Song Xibai tasted the dishes three times that day before he was satisfied.
So she immediately ordered dinner for the next day.
Of course, these few dishes were not enough for the Crown Prince's portion, so the eunuch Lai took charge and added seven or eight traditional dishes, as well as four kinds of staple food and snacks, and thoughtfully provided a pot of wine.
Song Xibai was unaware of the last item.
She was still worried about how to tell the Crown Prince about inviting him to dinner.
Fortunately, her worries didn't last long, as the Crown Prince arrived early.
As soon as he entered, the Crown Prince asked the question.
"You will accompany me out of the palace the day after tomorrow."
Song Xibai froze on the spot.
"Leaving the palace? Where to?"
He's leaving before his illness is even cured?
Song Xibai suddenly realized that she felt a little reluctant to part with it.
The prince found her dazed and adorable, so he stepped forward and pinched the tip of her nose.
"What are you thinking about? You're going to a banquet at the King of Wu's residence."
Song Xibai came to her senses and calmed down.
"Is the King of Wu inviting you to a banquet? Shouldn't the Crown Princess accompany you? It seems inappropriate for me to come along."
“There’s nothing inappropriate about it. The Crown Princess is seriously ill and needs to rest, so she can’t leave the palace. The Prince of Wu has a large number of wives and concubines and many female relatives. You’re not the only female guest. Just sit quietly and listen to them talk.”
The Crown Prince's face showed a look of joy, which puzzled Song Xibai.
What's there to be happy about? Is it because the King of Wu is showing goodwill and taking the initiative to get closer?
Song Xibai didn't ask any questions, and instead started talking about other things.
"What do we need to prepare?"
"You don't need to worry about preparing the gifts; the Crown Princess will take care of that. But you should carefully choose the clothes and jewelry for the trip."
As the crown prince spoke, he took a step back and looked Song Xibai up and down.
That look in his eyes made Song Xibai a little nervous.
"Why don't I like my clothes?"
She always dressed very casually in her own room.
The crown prince's eyes flickered slightly: "No, it's beautiful."
The charcoal fire in the basin was strong, making the room warm and cozy. Song Xibai wasn't dressed much, only wearing a padded jacket over her inner garment.
She wore a light blue, narrow-sleeved jacket and a slightly puffy pleated skirt. There were no delicate embroidered patterns, only a cluster of twill patterns rolled along the hem.
However, even with such simple attire, the prince couldn't take his eyes off her.
A line of poetry suddenly came to mind.
Like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without any artifice.
The prince's hand tightened, and his throat bobbed.
Song Xibai felt a little embarrassed by his gaze and couldn't help but tug at the corner of her clothes.
"Is this outfit really appropriate to wear out? I'll have Fuliu and the others open the trunks and choose something else later."
The Crown Prince reluctantly withdrew his gaze and turned to call Eunuch Feng in.
"I remember there's still quite a bit of fabric in the storeroom?"
As the Grand Steward of the Eastern Palace, Eunuch Feng knew everything, but he really didn't know what kind of fabric was in the storeroom.
But he wasn't foolish enough to just say he didn't know; instead, he bent down slightly before speaking.
"I'll have someone open the storeroom and look for it right away. What kind would Your Highness like?"
The Crown Prince's storehouses were also divided into inner and outer sections. The inner storehouse was managed by the Crown Princess, while the outer storehouse was not handled by the Crown Princess and was managed by the Crown Prince's confidants.
The Crown Prince waved his hand generously, saying, "Bring all the fresh and beautiful things over here so that Consort Xi can choose."
Eunuch Feng couldn't help but glance up.
So it was chosen for Master Xi!
He understood the situation and immediately withdrew.
Song Xibai wanted to stop it, but it was too late.
She had no choice but to passively accept this kindness.
Only after the Crown Prince sat down did Song Xibai have a chance to bring up the matter of dinner.
"I've been working with Dingxiang and the others on cooking lately, and we have a few dishes that look quite good. I wonder if Your Highness would do me the honor of having dinner with us tonight?"
The crown prince couldn't help but laugh.
"good."
His smile was different from his usual seriousness; his eyebrows and eyes were filled with joy and anticipation, and his expression made him look exceptionally lively and youthful.
Song Xibai was suddenly taken aback.
The Crown Prince will only be twenty-five after the New Year!
But he usually appears very mature; if he grew a beard, people would believe he was thirty.
She's not even twenty-five yet, but people are pressuring her to have a baby every day, making her look older.
It's kind of pitiful when you think about it.
Thinking about it this way, Song Xibai felt that those ministers outside were going too far!
Therefore, when it was time for dinner, Song Xibai was exceptionally attentive, constantly serving food to the Crown Prince.
The prince ate two bites of boiled beef, his mouth watering from the spiciness, and then downed two cups of wine in one go.
Song Xibai tried to stop him, but failed, so he let him go.
Anyway, I'm in my own room, so nothing will happen even if I get drunk.
Thinking this, Song Xibai couldn't resist and drank a small cup.
This wine was brewed with freshly picked osmanthus flowers in autumn, and it had a sweet aroma. Song Xibai took a sip and found it sweet, as if honey had been added. She couldn't resist and drank another cup.
The two ate and drank as they went, and soon the table was empty.
Song Xibai himself barely ate anything; he just drank alcohol.
What she didn't know was that this wine had a strong aftereffect.
"Huh? Why are there two princes?"
Song Xibai, holding the empty wine jug, couldn't help but shake his head.
The crown prince saw that her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed, and he could only rub his forehead.
"You have such a low alcohol tolerance?"
In her previous life, Song Xibai had a good alcohol tolerance, but in this life, apart from secretly drinking her father's wine when she was a child, she has never touched a drop of alcohol again, so she has no idea about her alcohol tolerance.
As a result, this body had a very low alcohol tolerance and got drunk after only a few liters of alcohol.
Song Xibai stood up groggily, muttering to himself.
"This pot is so small, who can drink from it? Where is everyone? Go get me a bigger wine pot, no! A wine vat!"
She slammed her hand on the table and started yelling.
The prince quickly grabbed her hand: "Don't shout!"
Song Xibai turned her head and saw the Crown Prince's face. Her eyes lit up and she suddenly reached out and cupped the Crown Prince's cheeks.
"Where did this handsome young man come from? He's so good-looking, let me see him."
She brought her face close, nose to nose, her breath brushing against his face. For a moment, their breaths mingled, and the prince's heart was in turmoil.
"Xi Liangdi, you're drunk."
The crown prince tried hard to remain calm.
Song Xibai shook her head vigorously: "Call her Xixi!"
In her drunken state, she forgot that she had been reborn and still thought she was from her previous life.
In her previous life, her name was Song Xi.
The same sound, "xi" and "xi" (meaning "cherish"), represent different meanings.
Her father in this life gave her this name out of pity for her losing her mother at a young age; while her father in her previous life hoped that she would be well-versed in both Chinese and Western learning, so he gave her the name "Xi" (meaning "west").
Song Xibai suddenly felt homesick, her eyes reddened, and tears welled up instantly.
“I want to go home… I miss my bed, my cat, and my whole cabinet of books.”
As she spoke, she hugged the prince and began to sob.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com