The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th of August.

"Grand Preceptor, what kind of clothes do you think I should wear to the banquet?" Xiaoyue showed Zhou Zhizhi's clothes one by one.

Looking at the clothes, Zhou Zhizhi thought, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, so I should wear clothes that are appropriate for the festival."

"Xiaoyue, bring me that dress." Zhou Zhizhi pointed to the lower right corner of the cabinet, where a pink and white long dress was displayed.

After a while, Zhou Zhizhi changed her clothes and left the Imperial Preceptor's residence, heading towards the palace.

As Zhou Zhizhi walked down the street in this long dress, the passing crowds made her appear even more beautiful and elegant.

【Hello, Imperial Advisor】

Zhou Zhizhi was startled and yelled at the system, "Are you crazy? I thought Eunuch Cao had arrived."

The system cheekily switched to Cao Gonggong's voice pack again.

Just kidding, no, we can use any language in our family anyway.

"What are you doing out here? I haven't killed anyone. I've always been doing good deeds!" Zhou Zhizhi said sarcastically.

[I know, I'm just bored.]

Zhou Zhizhi was furious: "You idiot!"

I need to keep an eye on you, just in case you commit murder.

Zhou Zhizhi rolled her eyes speechlessly and walked even faster.

Where are you going? You're walking so fast.

"Let's go to the banquet!"

Oh! A banquet is being held in the palace for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

"It's good that you know."

It seems you're not entirely comfortable in your role as the Imperial Advisor.

"How would I know? I was worried about my own life."

Don't be sad, I'm telling you, everyone has their own destiny.

"Shut up, alright, that's enough, someone's coming." Just then, someone behind Zhou Zhizhi interrupted her conversation with the system.

Zhou Zhizhi saw Xiao Nan Gua coming towards her and stepped forward, saying, "It's the Third Prince. This humble subject greets the Third Prince."

Xiao Nangua raised his hand to signal Zhou Zhizhi to get up. Xiao Nangua got off the carriage and said, "Why is the Imperial Preceptor alone? Why didn't he bring a personal servant to serve him?"

Zhou Zhizhi felt nauseous at the thought of Lai Fu and Li Jue's deaths and at the sight of Xiao Nan Gua, but she still had to cater to him.

"Third Prince, I'm used to being alone and don't need to bring anyone else along," Zhou Zhizhi said dismissively.

Seeing that Zhou Zhizhi wasn't in a carriage, Xiao Nangua wanted to invite her to go to the palace together, saying, "Since the Imperial Preceptor isn't in a carriage, why don't you get on? It's on the way anyway."

Zhou Zhizhi instinctively wanted to refuse, but she couldn't resist the Third Prince's persistent pestering and had no choice but to get into the carriage.

A short while later, they arrived at the palace gate. After getting out of the car, Zhou Zhizhi thanked Xiao Nangua and then walked into the palace. Zhou Zhizhi did not want to have much interaction with Xiao Nangua.

Neither of them noticed that Xiao Xiyou had just arrived and happened to see them from behind.

When Zhou Zhizhi arrived at the palace where the banquet was to be held, she saw that the concubines, the empress, and other ministers had already arrived, but she did not see the emperor. She thought that the emperor would not come.

Zhou Zhizhi knelt before the Empress and the concubines and bowed: "Your humble servant greets the Empress and all the Your Highnesses. I am late in arriving. I wish the Empress and all the Your Highnesses a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a life of peace and prosperity."

"Get up, Imperial Advisor. Today, the palace is hosting a banquet for people who have come to celebrate the festival. There's no need to be so formal." Although the Empress said this, she didn't really think so.

At this moment, Xiao Nangua and Xiao Xiyou arrived one after another. Zhou Zhizhi wondered what Xiao Nangua had done again, why he took so long to arrive, and why Xiao Xiyou hadn't arrived yet either.

[Zhizhi, system notification: Your little grapefruit has never been interested in palace banquets, so he's always the last to arrive and the first to leave at these occasions.]

Zhou Zhizhi nodded: "Oh, I see."

Xiao Xiyou and Xiao Nangua also bowed to the Empress, as did Zhou Zhizhi and the ministers.

Zhou Zhizhi saw Eunuch Cao whispering something to the Empress, and the Empress nodded. Zhou Zhizhi noticed that the Empress's expression seemed a bit off.

Suddenly, Eunuch Cao announced, "By imperial decree, the Emperor is unwell, and the Empress will preside over the banquet."

Zhou Zhizhi knew perfectly well that the Emperor was having trouble speaking, yet he was issuing decrees orally and having the Empress preside over the banquet. Something felt off, and she suspected that there might be something wrong with the banquet as well.

The Empress, now taking her stance, commanded, "Since His Majesty is unwell, I will preside over the banquet. Guards, let the banquet begin!"

The palace maids brought out dishes, mooncakes for the festival, and osmanthus wine, and everyone began to eat.

There were dancers dancing in the middle, and Zhou Zhizhi watched them sideways. As a modern person, Zhou Zhizhi was used to listening to modern songs, but listening to these ancient songs made her want to sleep, but she couldn't.

Consort Lan, sitting on the left, disliked the old-fashioned dance music and stood up, saying, "Your Majesty, these dance music pieces are too old-fashioned. I think everyone is tired of them. Why don't you arrange some other performances?"

The Empress looked at Consort Lan, probably guessing that Consort Lan was implying that she was old-fashioned. "Oh, then what would you like to see, Consort Lan?"

Consort Lan glanced at her with ill intent and said, "I remember Her Majesty the Empress's calligraphy is quite good, perhaps..."

The Empress's eyes widened, and she clenched her fists. This Consort Lan was clearly trying to humiliate me, forcing me to perform. The Empress glanced at Zhou Zhizhi again and chuckled to herself.

"Sister Lanfei is too kind. My skills are clumsy, so I won't embarrass myself by showing them to the ministers."

"Oh! Well then, Imperial Advisor, as a figure of our dynasty, why don't you perform a show? I think your performance will surely dominate the entire audience." The Empress spoke flippantly, clearly targeting Zhou Zhizhi.

Zhou Zhizhi was suddenly called upon, and instantly lost all sleepiness. She then smiled awkwardly and said, "Your Majesty is joking. This humble subject is not good at this kind of dance."

But the Empress insisted, "Grand Preceptor, you don't need to worry. Just give a simple performance, and I don't think anyone here will gossip."

The ministers all nodded in agreement, wanting Zhou Zhizhi to perform a talent.

Zhou Zhizhi felt that the Empress was still holding a grudge against her because of Lai Fu's affair, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Your Majesty, although I cannot dance, I will perform a sword dance for you. You may find it amusing."

The Empress put on an indifferent expression and said, "It's alright, you can get ready first."

"Alright, Your Majesty, I'll go change my clothes first."

The empress nodded with a forced smile.

Zhou Zhizhi went to the side hall to think about how to perform later. This old woman, the Empress, really thinks I can't do it?

"Greetings, Imperial Preceptor." Zhou Zhizhi turned around and saw a palace maid who was only sixteen years old.

Zhou Zhizhi walked over and said, "Get up. Aren't you a palace maid? What are you doing here?"

The young palace maid knelt down again and said, "Your Excellency, the Empress has sent me to serve you. Which dress would you like to wear?"

Zhou Zhizhi helped the palace maid up and said, "Oh, you must kneel down to speak. Oh, your voice is quite pleasant."

The young palace maid smiled and said, "Before entering the palace, I was an opera singer. But because my father died early and I had no one to rely on, I entered the palace."