Chapter 186: The Banquet Begins
With the music and drums resounding together, the Emperor and Empress entered the Great Hall.
Everyone in the Hall bowed down together.
The Emperor took his seat, his gaze sweeping over the Great Hall, noticing the empty spot at Duke Ding’an’s Mansion’s position.
He almost stood up again.
Where is Luo Ying?
Why has she disappeared at this moment?
“Where is Wei Jiao?” he asked, then looked at the Empress, as if explaining to her, “They said once the wound healed he could come out, so why has he disappeared again?”
The Empress did not expose whom he was asking about, and looking below asked: “Duke Ding’an, have you seen the Captain? He came with your young lady.”
Duke Ding’an hurriedly stood up: “The Captain just now accidentally got tea spilled on him and went to change clothes.”
Tea spilled?
This tea was definitely not spilled on Wei Jiao; the banquet hasn’t even started yet, so impatient already? The Emperor placed his hand on his knee, frowning and asking in a deep voice: “What happened?”
Asking wouldn’t reveal anything; the eunuchs came forward to admit fault, nothing more than a palace maid pouring tea, in the chaos it spilled, a helpless but understandable minor matter.
Then an Imperial Physician came to report, saying he had already checked and neither Wei Jiao nor Miss Yang was scalded; they were organizing clothes and would return soon.
The Emperor nodded and said that was good.
……
……
In the Side Hall, the faint sound of music signaling the start of the banquet could be heard.
But the people here had no mind to listen.
“The bandages need to be rewrapped!”
“Clothes not wet? Even if not wet, it’s unlucky; come with me to get new clothes to change into!”
In one palace room, Wei Jiao’s voice rang out loudly, with the Imperial Physician and eunuchs hurriedly bustling around him.
In another inner room, the maidservant’s voice was sharp.
“My young lady’s clothes! Newly made clothes!”
“My young lady still needs to go before His Majesty to offer wine; my young lady is substituting for the Libationer!”
“That palace maid must have done it on purpose; tell His Majesty to thoroughly investigate—”
The palace maid in charge here stood at the door, looking at the maidservant inside who was hands on hips and clamoring, then at the young lady wrapped in a cloak with an displeased expression, a mocking smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
“Miss Yang, rest assured there will be a thorough investigation.” She said, rebuking the three little palace maids behind her, “Hurry and dry and iron the dress for Miss Yang.”
The palace maids hurriedly came in holding charcoal basins and irons.
The maidservant hurriedly helped the young lady remove the wet dress and handed it to the palace maids.
The palace maid personally poured tea, inviting the young lady to sit and wait a moment. Taking advantage of the maidservant and young lady’s gaze being blocked by the palace maid, one little palace maid squatting on the ground drying the wet dress had flickering eyes, suddenly standing up and bumping into the little palace maid beside her. That little palace maid was holding the iron and suddenly lurched forward, the hot coals in the iron spilling out with a clatter.
Accompanied by the scorching sound, the skirt that had just been laid out for ironing burst into hot smoke.
“Ah!”
The maidservant saw this scene and let out a sharp scream.
……
…….
“This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die.”
The three palace maids knelt on the ground, crying verbally.
“You did it on purpose!” The maidservant screamed, holding up the skirt burned with a hole, “I want to see His Majesty—”
The originally amiable palace maid’s expression darkened: “This is my failure in discipline; young lady need not see His Majesty, I will punish them.”
With that, she called for people.
“Break the hands of these stupid servants!”
Eunuchs rushed in from outside the door, about to drag away that little palace maid who held the iron.
The little palace maid cried deafeningly, kowtowing repeatedly.
“Enough.” Miss Yang pressed her forehead and shouted, “Just one dress, burned is burned.”
Saying so, she looked at that palace maid.
“Duke Ding’an’s Mansion isn’t so poor yet.”
The palace maid smiled faintly and curtsied: “Miss Yang is magnanimous.” Then she turned her head to look at the palace maids on the ground, “Hurry and thank Miss Yang.”
That little palace maid trembled as she kowtowed in thanks.
Miss Yang did not look at that little palace maid, signaling to her own maidservant: “Duke Ding’an’s Mansion is closest to the Imperial City; go tell Uncle and Aunt to go home and fetch it for me.”
The maidservant acknowledged and fiercely glared at the palace maid.
Although the princess suddenly intervened, letting Miss Yang leave the seats early and disrupting the Marquis’s arrangement, it didn’t have much impact.
Now Miss Yang was waiting here with disheveled clothes.
The palace maid lowered her eyes and head to take leave, a faint smile flashing at the corner of her mouth.
……
…….
“Fortunately, it was just that palace maid spilling tea on the clothes.”
Yang Luo picked up the scalded clothes and said softly.
“If it had really been splashed all over head and face, you would have needed to redo your makeup, and if they tampered during makeup…”
That was the face.
If the face was injured, even a small wound, the consequences were unimaginable.
Even knowing there would be accidents, these accidents still made one’s heart race with fear.
“Don’t overthink it.” Mo Zheng smiled lightly, “These things won’t happen.”
If she didn’t allow it, that palace maid couldn’t even approach her.
It was she who let the palace maid near, and diverted most of the tea onto Wei Jiao.
If Wei Jiao hadn’t countered, not a drop would have gotten on her.
As for the clothes, let them ruin them if they wanted.
Mo Zheng looked toward the door, listening to the singing and dancing from the Great Hall.
“Go, lure Zhu Yunxiao over.”
“It’s almost time for His Majesty to present the congratulatory gift.”
……
……
In the Great Hall, the wine banquet was in full swing, with wine cups clinking in the Hall and singing and dancing rising in peace.
The Emperor’s gaze was somewhat blurry, but when that maidservant passed through the crowd to Duke Ding’an’s side, he immediately saw her.
“Duke Ding’an.” He called out.
The noisy Hall instantly fell silent; Marquis Yichun, who was laughing with those who came to wish birthday blessings, looked over, and Duke Ding’an, who was about to lose his temper and scold the speaking maidservant, shivered.
“This minister is here.” He hurriedly stood up and came over quickly; Duke Ding’an’s Wife also hurriedly followed.
Yang Luo stood in place, following the backs of Duke Ding’an and his wife, looking toward the Emperor.
The Emperor’s gaze passed over Duke Ding’an and his wife to look at her as well.
Yang Luo smiled faintly.
The Emperor withdrew his gaze to look at the Duke Ding’an couple before him, irritably saying: “Dragging your feet, why haven’t you come over yet? Do you need Us and the Marquis to invite you?”
Duke Ding’an stammered: “This minister, this minister was afraid of disturbing His Majesty and the Marquis’s enjoyment, thinking to wait until the end…”
Marquis Yichun, seated below, laughed: “Your Majesty, don’t scare him; I know the Duke’s temperament.”
He not only knew Yang Bin’s temperament but also the Emperor’s.
Calling Duke Ding’an over wasn’t really for his birthday wishes.
He looked at Duke Ding’an and asked proactively.
“How is Miss Yang? What does that maidservant need by coming?”
Duke Ding’an’s Wife hurriedly said: “She’s fine; clothes got wet, making a fuss to go home and get new ones, truly spoiled.”
Marquis Yichun laughed heartily: “Girls, that’s normal; Duke, just have someone fetch them.”
Duke Ding’an immediately nodded in agreement, then hurriedly raised his wine cup again: “A toast to the Marquis for his birthday.”
Marquis Yichun smilingly raised his wine cup; the Emperor also slowly lifted his wine cup.
Spoiled? Spoiled by whom? Which of you two has spoiled her? He as father certainly hadn’t…
The Emperor said: “Come, a toast to the Marquis.”
With that, he drank it all down, suppressing the sourness in his heart, his peripheral vision catching the maidservant by Duke Ding’an’s seat turning to leave.
Her attire was simple; moving among palace maids, eunuchs, and nobility, she had to dodge at times and was even rebuked by others…
His Luo Ying, clearly a princess, yet like this…
The Emperor looked toward the princesses’ seats.
Princess Pingcheng was surrounded by companion reader young ladies laughing and chatting; Princess Nangong was eating pastries; Princess Wuyang fastidiously watched the singing and dancing in the arena, with palace maids and eunuchs before and behind her diligently serving…
Perceiving the Emperor’s gaze, they all hurriedly looked over, blooming with smiles.
The Emperor only felt it stinging his eyes, turning to the Chief Eunuch beside him: “Pour wine.”
The Chief Eunuch hurriedly poured wine personally, heard the Emperor’s low whisper of instructions, then retreated backward.
Marquis Yichun drank with Duke Ding’an and his wife, then called an eunuch to pour wine; after the eunuch poured, he shook the wine pot, seemingly finding it empty, and retreated backward.
At the same time, among the crowd in the Hall moving about offering wine and chatting, Zhu Yunxiao put away his wine cup, smiled at a few people and said he would take leave, heading toward the restroom.
Vacation is over; thought I could finish the plot, but hadn’t even started. Progress misjudged, thanks everyone for following.
