Chapter 215: Sixteen

Su Guiren's birthday banquet, though not a grand affair, was held only as a palace feast in a corner of Yuhuayuan.

Only a few concubines of comparable rank were invited, but the Emperor Chu Yunzheng's personal presence made the atmosphere unusually distinct.

Su Guiren today was clearly dressed meticulously, wearing a delicate goose‑yellow palace robe that highlighted her snow‑white skin, her brows and eyes brimming with unmistakable joy and coquettish innocence.

She stepped forward gracefully and bowed deeply toward the seat where Chu Yunzheng sat.

Her voice was sweet and soft: "I thank the Emperor for your favor, and I trouble you with my gratitude."

Chu Yunzheng seemed in a good mood today, a faint smile at the corner of his lips, his gaze falling on her.

With an ineffable depth he said, "Rise. After today, you will truly be an adult."

Su Guiren's cheeks flushed red; shyly she lowered her head and whispered clearly, "Yes."

"Emperor, after tonight I will be sixteen."

Seated at the lower end, Empress Xiao Mingshu drained her cup, a proper yet slightly stiff smile on her face.

She interjected, "Sister Su is naive and carefree; just looking at her makes one want to protect her."

"I'm sure in the Su family, even at eighteen she would still be a child needing care."

Su Guiren, hearing that, quietly lifted her eyes and glanced swiftly at the Emperor.

Summoning courage, her voice was soft yet firm: "I… am already an adult."

Chu Yunzheng's deep gaze lingered on her face for a moment; ignoring the Empress's words, he raised a hand to indicate the empty seat beside him.

He said lightly, "Come sit here."

The words caused an instant hush around the table.

The concubines exchanged subtle glances, each knowing what honor that seat implied.

Su Guiren was both startled and delighted; amid the envious and jealous gazes, she carefully stepped forward and timidly sat beside the Emperor.

Empress's fingers gripping the cup tightened slightly, knuckles turning pale; her smile remained, but her eyes were icy, and she ultimately dared not speak another word.

She inhaled deeply, then raised her voice, striving to preserve the poise of the Inner Palace: "Today is Sister Su's auspicious day; we sisters have also prepared entertaining programs."

"Let's begin, so we don't keep the Emperor waiting."

The sound of silk and bamboo rose again, and the Dancer glided onto the stage, the banquet's atmosphere becoming lively once more.

Silk‑and‑bamboo ensembles played in turn; several lower‑rank concubines either plucked the qin or performed dances—skillful yet unable to truly capture the Emperor's gaze. Chu Yunzheng sat upright, his fingertips idly tapping the table, his eyes distant, clearly disinterested.

When it was Liu Guiren's turn, she stepped onto the stage in a water‑red dance costume, her body supple, performing a popular "Green Waist" piece, her eyes constantly yearning for the Emperor.

Yet Chu Yunzheng gave only a fleeting glance before looking away, lifted his cup and took a sip, his interest waning.

Seated below, Empress Xiao Mingshu took it all in; seeing Liu Guiren fail to draw the Emperor's attention, she muttered "Useless" under her breath.

She glared at her fiercely, frightening Liu Guiren so that her steps faltered, nearly causing a fall, and she fled the stage in panic.

"Boring."

Chu Yunzheng set down his cup, his voice tinged with impatience, and rose abruptly.

He casually grasped Su Guiren's wrist, "I am a little weary, Su Guiren; accompany me back to rest."

Su Guiren's cheeks turned crimson, both shy and proud, about to answer.

Li Defu, who had been standing with his head bowed, suddenly stepped forward, bowed and whispered, "I recall, on the program list there seems to be a Li Da Ying… who has not yet performed."

Xiao Mingshu at this moment hoped someone would interrupt the Emperor's taking Su Guiren away.

If Su Guiren receives favor, that carefree cloud and wild crane would likely become a fierce rival of the Xiao family.

She immediately interjected, "Indeed, Your Majesty, Li Da Ying must have prepared meticulously for today; perhaps you could watch before leaving?"

She did not know why Li Defu suddenly mentioned an obscure Da Ying, but as long as it could unsettle Su Guiren, she was happy to stir the waters.

Chu Yunzheng's steps faltered slightly, his brows knitting imperceptibly.

At that moment, a clear, ethereal melody rang out, unlike any of the previous silk‑and‑bamboo music.

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a woman in plain white garments walking slowly onto the stage, her face veiled with a light gauze, revealing only a pair of calm, water‑like eyes.

She wore no ornate costume, only a moon‑white plain dress, dancing slowly with the music.

The dance was extremely unusual, unlike the typical graceful elegance of the palace, instead bearing a hint of wild mountain spirit and reverence.

It seemed to imitate a tea‑picking girl laboring under the moon, yet also to pray to the moon; every gesture exuded an indescribable purity and mystery.

Chu Yunzheng's gaze was instantly captured; he released Su Guiren's hand, returned to his seat, and leaned forward slightly.

A flash of astonishment and curiosity crossed his eyes, as if through the veil and unique dance he saw something long‑absent that struck his heartstrings.

Li Defu, watching clearly from the side, instantly felt enlightened, understanding where Wan Tang's "timing" lay!

It was simply… utterly irresistible to the Emperor.

He quickly signaled the young eunuch behind him, while silently lifting the unfinished cup of wine from the Emperor's desk.

Turning his back, he poured the prepared wind‑pepper flower juice into the cup, gently shaking it to mix.

Li Defu stepped forward at the right moment, respectfully presented the cup to Chu Yunzheng, and whispered, "Your Majesty, drink this wine to calm your mind."

Chu Yunzheng, entranced, subconsciously took the cup, his gaze still fixed on the moon‑white figure below the stage, and lifted his hand to drain the wine in one gulp.

Chu Yunzheng's gaze seemed nailed to that moon‑white figure on the stage; the surrounding music, laughter, even Su Guiren's shy, expectant expression beside him all appeared veiled by a mist, becoming indistinct.

He still held the cup Li Defu had handed him, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the rim.

Li Ping'er's dance, to onlookers, was merely plain and unremarkable.

It was even far inferior to Liu Guiren's.

Yet only in the Emperor's eyes was it a celestial being from beyond the heavens, thought of day and night.

Below the stage, Li Ping'er's "Bright Moon Dance" reached its climax; she spun, lifted her head, the light gauze fluttering, each movement firmly grasping the Emperor's entire attention.

He unconsciously drained the wine mixed with wind‑pepper flower juice, a strange heat gradually rising from his dantian.

It was not unbearable, yet enough to shatter the last barrier of reason, magnifying the astonishment and curiosity evoked by the dance into an almost tyrannical desire for possession.

The music faded, and Li Ping'er's pose froze in a graceful moon‑prayer stance, her breath shallow.

Chu Yunzheng sprang to his feet, the force of his movement toppling the wine cups on the table, spilling the jade‑like liquor all over the floor.

He paid no heed at all, even flinging away Su Guiren's hand, which had instinctively reached out to steady him.

Amid the astonished gazes of everyone, he strode down from the throne with thunderous steps and stepped straight onto the performance platform.

He seized Li Ping'er, who had just halted her dance and still wore a hint of bewilderment and panic, and hoisted her up by the waist!

Li Ping'er gasped in shock, her eyes behind the veil widening enormously, at a loss for what to do.

Chu Yunzheng, however, cared nothing for that, clutching her tightly in his arms as if cradling a rare treasure once lost and now recovered.

He turned and marched toward his own chambers, paying no heed to the dead silence of shock that filled the room behind him.

The Empress's face turned a steely blue, and Su Guiren's figure went instantly pallid, trembling as if about to collapse.

【WTF! The emperor went crazy?! He just rushed onto the stage and snatched someone?!】

【What is this overbearing CEO forced‑love plot?! But when it's the emperor, I'm so scared!】

【Li Ping'er: Who am I? Where am I? What happened???】

【Look at her eyes! She's terrified to the point of being stunned! Her pupils are shaking!】

【It's over, it's over, she can't struggle; the emperor's grip is too tight, she can't move at all!】

【Help! Her tears are flowing! The veil is soaked!】

【Her little hand is still instinctively pushing against the emperor's chest, but it's useless, hey!】

【Dog Emperor looks down at her with that gaze! So heavy, so lecherous! He wants to devour her!】

【Wake up, everyone! This is coercion! Li Ping'er clearly doesn't consent!】

The icy moonlight filtered through the broken window, spilling onto the grass mat in the corner of the Cold Palace.

Wan Tang curled up there, where the once‑most oddly comforting and informative clamor—sounds only she could hear—had once soothed her.

At this moment, however, they felt like countless red‑hot needles, brutally stabbing into her mind.

Every word was crystal clear, painting the suffocating scene of the banquet and the "favor" she had herself set in motion and was now unfolding.

She jerked her hand up, clamping both ears shut, her nails nearly digging into her scalp.

Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, as if trying to expel that sound and image from her mind.

Yet the sound penetrated everywhere, like a curse, echoing repeatedly.

At last she could bear it no more, released her grip, and curled up even tighter, hands clasping her knees firmly.

She buried her whole face deep in her arms, as if that could shield her from everything, retreating to an utterly dark and silent corner.

"Cough cough cough."

A weak, hoarse cough broke the dead silence of the Cold Palace.

Wan Tang abruptly lifted her head from her arms, her tear‑blurred eyes gazing toward Xiao Shunzi.

Xiao Shunzi strained to turn his neck, his gaze not yet fully focused, his cracked, chapped lips moving, and the first breath‑thin words he managed were:

"Master... Nubi... Nubi is useless... didn't get any food..."

Each word he uttered tugged at his wound, pain furrowing his brows, yet he forced himself to continue.

His eyes held urgency as he struggled to convey a more crucial message:

"But Nubi received a message delivered from outside..."

He inhaled deeply; though his voice was low, each word was clear:

"Second Master Qi said... Yan Wang... has secretly entered the capital... without anyone noticing..."

"Tell the Empress to make preparations early."

"It seems it was done for the Master, even secretly investigating the matters the Master is probing."

"Make sure the Master makes early preparations."

As he spoke, Xiao Shunzi began coughing violently again.

Though he had taken some medicine, his injuries were simply too severe.

Wan Tang hurriedly covered him with a blanket, carefully gave him water, and said, "Don't speak for now."

"I understand; you rest quickly."