The third son has always lagged behind the second in every aspect, but what he did today was quite pleasing to him.
The Emperor Dongfeng, in a good mood, waved toward the other party, "Ming'er, you are also at the age where you should marry. I have already asked the Empress Dowager to help you select a Main Consort. If you have any thoughts, you can also voice them."
Facing the Emperor Dongfeng's gentle concern, Jun Moming felt greatly flattered.
"Father Emperor, the Empress Grandmother's judgment is naturally excellent. Your son has no objections."
The Emperor Dongfeng then thought of something else, "I heard you have a new person in your residence. Bring her into the palace another day when you are free for me to see. If she is capable, I will grant her a title to serve you."
"Father Emperor misunderstands. She is just an old acquaintance of Your Son." Speaking of this, Jun Moming paused, "Speaking of which, Prime Minister Mu also knows this old acquaintance."
"Oh? Who is she?"
Jun Moming gave Mu Yuanlin and Jun Moyi a meaningful smile, "Father Emperor, this is actually a birthday gift Your Son specially prepared for Prime Minister Mu. Consider it a surprise. Please forgive Your Son for not revealing it now."
Let alone the Civil and Military Officials, even the Emperor Dongfeng's curiosity was piqued.
Mu Yuanlin and Jun Moyi exchanged glances, both seeing trouble in the other's eyes.
The Mu Family had long formed an alliance with Jun Moyi in secret, which meant they were Jun Moming's enemy. Any surprise Jun Moming specially prepared for the Mu Family looked ill-intentioned.
It was the end of June, and the intense heat was unbearable, yet the main courtyard hosting the Birthday Banquet exuded a refreshing coolness.
"Ah, this is so comfortable! What are those bronze boxes in the corner? Why is cool air coming out of them?"
"You don't know about this? This is called a Cool Wind Fan. It's a new item released by Linglong Pavilion this year. The bronze boxes contain Ice cubes, and there are fan blades made of iron sheets. There is a handle on the side of the box. As long as you turn the handle, the fan blades and Ice cubes will continuously blow out cool air."
"So that's how it works. The person who invented this thing is truly a genius."
"Of course! These Cool Wind Fans are already sold out, and orders are booked half a year in advance. I was lucky to snatch one. Don't even mention it, using this while sleeping at night is truly comfortable; I sleep soundly until dawn without sweating a single drop."
As the wine flowed freely, someone asked about the surprise Jun Moming had prepared, and even the Emperor Dongfeng set down his wine cup.
Jun Moming didn't keep them in suspense any longer and turned to signal his personal attendant.
The attendant received the order and left. Before long, he returned to the banquet, but behind him were a young woman and three exquisitely beautiful little children.
The woman was extremely beautiful, with skin like snow and features like a painting. A pair of Peach blossom eyes held a smile without revealing anything. Her long dark hair was loosely pinned up at the back of her head with a single magnolia jade hairpin. She wore no rings or pendants, and her clothing fabric showed no embroidery.
As she walked, her skirt fluttered, her posture graceful, like an immortal descending from the clouds.
The three little children beside her were no less impressive, their appearances as exquisite as figures in a New Year's painting. Though small, their postures were upright, their demeanor measured, neither servile nor overbearing, clearly raised very well.
Everyone's gaze was captured by the elegance of the mother and her three children, but only Mu Yuanlin's expression changed drastically, his gaze toward the woman filled with shock and uncertainty.
The Emperor Dongfeng was indeed a ruler presiding over a Harem of three thousand. He quickly composed himself and asked curiously, "Ming'er, now you must tell us their origins?"
Jun Moming swept his gaze across Jun Moyi and Mu Yuanlin, then rose and walked to the center of the banquet.
"Reporting to Father Emperor, Your Son encountered them unintentionally while traveling. Upon inquiry, it was discovered they are members of the Mu Family. As the matter is of great importance, Your Son had no choice but to bring them back to Feng Jing first and have people thoroughly question and investigate them. Only after confirming their identities did Your Son dare to let them appear."
"People from the Mu Family?"
The Emperor Dongfeng turned to look at Mu Yuanlin in the lower left, "Minister Mu, Ming'er says they are from your Mu Family. Do you recognize them?"
Mu Yuanlin quickly composed his emotions and stood up to reply, "This woman's Appearance bears about five or six parts resemblance to my deceased wife."
The Emperor Dongfeng suddenly realized, "Indeed, now that you mention it, she does look a bit like Li Changge. Ah, it's been twenty years, hasn't it?"
"Yes."
Mu Yuanlin pointed a hand toward the mother and children in the center of the banquet, "It has been twenty years since my wife passed away. Even if she were alive, she wouldn't be this young. Prince Rui is benevolent; he has likely been deceived."
Jun Moming smiled, "Why is Prime Minister Mu in such a hurry? Your Son never said she was the former Madam."
"Then who is she?" the Emperor Dongfeng asked.
Mu Ning led the three children forward, curtsied, and saluted, "Your humble daughter Mu Ning, presenting my children to pay respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years."
"Mu Ning!?"
As Mu Ning announced her name, the guests at the banquet erupted in an uproar, and even the Emperor Dongfeng showed astonishment.
"You are Mu Ning? The Eldest legitimate daughter of the Mu Family?"
"Precisely."
"Hiss, you say you are Mu Ning? You don't look much like her. I remember Mu Ning was chubby, and her face was smeared so white it looked like she'd put on a layer of paste..."
"Ah! I remember now!!"
Before the Emperor Dongfeng could finish speaking, Jiang Mubai, seated among the guests, suddenly stood up, pointing at Mu Yanxi and his two siblings, his face alight with excitement.
"I remember! I remember! You, you, you look like the bad-tempered one, ah, I know! I know! Hahaha..."
Without finishing his words, Jiang Mubai ran out while laughing heartily.
This left everyone exchanging bewildered glances. Is Young Master Jiang drunk and acting strangely?
The Emperor Dongfeng did not hold Jiang Mubai's rudeness against him. The National treasury had been empty for years, and every time a disaster struck, they relied on the Jiang Family's donations of silver and grain to survive the crisis.
He wasn't foolish enough to offend his benefactor.
The Emperor Dongfeng looked at Mu Ning, then at Mu Yuanlin, and spoke, "Minister Mu, she claims to be your Eldest legitimate daughter, Mu Ning. What are your thoughts?"
Mu Yuanlin's face turned cold, "Your Majesty, my eldest daughter was insane and behaved improperly during her life, bringing disgrace to the family reputation. I have already Expelled from the family. Never mind that she died six years ago; even if she miraculously survived, she is no longer my Mu Family's daughter!"
The implication was that he had no intention of acknowledging Mu Ning as his daughter!
"Father Emperor, as far as Your Son knows, there were many hidden circumstances regarding the events six years ago. Mu Ning was wronged."
As Jun Moming finished speaking, the surrounding guests immediately began whispering amongst themselves.
The Emperor Dongfeng swept a stern gaze across the crowd, and the sound of discussion quickly subsided.
"Mu Ning, Ming'er says you were wronged. Then tell us about it."
"Your humble daughter obeys."
Mu Ning slightly curtsied, then raised her eyes to look steadily at Mu Yuanlin, "May I ask Prime Minister Mu, exactly what did Mu Ning do wrong to be Expelled from the family under the charge of improper conduct and bringing disgrace to the family reputation?"
"You know best what you did..."
Before Mu Yuanlin could begin listing Mu Ning's supposed crimes, Madam Mu beside him suddenly stood up emotionally, "Ning'er, is that really you? You're alive, that's wonderful!"
With that tone of concern, worried expression, and tears welling in her eyes, anyone would praise Madam Mu as a kind and compassionate stepmother.
"That's right, I am alive, perfectly fine. Are you happy or surprised?"
Second update~
Asking for recommendation tickets and five-star reviews!