The wine cup had just been picked up when the Crown Prince knew something was wrong. The complete powerlessness of his entire hand left him no time to react before the wine cup fell.

A crisp clang echoed through the great hall, sounding especially clear.

The hall fell silent. Countless gazes turned over and saw a white jade wine cup rolling chaotically.

Originally, accidentally dropping a cup would be a small matter, but this was at the welcoming banquet for the Yuliu envoys, and the one who dropped the cup was the heir apparent. That rolling white jade cup seemed to roll across the heart of every face-conscious Great Zhou official. Awkwardness spread through the now-silent hall.

The Crown Prince forced himself to show a smile: “My apologies. Just now my hand slipped carelessly. Everyone, please continue, continue.”

The officials’ gazes were subtle, unable to help sneaking glances at the Crown Prince’s left hand.

The rumors were actually true—the Crown Prince’s left hand really was useless!

This discovery left the assembled ministers with varied emotions, momentarily speechless.

Emperor Tai’an’s gaze was deep as an abyss. He glanced at the Crown Prince, then raised his cup toward the Yuliu Prince: “The journey was long and distant. The Prince must be weary.”

The Yuliu Prince raised his cup with a smile, as if nothing had happened: “Enjoying your esteemed nation’s magnificent scenery along the way, this prince didn’t feel weary in the slightest.”

Several ministers also raised their cups, taking turns toasting the Yuliu envoys. The scene recovered its liveliness.

After the welcoming banquet dispersed, Emperor Tai’an summoned the Crown Prince to the Imperial Study: “Losing decorum before the Yuliu Prince—you’ve completely thrown away Great Zhou’s face!”

The Crown Prince had originally felt apprehensive in his heart, but being scolded like this by Emperor Tai’an, he immediately felt wronged: “Your son didn’t want to either. Who told your son’s left hand to be useless?”

Hearing these words, Emperor Tai’an lost any feeling of heartache and instead grew angrier: “Knowing your left hand has problems, why did you use your left hand to hold the cup?”

The Crown Prince was momentarily choked by the question and said awkwardly: “Inevitably there are times when one forgets—”

“Ha!” Emperor Tai’an coldly laughed, cutting off the Crown Prince’s sophistry. “You were distracted looking at the Yuliu Princess and forgot, weren’t you?”

The Crown Prince’s face immediately flushed the color of pig liver: “Your son did not—”

Emperor Tai’an was too lazy to listen to the Crown Prince’s feeble rebuttals and said coldly: “You are Great Zhou’s Crown Prince, the heir apparent of a nation. Have you seen few stunning beauties? To have your soul hooked by a woman at such an occasion, to lose composure before others—you’ve greatly disappointed me!”

These words were not light. The Crown Prince’s expression was extremely ugly, and in his heart he felt very indignant.

He’d seen quite a few stunning beauties, but there were few who belonged to him! Moreover, his newly-wed Crown Princess had a face like a big pancake—just looking at her turned his stomach.

He suspected his father was dissatisfied with him and deliberately tormenting him.

The resentment revealed in the Crown Prince’s expression made Emperor Tai’an feel cold in his heart.

Making a fool of himself before foreign people yet not knowing self-reflection, instead feeling wronged—this bastard truly couldn’t be helped.

The scene of Prince Wei speaking and laughing cheerfully at the welcoming banquet flashed through his mind. Emperor Tai’an couldn’t help but be lost in thought.

The Crown Prince quietly observed Emperor Tai’an’s expression, inexplicably feeling somewhat panicked. He lowered his head and said haltingly: “Father Emperor, your son knows he was wrong.”

Emperor Tai’an came back to his senses. Looking at the Crown Prince lowering his head in admission of fault, his wavering thoughts steadied somewhat. He sternly warned: “You are the Crown Prince. During the Yuliu Prince’s visit, you cannot avoid dealing with him. Today’s incident absolutely cannot happen again.”

The Crown Prince repeatedly gave assurances. Returning to the Eastern Palace, he had another fit of temper.

The Crown Princess was too ugly—he didn’t want to go there. Concubine Sun’s place had become boring after visiting too often—he didn’t want to go there either. In the end, the Crown Prince hid in his bedchamber, served by Wang Fu as he took the Five-Color Powder, and only then cast his displeasure to the back of his mind.

The Yuliu Prince’s party, accompanied by officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Court of State Ceremonial, went to the arranged Honglu Guest House. Once outsiders were gone, Princess Lingque’s face turned cold: “Royal Brother, did you see? That Great Zhou Crown Prince kept glancing at my face with a base, obscene appearance!”

The Yuliu Prince smiled slightly: “Isn’t it rather good that the Great Zhou Crown Prince is like this? If he were intelligent, capable, and had strong self-control, that would be of no benefit to our Yuliu.”

If not limited by strength, which nation would be willing to always play little brother? As the Yuliu Prince, he wished nothing more than for both Great Zhou and Qi to rot into a pot of porridge.

Princess Lingque nodded in agreement and said with relief: “Fortunately Father King has no intention of having me marry the Great Zhou Crown Prince.”

The Yuliu Prince glanced at his sister, his meaning pointed: “If there truly were such an intention, would Royal Sister not listen to Father King?”

Princess Lingque curved the corners of her lips and said indifferently: “Father King’s words—I would naturally listen.”

The Yuliu Prince smiled: “No wonder Father King dotes on Sister the most.”

This visit, both he and his sister came bearing tasks. He was to personally observe Great Zhou’s true situation for his father, while his sister was to use her marriage to stir muddy waters. Once they selected the most suitable target, his sister wouldn’t be allowed to pick and choose—perhaps that target would be even worse than the Great Zhou Crown Prince.

“Set your mind at ease, Royal Brother. I know what’s important.” Princess Lingque’s features were delicate and lively, with a soft and sweet temperament, but at this moment revealed coldness.

In Yuliu, women were especially worthless. Even though she was a beloved princess, after marrying she could only be submissive toward her husband. Rarely having such an opportunity to serve the nation, and with Father King promising her status no lower than her royal brothers in the future, she would only strive to grasp it and would never feel wronged.

News of Princess Lingque’s stunning, city-toppling beauty spread quickly after the welcoming banquet ended. By the time the young masters and noble ladies of various manors received invitations to the banquet to be held at Fuxiang Garden, they inevitably developed anticipation at catching a glimpse of the foreign princess’s beauty.

In the General’s Manor, Lin Shi was complaining to her daughter, who was dressed and prepared to attend the banquet: “Who set this rule? Why is it only you young ladies going?”

She also wanted to see how beautiful Princess Lingque was.

The Old Madam’s face turned stern: “Don’t go everywhere seeking excitement. That headless female corpse case at Tianyuan Temple—the authorities have already questioned you twice.”

Lin Shi looked embarrassed: “I was just talking. By the way, the young masters of various manors are also going to accompany the Yuliu Prince, right? Although the banquets will be held separately, they’ll still be in the same garden. A’Hao, you must remind the Heir of Prince Jing not to wander around everywhere.”

Some things—one had to guard against them.

Lin Hao smiled: “Set your mind at ease, Mother. The Heir is unwell and won’t be able to attend this banquet.”

With the troubles from the previous life, Qi Shuo directly chose to avoid it. The reason was easy to find too—after all, people knew the Heir of Prince Jing was frail, and falling ill was a common occurrence.

Lin Shi’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Her son-in-law was ill again?

Then she was even more worried!

“A’Hao—”

“The young Princess is still waiting for me. I’ll leave first.” Lin Hao knew what her mother wanted to say and hastily made her escape.

Prince Jing’s Manor’s carriage was already stopped outside the main gate. Second Young Master Qi Huan was leading a horse standing beside the carriage. Seeing the General’s Manor’s carriage emerge, he tapped the carriage wall: “Sister-in-law is coming out.”

Qi Qiong lifted the carriage window curtain and waved at Lin Hao, who was looking toward the window: “A’Hao, why don’t we ride in one carriage together? We can chat along the way.”

“Sure.”

Seeing Lin Hao agree, Qi Qiong nimbly descended from the carriage: “Second Brother, I’m going to ride with A’Hao.”

“Hey—” Qi Huan hadn’t yet had time to speak when he saw his sister had already entered the General’s Manor’s carriage.

He looked at the empty carriage beside him, then at the horse he was leading, and suddenly felt somewhat heartsick.

Elder Sister-in-law hadn’t even married into the family yet, and his status had dropped again!