A faint smell of alcohol lingered around Huo Wei. His cheeks were a bit flushed, but he wasn't drunk.
He lowered his eyes and glanced at the fingers on his waist. "Let go," he said coldly.
Instead of removing her fingers from his belt, Dugu Luanyue slumped against Huo Wei's chest, to see if he would push her away. She loved to test Huo Wei's bottom line.
She secretly thought that Huo Wei wasn't stupid and had seen through her intention of luring him out on purpose.
Even though he knew it was intentional, he still came.
Her voice was as delicate as a warbler's, with a hint of complaint. "Don't you miss me at all?
You've been busy wrapping up the spring imperial examination these days. You haven't come to the Fengluan Palace to pay respects for several days. I miss you so much, but you don't show any reaction."
Huo Wei didn't push her away. His body was tense as he stood there. On one hand, he remembered Shen Guilan's warning; on the other hand, he felt the soft and fragrant body in his arms.
His heart was like being roasted on a grill, struggling constantly.
His throat, as firm as a mountain peak, rolled. "I'm a bit busy." The words "I'll come after I'm done" were swallowed back.
Before he could react, Dugu Luanyue cupped his face, and her rosy and fragrant lips pressed against his.
The aroma of peach blossom wine mixed with her usual sweet rose fragrance, quickly filling his mouth. Along with it came the sweetness and allure from her soft lips and tongue.
Huo Wei pushed her away. His deep black eyes widened slightly. "Aren't you afraid of being discovered?"
Dugu Luanyue's eyes were full of charm. Her voice was delicate. "I've already sent away the guards in this area. I organized the Spring Banquet. How could I not leave a way out for myself?"
After saying that, her lips blocked Huo Wei's again.
At first, Huo Wei struggled a bit. After a few moments, he pressed her against the back of the big banyan tree and turned from defense to attack.
Dugu Luanyue frowned slightly. "Be gentle~" Her back was pressed against the banyan tree, and her robe wasn't thick. It hurt badly.
Huo Wei's breathing became a bit rapid. The alcohol fermented and swelled in every drop of his blood. His hot breath sprayed on her jade neck.
"Dugu Luanyue, you're really not afraid of death."
He put one hand on her back and used his palm to block the banyan tree, separating her soft back from it.
The other hand became extremely unruly and automatically covered her round and plump chest, not willing to leave.
He bent over and trapped her under the banyan tree, almost embedding her into his body.
Dugu Luanyue wrapped her arms around his tight and narrow waist. Her voice became ambiguous. "I miss you so much. I can only take this chance during the Spring Banquet to test you."
Huo Wei asked in a muffled voice, "Test what about me?"
Dugu Luanyue's charming eyes were bright and alluring. Her plump lips stuck to his again. "Test if you have me in your heart."
Huo Wei suddenly let her go. The heat in his eyes gradually cooled down. "It's just for show. Don't take it seriously."
There was still a glistening water light on Dugu Luanyue's bright red lips. She wasn't angry.
"That's okay. At least you're willing to play the game and accompany me like this. I'm already very happy."
She took out a few candies from her bosom and put them in Huo Wei's palm. "These are crystal candies made with peach blossom juice. Seeing you frowning all day long, I'll give you a treat."
Huo Wei looked at the candies in his palm. She wasn't angry even after he said that.
Just now, when his eyes didn't fall on her, she was angry. He couldn't guess what was going on in Dugu Luanyue's mind at all.
Huo Wei thought that he should eat one in front of her, or she would lose her temper later.
After peeling off the candy wrapper, he saw that the crystal candy was in the shape of a pink peach blossom. He picked one and put it in his mouth. The sweet taste of the candy melted in his mouth.
He didn't even notice that his frown had relaxed.
Dugu Luanyue's eyes were bright, and her smile was sweet. "Is it delicious?"
Huo Wei said calmly, "So - so."
Dugu Luanyue's charming face fell. She snatched the candies from his hand and left. "If it's not delicious, don't eat it."
Huo Wei pulled her back and pressed her against his chest. "You're so temperamental. Did you make it yourself?"
She held back her anger and didn't say a word. It was really too much. Huo Wei was the most inarticulate and annoying man in the world.
Dugu Luanyue had been looking forward to the Spring Banquet and quietly sent away the guards just to find an opportunity to give Huo Wei the candies she made herself and make him happy.
Unexpectedly, this man was so inarticulate.
Huo Wei pried open her fingers and took all the candies inside. He threw them into his mouth one by one. "I was just joking with you. They're really delicious."
Dugu Luanyue gave him a sidelong glance. "Okay, I've delivered the things. I'm leaving. I can't be away from the Changle Palace for too long."
When she turned around to leave, Huo Wei asked behind her, "Made specially for me?"
Dugu Luanyue stopped in her tracks. She rolled her eyes and said coldly, "I made them myself - for a dog!"
Huo Wei's black eyes stared at her back as she left. He unconsciously showed his white and neat teeth, revealing a long - lost smile.
The sweetness in his mouth was melting, flowing into every corner of his heart like spring water.
After seeing her leave, he kicked the big banyan tree and murmured:
"She doesn't keep a dog. It must be made specially for me."
Back in the Changle Palace, Murong Min glanced at her and said unhappily, "Where have you been? Why did you take so long to come back?"
Dugu Luanyue smiled politely. "Your servant has a poor capacity for alcohol, so I took a walk by the lake. Now I'm back specially to accompany Your Majesty for a few more drinks."
Huo Wei returned to the Changle Palace a bit later than her. This time when he came back, his eyes started to fall on the dragon throne, and his gaze became more and more forceful.
He saw Dugu Luanyue serving Murong Min with wine, smiling gently and being obedient.
Huo Wei's face gradually darkened. Shen Guilan glanced at him and then at the harmonious scene of the emperor and the queen on the dragon throne. His eyes also darkened.
Shen Guilan cleared his throat and said, "Junior brother, it's getting late. Let's toast Your Majesty and the Empress, and then leave the palace."
Huo Wei nodded. "Okay."
Actually, this Spring Banquet was quite strange. Shen Guilan wasn't a person who liked to socialize in such occasions. He suddenly said he wanted to come today.
Shen Guilan walked behind Huo Wei, carrying a pot of wine in his hand. He refilled the wine for the emperor and the queen, accompanied Huo Wei to finish the toast, and then left.
Dugu Luanyue wiped the corner of her mouth with a silk handkerchief and looked at Huo Wei seductively.
"Prince Yuzhang, be careful on your way out of the palace. The same goes for Military Advisor Shen."
Huo Wei's eyes casually swept across her face. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your concern."
When they left, no one noticed that Shen Guilan quietly took the wine pot away.
He suddenly suggested, "Junior brother, let's take this way. The moonlight is brighter here."
Huo Wei looked at the road and changed the direction without much thought.
Leaving from the Changle Palace and taking a shortcut to the palace gate, they only needed to pass through the rockery group outside the Empress's palace, which would be much closer.
After Dugu Luanyue drank that cup of wine, she began to feel unwell all over. She felt very stuffy in her chest.
At this moment, Murong Min was already drunk and was about to fall asleep. She covered her chest and said,
"Eunuch Yingxi, take Your Majesty back first and make some sober - up soup for him."
After saying this, Aunt Meijiang helped her walk towards the Fengluan Palace. The Changle Palace wasn't far from the Fengluan Palace, so they didn't take the phoenix sedan chair.
Dugu Luanyue also walked through the rockery group.
At first, she just felt a bit uncomfortable in her chest. As she walked, she suddenly knelt down, breathing rapidly.
"Aunt, I can hardly breathe!"
When they reached the rockery, a strange eunuch suddenly rushed out and ran towards Dugu Luanyue quickly.
Huo Wei and Shen Guilan, who were walking a bit ahead, also heard it. Shen Guilan said,
"Did you hear that? It seems that something has happened to the Empress behind."