The Seventh Princess Insists on Making Me Be a Kept Woman (GL) - Chapter 13

Chapter 13: Drinking Wine Fed by the Princess

The eyes of everyone in the room immediately fixed on Lian Liejin.

She seemed completely unfazed, slowly sitting down in the seat next to Gao Jingxi, only for the Princess to abruptly pull her closer, forcing her to share the same cushion.

Someone in the hall immediately shouted, “The Consort arrived so late, she must be punished with wine!”

“That’s right, the Consort must drink at least three penalty cups herself.”

Lian Liejin looked up. The people stirring up trouble were again Chen Yu and Feng Zhi. The others enthusiastically joined in.

Feng Zhi stood up and took a large gulp of wine. “Consort, to have married an unparalleled beauty like the Seventh Princess is a blessing you earned in a past life. The only thing everyone here lacks is that blessing of yours. But if we talk about anything else, you are far weaker than us, hahaha.”

A rich young master with dark circles under his eyes and vacant eyes took the cue. “Yes, discussing literary talent, Eldest Miss Lian takes first place at the Poetry Conference every year. When she’s old enough, passing the imperial exam to become the top scholar will be no problem. Discussing military strategy, Young Master Chen Li from the Chancellor’s residence has fought in battle, and his Stellar Energy Rank has already reached Astrologer. May I ask, Consort, what strengths do you possess that can win the admiration of all of us?”

“And I heard the Consort is a person abandoned by the Twenty-Eight Constellations. She was born without a trace of Stellar Energy. She has achieved nothing in either literature or martial arts, truly the biggest joke in Changyong City!”

As soon as this was said, everyone burst into laughter, some with contempt, some merely following the crowd, and some with jealousy.

Yet, despite the crowd’s prolonged mocking and laughter, the main subject continued to eat fruit and drink wine, completely oblivious—she had already consumed more than three cups.

The atmosphere in the banquet hall stagnated. Gao Jingxi smiled, curving her lips, and leaned close to Lian Liejin’s ear, whispering, “Consort, drink slower. This wine is quite strong.”

Having just taken a bite of an apple, Lian Liejin caught the faint, natural scent of Gao Jingxi. She found the beautiful woman’s gentle concern quite pleasant.

Since Lian Liejin gave Gao Jingxi the lantern, the Princess’s attitude toward her had clearly improved significantly. Lian Liejin even thought she might privately discuss with Gao Jingxi and convince her to allow her to return to Qingyue Mountain for a visit.

“Thank you for the reminder, Princess. My tolerance for alcohol is excellent; I’m not afraid.”

The sight of the two whispering to each other made everyone in the room burn with frustration, yet they couldn’t act on it.

Hearing Lian Liejin’s reply, Gao Jingxi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She raised her wine cup again and smiled faintly. “The Consort has only recently returned to Changyong City. You should all restrain yourselves and not lead her astray. Otherwise, I will not allow it. This cup is from me, to everyone.” With that, she drank it all.

Though the strong liquor was delicious, it was intensely spicy. With just one cup down, Gao Jingxi’s eyes were visibly red.

“Your Highness should limit meat recently and eat lightly.”

The person who had been focused on eating suddenly spoke. Gao Jingxi took the advice to heart, instructing A You to bring two bowls of geng rice porridge. Her voice then became even softer. “I will follow the Consort’s advice.”

Lian Liejin looked up at Gao Jingxi, feeling that the Princess, who was usually noble and aloof, was acting more and more unusually lately. She cautiously asked, “Are you perhaps drinking fake wine?”

Can this person not tolerate kind words! Gao Jingxi slightly narrowed her eyes. Her left hand suddenly clenched Lian Liejin’s waist, and she said in a low voice, “Later, I will personally take you back to the Princess’s residence. You must explain everything to me clearly about what happened today.”

“Ah?” Lian Liejin made an incoherent sound. Did the Princess figure out that I poisoned Chen Yu and Feng Zhi? This woman’s eyes must be too sharp! “Your Highness, what are you talking about? Where did this come from? Your humble servant just… just likes to paint.”

The light red wine, the green jade cup, and Gao Jingxi’s fair, slender fingers. This scene completely mesmerized Lian Liejin. It took her a long time to realize she was drinking the wine fed to her by Gao Jingxi.

The woman softly spoke with red lips next to her ear: “Consort, do you always change the subject when you are nervous?”

It seems I can only admit my fault first. Lian Liejin took a deep breath, turning her head to face the Princess’s profound eyes. “Your Highness, actually, I didn’t quite—”

The water clock in the main hall indicated the time had arrived.

Gao Qing stood up from her seat and clapped her hands. “Seventh Imperial Sister, the Poetry Conference can begin now.”

Hearing this, Gao Jingxi pushed Lian Liejin aside. With a wave of her fair hand, several servants carried a flowering Osmanthus tree and placed it in the center of the banquet hall.

Another steward from the palace stepped forward and announced loudly: “His Majesty has appointed the Seventh Princess as the head organizer of the conference and has decreed that this year’s Star-Plucking Ceremony will draw its meaning from ‘Plucking the Laurel from the Toad Palace’.”

The elderly steward, dressed in a crimson-purple robe, spoke in a slightly high-pitched voice. “We hope all scholars remember the rules of the competition and avoid opportunism or underhanded tricks. Otherwise, in the end—”

“You will be like a hen sitting on a duck egg—a complete waste of effort.”

The Star-Plucking Ceremony was a ritual performed annually by members of the Imperial Family to show reverence for the Twenty-Eight Constellations in the heavens. The specific content varied each year, as decreed by the Emperor.

In essence, this Poetry Conference was an unofficial pre-selection for the Imperial Exam’s top scholar. The top three contestants in the competition would win spots to study at the Royal Academy.

As soon as Gao Jingxi finished speaking, the First Prince, Gao Hu, laughed loudly. “What difficulty is there in this? Bring this Prince my bow!”

Ever since Gao Hu made a spectacle of himself at the previous banquet, he had harbored a secret resentment toward Lian Liejin, which was why he came to join the fun this time.

Gao Hu took the brilliant bow handed to him by his attendant. The bow was nearly half his height, fiery red all over, and inlaid with numerous gems.

He pulled the bowstring with force and aimed at the Osmanthus tree in the center. But at the last moment, he suddenly shifted the arrow and shot it toward Lian Liejin.

The iron arrow, wrapped in a layer of light blue Stellar Energy, tore through the air with a continuous sound, like a falcon descending from the heavens to hunt.

The arrow grew closer and closer to Lian Liejin’s left eye. The wind shear from the iron arrow even ripped the clothes of the people nearby.