Chapter 157 The Banquet

The woman in red smiled at him, a smile that carried a hint of charm and friendliness.

Du Yifei felt a warmth in his heart, and his mood suddenly became cheerful.

He took a deep breath and mustered his courage to walk towards the woman in red.

In any case, he decided to try to communicate with this beautiful woman, hoping it might bring him new experiences and insights.

Du Yifei approached the woman in red and greeted her with a polite smile: "Hello, I am Du Yifei."

The woman in red responded to his smile with a gentle and melodious voice: "Hello, I am Yun Jin."

The two began to talk. Yun Jin was a warm and cheerful woman, and her words and actions exuded a natural beauty.

Seeing Du Yifei chatting happily with a woman, Li Xi couldn't help but ask curiously, "Brother Feng, do you know that woman?" She pointed in a direction.

Upon hearing Li Xi's words, Feng Monian looked in that direction and frowned slightly. "It's him. I didn't expect him to come too."

Li Xi looked at Feng Monian with confusion, "Brother Feng, do you know her?"

Feng Monian paused for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, his name is Yun Jin."

After pondering for a moment, he approached Li Xi and whispered something in her ear. Li Xi became more and more shocked as she listened.

So there are cross-dressers here too. But as long as you're happy, that's all that matters. It's just that their hobbies don't quite conform to the world's norms.

Meanwhile, Du Yifei, unaware that Li Xi was talking about him, was engrossed in a conversation with Yun Jin.

Du Yifei pushed the small plate of pastries toward Zuo Jin, "Miss Yun, have some pastries. The banquet here at the Emperor Emeritus's residence was probably prepared by the imperial chefs in the palace, right? It's very delicious and much more refined than what ordinary people eat."

"Thank you, Young Master Du." She picked up a piece of mung bean cake and put it in her mouth. It melted in her mouth, soft, glutinous and sweet.

"It is indeed a fine piece. Young Master Du, were you also recruited by the Emperor Emeritus?" Yun Jin asked curiously.

Du Yifei nodded and then shook his head. "I guess so."

Tonight's banquet is attended by people who have connections with the Emperor Emeritus and the Empress Dowager.

Seeing that the time was right, the Emperor Emeritus cleared his throat and said, "Thank you all for gracing us with your presence tonight..."

Before the words were finished, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Everyone's expression changed, and they all stood up to greet them.

Li Xi was also stunned; she hadn't expected the Emperor to come tonight.

"Greetings to Father and Mother." The Emperor walked over and sat down next to the Retired Emperor.

The retired emperor nodded and said with a smile, "Your Majesty works hard day and night; this is a rare guest."

Emperor Wenyuan's face twitched. "Father, since we returned to the capital, you and Mother have been running out of the palace every few days. I miss you dearly. I heard that you two are at a separate residence, so I shamelessly came over to freeload a meal."

The Emperor Emeritus smiled and said, "Good, good. You're a grandfather now, yet you're still so childish."

Although the retired emperor had abdicated, he still had influence.

The emperor, naturally, dared not put on airs in front of him, and laughed, "Father, you jest. How could I dare?"

The retired emperor was pleased with his son's thoughtfulness, so he said, "Your Majesty, please stay for dinner tonight as well."

The Emperor glanced at the Empress Dowager and was pleased to see that she showed no displeasure.

He said to the Emperor Emeritus, "Since Father has kept me here, I will respectfully comply."

He has always been somewhat afraid of his mother.

This was mainly because they were very strict with him from a young age. This strict education instilled in Emperor Wenyuan a cautious and self-disciplined character, and also made him feel awe towards his mother.

"Alright, you've come all this way without getting tired. Haven't you had your meal yet?" The Empress Dowager said to Emperor Wenyuan with a kind smile. "Someone, bring His Majesty a hot meal again."

The Empress Dowager was also extremely helpless. The Emperor was already forty years old, and every time he saw her, he would subconsciously look at her expression.

Emperor Wenyuan smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I am indeed a little hungry."

"Alright, alright, stop chatting and eat." The Emperor Emeritus urged the mother and son to dine.

As night fell and everyone left, a profound silence descended.

The once bustling banquet venue is now deserted except for the gentle breeze that stirs the red lanterns hanging under the eaves.

There was no need to attend court tomorrow, so Emperor Wenyuan stayed tonight.

Under the bright moonlight, the villa was heavily guarded, and it was so quiet that only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves could be heard.

The Empress Dowager sat on the soft couch, looking at the Emperor with great helplessness.

"Your Majesty, it's late, you should rest." He said, urging the emperor to leave.

However, Emperor Wenyuan seemed not to hear him and continued discussing political affairs with the retired emperor.

He looked up at the Empress Dowager and smiled slightly. "Mother, please rest. Father and I still have things to discuss."

The Empress Dowager frowned. When the Emperor got serious, not even ten oxen could sway him.

Helpless, the Empress Dowager could only nod and signal to the head palace maid beside her to escort her back to her bedroom.

Emperor Wenyuan watched the Empress Dowager leave before turning around and sitting back down on the couch.

He looked at the Emperor Emeritus, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes, "Father, do you still remember the days when we studied together in the study?"

The Emperor Emeritus smiled slightly, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes. "Of course I remember. Back then, you were just a mischievous little child. I never imagined that you would be able to stand on your own and become a wise and capable ruler."

Emperor Wenyuan sighed softly, "Yes, time flies. But with Father Emperor here, I always feel at ease."

The Emperor Emeritus patted the back of his hand. “Silly child, you are now the Emperor of Jingyuan. You must have your own opinions and judgments. No matter how good your father is, he cannot stay by your side forever.”

Emperor Wenyuan nodded silently; he certainly understood this principle. However, he couldn't help but be moved by the Emperor Emeritus's kindness and concern.

The two chatted for a while longer, and then the Emperor Emeritus suddenly asked, "When do you plan to have the Crown Prince marry the Crown Princess?"

Emperor Wenyuan was taken aback, not expecting the retired emperor to suddenly bring up this issue.

He considered his words carefully before saying, "I have thought about this matter, but I have no clue what to do. It is very difficult to choose the right person."

The Emperor Emeritus chuckled lightly, “It’s normal to be cautious. After all, the Crown Princess will be the future Empress, and she will have a certain influence on the court and the harem.”

The Crown Prince was Emperor Wenyuan's first child, born to Consort Wei, whose father was the Minister of Personnel, a high-ranking and powerful official.

"Father, who do you think would be more suitable?" he asked tentatively.

The retired emperor pondered for a moment, then asked, "What are the opinions of the court officials?"

Emperor Wenyuan gave a wry smile, "They seem to each have their own candidates and have not yet reached an agreement."

A glint of light flashed in the Emperor Emeritus's eyes. "That's true. In that case, you might as well listen to their opinions before making a decision."

Emperor Wenyuan felt a chill run down his spine. Although the retired emperor hadn't said it explicitly, his words were a subtle reminder to handle the matter carefully.

He understood the Emperor Emeritus's concerns; how to weigh the pros and cons of each side was crucial to Jingyuan's future development. At this critical moment, even the slightest oversight could trigger unnecessary turmoil.