When they arrived at Nuanyuntai, most of the dignitaries had already arrived. Female officials led them to their seats. As the regent, Lu Ji naturally had to sit in the seat of honor. Marquis Gu and his wife sat down next to Lu Ji and Qin Xiaoning.

As the time for the palace banquet approached, all the invited dignitaries took their seats. As the eunuchs called out their greetings, the young queen supported Empress Dowager Lu and slowly walked out from the back hall.

Everyone bowed to the Empress Dowager and the Queen. Empress Dowager Lu smiled and asked everyone to take their seats. Then she sat down on the main seat, glanced at the empty throne to the side, and asked the eunuch beside her, "Is the Emperor not here yet?"

The eunuch bowed and replied: "Would you like me to go over and invite you?"

The Queen had just entered the palace, and today was her first time appearing in public. Logically, the Emperor should have brought the Queen to the banquet in person, but before the banquet began, the Queen came to the Queen Mother's bedroom. Although Queen Mother Lu did not ask much, she could guess about 80% of the situation.

My own niece is not very liked by my son.

Empress Dowager Lu was a woman who had experienced many ups and downs. Although she was unhappy, she would not show it on her face. She did not reply to the eunuch's words first, but asked in a low voice: "Where is the emperor now?"

"In Madam Li's Chonghua Palace." The eunuch replied truthfully.

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Lu could no longer hold back her composure, and her expression darkened slightly. Seeing this, Lu Xian'er at the side hurriedly said, "Madam Li is not feeling well, and Your Majesty is worried that it will affect the dragon fetus in her belly, so he went to visit her."

Empress Dowager Lu frowned and said nothing more.

The eunuch didn't know whether he should go and ask the emperor. Seeing that the empress dowager no longer gave him any instructions, he looked at the little queen beside him for help.

Lu Xian'er said gently, "There's no need to rush His Majesty. Just wait a while."

The Empress Dowager, the Queen, and a group of dignitaries waited for a long time, but the Emperor did not show up. The huge scene became awkward for a moment.

At this time, Taifu Chen Xiuyuan took the lead and kowtowed to the Queen Mother. Then he said, "I was confused a while ago. Thank you for your generosity and for not taking my mistakes seriously. I am here to thank you."

A few days ago, because the emperor was assassinated, court officials led by Chen Xiuyuan pointed their arrows directly at Lu Ji, which angered Empress Dowager Lu.

Seeing Chen Xiuyuan pleading guilty in public, Empress Dowager Lu did not deny him face, so she smiled and said: "The Grand Tutor and the Regent are both important officials of the court. The emperor is young and has to rely on you in everything. I have only one thing to say. I hope you will put the country first in everything and never be jealous of each other for the sake of power."

"I will remember the Queen Mother's teachings." Chen Xiuyuan kowtowed again, and when he stood up, he bowed to Lu Ji and apologized respectfully, "What happened a while ago was all a misunderstanding. I hope that Your Majesty will be magnanimous and not bear any grudge against me because of this."

Lu Ji smiled upon hearing this, then stood up, slowly walked to Chen Xiuyuan, raised his hand and helped him up: "Grandmaster, you are worrying too much. You and I are both ministers of the Great Zhou, and we receive salaries from the Zhao family. You and I should put the Zhao family first. I know that Grandmaster is sincere."

After saying that, he took Chen Xiuyuan to sit down.

About half an hour later, the emperor finally showed up. After receiving the greetings from all the ministers, Empress Dowager Lu glared at her son and asked, "Why are you so late?"

Zhao Pan, however, looked calm and composed: "Something urgent happened suddenly, so I was delayed."

Then, he turned his head and glanced at Lu Xian'er who was sitting next to him: "Let's start."

According to palace rules, such palace banquets need to be hosted by the Queen. This is the first time Lu Xian'er has hosted a palace banquet since entering the palace. She is extremely serious about it. For this, she has been up for several days and nights and has taken care of almost every detail.

Originally, Lu Xian'er was full of confidence in this palace banquet, but facing the emperor's understated words, she suddenly felt a chill in her heart. Lu Xian'er gave orders to the female officials in the tone of the queen. But the little girl was still young after all, and it was her first time to experience such an occasion, so she was inevitably afraid. When it was her turn to admonish the ladies as the queen, Lu Xian'er said a few words and suddenly felt a blank in her mind. She looked back helplessly at her husband, the emperor, who was sitting next to her, but he didn't even look at her. Fortunately, the queen mother came to the rescue in time, which eased the embarrassment.

When the palace banquet was over, Qin Xiaoning and Lu Ji had just left the Nuanyuntai when they were stopped by the old eunuch beside Zhao Pan: "Your Majesty, His Majesty, please come over and say a few words."

Lu Ji stopped and looked in the direction the old eunuch was looking. He saw Zhao Pan standing in a pavilion next to Nuanyun Pavilion. When he saw Lu Ji looking at him, Zhao Pan waved at him.

"You follow your elder brother and sister-in-law out of the palace first and wait for me in the car."

After Lu Ji settled his wife down, he walked towards Zhao Pan.

"Uncle..." Before Lu Ji came close, Zhao Pan came out to greet him, still with a warm look: "Today is a family reunion festival. I invited uncle here so abruptly. I hope my aunt will not blame me."

When he saw Lu Ji, the boy smiled and joked with him, but Lu Ji looked serious.

He asked, "Your Majesty called me here, is there something?"

Zhao Pan smiled and said, "I always feel that my uncle has become estranged from me recently."

Lu Ji: "Although you and I are uncle and nephew, we are more importantly monarch and subject."

Lu Ji paused and said solemnly: "There is a difference between the monarch and his subjects."

Zhao Pan looked disappointed when he heard this: "Uncle, are you really going to alienate me by saying this?"

Lu Ji said nothing, just looked at Zhao Pan with cold eyes.

The young man felt as if he had been seen through by those cold eyes. In front of this man, he had nowhere to hide.

"Uncle——" Finally, Zhao Pan lowered his head and called out in a hesitant voice.

After a long while, Lu Ji finally spoke. This time, his tone was a little softer. He said, "My eldest sister is eight years older than me. My mother has a rough temper. When I was a child, it was my eldest sister who treated me the most gently."

Zhao Pan didn't expect Lu Ji to say this to him. He looked at Lu Ji with confusion in his eyes.

Lu Ji didn't look at him, still immersed in his own thoughts, staring at the vast night, and continued: "My eldest sister and I have a deep relationship. When she entered the palace, I was only seven or eight years old, but I also understood some things. I remember that when she learned that she was going to enter the palace, she was both happy and sad. Once she met Zhao Che at a palace banquet, she fell in love with him and begged her family to send her to the palace. So, when she got her wish, she was naturally happy, but she also knew that once you enter the palace, it is like entering a deep sea. So, my eldest sister was half happy and half sad."

At this point, Lu Ji retracted his gaze and turned to look at Zhao Pan: "Your Majesty, do you think your mother has been happier or more worried in the palace for so many years?"

Faced with this sudden question, Zhao Pan replied without thinking: "It should be more sad."

The late emperor was cruel and stubborn by nature. For the sake of his beloved, he didn't care about other concubines and children at all. To him, apart from the one he loved, the other concubines were only for his use.

After hearing Zhao Pan's answer, Lu Ji nodded slightly and replied: "Pan'er, you know your mother's suffering, which shows that you care about her in your heart." (End of this chapter)