Who Doesn't Love Watching Other People's Drama?

Xie Cheng'en laughed loudly, "Still dare to pretend here? My men are everywhere outside; you can't escape even if you want to."

"Court death."

After Zhou Wanwan finished speaking, Xie Cheng'en fainted.

Zhou Wanwan sat on a branch of the Old Scholar Tree, watching Noble Consort Ning lead a group of female relatives into the room.

Noble Consort Ning said, "I don't know why Zhou Wanwan takes so long to change her clothes. Let's go take a look!"

"OK."

"Noble Consort Ning seems to care quite a bit about Zhou Wanwan!"

Noble Consort Ning smiled and said, "After all, she is the eldest princess's adopted granddaughter, so we are quite concerned about her."

Mingzhao felt her heart pounding. She looked at Liu Su'e beside her and said, "I have a feeling something's going to happen. What if something really does?"

Liu Su'e shook her head and said, "Mother, don't worry! Wanwan will be fine."

Mingzhao was filled with anxiety, while the others wore expressions of anticipation and excitement.

Noble Consort Ning said, "Wanwan, that child, why hasn't she gone out yet? We're here, let's go in and see what she's doing."

Everyone's face was filled with anticipation.

Who doesn't love reading other people's gossip?

Old Madam Zhou snorted coldly and said, "She's really putting on airs, making so many of us come to watch the show, oh dear!"

The Empress Dowager laughed and said, "That's true, this child is really outrageous."

They pushed open the door and saw Princess Jianing and Xie Cheng'en inside.

Noble Consort Ning slapped Xie Cheng'en across the face and said, "Xie Cheng'en, how dare you!"

Xie Cheng'en, still groggy, looked at Jianing and was startled. "Aunt, it's not what you think."

Noble Consort Ning was furious. "What is it then?"

She draped the clothes over Princess Jianing and said, "Get out, all of you! Get out, get out!"

Everyone in the hall rushed out, whispering, "I don't know what bad luck we've had today, witnessing this scene. Do you think we'll be silenced?"

"How could that be? These are all respectable families; she can't just kill them with a single word."

Besides, we haven't done anything wrong.

"We didn't do anything wrong. It was his daughter and his nephew who did wrong. What does it have to do with us?"

"There are guards with knives everywhere outside. I'm afraid that if Noble Consort Ning gets angry, she might kill us all."

Zhou Wanwan peeked out and looked at them, saying, "It's alright! All the ministers are waiting for you outside! She wouldn't dare do anything to you."

These words startled the women.

The women patted their chests and said, "When did this child hide here?"

Zhou Wanwan said helplessly:

"I've been in the main hall the whole time! I've been waiting for you! You haven't even eaten yet, have you?"

Or I brought some snacks. The snack shop has released a lot of new snacks lately, everyone should try them!

The ladies sighed. Zhou Wanwan was indeed quite kind; even in this situation, she was concerned about whether they were hungry.

The ladies and young women were truly hungry; the birthday banquet had been going on for quite some time now, and they hadn't eaten a thing.

Zhou Wanwan immediately had all sorts of snacks, milk tea, and pastries brought out, saying, "Everyone, have a taste first, to fill your stomachs, and we'll talk more when the Empress Dowager and Noble Consort Ning arrive."

There was no other way; she had to hurry up and promote it.

One person said, "These snacks are absolutely delicious! I've been buying their snacks lately, the taste is incredible."

"Has this milk tea come in a new flavor? It tastes really good."

"The milk tea I'm drinking is osmanthus flavored! It smells so good!"

"My milk tea is strawberry flavored, it's sweet and sour, can I have another one?"

Zhou Wanwan said with a smile, "There's plenty to go around, everyone can drink as much as you want."

Someone asked, "These new snacks are so delicious!"

Zhou Wanwan laughed. "How could it not taste good?"

The new snacks include honey-glazed pork jerky, spiced beef jerky, candied kumquats, sesame crisps, amber peach kernels, salt-baked peanuts, crispy dried anchovies, osmanthus-flavored lotus root slices, dried tangerine peel plum cakes, milk-flavored fried rice cakes, spicy dried tofu, sugar-coated ginkgo nuts, braised quail eggs, and perilla-flavored dried bayberries...

The ministers also rushed in quickly, because they were really afraid that something might happen to the people inside.

They breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that nothing was wrong inside.

Zhou Wanwan greeted:

"Don't just stand there! Since you're here, everyone should try some snacks!"

The Empress Dowager's banquet wasn't very lively, so I invited a few storytellers to listen to their tales while we waited for the Empress Dowager.

The situation at the front quickly stabilized, and the ministers and their wives talked about what was happening inside, creating quite a lively scene.

In the backyard Noble Consort Ning was furious. "What are you two doing? Didn't you say you were going to deal with Zhou Wanwan?"

Princess Jianing cried and sobbed, "Mother, what should we do now? I don't want to marry Xie Cheng'en."

Xie Cheng'en shrank his neck and said, "Whether I'm willing to marry her or not, we're just like brother and sister."

Are you kidding me? What is Princess Jianing? She's a shrew! How could he possibly have a good life after marrying her?

Noble Consort Ning sneered:

"My daughter is not for you to pick and choose. You have to marry her now, whether you like it or not."

"If you don't marry her, what will people outside say about her?"

Xie Cheng'en said pitifully, "Aunt, I don't want to marry her."

Unfortunately Noble Consort Ning wouldn't listen at all. She snorted coldly and said, "The imperial decree will be issued soon. You'd better be prepared!"

Xie Cheng'en's face fell as he said, "I can marry her, but I must take Zhou Wanwan as a concubine as well."

Noble Consort Ning frowned and said, "Nonsense! Do you really think Zhou Wanwan is a pushover? At this critical juncture, stop making trouble. I'll handle this matter slowly."

Zhou Wanwan is only 6 years old now. If such an imperial edict were really issued, she would be afraid of being criticized by the court officials.

Her current control of the government is far from stable.

The two of them were on the verge of tears.

The Empress Dowager looked at Noble Consort Ning and said, "How did things turn out like this?"

Noble Consort Ning shook her head and said, "I always felt that Zhou Wanwan was a jinx; keeping her in the palace would be a disaster."

The Empress Dowager said coldly, "She's safest in the harem. She's just a child; I could crush her with a flick of my finger. What are you panicking about?"

Noble Consort Ning nodded.

The two walked forward, where the birthday banquet was already in full swing.

The Empress Dowager sat in the main seat, watching the ladies and young women below eat and drink, and the corners of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

These people were eating and drinking well without her permission, so she asked softly, "Who brought these snacks?"

The palace maids said, "Zhou Wanwan bought all of these. Your Majesty, please try some; they taste quite good."

The Empress Dowager was trembling with anger, and Zhou Wanwan grinned and said:

"Your Majesty, you don't need to praise me. This is what I should do."

Since you're not here, I'll entertain the guests for you. Don't worry, I won't let you down.