"Originally, I wanted to gloss over the truth, so I didn't say anything. But my sister's words were so insightful that they made me feel ashamed. I should take responsibility for my mistakes. So I ask His Highness Prince Ning and Consort Li to handle this matter properly."
Prince Ning received Song Xizhi's gaze. Although her words were cryptic, they made his heart pound. He fanned himself even faster with his fan.
Song Xizhi explained calmly, "Unlike the ladies, perhaps it is because I am cautious by nature that I do not wrap the package in my hands at home and then present it directly for registration at Huaqing Palace."
"Because this birthday gift is unique and of great value to Buddhists, I personally brought it to the Ministry of Rites to show its completeness to the officials who registered it. After the officials confirmed that everything was correct, the officials from the Ministry of Rites carefully preserved the vase on the spot and put it into the storeroom."
"This means that the birthday gift was intact when it was in my hands, but it broke when it reached the Ministry of Rites... or when it reached the hands of Princess Jingyue's maid. All the officials in the Ministry of Rites who recorded this, including the women who witnessed it at the time, can testify to this."
Song Xizhi's words caused everyone present to gasp in shock.
It was common practice in the court to have officials prepare birthday gifts at their own residences and then deliver them directly to officials in the Ministry of Rites. This was partly because there were too many officials coming and going to offer birthday greetings, making it inconvenient.
Secondly, because the late emperor had issued an order to prevent officials from competing with each other during birthday celebrations, so rules were established.
Thirdly, it is also because high-ranking officials are low-key and dare not display overly extravagant items in public, while honest officials are unwilling to show off the inexpensive birthday gifts they give. Therefore, this custom has continued to this day.
Because the Empress Dowager generally doesn't look at birthday gifts sent by ordinary officials, they are all put into the treasury. If someone is thoughtful and prepares carefully, or if someone is not, the thought is enough, and His Majesty will never pursue the matter.
This move can be seen as a cleansing of the extravagant and competitive atmosphere that officials used to celebrate birthdays in the previous dynasty, which is why Princess Jingyue was so determined to open Song Xizhi's birthday gift in public.
But who knew that Song Xizhi not only took a different approach and deliberately displayed the vase, but the vase actually broke.
So what should we do now?
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