The banquet lasted until very late.

Jing Ye was so intoxicated by that cup of wine that he almost lost his senses. All night long he could only stare at the figures in the lights swinging in front of him in a daze. Lin Xiaosheng held his hand. His hand was very cold, which prevented Jing Ye from falling asleep.

In the middle of the banquet, Jing Ye took the sedan back to the imperial camp.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Ye Mao didn’t go to the banquet and didn’t expect for him to be like this when he came back. His cheeks were red, his lips were white, and there were layers of sweat on his forehead.

His hands shook with anxiety, and while he ordered the palace servants to bring over some water and tea to relieve the intoxication, he cursed in a low voice: “That old bastard of the Zhao family, when he falls into my hands in the future, I will definitely force a thousand and eight hundred cups down his throat, and then throw him into the smoker to steam into a suckling pig!”

Jing Ye was so drunk that his sight and hearing were all confused, but when he heard this, he laughed while gasping.

Lin Xiaosheng sat sideways and held Jing Ye’s waist, put a cup of hangover tea to his lips, and said softly: “Your Majesty?”

Jing Ye glanced at it vaguely, frowned and looked away. Lin Xiaosheng’s hand on his waist tightened and he whispered: “Your Majesty, just have a taste. It will make you feel better.”

Jing Ye still refused and shook his head to avoid. Lin Xiaosheng sighed, took it back and took a sip, then he held Jing Ye’s chin and fed him by the mouth.

He had been taking medicine all year round, and over time, a cool and bitter medicinal fragrance seemed to perpetually appear on his lips and tongue. Jing Ye, who had been in drought for a long time and found nectar, couldn’t help but raise his head to meet the other.

The tea was quickly swallowed, but the kiss was reluctant to end.

Their lips parted, Jing Ye hugged the other man’s shoulders and kept mumbling drunkenly. Lin Xiaosheng kissed his drooping eyelashes, brushed his thumb against his red and swollen lips, and whispered: “You have two different faces when you are drunk and when you are not drunk.”

Jing Ye rubbed against him: “#%￥#@%#…”

Lin Xiaosheng said in his ear: “Your Majesty has not seen that the little Feng Lang has been restless all night.”

Jing Ye lowered his eyes and said nothing.

Lin Xiaosheng picked up the bowl of tea and took another mouthful, saying, “I’m afraid one mouthful is not enough, Your Majesty?”

Jing Ye was supported by him by the waist and raised his head obediently.

The candlelight was bright in the tent, their lips and tongues were intertwined, their noses were rubbing together, and they drank a whole bowl of hangover tea.

The palace servants had already been led out of the tent by Ye Mao. Lin Xiaosheng stood up to lift the curtain and ordered them to pour hot water. When he came back, he saw Jing Ye huddled up and hiding in the corner of the bed.

Lin Xiaosheng stepped forward and said: “Your Majesty…”

Jing Ye opened his eyes suddenly, full of fear, holding his head and seeming on the verge of emotional collapse.

Lin Xiaosheng frowned and stepped forward, but he grabbed him by the collar and shouted: “You beast! Don’t you want to eat me? Come on, zhen is not a coward! If you have the guts, just bite me!”

Lin Xiaosheng: “…”

Jing Ye yelled while shedding tears, pounced over to hug Lin Xiaosheng, aimed for his neck and opened his mouth.

Lin Xiaosheng’s forehead twitched and there was blood.

Jing Ye was still biting and crying, “Why don’t you have any fur…”

Ye Mao came in with the hot water: “…”

Lin Xiaosheng raised his hand to hold Jing Ye’s shoulders and looked at him.

Jing Ye looked back at him blankly and suddenly pressed his temples: “It hurts.”

“It’s okay, it’ll be fine after sleeping.” He reached out and held him, hugging him and lying on the bed.

Jing Ye then lay down obediently with him, leaning his head on the jade pillow, looking at him and saying, “That beast wants to eat me, so stay with me.”

Lin Xiaosheng lowered his eyes and said after a while: “Okay, I’ll stay with you.”

Jing Ye was still worried and stubbornly refused to close his eyes. Later, he couldn’t hold on any longer and gradually fell asleep.

Lin Xiaosheng took off his shoes and lay beside him, and said to Ye Mao: “Go out and keep watch. We won’t be able to wash up tonight.”

Ye Mao looked at the two of them, nodded, and silently retreated.

The morning of the second day.

Jing Ye leaned against the bed, his wrist on the soft pillow, and the scholar’s calloused fingers seeing over his pulse carefully.

“Slowing down and stopping at certain times.” The scholar raised his head and looked at Jing Ye, “Intermittent pulse. Your Majesty, how is sleep at night?”

“Ah?”

“Caomin asked, how is sleep at night?” (TN: term used by commoners)

Jing Ye came back to his senses, his lips were still white, and he said: “It’s not good, I have a headache.”

“That’s right, I imagine so.” The scholar rummaged through the medicine box, “Excessive thoughts have added to the panic disorder. Your Majesty is physically weak and cannot bear the extra strain.”

Jing Ye smiled. The scholar said: “The body should not be played with, and the daily diet should be given care. The ancients said, ‘He who eats grain will live.’ If Your Majesty’s daily food cannot nourish the spirit and blood, even immortal elixirs will be useless.” 

Jing Ye nodded and the scholar stood up. Jing Ye told Ye Mao, “Send the gentleman off.”

The scholar bowed his head and said, “Thanking Your Majesty.”

Jing Ye smiled and said, “Zhen still doesn’t know your name.”

The scholar said: “My surname is Xu.”

Jing Ye smiled and said, “Mr. Xu, It is thanks to your care in Pingyue City.”

The scholar said: “It’s just at the request of Villa Master Lu. Your Majesty’s illness is not a serious matter, but once the autumn hunting is over, you must take good care of yourself.”

Jing Ye nodded and said, “When zhen has sorted out this mess…”

As soon as the curtain was lifted, Lin Xiaosheng came in with breakfast, and the scholar said goodbye with a smile. Lin Xiaosheng put the food on the small table beside the couch with carved hibiscus flowers.

Jing Ye looked at the swath of cotton bandage around his neck, feeling a little embarrassed and said, “Last night zhen…”

Lin Xiaosheng still looked aloof and indifferent, “Chen always seems to see Your Majesty being drunk.”

Jing Ye was speechless and said after a long time, “Zhen doesn’t drink often.”

Lin Xiaosheng glanced at him and remained silent.

When Jing Ye went to the hunting ground, he found that the accompanying captain of the cavalry had become the adjutant of the Yulin Guards, so he asked where Li Tingqiu was.

The adjutant said: “The general was scratched on his left shoulder by a wild wolf. The imperial doctor told him not to go out to ride and exert himself, so he asked me to temporarily take over the post of chief of guard.”

Jing Ye recalled that he was scared to death at that time and didn’t even notice that Li Tingqiu was injured on his back.

The other was also injured because of him, so it would be unreasonable not to take a look at him.

With Jing Ye thinking this, he went to Li Tingqiu’s tent.

The tent where Li Tingqiu lived was naturally much simpler. He and his adjutant slept on either side of the tent. There was a long table in the middle with several volumes of military books and historical records. One of them was spread out, and next to it was a porcelain bowl with residual medicinal juice.

Jing Ye entered the tent and looked around, but saw no one present.

The boy servant who followed him in quickly knelt down and said, “The general has left his tent for a walk, not knowing Your Majesty will come. Please forgive the oversight.”

Jing Ye nodded and reached out to Ye Mao behind him. The latter understood and handed over a small jade vial decorated in celadon flowers. Jing Ye took the jade bottle and looked at it, then leaned over and held it in front of the boy servant and said, “This is for treating skin and flesh wounds. It can be applied externally or internally. Give it to your master. Apply it twice a day. It will heal faster.”

The boy servant took the jade vial with both hands, knelt down and said, “On behalf of my master, caomin would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace!”

“En.” Jing Ye straightened up and turned to Ye Mao, “Go back.”

Ye Mao hurriedly bowed and followed after.

According to the old practice, the sons of officials and nobles hunted in the countryside outside the camp in the morning, and the prey they brought back were handed over to the chefs who served in the camp, who cooked various delicacies to entertain the families.

Zhao Mingde only had one youngest son from the main wife, who was still in his infancy, but he had a lot of nephews. In addition, the Zhao family was now in the height of power, and there were always many people who flattered and fawned over them, so the hunting banquet of the Zhao family was particularly grand and lively.

At noon that day, the Zhao family hosted a banquet for dozens of nobles and officials. Zhao Mingde sat on the main seat, with Xu shi and her eldest daughter Zhao Miaoling beside him.

While Xu shi smiled and greeted the female members from other families who came to greet her, she quietly asked her daughter who was sitting next to her: “Look, the eldest son of Lord Qian’s family, he bought a sixth-grade official rank just this year. He looks good too.”

Zhao Miaoling didn’t even bother to look over, and sneered with a raised eyebrow: “How can mother bear to marry me to this kind of person? Daughter is not one of those official family ladies. In this life, I will never marry anyone other than him.”

Xu shi sighed.

Zhao Mingde sat on his seat and asked Xu shi in a low voice during the break: “Why did you invite the Yang family?”

Xu shi sat upright as she replied: “The second son of the Yang family must be twenty-two years old, which is the age for marriage. The way I see it, among the noble sons of the whole dynasty, he, the son of the Feng (凤) family, the third son of the Feng (冯) family and the eldest son of the He family, these few are the only ones worthy of our Miao Ling.”

Zhao Mingde snorted coldly. Xu shi’s smile disappeared. She glanced at him and said, “Laoye, are you blaming me for not bringing Miao Rong? She is still young and can’t learn anything even if she comes out. I am afraid she will simply follow and take after others’ frivolity.”

Zhao Mingde did not answer, but instead talked and laughed with the officials who came up to toast. Xu shi looked at Yang Ziran who was joking with others at the table, stood up and pulled Zhao Miaoling along, “Come, mother will take you to meet the young master of the Yang family.”

Zhao Miaoling thought of her group of friends, some of whom liked the Feng (Feng Ling) family son, and some of whom were enamored of the Yang family’s second son. She thought that it wouldn’t hurt to go and take a look, so she followed Xu shi and let herself be pulled over.

Yang shi, surnamed Li, was a middle-aged woman with gentle features. When she saw Xu shi coming with her daughter, she stood up and said with a smile: “There was a tea party held in our manor a few days ago. I wanted to invite you, but I was afraid of Han Bo being an embarrassment. “

“Nothing of the sort.” Xu shi smiled and turned sideways, “Why are you still not making your greetings, Miao Ling?”

Zhao Miaoling turned around and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet the madam.”

“En.” Li shi looked at her with a smile, stretched out her hand to help her up and said, “What lovely looks.” After saying that, she turned back and said, “Come here Zi Ran.”

Yang Ziran smiled and came over to make the greetings.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Zhao Miaoling took a sneak peek while she was standing up, and saw that this man was handsome and smiling, another kind of handsome that was different from Gu Hong. She couldn’t help but blush.

Yang Ziran greeted Xu shi, turned around and looked at her, cupped his hands and said with a smile: “I am Yang Ziran, knowing Miss Zhao by reputation cannot compare to meeting you in person.”

“You flatter me.” Zhao Miaoling curtsied and lowered her head. For some reason, her heart was beating loudly.

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