Quick Transmigration: The Charming Beauty Who Was Short-Lived and Alluring

After Qi Jingheng sat down, he said in a deep voice, "Rise."

Everyone stood up and quietly returned to their seats.

Consort Shu finally came to her senses, her face pale and ugly. She glared at Chu Yun with hatred and went to her seat with the help of a palace maid.

Chu Yun was not injured after all. In public, Qi Jingheng could not ask her anything. He could only glance at her a few more times and noticed that she had her eyes downcast and looked dejected. His heart tightened. She was always kind to others and must have never encountered the situation just now. She must be feeling bad.

After hesitating for a long time, Qi Jingheng called over Eunuch Gao and whispered a few words of advice to him. Soon, several of Chu Yun's favorite pastries and fruits appeared on her table.

Upon realizing this, Chu Yun slowly raised her lowered eyes, her gaze landing precisely on Qi Jingheng, and a smile bloomed on her lips.

Qi Jingheng looked back at her. Chu Yun's rank was not high, and there were five or six people blocking her way. There was still some distance between her and Qi Jingheng, but the two of them were looking at each other as if they were the only two people there, and it was difficult for others to blend in.

The two exchanged subtle glances, and although it was only for a few breaths, like a fleeting moment, a discerning observer could still see it.

Qi Qingjia was one of the people who had this in mind.

Although Qi Jingheng was a puppet, he was still the legitimate ruler. Over the years, Qi Qingjia had kept a close eye on him, not wanting any complications. Now that Qi Jingheng was showering affection on a concubine, even though he felt that the two of them wouldn't cause any trouble, he couldn't help but be a little concerned.

Seeing the two exchanging glances, Qi Qingjia felt even more intrigued.

Is there true love even within the deep confines of the imperial palace?

Qi Qingjia drank a glass of wine, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness.

"Uncle, you've had a hard day inspecting the borders. I'd like to offer you a toast."

As Qi Jingheng's voice rang in his ears, Qi Qingjia held his wine cup, letting the attendant refill it for him. His gaze fell on Qi Jingheng, and seeing the awe in his eyes, he couldn't help but smile, "Your Majesty is very thoughtful."

He acted entirely like an elder, without a trace of humility or self-awareness as a subject.

Qi Jingheng was not annoyed by this. "Nephew, drink first as a sign of respect." He finished his wine in one swift and clean motion.

Qi Qingjia swirled the wine in his glass, said nothing more, and after a few moments tilted his head back and drank the wine, thus saving face for Qi Jingheng.

When Qi Jingheng offered the toast, the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief only after Qi Qingjia had drunk the wine.

During this trip, the Regent Prince had almost completely taken control of the power of the vassal kings, effectively holding half of the Great Qi territory in his hands. He was truly second only to the emperor, and his power was so great that it was not impossible for him to take another step forward.

Today's banquet is ostensibly a welcome feast, but it reveals a great deal of information. Many people want to use this banquet to find out the Regent's attitude towards the current emperor so they can make arrangements in advance.

It seems that the Regent has no intention of breaking ties with His Majesty for the time being.

Upon receiving this message, some were happy, some were sad, but no one dared to show it on their face.

With the emperor taking the lead, the ministers were not to be outdone, and they raised their cups one after another to toast Qi Qingjia. On the contrary, Qi Jingheng, the emperor of the Great Qi, was left out in the cold. He didn't care, and continued to drink and enjoy the singing and dancing, perfectly portraying an uneducated emperor.

In such a world of fame and fortune, Chu Yun had no choice but to put on an act and drink some fruit wine. However, she couldn't hold her liquor, and after a few cups, her face turned completely red.

She hadn't forgotten her plan for the day, and under the pretext of changing clothes, she was helped out of the palace by Shuangxue.

Without the noise, the smell of alcohol and perfume, Chu Yun felt her spirits lift. She found a pavilion, propped her head up, and leaned against the railing, letting the gentle breeze caress her face.

Seeing that she was half-drunk and half-awake, with a flushed face, Shuangxue couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "Your Highness, why do you have to do this? Your health is weak, you shouldn't even drink fruit wine."

Those who came to curry favor with Chu Yun were only a few concubines of lower status than her. Taking a small sip was already a sign of respect to them, but Chu Yun insisted on drinking her fill every time, and even Shuangxue's attempts to persuade her to stop were futile.

Upon hearing this, Chu Yun chuckled softly, "Shuangxue, His Majesty treats me sincerely. I don't want to put him in a difficult position, and I don't want others to think that he is favoring someone he shouldn't be favoring."

The adult world is not simple, let alone the palace. A slight mistake can give others a handle to use against you. As a favored concubine, Chu Yun's every word and action is under scrutiny. If she ignores others' attempts to befriend her, even if they have no intention of looking down on her, they will still make a big fuss about it. In the end, not only will her reputation be damaged, but more importantly, Qi Jingheng will also lose face.

One sentence stopped Shuangxue from continuing to advise him. Shuangxue sighed, "Your Majesty has truly gone to great lengths to help His Majesty."

Despite disliking social interactions, she still forced herself to do them; despite hating confrontations, she still mustered her spirits and faced the difficulties posed by Consort Shu.

Chu Yun shook her head and said in a serious tone, "What I have done is nothing compared to even a fraction of how His Majesty treats me. That's why I must treat His Majesty even better."

The woman leaned against the railing, her face flushed and her eyes unclear. She was clearly drunk, yet she still wholeheartedly protected the person in her heart. This scene naturally made Shuangxue feel even more heartbroken. She silently hoped in her heart that His Majesty would not betray the Empress's sincere heart. The man standing not far away just found it ridiculous.

Qi Qingjia never expected that she would run into Consort Zhao while she was just out sobering up.

This pavilion was his mother's favorite place when she was young. She often took him to play here. Over the years, Qi Qingjia would always stay here for a while whenever he entered the palace. Fortunately, he had accumulated great prestige, and no one dared to find out his whereabouts easily. Therefore, few people knew that he liked to come to this pavilion.

Qi Qingjia certainly didn't think that a newly arrived concubine would know these things. She just thought it was a coincidence and immediately wanted to leave. However, she hadn't taken more than a few steps when she heard Consort Zhao's foolish remarks.

sincere?

The most ruthless place is the imperial family. Even kinship cannot be trusted in the palace, let alone the illusory love of an emperor.

Believing these things, I'm afraid Consort Zhao is not far from her death.

Qi Qingjia never liked wasting time on fools. He had already labeled Chu Yun as stupid in his mind. His initial curiosity vanished in an instant. He even thought maliciously: Qi Jingheng and Consort Zhao, two fools, are actually a good match.

Such a harsh thought temporarily relieved Qi Qingjia's annoyance at the banquet earlier. He curled his lips into a cold smile and turned to leave.

After he left, Chu Yun slightly opened her eyes, her gaze regaining some clarity, as if the wind had dispelled the effects of the alcohol. She whispered to Shuangxue behind her, "We've been out long enough, let's go back."

Shuangxue had no suspicions and didn't even notice Qi Qingjia's appearance. She helped Qi Yun up and slowly walked back into the hall.