Chapter 1245: YeXi Unexpected (1/2)

Han Yunxi almost laughed. He truly is my birth son!

“How were you wronged?” Long Feiye asked.

“Your Majesty, whether chenqie is worthy to be the empress or the crown prince’s mother, chenqie doesn’t know. But chenqie definitely didn’t spend extravagantly for the crown prince’s birthday banquet while neglecting the disaster victims.”

Before Han Yunxi could finish, Baili Yuanlong cut in angrily, “Esteemed Empress, everyone has a feast on their table tonight. A single person’s meal could fill ten stomachs! What is this if not extravagance? There are people in the north without a home to return to and soldiers who have difficulty even getting one meal. Yet this chicken soup is only to be consumed in a few mouthfuls? Heheh, and this isn’t wasteful? It’s extremely excessive!”

“Is there anything else?” Han Yunxi asked him coldly.

He laughed back. “Esteemed Empress, this birthday banquet is already too much. Does esteemed empress doesn’t consider it a waste?”

When everyone was waiting for Han Yunxi to argue using her usual logic and reason again, she openly admitted it instead. “Your Excellency Baili speaks superbly! With disasters still raging in Northern Li, it is a colossal mistake to hold a grand banquet! A wrong beyond wrongs!”

For a second, everyone thought they had misheard. Under their scrutiny, Han Yunxi pulled Rui’er up with her before walking to Long Feiye. On the sidelines, Zhao mama and Mu Linger finally made their entrance from both ends and stood on either side of Han Yunxi and Rui’er.

Mu Linger personally opened up the covers for Long Feiye’s dishes, but none of the kneeling people could see what was going on. Smiling, Mu Linger and Zhao mama then carried the bowls down for the officials to have a closer look. Inside there was nothing but clear soup with seasonings. There wasn’t a speck of fish, meat, or even tea leaves. Both the courtiers kneeling on the ground and the ones in their seats were stunned. Baili Yuanlong and Baili Lixiang could only gape as if frozen in place, their eyes unmoving. The Xiao Clan members were wearing ugly expressions as well.

Who would have expected a table of piping hot dishes to be reduced to something like this! Han Yunxi was...clearly fooling with them!

Was she doing it on purpose? One could only blame these people for jumping to conclusions! Han Yunxi wasn’t so idle to try such tricks. She was simply using this chance to warn them. Zhao mama personally picked up the bowl of fragrant chicken soup and Han Yunxi said, “Crown prince, help ladle soup for your imperial father.”

With Zhao mama and Mu Linger’s assistance, Han Yunxi and Rui’er walked down the row of seats starting with Baili Yuanlong and the rest to open up their covers and give them a spoonful of soup. After finishing a cycle, they returned to Long Feiye with an almost empty bowl of soup. Zhao mama respectfulled set back the thoroughly cooked piece of chicken with medicinal ingredients back on his table.

With this, Han Yunxi and Rui’er fell back on their knees. Everyone watched the mother and son in silence. Without a doubt, even the smallest actions send waves through their hearts!

Han Yunxi said sincerely, “Your Majesty, the matter of a crown prince’s first birthday is an important rite of etiquette than cannot be forgotten! What are the rites? As chenqie sees it, to share the joys and bitterness of the common people! Today Northern Li is suffering from disaster and the citizens are in sorrow. Thus, the crown prince’s birthday banquet is to share their sorrows! For the feast tonight, chenqie only asked the kitchens to prepare a pot of whole chicken soup to entertain the emperor and various officials. This will tell the world that our imperial clan is concerned with the suffering of the north and always keep their people in mind.”

Long Feiye nodded seriously, while the Baili and Xiao Clan clans, along with ten or so high-officials, all felt sweat soak their backs and their limbs grow soft. Their hearts were faltering! Baili Yuanlong’s expression was beyond description, while Baili Lixiang’s face was still frozen in one of abject shock! However, many of the kneeling courtiers were also wearing expressions of joy as they regained their respect for the empress. Han Yunxi’s next words were beyond expectations as well while taking the Baili and Xiao Clans by surprise.

“Your Majesty, chenqie consulted Mu Linger recently about adding these seasonings to the dishes to make delicious-smelling soups. Using the crown prince’s birthday as pretext, I tested our various officials. Chenqie believes that those who dared to speak out tonight are loyal and good officials with the people in their hearts.”

This…

Is Han Yunxi praising us? She’s not going to pursue our crimes of smearing the empress?

Baili Yuanlong glanced at Xiao An, who returned his look. The two of them grew even more fearful! If Han Yunxi tried to blame them, they could appeal their innocence by pleading ignorance and show off their integrity by saying they’d rather die than not speak openly.

However!

Han Yunxi had played them all and complimented them instead? This was too unsettling! Just what was she aiming for? Even the old, shrewd Xiao An had to admit that he couldn’t see escape the empress’s palm. If they didn’t know what they were up against, how were they supposed to fight, much less win?

At this moment, Baili Yuanlong and Xiao An felt true terror for Han Yunxi from the bottom of their hearts. Baili Lixiang finally recovered some of her senses, but still felt muddled inside. Han Yunxi went completely against convention to wreck all of her plans and arrangements! Besides continuing to kneel, she had no idea what to do or expect next.

Some of the kneeling officials were frightened, while others celebrated. The ones still sitting at their seats were filled with emotions, too. Those who knew the truth were naturally unafraid, while those who had no idea were as comparably terrified as Baili Yuanlong and Xiao An. The esteemed empress only said the the kneeling courtiers were upright officials, but didn’t mention anything about them! This contrast made them seem like enablers only interested in protecting their self-interests!

A single birthday banquet and its empty-plated feast had seen through all of these officials and their schemes!