Chapter 17: Birthday Feast I

Although Hao mei was constantly playing a game of hide-seek with the Emperor About two weeks of peace went by but there's always a certain sense of calm before every storm. The Empress dowager birthday feast was in a few days time and although the Emperor hated lavish and overly extravagant affairs but he asked the court servants to prepare a lavish feast in order not to be accused of lacking 'filial piety'. Hao Mei would rather not have been involved in this entire process as she was already stressed out enough trying to avoid the Emperor even though they lived in the same quarters but there was no escaping from such responsibilities. She had a feeling that this would be another avenue for the Empress dowager to try to humiliate her but she definitely wouldn't let her win.