Chapter 285 Tiantian's Abnormality
Yan Shixu handed Miaomiao, who was twisting and looking around curiously in his arms, to the wet nurse and walked straight towards the dragon throne.
Wen Li'er brought her three children and sat down in the honorable seats at the bottom of the imperial steps, which were reserved for the imperial concubine and princes and princesses, and were second only to the emperor and empress.
Xie Zhenrong straightened his back like a taut bowstring and sat back on the phoenix throne.
Behind her, a nanny was holding the second prince Yan Xingzhi.
The child huddled timidly in the nanny's arms, in stark contrast to the lively appearance of Xiaoxiao and Miaomiao.
As the emperor took his seat, string music began to play again.
Delicious delicacies were brought into the hall like flowing water.
There was singing and dancing, and people were drinking and chatting.
On the surface, the scene was peaceful and festive, with congratulations for the new year coming one after another.
Yan Shixu seemed to be in a good mood. He loudly praised several close ministers, recognized their hard work and achievements in the past year, and gave them generous rewards.
Among them, the Minister of Revenue Wen Tingkuan was also among those rewarded for his effective performance in disaster relief and treasury allocation.
Wen Tingkuan knelt in the center of the hall, kowtowed in a loud voice.
"I bow to your majesty and thank you for your great grace! I will devote myself to your service until my death!"
He caught a glimpse of his daughter's smiling eyes at the steps from the corner of his eye, and his heart was also excited.
Wen Li'er's eyebrows curved, and she quietly raised a slender white thumb in the direction of her father, her eyes full of pride and admiration.
According to the old custom in the palace, at the New Year's Eve banquet, the emperor and empress should drink a cup of imperial wine together to show their harmony, unity of mind and purpose, and to celebrate the new year together, setting an example for the subjects of the world.
Xie Zhenrong suppressed the pounding of her heart and the excitement of impending success, and put on the most appropriate smile on her face.
She picked up a red gold wine jar inlaid with gems and adorned with nine dragons, and turned sideways towards Yan Shixu's dragon throne.
Her personal maid Caixia walked to her side with steady steps, carrying a mahogany tray.
On the tray was a red gold wine jar of the same luxurious style, and a white jade wine pot that was flawless and warm to the touch.
"Your Majesty, on this occasion of the New Year, I offer a toast to Your Majesty. May our Great Yan Dynasty be forever strong and peaceful, and may the seas and rivers be clear. May Your Majesty be in good health, blessed with long life, and live forever."
She personally picked up the white jade pot, tilted her wrist slightly, and slowly poured the clear wine in the pot into the Nine Dragon Jar in front of Yan Shixu.
The movements are smooth and there is no flaw.
Then she filled the phoenix cup in front of her.
The emperor and empress drank together, symbolizing the stability of the country.
At this moment, all the officials' attention was instantly focused here, and the music in the hall also slowed down tactfully.
Yan Shixu raised his eyes and looked at the queen with a deep gaze.
His eyes were calm and peaceful, like the depths of an ancient well. No emotion could be seen in them, and... there was no intention of raising a glass.
He just looked at the filled glass quietly.
When the queen saw that he didn't move, alarm bells rang in her heart, and a chill ran up from the soles of her feet. However, the smile on her face became more gentle, even with a hint of grievance and confusion.
"His Majesty……?"
She held up her glass of wine, maintaining a respectful attitude of waiting.
In this suffocating, almost frozen silence——
Tiantian, who had been held in the nanny's arms and seemed to be asleep, suddenly opened his eyes!
He raised his little head and stared at the white jade pot in the queen's hand and the nine-dragon jar in front of Yan Shixu!
"Wow--!!!"
An unusually loud and penetrating cry of a baby suddenly tore through the stagnant air in the hall!
The crying sound came so suddenly that it instantly attracted everyone's attention!
And this crying sound really scared Wen Li'er.
You know, this little guy, except for crying once on the day he was born, almost never cried or laughed in the following months. He was so quiet that it made people feel distressed.
Wen Li'er often felt that all his emotions were taken away by the lively and playful Miaomiao when he was in the womb.
At this moment, seeing her son crying loudly in his wet nurse's arms with his little face flushed red, Wen Li'er took a while to come back to her senses.
She reached out and took her son, holding him in her arms and coaxing him.
"Tiantian, don't cry. There are so many people watching today, it's embarrassing."
The next moment, Tiantian cried even louder.
Yan Shixu was also startled by the crying. He looked at his son who was struggling in Li'er's arms, crying loudly and stretching his little arms towards him, and raised his eyebrows slightly.
Since he was born, this son has expressed the most disgust towards his father.
Why would she be so abnormal today and ask him to hug her?
The civil and military officials in the hall had different thoughts. Even the sound of stringed instruments stopped completely in an instant, making the heart-wrenching cry of the third prince Yan Xingtian even louder and more piercing.
No matter how Wen Li'er and the wet nurse coaxed and patted Tiantian, his crying not only did not stop, but became more intense. His little body struggled and twisted hard, and his short legs kicked, as if he wanted to crawl to his father's side!
Yan Shixu said to Yongtai, "Go and bring the Third Prince to me."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Yongtai hurried down the imperial steps and trotted towards the seat where Wen Li'er was.
Yan Shixu took the son that Yongtai had carefully brought to him, holding his small body firmly with one hand and skillfully patting his back to comfort him with the other hand.
Everyone in the hall was stunned.
As soon as the little guy fell into his father's arms, his crying stopped instantly.
Xie Zhenrong's face darkened completely! Her voice was sharp because of the anger she was trying so hard to suppress:
"Your Majesty! At such a solemn state banquet, with all the officials and relatives present, breaking the ancestral rules just because of a crying child is outrageous!"
Yan Shixu tilted his head and glanced at her, his eyes filled with an invisible pressure.
He said calmly, "How can it be considered a violation of protocol if I hug my frightened son? Queen, please don't make a fuss."
He deliberately emphasized the words "his own son", so much so that every syllable sounded like a hammer hitting Xie Zhenrong's heart.
It made her panic and she almost suspected that he knew something!
However, just when everyone thought this little disturbance was about to subside——
Tiantian stretched out his little body from his father's arms, stretched out one arm, and with a child's unique, almost "unreasonable" stubbornness, he brushed towards the Nine Dragon Jar in front of Yan Shixu very deliberately and with a clear goal!
“Snap!”
The golden cup rolled down with a crisp sound, and the wine quickly spread out a small dark stain on the smooth gold brick floor.
Yan Shixu/Wen Lier: "..."
What on earth is this little guy doing?!
Civil and military officials: "..."
The Third Prince...how could he be so...arrogant?
Countless eyes were focused in surprise and doubt on the little baby held in the emperor's arms.
Xie Zhenrong: “…”
Her chest heaved violently, and her nails dug deep into her palms before she resisted the urge to snatch this little bastard away and throw him to death on the spot!
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