Chapter 112
The big feast for the guests were still at the Prime Minister’s main hall like last time, the difference was that the room was lacking the red color of happiness’ character and the guests who were making a lot of noises. There were three men who had these talented characteristics, and were sitting on the round table.
Dan Yu Lan slightly cupped his hands to greet and smilingly said: “Congratulations, I did not have the chance to say it last time.” He actually kind of disturbed the other people’s wedding reception the first time around, even though it was the Emperor’s order, he still felt sorry for Lou Xi Yan.
Su Ling slightly cupped his hands to greet also, and expressed his apology.
Lou Xi Yan smiled calmly and said: “Many thanks. It is not too late to drink this wedding wine now either.”
The servants stepped forward to pour the wine for them, the gingerly looking liquid slowly came out, a sweet alcohol fragrant was wafting in the room. Still not drinking, Su Ling already praised in a low voice: “Chenlu (morning dew) hua (flower) diao (the name of the wine)! Good wine!”
Lou Xi Yan smiled: “I have heard it earlier that General Su has quite an insight towards wine, as expected, it is a fully justified reputation.”
Picking up the wine cup, Su Ling answered unconcernedly: “I am only good with wine.”
Comparing to Su Ling’s forthrightness, Dan Yu Lan and Lou Xi Yan seemed to be more refined, the wine entered their throats tasting it delicately, it was extremely elegant.
Looking one glance at the empty seat next to Lou Xi Yan’s master seat, Dan Yu Lan asked curiously: “Is there another noble guest who is coming?” Able to make Lou Xi Yan to consider this visitor as a high person, could it be.....?
“Can Zhen be regarded as a noble guest or not?” Dan Yu Lan was still guessing, a clear, bright and powerful man’s voice came through from the outside room. The person came with a light and convenient clothing on his body and following by his side was a trace of elegant and beautiful image of a woman. The two people stepped to enter the inside room, so the three people got up immediately to welcome them, and salute with a half kneeling body: “Pay respect to the Emperor, Imperial concubine Qing.”
With a delighted smile on his face, it looked like Yan Hong Tian’s mood was very good, waving his hand, Yan Hong Tian smilingly said: “You may rise, since it is Prime Minister’s wedding feast today, this unnecessary and complicated greetings can be excused, ok.”
“Yes.”
Qing Feng’s gaze swept through the spacious main hall, and did not find Zhuo Qing’s shadow, looking towards Lou Xi Yan, Qing Feng naturally asked: “Brother in law (again the actual word is using jiefu), where is my elder sister?” (I love it when QF calls LXY jiefu instead of PM Lou because it’s a lot more intimate and the appellation actually puts LXY higher than YHT because he’s married to QF’s elder sister. Hahaha...).
Brother in law?! Yan Hong Tian lightly knitted his eyebrows, this brother in law’s calling was truly close and dear, she seemed to forget her own status, she called Xi Yan brother in law, so what must he address Xi Yan? (Of course, jiefu also. Hehehehe).
Lou Xi Yan stared blankly also, but he answered immediately: “She is in the inside room with Qing Mo.”
Mo-er was also here?! Qing Feng’s face could hardly conceal her impatient feeling, Lou Xi Yan said to the servant who was by his side: “Someone comes, send Imperial concubine Qing to Lan Yue building.”
“Yes.”
Qing Feng showed a grateful smile to Lou Xi Yan, and followed the servant immediately to the rear courtyard.
After Qing Feng had left, there were only several men in the main hall, the atmosphere became more relaxed and unrestrained.
The wine fragrant was wafting through the air in the inside room, after Yan Hong Tian smelled it lightly, he pursed his eyebrows dissatisfiedly and immediately waved his hand lightly. Several men who were dressing as Imperial bodyguards and were outside the room, came in with 7-8 jugs of wine on their hands, Yan Hong Tian laughed heartily and said: Today is a big joyful day, Zhen especially brings the chennian (old) xi (creek) feng (wind) (again a type of wine), one can not go home until he is drunk tonight.”
Chennian xi feng? Su Ling’s eyes were bright, and he was eager to give it a try, Lou Xi Yan and Dan Yu Lan’s complexions were actually stiff, and could only look one glance at each other and force a smile. Chennian xi feng was really a rare and excellent wine, but it was because of this reputation was scattered far away, it was more because of its strength. If some people did not have any capacity for the wine, they could sleep for the entire night with only one cup, what was more with that many jugs of wine, it was impossible not to get drunk tonight!
The inner door of the Lan Yue building was closed tightly, Gu Yun was half leaning on the back of Zhuo Qing’s chair, her delicate small body seemed to look thinner and weaker at this moment. Lifting the sleeve of her garment highly, and exposing her white and slender arm, she was somewhat shock looking that there was a big black bluish bruise on her arm. Zhuo Qing was rubbing the medicine oil carefully, while she was scolding with a cold voice: “This Su Ling is really an impertinent husband, his beating hand is too heavy, ok!” However, Yun was still a woman, he was unexpectedly beat her down like this. She estimated that this bruise would not go away for half a month, luckily, there was no injury to the bone!
Gu Yun closed her eyes slightly, and answered lazily: “He is not too much better than me either!”
Actually, that day they were so angry, and the chariot was also pitch dark, they could not see anything clearly. This being the case, how could they not have any injury with these kind of movements? Su Ling was also kicked by her several times, the bruise on his body could not be less than hers either!
These two people could not interact nicely? Zhuo Qing helplessly sighed and said: “How about you move to live with me here for a time period, then we can talk again, ok.”
Gu Yun shook her head immediately: “You are newlyweds, who wants to be a light bulb (unwanted third guest) ah! Moreover, I already have some news about the golden bagua.” She hoped to be able to find a way to return as soon as possible, since she had been in this different era for more than half a year, she was still not used to it.
Zhuo Qing asked but she did not have any strong feeling about it: “What news?”
Gu Yun sat up her body, put down the sleeve of her garment slowly, and then explained: “I have looked at the family history of the Su’s family, the golden bagua plate has been passed on to the Su family clan’s badge for many years. The Su’s family believes that it can bless, protect and guard the Su clan’s descendants. Under a normal circumstances, the clan badge is left in the Su family’s tomb, when they offer sacrifices to the ancestors every year, the clan elder and the Su clan’s eldest son will ask to produce the clan’s badge together, and to worship and offer the sacrificial offering from the descendants. But I still do not know where the Su family’s tomb is located at the moment, where is the clan’s badge is left in the tomb after all? If I want to know these things, I still have to get them from Su Ling!” In order to be able to return, it would still be necessary that she stayed at the General’s manor, even though Su Ling really made people to loathe him!
Yun’s certainty in this matter, it would be difficult for her to do anything, Zhuo Qing did not try to persuade her, she only said briefly: “Good, but you must be careful, that bagua plate is very strange, if you have any news, you have to inform me, do not act by yourselves.”
“I know......” Gu Yun stopped speaking all of a sudden, and looked towards the outside door cautiously.
Soon after, there was a male sound came through from the outside door: “Madam, Imperial concubine Qing is here.”
Imperial concubine Qing? Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun looked one glance at each other, then said in a low voice: “It is Qing Feng.”
Gu Yun nodded her head lightly and understandably, Zhuo Qing went to open the door, Gu Yun turned around to take the medicine oil that was on the table and put it into her sleeve, then she walked to the front of the window and pushed open the closed window.
Opening the door to the room, Qing Feng was standing outside the door, looking at Zhuo Qing, she immediately smiled and called out; “Elder sister.”
Zhuo Qing waved her hand towards the servant who was standing by the side, pulled Qing Feng’s hand and said: “Quickly come in, ok.”
“Mo-er!” Looking clearly at Gu Yun who was inside the room, Qing Feng advanced forward to meet with her excitingly, and she was holding her hand tightly and unexpectedly choking with emotion and speechless for a moment. Gu Yun was somewhat awkward, but she did not remove her hand either, and could only stay there rigidly.
Qing Feng lightly caressed Gu Yun’s face that was more and more thin, and she asked regretfully: “Mo-er, you lose weight! Is Su Ling bullying you or not?!”
Her cheek that was being stroked like this made Gu Yun felt very awkward, slightly withdrawing for a step, Gu Yun answered: “Nobody is bullying me.” It would be good if she did not bully the other people.
Qing Feng’s hand was stiff, was her little sister already not familiar with her like this? Was she not used with her touch? Slowly releasing her hand, her heart was somewhat in pain, but Qing Feng still continued to ask attentively: “How was your life for this past half a year?”
Gu Yun could see clearly that Qing Feng’s eyes were in pain, but for her, this woman who was in front of her was a stranger whom she just met for the first time so she could not show any deep emotion. Lightly coughing, Gu Yun answered concisely: “I am very good.”
“Mo-er, what is wrong with you?” Qing Feng was somewhat confused, the woman who was in front of her showed courtesy but estranged. Her eyes expressed a firm, proud and aloof radiance, this was not her usual warm and intimate expressions, her timid but lovable little sister?! Getting panic in her mind, Qing Feng urgently said: “Did you also lose your memory because of that darn crazy concoction?”
Zhuo Qing lightly knitted her eyebrows, and watched laughingly to see what Gu Yun’s answer, if she said that she also lost her memory, that would be too fake.
“I......” Gu Yun stared blankly, this was an irresponsible excuse, only Qing, this lazy woman would think about this. Glaring firmly at Zhuo Qing who was rejoicing in her misfortune, Gu Yun returned to look at Qing Feng’s worry eyes, then she said smilingly: “I am alright, it is just that it has been a long time that we have seen each other, so I am somewhat excited, and do not know what to say.”
Excited? Zhuo Qing wanted to spurt out a laughing voice, but she obstructed it from Qing Feng, and could only swallowed it down forcibly. Feeling Gu Yun’s sharp fierce eyes, Zhuo Qing stepped forward one step, and helped Qing Feng to sit on the chair. Then she looked for another topic to say: “You should sit down first, ok, you have to be careful for the first three months.”
Qing Feng’s heart felt a burst of sting, Mo-er and elder sister’s interactions showed that they were very familiar with each other, it looked like her little sister was only estranged with her. Forget it, little sister was relatively closed with elder sister since young, elder sister was the one who took care of her, she should feel relieved.
Caressing her bulging abdomen slightly, Qing Feng answered smilingly and softly: “It is already more than four months.”
More than four months? Very quick, this could be regarded that she had a relationship with Yan Hong Tian right after she was delivered to enter the Imperial palace.
Having been in touch with Qing Feng for several times, she was her cherish close relative in Zhuo Qing’s heart, this woman who had a strong and stubborn characters, also with her misfortune fate.
Remembering that she was staying in the Imperial palace, Zhuo Qing asked anxiously: “When I asked you to steal the seal from the Empress Dowager last time, did Yan Hong Tian ever find out?”
Qing Feng’s expression was cold, she said indifferently and sneeringly: I did not know, maybe. Actually in his mind, he did not want to exploit your anxious heart to rescue Lou Xi Yan, and to accomplish his own goal. But everything was what he needed and wanted. There was no different whether he found out or not!”
Her grudging and hatred words made Zhuo Qing and Gu Yun unable to refrain from feeling sorry for her, the two of them were looking at each other for one glance, and could only choose to be silent in the end. Because they did not know what kind of words that they could use to comfort Qing Feng, they were not Qing Ling and Qing Mo. They did not understand the suffering of the Qing’s family, they had not lived in that big Imperial palace either, so they did not understand the hardship and miserable life that she had.
The three people had different worries in their minds, the inner room sank into quietness, Qing Feng suddenly recovered, and said smilingly: “Today is your big happy day, do not speak this matter that can dampen one’s spirit, I will help you to roll your hair up just like the style that you like the most before, ok.”
Pushing her shoulder, Zhuo Qing shook her head and said smilingly: “No need to trouble you.” There was not many guests at the feast, there was no need to be grand like that, she did not like it either.
Lightly holding Zhuo Qing’s hand, Qing Feng said insistently: “No trouble at all.”
Pulling Zhuo Qing to sit down in front of the dressing table, Qing Feng took care her fine black hair gently, just liked when they were still at home, they combed each other’s hair frequently, they might not be able to go back to that period of time anymore. She was gathering with them now, and it was not easy either ah: “Elder sister, Mo-er. The fact will not change that we are going to stay in Qiong Yue, so you must be happy, do you understand? Your happiness is exactly my biggest happiness.” Qing Feng bound the hair together attentively and concentratedly, her every movement was gentle. Zhuo Qing could only receive her affection and love, even though she was not her own elder sister, and she did not have that beautiful memories about them together, but she felt tenderness towards Qing Feng. Her speech about happiness and despair, made Zhuo Qing’s heart ached, turning her head around, holding Qing Feng’s hand, and softly putting her hand on her own abdomen, she advised softly: “Feng, you must also let yourselves to be happy, maybe Yan Hong Tian will make you disappointed, but you already have a baby. For him, you must also be happy, ok?”
“En.” Qing Feng’s hand was striking softly on her own abdomen that was protruding slightly, her face finally showed a gentle and beautiful smile. Yes ah, she still had them and a baby who was inside her abdomen.
After drinking several cups of the strong alcoholic drinks, Yan Hong Tian suddenly looked towards Lou Xi Yan and asked: “Xi Yan, is your health a little better? Or do you want to request several Imperial physicians to look at you again?”
Only thinking about his health now?! Lou Xi Yan forced a smile secretly, if he (YHT) was really concerned about him, he (YHT) would not make him (LXY) to drink this strong wine like this. Fully aware that Yan Hong Tian was mocking him deliberately, Lou Xi Yan put down the wine cup, he answered calmly and unhurriedly: “Many thanks to the Emperor’s concern, it is already much better.”
His thoracic cavity felt like it was set on fire and he felt unwell, if he drank the wine like this again, he would collapse for sure! Dan Yu Lan also put down his wine cup hurriedly, and looked for a topic to say casually: “This time, thanks to Madam Lou’s cleverness, we did not give Bai Yi any opportunity to take advantage of the situation.”
Lou Xi Yan watched at Dan Yu Lan’s words that were somewhat breathing heavily, he (LXY) only knew that he (DYL) was also choking from this wine. Pouring a cup of tea for Dan Yu Lan, Lou Xi Yan continued to answer his (DYL) topic: “When she left the prison on that day, she gave me a piece of paper that said Bai Yi was trying to incite disharmony and wish to frame Su Ling. When she planned to beat him at his own game, I was still worry that she would act blindly without thinking. Luckily, Mo Bai went to the prison secretly during the night and told me the details of her plan. I think with the support from General Su, they should be able to succeed.”
Lou Xi Yan and Dan Yu Lan were already drinking their tea desperately, Yan Hong Tian did not force them to drink more wine any longer, tonight was still long after all, if he got them drunk so fast like this, it would not be fun. Looking towards Su Ling who still continued on drinking the cup of wine but his face was not red nor panting, Yan Hong Tian smilingly said: “Su Ling, after this time, do you finally think that women are really not that stupid?”
Su Ling’s hand that was holding the cup of wine, was rigid. After hesitating for a moment, he coldly groaned: “Even if they are not stupid, they are still some vixens!” Qing Mo, that barbarous woman, it had been several days since they were fighting inside the chariot, his waist and back were still extremely painful up until now.
Lou Xi Yan who saw the fight that happened in the chariot between Su Ling and Qing Mo, he naturally knew the meaning of Su Ling ‘vixen’ word. Lou Xi Yan lightly smiled and said: “The conclusion of this case, even though it is different than the Emperor’s original scheme, but after going through this affair this time, the Yang family’s power has also been curbed by a lot.”
Yan Hong Tian slowly nodded his head, his cold eyes looked slightly stern, then he said with a deep voice: “Bai Yi is still young but he already knows how to seize the situation and to scheme profoundly like this. When he succeeds the throne in the future, we can not resign ourselves to disregard Liao Yue.”
Su Ling answered it clearly: “Chen will arrange someone to monitor Liao Yue’s movement at all times.” Even though Bai Yi tried to scheme Qiong Yue deliberately, it was not succeeded in a short period of time.
“Master, Young Master Qi is here.” Jing Sa’s words were still not finished, Qi Tian Yu’s shouting voice already echoed from the outside door: “Let me say this, Xi Yan, I am only away from home for several months, and you are already married! You also do not send someone to inform me, you are not so generous!”
Lou Xi Yan broke into laughter and shook his head, it had been so many years, but Tian Yu was still the same as before that his voice could already be heard before he actually entered the inside room. Qi Tian Yu just discovered that there were still other people inside the room, scanning the room, he only recognized two people. Slightly cupping his hands, Qi Tian Yu smilingly said: “General Su and Dan Daren are also here.”
The man who was sitting at the master’s seat, was simply sitting quietly like that and with his cold eyes were looking, the unyielding and aggressiveness from his whole body already made people not dare to look straight at him. This imposing manner like this and was still able to sit on Xi Yan family master’s seat, Qi Tian Yu could already guess the identity of this person.
“This subject kowtows in salute ......” Qi Tian Yu was just about to salute, Yan Hong Tian lifted his hand and said smilingly: “It is ok, today is a wedding feast, no need to be too polite, but one has to drink the wine.”
Qi Tian Yu was always an outspoken and straightforward person, once he heard what Yan Hong Tian said, he immediately laughed heartily and answered: “Tian Yu will keep the Emperor company!”
Tian Yu was also fond of and a believer in wine, Lou Xi Yan was afraid that they would start to fight for the wine, so he said to the servant who was behind him in a hurry: “Go and ask Madam and Xi Wu to come over, prepare to start the banquet, ok.”
“Yes.”