Pampered Consort's Acting Awards - Chapter 23 Part 2

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Emperor Jiaxuan held a banquet in Baohe Hall for everyone to enjoy.

Civil and military officials, as well as the Imperial guards’ seating was arranged on the steps to the throne. Musical instruments were set up under the eaves. Looking along, everyone talked and laughed and enjoyed themselves.

Being the princess consort, Su Ling’s seat was naturally set at Xiao Yu’s side. Su Huai’an and Su Jingbei’s seats were not far away from her, so she could only continue to act with Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu coordinated with her. He smiled and poured two cups of fruit wine for her, but Su Ling did not drink it, because she never touched alcohol.

“This prince personally poured the wine, Princess won’t even give me any face?” Xiao Yu hooked his lips and lowered his voice.

Su Ling didn’t want to argue with him in front of her father and brother, so she toasted him and took a sip.

The two were close. Xiao Yu could clearly see how much she had drunk. At the first glance, it barely moved. He couldn’t help but point at her cup, “So many eyes are looking at us. What do you mean by only taking a single sip?”

Seeing Su Huai’an’s gaze drifting past, Su Ling smiled and raised her cup and drank it.

“Princess is really worthy of being Duke of Zhen’s eldest daughter. Cheers.” Xiao Yu toasted her a cup.

Su Ling held the cup and gave him a fierce look, but his eyes were filled with a smile.

After drinking for three rounds, Emperor Jiaxuan and Empress Chu left the scene, and the crowd also dispersed. Su Ling and Xiao Yu also went out of the palace together and got on the carriage.

Su Ling’s skin was white and delicate, it would turn red when touched, especially after drinking a little wine. Xiao Yu glanced at the base of her neck, then lifted the gauze curtain and looked out the window.

It was silent all the way. The sound of horseshoes and the sound of wheels were more harmonious than them.

After a while, the coachman pulled the reins. After stopping, he turned back, opened the curtain, and said in a low voice, “Your Highness, in front is Mengyue Pavilion.”

Xiao Yu gave a low “en” and was prepared to get off.

Su Ling looked at his back and clenched her fists.

How could she not know what kind of place Mengyue Pavilion is? She could pretend to not understand, she could pretend to be deaf, she could also pretend to not know that he had been fooling around outside. But what day was it today? It’s the August 15th, the Mid-Autumn Festival.

He even dares to do this in front of her face without any scruples?

“Your Highness.” Su Ling called to him.

Xiao Yu turned his head, his eyebrows were hung: “Is there something wrong with Princess?”

Su Ling nodded her head, “Yes.”

Xiao Yu looked at her reddened cheeks and thought, if she urges him to stay, he doesn’t mind going home with her.

“Speak.”

Everyone is impulsive in their youth. Moreover, she had gained courage after drinking. Su Ling looked at Xiao Yu’s eyes and said seriously: “When Your Highness gets what you want in the future, I won’t ask for too much, just a divorce letter. Will it work?”

Today, her thoughts were completely different from what he thought.

Under the moonlight, Xiao Yu’s eyes sank instantly. He looked deeply into Su Ling’s eyes and faintly said: “Princess even dares to speak of this.”

Su Ling’s heartbeat became faster, and she softened her voice, ”Does Your Highness agree?”

Xiao Yu let out a smile and coldly said: “If you really want it, this prince can give it to you right now.”

Do you really think I don’t care?

After all is said, his figure disappeared into the dark night.

Xiao Yu turned and entered the back alley. Fan Cheng, a personal guard, asked in puzzlement: “Why doesn’t Your Highness explain clearly to the princess?”

Explain clearly that they were not going to seek pleasure, but to investigate the evidence of Prince Cheng’s forming a faction for private purposes.

Xiao Yu’s corner of the mouth twitched, “I’m in charge of investigating a case. This must be kept a secret, so what should I explain to her?”

Besides, what is there to explain?

She really doesn’t mind him going to the brothel, she just wants the divorce letter because someone is waiting for her.

He Zichen’s letter clearly stated with affection that he would not marry if not with her.

Marrying a divorced woman, thinking only about the beauty.

Fan Cheng himself was a man with a family, he knew that if the relationship between the husband and wife was cold, it’d be easy to be at odds. Therefore, he advised: “Then why doesn’t this humble one stay to watch for tonight? Your Highness can return first.”

As if not hearing him, Xiao Yu quickly walked towards the row of red lanterns.

It’s fine for a man to have fun anyway.

However, the Xiao Yu at that time really, truly did not expect that the next day when he got back home, in front of his own residence, he’d see rows of young women, each one was sweet, fair, and more graceful than the other. It’s just that their bearings were frivolous, making people question their backgrounds.

The sun was high in the sky, and the women simultaneously paid respects with coquettish voice: “We welcome Your Highness back—”

“Your Highness, are you tired?”

“Do you need me to fetch the water?”

“Does Your Highness want this servant to play qi with you?”

“What’s the use of playing qi? This servant can sing and dance for you~”

With numerous coy lines, Xiao Yu was drenched in a cold sweat.

If it were not for the quiet and elegant furnishings around, he feared that he would’ve thought that he had entered the wrong house.

The man’s face sank instantly, he raised his hand to loosen his jacket, his Adam’s apple rumbled with anger: “Who let all of you enter the prince’s palace!”

A young girl with pink clothes bit her lower lip and said in a lovely voice: “Your Highness doesn’t need to worry and doesn’t need to get angry. It’s like this, the princess consort was worried that Your Highness will be tired upon returning from outside, so she let us sisters to serve you.”

Xiao Yu was baffled: “The princess consort let you in?”

The pink-clad little girl smiled: “Princess said, red sleeves increase the fragrance, what a wonderful thing.”

After saying that, the pink-clad little girl walked towards Xiao Yu. One step. Two steps. Then she swung her body all over him.

“Your Highness…”

“Stop.” Xiao Yu turned his head towards a little servant, grinded his teeth and said word by word: “Send these people back to where they came from, and tell the princess consort, this prince will find whoever he likes by himself and doesn’t need her to call the shots.”

The man’s eyes darkened and seemed to be really angry.

Red sleeves increase the fragrance, right?

Just wait for me to add some back.

The next day, Xiao Yu did not return home.

Fu Ying sighed and said, “What if this keeps going on?”

Su Ling patted her shoulder and smiled: “What are you worried about? It’s better if he doesn’t return ah.”

She couldn’t stand serving him with the bunch of orioles and swallows outside.

The whole body smelled of powder. It was disgusting.

After August 15th, just in time for the chrysanthemum blooming period, the wife of Duke of Ying held a chrysanthemum banquet.

As Princess Consort Jin, Su Ling was naturally among the invitees. The rumors outside could not be stopped, and she tried to refuse as much as possible, but for the ones she could not refuse, she could only thicken her face and attend.

At this time in the banquet, Prince Cheng’s side consort and Princess Consort Yan were present. When they saw Su Ling, they immediately put a falsa smile on their faces.

“Ah Ling, come to me.” Princess Consort Yan said.

Su Ling came over and made a small group with them.

Although the relationship between the three of them had long been incompatible, there was a saying that the enemy of an enemy is a friend. This is especially true for the three of them

Prince Cheng was born by Imperial Consort Mu, not only was he supported by the Mu family, he was loved by the emperor. It could even be said that he was the prince with the biggest odds of winning.

Prince Yan was born by Consort Zhuang, even though the Zhuang family was just a noble family without real power, Prince Yan had an extra advantage out of the three princes.

He was not the son of the empress, but he was the eldest prince.

On the court, his voice was not low.

Compared with these two, Xiao Yu’s odds of winning were indeed lower.

However, Xiao Yu frequently showed up in the court, and he got a good marriage with the Su family, which had caused jealousy of the two Imperial brothers.

Which one of the emperor’s sons is a simple one.

No one will underestimate anyone.

The chrysanthemum banquet was naturally interesting. Duke of Ying’s wife livened things up by inviting a theatrical troupe to perform.

The jade guzheng was plucked just right, the phoenix hairpin was taken off from the hair, and the female performer opened her mouth, producing a mellow voice that was pleasant to the ears. Her disposition was graceful and charming, and she turned around and flung her sleeves, every movement was very captivating.

There was a crystal sweet-scented osmanthus cake on the table. Princess Consort Yan took a bite, then put it down, and sighed: “Aih… There are so many things to worry about. Being able to watch a show like this relieved me so much.”

Prince Cheng’s side consort hurriedly added, “What’s bothering Elder Sister? There’s no outsider here, why don’t we talk about it?”

Princess Consort Yan slowly said: “It’s because of He family’s Second lang. The madam of He family came to find me to complain, she had found several families for him to marry but he won’t agree. For this kind of matter, it’s feelings that matter. What can I do about it?”

He family’s Second lang, He Zichen.

It was clear that Princess Consort Yan and Prince Cheng’s side consort brought up the topic about He Zichen and Su Ling deliberately.

Su Ling watched them act from the sidelines, pretending not to hear anything.

After Princess Consort Yan talked for a long time, she noticed that Su Ling did not respond and her expression did not fluctuate. She quickly shot a meaningful glance towards Prince Cheng’s side consort.