Chapter 51 The King of Qin Proposes Marriage
Su Mingli's heart skipped a beat, and she stood up with forced composure: "I'm here."
"You," Xiao Jin casually tapped the wine cup in front of her. His voice was low, but it was clearly heard throughout the hall. "For me, serve three cups of wine to the King of Qin."
Su Mingli's face turned three shades paler in an instant.
Xiao Jin seemed oblivious to her loss of composure and continued slowly, each word like a needle dipped in poison. "After all, you two have been classmates since the beginning of the Imperial College, and your friendship is deep. Now the Prince of Qin is my younger brother, and the Imperial Concubine is my beloved concubine. This uncle-sister-in-law relationship is even closer... It's only right that we reminisce about our old friendship."
[Poof! Xiao Jin! You really know how to stab someone in the heart without them even screaming out in pain!]
Yun Zhao almost couldn't hold it in, and quickly lowered his eyelids to hide the gloating pleasure in his eyes.
Su Mingli felt as if countless gazes were piercing her body like needles. Her fingertips were icy cold, and she could barely hold the small golden cup steady. She forced a stiff smile and raised it towards the King of Qin. "Your Highness the King of Qin... you have worked hard in disaster relief efforts and have made great contributions. I... offer a toast to you on behalf of His Majesty." Her voice trembled imperceptibly.
King Xiao Yan of Qin also had an extremely ugly expression on his face. He stood up stiffly and responded, "Thank you...Empress Sister-in-law." He tilted his head back and drank it all. The wine was spicy, but it couldn't suppress the depression in his heart.
After downing the second cup, Xiao Yan could no longer hold back and spoke before Su Mingli could, his voice filled with suppressed urgency: "Royal brother! The Imperial Concubine...is a delicate woman, and cannot handle alcohol! I appreciate your grace, so I will drink for myself!"
"Oh?" Xiao Jin raised his eyebrows, and the fake smile on his face instantly faded away. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, piercing Su Mingli, "My Lady, you can't hold your liquor? I remember that you used to have the reputation of 'drinking a thousand cups without getting drunk'? Or is it..." He paused deliberately, his voice was not loud, but it carried a heavy pressure that made the whole hall hear a pin drop, "...Now your status is different, and your ambition has also increased? I remember that the position of Queen is still vacant, and I am still considering..."
"Your Majesty!" Su Mingli's face was as pale as paper, and cold sweat instantly soaked her clothes on her back. She abruptly interrupted the emperor, her voice suddenly rising due to extreme fear and the desire to survive, with an almost mournful sweetness, "Your Highness, Prince Qin, you worry too much! I... I just... can't stand the cold wind of late autumn!"
She almost snatched the wine jug from the palace maid's hand, and hurriedly filled another cup. She faced Xiao Yan, and her fingertips trembled so much that the wine spilled out. "Your Highness the Prince of Qin, I... toast you the third cup!" After saying that, she closed her eyes and drank the bitter wine in one gulp, as if she had drunk a poison that would penetrate her intestines.
Yun Zhao watched coldly from the sidelines, his mind suddenly enlightened: [Sure enough! That bastard Emperor Xiao Jin knows everything! Tonight's banquet is like the Hongmen Banquet! Su Mingli is finished, and the King of Qin has also escaped! The show has just begun!]
I barely managed to get through a cup of tea, and the song and dance had just ended.
"Your Majesty..." Su Mingli stood up shakily, her voice weak and vague, as if she would fall down at any time, "Your Majesty... is really not able to hold her liquor, and I am afraid that I will be disrespectful in front of Your Majesty, so I beg... to take my leave first..." Her face was pale, and even her makeup could not hide the grayness.
Xiao Jin didn't even bother to lift his eyelids, he just waved his hand casually, as if brushing away a speck of dust.
Almost at the same time, Empress Dowager Zhou also held her forehead and spoke in a deep voice: "I am tired too. The noise in this palace gives me a headache. Emperor, you guys continue to enjoy yourself." After that, without waiting for the emperor's response, she hurriedly left the table with the help of the palace maids, with a gloomy and cold air.
The departure of the two heavyweights made the atmosphere in the hall even more eerie.
Xiao Jin, however, seemed completely unaffected. He grabbed the golden cup on the dragon table, raised it high, and spoke in a voice so loud that it made people's eardrums buzz: "My dear ministers, this is refreshing! Come! Drink this cup to the bottom! Tonight, I will not stop until I am drunk! I will not leave until I am drunk!"
King Xiao Yan of Qin drank with a forlorn look on his face. Xiao Jin's gaze was sharp as a torch, and he suddenly spoke, his voice low but louder than the stringed instruments: "Fifth brother, your disaster relief efforts have benefited the nation. Tell me, what reward do you desire? I can do it, so feel free to ask."
Xiao Yan stood up, his posture respectful yet distant: "Everything I have done is for Daye, to help my brother, the emperor, and to relieve his worries. I dare not take credit for it!"
Sure enough, he was reluctant to give up his military power, so he held on to the engagement!
A hint of coldness flashed across Xiao Jin's eyes, and his tone was firm and unyielding: "Now that I have spoken, how can I take it back? Just tell me one thing. Otherwise, it will seem that I am mean and ungrateful, and that I am treating my brothers unfairly."
Xiao Yan's gaze slowly swept over Duke Yun and the others below him, finally settling on Yun Zhao, who was standing in the corner. His voice suddenly became clear: "Since this is the case... I dare to ask for mercy for Consort Yun! I beg you, Your Majesty, to grant her swift release from the palace so she can marry me!"
"hiss--"
The entire hall gasped, a pin drop audible. All eyes instantly focused on Yun Zhao—this nearly forgotten engagement had been torn apart in public by the King of Qin!
What wishful thinking! He dared to ask for the marriage instead of cancelling it! Yun Zhao felt a chill running through his head, his fingertips freezing cold.
Xiao Jin's fingers gripping the white jade wine cup suddenly tightened, his knuckles turned white, and the cold pool in his eyes was bottomless.
His gaze was like an icy blade, sweeping over Duke Yun and the others. "Oh? Duke, are you heartbroken to have your beloved daughter serve me? Or... are you worried?"
The pressure was overwhelming! Yun Chongshan suddenly stood up, clasped his fists and bowed, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Majesty, please understand! My daughter has been pampered since she was young and needs the experience of the palace. Now that Your Majesty trusts me and entrusts me with such an important task, it is truly an honor for the entire Yun family! I, this old minister, only wish to sacrifice my life to quell the rebellion in Jingxiang in return for your grace! As for my daughter's marriage..."
He paused for a moment and said firmly, "It all depends on your majesty's decision! I, your humble servant, have absolutely no objection!"
Duke Yun threw the hot potato back to the throne steadily!
Xiao Jin stroked the cold wall of the cup with his fingertips, his eyes sweeping over the female officials serving at the banquet like an eagle, and accurately locked onto Yun Zhao, whose face was slightly pale.
His voice was devoid of emotion, yet it carried the authority of an emperor. "I'm in need of someone, and the Imperial Food Bureau can't do without Yun Zhao. Fifth brother, let me offer you another reward. Since you're already engaged, why rush things?"
Xiao Yan's face darkened completely, and he said stiffly, "I have no other request!" After that, he sat down directly, and the air pressure around him was frighteningly low.
The atmosphere in the hall instantly dropped to freezing point. The singing and dancing just now disappeared, leaving only a suffocating silence.
Soon, the palace maid Cao Yunzhu quietly stepped forward to add more wine. As she passed by Xiao Yan, her lips moved slightly and she whispered a few words quickly.
Xiao Yan's eyes flickered slightly, but his expression remained impassive. After about a cup of tea, he feigned discomfort and whispered, "Brother Your Majesty, I'll change my clothes for a moment."
He then stood up and left the table, his steps slightly hurried.
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