Don't worry about the major questions in Chapter 16, Shangyuan; you'll be able to answer them correctly on the test.

On the morning of the Lantern Festival, everyone in the palace began their orderly and busy work. This was the last grand festival of the first month of the lunar calendar, and the palace was filled with joy.

Inside the Kunyi Palace, the inner and outer chambers were quiet and peaceful. On the table by the window, there was a bowl of steaming glutinous rice balls. Shen Yujiao leaned against the railing of the Empress's bed and looked out the window, watching the steam rise slowly and then quietly dissipate in the sunlight.

She was utterly exhausted, both physically and mentally, from taking care of the Empress for the past two days.

The Empress may have initially collapsed due to food poisoning, but the exhaustion of the days before and after the New Year made her illness more serious. Shen Yujiao's relaxed mind after finding the cause of the illness tightened up again.

Ever since the news of the Empress's illness spread from Kunyi Palace, people from all the palaces have been coming to inquire about the news. In the morning, Consort De was worried about the Empress's health; in the afternoon, Consort Lin heard that the Empress was sick and wanted to come and take care of her; and in the evening, Consort Zheng wanted to visit her.

Shen Yujiao had to keep the Kunyi Palace from getting into trouble while also dealing with the concubines in the harem who loved to watch the drama unfold. She barely slept for several days.

She had been pampered by her family since childhood. She had never had to worry about serving others or dealing with people. This morning, when she was having breakfast, was a rare moment of peace for her.

"Um......"

The sudden sound of panting behind her startled Shen Yujiao, who quickly turned around and said softly to the Empress, "Mother, you're awake. Would you like some water?"

The Empress opened her eyes with difficulty, struggled to recognize the person in front of her for a while, and then slowly nodded in response.

As the warm water entered her throat, the Empress gradually regained consciousness. She wanted to say something, but her throat was very hoarse, so she could only squeeze Shen Yujiao's hand tightly.

Shen Yujiao looked down at the bulging veins on her hand, raised her other hand and patted it gently to soothe it. Then, under the Empress's questioning gaze, she told her everything that had happened in the past two days.

After listening, the Empress frowned and remained silent. Shen Yujiao did not disturb her, but simply sat quietly with the Empress. At this moment, the Empress probably had many things to think about carefully.

"Cough cough cough—"

After a while, the Empress suddenly coughed violently. While patting the Empress's back to help her catch her breath, Shen Yujiao asked worriedly, "Mother, should we call the imperial physician?"

"It's alright, it's alright, don't alarm them..." The Empress immediately waved her hand. After a moment, she grasped Chen's hand again and said, "Crown Princess, at today's Lantern Festival banquet, would you mind attending in my place?"

"What?" Shen Yujiao was stunned for a moment.

The Empress looked up at Shen Yujiao, her sharp eyes revealing nothing of a patient who had just recovered from a serious illness. "Good child, I am so grateful to have you here these past few days. I should have sent you back to the East Palace to rest after I woke up, but today is the Lantern Festival, the day of the palace banquet... Could you please go in my place?"

Shen Yujiao sensed the weight of these words, her breath caught in her throat, and after a moment, she solemnly nodded in agreement under the Empress's gaze.

The Lantern Festival banquet was supposed to be an important banquet personally hosted by the Empress, but today Kunyi Palace seemed to have been forgotten by everyone. Only a bowl of glutinous rice balls was sent over for breakfast, making it seem rather deserted.

The Empress wanted her to attend the palace banquet in her place, not only to uphold the dignity of the Empress's position, but also to put her in the spotlight.

After leaving the palace, Shen Yujiao followed the maid to the side hall to bathe and change. Along the way, she couldn't help but recall the scene just now. In less than a quarter of an hour, she only told the Empress about what had happened in the past few days, and the Empress immediately sorted out the details and put what she wanted in front of her.

Although it is done in a mutually beneficial manner.

"Your Highness, please feel free to call me if you need anything."

Several palace maids prepared for her and then withdrew. Shen Yujiao removed her outer garments in the side room and then slowly immersed herself in the bathtub. The warm heat gradually enveloped her, and she slowly closed her eyes, seizing every moment to conserve her energy.

In the Great Xia Dynasty, the Lantern Festival was an extremely important festival. After this day, it marked the official end of the Spring Festival. Whether it was court officials or ordinary people, everyone would return to their normal lives. Therefore, this day became a celebration that attracted the attention of the entire nation.

Dressed in a magnificent palace gown befitting a crown princess, Shen Yujiao slowly walked towards the main hall where the banquet was to be held, led by a palace maid.

The palace was filled with joy today, with bright red lanterns hanging everywhere. As she walked along, she saw that the decorations were exquisite and grand, and the palace maids were in good order, all of which showed the care and attention put into the preparation of this palace banquet.

No wonder the Empress, once she regained her senses after waking up, immediately asked her to attend the palace banquet in her place. The desire for power in the harem left the Empress no room for complacency.

The closer you get to the main hall of the palace banquet, the more lanterns you can see. They are all kinds of colorful lanterns, decorating the entire area around the hall like a magnificent fairy palace. When you arrive at the front of the hall, you can already hear the voices of the guests inside.

"The Crown Princess has arrived!"

A sharp sound rang out, and then the hall gradually quieted down. Surrounded by palace maids, Shen Yujiao slowly ascended the steps and walked towards the hall. As soon as she entered the hall, everyone stood up and bowed: "Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Princess."

As everyone bowed, Shen Yujiao looked straight ahead, her steps steady, as if the gazes of the hall held no pressure for her. Everyone could clearly see the Crown Princess in her magnificent attire, her demeanor dignified and elegant, as she slowly walked toward the Crown Prince who had risen to greet her.

Shen Yujiao stood beside Jiang Chen and then said to everyone, "There's no need for such formalities, everyone."

As soon as she sat down, Jiang Chen handed her a hand warmer and quietly asked, "Are you cold?"

Holding the light hand warmer in her hands, the warmth crept from her fingertips to her heart. Shen Yujiao looked up and met those concerned eyes, then smiled and shook her head. The young couple were watched by everyone in the hall for a while before the emperor and Consort Yao arrived late.

This palace banquet was prepared by Consort Yao, who was temporarily acting as Empress. Seeing the Emperor looking refreshed and Consort Yao looking happy, it was clear that the Emperor was extremely satisfied with the banquet. Consort Yao also had a smile on her face until she saw the Crown Prince and his wife standing at the head of the table on the left.

Isn't the Empress still ill? Why isn't the Crown Princess attending to her at her bedside?

"Today is the Lantern Festival, everyone please rise and not stand on ceremony." With a wave of his hand, the emperor officially began the palace banquet.

As soon as he was seated at the head of the table, the emperor noticed Shen Yujiao beside Jiang Chen and asked, "How is the Empress's condition now?"

Shen Yujiao rose and gave a slight curtsy, respectfully replying, "Your Majesty is much better now, thanks to the imperial physicians of the Imperial Hospital and His Majesty's concern. I believe Your Majesty will be fully recovered soon."

"Very well," the Emperor nodded in approval, "The Crown Princess deserves the greatest credit for the Empress's recovery!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty was only slightly unwell this time. I only accompanied you for a few days and dare not take credit for it."

Mu Jin stood in the shadows with her head down. Hearing Shen Yujiao say this, she couldn't help but swallow. Her young lady could lie without batting an eye these days, and this was in front of the Emperor!

"Your Highness, there's no need for modesty. I have my own decision," the Emperor pondered for a moment, then said, "I remember you are skilled in calligraphy and painting, so I will bestow upon you a set of Longquan ware stationery that I acquired before the New Year."

“Oh dear, that set is His Majesty’s personal favorite, which shows how much His Majesty values ​​the Crown Princess,” Consort Yao said at the opportune moment.

The Crown Princess, who was being treated with great favor, knelt down to express her gratitude: "Thank you for the Emperor's reward."

As she stood up, Shen Yujiao glanced at Yao Shufei without leaving a trace. Their eyes met, and both of them saw scrutiny in each other's eyes.

As soon as Shen Yujiao sat down, she saw Princess Yongjia staring at her from behind. Then, she turned her head and saw the Huan Prince and his wife directly opposite her. She was suddenly speechless. So this whole family was staring at her?

"Ignore them." Jiang Chen pretended to put food on her plate and said in a low voice, "I'll tell you the details when we get back."

Under these gazes, Shen Yujiao immediately flashed a very sweet smile, her face radiating happiness and sweetness. If Jiang Chen hadn't seen the calmness in her eyes, he probably would have believed it. However, from an outsider's perspective, they were an extremely loving couple.

As the banquet progressed, Princess Yongjia suddenly emerged. Today, she wore an exquisite and magnificent floral crown, some of the petals fluttering gently as she walked, resembling real flowers. With such a regal crown adorning her head, it's no wonder that others said she was the most favored princess.

This reminded Shen Yujiao of Princess Yong'an. She glanced around the hall, expecting the little girl to be sitting in some corner, but to her surprise, there wasn't even a place for her at this palace banquet. Shen Yujiao's gaze dimmed slightly.

"Father, today is the Lantern Festival, a day for family reunion. Mother has prepared a game of 'Flying Flowers' for everyone. On such a joyous occasion, Father, you should prepare a lucky charm for everyone."

"Oh dear," the emperor said, pointing at Princess Yongjia with a smile, "See? She's trying every trick in the book to ask me for a reward."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately laughed in agreement. The emperor rose and walked around to the foot of the steps, selecting the most magnificent and exquisite lantern from among all the palace lanterns available this year. He then addressed the crowd, saying, "Today is the Lantern Festival, so let this lantern be the prize. Whoever excels in the 'Flying Flowers' game will be bestowed this lantern upon them."

"Father—" Princess Yongjia said again in a coquettish tone, "In previous years, it was always my brothers and all the officials who competed for it. This year, I also want to participate. What do you think, Father...?"

Her girlish demeanor made the emperor laugh heartily again, and he waved his hand and said, "Alright, then this year we'll listen to Yongjia. Today, the Flying Flower Game will be a competition between the princess, the prince's wife, and the families of all my beloved ministers."

"Thank you, Father!"

Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao exchanged a silent glance, then both lowered their heads. If they had been a second later, the barely suppressed smiles on their lips would have been exposed to everyone.

This was the first time Jiang Chen had expressed such gratitude to this "sister." He was extremely unbalanced in his studies, especially in Chinese, where he consistently ranked at the bottom. It was impossible for him to memorize poems. Shen Yujiao, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. She had won numerous poetry competitions on behalf of her school and province. Princess Yongjia's idea of ​​making a name for herself had conveniently provided for the two of them.

Meanwhile, Princess Yongjia was completely unaware of this. This palace banquet was prepared by her mother, and she had naturally been given the instructions for the "Flying Flower Game" beforehand. After preparing for these past few days, Yongjia felt that the lantern for today was definitely hers.

Others had different thoughts on this.

A note from the author:

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Dear friends, in time for the occasion, I wish you all a Happy New Year and a Happy Lantern Festival in advance.

As the summary shows, I wish everyone a happy new year: no need to cram for the big questions, you will know the answers and get them right on the exams, and you will achieve high scores whether you are on campus or in the workplace!

Also: Due to the recent severe weather in northern China, please be careful when traveling during the Spring Festival travel rush.