Chapter 133

The moon rose in the sky like a bright mirror; the divine music broke the silence of the night.

The fairy wheel divided equally autumn hue; accompanying clouds for miles and miles in view.

The hare of jade couldn’t make the full moon brighter still; nor could the golden toad of its light eat the fill.

Could I go on a raft hand in hand with my peer? I should wait till the Silver River’s crystal-clear.

The Mid-Autumn Festival was also known as the Moon Worship Day. On this day, every family set up an incense burner table and worshiped Luna.

Today the imperial palace of the Baihu Empire was also extraordinarily lively. His Majesty held a mid-autumn banquet in the imperial garden. Besides, the emissaries of the Xuanwu Empire and the crown princess of the Zhuque Empire were invited to enjoy the full moon together.

There was one thing that everyone was looking forward to. That was, Prince Zhan would announce his decision at the banquet today. Was he going to choose Crown Princess of Zhuque or Princess of Xuanwu? Although the answer seemed to be quite certain, the crowd was still looking forward to Prince Zhan’s performance tonight.

In the imperial garden, ministers had arrived one after another with their families. Because it was the mid-autumn banquet, all the consorts were allowed to attend it today. Tonight’s banquet was much more lively and casual than the banquet in the Huwei Hall that day.

“Here come His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and Her Highness Consort Hui.” A eunuch’s voice sounded from far and near.

The crowd heard it and knelt to greet, “Long live Your Majesty the Emperor. Long Live Your Majesty the Empress. Wish Your Highness Consort Hui luck and peace.”

Xuanyuan Lie still wore a bright-yellow imperial robe. Behind him, Guo Hui’er wore a red phoenix robe and looked quite gorgeous, while Zhou Manyun looked delicate and attractive in her orchid palace suit.

Xuanyuan Lie walked to the highest dragon throne slowly and slightly raised his hand, “Rise, everyone!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

“The emissaries of the Xuanwu Empire have arrived.” The crowd just sat down when they heard the eunuch’s another reporting.

Today Zhuge Weiming wore a golden flying fish suit. Compared to an embroidered robe, it made him look less dignified and more approachable.

Today Xiahou Shan dressed up more beautifully and charmingly than she did at the banquet in the Huwei Hall. She was wearing a red pleated skirt and a fairy bun. There were gold phoenix hairpins with silky treasure beads inserted on both sides of her head and one rubellite on her forehead. She had a pair of leaf-shaped earrings with silky treasure beads hanging in her ears and double-dragon-beads golden bracelets with rubies on her wrists. This luxurious attire was really glorious. Strangers would think she was getting married today!

Lian Zhengyu was still in a black robe, and there was a blank look on his handsome face.

The three of them walked up to Xuanyuan Lie and bowed to salute, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

Xuanyuan Lie looked at them and said lightly, “Please drop the formalities and sit down!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The three of them went and sat down in their seats.

The crowd saw Xiahou Shan’s attire and whispered about it.

“Princess of Xuanwu is dressed up well today…”

“I didn’t expect Princess of Xuanwu to look so beautiful in red”

“Yes. She deserves to be the eldest princess of the Xuanwu Empire. She does have an extraordinary temperament…”

Hearing this, Xiahou Shan gave a proud smile. She was deliberately wearing a red dress today, just for the evening…

Thinking of this, she blushed and wondered whether Xuanyuan Mo liked her today’s attire or not.

In just a few happy seconds when Xiahou Shan was immersed in fantasy, she heard someone say, “Humph, she is still a mortal even if she is pretty. She doesn’t have the fairy-like temperament as Crown Princess of Zhuque!”

“You’re right. I’ve never seen a woman more beautiful than Crown Princess of Zhuque in all my life. She looks like a fairy coming down to earth!”

“Yes, Crown Princess of Zhuque is not only pretty as a fairy but also elegant and charming. She is exceedingly beautiful when dancing.”

Listening to the crowd’s praise of Duanmu Xi, Xiahou Shan’s blushing face became gloomy. She glared fiercely at those people with her big bright eyes. What was good about Duanmu Xi? Wasn’t she good at pretending to have a fairy-like temperament in white? Did she dare to wear red clothes? If Duanmu Xi really had the strength, she should wear red clothes to compare with her.

Xuanyuan Lie in the dragon throne frowned at Xiahou Shan’s angry face. In just a short while, this woman had shown her true color. Thinking of the purpose of her visit to him that day, he could not help thinking of Xuanyuan Mo’s injured left hand and narrowed his eyes, “She is the one who sent the assassins to Prince Zhan’s mansion yesterday, didn’t she?” A touch of killing intent crossed his eyes. If so, he wouldn’t spare her.

Guo Hui’er and Zhou Manyun felt the killing intent on Xuanyuan Lie at the same time and turned to look at him. Unexpectedly, the two women’s eyes met in the air as if sparks were bursting out. After a few seconds’ eye contact, they looked away.

Guo Hui’er had a gloomy face with envy and hate flashing in her phoenix eyes. For so many years, she had been unable to see through Consort Hui’s mind.

Unlike Guo Hui’er, Zhou Manyun still put on a gentle smile, but coldness crossed her deep eyes quickly.

Xuanyuan Lie glanced at the crowd and said to Eunuch Hu beside him, “Start the banquet!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Eunuch Hu immediately bowed in response at the sound of this.

“Wait a minute, Your Majesty!” Zhuge Weiming stood up and looked at Xuanyuan Lie.

Xuanyuan Lie frowned, and a trace of displeasure flashed in his black eyes, “Prince Regent, what do you mean?”

Zhuge Weiming sensed Xuanyuan Lie’s displeasure. He bent down at once, “Prince Zhan and Crown Princess of Zhuque haven’t arrived yet.”

Hearing this, Xuanyuan Lie narrowed his eyes and looked down at Xiahou Shan in the audience, “Some assassins broke into Prince Zhan’s mansion last night. Prince Zhan was stabbed by an assassin, so he couldn’t attend today’s banquet. As for Crown Princess of Zhuque, she shouldn’t come tonight as well.”

Xuanyuan Lie’s words put the crowd in an uproar.

“Oh my god, Prince Zhan was injured…”

“I can’t believe someone hurt Prince Zhan…”

“How dare those assassins go to Prince Zhan’s mansion…”

Hearing it, Zhuge Weiming looked suspiciously at Xuanyuan Lie. Was Xuanyuan Mo really injured? Why hadn’t he heard anything about it?

Xiahou Shan was stunned when she heard that Prince Zhan was stabbed by an assassin. How could it happen? Now that he was injured, how could she continue her plan tonight? She looked up at Zhou Manyun beside Xuanyuan Lie subconsciously, but Zhou Manyun’s eyes weren’t on her.

Seeing Xiahou Shan’s expression and gaze, Xuanyuan Lie frowned again and narrowed his eyes. Judging from her face, she seemed to be unaware of Xuanyuan Mo’s being stabbed, but why did she look at Consort Hui? When did they make contact?

At this point, Zhou Manyun was a little uneasy inside because she knew Xuanyuan Lie had begun to suspect her. She couldn’t help but regret that she shouldn’t have approached this stupid woman. It seemed that she had to be very careful later and not contact Xiahou Shan anymore.

Guo Hui’er was also surprised to hear the news of Xuanyuan Mo being stabbed and turned to glance at Zhou Manyun on the right. Since the assassins were not sent by her, it must be Consort Hui. The woman was really scheming.

Just as they were in different states of mind, a eunuch’s voice sounded in the imperial garden, “Here come His Highness Prince Zhan and Her highness Crown Princess of Zhuque.”

The crowd blinked at the sight of the stunning couple in the same white clothes.

Didn’t His Majesty say that Prince Zhan had been stabbed? Didn’t His Majesty say that both Prince Zhan and Crown Princess of Zhuque wouldn’t attend the banquet?

When the crowd saw the white gauze wrapped around Xuanyuan Mo’s hand, they suddenly realized that Prince Zhan had been stabbed in the hand. His Majesty exaggerated it and described this minor injury as a serious one.

Xiahou Shan saw Xuanyuan Mo’s left hand and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he only hurt his hand, which shouldn’t affect anything else. She looked up at Zhou Manyun again, but she still didn’t get a response.

Guo Hui’er was a little disappointed to see the gauze around Xuanyuan Mo’s left hand. She thought it was a serious injury, but she didn’t expect it to be just such a minor one. Zhou Manyun was too impotent.

Xuanyuan Lie frowned and looked at Xuanyuan Mo with worried eyes. Didn’t he tell Xuanyuan Mo not to attend the banquet? Why was he here? Didn’t he know that it was the full-moon night today?

Duanmu Xi walked up to Xuanyuan Lie with Xuanyuan Mo and bowed to him, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“You’re here. Just sit down!” Xuanyuan Lie waved his hand and said in a helpless voice.

Hearing it, Duanmu Xi and Xuanyuan Mo sat down together.

The banquet began officially. Then the song and dance show began and the maids also served food.

At this moment, Xuanyuan Lie was in no mood for appreciating the singing and dancing. From time to time, he looked up at the full moon in the sky and then turned to glance anxiously towards Xuanyuan Mo.

Like Xuanyuan Lie, many people looked at the full moon and then at Xuanyuan Mo, such as Guo Hui’er, Zhou Manyun, Xuanyuan She, Xuanyuan Hao, and Xiahou Shan who was waiting for a chance.

On the contrary, as the object of their attention, Xuanyuan Mo didn’t look anxious at all and only concentrated on taking care of Duanmu Xi beside him.

Tonight Duanmu Xi did nothing like a cloth toll but only stared at Xuanyuan Mo. Whatever Xuanyuan Mo fed her, she ate it.

At the banquet, countless eyes were fixed on Duanmu Xi and Xuanyuan Mo. Many men envied Xuanyuan Mo for feeding Duanmu Xi, while many women also envied Duanmu Xi for eating what Xuanyuan Mo fed.

Suddenly, a maid, who was holding a tray, pounced towards Duanmu Xi. Xuanyuan Mo first reacted and turned around with Duanmu Xi in his arms.

“Bang…” The maid fell to the ground. The plates broke to pieces, and the dishes and soup were scattered all over the floor.

The maid got up from the ground in panic and knelt regardless of the broken porcelain pieces on the ground. She trembled with her head down and kept shouting, “Sorry, I am so sorry…”

“Are you all right?” Xuanyuan Mo completely ignored the maid and looked up and down at Duanmu Xi in his arms.

Duanmu Xi shook her head and frowned at her skirt. Her white skirt horn was stained with yellow soup.

Xuanyuan Mo followed Duanmu Xi’s gaze to the stain and furrowed his brow instantly.

Seeing this, Zhou Manyun came to Duanmu Xi’s side and asked with concern, “You didn’t get scalded, did you?”

When she glanced at the stain on Duanmu Xi’s skirt horn, she cried with mock astonishment, “Oops, your skirt is dirty and unwearable! I have a new set of white clothes in my palace which I have never worn. If you don’t mind it, please go to my place and change your clothes!”

“No, thanks.” Duanmu Xi gave a direct refusal without even thinking. Today she must not leave Xuanyuan Mo and would stay with him all the time.

Xuanyuan Mo looked at the unpleasant stain and frowned, “Go ahead. I’ll go there with you.”

He knew Duanmu Xi’s mind that she didn’t want to be separated from him. However, he was unwilling to let her wear dirty clothes.

Duanmu Xi hesitated for a moment and nodded. Then they left the imperial garden with Consort Hui.

Xuanyuan Lie was a little worried and secretly winked at his tiger guards in the dark. In an instant, the tiger guards understood what he meant and went after Xuanyuan Mo and the others.

Guo Hui’er looked at Zhou Manyun’s back and rolled her eyes with a sneer. Was Zhou Manyun that kind?

As soon as Xiahou Shan saw the three of them leave together, she also stood up and left the imperial garden.

No one noticed that there was no cowardice but only the pride after success in the eyes of the maid forgotten by the crowd.