" But I am sure, there is nothing like this gift that I brought for you. n.o.body in this country can make this, other than me," Zhao Ming said with a smile.
Hearing her words, everyone was stunned.
They know that Zhao Ming was the daughter of the Zhao Bai who has invented many medicine. So they expected some new medicine.
The doctors or who knows medicine was interested in Zhao Ming"s gift.
Everyone looked at her with curiosity.
Seeing everyone"s curious gaze, Zhao Ming smiled confidently.
Zhao Ming looked at Wen Xu and smiled.
Then she stretched both her hands and removed the colorful cloth from the trays in one go.
As she swiftly removed the cloth from the trays, everyone in the hall squinted their eyes, to see what was the gift.
When Zhao Ming removed the cloth, around ten small containers were placed there, five in each.
The boxes were not very large but just a small box. The boxes have a silver coating and were carved beautifully.
They were curious about what was inside the box. What knew medicine she had invented?
When Xu looked at the containers and thought, " This must be some new medicine her. Hah. She really can"t give any better gift. I am the stupid one to expect something from her" she scoffed inwardly.
" After all, not everyone is as thoughtful as Xiao Li." as Wen Xu thought about it, she looked at Xiao Li with love.
Ji Cheng looked at the boxes in front of him and wondered," What is it? Why didn"t she said anything if she had prepared something?" as he was wondering about it, he heard Wen Xu"s voice.
" What is it? Don"t tell me, it"s you"re some new medicine. Zhao Ming, you"re the Empress, so you should know what to do and what not."
" You should not give someone medicine on their birthday, because it will look like you"re praying for their unwellness. " she tried to reason with her.
" Are you wis.h.i.+ng me to die early". She said with her voice slightly raised and put her hand on her chest to calm down.
Zhao Ming looked at her and thought, " Wen Xu and Xiao Li are too similar. Hah. They should be mother and daughter not mother in law and daughter in law."
Before Zhao Ming could say anything, Xiao Li jumped in the conversation," Mother, please don"t say like that. You will stay with us, for a long time. " she said with a worried expression on her face.
" And sister must not have meant anything wrong. She just wanted a good and healthy life for you."
" And Mother, sister must have prepared all this with efforts, we shouldn"t refuse them."
"Then why don"t we do this thing, let"s take the ginseng and tonics that his highness has given and accepted it as Sister"s gift and give these gifts to the servants? This way sister"s gift won"t be rejected as well." Xiao Li suggested in a low voice.
Though everyone would think that Xiao Li was trying to ease the situation but only Zhi Ming, what she was doing.
Wen Xu looked at Xiao Li and nodded.
" You"re right Xiao Li. You"re very smart but some people do not have even the slightest of the brain. They don"t even know, what to gift and to whom?" she said while shooking her head in annoyance.
Everyone was looking at the drama unfolding in front of them curiously.
By then, they became clear that Zhao Ming has no place in the Palace as the Empress.
Seeing, the duo"s drama, Zhao Ming"s lips curled up in a smile.
But she instantly changed her expressions.
Her eyes were filled with sadness. She looked at Wen Xu and said, " Your Majesty, you really don"t want this gift?" she asked blankly.
Though she wasn"t crying, but one can see her hands were trembling and she was urging herself to not cry.
Ji Cheng looked at Zhao Ming and frowned.
He was so angry at his mother for behaving childishly. But he can"t scold her in front of her everyone, because she was not only his mother but also Empress Dowager.
He still has to respect her in public, even if she behaves like this.
Wen Xu looked at Zhao Ming"s s.h.i.+vering body and trembling lips. Her mouth twitched a little.
Because at the time, Zhao Ming was looking like an abandoned puppy who was left outside in the rain and was s.h.i.+vering from cold.
She turned to look at Xiao Li.
Xiao Li frowned a little seeing the hesitation in Wen Xu"s eyes. She did everything to suck up to the Empress Dowager.
Yet she was having second thoughts about it.
Before Wen Xu could speak, Zhao Ming wiped the invisible tears from her eyes, " Lu s.h.i.+, take these gifts away. And distribute to the other consorts." she tried to be pitiful and upset.
Wen Xu looked at Zhao Ming in disbelief and thought, " What exactly she is doing?"
" As the Empress Dowager thinks that this gift is not suitable for her, then I should not force her. Otherwise, it will be a disrespect to her Majesty," she said with a fake h.o.a.rs voice.
Seeing Zhao Ming"s behavior, everyone thought that she was hurt. They felt pity for her.
Of course, anyone would feel insulted if their gift was rejected like this.
Ji Cheng looked at Zhao Ming who"s looking pale. He felt his blood boil.
He turned to look at Wen Xu and said, " Mother, what is this? Why are you behaving like this? Even I gave you ginseng and tonics, am I also cursing you to die? Do you want to reject my gift as well?" he said in a loud voice, letting others hear his words.
Right now, Ji Cheng doesn"t care, what others think. If his wife was insulted like this in front of everyone, he won"t take it anymore. Even if it"s, his mother.
He even forgot for a moment that he was the Emperor, and his mother was the Empress Dowager.
Everyone looked at Ji Cheng and nodded. They also felt that Wen Xu and Xiao Li was truly overreacting.
Zhao Ming was surprised to see the sudden change in Ji Cheng"s emotions.
She looked at him and smiled, " I never expected that he would stand for me. Ahh, now it"s getting interesting" Zhao Ming thought.
Zhao Ming went to Ji Cheng and held by his arm and said, " Your highness, please calm down. I am not sad at all. It was my fault. I made this gift myself, but her majesty didn"t like it. So there must be some problem with the gift." she looked down, with a sad expression.
" But it"s okay. We have your gift, you"re Empress Dowager"s son. So she won"t reject your gift, we can give it together. " she bit her lips as she said this. The pain was visible on her face.
Ji Cheng looked at her and sighed.
" And it doesn"t matter, who gives it or not. We are husband and wife, so we can just give it together," she said with a bitter smile.
Ji Cheng looked at Zhao Ming with troubled expression. He could see the sorrow in his eyes.
He took a long breath and said, " That"s right. We are a husband and wife. So my gift is yours. We"ll give it together. "
Then they both turned to Wen Xu and bowed.
Ji Cheng looked coldly at Wen Xu and said, " Mother, these two baskets of gifts are from both of us. Happy birthday."
After saying this, he didn"t wait for Wen Xu to say anything and pulled Zhao Ming by hand and took her to their seats.
Wen Xu looked at their backs in disbelief.
" He never talked to me in this way. He disrespected me for this wretched girl, in front of everyone." she felt embarra.s.sed.
She was so angry, that she wanted to slap Zhao Ming for being so cunning. But she calmed her expressions, as she can"t do it in front of everyone.
Her eyes turned cold.
The happy banquet has now become very tensed and awkward.
Xiao Li looked at Ji Cheng who was already seated with Zhao Ming in anger. He again left her standing like this.
She held onto her dress tightly, leaving it to crumble.
Then she went to her seat, beside Ji Cheng without any expressions.
Seeing Xiao Li"s expression, Zhao Ming thought, " Wow. It"s so interesting. It"s thrilling to annoy other people to death. Haha." she pondered internally.
"But the picture hasn"t ended yet." her lips curled upwards.