Chapter 75 Drinking

The Empress Dowager sent someone to fetch Yu'an to the palace, and in less than an hour, she arrived at Shou Kang Palace.

"The Empress Dowager was just speaking when you arrived..." The nanny smiled as she took the hot water bottle from Yu'an's hands.

Yu An bowed and sat down familiarly.

"Why are you making me so many handkerchiefs and towels again? I have enough..." The Empress Dowager rummaged through the bundle she had brought, and couldn't help but worry: "If you keep doing this, be careful that you go blind at such a young age."

"Didn't I go back to Jiangling? I learned it from my grandmother and even made you a fox fur headband. Please try it on."

The Empress Dowager was overjoyed and chatted with others for a while before getting down to business.

"Divorced?"

Yu An was taken aback. "How did the Empress Dowager know?"

This news has only just been released.

"Wan'er just told me that Ji Jinghe is like a lost soul, he doesn't even look like Ji Jinghe anymore..." The Empress Dowager picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

Yuan:......

The Empress Dowager laughed and said, "So be it, it's over. People should look forward."

"I called you here today because I have something to entrust to you."

Yu-An listened attentively.

Empress Dowager: "Next month, the Qiang people will come to the capital to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. I heard that the Qiang King's most beloved princess will also be coming. That princess grew up on horseback and is just like a man, fighting alongside the Qiang King. I was thinking of asking you to make her a dress to send as a gift."

"Treat it with the highest standards of hospitality for envoys, the kind that leaves no room for criticism."

The culture of the Qiang people is completely different from that of the Central Plains, especially in terms of food and clothing. The Qiang people pay attention to warmth and practicality, and it is rare to see such gorgeous and complicated clothing as that of the Central Plains.

If you want to do it well, you need to find someone who is capable and skilled.

Seeing that Yu'an remained silent for a long time, the Empress Dowager said again, "Don't be afraid. The embroiderers in the palace embroidery workshop are at your disposal. As long as you have something to do, it's fine to direct them to do it."

The intention is to promote, not to bestow a reward.

Yu An understood and nodded in agreement.

The Empress Dowager handed her a piece of the melon that had been presented as tribute. "I heard that you went back to Lizhou with Ji Jinghe for a funeral, but in the end, Ji Jinghe treated his own uncle?"

Yu listened quietly to her, not intending to speak easily.

Empress Dowager: "The Shen family has committed a serious crime this time. They smuggled salt and iron, and in such large quantities, for nearly ten years. They managed to keep it a secret very well."

“Ji Jinghe wasn’t entirely heartless; he even pleaded with the emperor on his behalf.”

The Empress Dowager looked up at her. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Yu An: "I didn't know about these things. The Empress Dowager was the first to tell me."

The Empress Dowager suddenly realized: "No wonder you want a divorce. Ji Jinghe didn't even tell you about these things. Doesn't that mean he treats you like an outsider?"

"I wasn't really interested in this, so it didn't really matter whether I talked about it or not. But the other day when I heard him settling his people down, I vaguely heard that this matter was related to the capital... When I heard that, my head started spinning."

Yu An pretended to be impatient and lowered her head to eat her melon.

She shouldn't have said such things, so she stopped there and pretended not to know anything when questioned later.

The Qiang delegation will stay for a long time, and will likely not leave until after the New Year.

After returning home, Yu'an immediately began to work on the tasks assigned by the Empress Dowager, not daring to rest for a moment.

Now Yu'an has no imperial title. She was not present on the day the delegation first came to receive her. She only knew that the streets were bustling with gongs and drums. It was only the next day, when the Empress Dowager summoned her to the palace, that she witnessed it.

With fewer political affairs to attend to, the concubines and noble ladies gathered together, and Yu An and Ming Jia sat to the side, carefully observing the Qiang princess present.

It is said that the Qiang princess was the Qiang king's favorite little princess. The joy of having a daughter late in life, coupled with the fact that the princess had the same charm as the Qiang king in his youth, made her the most dazzling person in the Qiang people in recent years.

"Teacher, look at the whip around her waist. I heard she killed a lot of people with that whip," Mingjia whispered to Yu'an, covering her mouth.

Yu An glanced over secretly and indeed saw the leather whip at her waist.

"Considering the long-standing friendship between the two dynasties, I have ordered someone to make a dress for the princess."

The Empress Dowager raised her hand, and the maid beside her took it from below and held it up in front of the princess.

The man, with his almond-shaped eyes, glanced at her slowly and raised his hand to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. However, I am used to wearing the clothes of our Qiang people and cannot wear the long robes and wide belts of the Central Plains."

Empress Dowager: "Knowing that the princess is fond of martial arts, this clothing has been modified, and the style is similar to that of Hu clothing."

The man sneered, “We Qiang women are not as skilled in needlework as the women of the Central Plains, nor do we have the sentimentality of the women of the Central Plains. We only know how to pick up a scimitar and fight the enemy, or stay at home to take care of cattle and sheep. Such delicate fabric is good to look at but not practical. It might be torn by sea buckthorn before we even get to work.”

The words themselves were fine, but the arrogant tone was unbearable. After a few words, the room fell silent.

Because of their pride, the Empress Dowager and the Empress, sitting at the head of the table, found it difficult to speak.

If you speak too lightly, people will look down on you; if you speak too harshly, it will damage the reputation of both countries.

The other party dared to do this precisely because they knew this tactic.

"Different climates nurture different ethnic groups. The Central Plains have a long history, and since ancient times, men have farmed and women have woven. The suitable climate has fostered a delicate mind. The Qiang people are nomadic, with a rugged folk culture. Women roam freely between heaven and earth, so they should be completely different from the Central Plains. It's just a matter of opinion."

Yu An smiled and said, "The princess is used to the life of the Qiang people. Now that she has come to the Central Plains, she should also see the scenery outside. It may be a different experience for her."

"Who are you? Who gives you the right to speak here?"

Empress Dowager: "She is the one who sewed this dress, Chu Yu'an, someone who serves me."

The woman frowned, about to speak again, when someone came downstairs.

"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager, Your Majesty the Empress, Princess Sijia, the Cuju match has begun," a eunuch announced.

The Empress Dowager waved her hand: "Then let's set off."

The Empress smiled and glanced at Yu'an, then followed the Empress Dowager as usual.

Mingjia suppressed a laugh and tugged at Yu'an's sleeve, "Teacher, you're amazing."

Yu An smiled and shook her head, saying, "Actually, you should have been the one to speak just now."

Mingjia: "I'm just too scared..."

Yu An patted her head. "It's okay, you'll dare to do it next time."

Today is the Emperor's birthday, and there is excitement both inside and outside the palace, which will not subside for several days.

The Cuju (ancient Chinese football) match was played by players selected from both dynasties. To avoid any unnecessary trouble, players from both sides were mixed together.

Yu An sat on the platform, unable to see clearly who the people in the room were.

Mingjia loved watching the excitement, so he stood by the fence outside the field with his maid. Yu'an didn't like Cuju (ancient Chinese football), and his mind soon wandered away.

"Hello!"

Yu An was in a daze.

"Hey! Our princess is calling you!"

Yu An then realized that someone was calling her, and turned around and stood up.

The spirited woman pointed to the table and said firmly, "Come on, play a game of backgammon with me."

Yu An glanced at the Empress Dowager sitting on the throne without realizing it. The Empress Dowager looked at her with a smile but did not make any gesture.

"What? You don't dare?"

Yu An bowed and said, "Then I am honored by the princess's invitation. Yu An greets you with courtesy."

The woman curled her lip, her face showing disdain, and secretly observed Yu An's expression.

Although she noticed, Yu remained silent and quietly set up the chessboard.

...

Having just spoken out and offended someone, he now deliberately avoids confrontation, and as expected, he lost.

"...You deliberately let me win?"

The woman glared at her sideways, and she could only smile and explain, "Your Highness is joking. I did not have such intentions; I am simply less skilled than others."

"If you're not as skilled as others, you'll have to drink a penalty shot."

Someone nearby tried to joke, "Poor Lady Chu, she's not only less skilled than others, but she can't even hold her liquor as well."

Yu An stood up, nodded and smiled slightly: "What you say makes sense, Madam."

"You think you can escape with this wine?"

The woman pressed him for answers, raising an eyebrow slightly with an unusual expression, as if she had said everything without needing to utter a word.

"I dare not refuse the princess's wine, but I beg the princess to show leniency and spare me."

The woman chuckled, raising her chin: "A bet is a bet. Since it's an agreement, how can it be changed?"

Yu An considered herself unlucky, since she had just offended someone and was now repaying their favor.

The Empress Dowager and the Empress were summoned away by the eunuch to watch the football match at the Emperor's table. At this point, no one was there to support her, so she could only grit her teeth and drink.

Yu An raised the full glass of wine, took a deep breath, and drank it down in one gulp.

Immediately afterwards, a full glass of wine was placed in front of her.

Yu An endured the bitter taste in her mouth, unable to lift her hand for a moment.

Just as I was about to reach out to take it, the glass was snatched away by another hand.

"I'll drink this wine instead, Princess Scarlett, what do you think?"

The woman squinted at him and sneered, "Isn't this the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies?"

Ji Jinghe arrived at some unknown time, and after many days, the chill emanating from him had become even more intense.

The Emperor attached great importance to this visit by the Qiang people, so he entrusted the vacant position of Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies to Ji Jinghe as acting minister.

Although this is an unattended viewing platform, it is still a place where female guests sit, and he shouldn't have come here.

Just as Yu An was about to offer some advice, another figure suddenly appeared out of the corner of her eye.

"I'll take her place."

The two men stood one behind the other, looking at each other with disdain, yet their eyes were both fixed on one person.

Their auras were so intense and captivating that it was impossible to look away.

Ji Jinghe: "Young Master Pei has just come off the football field and should not drink alcohol. I will drink it."

Pei Chengyu said without a smile, "Lord Ji, you are too kind. What is a game of Cuju to someone who practices martial arts? It is Lord Ji who has other matters to attend to and cannot drink. I will drink in his place."

After saying that, he picked up a glass of wine from the table and drank it.

Ji Jinghe remained silent, drank the wine in his hand, his face tense and expressionless.

Another acquaintance...

The woman looked at Pei Chengyu in front of her, then glanced at the two people beside him, and immediately let out a cold laugh before fixing her gaze on Yu An.

What a show!

Looking at her calm expression, he crossed his arms and said, "Chu Yu'an, I didn't expect you to be so capable."

She looked at the two people beside her and said, "She lost just now and owes five drinks. There are still two drinks left. Who wants to drink them?"

She lowered her eyelids slightly, seemingly too lazy to utter a single word, and picked up another glass from the table, drinking it down in one gulp.

The maids beside him poured drinks enthusiastically; as soon as Yu'an finished one cup, another one was served.

After four cups, my stomach started burning.

“I’ve finished my drink.” Yu’an put down her wine glass, her eyes fixed straight ahead. “If the princess has nothing else to say, I will go down to find Princess Mingjia.”

With a slight curtsy, Yu An took her leave.

To the onlookers, the woman only saw the words "fleeing in panic" in the distance.