The Emperor was pleased, and naturally, he also showed a more favorable attitude towards Consort Zheng, who had just been punished.
"Your Highness, what gift have you prepared?"
Consort Zheng, who had been feeling depressed, finally felt a little better.
Consort Zheng glanced provocatively at Consort Mei, then stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have prepared a painting for you." With a flick of her sleeve, a palace maid unfurled the scroll.
Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that the painting depicted the Emperor.
The Emperor sat on his dragon throne, his imperial majesty evident. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "This painting is truly a masterpiece! The Imperial Concubine has put a lot of thought into it!"
The imperial concubine was skilled in painting, but I never expected her to be able to paint such a lifelike picture.
They also knew the emperor very well.
"Reward!" The emperor was so pleased that he rewarded the imperial concubine with a set of jewelry.
But seeing that Consort Mei had received many rewards for a purse, she felt that her own set of jewelry was nothing special.
The other concubines also presented their gifts, creating a lively atmosphere in the hall.
It was the princes' turn to present their gifts.
Prince Jin and Princess Jin knelt down to offer their congratulations, "May Father Emperor live a long and prosperous life!"
The wish for a long and healthy life truly resonated with Emperor Rongsheng.
His only wish now is to live forever and remain on the throne.
"Good, good, good!" He said "good" three times in a row, which made Prince Jin feel flattered.
His father hadn't given him a kind look in a long time.
He presented the gift, which was in a box.
Everyone watched with curiosity, wondering what the Prince of Jin would present.
Emperor Rongsheng glanced at it curiously, "Prince Jin! What good thing is wrapped up so tightly?"
Previously, Emperor Rongsheng did not like to hold birthday banquets.
After all, it reminded him that he had gotten another year older.
Today, however, I am in an exceptionally happy mood.
Because Consort Mei finally regarded him as her husband.
They got the same purse.
When you're in a good mood, everyone seems pleasing to the eye.
The King of Jin opened the box, revealing a fist-sized luminous pearl that emitted a faint glow in the darkness.
"This is a luminous pearl that I obtained by chance. It is said to have the effect of prolonging life, so I present it to Father Emperor."
A hint of surprise flashed in Emperor Rongsheng's eyes. "Good! Good child, I like this gift very much."
The claim that luminous pearls have the effect of prolonging life is something only the King of Jin could make up.
However, it's not surprising that the Emperor likes to hear it.
When the other princes saw the gifts from Prince Jin, they knew that as long as they chose words that their father liked to hear, they could not go wrong.
So regardless of whether it was related to longevity or not, they were all secretly competing, hoping that their gifts would be better.
Next, the princes presented their gifts one by one. Some were precious medicinal herbs, and some were rare antiques, but none of them were as amazing as the Prince of Jin's luminous pearl.
The emperor received so many gifts that his hands were sore from carrying them.
Naturally, I heard a whole lot of nice things to say.
Jiang Chuwei looked at Emperor Rongsheng and thought, "With his condition, he still wants to live to be a hundred years old."
She quietly put away the elixir of immortality that she had prepared to present to the emperor.
Since the luminous pearl can also prolong life, it seems that the emperor is not lacking in these pills made from thousand-year-old lingzhi and thousand-year-old ginseng.
Jiang Chuwei understood the principle that too many words are not sweet, and too much meat is not fragrant.
After the princes, including Prince Yu, finished speaking, he led Jiang Chuwei forward to offer his birthday wishes.
After saying a few auspicious words, Lin Muheng took out a map.
"Father! Your son congratulates you! The border of Daqing has been pushed forward by two kilometers, and two cities have been reclaimed."
After speaking, he presented a new map that included both cities.
As expected, Emperor Rong Sheng was overjoyed.
These two cities were a major concern for Emperor Rongsheng.
After more than ten years, it has finally returned to Daqing's territory.
Emperor Rongsheng knew that Prince Yu was reminding him that the Daqing empire could not exist without military generals.
These generals fought bloody battles, but what was he doing? Suppressing the meritorious generals.
Emperor Rongsheng's deep eyes looked at Prince Yu.
The fifth brother is still as straightforward as ever.
He deliberately took out a map in front of all the civil and military officials at the birthday banquet, and all the ministers present today were moved by his patriotism.
"I like this gift!" Emperor Rongsheng nodded in satisfaction. "However, Fifth Prince, is there any other deeper meaning behind your presentation of this map?"
Prince Yu knelt down, clasped his hands in a fist, and said loudly, "Your Majesty, I only wish to tell you that the border is not yet secure and the soldiers are still shedding blood. Your Majesty is willing to lead your troops into battle to expand the territory of Daqing!"
A hint of admiration flashed in Emperor Rongsheng's eyes, but his face immediately darkened. "Nonsense! I know you are exceptionally brave, but war is not child's play. As a prince, you should prioritize the overall interests of the nation."
The Prince of Yu kowtowed and said, "Your subject understands, but the court is currently in turmoil, with civil officials abusing their power and military officials being resented. If we do not rectify this situation, our Great Qing Dynasty will be in grave danger!"
The ministers' expressions changed, and even their families became restless.
I wonder if Prince Yu will call out names.
If someone is named today, their career is over.
Emperor Rongsheng remained silent for a moment, then slowly said, "What you say makes sense. However, this matter has far-reaching implications and requires careful consideration. Right now, the most urgent task is to stabilize the border and defend the hard-won cities. As for other matters, we can plan them out later."
Prince Yu accepted the imperial decree and expressed his gratitude, but he had already secretly made up his mind.
He was well aware of his father's concerns, but he also firmly believed that only force could defend the country.
This dialogue between the emperor and his minister appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath.
Lin Muheng's words at the birthday banquet made the ministers see his integrity even more clearly.
After the Prince of Yu withdrew, the banquet continued. However, the mood of the crowd was no longer as relaxed as it had been at the beginning.
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