Long Fei Ye's laughter made Xiao An very satisfied. He was certain that he had made the right decision and looked forward to being conferred a higher title.
"Since no one is bidding, I announce that No. 7 Teahouse will be won by Duke Ding and all proceeds will be donated to the disaster areas in the north! Men, send the deed to Duke Ding. "
At Long Feiye's words, Xiao An hastened to speak up. "Your Majesty, this official only wants to do what I can for Northern Li's disaster victims. No. 7 Teahouse is a gift from the Prince of Yu to the crown prince, this official doesn't dare to covet it."
Xiao An took the deed and personally presented it to the Crown Prince.
Little Rui 'er looked at his Imperial Father, then at his Imperial Mother, and then at Grand Tutor Gu Beiyue. He did not say anything for a long time.
Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi also did not say anything. Gu Beiyue only smiled at Rui 'er.
"Your Highness, this is the Xiao family's sincerity. I hope Your Highness will accept it." Xiao An said respectfully.
Little Rui 'er looked at him with a serious expression, as if thinking about something.
Xiao An waited patiently with his back bent. Everyone looked on and sighed in their hearts.
They were sighing about the Xiao family's wealth. The Great Qin Empire's treasury was so poor, but the Xiao family was rich. Wasn't the Xiao family's limelight a bit too much?
They were sighing about how the Xiao family fawned on the Crown Prince. Everyone knew that the nobles in the south had their eyes on the Empress and Imperial Concubine. The Xiao family's patriarch actually gave such a gift at the Crown Prince's birthday banquet.
Xiao An's thoughts were all on the second seat. He was immersed in his dream of being conferred the title of Prince and did not think too much.
Finally, Little Rui 'er reached out and took the deed.
Little Rui 'er said, "Imperial Father, I like him."
Long Fei Ye laughed, "I like him too! I believe that the people of Northern Li will like him too! Men, write a decree to confer Duke Ding as a Prince. His title is Ding. "
As soon as these words came out, everyone was even more shocked.
Xiao An was stunned at first, but then he quickly retreated and knelt down to express his gratitude.
Just like that, Xiao An was promoted from a Duke to a Royal Prince. He immediately sat on one of the two empty seats in the secondary seat.
It had to be said that everyone present, including many high-ranking officials of the southern faction, could not see through the current situation.
After that, a few more items were auctioned off. Xiao An and Gu remained silent, leaving the opportunity to their ministers. Long Fei Ye had previously conferred two dukes.
Originally, there were four Grand Dukes. Now, excluding Xiao An, who had been promoted, there were five Grand Dukes in total.
Looking at the last seat, everyone thought of the Baili Clan. Could it be that this seat was originally prepared for Baili Yuanlong?
Although the Emperor had used various methods to cheat everyone of their money, the matter was definitely not as simple as that. There were many people who had donated fifty million yuan today, but the Emperor had conferred two dukes. Why were there two of them instead of one or three?
After the birthday banquet, the Hundred Lane Family would definitely be dealt with, and Great Qin's situation would most likely change. Now that the situation had changed, everyone's standpoint would change as well. Everyone's hearts were heavy because of their hunger.
When the left and right congratulatory gifts were auctioned off, Long Fei Ye said, "Come, list out today's gift list and the bidding price, and announce it to the world! The generosity of the ministers is a blessing for us, the Crown Prince, and even more so for the people of the north! "
Everyone's hearts were originally heavy, but when they heard this, the high-ranking officials of the Jiangnan and Baili factions who had given ordinary gifts almost cried. They had originally thought that they could use the Empress' extravagance to save some money. But now, things had turned out like this.
How would the common people know everything that happened at the birthday banquet? Every detail? If this gift list was leaked, wouldn't they be scolded for being stingy and shabby?
Scams!
This was simply too much of a scam!
No matter who it was, no matter how powerful they were or how rich their family was, it was impossible for them to stand in front of the Empress and Empress!
When the birthday banquet ended, Mu Ling 'er, who had been hiding at the side, finally walked out.
She knelt in the hall and presented a red envelope with both hands. "Your Majesty, Empress, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Ling 'er would like to offer a token of appreciation to the disaster victims. This is a red envelope bestowed by Her Majesty the Empress during the New Year. It is the first red envelope given by Her Majesty the Empress. Ling 'er originally kept it as a souvenir, but now, I offer it together with the bidding price. Ling 'er hopes that this token of appreciation can warm the people of the north. "
Gu was puzzled. When did this girl, Mu Ling 'er, become so eloquent? How long had it been since he last saw her? Had she really grown up?
How much money could a red envelope hide? However, when she said this, it really was a heavy and meaningful token of appreciation.
"Haha, Your Majesty, our family's Ling 'er has grown up!" Han Yunxi laughed.
The word "our family" elevated Mu Ling 'er's status to such a high level that no one dared to look down on her.
At this moment, the madams in the hall exchanged glances. After all, they'd all brought empty red envelopes today. Originally, they'd planned to slap the empress in the face.
But after Baili Lixiang was imprisoned, they'd all restrained themselves and didn't dare to be impudent.
Mu Ling 'er had offered up her red envelope, so after the banquet, the other madams and young misses would surely follow suit. What were they going to do with their empty red envelopes?
Sitting next to Xiao Dong, Madame Xiao grew anxious. "Master, what should we do?"
"We'll talk when we get back!" Xiao Dong muttered unhappily. He was still immersed in the joy of Xiao An's coronation, so how could he care about something as trivial as a red envelope?
Just like that, the crown prince's birthday banquet ended with Mu Ling 'er donating a red envelope.
After Chang Fei Ye and the others left, the other ministers followed suit.
Outside the palace, a group of ministers surrounded Xiao An to congratulate him. There was no lack of supporters of Baili Yuanlong among them. This made Baili Yuanlong's two trusted aides furious. They went to the Baili estate that very night to complain.
Baili Yuanlong was still unconscious. Baili Mingxiang's eyes were red from crying as he personally stood guard. Baili Qiyu came out to greet the guests.
By the time Baili Qiyu returned, it was already midnight.
"Mingxiang, go beg Esteemed Empress …"
Before Baili Qiyu could finish, Baili Mingxiang cut him off. "I'm not going! You'll have to clean up your own mess! Esteemed Empress has always treated the Xiao Family well. Brother, father and eldest sister are muddle-headed, but are you going to follow suit? "
The invitation to the crown prince's birthday banquet was for her father, brother, and family members. No one was specifically named. She had the right to attend, and her eldest sister had urged her to come. But she'd purposely waited for the banquet to start before entering the city.
How could she not want to attend? How could she not want to see the emperor and empress, the little master, the grand tutor, and Miss Ling 'er? But she didn't go in the end and stayed at home.
She could participate in the bustle of the past, but the bustle of the present had nothing to do with her.
Being able to survive was the greatest bustle of her life.
Baili Qiyu was stunned. He'd never seen his sister lose her temper before.
"Mingxiang, you know father and eldest sister's temper. Can I stop them?" Baili Qiyu asked helplessly.
"You know His Majesty's temper too. What can I say?" Baili Mingxiang asked.
"Go beg Esteemed Empress! As long as she's willing to show mercy, His Majesty will definitely show mercy! "
For Baili Qiyu and the entire Baili Family, Baili Mingxiang was their only hope.
"Sister, take it as your brother begging you. Go to the palace now! It'll be too late if His Majesty goes to court tomorrow morning! "
Baili Mingxiang shook his head. "You really don't understand her! Brother, Esteemed Empress won't see me. "
"You!" Baili Qiyu was furious. "Sister, did you know that Xiao An was made a Junwang?! We've been set up by the Xiao family this time! Go tell Esteemed Empress that the Xiao family had a part to play in inciting public anger! It was the Xiao family who instigated Eldest Sister! "
Baili Mingxiang was expressionless and didn't move from her spot.
Baili Qiyu was about to go crazy from anxiety. At this moment, Baili Yuanlong suddenly woke up and stared blankly at Baili Qiyu. "You, you … what did you say?"
"Father's awake!" Baili Mingxiang wanted to take his pulse, but Baili Yuanlong waved her hand away.
"Made a Junwang … who, who was made a Junwang?" Baili Yuanlong stared fixedly at his son.
Although Baili Qiyu didn't want to say it, he had to under his father's gaze.
"Father, His Majesty auctioned off the crown prince's gifts. Xiao An spent a lot of money to please His Majesty, so His Majesty made him a Junwang on the spot."
Baili Yuanlong was stunned. After a while, he muttered, "Xiao An … Xiao An sat in the secondary seat? And … who else? "
"Father, of the two empty secondary seats, one was given to Xiao An, and the other has always been empty."
Baili Yuanlong seemed to have thought of something. His eyes widened, and he suddenly cried out, "Master, this old official was wrong! Wrong! This old official … "
Before he could finish, he spat out a mouthful of blood. His eyes widened, and his hand fell to his side as he breathed his last.
"Father!"
"Father!"
Baili Mingxiang and Baili Qiyu didn't expect this. Baili Mingxiang threw herself at him and wailed, "Father! Father … "
Baili Qiyu fell heavily to his knees, completely stupefied.
Father … is gone?!
Baili Qiyu didn't know how long he remained in a daze. Finally, he got up and ordered a servant to report the death to the palace.
At this moment, Han Yunxi and Long Fei Ye's group had just eaten supper and hadn't gone to bed yet.
Gu had lost a bet to Gu, but he was very indignant and insisted that Gu Beiyue had cheated by teaching Rui 'er how to hold the seal in advance.
No one knew whether Gu Beiyue had taught Rui 'er or not. Gu held Rui 'er in his arms and asked several times, but Rui' er refused to say.
Just as Long Fei Ye and Han Yunxi were about to make a bet, Tang Li and Ning Jing were about to make a bet, and Mu Ling 'er was especially interested in making a bet as well. Thus, Han Yunxi ordered for the sixty-six items to be brought over, and Rui 'er had to pick them again.
Rui 'er secretly rolled his eyes at his imperial mother. Only the heavens knew what he was thinking. However, he was very cooperative.
Since it was a new bet, everyone chose again, but the stakes didn't change.
While Rui 'er stared blankly at the sixty-six items, the adults each wrote down their own guesses on a piece of paper and handed it to Granny Zhao.
Mu Ling 'er was a newcomer. She glanced at Qi Brother and said with a smile, "Qi Brother, I want to bet with you too!"
Gu was suspicious. It wasn't strange that this girl didn't pester him in the hall. He thought that she would immediately pester him after returning and ask him why he ran away, but she didn't. Moreover, her attitude was as if nothing had happened.
Actually, Mu Linger's attitude only made Gu Qishao uneasy.
"Qi Brother, do you dare?" Mu Ling 'er urged.
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