Inside the Imperial Study.
Emperor Jingyuan sat solemnly to one side, glancing occasionally toward the doorway, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
The Empress said, "Could it be that we are overthinking things? Tang'er is skilled in martial arts, who would dare to lay a hand on her at a grand palace banquet?"
"I'm afraid Tang'er is not the target; I am."
Emperor Jingyuan snorted angrily.
"The Empress did not show the gift to Tang'er in advance. Even I did not know about it, let alone others who would guess that Tang'er would spontaneously dance with a whip at the banquet."
He squinted, slowly recalling.
"The position Ji Rong rushed up from... if it weren't for Tang'er being there, I would have been the first to be hit."
The Empress still found it unbelievable: "To attempt an assassination in the grand hall, in front of all the civil and military officials, how could Lord Ji, a mere scholar, have such audacity?"
“He wouldn’t,” Emperor Jingyuan said, his eyes slightly unfathomable. “But others might not be so.”
"Your Majesty ordered me to seal the congratulatory gifts in order to investigate this matter?" the Empress asked.
Emperor Jingyuan said, "That's right, all the congratulatory gifts must be inspected one by one."
The Empress checked the roster again: "There is not a single omission, Your Majesty can rest assured."
The two naturally forgot that there was another congratulatory gift that was not on the list.
Pei Tang, carefree and unconcerned about the events of the night, wrapped the newly acquired nine-section whip around his waist and went back to sleep contentedly.
Shortly after, a young eunuch walked in through the door.
"Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Jin has inspected all the items used at the birthday banquet and the princess's gifts."
He presented a small, exquisite brocade box.
"Physician Jin said that this thing is very likely the culprit that caused Lord Ji's abnormal behavior."
Emperor Jingyuan opened the brocade box, inside which was an exquisite gold hairpin.
The Empress recognized it at a glance: "I remember this brocade box was unsigned. Tang'er opened it herself at the banquet out of curiosity."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com