Transmigrated As My Former Uncle's Sweetheart

"It's your birthday soon. It's been a long time since we last had a lively occasion in the palace, so I thought we could invite the court officials and their families for a grand celebration if you don't mind. Besides, the peach blossoms in the Western Gardens happen to have bloomed too. I can get everyone to admire the flowers together with me." Lu Liangwei's tone was perfectly even, seeming to assert the idea that this was her one and only goal.

She could not let the Emperor know the real purpose of her proposal, or else he would laugh at her for being jealous.

The truth was—she was hardly jealous at all.

Long Qingzhi was right about one thing—instead of allowing Madam Li to be a nuisance and secretly covet the Emperor, she should just deal with the problem once and for all.

Although she believed that nothing had ever happened between the Emperor and Li Tong'er, she was curious to know what his attitude would be if he were to meet Li Tong'er again.

Since that time the Emperor had spoken to her about Li Tong'er, she had been unable to shake off the feeling that Li Tong'er was, to him, different from the Four Chief Consorts.

She was the woman who had almost become his Empress.

After hearing her suggestion, Long Yang was puzzled.

He had not forgotten how he once had to give up his plan of hosting a splendid palace banquet on her birthday because she did not like the idea.

Why was she so eager to arrange a birthday banquet for him now?

However, he stopped himself from voicing his doubts.

He would be able to find out what she was up to by then, anyway.

Besides, he would always indulge her requests, no matter what she wanted to do.

"Of course, as long as it makes you happy. But you should leave the planning to Zhao Qian and focus on taking care of yourself. If you exhaust yourself, it'll make me very upset."

His uncritical care warmed Lu Liangwei's heart, and she snuggled into his arms and even cupped his face with her hands to give him a kiss. "You're the best, Your Majesty. Here's your reward."

Long Yang cocked an eyebrow. "That's not a very sincere reward, if you ask me."

Taken aback, Lu Liangwei was about to ask him what he considered sincere, but her words were cut off when the man's towering figure closed in on her and enveloped her with his scent.

…

The Li Mansion.

Just when Madam Li was brooding over the lack of an opportunity to present Li Tong'er to the Emperor, there came an edict from the palace, informing that it was the Emperor's birthday the next day and that court officials were allowed to bring their families with them for the occasion.

The news immediately wiped the worry off of Madam Li's face, and she joyously dragged Li Tong'er out to shop for dresses and jewelry.

She was determined to dress up her daughter so gorgeously that the Emperor would be mesmerized.

Seeing how enthusiastic his wife and daughter were, Vice Minister Li remained silent, his expression one of tacit consent.

At present, the Empress had the imperial harem—as well as the Emperor's undivided favor and attention—all to herself every day, which earned her the envy of court officials who had daughters.

As the Empress was the only member of the imperial harem, and now that she was pregnant, her son would definitely become Heir Apparent in the future were she to give birth to a boy.

However, it might not turn out that way if there was someone else to take a share of the Emperor's attention.

Whenever Vice Minister Li heard about how favored Lu Liangwei was, he would feel bitter.

That honor and glory should have belonged to his daughter, but because of that foolish mistake she had committed in her youth, she missed the opportunity to ascend the Empress's throne.

This had always been his greatest regret.

Right now, he sensed an opportunity coming his way.

Vice Minister Li's face lit up at the thought, as if the prospect of his daughter regaining favor was already set in stone.

Tomorrow was Long Yang's birthday.

The banquet was to be held during the day.

After the court session was over, the officials headed straight to the Western Gardens.

At the same time, their respective families entered the palace one after the other.

Li Tong'er sat in the carriage with her mother. As she listened to her mother pepper her with advice along the way, she could feel herself gradually growing nervous.

Before eloping back then, she had attended a palace banquet with her family and had hence seen the Emperor's face.

The Emperor was handsome, but he exuded an intimidating aura that kept people from approaching him.

Moreover, she had thought that the Emperor was destined to have a large harem that housed a multitude of beautiful women, thus she had backed out.