C74

When they were outside, the two of them always loved each other.

"Your majesty, the Empress has arrived."

Everyone hurriedly stood up to pay their respects.

The Emperor sat at the head of the table. His dignified gaze swept across the entire hall as he lightly smiled and said, "Today is the Seventh Festival's banquet. There's no need to be so formal. Take a seat!"

"Thank you, your majesty."

Song Yichen weakly coughed, and the emperor immediately asked.

A few days ago, the emperor heard about Song Yichen's coma and sent an imperial physician over, but he didn't help in any way.

In order to let Qing Yan walk away peacefully, Shen Kouqing had concealed the matter of the poison, and told the outside world that Song Yichen had fainted because he was too tired and weak.

Shen Kouqing looked up and saw Song Yuanhui sitting there drinking one cup after another. Shen Koudan was sitting beside him.

In his previous life, Song Yuanhui and Shen Koudan's relationship wasn't very good. In the beginning, Song Yuanhui had looked out for the Marquis of Wu Ling's face and took care of Shen Koudan.

"Yuan Hui." The emperor suddenly raised the wine cup in his hand and said, "Your second brother just came back victorious. You also have to put in effort in riding and shooting, so we can go up together to fight against your second brother."

"Thank you royal father, if there is a chance, I will naturally do my best to protect the country."

Song Yuanhui raised his head and drank all the wine, and the maids beside him immediately filled their cups to the brim.

It was unknown if it was because of the servant's carelessness, but the wine suddenly spilled out onto Song Yuanhui's wide sleeves.

"This servant deserves to die, this servant deserves to die!" The maid was so frightened that she quickly knelt down and trembled.

A look of displeasure flashed past Song Yuanhui's eyes, but he said loudly: "It's fine."

He then stood up and said to the emperor, "Father, please wait for a moment. This son will go and change his clothes."

Song Yuanhui stood up and went to the rear hall.

Shen Kouqing looked at him coldly, and without saying a word, she downed a cup of wine.

"Drink less." Song Yichen snatched the wine cup from Shen Kouqing's hands.

Shen Kouqing smiled faintly, opened her lips and said, "If you can't get drunk, everyone will get drunk. Tonight is such a beautiful night, how can you drink a few cups?"

Shen Kouqing really wished that she was drunk.

"Cough, cough …" She suddenly choked on her alcohol, Ting Zhu immediately supported her and said with concern: "Empress Dowager, you're drunk, this servant will help you wake up from your stupor!"

Shen Kouqing nodded, told Song Yichen, and left.

The summer night was warm and breezy, but it was already night. The breeze was no longer hot and unbearable, instead, it was extremely cool and refreshing.

Shen Kouqing looked around. Behind Tai He Palace was the Pond of Pleasure, no wonder it was so cool and refreshing.

"Empress, look. The moon is so beautiful." Ting Zhu looked up at the moon, and said while grinning: "This humble servant remembers last year at midnight, you were still lying under the grape arbor listening to the cow, but unfortunately there isn't a grape arbor in the palace."

That's right, last year's current her was still full of innocence, just like a child who could not grow up. But now, carrying all the hatred on her body, her heart was no longer the same as before.

Shen Kouqing purposely leaned her ear over and whispered under the unknown tree: "Who said that only the vines could hear me, come over here and listen."

"What did the Empress hear from the cow?" Ting Zhu walked while fanning Shen Kouqing with a fan.

Shen Kouqing rolled her eyes and said: "They said that Ting Zhu is not young anymore, it's time to find a wife."

"Empress …" Ting Zhu's face flushed red, she turned and grabbed her handkerchief.

Shen Kouqing laughed.

"If you are unwilling, you will not be able to marry after a few more years. If you place your blame on me, won't I be wasting your entire life?"

Ting Zhu continued: "This is what the Empress has said before, and this servant has also said it, I am not willing to marry anyone, I only want to accompany you."

Ting Zhu intimately held onto Shen Kouqing's arm. Right now, they didn't look like a pair of master and servant at all, but more like sisters.

The two continued to walk forward.

The banquet had not ended, so Shen Kouqing did not dare to walk too far. She only strolled around, wondering if Wei Changling had come out, as she was afraid that the hour was wrong, and refused to go back.

On the contrary, Ting Zhu was afraid that the emperor would blame him, hence she urged him on several times.

"Empress, look, what is that?" Ting Zhu suddenly asked as she pointed to the flowers and vines on the fake mountain not far away.

Shen Kouqing looked carefully, it was Ling Xiao Hua.

She frowned. The lifespan of a Soaring Sky Flower was extremely short, so how could such an ominous flower appear in the palace?

With a doubt in his heart, Shen Kouqing raised his leg and wanted to go up to take a look, but he was stopped by Ting Zhu.

"How can such a thing be done to the Empress? This servant will go!"

"Be careful." Shen Kouqing voiced her concern.

Looking around, Shen Kouqing couldn't help but be shocked, they actually walked to Weiyang Palace.

At this moment, the empress was still in Supreme Harmony Palace with many servants by her side, but there weren't many people in Weiyang Palace.

Ting Zhu circled around the fake mountain in the backyard of Weiyang Palace, and after taking a few steps, he turned a corner and disappeared.

Shen Kouqing was not anxious, she was tired from walking and sat there to wait.

She had her doubts. The empress had always loved flowers, but most of the flowers in her palace were of the golden and precious type like peonies and phoenixes. Why would there be a Soaring Sky Flower?

The Ling Xiao Flower was as cold as its name suggested. Although the flower was beautiful, it was a light blue one. The woman in the palace taboo was the Cold Palace, and they did not like the fatal flower either.

After about an incense worth of time, Ting Zhu still did not come over. Shen Kouqing panicked and walked towards the fake mountain.

It was night, and the surroundings were extremely quiet. Shen Kouqing called a few times, and suddenly heard a sound from the side.

She quickly turned around and saw Ting Zhu running towards her.

"What's wrong?"

"Empress …" Ting Zhu wanted to say something but hesitated. She looked around nervously, then whispered into Shen Kouqing's ear: "This servant has seen the Ninth Prince."

Song Yuanhui? Wasn't he dressing in the rear hall?

It turned out that when Ting Zhu had left just now, because it was too dark, she had taken the wrong path.

Out of curiosity, she listened for a while longer. Seeing that it was Song Yuanhui and Wei Changling, she heard the two of them flattering each other nonstop.

Just as Ting Zhu was about to leave, Song Yuanhui found her and reprimanded her for a while.

Shen Kouqing's gaze tensed up, and indeed, Song Yuanhui had a bad idea.

From the looks of it, the wine that had stained his clothes was most likely done on purpose, just so that he could find an opportunity to do so.

Just that, why was he looking for Wei Changling?

"Many thanks to Prince Wei, the Ninth Prince wanted to teach this servant a lesson. He was the one who stopped the Ninth Prince, otherwise, this servant would never have been able to escape."

"He dares." Shen Kouqing snorted.

She would never allow Song Yuanhui to touch a single hair on his head.