Li Jinxuan looked puzzled, not understanding why Li Jinchen had suddenly asked him this question.
Still, he waved his hand, dismissing the two men behind him.
“Of course I like him. Why? Are you going to give him to me?”
“He’s already slept with me,” Li Jinchen said, his expression complicated.
“Huh!?” Li Jinxuan stared at Li Jinchen in shock.
“Weren’t you not interested in him? How did that happen?”
You can end up in bed with someone even without liking them?
“He drugged me.” Li Jinchen briefly explained the whole affair to Li Jinxuan.
“Whoa, he truly lives up to his reputation as the Regent.” Li Jinxuan clutched his chest, what was he supposed to do if this only made him like Xie Anci even more?
“But why are you telling me this?” Li Jinxuan made it clear he didn’t want to know.
“No particular reason. It’s just that I have no one else to confide in you’re the only one I could tell.”
Li Jinxuan: “…”
“Let’s go. The palace banquet is about to begin.” Li Jinchen straightened his robes and extended his hand toward Li Jinxuan.
Li Jinxuan took his arm, and the two walked together toward the Hall of Benevolence and Virtue.
By the time they arrived, Xie Anci was already seated beside the head seat.
Seeing Li Jinchen and Li Jinxuan enter, everyone hurriedly rose to pay their respects.
“Ten thousand years to His Majesty! Ten thousand years! Ten thousand thousand years!”
“A thousand years to Her Highness the Princess! A thousand years! A thousand thousand years!”
“Rise.” Li Jinchen, a smile on his face, took the central seat.
Xie Anci sat at Li Jinchen’s right hand, while Li Jinxuan sat at his left.
Li Jinchen glanced over the seats below, Gu Lingyu had not attended the palace banquet today.
He had to remain in the capital to keep watch, so naturally he had no time to come.
Li Jinchen felt a twinge of disappointment. Gu Lingyu had finally returned after so many years, yet he couldn’t attend this year’s Mid-Autumn palace banquet.
The banquet began, with song and dance and a constant flow of fine wine and delicacies.
Lu Yunzheng and Nangong Boyu were seated in the front row below, on the right and left respectively.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew lively.
Nangong Boyu rose and said, “On this joyous Mid-Autumn occasion, with the mood so festive, why not let my daughter perform a dance for His Majesty and everyone present?”
Xie Anci shot Nangong Boyu a glance, and Nangong Boyu stiffened his neck defiantly.
With so many people present, Nangong Boyu didn’t believe Xie Anci would outright refuse him.
Xie Anci sneered inwardly. That old schemer was trying to push his daughter into the imperial harem again.
Li Jinchen clearly understood Nangong Boyu’s intent as well, and instinctively looked toward Xie Anci.
Xie Anci took a sip of wine and said nothing.
Seeing that Li Jinchen had not refused, Nangong Boyu clapped his hands and had his daughter, Nangong Ya, enter.
Nangong Ya wore a red dress that accentuated her graceful figure, her eyes fixed intently on Li Jinchen seated at the head.
Xie Anci watched her with a smile that was not quite a smile.
How bold of her. Wasn’t she afraid he might do something?
The melodious sound of a qin filled the hall, and Nangong Ya began to dance to its rhythm.
Her water sleeves fluttered gracefully, her elegant face drawing gaze after gaze.
Everyone was captivated by her dance, watching her without blinking.
Li Jinchen clenched his fists, feeling as though he were sitting on pins and needles.
Li Jinxuan, meanwhile, wore the expression of someone enjoying a good show.
This year’s Mid-Autumn palace banquet was quite entertaining well worth coming to.
As the dance ended, Nangong Ya bowed gracefully, gazing at Li Jinchen with deep affection: “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Li Jinchen’s expression was stern as he gave a slight nod: “Rise.”
Nangong Boyu seized the moment: “What does Your Majesty think of my daughter?”
Li Jinchen frowned.
What do I think?
Does he want to die?
Wasn’t this just trying to force him to take Nangong Ya into the harem on an occasion like this?
Did he think Xie Anci was a vegetarian?
Li Jinchen’s eyes flicked toward Xie Anci, who kept his gaze lowered, his expression unreadable.
Seeing that Li Jinchen remained silent for a long while, Nangong Ya couldn’t hold back and said:
“Your Majesty, I have long heard of Your Majesty’s wisdom and valor. Meeting you today, I am utterly captivated, and I wish to serve at Your Majesty’s side.”
The moment Nangong Ya finished speaking, an uproar swept through the hall.
Nangong Ya was truly bold, she wasn’t even embarrassed to say this in front of so many people.
Wasn’t she afraid the Emperor would simply refuse her?
But Nangong Boyu was now on the Emperor’s side. If the Emperor refused and denied the Left Chancellor this face, wouldn’t he lose a right arm afterward?
Sure enough, Li Jinchen’s face was full of awkwardness.
Xie Anci, who usually spoke up first, was now quiet as a mouse.
The atmosphere grew strange.
Nangong Ya stared at Li Jinchen with burning eyes, while Li Jinchen cast a pleading glance toward Xie Anci.
After a long while, Nangong Boyu couldn’t bear it any longer and broke the awkward silence.
“Your Majesty, my daughter is accomplished in the qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Once she enters the palace, she will surely be able to ease Your Majesty’s worries and provide amusement.”
Li Jinchen gave a light cough. “What does the Regent think?”
Seeing this, some people sighed while others chuckled softly.
Can’t the Emperor even decide his own marriage? He has to ask the Regent?
They all said the Emperor’s power was weak now apparently it was true.
Hearing this, Xie Anci set down his wine cup and looked at Nangong Ya with a half-smile.
A flash of disgust passed through Nangong Ya’s eyes.
Xie Anci was truly shameless a man, yet he insisted on monopolizing the Emperor.
Once she entered the palace, she would surely bear the Emperor children and manage the harem.
“Since Miss Nangong is so eager to enter the palace and serve His Majesty, then Your Majesty should grant her wish.”
Xie Anci said this carelessly, resting his chin on his hand.
His words left everyone present stunned.
Had the Regent changed?
Li Jinchen’s face darkened, wondering what had gotten into Xie Anci today.
In the past, Xie Anci would never have allowed anyone to bring up such a matter, yet now he spoke of it so readily.
Nangong Boyu and Nangong Ya also hadn’t expected Xie Anci to relent, and they stepped forward with joyful expressions.
“Then what do you think, Your Majesty?” Nangong Boyu quickly seized the opportunity. He refused to believe the Emperor would still refuse.
“In that case, I shall confer upon Miss Nangong the title of Noble Consort, and she shall reside in Yade Hall.” Li Jinchen announced it outright, as if in a fit of pique.
He had no idea what Xie Anci was playing at. Since Xie Anci hadn’t helped him refuse, he might as well accept.
Li Jinxuan found it amusing, and didn’t believe Nangong Ya would gain anything by entering the palace.
Once you entered this vortex of power, getting out would be difficult.
Nangong Ya didn’t care at all, and joyfully accepted at once: “Thank you, Your Majesty!”
The other ministers looked on with regret. If they’d known, they would have brought their daughters too to be taken into the Emperor’s harem.
No one had expected the Regent to relent.
Li Jinchen waved his hand and dismissed everyone.
Afterward, he sulked by himself, no longer paying any attention to Xie Anci.
For some reason, Xie Anci had a persistent sense of foreboding, feeling that something would happen today.
Today was supposed to be the day Li Jinchen had promised to attend the festival with him, he should have been happy.
But after encountering Gu Lingyu, he had calmed down, and the unease in his heart grew ever stronger.
The palace banquet, which brought joy to some and sorrow to others, thus came to an end. Li Jinchen, his face dark, was the first to return to his sleeping quarters.
Xie Anci followed leisurely behind him.
Li Jinxuan still wanted to stay and watch the commotion, but thinking of the handsome men in her residence waiting for her all lonely and forlorn, she decided she’d better hurry back to keep them company.