The sixth day of the tenth lunar month is auspicious for weddings, praying for blessings, and celebrating birthdays.
This day marks the fortieth birthday of the current Empress Dowager, Lady Wang.
The entire palace was immersed in a festive and peaceful atmosphere. The palace servants had changed into their new palace attire early in the morning, and lanterns and decorations were everywhere, with red carpets laid out, creating a scene of a prosperous and peaceful era.
The Cixi Palace, the center of the celebration, was bustling with activity.
Inside the main hall, everything was resplendent in gold and jade, and celestial music filled the air.
All the imperial concubines of rank, civil and military officials of the second rank or above from the previous dynasty, and their families were present, all gathered together in one large hall.
Lin Wanwan, dressed in an elegant and luxurious phoenix robe and wearing a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin, sat side by side with Xiao Che, who was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, in the main seat, receiving the congratulations of the officials.
Since that night when she "sneaked into the Imperial Pharmacy," her relationship with Xiao Che has entered an extremely subtle "alliance" state that outsiders cannot see through.
On the surface, the two maintained their icy, respectful demeanor. But in private, they had already begun making various preparations for the impending storm against the Empress Dowager.
Today's birthday banquet is an extremely important part of their plan.
Lin Wanwan knew that this seemingly joyous and peaceful birthday banquet was actually a battlefield without gunpowder.
The Empress Dowager would never let go of this golden opportunity to demonstrate her authority and suppress her "daughter-in-law" in front of all the civil and military officials.
And she had already made preparations.
"Your Majesty, I wish you good health and longevity!"
"Your Majesty, we respectfully wish you a long and healthy life!"
At the birthday banquet, the empress, concubines, and officials stepped forward to present their carefully prepared gifts. These included precious jewels and jade artifacts, rare antiques and paintings, as well as auspicious treasures collected from various places.
On the main seat, Empress Dowager Wang wore a dark gold dress embroidered with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, a phoenix crown on her head, and exquisite makeup, with graceful demeanor.
She smiled as she accepted the congratulations of the crowd, her dignified and graceful demeanor drawing praise from everyone.
Everything seemed so perfect, so harmonious.
However, Lin Wanwan keenly sensed that beneath this peaceful facade lay a turbulent undercurrent, ready to erupt at any moment.
She could sense that the Empress Dowager's seemingly gentle gaze always carried a subtle, icy chill when it swept over her.
Although Consort Shu, having learned her lesson, dared not openly provoke him again, her eyes, filled with jealousy and resentment, never concealed their true feelings when she looked at him.
A storm is brewing.
Lin Wanwan picked up the wine glass in front of her, took a small sip, and felt a sense of calm.
She knew that a storm was coming soon.
Sure enough, just as the singing and dancing reached their peak and the atmosphere was at its most exciting, an unexpected change occurred.
Suddenly, a commotion arose outside the main hall, as if the guards were reprimanding someone.
Immediately afterwards, to everyone's astonishment, a figure broke through the guards' obstruction and rushed into the festive and peaceful hall like a madman!
She was a woman dressed in plain clothes and wearing a white flower in her hair!
At this birthday banquet filled with brocade robes and jewels, her striking white mourning clothes seemed so out of place and so ominous!
"Assassins! Protect the Emperor!"
The imperial guards inside the palace reacted instantly, drawing their swords and surrounding the emperor and empress dowager.
Chaos erupted instantly inside the main hall!
The guests screamed in terror and backed away, creating chaos.
However, the woman did not make any attempt to assassinate him.
She rushed into the hall and knelt heavily in the center of the hall with a "thud." Then, disregarding everything, she kowtowed repeatedly to the Empress Dowager on the main seat!
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! I've been wronged! I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to do justice for my husband!"
As she kowtowed, she let out heart-wrenching, piercing cries.
The voice, like a cuckoo weeping blood, was filled with endless injustice and grief, moving everyone present.
The chaotic scene fell silent for a moment because of her sudden action.
Upon closer inspection, everyone recognized the woman's identity.
It turns out to be... it turns out to be the wife of Liu Fu, the former head of the imperial kitchen, who was recently imprisoned for "offending the emperor's body and neglecting his duties"!
Lin Wanwan's eyes turned cold instantly.
They've arrived.
She knew that the Empress Dowager would not let this go so easily.
This is the "grand birthday gift" she meticulously prepared for herself!
On the throne, the Empress Dowager's face first revealed just the right amount of "shock" and "displeasure".
She frowned and, addressing the guards below, sternly ordered, "What's the panic! Can't you see she's unarmed? Seize her immediately!"
Then, she turned her gaze to the woman kneeling on the ground, her tone carrying both authority and a hint of reassurance.
"You are... Liu Fu's wife?"
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! It is indeed I, a humble woman!" Liu's wife raised her tear-streaked face and cried out, "I beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to have mercy and seek justice for my unjustly murdered husband!"
"Insolence!" Qin, the nanny beside the Empress Dowager, immediately shouted sternly, "Today is the Empress Dowager's birthday. How dare you speak nonsense and offend His Majesty! Liu Fu has committed a serious crime. His Majesty personally ordered the arrest. The evidence is conclusive. How can you claim to be innocent?!"
"He's been wronged! My husband has been wronged beyond measure!"
Liu's wife seemed to be provoked and shouted excitedly.
She kowtowed to the Empress Dowager without hesitation, her voice filled with anguish.
“My husband served the Empress Dowager and His Majesty in the palace his entire life, always loyal and conscientious. How could he have committed such a grave mistake?!”
"All of this was a setup! Someone fabricated charges to deliberately kill our family!"
She wept bitterly, her heartbroken appearance drawing sympathy from many of the soft-hearted women present.
The Empress Dowager looked at her, sighed softly, and showed a trace of pity on her face.
"Sigh, please rise and speak," she said slowly. "Liu Fu has served me for many years, and I trust his character. However, this matter was personally investigated by His Majesty, and there is ample evidence. You say he was framed, but do you have any proof?"
"Yes! I do!"
As if grasping at the last straw, Liu's wife suddenly raised her head.
Her gaze pierced through the crowd, like two poisoned blades, fixed intently and maliciously on the woman who had remained seated calmly throughout.
She stretched out her hand, trembling violently with excitement, pointed at Lin Wanwan, and screamed with all her might:
"It's her!"
"It's the Empress Dowager—Wanwan!"
"It was her! She was jealous that my husband was working for Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, and fearing that he would block her path, she deliberately set up a poisonous scheme to frame him for offending the Emperor!"
"She tampered with that sauce herself! She's the one who really wanted to harm His Majesty!"
"We beg Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to investigate! Please do justice for us, your loyal servants!"
"boom--!"
These words were like a thunderclap from a clear sky, exploding throughout the entire hall!
The crowd, who had just been whispering about her tearful complaints, fell completely silent!
All eyes, like sharp, icy knives, flashed simultaneously towards the accused, the eye of the storm—
Your Majesty, Lin Wanwan!
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