The Phoenix is Back - Chapter 83

Chapter 083 Banquet Is No Good Banquet
“Wine, where can I get wine?” Hearing that there was wine, Chu Zuizhi’s eyes lit up. He didn’t care about his image at all and directly pounced towards Xiao Xiyang.

Xiao Xiyang hurriedly took two steps back before recognizing that the ninth princess who glowed at the mention of’wine ‘was actually the current ninth princess. He hurriedly raised his hand and bowed to Chu Zuizhi, “This lowly official greets His Highness the princess.”

However, Chu Zuizhi did not seem to have smelled it. He raised his hand and directly lifted Xiao Xiyang’s clothes. As he lifted them, he said, “Wine, where did you hide the wine?”

Xiao Xiyang was so shocked by Chu Zuizhi’s sudden action that he froze on the spot. Ying Ting’s face was filled with shock and embarrassment, and even his voice carried a trace of a tremor, “Princess, you, stop …”

Chu Zuizhi furrowed his brows and angrily threw away Xiao Xiyang’s clothes. He pouted and spat out two words unhappily, “Liar!”

“Princess, how can I lie? I mean, if you want to drink, I can go to Commander Gu’s place to get a pot of pear wine.” Xiao Xiyang said anxiously as he took two more steps back.

“Really?” Chu Zuizhi’s eyebrows were still knitted, as if he did not believe it.

“Really. I don’t dare to deceive the princess.” Xiao Xiyang hurriedly raised his hand and bowed.

“Then let’s go find Gu An!” Hearing that, Chu Zuiyi immediately smiled and grabbed Xiao Xiyang’s palm.

Xiao Xiyang hurriedly shook off Chu Zuizhi’s hand as if he had been burned to the brim. Then, he quickly took a few steps back and bowed towards Chu Zuizhi. He said in fear, “Your Highness Princess, forgive me …”

“Forgive me? Forgive what sin?” Chu Zuizhi blinked his eyes as he looked at the frightened Xiao Xiyang.

The man in front of him had wide eyebrows. His Yan Yunwei riding outfit made him tall and upright. His eyebrows were filled with a sense of righteousness. Although his appearance was not comparable to that of the Fourth and Seventh Emperors, he was slightly more majestic than them.

Seeing Chu Zuizhi staring at him, Xiao Xiyang only felt that his hands were not hands, his feet were not feet, his entire body felt as if he was being roasted on a fire, and his entire body did not feel good.

“Cough cough.” Seeing that his brother was so stiff that he didn’t even know how to let go of his hands and feet, Xiao Xiwei finally couldn’t help but cover her mouth and cough softly twice. “Princess, men and women are not kissing each other. You’d better let my brother go out first. If you want to drink wine, wait until Big Brother Ming Ge’er sends it to me before I send it to you?”

With Xiao Xiwei’s words, Xiao Xiyang hurriedly borrowed the words to go downhill. “Then this lowly official will leave first. I will go ask Commander Gu for wine later.” After saying that, he didn’t even dare to look at Chu Zui. He raised his foot and quickly lifted the curtain and walked out. Xiao Xiyang didn’t breathe a sigh of relief until he couldn’t see Xiao Xiwei’s tent. At this time, he suddenly discovered that cold sweat was coming out of his palms at some unknown time.

After Xiao Xiyang left, Chu Zuizhi stared at the empty curtain of the door, unable to regain his senses.

“Princess, are you still eating these snacks?” Xiao Xi said with a smile.

There was no sound.

The smile on Xiao Xiwei’s lips deepened a little. She stretched out her hand and waved it in front of Chu Zuizhi, “Your Highness, what are you looking at?”

Chu Zuizhi was shocked and shook his head like a rattle drum, “I, I didn’t see anything!”

“Really? I misunderstood. I thought you were looking at my brother.” Xiao Xi smiled.

After Xiao Xiwei finished speaking, Chu Zuizhi’s face instantly turned red as if he was drunk. “I, I don’t have any more.”

“Really?”

“No.” Chu Zuizhi shook his head forcefully.

Xiao Xi smiled and looked at Chu Zuizhi without saying anything.

Chu Zuizhi’s face became redder and redder as he stomped his foot, “I’m not going to tell you anymore. I’m going back.” After saying that, he turned around and ran out.

Xiao Xiwei finally couldn’t help but laugh.

“Young miss, the Ninth Princess looks like this. Could it be that she has taken a fancy to the eldest young master?” After Chu Zuiyi left, Zi Yan hurriedly moved closer to Xiao Xiwei and whispered.

Xiao Xiwei opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Bi Yun had already cut off her words and choked, “Who said that! Even if the Ninth Princess likes the Eldest Young Master, the Eldest Young Master might not like her!”

Zi Yan was stunned by Bi Yun’s choking. “I, I didn’t say anything, did I?”

Bi Yun snorted coldly, “We are all just servants, can we discuss about master?” After saying that, he coldly glanced at Zi Yan and said coldly, “I’m going out to fetch water.” After saying that, he turned around and went out.

Zi Yan was stunned. She pointed at Bi Yun’s back and turned to look at Xiao Xiwei with a frown. “Miss, what happened to Bi Yun today? Did she take the wrong medicine? Also, she just said that she didn’t even bring a basin with her when she went out to fetch water!”

Xiao Xiwei frowned.

Originally, she had seen the Ninth Princess’s appearance and wanted to bring her and her brother together. This way, she would be able to put an end to Lin Yushi and Chu Yanzhi’s shameful thoughts. Secondly, she had also avoided the fate of the Ninth Princess being sent to the Northern Desert in the future. However, she did not expect that Bi Yun would actually have feelings for her brother at some point.

The night unknowingly darkened.

Although she wasn’t willing, since Consort Shen was hosting a banquet and the other women were all going, it would be a bit inexcusable if she didn’t go. Therefore, Xiao Xiwei had no choice but to change into a light pink collared short jacket with embroidered roses and a short skirt of the same color. Because she was afraid of the cold, she wore a thick hat with fox hair on it. Only after everything was taken care of did she lead Bi Yun and Zi Yan towards Imperial Concubine Shen’s tent.

Xiao Xiwei did not arrive early. There were already quite a few ladies and young misses sitting in the tent. Xiao Xiwei walked to her seat and the ladies and young misses inside all smiled at her. Xiao Xiwei smiled and nodded at them, but when her gaze swept across the side, she came across a cold and disgusted gaze. The one sitting opposite him was Uncle Ping An’s family, and this girl who seemed to hate her very much should be the 11th young miss, Zhu Rubi, who was most cherished by Uncle Ping An’s old woman. Xiao Xi gave her a friendly smile. Unexpectedly, Zhu Rubi snorted coldly and turned her face away in disgust.

“Rubi, stop messing around.” Uncle Ping An pulled at Zhu Rubi’s sleeve. Seeing that she ignored her, she could only turn around and smile apologetically at Xiao Xi.

Xiao Xiwei held the corner of her mouth helplessly.

Regardless of whether it was in her previous life or her current life, she did not seem to have offended Miss Zhu.

“Sister Xiao, can I sit next to you?” Suddenly, a tender voice sounded above his head.

Xiao Xiwei turned around and saw Lin Yushi standing in front of her with a smile.

Even if she was unwilling in her heart, in front of so many madams and young misses, it was impossible for her to face Luo Lin Yushi in public. She could only smile at her and say, “Miss Lin, if you want to sit down, then sit down.”

Her father, Xiao Yan, had yet to receive the title of honorable and valiant marquis, so if it was true, he and Lin Yushi’s father’s grades were the same. Therefore, Lin Yushi wanted to sit next to her. Although she was rude, others really couldn’t say anything.

“Thank you, Sister Xiao.” Lin Yushi smiled happily as she sat down. She turned to look at Xiao Xiwei and blinked her eyes. “Sister Xiao, the hairpin on your head is really beautiful! Is this the hairpin that the Seventh Prince gave you?”

Although all the ladies were joking at the banquet, everyone’s voices were very soft. Therefore, Lin Yushi’s voice was a little loud. Immediately, everyone’s gazes turned towards Xiao Xi Wei. Especially Zhu Rubi, who was sitting diagonally opposite Xiao Xiwei. She stared at Xiao Xiwei’s head with a pair of eyes filled with resentment, as if she wished to stare at two holes in her body.

Xiao Xiwei originally disliked Lin Yushi and was too lazy to deal with her. However, when she saw the expression on Lin Yushi’s face, a thought flashed through her mind-could it be that Zhu Rubi hated her so much because of Chu Xizhi? However, in his previous life, apart from Xiao Xile, Chu Xizhi clearly did not marry another woman?

“If Miss Lin likes this hairpin, I can give it to you.” Xiao Xiwei smiled as he pulled out the hairpin from his head and handed it to Lin Yushi.

Lin Yushi was shocked. She noticed that the people around her were looking at her differently. She hurriedly waved her hand, “No, Sister Xiao, I just think that this hairpin is beautiful and has no other meaning. Besides, this hairpin was gifted by the Seventh Prince. I… I…”

Although Xiao Xiwei looked at Lin Yushi, the corner of her eyes glowed as she noticed that when Lin Yushi mentioned the Seventh Prince, Zhu Rubi’s expression turned ugly again. She smiled and said, “Miss Lin, did you misunderstand something? This hairpin was not given to me by the Seventh Prince? Or … did Miss Lin want me to give you the hairpin that the Seventh Prince gave me?”

Xiao Xiwei said a few words in succession, and without even giving Lin Yushi a chance to catch her breath, she was forced to a dead end. The surrounding madam looked at Lin Yushi with a look of underestimation. Lin Yushi’s chest seemed to be stuffed with a huge rock. It was blocked and stuffy, and her eyes turned red. “Sister Xiao, you, you misunderstood me …”

Lin Yushi wanted to continue, but at the door, the eunuch’s shrill voice sounded, “Consort Shen, Consort Yan, Consort Crown Prince …”

Everyone got up and left their seats. They stood up according to their grades and bowed respectfully in the direction of the main seat. “This official daughter (official wife) greets Consort Shen, Consort Yan, and Consort Crown Prince respectfully.”

Imperial Concubine Shen and Imperial Concubine Yan walked to the main seat and sat down, while Imperial Concubine Crown Prince walked to Imperial Concubine Shen’s lower head and sat down. Imperial Concubine Shen raised her hand and smiled, “It’s rare for His Majesty to take us out to relax. Ladies, you don’t need to be so formal.”

Everyone saluted before taking their seats.

“Eh, why didn’t you see Zui Zhi? Could it be that he’s hiding somewhere to eat?” The Crown Princess glanced at him and suddenly covered her mouth and chuckled.

Imperial Concubine Shen sighed and said helplessly with a trace of doting, “This child is about to get married, but this greedy mouth problem can’t be cured. This palace sometimes wants to take care of Su Concubine’s sister, but the Emperor is still young. Let her be. Sigh, she is used to it. In the blink of an eye, she is so old that no one knows which family’s young master will dare to want her.”

“The Ninth Princess is blessed at first glance. Your Highness is overthinking it.” At the banquet, a madam smiled and echoed.

“That’s right! Your Highness, don’t worry about it anymore.”

The other madams also agreed, but they all started to beat their drums in their hearts, wondering what Consort Shen meant by this.

“Look at mother imperial concubine said, as if no one wants our ninth sister. Otherwise, this concubine would have shamelessly begged for a favor from her mother. You have seen Haichuan, this child. His appearance and martial arts are all first-rate. What do you think of giving the Ninth Princess to him? “The Crown Princess stood up and smiled as she looked at Consort Shen.” The Crown Princess stood up and smiled as she looked at Imperial Concubine Shen.