Isn't This a Burial Robe?
The Empress Dowager roared in anger:
"Mingzhao, are you deliberately trying to make things difficult for me at my birthday banquet?"
I clearly stated that your son is Zhou Fuyu and your daughter-in-law is Qian Huihui.
"Can't you understand what I'm saying?"
Grand Princess Mingzhao looked at the Empress Dowager and asked, "Mother, what criteria did you use to determine that they are my son and daughter-in-law?"
The Empress Dowager snorted coldly and said, "He looks exactly like you."
Grand Princess Mingzhao looked at Zhou Fuyu and said:
He has shifty eyes and a weasel-like appearance; he doesn't look like me at all.
On the contrary, Zhou Fusheng bears a six or seven-tenths resemblance to me in terms of his features.
Moreover, Zhou Wanwan looks remarkably like the Emperor...
The Empress Dowager shouted, "Nonsense! How does that little brat Zhou Wanwan resemble the Emperor?"
Princess Jianing said from the side, "Grandmother, why didn't Zhou Wanwan come today? Is she still washing clothes in the Laundry Bureau?"
A burst of laughter erupted around them. Princess Jing'an said, "Eunuch Hai, go and call Zhou Wanwan out."
Eunuch Hai sighed helplessly and said, "This servant obeys the decree."
He went to the Laundry Bureau and, seeing Zhou Wanwan's clothes, said with a heavy heart, "Your Highness, today is the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. Isn't it inappropriate for you to be dressed like this?"
Zhou Wanwan looked at her tattered clothes and said, "It suits me, why wouldn't it suit me? Are there many people from the palace today?"
Eunuch Hai thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Many ministers have come with their families today, so don't you need to change your clothes?"
Zhou Wanwan shook her head and said, "No need, my clothes are great, they're full of holes, so unique."
Eunuch Hai's lips twitched as he said, "Alright, then please come with me to the palace!"
Zhou Wanwan followed behind Eunuch Hai and asked, "What has Noble Consort Ning been up to lately?"
Eunuch Hai sighed and said, "She said she wanted to establish cooperative relations with those countries, but unfortunately, none of them are paying attention to her."
Zhou Wanwan raised an eyebrow and said, "Those envoys haven't left yet?"
Eunuch Hai smiled and said, "No! They said they want to stay in our Great Xia for a few more days, and I heard there might even be a marriage alliance."
Zhou Wanwan nodded and said, "Okay!"
Eunuch Hai led her directly into the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility, Palace of Compassion and Tranquility was now bustling with activity.
Then they heard the young eunuch in front continuously reading out the gifts that everyone had given to the Empress Dowager.
At first, there were gifts for a dozen or so princesses. When it came to Princess Mingzhao's turn, everyone looked at her.
Princess Jing'an looked at her and said, "Elder sister, what gift have you prepared today? Hurry up and show it to us!"
Princess Mingzhao smiled faintly and said, "My gift is naturally inferior to yours. Why don't you look at yours first?"
Princess Jing'an looked at her painting and almost burst out laughing.
The previous checkpoints in the palace were designed specifically for Princess Mingzhao.
The palace guards inspected their belongings and, seeing that Princess Mingzhao had brought a painting, cut it in half.
Now they want to see how Princess Mingzhao will handle this situation.
If Princess Mingzhao were to open the painting today, and the Empress Dowager saw it, I wonder how furious she would be.
Princess Jing'an smiled with immense pride:
"The Suzhou embroidery screen depicting immortals celebrating a long life—I had my embroiderers work on this for a long time!"
May the Empress Dowager live a long and prosperous life, and enjoy Eastern Sea.
The Empress Dowager smiled and said to Old Madam Zhou beside her, "This is my second son. This daughter is especially filial, hahaha!"
Old Madam Zhou nodded and said, "I think your second and third sons are so considerate, unlike your eldest son!"
The Empress Dowager gave a bitter smile and said, "There's nothing I can do. This is fate. There will always be unfilial children. Aren't you the same?"
Old Madam Zhou looked at Zhou Fusheng and sighed, "Isn't that right? I've been so good to her, but the result is still the same?"
The Empress Dowager patted her hand and said, "Disrespectful people will be punished. Look at the kind of life she's living now!"
Old Madam Zhou smiled and said, "Ah! That's right! There will always be retribution."
The screen depicting Princess Jing'an had been opened, and everyone was stunned. The screen, which had been meant to depict immortals celebrating a birthday, was now covered with demons and monsters.
There was a person dressed like an empress dowager, being impaled on a fork.
The Empress Dowager's face turned pale. "Jing'an, what is this thing you've presented?"
When Princess Jing'an saw the painting, her legs went weak. "Mother, I didn't do it, it wasn't me!"
The Empress Dowager trembled with anger, and the princesses beside her asked, "What's wrong with Princess Jing'an? Does she have a grudge against the Empress Dowager?"
"I heard that all of Princess Mingzhao's shops and estates were divided up by Princess Jing'an and Princess Ningyuan."
Princess Jing'an wouldn't hate the Empress Dowager to that extent, would she?
"Who else could it be but her? This embroidery will take a long time to complete."
Princess Jing'an knelt on the ground and cried out, "Mother, it really wasn't me! Ningyuan has seen this embroidery of mine!"
Princess Ningyuan knelt on the ground and nodded, saying, "It certainly wasn't my sister. The embroidery wasn't like this back then. Someone must have deliberately framed us."
She looked at Grand Princess Mingzhao, Mingzhao looked at her and said:
"You're not saying it's me, are you? I haven't moved an inch today, and I've been stuck in the cold palace all this time."
Even if I did go back yesterday, I wouldn't have had time to embroider such a large piece, would I?
"Yes, hasn't the eldest princess been living in the Cold Palace all this time?"
"The eldest princess only has a dozen or so servants around her; they simply can't do something like this."
"I think Grand Princess Mingzhao is quite pitiful. She's confined to the Cold Palace and still lives in such a dilapidated house."
"I heard that Zhou Fusheng and Liu Su'e are peasants. Now that the Princess has lost everything, she can only live in their house."
"Oh! I never imagined the Eldest Princess would become like this. She used to be so glamorous."
The Empress Dowager looked at Princess Jing'an and said, "Take back the congratulatory gift you sent!"
Princess Jing'an had no choice but to take the items back. Princess Ningyuan said, "This time I have prepared a flowing cloud brocade robe with a hundred longevity motif for the Empress Dowager. Someone, bring it here."
The Empress Dowager looked at Princess Ningyuan and said with a smile, "This is my third daughter, the most considerate one. She always likes to send me the best things."
Old Madam Zhou smiled and said:
"This is quite similar to my Fuyu. Fuyu's greatest virtue is his filial piety."
He said yesterday that he wanted to prepare a wonderful congratulatory gift for you!
The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "This child is indeed quite outstanding, with a particularly charming tongue. Don't worry! I said he is the eldest princess's son, and he is."
What was it that Old Madam Zhou didn't understand?
The Empress Dowager simply disliked Zhou Fusheng, which was exactly what Old Madam Zhou was happy to see.
Everyone stared at Princess Ningyuan's clothes.
The Empress Dowager's face was also full of anticipation.
Someone opened the box, and upon opening it, it was indeed shimmering with light and color.
But when the entire garment was displayed, everyone's expression changed.
"This... isn't this a funeral shroud?"
"Hahaha, this is hilarious! What was Princess Ningyuan thinking? Sending this thing to her own mother's birthday banquet?"
"These two princesses don't want the Empress Dowager to have an easy time!"