The Empress turned around and raised her hand to stop Consort De from bowing. "Please sit down, sister. It's a rare occasion for you to come all this way."

Consort De smiled and sat down as instructed, holding a small folding fan in her hand, fanning herself continuously. "The weather is so strange. The dog days of summer are over, but it's still so hot. Autumns in previous years were never as hot as this year."

The Empress ordered tea to be served, and chuckled upon hearing this, "What you say is true, sister. The weather this year is quite different. I have some double-skin milk here. Lu Fushou, bring a bowl over to me."

"Yes, this servant will go now." After saying this, he left Fengqi Palace, instructing people to perform their duties well along the way. After checking that no one was looking around outside the palace, he returned to the small kitchen of Fengqi Palace.

Consort De naturally knew what the Empress was planning. After exchanging pleasantries, they got down to business. "Sister, Consort Ning has come to see me and even threatened me. Humph, she doesn't even know who she is. She's already in dire straits, yet she still threatens people." She said with a face full of disdain.

The Empress's eyes flickered, and after she finished speaking, she said with a smile, "She is a clay Buddha, but the fourth prince is not; the fourth prince is a golden body."

"What does my sister mean?" Consort De seemed to be much smarter than before, and immediately understood the Empress's unspoken meaning.

The Empress was overjoyed at this. Before Lu Fushou arrived, she instructed Zhiliu to pour her tea. "It's good that you understand, sister. Don't spread this around. You must also keep your composure. To be honest, in this palace, besides me, you should be the most important person. How could those scoundrels possibly surpass you?"

These words struck a chord with Consort De. That was exactly what she thought. As the birth mother of the eldest prince, she should be second only to the emperor in the harem. She was extremely resentful of Hao Shumei and Yide.

"Thank you for your guidance, elder sister. I am also grateful for your high regard. In the entire palace, I admire you the most."

Zhi Liu and Lu Fushou, who had just entered, exchanged a glance and smiled. Consort De thought too highly of herself. What right did she have to disobey the Empress?

However, the Empress did not say anything, so the two of them remained silent. When Lu Fushou returned, the Empress gestured to Consort De, "Sister, quickly cool off in the heat."

"Thank you, sister." Consort De smiled, took a bite of the double-skin milk pudding, chatted with the Empress for a while, and then left Fengqi Palace.

Once they were some distance away, Consort De's smile immediately turned cold. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Consort De sneered, "You want me to deal with the Fourth Prince? Dream on. But even a drowning dog like the Fourth Prince might bite."

Soon, the Xiongnu prince indeed arrived in the capital. It was the eldest prince, the future Khan, who showed sufficient sincerity. His entourage marched for ten miles, a grand and imposing procession, unlike that of a neighboring vassal state, but rather the demeanor of a superior nation.

Emperor Mingde's illness was intermittent, and the Crown Prince had not yet returned, so the eldest prince, Zhao Xiu, was put in charge of receiving the prince from the Xiongnu.

In recent years, Dayong has been recuperating and developing, while the Xiongnu have not been idle and have developed very well; otherwise, they would not have such an arrogant attitude.

The Empress Dowager did not act arrogantly. The Xiongnu prince received him on the second day after arriving in the capital. Facing the Empress Dowager who was ruling from behind the curtain, the Xiongnu prince did not show any contempt or dissatisfaction.

Therefore, Xie Yun, Yan Shiren, and others were very worried. They gathered together and went to see the Empress Dowager. "Empress Dowager, the eldest prince of the Xiongnu is a man of great character. He is very cunning and his true nature is hard to fathom."

After hearing Xie Yun's words, the Empress Dowager nodded and said, "If he were truly a person of importance, he wouldn't act like this. His entourage stretches for ten miles, and he is so composed and dignified when he sees me. Hmph, if he were truly a person of importance, why would he need to act like this?"

Several high-ranking officials listened and felt that it made a lot of sense, but they were still worried. They were just glad that the woman sent to marry a foreign ruler was an insignificant member of the imperial family.

"Your Majesty, it's best to be cautious," Yan Shiren advised.

The Empress Dowager didn't say much, but instructed Zhang Chu to assist in preparing a state banquet to entertain the Xiongnu prince.

Zhao Shu was to attend the state banquet. As she held a high position and was favored by the Empress Dowager, she would naturally be by the Empress Dowager's side. However, this time was different. Zhang Chu was afraid that she would feel uneasy, so he specially told her that this time she would be sitting among the princesses, and Princess Chengping would be by the Empress Dowager's side.

It was just a matter of not being by the Empress Dowager's side for once, so Zhao Shu didn't care. She had Sheng Xia prepare the court dress for the state banquet and then quietly waited for the day of the banquet at her residence.

State banquets were a matter of great importance to the Ministry of Rites. First, they would send people to teach etiquette to the princes and envoys from the Xiongnu, and only when they had learned it would the matter be considered closed. They would also consult the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to determine an auspicious day. Even the food and drinks served at the state banquet were extremely particular.

With these preparations completed, more than half a month had passed. On the day of the state banquet, the Crown Prince returned, and the long-awaited Physician Peng also returned to the capital.

The most exciting thing is that, apart from Prince Jing, all the vassal kings surrendered.

This life is different from the last. In the last life, Emperor Mingde was ruthless and wanted to kill all the vassal kings and their descendants. In this life, the Empress Dowager spared the life of the Shu King's lineage, and the other vassal kings naturally had the intention to surrender.

Huo Baichuan once said that in today's world, there are no heroes like those who fought for supremacy during the Warring States period, nor are there any wise lords who could guide the world. The Dayong Dynasty could not become the Zhou Dynasty.

In retrospect, what he said was absolutely right.

Although the princes had all surrendered, Prince Yong still did not return to the capital. He was busy incorporating the troops under the princes' command. If it weren't for the letter from the Imperial Guard, the Crown Prince would not have returned.

On the day of the state banquet, Zhao Shu got up early. After a lot of work, Sheng Xia and others finally got her ready and dressed in court attire. She then entered the palace. Wei Tingsi did not go with her. No one knew where he had gone. Now, he was officially in Chu to clear his name.

Zhao Shu arrived earlier than the others. When she arrived at Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager was washing up. After serving the Empress Dowager her breakfast, she began to receive the homage of the noblewomen.

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