FID – Chapter 870

Chapter 870: Eyes That Open, Hazy with Drunkenness

Yan Rongjin came to Nanling under the pretense of a diplomatic visit, accompanied by an envoy delegation. Although the Imperial Jade Seal had already been reclaimed, he still had to maintain appearances to avoid arousing suspicion from those with ulterior motives.

After his ascension to the throne, he hadn’t immediately revealed the seal. Later, he used this diplomatic visit to silence the questioning voices. However, once he returned, he could no longer delay.

Fortunately, he no longer needed to devise ways to hide it.

After visiting the King of Nanling’s Manor, he spent the following days frequently interacting with Feng Mohan. Guided by Nanling court officials, they toured the capital and its surroundings thoroughly. Banquets were held constantly, aiming to strengthen relations between the two nations.

On this particular evening, another unavoidable palace banquet was underway.

Throughout the feast, Feng Mohan kept raising his cup toward him. “It’s a great joy that Dongyue and Nanling have successfully established diplomatic relations. I’m absolutely delighted. Come, Emperor of Dongyue, allow me to toast you again!”

Yan Rongjin gave him a cool glance and downed yet another full cup. The spicy liquor scorched his throat, sending waves of heat rushing to his face.

Feng Mohan grinned even wider. After just a few cups, this pretty boy was already flushed all over. He clearly was a lightweight when it came to alcohol.

But he wouldn’t stop until he drank him under the table!

Feng Qingbai, seated at a separate table with other Dongyue officials, occasionally glanced at the two young emperors, but paid them little attention. 

Though Feng Mohan was a bit mischievous, at worst they would both end up drunk—which was no big deal.

“Hey, you’ve been in the capital for almost ten days now. When are you planning to head back home?” Feng Mohan asked with a smirk, noticing Yan Rongjin’s increasingly unfocused gaze.

“When everything is properly wrapped up, I’ll naturally leave,” Yan Rongjin replied, forcing himself to stay composed despite the dizziness. His hand clenched tightly under the table, grounding himself to remain conscious.

Looking at the grinning face swaying in front of him, a sharp coldness flickered in his eyes.

He was only ten years old, skilled in both the literary and martial arts, but he had never trained in drinking. He knew that Feng Mohan was deliberately trying to get him drunk, and as an emperor, he couldn’t very well refuse.

There would come a day when Feng Mohan would regret this!

Across the table, the other young emperor poured him yet another full cup and pushed it toward him. “Things couldn’t be more ‘wrapped up.’ You got what you came for, mooched off meals in my palace more than once, and were generously entertained everywhere you went. What more do you want? Don’t tell me you’ve grown so fond of this place that you’ve forgotten to go home? Still just a kid—easily distracted by fun.”

Seeing that Yan Rongjin wouldn’t take the cup, Feng Mohan just grabbed it and forced it into his mouth. “Come on, drink! Both our countries are celebrating. Naturally, we have to get drunk! Today, I’m risking my life to keep company with a gentleman!”

These words made the envoy from Dongyue who wanted to intervene freeze in place.

When Emperor Huijing said both countries were celebrating and insisted on drinking until drunk, and that he was risking his life to keep company with a gentleman, if they stopped him now, wouldn’t they be embarrassing the emperor?

The two countries had recently fought a major war, and Dongyue’s national strength was greatly damaged. Plus, the war’s cause was Dongyue’s fault. Now that they had just established diplomatic relations, they absolutely could not ruin the mood and damage the relationship again.

Yan Rongjin was thoroughly drunk, stumbling all the way back to the post station, vomiting as he went.

Feng Mohan wasn’t in much better shape. To avoid rumors that he was bullying someone, he drank a lot too, far beyond his usual limit.

When Feng Qingbai came to drag him away, Feng Mohan was still wildly gesturing and shouting, “Drink!” 

“Get drunk or don’t come back!” 

“Risking my life to keep company with a gentleman!”

Feng Qingbai couldn’t help but be amused.

Even drunk, he didn’t forget to put on an act and make sure he didn’t give people reason to gossip. His slogans sounded grand and proper.

He carried him back to Qiande Hall and threw him onto the dragon bed. Xiao Banzi was ordered to take good care of him. As Feng Qingbai was about to leave, the young boy grabbed his sleeve, “Imperial Uncle, is that pretty boy drunk?”

“Yes, he is.”

“That’s good.”

Feng Qingbai rubbed his forehead.

Then he quickly left the palace and headed back to his residence. It was already late; Shengsheng was surely waiting for him in her room.

He didn’t want to delay too long.

Not long after he left, the person on the dragon bed pressed his forehead and groaned in discomfort, which frightened the little eunuch into immediately calling the Imperial Medical Academy for the imperial doctors.

Along came an old imperial doctor and a female doctor.

After examining Feng Mohan, the old imperial doctor prescribed a remedy to sober him up and instructed the female doctor to prepare the medicine.

Once the medicine was fed to the drunken man lying on the bed, the female doctor looked at the old doctor and said, “His Majesty won’t sober up quickly tonight. It’s getting late—perhaps you should rest first. There are servants and eunuchs here to look after him.”

The old doctor saw that the emperor indeed wouldn’t wake soon and, since it was only drunkenness with no serious issue, gave some final instructions and left.

The female doctor wiped the emperor’s hands and face with a clean towel, frowning, “Why did His Majesty drink so much tonight?”

“His Majesty was happy, drinking with the Dongyue emperor. I didn’t dare stop him,” said Xiao Banzi, who glanced at the female doctor for a moment before suddenly realizing, “I remember you! You’re Shan Lai, the female doctor from the Imperial Medical Academy!”

Shan Lai smiled at him and said, “I didn’t expect Xiao Gonggong (little eunuch) to remember.”

“How could I forget? You’ve been to Qiande Hall before,” Xiao Banzi said with a smile. Seeing that the other was someone he knew, he relaxed. “Is it your shift at the Imperial Medical Academy today?”

Shan Lai nodded, tacitly agreeing.

The two stayed by the dragon bed. After drinking the sobering soup, the furrow between the young man’s brows gradually eased. As the night grew deeper, Xiao Banzi quietly began to yawn.

“Xiao Gonggong, if you’re tired, you should go rest. I can watch over him here.”

“That won’t do, I’m His Majesty’s personal attendant. Naturally, I must stay here to take care of him.”

Just then, the youth on the bed suddenly opened his eyes. Bristling with irritation, he grabbed a nearby pillow, and threw it. “So noisy! Everyone out!”

“Your Majesty, you—”

“Get out! You’re disturbing my peace!”

Feng Mohan glared at the two until they retreated to the outer room, then turned over and continued sleeping.

Hearing his faint breathing from inside, Xiao Banzi lowered his voice and said to Shan Lai, “His Majesty seemed much better just now, probably just sleepy. I guess he’ll sleep until dawn. There’s no need for us to stay here. Shan Lai, you should head back now.”

“I promised the old imperial doctor to watch over His Majesty here. If I leave halfway and something happens to His Majesty, wouldn’t that be breaking my word?” Shan Lai bit her lip and said, “How about this. Xiao Gonggong, you go and rest for a bit. I’ll stay here watching. After a short nap, you can come back to take over, then I’ll leave. That way, you’ll have the energy to continue taking care of His Majesty.”

Xiao Banzi hesitated for a moment, then nodded, “Alright then, I’ll sleep for a while and get up soon. I’ll rest on the couch in the outer room. If anything happens, just call me loudly and I’ll hear.”

“Okay.”

The entire inner hall was silent except for the youth still lost in a dreamy sleep on the dragon bed. The woman stood outside the beaded curtain watching him for a while, then slowly lifted the curtain and stepped inside.

The youth was lying face down, so even at the bedside she couldn’t see his face.

Shan Lai reached out and gently shook his shoulder, her voice soft and low, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty—”

Suddenly her wrist was grabbed tightly and pulled downward. Shan Lai lost her balance and fell onto the youth, who turned swiftly and pinned her beneath him. His eyes opened, glazed with drunkenness.