And so the night passed without incident.
Ao Dongping believed his plan was foolproof and slept soundly without a care.
Yet the next day, he waited from morning until afternoon without receiving any orders from His Highness, let alone anything about preparing birthday gifts.
The old sea turtle could no longer sit still.
He went out and made inquiries among several colleagues he knew well. After returning, he paced his study, repeatedly marveling:
"How strange! None of my colleagues received any orders to prepare gifts. I even made a special trip to the Treasury Bureau. The treasurer said His Highness hadn't summoned him for many days."
Listening nearby, Cui Jiuyang picked up the conversation. "Could those Dragon Guards have failed to mention the consort's grand birthday celebration to His Highness?"
Ao Dongping shook his head, his brows tightly knitted. "Unlikely. Those Dragon Guards spend all day standing outside His Highness's door, bored out of their minds.
"As long as it doesn't involve confidential matters, they can spread the tiniest scrap of news three thousand miles.
"Although they're close to His Highness, most are merely guards with few opportunities to distinguish themselves.
"Reminding His Highness of the consort's approaching birthday would be the perfect chance to get his attention and draw closer to him. They wouldn't pass it up.
"They've even made fools of themselves in previous years. Once, four guards rushed to tell His Highness about the consort's birthday on the very same day.
"His Highness even joked that those distant relatives were more filial and attentive than he was as her own son."
Hearing this, Cui Jiuyang grew even more puzzled. "Then... is His Highness not planning to celebrate the consort's birthday?"
Ao Dongping shook his head like a rattle-drum. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
"His Highness and the consort share