Good heavens! The Supreme God is being relentlessly harassed!

The ministers were inwardly grumbling, wondering what kind of act the Empress Dowager was up to now.

However, he still tried his best to control his expression to avoid causing trouble.

Shen Wangchuan casually tossed the ash from his hand; he had used too much force, and the delicate little wine glass had turned to ashes in his hand.

After all, for someone who practices martial arts, with internal strength at their disposal, accomplishing such a small task is not surprising.

However, in order to maintain his image as a playboy, Shen Wangchuan was very careful.

Fortunately, everyone present was so surprised that no one paid any attention to him.

Upon hearing his mother's words, Yun Qi, seated in the superior position, tightened his grip on his wine cup. His mother was indeed in such a hurry, rushing to bestow a marriage upon his uncle at his birthday banquet.

Even though the Imperial Uncle has not married in recent years, that is not something they should interfere with.

If the Imperial Uncle is angered, I'm afraid everyone present will have a hard time.

Thinking this, Yun Qi turned his gaze to Xie Liuyan.

The palace banquet was held in the evening, when the bright moon shone and the stars twinkled.

Inside the palace, the lights were bright, and the banquet lights were a warm yellow, which softened Xie Liuyan's features.

It makes it impossible to see their expression.

However, at the same time, one can see that the Imperial Uncle's chin is tense, as if he is unhappy.

Seeing this, Yun Qi's heart tightened. Although it was his birthday, he preferred not to make such a big fuss, as everyone had their own ulterior motives.

My mother was like that, and so was my uncle.

Yunqi would be happy if he could spend his birthday alone with a few close friends, just like a child in an ordinary family.

Unfortunately, his status prevented him from doing so.

Despite the speculations of many ministers, Xie Liuyan remained calm, as he had anticipated this.

Although Empress Dowager Zuo resided in the inner palace, her desire to interfere in state affairs never diminished.

He also believed in winning him over whenever possible. Even if Yun Qi really came to power in the future, Xie Liuyan's influence would still be there, and he would still have many followers as long as he spoke.

Empress Dowager Zuo had always seen things clearly, which is why she discussed with her brother Zuo Zhilin whether they could win Xie Liuyan over.

If Xie Liuyan is a sensible person, then things will be easy.

Otherwise, the assassins secretly trained by Zuo Zhilin are not to be underestimated.

Xie Liuyan toyed with his wine cup, his eyes lowered, as if he was seriously considering whether what Empress Dowager Zuo had said was feasible.

His serious, thoughtful expression seemed intriguing to outsiders, and seeing that he remained silent, Empress Dowager Zuo continued to ask:

"What does the Regent think?"

All the ministers held their breath, waiting for Xie Liuyan's answer.

Shen Wangchuan, who initially didn't think Xie Liuyan would accept the invitation, was now getting a little anxious. Could it be that Ayan had really taken it to heart?

I thought the palace banquet would be very interesting, but I never expected that the Empress Dowager, that old witch, would interfere.

Shen Wangchuan was now filled with deep regret.

Don’t ask, you will regret it if you ask!

If I had known, I would have preferred to stay in the Regent's Palace, at least then the two of us could have done something intimate.

Now, in this palace banquet, he can only watch as the Empress Dowager tests Xie Liuyan's bottom line. If he's not careful, she might even grant him a marriage.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and Shen Wangchuan tugged at Xie Liuyan's sleeve in an outrageous manner.

Fortunately, he moved stealthily, and under the cover of night, no one could see him.

Feeling the pull from behind, a smile flashed in Xie Liuyan's eyes.

Before he could say anything, someone got impatient.

He put down his wine glass, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, yet carrying a chilling undertone that sent shivers down the spines of those who heard him:

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty, but I already have someone I like, so there's no need for you to trouble yourself."

"Palace affairs are complicated; Your Majesty should pay more attention to your health."

This was practically a direct warning to the Empress Dowager to mind her own business. After all, there were so many things to do in the palace; why was she worrying about the Regent's family affairs?

Many ministers' first reaction upon hearing these two sentences was to worry about offending the Empress Dowager. Xie Liuyan's status and position were evident, and his speech was not as tactful as that of ordinary people.

But then I thought, no one can make the dignified Regent speak softly.

They applauded inwardly, feeling that the prince had successfully expressed his true feelings.

Although they were staunch royalists, the Empress Dowager was too young, and there had been instances in previous dynasties where the empress dowager interfered in politics, the imperial power waned, and the empress dowager ruled from behind the curtain.

Therefore, they were wary of the Empress Dowager Zuo, fearing that she would interfere more after Yunqi gained power.

The Regent's words pleased them, implying that the Empress Dowager should only concern herself with palace affairs and not meddle in other people's business.

Unexpectedly, Xie Liuyan publicly humiliated her, and Empress Dowager Zuo's face turned pale.

She forced a smile: "Since that's the case, then I won't interfere any further. As long as Your Highness changes your mind one day, you can come to the palace at any time."

She took a deep breath, but looked at Yun Qi, hoping that he could say a few words to help her out of this predicament.

However, Yunqi didn't care at all about his mother's expectant gaze.

He acted as if he hadn't seen it.

But after the Empress Dowager Zuo finished speaking, he spoke calmly:

"Uncle is right. Mother is overworked and should rest more."

These words truly drained all color from Empress Dowager Zuo's face. She had been busy vying for power, and as the youngest empress dowager in history, she considered herself extraordinary.

She was proud of her victory in the palace intrigue and the birth of Yunqi. The Zuo family also became a powerful and influential family because of her, rising to the top.

She, who was obsessed with power, never imagined that one day she would be rebelled against by her own son.

This also means that in Yunqi's heart, she is no longer a mother, but just a cold-blooded empress dowager with power.

She slumped back into her seat, and no matter how hard she tried to maintain her composure, she had lost her initial composure.

Yun Qi spoke calmly, revealing the majesty of an emperor: "The banquet continues! Everyone is welcome to drink to their heart's content, as there is plenty of wine in the palace."

As soon as he spoke, the ministers gave up their desire to watch the show.

After all, seeing that the emperor they supported wasn't really on the Empress Dowager's side, many people felt relieved.

Throughout the banquet, the only person whose emotions remained unaffected was Xie Liuyan, who sat steadily in his wheelchair.

When Shen Wangchuan came to his senses, he remembered what Xie Liuyan had said to him in the mansion. Well, well, maybe Ayan already knew what would happen at the banquet and didn't even think to tell him in advance.

That way, he can be mentally prepared.

He leaned close to Xie Liuyan's ear, his voice low and laced with a hint of gritted teeth:

"Ayan, did you already know that the Empress Dowager would make a move at the banquet?"

Xie Liuyan raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly, "Didn't you hope to encounter something interesting? What, isn't this interesting enough?"

There's no such thing as Ah Yan.

This "funny incident" really made him feel very emotional, with mixed feelings all over the place!

"Then I really thank you, Ah Yan."

After saying that, Shen Wangchuan, with a rather reckless attitude, bit Xie Liuyan's earlobe and even licked it as revenge.

He hadn't expected him to do something like that in public, and Xie Liuyan asked with a headache:

Have you forgotten the three rules we agreed upon?

Shen Wangchuan then remembered that he had started pretending to be a quail. The moonlight was beautiful tonight, and so was Ayan's.