Chapter 91 Extra: Slightly Drunk and Alluring
The palace was brightly lit and filled with the sounds of music. A grand banquet was held in the palace to celebrate the New Year and welcome envoys from the Western Regions.
Inside the Taiji Hall, the Emperor and Empress sat high on their thrones, with officials and foreign envoys lined up on either side, exchanging toasts and laughing and chatting.
Empress Su Jingyu attended the event in full regalia today, wearing a bright yellow brocade palace gown embroidered with golden phoenixes and peonies, over which was a layer of scarlet silk shawl as thin as a cicada's wing. Her black hair was styled into a magnificent and elegant Lingyun bun, adorned with a red gold and kingfisher feather nine-tailed phoenix hairpin. Several strings of pearl tassels held in the phoenix's beak swayed gently with her slight movements, highlighting her fair and snow-white skin and exquisite features.
Her eyes were smiling, and her gaze was naturally charming. She possessed both the dignity of an empress and the soft, tender allure that came from being pampered by the emperor for many years. Her eyes sparkled and captivated the heart.
Seated regally beside the throne, she resembled a peony in full bloom beside the emperor, attracting countless gazes filled with admiration, awe, and praise.
Emperor Xiao Jingzhan made no attempt to conceal his affection for the stunning beauty beside him, creating a unique spectacle at the banquet.
The imperial kitchen prepared a continuous stream of exquisite dishes, and Xiao Jingzhan did not rely on palace servants. He often personally picked up his jade chopsticks and carefully arranged the dishes he thought were delicious or that she might like onto the small, mother-of-pearl-inlaid plates in front of her.
"Try this, your favorite steamed shad, it was just delivered from Jiangnan by express horse this morning." "This bird's nest is stewed to perfection, it's good for the lungs." His voice was not loud, but it carried an unmistakable gentleness.
Seeing that she had drunk a few sips of milk and her lips were slightly glistening, he naturally picked up his personal bright yellow silk handkerchief and gently wiped it away for her, his movements practiced and tender.
She accidentally got some sauce on her fingertips, and he took her hand and gently wiped it clean with a warm, damp handkerchief, as if handling a fragile treasure.
Even after she had been talking quietly with the lady next to her, he would promptly push a cup of perfectly warm tea to her side.
The unspoken understanding and meticulous care between the Emperor and Empress filled the court ladies below with envy and admiration, while the foreign envoys were also amazed, secretly marveling at the deep affection between the Emperor and Empress of the Great Sheng Dynasty.
As the banquet reached its climax, an envoy from the Western Regions presented a type of amber-colored fruit wine, a specialty of his country. Its color was enticing, and its aroma rich with fruit. The envoy enthusiastically explained that this wine was brewed from a variety of rare fruits, offering a smooth initial taste, but with a surprisingly potent aftertaste.
Xiao Jingzhan tasted a cup with great interest, and found it to be indeed sweet and delicious, unlike the spiciness of the wines from the Central Plains. He then drank a few more cups.
A courtier at the next table, who was a connoisseur of wine, tasted it and repeatedly praised it, saying, "It is indeed exceptionally sweet and has a unique flavor!"
Su Jingyu was already curious about the crystal-clear amber-colored wine, and after hearing everyone praise its sweetness, and seeing Xiao Jingzhan drinking it so happily, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.
She quietly tugged at Xiao Jingzhan's sleeve, tilted her beautiful face up, and looked at him with her watery eyes. Her voice was soft and sweet with a hint of coquetry: "Your Majesty, this wine... smells so good. I would like to try a little bit, is that alright?"
Xiao Jingzhan lowered his eyes and met her expectant, sparkling eyes. His heart softened, and he couldn't bear to refuse her.
Thinking that the wine was sweet and that she should be fine to take a small sip, he nodded in agreement and poured her a small half-cup himself, whispering, "You are only allowed to taste this little bit. This wine has a strong aftereffect, so don't overindulge."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand." Su Jingyu happily accepted the bottle and carefully took a sip. It was indeed sweet and fragrant, with a rich fruity aroma, and almost no wine flavor. It was much better than the weak fruit wine she usually drank.
She couldn't help but take another small sip, her eyebrows curving into crescent moons, her pink tongue unconsciously licking her glistening lips, looking both charming and alluring.
Seeing that she liked it, Xiao Jingzhan smiled, but mindful of her alcohol tolerance, he didn't refill her cup. Instead, he turned to the chief minister below him and began discussing the new border trade policy.
Su Jingyu sat obediently to the side, listening to them discuss politics, but her gaze kept drifting to the tempting amber wine in Xiao Jingzhan's hand.
Seeing that he was engrossed in his conversation with his minister, she quietly reached out and pulled the half-finished glass of fruit wine in front of Xiao Jingzhan to her side. She then took small sips of the wine from where he had just drunk from.
Hmm, His Majesty's cup is definitely better... Before I knew it, half the cup was empty.
Not yet satisfied, she noticed that Xiao Jingzhan was raising his cup with the envoy, seemingly preoccupied with nothing else. So, she boldly picked up the wine pot and secretly poured herself another half-full cup...
So, when Xiao Jingzhan finished drinking with the envoy and glanced at the person beside him again, his heart skipped a beat.
Su Jingyu's cheeks were flushed with a captivating blush, like the most beautiful peach blossoms on a branch in March, which spread all the way to her delicate earlobes and slender neck.
Her eyes, no longer clear, were veiled by a misty, alluring haze, their gaze carrying an unconscious, captivating charm.
The red lips, moistened by the wine, appeared even fuller and more lustrous, glistening alluringly under the palace lanterns.
She seemed a little hot, unconsciously pressing the back of her hand against her burning cheeks. Her slender neck tilted back slightly, revealing a graceful curve, and her collarbone was faintly visible beneath her crimson silk robe...
She didn't lose her composure; she simply sat there quietly, one hand still unconsciously clutching the empty wine glass, her eyes vacant, a satisfied yet dazed smile on her lips. She resembled a cat that had secretly drunk fine wine, satiated and languid, incredibly delicate and breathtakingly alluring.
Xiao Jingzhan's Adam's apple bobbed violently. He felt a surge of heat rise from his lower abdomen and instantly sweep through his entire body. His hand holding the wine glass tightened involuntarily, and the veins on the back of his hand became visible.
He knew her all too well; she was slightly tipsy, and her drunken state... was so alluring! It was as if, in front of everyone, she was silently stirring his heartstrings and challenging his self-control.
He could almost hear his blood rushing through his veins, and he wanted to immediately pull this charming little kitten into his arms and give her a good "lesson," asking her how she dared to drink so much behind his back. But his remaining rationality told him that this was a palace banquet, and everyone was watching.
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