Emperor Jingming’s tightly gripped white jade wine cup shook, spilling amber-colored liquid.
The wine’s fragrance filled the air, but he was numb to it.
What was the Eighth Prince doing?
If his eyes weren’t deceiving him, Eighth Prince was… streaking?
Thinking he must be dreaming, Emperor Jingming raised his hand to rub his eyes.
“Your Majesty—” the Empress’s warning came a moment too late.
The wine splashed on his hand seeped into his eyes, causing an immediate burning sensation. Emperor Jingming let out a pained groan.
The Empress was alarmed: “Your Majesty, are you alright?”
Emperor Jingming covered his reddened eyes with one hand and pointed downward with the other, ordering harshly: “Throw Prince Xiang out!”
The pain prevented him from opening his eyes to see the scene below clearly, but he didn’t need to. He just wanted that disgraceful thing thrown far away.
As the imperial guards dragged Prince Xiang away, he seemed still unaware, crying loudly: “Let me go! I want to find Father Emperor, I want to find Mother Empress, waa… I want to find Mother Empress—”
The Empress, busy tending to Emperor Jingming, froze, momentarily embarrassed.
Was Prince Xiang having a drunken fit? Even so, why was he crying out for her? Anyone who didn’t know better might think she had cruelly abandoned her child—
Hearing Prince Xiang’s cries, Emperor Jingming shook with anger, hissing: “Are you all dead? Move faster!”
Finally, Prince Xiang’s cries faded, and though Emperor Jingming’s eyes were still uncomfortable, he could see again.
Below the dais were countless bewildered faces. The hall was silent except for the sound of falling bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups.
Emperor Jingming had only one thought: How shameful!
That disgraceful thing was his son…
The Empress Dowager spoke: “Your Majesty, I’m tired. I’ll retire to Cining Palace to rest.”
Emperor Jingming instinctively replied: “Mother, let me escort you—”
“No need. Your Majesty has much to deal with. Fuqing and the Fourteenth Princess can accompany me back.”
Princess Fuqing and the Fourteenth Princess, both slightly flushed, bowed to the Emperor and Empress before hurriedly escorting the Empress Dowager away.
Though Prince Xiang hadn’t completely stripped, it was embarrassing enough.
With the Empress Dowager gone, Emperor Jingming regained some composure. His dark eyes swept the crowd below as he asked angrily: “What happened just now?”
No one answered immediately.
How could anyone explain Prince Xiang’s sudden streaking?
Prince Lu, always bold, saw an opportunity to stand out when no one responded to the Emperor. He stepped forward: “Father Emperor, I recall Eighth Brother was sitting with Fourth Brother just now—”
At these words, countless gazes from both the dais and below focused on Prince Qi.
Prince Qi’s face paled. He stood and bowed towards the dais, a fallen silver chopstick reflecting cold light at his feet.
Emperor Jingming took a deep breath and asked: “Fourth Son, tell me what happened just now.”
Under countless stares, Prince Qi’s palms were drenched in sweat.
Resisting the urge to look at Yu Jin, he spoke loudly: “Father Emperor, Eighth Brother might have had too much to drink—”
“You’re saying he had a drunken outburst?” Emperor Jingming’s face darkened further.
Prince Qi nodded slightly: “Eighth Brother was in high spirits today and drank quite a bit…”
He had given the drug to Eighth Brother, who was supposed to use it on Seventh Brother. Though he couldn’t understand why Eighth Brother had drunk the drugged wine while Seventh Brother remained unaffected, he had no choice but to blame it on drunken behavior.
If he suggested Eighth Brother had been drugged, the matter would escalate, and tracing the drug’s source would only bring trouble to himself.
Yu Jin’s long fingers held his white jade wine cup as he curved his lips, watching Prince Qi with deep contempt in his eyes.
This coward indeed dared not blow the matter up.
But it didn’t matter. Eighth Brother had made such a spectacle of himself that, regardless of the reason, the Emperor wouldn’t let him off easily.
Hearing Prince Qi’s response, Emperor Jingming closed his eyes briefly. Thinking of Prince Xiang’s streaking, drunken behavior seemed the only explanation. Even if there were others, this wasn’t the time or place to investigate deeply.
Emperor Jingming rose with a cold face: “You may all disperse.”
Why were they still glued to their seats? Did they expect the palace to serve dinner too?
Seeing Emperor Jingming heading inside, the Empress hurriedly followed.
The guests watched the imperial couple leave, reluctant to depart.
The Emperor hadn’t said how he would deal with Prince Xiang. Was it really over just like that?
A young eunuch looked around and called out loudly: “Everyone, please leave quickly.”
Yu Jin was the first to move.
“Let’s return home,” he said.
Jiang Si walked to Yu Jin’s side, and they left together.
Finally, the hall stirred.
Princess Lu approached Prince Lu and pinched him discreetly, whispering: “You just had to speak up.”
Once in their carriage, Princess Lu still looked displeased.
Prince Lu grunted unhappily: “I didn’t say much.”
Princess Lu glared at him: “When no one else spoke, you had to drag Prince Qi into it. Won’t that make him resent you?”
Prince Lu pouted: “Fourth Brother and I were never close anyway. Do you think he likes me? Come on, we have something to celebrate today. Princess, join me for a small drink when we get back.”
Princess Lu’s face reddened with anger: “Still drinking? Didn’t you see what happened to Prince Xiang—”
Prince Lu chuckled: “That’s exactly why we should have a small celebration.”
With Eighth Brother disgracing himself so thoroughly, Father Emperor must be furious. He might soon have company in disgrace.
In their green-curtained carriage, Jiang Si tugged at Yu Jin’s sleeve: “Ah Jin, Prince Xiang wasn’t drunk, was he?”
Yu Jin sneered: “Of course not. He tried to drug me while offering a toast, so I simply returned the cup to him. I just didn’t expect him to start streaking after drinking it!”
Had he known it would offend Ah Si’s eyes, he would have found another way to deal with that fool.
“How did you return it?” Jiang Si asked curiously.
Yu Jin smiled, pointing to his wide sleeve: “When I pretended to drink, I poured the wine into a cup hidden in my sleeve. Then, when I offered him a drink, I poured that cup back.”
People typically held their cups with the right hand, the left hand supporting it, with the left sleeve hanging naturally.
Yu Jin demonstrated using a teacup on the table.
His left hand, seemingly supporting the cup, had four fingers extended while the thumb pressed against the cup’s edge. The sleeve concealed the hidden cup, making it appear as a standard drinking posture to onlookers.
Of course, Yu Jin made it sound simple. Returning the drugged wine while pretending to pour required exceptional speed and skill.
Fortunately, his years of martial arts training had given him extraordinary abilities beyond ordinary people.
“Ah Jin, how do you think Father Emperor will deal with Prince Xiang after today’s disgrace?”
Back in Yangxin Hall, Emperor Jingming slammed his fist on the table: “That disgraceful thing! He’ll be the death of me!”