As Xiao Li represented her gift, everyone was praising her for being filial.
The rare jade stone was one of the famous treasures of L country which she has gifted to Wen Xu.
Everyone was also praising, her father for his loyalty towards the king. He had given his country"s treasure, to the Empress Dowager in gift.
Xiao Li"s father who was present there came forward and bowed slightly in greeting towards the Empress Dowager.
Wen Xu also responded to their greeting by nodding at them.
After that, Xiao Li turned towards Ji Cheng and looked at him and gave him, her most innocent smile.
" Wow, so she robed her father"s treasure just to impress this old hag? She"s really one of a kind. " Zhao Ming scoffed inwardly.
Ji Cheng looked at Zhao Ming and noticed her unhappy look. He thought, that she was jealous that Xiao Li was being praised like this.
Xiao Li slightly bowed in front of Ji Cheng, and he nodded at her in acknowledgment.
Now it"s time for Ji Cheng and Zhao Ming to present their gifts.
Everyone turned to look at them.
Ji Cheng turned to Zhao Ming and gave her an a.s.sured look.
Zhao Ming thought, " Do they have to be this dramatic about gifts?" She gave him an awkward smile.
Zhao Ming and Ji Cheng stood from their seats and went in front of Wen Xu.
Wen Xu smiled at Ji Cheng. And as usual a cold shoulder to Zhao Ming.
Zhao Ming also stood in front of her, with a forced smile on her face.
Ji Cheng gestured Feng Ju to bring all the gifts he has prepared from his and Zhao Ming"s side.
In reality, everyone was surprised that Zhao Ming and the Emperor were giving gifts together.
Before Zhao Ming use to do it all alone.
But it was the first time that Ji Cheng was doing it with her.
Though Xie Ming or say Zhao Ming has no idea about it. n.o.body has told her this thing.
So it was all casual for her.
In a minute, Feng Ju brought two servants with him, both were carrying a basket with them.
Those baskets were covered with golden cloth as well.
Zhao Ming raised her eyebrows at this.
She was also curious to see, what he had prepared to gift, and these are from both her and his side.
The two servants placed the basket on the table and stepped back.
Then Ji Cheng looked at Zhao Ming and said, " Mother, These are the gifts from our side. We wish you a long life on this birthday."
Wen Xu raised her eyebrows at his words.
She doesn"t like that her son was giving this much attention to Zhao Ming.
Then Ji Cheng slowly removed the cloth from the baskets.
One basket was filled with ginseng and health tonics and another basket was filled with all kinds of ornaments.
The ornaments were of varying quality and they were lots in quant.i.ty, almost dropping from the basket.
Everyone"s mouth was kept open seeing this much ornaments.
Then Ji Cheng said," Mother, this ginseng was 1000 years old and very precious. And these tonics are also for your health. These are from Zhao Ming"s side. These will help you to maintain your health."
Wen Xu who was smiling before, her expressions became stiff hearing Zhao MIng"s words.
She loves to maintain her health and body, so she consumes healthy tonics daily, so these were the perfect gift for her.
But she frowned hearing that it was from Zhao Ming.
She gave Zhao Ming a disdainful look.
Ji Cheng continued, " And these ornaments are from my side. Mother, I know how much you love to collect different kinds of ornaments. So I brought all kinds of different ornaments in the country." he said with a smile.
Wen Xu also smiled at his son"s thoughtfulness.
Whereas Zhao Ming was busy staring at the basket full of gold, jade, ruby and what not kinds of ornaments.
She was also a big ornament collector in modern times.
She used to attain many charity events and auctions where she finds that these antique ornaments were going to auction.
But right now, these are in front of her. And that too, in such a large quant.i.ty.
She was practically drooling at the ornaments.
Her eyes were as bright as stars seeing those " precious babies."
But she was forced to come out of a stupor when she heard Xiao Li"s voice from her side.
" Your Majesty, you"re so thoughtful to prepare these gifts in place of Sister. I know she just woke up so she didn"t have time to prepare for this banquet."
" So you prepared gifts from her side. That"s.. really considerate of you." She said the last sentence with the tone of sarcasm.
When Ji Cheng was explaining the gifts to Wen Xu, Xiao Li came to Zhao Ming"s side to see the gifts.
She wanted to see, what Zhao Ming has prepared. But seeing the gifts she realized it was Ji Cheng who prepared them.
So she wanted to add some fuel in the fire.
When Zhao Ming heard Xiao Li"s words, she turned to look at her and gave her an annoyed look.
" This girl disturbed me, from admiring my babies."
Hearing Xiao Li"s words, Wen Xu also said to Ji Cheng, " Cheng, you shouldn"t prepare these gifts in her stead. You"re already busy but had to prepare gifts from her side as well."
" These gifts are to show one"s loyalty and show their best wishes, and moreover she was fine now."
" Even for formality, she should have prepared a gift for me. At least, this much she can do as an Empress ."
" Then what the use if she can"t show respect to the Empress Dowager. This only shows how she does not respect me, as her mother in law," she said righteously.
Though she does not take Zhao Ming as her daughter in law, she will not let her insult her.
She was still her, mother in law.
When Zhao Ming saw Wen Xu and Xiao Li doing all the melodrama, she snickered inwardly.
" Ah, so they want to make me a bad person. She"s deliberately saying all these things in front of so many people, to degrade my reputation, but what to do?"
" I am not Zhao Ming, who will take all your s.h.i.+t. I am Xie Ming, I have seen all this drama from my childhood. "
" So do you think, I am not prepared enough? " Zhao Ming smiled devilishly seeing Wen Xu" s drama.