Chapter 327

Chapter 327 Xie Run lifted her gaze and swept a glance over, taking a moment before recognizing it was Wu Baolin. She had hurried over, her face still slightly sweaty, and even her hair was a bit disheveled—quite a breach of propriety. Xie Run glanced at the people from Xia Dynasty across the way, then said casually to Dantao, "Find a way to have Wu Baolin find a place to redo her hair and makeup." It wasn't for Wu Baolin's sake, but rather for the face of the Yu Dynasty and the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Today's birthday banquet was personally arranged by the Empress. If even the slightest mistake occurred, it would reflect poorly on both sides. Dantao was her personal senior palace maid, so naturally she couldn't go do it herself. She found a junior palace maid and secretly had her escort Wu Baolin away to change and freshen up. After a moment, Wu Baolin reappeared at the banquet with her hair and makeup redone, quietly taking a seat in the very back. Dantao leaned down and whispered in Xie Run's ear: "Your Ladyship, someone disguised as a person from the Empress's palace and sent word, tricking Wu Baolin into believing the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet had been moved to Mingyue Pavilion. Wu Baolin went to the wrong place, which is why she arrived so late." Xie Run was the favored consort, so arriving a bit late suited her status. Wu Baolin was a lowly Baolin—currently the lowest rank in the Emperor's harem. For her to arrive this late was simply rude. Xie Run listened with no particular expression: "Have someone pass the news to the people in the Empress's palace." She had already helped clean up the mess; she didn't want to get involved any further. Matters like this were nothing more than someone scheming, wanting Wu Baolin to make a mistake at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet so she would be punished. There were plenty of petty tricks for bullying people in the palace. Xie Run didn't care, but she feared that if she left it alone, it would damage the Emperor's dignity and drag her down with it. Before long, she heard someone loudly announce the arrival of the Emperor, Empress, and Empress Dowager. Xie Run rose and bowed, supported by Dantao. The people on both sides also crouched down in unison to pay their respects. The Empress Dowager stood at the Emperor's side, supported by Stewardess Liu, her face full of joy and pride. By convention, although the Empress Dowager wasn't exactly old, with her senior status, she should dress in a more mature and steady manner. But the current Empress Dowager was different—she didn't place much weight on the constraints of worldly conventions. Instead, she had the air of someone who, after enduring decades, had finally become the most honored woman in the harem, and she wished to wear her most splendid robes and adorn herself with the most dazzling and precious jewelry in the world. The Empress Dowager's attire was so bright and eye-catching that it made the Empress beside her seem overly plain and understated. Not that the Empress was dressed badly. The Empress was perfectly proper—not overstepping, yet not overly dazzling either, with everything radiating the word "appropriate." But standing next to the Empress Dowager, she was overshadowed by all that glittering jewelry, her radiance suppressed. If the Empress Dowager were a dozen years younger, people might mistake her for the Empress. Xie Run secretly glanced at the Emperor's expression from the corner of her eye. Hmm... not good. Xie Run silently lowered her head and rose to take her seat as the Emperor and Empress Dowager's voices settled. The Empress Dowager knew today was her own birthday banquet and wouldn't deliberately make things difficult for anyone. She smiled warmly and said many auspicious words. "The Emperor is filial; I am truly blessed." "From now on, I only hope for favorable weather in the court, and many children and blessings in the harem, and then my heart can be completely at ease." The Empress wore a faint smile on her face, but inwardly she felt rather disgusted. The Empress Dowager was still the same Empress Dowager. Even when saying pleasantries, she still had to needle her. Hoping for many children and blessings in the harem? Knowing the Empress Dowager's temperament, she was subtly mocking the Empress for being unable to bear children, perhaps even blaming the Empress for being incompetent and jealous, which was why the Emperor's harem had so few offspring. The Emperor also wore a faint smile on his face, maintaining the same expression as the Empress. He took the Empress's hand and said, "Mother need not worry; rest easy and enjoy your later years in Cining Palace. In the court, General Hua and Prime Minister Mu assist your son; in the harem, the Empress and Bright and Pure Consort keep things in order. Your son is very assured and will work tirelessly day and night to restore the prosperity of our Great Yu Dynasty, so as to honor Mother and let her enjoy happiness every day." The Empress Dowager's mouthful of words was blocked in her throat by the Emperor's single remark about resting easy and enjoying her later years in Cining Palace. She immediately felt a tightness in her chest and didn't want to say another word. One could only say that every person has their match. Next came the Emperor and Empress offering their congratulations and presenting gifts to the Empress Dowager in turn. The Emperor's gift was a jade statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion. It was said that a fine piece of jade had been found in Fangzhou, rushed eight hundred li to the capital by express courier, then carved into the image of Guanyin by ten artisans working day and night for a hundred days, and finally placed in the Huguo Temple for offerings for eighty-one days. Not only was this gift precious, but it also demonstrated the Emperor's filial piety. The Empress Dowager was very pleased and instantly forgot the irritating words the Emperor had just spoken. She accepted it with satisfaction and praised the Emperor a couple of times. Next came the Empress's gift—a twelve-panel screen depicting the Twelve Auspicious Signs. Each panel was embroidered with exquisite skill, and from the wood, the silk thread, to the craftsmanship, everything was of the finest quality in the world. The Empress said calmly, "This screen was embroidered by Consort Jing and myself together. Every stitch is a token of filial devotion to Mother, hoping only that Mother may remain strong and healthy, living a hundred years without worry." The Empress Dowager nodded slightly: "I accept your filial devotion." She didn't even take the opportunity to find the slightest fault with the Empress. But Consort Jing below widened her eyes in shock. How could there be twelve panels?! She had been trapped in Fengyi Palace embroidering day and night for the past month, and had barely managed to finish just one panel. The Empress only occasionally moved her needle a stitch or two, hardly appearing to embroider at all. To get back at the Empress, Consort Jing had tampered with the screen before leaving yesterday. Who would have thought the Empress wasn't offering just one screen, but twelve?! The remaining eleven surely weren't embroidered by the Empress herself—they could only have been done by the embroideresses in the palace embroidery workshop. Thinking of this, Consort Jing felt a surge of anger rush through her chest. After the Empress presented her gift, it was Xie Run's turn. Xie Run offered a pair of white jade vases, flawless throughout, with exquisite carving. Precious as they were, they didn't show much thought. After all, such rare treasures were plentiful in the Empress Dowager's palace, hardly anything special. Then came Consort Jing. Strictly speaking, since Consort Jing had helped the Empress embroider the screen, she could have skipped offering a gift altogether. But she loathed that screen, wanted no part of basking in the Empress's glory, and feared being dragged down by association. To distance herself from the Empress and win the Empress Dowager's favor, Consort Jing had spent a fortune to acquire a half-person-tall red coral tree. Adorned with gold inlays and jade carvings, hung with gems of every color, it was truly worth a kingdom's ransom. That money certainly didn't come from Consort Jing's own purse—no doubt the Duke of Yingguo's household had contributed heavily. The moment Consort Jing's gift appeared, it not only cast Xie Run's offering into shadow but also overshadowed everything presented afterward. The Empress Dowager looked at the coral tree before her, and the smile on her face finally turned genuine. She regarded Consort Jing with noticeably more favor than before. After the imperial consorts, princes, and princesses presented their gifts, it was the turn of the imperial clan members attending the birthday feast. Finally, the Sixth Prince of Xia rose and, on behalf of Xia, presented the Empress Dowager with a golden Buddha, explaining that it had been enshrined for years in Xia's Huguo Temple and had been brought all the way from afar. The Empress Dowager said at once: "It's the thought that counts. I accept your heartfelt gift, and please convey my regards to the Xia Empress Dowager." Xie Run was lowering her head to sip her cup of clear tea when she heard this—and nearly laughed out loud.