Seeing that the Empress Dowager's attention was on the birthday gifts, the Emperor waved his hand, and the eunuch immediately unveiled the red silk.

Beneath the red silk is a jade carving of an ancient pine tree, so lifelike and, more importantly, auspiciously symbolizing longevity.

The Empress Dowager's gloomy mood finally lifted when she saw the ancient pine tree.

After the Emperor offered his birthday greetings, it was time for Prince Cheng.

The King of Cheng presented her with an embroidered painting depicting the Empress Dowager and the late Emperor. When the painting was unfolded, the Empress Dowager looked at the image of the late Emperor and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

The old woman said, "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday; it is not appropriate to shed tears."

The Empress Dowager smiled and held back her tears, then ordered, "Place this embroidery in my bedroom."

The palace servants quickly complied.

The birthday celebration at Prince Cheng's residence wasn't over yet. Prince Cheng's heir presented the Empress Dowager with a painting he had personally written, depicting the length of a hundred years of life. The Empress Dowager was deeply moved, saying, "You are in poor health, yet you still went to the trouble of writing a painting for your grandmother. If you overwork yourself, what will become of your grandmother?"

The Crown Prince's face was unusually pale, and his voice was weak as he spoke, "Grandson hopes that His Majesty will live a long and healthy life."

King Cheng only had one son, the Crown Prince, whom the Empress Dowager doted on. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince was seriously ill and could only enter the palace once or twice a year. The Empress Dowager was also unable to leave the palace. Now that she saw the Crown Prince, she only hoped that her grandson could recover from his illness soon and visit her in the palace more often.

The Crown Prince presented a painting depicting the hundred longevity symbols, while Princess Yong'an presented a handkerchief she had embroidered herself. The Empress Dowager praised the embroidery several times for its excellent craftsmanship.

After the Prince Cheng's Mansion presented its birthday gifts, Princess Huyang, her husband, and their sons then offered their birthday wishes to the Empress Dowager.

After they finished presenting their gifts, it was the eldest prince's turn. Even Xie Jingyin returned and knelt down with Shen Ying to offer birthday wishes to the Empress Dowager and present their gifts.

The gifts were similar to those in my previous life; whatever was valuable or rare, I gave.

After the Fifth Prince finished seeing them off, it was Xie Jingyan and Shen Wan's turn.

The birthday gift for the Empress Dowager was prepared by Xie Jingyan. Shen Wan didn't even ask about it. All she could say was that the gift was very conventional, unremarkable, and no one could find fault with it. It was mainly a perfunctory gesture.

Xie Jingyan presented a jade ruyi as a gift, and the Empress Dowager gave a perfunctory compliment, saying "It's thoughtful." The two then got up and sat back down, one peeling walnuts and the other eating them, watching others give gifts so generously.

After the princes finished sending their gifts, it was the princesses who came first, then the imperial relatives, and finally the civil and military officials, who came in order of rank and title. After the officials in the capital finished sending their gifts, there were also the officials who had been sent to other places. Many of them personally went to the palace to congratulate the Empress Dowager on her birthday, and the gifts they brought were all kinds of things. They really did their best to please the Empress Dowager.

At the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, it took more than an hour just to offer birthday greetings and present birthday gifts. Shen Wan's bottom was sore from sitting for so long.

Shen Wan subtly shifted her position. Just then, a young eunuch entered the hall with low steps, circled around to the Right Chancellor, and whispered a few words. The Right Chancellor's expression changed, and he immediately stood up to report to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, a messenger from Meizhou has sent an urgent message..."