Chapter 125: The Empress's Birthday

Three days after Feng Mingze took office, the palace welcomed Concubine Ji's 18th birthday.
Since turning thirty, Concubine Ji had said that she would not celebrate her birthday anymore. The Emperor would then coax her, saying, "Then from now on, we will celebrate your 18th birthday every year, and you will forever be 18!" So, the 18th birthday celebration, which has been celebrated for over a decade now, even Concubine Ji herself can't remember how old she really is.
His Majesty asked Queen Consort Xian and Consort Du to jointly prepare a birthday banquet for Noble Consort Ji. Xian and Du were extremely cautious and meticulous in every detail, from the guest list to the tableware and food for the banquet, hoping to earn praise from His Majesty and the Noble Consort and restore some dignity for Prince Xian.
As per the Emperor's wish, the evening banquet was held at the Fenglai Pavilion opposite the Tinger Ge. This is a spacious palace where the Empress receives visits from court ladies and maidens from both inside and outside the palace. Since the Empress fell ill after the Crown Prince was deposed, she rarely leaves her own palace and the visits from court ladies and maidens have also been exempted, which is also why Concubine Ji likes this place.
Hosting a banquet here is very regal, just perfect.
On this day, Haitang arrived at the Sun Mansion early, waiting to enter the palace with Lady Sun. Gu Mansheng was very happy to see Haitang, and after marriage, Sun Yuxi and her had a very good relationship, sticking together like glue every day, so she was especially grateful for Haitang's help on the day of the wedding.
"Sister Haitang, your room has always been kept for you. Mother said you are especially good at making medicinal meals, so let me learn from you!" Gu Mansheng held Haitang's arm affectionately and said.
Sea-Tang blinked and said seriously, "I do have a recipe for a fertility-enhancing tonic. Would you like to learn?"
Gu Mansheng shyly said, "You're just a girl who hasn't married yet, how can you be so shameless?"
"Because...I am still a doctor!" Haitang giggled, playfully teasing Mansheng back and forth.
Mrs. Sun, who happened to hear their conversation from outside the door, walked in and said with a smile, "I love hearing my daughter say that! This is the most important thing for you two newlyweds at the moment."
"Mother! How can you help Haixiang bully me!" Gu Mansheng went up to her mother-in-law and coquettishly complained. Mrs. Sun hugged one of them, laughing with her eyes curved. She just likes the lively atmosphere in the mansion.
Gu Mansheng is not yet a noble lady, so Mrs. Sun went into the palace with only Haitang.
In the main hall of Fenglai Yide, men and women were seated separately. Inside the hall, flowers were blooming, butterflies were dancing, and the air was filled with fragrance. Outside the hall on the small square, people were dressed neatly and dignified.
Among the birthday gifts presented by the foreign ministers today, the most rare one is a four-foot-tall red coral plant presented by the county magistrate Yu Zhihuan from Putian County, Fujian. This birthday gift was personally delivered to the capital by Yu Zhihuan's eldest daughter, Yu Yanrong.
Miss Yu, dressed up carefully today, had a purple jacket covering a lilac dress. A purple gold peony hairpin on her head, making her pair of jade orchids especially fresh. She doesn't look like a daughter of a county magistrate, compared to the noble ladies in the capital, she is equally impressive.
"I am just a humble county magistrate, how much did I extort from the people to be able to send such a gift and dress the girl up like this!" Zhao Muze sneered.
Shen Congxi glanced and said, "Fujian? Probably received a lot of relief funds from the court." He shook his head, disdainfully saying, "Look, the dark side of the officialdom is visible. That's why I, as a fine gentleman, do not deign to associate with it."
Sun Yanxi heard and shook his head, smiling, "You are being too extreme again. If we don't bring the clear stream into the muddy pool, how can we have the azure sky reflected in the clear water! It is precisely because there is darkness in the officialdom that we need to bring in the light."
"Learn, learn!" Shen Congxi arched his hand and smiled, saying, "I am used to being idle, I can't stand constraints. It really troubles Brother Yanxi!"
When it was the turn of the royal relatives to present gifts, they were nothing but some rare treasures collected, but they were not as eye-catching and unique as that red coral plant.
Finally, the emperor held Concubine Ji's hand and said, "My dear, this year I want to give you two special gifts to celebrate your eighteenth birthday." Of course, the emperor would not mention the third gift, the fish tank from Prince Kang, as he was embarrassed to mention it in front of Concubine Phoenix. With a wave of his hand, Guo Kuan came forward with a brocade box.
The emperor opened the brocade box, inside was the pair of raindrop ruby hairpins. The emperor smiled and said, "I shall name it Lovesick Rain, do you think it is beautiful?"
"The name given by the emperor is very beautiful, and the hairpins are also very beautiful. This raindrop-shaped ruby is bright red, just as the concubine likes it. It is truly a rare token of affection." Concubine Ji nodded and smiled, she had known this was a gift from the Prince, and purposely praised, "Is there another gift?"
"Look, my love!" The emperor pointed excitedly to the pavilion opposite Phoenix Laiyi. "That is the one I gave you, called Ting Yu Ge."
Concubine Ji almost laughed out loud: "Your Majesty, you might as well say that the entire palace is given to me, I would be even happier."
His Majesty held the hand of Concubine Ji, walking to the door of the grand hall. His Majesty clapped his hands, and suddenly a sound of water was heard. Countless rain lines flowed down from the eaves, forming a circle of rain curtain. The water then flowed into the gutter under the eaves and finally converged into the jade lake.
Everyone praised the ingenuity of the mechanism used in Tingyu Pavilion, which actually made the lake water flow backwards. This is the first time I have seen such a thing.
The emperor looked at the noble concubine affectionately and said, "I will always remember that rain."
When memories of the past surged in the imperial concubine's heart, she was so moved that her eyes became moist. Holding the emperor's hand, she said, "Your Majesty, this is the best gift I have ever received!" The emperor couldn't help but burst into laughter, and then led the imperial concubine back to the dragon throne.
Guo Kuan waved his hand, and a team of graceful girls danced in to the musical accompaniment.
Duan Wang also withdrew his gaze from Tingyu Pavilion. With the God Machine Camp in hand, Father Emperor is bound to reward him today. Before the offering of the king, he must marry a young lady from the Cheng family.