The First Set: The Protector of the Country and Her Three Husbands and Four Servants Chapter 26: Xuan Ming Jade

  I didn't attend the spring outing in the afternoon because my shoulder was invaded by wind and cold, which made it painful. After all, the injury hasn't healed yet, and I shouldn't be exposed to too much wind, or it will become rheumatism and that would be troublesome.

  The royal banquet in the evening is like asking leaders for dinner at the end of the year, it can't be avoided.

  At the banquet, I became the object of everyone's toast, and with a loud "Gan Bei", I also took on the role of leader.

  Using illness as an excuse, drink less if possible.

  The wine at the banquet tastes strange, the white wine doesn't taste like white wine, and the yellow wine doesn't taste like yellow wine. Mainly because I didn't drink much domestic wine when I was alive, those ancient fine wines didn't develop well in the country either. The wine table is mostly red wine, beer and white wine.

  And the bars were all mixed drinks with foreign liquor.

  The wine in hand is quite refreshing, and I don't even feel a hint of alcohol flavor. However, after swallowing, it melts slowly like ice and snow, followed by a fiery sensation that rises up, but not as intense as Erguotou's burning feeling, very warm instead.

  Then, Feng Xue Yin suggested that I sing "Laughing at the Red Dust". Originally, with a hint of intoxication, the atmosphere was perfect, but unfortunately, in that instant when I saw Feng Xue Yin, all my courage disappeared, leaving only fear.

  And Huan Yu and other officials also joined in the clamor.

  "I've heard that the lady of the manor plays the zither exceptionally well. Today, she must play a piece to add to the festive atmosphere."

  It's all over, I'm dizzy, I'm dizzy...

  "Shiver me timbers!"

  I was stunned and stared blankly at Little Jiu beside me, he stood up and started twisting around me: "Pink Princess, ah yo ah yo ~~"

  "Hahaha......" Wenwu Baiguan all burst out laughing, Xiao Jiu continued to twist and turn, as if drunk: "Pirate captain, hehehe, Mrs. sister, together ah."

  Emmm... But it's a good idea.

  "Miss Pink, ah yo ah yo~~~" Xiaojiao flipped up a hibiscus finger, learned from those flirtatious girls, I'm even more speechless...

  "Sister, what's with this young master..."

  I chuckled: "That... the evening's entertainment, the evening's entertainment, haha... it seems that Little Jiu is drunk, I'd better take him down first, lest he make a scene." I don't know how the officials will look at me, they must think I'm a drunken woman.

  "Madam sister, madam sister, why didn't you come together?" Little Jiu drunkenly pulled at my clothes, and I pretended to be angry: "When did you secretly drink wine?"

  "What wine is this... Xiaojiao can drink that kind of water...". Xiaojiao and I still have a pretty good tacit understanding.

  I gave Xuan Yuan Yifei and Feng Xueyin a big salute: "Sorry! Sorry! Withdraw, withdraw."

  Hugged Xiao Jiu and quickly left.

  Ran to the door, a gust of wind blew, and I stumbled forward, bumping into someone. My head buried into his chest, and a whiff of peculiar fragrance wafted into my nostrils. We both recoiled in surprise.

  "Empress Dowager?"

  It was a very familiar voice, I raised my head and looked clearly at the person who came, it was the person I met in the bookstore that day.

  "Ming Yu..." Suddenly, Xiao Jiu softly called out in my arms, his voice was very small and wasn't discovered by the man in front of us.

  "Ming Yu?" I unconsciously repeated after Xiao Jiu. The man in front of me had a smile on his face: "Madam finally remembers me?"

  Suddenly, Little Jiu's body tensed up and clung onto my shoulder, no longer facing the man in front of us.

  It turned out he was Ming Yu...

  Her body swayed involuntarily, and Ming Yu stretched out her hand, but was supported by another person from beside: "Madam, Qiu Yue will send you back to the manor."

  "Qiu Yue?"

  Autumn Orchid beside me took out Little Jiu from my arms and supported my arm, anxiously asking: "Can the lady still walk?"

  "En." He took a deep breath, feeling much more awake, and looked at Mingyu again. "Thank you very much that day, Mr. Mingyu. Let's continue another day. Autumn, let's go." After saying this, he didn't look at him again.

  It turns out that this "niang" is Ming Yu, why did Feng Xue Yin mention him? Right, I asked Nan Gong half of the question this afternoon, and I'll ask him again later.

  As I walked out of the palace gate, I ran into Old Man Qiu. It turned out that Xuan Yuan Yi Fei had arranged a horse carriage for us. Perhaps in the future, Xuan Yuan Yi Fei and I would get along quite well.

  "Nangong." In the carriage, I couldn't help but ask Nangong Qiuyue, who was sitting beside me. His body had a comfortable scent of agarwood, and it seemed that men here had a good habit of wearing sachets.

  "What's wrong, madam?"

  "Who is Ming Yu exactly?"

  Nangong Qiuyue's originally expressionless face showed a hint of hesitation: "He is... the one Madam loves most." After saying that, he looked at me with those starry eyes, and Xiao Jiu, who was sitting between us, hugged my waist and buried her face in my chest: "Sister-in-law, hug."

  "Oh." I hugged Xiao Jiu tightly, his body was trembling slightly. I seemed to understand why Feng Xueyin mentioned Ming Yu, and also understood Feng Qingya's weakness. Alas, what other weaknesses could women have? If Feng Qingya could be as ruthless as Feng Xueyin, perhaps the one who would be the empress now wouldn't be Feng Xueyin, but Feng Qingya.

  My head is a bit heavy, there's a flame in my chest, and I'm another lovesick woman. Dammit, can't we women live for anything but men?

  "Ming Yu Gongzi's surname is Xuan, and the Xuan family is a clan of alchemists."

  "Refine the elixir? The Luminous Treasure Mirror! The Elixir of Eternal Youth!" I exclaimed, my voice growing louder with each word. Little Nine clutched my hand even tighter, it seemed that Feng Qingya had stolen the Luminous Treasure Mirror mainly for the sake of the Xuanming Jade.

  "Has the lady remembered?" Nan Gong Qiuyue's tone carried a hint of delight, I shook my head and gazed out the window: "It's just speculation, since you said I loved that man, and Linglong Baodian is the formula for the elixir of immortality, then that time I probably did it for him..."

  "But... Autumn didn't mention anything about the Lingluo Treasure Mirror to Madam."

  "It was Xuanming Yu who told me, I met him in the book building yesterday and happened to mention Linglong Baodian. It's really not worth it, is it worth sacrificing one's life for such a man?" The second half of the sentence was said to Xiaojiu.

  "But madam loves Mingyu Gongzi..."

  "Does he like me?" I turned my face back to ask, letting Xiaojiu sober up. Nangong Qiuyue seemed to be stunned by my sudden question. I sneered: "I'm afraid not, the way Xuanming Yu looked at me was emotionless. The previous Feng Qingya was just a one-sided love, and still had to be controlled." Suddenly, Nangong Qiuyue covered my mouth: "Madam, there are ears on the wall, keep your voice down." He lowered his voice and glanced outside the carriage.

  The horse carriage is flying away.

  I sighed and Nan Gong Qiuxue let go of her hand, casually stroking Xiao Jiu's head: "It seems that Xiao Jiu is really tired."

  He changed the subject, but I still felt suffocated in my chest. When I got home, I would educate Feng Qingya about the concept of dressing modestly, even though I couldn't do it myself.

  "Anyway, I don't like him now." I muttered and turned my face to look out the window, "What I hate most is a man who looks like a woman, just looking at him makes me think he's a gigolo."

  "Boyfriend?" Nangong Qiuxue burst out laughing, turned her face to look at him, he immediately turned his face away and continued laughing, I elbowed him: "What are you laughing at?"

  "Qiu Yue thought of those young masters who protected the country's mansion, didn't they all become male concubines?"

  "Is that so... I've never seen what other people look like when they talk."

  "Madam should go and take a look, it will help Madam recover her memory."

  I tilted my head to look at Nan Gong Qiuxue, how he was like Dad, nagging away. His face had a smile on it, but his eyes were serious, as if looking at a disobedient child.

  "Alright."

  "It's good that the lady has come to her senses." A hand brushed past the corner of my eye, and for some reason, I felt a twinge of tension in my heart. But then, that same hand gently stroked the head of Little Jiu in my arms: "Little Jiu is already asleep; from now on, he'll probably have even fewer carefree days. The curriculum at Guozijian is very demanding, and I don't know if it won't be too strenuous for Little Jiu..."

  Listening to Nan Gong Qiuye's sighs, the atmosphere around me felt strange, as if a family of three were discussing their son's future.

  My face turned red, probably due to the wine, and my mind became muddled again.

  *

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