Chapter 32: A Bizarre and Embarrassing Gift!!!

  The concept of Jin Yi Wei, Xia Chu Qi learned a lot from Mei Zi's mouth. In summary, it's just a few words: awesome, perverted. Especially awesome, especially perverted.

  But what's the difference?

  That day in the small woods, although she was fleeing for her life, she had always been "daring to hunt with a dead mouse tied around her waist". Moreover, at the post station, there was also Zhao Zhuo above her head, and the sky wouldn't fall.

  Inside the station, it's bustling with people.

  One after another, horse-drawn carriages drove in.

  It seems that it's not just Dongfang Qingyun who has arrived.

  However, she was a servant and no one sent her on an errand, nor could she see those people.

  When she was summoned to serve, it was already late in the evening of Shen time.

  She stiffened her body and followed the crowd of servants carrying all kinds of delicacies carefully cooked in the kitchen, entering the fragrant hall where the banquet was set.

  Inside the pavilion, fine wine and delicious food, amidst the warm air, where is there still a hint of cold winter's chill?

  Dongfang Qingxuan still wore a red dress that stunned the world. Her elegant, bright, and beautiful charm was like a thin mist that shrouded the moon, making the several officials sitting next to her look extremely ugly by comparison.

  However.

  In front of the beautiful and elegant Eastern Great Demon, Zhao Zun, who was sitting in the east-facing honorable position, had an air of loneliness and coldness, a serious and stern expression, like an eagle's sharpness, like a wolf's ferocity, like a tiger's majesty. The imperial aura seemed to be born with him, and his momentum was even more overwhelming.

  "Little slave."

  At the beginning of summer, on the seventh day, she held a tray and was about to withdraw when suddenly she heard Zhao Zhu's soft call.

  She looked at him suspiciously, meeting his emotionless eyes.

  "Come and pour wine for me."

  "Yes."

  She learned those still unfamiliar etiquette, she slowly walked to Zhao's side, without looking at anyone, but felt countless gazes swept over her. And the most piercing one was that beam of light as clear as autumn water, coming from Dongfang Qingxuan, that big demon.

  She stood still, narrowed her eyes and gave him a backward glance.

  Dongfang Qingxuan smiled and withdrew his gaze, slowly opening his mouth. "Qingxuan didn't intend to come to Qinggang to disturb Your Highness's rest, but earlier he received a letter from the Imperial Grandson in the capital, entrusting him to find his former wife along the way, so he wandered around."

  Xia Zhong Qi's head hung low.

  Very strangely, upon hearing this sentence, she suddenly felt a sting in some part of her heart.

  It didn't feel like it was coming from her emotions, but rather a physical pain that seemed to belong to her body itself. It stung so much that she caught her breath and instinctively covered her chest. But when she carefully tried to locate the source of the pain again, it had vanished, leaving no trace behind.

  Are you often hungry? Is your stomach uncomfortable?

  She couldn't figure out what was going on in her head, but the two handsome men had already changed the subject and started speaking in a hypocritical and insincere tone, making her want to laugh. The sky had changed, the scene had changed, but this bureaucratic culture really hadn't changed for thousands of years.

  Where there is wine, there will be dishes.

  Where there is a man, there will be a woman.

  To show hospitality to the Eastern Grand Governor, Zhao Zun rarely made an exception and sent over some singing girls to liven up the party. As a group of beautifully dressed young women entered the dining hall, the luxurious and resplendent scene unfolded before their eyes. The girls were all carefully selected and trained, their beauty was self-evident, and their musical skills were also impeccable. For a time, sleeves fluttered, clear voices rang out, and beautiful, charming faces filled the room, creating a breathtakingly beautiful scene that could captivate men's hearts.

  The officials who accompanied him were not low in rank, and they could be considered as one of the big officials in Sichuan and Shaanxi. However, during the banquet, no one mentioned official business, and they just enjoyed their wine and conversation, creating a lively atmosphere.

  Unconsciously, three rounds of wine have passed.

  Dongfang Qingxuan's phoenix eyes slightly curved, and suddenly her red robe fluttered as she stood up to toast Zhao Zhu.

  "Your Highness, Qingxuan has come in a hurry and didn't bring any gifts. Now, I'm afraid I've troubled Your Highness to entertain me with such enthusiasm despite your poor health, which makes me feel uneasy. I'd like to offer you a piece of embroidery that the Crown Princess gave me before I left the capital, and I hope you won't think it's beneath you."

  The Crown Prince's consort? Isn't she his own sister? The woman who was supposed to be betrothed to Zhao Jun as the queen according to legend?

  Summer began to glance over subconsciously on the seventh day.

  That demon's pair of phoenix eyes were like spring water, shining with charm and beauty. When she looked at Zhao Zun with one glance, the unspeakable demonic aura made her heart skip a beat. It was said that the two siblings from the East were extremely similar in appearance. If his sister were here, wouldn't she have taken away Zhao Zun's soul?

  Thump... thump...

  Her heart skipped a beat and she couldn't help but feel embarrassed for that cheap Zhao person.

  But on his face, which was as calm as a thousand-year-old glacier, there wasn't a single unusual expression.

  "The Eastern Lord is joking, since it was the Crown Prince's consort who gave it to you, how can I take away something that belongs to someone else?"

  Dongfang Qingxuan slowly hooked his lips, the wide sleeves of his crimson robe swept across like a red cloud, and with a flick of his sleeve, the wine in the cup was already drained.

  "I'll take care of it from now on. Come in, I have a gift for Your Highness."

  Two people conversed, the atmosphere was calm and peaceful, but the attentive officials and followers who overheard it all knew what was going on in their hearts, feeling a wave of awkwardness, yet having to carefully cover it up, pretending to be unaware.

  Soon, two imperial guards brought up a peach-wood carved and inlaid long box.

  As soon as the lid was opened, a faint fragrance of orchids wafted out.

  With a rustling sound, a large embroidered picture, about one zhang long and five chi wide, unfolded before the crowd.

  The embroidery is based on plain-colored Shu brocade, with lines, colors and charm different from ordinary embroidery products. The brushwork tends to be ink-like, the flower decorations are vivid and lifelike, and the scenery above the mountains and rivers, spring flowers and autumn moons, figures and landscapes, every place is full of life. Some are farming, some are weaving, some are playing cuju, some are reading books, some are washing clothes, there are flying birds, running beasts, fish and shrimp, and flowers and grasses. A small picture is distributed on the large embroidery, and the overall structure forms a large picture. At the top center of the picture, eight large characters are embroidered in elegant font.

  "Rivers are clear and seas are calm, times are harmonious and years are abundant."

  At the banquet, everyone was stunned for a long time.

  After a while, he finally caught his breath and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

  "The Crown Princess is good at embroidery!"

  "Such a large embroidery, it must have taken a long time?"

  "Ah, Lord Huang, you don't understand? Although the embroidery is beautiful, it's not as good as the meaning behind it. 'River clear and sea calm, harmonious times and abundant years' represent what? Don't they represent our great Jiangshan being forever stable, the people living in peace and prosperity, and all citizens enjoying eternal peace? The crown princess not only has excellent embroidery skills but also a kind heart that cares for the world."

  To be honest, Xia Zhiqiu also sighed in resignation.

  It seems that this Eastern girl is indeed a woman with delicate thoughts and feelings as fine as hair.

  What a pity that such a beauty was married off to Prince Zhao Ke, who is over 40 years old. It's truly a waste of heaven's gift.

  However, as far as she knew, although there were many factions in the imperial court at present, once the crown prince passed away, the person most likely to obtain the position of heir was one of three people.

  One was Zhao Mianze, the eldest grandson of the emperor;

  Second is the third prince Ning Wang Zhao Xi

  Another one is Jin Wang Zhao Zun, who holds a heavy sword in his hand.

  The situation is changing rapidly, Zhao Mian's crown prince party and Zhao Xi's party are fighting to the death, only Zhao Zun remains calm and composed.

  So, what does it mean for Dongfang's siblings, who belong to Zhao Mianze's party, to give the embroidered picture to Zhao Zun during this sensitive period?

  The applause was endless, and in the room, only Zhao Zu was expressionless, as if nothing had happened, moving his gaze away from the embroidery, his eyes still calm and waveless, and casually calling out to Zheng Erbao with unclear emotions.

  "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Dongfang."

  The Eastern Blue Mystic's eyes were full of smiling intent, exceptionally charming. "Come, come, come! For the rivers to be clear and the seas to be calm, for a harmonious era and an abundant year, I, Qingxuan, offer another cup to Your Honor."

  "The lowest official is also worth a cup!"

  A group of officials only fawned.

  At the beginning of summer, Xia Qiqi was thinking about Dongfang's two siblings and that embroidery, occasionally stealing a glance at Zhao Zhu. However, he still sat upright in his main seat, although not chatting with others, nor did he appear distant or rude, as if the matter of "the crown prince's wife and the embroidery" had not affected him in the slightest...

  A feast of wine, eating until dusk before stopping.

  "Master Dongfang has had a long and tiring journey by boat and carriage, he must be exhausted. Zheng Erbao, take Master to rest properly."

  "Yes, sir."

  Zhao Zui spoke up, and the officials all stood up and bid farewell.

  Dongfang Qingxuan also stood up with the crowd, a pair of eyes that seemed to be smiling but not quite, glanced at Xia Chuqi beside Zhao Zun, and suddenly a light and complicated smile appeared on his face full of demonic energy.

  "Your Highness, Qing Xuan has another request that is hard to say."

  "Please speak, Master Dongfang." Zhao Zun's voice was slightly cold.

  Eastern Qing Xuan's eyes flashed, and a hint of a smile that was enchanting to the extreme appeared at the corner of his mouth.

  "That day, I met a young servant from your mansion in the city. Although he's not extremely handsome, he suits Qingxuan's taste quite well. I was thinking of asking Your Highness to give him to me, to alleviate my loneliness on long nights."

  Digression

  Thank you dear lixinzhizhu jie for promoting me to Yuanjie! Muah muah.

  At the same time, thank you: all the sisters who love me and hate me. After saying this sentence, I immediately felt that my image was high and mighty, is it cute?

  ——

  Interview with Dongfang Yaoni: You gave your sister's foot wrapping cloth to Zhao Shi Jiu, and you also want to get rid of Chu Qi to be a base friend, don't you feel embarrassed?

  Qing Xuan's enchanting smile: Do you understand? I understand, we all understand. Actually, only the readers don't understand.

  How can you say such a thing? You're really asking for a beating!

  Hehe, everyone can guess what. "Step by Step Marriage" physical book is on sale now! I'll shout it out again, those who need it can go to Dangdang.com and pay upon delivery, very convenient. Flying kiss——