Five days later, it was time for the banquet to be held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony for princes, ministers, and their relatives. Dongyang and Beixiang also sent envoys. Emperor Yangmingyue of Dongyang came in person, but Liu Xinqi of Beixiang did not appear.
Emperor Jingcheng and Azi sat high on the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, looking down upon their ministers. Inside the hall, wine cups clinked and sipped, the atmosphere both grand and lively, with fine wine in luminous cups—a truly enjoyable experience.
It was harvest season, and all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables were made into delicious dishes and served at the banquet. Everyone's face was filled with joy, and they showed satisfied smiles for the year's harvest.
Prince Yuan sat at the very front, drinking as he entertained the surrounding princes and ministers. In the center of the hall, the dancers in the palace performed a breathtakingly beautiful dance. He tilted his head back and drank cup after cup of wine, his eyes slightly glazed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he kept glancing at his sister-in-law, who was being pampered by his elder brother. His brother was exceptionally handsome and dashing, while Azi was beautiful and delicate; the two radiated happiness and were a perfect match. He smiled bitterly to himself; he ultimately had no chance.
Emperor Jingcheng would occasionally sip a couple of sips of the tribute wine while taking care of the little baby beside him.
Looking at the dishes made with fresh fruits and vegetables, Azi's appetite was whetted. The man was busy serving her the meal and didn't even have time to think about himself. Seeing her eating happily and contentedly, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy as well.
Halfway through her meal, Azi's eyes fell on the wine in Di Jingcheng's glass. The deep red wine, mixed with the delicate and intoxicating aroma of grapes and alcohol, drew her nose into the glass from Di Jingcheng's hand and squinted her eyes in enjoyment.
Emperor Jingcheng pleaded softly, "Acheng, I want to drink, just a little sip!" Azi raised her index finger, indicating that she would only drink one sip. Her pleading appearance was extremely cute, like a well-behaved little deer.
Di Jingcheng moved the glass in his hand back a little and shook his head disapprovingly: "Baby, not even a sip!" He refused very decisively, after all, this was wine.
Azi snorted lightly: "You're stingy!"
Di Jingcheng tilted his head back and downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, while Zheng He'er, who had been diligently refilling his glass, remained motionless. Azi blinked, realizing the coordination between mistress and servant, and pushed the man who was holding her with displeasure: "Hmph, fine, I won't drink then!"
After saying that, Azi lowered her head, pouted, and absentmindedly poked at the food in her dish with her chopsticks, clearly throwing a tantrum. Zheng He and Qinghe, who were standing nearby, chuckled softly. The Empress was being spoiled by the Emperor and was becoming more and more like a child.
Emperor Jingcheng held her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear to coax her. Every now and then, Azi would raise her little hand to push him away, then glare at him with a playful, annoyed look. To onlookers, the Emperor and Empress appeared to be flirting, the Emperor clearly spoiling the Empress rotten.
Gong Yuhan felt the same way as Prince Yuan, silently observing the interaction between the Emperor and Empress at the head of the table, her heart filled with bitterness.
Next, the various princes and ministers stepped forward to toast the Emperor and Empress, offering many polite words about being content with the state and wishing for favorable weather. Emperor Jingcheng accepted each toast, while Yang Mingyue even stepped forward and made a sarcastic remark. Fortunately, the ministers of Xijing were not to be trifled with and retorted with their own sarcastic remarks.
Azi watched the whole thing as a joke, thinking that the Emperor of Dongyang was really brainless. Even she, a woman who knew nothing about politics, knew that it was not appropriate to provoke him in this kind of situation, and that keeping a low profile was the best approach.
When the envoy from Beixiang stepped forward, everyone was somewhat surprised that Liu Xinqi had not come in person.
—At this time, Liu Xinqi had already disguised himself as a eunuch and followed Li Li, who was also dressed as a eunuch, into the animal park.
"Won't Di Jingcheng notice something if you come out like this?" Liu Xinqi observed the surroundings by the dim light in the animal garden.
Li Li gently shook his head: "It's nothing. I am insignificant, and no one will notice."
As the two walked, they heard the howling of wolves coming from the wolf enclosure ahead. Two young eunuchs were feeding the wolves. There were two baskets of scraps of meat at their feet, and the two were feeding the wolves, who had gathered around and were eyeing them menacingly, while talking to each other.
Liu Xinqi and Li Li hid behind the artificial hill and slowly approached, overhearing their conversation.
“These wolves are the best-fed animals in this animal park,” said Eunuch A.
Eunuch B chuckled: "That's right. A few days ago, the Grand Eunuch Zheng, who was by the Emperor's side, and another official personally carried in a large sack. These wolf cubs got to enjoy a good meal."
Eunuch A: "These animals are always kept by special people in the animal enclosure. Why would the head eunuch come here personally?"
Upon hearing this, Eunuch B quickly shushed him, cautiously glancing around to make sure no one was nearby before speaking in a low voice: "I've heard that this animal park is teeming with jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, and they're not just kept for display; they serve other purposes as well." He smiled mysteriously as he said this.
Eager to know the inside story, Eunuch A nudged him, saying, "Stop being so mysterious."
"I've heard that when the Emperor or the Imperial Household Department wants to punish someone who has committed an unforgivable crime, they bring the prisoner here... to feed these animals."
Eunuch A blinked: "I haven't been here long. Are you telling the truth, or are you lying to me?"
"Tch, believe it or not, would I lie to you?" Eunuch B tossed the last piece of meat to the wolfhounds scrambling for it, clapped his hands, and said, "Let's go, that's all for now, let's go back and rest."
"Let's go, let's go..."
The two men carried the basket away. Liu Xinqi and Li Li, who had overheard this conversation, were already in a bad mood. They looked at each other and then walked out.
Upon arriving at the wolf enclosure, looking down from the high walls, one can see the wolfhounds fighting over the remaining flesh and blood on the ground.
Li Li, his face pale, searched for something in the wolf enclosure. He thought he saw tattered pieces of Yu'er's clothing. He gripped the wall tightly, his body drenched in cold sweat with tension. He saw the hem of Mu Wanyu's nightgown, stained with blood and filthy dirt. He blinked dizzily, then looked more closely, seemingly confirming his suspicions.
He collapsed to his knees, his eyes losing all light, his hands hanging limply at his sides. He swallowed hard, his voice trembling, "You think... what if Yu'er was attacked by the wolves...?" He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
Liu Xinqi wasn't in much better shape. His face was pale, and his eyes were wide as he saw the same marks, as if the bloody scene of Mu Wanyu being torn apart by a hungry wolf was right before his eyes. Hearing Li Li's voice, he instantly flew into a rage: "Shut up!"
Liu Xinqi suddenly turned and left. Li Li glanced at the tracks in the wolf pack and stumbled after him, asking, "Where are you going?" He grabbed Liu Xinqi's arm.
Liu Xinqi shoved him away: "It's none of your business what I do. If you really want to do something for her, then listen to me."
The two hurried out of the animal enclosure. They rushed towards the Hall of Supreme Harmony, travel-worn. Cai Ning emerged from the imperial kitchen, carrying food, and walked back, only to bump into Liu Xinqi and Li Li.
She walked up to the two of them happily: "What are you doing here?"
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