CHAPTER 2037: CHAPTER 2039: TROUBLE AT THE BANQUET

"You bring up a valid point," Baili Yan mused. "But now isn’t the right time to act."

"That’s exactly why Xiaxia doesn’t want to donate money directly to the national treasury."

"Tsk tsk," Baili Yan said cheerfully. "I wondered why she was happily accepting gifts. Turns out she had this plan in mind. When you go back, make sure to thank her properly for me. Without you all, I’d be having a hard time."

Before becoming Emperor, everything seemed simple; after attaining the position, nothing turned out as easy as imagined.

Since entering the palace, he hadn’t slept well for days. The army was out there, needing supplies every day, and the already depleted national treasury was even emptier.

Now he feared any natural or human disaster because then the court couldn’t even afford disaster relief silver.

Baili Yan appreciated Yang Chuxia, and the Empress was also touched.

She never expected Yang Chuxia to perform such a charitable act in her name. With this matter, she could stabilize her position as Empress even more.

However, the Empress was smart, knowing that it was Yang Chuxia who had the silver, and all the good reputation went to her. She couldn’t just do nothing.

So she secretly had her personal maid sell a box of her East Pearls and bought several carts of herbs to send to the battlefield.

With the army out there, both food and herbs were indispensable.

Baili Yan appreciated her prudence and valued her highly.

After this matter, the day of Baili Yan’s ascension quickly arrived.

At the hour of Yin, the Emperor led royal family members to offer sacrifices to ancestors, then proclaimed Heaven and Earth, and returned to the palace at the hour of Chen to receive the ministers’ kneeling bows.

At midday, they began the formal ceremony to appoint the Empress, followed by that for the concubines and others.

Finally, came the evening banquet, which family members of officials could also attend.

Ye Zi’an and Lele set off early, while Yang Chuxia directly went to attend the evening banquet.

From the time of offering sacrifices, Baili Yan was worried, fearing troubles along the way. Luckily, nothing happened.

Thinking the ascension ceremony would proceed smoothly, who would have thought trouble would erupt during the evening banquet.

Everyone attending the banquet was poisoned—not with deadly poison, but with a laxative, and a strong one at that, turning the joyous banquet into a foul-smelling ordeal.

The medicine was in the food, so everyone partook and fell victim.

Some couldn’t hold it and directly soiled their pants.

Sure, it’s understandable for men, but even some women couldn’t avoid this, including many young ladies whose faces turned pale. Facing something like this resulted in tears; this was a disgrace before the throne.

Baili Yan’s face was dark; Yang Chuxia clearly saw the veins bulging on his hands.

Thus, a supposedly pleasant evening banquet ended on an unhappy note.

The Ye Family of three naturally didn’t escape either. However, Yang Chuxia and Ye Zi’an ate less and didn’t fare as poorly, but Lele wasn’t so lucky. One dish happened to suit his taste, and he ate more—unable to hold on; he soiled his little underwear.

Yang Chuxia looked at her son’s pitiful face, his eyes filled with mist.

"Alright, don’t feel bad; you’re not the only one. Compared to others, you’re much better off. You can clean up at the Empress’s place and change into clean clothes. Look at the others; they went home reeking. Plus, there were many young ladies among them."