Resisting the Wind and Splendor

The year-end banquet is over, and the ritual of staying up all night on New Year's Eve is also over.

The emperor went back to rest, and the officials at the banquet gradually left.

The Empress also left, and the concubines quietly returned to their own palaces.

For some reason, despite the lively atmosphere of the night, everyone felt inexplicably heavy-hearted.

Tonight, Prince Jin, the Ninth Prince, and the Eighth Prince are absent. No one knows where they went. They rushed back before the New Year's Eve vigil, and they looked very hurried.

Even Princess Mo was the same.

Only Prince Jin, the Ninth Prince, and Princess Mo returned.

Princess Jin has disappeared, and so has the Eighth Prince.

It wasn't actually that important, but at a time like this, they shouldn't have missed it.

But he really didn't come.

The emperor looked rather grim, and he seemed preoccupied as he drank with his ministers.

Every time I laugh, the smile never reaches my eyes.

The Empress also seemed cautious, more timid than usual, and dared not say much.

Everyone felt inexplicably uneasy.

After the banquet ended, Consort Yu took Chu Yueli's hand, then gestured to Lu Yunfei with her eyes, before hurriedly leading the two back to Yonghua Palace.

"What? They went to capture rebels? Such a big thing, and they didn't even tell Mother!"

She was genuinely furious! Catching a thief during the Lunar New Year?

She didn't have as many spies as the Empress and other concubines, and she didn't know what was happening in the palace. All she knew was that many people looked solemn.

"Don't tell me that the rebel is your eighth brother, and that Princess Jin!"

Chu Yueli didn't speak, and after hesitating for a moment, Lu Yunfei nodded.

Consort Yu let out a long sigh.

She had seen that Princess Najin had been trying to find an excuse to leave all day.

As for Princess Jin's former identity, she was of course aware of it.

Therefore, it's not surprising that she was a bandit.

What's truly shocking is that the rebels behind it all were none other than the Eighth Prince.

But it doesn't seem so surprising.

The Eighth Prince was never favored, which twisted his mind... Well, similar stories are told in operas, but they're not really that shocking.

However, when drama reflects real life, it inevitably evokes some感慨 (feelings of mixed emotions).

"Are you both alright?" If she hadn't seen how energetic they both looked, she wouldn't have waited until now to ask.

"Yunfei's arm is slightly scraped."

Chu Yueli sat down, saw some snacks on the table, and couldn't resist grabbing one and stuffing it into her mouth.

Even though we were at a banquet, the cold wind made me inexplicably lose my appetite.

At that moment, I suddenly felt hungry.

"Yunfei is injured?" Yufei asked anxiously. "His arm? Quick, take off your clothes and let me see."

"It's nothing, just a minor cut. Fourth Sister-in-law has already applied medicine for me. I didn't even want to bother with it."

Lu Yunfei had no intention of taking off any clothes; it really was just a minor injury.

He waved his arm in front of Consort Yu: "Mother, look, nothing's wrong at all. It's just that Fourth Sister-in-law is making a mountain out of a molehill."

“Even minor injuries need medicine, otherwise they can easily become more serious. You don’t understand.” Chu Yueli glanced at him and then stuffed another mouthful into her mouth.

Lu Yunfei snorted, looking at her eating with a look of disgust: "She looks like a starving ghost reincarnated."

But feeling a pang of heartache, she immediately turned to Granny Ji and said, "These pastries are getting cold. Have someone bring over some hot ones."

"Alright." Granny Ji immediately ordered people to prepare.

Consort Yu frowned as she looked at Chu Yueli's appearance: "Didn't you eat quite a bit tonight? Why are you still eating? A-Li, what's wrong with your body? Could it be... could it be... that it's true?"