Chapter 33 Gift: Your husband doesn't need this kind of thing
It was the fourth prince’s birthday, and a grand birthday banquet was held at the mansion.
Xie Yuting had always been at odds with the Fourth Prince, and in previous years he had been too lazy to join in on the fun. However, this year he acted out of character and suddenly asked his Crown Princess if she wanted to attend the Fourth Prince's birthday party.
Jiang Yueying naturally wanted to go, because she gave Qin Wangyou a big gift and didn't know whether the other party was satisfied.
"Don't you dislike the Fourth Prince? Why do you suddenly want to go?" Jiang Yueying asked.
She had not forgotten the tense situation when they met last time, and it was not like the prince to take the initiative to deliver a gift.
"Go and make trouble for him, otherwise the birthday will be so boring. I'll let Fourth Brother have some fun." Xie Yuting waved his fan with a malicious look on his face.
“…”
I knew you had nothing to do, Jiang Yueying sighed softly.
"Okay, I'll go too."
Hearing this, Xie Yuting smiled and immediately ordered someone to bring the clothes into the house.
Jiang Yueying looked at the tray containing the clothes. On it was a men's suit and a women's dress, both in a brilliant goose yellow color. The fabrics were luxurious and cold-resistant, and the embroidery on the lapels was exactly the same, and they felt soft and comfortable to the touch.
These two pieces of clothing are a pair.
No wonder Xie Yuting was smiling, that was what he had in mind.
"I specially asked the palace tailor to make new clothes for you and me. How about wearing them to the banquet?"
Since it has been made, it cannot be wasted. Jiang Yueying nodded and prepared to accept the new clothes.
"Let's change and go."
"ah?"
Xie Yuting chuckled: "Today is Fourth Brother's birthday, so of course we have to set off now."
Jiang Yueying had been busy practicing sword skills recently and couldn't remember the exact month and day. It was only when Xie Yuting reminded her that she remembered that it was already deep winter. It had been almost four months since she married into Liang State.
When she first arrived, she was trembling with fear, afraid that she would take a wrong step and be doomed. Now her life is gradually getting back on track. Except for Xie Yuting who still has no ambition, her life is unusually stable.
Sometimes she would think to herself, if Xie Yuting was not the crown prince, it would be great. He would not be involved in the fight for the throne and could be a leisurely and wealthy young master, his life would be so comfortable.
But in that case, the two of them would not have any intersection. Thinking of this, she frowned unconsciously.
An inexplicable emotion surged in her heart for no reason. Before she could figure out what was happening, the people around her started to act dishonestly again.
"What are you thinking about, little princess?" Xie Yuting leaned over.
Jiang Yueying lowered her head to hide her emotions and pushed his face away: "Get out, I need to change clothes."
The Crown Prince was very dissatisfied and grumbled, unwilling to go out. He shamelessly said, "Why should husband and wife be so formal?"
"Don't waste time."
Xie Yuting suddenly asked in a low voice: "Should we consummate our marriage?"
Jiang Yueying was slightly stunned by the sudden question. When she realized what the other party said, her face turned red as blood, like a blooming peach petal.
Her pupils trembled, and she covered her hot face with her hands, shyly pushing the person out of the door, feeling embarrassed and annoyed like a sparrow with its feathers standing on end.
clang.
Driven away by the little sparrow, the poor Crown Prince was locked outside the door.
He leaned against the door frame, squinting lazily. The image of a pretty girl with a rosy face appeared in his mind, and he couldn't help but curl up the corners of his lips.
Just as the banquet began, the carriage from the Eastern Palace arrived at the Fourth Prince's residence.
A long banquet was held in the back garden of the mansion.
The fourth prince Xie Yufan was greeting the guests, and the fourth prince's wife Qin Wangyou was standing beside him with a smile on her face.
Qin Wangyou was in a good mood today. She had been searching for Master Mingzhen's authentic works for several months, and finally a wealthy businessman who was in urgent need of money was willing to sell it at a low price, allowing her to get a bargain.
What she bought was actually Master Mingzhen's early work "Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface". You should know that this calligraphy was once bought by a mysterious wealthy businessman at an auction house, and no one knows its true whereabouts.
God blessed her and she made a great profit.
She presented the painting "Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface" to Xie Yufan as a birthday gift. Xie Yufan was really delighted and even became much more tender in his attitude towards her.
Qin Wangyou was very proud. Who said that her relationship with the Fourth Prince was cold? After this birthday banquet, she would let everyone know how much the Fourth Prince loved her.
During the banquet, people clinked glasses, chatted with each other, laughed and talked, and the atmosphere was harmonious.
Suddenly, an attendant announced that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess were coming to the banquet. Not only was Xie Yufan stunned, but the other officials also thought they were hard of hearing and had misheard. Aren't the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince at loggerheads?
Why are you rushing to celebrate my birthday?
Xie Yufan put down his wine cup, his eyes darkening slightly.
He didn't know about other things, but Xie Yuting's lawless personality would make it look bad if he caused trouble at his birthday party. He thought carefully and wondered if this idiot had come up with some tricks to annoy him.
After a while, Xie Yuting and Jiang Yueying came side by side.
Both of them were wearing goose yellow robes. The prince wore a jade crown and brocade clothes, and had an elegant appearance. The princess had a flying skirt and was unparalleled in beauty. They stood together, inexplicably well-matched.
Xie Yufan looked unhappy. He always liked beautiful women. If they were not stunningly beautiful, he would not be interested at all. This was also the reason why he and Qin Wangyou had been married for many years but had not taken a concubine. He simply looked down on them.
As for Qin Wangyou, it was his father who forced him to marry her.
He had thought that there were few beauties in the world, but he had not expected to be stunned by the sight of the Crown Princess that day. He could not help but become even more angry with Xie Yuting. This loser was also given a marriage, so why was the wife he married more beautiful than his?
He snorted coldly, and said sarcastically, "Why are you here, Sixth Brother? Are you also thinking of coming to my house to have a drink?"
Xie Yuting pretended not to understand, motioned Yulang behind him to take out the small box, and said with a smile: "Of course I am here to celebrate Fourth Brother's birthday."
Generally people celebrate birthdays when they are over fifty, so how could he celebrate a birthday when he is not even thirty? Xie Yufan was so angry that his teeth were itching, but he couldn't do anything about this fool who had no common sense.
Well, arguing with a fool will only make you angry to death, it's not worth it.
He smiled hypocritically: "Thank you very much, Sixth Brother. I wonder what you gave me?"
"I'll keep it to your satisfaction, Fourth Brother."
All the officials looked around, wanting to see what was going on.
When the box was opened, there was a jar of deer antler wine inside.
Xie Yufan's face froze. As everyone knows, deer antler wine has the effect of strengthening yang and replenishing qi. How could such a thing be given as a gift at a birthday party?
Isn't this a mockery of him?
Xie Yuting said innocently, "Fourth brother, I heard that drinking deer antler wine is effective for those who have been married for many years but have no children. I spent a lot of money to get it from Yue State. Are you touched?"
Xie Yufan wanted to sew his mouth shut.
Qin Wangyou, who was standing next to her, almost bit her teeth to pieces. Others didn't know, but she knew clearly in her heart that the reason she and the Fourth Prince had no children for many years was because they seldom had sex, and it had nothing to do with whether the Fourth Prince was capable or not.
She changed her mind and comforted herself, thinking that it was okay. The Fourth Prince had changed his opinion of her a lot anyway. She would always have children. Besides, there were few people in the Fourth Prince's backyard, so she didn't have to worry about concubines stepping on her. She would have a good life in the future.
On the contrary, she didn't believe that the Crown Prince and Princess Anyi had any real feelings for each other. If it happened, their relationship was even worse in private, and they wouldn't be able to have children for ten years!
Qin Wangyou straightened his chest and raised his head, letting out a light sneer.
Xie Yufan said angrily, "Sixth brother, you are so thoughtful to send me such precious deer antler wine. I can't drink it all by myself. Why don't you share half of it with me? Come, pour wine for the prince."
The officials were all watching the excitement and were talking to each other.
"Who says the Crown Prince is unlearned? I think His Royal Highness is the best at getting people angry."
"Your Highness the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince have always been at odds. Just get used to it."
"By the way, has no one noticed the clothes of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess? The shapes and patterns are exactly the same. My wife and I have been married for many years and we have never worn the same clothes. Tsk tsk."
"It's really rare. They look quite a good match."
Xie Yuting pulled Jiang Yueying to the table and found a place with a wide view. Soon a servant came up to pour wine and filled his cup with deer antler wine.
The wine in the glass has a lustrous luster.
Jiang Yueying had never heard of this kind of wine and couldn't help but take a few more glances at it.
The banquet became lively again. Xie Yufan had obtained the rare "Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface" and naturally wanted to show off. He displayed the calligraphy and all the officials gathered around to admire it, praising it endlessly.
Jiang Yueying glanced at the crowd as if nothing had happened, then lowered her head to continue observing the deer antler wine.
Xie Yuting sat with his chin propped up and said lazily: "What's wrong?"
"Does this deer antler wine really have that effect?" She was not well-informed and had never heard of deer antler wine. She was not sure whether Xie Yuting was deceiving Xie Yufan.
"Of course it's true," Xie Yuting smiled, "but don't stare at it."
“?” Jiang Yueying looked up in confusion.
Xie Yuting leaned closer, breathing into her ear, her voice magnetic and smiling: "Your husband doesn't need this kind of thing."
bass.
A warm current rushed to Jiang Yueying's forehead, and her face flushed, which extended all the way to her neck. She shyly clutched the fabric of her goose yellow dress, twisting it into wrinkles.
It took a long while for the heat to gradually subside. Jiang Yueying inadvertently revealed her soft nature. She came to her senses and hurriedly made amends by kicking the man under the table.
"Dirty!"
Xie Yuting stared at the girl's agate-like earlobe, not angry or annoyed, and asked: "Princess, don't you believe it?"
How do you respond to this?
If you say you believe it, that would be exactly what the man wants. If you say you don't believe it, this guy will only tease you more aggressively.
Jiang Yueying kept silent and began to pretend to be dumb.
Xie Yuting reached out to poke her puffy little face, feeling the soft and elastic touch. He became addicted to it and kept poking it, making Jiang Yueying's fair cheeks turn red, as if covered with a layer of bright rouge.
Finally, Jiang Yueying couldn't stand it anymore and reached out to twist his ear.
The two of them were making a fuss as if no one was around, which attracted some officials to look back frequently, as if they were seeing a wonder. They didn't even have time to appreciate the Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface.
Jiang Yueying caught a glimpse of someone watching her, and quickly sat up straight, while looking at Xie Yufan and Qin Wangyou on the other side.
"I never thought that Lord Niu paid a high price for this calligraphy from Master Mingzhen, but he searched everywhere but couldn't find it. It was only because of His Highness the Fourth Prince's ability that he got it without any effort."
"Haha, you might not know this, but the late emperor's teacher, Grand Tutor Du, also once searched for this painting, 'Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface.' He was disappointed for a long time when he learned that the wealthy merchant was unwilling to sell it."
"Your Highness the Fourth Prince has a long and prosperous life. Everything he wants is within his reach."
A group of officials surrounded the Fourth Prince, flattering him and praising his extraordinary powers, saying he could even find long-lost calligraphy and paintings. Xie Yufan was flattered and, remembering Qin Wangyou's contributions, became even more friendly to her.
Qin Wangyou raised his eyebrows and breathed a sigh of relief, his willow-leaf eyes narrowed into slits when he smiled.
Xie Yufan said happily: "Rare treasures are hard to come by. I will hold a calligraphy and painting meeting of Master Mingzhen someday and invite all the gentlemen in Kyoto to come and appreciate the original works."
The officials praised his generosity, presented him with birthday gifts, and spoke auspicious words.
Just when Xie Yufan was getting carried away, Minister Meng in the crowd suddenly raised a question, pointing to the "Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface" and said: "Your Highness, I think there is something wrong with this calligraphy."
The crowd was shocked.
Xie Yuting, who was chewing grapes, stopped and looked over with interest.
You should know that Minister Meng of the Ministry of Works has always been passionate about calligraphy and painting. He has made in-depth studies on the original works of masters from various dynasties. He himself often copies many masterpieces of famous masters, and his ability to appreciate original works is unmatched.
Moreover, this person has a straightforward character and cannot hold back the truth, so he has offended many people in the officialdom. Everyone has always known that this person does not like flattery, but they did not expect that he would dare to point out in public that there are problems with the Fourth Prince's calligraphy and paintings.
Minister Meng said bluntly: "Your Highness, this is a fake."
Wow.
People were talking about whether Minister Meng was still asleep. How could the Fourth Prince fool people with fakes?
Xie Yufan's face froze, and a low aura instantly emanated from him.
Qin Wangyou couldn't suppress her anger. She had gone through so much trouble and spent tens of thousands of taels of silver to buy the calligraphy and painting. How could it be a fake? It was simply nonsense.
"Minister Meng, do you have evidence to prove this is a fake? If not, believe it or not, His Highness will punish you!"
Jiang Yueying stared at the farce not far away and smiled knowingly.
Of course it is a fake, because the painting "Blue Bird and White Mountain Preface" was copied by her.
In order to make the imitation more realistic, she wasted a lot of inferior products, no less than a thousand sheets of paper, and finally achieved an effect that was indistinguishable from the real thing.
She made the Fourth Prince lose face in front of all the officials. She didn't believe that Qin Wangyou would dare to act recklessly in the future by relying on her status as the prince's consort.
Jiang Yueying thought to herself, she had indeed changed a lot since coming to Beiliang. She had even learned such a conspiracy. Would she become a bad person in the future?
Just as I was feeling melancholy, a grape was suddenly forced into my mouth.
Um?
Jiang Yueying stared at Xie Yuting with wide eyes. Xie Yuting smiled and stuffed another grape into her hand. "Wonderful, wonderful! I didn't expect Fourth Brother's birthday party to be so lively. Little princess, come and eat some grapes and watch the show with me."
There were two big grapes stuffed in her mouth, and her cheeks were bulging like a little squirrel. Jiang Yueying chewed them twice blankly, and the sweet juice filled her mouth.
"Is it sweet?"
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