Chapter 203: Tacit Understanding
A virtuous wife and beautiful concubines, living in harmony, with dignity and amiability.
Who wouldn’t envy this?
All the guests praised the Prince’s Mansion for its upright family conduct and the Princess Consort for her benevolence and virtue.
The male guests looked at Li Huan with envy, especially Li Yan. His inner chambers were constantly filled with the rivalry of his concubines, leading to constant chaos that often left him exhausted. He couldn’t help but sigh at Prince Duan’s skill.
Rui He tried several times to provoke discord with her words, but Xue Yuechen gently steered the conversation to everyday matters.
She realized that not even a needle could be inserted into this inner court…
Rui He clenched her handkerchief, thinking of Ping Le’s inflammatory words, and felt very stifled.
Li Yan swallowed a cup of wine and let out a dry laugh, looking for trouble.
“Seeing Imperial Brother Two surrounded by fragrant blossoms and enjoying the bliss of having multiple wives truly makes others envious…”
He suddenly cupped his hands towards Li Zhao again, “When will Crown Prince select consorts and take concubines, and expand the imperial harem, so that we too can broaden our horizons…”
This was clearly retaliation for Li Zhao publicly embarrassing him earlier.
Li Zhao lowered his gaze, fiddling with his wine cup, his expression indifferent, his face showing no emotion, but his words were merciless.
“Imperial Brother Three’s romantic debts have already reached the pleasure houses, and you still have the leisure to worry about me?”
Li Yan’s expression stiffened.
He hadn’t expected Li Zhao to be so sharp-tongued.
Xue Sui’s eyes dimmed. She wanted to laugh but didn’t, covering her mouth with her handkerchief…
All the guests in the hall smiled but said nothing.
Li Zhao had ignited the fire, yet acted as if nothing had happened. His movement to pick up the wine cup was extremely slow. The amber liquid concealed the undercurrents in his eyes, a scene of cold desolation. However, when his gaze met Xue Sui’s, his Adam’s apple bobbed, and he lowered his eyes, drinking it all in one gulp.
He said no more.
Xue Sui also observed everyone with a calm demeanor. Suddenly, she felt warmth on her knee.
She looked down and saw Li Zhao had gotten up and walked over. A silk handkerchief from his sleeve had inadvertently fallen onto her knee.
“Thank you.”
She picked it up and handed it to Li Zhao.
“Your Highness is too kind.”
Li Zhao took it and left the banquet without a word.
Without hesitation, and with no change in his expression, he went directly to change his clothes.
The warmth of the silk handkerchief on her fingertips, like a small flame, quietly spread, making her heart flutter with an itch.
She touched her chest, which felt faintly hot. She couldn’t tell if it was the Gu poison or the heat from his fingertips brushing against her hand.
The sound of music and strings gradually rose from the banquet.
Everyone had their own thoughts.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Zhao returned to his seat with his usual expression, not looking at Xue Sui again.
Li Huan narrowed his eyes, then finally gave a faint smile and looked away, clinking glasses with the guests, engaging in lively conversation.
After three rounds of wine, the atmosphere in Xie Fang Garden grew more intoxicating.
Prince Wei’s cheeks were flushed red from drinking. It was unclear if it was the alcohol or the recent humiliation that made him unwilling to accept it, as he looked directly at Gu Jie.
“I heard that Minister Gu recently welcomed a son. The child’s features bear a striking resemblance to mine when I was young. Is this true?”
The guests exchanged glances, somewhat bewildered.
Whispers began to spread, and even the music softened.
The Xue family’s expressions changed.
Gu Jie tightened his grip on his wine cup, his throat feeling as if it were blocked by a piece of red-hot charcoal.
He wished he could throw the wine cup in his hand at Li Yan’s smiling face, but he could only clench his fists under the table, his knuckles turning white, unable to utter a sound.
Li Huan’s face darkened: “Third Imperial Brother is drunk.”
Li Yan realized he had gone too far, let out a dry laugh, and waved his hand.
“This subject is wrong, wrong, and wrong again. Today is Imperial Brother’s family banquet, and Consort Xue’s joyous occasion. I shouldn’t have made such jokes.”
Old Madam Cui frowned but remained silent.
Gu Jie felt indignant, but it was not appropriate to clash with Prince Wei at the Prince’s Mansion’s wedding banquet.
After all, family shame should not be aired publicly. If the people of Shangjing City were to know of such sordid affairs, it would reflect poorly on Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion.
However, Xue Sui smiled faintly in the silence and suddenly looked at Li Yan.
“Why is Prince Wei so fond of joking? I have seen that child. He looks exactly like my Fourth Sister’s husband did back then—even the small mole on his forehead is identical. Does Prince perhaps have some connection with my Fourth Sister’s husband?”
Wasn’t this subtly implying that Prince Wei was not of imperial blood?
The guests in the hall tried to suppress their laughter but couldn’t help but chuckle.
Li Yan suddenly became somewhat embarrassed and angry.
Why was this Xue Liu deliberately opposing him?
It seemed Xue Yueying was right; she was arrogant because she relied on Prince Duan’s favor.
The embarrassing incident at the villa last time must have been related to her as well.
“Consort Xue says he looks like him, so it must be true. After all, Consort and Minister Gu were childhood sweethearts, inseparable, and almost became the Young Madam of Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion. She certainly wouldn’t mistake him…”
He was bringing up the most sensitive topic…
Xue Sui felt that this Prince Wei had truly been spoiled by the Empress Dowager to the point of being utterly ignorant of the world.
He had never experienced the dangers of the world, tasted the warmth and coldness of human relationships, nor undergone the trials of the imperial court. At just over twenty years old, he was as unrestrained as a child.
Her lips curved slightly, “Climbing the jade steps lightly and knocking on the vermilion gate at night is not a dignified matter—Your Highness slanders me so, have I offended you?”
Being caught in the act while climbing the jade steps was the most shameful event of Li Yan’s life.
His expression changed, and just as he was about to slam the table and rise, he suddenly heard Li Huan’s stern voice.
“Third Imperial Brother, how are you speaking to your Imperial Sister-in-law? Your words and actions are unruly, where is the decorum? Apologize to your Imperial Sister-in-law at once!”
Imperial Sister-in-law?
Many people in the room felt a jolt.
Prince Duan was openly treating her as his principal wife, showing this Consort exceptional favor!
Li Zhao lowered his gaze, fiddling with his cup, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Xue Yuechen was also momentarily lost in thought, then smiled again.
“Your Highness, please do not be angry. Prince Wei spoke out of turn due to drink. We are family, there is no need to ruin the harmony.”
Under everyone’s gaze, Li Yan’s face turned purple like an eggplant.
Prince Duan’s address of “Imperial Sister-in-law” was a blatant slap in the face, openly showing his protectiveness.
He flung his sleeves up in anger and rushed away from the banquet, deliberately knocking over the wine pot on Xue Sui’s table as he passed…
Xue Sui was speechless…
Why was he acting like a three-year-old child?
A spoiled habit.
She rubbed her temples and left her seat to change her clothes.
As she emerged from the moon gate, she saw Gu Jie standing beneath the banana trees, his eyes on her filled with a thousand unspoken words, his face unusually pale.
Seeing Xue Sui standing there slowly, unwilling to approach, Gu Jie gave a self-deprecating smile.
“You are now Prince Duan’s Consort, yet you are still willing to help me, a stray dog.”
“Marquis Jingyuan’s Mansion still stands, so how can you be a stray dog?” Xue Sui signaled Xiao Zhao to step back and guard, her gaze sweeping over his tightly clenched fists in his sleeves, and she gave a cold glance.
“I am not helping you; I am doing it for Aunt Chun.”
A flicker of pain crossed Gu Jie’s eyes.
“I know, you no longer have any feelings for me from the past…”
Seeing her lower her face and turn to leave, as if she didn’t want to hear another word from him, Gu Jie felt as if his heart were burning.
He had never imagined that after ten years, his and Xue Sui’s situations would be so vastly different…
The young man who was once clad in fine silks and rode spirited horses had become a startled bird crushed into the mud.
While she had turned the tables against adversity, soaring like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, spreading its wings to fly high…
“Sixth Sister, please wait.” Gu Jie suddenly stepped forward, his voice hoarse.
After Xue Sui stopped, he slowly walked to her side. Glancing around to ensure no one was watching, he took a note from his sleeve.
“Using a borrowed knife to eliminate Wen Jia and frame Crown Prince Zhao?”
Xue Sui looked at the handwriting on the paper and suddenly chuckled.
“This tactic of using a borrowed knife to kill is one she has always used successfully. She wants to eliminate a love rival and a political opponent simultaneously, killing two birds with one stone.”
“You’re not flustered?” Gu Jie frowned. “If Wen Jia dies, there will be no more reconciliation between Xizi and Daliang…”
“What use is there in being flustered?” Xue Sui glanced at him, crumpled the note, which Gu Jie had written himself, into a ball, and then slowly stuffed it back into his mouth. She only withdrew her hand after watching him widen his eyes and swallow with difficulty, then wiped her fingertips with her handkerchief.
“As for you, dealing with a tiger, be careful not to have your heart and liver gouged out by its claws.”
With that, she strode away.
The autumn wind rustled, carrying yellow leaves that fell onto Gu Jie’s shoulders.
He touched the edges of the paper ball in his throat and gave a smile that was more like a grimace.
“If I could go back to the past, I would never have let go of your hand.”
Xue Sui did not look back.
Gu Jie stood in place, his figure framed by the flowers and trees, appearing even more frail.
The once elegant young gentleman had been worn down to this state.
But in this world, where could one find a cure for regret?
–
Xue Sui returned to her seat. The garden had already resumed its lively atmosphere of clinking cups and feasting.
It was as if Li Yan’s disruption of the banquet had never happened.
Candlelight flickered in the hall, and the wine was flowing freely.
Suddenly, a commotion was heard from outside the garden.
A guard hurried in and whispered into Li Huan’s ear.
Li Huan’s expression remained unchanged. He slowly stood up, seemingly unconcerned.
“The Xizi delegation was attacked?”
“Everyone, please continue drinking. This King will go and handle the matter…”
Everyone at the banquet was shocked.
An incident involving the Xizi delegation at this juncture would undoubtedly be an attempt to cut off the possibility of peace talks and incite war between Daliang and the Xizi Royal Court.
Xue Sui curved her lips slightly, her gaze inadvertently meeting Li Zhao’s.
They both saw a sharp understanding in each other’s eyes—
An～～～
Li Zhao: I am not at peace. Are all my ministers at peace?
