Chapter 88 New Year Banquet 2

Everyone stood up and bowed to the Emperor.

“Please rise, today’s New Year’s Eve banquet, no need for formalities.” After the Emperor sat down, he gestured for everyone to stand.

To the Emperor’s left, the Crown Prince sat in the first seat, followed by Prince Ning Shinzi and the Fifth Prince.

The Sixth Prince, only five years old, sat with Concubine Shen on the side with the women.

Further back were the royal family members.

To the right, Consort Xian, Concubine Xin, Princess Pingyi, Concubine Shen with the Sixth Prince, Shu Yuwan, Princess Changning, and Ning Wang Fei were seated.

Behind them were the ministers of the fifth rank and above, seated according to their ranks.

Representatives from the Anding Marquis were also present, including the old lady, Wei Shi. However, ever since Shu Yuwan became the Crown Princess, the Anding Marquis position in the court had been quite awkward.

They sat awkwardly, while other noble families exchanged greetings and whispered among themselves. Even the families of the eldest and second sons of the Anding Marquis avoid interacting in the palace.

Sitting in a prominent position, Shu Yuwan didn’t pay much attention to the Anding Marquis.

Qing Dai and Yimei stood behind Shu Yuwan, always cautious and ensuring she avoided anything spicy, stimulating, or harmful to pregnant women.

After the Emperor had been seated for a while, the Crown Prince stood up.

“Father, the son has some good news to report to you.”

Initially not very enthusiastic, as it was the same every year, the Emperor’s spirits lifted upon hearing the Crown Prince’s words, “Oh, what good news?”

The Crown Prince said, “The Crown Princess is pregnant~”

The Emperor’s eyes lit up instantly as he looked at Shu Yuwan and exclaimed, “Good, good, good!”

“Jin Er, you’re finally going to have an heir!”

Indeed, what Grand Master Liao Kong said was true. The Shu family’s union with Jin Er was truly destined, and now there was such good news.

“A reward! A reward!”

Turning to Hong Gonggong, the Emperor said, “Open my private treasury. Send everything that can be used to the Crown Princess!”

Raising an eyebrow, the Crown Prince had never been allowed to pick from the treasures in his father’s private treasury.

Shu Yuwan stood up and bowed, “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Consort Xian’s expression briefly changed upon hearing the news of the Crown Princess’s pregnancy from the Crown Prince, but she quickly regained her composure, wearing a joyful expression, “Congratulations to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.”

The Crown Prince nodded politely to Consort Xian.

The Fifth Prince also stood up and said to the Crown Prince, “Congratulations, Brother, and Crown Sister~”

“Thank you, Fifth Brother.”

The atmosphere at the New Year banquet became livelier after the Crown Prince announced Shu Yuwan’ pregnancy, with some genuinely happy and others trying to maintain a happy facade.

Shu Yuwan received many warm looks, and regardless of how she felt, she maintained a dignified smile.

After a round of singing and dancing, the New Year banquet quickly concluded.

The Emperor left first with Palace concubines.

The ministers’ wives also had to return to pay respects to their ancestors.

Mrs. Shu looked at Shu Yuwan, suppressing the urge to ask her daughter how she was feeling, and walked outside with the other ministers’ wives.

She was overjoyed.

Lady Tang and Lady Zhou coincidentally approached Mrs. Shu, wearing joyful expressions, “Mrs. Shu, congratulations!”

“Yes, Yuwan is truly fortunate to have such good news so soon.”

Originally, she felt that Shu Yucheng, for some reason, was unwilling to study and advance academically. Although he didn’t take concubines and was devoted to her wife, she still felt that something was missing.

Unexpectedly, now that her son-in-law was willing to study, the Shu family had received such great blessings~

Lady Zhou was extremely pleased.

After chatting warmly with the two of them for a while, they each went home. After all, it was New Year’s Eve, and each family had a lot to do. However, they were so happy that they couldn’t help but share the news.

In previous years, the Emperor would spend New Year’s Eve with Princess Zhang, Consort Xian, or Consort Shu.

This year, however, he returned to Chengqiann palace alone and took out a portrait of a woman from a hidden compartment in his desk.

The woman in the portrait appeared to be in her twenties, beautiful and charming, with a lovely smile. The Emperor murmured to the portrait, “Xiaoxian, we’re going to have a grandchild.”

—–

In Consort Xian’s, Consort Xian sat in the main seat, with the Fifth Prince beside her, carefully accompanying her.

Both of them had unpleasant expressions.

The Fifth Prince comforted, “Mother, it’s nothing. The Crown Prince is at that age and can’t remain childless forever.”

Consort Xian nodded, “You’re right. It’s just that last time, the Crown Prince was poisoned and almost lost his life. How is it that there was no impact on his health, and in such a short time after marrying the Shu family, the Shu family is already pregnant.”

“I heard that the Crown Prince’s poisoning was quickly resolved, but for some reason, he didn’t wake up. So, it didn’t have much effect on his health,” the Fifth Prince tried to explain.

Consort Xian snorted, “It’s a waste that Zhang Guifei spent so many years being careful around the Emperor, managing the harem for many years, and managed to poison the Crown Prince successfully but didn’t manage to kill him. Truly useless. Couldn’t they have used a more potent poison?”

The Fifth Prince furrowed his brow, “Mother, you have a point. I always feel that there’s something strange about this matter.”

“Can destined marriages truly change fate?”

The Fifth Prince’s birth mother passed away early, and he was never treated well in Palace. Before receiving the Crown Prince’s protection, he was just a Palace servant in Consort Xian’s Palace, where even Palace maids could give him attitude.

After being saved by the Crown Prince, he played the role of a pitiful younger brother who was close to his brother and heavily relied on him. Later, he displayed his cunning and abilities, caught Consort Xian’s attention, persuaded Consort Xian to cooperate with him, one aiming for the throne and the other for a high position in the harem.

This was how he managed to barely establish himself in Palace.

He had grown up experiencing hardships and always believed that everything depended on his own efforts, not fate.

He had always been skeptical of what Grand Master Liao Kong said about destined marriages.

However, he truly didn’t understand what benefits the Crown Prince could gain from this situation.

A woman who had been divorced, whose father was only a Ministry of Revenue official.

If it wasn’t the Crown Prince, who else could be behind this arrangement?

The Shu family?

They didn’t seem capable of such a thing!

If it were his second or third brother, they would have just killed the Crown Prince directly. This elaborate scheme seemed unnecessary.

Consort Xian couldn’t understand it either, so she decided to set the matter aside, “I don’t know either. Perhaps there is. Who can say for sure about such things.”

The Fifth Prince gave up his confusion, “Mother, don’t worry. Whether the Crown Prince has a child or not, it won’t have a significant impact. In the future, it’s just one more person to die~”

Consort Xian nodded, “Let Zhang Yiru and Consort Shu handle it.”