CHAPTER 89: DRAGGED TO THE BANQUET

The visitors included the concubine from the palace and the families of important officials.

Some of them came in person while some others sent their personal maids.

And all the gifts were the same.

It was gold!

Today, Yue Mingxuan really counting his money until his hands cramped.

After a while of Sui He’s massage, Yue Mingxuan felt a bit better.

He played with the gold ingot in his hand and sighed, "Sui He, if every day could be like this, how great that would be."

Sui He looked at her prince’s obsession with gold and shook her head helplessly.

These people only came because the Emperor praised Yue Mingxuan today.

They just wanted to curry his favor.

They pretending to offer him congratulations, but in truth, they only wanted the Emperor to see it.

Yet her prince was sitting there happily hugging his gold.

Yue Mingxuan did not notice Sui He’s worry.

He hummed a silly song while flipping the gold ingot again and again.

"Gold, oh gold, you’re my best friend, Shiny from beginning to end. Others chase love, honor and fame, but gold and I? We’re one and the same..."

Sui He really couldn’t watch her prince acting so hopeless. So, she decided to find something else to distract him. "Prince, what will you wear for tomorrow’s banquet?"

"What? There’s another banquet?" Hearing this, Yue Mingxuan’s face instantly fell.

Ancient people really had too few entertainments.

If they weren’t fighting, they were attending banquets.

There was no skill involved at all.

Sui He gave him a helpless look.

Her prince was good in many ways, but in some things he really couldn’t think straight.

If it were any other Ger or girl, after winning the title of Flower God, they would wish for dancing and singing every night in the palace.

However, her prince, when he heard about banquet, he acted as if he was being dragged to an execution.

Actually, Yue Mingxuan could not be blamed.

His nature was lively and free.

Asking him to sit quietly through a formal banquet was already extremely hard.

And on top of that, every time he went, he need to paint his handsome face with a colorful palette.

Even though ancient cosmetics didn’t have harmful things like lead or mercury, wearing heavy makeup every day was still not good for the skin.

Thinking of this, Yue Mingxuan shook his head. "I’m not going."

Sui He had already expected this and sighed. "But Prince, you must at least give a reason."

Yue Mingxuan played with the gold ingot in his hand and waved casually. "Just make up any excuse for me. Just say I’m sick."

Sui He looked at her prince, who seemed a bit too innocent sometimes and helplessly explained, "Prince, you are now this year’s Four Kingdom Flower God, and the Emperor praised you personally. If you try to skip the banquet with an excuse like before, it won’t work. If you say you’re sick, the imperial physician may be sent here to check on you immediately."

In truth, Yue Mingxuan understood what Sui He said, but he still spoke with a bit of stubbornness. "I just don’t want to go."

Sui He sighed and didn’t say anything more.

Very soon, it was the day before the banquet.

Yue Mingxuan sat at the table staring into space as usual, but in fact he was using his mind to count the gold inside his jade bracelet.

Sui He walked around the room tidying things up.

Whether on purpose or not, she placed the clothes and mask Yue Mingxuan wore during the competition in the most obvious spot.

Not long after the banquet began, the chief eunuch beside the Emperor arrived at the gate of Yue Mingxuan’s courtyard. "Fifth Princess, his Majesty has a verbal order. He summons you to appear before him."

When Yue Mingxuan heard this, his face wrinkled into a bitter shape.

He looked at Sui He with a suffering expression.

Sui He returned a look that clearly said, "See? I told you so."

The master and servant both sighed at the same time.

Sui He stepped forward and inviting the eunuch into the outer room.

She then poured him a cup of tea and secretly slipped a small gold ingot into his hand.

"Please wait for a moment, Chief Eunuch. The prince will come as soon as he changes."

The eunuch did not refuse.

He sat in the outer room and calmly drank his tea.

When Sui He walked back inside, she saw Yue Mingxuan looking miserable as he prepared to paint his face.

She brought over the dance clothes and the mask. "Prince, there’s no time. The Emperor ordered that you must arrive within one quarter-hour. Hurry up and change."

With Sui He’s help, Yue Mingxuan quickly put on the outfit and the mask.

In order to match the banquet rules, Sui He even added a long white silk sash over his shoulders.

As he followed the eunuch on the way to the banquet, Yue Mingxuan felt gloomy.

If he had known this would happen, he would have listened to Sui He and gone to the banquet on time.

Now the banquet was already halfway over and he didn’t know if the delicious dishes were still there.

The moment Yue Mingxuan entered the banquet hall, he froze in surprise.

Nearly two-thirds of the people here were wearing masks similar to his.

He had been worried his mask would draw attention, but now he felt relieved.

He followed the eunuch forward and saluted the Emperor. "Mingxuan is late. May Your Majesty forgive me."

The Emperor said nothing and waved his hand casually.

Yue Mingxuan felt as if he had been granted amnesty and quietly slipped into a corner seat.

At palace banquets, besides the royal seats, all the dishes were the same for everyone else.

The seat Yue Mingxuan chose was far off to the side and completely empty, so the food on the table had not been touched.