Chapter 1386 The old woman hiding in the dark!
Under Ye Mingsheng's somewhat contradictory instructions to be both decent and frugal, Ye Cheng also began to organize this birthday party.

Due to funding constraints, Ye Cheng canceled the grand parade celebration planned by Su Yi, but the festive atmosphere in the palace was still necessary. Ye Cheng also planned a dinner for all ministers, and planned to invite all the civil and military officials of Yijing above the third rank to come to the palace for the banquet.

But just when Ye Cheng was making intensive plans, An Miaoyi unexpectedly said that she didn't want a grand celebration for her birthday this time, so there was no need to hold a dinner for all the ministers for this birthday. It would only be necessary to hold a family dinner in the palace for everyone in the palace to celebrate together.

Although he didn't know why the queen, who always loved luxury, suddenly changed her mind and cancelled the dinner for all the ministers, Ye Cheng finally obeyed the queen's wishes.

At this time, the palace maids and eunuchs were busy, but the concubines in the palace were also not idle. They were all preparing for the lunch banquet.

In Murong Qingwu's yard, the Murong sisters were trying on clothes.

"Sister, what do you think of my set?"

Hearing her sister Murong Xinyun's question, Murong Qingwu turned around and saw that her sister was wearing a blue palace dress, exuding youth and vitality that was beyond words.
Seeing this, Murong Qingwu's beautiful eyes flashed with a hint of barely perceptible envy, then she smiled and nodded and said:
"Very good! But Xinyun, the white clothes you just wore suit you better!"

Listening to her sister's advice, Murong Xinyun explained:

"Although the white suit looks good, today is the Queen's birthday after all. I feel that wearing white is a bit too plain and inappropriate..."

Ying Er, who was standing by, couldn't help but interrupt and said:
"Miss Xinyun, you are able to attend her birthday party, which is already a great honor for that bad woman. I think you should wear the most beautiful clothes possible, preferably to outshine all the other girls and give that bad woman a hard time!"

"Ying'er! You're talking nonsense again!"

After saying this, Murong Qingwu smiled and said to her sister:
"Xinyun, you've made a very thoughtful decision. Today is An Miaoyi's big day, so we shouldn't steal the show. But if we have to attend the banquet, we can't just serve as a foil!"

After the words fell, Murong Qingwu instructed Ying'er beside her:
"Go find the ruby ​​necklace that the Queen Mother gave me!"

"understand!"

Just as Ying Er went to get the necklace, Murong Qingwu gently stroked her sister's swan-like slender white neck and said with a smile:

"This outfit of yours goes perfectly with that ruby ​​necklace!"

Hearing her sister say this, Murong Xinyun was also a little expectant. After a cup of tea, Ying'er brought an exquisite wooden box.

Murong Qingwu opened the wooden box personally, and the next second a silver necklace inlaid with twelve small rubies and one large ruby ​​appeared in Murong Xinyun's eyes.

Although Murong Xinyun was also from the Murong family and had seen many precious jewels since childhood, she still couldn't help but be moved when she felt the deep luster of this ruby ​​necklace...

Noticing the change in her sister's expression, Murong Qingwu said with some reminiscence:

"This necklace was given to Your Majesty by a Western Hu merchant named Abbas a few years ago in order to obtain trade documents. According to him, this necklace was produced in a country called Uzbekistan in the Western Regions. This country is rich in rubies. Although the twelve rubies on this necklace are good, they are not too rare!"

"But the ruby ​​in the middle is said to be called the Tear of Red Flame. Even in a country like Uzbekistan, where rubies are abundant, it is one in a million!"

Listening to her sister's introduction, Murong Xinyun's gaze could not help but focus on the ruby ​​in the middle, which was surrounded by the other twelve rubies like the moon surrounded by stars. This tear of red flame was about the size of a pigeon egg, round and transparent, exuding a mysterious luster all over the body, which was extremely dazzling and eye-catching.

At this time, Ying Er on the side also interrupted with a smile:
"When Your Majesty received the ruby ​​necklace, that bad woman started to think about it. But it was the Queen Mother's birthday at that time, so Your Majesty gave the ruby ​​necklace to the Queen Mother as a birthday gift. A year ago, the Queen Mother was grateful for Your Majesty's filial piety in accompanying her in chanting scriptures and worshiping Buddha, so she gave this ruby ​​necklace to Her Majesty!"

"After that bad woman found out about this, I heard she was sulking for several days. For this reason, His Majesty also asked Abbas to go to Uzbekistan to find a ruby ​​necklace. But how could a perfect ruby ​​like the Scarlet Flame Tears be found so easily?"

"The Western Regions Hu merchant Abbas has not been found yet. Your Majesty had no choice but to give that bad woman a set of jade bracelets so that she could live in peace..."

Upon hearing this, Murong Qingwu immediately took out the necklace from the wooden box and put it on her sister. Looking at her sister's beautiful face shining with the light of the Scarlet Flame Tears, Murong Qingwu said with some complexity:
"When the Queen Mother gave me this necklace, I told her that it was too bright and colorful, and that only a woman of extraordinary beauty could wear it, and that I was not suitable for it. But the Queen Mother told me that a gift from an elder should not be refused, so I accepted it with reluctance!"

“I have never worn this necklace outside since I got it. I only tried it on a few times at home. Today I finally found a suitable owner for it!”

Murong Xinyun, who was also admiring this beautiful necklace, was startled when she heard her sister say this, and then quickly declined:
"Sister, I can't accept it. It's too expensive!"

Murong Qingwu smiled and said:

"If this necklace continues to be in my hands, it will just be shelved and covered in dust. Only you, Xinyun, can control it and become its true owner, allowing it to shine with the light it should have!"

Murong Xinyun was a little shaken after hearing this, but she continued to refuse, "Sister, this is a gift from the Queen Mother, how can I accept it!"

"Xinyun, don't refuse. Since the Queen Mother gave it to me, it's mine and I can make the decision. Between you and me, a ruby ​​necklace is nothing. Don't refuse it!"

Feeling the sincerity in her sister's words, Murong Xinyun was very moved, and immediately said without any hesitation:
"Thank you for your gift, sister..."

At three quarters past four in the morning, all the concubines in the palace gathered in the Yong'an Hall which had just been completed in the palace. Then, when the auspicious time came, Ye Mingsheng, An Miaoyi, and Jingren arrived. The concubines immediately greeted them, and after a set of procedures, everyone took their seats.

Queen Mother Ye Cui was a devout Buddhist and did not eat meat on a daily basis, so if she wanted to attend a banquet, it would have to be a vegetarian banquet.

It is not good to eat vegetarian food on a birthday party, so in order not to affect everyone and herself, Ye Cui did not attend the party. She just called An Miaoyi over in the morning and gave her a birthday present, as a token of her gratitude as a mother-in-law.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Ye Mingsheng announced the official start of the banquet, and a group of graceful dancers in light gauze clothes came to the center of the palace and began their performance.

These dancers are all young girls under the age of 20. They receive professional training on a daily basis. Each of them is young and beautiful, with graceful dancing postures. Their dancing is a feast for the eyes. However, while everyone in the hall was watching the dance, Ye Mingsheng was quietly paying attention to the figure in the crowd.

Although they had met several times before, the person's makeup and dress today were particularly in line with Ye Mingsheng's aesthetic standards, which made Ye Mingsheng attracted to her. The beauty who was watching the dance seemed to sense that someone was watching her, and subconsciously looked at Ye Mingsheng.

The eyes of the two people happened to meet in the air, and the beauty immediately looked away in panic, but two blushes appeared on her pretty face...

Just as Ye Mingsheng was enjoying this moment of ambiguity, a familiar voice came to his ears.

"If your majesty likes it, you may as well let her sleep with you tonight!"

Ye Mingsheng, who was caught, didn't say anything but just picked up the wine glass to cover up the embarrassment. Seeing this, An Miaoyi, the protagonist of the party, didn't say anything either.

Even though she was of low rank and standing behind the crowd during the meeting, her radiant appearance and the ruby ​​necklace that she had long admired still made An Miaoyi inevitably notice her.

Although An Miaoyi thought she was as beautiful as any other woman, she couldn't help but feel a little jealous when she felt the other woman's youth and beauty.

She was approved by An Miaoyi herself to enter the palace. The moment she was approved, An Miaoyi was very clear that she was not like those other vulgar women. She was the type that Ye Mingsheng liked, and it was only a matter of time before she became favored!

But when she saw him again, she couldn't help but sigh in her heart how great it was to be young!
Although the expressions and movements between Ye Mingsheng and An Miaoyi were very subtle, they were still caught by Murong Qingwu in the audience. Although she didn't know what Ye Mingsheng and An Miaoyi were talking about, from the direction of Ye Mingsheng's gaze just now, Murong Qingwu knew that the two of them were most likely talking about the chaos and Murong Xinyun.

Thinking of this, Murong Qingwu couldn't help but fall into deep thought. Everyone in the palace knew that Queen Mother Ye Cui was on An Miaoyi's side, but she was also very good to Murong Qingwu. This mother-in-law could be said to be fair...
But is this really the case?
Once upon a time, Murong Qingwu also thought that her deliberate flattery and fawning had won her the favor of Ye Cui, but later she found that things were not the case at all. The Queen Mother Ye Cui was not as simple as she seemed on the surface, not ignoring state affairs and only reciting scriptures and worshiping Buddha in the mansion.

Sometimes, Ye Cui is even more resourceful and better at disguise than An Miaoyi!

The harem is not allowed to interfere in politics is a red line that Ye Mingsheng has always emphasized. An Miaoyi has been punished by Ye Mingsheng many times for this matter. It is even said that if An Miaoyi had not had a strong foundation and gave birth to the eldest son Jingren, she might not be the queen of Daqian now!

However, there is a woman in the harem who, although not very conspicuous, has more political influence than An Miaoyi, the Queen of Daqian!
This woman is Queen Mother Ye Cui!
Murong Qingwu has clearly observed over the years that although Ye Cui appeared to be uninterested in the government affairs of the imperial court, she had been quietly striving for the interests of the Ye clan and the Cui family in private, ensuring that the special status of the Ye clan in the original Fengwu Army system and the current Daqian Dynasty could be continued and consolidated.

This also earned Ye Cui the gratitude of the entire Ye clan. Murong Qingwu even suspected that the Ye clan was more loyal to Ye Cui than to Ye Mingsheng.

Ye Cui's various actions did not arouse Ye Mingsheng's vigilance or disgust. In fact, in Ye Mingsheng's cognition, his mother was still not interested in politics and only knew how to recite scriptures and worship Buddha...
The reason why Ye Cui was able to hide so perfectly has to do with the old woman's ZZ methods. One of her important tricks is to send a vanguard to the front to attract Ye Mingsheng's attention and vigilance, and then she can do something when Ye Mingsheng is not paying attention.

And who is this vanguard pushed forward by Ye Cui?

There is no doubt that there is only one answer to the question, and that is Daqian’s Queen An Miaoyi!
And how did Ye Cui control An Miaoyi?

In Murong Qingwu's opinion, Ye Cui has two tricks!
The first move was to paint a big picture for An Miaoyi, saying to her that you are the queen and your son is the prince. As long as you serve His Majesty well in the future, when your son Jingren ascends the throne, you will be the empress dowager of Daqian!

The second move is to create threats to An Miaoyi, so that An Miaoyi has to rely on her and depend on her as the Queen Mother!
So how did Ye Cui create a threat to An Miaoyi?
Thinking of this, Murong Qingwu couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile on her face. She, like An Miaoyi, was also a chess piece in the hands of the old woman. Ye Cui used An Miaoyi to attract Ye Mingsheng's attention and vigilance, and used herself to check and balance An Miaoyi, ensuring that everything was under her control!
As for the ruby ​​necklace inlaid with red flames, when Ye Cui gave it to herself, didn’t she know that An Miaoyi would like it too?
The answer is of course no!

Ye Cui wanted to give herself the things that An Miaoyi liked, and then let herself attract An Miaoyi's hatred, so that she could appear to be aloof from the world but be in control of the overall situation.

It was after realizing Ye Cui's intention that Murong Qingwu stopped wearing the ruby ​​necklace outside. Her relationship with An Miaoyi had come to this point. Although she didn't mind An Miaoyi hating and disliking her a little, she was very disgusted with being a pawn in Ye Cui's hands...

(End of this chapter)