Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Mid-Autumn palace banquet was put on the schedule.

Eunuch Li was delighted.

Last year, the south had been hit by severe flooding, and the national treasury had allocated a great deal of money for disaster relief. To save expenses, the emperor had canceled the palace banquet. This year, at long last, things could be lively again.

Everyone in the harem was delighted as well. The imperial consorts had new clothes made and hair ornaments prepared. Consort Gui gave the word that the palace maids could each receive a new outfit too.

I was given a pink palace dress. The fabric was better than what I usually wore.

The emperor glanced at me and frowned. “Pink makes you look dark. You don’t look as delicate as Consort Gui.”

“…”

There went my good mood.

If you don’t know how to talk, you can always shut your mouth.

If you’re so capable, why don’t you suggest Consort Gui assign outfits according to everyone’s complexion?

[Xiao Xi, don’t listen to him. He’s just jealous that you got clothes rewarded by Consort Gui, while Consort Gui won’t even give him a single thread.]

[He possesses ten thousand miles of rivers and mountains, but the one thing he can’t have is Consort Gui’s love. What a pitiful man, hahahahaha.]

[It’s fine. Consort Gui is about to make a cuckold of him anyway. It’s at this very palace banquet that Consort Gui and Prince An kiss. Though Prince An forces the kiss on her, Consort Gui falls for him then and there. After that, the two of them keep finding chances to get all hot and heavy, and they even make a child. With no choice left, they have to hurry up and rebel. Who would’ve thought their rebellion would actually succeed? The lovestruck emperor in the early stages is seriously useless! Good thing he meets the female lead later and gets his act together.]

My mood improved.

When I looked at the emperor again, my gaze held three-tenths of a point of sympathy.

No more than that. Wage slaves have no business sympathizing with capitalists.

Soon, the palace banquet arrived.

At the banquet, I saw Prince An.

Like the emperor, he had a handsome face.

The difference was that the emperor was striking and masculine, while Prince An had a softer, more androgynous beauty.

There was always a faint smile lingering at the corners of Prince An’s mouth, giving him the easy charm of someone unrestrained and carefree.

The emperor, on the other hand, suffered from having a paralyzed expression. No matter who he looked at, it seemed as though they owed him money.

Prince An’s gaze swept casually over everyone, but only when it landed on Consort Gui did it pause for two seconds. Then he drained his cup in one gulp, lowered his eyes, and revealed a hint of loneliness, his face the very picture of a heartbroken man yearning for what he could not have.

Consort Gui’s hand trembled slightly. Wine spilled out and wet her fingers. She set down the cup and used a handkerchief to carefully wipe her hand, as if she were wiping away her own disordered thoughts.

The emperor just watched. Written all over that domineering, heartless face of his was: Why hasn’t my goddess called for me yet? If she calls me, I’ll gladly lick her fingers clean.

Sigh…

There was a reason a lovestruck fool couldn’t win his wife.

He just sat there watching, waiting for his wife to fly into his arms on her own.

Helpless, I leaned close to his ear and said softly, “Your Majesty, the wine was hot. Consort Gui may have burned herself.”

“Summon the imperial physician,” the emperor said, lips pressed tight, offering a painfully straight-man solution.

I gritted my teeth in silence.

“Even if the imperial physician comes, he won’t dare touch Consort Gui’s hand directly. Your Majesty had best examine it yourself. Consort Gui will surely be very happy.”

With a grim face, the emperor finally moved. He took Consort Gui’s hand and inspected it back and forth.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Consort Gui did not dare embarrass the emperor. She merely smiled with a stiff expression.

The emperor finally seemed to catch on as well. He kept holding Consort Gui’s hand and refused to let go. There was even a trace of pride on his face, like a young boy who had managed to hold hands with the girl he liked.

Consort Gui could not take it anymore.

She naturally drew her hand back and said softly, “Your Majesty, this consort will go change her clothes.”

The emperor looked utterly bereft.

Before long, Prince An disappeared as well.

The emperor was visibly restless, but he could not find a good excuse to leave the banquet.

I said quietly, “Your Majesty, your jade pendant is missing. This servant should go look for it.”

“You can’t even keep track of a jade pendant. I will go look with you.” The emperor immediately rose to his feet. The feeling he gave off was as if he had been waiting for my excuse for a very long time.