Chapter 87 The Emperor's Unusual Feelings for Yunxi
The emperor, dressed in bright yellow robes, walked at the front, with the empress half a step behind him. Behind them followed two rows of palace maids, eunuchs, and personal guards.
Upon seeing the imperial carriage, everyone knelt down simultaneously and shouted three times, "Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty! Long live His Majesty!"
The emperor swept past the kneeling officials beside him and walked straight to the seat on the high platform. The empress, on the other hand, sat on a seat half a step lower than her.
To the Emperor's right sat the Crown Prince. Among all the people, he was the only one who did not rise to pay his respects. This was something the Emperor had previously exempted him from, out of consideration for his frail health.
The emperor looked down at the crowd below, and after a long while, he said with a satisfied expression, "My dear ministers, please rise and take your seats."
With the Emperor's permission, everyone rose and took their seats. At this moment, the Emperor's gaze first fell on Gu Nanxiao.
He had just heard the eunuch report that the young man had brought a young lady to the palace banquet today, and now he saw that after he got up, he did not forget to help the woman next to him.
Furthermore, he thoughtfully tidied up the cushions for her, which suggests that this woman must be the one he was willing to risk his life to marry Zhao Yunxi.
Yunxi was used to Gu Nanxiao's care, after all, at home, serving her bathing and changing clothes was something he did every day.
So when a crowd looked at her with eyes full of jealousy, envy, or disdain, she remained oblivious to their emotions and accepted it all with a clear conscience.
But the gaze coming from above was so intense that she couldn't ignore it, and she couldn't help but look up and look back.
This was the first time Yunxi had seen the Emperor since arriving in the Great Yan Kingdom. Judging by his appearance, he was probably in his fifties, and his appearance was about six-tenths similar to that of Prince Yong, only his eyes and brows exuded a more dignified and cold aura.
As the one in absolute power, even if he tries his best to appear amiable, his long-standing position gives him an air of superiority and looking down on everyone.
The emperor was like that at that moment; although he looked at people with a smile in his eyes, no one would mistake him for an ordinary old man.
The Emperor's direct gaze left Yunxi momentarily at a loss for words. Would a simple nod be considered impolite?
For example, if she ignores it and doesn't react at all, would she be considered to have violated etiquette in front of the emperor? No one had ever taught her these things.
At this moment, Gu Nanxiao, who was standing beside him, also noticed the Emperor's gaze. He immediately pulled Yunxi to stand up and bowed deeply to the Emperor from a distance.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor's smile became even more amiable, and he waved for them to sit down.
To avoid the awkwardness of the moment, Yunxi dared not look up again and meet the gaze of the person in the main seat, lest she be unable to give the right response and embarrass Gu Nanxiao at the banquet.
This was the first time the Emperor had seen Yunxi, and he hadn't expected her to be such a beautiful woman. The momentary daze he had just experienced, and the inexplicable acceleration in his heartbeat, were telling him what thoughts had already arisen in his mind.
The Emperor has countless women in his harem; he's no longer a naive young man inexperienced in matters of the heart. This feeling wasn't uncommon among the newly acquired concubines in the past.
Therefore, he was well aware that he had developed a possessive desire for this girl surnamed Zhao. Although there were many beautiful women in his harem, none were as elegant, graceful, and stunning as the one before him.
What's most remarkable is her dignified and naturally noble air. She would probably be more than qualified to be the mother of a nation.
Yunxi realized that the gaze above her hadn't left her, and Gu Nanxiao, who was beside her, also felt the Emperor's burning and greedy eyes.
As a man himself, he couldn't possibly be unaware of what that meant. His fists, hidden beneath his sleeves, gradually clenched, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes—a ruthlessness he'd never shown before.
After the Empress took her seat, she intended to praise the Crown Princess for her hard work in hosting the palace banquet, but when she turned her head, she met the Emperor's undisguised expression, and immediately felt a tightness in her chest.
He and the late Empress Shen had both served the Emperor since he was still the Crown Prince. How could they not be familiar with the Emperor's fickle yet affectionate nature?
Seeing the look in his eyes, which was fixed on the vixen beside Gu Nanxiao, Yunxi's hatred for her intensified.
His niece had fallen victim to this little vixen. Now she was stealing his man, and right from there! However, the Queen decided to go with the flow and would definitely find a way to make it happen.
She had done this kind of thing many times before. As long as it pleased the Emperor, she could win his approval. She could also send this little wretch into the harem, where she would have to struggle for survival under her control for the rest of her life.
Thinking of this, a cold smile unconsciously crept onto the Empress's lips. Little did she know that her fleeting expression had been seen by the Crown Prince opposite her.
The prince covered his lips with a handkerchief and coughed twice, having already guessed most of what his stepmother was planning.
His father's gaze had been so clear that he understood its meaning. However, this cousin of his had always had a harmonious relationship with him since childhood.
Seeing that the two men were completely unaware of the danger, he turned to the eunuch behind him, exchanged a few words, and then casually picked up his wine cup. He first raised it to the emperor on the high throne, offering a distant toast, and said in a slightly hoarse voice:
"I am truly unworthy of your presence, Father, who is already burdened with state affairs."
When the Emperor saw the Crown Prince paying respects to him from afar, he also picked up the wine cup on the table, raised it, and said, "The Crown Prince is the bloodline of my most beloved woman, and also my first son."
Your birth is the best gift Heaven has given me. Today, with the imperial majesty of a sovereign, I wish my son good health and a long life.
After the Emperor's blessing, everyone at the table rose and raised their glasses to wish the Crown Prince good health and a long life!
Despite the Crown Prince's frail health and constant state of precariousness, the Emperor's high regard for him meant that no court official dared to neglect him. Their expressions of congratulations were all incredibly sincere.
Despite the sincere congratulations from the crowd, the Crown Prince smiled warmly, raised his cup in return, and waved for everyone to sit down. Then, he quickly covered his mouth with a handkerchief and coughed violently once more.
The Empress had just heard the Emperor say that the Crown Prince was the offspring of his beloved woman. A barely perceptible sneer flashed in her eyes.
What beloved woman? She only happened to die during the height of their passion, which is why he couldn't forget her. If he truly loved her that much, why didn't he visit her even once when Empress Shen was bedridden?
However, it was precisely because of this that she had the opportunity to act; otherwise, the position of Empress would probably never have fallen into her hands in this lifetime.
The Empress glanced at the Crown Prince, a cold smile creeping across her face. As for the illegitimate son left behind by Empress Shen, he probably wouldn't live much longer.
She wanted to take everything away from that woman—her husband, her position as empress, and even the position of crown prince that belonged to her son.
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