Chapter 30 Birthday Banquet
She didn't finish her sentence, but just gave a soft hum.
Looking at what they saw, the students felt a warm current flowing through their hearts.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Miss!"
All the students bowed in unison, their voices loud and clear.
"Alright, stop flattering me." She waved her hand impatiently. "I'm leaving. This place just annoys me. Master Zhou, I'm leaving this place to you."
The teachers and students behind her bowed as they saw Xie Sangning off.
The carriage left the academy and embarked once again on the official road back to Jinling.
Xie Sangning leaned against the soft brocade cushion and closed her eyes to rest.
"Miss, you just... you really scared me to death," Ru Dong said, still shaken. "Those words were too harsh; I was afraid they couldn't handle them..."
"Heavy? Jade must be carved to become a useful object. If you can't even endure this little bit of grievance, how dare you dream of entering the emperor's court?"
"What I want are not those spineless wimps who think they're something special just because they've read a few pedantic books."
Besides, these words are nothing compared to what I heard during my college entrance exam. I was too lenient with myself.
She admitted that most of the things she heard about "tiger parenting" today were things she herself had heard during her college entrance exams.
Xie Wulu will also be taking the imperial examination this time, which is of great concern to the entire second branch of the family.
Even Xie Wuyou, who had recently disliked his younger brother, was very much looking forward to it. He followed Wang Shi and busied himself with preparing nourishing soups and broths, sending them to Xie Wulu's study in a continuous stream.
If he passes the exam, the second wife will have more confidence.
Xie Sangning also predicted that Xie Wulu would pass the exam this time.
Although this person is full of bad intentions and his mind is twisted like a pretzel, he has put in a lot of effort in his studies and is not too stupid. He is a promising student.
But so what?
To Xie Sangning, it didn't matter whether Xie Wulu passed the exam or not, whether he became the top scholar or a junior scholar.
She only needed to keep an eye on the twenty-odd seedlings she had carefully nurtured; this was her first step in infiltrating the court.
As for these people, when they get to high school and become independent, will they develop disloyalty and become disobedient?
Oh.
Who dares to try?
Their parents, brothers, wives, and children are all firmly in her grasp! Who would dare to be an ungrateful wretch?
If there are those who are blind and mindless, thinking they can escape her grasp, then so be it!
Chop off its wings, pull out its tongue, and hang it up as a bloody example for others to see. Xie Sangning is very good at this kind of "killing the chicken to scare the monkey" approach.
However... the chances of such a distressing thing happening are very small, or even nonexistent.
Because the people she raised, along with their entire families, were all extremely grateful to Xie Sangning!
In that godforsaken place of Xihan, she enabled them to have enough to eat, wear warm clothes, and earn money decently through their own strength and abilities. All the children in her family, regardless of gender, were able to receive compulsory education.
The entire Western Han region is now completely desolate.
The streets were clean, and the shops were thriving; it was even more prosperous than Nanjing.
Even the county magistrate of Xihan was willing to be sidelined by her.
The memorials to appeal were written exactly as she instructed.
Every month it's the same line: "Everything in the Western Cold remains the same, a desolate and impoverished land, where people suffer..."
The emperor was too lazy to even look at it.
Therefore, almost no outsiders know that Xihan has undergone earth-shaking changes.
There wasn't a single beggar on the road, nor were there any corpses of those who had starved to death in the dilapidated temple.
She also personally funded the construction of three large academies. It can be said that without Xie Sangning, there would be no Xihan today.
If anyone is dissatisfied, their entire family's welfare benefits and eligibility for education will be revoked.
The punishment is so severe, who would dare to try it? Who would be willing to try it?
No one understands the kind heart hidden beneath the young lady's sharp tongue better than the people of Xihan.
No one is foolish enough to want to go back to those miserable days of eating snow and dirt, living hand to mouth.
That gratitude is truly etched into my bones.
——
A few days later, the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, which everyone had been looking forward to, arrived.
Before dawn, the old lady was helped to her feet, dressed in her official robes and ceremonial gown, her hair perfectly styled.
Xie Wuyou was already waiting at the door. He quickly stepped forward to support his grandmother's arm, his mouth almost stretching to his ears in a wide grin. She had also put on a lot of makeup today, with her rouge applied exceptionally red.
Today, Grandmother is taking advantage of the birthday banquet to let me meet Wei Zikai and hopefully cultivate a relationship with him.
Her goal wasn't just to cultivate a relationship; she also wanted to find other, better men.
If he could ruin Xie Sangning's reputation, he wouldn't only have Wei Zikai as an option.
Xie Wuyou was not qualified to attend the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. She was just a commoner, but the old lady was a first-rank noblewoman, so it was only a matter of a word for her to decide who accompanied her.
Xie Wuyou learned his lesson this time. Although he was pleased to know that he could attend the birthday banquet, he did not go to Xie Sangning to show off. He only dared to curse Xie Sangning a thousand times in his heart, but kept a low profile on the surface.
After Xie Sangning finished washing and dressing at Ruixue Tower, he took Ruchun and entered the palace.
As soon as they arrived at the door, they met Xie Rubao, who had been eagerly waiting for them.
Its round eyes were wide open, and its cheeks were red from the cold, so it was clear that it had been waiting for quite some time.
She pushed aside Ru Chun, helped Xie Sangning down from the carriage, and then affectionately took Xie Sangning's arm, her little mouth never stopping, "I've been looking at you longingly for so long, my neck is sore! Sister Sangning, let me help you walk!"
As soon as Xie Rubao saw Xie Sangning, he started chattering away like a little magpie.
Xie Sangning had no choice but to be led to the palace by her, while Ru Chun and Xie Ru Bao's maids carried birthday gifts behind them.
All carriages had to stop at the palace gates and walk in themselves.
A first-rank imperial lady was entitled to ride in a palanquin in the palace, which was an unparalleled honor.
At this moment, the old lady sat upright on it, her face solemn and her eyes fixed straight ahead.
Xie Wuyou, who was half a step behind the chariot, held her chin high and tried her best to straighten her back, trying to put on the airs of a noble young lady.
The procession was slow, and soon Xie Sangning and his companions caught up with the old lady and her entourage.
Xie Wuyou held back her tears and didn't turn around, afraid that Xie Sangning would see her and embarrass her in front of everyone.
Xie Sangning stopped and, with fluid movements, respectfully performed a curtsy to the old lady.
"Grandmother is well."
The old lady squeezed out a perfunctory "hmm" from her nose, her eyelids drooping, as if she didn't want to look at her even once more.
Xie Sangning was not annoyed. After performing the ceremony, she walked forward.
The people behind her began to whisper among themselves: "It seems that the old lady doesn't like the eldest daughter of the Xie family. She brought the second wife's granddaughter, who has no status, to such an important occasion."
"I've heard that the old lady favors the second wife's family."
“If it were me, I would also favor one. The one who stays by my side and serves me all year round is not the second wife. No one from the first wife is here.”
“That’s not right of you. If no one from the main branch of the family were to work hard, how could she have received an imperial decree and be sitting in a palanquin now? I think this old lady is out of her mind…”
"Miss Xie's composure and refinement are truly the mark of a great lady. She didn't even flinch when she was left hanging like this."
"Exactly! Look at Xie Er, so smug. Does she really think she's some respectable young lady? Doesn't she even know whose favor she's getting..."
These words drifted into Xie Wuyou's ears, causing her face to turn pale and then flushed.
It's Xie Sangning again! Every time, she's the one who embarrasses herself!
If it weren't for her... if it weren't for her...
Sometimes, when one person dislikes another, it's just that unreasonable and irrational.
Xie Sangning, with Xie Rubao's hand in hers, walked calmly through the crowd. The little eunuch leading the way bowed and carefully guided them to their designated seats.
As soon as he stood still, before he even sat down, the chief eunuch standing before the hall unfolded the gift list and cleared his throat:
"Xie Sangning, the legitimate daughter of the General of the Nation's Mansion—"
At this point in the song, the chief eunuch's voice clearly paused, as if he was also choked by what was to come, before continuing:
"A white jade statue of the God of Longevity holding a peach is presented as a gift."
"......"
The hall fell silent instantly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
