Chapter 12: The Stimulating Wine Sent by the Empress~

Shen Chuwei replied, "To have dinner with Your Highness."

Lady Xu raised her chin arrogantly as she looked at Shen Chuwei. "Sister, I'm not trying to admonish you, but there should be a limit to vying for affection. Otherwise, it won't be as simple as being sent out—you could be locked up in the Xiaoxiang Pavilion."

Shen Chuwei replied, "Thank you for the reminder, sister. I assure you I'll only be eating and nothing else."

Lady Xu: "..." Everyone is competing to dine with His Highness and that's not enough? Or does it not count until you climb into his bed?

Eunuch Liu stepped forward and explained with a smile, "Lady Xu, the Crown Prince has invited Lady Shen to dine with him. Please go in first so as not to keep His Highness waiting too long."

Lady Xu snorted and, flicking her handkerchief, walked in first.

Shen Chuwei followed her in.

At the dining table, the palace maids began to serve the meal.

Xiao Jinyan, dressed in a plain silk brocade robe with a jade-studded belt around his waist, sat there quietly, looking dignified and aloof.

Upon reaching the table, the two ladies stepped forward to greet him.

"May Your Highness enjoy everlasting wealth and peace."

Xiao Jinyan slightly lifted his gaze and said indifferently, "Dispense with the formalities, be seated."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Lady Xu wanted to sit next to the Crown Prince and just as she approached, she found a cat on the chair staring at her, which scared her back several steps.

This was the Crown Prince's beloved pet Xuetuan, very fierce. It had ruined her most favored dress last time and nearly scratched her delicate skin.

To avoid being scratched again, she opted for a seat farther away.

Shen Chuwei didn't want to sit next to Xiao Jinyan as it would hinder her eating speed. She set her sights on the spot between Lady Xu and Xuetuan, which was quite suitable.

She walked over and sat down. She wanted to pet Xuetuan a couple of times, but with Xiao Jinyan present, she refrained.

Xuetuan meowed at Shen Chuwei: "Meow."

Lady Xu lifted her handkerchief to cover her mouth and snickered. Shen Fengyi, you could have sat anywhere else, so why choose here? This is going to be interesting once that cat goes crazy.

Shen Chuwei turned her head to look at Xuetuan and gestured a greeting with her hand underneath the table.

Xiao Jinyan's cool gaze swept past Lady Xu and settled on Shen Chuwei, catching her greeting his beloved pet. His eyes curved, and he smiled sweetly.

Compared to other women, her smile was pure and much more pleasant to the eye.

Shen Chuwei eyed the table full of delicacies, feeling a bit greedy. On the way there, Chun Xi had reminded her over and over that she must wait for the Crown Prince to start eating first. She reluctantly held back.

Xiao Jinyan withdrew his gaze and said, "You must be hungry too. Go ahead with the dinner."

Though he said that, everyone was waiting for the Crown Prince to take the lead.

When Shen Chuwei saw Xiao Jinyan eat a piece of diced meat, she immediately couldn't wait to pick up her chopsticks to partake, but Chun Xi poked her arm, and she immediately understood the hint.

She lifted the cover, brought over the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes, and offered with a smile, "Your Highness, this concubine has brought Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes. Would you like to try some?"

Lady Xu glanced at the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes with disdain.

You dare to compete for favor with such a dish?

If His Highness can stomach this, I'll take your last name.

Xiao Jinyan's lips curved up slightly, "Let's have a taste."

"Great," Shen Chuwei said joyfully, placing the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes in front of Xiao Jinyan.

Xiao Jinyan stared at the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes in front of him, a dish he had never seen before. Nonetheless, he took a piece with his silver chopsticks and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly and thoroughly.

Xiao Jinyan was born into the imperial family, with an elegant and lofty appearance, and he was very good-looking.

Only after he had tasted it did Shen Chuwei ask, "Your Highness, is it to your liking?"

Xiao Jinyan raised his eyes and saw Shen Chuwei's face full of anticipation. He nodded slightly, "The taste is good, you have a reward."

Shen Chuwei's eyes curved into a smile. To receive a reward for just one bite of the Scrambled Eggs with Tomatoes was much simpler than vying for favor.

She stood up and curtsied, "Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward."

Xiao Jinyan: "You may dispense with the formalities, continue with your meal."

"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Chuwei sat back down on the round stool, picked up her chopsticks, and started to eat, many of the dishes on the table were her favorites, like the lion's head meatballs, braised pork ribs...

Lady Xu Liangyuan watched Shen Fengyi flirt with His Highness with her eyebrows and eyes, sending secret loving glances, and her hand beneath the table tightly clutched her handkerchief.

Trying to seduce His Highness even during a meal, how shameless!

Xiao Jinyan's originally displeased mood suddenly became much more contented as he leisurely ate his evening meal.

Eunuch Ren entered with a young eunuch, first bowing, then placing the tray of wine on the dining table, "Your Highness, this is the wine sent by the Empress to enhance the enjoyment."

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the wine pot on the table and ordered, "Fill this palace's cup."

"As you wish." Eunuch Liu picked up the wine pot to fill the cup in front of His Highness.

Xiao Jinyan, in the presence of Eunuch Ren, took his cup and drained it in one gulp.

"Your Highness, I shall take my leave." Only then did Eunuch Ren withdraw with a smile.

Seeing the empty wine cup, Lady Xu Liangyuan took the initiative to stand up, her smile brimming as she picked up the wine pot, "Your Highness, let me refill your cup."

Xiao Jinyan did not pay any attention to her. He looked towards Shen Chuwei and saw her, head lowered, gnawing on the pork ribs. Her mouth was so small, and yet she had eaten five pieces in such a short while.

And she had even secretly given one to Xuetuan~

Xuetuan never ate food fed by others, but for some reason, it would eat whatever Shen Chuwei offered.

Lady Xu Liangyuan sat down, catching a glimpse of Shen Fengyi joyously gnawing on the pork ribs, a flash of disdain in her eyes. She picked up a piece of vegetarian dish, took a small bite, and chewed slowly and thoroughly.

She looked up at the Crown Prince and, with diligent care, picked up a piece of deer meat with the serving chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of His Highness, "Your Highness, please try the deer meat."

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the cup and the deer meat before him, saying indifferently, "This palace does not fancy deer meat."

Lady Xu Liangyuan's face stiffened, and she couldn't help but complain internally, what were the people in the kitchen doing? Knowing the Crown Prince didn't like deer meat yet preparing it, were they trying to embarrass her?

"Then let me get you another dish." Lady Xu Liangyuan stood up again and reached for the chopsticks to continue serving.

Xiao Jinyan sharply refused: "No need."

Beyond her embarrassment, Lady Xu Liangyuan felt somewhat resentful, and in a gentle voice, she suggested, "Then let me pour you wine."

As she picked up the wine pot and prepared to pour, she noticed that the cup was already full; the Crown Prince had not drunk any wine just now.

Shen Chuwei's pork ribs and lion's head meatballs were almost gone, the bones beside her piled up into a small mountain. She looked up at the deer meat and, standing up with her chopsticks due to the distance, picked up a piece of deer meat and then promptly sat down to continue gnawing, completely unaware of the awkwardness that had momentarily descended upon the atmosphere.

Chun Xi was so embarrassed she wanted to scratch the wall—Little Miss, don't just focus on eating; learn something from Lady Xu Liangyuan.

Lady Xu Liangyuan sat down awkwardly, watching Shen Fengyi eat happily and feeling a little discontent in her heart.

"Sister, don't just focus on eating. Aren't you going to toast His Highness?"

Shen Chuwei lifted her head to look at Xiao Jinyan and asked cautiously, "Your Highness, I can't really hold my liquor. May I not drink?"

She got drunk easily, and friends had told her that she was not a good drunk. If she ended up getting drunk and annoyed His Highness, she would be the one in trouble.

It was best not to drink at all.

Xiao Jinyan said, "Granted."

Shen Chuwei breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and picked up another piece of deer meat and put it in her bowl.

Lady Xu Liangyuan rolled her eyes internally, thinking she was just playing the pitiful one to gain His Highness's sympathy, utterly shameless.

"Since Lady Xu Liangyuan loves to drink," Xiao Jinyan instructed, "Eunuch Liu, fill up a cup for Lady Xu Liangyuan."