The Fifth Prince of Western Rong

Seeing that she was in low spirits, Si Yunqi felt helpless too. He comforted her gently. "Grandmother is advanced in years. She can't endure the rigors of a long journey."

"Then we won't be able to spend the New Year with Grandmother. How sad she'll be, spending it at home alone." Yan Wanning was very fond of the Old Princess Dowager, who was kind and warm to her and concerned for her in every way. At the thought that, as her children and grandchildren, they could not spend a warm and happy New Year with the elderly lady, she could not hide the sadness on her face.

There were less than three months until the New Year. The emperor's birthday fell shortly after the beginning of spring, which meant they would set out for the capital in a little over a month.

"If Grandmother knew how much you thought of her, my lady, she would be delighted." Seeing her puff out her cheeks, he raised a hand and pinched the soft flesh at the side of her face. "If you can't bear to leave Grandmother, then spend more time with her these next few days, all right?"

Yan Wanning nodded in agreement. "Then when will we come home?"

Her words filled him with delight, and he promised her, "Don't worry, my lady. We'll come home after His Majesty's birthday."

Just as Si Yunqi had expected, the Western Rong envoys arrived a few days later. The one leading them this time was the fifth prince, Tamu'er, who was taking the Sixth Princess of Western Rong to the imperial city of Zhaoyuan for a marriage alliance.

Tamu'er and the sixth princess were siblings born of the same mother, and they had been close since childhood. The emperor of Western Rong had therefore sent him to escort her to her marriage alliance.

Si Yunqi had been very busy these past few days, and Yan Wanning could not even see him. Every time he returned to the residence, she was already fast asleep, and by the time she woke, he had already left. Still, Yan Wanning often went to visit the Old Princess Dowager, so the two of them, old and young, did not get bored.

Today, Si Yunqi had arranged a banquet at the Fragrant Fullness Tower to receive the Western Rong envoys, and he left the residence before dawn.

In the largest private room on the third floor of the Fragrant Fullness Tower, Si Yunqi received the Western Rong envoys with Gu Qingshi and several minor officials.

Inside the private room, cups were passed back and forth amid song and dance. The dancers moved gracefully through an ethereal dance, their white gauze sleeves sweeping through the air as though they were fairies about to take flight.

The envoys watched, utterly entranced, humming along to the melody from time to time.

"Prince Anbei, I offer you a toast."

Tamu'er was tall and powerfully built, like a small mountain. His voice was rough and booming, and a smile hung on his rugged face. Si Yunqi raised his bowl of wine to him, and they both drained theirs in one gulp.

"Today, I brought a great gift for Prince Anbei. I hope you will accept it."

As soon as Tamu'er finished speaking, a veiled woman with a shapely figure and bright, revealing clothes came forward with mincing steps. Every movement was full of allure. Her beautiful, exposed eyes were like hooks that could snare a person, and her slender waist swayed like willow fluff in the wind. Her skin was fairer than snow and seemed to glow. The officials stared at her, their eyes going wide.

Si Yunqi and Gu Qingshi gave her a cursory glance, their faces showing little expression and their hearts even less stirred. Even a single glance was too much for them.

The woman swayed her waist to the music. As she danced, she drifted almost imperceptibly closer to Si Yunqi before floating away again, her beautiful eyes fixed on him all the while. They were seductive and full of feeling, enough to make one's heart melt.

As she danced, the woman seemed to twist her ankle and fell toward Si Yunqi, limp as if she had no bones. Everyone assumed Si Yunqi would cherish the fairer sex and gather her into his arms to soothe and comfort her, but the outcome surprised them.

"Bang!"

The woman's cry of pain and the thud of her landing rang out in the private room. Si Yunqi looked at her coldly, his eyes as though filled with ice.

"Prince~ I'm in such pain~"

The woman was confident in herself and did not want to let such an exceptionally handsome man of exalted status slip away. So she suppressed the fear in her heart and deliberately made her voice coquettish, letting her revealing clothes slip down to her bosom in the hope of enticing him.

Silence fell over the private room. Si Yunqi's face was dark, and no one wanted to be the first to speak and court misfortune, for fear that one careless word would send their head rolling.

They all valued their lives.

Seeing that something was wrong with the atmosphere, Tamu'er was the first to break the silence. "Does Prince Anbei dislike this great gift? Her name is Jiaoniang, and she is a rare beauty."

"Fifth Prince, you had best take this great gift back." Si Yunqi looked at Tamu'er with a cool gaze and said slowly, "I already have a beloved wife waiting at home. Such vulgar rouge and common powder cannot catch my eye."

Si Yunqi made no attempt to hide his disgust for the woman. Tamu'er felt he had lost face, and his body stiffened for a moment. Though anger burned in his heart, he could not show it openly. He forced a smile onto his hard-featured face. "I did not give the matter enough thought."

"Guards, take her away," Tamu'er ordered his guards.

The woman stared at the two tall guards in terror, all color draining from her face. Wearing a miserable expression, she was forcibly dragged out.

The banquet went on for about two and a half hours. Everyone drank a great deal, and the envoys and officials all collapsed drunk over the tables. The servants or guards they had brought helped them into their carriages to return to their residences.

Si Yunqi had also drunk quite a bit. He, Gu Qingshi, and Tamu'er were still somewhat sober, but let their guards help them into their carriages to return to their residences as well.

At the prince's residence, Yan Wanning returned to Anyuan Courtyard after eating with the Old Princess Dowager. Unable to sleep no matter what she did, she sat on the cushioned couch embroidering a white robe.