Chapter 188 Birthday Banquet

In the blink of an eye, it is the emperor's birthday.

The sky is clear.

Chen Wan did not go to Yongchunyuan, but went to Liuliyuan with Xie Jingyu to pay her respects to the princess, and then went to the palace to celebrate the emperor's birthday.

When they arrived at the front yard, Concubine Wen and Xie Zhihuan were waiting there.

Shen Wan asked Xie Jingyu in a low voice, "Is Concubine Wen also entering the palace?"

"Father will not bring her into the palace."

When she saw Xie Jingyu, Concubine Wen smiled.

But when he thought that she was smiling at his son, Xie Jingyu just felt extremely annoyed.

The prince came over and saw Concubine Wen there, "What are you waiting for here?"

Concubine Wen said, "The old lady asked me to accompany the prince to the palace to celebrate the emperor's birthday."

"This king does not need it."

"But old lady..."

"Remember your identity."

After saying this, the prince walked out of the house and mounted his horse.

Concubine Wen's eyes were red and her fists were clenched under her sleeves.

Xie Zhihuan was indignant. "Father wouldn't let Mother into the palace if the Princess wasn't sick, but now that the Princess is sick, he won't let Mother into the palace either!"

"Mom, just go straight to the palace. I don't believe that father will kick you out!"

Xie Zhihuan yelled loudly.

Xie Jingyu took Chen Wan out of the house, helped Chen Wan onto the carriage, and then got on himself.

Shen Wan asked, "Concubine Wen wouldn't really enter the palace without permission, right?"

"She doesn't dare."

Shen Wan asked, “Are you sure?”

Xie Jingyu laughed, "Since Concubine Wen has chosen to be a concubine, Father will only treat her as a concubine. Now that Mother is ill, Father will never allow Concubine Wen to show her face in public. He has never done such a thing in all these years, and it is even more impossible now."

Shen Wan asked, "Concubine Wen didn't use any means to repay the favor?"

"Of course there was, but father ignored her."

When the old prince had the accident, his eyes had just recovered. At that time, he had divorced the princess and had not yet brought her back to the palace. General Wen died saving the old prince. It was his last wish, and the old prince had no choice but to agree to it.

But the prince was unwilling to marry Concubine Wen. He wanted to recognize Concubine Wen as his sister, find a good marriage for her, and protect her for the rest of her life. If she married him, she could only be a concubine.

A concubine is a concubine.

He would never treat her differently because of General Wen's life-saving grace.

From the moment Concubine Wen entered the palace, he had repaid her for saving his life.

The prince clearly had no interest in Concubine Wen, and no one knew what Concubine Wen was thinking. She gave up her bright future and insisted on becoming the prince's concubine.

The prince had no choice but to marry her.

The prince did indeed treat Concubine Wen as just a concubine and had not entered her room for many years.

It's really hard to believe that the adopted sister of Prince Jingbei could do whatever she wanted in Kyoto, but now she can only stay in the palace. She can't even leave the palace without the prince's permission.

The carriage rolled forward and soon entered the palace.

When the emperor celebrated his birthday, many civil and military officials, as well as many officials who had been sent from other places, came to Beijing to congratulate the emperor. The palace was more lively than ever before.

When Shen Wan and Xie Jingyu arrived, Yun Shi and Shen Ji also arrived, and Shen Li was there too.

Shen Wan walked over and asked, "Brother, is your typhoid fever healed?"

Chen Li said, "It's almost done."

Although he had frostbite, he was a martial artist after all and had a strong foundation. He was almost recovered after a day of rest.

Chen Li said, "Sister has helped big brother escape from disaster again..."

Shen Wan sighed, "I hope this is the last disaster."

Chen Li was a little scared.

The feeling of being stared at is so scary.

Xie Jingyu saluted Shen Ji, while Shen Wan took Yun's arm and asked in a low voice, "How did Miss Liu San also get caught?"

It is very likely that trying to drug her elder brother in the mansion would fail. How stupid would one have to be to drug oneself, leaving oneself with no way out?

Yun patted Chen Wan's hand and said, "It's not a good thing, don't ask about it."

Shen Wan's eyes widened.

Is this her mother's work?

Yun was also very angry. He plotted against her son again and again, and it never stopped. Even a clay man has a temper. Just because she doesn't do anything to harm others doesn't mean she really doesn't know how to use these methods.

Yun didn't even do it herself. She just gave Mother Chen a look and Mother Chen did it perfectly.

But he failed to guard against it and still got poisoned by Chen Li. Who could have thought that half of the poison was outside the mansion and half was on Liu Xinhui. It was impossible to guard against it and Chen Li suffered so much.

The palace was a place of controversy, so Chen Wan didn't dare to take it lightly. She would either follow Yun or make friends with Jiangling County Princess and Miss Wei Si. She wouldn't run around everywhere and give people a chance to take advantage of her.

However, it was the emperor's birthday banquet, and Beiyue and Dongliang both sent people to congratulate him. On such a big day, even Queen Song and Xiao Yun did not dare to make trouble. Moreover, their previous plot against Shen Wan failed, and they had to marry Shen Ti as a concubine. How could Xie Jingyu not arrange people to protect Shen Wan when she entered the palace for the banquet? They would not succeed.

The Imperial Garden was bustling with activity, and the ladies from prominent families were having a great time. Soon the birthday banquet began, and the female members of the family moved to the Desheng Hall where the banquet was held.

Chen Wan and Xie Jingyu sat below the prince.

The hall was filled with noise and clamor, followed by a drake voice—

"The Emperor has arrived!"

"The Queen Mother has arrived!"

All the civil and military officials stood up and saluted the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, wishing the Emperor a long life.

The emperor was dressed in a dragon robe, and his majesty was unbearable to look at directly.

"Everyone, get up."

Everyone stood up and sat down.

The highlight of the emperor's birthday banquet is the birthday tributes from all the officials. This is a legitimate opportunity to please and flatter the emperor.

Everyone likes to hear nice things, and the emperor is no exception. If the birthday gift touches the emperor's heart, he will look upon it with favor, which will be of great benefit to your future.

The emperor’s birthday banquet is a great opportunity to see all kinds of rare treasures.

Shen Wan sat there. Although she had been reborn for a long time and many things had changed, the birthday gifts everyone prepared for the emperor were almost the same. However, looking at them again, they were still amazing.

Prince Qing presented the emperor with a deer, which was carved from a whole piece of jade. The jade was crystal clear and so beautiful that people could not take their eyes off it.

The emperor praised it highly, "Prince Qing's birthday gift is very much to my liking."

The emperor was indeed very satisfied with this birthday gift. When the emperor passed away in his previous life, Shen Can went to the dragon bed to see him off. This deer was placed in the emperor's bedroom, which shows how much he liked it.

But Xiao Yun didn't like it, and after moving into Hanyuan Hall, he moved the deer to the warehouse.

Prince Qing was about to express his loyalty when a drake voice called out, "The envoy from Dongliang has arrived!"

Everyone looked outside the hall.

A man dressed in gorgeous clothes and with an imposing manner walked in.

He is the prince of Gaoyang of Dongliang.

In his previous life, he was the one who brought envoys to celebrate his birthday.

The gift was the same as in the previous life, a coral tree half a person's height.

Since they have come to celebrate the birthday, the gifts they bring must be presentable. As a matter of course, the emperor of Dongliang would also send people to celebrate his birthday.

The emperor smiled and said, "I have received the Emperor Dongliang's kindness."

The Minister of Rites smiled and said, "Prince Gaoyang and the envoys, please take your seats."

There were several empty seats opposite the seats for the Dongliang envoys.

At that time, another drake voice spread:

"The North Vietnamese envoy has arrived!"

Shen Wan was drinking tea. When she heard the voice, she looked towards the palace door. When she saw who was coming, Shen Wan's pretty eyebrows twisted into a ball in an instant.

The envoy from North Vietnam who came to celebrate the birthday was——

Xiahou Yi, the third prince of North Vietnam!