As the Imperial Father’s first son, Luo Yechen had received tens of thousands of attentions the moment he was born.
He grew up pampered, which cultivated his domineering and tyrannical temperament.
He had always felt that the position of Crown Prince should be his, and he had not expected Third Brother to intercept it halfway. Thus, he had always harbored a particular hatred toward Third Brother.
Usually, he could still conceal it to some extent, but now that he had drunk alcohol, the jealousy in his heart could not be suppressed no any means.
Luo Yechen knew Third Brother did not like to drink, yet he still deliberately forced him to drink.
He simply wanted to make things difficult for Third Brother.
Since he was uncomfortable himself, he did not want others to have a good time either.
Seeing that everyone else was looking over here, far from restraining himself, Luo Yechen instead clamored even more loudly.
“If you are a man, drink this cup of wine! Third Brother, don’t make me look down on you!”
He wanted everyone to see that even if Third Brother became the Crown Prince, in front of him, the eldest brother, he still had to be obedient!
Eunuch Chang could not bear to watch any longer and said flatteringly, “Your Highness Eldest Prince, His Highness the Crown Prince does not like to drink. Please do not force him. If you wish to drink, this servant will accompany you to drink, is that alright?”
Luo Yechen directly barked back, “What kind of thing are you? There is no place for you to speak here. Scram and stay to the side!”
Afterward, he clamored at Luo Qinghan again.
“Isn’t it just a cup of wine? Do you really need to be so dilly-dally?”
Luo Qinghan’s gaze grew increasingly ice-cold.
Had he not taken into account that this was his Imperial Mother’s birthday banquet, he would have definitely brushed his sleeves and walked away directly.
Just when both sides were at a standstill, a small hand reached out from the side and picked up the wine cup in front of Luo Qinghan.
The person who picked up the wine cup was Xiao Xixi.
She first gave it a sniff and said infatuatedly, “What a fragrant wine!”
Before everyone could react, she drank the fine wine in the cup in one gulp.
Everyone was looking at her.
Luo Yechen frowned, his dissatisfaction fully expressed on his face. “Who are you?”
Xiao Xixi’s cheeks were stained with a faint flush due to the alcohol, and she said with a smile, “This concubine is Virtuous Consort Xiao.”
Luo Yechen sneered disdainfully, “As the dignified Crown Prince, you have actually reduced yourself to the point of letting a woman help you block wine. Third Brother, don’t you find it embarrassing?!”
He looked at Luo Qinghan, his gaze filled with sarcasm.
Luo Qinghan ignored his provocation and stared fixedly at Xiao Xixi, his brows slightly furrowed, clearly displeased with her behavior of taking matters into her own hands just now.
He was just about to open his mouth to reprimand her a few words when he saw her clutching her stomach. Her originally rosy little face gradually turned pale, fine beads of sweat seeped out from the tip of her nose, and her small face crumpled together, looking extremely uncomfortable.
Thus, the reprimand that was on the tip of his tongue turned into an inquiry.
“What is wrong with you?”
“This concubine’s stomach hurts so much.”
After saying that, Xiao Xixi opened her mouth and spat out a large mouthful of black blood.
Luo Qinghan’s expression changed.
He hurriedly held Xiao Xixi. His gaze landed on the wine cup nearby, and his tone was extremely bone-chilling.
“Eldest Brother, you put poison in the wine?!”
Luo Yechen had never expected this situation to occur. He was so terrified his face turned pale, and he could not even hold the wine cup in his hand steadily; it fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.
He cried out in panic and confusion.
“I didn’t, it wasn’t me!”
This scene stunned everyone present.
Everyone stood up one after another, and some even walked over directly.
Many people had seen it just now: Xiao Xixi suddenly had a stomachache and spat blood right after she finished drinking the wine, and what she spat out was black blood. It was obvious that the wine was poisonous.
And that cup of poisoned wine was originally meant for Luo Qinghan to drink.
Had Xiao Xixi not intervened, perhaps the person spitting blood and collapsing on the ground right now would have been Luo Qinghan.