Impératrice douairière Xiaoxuan

Chapitre 187

Not only were Xiao Guanyin and Xiao Xin present, but Yelü Chongguang, Yelü Pusa Nu, and others were also in the main tent. Yelü Hongji was among the crowd, still wearing his hunting attire, engrossed in conversation and laughter.

Xiao Guanyin spotted Zhao Yu and Ning Jin approaching at a glance, and upon seeing Zhao Yu's appearance, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She herself had rushed over as soon as she learned that her brother Cha Ci had returned, without even bothering to dress up properly, and had been outshone by this Han woman.

Zhao Yu's first glance wasn't directed at Xiao Guanyin, nor at Yelü Hongji, but at Yelü Pusa Nu, who stood quietly behind Yelü Chongguang. The latter seemed to be listening intently to Yelü Hongji, not even turning his head in their direction.

As an envoy from the Song Dynasty and the Prince of Ning, Ning Jin was naturally treated with great courtesy by Yelü Zongzhen, who immediately ordered someone to offer Ning Jin a seat. Naturally, Yelü Hongji did not dare to neglect Zhao Yu in front of Ning Jin, and ordered him to welcome Zhao Yu to a seat.

Yelü Hongji had not seen Zhao Yu for a long time. To be honest, after some more time, he might not even remember what Zhao Yu looked like. Now that he had just returned, the sight of the beautiful woman with her fragrance by his side made him feel a little flustered. He quickly took Zhao Yu's hand and helped her sit down beside him.

In the past, Zhao Yu rarely attended such crowded occasions, and even when she did, she was never dressed so elaborately, so many people didn't have a deep impression of her. But today, upon seeing her, everyone was amazed. More than half of the men in the tent lingered their gazes on Zhao Yu, and they were filled with envy for Yelü Hongji.

Yelü Hongji brought back a lot of game. Originally, the celebratory banquet was not to start until the evening, but seeing that everyone had come after hearing the news, he decided to start it at noon. Before the banquet began, he first served wine to celebrate.

Ning Jin was quite unaccustomed to the Liao people drinking on an empty stomach before the dishes were even served. However, he had no choice but to drink the wine offered by others. Fortunately, Wu Zichu was there to help him drink a few cups, otherwise he might have collapsed before the banquet even started.

Despite feeling unwell, Zhao Yu remained smiling and attentive by Yelü Hongji's side. Yelü Hongji, not one to be insensitive, drank quite a few cups for Zhao Yu. Xiao Guanyin gritted her teeth, wishing she could drive Zhao Yu away from her brother, but in front of Yelü Zongzhen and the others, she could only silently endure the drinking.

After the banquet, Ning Jin was half-supported and half-carried back by Wu Zichu, while Zhao Yu was escorted back by a maid while holding his forehead. After they left the banquet, Yelü Chongguang and Yelü Hongji were still drinking together, showing no sign of leaving until they were drunk.

Zhao Yu held on until she entered the tent, when she finally collapsed, clutching her mouth as if about to vomit. The maids frantically patted her back and patted her chest, and it took quite a while for Zhao Yu to finally vomit up all the food and drink she had eaten at the banquet.

The maid brought hot water for her to wash her face. After the makeup was washed away, her face was frighteningly pale...

"Princess, are you... are you alright? Should I go and fetch the imperial physician?" The maid asked cautiously, startled by her pale face.

Zhao Yu, who had been leaning weakly against the couch, suddenly found the strength to grab her: "No, absolutely not... No one is allowed to tell anyone."

"But you..."

"I'll be fine after a rest." Zhao Yu's tone became more serious. "None of you are allowed to tell anyone, or I will not let you off easily."

The maids dared not utter another sound and could only prepare some more bird's nest porridge for her to eat.

Once everything was settled, Zhao Yu dismissed the maids and instructed them that if anyone came, they should say that she was drunk and asleep, and that she would not see anyone. The sound of wind and snow outside the tent was incessant. She lay alone on the bed, enduring her physical discomfort, guessing that her days were probably numbered.

She thought quietly that she should get things done as soon as possible.

Even though he was about to die, he couldn't have come to Khitan for nothing; he had to do something for his father.

For some reason, a sense of reluctance and unwillingness lingered in her heart, and whenever she thought of it, she couldn't help but shed two lines of tears. Yet she still couldn't help but wonder: if I die, will he remember even a shred of my goodness? Will he be sad?

Author's Note: Lion is recovering, but her temper has flared up several times over since she got sick!

The poor lion is so sleepy it's gone crazy!

Volume 3, Chapter 29

Meanwhile, Zhan Zhao stayed by Yelü Chongguang's side, watching them clink glasses and go from being flushed to being completely drunk.

He naturally drank quite a bit with them, but the wine was like water to him, and he didn't feel drunk at all. However, he pretended to stagger as he followed Yelü Chongguang out of the main tent.

Behind them, Yelü Hongji was still in the tent with Yelü Zongzhen, the father and son drinking and talking.

The wind and snow lashed against his face outside the tent, but Yelü Chongguang neither shielded himself nor avoided them, his face showing displeasure. He said with dissatisfaction, "Look at how smug he is. This kid, doesn't he even remember who taught him riding and archery when he was a kid? Now that he's grown up, he's become..."

Zhan Zhao saw several of Yelü Hongji's close guards approaching from a distance, seemingly there to pick up Yelü Hongji. He quickly coughed a few times to remind Yelü Chongguang not to continue speaking.

Yelü Chongguang's eyes were already somewhat glazed. He stood there, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the group. Suddenly, he shouted at the group, "You little brat, don't you know any manners? You didn't even greet me when you saw me. Who taught you such manners?"

The leading guard hurriedly smiled and gave a full salute, saying, "This humble servant deserves to die. The snow was too heavy, and I didn't recognize you." The others behind him also bowed.

Yelü Chongguang felt like he was punching cotton, unable to do anything about them. He could only say, "What are you doing running around like that? His Highness the Crown Prince is still talking to the Emperor, and you guys are just standing there waiting... You have no sense at all."

"Yes, yes, we'll wait here."

The guards hurriedly replied that they had all received instructions from Yelü Hongji that they should not clash with Yelü Chongguang unless absolutely necessary. Therefore, none of them dared to act rashly.

Zhan Zhao stood behind Yelü Chongguang, discreetly observing the group. He hadn't seen them during his days of patrolling the camp, so they must have just returned from hunting with Yelü Hongji. His gaze swept over the last person standing there. She was small in stature, unlike the other guards who were broad-shouldered and burly. He couldn't help but take a closer look, and what he saw shocked him—it was a woman.

The woman noticed Zhan Zhao looking at her and shrank back, with the other guards also covering her behind them.

Yelü Chongguang was no ordinary man. If he hadn't paid attention before, the guard's unnatural movements aroused his suspicion. He stopped in his tracks, pointing his finger inward: "You, it's you, come out!"

The guards exchanged glances. The leader, still smiling obsequiously, tried to step forward to negotiate with Yelü Chongguang, but Yelü Chongguang shoved him aside: "Get lost, stop arguing with me. Who's lurking around like that? Come out here!"

The woman had no choice but to slowly step forward, lower her eyes, and bow to Yelü Chongguang: "This humble woman greets the Southern King."

Upon hearing a woman's voice, Yelü Chongguang chuckled twice: "I wondered what it was. Turns out this kid has a thing for this. Fine, fine..." He waved his hand impatiently, ignoring them, and walked away.

Upon returning to the Southern Camp, Yelü Chongguang sat down in the main hall. Zhan Zhao turned and ordered a maid to brew some fine tea to help him sober up before taking his seat beside him.

Yelü Chongguang's smile remained unchanged. Seeing that Zhan Zhao still had an expressionless face, he couldn't help but smile at him and say, "Do you know why I am so happy?"

"I do not know."

“I originally thought that although Yelü Hongji was a bit young, he couldn’t be considered a good-for-nothing. But look at him today… hahaha…” He couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “He actually had a woman disguised as a guard to please him. With his penchant for women, he’s unlikely to achieve anything further.”

Zhan Zhao nodded in agreement, but his mind was elsewhere.

"Think about it, Yelü Hong is already naturally fond of hunting. If he becomes infatuated with women, how can he maintain his throne?" Yelü Chongguang shook his head and sighed with a smile. "It would be more interesting if my brother, the Emperor, saw this."

Yelü Pusa Nu was truly not a good conversationalist. Yelü Chongguang had been talking for a long time, but apart from nodding, he had received no response. Although he trusted Yelü Pusa Nu more and more because he was a taciturn man and kept his mouth shut, talking to him was really boring. Yelü Chongguang got tired after talking for a while, drank some tea, gave Zhan Zhao a few things to do, and then sent him back.

After Zhan Zhao came out, he did not return to his own tent, but left a mark for Su Zui.

The snow was quite heavy that day, and few people were out at night. After patrolling the camp, although a guard invited him to roast meat, Zhan Zhao claimed that he had drunk too much at noon and had a terrible headache. He turned off the lights early and sat alone in the darkness, waiting, his thoughts lingering on the woman he had seen during the day.

If I hadn't thought about it, I wouldn't have thought about it. The more I thought about it, the more I felt that she resembled Madam Fang. Although Yelü Hongji had some concubines, they were all Liao people. It was obvious that the woman was not Liao. I wondered when Yelü Hongji had found her.