After darkness fell, the banquet officially began. Emperor Wu'an and Empress Lin entered the hall, supporting the Empress Dowager between them.
Everyone rose to pay their respects to the three of them. The Empress Dowager kindly told them to rise and take their seats. Once they had sat down, Emperor Wu'an began to speak.
“Today is the Empress Dowager's Birthday Celebration. Everyone, make yourselves comfortable, and enjoy the food and wine!”
Emperor Wu'an disliked ceremonial pleasantries, so he finished after just a few words.
The officials had served under Emperor Wu'an for so many years and attended countless banquets, both large and small. They knew his temperament: he disliked wasting words.
Once Emperor Wu'an finished his opening remarks, the presentation of gifts began.
Naturally, the emperor presented his gift first, followed by the Empress and the imperial consorts, then the Carefree Prince, the Eldest Princess, and the others. Next came the Crown Prince and the other grandchildren. Since there would be weddings to celebrate this year,
Shen Shixu's, Bai Lixi's, and Meng Jiyao's gifts were also included among those from the younger generation.
Shen Shixu presented a white jade Guanyin statue and a string of one hundred and eight prayer beads. Bai Lixi gave health-restoring pills he had made himself, which could help nourish the body. Meng Jiyao presented the Hundred Blessings Pearl Robe, which she had made together with the students of the Girls' School under her name.
After they presented their gifts, the other officials' gifts were brought forward one by one: ginseng nearly a thousand years old, a Furong jade screen, a pink coral ornament, Buddhist scriptures hand-copied by an eminent monk...
Only after everyone else had finished did Northern Rong and Western Di present their gifts. Northern Rong offered sixty warhorses they had raised, ten bottles