Chapter 92: No, I Still Want More

When Meng Chang'an followed Li Qiubai into the viewing pavilion where the Prince of Yu was hosting his banquet, the feast was already halfway through. Many officials were drinking to the point of swaying unsteadily.  

The viewing pavilion was situated by the riverside, with a cleverly designed structure. The windows and doors facing the river were wide open, offering a vast view—making it the perfect spot to watch the flower boats on the river tonight.  

This was originally the most sought-after venue by the wealthy young masters of the city, but the Prince of Yu had reserved the entire place. Inside the pavilion, pairs of tables were neatly arranged in rows at the best viewing spots. The most prominent seats had three tables, one of which was occupied by the Prince of Yu and the Lingnan Eastern Circuit Military Commissioner, Shi Hongzhang.  

To their left, seated at another table, was Li Xinyi, looking utterly bored. The table to their right remained empty, presumably the one Li Xinyi had mentioned as being reserved for the two of them.  

"Oh? So it is Her Highness and the Prince Consort! What a rare sight!"

Someone in the crowd suddenly called out, and the people who had been watching the river turned around one after another. They stood up and began saluting Li Qiubai and Meng Chang'an. Some bolder individuals even wobbled forward with their wine cups to offer a toast.

In the past, no matter how the officials present extended their invitations, the Princess and the Prince Consort never attended the banquets. Now that they had finally appeared, many were eager to step forward, make a good impression, and be remembered.  

Unfortunately, before they could make any move to show goodwill, Li Xinyi had already slammed her cup heavily onto the table.  

"Oh, Imperial Sister and Prince Consort, you have finally arrived. Please, take a seat."  

That loud sound, combined with Li Xinyi’s insincere smile, instantly frightened away those who had intended to curry favor.

Everyone present had heard about the love and hate between this Commandery Princess* and the Prince Consort. Especially that day when the Prince Consort entered the city, the Commandery Princess prepared that display of power. The officials of Yecheng all knew about it.  

*using this term now for Li Xinyi

After all, a strong dragon cannot crush a snake on its turf.*

*means that although the outsider is strong, it cannot suppress the insider's power. 

Since they already knew about the past grudges between them, and this was a banquet hosted by the Prince of Yu’s Manor, the Commandery Princess had clearly shown her displeasure.  

Most of the people present were shrewd, so naturally, no one dared to spoil the mood or act disrespectfully toward the Prince of Yu’s Manor.  

After skipping the usual pleasantries, Li Qiubai and Meng Chang'an were happy to enjoy their freedom. Under the guidance of the attendants, they took their seats at the table to the right of the Prince of Yu.  

"I have long heard that the Prince Consort is a young talent. This time, His Majesty has entrusted him with an important mission, sending him back to Yuzhou as an imperial envoy. It is rare to meet today, and he truly lives up to his reputation."  

Shi Hongzhang poured a cup of wine and raised it toward Li Qiubai and Meng Chang'an. "When Your Highness and the Prince Consort were wed, I was unable to leave my military duties and could not enter the capital to offer my congratulations. Now that fate has brought us together today, I take this opportunity to toast you both, wishing you a long and happy marriage."  

These words were exactly what the Princess liked to hear.  

The table was already set with fine wine and delicious dishes. Li Qiubai was not even worried that there might be anything wrong with the wine. She directly poured a cup for herself and Young Master Meng, then raised it with a smile. "Lord Shi, you are too kind. A mere wedding banquet is nothing important. It is you who work hard for the country and the people, handling military affairs."  

Meng Chang'an also raised her cup and took a small sip. After putting it down, she continued looking toward the river.  

At this moment, the flower boats for the river cruise had already begun leaving the dock. Even though they had not yet entered their line of sight, the cheers and applause from both sides of the river surged into everyone's ears, rising and falling continuously. It was truly a lively scene.  

However, even though it was clear that the Prince Consort had no interest in chatting with them, Shi Hongzhang still refused to give up and steered the conversation back to the Prince Consort. "I wonder if the Prince Consort's mission this time has been going smoothly? I have also heard about this case—Su Sheng has already confessed. Once he reveals his accomplices, the Prince Consort will be able to complete the task. So why has there been such a delay? Could it be that the Prince Consort has encountered some trouble?"  

Hearing this, Meng Chang'an only smiled slightly.  

Fortunately, the Princess had already taught her some prepared responses beforehand. Now, she could at least put on an act and say seriously, "Tonight, we only speak of romance, not politics."  

The Prince of Yu immediately followed up, "Then, dear nephew, do not be polite. If you need anything, you may call on this Imperial Uncle for help at any time."

The Young Master resisted the urge to roll her eyes and only replied perfunctorily, "Alright, then I will thank Imperial Uncle for your kindness first."

After saying that, the Young Master already followed the Princess’ intention and openly acted like a loving couple in front of everyone. She took the food and fed it to the Princess without hesitation.  

"Your Highness, try this. This is a specialty dish from Yuzhou. You cannot find this kind of preparation in the capital."  

The Princess slightly tilted her head and bit into the fish that Young Master Meng had specially picked up with her jade chopsticks.  

The sweet and sour vinegar fish was indeed not a common preparation in the capital.  

After chewing slowly and swallowing, Her Highness licked her lips and curved a smile at the Young Master, saying, "Mm, it is good. It tastes exactly like what you had today."  

Sour and sweet, leaving an endless aftertaste.  

Meng Chang'an: "..."  

Realizing the deeper meaning in Her Highness' words, Young Master Meng's ears turned red.

If not for the people around and that tonight's situation did not allow her to let her guard down, she really would not want to let the Princess go so easily.  

She only glared at the Princess in secret and was unwilling to pretend to be loving and feed her again. She only focused on adding food for herself in silence.  

Seeing this, the Princess could not help but hook her hand, leaned in close, pressed against her arm, and deliberately called out in a soft and clingy voice, “Husband, are you angry now?”

Young Master Meng's hand could not help but tremble, and she even failed to hold onto the food she had picked up, letting it fall straight onto the table.  

At the side, the Prince of Yu held his wine cup, squinting his eyes with great interest as he watched the intimacy between the two.  

Who would have thought that Li Qiubai, known in the capital for her ruthless and cold methods, would have such a side to her now?  

Everyone present had experienced life, so they could naturally see that the deep affection between these two was not something that could be acted out.  

They were even flirting so openly as if no one else was around.  

Shi Hongzhang also noticed the flirtation between the two and immediately leaned toward the Prince of Yu, whispering something into his ear.

"It seems the Prince Consort used this chance to take the Princess out of the capital for sightseeing. Your Highness* can rest easy. These two are lost in love and are no threat."  

*Prince of Yu

The Prince of Yu smiled and whispered to Shi Hongzhang, "Then General Shi should also be at ease. As for our agreement..."  

"Ahem, that is not urgent." Shi Hongzhang squinted and smiled, lowering his voice. "Since they are no threat, why rush?"  

The Prince of Yu’s eyes darkened, but he clinked his cup against Shi Hongzhang’s, hiding his cold gaze before smiling. "General is right."  

After a few drinks, the boats entered their view, arriving with music and dance.  

The lead boat carried a military drum team. The drums beat loud and strong. Soldiers in armor performed a precise martial drill under the bright lights, making the crowd on both banks cheer with excitement.

The people of Yuzhou valued martial strength. With such an inspiring opening, most were satisfied. It was a great success.  

The Prince of Yu was pleased. He stood up, raised his cup toward the officials, and praised them.  

"Tonight’s event was well arranged by all departments. Young Lord Guo and the other officials have worked hard these days. I offer a toast to you all."  

"Your Highness is too kind. This is our duty. How could it be considered hard work?"  

"Bringing blessings to the people is our honor!"  

"As long as the people enjoy it, nothing else matters..."  

"Still, we appreciate Your Highness’ kindness..."  

Even as the officials humbly exchanged pleasantries, the Prince of Yu still presented them with carefully prepared gifts suited to their needs.

For those who loved wine, he sent fine wine.  

For the lecherous, he sent concubines.  

For those struggling to make ends meet, he sent money.  

For those looking for land to relocate, he sent property deeds.

….

The Prince of Yu looked just like a ruler bestowing rewards for meritorious service, even making some officials who did not receive gifts show envy.  

If it were before, it would not matter as long as no one knew. But today, Li Qiubai was sitting right here. For him to openly hand out rewards and win people over right in front of her was truly disregarding the Princess.  

Just as Young Master Meng was feeling indignant for the Princess, Li Xinyi, who was sitting beside them, unexpectedly spoke her thoughts aloud.  

"Father, Imperial Sister is sitting right here. You are openly rewarding the officials in front of her. Are you not afraid she will misunderstand?"

Everyone knew that this was clearly an act of factional favoritism, yet the Commandery Princess spoke of it so tactfully.  

Anyone with clear eyes could see that the Prince of Yu did not take the Princess and her husband seriously. If the Commandery Princess had not brought it up, no one would have dared to point it out.  

Of course, whether he was disregarding the Princess or the Emperor far away in the capital was something no one dared to say.  

The onlookers only kept their thoughts to themselves, but now that the Commandery Princess had spoken, it did not just put the Princess in an awkward position—it also left the Prince of Yu with no way to back down.  

After all, these words were not just a show of authority over the Princess; they outright exposed the Prince of Yu’s intentions. To that married couple, it was a blatant provocation!

If not for everyone knowing that the Commandery Princess had always been at odds with the Princess, they would have almost mistaken these provocative words as an attempt to help the Princess out of the situation.  

Many officials even secretly admired the Commandery Princess' way of speaking.  

High, truly high, even showing off power in the guise of helping the Princess out of trouble!

The Prince of Yu believed he understood his own daughter well enough and did not think as much as the others. After hearing this, he simply laughed aloud and cooperated by saying, “This child speaks well. It was indeed my overstep. I hope Her Highness does not misunderstand.”  

Li Qiubai merely smiled indifferently. “It is alright. The officials have indeed worked hard and should be rewarded. It is the Imperial Uncle who has gone to such an expense.”  

With just one sentence, the tension in the room was dissolved.  

Not seeing Li Qiubai clash with the Prince of Yu left Li Xinyi truly disappointed. She only let out a light scoff and said nothing more, turning back to continue watching the scenery on the river.

Before the first decorated boat had sailed far, after a brief gap, the second decorated boat followed closely behind. A veiled beauty on board played Ambush on Ten Sides* with a pipa.  

*Ambush on Ten Sides/All Sides (《十面埋伏》) is a famous traditional Chinese pipa piece. It is a dramatic and intense composition that depicts the Battle of Gaixia (202 BC), where the forces of Liu Bang's Han army surrounded and defeated Xiang Yu, the ruler of Western Chu.

After watching the unyielding warriors, seeing such a beauty added a different kind of charm.  

After that came the third boat, then the fourth… Each boat's performance was refreshing to the eye.  

Especially since their location was excellent, the decorated boats passed not far in front of them. Even the makeup of the people on the boats could be seen clearly.  

Seeing that the Prince of Yu and the others did not cause more trouble, Young Master Meng slowly felt at ease. Taking it as a chance to enjoy the scenery, she focused on watching the performances on the river. When she saw something she liked, she would tug at the Princess' sleeve and whisper her thoughts in discussion.

Most of the time, the Princess just quietly listened to the Young Master's chatter.  

She listened to what she liked and what she did not like, keeping it all in mind.  

Li Qiubai patiently watched the Young Master enjoying the show, occasionally sipping her drink or raising her cup to deal with the three beside her, who kept urging her to drink. Their interaction was rather harmonious.  

Unfortunately, before the flower boats had even gone halfway, the Princess already looked as if she could not hold her liquor. She leaned into the Young Master's arms as if no one else was around, whispering by her ear, acting spoiled, “I drank too much. I feel uncomfortable. Hug me?”  

The Young Master froze for a moment. When she turned to look, she finally noticed several empty wine jugs in front of the Princess, which had unknowingly piled up.  

Fortunately, the night had not turned as dangerous as Meng Chang’an had imagined. Aside from Prince of Yu and Shi Hongzhang occasionally probing with words, nothing particularly unpleasant had happened. Otherwise, with the Princess this drunk, she truly did not know if she could handle the rest of the banquet on her own.  

Ah, why had she not paid closer attention and stopped the Princess from drinking too much? Just now, she looked perfectly fine, but now she suddenly collapsed like this.  

Feeling frustrated, the Young Master still did not forget to hold the Princess tightly. She took the wine cup from her hand and coaxed her softly, “Alright, I am hugging you, but you cannot drink anymore.”  

“No, I still want more.”

The Princess refused in a delicate and soft voice, mixed with the warmth of her breath falling against the Young Master’s neck, making her heart waver slightly. Dizzy and dazed, she let the Princess hold her hand and bite onto the cup in her hand, taking another sip.  

She completely looked like someone who had drunk too much and was now going crazy in a drunken haze.  

The Young Master was already inwardly groaning in distress.  

Prince of Yu saw the Princess’ improper behavior and finally stopped coaxing Li Qiubai into drinking. Pretending to be concerned, he asked, “Is Her Highness all right?”  

The beauty nestled in the Young Master’s arms naturally did not respond. The Young Master, while trying to stop the Princess from seizing the wine, replied politely.

“Her Highness has never had a good tolerance for alcohol. I apologize for letting Imperial Uncle see a joke.”

After that, the Young Master no longer had the mind to watch the flower boats on the river.  

Just dealing with the warmth of the Princess' breath deliberately blowing against her neck and handling the occasional probing questions from those two beside her was already exhausting enough.  

Yet, she did not dare to ask the Princess why she was pretending to be drunk. She could only go along with it, playing along with her act.  

Unfortunately, those two old men beside her were not willing to let her off so easily.  

Prince of Yu smiled leisurely. “That is not a problem. But seeing Her Highness and my virtuous nephew so affectionate, inseparable like glue, is quite a sight. I was acquainted with your father back in the day, yet I have never heard of any connection between you and this child before.”

Meng Chang'an also wanted to know why the Princess, such a peerless beauty, had been so troubled in the past that she chose her Elder Brother.  

But facing Prince of Yu's probing, she could only force herself to remain calm and make up a story: "We met by chance, fell in love at first sight, shared mutual affection, and promised our lives to each other. That was how we received His Majesty's marriage decree. It is normal that Imperial Uncle did not know."  

Hearing this, Li Xinyi, who had been secretly listening and observing them from a distance, almost could not hold back her laughter.  

"Is that so? But last year, you clearly told me that you wanted to marry me."  

Prince of Yu had rarely seen He Changping, so it was understandable that he could not recognize him. But Li Xinyi had dealt with He Changping many times. Earlier, when she saw this person by the bridge, her face was still covered by a mask, so she had not noticed. But now that there was no mask, upon closer inspection, it was not difficult to distinguish the differences in their expressions.

One was naturally indifferent, his gentle smile was merely a disguise for the outside world.  

One pretended to be cold, yet the amusement in her eyes occasionally surfaced, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.  

Their personalities were completely different. No matter how much they looked alike, they could not possibly be the same person.  

Li Xinyi was not blind. How could she not know that this consort was not the previous consort?  

She was quite curious to see how this imposter would continue acting. When that person looked over at her, Li Xinyi even deliberately winked at her.  

Meng Chang'an: "…"  

This girl really dared to say anything...

At first, when the Princess sat with dignity, these people still exercised some restraint. But now that the Princess had collapsed from drunkenness, they were becoming more and more excessive.  

After a brief silence, Young Master Meng responded in a teasing tone, “Your Highness must not joke and make things difficult for me. If the Princess hears it and takes it seriously, I will surely be punished tonight. Who knows how long I will have to coax her before she is pleased…”  

With just this one sentence, it was clear who held the dominant position in this "marriage."  

Upon hearing this, Shi Hongzhang immediately burst into laughter, speaking with deep meaning, “The Prince Consort truly is a young and charming man. It seems the rumors were indeed true. There are so many women in Yuzhou who wish to marry you. I did not expect even the Commandery Princess…”  

Prince of Yu shot him a cold glance, and only then did Shi Hongzhang cough awkwardly and correct himself, “Ahem, I misspoke, I misspoke. I have had too much to drink. I hope the Prince of Yu and Prince Consort will not take offense.”

After she accepted Shi Hongzhang’s toast with a fake smile and took a small sip, only then did Meng Chang’an get a brief respite, finally freeing up her attention to look down and examine the Princess’ complexion.  

Unfortunately, the Princess not only refused to show her face to her but even buried it in her chest, biting down on her collarbone and grinding gently with her teeth.  

It does not hurt, but it was unbearably ticklish.  

Ai, this petty one—just how many times had she bitten her tonight...

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3614052
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too. 

Young Master Meng suffered in silence and could only raise her hand to pinch the back of the Princess’ neck, hoping that Her Highness would let her off for now. At the same time, she had already decided in secret that once they returned to the residence tonight, she would make the Princess pay her back double...  

Just as Young Master Meng’s thoughts drifted in wild imaginings, an unexpected change occurred.  

Three cold arrows shot through the air from the direction of the flower boats on the river, aiming straight for the heads of Prince of Yu, Shi Hongzhang, and Li Qiubai.