Concubine Shugui's birthday was celebrated with great fanfare in Jingyang Palace, and she received many gifts from the Emperor. Even the Empress Dowager, who was worshipping Buddha, gave her gifts. Concubine Shugui, who was already very eye-catching in the harem, became the most popular one.

Compared to the favor enjoyed by Concubine Shugui, Zhuang Yuyan, who was about to celebrate her birthday, was the expected laughing stock of all the concubines in the harem.

Wearing a silk skirt and embroidered shoes, she put on makeup in front of the mirror, drew her eyebrows and painted her lips red. Zhuang Yuyan drew her eyebrows with an eyebrow pencil and adjusted the pearl and jade hairpin on her head. "Let's go and pay our respects to the Empress."

Yunxi and Tingzhu looked at each other. Tingzhu said uneasily, "Master, today is your birthday. If..." They all knew that the people in the palace were waiting to see the master make a fool of himself. Now that they were in Jingyang Palace, they didn't know what the masters of other palaces would say.

"As a concubine, shouldn't I pay my respects to the Empress?" Zhuang Yuyan stood up and said, "Let's go."

"Yes," Yunxi and Tingzhu agreed, and helped Zhuang Yuyan out of the inner room and walked to the outer room. Zhuang Yuyan glanced at the water lilies that had been placed outside. The originally half-opened buds had slowly opened because they were moved outside to get some sun during the day. Only the last few petals were still wrapped, but they were pleasing to the eye. "Take good care of them."

"Yes," several palace maids and eunuchs in the room agreed. Zhuang Yuyan stopped emphasizing it and left Taoyu Pavilion.

In the early morning, the sun had just risen, and the orange-red sunlight should have given people a warm feeling, but in summer it only made people feel unbearably hot. Zhuang Yuyan waved the round fan in her hand, looked up at the sun in the east that was like a fried egg, handed the round fan to Tingzhu beside her, and entered the gate of Jingyang Palace.

"Zhaopin is here!" The eunuch at the door announced loudly when Zhuang Yuyan entered the main hall to pay her respects. She looked up and saw that several concubines in the room were looking at her vaguely, even though these women were chatting leisurely.

"Your concubine has met the Empress." Zhuang Yuyan did not even look at the looks of these women, but stepped forward to pay her respects in a proper manner.

"No need to be so polite, Concubine Zhao. Please take a seat and serve tea." The Queen nodded with a smile and said to Zhuang Luyan in a gentle tone, "Today is your birthday. You should be exempted from paying respects, but I have something to tell you, so I thought of letting you go an extra time."

"It is my duty to pay my respects to the Empress, and I must not neglect it just because of my birthday," Zhuang Yuyan replied with a smile, "I am lucky that the Empress remembered my birthday."

"We are sisters, so why should it be so serious?" The Queen smiled gently. "Your birthday should also be celebrated. I have already asked the Shangshenjian to prepare wine and food for tonight. Everyone present should gather here with me to celebrate Zhaopin's birthday."

Seeing the Queen's attitude, everyone present naturally would not neglect her and all spoke words of congratulation. However, those who wanted to see the excitement gave up the idea, and it seemed that the Queen would not embarrass Concubine Zhao.

"I remember your birthday is in March, right?" Concubine Ma sat next to Zhuang Wanqing, watching Concubine Zhao being celebrated by a group of women. She looked at Zhuang Wanqing with a fake smile. The Queen had not remembered to prepare a table or half a table for Concubine Zhuang.

Zhuang Wanqing glanced at Ma Jieyu calmly and said, "Sister, the redness on your face seems to have not completely disappeared. I have some lotion here. Why don't you give it a try?"

Ma Jieyu's face suddenly turned embarrassed. Seeing her like this, Zhuang Wanqing smiled faintly, turned his gaze to Zhuang Luoyan, lowered his eyelids, picked up the teacup, and gently blew away the tea stems on the water, but the hand holding the teacup was slightly forceful.

The queen looked at the concubines and sneered in her heart, thinking that there would be more excitement tonight.

When Zhuang Yuyan finally walked out of Jingyang Palace, she chatted with several concubines who came forward to talk to her before she was able to get away. There weren't so many people coming to congratulate her on her birthday yesterday.

"Consort Shu Guifei of Anqing Palace sent a gift."

"Concubine Rou from the Hele Palace sent a gift."

"Concubine Xian from Nguyen Minh Palace sent a gift."

One by one, the gift lists and gifts flowed into Taoyu Pavilion. Zhuang Yuyan looked at the gift lists. Although they were not the most luxurious, they were definitely not light. She smiled and put the gift lists on the table, "Keep them all."

"Your Majesty, Concubine Zhao is just a concubine, why should we..." In Ruan Ming Palace, Qinglu massaged Concubine Xian's shoulders, feeling a little puzzled.

"She is a concubine now. Who knows what she is after tonight? Didn't Xiao Weizi, who just went to deliver the gift, say that even Jingyang Palace has sent gifts," Concubine Xian closed the Buddhist scriptures in her hand, "If you don't believe me, just wait and see. This Concubine Zhao is someone who should not be underestimated."

Qinglu nodded, and then said: "Then isn't she promoted faster than Concubine Yan?"

"What is Concubine Yan Gui?" Concubine Xian sneered. "Her status is not as high as Concubine Zhao. Now the emperor favors her. If she loses favor one day, I'm afraid she will be worse than anyone else."

Qinglu did not dare to ask any more questions, and only said carefully: "Your Majesty is clear-minded, and I am stupid."

Concubine Xian curled her lips in a noncommittal manner. How many women in the harem were not clear-headed?

The sun was setting and the sky had turned gray. Zhuang Yuyan went to Jingyang Palace to thank the empress before taking a seat. Because it was her birthday, she made an exception and sat with several concubines.

"I told you before that you should drink a few more cups on Zhaopin's birthday, so don't forget it." Shuguifei was originally uncomfortable with this, but when she saw that the fruits and vegetables displayed on Zhaopin's birthday were not as good as hers, and even the musicians who sang were not as good as the ones on her birthday, she felt much less uncomfortable.

"I am not good at drinking, but since Your Majesty is so kind, I will naturally not refuse," Zhuang Luyan picked up the wine glass, saluted everyone present, and drank from it.

Seeing that Concubine Zhao was not being pretentious, Concubine Shugui no longer made things difficult for her. Moreover, she did not want to make things too embarrassing, so she just smiled and left.

"You guys should not get Zhaopin drunk today, or there will be more drunkards in this palace later." The Queen has always been generous, and this time is no exception. "He Yu, go and serve Zhaopin a cup of soup, so that she won't get drunk too early."

"It seems that the Queen still loves Sister Zhaopin the most," Concubine Rou said softly, "but now I'm drunk, so it's really meaningless."

The Queen glanced at Concubine Rou and said, "I am in pain for all of you."

Zhuang Yuyan wiped the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief. How could a first wife really love a second wife? These people were masters at telling lies with their eyes open. Even she, who was listening, felt guilty.

"The imperial edict has arrived."

When the concubines present heard the announcement, they all stood up and knelt in the hall. However, when they saw that the person who announced the decree was Gao Dezhong who was standing in front of the emperor, they began to feel troubled.

"Ms. Zhuang of Taoyu Pavilion is virtuous, kind, and of good character and appearance. She has won my heart since she entered the palace. Judging from her words and virtues, she is worthy of being a beautiful woman. On the occasion of her birthday, I will promote her to the rank of Zhao Chongyi, a third-rank official."

"I thank the emperor for his great grace. Long live the emperor." Zhuang Yuyan performed a grand ceremony to express her gratitude and took the imperial edict from Gao Dezhong.

"Zhao Chongyi, please stand up quickly," Gao Dezhong extended his hand to help Zhuang Yuyan, and said with a smile, "I know that the masters are drinking here, so I will go back now. Please enjoy your meal."

"Eunuch, take care," Zhuang Yuyan stood up, holding the imperial edict embroidered with gold thread in her hand, feeling a little surprised. She originally thought that even if the emperor gave her a promotion, she would at most be a noble concubine, but she was actually promoted from the fourth rank to the third rank.

After hearing the imperial edict, the empress was also stunned for a moment, but now her reaction was the same as usual. "Zhao Chongyi's promotion is also a happy event." After saying that, she rewarded Zhuang Luoyan with a set of jewelry.

Although the other concubines present had smiles on their faces, I'm afraid none of them were in a good mood.

Feeling unhappy, Zhuang Yuyan was forced to drink more wine. The concubines kept toasting her. Although she was quite good at rejecting wine, she still drank a few more glasses in front of such powerful opponents. By the end of the toast, she was a little tipsy.

Sitting on the swaying sedan chair, Zhuang Yuyan held her chin with one hand, looked up at the starry sky, and realized that her vision was a little blurry. Although she was still somewhat sober, she still felt a little dizzy.

When she looked away, she saw a team of bright yellow troops coming towards her.