Chapter 117 If Line: If Yuanyuan Becomes a Concubine (8)

Xiao Yan was stunned for a moment, thinking it was extremely absurd.

"I'm sorry, I can't obey your order in this matter." His tone was cold and serious, a change from his usual kindness and gentleness.

Concubine Wei Shu's face changed slightly, "Qian'er, I am also thinking about you. Concubine Yuan looks like a foxy woman. Wait until she gives birth to a prince, and then I will persuade her. You..."

Xiao Qi frowned and interrupted her, "Your Majesty, you underestimate me too much. I am almost 20 years old and have my own subordinates in the Eastern Palace. I am not an incompetent person who can be deposed and enthroned at will."

"Besides, Concubine Yuan has done nothing wrong. How can you conclude that she has ambitions to seize the throne just based on her appearance?"

"Qiang'er, you don't understand!" Concubine Wei Shu explained earnestly, "If the emperor had no selfish motives, why would he choose to take a concubine at this critical moment?"

Seeing that she was so stubborn, Xiao Yan had no intention of arguing with her anymore and just stood up and left.

Before leaving, he said with a sullen face: "I will not allow the prince of Wei to attend the banquet, and please stop in time. I don't want any accidents to happen at the banquet today."

He has a handsome face like jade, a slender figure, calm eyebrows and eyes, and exudes an invisible pressure.

"If something happens, I will never cover it up for you."

After saying this, he turned around and left decisively.

Concubine Wei Shu was shocked all over, but she didn't say anything else. She just watched his figure walking away with a complicated expression.

Imperial Palace, northwest corner tower.

During the Dragon Boat Festival, the commanders of the Imperial Guards organized a dragon boat race in the moat and invited the emperor to watch the race in person.

When Chang Ying reported this matter a few days ago, Yang Manyan happened to be there, so she deliberately tried to test him and said that she also wanted to go.

The emperor did not comment at the time, but he still took her with him this morning.

After the dragon boat race is over, we can still catch the Dragon Boat Festival banquet hosted by Queen Mother Jiang in Chunxi Hall in the afternoon.

The emperor and his empress climbed up to the second floor of the corner tower, the deafening sound of gongs and drums rang out, and the dragon boat race officially began.

The dragon boat starts from the section of the moat near the Xuanwu Gate, circles the west side of the imperial palace in a "J" shape, arrives at the arch bridge on the west side of the Wumen Gate and then returns. The one who returns to the Xuanwu Gate first wins.

The contestants are all the best among the Yulin Guards. They are all tall and strong, exuding a sense of vigor and strength.

Yang Manyan leaned over the railing and looked out, enjoying the view very much.

"As expected of the Yulin Guards, even their dragon boat rowing is so uniform. I also watched dragon boat races in my hometown when I was a child, but it was far worse than this." She said with a smile.

The emperor hummed, feeling inexplicably irritated.

He suddenly regretted bringing this delicate little concubine to watch the game.

In order to facilitate paddling, dozens of participating Yulin Guards only wore light brown robes with their sleeves rolled up high, revealing their muscular arms.

Although he was equally strong, or even slightly better, he could not tolerate these almost shirtless men flaunting themselves in front of his woman.

Seeing that his face was as gloomy as water, Yang Manyan was a little confused.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" She carefully put her arm around the man's strong arm.

After hesitating for a moment, the emperor pulled her to the inner side of the pavilion in the corner tower and made her sit on the chaise longue.

"It's windy outside, my dear, please stay here." His face was stern and his tone was majestic and unquestionable.

The palace maids and eunuchs who were originally standing in the waterside pavilion all tactfully withdrew, not forgetting to close the carved lattice door.

Yang Manyan blinked and looked up at him, "Your Majesty, today the sky is clear and the air is bright, there is no wind."

The emperor frowned slightly, "If I say there is wind, there is wind. Just sit here peacefully."

"But, I still want to see which team wins..."

The emperor didn't give her any chance to speak. He leaned down and grabbed her rosy lips and sealed them with a kiss.

Yang Manyan's eyes widened with shock and he forgot to breathe for a moment.

Yang Manyan's face turned red.

Just when she was about to suffocate, the gongs and drums signaling the end of the race sounded, and the man finally let her go.

"It seems that the winner has been decided. There is no need to go out and watch the game." The emperor's voice became deep and hoarse.

Yang Manyan's eyelashes were moist, and her whole body fell limply into his arms, their disordered breathing and heartbeats intertwined.

After a while, she asked aggrievedly, "Your Majesty, what do you mean? It was you who brought me here, why did you not allow anyone to see it halfway through?"

The emperor raised his eyes calmly, "Those people are in tatters, what's there to see?"

Yang Manyan was slightly startled when he heard this, and a thought popped up in his mind: Is His Majesty jealous?

As the banquet was about to start, the emperor and his concubines moved to the Chunxi Hall surrounded by a large group of palace servants and eunuchs.

All the royal family ministers who were invited to the banquet had arrived and were seated according to their rank.

The emperor's throne was located in the upper center, on the east side was the crown prince's throne, on the west side was the empress dowager's throne, and Yang Manyan was arranged in the first seat to the west.

This Dragon Boat Festival banquet was also Yang Manyan's first public appearance since she was canonized as a consort. Many people in the audience were secretly observing this legendary Consort Yuan, who was in the emperor's favor.

When the banquet officially began, musicians from the Southern Palace either held the pipa, or held the flute, or bent over to play the zither. The music was fresh and pleasant, lingering in the Chunxi Hall.

Due to the seating arrangement, Xiao Yan sat diagonally opposite his new stepmother, Concubine Yang Yuanfei, who was of similar age.

He looked calm on the outside, but he felt inexplicably uncomfortable on the inside.

He tried his best to ignore this feeling, lowering his eyes and quietly watching the hot steam swirling above the teacup.

Halfway through the banquet, the teacup on Yang Manyan's table was almost empty, and the little palace maid holding the teapot hurried forward to refill it.