After Xie Jingyan and Shen Wan presented their birthday gifts, it was the Seventh Prince's turn, followed by the Eighth Prince.
The seventh prince presented a pair of red jade porcelain vases, while the eighth prince presented an ivory fan.
After the princes presented their birthday gifts, it was the princess's turn.
The emperor's several princesses were led by Princess Shouchun, but Princess Shouchun limped onto the stage. Upon seeing this, Empress Song asked, "What happened?"
Princess Shouchun pouted and said, "I accidentally twisted my ankle in the Imperial Garden just now..."
Empress Song said with concern, "Why didn't you mention this before?"
Princess Shouchun said aggrievedly, "I'm afraid if I say it, my mother won't let me attend my father's birthday banquet."
Empress Song said, "After you present your birthday gifts, go to the side hall and have the imperial physician examine you."
Shen Wan sat there, a mocking smile playing on her lips.
She didn't believe that Princess Shouchun had really sprained her ankle. She was just afraid that Princess Nanyi of Xiliang would come and challenge her to a dance competition. Knowing that she would embarrass herself, she simply pretended to sprain her ankle. She couldn't very well ask someone with a sprained ankle to dance with Princess Nanyi.
Shen Wan didn't know whether she should praise Empress Song and Princess Shouchun for their self-awareness.
Thinking back to her past life, these people were incapable of handling Princess Nanyi's challenges themselves, so they pushed her out and made strict demands on her. Shen Wan despised them from the bottom of her heart.
Princess Shouchun sprained her ankle but still insisted on attending the Emperor's birthday banquet, and everyone praised her for her filial piety.
Princess Shouchun presented the Emperor with a belt that she had embroidered herself as a birthday gift.
Well, I embroidered two stitches myself, so it counts as hand embroidery.
But nobody believes it.
These ministers all have daughters. If their own pampered daughters couldn't even embroider such an exquisite belt, how could a princess of such high status embroider it? Even if the sun rose in the west, it was impossible.
However, everyone just sees through it but doesn't say anything; after all, the emperor is easy to fool.
Princess Shouchun, supported by a palace maid, limped away, followed by Princess Shouan.
Princess Shou'an presented a painting of a hundred longevity symbols. Although it wasn't particularly outstanding, it was at least clearly her own work and not a forgery.
The other two princesses also sent calligraphy and paintings, which were conventional, neither outstanding nor wrong.
After the princes and princesses presented their birthday gifts, it was the turn of the princes, with Prince Cheng being the first to receive his.
The King of Cheng presented the Emperor with a jade horse.
It is translucent, 1 foot 3 inches tall and 4 feet long, and is a rare and precious item.
The birthday gift presented by Prince Cheng's two children was from a woman who had fallen ill after being pushed into a well in the palace. She has not recovered and has been too sick to enter the palace to offer her birthday wishes to the emperor.
This is what King Cheng said. Whether Queen Cheng was truly ill or was being placed under house arrest to prevent her from spouting nonsense, outsiders have no way of knowing.
Princess Huyang presented the Emperor with a jade tripod, its exquisite craftsmanship unparalleled, its value no less than that of the jade horse given by Prince Cheng.
After Princess Huyang finished her presentation, Prince An prepared to offer his birthday gifts when two hoarse voices rang out almost simultaneously:
"The envoy from Western Liang has arrived!"
"The Donglie envoy has arrived!"
Everyone looked towards the entrance of the palace and saw the Crown Prince of Xiliang and Princess Nanyi walking in, with the Second Prince of Donglie walking alongside them.
The Crown Prince of Xiliang was dressed in a magnificent purple brocade robe, while Princess Nanyi was in a palace dress, her beauty stunning, her confident and flamboyant demeanor making her extremely eye-catching.
Although the Second Prince of Donglie was not the Crown Prince, the Emperor of Donglie had not designated an heir, making the Second Prince the only candidate for the position. In fact, a year later, the Second Prince of Donglie was officially named the Crown Prince of Donglie.
Those who came to offer birthday greetings were all people of the highest social standing.
Only then did Shen Wan realize that the envoys from Xiliang and Donglie arrived later than in her previous life, when they arrived almost as soon as the birthday banquet began.
In his previous life, Xie Jingyan's painting was stolen and replaced, but he didn't say anything. Was it because the envoys from Xiliang and Donglie were present and he was afraid of being laughed at by them, so he endured it?
Once this speculation started, it couldn't be suppressed.
Shen Wan secretly asked Xie Jingyan, "Did you postpone the arrival of the envoys from Xiliang and Donglie at the palace?"
"Yes, they were a quarter of an hour late."
Although the birthday banquet was prepared by Prince Cheng, most of the work was done by the Ministry of Rites. Minister Chen of the Ministry of Rites was Xie Jingyan's man, and it was no big deal to postpone the envoys' arrival at the palace to offer birthday greetings by a quarter of an hour.
The civil and military officials were unaware of Xie Jingyan's arrangements. They only felt that Prince Cheng and the Ministry of Rites had handled things properly. On such an important day as the Emperor's birthday banquet, the princes' infighting showed no regard for the Emperor's feelings. If the envoys from Xiliang and Donglie saw this, the Emperor would lose face in Xiliang and Donglie.
The Crown Prince of Xiliang and the Second Prince of Donglie, among others, stepped forward to offer their birthday wishes to the Emperor, and then presented the birthday gifts they had brought.
The birthday gift from Xiliang was a luminous pearl.
Dongyeol presented the emperor with a golden pagoda.
The Crown Prince of Xiliang and the Second Prince of Donglie traveled a great distance to Dachu to deliver birthday gifts, so the gifts couldn't be shabby. After all, gift-giving is about reciprocity, and in a few months, when the Emperor of Xiliang celebrates his birthday, the Emperor will also send people to offer his congratulations.
After Xi Liang and Dong Lie presented their birthday gifts, the Emperor asked them to take their seats.
Prince An rose to offer his congratulations.
Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince of Xiliang said, "It seems we entered the palace too late and missed the birthday celebrations of the princes of Da Chu."
King Cheng asked, "You're two quarters of an hour later than the scheduled time. Was something the cause of the delay?"
The Second Prince of Donglie asked in surprise, "Didn't Prince Cheng send someone to the palace to inform us to enter the palace a quarter of an hour later?"
King Cheng frowned.
He did not make such an arrangement.
Minister of Rites Chen stood up and said to the Emperor, "It is I who have postponed the arrival of the envoys from Xiliang and Donglie to offer birthday greetings..."
The Emperor immediately understood what had happened. His son had not only caught the thief, but had also saved face for the Emperor. He had done everything perfectly, and the Emperor deserved praise. How could he blame his son? Besides, he knew his son well. If he were to criticize him now, the son would only care about himself next time. "It's the perfect time to enter the palace."
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
