Chapter 75 Peony Flower Show
The imperial garden is full of colorful flowers.

The peonies are like fruits, and because the climate on Yujing Mountain is cooler than at the foot of the mountain, you can even see the buds of the flowers. It is truly a glimpse of the various forms of flowers.

The ladies of various families had been led into the pavilion built by the palace servants.

After a while, the eunuch came to announce, "The Queen Mother is accompanying His Majesty to fish for dragon fish, and I order you all to enjoy some fruits and vegetables here first, and chat about family matters to relieve your boredom."

The Queen Mother and His Majesty are deeply in love. They have been married since His Majesty was a prince. Last year, His Majesty ignored state affairs for a long time, so he conferred the title of "Queen Mother" on her, making her the Empress and the Chief Secretary.

So the people in the palace changed their way of addressing the Empress and started calling her the Queen of Heaven.

The Empress was away, and the Fourth Prince's birth mother, Concubine Rong, was the head of the harem. She led the concubines and ladies in bowing and saluting, "I obey your orders."

After the palace servants waited for the ladies to sit down again, Concubine Rong smiled and said, "Since the Queen Mother has ordered, we will chat for a while and wait for the Queen Mother to come and enjoy the peonies."

Concubine Rong originally just meant well, but after all, there were people who were unhappy or had already had complaints.

A lady wearing a green fourth-rank imperial robe sneered, "The Queen Mother is tolerant of us, but some people really don't know how to advance or retreat."

Mother Zhou looked over and saw that this lady was Zhao Fuer's biological mother, Zhao Guanshan's wife, and a member of the Queen Mother's family.

Mother Zhou did not indulge her. She stood up, walked to Zhao Shuyue'er, and asked directly, "Are you saying that I don't know how to advance or retreat?"

In other pavilions around, all the ladies looked here.

eat melon.

From high-ranking officials to common people, who doesn’t like it?

Especially such a clear and stimulating blow.

It would be interesting if Zhou's mother followed his boy's example and beat Zhao Shuyue'er at the Peony God Conference today.

Concubine Rong sighed inwardly.

Originally, Zhao Shuyue'er said a few sarcastic remarks, but Zhou's mother ignored her. Then she made some jokes and the matter was over. After all, they were the Queen Mother's family, so even a royal concubine like her had to give in to them.

But since Zhou's mother mentioned it directly, then this was a matter between Zhou's mother and the Zhao family, and it was inconvenient for him to say anything more.

Zhao Shuyue'er is just like her family's Tai Sui, a carefree person. At the beginning, others said that she had a noble appearance, so the Zhao family married her back home. Zhao Guanshan has always loved her very much over the years.

What's more, she was originally from a small family and had no idea about the changes that took place in the year Zhou Yulong went down the mountain.

"Why, you did it yourself, but let others talk about it. Today, everyone is wearing imperial robes, but you are the only one wearing Taoist robes. What's the meaning of that?"

Zhao Shuyue sneered.

Of course she understood what the Zhou family meant. They were trying to seduce the Queen Mother. So for this reason, she had to deal with it before the Queen Mother came, so as not to offend her.

Others are afraid of the Zhou family, but the Zhao family is not!
There was no anger in Zhou's mother's eyes, she was as calm as a lake, "Can a frog in a well see the sky?"

Then she said calmly, "I am the direct descendant of Taiyi Temple, and the chief priest of Xuandu Luotian Grand Ceremony. On that day, His Majesty came from thousands of miles away and conferred me the title of 'Fourth Rank Gaomiao Zhenren'. Not to mention wearing Taoist robes to this flower festival today, I would also wear Taoist robes even if I were to meet His Majesty."

"And you, after taking off this outfit, you won't even be able to find a decent set of clothes when you get home!"

Such words made her more angry than beating Zhao Shuyue'er. She stood up immediately. She couldn't argue and wanted to fight again, but when she thought that she couldn't win again, she was like a puppet without its strings, unable to move forward or backward.

Especially when the ladies around her looked at her with such sarcasm in their eyes that she couldn't hide it at all, Zhao Shuyue's face immediately felt hot.

Fortunately, at this time, a senior eunuch reported, "The Queen Mother of Heaven has arrived."

Concubine Rong sighed, thinking that the Queen Mother came at the perfect time. So she said, "Everyone, follow me to greet the Queen Mother."

All the ladies and concubines in the harem arrived at the gate of the Peony Garden, and saw a woman walking towards them from afar. She was wearing a phoenix dress and had taken off her heavy phoenix crown. She was decorated with jade ornaments around her and a big red peony flower was inserted in the center, which made her look more beautiful than the flower.

"Greetings to the Queen Mother of Heaven, and wish her good health."

All the women bowed down.

As for Zhou's mother, she only needed to bow, which was why she was wearing a Taoist robe today.

She stood out so much that even Concubine Rong was outshined.

"Everyone, get up."

"Thank you, Queen."

The Queen Mother looked over, but did not scold. Instead, she took two steps forward, took Mother Zhou's hand, and said with a smile, "Now everyone in the capital says that you are a good parent. Just now, I also said in front of His Majesty that I want to ask you for advice. Today, we have some free time, so let's talk a little more."

"I don't deserve such a high reputation from the Queen."

Zhou Yulong remained calm. Having cultivated Taoism to her level, she was no longer surprised by fame or disgrace. She would not give in just because Zhao Shuyue was young, nor would she endure just because the Queen Mother was older.

To practice Taoism, one must follow the laws of nature and do whatever one wants.

The Queen Mother was not in a hurry to pull Zhou's mother to sit down. Instead, she looked at Zhou's mother's clothes and said, "This dress is not suitable for Madam Zhou. Someone, come and announce the decree."

The eunuch who was ready nearby immediately took out an imperial edict and unfolded it.

"In the fourth month of the spring of the first year of Taihe, the Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaimed the following."

"There is a wife, Ms. Zhou, who is virtuous and kind. She is a good wife and mother to her husband. She is humble and polite, cultivates virtues, and abides by the law. She is a disciple of Taiyi. Since she came down the mountain, she has practiced with moderation and trembling with fear. She has lived up to the grace of the emperor. She has been given the title of 'Protector of the Country Zixu Zhenjun' and given purple clothes."

Everyone present, even Zhou's mother, was stunned for a moment.

Not only because the Queen Mother did not punish him, but praised him instead.

At the same time, it was also because the reward was too generous.

The world is ruled by virtue.

The lower three ranks wear green clothes, the middle three ranks wear yellow clothes, and the upper three ranks wear purple clothes.

Now Zhou Yulong has not yet broken through to the upper third level and is still a woman. If she puts on this purple dress, how will the Qiandao in the world cope with it?

This is called flattery!
Zhao Shuyue'er, who had just been upset by Zhou's mother, showed a proud look of revenge in her eyes.

Weren't you crazy just now?
How come you don’t even dare to put on some clothes?

Especially the words in the imperial edict that rewarded Zhou Yulong. After hearing them, she felt that they were even more beautiful than the words rewarded to herself.

Seeing Zhou Yulong remained silent, the Queen Mother smiled generously and said, "Madam Zhou, the emperor is rewarding his meritorious officials. You can't not thank him."

Zhou Yulong glanced at the purple robe held up by the kneeling eunuch, and suddenly laughed. Then he bowed to the Queen Mother and said, "I was so overjoyed just now that I could hardly control myself. Now that I have been rewarded, I would like to ask for your permission to change my clothes."

The whole hall was filled with imperial edicts and the concubines were horrified. Was Zhou going to use self-humiliation to offset this method of flattery?

This is a solution.

(End of this chapter)