Favored concubine deposed empress? I'll seize your throne and marry you to a powerful minister.

Now that things have come to this, Shen Mingxiu is right. Besides, if he offends Shen Mingxiu, these court officials will certainly show no respect to the Shen family.

Wei Rong has been in the limelight enough tonight; he needs to be taught a lesson.

Although she couldn't hear what they were saying, Wei Rong could guess everything from their expressions.

With a curious expression, she picked up the soup bowl and held it above her head, then exclaimed in surprise, "What a coincidence! My bowl has a red mark on it. I suppose Ah Xing brought good news today, and Your Majesty wants to add some good fortune to my life?"

Since they've come for her, she should naturally try to gain some benefits for herself.

Without some embellishment, how can this play be exciting?

Now that things have come to this, Xiao Heng naturally couldn't be stingy and say there would be no prize.

"Why not let those who did not participate vote, and the one with the most votes will receive a reward personally approved by me?"

Doesn't that mean you can set any conditions you want?

With this prize, things will be completely different.

Everyone was eager to see their own soup bowls.

"There are ten distinguished guests in total," Zhu Er chimed in again. "Please think carefully about the skills you wish to demonstrate and the people or things you need. Just ask me."

The main hall was already bustling with activity.

Among the ten people were newly appointed young officials, elderly officials, and female relatives accompanying them.

In this light, it seems that the arrangement was well thought out, and everyone except Wei Rong had a chance.

Wei Rong showed no fear: "Then please allow me to change my clothes first."

"Your Majesty," Shen Mingxiu called out, seeing that she remained calm, "before Your Majesty married, I heard that you often accompanied General Wei to the martial arts training grounds and had no interest in needlework, music, or chess. I wonder what Your Majesty will be performing tonight?"

That's really not a polite thing to say.

Before her marriage, Wei Rong certainly didn't seem like the legitimate daughter of a prominent family.

Wei Beimu neither forced her to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, nor required her to be well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics.

When her father went to the capital, the places she visited most often were the martial arts training ground and the hunting ground.

Therefore, although Wei Rong was exceptionally beautiful, everyone in the capital considered her to be uneducated and incompetent. In addition, her mother died early, and her upbringing had nothing to do with that of a well-bred young lady.

Shen Mingxiu's words were deliberately meant to embarrass her.

"Your Highness, just wait and see," Wei Xing said, speaking up for his sister. "My elder sister has never displayed her talents in public before."

Making a queen display her talents in front of all the officials, no matter what those talents are, is a degrading act.

The emperor simply stood by and watched, and everyone was happy to see it happen.

I'd like to take this opportunity to see what Wei Rong is capable of.

Wei Rong seemed oblivious to the doubts and the spectator attitude. As she stepped out of the main hall, she was met with the biting cold of the winter night.

But it was exhilarating.

The large hall behind her, which could accommodate three to five hundred people, was warm and cozy with its charcoal braziers, but it annoyed her greatly.

Be proper, be dignified, and consider your emotions and the situation before taking a bite of food and saying a word.

She used to think it was fate.

Now she feels it's a burden.

Qiaoyu asked worriedly, "Your Highness, what should we do now?"

"Have someone prepare a set of red riding attire." Wei Rong had an idea in mind: "Have me remove my hairpins and jewelry."

The vermilion pillars of the palace corridor were bathed in a fine layer of light and shadow by the palace lanterns.

During the grand New Year celebrations, the faint sound of firecrackers could be heard outside the palace.

Wei Xing also withdrew from the hall: "Sister."

The siblings hadn't seen each other for almost half a year. Their father had passed away, and there were too many procedures between them. Afterwards, they hurriedly returned to southern Xinjiang.

Wei Rong took his hand and found that it was covered in calluses and wounds.

She said with heartache, "It's all my sister's fault."

Wei Xing didn't care about these minor injuries: "What are you saying, sister? How are you?"

Actually, it's not good.

But nothing is as important as my brother's safety: "I'm fine. You're in the southern border region. Remember, don't pursue a fleeing enemy too far."

They went to the side hall together. Wei Xing squeezed his sister's hand, his young face full of determination: "I can support the Wei family for Father, sister, believe me."

Wei Rong had no doubt about it; otherwise, why would Wei Xing have brought good news at this moment, causing the tide of the palace banquet to shift several times?

But it should have been her responsibility.

"You've lost a lot of weight," Wei Xing said, naturally having a problem with Xiao Heng. "His Majesty has crossed the river and burned the bridge. Now he's favoring that so-called Consort Xian. Sister, you have to be careful in the palace. I've heard that there are often poisonous substances in the palace. You must not eat anything carelessly."

"I know," Wei Rong said, her eyes reddening. "Remember to wear warm clothes when it's cold, and be careful in everything you do in the army."

Two figures, a tall, thin boy and a slender woman, had been together since childhood, but now they rarely saw each other.

"What is the Prime Minister so engrossed in?"

A female voice came from behind her. Ling Xianru withdrew her gaze and nodded slightly to the person who came: "Your Highness, Imperial Concubine."

Shen Mingxiu had drunk quite a bit of wine, her face was flushed, and her eyes seemed to be filled with water. If it weren't for the maid supporting her, she might not have been able to stand up.

Her gaze drifted to Ling Xianru's hand; hidden in his half-closed sleeve, he was pinching the tail of a butterfly.

Ling Xianru had one hand behind his back and the other hand twirling the butterfly. If he didn't make a sound, no one would know what he was thinking.

Since entering officialdom, the Prime Minister has risen from a low-ranking official to the position of Chancellor in just three short years.

Even standing outside the palace, with the wind whipping his hair, his handsome features still exuded an air of nobility.

People came out of the hall to get some fresh air, and Shen Mingxiu was no exception.

Several officials caught sight of them and stepped forward to greet them and strike up a conversation.

Ling Xianru seemed not to have heard Shen Mingxiu's question. She responded coldly with a few words and turned to walk towards a less crowded area.

They have an air of "keep away" that makes people want to stay away.

Shen Mingxiu, on the other hand, is now the emperor's favorite in the harem, and everyone wants to curry favor with her.

After she finished dealing with everyone and went to look for them again, it started snowing that night.

Fine snowflakes fell on the man leaning against the pillar, intently finishing weaving a butterfly, making the elegant young man appear deeply infatuated.

The butterfly I spent half the night knitting was finally finished.

Shen Mingxiu's maid, Haitang, clung to her mistress, looking worried: "Your Highness, shall we go back? His Majesty will be looking for you soon."

Ten steps away, it was impossible for Ling Xianru not to notice someone coming, but he didn't even raise his head, just playing with the butterfly by himself.

However, Shen Mingxiu had clearly lost her usual composure and blurted out, "This butterfly... to whom is the Prime Minister going to give it?"

Being named by name, Ling Xianru could not pretend she hadn't heard it.

He raised his hand, pinching the butterfly's wing, and slightly lifted his chin, exuding an overbearing aura: "Your Majesty asks about this?"

Ling Xianru's appearance, no matter who he stares at or what posture he adopts, has the ability to make people blush and their hearts race.

Shen Mingxiu gripped Haitang's hand tightly, her expression restrained: "Didn't the Prime Minister focus solely on it all night?"

"Your Majesty is overthinking it," but who knew that the butterfly that had taken half the night to weave was let go by Ling Xianru and drifted into the wind and snow outside the corridor: "It's just something to play with, it can't be given away."

As he finished speaking, his figure swept past Shen Mingxiu and returned to the main hall.

Shen Mingxiu was stunned for a moment, and then she squatted down to pick up the butterfly.

"Your Majesty!" Haitang tightened her grip on Shen Mingxiu's arm, squeezing it slightly. "Please reconsider!"

The butterfly was so close, her jade-like fingers trembled, and a few moments later, Shen Mingxiu curled up and withdrew her fingertips.

She closed her eyes briefly, blinking away the tears welling up in her eyes: "I can't send it out... He still hates me."