His Majesty And I ✔️

Grand Surprise

So please don't kill me. Yelp!

Chapter 50

Imperial Concubine Wei
Wei Li Lian
Hougong

At the banquet, down the aisle from the horizontal table of the emperor, were two rows of the lined vertical tables of the harem, seated in rankings. Thankfully, Li Lian was not as lowly ranked anymore to sit at the end, next to the exit.

"Again, I wish the emperor many years!" The Grand Dowager held up the small cup of wine. This was her second banquet with him after the morning one where other royal relatives attended with the scholars and officials. At that event, Grand Consort Shu and the consorts were also there.

"Thank you, Your Highness." Yu'er held his own cup in the air to her and they both drank to seal their words.

"As a gift, I have prepared someone for you." The Grand Dowager nodded to the entrance.

In came a young woman who looked fragile, weak and pure.

Whoever thought that combination of traits were attractive was delusional.

She was in white robes and took measured steps. The young woman was too trained that all her attempts looked fake than entrancing.

"That is Lady Wu from the East clan, she will serve you tonight," Grand Dowager Empress leered. "Go and be prepared in the dragon palace." The old woman instructed her fellow clanswoman.

Yuwen Hong did not say anything to this, but the harem had every filthy bigotry to whisper against the new lady. Poor girl, within a week she wouldn't be so pure and would be like the rest of the jealous women. Hopefully, Li Lian was wrong to think that.

"Son, may you live forever and multiply the empire." Grand Consort Shu took over, holding her cup to wish him.

"And may mother live to the many years that I live." They smiled at each other and drank to their words.

The rest of the table stood to drink to the emperor, taking turns and saying words before toasting him. If the emperor drank back to them, it indicated favor.

Of course, the Inner Court women saw this as an opportunity to stand out. Some said fancy poems, others danced before their toast.

It was in no particular order that they would stand to toast. When Li Lian stood on her turn, she had no planned words. She would speak from her heart. And the pressure was, so far the emperor had not raised the cup back to anyone after Grand Consort Shu.

Li Lian raised her cup to him. "Your Majesty, this Imperial Concubine wishes―"

As if in slow motion, Li Lian saw a needle whizz through the air toward her and clang!

It hit her cup, and the force was more than what Li Lian imagined, causing her cup to smash onto the floor. The cup rang as it tumbled on concrete.

"Your Majesty! My apologies!" She ran around the table and bowed on the aisle. In the corner of her eyes, she saw Luo Meng smirk, happy about what he just did.

"She is ominous!" The women started to taunt.

"Bad luck, I told you."

"A cup breaking means bad news."

"If she is bad news, then His Majesty must kill her to avoid the bad news."

"Your Majesty!" Concubine Pi whined. "That noise disturbed my baby."

"Lady Wei likes being the centre of attention!" Grand Dowager chastised. "Couldn't you act like a lady on this day?"

"Forgive this concubine, Your Highness." Li Lian still had her head stuck to the carpeted floor.