Chapter 249: Response

"Your servant Ling Sun greets the Empress. I wish you good health and long-lasting blessings." Sun knelt down respectfully to greet her.

Ling Jingyan and Ling Jingshu also knelt down with Sun.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the three behaved quite appropriately.

Empress Xu, who was sitting at the top, had a gleam in her eyes and smiled slowly, "No need to be polite, please stand up."

The three of them thanked her for her grace and stood up.

Empress Xu looked at Sun's mother and daughter casually, and smiled casually, "There are many people who came to the palace to see you today. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for a long time."

Sun hurriedly responded respectfully, "I am fortunate to have the opportunity to enter the palace today to see the Empress's true appearance. It is a grace from the Empress. Waiting for a while is really nothing."

This answer was not brilliant, but it was also in line with the rules and could not be faulted.

Empress Xu looked at Ling Jingyan again: "What is your maiden name? How old are you this year?"

After Empress Xu asked this, almost all eyes turned to her. Ling Jingyan's mind went blank, her lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.

For a young girl who had never entered the palace, it was understandable that she was at a loss and nervous.

Among the eyes around her, there was sympathy and understanding, and of course there was no shortage of people watching the show.

Ling Jingyan knew that she was wrong, and forced herself to open her mouth: "My maiden name is Jingyan, and I am ten or fifteen this year."

As soon as she finished speaking, a few chuckles came into her ears.

Ling Jingyan didn't dare to look up, but her face and ears were burning.

In such an occasion, how could she be so embarrassing?

That day, Ling Jingshu entered the palace alone, facing Empress Xu and a group of concubines, didn't she handle it well? In the end, it was all her fault...

Thinking that after today, her misbehavior in the Pepper Room would spread and become a joke among everyone, and the Ling family would also be embarrassed, Ling Jingyan even wanted to cry.

Empress Xu clearly saw Ling Jingyan's embarrassment, but she refused to let her go: "Ling Jingyan, why are you so uneasy? Did I scare you?"

The heart of Concubine Wei, who was sitting next to her, sank slightly.

Such a tricky question, let alone a girl in the boudoir, is also a bit tricky for the shrewd and smooth concubines to deal with. If she answers yes, she will be blaming Empress Xu, and if she answers no, she must have a suitable reason to explain her nervousness just now.

This poor girl is already nervous enough, and if she is questioned by Empress Xu again, she will have to be inappropriate...

Concubine Wei was about to open her mouth to smooth things over, when she saw Ling Jingshu step forward and say: "The Queen is a phoenix in the world, and her majesty is natural. Cousin Yan entered the palace for the first time, and was impressed by the Queen's stunning appearance and demeanor, so she was slightly inappropriate. The Queen is broad-minded and kind-hearted, and I think she will never mind. I would like to thank the Queen on behalf of Cousin Yan."

As she said this, she bowed.

Ling Jingyan also reacted at this time, and followed suit and saluted: "I lost my composure in front of the Queen, I hope the Queen will forgive me."

The two of them sang in unison, respectful. If Queen Xu continued to force it, it would appear aggressive.

Wei Jieyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This hurdle was passed.

Sure enough, Queen Xu laughed: "Forget it, it's just a little thing, I can't care about a young girl."

Queen Xu's smile eased the slightly tense atmosphere in the main hall.

Wei Jieyu smiled and said: "The Queen is a heavenly figure. We concubines often see it, and we can't help but be shocked by her appearance and demeanor. Miss Ling entered the palace for the first time, so it's inevitable that she would behave like this."

These flattering words, coming from Wei Jieyu's mouth, made people feel particularly pleasant and comfortable.

The other concubines also echoed her words, one more flattering than the other. The Empress Xu was praised as unparalleled in the world. For a moment, the main hall became lively.

Empress Xu smiled and said, "Don't say anything more. On weekdays, you talk behind closed doors to make me happy, and I will accept it shamelessly. Today, so many imperial concubines are here. If they continue to flatter me, it will be difficult for everyone to refute. Isn't it a waste of their ears?"

Empress Xu stood out among the concubines and became the queen. She has been in charge of the harem for many years. Needless to say, her means are powerful. As long as she talks, no one can match her.

As soon as this was said, the wife of the Duke of Ying immediately smiled and said, "What the ladies said just now is exactly what I thought in my heart. It's a pity that I was a step slower and didn't have time to open my mouth, so the queen misunderstood me."

"Yes! I am also a clumsy person, not as eloquent as the ladies." The wife of the Duke of Ping also said with a smile.

Next, the ladies of the imperial concubines spoke to flatter and fawn on them. Since we are in the Pepper Palace, the most important thing is to make Empress Xu happy. No one should laugh at anyone!

…

Empress Xu was flattered by everyone and was in a very happy mood.

However, she did not intend to let Ling Jingshu go.

Empress Xu swept her eyes and fell on Ling Jingshu again: "Speaking of which, when Miss Ling Jiu first met me, she was very well behaved and did not mess up at all. I was really impressed."

Everyone's eyes followed Empress Xu's.

Being watched by so many people, every move was exposed to everyone, it was impossible not to be nervous.

Ling Jingshu was mentally prepared, smiled slightly, and responded calmly: "Thank you for your favor, Queen. In fact, I was also very nervous at that time. It's just that I concealed it a little better and hid it from the Queen."

Queen Xu narrowed her phoenix eyes and raised the corners of her lips: "Girl, you are so articulate. No wonder Wei Jieyu likes you. Even I like you very much when I see you."

Ling Jingshu smiled and replied: "Being favored by the Queen must be a blessing that a common girl has cultivated over several lifetimes."

Queen Xu looked at Ling Jingshu with a smile on her face and said, "After the New Year, you are already fifteen, right?"

"Yes, the Queen has such a good memory that she actually remembers the age of the common girl." Ling Jingshu responded with a smile: "The common girl is fifteen years old during the Chinese New Year."

"Fifteen years old is the age when people love you like a flower." Empress Xu smiled pointedly and said: "If you have a husband of your choice in the future, I will definitely be your matchmaker."

Ling Jingshu showed the shyness of a girl waiting to be married at the right time: "The queen is full of kindness, and the daughter of the people is flattered. However, the daughter of the people has no intention of getting married early, for fear that she will disappoint the queen."

Queen Xu smiled meaningfully: "When a girl's family grows up, she will always get married. You don't have to feel embarrassed."

The majestic queen was concerned about a young girl's life-long affairs in public, and even wanted to protect her matchmaker.

what does that mean?

Could it be that Queen Xu fell in love with Ling Jingshu and wanted her to marry King Yan as a concubine?

The eyes everyone looked at Ling Jingshu became more and more subtle.