Early the next morning, everyone got ready and prepared to enter the palace.
Chu Qing caught a glimpse of a certain side princess who was dressed up gaudily. Her eyebrows twitched.
It was fine that Xu Xin was brainless, but was the Minister of Revenue also out of his wits?
Didn't this whole family know how to raise their daughter? She was just a side princess, yet she dressed so gaudily when entering the palace for the Empress Dowager's birthday. Did she want to catch the Emperor's attention?
This was inappropriate. She didn't want a brainless granddaughter - in - law.
Just as Chu Qing was silently criticizing Xu Xin in her mind, the latter walked over slowly.
Seeing Wei Ying and Chu Qing standing side by side, Xu Xin put on a pitiful look again and said, "Your Highness, can Xin'er sit with you? This is Xin'er's first time entering the palace since she married into the prince's mansion. Xin'er is afraid that she'll be nervous and disgrace our mansion."
Wei Ying glanced at her askance and said unhurriedly, "If you think you'll disgrace the mansion, you can choose not to go."
Chu Qing looked at Wei Ying in surprise and silently applauded him.
This boy! He could infuriate people without batting an eyelid.
Sure enough, after hearing Wei Ying's words, Xu Xin's face turned deathly pale and she stood there, stifled. Just when Chu Qing thought she couldn't bear the humiliation and would turn around and leave, she saw Xu Xin bite her lower lip and then softly say, "Then this concubine will surely live up to Your Highness's trust and will never let others look down on our mansion. However, sister... you should also be more careful, after all, in the past..."
Seeing Xu Xin shamelessly claim that Wei Ying trusted her and then shift the topic to herself, Chu Qing smiled faintly, reached out and held Wei Ying's arm, and then said, "Don't worry, sister. This princess has Your Highness to take care of me, so there shouldn't be any major problems. Sister should be more careful instead."
Wei Ying's eyes fell on Chu Qing's hand holding his arm, and a faint smile appeared on his face. Then he said slowly, "Alright, it's getting late. Let's go."
With that, Wei Ying took Chu Qing into his carriage.
Xu Xin was left there in the cold. It was only when Qiangwei beside her softly called her that she came back to her senses.
It was not until Qiangwei helped her into the carriage that the expression on Xu Xin's face finally broke. She gritted her teeth and said, "Chu Qing has insulted me like this. I will never let her have an easy time!"
...
Meanwhile, Chu Qing, who was being cursed not to have an easy time, was looking askance at Wei Ying and saying, "Aren't you afraid that she'll resent you for treating her like this? After all, she's a side princess. You don't even leave her any face."
Wei Ying lazily glanced at Chu Qing and said indifferently, "You sure like to watch the fun without getting involved. Besides, if this king dotes on her, won't you be jealous?"
"Jealous? How could I! I'm not..." Well, okay, she wasn't completely uninterested. If this boy Wei Ying really doted on that woman Xu Xin, she might even eat all the jealousy she hadn't had in her previous life.
"What aren't you?" Wei Ying was now looking at the awkward - looking Chu Qing with great interest.
"I... I'm not a jealous woman!" Chu Qing snorted discontentedly.
If she were a jealous woman, the emperor of the Yan State might have been replaced long ago!
The two bickered all the way. Chu Qing didn't realize that she was becoming more and more fond of this kind of bickering with Wei Ying.
That once - dormant heart had long since disappeared.
...
When they arrived at the palace, most of the people who were supposed to come had already gathered.
For the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, although the court officials were not officially invited, those with influence in the court still came with their families on their own initiative.
The Empress Dowager was sitting beside the Emperor, looking down at everyone haughtily.
Looking at these familiar or unfamiliar faces, Chu Qing couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions. However, she buried these emotions deep in her heart and put on a dignified smile as she and Wei Ying saluted the Emperor and the Empress Dowager.
When the Empress Dowager saw Wei Ying and Chu Qing walking slowly side by side, and noticed that they seemed to be more harmonious than the last time they came together, a surge of annoyance welled up in her heart.
So, the Empress Dowager said coolly, "The imperial brother has kept this old woman waiting for a long time."
"I was delayed for a while on my way here. I hope the Empress Dowager will forgive me," Wei Ying replied unhurriedly.
"Uncle, please sit down quickly!" The Emperor beside him, seeing the Empress Dowager looking unhappy, immediately said.
Seeing that the Emperor had spoken, Wei Ying, Chu Qing and Xu Xin took their seats.
When everyone had arrived, the birthday banquet with the Empress Dowager as the protagonist officially began.
...
The ceremonial official first started with a long speech of praise for the Empress Dowager. After that, he led everyone to wish the Empress Dowager a happy birthday together.
Chu Qing watched all this listlessly. In the past, she used to sit in a high - position and receive others' praise. Now, as a bystander, watching these unchanging procedures that she had memorized for ages, she only felt bored.
Soon, it was time for everyone to present their gifts.
First, it was the high - ranking officials and their families. At first, Chu Qing watched with great interest, hoping to see some rare treasures.
However, the so - called treasures were still lackluster.
There was a minister who presented a very large pearl, which was said to be fished from the deep sea by a fisherman living by the sea.
Chu Qing took a look. The pearl was indeed big, but its quality was just average.
However, this minister was very glib - tongued. A string of praise made the Empress Dowager beam with joy, and finally she rewarded the man handsomely.
Chu Qing pursed her lips silently. The Empress Dowager was really... becoming more and more hypocritical. She was so happy just because of some flattery.
Then the others continued to present their gifts, and the Empress Dowager rewarded quite a few people one after another. All those who were rewarded praised the Empress Dowager to the skies.
Finally, it was Wei Ying's turn.
What Wei Ying presented was actually a calligraphy work he had written himself.
"All the ministers have presented various treasures. After much thought, this younger brother thought that writing a calligraphy work by himself would be more sincere," Wei Ying explained to the Empress Dowager neither over - bearing nor humble.
Obviously, the Empress Dowager was very satisfied with receiving the calligraphy work he had written himself.
Chu Qing, who knew the inside story, sneered in her heart.
As if sensing Chu Qing's dissatisfaction, the Empress Dowager said leisurely, "I wonder what gift the princess has prepared for this old woman?"
Chu Qing smiled and replied, "Chu Qing has prepared a painting for the Empress Dowager. However... Princess Xu in the mansion has also carefully prepared a birthday gift for the Empress Dowager. Why don't the Empress Dowager take a look at hers first?"
Before the Empress Dowager could reply, Xu Xin stood up impatiently and said, "Xu Xin presents a pot of red coral to the Empress Dowager."
The Empress Dowager, who was about to get angry, gradually softened her expression after hearing about the red coral.
Immediately afterwards, a palace servant carried out the red coral and presented it in front of the Empress Dowager.
Chu Qing narrowed her eyes. Sure enough, Xu Xin still brought that pot of red coral.