For the Emperor’s birthday, the Ministry of Rites proposed holding a banquet at the Daqing Hall, allowing ministers and generals to offer congratulations at the hall. Afterward, the inner court issued an edict granting amnesty throughout the empire and reducing taxes by half in all regions of the capital.

Five days before the court banquet, someone from the palace came to the Meng residence, announcing rewards from the inner court and bestowing upon Meng Tinghui a set of formal court attire.

Meng Tinghui accepted the edict and received the rewards, but felt somewhat surprised.

She had not previously heard the Ministry of Rites mention that formal court attire was required for the banquet, but since the Emperor had specially ordered these garments for her, she could not refuse the imperial edict.

After all, it wasn’t the first time he had bestowed garments upon her.

This set of formal attire was far more magnificent and elaborate than the ceremonial sacrifice robes she had worn at the Emperor’s coronation ceremony. The layered patterns were complex and exquisite, and the light gauze and fine silk felt exceptionally smooth to the touch. The ceremonial tassels also highlighted her unparalleled position of authority among female officials in court.

She examined these items, then tried them on one by one, finding that they fit her perfectly, without the slightest error. This reminded her of that previous occasion, causing her face to grow warm.

Though she was not of exceptional beauty, she still had the natural feminine inclination to look pleasing to the one she cared for.

Since he wanted to see her wearing these garments, she would wear them for him.

On the day of the Emperor’s birthday, first the officials offered congratulations at the hall, then the ministers of the Two Departments, members of the Secretariat and Chancellery, and other close officials were invited to the palace garden for a small fishing excursion. When the banquet at the Daqing Hall began, they would return to the hall to enjoy the feast with the other officials.

Meng Tinghui, in her splendid attire, truly left the court officials speechless and entranced. Everyone observed her distinctive formal court clothes, their minds turning over countless thoughts, but ultimately no one dared to say anything in the hall.

Among the capital officials, female officials who regularly had the privilege to attend court discussions were few and far between. Today, as they performed the ceremony of offering congratulations in the hall, Meng Tinghui stood out brilliantly among the dense crowd of officials.

No one could connect this confident woman, advancing and retreating with authority, standing in line before the Emperor, with that newly graduated female jinshi who had just entered the court years ago, her face still showing traces of youth. In less than three years, how could her transformation be so immense?

Even the Hanlin Academy scholars who had once considered her a disgrace to the academy and repeatedly criticized her character in public no longer dared to express extreme opinions about her.

When she had dismissed Wang Qi and Wei Mingxian in one case years ago, not many people had paid particular attention to her actions. But subsequently, she had issued a counterfeit edict to execute an entire city of rebels, secretly dug up the private letters of the current Prime Minister to impeach him, and in one stroke transferred more than a dozen officials from the two offices of Chao’an North Road. Each of these actions was astounding, and even though she did not hold an executive position, who in the court would dare not to take her seriously?

After the ceremony, when they reached the garden pond behind the hall for fishing, Meng Tinghui finally noticed something unusual.

Those who were not court officials naturally could not enter the hall to offer congratulations, but the Emperor’s favored officials and close courtiers from the capital could come to the garden pond to fish with the ministers of the Two Departments, members of the Secretariat, and Chancellery, and higher-ranking ministers, to please the Emperor. Among the capital officials and close courtiers summoned here was naturally Shen Zhili, but Meng Tinghui had not expected that Left Qiurong, who had only recently entered the Hanlin Academy, would also be waiting by the pavilion.

A group of eunuchs had already prepared everything—soft cushions, golden plates, bait, and fishing equipment—all ready for the ministers and generals coming from the hall. The imperial seat on the east side of the pond was naturally reserved for the Emperor. The ministers of the Two Departments, the Prime Minister, and the Commissioner of Military Affairs sat below the Emperor as per custom, while the remaining officials scattered along the pond, with no fixed arrangement.

Shen Zhili had spotted her early on and, after greeting others, came to sit with her, tugging at her sleeve and saying, “You went to great lengths to secure the selection of six female jinshi this winter, only to have others cleverly take advantage of the situation!” As she spoke, she glanced into the distance, her expression becoming more contemptuous. “Doesn’t she know what kind of occasion this is? How dare she come?”

Meng Tinghui pretended not to understand what she was saying and merely stirred the fish food on the golden plate beside her with her finger, saying softly, “Who has offended you now?”

Shen Zhili was straightforward in character and could not hold back her words. She immediately said, “The people from the Secretariat invited that Left Qiurong to come here, clearly not showing you any respect, yet you’re not even angry?”

Meng Tinghui smiled lightly, glanced at her, and said nothing.

Shen Zhili was full of boldness, constantly saying how the people from the Secretariat were this or that, but she didn’t know that among those who had plotted this matter was Gu Qin, whom she constantly kept in her thoughts.

Meng Tinghui took the fishing equipment handed to her by a eunuch, placed bait on the hook, and then said, “I don’t see anyone disrespecting me. I only see someone over there staring at you.”

Shen Zhili suddenly fell silent, naturally knowing she was referring to Di Nian, who was sitting close to the Emperor on the east side. And indeed, just as Meng Tinghui had said, Di Nian was occasionally glancing in their direction.

Generals usually remained in their camps and rarely entered the palace to see the Emperor except for special edicts or grand ceremonies. Today, on the Emperor’s birthday, whether old ministers or rising talents, civil officials or military generals, all who had gained some reputation at court were gathered. Di Nian had not seen Shen Zhili for a long time, and at this moment, he couldn’t control himself, disregarding the presence of the many officials and staring directly at Shen Zhili.

As the two were talking, the sound of splashing water suddenly came from the opposite side. It was Right Vice Director Wang Yuande who had hooked a koi carp, but he immediately and discreetly released the fish.

This was an unwritten rule of the palace.

When fishing with the Emperor, if the Emperor had not yet caught a fish, how could a subordinate dare to be the first to pull up their rod and keep a fish?

Meng Tinghui quietly raised her eyes and glanced towards the east.

That man stood tall like a sharp pine, his formal court attire further accentuating his handsome and majestic appearance. At this moment, he was speaking softly with several old ministers beside him, his expression relaxed, indeed looking quite at ease.

She withdrew her gaze, her red lips slightly drooping.

Many days without seeing him, and yet it was she who could not endure, while he showed no sign of missing her. It seemed her level of cultivation was still too shallow…

While lost in her random thoughts, Shen Zhili beside her suddenly let out a low exclamation, pulling at her arm and whispering, “Don’t just sit there in a daze! Quickly release the fish.”

Meng Tinghui only then realized that she also had a fish on her hook. Just as she was about to hold her rod still, a eunuch behind her came forward with a red net, grinning, and said to her, “Since you’ve caught a fish, Lady Meng, why aren’t you pulling up your rod?”

Shen Zhili was about to speak sharply, but when she turned and saw the red net in the person’s hand, she was momentarily stunned and couldn’t utter a word.

Meng Tinghui, unlike Shen Zhili who had grown up in the palace and understood palace customs well, hesitated briefly, then involuntarily pulled up her rod, allowing the eunuch to take the fish into the red net.

Shen Zhili’s expression was still one of shock as she watched the eunuch turn and walk toward the Emperor, saying repeatedly, “This servant is too bold, not knowing the palace rules. He’s asking for punishment!”

With this commotion, everyone present turned to look, seeing that Meng Tinghui had already pulled up her rod and kept the fish. They were all greatly astonished, thinking secretly that Meng Tinghui was presumptuous due to the favor she enjoyed, not knowing what was good for her. Then, seeing the eunuch who had collected the fish holding a red net to contain it, they were even more dumbfounded—this servant truly had no regard for his life!

Meng Tinghui was the only one present who did not understand what was happening. Watching the eunuch walk towards the imperial seat on the east side, she even smiled at Shen Zhili and asked, “What’s wrong?”