105 Chapter 105
◎Drunk.◎
When the crowd dispersed, His Majesty beckoned the Crown Prince over and said affably, "Prince, accompany me back."
Liu Ju: “…”
His father wants to settle the score later... Should this be considered a score on the spot?
Liu Che glanced at the silent prince and said with a smile, "Prince?"
Liu Ju looked at his father's obvious "ulterior motives" and said weakly, "I obey your command."
Liu Che then laughed even more happily. After walking a few steps, he even laughed out loud: "Hahahaha..."
Liu Ju: “…”
Liu Ju asked, "Ah Weng, are you drunk?"
Liu Che stopped laughing, but his eyes and face were full of smiles. "Isn't it clear whether I am drunk or not? Do you know what wine diluted with water tastes like, Prince?"
Liu Ju said honestly, "Aunt, I've never drunk alcohol, so I don't know what it tastes like."
Liu Che thought for a moment and said, "Try it tomorrow?"
Liu Ju said, "Aunt, I am still young and cannot drink."
"Young?" His Majesty the Emperor disagreed. "When I was this old, I had already secretly drunk alcohol."
Liu Ju: “…”
Now he was sure that his father was drunk!
Liu Ju asked quietly, "Aunt, you were drinking secretly. Didn't grandfather find out?"
Liu Che said proudly: "After my father found out, he rewarded me with a jar of fine wine!"
Liu Ju: “…”
As expected of the beloved daughter of Emperor Xiaojing, she never caused trouble. I wonder why the unreliable rumors about Concubine Wang and her son being out of favor spread, leading many to sincerely believe that Emperor Wu of Han only became crown prince and ascended the throne by marrying Empress Chen.
Seeing that they were about to walk up a slope, Liu Ju hurriedly reached out to hold his father's arm. However, the Emperor, still drunk, felt that his son was looking down on him. He waved the hand away and said, "I'll walk on my own!"
Liu Ju never knew that his father was so difficult to deal with when drunk. Not only did he refuse to be supported, but he also insisted on walking on the steep path. Ganquan Palace was a summer resort with many pools and rockery, and even more difficult paths. The emperor felt like a fish in water, but it was hard for the group of people who followed him.
Finally returning to the bedroom, Liu Ju ordered the palace servants to fetch hot water and asked someone to help his father change into light clothes.
The process of changing clothes went smoothly, but when it came to washing his face, His Majesty the Emperor had a new idea. He pointed at Liu Ju and said, "Ju'er, come here."
Liu Ju had no choice but to take the palace maid's wet handkerchief, tiptoe to wipe his father's face, and gently urged: "Aunt, can you please sit down first?"
After wiping his face, Liu Che regained some consciousness. He took Liu Ju's hand and sat down on the couch, not forgetting to hold him accountable: "If you hadn't diluted the wine with water, I wouldn't have drunk so much."
Liu Ju smiled bitterly: "My son has made a fool of himself. I will never dare to do it again."
Liu Che pinched his cheek and said with a vague smile: "You care about me and want me to drink less. Just tell me in the future. Well... I may not listen to you, but..."
But Liu Che didn't finish his words. He closed his eyes and fell into a sweet dream.
Liu Ju sat there for a while, wondering what his father meant. It was not until the eunuch came over to remind him that he came to his senses.
After taking off his father's shoes and socks, Liu Ju adjusted his father's sleeping position, covered his father's belly button with a corner of the quilt, and asked the palace servants to listen carefully to any movement. Only then did he leave the bedroom with light steps.
…
After the three princesses had eaten the food sent by the prince, they agreed to come and see him, and they met on a stone bridge.
Liu Xiang covered his nose and took three steps back: "What a strong smell of alcohol! Er, you've been drinking! I'm going to tell Mother!"
Liu Ju explained, "It smells of alcohol. I didn't taste a single sip."
"Oh." Liu Xiang fanned his small nose, "I thought you were drinking!"
Liu Ju smiled and said, "You look a little regretful. Maybe you want to drink?"
"I didn't!" Liu Xiang shouted.
Liu Ju laughed and said, "It sounds like you're feeling guilty..."
Liu Yuan interrupted their quarrel and asked, "Brother, did you just come from Grandfather's place?"
Liu Ju thought of his drunken father and smiled helplessly: "Yes, my father was too happy today and got a little drunk."
Liu Xiang pouted and said, "Is there any happy event today? Why haven't we heard about it?"
Liu Qi said softly, "There are many important matters concerning government and military affairs that we haven't heard of."
Liu Ju said: "It's not those things. I don't know why grandpa is so happy..." When he said this, he thought of the word "but" that his father said. Those unfinished words, when he sobers up, maybe he won't remember them and won't say them again.
Liu Yuan laughed and said, "Aweng is the emperor. How can we guess what he is thinking? Anyway, it's good enough that we know it's a happy thing."
Both sisters nodded, and Liu Xiang asked, "Zi'er, are you going back to the palace to rest? We are still planning to play with you!"
They slowly walked to the stone bench under the flower stand and sat down. Liu Ju asked with a smile, "I don't have anything else to do today. What do you sisters want to play with me?"
Liu Yuan smiled and said, "We ate the prey you sent us. It tasted good. Did you hunt it yourself?"
Liu Ju laughed and said, "Some are, but the taste has nothing to do with whether I hunted them or not. It all depends on the cooking skills."
Liu Yuan smiled and said, "The ones hunted by the Crown Prince himself are naturally different. They must be several times better than those hunted by others."
"If that's the case, I should give my sister some of Cousin Cao Xiang's prey." Liu Ju said with a mischievous smile, "Then my sister will find it even more delicious!"
"Oh!" Liu Xiang looked at his elder sister with sparkling eyes. "Sister, tell me, is my younger brother's prey better, or is my cousin Cao Xiang's prey better?"
Liu Yuan: “…”
Liu Ju laughed out loud.
Liu Yuan threw a handkerchief at him: "Zi'er is becoming less and less lovable as he grows older!"
Liu Ju continued to tease: "It doesn't matter if I'm not pleasing, as long as my cousin Cao Xiang is pleasing enough to my sister."
"You are talking more nonsense!" Liu Yuan was so ashamed and angry that he stood up to leave, but Liu Xiang grabbed his hand.
"Sister, don't go!" Liu Xiang shouted, "We won't give up!"
Liu Qi pursed her lips and smiled, then said to Liu Ju, "Brother, stop talking nonsense. I'm really going to get angry."
Liu Ju suppressed his laughter and nodded.
Liu Yuan poked Liu Xiang's forehead, not knowing whether to laugh or cry: "Little girl, this time it's our turn. Who just agreed with what Ju'er said?"
"Oh!" Liu Xiang held his head and pretended to be stupid, "I didn't say anything!"
Liu Ju watched them playing and laughed so hard that he fell over. After a while, Liu Xiang avoided her sister and came to provoke him again.
The four siblings quarreled for a long time. Liu Ju couldn't stand the heat anymore and quickly called a truce: "I have to go back and wash and change clothes. I'm dying of heat."
Liu Xiang hurriedly said, "Pooh, pooh, pooh, Ju'er, there's no taboo!"
Liu Ju laughed a few times and trotted away: "You are now the same as Aung."
"How am I the same as Grandpa?" Liu Xiang wondered, "Didn't he say he was hot? Why did he run..."
Liu Qi took her arm and said with a smile, "Let's go back too. It's so hot."
Liu Xiang held onto her elder sister: "Go back, go back..."
Liu Yuan smiled helplessly and said, "Didn't everyone say it was hot..."
…
The next day when Liu Ju went to pay his respects to his father, Liu Che had just finished bathing and was lying down, letting the palace servants wipe his hair.
Liu Ju bowed, but was dismissed by Liu Che with a wave of his hand. Then he heard him complain, "I went to bed without a bath yesterday, and I woke up smelling terrible."
Liu Ju laughed and said, "Aung fell asleep yesterday when he said he would. We didn't dare to disturb him."
Liu Che turned over, his face showing no sign of a hangover. "That little bit of wine isn't enough to make me drunk. I'm probably a little tired from hunting these past two days and the recent busy government affairs."
Liu Ju tilted his head and asked with a smile, "Aunt said yesterday that when he was young, he secretly drank alcohol and was caught by grandfather. Weren't you drunk then?"
When talking about the embarrassing moments of his youth, the Emperor did not show any embarrassment at all. Instead, he excitedly shared with Liu Ju, "Come to think of it, the late Emperor praised me for my remarkable achievements despite my young age!"
Although your son is indeed extraordinary, Emperor Xiaojing, the filter you use to view your son is really a bit too thick.
Liu Ju could only laugh and say, "The late emperor had an extraordinary vision."
Liu Che raised his chin and said with a smile, "Flattering me? You little brat, I haven't forgotten how you diluted my wine yesterday!"
Liu Ju said innocently, "Auntie said yesterday that I care about you and if I want you to drink less, just tell me. Why are you changing your mind today?"
Liu Che pulled him over, pinched his son's cheek, and said with a smile, "I'm not the kind of person who forgets things when I'm drunk. Is this what I meant by what I said yesterday?"
Liu Ju blinked and said with a smile: "Ah Weng, you said you were drunk."
Liu Che paused, hmm...it seemed like he accidentally let the cat out of the bag.
But the Emperor firmly denied it: "I only said that I would not forget things when I was drunk, not that I was drunk yesterday."
Liu Ju couldn't help laughing: "Ah Weng is right, you weren't drunk yesterday."
Liu Che: “…”
His Majesty the Emperor did not become angry, but he still raised his hand and knocked the prince on the head: "How dare you laugh at me."
Liu Ju smiled and said, "I'm telling the truth. Didn't the old man say it himself?"
Liu Che couldn't help but laugh: "It's rare for me to relax recently. I was too happy for a moment, and you kid got the upper hand!"
Liu Ju said with a grin, "I don't dare to use any evidence against the old man."
"Hmm." Liu Che supported his chin and joked, "It's not a bad idea to use something against me, but next time I come to Ganquan Palace, I won't bring you with me."
Liu Ju made an aggrieved expression: "Ah Weng is the emperor, how can you be so stingy?"
The emperor was very happy to have his son under his control. Liu Che laughed and said, "Because I am a petty emperor!"
Liu Ju laughed.
Liu Che touched his hair to make sure it was completely dry. He waved his hand to let the palace servants leave, sat up and asked someone to help him put on his shoes.
"In autumn, I will take you to Shanglin Garden to hunt another bear." Liu Che rubbed his son's head and laughed heartily.
Liu Ju responded with a smile.
That unfinished drunken remark might not be that important, Liu Ju thought.
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