The gossip from the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet lingered in the Capital City for a long time. The first topic was the ranking of the three concubines, a subtle move of suppression by the Empress Dowager. The second was how the Emperor had backed Ming Fei, personally bringing the Eldest Prince to the banquet and leaving with the mother and son once it was over.
The confrontation was invisible, but its results were tangible.
After the Empress Dowager's banquet, both the imperial court and the harem entered a period of peace. During this time, Song Yunzhao received a string of good news. First, Song Jinxuan gave birth to a son, then Song Yexi had a daughter. Song Lirong, who was married far away in Yucheng, had also had children, and Song Hongjiao was now pregnant.
