This chapter was edited by ororomunroe90

Chinese terms used in this chapter:

Bengong: I, used by the females of the imperial family Cefei: side concubine, second ranked wife of a wangye Fuhuang: Emperor Father, what the children of the emperor call him Gongzi: son of an official/nobility Huangguifei: concubine of the first rank, only below the empress Niangniang: concubine of the palace Jiejie: big sister Muhou: Empress Mother, what all the children of the emperor call the empress Xiangfu: residence of a prime minister

Chapter 42 Double ninth imperial feast

Muhou .

Longze Yu Er climbed to the empress side, full of grievances.

Muhou, doesnt fuhuang love Yu Er anymore?

Yu Er, endure it a little longer. After muhou gives birth to a little brother, he will become the crown prince and then emperor, and nobody would dare bully us anymore!

Duanmu Qing gently patted her daughters back.

After hearing Duanmu Qings words, Longze Yu Er pushed her away.

Crown prince, crown prince, crown prince! In your eyes, in your heart, theres only little brother. You only want a son; you dont care about me, this daughter! Since you like sons so much, why didnt you just strangle me to death when you gave birth to me?!

Yu Er, what are you saying?

Seeing her daughters unfamiliar side, Duanmu Qing was frightened. She wanted to reach out to wipe away the tears in Longze Yu Ers eyes, but her hand was pushed aside.

I despise you. I despise you all! I hate you all!

Longze Yu Er rushed out crying. Duanmu Qing went limp on the ground. Why, why didnt Yu Er understand her difficulties of being a mother . Duanmu Qing stroked her belly. Both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh. Both are her children. She must protect them.

Both the palm and the back of the hand are made of flesh: both are of equal importance

Baby, because of you, jiejie got angry with muhou. After you grow up, you must protect jiejie, do you understand?

Inside Piao Xue Palace, Murong Xue Lian was eating grapes in small chunks. One hands on her belly. She had passed six months safely. Three more months and this child would come into the world. Murong Xue Lian had let an imperial physician look at it in secret. He said its a prince which made her very happy.

When this child is born, she must let him become the crown prince! Definitely!

Hu Po came in quietly. She let all the other palace maid retreat. She went to Murong Xue Lians back to massage her.

Niangniang, empress niangniang is one month pregnant and that one in Jing wangfu is also pregnant.

What?

Murong Xue Lian had a grape seed in her mouth. She couldnt swallow it and couldnt spit it out. Its choking her, very uncomfortable.

Are you sure?

Sure.

Murong Xue Lian, who had been in a great mood, immediately had clouds in her expression.

That hen who couldnt lay a egg got pregnant. Really hateful! Also, that bitch wants to fight with bengong. Could it be that shes dreaming that the child in her belly will get the place of crown prince for Longze Jing Tian? Humph!

Niangniang, what do we do?

Let bengong think. Bengong needs to think well about it.

Murong Xue Lian finally spat out the seed. Long red nails on her slender finger touched her belly.

Since these two want to fight with bengong, then dont blame bengong for being ruthless!

The viciousness that flashed through Murong Xue Lians beautiful face frightened even Hu Po, who had followed her for many years.

Come here!

Murong Xin Lian also commanded Hu Po with her finger. She whispered in Hu Pos ears: Let a rumor out, let the one in Qing Luan Palace know that Jing wangs cefei is pregnant. Bengong wants them to have a dogfight.

Niangniang is wise!

In Hu Pos eyes flashed a strange light. Sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight is what this master is best at. It seems the calm life is now coming to an end

Sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight: watch in safety whilst others fight then reap the rewards when both sides are exhausted

The ninth of September.

The weather was neither cold nor warm. The sky was cloudless everywhere and in the palace, theres goldenrod in full bloom. Everywhere, its shiny. With one look, it looked full of extravagance.

Longze Yu was very serious about the marriage alliance between Bei Zhou and Xi Qi. Thats why this years double ninth festival was exceptionally grandiose. The officials have long arrived at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the palace where the banquet is being held. Even the emperor, the empress and huangguifei have arrived.

After waiting for half a day, Feng Cang and Murong Qi Qi, the two main characters havent yet arrived. Longze Yus expression looked somewhat bad. The people were just sitting around. The atmospheres a bit tense.

No need to blame these people. After all, Nan Lin wang Feng Cangs name is too big and his ways are also astonishing. Chopping the heads of forty imperial guards in the capital a while ago made most people admire him. After that, the emperor didnt pursue the matter. This demonstrated the deterrence of this Bei Zhous wangye.

Its just this wangye is too arrogant. He actually let Xi Qi countrys officials wait for him alone. Theres also that princess Zhao Yang Murong Qi Qi. She actually also didnt come! The officials couldnt help but cast a variety of eyes again and again at Murong Tai.

At this moment, Murong Tai also couldnt sit still for much longer. He took out a handkerchief to wipe off his sweat. When he left, Murong Qi Qi was obviously already awake. He didnt know why she still hadnt arrived. If Longze Yu pursued the matter, then itll be troublesome.

Murong Tai wished that he could hang Murong Qi Qi and beat her when she arrives. But these are just the thoughts deep in his heart. The truth is that he cant and he has no way to deal with Murong Qi Qi.

These past days, those people of Bei Zhou used Feng Cangs name to go blatantly in and out of his xiangfu. From time to time, they would make cutting remarks in Bei Zhous language about him. And also that cook. Every day, he made roasted lamb, making the whole xiangfu billow with smoke. Everywhere, theres the smell of lamb, making him lose appetite for several days.

All these made Murong Tai get headaches, but he couldnt afford to offend Feng Cang. So he can only endure. In his heart, he wished that Murong Qi Qi would get married, the sooner the better; once gone, gone for good.

While everyones wondering what Nan Lin wang and princess Zhao Yang are doing, inside a carriage outside the palace, Murong Qi Qi finally woke up.

Early in the morning, she had been dug out of bed by Feng Yu. Feng Yu said she must definitely beautify herself. The result was that while Murong Qi Qi was sleeping, she let Feng Yu bathe her, dress her ad then paint her body in balm. Then she (FY) put the Gold thread dress on her (MQQ). Only after that did she (FY) began to make her (MQQ) hair and make-up.

Murong Qi Qi swore she never knew a woman dressing and putting on make-up would take up so much time. Feng Yu had very skillful hands. Just a few turns with her black hair and a beautiful hairstyle appeared on her head, making Murong Qi Qi sigh in admiration.

Just when Murong Qi Qi thought that everything was done, Feng Yu once again put her on the stool and continued to be busy with her hair. Finally, when the hair was done, Feng Yu began at her face.

From beginning to end, Su Mei and Su Yue didnt help. They only looked from the side. While they were looking, they will sighing in admiration at Feng Yus skillful hands, making Feng Yu more proud and she showed off even more.

The whole process, Murong Qi Qi was half-awake, half-asleep. Several times when she was almost asleep, she would be woken up by Feng Yu. One time, its painting the eyebrows; one time, its adding blush; another time, its to smear rouge on the lips.

After seeing Feng Yus forehead covered with a layer of sweat, even if Murong Qi Qi was very tired, she endured it.

This person was good to her from the bottom of her heart. Shes also doing this for her, so she cant spoil Feng Yus heart. Murong Qi Qis body was put in front of a mirror after Feng Yu had finished. Su Mei took out a brush and painted a goldenrod on her forehead to match everything Feng Yu did to her.

Princess is really beautiful

Have to say, after the goldenrod was finished, it made her whole person more vivid and pretty. Feng Yu gracefully put Murong Qi Qi into the carriage. In her heart, she was fantasizing about the expression wangye has when he sees Murong Qi Qi.

How would Feng Yu know that from the moment Murong Qi Qi entered the carriage, she would sleep till she reached the palace gate.

TL Comments:

Held on the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, Chongyang Festival is also called Double Ninth Festival. In Chinese, nine is regarded as the number of Yang (which means masculine as opposed to Yin which is feminine). The ninth day of the ninth month is the day that has two Yang numbers, and chong in Chinese means double which is how the name Chongyang was created. It is a day for people to eat Chongyang cake, drink chrysanthemum wine, climb mountains, and pay homage to chrysanthemums.

Just as other Chinese festivals have their own unique story, so does the Chongyang Festival. It is said that, during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 220), a devil inhabited the Nu River which caused disease in the neighbouring people. The parent of a young man, named Hengjing, died because of the devils magic. In order to rid the people of the devil, Hengjing went through extraordinary lengths to find an immortal to teach him swordsmanship in order to expel the devil.

On the eighth day of the ninth lunar month, the immortal told Hengjing that the next day the devil would appear and he was to go back to get rid of the devil and the disease. Taking a bag of dogwood and some chrysanthemum wine, Hengjing returned to his hometown. In the morning of the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, Hengjing led all the villagers who were each holding a piece of dogwood leaf and a cup of Chrysanthemum to the nearest mountain. At noon, when the devil came out from the Nu River, the devil suddenly stopped because of the fragrance emitted from the dogwood and the chrysanthemum wine. At that moment Hengjing used the sword to battle the devil for a few rounds and won.

Since then the custom of climbing mountains, drinking chrysanthemum wine and holding onto dogwood on the ninth day of the ninth month have become popular.