"Your Majesty!"
The Empress's face changed slightly. Frowning, she looked at the Emperor, who was slightly tipsy and staggering. She wanted to step forward to support him, but the Emperor smiled and pushed her away.
"Empress, don't stop me. I'm going to reward Yongning myself!"
As he spoke, his eyes fixed directly on Yun Xi's extremely beautiful face, and he walked towards her step by step.
Yun Xi's eyelids twitched. She keenly sensed something was wrong. Seeing the Emperor getting closer and closer, and smelling the faint smell of alcohol on him, she hurriedly knelt down.
The Emperor's outstretched hand towards Yun Xi suddenly stopped in mid - air. He looked down at Yun Xi kneeling on the ground and suddenly laughed.
"Yongning, raise your head and let me have a good look at your face."
As soon as the Emperor said this, Yun Xi's heart skipped a beat. Cold sweat broke out on her back.
Everyone present was shocked. The Crown Prince frowned and, without much thought, immediately stepped onto the stage.
"Father, you've been overworked on state affairs in recent days. I think you seem a bit tired. How about I help you go back to rest?"
The Crown Prince supported the Emperor's arm, trying to stop him from approaching Yun Xi. However, the Emperor's face suddenly turned cold, and he shook off the Crown Prince's support in public.
"Who said I'm tired?"
He looked at the Crown Prince with a cold look in his eyes and said in a menacing tone:
"Does the Crown Prince wish for my early death so that you can take my place?!"
These words were extremely hurtful. Everyone present was stunned and turned pale. They all fell silent like cicadas in winter. The Empress also immediately rushed over in a panic. She pulled the Crown Prince and knelt on the ground together, wailing loudly:
"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has absolutely no such intention!"
Then she tugged at the Crown Prince's arm and scolded in a deep voice:
"Son, quickly apologize to your father!"
Although Qi Yu, the Crown Prince, didn't think he was wrong, he had been secretly warned by the Empress many times. He knew that the Emperor seemed to be very suspicious recently. Coupled with the Emperor's abnormal behavior as if drunk at the moment, if he insisted on contradicting, there would surely be no good result.
"Your son knows his mistake. Please forgive me, Father!"
After some inner struggle, the Crown Prince finally chose to bow his head and admit his mistake.
The Emperor snorted. His anger subsided a bit. He didn't pursue the matter anymore. Looking at the jade ruyi in his hand, his eyes unconsciously fell on Yun Xi again. With a hint of a smile on his lips, he said in a commanding tone:
"Yongning, stand up."
The Crown Prince's back stiffened. He wanted to speak again, but the Empress tightly grabbed his wrist. Her red fingernails almost dug into his flesh.
It was a strong warning and deep fear!
The Empress thought that with the Emperor's behavior today, she would never choose Yun Xi as the Crown Princess again!
Even if the Emperor took Yun Xi into the harem today, she would never allow the Crown Prince to contradict the Emperor for this and ruin his great future!
Yun Xi's head hung low on the ground. Her face was as pale as a sheet. Even if she was innocent, she knew what this meant.
She had never thought of getting married, let alone entering the palace. Especially since the current Emperor was about the same age as her father, she really couldn't accept this absurd situation!
"Yongning, didn't you hear my words?"
Seeing that Yun Xi didn't respond, the Emperor frowned, looking displeased. He was about to reach out and pull Yun Xi's arm when a tall figure suddenly blocked in front of Yun Xi.
"Brother Emperor, you've lost your composure!"
As soon as Qi Rong spoke, there was a hint of cold rebuke in his voice. In the eyes of everyone, it was simply an act of defying the Emperor!
Everyone was in a panic. They looked at the handsome and straight - backed Prince Xian in surprise. While admiring his courage, they couldn't help but secretly worry about him.
"Are you tired of living? How dare you question me?!"
First the Crown Prince, and now seeing Qi Rong obstructing him, the Emperor's face was cold and gloomy, almost dripping with anger.
Looking back at Yun Xi's slightly trembling body, there was a dark look in Qi Rong's eyes. He slightly hooked his lips and met the Emperor's gaze bravely.
"She is my fiancée and will be your future sister - in - law. Even if you're joking with her, if you scare her, I'll feel heartache!"
"What?!"
Someone exclaimed. The whole place was in an uproar.
Even Yun Xi, the person involved, couldn't help but tremble. The Crown Prince tightly clenched his fists, trying hard to hold back his emotions.
The Emperor was slightly stunned. A look of confusion appeared on his face. He stared sharply at Qi Rong:
"She's your fiancée? When did this happen? Why have I never heard of it?"
Facing the Emperor's questioning, Qi Rong remained calm. He said in a cold and arrogant tone:
"Father arranged it. Didn't he tell you, Brother Emperor?"
The Emperor's face suddenly changed. His eyes were filled with anger. Just as he was about to explode, he heard Yun Xi suddenly vomit all over the place with a loud sound!
Her body trembled. Her stomach churned. Snot and tears flowed out of her. Her previous beauty was completely replaced by the current mess.
Seeing this, the Emperor frowned. At this moment, a beautiful woman walked over gracefully. She wrapped her arm around the Emperor's and leaned on his shoulder softly:
"Your Majesty, let's go back to the palace to rest. You haven't seen Yuan'er's talent yet!"
This woman was named Zi Yuan. She was a beauty that the foreign tribe of Ke Ke Qin had presented to the Emperor a few days ago.
Because of her talent and beauty, she was very much favored by the Emperor. She was immediately given a palace closest to the Emperor's. She was almost inseparable from the Emperor all day long.
Zi Yuan's eyes were as charming as silk. She seemed to be boneless. Every gesture of hers was full of charm.
With the beauty in his arms, the Emperor looked at Yun Xi, who was in Qi Rong's arms looking in a mess. He immediately lost interest. He casually handed the jade ruyi to Qi Rong:
"Forget it. I'm tired. You can continue to have fun!"
Saying that, he tightly wrapped his arm around the beauty's waist and slowly left the banquet. The rest of the people immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yun Xi, are you okay?"
Qi Yu, the Crown Prince, hurriedly wanted to step forward to check, but the Empress grabbed his sleeve. She looked indifferently at Qi Rong and Yun Xi and said:
"Prince Seven, since Yun Xi is not feeling well, as her fiancé, you should take her back early."
"Mother!"
Hearing the Empress call Qi Rong 'fiancé', Qi Yu couldn't help but frown and call out.
He knew this was just a temporary measure of Uncle Seven, but what the Empress said almost meant that she had recognized the relationship between Qi Rong and Yun Xi!
But he was deeply in love with Yun Xi. How could he cross this obstacle and marry her as his Crown Princess?
"Don't say another word!"
The Empress naturally knew the Crown Prince's thoughts. She scolded him coldly. Then she turned to Qi Rong:
"Prince Seven, we won't see you off."
Qi Rong nodded faintly. Without caring about the dirt on Yun Xi's skirt at all, he immediately picked her up horizontally in full view of everyone and strode out of the venue.
"Ah! Yun Xi has been kidnapped by a bad guy!"
Zhen Bao was almost scared silly before. At this moment, she was stunned for a moment. Then, as if just realizing what had happened, she hurriedly dragged her two brothers and rushed out.
Wei Xueming looked at the direction where they left with full jealousy. Her almond - shaped eyes were almost spitting fire.
She originally thought that after this incident, Yun Xi would make a fool of herself in front of everyone. Unexpectedly, she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own feet. Instead, she had become a foil for Yun Xi!
I'm afraid from now on, her reputation as the No. 1 talented woman in the capital would become a joke!
However, this was not the most hateful thing.
Brother Rong had publicly defied the imperial authority in order to protect Yun Xi, and even fabricated a lie that they had an engagement!
How could this be? She was the future Princess Xian! She would never allow anyone to take her place!