Chapter 28

Jin Wang frowned after hearing that it was on the fifteenth day.

Looking at Jin Wang, Fucheng was also worried, "Should this servant decline the invitation?"

Jin Wang pondered for a moment and then shook his head.

Consort Jin didn't like to stay in lively places. This was the first time that Consort Jin wanted to hold a banquet to celebrate her birthday after she married Jin Wang for many years. Certainly, he should take part in the banquet. 

Since Jin Wang had made the decision, Fucheng had nothing to say.

The moon was bright, and the brilliant light of it dimmed the stars, making it look like there were only a few stars in the sky.

Siyi Courtyard was brightly lit while the servants went in and out from time to time.

Consort Jin had always refused to hold a banquet since she didn't like a lively life. It was rare for Consort Jin to hold a banquet, so Siyi Courtyard was full of joy at this moment.

Now that an announcement was made by Consort Jin, Side Consort Hu and others would naturally come to celebrate her birthday. They came during the day but Consort Jin didn't show up and only rewarded them with flavoursome dishes. They left after finishing the meals.

Lady Tao and others were used to Consort Jin’s personality. However, Side Consort Hu wasn’t. She gnashed her teeth and went to Zhaohui Hall angrily. She wanted to stop Jin Wang from going to Siyi Courtyard and make Consort Jin angry, but unfortunately, Jin Wang was not in Zhaohui Hall. Since she couldn't go to the front yard, she could only swallow her anger. Returning to her room, she found an excuse and vented on Cuizhu. 

Jin Wang left the front yard and then went directly to Siyi Courtyard.

From the moment Jin Wang stepped into the backyard, someone kept reporting to Siyi Courtyard all the way. When Jin Wang stepped into the Flower Hall, he saw many kinds of delicious food were placed on a square table, and Consort Jin had been waiting for a long time.

Consort Jin wore a bright red cluster tulle short summer gown and a long wanfu satin skirt. She had her hair combed into a cloud bun with a red-gold hairpin.

Since she used to dress casually and rarely wore such dazzling clothes, it made her look more charming. 

When Jin Wang saw Consort Jin, he was a little surprised and frowned unconsciously even though it was not obvious.

Mommy Zhou was proud. She was right. Men were passionate and didn’t like his women to dress up plainly. Red represented happy events and her mistress, Consort Jin, was beautiful, His Highness would inevitably be attracted to Consort Jin.

Compared to Mommy Zhou, Consort Jin who was sitting at the table clenched her hands under her sleeves. There was a hint of forbearance on her face. After a gentle push from Mommy Zhou, Consort Jin stood up and greeted Jin Wang before they came to the table and sat down together.

In addition to a feast of exquisite and rich meals, two jugs of wine were placed on the table.

One was the pine wine drunk by Jin Wang, which was put in a white jade jug, and the other was lychee wine.

Lychee wine belonged to fruit wine. The noble ladies in the Capital liked to drink this kind of wine. It was very expensive and cost ten liang silvers for a pot. Despite that, the demand for the wine was still greater than what was available. The lychee wine was put in a crystal clear glass jug, and this amber-coloured wine reflected the mottled colorful illumination under the light of palace lamps, which was so beautiful.

A subtle glint flashed in Jin Wang's eyes. He knew that Consort Jin never drank alcohol.

Consort Jin was feeling enthusiastic today, so she not only poured wine for Jin Wang but also poured a glass of wine for herself and proposed a toast to him. 

Jin Wang was discerning. When he thought of the letter from Xu Guogong Mansion a few days ago, he had some ideas about Consort Jin’s purpose. Seeing that Mommy Zhou kept winking at Consort Jin yet Consort Jin showed an unwilling smile, Jin Wang's eyes became colder, and he sneered in his heart. 

He drank but didn’t say anything. Probably because they were accustomed to the indifference of Jin Wang, Consort Jin and Mommy Zhou did not seem to see the coldness in his eyes.

It was also because they were thinking about something so that they missed all of this.

Mommy Zhou stood there helplessly. If she could, she would push Consort Jin away and do it for her.

She believed that it was not a disgrace for a woman to please her own man. The husband and wife were one, it didn't matter who lowered their heads first.

It was a pity that Consort Jin didn’t figure it out. Or maybe she understood but didn't want to do it.

But now was not the time for her to hesitate. Xu Guogong Mansion had repeatedly sent her letters and kept asking about an heir.

Apparently, this was not the first time that Xu Guogong Mansion sent a letter to ask her about a successor. They sent several letters every year yet Consort Jin always rejected and ignored them. But this time Xu Guogong said in the letter, if Consort Jin couldn't give birth to a son of Jin Wang, he would arrange for another daughter from Xu's family to give birth to children instead of her.

Not to mention how messy it would be for Xu Guogong to belittle himself to do such things. The thing was that the candidate in his mind was the Thirteenth Young Miss of the Xu Family.

The Thirteenth Young Miss deserves an introduction.

Xu Guogong had a concubine, and he was very fond of her. For this concubine, Xu Guogong did some things which would count as ‘doting on his concubine and destroying his wife’. But in the end, for the sake of his face and because of the differences in their backgrounds, the Madam of the Xu Family remained unchanged. But only the people working inside would know the reality.

This concubine gave birth to two sons and a daughter for Xu Guogong. The daughter was the Thirteenth Young Miss. The Thirteenth Young Miss had been extremely popular with Xu Guogong ever since birth, and even Consort Jin, who was born as a daughter of the main wife, was slightly inferior. But since Consort Jin was much older than the Thirteenth Young Miss, there had been no conflict between the two. Despite that, Consort Jin was extremely disgusted with the concubine and her children because of her relationship with her mother. It was not too much to call them a thorn in the flesh.

Therefore, how could Consort Jin endure having a thorn by her side? Nor was she interested in two sisters working together. She had always paid attention to decency, so this would be a shame to her. After receiving the letter that day, Consort Jin was instantly furious. Later, when Mommy Zhou persuaded her to get close to Jin Wang, she no longer sternly rejected her as before.

That’s why today’s banquet was held.

She needed a child, even if she didn't want to.

The waves in her heart were turbulent, but Consort Jin smiled softly on her face, "Your Highness, let's have another drink. We, husband and wife, have been married for many years. This is the first time for us to sit together to toast and drink."

Jin Wang did not refuse. He downed a shot in silence and Consort Jin also downed her shot with her sleeve covering her face.

Just like this, they enjoyed the banquet and drank alcohol. The two talked very little, but they did not drink a small amount. Under the light, Consort Jin's cheeks appeared a little drunk and she also gradually began to talk more.

But most of the words were said by her. Jin Wang didn't say much.

Before they knew it, the two finished two pots of wine each.

Jin Wang’s clear eyes were stained with a hazy colour, like Jiangnan after the rain, and like a crumpled moonlight. A touch of haze was also stained on the fair-skinned handsome face, which made him less indifferent and a little more blurred.

Such a Jin Wang was undoubtedly handsome and easy on the eyes. Probably no one in this world could reject such a man, especially when he looked at you with his hand propping up his head. One would be involuntarily immersed in his eyes, even to the point of forgetting to breathe.

Consort Jin felt someone poking herself lightly on her back before she woke up. The look in her eyes was a bit complicated, but these complications quickly disappeared. With a beautiful smile on her face, she stood up, leaned over, and called out, "Your Highness, Your Highness…"

Jin Wang did not answer her. His eyes were in a daze as if really drunk.

Consort Jin called again.

Fucheng blinked and was about to step forward to look at the situation of Jin Wang, when he heard Mommy Zhou say, "His Highness must be drunk. The Consort should help him to rest."

Consort Jin followed her suggestion. With the help of Zi Yan, she lifted Jin Wang and went to the bedroom.

When they arrived at the bedroom door, Mommy Zhou smiled and stopped Fucheng. "Eunuch Fu can rest for tonight. There is The Consort to serve His Highness. Don't worry."

"This…"

Mommy Zhou smiled meaningfully, "Eunuch Fu is not suited to serve His Highness for this situation.” 

As she finished her words, Zi Yan walked out from inside and closed the door behind her. Singing along to the same tune as Mommy Zhou, she took Fucheng to have tea.

There were only two people left in the bedroom, Jin Wang and Consort Jin. One was lying on the bed and the other stood in front of the bed, hesitating.

After a while, Consort Jin clenched her fists under her sleeves, half-bent over, and stretched out her hand to untie Jin Wang's clothes. But as soon as her slender fingers touched the front of the other party’s shirt, the hand was grabbed.

Looking at the person who grabbed her, it was Jin Wang.

Jin Wang's eyes are full of clarity, without any sign of the earlier drunkenness.

Consort Jin’s face suddenly turned pale. She opened her mouth and forced a smile, "Your Highness must be hot. Let me help you change your clothes."

Jin Wang looked at her coldly, with a hint of ridicule in his eyes.

Consort Jin pretended not to see it. She bowed her head to untie his clothes but was smacked away by Jin Wang.

"You don’t want your face anymore? Didn't expect that Xu Yanru, who has always been so high and mighty, believing that all men in the world are filth, would do this kind of thing!"

Jin Wang sat up from the bed.

His hair was a bit messy, falling from the temples and hanging down slightly on his cheeks. Under the dim light and shadows, his complexion appeared extra gloomy and dangerous.

His voice was clear and slightly magnetic. But from the beautifully shaped thin lips, every word and every sentence spoken was like a heavy stone, thrown at the face of Consort Jin in an unstoppable manner, crushing everything into fine powder.

Consort Jin could no longer pretend. Her entire body shook. She dropped her head in embarrassment, and her slender back was curved like a bow. She finally managed to stand up straight after a long time.

"Since Your Highness is so disgusted, you may go back." She still retained her self-control. Her upbringing from deep within her bones refused to allow her to copy the shrew-like manner of the village women.

But, if she could choose, Consort Jin wouldn’t be able to wait to rush over and tear Jin Wang apart.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t.

Jin Wang gave a light snort. "What’s wrong? You invited this prince over, but now changed your mind?”

“What on earth do you want?” Consort Jin clenched her hands and glared at him. It's a pity that her facade only appeared tough on the outside but could be broken with a single jab.

Jin Wang laughed. His laughter was full of sarcasm and disdain, but also with a layer of cold resentment.

After a while, he stood up and stared at Consort Jin standing in front of him. "Asking what this prince wants? It’s more like what do you want, right? Are you doing this because Xu Guogong urged you to give birth to this prince’s son? That’s why you copied the tricks of the women from the brothels? Sweet talking and urging this prince to down wine. Xu Yanru, didn’t you claim to be pure and innocent, unwilling to be touched by this prince? This prince obliged and didn’t touch you! But now, you are so thirsty that you can’t wait to spread your legs and have this prince please you?”

Jin Wang’s words were harsh and vicious. Such a Jin Wang was extremely rare. He seemed to hold a deep hatred for Consort Jin. He appeared to not have seen Consort Jin’s fragility and embarrassment as he added another heavy strike.

"What a pity. This prince finds you revolting."

The voice was light and careless, but it was like the sharpest sword, stabbing fiercely at Consort Jin's heart, leaving it dripping with blood.

"You……"