Chapter 153: Your Highness, Please Speak Cautiously! First Meeting the Eldest Princess at the Imperial Banquet
Chapter 153: Chapter 153: Your Highness, Please Speak Cautiously! First Meeting the Eldest Princess at the Imperial Banquet
Pei Shaoqing’s flattery put Emperor Jingtai in high spirits.
He punished him by sending him to a remote side palace to copy the Laws of the Great Zhou.
Of course, this was just for show, for Tang Fei to see.
Although Pei Shaoqing knew nothing would happen even if he didn’t copy them, he still did so diligently.
’When the Emperor is watching, one must demonstrate one’s loyalty and respect at all times!’
He had only been copying for a short while when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
Looking up, he saw Noble Consort Wan walk in, bringing a fragrant breeze with her. As she stepped over the threshold, he caught a glimpse of the sheer black silk on her calves. She said mockingly, "I heard the Baron of Pingyang was punished by His Majesty. I came to enjoy the show."
As she spoke, she gave a slight wave of her hand.
The palace maids and eunuchs all remained outside the hall.
"Your Ladyship is looking well. It seems you’ve been favored often. His Majesty still has the drive of a young man; I am thoroughly impressed," Pei Shaoqing said.
Noble Consort Wan rolled her eyes in annoyance. With a cold face, she gritted her teeth and said, "Because of those... garments you presented, His Majesty has been favoring several consorts in a row these past few days. If any of them get pregnant, I will not let you off the hook."
That alone would have been one thing. The key issue was that although the Emperor was aroused, he was still very quick, leaving her in a state of unsatisfied suspense. It was more torturous than not doing it at all.
And yet, every time, she had to pretend to be overwhelmed with pleasure, as if she were dying and coming back to life, utterly satisfied.
In all her years of marriage, the most pleasure she had ever felt in that regard was the last time, when Pei Shaoqing had rubbed against her through her undergarments.
"Whether they become pregnant or not... surely Your Ladyship can have a say in the matter?" Pei Shaoqing said with a faint, knowing smile.
Noble Consort Wan snorted coldly and did not reply.
Pei Shaoqing rose and walked toward her.
"What are you doing!" Noble Consort Wan subconsciously took a step back. She glanced behind her, then warned him in a low, fierce-but-frightened voice, "Don’t you dare try anything funny again!"
"How would I dare try anything? It is disrespectful to Your Ladyship to remain seated while speaking, so I simply stood up," Pei Shaoqing said, shaking his head and bowing respectfully.
Noble Consort Wan felt a surprising pang of disappointment. She snorted lightly and said, "I suppose you know your place, you scoundrel. If you ever dare to treat me like you did last time, I will certainly have you punished."
"Please choose your words carefully, Your Ladyship. If I am a scoundrel, what does that make you? The one screwed by the scoundrel?" Pei Shaoqing chuckled.
"Shut up!" Noble Consort Wan, flustered and angry, subconsciously retorted out of shame and vexation, "I have not been... screwed by you."
Only after the words left her mouth did she realize how shameful and vulgar they were. Her face turned as red as an apple.
"Why is Your Ladyship’s face so red? Are you feeling unwell?" Pei Shaoqing asked with a look of concern.
"You’d better just focus on copying your books," Noble Consort Wan said, shooting him a harsh glare before turning and hurrying away.
She didn’t know why she had come.
She had simply heard from a palace maid that Pei Shaoqing was being kept in the palace by the Emperor to copy books, and subconsciously wanted to come see him.
Gazing at Noble Consort Wan’s enchanting figure from behind, a teasing smile played on Pei Shaoqing’s lips. ’A lonely, married woman in heat, but all lust and no nerve.’
’So, subconsciously, she was hoping I’d take the initiative and overstep my bounds again. But I deliberately remained unmoved.’
Last time, there was an element of coincidence involved.
He wouldn’t dare actually have a scandalous affair with Noble Consort Wan—at least, not right now.
When the Emperor learned that Noble Consort Wan had gone to see Pei Shaoqing copying books, he feared she might cause trouble and sent a eunuch to check on the situation.
By the time the eunuch arrived, Noble Consort Wan had already left with her attendants, so he only saw Pei Shaoqing copying books.
He then returned and reported the truth to the Emperor.
"My dear Pei Aiqing is really copying the Laws of the Great Zhou?" Emperor Jingtai was a little surprised. He had only said it casually and didn’t believe that the clever Pei Shaoqing hadn’t understood his true meaning.
The young eunuch replied, "Yes, Your Majesty. When your servant arrived, the Baron of Pingyang had already copied a great deal, the pages densely filled with characters."
"That dear Pei Aiqing of mine... sometimes he’s as slippery as an eel, and other times he’s as earnest as a block of wood." Emperor Jingtai chuckled, but inwardly he was very pleased with Pei Shaoqing’s attitude. "Let him leave the palace."
Liu Hai, as a bystander, saw things clearly. He felt that Pei Shaoqing was a bit too clever, reminding him of the saying: the greatest villain appears the most loyal.
However, he did not point this out to the Emperor.
After all, his loyalty was to the Emperor alone.
As long as Pei Shaoqing could make the Emperor happy, he was a loyal minister. Anything else was outside Liu Hai’s consideration.
Pei Shaoqing left the Imperial Palace, thoroughly satisfied.
His mission was complete.
The rest he would leave to the Jiang Family and Prince Qi’s Mansion.
When he returned home, he saw General Li sitting on the windowsill, hugging a large pork knuckle and gnawing on it, its mouth slick with grease.
"Master." In the midst of its busy work, it spared a moment to give Pei Shaoqing a perfunctory greeting before burying its head back into its battle with the pork knuckle, sending flecks of grease flying.
Xie Qingwu said to Pei Shaoqing, "General Li received a message from Sanhua. It says that after several consecutive days of observation, the deposed Crown Prince’s life in Siguogong Palace is quite regular and leisurely. There are no signs of him being dispirited."
"Then we can make tentative contact?" Pei Shaoqing sat down and poured himself a cup of tea to soothe his throat. ’That old man the Emperor didn’t even offer me a cup of tea. How unreasonable.’
Contacting the deposed Crown Prince was a very risky step.
But he didn’t want to be purged by the new monarch after the Emperor’s death.
So, he had to take this step.
Xie Qingwu nodded. "Tonight is the Mid-Autumn Imperial Banquet. No one will be paying attention to Siguogong Palace. Husband, you can write a letter and give it to Sanhua to toss inside."
The moment she finished speaking, she added, "No, I’ll write it. We can’t expose your identity for now."
"Alright." Pei Shaoqing nodded, took Xie Qingwu’s hand, and pulled her into his embrace. Inhaling the fragrance of her hair, he said, "My dear wife, you are truly my wise and virtuous helpmate."
"Don’t, that tickles," Xie Qingwu said, dodging slightly.
As she twisted her body, her round bottom brushed against Pei Shaoqing, who promptly became erect. He placed a hand on her thigh over her skirt and murmured, "Where does it tickle, my dear?"
"I don’t know where the Mistress is itching, but the Master’s dick is certainly itching... HIC!" General Li said, letting out a full belch.
Pei Shaoqing’s face darkened. He shot it an irritated glare. "Stop listening to those dirty storytellers. Scram."
"As you command!" General Li leaped out the window with the pork knuckle in its mouth, then plopped down on the ground, leaning against the wall to continue eating.
Xie Qingwu pressed down on Pei Shaoqing’s hand and said helplessly, "Didn’t Lan’Er keep you company last night, Husband?"
"Lan’Er is Lan’Er, and you are my wife. I love you more, my dear," Pei Shaoqing said earnestly.
Xie Qingwu caressed her belly and said, "But I’m pregnant, Husband. We really can’t."
"My good wife," Pei Shaoqing said, one hand touching her face before sliding down to gently play with her lips.
Xie Qingwu understood in an instant. Resigned, she gave him a look that was somewhere between a glare and a flirtatious glance, then turned and knelt before him. Tossing her long, flowing hair back, she lowered her head.
She came from a family of scholar-officials and had received an excellent education from a young age, so her speech was naturally extraordinary. The moment she began, Pei Shaoqing gasped, a tingling sensation spreading across his scalp.
He, who was always sharp-tongued, was utterly defenseless against Xie Qingwu’s nimble tongue. He praised her with heartfelt admiration, "My wife, you truly have a way with words."
Xie Qingwu tilted her head back and rolled her eyes.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Night fell, and the festive lanterns were lit.
Tonight, Celestial Capital City was completely enveloped in the glow of lanterns.
In the Imperial Palace, nine strings of colored-glass lamps hung from the eaves of each majestic hall. Each string was adorned with lanterns shaped like the Jade Rabbit of the Moon Palace. The candlelight flickered within the chased-bronze shades, dyeing the vermilion pillars a flowing amber.
Inside Taihe Hall, behind a carved rosewood screen, dozens of musicians plucked at konghou and pipa. Amidst the clear, melodious sounds of strings and bamboo, numerous dancers in moon-white dresses seemed to step out of the moonlight. The pearl ’buyao’ hairpins by their temples trembled with their every twirl, their wide sleeves unfurling to reveal their graceful figures.
Emperor Jingtai sat high on the Nine Dragons Throne. Beside him sat the Empress of Great Zhou, a woman who usually had little presence. She too was in her twilight years, though a hint of her youthful beauty could still be glimpsed in her features.
Below, the civil and military officials were seated according to their rank and status. The female relatives had their own separate section, away from the men. From a distance, they were a vision of varied beauty—some plump, some slender, each with their own charm—but all were fair-skinned and beautiful. Pei Shaoqing thought the wives and young ladies were far more captivating than the dancers performing for the court.
Emperor Jingtai’s face was ruddy and full of life. He smiled as he enjoyed the song and dance performance, looking vigorous and spirited. There was not the slightest trace of an old man’s decline, let alone any sign of illness; he looked extremely healthy.
He raised his white jade cup, his dragon eyes smiling from beneath the beaded fringe of his crown. "Tonight, the moon is full, and we are all gathered together. My dear ministers, enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"
Below the dais, the civil and military officials all rose. Amidst the clinking of their jade pendants, they cheered "Long live Your Majesty!" three times. The shouts startled the birds roosting on the flying eaves, which took flight with a FLUTTER of wings, soaring past the hanging full moon.
Suddenly, Pei Shaoqing felt a hostile gaze upon him from out of nowhere. He subconsciously turned his head and saw a stunningly beautiful woman in the women’s section.
She was about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Her hair was not tied up in a married woman’s bun, meaning she was still unwed. She had fair skin and wore a magnificent court dress that accentuated the full curve of her bosom. At that moment, she was staring right at him while holding a wine cup to her lips.
"Brother Zhou, who is that older, unmarried woman?" Pei Shaoqing asked Zhou Rui, who was beside him.
The two of them weren’t originally sitting together, but after a few cups of wine, the atmosphere had grown lively, and the seating arrangement in the hall had long since fallen into disarray. Zhou Rui had taken the opportunity to shuffle over.
"Brother Pei, how could you go out once and come back not even recognizing the Eldest Princess?" Zhou Rui was surprised, then gave him a look that said ’you’re on your own’. "It’s because of your drunken antics back in the day that her reputation was ruined, which is why she’s still unmarried. It’s also why her temperament has changed so much over the years."
A princess, naturally, could not be married off to someone of low standing.
But which of the high-ranking court ministers would let their son marry a woman who had been publicly dallied with by Pei Shaoqing?
Not even if that woman was a princess.
Unless the Emperor forced the marriage, but for some unknown reason, he had not done so.
"She’s even more beautiful than before. I didn’t recognize her for a moment," Pei Shaoqing lied without batting an eye.
Zhou Rui paused for a second, then gave the Eldest Princess a serious look. "Now that you mention it, I think you’re right."
He mused, "I’m not married either..."
"Mine," Pei Shaoqing interrupted, unable to bear the thought of such a beautiful woman being wasted on Zhou Rui.
’She should be mine!’
"Brother Pei, you’re already married! Are you hoping the princess will be your concubine? Don’t even think about it." Zhou Rui, ever the schemer, said in a low voice, "It would be better if I married her. Then, Brother Pei, if you have the skill to seduce her into a willing affair with you, well, then I’ll be impressed."
He was being too much of a bro. For a moment, Pei Shaoqing was speechless.
After a long silence, he said, "Brother Zhou, have you ever considered that the Eldest Princess might not be willing to marry you?"
The expression on Zhou Rui’s face stiffened, and he lowered his head to drink his wine.
Pei Shaoqing’s peripheral vision suddenly caught Liu Hai taking a step forward beside the throne. Knowing this meant the Emperor was about to speak, he immediately sat up straight and waited attentively to hear the imperial will.