After Huang Yarou took over the banquet, she didn't do anything special in the time that followed.
She simply followed the procedures, so even if something went wrong, she wouldn't have to bear the main responsibility.
After all, the Hundred Day Banquet wasn't organized by her, so if something really happened...
Naturally, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Rites would bear the blame; at most, she would be casually reprimanded by the Emperor for 'ineffective handling of affairs'.
After that, she would be sent back to her palace to reflect and avoid further troubles.
To prevent anything from happening at the banquet, Huang Yarou did not eat any of the delicacies served.
Every time she ate, she would cover her face with her sleeve.
Then, while everyone's vision was obstructed, she would secretly put the food into a specially made bag.
Once it was mostly full, she would find an opportunity to have someone dispose of it and replace it with a new bag.
Du Yun watched her operate throughout, filled with admiration.
"As expected of a master who has survived palace intrigue and holds the position of one of the Four Consorts, Mother is truly cautious."
"Having such a Mother is also my good fortune."
"At least I don't have to worry about being inexplicably harmed during my growth."
"I imagine as long as I pay more attention, growing up smoothly won't be a problem."
As for not eating and getting hungry, Huang Yarou had already made arrangements in advance.
First, she had already eaten something to line her stomach when she came out, and she also had people bring some homemade pastries.
If she felt hungry midway, she could eat a few pieces to satisfy her craving, and then have a hot meal when she returned.
Therefore, every time she attended a palace banquet, Huang Yarou only needed to pretend to eat.
This way, she could maximize the safety of her food and drink, preventing herself from being easily poisoned.
Of course, she wasn't perfect on her own, so she also needed others to cooperate.
Almost every time she made a small move, the servants around her would naturally block the view for her, preventing outsiders from noticing anything amiss.
Du Yun was pretty much the same; he directly brought three large granaries, so he didn't have to worry about being hungry.
To make feeding easier, he even brought a long cloth to block the view.
He could set up a confined space at any time, to avoid embarrassing the three large granaries... As the Hundred Day Banquet continued, it was clearly nearing its end.
Huang Yarou was greatly surprised that nothing had happened.
"I didn't expect it to go so smoothly; it seems they aren't planning to cause trouble in public."
"That's good, lest they ruin the Hundred Day Banquet and embarrass our mother and son."
"I just wonder how things are outside the banquet? Should I send someone to investigate?"
Curiosity piqued, Huang Yarou directly gave Chun Jin, who was serving nearby, a meaningful look.
Then she began to observe the entire banquet, passing the boring time.
Chun Jin received the special signal and immediately gestured to her good sister in the shadows, telling her to make arrangements.
Dong Yao didn't waste any time and quickly slipped away from the banquet hall, finding her own people who were waiting outside.
Then she gave them a few instructions and sent them to do their tasks.
After a while, she returned to the hall and nodded to her good sister.
Chun Jin pretended not to see anything and continued to serve Huang Yarou.
Du Yun, who also saw this scene, showed a hint of anticipation in his eyes, starting to guess what excitement would unfold next.
"It's my Hundred Day Banquet, yet I can't do anything myself."
"Fortunately, I can pass the time by watching the show, otherwise it would be too boring."
So throughout the entire banquet, Du Yun curiously observed everyone present, wanting to see which Young Miss was the prettiest.
That way, when he grew up, he could go and see what their daughters looked like.
If he liked one, he would directly abduct her home to enrich his future Harem.
Just as Du Yun was envisioning the future, the banquet, where no one had caused trouble, finally drew to a close.
Afterward, everyone would orderly exit according to their status and then return to their respective homes.
"Shu Consort sister, the Hundred Day Banquet is almost over now."
"I still have things to do, so I'll be heading back first. Please enjoy yourselves."
After Noble Consort Liu Aoqing finished speaking, without waiting for anyone's response, she took the Second Prince Du Yi and prepared to leave the hall.
"Noble Consort sister, take care on your way and be careful not to be ambushed by anyone," Huang Yarou hinted meaningfully.
Liu Aoqing merely waved her hand upon hearing this and left without looking back.
With the strength of her Family, the masters accompanying her were no fewer than the Empress's, and her own strength was not weak.
Therefore, she wasn't worried about overt attacks; instead, she was more wary of schemes from the shadows.
Since the Noble Consort had left, Consort De and Consort Xian would not stay either.
"Then we'll be leaving too, Shu Consort sister."
Without waiting for Huang Yarou's response, Consort De and Consort Xian left with their people.
She merely smiled at this, not caring much.
Since Imperial Concubines of the same Rank had all left, Huang Yarou naturally wouldn't stay.
Therefore, she directly handed over the remaining matters to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Rites.
Before leaving, she didn't forget to glance at the others, a hint of deep meaning flashing in her eyes.
"I'm really curious what kind of trouble you all will stir up; it's truly something to look forward to."
Huang Yarou found it amusing to see them being so polite at the banquet.
She was very much looking forward to hearing what kind of news related to them she would hear upon her return.
Therefore, Huang Yarou didn't linger at the scene and soon left with her people, heading towards the Vermilion Bird Palace.
With the Four Consorts gone, the Nine Concubines naturally followed suit, and the remaining lower-ranked Imperial Concubines also left one after another.
As all the Harem members departed, the imperial relatives and important court officials naturally wouldn't stay either, and they all left the palace with their respective families...
Leaving the banquet, walking on the way back, Huang Yarou and her group did not relax their vigilance.
Fortunately, they eventually returned to their territory safely, without any mishaps.
"Phew~, attending such a large banquet is really tiring!"
"If it weren't for the good show to watch, and having to attend, This Consort really wouldn't want to go out."
"Fortunately, it's finally over. Now I can have some peace and quiet for a while, allowing This Consort to relax properly."
Taking a sip of the tribute tea handed to her by Chun Jin, Huang Yarou let out a long sigh.
She then took her precious baby from Xia Lan's hands and began to gently tease him.
"Yun'er, are you tired? Do you want to rest for a while?"
How could Du Yun bear to rest when his curiosity hadn't been satisfied yet?
So he stared at his Mother with his small eyes.
"It seems Yun'er isn't tired yet, then let's play with Mother for a while!"
While the mother and son were interacting, those who had been sent out to gather information also returned to the Vermilion Bird Hall one after another.
"Reporting to Your Ladyship, the matters you asked us to inquire about have been found."
"Oh? Then tell me, what happened outside during the banquet?"
"Yes, Your Ladyship, This Servant will now explain it to you in detail."
As the young eunuch gradually recounted, Huang Yarou got a general understanding.
Among those attending the banquet, occasionally someone would go out for some fresh air or to resolve some embarrassing issues.
Where there are many people, there is much gossip, and it's quite normal for things to happen during such events.
For instance, two Young Misses from rival families, in a fit of anger during an argument, directly pushed each other into the water.
Then, because the one who fell into the water couldn't swim, she was rescued by a Young Master from another Family who happened to be passing by.
The two thus became acquainted, and although they might not end up together, their interactions would still be awkward.
Fortunately, Dongxing Country was quite open, and the female party would not lose her reputation because of this, so there was no need to worry about being forced into marriage.
There were also high-ranking noblewomen who looked down on the unfavored Young Misses from other Families.
When they unexpectedly met, they would always make a few sarcastic remarks, or simply resort to bullying.
Or, for example, a Young Master from one Family might meet a Young Miss from another, and instantly fall in love at first sight, vowing to marry no one else.
After separating, they would start inquiring about each other's identity, to see if they could arrange an engagement directly.
It was also possible that several Young Misses were vying for a certain Young Master, creating a scene that almost escalated into a fight.
Such minor incidents were countless, and the mother and son listened with great interest.
However, among these troublemakers, there were no high-ranking noblewomen or Young Masters who had been carefully nurtured.
To maintain their image and avoid embarrassing their Family, they rarely exposed their true nature in front of outsiders.
Therefore, they remained relatively well-behaved and did not cause any trouble.
