Chapter 29 "I have already drunk a cup, love..."
From the moment Pei Xuanlin said he needed Princess Wuyang's influence, Ling Zhenli decided to help him gain that support.
It's very simple. Pei Shen'ai's power and connections are now basically managed by Xiao Chongheng. Ling Zhenli just needs to please Xiao Chongheng, get him to support Pei Xuanlin first, and then persuade her mother to support Pei Xuanlin as well.
The only price to pay is herself.
It doesn't matter. She's just a tattered rag anyway. If Xiao Chongheng wants her, he can take her.
What do these things matter as long as it helps Pei Xuanlin, as long as it makes her empress and allows her to reach the pinnacle of power?
As he pondered, the melody he played on the pipa also evoked a sense of melancholy and contemplation.
"Something on your mind?"
Pei Xuanlin smiled as he looked at Ling Zhenli, as if he was really looking forward to her confiding in him.
Ling Zhenli smiled faintly, put down her pipa, and sighed.
"The Empress's birthday is in a few days. Logically, it should be entrusted to me, the Crown Princess, to handle the celebrations. However, His Majesty has entrusted this matter to Princess Jin'an."
"Hmm... Organizing a birthday banquet can bring in a lot of money, no wonder His Majesty entrusted it to her." Pei Xuanlin chuckled, "My beloved concubine is quite the little money-grubber."
"Sanlang, what are you saying?" Ling Zhenli said, feigning anger.
"What are you afraid of? Just tell your husband what you want and I'll take care of it for you."
Ling Zhenli pouted: "One thing at a time. What I wanted to ask is why His Majesty is so biased towards Princess Jin'an. She gave birth four months after her marriage, and everyone in the capital is gossiping about her and her husband's improper behavior, but His Majesty and the Empress act as if they know nothing and even cover it up for her..."
Pei Xuanlin smiled and shook his head, placing one hand on Ling Zhenli's hand. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to keep some of the information to himself.
He worried that if the position of crown prince changed one day, the crown princess would know too much and be at risk of being harmed.
“Princess Jin’an was not only the only daughter of the Emperor and Empress, but she was also tortured terribly by Emperor Shizong. The Emperor and Empress were her parents and felt guilty for not being able to protect their daughter, so they naturally favored her.”
Ling Zhenli wasn't unable to understand the Emperor and Empress's feelings of making amends to their daughter, but...
If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth.
"His Majesty is not a harsh or ungrateful person. He treats all his ministers with courtesy, so the people in the court are naturally willing to give Princess Jin'an some face. This has always been the case in the struggle for the throne. The current situation is much better than when Emperor Yang was in power. Back then, even if one sat on the throne, one would be trembling with fear, as if walking on thin ice."
"What if the court officials all listen to His Majesty and support Princess Jin'an as the Crown Princess?" Ling Zhenli worried for Pei Xuanlin.
"The first one to be affected is General Chen, Princess Jin'an's maternal uncle. He holds most of the military power in the court and is indeed not easy to deal with. But Ah Li, you don't need to worry about me. I have half of the tiger tally. Princess Jin'an will not dare to act rashly."
Ling Zhenli was slightly relieved: "That's good."
***
This day was the Empress's birthday.
The main hall was brightly lit, filled with the sounds of clinking glasses and the bustling activity of guests. Palace maids carried golden platters and moved among the tables, filling the air with the aroma of delicacies.
The nobles and dignitaries raised their cups and drank heartily, their laughter echoing throughout the room. The emperor and empress sat in the main seats, watching with smiles as the dancers' flowing sleeves swayed gracefully.
The envoy from the Western Regions presented exotic songs and dances, which amazed everyone present, who praised them endlessly. As the wine flowed and the candlelight flickered red, the banquet reached its most lively moment.
Rarely has one tasted such fine wine, and Ling Zhenli indulged in several cups. After a few rounds of drinks, her eyes were already sparkling, and the wine stains on her lips made her even more alluring.
Seeing that she seemed slightly tipsy, Pei Xuanlin teased her, "Look at you, you can't hold your liquor, yet you're unwilling to let go. You're just greedy."
"How much does Your Highness need?"
Ling Zhenli's watery eyes flickered slightly, revealing a mischievous little face. Pei Xuanlin loved her more and more as he looked at her, but pretended to be serious and continued to amuse her.
"Three cups."
"Um?"
"Three cups and he'll be drunk."
"Then it seems I can only offer you two drinks."
“I have already drunk one cup, my beloved, there is only one more cup I can offer.”
Upon hearing this, Ling Zhenli exchanged flirtatious glances with him, and the two exchanged loving looks. In the midst of their conversation, she poured him a cup of wine.
Pei Xuanlin, who never drank much, waved his hand with a smile: "You, how come you actually added more? When did you first see me enjoying drinking?"
Ling Zhenli pouted and acted coquettishly: "No, I added it for you, you have to drink it."
Pei Xuanlin was helpless against her; just looking at his lover's face was enough to make him intoxicated, so how could he maintain his rationality?
"Very well, how about this: you perform a dance with the Zhezhi branch for me, and I will drink this cup of wine."
Ling Zhenli still refused: "I want you to drink this cup of wine first, and then I will dance for you."
Pei Xuanlin had no choice but to drink the wine in one gulp, and even showed her the bottom of the cup, which truly did not spill a drop.
Ling Zhenli was satisfied and clapped her hands.
As soon as these words were spoken, all eyes in the room turned to Ling Zhenli.
Ling Zhenli, dressed in a red gown, gracefully stepped forward.
With a slender waist bound in white, and jeweled necklaces adorning her arms, she twirled lightly to the beat of the drums.
She would suddenly bend over like a crescent moon, then raise her sleeves to scatter flowing clouds. When the dance reached its climax, her skirts would flutter like raging fire, and her eyes would hold a hint of shyness and a touch of flirtatious charm.
She is flamboyant and alluring, and knows it only when she wants to seduce others.
Seeing her dance with confidence and beauty, Pei Xuanlin felt a surge of pride.
Sitting there, Xiao Chongheng couldn't help but recall the way she danced only for him, the golden bells jingling on her ankles, her eyes still innocent and youthful...
Xie Daojian's eyes darkened. When they were young, she had danced barefoot with him on the grass, but unfortunately, things were different now.
This was the first time Xue Haoting had seen her dance. She was as beautiful as a phoenix fallen to earth. He shouldn't have broken her wings in the past.
As the dance ended, Ling Zhenli deliberately knelt before Pei Xuanlin, her hair slightly loosened, her phoenix hairpin swaying precariously, her cheeks flushed. Even a budding flower seemed insignificant compared to her.
He saw it.
She lay on the ground and mouthed to him softly:
"This dance is for Pei Zhenhe."
Amidst the stunned silence of the audience, Pei Xuanlin, intoxicated by the ambiguous atmosphere, poured himself two more cups of wine, something he usually did in any situation.
Her dance was stunning, and the Empress was delighted, rewarding Ling Zhenli with many gifts.
Pei Shang'er stared at Ling Zhenli with a melancholy look. She was still in confinement, and the Empress's birthday banquet was something she had organized despite her own health, all in an effort to outshine the Crown Princess. Seeing Xue Yingyue still stealing the spotlight, she felt a headache coming on.
Pei Shang'er's droopy eyelids and drowsy appearance caught Yang Chengxiu's eye, and Yang Chengxiu said with heartache:
"Shang'er, is your headache acting up again? Don't push yourself, let me take you to rest."
Pei Shang'er sighed, "But Mother today..."
"Your health is the most important thing for your mother. Alright, once you've finished your confinement period, you can spend more time with your mother."
"Okay, you're right. Let's go and rest first."
Princess Jin'an, along with her husband and the crown prince, took their leave first. Ling Zhenli returned to her seat and indulged in drinking, quickly becoming drunk as well.
"See, what did I just say?"
Pei Xuanlin found her drunken appearance adorable and gently pinched Ling Zhenli's cheek.
"Ugh, stop bothering me, I want to sleep..."
"Alright, alright, have a maid take you to the side hall to sleep first, and I'll come pick you up after I'm done dealing with this."
Ling Zhenli nodded obediently, then took her leave of the banquet.
The banquet proceeded as scheduled.
Pei Chanlian, seated below, smiled slightly, a subtle curve appearing on her lips. She glanced at the maid beside her, who immediately understood and nodded.
This is a golden opportunity! Xue Yingyue, you can't escape this time, even if you had wings.
Yang Chongzheng stared at Pei Chanlian for a long time. After Pei Chanlian noticed his gaze, she continued eating calmly.
In the end, Yang Chongzheng couldn't sit still any longer and took the initiative to go find her.
"Do you know that once you do this, there's no turning back?"
Pei Chanlian, stubborn and unconvinced, pretended not to hear and continued eating.
Yang Chongzheng earnestly advised, "She is the Crown Princess. If you go against her, you will not have a good ending. If something happens to her and you are investigated, have you thought that the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister will not let you off the hook?"
Pei Chanlian finally spoke: "Hmph, I'm afraid your good brother Xiao Chongheng won't let me off the hook."
"Do you love Xiao Chongheng that much?"
“So what if I don’t love him? He’s my husband, and his eyes should be on me! What kind of behavior is it to stare at other women all day long? I’m just teaching him a lesson.”
Yang Chongzheng looked at her extremely frantic state, but was helpless: "Chanlian, you've really gone mad..."
*
The moonlight illuminated the entire lotus pond, and the pink lotus buds were half-open, releasing their fragrance into the water with every gust of wind.
Ling Zhenli came to the lotus pond to admire the lotus flowers, and coincidentally, Xiao Yuzhen and several young ladies were also there.
"May the Crown Princess enjoy boundless blessings."
"Rise, there's no one else here, no need for formalities." Ling Zhenli smiled, her face still slightly tipsy. "Sister-in-law, this is Lu Xin, the only daughter of Minister Lu's family, whom I met last time. This is Du Ying, the second young lady of Minister Du's family, and this is..."
There were six or seven girls in total. Xiao Yuzhen introduced them to her one by one. Ling Zhenli forced herself to stay awake and said a few words to them.
Xiao Yuzhen meant well, knowing that she never associated with daughters of high-ranking officials and wealthy families, so she took the initiative to introduce them to her. These young ladies all seemed easy to get along with, speaking politely and respectfully without being servile or arrogant.
"Sister-in-law, I heard that the Prime Minister is going to arrange a marriage for your elder brother? Do you know which girl the Prime Minister has taken a fancy to?"
Xiao Yuzhen has always liked Xue Haoting, and this time she was also trying to find out some information.
“My father hasn’t made a decision yet, and my brother doesn’t seem to have a woman he likes either. Although they’re supposed to be engaged, they haven’t decided on a girl from any particular family,” Ling Zhenli replied to Xiao Yuzhen with a smile.
"And your cousin, Young Master Cui..."
Xiao Yuzhen asked this question on behalf of Lu Xin. The Lu and Cui families are on good terms, and many people say that the Cui family's son will definitely marry the Lu family's daughter.
“Ah, Young Master Cui…” Ling Zhenli had never met her cousin Cui Haoxu before and couldn’t say anything, so she could only vaguely reply, “It seems that my cousin doesn’t have any plans to get engaged yet.”
After talking for a while and saying goodbye to them, Ling Zhenli wanted to get some fresh air and then return to the banquet to accompany Pei Xuanlin, but she was still drunk and getting more and more sleepy, so she had to go to the side hall to rest.
Ling Zhenli, who was resting in the side hall, dismissed the palace maids and enjoyed the peace and quiet by herself, leaving only the guards to stand watch outside.
Just as she was about to fall asleep, a palace maid came into the room to bring her a hangover soup, saying that she wouldn't have a headache after drinking it and waking up.
Ling Zhenli nodded, and without suspecting anything amiss in her dazed state, she drank it all in one gulp.
After that, he fell into a coma.
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