“How dare these servants gossip about Your Highness!”
Shen Zhaoli held Mi Ning back and shook her head. “Even if we can silence the servants in the mansion, can we silence the endless gossip of the world?”
At today’s birthday banquet, Xie Yuheng had publicly abandoned her, witnessed by all civil and military officials.
She had long become a laughingstock.
Now, she feared the entire Yujing knew about it.
Mi Ning’s eyes reddened. “Your Highness, it’s not fair to you.”
“How much have you done for Prime Minister Xie over the years? Others may not know, but I am well aware.”
Although Xie Yuheng was the youngest Prime Minister in Dajing’s history, a man of extraordinary talent and brilliance,
his family was impoverished, and even after becoming an official, his life was not as comfortable as others’.
His elderly mother’s medical expenses flowed like water.
Xie Yuheng was proud and aloof, and his handling of daily affairs was a complete mess.
The Prime Minister’s Mansion, as grand as it was today, and the good health of Old Lady Xie,
were all thanks to Shen Zhaoli’s support—providing financial aid, summoning Imperial Physicians, and sending nourishing supplements.
She even took care to preserve Xie Yuheng’s dignity, finding subtle ways to deliver these things bit by bit.
The servants, maids, cooks, and stewards currently employed in the Prime Minister’s Mansion were all carefully selected by Shen Zhaoli. She had brokers send them to the mansion at the lowest prices and paid their monthly wages out of her own pocket.
Even all daily expenses were subsidized by Shen Zhaoli.
Otherwise, how could Xie Yuheng’s childhood sweetheart from a poor, remote village wear cloud-patterned brocade garments worth a fortune?
She dressed more exquisitely than the noble ladies of Yujing every day.
Just thinking about this made Mi Ning feel deeply uncomfortable.
“Your Highness, you treated Prime Minister Xie so well. How could he treat you like this?”
Shen Zhaoli smiled faintly. It would be a lie to say she had never resented it in the past.
But now that she had come to terms with it, she no longer felt that way.
“Enough. Prime Minister Xie is a pillar of the court, having achieved much in governance and benefiting the people. By resolving his worries for him, I spared him from distractions. In the end, it was still a good deed.”
Mi Ning muttered softly, “But the energy the Prime Minister spared was all given to Miss Su.”
Shen Zhaoli was slightly taken aback. In three months, she would be leaving for a marriage alliance with Beiliang. Continuing to manage the expenses of the Prime Minister’s Mansion was indeed inappropriate.
“Give the order: from now on, the Princess’s Mansion will no longer cover the expenses of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.”
Mi Ning blinked, feeling somewhat relieved.
Over the years, she had witnessed how Her Highness treated Prime Minister Xie.
She had long felt it was unfair to the Princess.
Now, Her Highness had finally come to her senses.
Returning to Qinghuan Hall,
Xiangxue, Ziyan, and Yun Yao—the three maids who usually attended to Shen Zhaoli closely—all had reddened eyes upon seeing her return.
Yet none dared to mention the events of the day.
They served Shen Zhaoli her evening meal, then prepared her bath and helped her change.
Mi Ning carried the gift register and approached Shen Zhaoli.
“Today is Your Highness’s birthday. Civil and military officials have all sent congratulatory gifts. A few are particularly precious and require Your Highness’s review.”
With a slight wave of her hand, two maids following behind lined up in front of Shen Zhaoli.
“This year, His Majesty specially ordered the Imperial Jewelry Bureau to craft a new headdress for you. The materials are all the most precious, and the pearl embedded at the crown’s top is a top-grade Eastern Pearl tribute from the South Sea, a rarity seen once in a hundred years.”
The brocade box opened, revealing a complete set of exquisite Princess ceremonial attire and a headdress resting on soft silk.
The pure gold headdress was inlaid with countless gemstones. At its center was a phoenix with wings spread as if about to take flight, holding a radiant, oversized Eastern Pearl in its beak.
The auspicious robe made of fine silk was exquisitely luxurious to the extreme, with pearls adorning the collar and cuffs, shimmering with a soft and sacred luster as the light shifted.
A single glance was enough to reveal the intricate craftsmanship involved.
Seeing Shen Zhaoli’s apparent surprise, Mi Ning explained with a smile.
“After the Imperial Jewelry Bureau crafted the crown, His Majesty felt that a matching auspicious robe was necessary to truly suit Your Highness, so he ordered the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau to rush the production of this robe.”
“Though the time was somewhat tight, the Imperial Wardrobe Bureau dared not neglect Your Highness, working day and night to complete this piece.”
“Does Your Highness like it?”
A glimmer of delight sparkled in Shen Zhaoli’s eyes, and the corners of her lips lifted slightly.
“They’ve worked hard. Have someone reward them.”
“Your Highness need not worry. His Majesty knows your temperament and has already rewarded them with silver and granted them three days of leave.”
Mi Ning opened another brocade box, smiling as she presented it to Shen Zhaoli.
“Although the Regent has been traveling these past few years, he has kept Your Highness in mind. He specially had someone find a fine piece of warm jade, saying it should be worn by Your Highness to nourish her health.”
The small jade pendant was carved into the shape of a phoenix, warm and smooth to the touch.
A flicker of pleasant surprise crossed Shen Zhaoli’s eyes. “The Imperial Uncle is truly thoughtful.”
Due to the cold that had seeped into her body during her years in the dungeon, her hands and feet were always icy, and she felt the cold more keenly than others.
Even after years of careful recuperation, she had not fully recovered.
Mi Ning helped Shen Zhaoli put on the warm jade. “With this warm jade, Your Highness can sleep more peacefully at night.”
“Additionally, the Grand Princess sent over the bicolor peonies she personally cultivated, saying they are one of a kind, for Your Highness to enjoy.”
“Along with them came an invitation to the Spring Radiance Banquet in a few days.”
Shen Zhaoli’s eyes flickered slightly. In previous years, her aunt had always hosted the Spring Radiance Banquet at Qionghua Garden during spring.
She would invite noble ladies and young masters from all the prominent families of Yujing to admire flowers, savor tea, and compose poetry celebrating the beauty of spring.
In recent years, she had been preoccupied with pursuing Xie Yuheng and rarely attended such banquets.
This time, she might as well go.
As she spoke, Mi Ning handed over the gift ledger.
Even without deliberately searching, Shen Zhaoli immediately noticed that Xie Yuheng’s name was absent from the clearly categorized gift ledger.
She unconsciously tightened her grip on the ledger, a faint ache rising in her heart.
A few days ago, when Xie Yuheng personally promised to marry her, he had said that he would have a gift for her on her birthday.
Yet now, her birthday was nearly over, and there was no sign of him.
Never mind. In any case, there would likely be no further entanglements between them in the future.
Suddenly, a loud crack interrupted Shen Zhaoli’s thoughts.
A flash of brilliance illuminated the quiet night as colorful fireworks lit up the sky.
One after another, dazzling fireworks burst into the air in a breathtaking display.
Everyone moved outside the hall, eagerly watching the fireworks as the atmosphere grew lively.
“Your Highness, those fireworks seem to be coming from the Prime Minister’s Mansion. Could they be a gift specially prepared for you by the Prime Minister?”
Shen Zhaoli was momentarily taken aback. Following the direction of the fireworks, she confirmed they were indeed from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.
“Of course, it must be Prime Minister Xie’s special gift for Your Highness.”
“If not for our Princess, then for whom?”
Shen Zhaoli gazed at the fireworks in the sky, her emotions complex.
She had imagined countless times that Xie Yuheng might one day take a step toward her.
Tonight’s fireworks were beautiful, but it seemed a little too late—she no longer wanted them.
Shen Zhaoli’s gaze grew distant as she turned and walked back into her bedchamber.
The maidservants stood there, stunned.
“Look, the princess is truly angry this time. In the past, even if Prime Minister Xie just exchanged a few more words with Her Highness, she would be overjoyed. But today, with such a grand fireworks display, the princess doesn’t seem to care at all.”
“It’s time to let Prime Minister Xie see that our princess has a temper too, so he won’t dare to neglect Her Highness in the future.”
Mi Ning grew somewhat annoyed upon hearing this and scolded, “How dare you! How can you speak so presumptuously about Her Highness?!”
Besides, Her Highness has already agreed to the marriage alliance. What future could there possibly be with Prime Minister Xie?