The maidservant is too charming. I want to help her become the queen.

"Oh? I wonder what birthday gift Concubine Shu has prepared for me this year?"

Li Xuansheng raised his eyebrows slightly and looked at Concubine Shu with interest.

His acting was so realistic that Prince Jing, who was sitting silently beside him, almost believed it.

Prince Jing knew that Li Xuansheng certainly knew what birthday gift Concubine Shu had given.

That day, Prince Jing had already ambushed in the bushes in the backyard of Mingjing Hall. Before Lu Qingqing entered the back hall, he had already gone in to investigate.

Li Xuansheng has been keeping an eye on the Zhao family's actions for a long time.

This time, Prince Jing was sent to investigate in order to get to know the Zhao family's background clearly.

When Concubine Shu saw that the emperor's interest was aroused by her, she quickly stood up and acted coquettishly to the emperor in a sweet voice.

"Your Majesty, for this year's birthday banquet, I have once again presented you with a great gift. Your Majesty will know it at a glance~"

After saying this, Concubine Shu clapped her hands lightly to indicate.

I saw about forty or fifty palace servants pulling a huge creature slowly entering the palace gate.

The huge monster was covered with a huge piece of red silk.

Concubine Shu continued, "Your Majesty, I have prepared a birthday gift for you. Please come forward and reveal it in person."

Li Xuansheng cooperated very well. He walked forward quickly, took the red silk and tore it off.

In an instant, dazzling golden light filled the entire hall.

Everyone present exclaimed in surprise.

In order not to stand out among the crowd, Lu Qingqing opened her mouth into a circle to express her surprise.

That’s right, it was the pure gold statue I saw that day!

That night in Mingjing Hall, she didn't look very carefully.

Today the true identity of the pure gold statue was revealed, and it is indeed extraordinary.

She looked at the statue, which was about two or three meters tall and covered with a layer of dazzling golden luster. The two immortals of He and He were carved very exquisitely and lifelike, and it was obvious at first glance that they were of extraordinary value.

Concubine Shu walked slowly to Li Xuansheng, bowed slightly, and was full of shyness.

"Your Majesty, this year's birthday gift from me is a pure gold statue of the two immortals of harmony and unity, which expresses my love for you~"

At this moment, everyone in the hall's attention was attracted by this pure gold statue, and no one noticed the sharp look of Queen Mother Fang Kexin in the center of the hall.

When the true appearance of the pure gold statue was revealed, Queen Mother Fang Kexin's face was full of joy.

But when Concubine Shu finished saying those words expressing her feelings, her face immediately turned gloomy.

How does Zhao Ning discipline his daughter?

How dare Concubine Zhao Rongyuan say that this statue reflects her feelings for Li Xuansheng!

But this pure gold statue of the two immortals of harmony and unity was clearly given to Fang Kexin by Zhao Lang!

Even though she was Zhao Ning's daughter, Queen Mother Fang Kexin was unwilling to let Concubine Shu tarnish the relationship between her and Zhao Lang.

Today it is simply being presented to the royal family through Concubine Shu. Just like the previous two years, after the Wanshou Festival, the statue will be put into the Empress Dowager's private treasury. Li Xuansheng knows this very well and will not stop it.

Li Xuansheng looked at the statue with great satisfaction, and returned to the banquet holding Concubine Shu's hand.

As soon as he sat down, Prince Jing stood up immediately.

"Your Majesty, I have something I want to discuss with you. I wonder if I should speak up or not?"

Lu Qingqing was startled by the voice.

Isn’t this familiar voice the man in black who held her hostage in Mingjing Hall that day?

She looked towards the front of the banquet table and saw that Prince Jing's features were very similar to Li Xuanshen's, both were handsome and heroic. No wonder they were brothers from the same mother - she was not wrong.

However, she felt a little guilty and quickly looked away from the front.

After all, that night, she lied to Prince Jing and said that she was just a little palace maid.

"Prince Jing, there is no need to worry. Today's birthday banquet can also be considered a family banquet. You can speak freely."

Li Xuansheng was very pleased, as this was a plot he had arranged with Prince Jing a long time ago. He waved his hand and signaled Prince Jing to continue.

Prince Jing then said seriously, "My dear brother, the flood in the south has been almost under control, and the people affected have received food relief. The most urgent task is to build dams and water conservancy projects in the south to prevent future disasters."

Prince Jing paused, then made a bold suggestion.

"So I propose that the pure gold statue of the two immortals of harmony and unity presented by Concubine Shu be donated to the national treasury to be used for the construction of dams and water conservancy projects in the south."

As soon as Prince Jing finished speaking, there was an uproar in the hall.

Prince Jing wants to donate the gifts presented by Concubine Shu to the national treasury. Isn't this a slap in the face of the Zhao family in public?

When Queen Mother Fang Kexin heard this suggestion, she became even more furious. She stared at Prince Jing with eyes wide open, as if they were spitting fire.

This Prince Jing is too bold!

The Minister of Revenue Fang Zhong and the Queen Mother Fang Kexin were from the same clan. In terms of seniority, he should call the Queen Mother his cousin, because he was originally a member of the Queen Mother's party.

Now, Prince Jing actually dared to advocate donating the gift Zhao Lang gave her to the national treasury and using it to build water conservancy dams in the south, which made the Queen Mother even more uncomfortable.

This is to force the Fang family to get rid of Fang Kexin’s gift!

The Minister of Finance Fang Zhonghe certainly knew the Queen Mother's intention. He quickly stood up and tried to stop Prince Jing's proposal.

"Your Majesty, I have been in charge of the national treasury for many years, and I have never donated birthday gifts to the national treasury. I hope Your Majesty will think twice!"

Li Xuansheng sneered, and the power coming from his deep voice could not be refuted.

"Master Fang, you just said that the Wanshou Festival is my family affair. What qualifications do you have to interfere?"

"I think Prince Jing's proposal is very good. Building the dike in the south is a major event that will benefit the people of the area and benefit the country and the people. Since this statue is my birthday gift, I will donate it to the national treasury today!"

Every word Li Xuansheng wrote was full of gems and righteousness for the ruler and the people.

Everyone at the banquet was deeply impressed by Li Xuansheng's heart for the people, and shouted in unison, "Your Majesty is wise!"

Concubine Shu was caught in the middle and felt a little confused.

Concubine Shu was completely unaware of the affair between her father Zhao Ning and the Empress Dowager, and naturally had no idea about the cause of today's incident.

She just couldn't understand why the gift she had just given to the emperor was donated by the emperor.

Queen Mother Fang Kexin finally couldn't sit still anymore and she shouted angrily.

"Your Majesty, since you said this is a family matter, you should naturally ask me for my opinion. In my opinion, donating birthday gifts is inappropriate!"

After watching this wonderful show, Lu Qingqing suddenly understood and finally pieced together the whole story.

It turns out that every year during the Wanshou Festival, the Zhao family’s transaction with the royal family was not with Li Xuansheng, but with Queen Mother Fang Kexin!

No wonder Zhao Ning said that day in Mingjing Hall that this statue was a gift to the Queen Mother.

No wonder the Queen Mother reacted so strongly today when she heard that the birthday gift had to be donated.

What Li Xuansheng did was to cut off the connection between the Zhao family and the Queen Mother!

It is a taboo for the harem to be involved in politics.

No wonder Li Xuansheng wanted to stage this show with Prince Jing at the birthday banquet.

Li Xuancan seemed to have already prepared a strategy to deal with the Queen Mother. He leaned beside her and whispered quietly.

Fang Kexin's arrogance instantly disappeared after hearing this, and she gave up like a peacock that had lost the fight and stopped objecting.

The pure gold statue of the two immortals of harmony and unity was finally donated to the national treasury in accordance with Li Xuansheng's wishes.

Lu Qingqing sat at the last seat, secretly marveling at how wonderful today's banquet was.

The show was over, and now she could slowly savor the food, watch the singing and dancing, and fully enjoy this birthday banquet.

Just as she was enjoying her meal and wine, she suddenly felt a stuffiness in her chest and had difficulty breathing.

Lu Qingqing felt uncomfortable and began to take deep breaths. Even though she loosened her collar with her hands, she still couldn't get relief.

Erxi, who was standing nearby, sensed something was wrong with Lu Qingqing.

He hurriedly asked, "My Lord, what's wrong with you?"

Lu Qingqing's pretty little face was flushed, and her throat was swollen as if a cork was stuffed in her trachea. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't speak.

The scene in front of me gradually became blurred.

She felt dizzy and finally couldn't hold on any longer and fell to the ground.

Erxi was terrified and couldn't help but exclaimed, "Oh no! My young master fainted!"