The Gilded Cage Chapter 49

Birthday Banquet (3)

He forced himself to look away and patted Xiao Yu’s shoulder. “You are truly a descendant of the Xiao family.”

As he said that, he seemed to be unaware that the Crown Prince was not good at drinking and said to Liu Kang: “Go, get a pot of Liangzhou Wine and give it to the Crown Prince.”

With that, Xiao Yu’s expression was gloomy for a moment. On the other hand, Chu Ning’s heart skipped a beat, and she glanced stealthily at Xiao Kezhi.

Liangzhou Wine was a strong liqueur drunk in the northwestern frontier during winter. Unlike wine and liqueurs common in Chang’an, it had a much stronger taste.  Therefore, Xiao Yu was not used to drinking it. Now, he had to drink Liangzhou Wine whenever someone came to give him a toast. It was difficult for him.

Xiao Kezhi was deliberately forcing him to drink alcohol.

However, he could not show the slightest disrespect to the Emperor in public. Thus, he had to suppress the dissatisfaction in his heart and thanked Xiao Kezhi before returning to his seat.

After a while, the eunuch really delivered a pot of Liangzhou wine to his table.

This pot of wine was like a silent signal, telling everyone at the banquet that the Emperor honored the Crown Prince today.

Therefore, everyone did not forget to make a toast to Xiao Yu at his table.

……

Xiao Yu couldn’t decline, so he had to drink glass after glass of Liangzhou wine. In less than an hour, he had finished a whole pot.

“Drinking too much is bad for your health. Please have some food, Your Highness.” Chu Ning sat beside him and served him some lighter dishes. She also brought a small bowl of mutton soup to him.

His eyes were glazed, and he was a little drunk. He nodded when he heard what she said and could barely hold his spoon and chopsticks. After taking two bites, he rubbed his forehead and frowned from time to time.

“Your highness, don’t force yourself to drink. If you feel drunk, let’s go to the side hall and rest.”

Although she looked worried, she was strangely calm inside.

Xiao Kezhi understood her hint just now and used the same way to tell her that he had accepted her intentions.

However, Xiao Yu could still handle himself for the time being. It was uncertain whether Xiao Kezhi noticed this.

While everyone was talking and laughing, Chu Ning quietly looked towards the seat a little further away.

There, Zhao Yue got up from her seat, holding a cup and a pot and slowly walked to the main table.

…

On the other side, Empress Dowager patted Qi Chenxiang and smiled, “You said you wanted to dance for me. Are you ready?”

Qi Chenxiang seemed a little shy and said, “I am ready and will be there shortly. Please wait for a moment.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Xiao Kezhi who was drinking wine, hoping to see encouragement or expectation in his eyes.

However, he did not hear her or look at her.

She was disappointed but could not let it show. Thus, she could only step aside under the comforting gaze of the Empress Dowager. When she turned to leave the hall to change her clothes, she ran into a charmingly and boldly dressed Zhao Yue.

“You,” She stopped and just about to say something, but Zhao Yue didn’t look at her and walked past her.

“Miss, let’s go. It’s time to change clothes.” A maid tugged Qi Chenxiang’s sleeves gently. “Don’t worry, lady, the Empress Dowager is here.”

……

Qi Chenxiang didn’t speak. She stood still for a while before walking away.

The Empress Dowager wants me to marry the Emperor, so she will help me. However, is that enough?

Recently, I used visiting the Empress Dowager as an excuse to enter the palace. Whenever I see him, he is always indifferent, as if he did not care about the matter at all.

Whether it is father, mother, or the Empress Dowager, they all tell me with certainty that I will be the Empress of Great Liang. However, I always feel that things might not go the way they expect.

……

In the main hall, Zhao Yue held a jade pot in her hand and bowed to offer wine to the Empress Dowager in celebration of her birthday.

Empress Dowager accepted the wine offered, took a sip, and set it aside. Although she had a polite smile, the smile did not reach her eyes.

Someone had informed the Empress Dowager that Zhao Yue had a “chance encounter” with the Emperor outside the palace. She didn’t think the daughter of a mere military commander, who had lost her father and was a widow, could pose a threat to Qi Chenxiang’s position. However, she still found Zhao Yue bold and unafraid of the Qi family.

Before Qi Chenxiang married the Emperor, the Empress Dowager would not allow anyone else to get into Taiji Palace ahead of her. She did not care which woman got in afterwards as long as the Empress was from the Qi family. She could turn a blind eye to that.