The legitimate daughter returns to the capital and embarks on a splendid life, tearing apart the fak

On New Year's Eve, before dawn, the entire Yun family was already busy.

The lanterns under the eaves had been replaced with brand-new red gauze palace lanterns. The maids were putting up paper-cut window decorations and couplets, and the courtyard was filled with deliberately hushed laughter.

Several masters were going to the palace to attend a banquet, but the New Year's Eve dinner in the mansion could not be neglected. The servants did everything they were supposed to do, and smoke rose from the kitchen early in the morning.

The rules for palace banquets are as follows.

People lined up at the palace gate to register for entry at Chenshi (7-9 AM), the banquet started at Wushi (11 AM-1 PM) and ended at Weishi (1-3 PM), and everyone had to leave the palace and return home by the end of Weishi at the latest.

After returning to the manor, the masters of the Yun family would hold a New Year's Eve banquet, so everyone in the manor was busy from before dawn.

The kitchen fried some pastries first and sent a plate to each courtyard so that the masters entering the palace could have a snack in advance, otherwise they would have been starving by noon.

Yun Jin was dragged out of bed by Chunxi before dawn.

After washing up, she sat down at her dressing table and let Chunxi comb her hair while she picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and put it in her mouth.

As Chunxi styled her hair, she nagged, "Miss, you'd better be alert today. A palace banquet is not like an ordinary banquet; so many eyes will be watching."

Yun Jin swallowed the cake in her mouth, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and teased, "I know, housekeeper."

Chunxi's face flushed red, and she stamped her foot, saying coquettishly, "Miss! I'm being serious with you."

Yun Jin laughed and said, "Alright, alright, then Miss will talk to you about something serious. Today, Dongxue is coming to the palace with me. You and Hongling go find Shi Yong and tell him to ask Madam Sun and Madam Liu to prepare more New Year's dishes and send them to the children of the Charity Hall, so that they can share in the joy of the New Year."

Chunxi quickly and solemnly agreed.

After combing her hair, Yun Jin put on an extra cotton-padded jacket over her inner garment and tied "kneeling ease" around her knees before putting on the lotus-pink palace-style jacket that Chu Wanqing had custom-made for her. The collar and sleeves were trimmed with a circle of fine silver fox fur, and she wore a bright red jacket over it, which was quite fitting for the occasion.

Holding the moonlight brocade palace dress given to her by Xiao Jingyan, Dongxue hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Miss, are you really not going to wear the one the Prince gave you?"

Yun Jin shook her head and said, "Today is both New Year's Eve and the New Year, so wearing all white is really inappropriate. The one Mother gave me is very nice; it's festive yet understated. But please prepare another set of clothes for me to take with me, just in case."

Dongxue nodded, thinking to herself that the prince was probably going to be disappointed.

She carefully put the moonlight brocade set back into the trunk, and then took out a light pink dress and a moon-white jacket to keep in case of emergency.

Yun Jin stood up, put on her cloak, and led Dong Xue out of Jinshu Pavilion, heading towards Qingshui Garden to meet Chu Wanqing.

When I passed by the old lady's courtyard, it was already bustling with activity.

Grandma Yun got up before dawn, so nervous that she didn't sleep well all night. Even though she had applied powder to her face, she still couldn't hide the two dark circles under her eyes.

She wore a crimson dress hastily made by the embroiderers of the manor, with a gray rabbit fur jacket sent by Chu Wanqing on top, and a set of red gold and pearl-inlaid headdress on her head. She sat upright in the grand master's chair in the main hall, her back straighter than ever before.

Liu Zhixue stood beside her, wearing a plain indigo blue jacket; at first glance, she really looked like a nanny.

Yunxiu also came from Xuezhai.

She was clearly dressed up carefully today, wearing a pomegranate red brocade palace dress, with a red gold pearl hairpin in her hair, and a plum blossom decoration on her forehead, making her look radiant.

Mei Xiang followed behind her expressionlessly. When she saw Liu Zhixue, she frowned slightly but said nothing.

Yunxiu walked gracefully to the old lady, gave a polite bow, and said softly, "Grandmother, did you rest well last night? I had some ginseng tea prepared for you to drink on your journey to keep you alert."

The old lady held her hand, beaming from ear to ear, and repeatedly praised her for being filial.

Liu Zhixue said gently from the side, "With this outfit, Miss, you'll definitely stand out in the palace. You're destined for a noble life."

Yunxiu smiled modestly, but there was no shortage of smugness in her eyes.

Yun Heting had already entered the palace early in the morning. He was still serving in the Ministry of Rites, and he needed to arrive early to handle many matters related to the palace banquet. He changed into his official robes and hurriedly left before dawn.

Yun Jin and Chu Wanqing met at Qingshui Garden.

Today, Chu Wanqing wore a dark blue palace dress woven with silver, and her hair was adorned with a set of kingfisher feather hair ornaments, making her look dignified yet elegant.

Seeing Yun Jin enter, she looked her up and down, nodded in satisfaction, and said softly, "There are many people at the palace banquet, so remember to be careful with your words and actions, but don't be too reserved. You are a county princess personally appointed by His Majesty, so you will have all the proper decorum. If anyone makes things difficult for you, don't hold back. We don't cause trouble, but we are not afraid of trouble either."

Yun Jin smiled and agreed, then asked, "Where's Lang Ge'er?"

Chu Wanqing smiled and shook her head: "He got up very early and was already waiting outside. He was more excited than anyone else; he came before dawn, saying he was afraid of being late."

The mother and daughter left Qingshui Garden, and Yun Lang was indeed waiting at the door.

He wore the indigo blue robe that Chu Wanqing had made for him, and his hair was neatly tied up with a jade crown, already showing some of the handsome features of a young man.

Fusheng changed into a clean indigo short jacket and followed closely behind Yunlang.

Yun Jin took out a porcelain bottle from her purse and handed it to Fu Sheng, saying, "Take this. It contains antidote pills. It's better to be prepared."

Chu Wanqing sent someone to the old lady's courtyard to say that the carriage was ready and that the old lady should come over.

Before long, Old Madam Yun, supported by Liu Zhixue's hand, and accompanied by Yun Xiu and Mei Xiang, walked in a grand procession toward the second gate.

Four carriages were parked in front of the Yun residence. The old lady and Yunxiu got into the first carriage, and the old lady didn't forget to invite Liu Zhixue to get into the carriage with them.

Chu Wanqing and Yun Jin rode in the second car.

Yunlang and Fusheng boarded the third carriage.

Dongxue, Qinghe, and Meixiang boarded the fourth carriage, which was equipped with spare clothes and snacks.

The carriage started moving, and after more than half an hour, it arrived at the carriage square outside the palace gate.

The square was already filled with carriages from various government offices, stretching far into the distance.

The ladies and young women from each household filed out of their carriages, and were led by palace attendants who verified their credentials and registered their names before entering the palace in turn.

The Yun family disembarked from the carriage. Yun Xiu frowned as she looked at the long queue. Waiting for an hour in the cold winter would freeze everyone to the bone.

She beckoned to Meixiang, and when she came closer, she asked in a low voice, "Could you think of a way to go in first?"

Meixiang followed her gaze to the line and nodded: "This servant will give it a try."

She walked up to the palace servant in charge of verification, showed him the Fifth Prince's waist token, whispered a few words, and then pointed in the direction of Yunxiu.

The palace maid glanced at her hand and nodded.

Meixiang returned and reported, "Miss, I told him your identity, and the eunuch said he could make an exception, but only one person can enter the palace through the side path first. The rest of you still need to queue."