Chapter 433 - The Empress Dowager Asks for Ideas in Cining Palace (2/2)

Consort Yu and Consort Zhao could be said to be the two most popular women in the palace other than the Empress and Consort Su.

Looking at all the madams and young ladies in the hall, one would found more than half of the n.o.ble families in court were all accounted for!

The usually mysterious Empress Dowager who hid behind the scenes had created this rather suspicious affair.

“Lead Consort Xuan to her seat.” The Empress Dowager ordered a servant to bring Mo Xuetong to her seat after she greeted the Empress Dowager. Mo Xuetong sat down by the side with a smile.

When almost everyone was present, the Empress Dowager told them why she had gathered them in the palace. She said she wanted to let the young people get together and also seek everyone’s opinions on how to celebrate the Emperor’s 60th birthday.

In the past, the Empress was the one who took charge of the Emperor’s birthday. However, she was in poor health now, so the Empress Dowager was taking charge of the matter. In the past, everyone from inside the palace and outside the palace would start preparing one month in advance for the event. The Imperial Household Department would wring their brains out thinking of how to please the Emperor. However, they could only come up with the same things every year, so the Emperor was not overly pleased either.

Since the Empress Dowager had taken over this year, she wanted to see if there was anything she could change about it. That was why she gathered the young madams and young ladies in her palace today in hopes of seeking the opinions of young people.

“All of you present here, madams, young ladies, and the three consorts have been called to help me come up with ideas. You are all young people and have good ideas. So help me think of some novel ideas for the Emperor to tinkle around with. Something that would make him happy.” The Empress Dowager sat at the head of the table with a slight smile. She swept her gaze at everyone present.

It was suspicious that the Empress Dowager would gather so many young madams and young ladies from n.o.ble families just to think of a few novel ideas for the Emperor’s birthday. Even though Mo Xuetong did not know what the Empress Dowager was planning, she smiled and acceded. Anyway, she was the youngest in the hall full of madams and young ladies.

She would just pretend not to do anything and silently watch the situation develop.

Mo Xuetong looked up at the madams and young ladies and found two familiar faces. The He sisters had, just as she expected, rushed to the palace after leaving King Xuan’s Manor. They had even reached before Mo Xuetong did.

When they heard the Empress Dowager asking them for ideas, the young madams and ladies started chattering, each presenting the Empress Dowager with their ideas.

The great hall grew noisy.

In the end, Ling Rui’er even wrote a list for the Empress Dowagers after everyone discussed the ideas. There were more than 45 ideas on the list. It was true that there was strength in numbers. Mo Xuetong sat at the side and pretended not to know anything. She just smiled.

However, some people just did not want to let her off. After a while, Ling Rui’er turned to her with a smile. She said, “Consort Xuan, you are smart and quick-witted. Why aren’t you coming up with ideas to help the Empress Dowager?”

She made it sound as if Mo Xuetong were intentionally disrespecting the Empress Dowager.

While the Empress Dowager, who was seated in front, was still stalking to Consort Yu with a slight smile on her face, she glanced at Mo Xuetong indifferently.

Mo Xuetong looked up, feeling the Empress Dowager’s gaze on her. She smiled at Ling Rui’er and then said somewhat ashamed, “Consort Chu, you must be kidding. I don’t know anything about this. This is my first time hearing about the Emperor’s birthday banquet. Back when I was in Cloud City, I only heard that His Majesty’s birthday banquet was beautiful and luxurious. I listened to everyone’s suggestions today and thought they were all amazing but can’t think of anything myself.”

An uneasy expression appeared on her slightly childish porcelain face. She looked as if she was embarra.s.sed by Ling Rui’er’s questioning.

The Empress Dowager looked at Mo Xuetong closely. Her gaze was dark.

Mo Xuetong was from Cloud City and was not favored earlier on. She had only soared up the social ladder after returning to the Capital. First, she had found favor with Princess Royal and became Princess Anping. Then, she married into the King Xuan’s Manor to bring blessings to King Xuan. She had been extremely lucky because King Xuan, who was said to be on his deathbed, got better.

After that, the licentious and debaucherous King Xuan, Feng Yuran seemed to have turned over a new leaf. He had gathered the women in his back courtyard and even seemed to be only lavis.h.i.+ng attention on Mo Xuetong. He was even taking part in the matters of the court now unlike before. He also started to manage matters for the Emperor.

He had changed so much. Was Mo Xuetong really just an ignorant and very lucky girl?

“Consort Xuan, you don’t have to stand on ceremony. We are a family. If you have any good ideas, do let us know. I have to know what good ideas Consort Xuan has. The ideas young people come up with are much interesting than what old people like me can think of.” The Empress Dowager looked at Mo Xuetong with a benevolent smile.

Ling Rui’er smiled and interrupted, saying, “How is the Empress Dowager old. You look like my sister. Father even said that you have not changed at all from when you visited the home before. You are not old at all.”

She was trying to flaunt the relations.h.i.+p between the Ding General Manor and the Empress Dowager. The young ladies and madam who were close to Ling Rui’er immediately chimed in agreement.

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