Chapter 162: New Year’s Eve, shielding shortcomings at the family banquet (2/2)

Her words elicited a round of secret laughs from the people around her. Behind Han Yunxi sat Noble Consort[2] Xiao at the head of her table. She leaned over and spoke in a low voice, “It’s already been half a year. Even if the Duke of Qin’s busy all day, there’s no reason that… Han Yunxi, ah, have Imperial Physician Xue have a look when you go back. He’s an expert when it comes to things like this.”

Though her voice was low, many others still heard her speak. Another round of secret laughter swept past them, while Han Yunxi only felt that she’d turned into a target of public criticism. But regarding this problem, she didn’t take the initiative, nor did she have any room to explain herself. Of course, such a topic wasn’t appropriate for a family feast. The empress dowager was already satisfied from seeing Grand Concubine Yi’s unpleasant expression.

When she saw that everything had run its course, she withdrew the topic and gave Han Yunxi a platform to get down from the spotlight. “Duke of Qin, this would be your wrong. No matter how busy you are, you shouldn’t give Yunxi the cold shoulder.”

Originally, the empress dowager thought that the Duke of Qin hadn’t been listening. At most, he’d just nod. Unexpectedly, Long Feiye raised his head with perfect awareness of all that had happened. His tone was mild as he spoke. “Empress Dowager has rebuked rightly. Erchen shall strive to continue my efforts.”

This…

Suddenly, the scene turned into an uproar. Nobody expected the Duke of Qin to have this kind of attitude. Duanmu Yao was gaping as if she’d been struck with a heavy weight. In her heart, senior brother was a godly figure who was forever elevated and unpolluted. She had no idea he could say such dubious-sounding words. Many women in the hall suddenly felt their faces turn red, to speak nothing of Han Yunxi’s own face.

‘Strive to continue my efforts,’ such words really stirred the imagination to infinite depths!

How is he planning to continue his efforts?!

She even starting imagining how before she stopped herself. Han Yunxi couldn’t resist stealing a peek at that venerated deity sitting across from her, only to see Long Feiye looking back at her without batting an eye. She immediately looked away and missed the flash of amusement in his gaze. The empress dowager pursed her lips, uncertain of how to reply. As for Grand Concubine Yi, she was in stark disbelief despite being his mother. She thought back to how the drop of red had came about the handkerchief in the past. Judging from Feiye’s words now, he was protecting Han Yunxi.

If he hadn’t spoke up, the ‘having news’ question would plague Han Yunxi in the coming days. His words ensured that many of the people present wouldn’t bring it up again. How could a personality like her son’s be willing to help Han Yunxi this way? Grand Concubine Yi realized that she was beginning to understand him less and less.

Emperor Tianhui had a complicated expression as he studied Long Feiye before saying teasingly, “Duke of Qin, you only have one wangfei in your entire estate and you’re already giving her the cold shoulder. When the new year comes, what will you do if a new person comes in? You can’t be like this then.”

A new person coming in the new year was a blatant reference to the marriage alliance. And that new person would be none other than Duanmu Yao. This should be Emperor Tianhui’s first time bringing up the marriage alliance in a public setting. Although his words were veiled, everyone present understood the meaning behind them. Duanmu Yao had even joined in on the family feast. Add that to Emperor Tianhui’s speech, and everyone assumed that the recent rumors regarding the marriage alliance were eighty or ninety percent true.

Long Tianmo picked up a goblet of wine and polished it off in one gulp. Though others couldn’t see through the acting, he did. Grand Concubine Yi had brought Duanmu Yao to the family feast, while Imperial Father had asked such a question in public. The two of them were joining hands to apply pressure to the Duke of Qin so he had no way to refuse, right?

It looked like the matter was set!

He could let go of the fact that he couldn’t marry the woman he liked, but he didn’t expect to miss out on a woman he didn’t like, either. Thinking up to here, he poured himself another goblet of wine.

A conclusion was a conclusion, but everyone still hoped that the Duke of Qin could personally agree to the arrangement. Duanmu Yao grew nervous, her cheeks dusted with pink as she waited for Long Feiye to reply. At the same time, Han Yunxi was waiting as well, her face still red from her previous blushing. Once again, she looked towards Long Feiye. Once again, she met his deep, profound stare. He was looking at her again. Han Yunxi wanted to avert her eyes, but for some reason, she didn’t this time. She only kept her gaze on him and waited. Everyone said that locking gazes with each other was a form of wordless communication. But Han Yunxi didn’t have anything to tell Long Feiye. She was just waiting. Yet when Long Feiye saw her serious stare, his lips rose into a light curve.

In the ensuing silence, he said, “Your lordship is already too busy to properly attend to one wangfei. We might as well forget about any new person.”

His words fell on the hall like a thunderbolt on the banquet table, shocking everyone so much that their hearts nearly stopped. What did Long Feiye say?!

Silence descended upon the scene. Emperor Tianhui’s complexion turned stormy, while Grand Concubine Yi shot him a fierce glare. The empress dowager and empress were so astonished that they didn’t know what to do.

“Long Feiye!”

Suddenly, Duanmu Yao gave an angry shout and shot to her feet before turning to flee. The same time she turned, she knocked over her bowl of soup, which trickled onto Han Yunxi’s clothes.

Grand Concubine Yi chased after her in a flurry. “Yao Yao! Yao Yao, wait!”

Han Yunxi was covered in soup but ignored it to look at Long Feiye. Inexplicably, her lips drew into a small smile. Right now, the one thing she wanted to asked him was whether he did this on purpose. Did he wait for a public setting before announcing his refusal? Otherwise, why did he keep silent all the times before?

This man, how thoroughly wicked!

-o-

[1] Peace & Wellness (康宁) – kangning, which literally means ‘healthy and free from worry.’

[2] Noble Consort (贵妃) – guifei, a title for the highest-ranking imperial concubine.