Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen arrived at the banquet together. Although it was not yet noon, the guests had all arrived, and they saluted them when they saw them arrive.

The two Consorts Huai were standing shoulder to shoulder at the head of the noble women, which meant that they had an equal status.

Zhou Sisi looked at Lu Chen, who was holding hands with Qiao Jinniang. When she saw that he gave all his love to Qiao Jinniang that was supposed to be given to her, the fire of jealousy was about to burn out her sanity.

She pretended to be retarded for more than ten years! Why did he choose another woman in the end?!

Li Lingling noticed Zhou Sisi’s gaze and said, “Sister, today is the Crown Princess’ birthday. I wonder what gift you have prepared.”

Zhou Sisi simply ignored Li Lingling, sat down, and looked at Lu Chen boldly without any intention of hiding it.

Qiao Jinniang gently shook a Ke Silk fan, picked up a cup of wine, and said with a smile, “Thank you for coming to attend my birthday banquet. I’d like to propose a toast to you.”

Everyone raised their cups to drink the wine.

Li Lingling looked at the Ke Silk fan in Qiao Jinniang’s hand and said, “This Ke Silk is only used for the Emperor’s court clothes. How can the Crown Princess use a Ke Silk fan?”

Qiao Jinniang glanced at the fan in her hand. “It turns out to be Ke Silk. I was so ignorant as to think it was Cloud Brocade. This is a birthday gift from a friend of mine. I like its vivid pattern very much.”

Li Lingling said, “Cloud Brocade is only for the use of the nobles, while the Ke Silk is only used for the Emperor’s court clothes. Except for His Majesty, no one can use Ke Silk!”

Li Lingling finally had something on Qiao Jinniang, and she felt very triumphant. It would be fine if this Ke Silk was gifted by the Emperor, but Qiao Jinniang said that this was a birthday gift from her friend, which was against the law.

Qiao Jinniang put down the Ke Silk fan gently and said, “Is there such a rule in the imperial palace? Does Datang have a law that Ke Silk can only be used by the Emperor? Like the rule that no commoner can wear gold jewelry?”

“Besides, His Majesty is so kind and magnanimous that he even allows the common people to wear gold jewelry, so how could he forbid others from wearing Ke Silk?”

Li Lingling said, “Only the Shanggong Bureau in the imperial palace can make Ke Silk, and it is only used by His Majesty! Ke Silk is even more expensive than gold. Where did the Crown Princess’ friend steal the Ke Silk?”

Li Lingling thought that it must be someone from the Shanggong Bureau who stole a piece of Ke Silk and gave it to the East Palace to fawn on the Crown Prince. But Qiao Jinniang was so stupid as to show off the fan made of the Ke Silk publicly at her birthday banquet.

If this was further investigated, Lu Chen might lose the position of the crown prince.

The Emperor would definitely not be able to tolerate the East Palace’s flagrant violation of this rule.

Lu Chen said in a cold voice, “Princess Huai, do you have any evidence? If you slander the Crown Princess’ friends without any evidence, shouldn’t you be punished?”

Li Lingling said confidently, “Except for the Shanggong Bureau, no one knows the craftsmanship of Ke Silk! If it wasn’t stolen, would it mean that the people of the Shanggong Bureau violated the rule and gave the Ke Silk exclusive to His Majesty to the East Palace?”

Saying that, Li Lingling covered her mouth. “This is a crime of revolt!”

The faces of the guests all changed slightly. One of the crown princes in the previous dynasties was ousted because he had used something that only the emperor could use!

There were also some crown princes who were suspected and killed by the emperors for this reason.

Zhou Shihui taunted in a low voice, “Stupid woman, showing off her fan on such an occasion. This vicious woman is going to get her retribution and return to her original form now. What a pity. She just became the Crown Princess several months ago, haha!”

When Mrs. Zhou heard Zhou Shihui’s words, she chuckled by the side.

She was happy to see Qiao Jinniang and Lu Chen end up miserably!

That day, Zhou Sisi’s life was hanging by a thread, and they begged Lu Chen so hard, but Lu Chen was so hard-hearted.

Because of marrying this scourge, Qiao Jinniang, all his followers left him. Now Qiao Jinniang was found to use the Ke Silk that only the Emperor could use, he must be doomed.

Fortunately, the Duke Wu Mansion had abandoned him and pledged loyalty to Prince Huai.

Even if His Majesty wanted to punish the Crown Prince, they would no longer be implicated.

Li Lingling said, “I must report this matter to His Majesty. If there are no rules, what is the majesty of imperial power?”

With that said, Li Lingling strode in the direction of Taiji Palace.

She thought to herself, today she had made such a great contribution for Prince Huai. Once the Crown Prince was ousted, the Zhou family that was hated by the Empress Dowager would lose its value, so when Prince Huai became the crown prince, she would definitely be the crown princess.

Neither Lu Chen nor Qiao Jinniang stopped Li Lingling, and their mood was not affected at all. They even ordered the opera actors to perform programs to entertain the guests.

Qiao Jinniang picked a conjuring trick. She could only do the “Fairy Picks Beans’ trick, but there were many more interesting tricks, and she hadn’t watched them for a long time.

Seeing that Qiao Jinniang was still watching the show with relish, Zhou Shihui couldn’t help but show disdain. Is she dumb? Doesn’t she know she is going to die?!

…

In the South on June 6th, the weather finally cleared up, and every family was drying their bedding and clothes in the sun.

Even wealthy families like the Qian family were no exception.

But what the Qian family was drying in the sun were mostly books.

Qiao Ruoyun had been staying at the Qian Mansion for around five to six days. She heard some noises from the backyard early this morning. It was a woman singing. She asked a maid, “Is the woman singing the prince’s concubine?”

The maid said, “Our master doesn’t have a concubine, and the one who is singing the opera is the former consort, the wife of our master’s elder brother, who used to be a singer by the Huai River, and had never been allowed to enter the Prince Wu Mansion by the old consort.

“Later, something happened in the Prince Wu Mansion. The old consort passed away, and the previous prince and the little county mistress disappeared in the flood of Yin County.

“Only this woman was left, and our master was kind-hearted. Seeing that she was crazy, he took her back and regarded her as his sister-in-law!”

Qiao Ruoyun said, “As a guest, I should visit her.”

The maid didn’t stop Qiao Ruoyun. After all, their master had told them that as long as Qiao Ruoyun didn’t leave the Prince Qian Mansion, she could do whatever she’d like.

Qiao Ruoyun went into a small courtyard and saw a neatly-dressed woman holding a pipa and singing opera. The woman was probably around forty, her eyes were glassy, and she looked like a lunatic…

“Miss Qiao.”

Hearing Qian Yin’s voice, Qiao Ruoyun turned her head and hurriedly lowered her head, saying, “As a guest, I’d like to visit the consort.”

“No need. She can’t recognize people.” Qian Yin said, “I heard Fulu said that today is your birthday. Qin Shu, Prince Huai and his party are still in the South. They can’t find those bandits, so I’m afraid you can’t go out yet. I’m sorry that you can only have a small birthday banquet.”

Qiao Ruoyun said, “How can I trouble you for this, Your Highness? You don’t have to hold a birthday banquet for me.”

“How can you miss your birthday? Besides, this is your first birthday in your ancestral home. I held a banquet in Huayue Lake and had the kitchen make longevity noodles. Miss Qiao, please give me a face and attend the banquet.”

Qiao Ruoyun was dull and weak but not stupid. She somehow felt that Qian Yin was too nice to her!

Even if it was for Fulu, he should haven’t been so considerate to her.

“Miss Qiao, didn’t you say that you will try your best to repay my life-saving grace? Why don’t you even want to give me a face and attend the birthday banquet?”

Qiao Ruoyun: “…”