thenovelthief Chapter 183 The Drunken Cat
Chapter 183 The Drunken Cat
The aroma of the wine is so strong that it can be smelled for miles around.
The smell could be smelled throughout the entire palace, and Consort Qiong's mouth watered.
She had a taste for this kind of thing, and even though she knew the Emperor was still in Zhaoyang Palace, she couldn't resist and came over with the Second Prince.
The second prince was tall and thin, and looked somewhat like Li Yuanke, but he looked simple and silly, lacking Li Yuanke's wisdom and the superficial shrewdness of the former Consort Qing. It was hard to say who he resembled.
Consort Qiong was particularly patient with him, instructing him, "Quickly pay your respects to Consort Chen!"
Shen Shixi is quite...
I'm still so young, and I'm already a mother.
I want to swear.
The child then greeted Shen Shixi, "Your subject greets Your Majesty, the Imperial Consort!"
Shen Shixi was in an even worse situation.
My mother could never give birth to such a big, healthy son.
The second prince was visiting Zhaoyang Palace for the first time and was quite playful, wanting to look around and wander about. This was also the purpose for which Consort Qiong had brought him out, so Shen Shixi asked Chaoyu to take him around.
"Don't go near the water," Shen Shixi cautioned.
"Don't blame me for bringing the Second Prince here. This child is also pitiful." Consort Qiong didn't hide anything from Shen Shixi. "The Emperor has never paid much attention to the Second Prince. I heard that Consort Qing used to force this child to study day and night. You saw it, the child was driven crazy."
Shen Shixi didn't know what to say. In her past life, there were countless parents like this. "It's still important to balance work and rest."
"After the Emperor said those words, I gave up on this child. Being born into the royal family means he won't starve. He can just live a peaceful and uneventful life as a prince."
These words were also meant to reassure Shen Shixi, who was quite speechless. What was the point of telling me this?
"Then cultivate more hobbies and interests." Having never been a mother, Shen Shixi didn't know how to bring up this topic.
Shen Shixi packed a bottle of wine for Qiongfei to take back with her.
After nearly two hundred catties of liquor had been distilled, it was already mid-to-late February.
Li Yuanke had been eyeing the distilled liquor for some time, coming to Zhaoyang Palace every day. He was drooling over the aroma of the liquor, but he had promised Shen Shixi he wouldn't touch it, and he really didn't.
But when he saw Shen Shixi drunk, he was furious and snatched the wine glass from her hand and threw it away.
"What are you doing?" Shen Shixi was like a drunkard, completely out of her mind, and climbed onto Li Yuanke's back. "Carry me, Brother Yuanke, carry me!"
Li Yuanke was exhausted after a long day, and when he got back he still had to deal with a drunkard, which made him so angry he felt like he was going to vomit blood.
"Didn't you say this stuff was poisonous? Why did you drink it yourself?" This was what angered him the most. "Summon the Imperial Physician to detoxify her."
"No, it's just alcohol, just a bit strong. Hehe, I only said it was poisonous so you wouldn't drink it. It's okay to drink a little once in a while, Yaoyao, Brother Yuan Ke, give me a kiss!"
Reeking of alcohol, Li Yuanke shoved her away, yelling, "You scoundrel, how dare you deceive the emperor!"
"I didn't bully you, it's not like we were on the tatami mat..."
Li Yuanke covered her mouth, his anger directed at the people below, "Get out!"
Emma, they don't want to hear this either!
"What are you doing? You're being mean to me again!" Shen Shixi said unhappily, rubbing his face. "Smile, give me a smile. I like seeing you smile."
Then she began reciting poetry, swaying her head and taking unsteady steps, staggering with every step. Li Yuanke was afraid she would fall and tried to pull her down to sit, but she refused, coaxing him, "Don't be silly, be good, I'll give you candy later!"
Li Yuanke was speechless, so he had no choice but to imitate Li Fude and spread his arms to protect her.
"...You walked towards me with a smile, and between the moonlight and the snow, you were the third kind of unparalleled beauty."
The poem was short. After Shen Shixi finished reciting it, she cupped his face, bit his lips, and laughed, "Li Yuanke, you're so sweet!"
Li Yuanke, unable to control himself from her advances, scooped her up and carried her towards the bedchamber. "You scoundrel, look at the state you've become! Do you even know who you are?"
"Hmm, who am I? Of course I am Shen Shixi, the towering Shen Shixi, the one and only Shen Shixi in the world. In the long river of history, I went against the current and met you, Li Yuanke. You are truly lucky!"
As she spoke, she made exaggerated gestures, as if her palms were truly holding up the sun.
How do you go against the current?
Shen Shixi felt sleepy, let out a big yawn, and leaned on his shoulder, "I won't tell you."
He hummed, "Where I came from, where I'm going..." and then, after a few more lines, he fell asleep.
Li Yuanke chuckled, "You bastard!"
He stripped her naked, threw her into the hot spring pool to rinse her a few times, pulled her out, dried her off, and tucked her into the bed.
"Pour me a cup of the wine that Consort Chen drank."
"Yes!" Bai Ping poured a cup and brought it over.
This liquor has been distilled and filtered multiple times, making it crystal clear. It has no other flavors, only the pure taste of alcohol. In addition, Shen Shixi chilled it, making it refreshing on the palate with a burning sensation from the alcohol.
Li Yuanke took a sip, couldn't resist, and took another sip. He dared not drink any more; it was too addictive.
"Did Consort Chen say what the wine is called?"
Bai Ping said, "My lady said this wine is called Snow Fermentation, which is clear and pure, like the crystal clear snow of winter."
When Shen Shixi woke up the next day, she vaguely remembered that she had recited poems and sang songs the day before, but she couldn't remember what she said. Her head was quite sore.
"Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered all the distilled spirits to be moved away, saying that he is afraid that Your Highness will drink this too much. Yesterday you almost passed out from drinking so much."
"Nonsense, it's not that serious."
Shen Shixi stayed in bed for more than an hour before getting up.
Meanwhile, news had spread throughout the palace that the Emperor would be inspecting the border on the fourth day of the third month. Once the Imperial Observatory determined the time, the imperial court would begin preparations. Such a momentous event had been in the works for some time.
In the Empress's palace, during the morning greetings, Pan Zhiheng asked, "Your Majesty, when the Emperor goes on his border inspection tour, shouldn't he bring his concubines along to serve him?"
The Empress was unaware of this, and to this day, the Emperor has never mentioned it to her.
She thought that with the Third Prince here, the Emperor would come more often, but each time the Emperor would only send Li Fude to inquire, and would not come to see the Third Prince in person.
In addition, her health is not good now. She has to have bleeding for half of the month, and it is even more difficult for the emperor to come. She really hates this body.
"I will ask about it. Please be patient," the Empress said.
However, before the Empress could ask, Shen Shixi had already sent someone to find Lin Guiyou, Guo Shi, and Yuan Shi, as she planned to take them with her.
Lin Guiyou definitely had to be brought along. His father and brothers were still at the border, and it was only right and proper that he take them to see them and comfort the old general.
Guo and Yuan were elderly people from the past. When Shen Shixi was young, they treated her very well, mainly because Yuan was a good storyteller.
Of course, she wouldn't force them to go or not; she was just giving them the opportunity.
Lin Guiyou asked if there was any danger.
She lost her fertility during the last time she accompanied the emperor.
She doesn't want to die yet.
Shen Shixi said she didn't know, and she really didn't know. Who can explain fate? She remembered a news report from her previous life about an old man who was jogging in the morning when a car ran up the curb and killed him.
Lin Guiyou finally decided to go. Since she had decided to follow Shen Shixi, she was determined to hold on tight to this powerful figure.
Guo and Yuan were both surprised that such a good thing would happen to them, and they couldn't believe it. They were quite conflicted about whether to go or not.