In the blink of an eye, it was three days later that the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet would arrive.

Xu Ruyun and her family, dressed in their finest attire, arrived at the palace in a carriage.

The guards, seeing that it was a lady of high rank, quickly let her pass.

Before long, Qi Jiating arrived in a carriage, but was stopped by the guards.

Qi Jiating pointed to the carriage in front and said, "We're together! That's my wife! Why can she go in but I can't? I was just held up by something."

The guard shook his head and said, "There are orders from above: a first-rank lady may enter, but her husband is not allowed to!"

Qi Jiating thought to himself: What did I do to deserve this? The lady can go in, but I can't.

However, this is the imperial palace, and the rules are very strict.

Since the guards said they couldn't go in, Qi Jiating couldn't force his way in. Under the emperor's nose, no one could act rashly.

Xu Ruyun arrived at the birthday banquet without any obstacles, accompanied by her four children.

At the birthday banquet, dancers performed beautiful dances.

The palace maids carried out one mouthwatering dish after another and placed them in front of the guests.

Wow, it smells so good! I really want to eat it!

Xu Ruyun thought to herself: My daughter is such a little glutton.

The three young men sat upright, this was their first time in the palace, and their mother had taught them manners at home.

In the palace, one must be careful with every word and action. Even the slightest mistake could lead to punishment.

But Qiuqiu didn't understand, and no one thought to explain the reasons and rules to her.

So when another dish was placed in front of her, Chiu Chiu couldn't resist the temptation and reached out her little hand to grab a handful of meat and put it in her mouth to eat.

Consort Zhang witnessed this scene.

"How dare you! The Empress Dowager and the Emperor haven't even arrived yet, how can you juniors dine without permission? Guards! Drag her away and give her twenty lashes!"

Xu Ruyun quickly knelt down: "My daughter doesn't understand. She is still young. It is my fault for failing to educate her properly. Let me take these twenty lashes for my daughter!"

[Mother, no—]

Consort Zhang persisted, saying, "Stop making excuses for her! She was the one who acted improperly today, so she deserves the blame, and no one can take her place!"

Xu Ruyun cried, and her brothers also knelt down.

"My baby is only a few months old. These twenty strokes of the cane will kill her. Please! Please let me take her place!"

Consort Zhang: "No! She doesn't know the rules. Today, I'll teach her the rules!"

[Sigh! How can someone so good-looking have such a vicious heart! What good would it do you to take my life?]

Xu Ruyun continued to cry and plead desperately.

"Please, please!"

Chiu Chiu looked at Consort Zhang carefully.

Why does this person have the aura of someone from outside the palace?

With the little divine power she possessed, Qiuqiu tried to find out what was going on with Consort Zhang.

[Found her. This Consort Zhang is an old acquaintance of Xiao Zhenzhen, the woman my father was having an affair with. This time, Consort Zhang took a lot of money from Xiao Zhenzhen to find something on my mother at the birthday banquet, and then use it to kill us.]

After hearing the whole story, Xu Ruyun and the three young masters understood much more about it.

Since that's the case, pleading with her won't help.

Consort Zhang: "It's no use begging me anymore. You can't aton for her crime!"

"Consort Zhang, how arrogant you are! Who needs your help?"

His words were powerful and resounding, their authority irresistible.

Everyone turned around and saw the Emperor supporting a noble and imposing Empress Dowager as she walked towards them.

Consort Zhang: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and Your Majesty!"

The Empress Dowager walked to the main seat in the hall and sat down.

Empress Dowager: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, I wouldn't have known that there was such a tyrannical and vicious woman in the six palaces!"

Seeing the Empress Dowager's anger, Consort Zhang quickly knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I only ordered them to be punished because I saw that they were not well-behaved. I was also thinking about Your Majesty's birthday banquet."

Empress Dowager: "Is that so? To slaughter an infant at my birthday banquet, is this for my sake?"

Your Majesty: "Empress Dowager, the Consort was only speaking unintentionally. I will have her apologize to the First-Rank Lady immediately!"

Consort Zhang: "Apologize? Why should I apologize to her? They're the ones who have no manners!"

Consort Zhang continued to vent her anger, pointing at Xu Ruyun and Qiuqiu.

It is said that Consort Zhang was deeply favored by the Emperor in the harem, and she always had the final say in the harem.

Perhaps because she was spoiled, Consort Zhang became increasingly arrogant and domineering.

The Empress Dowager angrily tapped her cane: "Insolence!"

The Empress Dowager is such a good person! She can distinguish right from wrong and uphold justice! It's just a pity...

The Empress Dowager heard the voice of a baby.

The Empress Dowager thought to herself: Am I hallucinating because of my old age?

The Empress Dowager was destined for a long life, but she was slowly poisoned over a long period. If this hadn't been discovered soon, she would have died young. Alas!

The Empress Dowager looked around: Who is it? Who dares to speak ill of my lifespan?

But seeing that no one around her reacted, she realized that only she could hear the sound.

Seeing his mother lost in thought, the Emperor waved to Consort Zhang, signaling her to leave.

Just as Consort Zhang was about to slip away quietly, she was stopped by the Empress Dowager.

"stop!"

At this moment, Consort Zhang's maidservant reminded her, "Consort, we cannot confront the Empress Dowager directly. We must yield when necessary."

Consort Zhang's attitude suddenly improved, and she knelt down before the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty, I was wrong. I shouldn't have punished the servants."

Empress Dowager: "Servants? You actually call them servants? They are not servants at all. Everyone here is a guest invited by me!"

Wow! The Empress Dowager is wise! She must live a long and healthy life, otherwise the palace will be in utter chaos!

The Empress Dowager looked around, but still no one spoke.

Of all the babies present, only the one that Consort Zhang wanted to punish could make such a sound.

At that moment, she was sucking her fingers, looking at the Empress Dowager with a grin.

The Empress Dowager is such a kind person, she must be well. I'd like to attend more of her birthday banquets and eat lots and lots of delicious food.

The Empress Dowager turned her gaze to Qiuqiu.

It's her. Those are her words. But how can such a tiny baby speak? Could it be her innermost thoughts? Can I hear the innermost thoughts of this little baby?

The Empress Dowager walked towards Xu Ruyun and Qiuqiu, and she reached out her hand to Qiuqiu.