Chapter 409 Birthday Banquet 4
Surrounded by admirers, the Crown Princess was stunningly beautiful and the Crown Prince handsome. In an instant, the couple overshadowed their child. Today was the Crown Prince's 27th birthday banquet, and everyone offered their blessings and birthday gifts. In fact, the gifts had already been collected and registered by the official in charge of ceremony.
Everyone speculated that the Emperor had not attended the morning court for a long time, and that the palace was keeping his illness a secret. No one knew how serious the Emperor's condition was. If he was seriously ill, this year might be the last birthday the Crown Prince would celebrate as Crown Prince, after which the new Emperor would take over.
Of all the women, Jiang Fenghua is undoubtedly the luckiest. Originally just the daughter of a minor tutor, she became the Princess Consort of Heng overnight. After that, she rose rapidly in rank. With Heng being named the Crown Prince, she was directly named the Crown Princess. Who knows if she will be named Empress in the future? If so, she will truly be the most noble woman in the world.
However, there are many concubines in the Eastern Palace, and several of them are pregnant with imperial heirs. Their families are naturally of high status and position, so if it really comes down to vying for the position of Empress, everyone still has a chance.
Someone whispered, "Judging from this, there's no chance for any other woman. That position is definitely going to be the Crown Princess." Unless she suddenly dies.
The Su family, a family even the emperor feared, disappeared so quietly, which is worth pondering. The Su family's corruption and abuse of power had been going on for a long time, but it just so happened to be exposed at this time.
The daughter of the Su family was the one the Crown Prince truly loved. Where is she now? I heard that her body disappeared from the palace.
There are also rumors that the Su family is seeking revenge against the Jiang family, and that they have some deep-seated grudge to settle. All these signs are very suspicious.
It's unclear who spread the rumors behind the scenes, but they claimed that the Jiang family caused the Su family's misfortune, which is why General Su ultimately wanted to blow up the Crown Princess's family.
Unfortunately, the Crown Princess was lucky, and so was the Jiang family. Only the wife of the Marquis of Wu'an was left in a state of uncertainty. Su Xuan must have intended for her and her unborn child to die together. The child was eventually born, but the wife remained unconscious. The Marquis of Wu'an was so devoted to his wife that he hadn't attended court for a long time.
Jiang Fenghua and Xie Shang were naturally unaware of these discussions.
Just then, the Emperor arrived. His gifts had been personally delivered by Chief Eunuch Cao. Everyone thought the Emperor was too ill to come, so they all bowed in unison, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
The Emperor looked unwell and much older. The Empress quickly stepped forward to help him sit in the main seat. The Emperor smiled and said in a deep voice, "No need for formalities, no need for formalities. Master of Ceremonies, how far along is the little prince's first birthday ceremony?" Clearly, the Crown Prince's birthday banquet was not as important as the little prince's birthday celebration; everyone's focus was on the little prince's first birthday ceremony.
The master of ceremonies respectfully reported, "Your Majesty, the first birthday ceremony is about to begin."
"Alright, alright, I haven't participated in the first birthday ceremony of my little imperial grandsons yet. Let's begin!" These words broke the hearts of countless princes and grandsons. The emperor was busy with state affairs in the palace, and for decades he had indeed never participated in such a trivial ceremony for the emperor.
In the Imperial Garden, a large open space was filled with various items, including books, pens, abacuses, musical instruments, gold ingots, and small wooden swords.
The emperor glanced at it, then suddenly took out his private seal and handed it to Chief Steward Cao. "These things are nothing special. Cao De, put my golden seal on them and let the young princes catch it."
Cao De was stunned for a moment, and the entire audience was stunned. The emperor said, "Put it up!"
Jiang Fenghua and Xie Shang both felt a chill. Who would dare to touch the emperor's golden seal? Although Xie Shang was the crown prince, he could only have his own crown prince's golden seal. Until he officially sat on the throne, he would not dare to touch the imperial seal or the emperor's golden seal. Ultimately, the emperor was the decision-maker of the country.
The next moment, everyone's eyes were on the two little princes. Xie Hongyou could walk now. The servants put him on the ground. No matter how many people were there, he was not intimidated and walked towards the items in front of him.
Xie Ziyan couldn't walk yet, so Jiang Fenghua personally supported her. Xie Shang stood around the items for her first birthday celebration and waved to her, his eyes full of doting affection, "Little Yan'er, come to your father."
Xie Ziyan seemed to understand that her father was calling her. She avoided Jiang Fenghua's hand and crawled straight towards Xie Shang with her short legs and little feet.
Jiang Fenghua smiled with delight. Yan'er usually crawls around things, and when she gets to something to hold onto, she walks around it. But now that Jiang Fenghua has let go of her hand, Yan'er walks straight towards her father. She only has eyes for her father and no eyes for the baby's first birthday celebration items.
Xie Shang hugged his daughter and couldn't help but kiss her, "Your father didn't spoil you for nothing!"
The master of ceremonies said, "Your Highness, the young princess hasn't had her first birthday ceremony yet!"
Xie Shang put her down on the ground again and held her tightly, afraid that she would fall. "What does Yan'er like? Give it to your father."
She looked around with her big eyes and saw her brother standing to the side.
Xie Hongyou looked around, his gaze no longer on the golden seal. The next moment, Xie Ziyan handed a book to her father, meaning she wanted him to read to her.
Xie Shang was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "The Crown Princess usually likes to read to her, so she probably takes after her mother."
However, Xie Hongyou also took a wolf-hair brush in his hand, and then handed the brush to Xie Shang: "Father."
Xie Shang paused for a moment, then looked at Jiang Fenghua.
Jiang Fenghua smiled gently, "You'er probably wants his father to teach him to write."
Everyone was thinking: Isn't the golden seal more appealing?
At this moment, the Emperor laughed and said, "They all love reading and writing. They probably took after their maternal grandfather. Jiang Huai, I will entrust the young prince's studies to you from now on."
Jiang Huai also sat properly with the Emperor. Suddenly, he stood up, cupped his hands in a salute to the Emperor, and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."
In front of everyone, the Emperor affectionately addressed Grand Tutor Jiang as the maternal grandfather of the young imperial grandson, making it clear that he trusted the Jiang family implicitly. In fact, the Emperor had privately warned Jiang Huai that as long as the three members of the Jiang family devoted themselves to serving the court, Jiang Fenghua's position as Empress would be secure in the future.
Seeing the emperor's good relationship with Grand Tutor Jiang, the court officials probably already had a sense of what was coming and that the Jiang family's wealth and status were inevitable.
The next moment, the Emperor also felt a little tired. "I won't stay any longer. I'm exhausted. I'll return to the Qianqing Palace first. The Empress will stay with me!"
"Yes," said Empress Cheng.
Today is the birthday banquet for the Crown Prince and the youngest grandson of the Emperor, and it is hosted by the Eastern Palace. The host family is naturally the Eastern Palace. With the Emperor and Empress staying behind, it is inevitable that everyone will not be able to drink freely. The Emperor's intention is already very clear. I'm afraid that soon the Crown Prince will no longer be the Crown Prince, but the new Emperor.
"Respectfully seeing off the Emperor and Empress." The crowd knelt and bowed again.
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