Chapter 23: What Is a Birthday Cake?

"Grandson thanks the Emperor and the Empress Dowager!"

The Fifth Prince hopped away, looking delighted.

Consort Shu’s expression flickered. Given the limited wit of Concubine Xin, there was no way she could have devised the plan for the Fifth Prince to write a blood letter to win the Empress Dowager’s favor. More importantly, it had cleared Concubine Xin of punishment so effortlessly. She had never realized that the woman possessed such a mind.

Having opened the floodgates of conversation, the Empress Dowager couldn't help but add a few more words. "Your Majesty, look at the Great Ancestor; his lineage was prosperous. Look at you—you have so few princes."

"This son understands."

The Emperor sighed inwardly. Being an emperor was no easy task! The women in his harem were as fierce as wolves and tigers. How did it feel as though he were the one being preyed upon?

The Sixth Princess, Feng Lingyao, had just recovered from an illness, but her complexion was excellent. Having inherited the beauty of both the Noble Consort and the Emperor, she stood out as the most striking among the princesses present. She presented a painting of cranes and pine trees she had created herself; the cranes were remarkably lifelike, and the singular dot of cinnabar on their foreheads was the perfect finishing touch.

"Splendid, it shows the grace of a true master," the Empress Dowager said, accepting it with satisfaction. This time, the surprises her grandchildren brought her were far greater than usual.

"I always thought the Sixth Princess was inferior to the Seventh Prince, but seeing her now, she is actually more talented!"

"The Seventh Prince and the Sixth Princess share the same mother, yet their temperaments are entirely different."

"It seems the Sixth Princess is on track to rival the Third Princess!"

Consort Shu frowned as she listened to the whispers. She had been so focused on guarding against the Fourth Princess that she hadn't expected the Sixth Princess to emerge. She had assumed the girl would be crushed after the Noble Consort’s downfall, yet the Empress had changed her ways and been so kind to them. What exactly was the Empress plotting?

The Seventh Prince, Feng Linye, gritted his teeth and glared at his sister. She had abandoned their birth mother, yet she had defected to the Empress—wasn't that intentionally setting herself against him? And that unwanted stray, Feng Wuchen—what right did he have to stand there looking so clean and bright? A person like him should spend his whole life in the coldest, most remote corner of the Cold Palace.

As Feng Linye thought these dark thoughts, his expression changed as his hand reached toward something hidden in his robes. "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the gift I prepared for you... it is gone!"

He searched his entire body, then instinctively turned to scour the floor. The palace maids nearby shook their heads, indicating they had seen nothing. Feng Linye turned deathly pale.

The Empress Dowager’s face darkened. She said coolly, "Enough, there is no need to search. I know you have the intention, and that is enough."

Feng Linye’s expression was wretched. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides. His face burned as if he had been slapped. Why had he lost it at such a critical moment? The Empress Dowager would surely think he hadn't prepared anything and was simply making up an excuse.

Just as he stood there in a panic, not knowing what to do, Consort Shu rose and glanced at him. "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, the Seventh Prince has been preparing those prayer beads for a long time. It seems they were lost, so I shall provide these white jade beads in his stead."

Lan Xiang stepped forward to present the gift. Feng Linye felt a wave of gratitude; he hadn't expected his stepmother, Consort Shu, to save him at such a crucial moment.

"I understand Ye'er's intentions. Consort Shu, you have a thoughtful heart," the Empress Dowager said, casting a fleeting, inscrutable glance at the consort.

Jiang Daiyin felt something was off. It was such an important item; how could Consort Shu have allowed Feng Linye to keep it on his person? Wasn't she afraid he would lose it? Little did she know, Consort Shu was inwardly overjoyed. She wanted the Noble Consort to watch her own child rot.

The Eighth Prince recited a poem with perfect posture and presented a pair of jade earrings, which clearly hadn't been prepared by him. Finding nothing else to praise, the Empress Dowager hummed and said, "It is a good poem, and the Eighth Prince has a fine eye for selection."

Jiang Daiyin didn't recognize the poem, but it sounded somewhat like the congratulatory verse by Tang Bohu: *This lady is no mortal, but a celestial being descended from the heavens. She bore a son who is a thief, stealing peaches from the immortals to offer to his kin.*

The stark contrast was staggering. She wondered why the Eighth Prince had chosen such a piece. While her mind wandered, she caught sight of the Seventh Prince walking toward Feng Wuchen, the two of them arguing over something. Just as the Eighth Prince finished, it was Feng Wuchen's turn.

Suddenly, Feng Linye raised the prayer beads in his hand and shouted, "Here! I found them! The Tenth Prince stole them!"

Theft was a grave crime, especially when exposed in front of everyone. Feng Wuchen’s face flushed red with anger as he frowned in protest. "I didn't steal them! I don't even know how that thing ended up on me!"

Feng Linye sneered, "You bumped into me just now—do you still dare to say you don't know?"

"Empress Dowager, Father, you must seek justice for me!"

Feng Yu had grown sick of hearing the phrase "seek justice" lately. He waved his hand. "Rise and speak first. If you failed to keep your belongings safe, it is hardly a surprise that someone else picked them up." It was clear that Feng Yu did not believe anyone would be bold enough to steal in plain sight.

"Enough, Ye'er. Since it has been found, it is a happy ending. Say no more," Consort Shu said, frowning and speaking in a soft, persuasive tone. In truth, she knew better than anyone that Feng Linye would never let Feng Wuchen go. He had been humiliated today because of Feng Wuchen, and he would certainly find a way to retaliate later.

Seeing that everyone seemed to be on Feng Wuchen’s side, Feng Linye felt a sense of being disregarded like never before. Why did no one believe him when the evidence was right there? He was unwilling to let it go. He glared at Feng Wuchen and, as the boy walked past, attempted to trip him with his foot.

Unexpectedly, Feng Wuchen stepped directly onto his foot, causing the prince to wince in pain. His round face turned bright red. Yet, Feng Wuchen tilted his head with an expression of pure innocence. "Seventh Brother, is something wrong?"

"N-nothing at all."

"Oh." Feng Wuchen turned away, a cunning smile flashing across his face. Due to malnutrition, he was thinner and smaller than the other princes, but his upright posture gave him an air of dignity. No one would dare look down on him, nor would they believe such a person capable of theft.

"Empress Dowager, Chen'er and Mother Empress have prepared a birthday cake for you."

After bowing, Feng Wuchen signaled for the attendants to bring the item out. Jiang Daiyin curled the corners of her lips. She had been struggling with what to prepare for the Empress Dowager's birthday, and after experimenting with milk tea some time ago, she had decided to attempt a cake. With limited tools in this ancient era, she had instructed the staff to prepare milk and whisk it vigorously until the fat condensed—the precursor to cream. The cake base and fruit jam were simple enough.

As the cake was wheeled in, everyone’s eyes widened. Jiang Daiyin stood up with a smile and went to Feng Wuchen’s side to explain. "Mother Empress, this is a birthday cake. Before you eat, you must light the candles and make a wish; then, your wish will come true."