Chapter 19: The Third Prince at the Banquet

At the hunting grounds, someone casually brought up a topic.

Before long, the conversation among the princes had somehow turned to Lin Xiaoque.

The Third Prince remarked,

“Qie Yunu never comes to the autumn hunt.”

“So why did he come this year?”

He idly stroked the tip of an arrow.

“Doesn’t Eldest Brother guard him like the apple of his eye?”

“And yet he let him wander off alone.”

The Sixth Prince replied,

“Who knows? He rarely leaves his residence.”

“But Heir Lin is a man, after all.”

“Isn’t it a little strange for Eldest Brother to treasure him so much?”

The Third Prince laughed.

“Only someone as naïve as you would ask that.”

“So what if he’s a prince’s heir?”

“Eldest Brother is the Crown Prince.”

“Second only to Father Emperor.”

“If he wants a man, what’s wrong with that?”

“For all we know, they’re whispering sweet nothings to each other every night.”

As he spoke, he drew his bow.

The arrow shot forward with a sharp whistle, striking a young deer cleanly.

“Apart from Eldest Brother…”

“The rest of us princes are just here to make up the numbers.”

“If Eldest Brother wants something, what can’t he have?”

“Back when Imperial Grandfather was alive, Father Emperor only had to give him a look.”

“Imperial Grandfather practically wrapped up one of his favored consorts and handed him over.”

“Compared to that, Eldest Brother only wants a prince’s heir.”

“What’s so unusual about it?”

He didn’t even bother retrieving the deer he’d shot.

Though his tone was casual, jealousy simmered beneath every word.

“That’s only a rumor.”

The Sixth Prince frowned.

“How could that possibly be true?”

“Imperial Grandfather’s consorts were Father Emperor’s stepmothers.”

“Third Brother, why do you believe such ridiculous gossip?”

The Third Prince chuckled.

“Little Six…”

“You’re the most innocent one here.”

“I’m not innocent!”

The Sixth Prince protested.

“Third Brother, I want to hunt too!”

“I’m going to bring down a fierce beast.”

“Father Emperor will definitely praise me then.”

The Fourth Prince smiled helplessly.

“Little Six.”

“Bears and leopards aren’t paper tigers.”

“Don’t go running around recklessly.”

The Sixth Prince immediately grabbed the Fifth Prince’s arm.

“Fifth Brother!”

“They’re all cowards.”

“Come with me.”

“We’ll bring some guards.”

“The two of us will work together and hunt something incredible.”

“Father Emperor will definitely look at us differently.”

The Third Prince snorted.

“Forget it.”

“You’re not Eldest Brother.”

“No matter what you accomplish, Father Emperor won’t care.”

“If you get hurt instead, Father Emperor will only blame me for letting you run wild.”

The Sixth Prince puffed out his cheeks.

“If Second Brother were here…”

“He’d definitely take me.”

The Third Prince’s face darkened.

“And that’s exactly why he was banished from the capital.”

“He dragged his own mother and sister down with him.”

“You want to end up the same way?”

The Sixth Prince wilted instantly.

He hid behind the Fifth Prince without daring to utter another word.

The Fourth Prince stepped in to smooth things over.

“He’s still just a child.”

“He’s only fourteen.”

“What could he possibly understand?”

“Third Brother, let’s just continue hunting.”

“If we don’t bring back enough game, we’ll make fools of ourselves at tonight’s bonfire banquet.”

The Third Prince finally let the matter drop.

He ordered the guards to collect the prey and led the group onward.

Night fell.

A roaring bonfire blazed across the vast clearing.

Torches surrounded the open field.

Unlike the refined palace lanterns, everything at the Luobei hunting grounds felt primitive—

Alive with both vitality and bloodshed.

Around the bonfire hung the skinned carcasses of countless beasts.

Even the tiger that had injured people during the day had been stripped of its hide and suspended over the fire, its blood-red flesh exposed.

The surrounding tables overflowed with strong wine.

At the very front stood the emperor’s seat.

Lin Xiaoque hadn’t wanted to attend.

But he couldn’t disobey the emperor’s command.

A eunuch led him toward the front.

There were no women or ge’ers attending the banquet.

As they walked, the eunuch stopped before the seat beside the emperor.

If ge’ers were allowed to attend…

This would have been the empress’s seat.

Lin Xiaoque frowned.

“Has there been some mistake?”

“I’m only a prince’s heir.”

“How could I possibly sit beside His Majesty?”

The princes had arrived early and were seated some distance away.

When the Third Prince saw Lin Xiaoque being led to the seat closest to the emperor, he immediately stood.

“Exactly.”

He strode over.

“Eunuch.”

“Surely your eyesight hasn’t grown so poor that you’ve mistaken the seats?”

The eunuch was still young, recently promoted by Zhang Shu.

Maintaining perfect courtesy, he answered,

“This is indeed the correct seat.”

“Heir, please be seated.”

The Third Prince’s face darkened at the public slight.

Unable to contain himself, he kicked the young eunuch hard.

The eunuch collapsed onto the ground.

His abdomen throbbed with pain.

Yet no matter how much it hurt, he endured it.

He crawled back onto his knees beside the prince and begged for forgiveness.

Lin Xiaoque frowned.

“If you like this seat so much…”

“You can have it.”

“But why kick him?”

The Third Prince shrugged.

“What are you so angry about?”

“I only kicked a dog.”

“Qie Yunu…”

“You’re becoming more beautiful every year.”

“And your temper’s grown with it.”

Under the firelight, Lin Xiaoque’s face glowed brilliantly.

The Third Prince stared, momentarily entranced.

Without thinking, he reached out to caress his face.

Lin Xiaoque slapped his hand away.

“I don’t know when I offended Your Highness.”

“If I truly have…”

“Please enlighten me.”

“Offend me?”

The Third Prince scoffed.

“With Eldest Brother protecting you, who would dare?”

“Qie Yunu…”

“Do you really dislike me that much?”

“What do I lack compared to Eldest Brother?”

Although Lin Xiaoque had regained consciousness, his head still felt heavy.

The Third Prince simply kept talking.

He was tired of listening.

Ignoring him completely, Lin Xiaoque sat down and leaned back against his chair.

The Third Prince remained standing.

His face burned.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell whether it was the bonfire’s heat…

Or Lin Xiaoque’s indifference.

He bent down until his lips were close to Lin Xiaoque’s ear.

“You’re no different from everyone else.”

“You only know how to flatter my eldest brother.”

“Qie Yunu…”

“You’re nothing but an orphan.”

“If Eldest Brother stopped protecting you…”

“Do you really think you’d survive inside the palace?”

Lin Xiaoque continued to ignore him.

As though he hadn’t heard a single word.

The Third Prince grew even angrier.

“No.”

“You’re different from the rest.”

“They only flatter Eldest Brother with words.”

“You…”

“You use that sickly little body of yours to please Xiao Futu in bed.”

“So tell me…”

“What’s the difference between you and the boys in a pleasure house?”

“Is it because your status is nobler?”

“Your face prettier?”

“Or because your body is softer?”

Lin Xiaoque quietly picked up the wine before him.

Then—

He splashed it directly into the Third Prince’s face.

Wine soaked the prince’s hair…

His face…

His robes…

Even a few drops landed on Lin Xiaoque himself.

As the Third Prince stared at him in furious disbelief, Lin Xiaoque said calmly,

“You’ve had too much to drink.”

“This should help sober you up.”

The Fourth Prince hurried over the moment he saw things escalating.

He caught hold of the Third Prince.

“Third Brother.”

“What are you doing?”

“Father Emperor will be here soon.”

“And all the ministers and generals are watching.”

Then he turned to Lin Xiaoque.

“Heir.”

“My third brother has drunk too much.”

“I apologize on his behalf.”

“On his behalf?”

A faint smile appeared on Lin Xiaoque’s lips.

“Very well.”

“Then Your Highness may punish yourself with a cup of wine.”

The eunuch beside them quickly poured a cup.

The Fourth Prince looked at Lin Xiaoque.

For a long moment…

He didn’t move.

The Third Prince shook free of his brother’s grip.

He seized the cup and drained it in one gulp.

Looking at Lin Xiaoque’s faint smile, he said quietly,

“I lost my head.”

“I spoke nonsense.”

Lin Xiaoque remained silent.

The Third Prince motioned for the eunuch to keep pouring.

One cup.

Then another.

Even the Fourth Prince could no longer bear to watch and tried to pull him away.

The Third Prince refused to budge.

He simply stared at Lin Xiaoque.

Watched the faint smile slowly disappear…

Leaving only indifference.

Coldness.

And so…

He kept drinking.

“Enough.”

Lin Xiaoque reached out and covered the wine cup with his hand.

This time, the Third Prince was truly drunk.

“Are you…”

“Still angry?”

“Of course.”

Lin Xiaoque answered evenly.

“No one enjoys being insulted.”

“But…”

“I don’t want to pursue the matter anymore.”

“You should go.”

Hearing that, the Third Prince ignored the wine cup entirely.

He grabbed the wine jug instead.

Pulling off the lid, he drank straight from it in great gulps.

He’d already been drenched in wine.

Now, after drinking so much more, he smelled as though he’d climbed straight out of a vat of liquor.

He bent close to Lin Xiaoque’s ear once more.

In a drunken whisper, he said,

“I forgot to tell you…”

“A drunkard and a pleasure-house boy…”

“Make quite the perfect match.”

“Qie Yunu…”

“I’ve drunk every last drop…”

“Of your wine.”

The Third Prince released the jug.

It crashed onto the ground and shattered.

Smiling drunkenly, he turned away.

He began making his way back toward his own seat.