CH 49.2

Chapter 49          Misunderstanding (2/2)

Imperial Concubine Xian ordered people to set up an incense table in the imperial garden, and after leading the imperial concubines to perform the moon sacrifice ceremony, everyone took their seats at the table one after another.

Today’s banquet was not of a high standard, and there were only imperial concubines and womenfolk of various officials at the banquet.

Since the empress had not yet returned to the palace, Imperial Concubine Xian prepared today’s banquet and the Longevity Festival with the Ministry of Rites.

Imperial Concubine Xian also invited the other four imperial concubines to make arrangements together.

Imperial Concubine De refused because she had no experience, and Imperial Concubine Jing said that she was not in good health and couldn’t exert herself.

Only Imperial Concubine Shu readily agreed to Imperial Concubine Xian’s proposal.

Imperial Concubine Xian wanted to gain the fame of being virtuous, while Imperial Concubine Shu wanted to build support for the Second Prince.

After the banquet, Imperial Concubine Xian said to everyone: “The banquet held today is to prepare for the upcoming Longevity Festival. In recent days, I’ve been discussing with the Ministry of Rites about the program to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday. If the young masters and ladies at your mansion have good talents, you can be reported to me, or Imperial Concubine Shu of Qiangong Palace.”

When everyone heard this, their minds became enthusiastic.

It was a rare opportunity if they could show their face at the Longevity Festival to gain glory for the family and win His Majesty’s favor.

——

Wang Jingyan, the second daughter of the Left Prime Minister Mansion, was very sociable. She went to Imperial Concubine Xian’s side and kept talking non-stop, making Imperial Concubine Xian all smiles.

As usual, Wang Jingyi just quietly observed the people at the banquet.

Wang Jingyi’s eyes occasionally glanced over at Xie Zhao.

That day, Xie Zhao came to her rescue and killed the tiger in the hunting ground in the western suburbs. After that, Xie Zhao chased her out-of-control horse, jumped behind her on a slope, took her away, and landed safely. In one day, Xie Zhao saved her twice…

Xie Zhao was very different from the sons of noble families in the capital that Wang Jingyi knew. 

——-

Wang Jingyi had something on her mind, so she left the banquet to sober up, and met a palace maid on a small path.

“Miss.” The palace maid saluted Wang Jingyi.

“Hmm.” Wang Jingyi, the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister and the niece of the Empress and Imperial Concubine Xian, often walked around the palace, and also placed her eyeliner in Imperial Concubine Xian’s Jingren Palace.

The palace maid stepped forward and whispered something in Wang Jingyi’s ear.

Hearing this, Wang Jingyi turned around and looked at Qin Nian, the second daughter of the Right Prime Minister Mansion, who was about to leave the banquet in the distance.

She didn’t expect Qin Nian to be so daring.

—–

Xie Changyuan was full of worries, drinking his sorrows away and without paying attention at all. The palace maid who replaced him with a full jug looked a little wrong.

Not long after, a palace maid came to Xie Changyuan’s seat and said: “Shizi Xie, Miss A Yan is a little drunk, so she asked Shizi Xie to pick her up at the Qichun Pavilion.”

“Yeah.” Xie Changyuan raised his head and drank the wine in his cup. After drinking, he glanced at Qin Yan again, got up, and left the table.

——

The maid serving at Qin Yan’s table changed another jug of wine for Qin Yan’s table. Qin Yan picked up the jug and poured herself a cup, picked it up, and brought it to her lips, but suddenly stopped.

Qin Yan frowned, she seemed to smell a special scent in the wine.

Qin Yan’s eyes became fierce, and she turned her head to look at the palace maid who had just delivered the wine.

But at this moment, there was no one behind her.

Just as Qin Yan was about to put down her wine cup, a blue figure suddenly rushed toward her.

Qin Yan immediately got up to avoid it.

“Ah, Elder Sister, be careful…”

It was Qin Ming who fell in front of her.

Qin Ming got up in embarrassment, and quickly said: “Elder Sister, I didn’t mean it.”

The cup of wine in Qin Yan’s hand just now had all been spilled on Qin Yan’s neckline. The cold wine dampened Qin Yan’s outer robe, and the aroma of the wine mixed with a trace of a special scent inside rushed into Qin Yan’s nose. Qin Yan suddenly felt a little heat rising in her body.

Qin Yan immediately realized that it was a love potion.

She took a glance at Fang Su, and Fang Su and Imperial Concubine De were talking happily.

Qin Yan ignored Qin Ming who was still apologizing in front of her and strode away from the banquet.

——

“Eldest Sister, Eldest Sister…” Seeing that his eldest sister seemed displeased, Qin Ming felt bad. He had come here to greet his eldest sister, and someone tripped him just now.

Qin Ming scanned his side and saw Wang Jingyu with a smirk on his face.

Qin Ming stepped forward in two steps, “Was it you?”

Wang Jingyu said lazily, “Yes.”

Qin Ming raised his fist, ready to punch Wang Jingyu in the face.

Wang Jingyu took a step back and laughed: “Today’s banquet is jointly organized by Imperial Concubine Xian and Imperial Concubine Shu. Why, are you going to mess things up?”

Hearing this, Qin Ming withdrew his fist bitterly.

He couldn’t cause trouble for his aunt.

“If I were you, I would stop making trouble in front of Princess Zhaoren. People should have self-knowledge,” Wang Jingyu said lazily with a dragging voice.

Qin Ming was angry, but he couldn’t let it out.

He knew about the conflict between his eldest sister and his parents, but that was a matter of the previous generation, and he was his eldest sister’s younger brother after all.

“Wang Jingyu, just wait for me.” Qin Ming said a harsh word and then walked away.

Wang Jingyu looked at Qin Ming’s leaving back and snorted slightly.

——

Wang Jingyi quickly caught up with Xie Changyuan not far from the banquet.

“Shizi Xie.”

Xie Changyuan frowned and turned around. It was Wang Jingyi, the eldest daughter of the Left Prime Minister Mansion and He Xiao’s fiancée, but Xie Changyuan had no interaction with her.

Wang Jingyi said to Xie Changyuan: “I have reliable news that there is something wrong with the wine at the banquet today. Shizi Xie, please proceed carefully. I don’t want anyone to have an accident at this banquet which will implicate Imperial Concubine Xian who is hosting the banquet.”

Xie Changyuan was so preoccupied just now that he was somewhat absent-minded, so he drank a few more cups. Only now did Xie Changyuan realize that his body’s dryness and hotness were abnormal, which was not like the usual reaction when he was drunk.

At this moment, after being reminded by Wang Jingyi, Xie Chang Yuan realized that he must have drunk the problematic wine.

Then A Yan…

Xie Changyuan said: “Just now a maid told me that A Yan was in Qichun Pavilion after she was drunk, did Miss Wang see A Yan?”

Wang Jingyi frowned and recalled: “I haven’t seen her. I don’t know who this scheme is aimed at today. If you manage to find the person, leave quickly. I have to go to Princess Zhaoren. When I left the table just now, I saw Princess Zhaoren’s expression seemed wrong and she also left alone.”

Xie Changyuan was startled, “Which direction did Qin Yan go?”

Wang Jingyi pointed to the other side.

Xie Changyuan said, “Thank you”, and then quickly walked toward the direction Wang Jingyi pointed.

And that direction was exactly opposite to Qichun Pavilion.

Wang Jingyi looked at Xie Changyuan’s leaving back and sighed in her heart, which also confirmed her previous speculation.

Everyone felt that Shizi Xie broke his engagement with Princess Zhaoren because he favored Miss A Yan in the mansion.

But there seemed to have another inside story.

Wang Jingyi called the palace maid she had placed in Jingren Palace before, whispered a few words in her ear, and returned to the banquet.

——

About the time of a stick of incense, a palace maid walked quickly to the side of Imperial Concubine Xian, who was at the seat of honor at the banquet, and said something in a low voice.

Imperial Concubine Xian’s expression changed drastically. She immediately got up and left the table. Before leaving, she called Imperial Concubine Shu to follow her.

Everyone didn’t know the reason why.

What happened?