Chapter 250 I'm Doing It With You

Seeing that he could still remember those things at this critical moment, Qing Wu felt a little numb on her scalp. She smiled awkwardly a few times and before she could think of what to say, she heard Xiao Ji snort lightly, "After this is done, Qingqing, you must explain it to me."

Qingwu breathed a sigh of relief instantly. The two of them looked forward and met the gaze of the King of England who had turned around.

Putting aside this little incident, the couple quickly walked to the King of England and entered the restaurant with him. A servant had already led the way, and under the gaze of many diners, the three of them went all the way up to the private room on the third floor.

A sumptuous feast had already been prepared in the private room, and the lingering noise of the people downstairs could be faintly heard outside the window. Xiao Ting looked with a complicated expression at the couple sitting opposite him, or to be more precise, Xiao Ji.

The former Crown Prince was not only extremely proud, but also dignified and reserved. When had he ever been so respectful and gentle? He had truly grown a lot during that incident.

Taking a deep breath, the King of England was about to speak when he saw Xiao Ji stand up and personally pick up the wine jug to pour him a glass of wine, and then poured a glass for himself and the princess.

Xiao Ji held the wine glass in his hand, his posture still showing a bit of dignity that was ingrained in his bones and blood, but his eyes were extremely clear and sincere. He looked at the King of England and said in a steady and powerful voice:

"Fifth brother, you've worked hard. The border is bitterly cold, and the battles are not easy. This glass of wine is to cheer you up."

His words were extremely concise, without any flowery rhetoric or deliberate sentimentality, but because of the calm demeanor that came from his former status, this simple greeting seemed particularly weighty, as if it represented some kind of formal recognition.

Qing Wu also raised his glass, his voice clear and sincere: "Welcome back to Beijing, Fifth Brother."

King Xiao Ting of England watched the scene unfold before him. He didn't know why, but at that moment, he clearly sensed that this respect wasn't a deliberate attempt to win over someone, but rather genuine admiration.

They really felt that he had made great contributions and deserved this welcoming banquet.

The King of England was stunned for a few moments, raised his glass in response, and after drinking the wine, he felt that even if any conflict occurred today, he would part ways with them in peace.

The three of them toasted each other, and Xiao Ting kept waiting for Xiao Ji to tell him his purpose. However, Xiao Ji continued to talk to him about the scenery of the frontier and the changes in the capital, and occasionally asked with concern about the resettlement of his old soldiers and the suffering of the people in the border areas. The broad-mindedness revealed in his words made the King of England change his opinion of Xiao Ji even more.

Qingwu would add to the discussion at the right time, always hitting the key points, which further revealed her difference from ordinary girls.

The more they kept silent about the political situation and their stance, the more curious and alert Xiao Ting became - were they really going through all this trouble just to welcome him?

After three rounds of drinks, both men were a little tipsy. Under the influence of alcohol, Xiao Ting finally asked the question that had been in his mind for a long time.

"Sixth brother, don't you mind...the fall from the horse?"

Who would have thought that before the King of England could answer, he heard noisy footsteps outside, and it seemed that a lot of people were coming.

Then the door of the private room was rudely pushed open, and King Wu and King Wen walked in one after another.

"Great! Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, you're having a banquet at Zhuangyuan Building and not inviting us two brothers. That's really not nice of you!"

King Wu glanced at the three people present, as if trying to see from their faces what they were plotting just now.

Prince Wen also waved a folding fan, his usual false smile on his face. "Yes, is there something important you want to discuss that is inconvenient for me and my elder brother to hear?"

His words seemed to be a joke, but in fact they were sharp and cunning. He directly put the hat of "conspiracy" on the three people, and his eyes moved sharply back and forth between the three people, trying to find some clues.

This sudden disruption instantly froze the harmonious atmosphere.

The King of England's good mood was also disturbed, and his face suddenly darkened. The contrast between the two groups of brothers was so obvious that he could not ignore it.

Just as he was about to open his mouth to refute, Xiao Ting saw Xiao Ji opposite him suddenly stand up. He stood tall and straight, and remained calm even when facing the uninvited King Wu and King Wen.

Xiao Ji was not angered by the sarcasm of King Wu and King Wen. His voice was as steady as usual, "Big brother, second brother."

He nodded slightly to the two of them, then looked at King Wu with a clear gaze and said frankly, "This banquet is a welcome banquet I have arranged for Fifth Brother. Fifth Brother has worked hard on the border and has returned victoriously. I prepared a little wine as a token of my appreciation. That's all. As for Second Brother's 'important matters'..."

Xiao Ji turned his gaze towards Prince Wen, who looked like he was enjoying the show, and spoke with a barely perceptible sharpness, "It is indeed important. Asking about the previous battle situation and asking about Fifth Brother's experiences are all important matters. However, it would be convenient for Second Brother to listen. If Second Brother is curious, feel free to sit down and listen. It would also help him understand more about the real situation at the border. After all, we can't just be talking nonsense."

These words not only explained the truth, but also defended the King of England, maintained his own position, and even implicitly criticized the troublemaker King Wen. This eloquent speech gave the King of England a new understanding of Xiao Ji.

Xiao Ji was over two years younger than him, and yet he stood right in front of him, defending him? Was this still the same Lao Liu he knew? When had Xiao Ji become so talkative? Hadn't Xiao Ji always been so disdainful of speaking to others? How could he have changed so much in just a few months?

Little did he know that this was all Qing Wu's influence, and also Qing Wu's strategy. Xiao Ji used to disdain such schemes against others, but now he has come to believe that no matter whether the cat is black or white, as long as it can catch mice, it is a good cat. Even if it does not suit his way of doing things, so what? As long as he can achieve his goal simply and quickly, that's fine.

Meanwhile, the King of England looked at Xiao Ji with a different expression. He recalled everything that had happened today, from the cold reception at the city gate, the personal invitation in front of the mansion, the grand welcome downstairs of the Champion Building, to the sincere care at the banquet, and the calm defense he showed when facing difficulties...

Under these circumstances, it was hard not to feel a skewed balance in the King's heart. Finally, he couldn't help but speak, "This is a private dinner invited by my sixth brother. You two brothers, uninvited, didn't even knock. Isn't that rather rude?"

These words were so rude that King Wu and King Wen were stunned for a moment. In their eyes, Xiao Ting's words were tantamount to saying that he had joined Xiao Ji's side.

King Wu's expression immediately darkened as he said, "Now that our father is gravely ill, forming cliques is a serious concern. With the Third and Fourth Brothers at the forefront, I, as your elder brother, offer you a word of advice: think twice before you act."

Prince Wen's gaze flickered between Xiao Ji and Xiao Ting's faces before settling on Prince Ying. He spoke meaningfully, "We apologize for interrupting you rudely, but before we leave, I want to say something. Fifth brother, when you return to the capital, rest well. It's best not to wade into muddy waters, lest... you get yourself into trouble."

This is almost a naked provocation and warning.

After saying this, King Wen turned and left without staying any longer. King Wu looked at the two of them deeply before turning and leaving the private room.

The door was closed again, blocking out the noise outside, but it couldn't block out the stagnant atmosphere brought about by the unpleasant episode just now.

The King of England's face was gloomy, and King Wen's last words were like a thorn in his heart.

He slammed his palm down on the table, his eyes downcast, his chest heaving slightly with anger and a certain humiliation. As expected, no one took him seriously. They only regarded him as an assistant to be won over, never as an enemy.

At this moment, Xiao Ji personally took the pot and refilled his glass with wine.

"Fifth brother, I'm sorry to spoil the fun." He said in a low voice, "This is what it's like to be born into a royal family. The tree wants to be still, but the wind blows. Sometimes I just want to have a quiet drink, but it's hard to do that."

However, Xiao Ji did not get the King's response for a long time. When he looked up at the King, he found that his gaze was fixed on one place without moving. Xiao Ji followed his gaze and saw that the end of his sight was his legs.

Xiao Ji's heart skipped a beat, and the next second Xiao Ting asked directly, "Your leg has no sequelae."

Although it was a question, his tone was actually full of affirmation.

Because they were only a few steps away and the table slightly blocked the view, Xiao Ji did not pretend. Who would have thought that this moment of laziness would be caught by the King of England.

In that case...

Xiao Ji raised his glass and handed it to the King of England and simply admitted, "Yes."

He also answered the King's previous question: "I know that my fall from the horse was not caused by you."

Because Xiao Ji still remembered that when the ball hit the stands, Xiao Ting also ran over. Someone who could act like this would definitely not do anything treacherous or cunning.

Hearing this, a smile suddenly appeared on the King's face. He raised his hand to take the wine handed to him by Xiao Ji, raised his head and drank it all, then stared into Xiao Ji's eyes and said:

"Well, I'll do it with you!"

Qingwu watched quietly from the side, with a bright smile on the corner of his lips.

At the same time, a burst of warm and long-lasting firecrackers suddenly rang out outside the restaurant, and the "crackling" sound resounded through the sky.

Amid the clamor of firecrackers, a loud and excited voice could be heard piercing through the noise, shouting:

"I'm the owner of Li's Firecracker Shop on East Street! Today, I heard that His Majesty the King of England returned victorious from his border patrol and is hosting a banquet here. I've specially prepared some crackling firecrackers to entertain His Majesty and congratulate him on his achievements!"

During the lull in the sound of the firecrackers, the voice became clearer, filled with sincere gratitude: "These firecrackers are to firstly congratulate Your Highness on your triumphant return! Secondly, thank You for Your Highness's contribution to protecting the country! Thirdly, I wish Your Highness good health and that you will forever guard the borders of our dynasty!"

The constant stream of praise made Xiao Ting blush. He looked at the couple and said, "You are so thoughtful that you even arranged this."

Although he really benefited from it.

But Qing Wu shook his head slightly, with a faint but sincere smile on his lips, and looked at the King of England with clear eyes:

"Why do you think that all this was arranged by us? And not the people's heartfelt gratitude and praise?"

She took a few steps forward and opened the window, and the smell of firecrackers and fireworks in the air outside the window instantly rushed into the private room.

"Aji and I just had the servants mention that we were hosting Fifth Brother when we were preparing the banquet," she said softly, a hint of cunning in her voice. "As for the people filling the streets, the flowers and fruits being thrown, and Boss Li's spontaneous firecrackers... they were all voluntary."

"The soldiers at the border fought bloody battles to protect the peace of their country. The common people may not be able to explain the truth, but they know very well who treats them well and who is protecting them."

Qing Wu's voice was gentle yet powerful. "All the welcome and praise you receive today doesn't stem from the power of any particular prince, but rather from your own achievements in defending the border and our country, and from the blood and sweat shed by you and your soldiers. You deserve it."

Her words were like a ray of hope, instantly awakening the King of England.

The King of England paused at the window, looking at the red confetti downstairs and the cheers of the people around him, his eyes actually felt slightly warm.

He took a deep breath, his heart filled with pride.

At this moment, he seemed to understand what he really wanted, which was not to be emperor, but these.