That night, the Emperor of Qin held a banquet in the palace to welcome Chu Qingluan and his party.
Inside the palace, the lights were bright and the sounds of stringed instruments were endless.
Chu Qingluan was wearing a purple palace dress embroidered with golden phoenixes. She sat below Emperor Qin with a calm expression, as if she knew nothing about the rumors outside.
Chu Hong sat next to her, but his expression looked a little ugly.
He heard some rumors in the afternoon and was so angry that he almost had a fit on the spot, but was stopped by Chu Qingluan.
Qin Yuan sat opposite Chu Qingluan, his eyes falling on her from time to time with a hint of worry.
He had also heard about the rumor and was ordering an investigation to find out who spread it.
However, until the truth is revealed, we can only hold back for now.
At this time, ceremonial music started playing, and beauties were dancing in the center of the hall. The banquet scene seemed harmonious.
At this time, the Qin Emperor stood up and said with a smile: "Today's banquet is held to welcome the Princess of Great Chu who has come from afar, and to strengthen the diplomatic relations between our two countries. My dear ministers, let us drink to this cup together!"
The ministers all stood up and responded respectfully, "Your Majesty is wise!"
For a while, the hall was filled with the sound of clinking glasses, laughter and joy, and the atmosphere was much more lively than before.
Emperor Qin waved his hand in satisfaction, motioning everyone to sit down, and then he turned his gaze to Chu Qingluan.
Seeing that Chu Qingluan remained calm, had a dignified demeanor, and her every move revealed the good upbringing of a lady from an aristocratic family, Emperor Qin nodded secretly with satisfaction.
After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually became lively.
However, at this moment, a gentle but inappropriate voice suddenly sounded.
"Your Highness." Chen Yueying, the daughter of the Shangshu Mansion, stood up. Her tone was not respectful and her words were full of obvious hostility.
"I have long admired your elegance, Princess. Seeing you today, I can see that you are truly worthy of your reputation. I offer you a toast."
Her words sounded polite, but the contempt in her eyes was not concealed at all.
Qin Jialuo sat at the top, with the corners of her mouth slightly raised, looking forward to Shen Yue's next performance.
Chu Qingluan raised her eyes and glanced at Chen Yue lightly. She did not raise her glass, but just nodded slightly.
“Miss Shen, you’re welcome.”
When Shen Yue saw that she didn't move, a trace of anger flashed in her eyes, and she deliberately raised her voice.
"Why? Your Highness, are you not giving me face? Or... are you afraid that someone will see something if I say something inappropriate while drunk?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall suddenly became quiet.
Minister Shen stopped him in a deep voice: "Don't be rude in front of Princess Chu. Why don't you leave now?"
He seemed to be shouting at Shen Yue to leave, but in fact he didn't have much strength.
Shen Yue was even more excited, like a spoiled young lady: "Why? Princess Chu dared to do it, are you afraid of what people will say?"
She looked directly at Chu Qingluan and said, "I heard that Your Highness the Princess was married and had children when she was in Great Chu. She even had an affair with an official of your country..."
She deliberately hesitated, covering her lips with her hands and chuckling softly, "Of course I don't believe it. I was just thinking, if Your Highness is truly innocent, why would she be so shy about this glass of wine?"
Her words were nothing short of vicious. Not only did she expose the rumor publicly, but she also forced Chu Qingluan to accept the drink. If Chu Qingluan didn't drink, it would mean she was guilty; if she did, it would seem she was controlling her.
The ministers looked at each other, some frowned, some laughed secretly, and the atmosphere was stagnant for a moment.
"Bang!"
Chu Hong suddenly slammed the wine glass in his hand onto the table with a sharp tone.
"Miss Shen is so concerned about my sister's personal affairs. Could it be that you can't get married yourself and are jealous of others finding a good match?"
Shen Yue's face flushed instantly.
I'm angry.
"Your Highness Prince Rui, be careful with your words. I am only..."
"But what?" Chu Hong refused to give in, speaking sharply: "You, someone who is not even worthy of carrying my sister's shoes, are qualified to give orders here? Or are all the noble ladies of the Qin Dynasty as well-educated as Miss Shen? Or are you like that gossipy woman in the market, who only makes groundless accusations?"
Chu Hong's words directly put Shen Yue in a difficult position, and even the other officials on the Daqin side looked unhappy.
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became subtle.
Seeing this, Qin Jialuo spoke at the right time: "Your Highness Prince Rui, what you said is a bit too much."
"Miss Shen is simply concerned about the marriage between the two countries. Her words may be a bit blunt, but she has good intentions. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for His Royal Highness Prince Rui to be so aggressive? This makes him seem guilty."
Chu Hong sneered, "Princess Jialuo, when you first came to Great Chu, you made things difficult for me. First, you spoke nonsense and insulted me at our Sifang Pavilion. Then, you even refused to pay after losing at the racecourse. I can't help but wonder, are these so-called rumors coincidental or contrived?"
Qin Jialuo's heart suddenly tightened, and he clenched his hands in his sleeves.
"Without any evidence, how can His Royal Highness Prince Rui slander me?"
"As the saying goes, fire cannot be hidden, and smoke cannot come out of thin air. Has Your Highness ever been married? Has she had any affairs with court officials? Why don't you let her explain herself?"
After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a dead silence. Even Chu Hong couldn't find any reasonable words to refute him for a while.
The people on the Daqin side began to whisper.
"If this is true, it would be detrimental to the national dignity..."
"Is His Royal Highness Changsun deceived by beauty?"
“…”
Qin Yuan's eyes darkened, and his words were filled with warning: "Today is a welcoming banquet. Are you sure you want to interrogate my future wife in public?"
Qin Jialuo sneered in his heart, but looked serious on the surface.
"Qin Yuan, Auntie knows that you have been attracted to Princess Chu for a long time, but since this is a marriage between two countries, you must not be careless. Some things are better to be discussed openly, otherwise, it will be difficult to convince others."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
