Li Shengyuan presented a Buddha statue obtained from Master Guan Zhen. This unique piece couldn't be acquired with mere wealth.
Consort Xian offered the Longevity Peach Offering Painting as her tribute.
Consort Shu presented Buddhist scriptures.
Consort An contributed a hand-embroidered Longevity Painting, drawing admiration from the ladies below for her commendable filial piety.
Though the Empress Dowager at the head of the hall smiled, her eyes remained unmoved, showing little genuine emotion.
Soon, it was Li Zhu's turn to present her gift.
"Your Majesty, this humble consort offers a rare medical text compiled by a renowned physician."
The hall erupted in murmurs.
Yet the Empress Dowager subtly straightened her posture.
"A medical text? Is Li Jieyu attempting to deceive Her Majesty?" Consort Shu remarked bluntly.
Prime Minister Xie below nearly rushed to cover his daughter's mouth. Her unrestrained tongue would bring ruin upon the Xie family someday!
"Consort Shu is mistaken. This humble consort is quite fond of Li Jieyu's gift."
With the Empress Dowager's endorsement, Consort Shu's previously mocking expression instantly soured.
"Auntie has taken an interest in medicine?"
The Empress Dowager ignored Consort An's address. "As an imperial consort, you shall address me as Empress Dowager!"
Publicly reprimanded, Consort An flushed crimson, wishing she could vanish through the floor.
Resentment toward the Empress Dowager simmered within her. Despite being her niece, she had never won her favor.
That alone was bearable, but to be denied even basic courtesy during a banquet!
Li Zhu equally wondered why the Empress Dowager treated Consort An so coldly. What hidden past had shaped such demeanor?
~~
[Changping Count is quite handsome, but bald? That's a wig? Must admit, it looks incredibly real!]
Li Shengyuan immediately recognized Li Zhu's "gossip mode" activating.
[Wow, so he's the original novel's male lead?]
Li Shengyuan followed Li Zhu's gaze to Jin Wang.
Original novel? Male lead?
What was this "original novel"? And last time Li Zhu mentioned Xu Guiyan as some "female lead."
Could Li Zhu have read a book called "original novel" where these "male and female leads" were characters?
Did that mean he and everyone else existed within a book?
The realization struck Li Shengyuan like thunder, leaving him afraid to ponder further.
[Jin Wang is quite dashing! Worthy of being the male lead.]
While observing Jin Wang, Li Zhu noticed him watching another person.
She turned to see Xu Guiyan.
Well now, have the male and female leads already locked eyes?
[Old flames still smolder, and in a few years they'll reignite.]
Li Shengyuan's discreet gaze shifted between Xu Guiyan and Jin Wang. So according to Li Zhu, they shared a past romance?
[Hmm? When did they secretly reconnect?]
Li Zhu searched her memories of the original book.
[Seems it was when the dog emperor fell gravely ill—about three or four years from now.]
Li Shengyuan took a sip of wine, pieces finally falling into place.
So he only had three or four years left to live?
The thought of Li Shengyuan's death dampened Li Zhu's usual spectator mentality.
Though the emperor could be infuriating, he had treated her quite well.
[The book says the dog emperor died from physical exhaustion. Makes sense—poor diet, sleepless nights, endless memorials to review. No wonder his health failed.]
Now Li Shengyuan understood how he would die.
And confirmed that he truly lived within a book. How utterly absurd.
【But… that damned emperor now eats and sleeps well, looking like he could live another hundred years.】
Li Shengyuan fell silent. After meeting Li Zhu, he did seem to have developed a better appetite and sleep.
So, could the fate written for him in the book be changed?
【The damned emperor's fate might actually be changeable!】
Li Zhu took a deep breath, as if untying a knot in her heart.
Shifting her gaze, Li Zhu casually clicked on the exclamation mark next to the person beside Jin Wang.
【Ugh! This person has pica, how disgusting! He actually likes… likes… gag~】
She dared to say it, but Li Shengyuan didn't dare to listen!
"Li Jieyu, why aren't you eating?"
As soon as Li Shengyuan spoke, all eyes in the hall focused on Li Zhu.
Startled, Li Zhu quickly replied, "This concubine will eat right away."
Li Shengyuan nodded and instructed Ji An behind him, "Give the lychees from my table to Li Jieyu."
Ji An acknowledged the order, and the next moment, a plate of lychees appeared on Li Zhu's table.
Everyone understood—Li Jieyu was indeed favored.
Su Jieyu beside Li Zhu nearly tore her handkerchief apart.
She had been waiting for Li Zhu to embarrass herself.
But why hadn't Li Zhu shown any reaction yet?
Had the palace maid failed to put the laxative in Li Zhu's food?
Faced with a table full of delicacies, Su Jieyu found herself unable to eat.
Just then, the servants brought out milk tea and liangfen.
Lady Guo, the wife of the State Duke, asked, "Might I ask what this dish is called, Empress Dowager? I've never seen it before."
"You've asked the wrong person, Lady Guo. All the dishes for today's birthday banquet were decided by Li Jieyu." The Empress Dowager turned and asked, "Li Jieyu, could you enlighten everyone?"
Li Zhu smiled gracefully and said clearly, "This dish is called liangfen, made from Ficus pumila seeds. It has the effect of clearing heat and relieving summer heat."
"Oh, Ficus pumila? Isn't that a medicinal herb?"
"Your reply is correct, Empress Dowager."
"You are quite clever to have thought of using Ficus pumila for food."
"Thank you for your praise, Empress Dowager."
Though it was a small matter, Li Shengyuan felt a sense of pride when Li Zhu was praised.
Lady Guo said, "I quite like this liangfen. Could Jieyu teach me the specific method of making it?"
"Of course. I will have someone deliver the recipe to you later."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Lady Guo sat down satisfied.
Su Jieyu waited and waited, but Li Zhu still showed no unusual signs. She knew the palace maid had not succeeded.
She was disappointed and somewhat panicked.
Had the palace maid not had time to administer the drug, or had she been caught after doing so?
If it was the latter, Su Jieyu hoped the palace maid had been decisive.
Amidst the clinking of cups, the birthday banquet drew to a close.
After the Empress Dowager departed, the guests also left the hall one after another to return home.
Li Zhu hitched a ride on Li Shengyuan's imperial carriage back to Huaqing Palace.
The two bathed separately.
As Li Zhu sat in the bathtub, Gu Gu Qi said softly, "Your Highness, the eunuch guarding the palace maid who poisoned couldn't restrain her, and she bit her tongue and committed suicide."
"She's dead?"
Li Zhu's heart tightened—this was the first person to die because of her.
Gu Gu Qi noticed her distress and comforted her, "That palace maid tried to harm you first, Your Highness. There's no need for guilt or fear."
Li Zhu also reminded herself that she was merely defending herself.
"Don't worry, Gu Gu, I'm fine."
"That's good. The servants found a bottle of laxative in her chest, but there was nothing else to indicate who she was working for."