Just then, a eunuch rushed over to announce, "The Emperor and the Empress have arrived!"
Upon hearing this, everyone fell to their knees and bowed, crying out in unison, "Long live Your Majesty! May you live ten thousand years! Long live the Empress! May she live a thousand years!"
The Emperor and Empress walked in gracefully amidst the chorus of greetings. The Emperor raised a hand and said, "You may all rise."
After thanking him, everyone rose. The Emperor's gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on Ji Xiaosong and Li Wanyu. "What is going on here?" he asked. "Why all this commotion?"
Consort Song hurried forward and replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, it is merely a small misunderstanding between women. I was already handling it."
The Emperor's eyes narrowed slightly. "If it's just a misunderstanding," he said in a deep voice, "then tell me about it. I'm curious to see what kind of misunderstanding could cause such a scene at a banquet."
