Masquerade in Bridal Attire and Marry the Prince

74. An Anecdote of the Imperial Family

 

Translator: Antonia

 

Yuxing Wei certainly wasn’t a fool and understood well Du Chuxuan’s irony. At the moment, a shadow of malice crossed his eyes, but he still wore the innocent mask on the face, “Hopefully. Thank you, sister-in-law.”

After the Falling Flower Festival, the farmers would start to be on the go. This was the busiest time for the farmers. Therefore, it was also the most anxious time for the Minister of Revenue, who was supported and raised all the way to the position by Old Master Zhao. Seeing a Zhao made such a blunder today, he was fairly disconcerted.

Halfway through the banquet, the Emperor was tired and left first. Then, the whole air in the banquet became much more relaxed and easier.

The Minister of Revenue planned to come over to the Zhaos and asked what was going on but was somehow distracted by a voice, “Sister, you look gorgeous today. For so many years, I didn’t know the Falling Flower Festival is so interesting.”

Du Chuxuan, in view that the Emperor had left, planned to sneak away with Yuxing Tianrui too, but was surprised to hear Imperial Concubine Xiao start to talk. Despite constant music in the lobby, her voice was too crispy to be ignored.

Ashina Fei looked up at the woman sitting next to the Empress, seemed to recall something and narrowed his eyes. Then, he gave a subtle gesture to Mr. Xing. It seemed they already had a plan.

Of course, nobody noticed these, not even Du Chuxuan who had been watching on the whole Banquet. He glanced at Concubine Xiao. She was wearing a tender-pink dress, with nothing wrong in the style but making people feel improper.

Although she was much younger than the Empress, she was at an age when her son was nearly twenty. No matter how well she carried her age, it was not to be concealed.

The Empress looked a little unpleasant. If she had made the decision, she wouldn’t have allowed Concubine Xiao to show up at this banquet. The Emperor couldn’t tell, but the Empress could. Wasn’t this woman’s motive so obvious by coming back at this time after staying outside the palace for so many years and raising the third prince alone?

“Sister, you must be flattering me. The Falling Flower Festival is one of Shenglan’s traditional festivals. Not only the palace, ordinary households also celebrate this important festival in the middle of the year. I guess you really enjoy this lively air.” After all, the Turkic envoy was sitting near, so with the presence of outsiders, the Empress knew that she should somewhat save the face of Concubine Xiao.

They said three women made a drama. Zhao Zheng, on the other hand, after being ignored by the Empress, kept glancing to Yuxing Tianrui. Seeing his eyes were fixed on Du Chuxuan, she almost poked a hole on her handkerchief. Now, seeing it was her chance to take it out, she rose to her feet immediately.

“I guess Your Highness Imperial Concubine Xiao is a person with much life experience since you like the festival so much. I’ve heard that you saved the life of the Previous Emperor. Today, I meet you and really find something extraordinary in you.” She greeted and spoke out the identity of Concubine Xiao like an introduction.

Du Chuxuan was shocked for a while. He hadn’t heard such a thing from Luo Yi. Shouldn’t it be a secret kept within the imperial members?

Yuxing Tianrui finally shifted his eyes onto Zhao Zheng, but the smile on his lips was mocking. He gave Du Chuxuan a caressing look, “It’s old stuff. Grandfather didn’t allow people to talk about it, so Luo Yi didn’t dare to tell you.”

The story was quite melodramatic. What the previous emperor liked most was launching a war everywhere in person. When he had free time, he also liked to, dressed like an ordinary person, hang around and take a look at folks’ life situation. It was also on this account that the current emperor had been handling the political affairs since a young age.

As for Concubine Xiao, the previous emperor had met her during one of his tour out, when he was attacked by hitmen. Concubine Xiao passed by and gave him a hand at the moment of life and death. However, it was hard for she alone to defeat many hitmen, so though she saved the emperor, she herself also got injured.

The situation moved the previous emperor very much and he took her back to the palace and planned to give her a title after she recovered. As a result, at a banquet, she had intercourse with the current emperor and became his woman.

This was the strange point. Back then, the Emperor was still a crown prince and only loved the Empress, the then crown princess. Yet, since he was obliged to pass on the lineage, the previous emperor didn’t reject his intention of giving her merely a title of concubine.

Nevertheless, the Emperor had never seen this woman before and couldn’t like her either. They just met at a banquet but ended up sleeping together. The more ridiculous was that the previous emperor had already slept with this Concubine Xiao before.

Listening to Yuxing Tianrui briefing him the tortuous story, Du Chuxuan opened his eyes wide in shock. This well explained why the Emperor had been so indifferent to her even after she had brought back the third prince.

At this moment, Dongxiang poked Du Chuxuan hard from behind, not until then did he realize that everyone was staring at him. For a time, cold sweat started on his back. What did they say just now?

Yuxing Tianrui had a curve on his lips. Having attended the morning session for long, he had developed the ability of multi-tasking. Therefore, he heard everything they had said just now.

At once, he stood up, “Mother, Yue just told me that you must have put in a lot in this banquet. Yet, we’ve just come back lately and her physical condition isn’t suitable for that. I believe her health is more important, so we’d like to leave now if you don’t mind.”

His words shocked everyone present. Unsuitable physical condition? Did His Highness mean that Her Highness the Crown Princess was pregnant?

Zhao Zheng gazed at Yuxing Tianrui with indignation. She had tried so hard to make a splash and would very likely end up a laughing stock to all the ladies in the capital. Yet, he should be unwilling to give her a look. So what on earth was so good about Du Chuyue?

Du Chuxuan was stunned a little and soon realized that the Empress understood it and wouldn’t think too much, so he spoke no more.

However, in point of fact, the Empress didn’t make out what he was thinking and was only exalted at the possibility of he having a baby, “If this is the case. You hurry and leave to take good rest.”

With the Empress’s consent, certainly they left smoothly without being stopped or asked the previous question. Everyone’s eyes followed them until they were out of sight.