Now that my sister is here,

Now, sister will feel relieved."

Hui Bin glanced at Concubine Jing and said coldly: "I disappoint my sister, Concubine Jing. Sister, I am in good health."

Concubine Jing glanced at Hui Bin's belly and nodded, "I'm a little disappointed."

"You..." Hui Bin was about to have a fit when the eunuch's shrill voice came from outside, "The Queen is here!"

The words Hui Bin wanted to express were stuck in her throat, and she had to follow everyone to salute the queen who came in.

After the queen arrived, the emperor, the empress dowager, and concubine Ming also came.

The time has come, and the banquet begins.

The concubines in the harem, beginning with the queen, presented gifts to the emperor one by one and congratulated him on his birthday.

Most of the congratulatory gifts from the queen, concubine, concubine Jing, including Hui and An, were famous paintings and treasures. Wen Zhaoyi prepared a dance just as Lu Wanning expected.

When Concubine Hui toasted the emperor, Wen Zhaoyi quietly withdrew. By the time Concubine An finished her gift and returned to her seat, Wen Zhaoyi had already changed into a dance costume and appeared in front of everyone.

When Wen Zhaoyi appeared in the field, everyone's eyes fell on her. Seeing this, Lu Wanning couldn't help but glance at Xu Jieyu, and found that although Xu Jieyu was also staring at Wen Zhaoyi, what she was looking at was not Wen Zhaoyi's face.

, but the hairpin on her head.

A trace of doubt flashed in Lu Wanning's mind. Is there something wrong with that step? Or maybe Xu Jieyu had tampered with that step?

There are many small and round pearls hanging on the tassels under the step rocker. If Xu Jieyu really moved her hands and feet on the step rocker, and Wen Zhaoyi was dancing, the pearls on the step rocker were scattered on the ground, then Wen Zhaoyi would definitely be injured if she stepped on the pearl.

Fall down and make a fool of yourself.

Wen Zhaoyi held the wine glass and walked up to the emperor with a slight twist of her waist. She bowed down and said: "I learned a new dance some time ago. I would like to present it to the emperor today. I wish you happiness like the East China Sea.

Longevity without borders."

Luo Chengjing took a sip of the wine in his glass and nodded.

Wen Zhaoyi handed the wine glass in her hand to the palace maid aside, walked to the center of the palace, bent down, swung her sleeves, and danced lightly.

Wen Zhaoyi is indeed the most skilled concubine in the palace, showing off her graceful charm with every move of her hands and feet.

From the perspective of Lu Wanning, a layman who doesn't know much about dancing, she also thinks that Wen Zhaoyi dances very well.

However, Lu Wanning had her previous doubts. When Wen Zhaoyi danced, her eyes were always attracted to the exquisite dance moves unconsciously.

But Lu Wanning stared at that Bu Yao for a long time, but there was nothing wrong with that Bu Yao, and the pearls on it fell safely on it.

Maybe she was overthinking it, because Lu Wanyi no longer paid attention to the step on Wen Zhaoyi's head, but seriously watched Wen Zhaoyi dancing.

But she didn't know if it was Lu Wanning's illusion. Why did she feel that Wen Zhaoyi's dance was not as smooth as it was at the beginning? Whether it was pointe pointe or spinning jump, there would always be a moment of stagnation, and her expression seemed a little wrong.

Wen Zhaoyi is a person who is used to dancing. It cannot be that there is something wrong with her physical strength. So what exactly is the problem?

Just as Lu Wanning was thinking about it, Wen Zhaoyi's feet suddenly softened and she fell to the ground while doing a jump and landing action.

This... the dance to celebrate the emperor's birthday went so wrong. Lu Wanning looked towards the emperor and saw the emperor frowning and said: "Wen Zhaoyi is not feeling well, go back and rest."

Wen Zhaoyi's face was pale and she was helped out of Yunyin Palace by her maid. Lu Wanning noticed that her face became paler with every step she took.

After Wen Zhaoyi left, the banquet in Yunyin Hall continued.

As for Wen Zhaoyi, after walking out of Yunyin Palace with the support of two palace maids, she immediately found a place to sit down. With cold sweat on her forehead, she asked her palace maids to take off the soft-soled dance shoes on her feet for Zi Qi.

The palace maid took off Wen Zhaoyi's shoes according to Wen Zhaoyi's instructions, and then discovered that the soles of Wen Zhaoyi's feet were dripping with blood, and the two soft-soled dance shoes were densely packed with broken silver needles.

"This..." The two palace ladies were shocked. Shuangjiang, who was responsible for keeping Wen Zhaoyi's shoes before, even swore to Wen Zhaoyi with a pale face: "Zhaoyi, I dare to swear that I have never betrayed your empress. I don't know what's in these shoes."
Chapter completed!