Luo Lingyue swiftly dodged the oncoming teacup with a flick of her wrist. A slight curl of her lips sneered, "Hmph! In the past, you were simply dependent on Cheng Li. Once you lose Cheng Li as your support, what can you do? Don't forget, Cheng Li has always been dependent on me! Without my protection and support, you'd be nothing!"
Li Jingshu's face was extremely gloomy, and her eyes widened in anger as she responded, "Don't be so arrogant! Cheng Li is now the crown prince, and you are just the daughter of a mere military commander! As soon as Cheng Li regains his memories, I will definitely execute the entire Luo family!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Lingyue sneered indifferently: "Oh? That will have to wait until Cheng Li recovers his memory and successfully ascends the throne of emperor!" Her tone was full of disdain and ridicule.
After Luo Lingyue left, Li Jingshu immediately said to Bing'er, "Hurry up and send someone to find someone proficient in witchcraft, and have them come to see me quietly!"
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's Empress Dowager Xue's birthday. Amidst the bustling clamor, Li Jingshu lowered her voice and asked the unfamiliar maid standing beside her, "Are you sure you've successfully exchanged the items?" The maid lowered her head and softly replied, "Princess Consort, rest assured. I personally exchanged the items!"
Empress Dowager Xue's birthday banquet was incredibly lively! All the officials in the capital and their families were present, and for a moment, the entire palace was bustling with people.
Those noble ladies with some talent were eager to showcase their talents on stage. After all, making a good impression before Empress Dowager Xue would not only be a source of glory, but could even earn her favor and a reward! It was also a golden opportunity to showcase their talents and charm before the various aristocratic families of the capital.
Finally, it was time to present the empress dowager with her birthday gifts. Everyone presented their carefully prepared gifts, and the dazzling display of all sorts of rare treasures was dazzling.
At this moment, Li Jingshu suddenly turned around and gave Luo Lingyue a cold look. However, Luo Lingyue didn't care at all. Instead, she smiled broadly in return. Li Jingshu couldn't help but feel angry at this. She glared at her fiercely and sneered inwardly: Humph, you'll see what happens to you later! Let's see if you can still smile like this!
When Luo Lingyue presented her gift, she was wearing a pale blue palace dress, her skirt as wide as a river, embroidered with delicate patterns in silver thread, and a faint light shimmered with her movements. Her hair was tied into a noble and elegant bun, with a jade hairpin inserted in it, and her whole person exuded a cool and ethereal temperament.
She held a gorgeous brocade box in her hands and carefully came before the Queen Mother. After standing still, she bowed slightly and then gently placed the brocade box on the table beside the Queen Mother.
At this moment, Li Jingshu was extremely nervous. She clutched the hem of her skirt tightly, her fingers turning pale from the effort. Eighth Princess Chu Caiwei, who was standing nearby, noticed her nervousness and quietly walked over to her, whispering, "Crown Princess, I wonder what Princess Luo will give the Queen Mother!"
Li Jingshu was startled by Chu Caiwei. She frowned unhappily and whispered, "What she gives me is none of my business!" However, despite saying this, her eyes involuntarily turned to Luo Lingyue.
Chu Caiwei's face was filled with sarcasm, and her tone was sarcastic: "I saw the order of the gift list, and the Crown Princess is actually ranked after Princess Luo! Crown Princess, you must not be outdone by Luo Lingyue! You represent the face of the entire Eastern Palace!"
Li Jingshu raised her eyes slightly, looked coldly at Queen Mother Xue and Luo Lingyue on the high platform, and a sneer of disdain appeared at the corner of her mouth: "Hmph, you won't have to worry about this!" Her voice was cold and firm, revealing an unshakable confidence and majesty.
The eunuch carefully presented Luo Lingyue's brocade box to Empress Dowager Xue. Empress Dowager Xue accepted the box with great joy and slowly opened the lid. A look of surprise appeared on her face. "Princess Luo is so thoughtful! I love it very much!"
As Empress Dowager Xue removed the gift from the brocade box, the crowd below gasped in amazement. Inside, a beautiful white jade statue of the Bodhisattva lay prominently. Everyone knew Empress Dowager Xue was a devoted Buddhist, and the white jade statue sent by Princess Luo undoubtedly touched her heart!
Li Jingshu was startled by this. She clearly remembered having had the white jade Buddha statue replaced long ago, so why was it now in Luo Lingyue's brocade box? Li Jingshu fell into deep thought. Was there a flaw in her plan? Or was someone secretly tampering with it? The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. But she dared not show any emotion on her face, and could only force herself to observe the scene before her with composure.
She suddenly felt a panic attack, an inexplicable uneasiness welling up in her heart. She couldn't help but frown, and subconsciously reached out to touch the brocade box beside her, wanting to confirm whether the gift inside was safe and sound. However, just as she was about to open the brocade box, the eunuch on the stage shouted loudly: "The Crown Princess presents a gift!"
This cry echoed through the hall like thunder, drawing everyone's attention to her. Chu Caiwei raised her eyebrows slightly, a barely perceptible sneer playing on the corners of her mouth. She said softly, "Crown Princess, hurry up! Don't delay the others from presenting their gifts."
Under the heated gazes of the crowd, Li Jingshu looked embarrassed, but she had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk onto the stage holding the brocade box.
At this moment, Li Jingshu was filled with anxiety and uneasiness. She took a deep breath and, with trembling hands, handed the brocade box to the eunuch beside her. The eunuch carefully took the box and respectfully presented it to Empress Dowager Xue.
Queen Mother Xue gently lifted the lid of the brocade box with an elegant smile. However, in an instant, her expression changed drastically, and she let out a sharp, piercing scream! Then, as if frightened, she threw the brocade box away in panic.
As the brocade box fell heavily to the ground, a black ghost Buddha rolled out. This ghost Buddha had a ferocious face, its eyes wide open, revealing a strange evil aura. Even more terrifying, the ghost Buddha had a chilling evil smile on his face.
The surrounding guests suddenly erupted in gasps and screams, as if witnessing something utterly terrifying. It turned out the Crown Princess had presented Empress Dowager Xue with a strange and sinister Buddha statue! Everyone was shocked, whispering among themselves.
"Oh my god, what on earth is this Crown Princess thinking? Giving something like this to the Queen Mother is simply disrespectful!"
"Yes, this Buddha statue looks very evil. Doesn't she know that it will bring disaster?"
"Maybe she did it on purpose, trying to use this opportunity to attract attention..."
For a moment, all kinds of speculations and discussions arose one after another, and the whole scene became extremely chaotic.
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