Chapter 168.1: Should Be Considered A Date
Unexpectedly, her eyes met with Jin Qinw.a.n.g’s, but it was just a brief moment of contact. Jing Wan seemingly naturally averted her line of sight. Because there was that one time intimate interaction, she is able to keep calm on the surface, but to say she really didn’t care at all, that definitely would be false. Moreover, she kept feeling that his gaze was too strong.
The board and stones were sent to the table before Le Cheng Emperor and Luo Pei Shan. Le Cheng Emperor knocked on the board and picked up a stone to study, “Yo, beloved minister, you really pamper your granddaughter, the things for her are even better than what this emperor normally uses.”
Le Cheng Emperor really was just saying this, not having any other implications. The imperial court’s high officials’ family standing, he still for the most part knew. The Luo family has also had two to three hundred years of acc.u.mulation, their history even longer than the Li Clan imperial dynasty, so having a bit of family fortune was very normal. He also wasn’t the kind of person where the things used by the subjects absolutely can’t be better than his. Moreover, who said that as the Emperor, one must use the most luxurious things? What he used, even if worn-out, others still need to honor it like the most valuable treasure.
(T/N: The Li imperial family has only been ruling for about a hundred years, and their family originally started off as commoners.)
Between the ruler and subject, there weren’t any one side yielding to the other either, directly just going according to the rules.
Luo Pei Shan landed the first piece, glancing at Jing Wan, “This girl makes one want to pamper, yet is also the one that’s the most worry-free.” That’s why, one can only give her good things. Just like that, Luo Pei Shan ‘shamelessly’ stole Li Hong Yuan’s ‘credit’.
Le Cheng Emperor understandingly nodded. Every family’s elder were all this way. He too glanced at Jing Wan, “Indeed a good girl, how come this emperor doesn’t have such a daughter? However, all say son-in-laws are half a son, so this daughter-in-law can also be half a daughter.” As he said this, his gaze swept over, landing on that sixth son, who ‘relatively conscientiously’ sat where Jing Wan was sitting. “You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, in the future, be good to your wife, do you hear?” It can be seen, Le Cheng Emperor was also aware that this son’s level of degeneracy truly incurred other’s hate.
Li Hong Yuan, like as if he didn’t hear, didn’t even spare Le Cheng Emperor a single glance, having the little bamboo straw in Jing Wan’s cup thrown aside, picking up the cup and downing the entire thing in one mouthful. His movements were natural and smooth, quick to the point where others were unable to stop him. Smacking his lips, “Taste not bad, one more cup.” Shaking the cup, the ice cubes inside sounded, “Then add some more ice.”
Under the stares of numerous eyes, sharing a drinking cup and whatnot was something even a married couple won’t do, especially a husband drinking the leftovers of his wife’s. Hehe, if known, that wife most likely will get scolded to death by the mother-in-law. Jing Wan felt very awkward———-w.a.n.gye, I know you’ve always been used to doing as you please, but can you slightly pay attention a little? It doesn’t matter if your own skin is thick, but………….
Although he felt that Li Hong Yuan’s conduct was inappropriate, since he has already done things that were several hundred times more insolent countless times before, Le Cheng Emperor really was indifferent, his gaze returning to the board. “You b.a.s.t.a.r.d thing.” The piece in his hand landed.
Jing Wan relaxed a breath. However, a certain living Enma didn’t settle down, lifting his head to look at Jing Wan, and using the cup to knock against the table.
Jing Wan headached, “Asking w.a.n.gye to please wait a moment.” She directly left, off to fetch a brand new cup for him, and she didn’t do it like with Le Cheng Emperor’s either, newly extracting a cup, instead directly pouring from the previously extracted juice. In order to speed up the chilling process, she directly had the ice crushed a little. Seeing Gong mama already having prepared shares for the other princes, “Mama, why don’t you send it over together.”
Gong mama rather wanted to help, but according to her understanding towards a certain someone, if they really do it this way, then he’ll definitely stir up trouble again, “Miss, Jin Qinw.a.n.g………….”
“Alright, mama, no need to say, I understand.” It can be seen, even if Jing Wan hasn’t come in contact with him much, some things she still deeply understood. Once Le Cheng Emperor’s share was ready, they finally sent everything over together. “w.a.n.gye, please enjoy.”
The same cup, yet Li Hong Yuan had the juice poured into his previous cup, before finally drinking it. Jing Wan purposefully didn’t want him to continue using her cup, but in the end, encountering such a person, Jing Wan was truly at her wit’s end.
In addition, they’d also propped up two more large umbrellas, and it was also the last two. Fortunately, it was enough for the other few w.a.n.gyes to use.
A total of four kinds of fruit juice, separately loaded into pitchers, then adding the cups as well as ice cubes, they were presented up. And after asking clearly each prince’s preference, the servant girl would then serve them a cup.
He has eaten quite a few fruits before, and also has had extracted fruit juice as well. Just, he kept feeling that the taste a was bit strange, so didn’t drink that much, let alone adding ice cubes, this kind of novel method. “This was also thought up by your third miss?” Rui Qinw.a.n.g asked.
“Replying to w.a.n.gye, yes.” A servant girl deferentially answered.
Rui Qinw.a.n.g recalled the one that belonged to him. Similarly having the Luo surname, yet the discrepancy was truly too big. His gaze swept over Jing Wan. If it was this one, afraid without even needing him to do anything, Luo Pei Shan will all voluntarily casted himself under him. As his eyes gradually grew dark, he suddenly sensed a sharp piercing stab. Slightly startled, he immediately met with Li Hong Yuan’s gaze that was overflowing with viciousness. It was already the sixth month, yet suddenly it was like the freezing winters. Recalling that even at old four’s manor, he was able to stir up that kind of trouble, if he were to dare have delusions about his person, the person that will be his di wife, who knows what kind of ruckus he’ll stir up. Moreover, imperial father and consort mother both won’t let him off either. He immediately smiled at Li Hong Yuan, expressing that he definitely didn’t have evil desires.
Li Hong Yuan hooked the corner of his mouth, having a bit of a sinister feeling.
Le Cheng Emperor stared at the board, as he extended his hand. The attendant had the cup delivered to his hand. Taking his hand back, he saw the little bamboo straw, but even if he’d never used before, he still immediately figured it out without being taught. Putting it in his mouth, he sucked in a mouthful, the flavor quite good, just it was only a bit chilled. Even if he never had before, he still knew that there definitely weren’t any ice added, “How come didn’t add?”
The attendant inwardly grumbled. Ice cubes, something that cold, wasn’t something that anyone can eat. Throughout history, emperors never had long lives, including Le Cheng Emperor right now. In actuality, his body’s condition was also far inferior to those of the same age. If by chance something unfortunate happens to his body, who will be responsible? Was it them, these servants, being inattentive in serving, or blame the Luo family for having this kind of eating method brought out?
“Even if you’re the emperor, there should still be a limit to your willfulness. Already at such an age, yet want to eat ice, disdaining that your life is too long?”
The veins on Le Cheng Emperor’s forehead popped out, as he threw the stone in hand over, “b.a.s.t.a.r.d, your old man is still young, so what if one eats some ice? If one were to compare being willful, who can beat you?”
Li Hong Yuan lifted his hand, catching the stone, “As someone who already has a pile of grandsons and granddaughters, you still dare call yourself young? Not admitting to old age is one thing, but deceiving yourself is another. No matter how willful this son is, this son still won’t joke around with one’s own health. Things that aren’t yours, don’t recklessly touch. Also, being impulsive and short-tempered, easily becoming irritable, damages the body.”
Le Cheng Emperor’s chest heaved up and down indefinitely. Clearly, he was quite angered.
Luo Pei Shan lightly tapped the board with his usual expression, “Your Majesty, it’s your turn.”
For those witnessing this kind of situation for the first time, they were truly quite shocked, such as Jing Wan, Luo Old Madam, and Luo Jing Bo. As for Sun Yi Jia who’d moved again to sit together with Luo Old Madam, she was the same as the others, a look of having been long accustomed to it, not finding it strange at all.
T/N: At times I wonder if Li Hong Yuan deliberately angering Le Cheng Emperor is part of his ploy to shorten Le Cheng Emperor’s life.