mtl008 Chapter 224 The Birthday Banquet Begins
Chapter 224 The Birthday Banquet Begins
Today is the day that Su Lingyue is most active in getting up, because today is Xiao Yu's birthday, and she is Xiao Yu's princess, so she needs to dress up well.
As the host of the birthday banquet, Xiao Yu certainly cannot be casual.
Xiao Yu has fair skin, but because of his illness, he looks a little too pale. Today he has to wear clothes that make him look better.
Su Lingyue opened the wardrobe and took a look. Xiao Yu's winter clothes were mostly dark in color. He looked very dignified like a prince, but it also made his sickly appearance more obvious.
No matter what, Su Lingyue still wanted him to look better.
"Does Yue'er's feet no longer hurt?"
"After Lu Bolai applied the medicine last night, the pain is gone."
Su Lingyue agreed, but her eyes were still choosing in the closet.
Finally, she chose a blue peony patterned wide-sleeved brocade robe and a coat of the same color. Su Lingyue brought the clothes to the bed and asked Xiao Yu, "What do you think of this set, Your Majesty?"
Xiao Yu sat on the bed, his elbows on his knees, and looked at Su Lingyue with his head propped up. He chuckled lazily and said, "I like everything the princess picked."
Su Lingyue was very attracted by the lazy and unrestrained look between his eyebrows, the clear contours and the jade-like face.
She blushed, lowered her head, looked away, and put the clothes on the hanger.
At this time, Caidie Caiyi also came in with hot water and helped Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue wash up.
After washing up, Su Lingyue picked out a lotus-colored brocade long robe with wide sleeves and gold-thread embroidery and a coat of the same color.
Xiao Yu wore a blue long-sleeved robe and coat with peony patterns, a blue silver belt, his hair was secured with a white jade crown, and he wore a white jade pendant with a pine tree carved on it around his waist.
The jade pendant was chosen by Su Lingyue. Although neither of them mentioned it, Su Lingyue still hoped that Xiao Yu would have another birthday.
Xiao Yu said nothing, just stood aside with a smile, letting her match them.
After getting dressed, she and Xiao Yu went to the dining hall together.
When he arrived at the entrance of the hall, Xiao Yu saw Doctor Lu, Yan Qing, Yun Ting, Li Jing and other people who were close to him on weekdays were all there.
"Congratulations to His Majesty on your birthday and may you always be safe and sound!" everyone said in unison.
"Congratulations to His Majesty on your birthday and may you always be safe and sound!" The voice of a servant from the mansion came from outside.
Xiao Yu raised the corners of his lips slightly. Looking at the familiar faces in front of him and their blessings, Xiao Yu felt warm in his heart.
"thank you all!"
He turned around and said to the servant outside the door: "Your salary this month will be doubled."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
All the servants knelt down together to express their gratitude.
Then, Yan Qing took out his gift.
Xiao Yu opened the box and saw a folding fan with a cedar and flying crane pattern.
Xiao Yu's body is sensitive to cold, and she won't sweat even in the hottest summer.
But when Xiao Yu saw the cedar and crane on the fan, he understood his intention.
"The fan is very good. I like it very much."
"I hope Your Majesty can take this for self-defense." Yun Ting's gift was an exquisite silver dagger.
Li Jing's gift was a rare wolf-hair brush, which she got from Li Qingfeng's room. Thinking of this, Li Jing smiled, and then quickly returned to her usual expressionless look.
She had spent a lot of money buying feed for Li Qingfeng's chickens recently, and she had no money to prepare a gift for Xiao Yu.
Xiao Yu raised the corners of his lips, accepted all the gifts, and then handed them to Caidie behind him, asking her to take them into the room later.
"Uncle Lu, what is your gift? Take it out and let us see." Yan Qing walked to Doctor Lu and pulled Doctor Lu's hand, wanting to see what the gift was.
"You can't look at it."
Doctor Lu coughed lightly, pushed Yan Qing away, walked to Xiao Yu, and handed the thing in his hand to Xiao Yu.
Everyone only saw that it was a small porcelain bottle. Xiao Yu took a look at it, frowned slightly, and quickly put the thing away in his arms.
"What is a prince?" Su Lingyue asked curiously.
"Nothing." Xiao Yu avoided Su Lingyue's inquiring gaze and answered lightly.
"Uncle Lu?" Su Lingyue looked at Doctor Lu curiously.
"It's just ordinary medicine." Doctor Lu looked at Su Lingyue and answered perfunctorily.
"Princess, where is your gift?" Yan Qing asked curiously.
Su Lingyue gave him a mysterious smile and said, "I'll give it to you when I get back to my room tonight."
After hearing what Su Lingyue said, Yan Qing didn't feel comfortable asking any more questions.
Xiao Yu looked at Su Lingyue and curled his lips slightly.
For breakfast, we prepared some side dishes and longevity noodles. The noodles were very long and made a bowl of noodles when cooked.
Su Lingyue ate very carefully without biting off any part in the middle.
After breakfast, it's time to get busy preparing.
Yan Qing went to check the supply of items, Yun Ting followed Xiao Yu and was responsible for his safety, Li Jing brought ten people from the manor to inspect the situation in the mansion, and Su Lingyue checked the preparations for the banquet in the mansion.
Since there are four maids in the mansion who are dedicated to serving Su Lingyue, the others are servants.
In case there were any female guests coming over at night, Su Lingyue asked Madam Jiang for help and temporarily borrowed twenty maids brought by her eldest cousin's wife.
After a morning of training by the housekeeper, they quickly got the hang of it.
In the afternoon, not long after lunch, the first group of guests arrived.
They are my aunt, my eldest cousin and my second cousin.
Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue greeted them at the gate of the palace.
"Aunt, eldest cousin, second cousin."
"Yue'er."
"cousin."
Su Lingyue went to greet him with a smile. Mrs. Jiang smiled and held Su Lingyue's hand, and walked towards Xiao Yu together.
Mrs. Jiang brought her two sons, walked up to Xiao Yu with a smile and bowed.
"I congratulate His Majesty on his birthday!"
"Congratulations on your birthday, Your Majesty!"
Xiao Yu chuckled and nodded, "Thank you very much! Please come in, all three of you."
After Jiang Siyuan asked the servant to hand the gift to Butler Wu, Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue led the three of them into the hall.
It was Madam Jiang's first time to visit the palace. Looking at the exquisite decorations in the palace, she held Su Lingyue's hand and sighed, "Yue'er is really good. She has managed this palace in an orderly manner, and the decorations are also very festive."
Su Lingyue smiled and said, "Aunt, I didn't contribute much. The people in the prince's mansion are very capable."
Xiao Yu said: "Yue'er has indeed managed the mansion very well."
Mrs. Jiang nodded with satisfaction, "Seeing you two are so loving, I feel relieved."
A few people sat in the hall and chatted for a while, then they heard the servant running over to report, "The prince and princess, the Duke of Ying, the Duke of Ying's wife, the General Zhongwu, and the General's wife have arrived."
"Yue'er, you even invited the Duke of England's family?" Mrs. Jiang was very surprised. The Duke of England's family did not usually interact with the noble families in the capital.
"Well, I was surprised too. The Duchess of England was said to be ill yesterday."
As Su Lingyue spoke, she went to the door with Xiao Yu and the Jiang family to greet them.
Two carriages drove slowly and stopped in front of the palace gate. Duke of England Lin Rong'an, his wife, their son General Zhongwu Lin Ju and his wife all came together.
Jiang Siyuan, Jiang Siqi and Mrs. Jiang bowed to the Duke and Duchess of England.
The Duke of Yingguo and his wife, as well as the General Zhongwu and his wife, bowed their heads to Xiao Yu and saluted, "This old minister, along with his wife and son, congratulates His Majesty on his birthday!"
Xiao Yu and Su Lingyue nodded in return.
"My palace is honored today by the presence of the Duke of Yingguo, the Duchess of Guo, and General Zhongwu and his wife. Please come in." Xiao Yu said respectfully as he stepped aside and entered the palace with the Duke of Yingguo and his family.
"I heard from the Grand Tutor that it was all thanks to the prince, otherwise my Lin family would have suffered a disaster."
"Don't take it to heart, Duke of England. It's just a matter of convenience."
"Not only that, last time when Old Lady Su celebrated her 80th birthday, the princess's reminder saved me from having a stroke, and we haven't had the chance to thank you yet."
"Yue'er, is there something wrong?" Xiao Yu turned his head and looked at Su Lingyue beside him.
Su Ling remembered it only after Lady Yingguo reminded her. She smiled and said, "I would have forgotten if you hadn't mentioned it. I heard that you were ill yesterday. I didn't expect that you would come to congratulate the prince today despite your health. We really don't know how to thank you."
The Duke of England smiled and said, "You two are kind-hearted and have done us a favor. We will come no matter what."
Several people exchanged pleasantries along the way and sat down in the hall. The servants quickly served them tea. The hall, which was usually empty, suddenly became extremely lively because of the arrival of the guests.