As the hairpin ceremony ended, palace music began to play, and the banquet officially started.
Wei Ran sat in a corner, observing the noble sons and daughters of officials from the corner of his eye while lost in thought. He took a sip of wine. The taste was slightly spicy, causing him to frown slightly.
Although this imperial wine was strong, its alcohol content was just over twenty percent. The liquid was clear, but the taste was sour and left a sticky feeling in the throat. Clearly, the wine-making techniques of the Great Li Empire were still underdeveloped.
At that moment, Wei Ran was struck by the idea of making wine himself. Whether distillation or natural fermentation, they were simple arts to him. After all, before he transmigrated, he had been an intangible cultural heritage blogger with millions of followers.
He had once created a video specifically about traditional brewing techniques passed down from ancient times. On Earth, after centuries of development, winemaking had reached its peak during the Song and Yuan dynasties, with most wines having an alcohol content above fifty percent. The video he made detailed the brewing process of that era, and he still remembered it clearly.
Just as Wei Ran was lost in thought, a graceful figure passed in front of him, accompanied by a fragrant breeze. A crisp and sweet loli-like voice rang in his ear.
“Prince Wei, you’re drinking alone here—how lonely that must be.”
“Look at Young Master Xu and the others over there, chatting happily. Why not join in the fun?”
Wei Ran raised an eyebrow and saw the Third Princess, Chen Wener, standing before the small table, tilting her head slightly as she observed him.
Chen Wener had grown into a graceful young woman. Her palace dress was tied at the waist, making her figure appear even more slender and delicate. Her skin was as flawless as jade, soft and smooth, and her features were stunning. She truly looked like a lotus rising from water—a rare beauty in the mortal world.
When she met Wei Ran’s slightly heated gaze, Chen Wener quickly looked away, her pale cheeks blushing pink.
Wei Ran stood up and cupped his hands in greeting. “Greetings, Third Princess.”
Chen Wener, holding a silver wine jug, curtsied lightly and replied with a slightly softer voice, “Greetings, Prince Wei.”
“What brings Your Highness here?” Wei Ran asked.
Chen Wener curved her lips and blinked playfully. “Is Prince Wei not going to invite me to sit?”
Wei Ran smiled faintly and gestured, “Please, Your Highness.”
Chen Wener gracefully sat to the side. Once Wei Ran sat down, she gave a charming smile and spoke softly.
“I came to talk about my uncle.”
“My little uncle was spoiled from a young age and tends to act rashly. I came to apologize on his behalf.”
“He has offended Prince Wei earlier. I hope you’ll be generous and not take it to heart.”
After speaking, she poured herself a cup of wine. “I will drink this on behalf of my uncle.”
With that, she lifted her sleeve to cover her face and downed the cup in one go.
Cough, cough, cough…
Seeing this, Wei Ran naturally raised his hand and lightly patted her back. But after two pats, he realized something was off and quickly withdrew his hand.
Chen Wener’s beautiful almond-shaped eyes widened as she stared at Wei Ran. Her fair cheeks flushed with redness, her gaze showing both shyness and a hint of reproach.
Wei Ran remained composed and calmly handed her a clean white handkerchief.
No wonder she was upset. The Great Li Empire was a feudal society where even slight physical contact between men and women was taken seriously. His action might have seemed minor, but it was actually considered a serious breach of etiquette.
After a brief thought, Wei Ran changed the subject. “Your Highness, there’s no need for this. I am not familiar with Shi Lingkuan. As long as he doesn’t provoke me, I won’t cause him trouble.”
Chen Wener did not take the handkerchief. “If that’s the case, I won’t disturb Prince Wei any further. I shall take my leave.”
She nodded slightly and rose gracefully to leave.
At the same time, the Empress Dowager leaned toward the Empress and said, “Lingwei, look at Wener—doesn’t she match Prince Wei perfectly?”
The Empress was stunned for a moment, then widened her eyes. “Mother, you mean…?”
The Empress Dowager nodded with a smile. “Prince Wei is noble and handsome. It would be hard to find a man more attractive than him in Chang’an City.”
“Wener is already of marriageable age. I believe they are a perfect match—handsome and talented, beautiful and graceful.”
After a moment of thought, the Empress nodded in agreement. “Mother, this is a wonderful idea. If we can form a marriage alliance with Prince Min’s household, it would greatly benefit the border situation.”
She then hesitated slightly. “But I’m not sure if Wener is willing.”
The Empress Dowager smiled gently. “Let’s ask her when she returns. If she agrees, I’ll bring it up with His Majesty.”
“If the marriage alliance goes through, the court’s tensions will ease significantly.”
Meanwhile, Chen Wener was muttering, “Hmph, those northern barbarians…” as she plopped down heavily on a soft chair.
The Empress asked curiously, “Wener, why are you upset?”
Chen Wener replied angrily, “It’s nothing. I just feel like I’ve been offended.”
The Empress Dowager smiled kindly. “Wener, people from the northern lands like Liangzhou have a bold and rough temperament. Prince Wei has lived in the north for a long time, and his father came from the military. It’s only natural that his mannerisms are a bit different from the Central Plains.”
After a moment of thought, Chen Wener nodded lightly. “Yes, Imperial Grandmother is right.”
The Empress smiled and gave her a teasing look. “Wener, can you guess what your grandmother and I were talking about?”
“We were talking about marrying you to Prince Wei.”
Chen Wener’s eyes widened more and more. She panicked, blushing and flustered. “W-what? You want me to marry… him?”
The Empress Dowager and the Empress both nodded.
Chen Wener’s face turned crimson as she waved her hands repeatedly. “No, no, no! Imperial Grandmother, Mother, I don’t want to marry Prince Wei.”
“I… I prefer literature over martial arts. You both know that.”
“I’ve always said that even if my future husband isn’t a top poet, he must at least be elegant and eloquent.”
“Prince Wei may be handsome, but, but, but…”
She stammered for a while, then sneaked a glance at Wei Ran and fell into a daze.
Whether or not Prince Wei was a man of letters, just his looks alone had already made their way into Chen Wener’s heart.
Seeing her flustered expression, the Empress Dowager smiled warmly. “Wener, don’t be so anxious. If you’re unwilling, how could your grandmother, father, or mother force you?”
Only then did Chen Wener breathe a sigh of relief. Yet her gaze toward Wei Ran remained somewhat dazed.
Ever since Emperor Huli issued the martial arts ban, the Great Li Empire had gradually developed a cultural preference for literature over martial arts. This trend had lasted for over a decade and had become deeply rooted.
Whether they were market women or noble daughters, most favored refined scholars over coarse warriors. They preferred flirtatious scholars to rugged soldiers—a rather pitiful phenomenon, really.
The Empress pressed her lips together and smiled. “Mother, I believe Wener has some fondness for Prince Wei.”
“She was hesitant just now, probably fearing he might be a rough man.”
“Why not use this banquet as an opportunity and invite the noble sons and daughters to compose poetry and lyrics?”
“It would not only make things lively but also give us a chance to see whether Prince Wei is a man of talent.”
“What do you think, Mother?”
The Empress Dowager clapped her hands and smiled. “That’s a wonderful idea.”
Chen Wener also grew excited and immediately clapped her hands in agreement.