Chapter 177: The Temptation of High Status

"Consort Chengmu presents the Hundred Longevity Vase."

Zhu Yuanzhang was evidently quite attentive to this object.

Seeing this novel item, his eyes lit up immediately.

Seeing this, Eunuch Li hurriedly had people move the Longevity Vase up.

Zhu Yuanzhang reached out directly to stroke the body of the vase, and looking at the various longevity characters of different sizes on the Hundred Longevity Vase, Zhu Yuanzhang smiled very happily.

"Reward her. I remember someone presented me with a gold hairpin last year; it looked quite nice, so reward it to Consort Chengmu."

After hearing this, Eunuch Li nodded, smiled, and had people move the Longevity Vase down, then called for people to continue bringing out the next birthday gift.

And immediately following, a birthday gift even more dazzling than the Hundred Longevity Vase was set up.

It must be said, within the imperial family, what one wants is face, and what one wants is to be a cut above the rest.

Just then, two eunuchs walked up carrying a large vessel.

Everyone who saw this scene had their eyes light up, discovering a good thing.

If the previous Hundred Longevity Vase had already made people surprised and envious, then this blue-and-white Ten Thousand Longevity Pattern Vessel was even more astonishing.

The blue-and-white porcelain vase was over a meter tall; the rim and the base were each inscribed with a circle of 48 longevity characters, and the body had a total of 70 rows and 130 columns of longevity characters, totaling about ten thousand "longevity" characters, hence it was called the Ten Thousand Longevity Vase.

Like the Hundred Longevity Pattern Vase, every longevity character was different, each possessing a unique meaning, and it was extremely exquisite. So many longevity characters carried the blessing of "Long live, long live, ten thousand years of long life."

The symbolism was good, the circumstances were good, the appearance was good, and the meaning was good; one could say it was good in every way.

These introductions were all written by someone on a piece of paper to the side.

Everyone looked on, shaking their heads in endless admiration; clearly, they had never seen such a fine treasure before.

"Consort Han presents the blue-and-white Ten Thousand Longevity Pattern Vessel."

"Hahahaha, good!"

Zhu Yuanzhang clearly had not been this happy in a long time.

Looking at the blue-and-white Ten Thousand Longevity Pattern Vessel, he seemed as if he had become a few years younger.

Zhu Gaoxu, who was to the side, could not help but sigh inwardly upon seeing this scene.

"Even the Emperor, when receiving good things and good treasures, is still just as delighted."

Next, although the other imperial consorts had also racked their brains, none could compare to the birthday gifts chosen by the two consorts just now.

Yet among them, Ma Huanghou had only embroidered a handkerchief by hand for Zhu Yuanzhang.

And Lao Zhu, on the contrary, was the most attentive to this, carefully tucking it into his own bosom.

From this, one could see the difference between Ma Huanghou and the others.

The affection between her and Zhu Yuanzhang was clearly very deep; there was simply no need to rack her brains like the others.

It was merely a simple, plain handkerchief.

Once the sentiment was conveyed, Zhu Yuanzhang could naturally understand it.

From this, one could also see that Ma Huanghou's status in the inner palace was unshakable.

Next, it was the turn of Zhu Yuanzhang's children's generation.

This time for Lao Zhu's birthday, these sons and daughters had all scrambled to return.

Moreover, looking down from above, Zhu Gaoxu noticed that quite a few people were secretly interacting with his father as the center.

Seeing this, Zhu Gaoxu looked again at the Crown Prince sitting to the side.

He saw the Crown Prince drinking fine wine with a seemingly indifferent expression.

From time to time, he would even toast from afar with some of the officials.

Now that the birthday gifts from Zhu Di's side were finished, it was time for Zhu Gaoxu's generation.

Actually, Zhu Gaoxu felt that he probably did not need to display anything.

So much wine, so many glass bottles.

Weren't they all things he had brought in?

Therefore, Zhu Gaoxu felt he probably did not need to give a gift.

But just in case, Zhu Gaoxu thought about whether he should prepare something now.

But the current conditions did not allow for it; he had been called up by Lao Zhu and was so much in the spotlight that even if Zhu Gaoxu had any ideas, he could not put them into action.

Just as Zhu Gaoxu was thinking to himself about how to handle this, things had already started over there.

Princesses and princes alike, all took the stage together.

Surprisingly, these princes and princesses were, this time, not much worse than the imperial consorts from just before.

Each one had clearly put in the effort.

In past Longevity Festivals, there were always rules for the princes and princesses presenting birthday gifts.

According to the unwritten rules of previous years, there was a hierarchy for the princes to present birthday gifts.

The Crown Prince Zhu Biao had to be the one to present the most dazzling and precious gift.

Next were the several legitimate sons.

Finally, there were the sons born of concubines.

And although the gifts from those sons born of concubines were not much, Lao Zhu would generally offer a few words of praise if the other party was sensible.

Doing this was not only to distinguish between high and low status.

It was actually also for their own good.

Why make such a big splash by presenting such a prestigious birthday gift?

When the time came and one lacked the strength, putting oneself in the limelight would naturally lead to someone taking revenge later.

But now, the style had suddenly changed.

Everyone's birthday gift was so fresh and refined.

Each one more dazzling than the last.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Gaoxu sneered in his heart, understanding the thoughts of these people.

It was actually very simple; the signal sent by Lao Zhu, although only friendly toward his father Zhu Di, also showed other princes an opportunity.

On what grounds can the fourth son Zhu Di do it, but we cannot?

On what grounds can the legitimate son do it, but we cannot?

In any case, as long as it is not the Crown Prince Zhu Biao, then everything has variables.

Of course, among them there were also those who did not want to participate, or who had other thoughts in their hearts and wanted to bide their time.

However, most people still could not resist the temptation of that high position.