Fei Pin Ying Qiang

Chapter 66.1- Birthday Feast

Come evening, when Li Chen returned to the estate, Qi Yunruo brought up the matter regarding Consort Ji.　　

Li Chen furrowed his brows. Finding things difficult, Qi Yunruo said, “I couldn’t refuse Consort Ji with the way she looked… After all, they are mother and son…”　　

Gaze upon him, Li Chen nodded. “Mm, alright. Find a suitable place for them to meet.”　　

“I know.”　　

Then Li Chen said, “Today, the emperor summoned Prince Qing and Prince Yong back to the capital. Those northwest matters will be given to Zhao Weidu. The emperor also arranged for a civil official to go along… Can you guess who?”　　

Qi Yunruo looked at his expression, saying suspiciously, “It can’t be Old Man Wen, right?”　　

But Li Chen smiled. “Truly intelligent.”

“How could it be him?” asked Qi Yunruo, frowning.　　

In his seat, Li Chen leaned his head back. In a careless manner, he said, “Perhaps he had talked too much lately, and now the emperor is fed up with him. His Majesty saw that he still had a use, and dispatched him to the northwest. Great Scholar Wen is an erudite scholar. He’s great at teaching culture, so let him teach the barbarians in the northwest this.”　　

Happiness filling his heart, Qi Yunruo said, “So that he won’t be unsure of what to do every day. It’s either ‘everyone knows this’ or ‘everyone should know this’ with him. He can bring these two useless statements and teach people everywhere.”　　

Jing’er’s birthday was one day before Li Chen would start his new posts. Beginning at the dawn of that day, Prince Chun’s estate was bustling. This was also Qi Yunruo’s first time personally arranging such an important event. He was afraid of making any mistakes, and so patrolled everywhere. From receiving the gifts to arranging for the delivery of the dishes to the tables, he didn’t stop for a break once.

The maidservants dressed the five-year-old Jing’er like a doll. He wore a rabbit coat to meet guests. Who knew how much flattery he experienced today?

Qi Yunruo still remembered how Consort Ji wanted to meet with Jing’er, feeling a bit worried.

Li Chen had arranged for Nanny Cheng to stay at Winter Plum Courtyard. This was because Qi Niqun entered the prince estate later than all his other women, so she didn’t know how to guard against spying. Li Chen had not inserted any spies to monitor the two secondary consorts who used to live in Frost Autumn Courtyard together.

However, Qi Yunruo suspected Consort Wei. As such, he sent some people to watch her, afraid that she would do something bad. And Consort Ji? ….Since the beginning, she never had a filter for her words. A very straightforward personality. In the past, Consort Ji had looked down on Qi Yunruo very often.　

Perhaps it’s because such a surly and unreasonable woman suddenly grew weak that Qi Yunruo couldn’t refuse letting the mother and son pair meet. Furthermore, Qi Yunruo thought that separating a mother and son was a very cruel thing to do. However, he could not bear to return Jing’er to Consort Ji’s side.　　

At the banquet in the forecourt, Prince Jing and a few imperial clan members sat at Li Chen’s table, the table of the host. The other senior officials were arranged to sit in other tables all around, making it convenient for Li Chen to stand and toast everyone. Qi Yunruo sat in a corner. Due to some reasons, the prince estate did not invite Ji Huan to the banquet. However, Qi Yunruo’s identity was special. Even though he didn’t know anyone at his table, his identity was the most noble. They toasted him again and again. But Qi Yunruo had prepared for this; he had the maidservants behind him switch out his wine for water. He even had the prince’s wine switched out as well.