you've thought this through well." Grandma Li nodded, praising her daughter-in-law, "Old people are afraid of falling. Lying on the kang for a few months is about all they have left to live."Mrs. Wen...Halfway through the banquet, the Empress Dowager excused herself, claiming tiredness, and returned to Shou Kang Palace early.

Yi Zongguan, whether he had forgotten earlier or was waiting for this moment, quickly presented a birthday cake.

The six-tiered birthday cake was a sight to behold. The bottom layer was as large as a laundry basin, and stacked all the way to the top tier, it stood a full three feet tall.

Chen Xi's skills, you can always trust!

All six layers are adorned with intricate designs, vividly expressing the concept of longevity.

The colors are lively and festive, yet not tacky.

That is the Emperor, and this is our first meeting.

with great joy, he brandished his wooden sword and made a chopping motion. Then, he sampled the topmost "peach of longevity" before the rest was carried away by a young eunuch and distributed piece by piece.

Everyone was astonished.

This is a birthday cake for "Wan-Sui," and even a little bit of good luck would be something to be proud of for a long time.

Of course, the smart ones were even more certain that the rumors were true.

With the white cloud cake being made, there must definitely be an imperial portion!

Because only when it comes to their own business will they be so eager to promote it.

Yes, it's about promoting!

The mighty emperor, the ruler of a nation, has said "delicious" three times in a row!

Jia Yin giggled and covered her mouth, unable to stop smiling. When she saw "Big Boss" looking over, she secretly gave him a thumbs-up!

Not until the sun set did the banquet come to an end, and people gradually left the palace.

Once they were in the carriage of the Marquis's estate, and only their own family was inside, Jia Yin lost her reservations. She sat next to the Marquis and started talking freely.

"Father, Uncle, that old hag is simply too evil!"

The Lord and Li Lao Er both guessed who the old hag she was talking about was. A cold glint flashed in the Lord's eyes, while Li Lao Er subconsciously looked out the window, worried that someone might be listening from outside.

Jia Yin lowered her voice and told the story of Shou Kang Palace, ending with a sneer. "The third princess is still as foolish as ever. She spoke ill in front of so many people, I'm afraid everyone knows she has a bad character now."

"And that princess, I thought she was cunning and difficult, but she's not even as troublesome as the aunts in our village."

Her words were sharp and sarcastic, lacking any dignity befitting a princess.

"Of course, the worst one is the old hag. She started the trouble in the first place, and then she came out to smooth things over and make peace. Thankfully I'm smart, or else I would have really thought she was a good person!"

The Marquis and Li Lao Er both had grim faces at first, but upon hearing the last sentence, they both burst into laughter.

"You, girl, when will you ever stop bragging"

The Lord stroked the chubby girl's hair and said, "You did well today, you should be this resolute. The Princess has made it clear that she is your enemy. Even if you yield, she won't reflect on her actions, she will only push further."

"Fight back hard this time, and next time she tries to make trouble, she'll be afraid of you retaliating and embarrassing her again."

Li Laoer frowned and said, “Logically speaking, a princess shouldn't act so ungracefully. To make things difficult for a child over a pastry shop... there must be something else going on. I need to investigate further.”

Jia Yin worried that Er Bo was getting anxious and might fall into a trap. She quickly advised him to be careful.

"Second Uncle, there's no need to rush this. Since we know she's not friendly towards our family, she will definitely make a move again in the future. There will always be times when she exposes herself."

Among the clouds, this side has reliable people, and with the Emperor backing her, she wouldn't dare to scheme against me behind my back.

"So, we are sitting comfortably on the Diaoyu Islands, while she is tied up and unable to move. No matter how you look at it, we have the upper hand."

Li Laoer nodded, "Alright, Second Uncle, take your time. Don't get careless either!"

On one side, Grandma He listened quietly the whole time. Seeing that the young masters had finished speaking, she softly reported.

"My Lord, Sir, today I wandered around the palace for a few rounds and met two old friends from long ago. One of them is now in charge of the rough work maids in Shoukang Palace.

We had a secret dinner, during which an unassuming palace maid came to make amends. My old sister went out to speak with her, her expression very polite.

"I just asked another question. My old sister had been drinking a bit too much, and she said that once she happened to see this palace maid and the eunuch in charge of Rong Hua Palace were... quite close. So she didn't dare offend him."

"Honorable Residence" Li Er was momentarily taken aback. The Marquis reminded him, "That's where the Imperial Noble Consort and the Second Prince reside."

Li Lao'er suddenly realized, then squinted and asked, "Wasn't it said that the Noble Consort's family was just an ordinary fifth-rank official And after entering the palace, her biological parents died from illness."

"The Emperor also favored her greatly because of this, and after she gave birth to the second prince, he directly bestowed upon her the title of Noble Consort. Could it be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the Marquis already understood.

The Lord pondered for a moment, then instructed everyone, "From now on, no one should ever mention these words again."

"Yes, Lord Hou." He Mamma and Shui Ling Shui Yun quickly responded.

Jia Yin blinked her big eyes, just about to ask a question, when the Marquis patted her head twice and instructed, "Matters of the court are handled by our elders. You're just a child, don't worry about it."

Jia Yin had no choice but to nod, extinguishing the burning curiosity within her.

What can we do We can't just say she's a rotten cucumber repainted green, a real two-timing old fox, right

She knew about the eunuchs and maids' food, she could guess what was going on. The Empress Dowager and Noble Consort were hiding things, and she could figure out some of it.

After all, she hadn't read dozens of palace intrigue and courtly scheming novels for nothing...

In the Imperial study, the emperor was slightly tipsy after a few cups of wine at the banquet.

He took off his heavy dragon robe and changed into ordinary clothes. He casually picked a golden citrus fruit and ate it. Surprisingly, he felt much clearer in his head and more comfortable in his stomach.

He smiled and said, “This birthday gift from Fu Niuer is really good, it’s both beautiful and delicious.”

"Indeed, Your Majesty," Yi Zongtang chimed in, "This old servant often finds the Li family quite remarkable. They always seem to possess some peculiar and wondrous items."

This citron is common in the southwest, but rare here in Xindu. It's said that because of the different soil and water, it's not easy to raise. As a result, not only did the princess raise it successfully, but she also raised it so well!

"Perhaps this kumquat knows that it's being raised to celebrate the Emperor's birthday, so it dares not grow poorly..."

“Haha, you old servant, did you steal and eat cake today Your mouth is getting slicker and slicker.” The emperor was amused by the flattery.

He was still speaking when Feng Gonggong entered, carefully smiling and reporting, "Your Majesty, the Third Princess requests an audience, saying she wishes to present a birthday gift!"

The Emperor stopped smiling, pondered for a moment, then said: "Let her come in."

Soon, the Third Princess arrived with her maidservant.

Upon seeing the Emperor, she performed a grand bow and paid her respects, congratulating her father on his long life.

The emperor rarely saw her so restrained and proper, and for a moment, his heart softened. He beckoned her forward.

The Third Princess presented a pair of hand-stitched shoes to the Emperor, saying with utmost care, "Father, I'm clumsy and can't make intricate garments. I only managed to sew these shoes. Please don't find them wanting."

When the Emperor saw that the shoes' stitches were rather crude, he was somewhat surprised.

Could it be that this daughter has changed her ways, actually able to sit still and do needlework!

But that's not all!

The Third Princess then presented another white porcelain plate, upon which lay a piece of celebratory pastry with a large Chinese character for "longevity" embedded in the center.

She said somewhat nervously, "Father, this is a birthday cake I baked while guarding the stove. Although it's not as good as a birthday cake, it's my filial piety." whetstones to sharpen their blade. 。"Isn't it"The Empress Dowager felt stifled, and seeing the smug little girl baring her teeth made her even angrier. 。"The Empress is tired, you may take your leav...