After transmigrating into the book, I helped my mother reconcile with her divorced husband.

Seven years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Lu Zhiyuan is now fifteen years old.

Today is her birthday. Ronghua Palace is decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. The palace servants are all smiling and busy, and the atmosphere is joyful.

Many things happened in those seven years. The Emperor's health deteriorated, and the Crown Prince ruled in his stead for most of the year. The Empress became increasingly detached, spending her days in the Buddhist hall praying for the Emperor. The Prince of Yue's birth mother, Consort Jiang, passed away the year he left the palace to establish his own residence. Lu Jinyao achieved her wish and became the Prince of Yue's concubine. However, besides her, the Prince of Yue's residence already had a principal wife, three concubines, and four noble concubines. Busy with vying for favor in the inner quarters, she hadn't had a chance to cause Lu Zhiyuan any trouble for a long time.

Grand Tutor Wei was assassinated, and the mastermind behind the murder was Prince Yong'an. The Emperor summoned Prince Yong'an to the capital, but fearing imprisonment, the prince made various excuses. Enraged, the Emperor issued thirteen imperial edicts. Prince Yong'an, having already gone too far, decided to rebel.

The imperial court sent troops to besiege him several times, but Prince Yong'an, being cunning, had multiple escape routes and managed to escape safely each time.

The Crown Prince suspected that someone was secretly communicating with Prince Yong'an and ordered Xie Yubai to investigate. However, every person he investigated died. With a major reshuffle about to take place in the court, he had no choice but to suspend the investigation in order to maintain stability.

Officials are all in their designated positions; until a suitable replacement is found, none of them can be moved, for to do so would shake the very foundation of the nation.

Xie Yubai was promoted from Minister of Revenue to Right Chancellor, truly second only to the two, above all others.

Xie Yu'an remained the richest man in Beiliang, but he no longer managed his businesses and instead handed them over to his two daughters.

My maternal grandfather was old and retired from the army. He did not return to the capital and lived with Xie Chaoyun in the general's mansion in the border town.

Xie Chaoyun was granted the title of Dingbian General for her military achievements, but the people of the border town were used to calling her General Yun.

It took Xiao Yebai five years to become the King of Southern Chu, and another year to quell the discontent within the Southern Chu royal court. Six years of struggle for the crown prince had left the already impoverished Southern Chu riddled with problems. Xiao Yebai worked diligently to govern, using the methods taught to him by Lu Zhiyuan to help Southern Chu recover and thrive.

Uncle Xie Yuheng continued to roam the martial arts world, and somehow ended up becoming the leader of the martial arts alliance.

Han Tingqing's gang is also doing quite well, spanning both the legitimate and criminal worlds, and has become the number one gang. Fortunately, he has no conflict with the Xie family, otherwise his uncle, the leader of the martial arts alliance, would have a real headache.

Just after 9 AM, the families of officials of the fourth rank and above began arriving at Ronghua Palace, carrying large and small bags of gifts. It was the Crown Princess's birthday, and everyone wanted to curry favor, but the palace was heavily guarded, allowing only the families of officials of the fourth rank and above to bring their personal servants. The banquet was held at Ronghua Palace, combining a traditional banquet with a buffet style.

Traditional banquets were held in the front courtyard, with tables and chairs arranged according to regulations, and the food served met the standards of imperial cuisine. The buffet was held in the back courtyard, with serving tables and chairs of varying heights and sizes set among the flowers to cater to ladies and young women of different ages.

In addition, there are swings, rocking chairs, small wooden horses for children to play on, slides, and a ball pit.

The women were inside the palace, while the men were outside. Xie Yu'an, on behalf of Lu Zhiyuan, hosted banquets at the Xie residence and the General's residence respectively. Most of those going to the Xie residence were merchants, while most of those going to the General's residence were officials. Xie Yubai was in charge of looking after them.

On this day, both inside and outside the palace, there was a joyous atmosphere.

Everyone in Beiliang knows that the Crown Princess is about to turn fifteen. After her birthday, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess will get married. After the wedding, the Crown Prince is very likely to inherit the throne, and Lu Zhiyuan will become the true mother of the country.

The Crown Prince has come of age, yet he has not taken any concubines besides his principal wife. Outsiders speculate that the Crown Prince does this because he fears the power of the Xie family and is afraid of offending them. Only the Crown Prince and his close associates know that he does not take concubines because he does not want to.

Aside from his busy political duties, his heart was entirely devoted to Lu Zhiyuan. He remembered what Lu Zhiyuan had told him: she wanted a lifelong, monogamous relationship. He was the crown prince, the heir apparent, the future emperor. He knew he couldn't belong to any one woman, but he was trying, hoping to win that one in ten thousand chance.

Fifteen minutes before the banquet was to begin, His Highness the Crown Prince's palanquin stopped outside Ronghua Palace.

He stepped steadily down from the sedan chair, wearing a blue robe trimmed with gold, a belt adorned with matching gemstones around his waist, and black boots with gold trim. He was not wearing a golden crown today, but rather the jade crown that Lu Zhiyuan had given him for his birthday.

Next came Xie Yubai's eldest son, Xie Anhua, Lu Zhiyuan's cousin. He resembled his mother, but his temperament was exactly like Xie Yubai's. He wore a moon-white brocade robe, a jade belt around his waist, and a pure white, translucent jade pendant. He was not yet of age for his coming-of-age ceremony; his black hair was tied up high, with strands falling down, and his features were handsome, with a slight upturn at the corners of his lips.

Lu Zhiyuan, accompanied by Liu Ying, came out to greet them: "This humble woman greets Your Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness live a thousand years. Yuan'er greets my cousin. May my cousin be blessed."

The Crown Prince took her hand and said, "Today is A-Yuan's birthday. A-Yuan is the eldest, so the one who should be celebrated for a thousand years is A-Yuan."

Xie Anhua said from the side, "Anhua greets the Crown Princess, may the Crown Princess live a thousand years!"

“Cousin—” Lu Zhiyuan pouted: “Why are you following the Crown Prince’s nonsense? I heard you entered the Royal Academy. Are you planning to study the books you already read?”

The Crown Prince gently poked her forehead: "Is it possible that Anhua isn't going there to study, but to become a teacher?"

Lu Zhiyuan stuck out her tongue and stretched out her hands to the two of them: "Whether you are the Crown Prince or the teacher, it is my birthday today. Give me your gifts, the more the better."

The Crown Prince and Xie Anhua simultaneously stepped aside, and the palace maids and eunuchs filed in. The Crown Prince had given her fifteen birthday gifts, each one deeply meaningful. For her first birthday, there was a gold lock; for her second, a complete set of tableware, all made of pure gold; for her third, a small wooden horse, which the Crown Prince himself had carved; and for her fifteenth, a complete set of palace attire.

This palace dress is different from those in the palace. It was designed with the participation of His Highness the Crown Prince and sewn by the best embroiderers in the palace. Every thread and every jewel on it was personally selected or found by the Crown Prince.

Xie Anhua was representing the Xie family to present gifts to the palace. Besides his eldest and second maternal uncles, gifts came from his eldest and youngest cousins, as well as his own youngest cousin. The gifts included gold and silver jewelry, jade and precious stones, antiques and paintings, and rare items from the martial arts world—a dazzling array that filled everyone with envy.

Just before the banquet was about to begin, two more groups of people arrived with gifts.

They entered the palace carrying Prime Minister Xie's token and were escorted to Ronghua Palace by the commander of the guards. One group represented the Han court, and the other represented Xiao Yebai, the King of Southern Chu.

Han Ting sent rare medicinal herbs, while Xiao Yebai sent a birthday gift with distinctive Southern Chu characteristics, along with two letters. In front of the Crown Prince, Lu Zhiyuan did not open them, but handed them to Liu Ying to keep safe.

Looking at the two letters, the crown prince had a bad feeling.