Chapter 108: Deer Blood Wine
Under the gentle eastern breeze, the moon-white skirt fluttered.
Zhao Yiyi tilted her head slightly, looking at the man standing at the edge of the drilling grounds holding a longbow. A trace of daze flickered across her face.
Upon catching the smile in his eyes, her jade-like face was instantly painted with a crimson flush. A wave of heat rose in her cheeks, and she felt too embarrassed to face anyone. Panicked, she wanted to find a place to hide before anyone noticed her.
Feeling humiliated, she turned to leave, but Gu Zhen reached her first.
Before long, his tall, imposing figure was in front of her. The man was half a head taller than her, and as he looked down with his phoenix eyes, he brought with him a powerful sense of pressure. “Why have you only just arrived?”
Zhao Yiyi uncomfortably avoided his gaze. Fortunately, her rouge masked her blush, and her hairstyle hid her ears, preventing any sign of her fluster from showing. She answered absentmindedly, “Mhm.”
While she was lost in thought, her hand was suddenly taken.
She looked up in a daze, meeting Gu Zhen’s smiling eyes.
“Alright, come inside with me first,” he said in a low voice. Sensing her slight struggle and her intent to leave, he smiled again. “Everyone is watching.”
At those words, Zhao Yiyi stopped moving.
She gave him a fierce glare but ultimately stopped struggling, following him to the head seats.
A seat had long been reserved for the Empress on the viewing platform, right next to the Emperor. They had been waiting for her, and the delay had caused some growing anxiety.
“Your Majesty has finally arrived,” Wu Mao said eagerly as he poured tea, smiling. “Your Majesty has no idea. Though His Majesty didn’t say it, he was thinking of you constantly. He almost went to find you himself. As luck would have it, you’ve arrived.”
Gu Zhen’s expression darkened slightly. He looked back and scolded, “When did I give you permission to be so talkative?”
Wu Mao, withered by the glare, hurried to apologize with a smile. “This servant has misspoke. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
However, seeing that the Emperor did not follow up with any further punishment, he knew that the Emperor wasn’t truly angry—or at least, not as much as he appeared.
Taking heart, Wu Mao observed the two masters and added, “There are freshly made spring pancakes today. Would Your Majesty like to try some?”
Zhao Yiyi nodded in agreement. She remained seated primly in the armchair, looking down at the grounds.
The people in the field changed in waves. Most were young men in their twenties, handsome and from noble families, seeking to enter government service starting as the Emperor’s personal guards.
Watching the men take their turns, Gu Zhen turned and smiled. “I was thinking of having Zhao Chen come and try, but surprisingly, he was unwilling.”
“Don’t mind him; he’s far too proud,” Zhao Yiyi said calmly as she toyed with the coral beads on her wrist. “When he was young, everyone compared him to our eldest brother. He’s been holding a grudge ever since, determined to outdo Brother in everything.”
She understood her younger brother’s temperament well. Zhao Chen had a stubborn streak—if something was handed to him, he wouldn’t even look at it. He only valued what he fought for himself.
Their eldest brother, Zhao Yuan, had entered service as an honorary guard of the lowest rank. Naturally, Zhao Chen wasn’t willing to follow in those footsteps.
Gu Zhen suddenly looked at her and laughed. “How is he exactly like you? So petty.”
“What?” Zhao Yiyi was startled and somewhat indignant. She snapped, “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Gu Zhen leaned in an inch and whispered, “Who was it last night who insisted I wasn’t serving well enough? I only asked for a few more rounds, and then someone wouldn’t let me touch them at all, hmm?”
Zhao Yiyi’s expression changed drastically. Her almond eyes widened, and she moved to cover his mouth, her face turning as red as cinnabar. “You… you’re not allowed to talk nonsense!”
She looked around frantically. Fortunately, the others were at a distance, and his voice was so low it was almost a mumble, so no one heard.
Using her sleeves and the table as cover, Zhao Yiyi angrily tried to pry his fingers away. Feeling that wasn’t enough, she reached for his lower back and gave it a hard pinch.
However, his waist was lean and firm without a trace of excess fat. Even though she used quite a bit of force, she couldn’t really get a grip.
Being pinched naturally hurt a bit, but Gu Zhen just caught her hand and lowered his voice. “Stop playing. Once we return later, I’ll let you do whatever you want.”
Whatever she wanted.
He said it so casually, acting so dignified, but she knew that once they were behind closed doors, he’d be thinking of that again.
Zhao Yiyi angrily shook off his hand and hissed, “Have you no shame?”
She glanced at the amber wine cup on the table. Even from a distance, she could smell the dark fragrance of the liquid in the flask. It smelled like strong liquor. And since they were at the drilling grounds, this wasn’t likely a common wine for banquets.
Seeing her staring, Wu Mao explained warmly, “Your Majesty, this wine is called ‘Golden Tray Dew.’ It’s brewed for the military and is very strong. If Your Majesty wishes to drink, this servant will find some milder wine.”
Zhao Yiyi said coolly, “No need.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, her eyes darted around. Her slender hand grasped the wine flask, and she personally poured a cup of the Golden Tray Dew. Holding the amber cup, she handed it to the man beside her. “We’ve been here so long, yet I haven’t seen Your Majesty drink. You used your strength earlier with the archery; I shall offer Your Majesty a toast.”
Gu Zhen glanced at her, his gaze lingering on the amber cup before fixing on her face. A smile played on his lips as he asked softly, “Is Yiyi sure?”
Zhao Yiyi felt a prickle of panic under his gaze, but she nodded and said firmly, “Is Your Majesty unwilling to give me face?”
Her brows knitted slightly. Gu Zhen chuckled twice and slowly reached out to take the cup. Under her unwavering gaze, he tilted his head and drained the Golden Tray Dew in one gulp.
A smile appeared on Zhao Yiyi’s face. She personally took the cup back and immediately poured another.
“I have already had one,” Gu Zhen said with a smile, though there was a hint of refusal in his tone.
Zhao Yiyi’s fingers tightened around the cup, and her frown deepened. “But I recall that while Your Majesty isn’t known for heavy drinking, you are certainly capable of more than one cup.”
She spoke very cautiously, her expression appearing dejected. However, to Gu Zhen’s ears, it sounded like she was questioning his capability.
And that was exactly what Zhao Yiyi intended. Her words were gentle, but the look in her eyes as she turned to him held a faint hint of a challenge.
Gu Zhen continued to smile. He took the wine again and, still under her watch, drained it.
“So, is Yiyi satisfied now?” he asked in a low voice, taking her hand.
His hot breath brushed against her, carrying the mellow scent of the wine. Zhao Yiyi felt an instinctive flash of fear and forced herself to say, “Since Your Majesty isn’t a heavy drinker, let’s leave it at that. Don’t go blaming me later if you get drunk.”
This one sentence provoked Gu Zhen.
He let out a cold laugh and pointed to the jade-inlaid wine flask. “Pour me another, Yiyi. If I get drunk…” He smiled and whispered, “I shall forgive you. It will have nothing to do with you.”
Zhao Yiyi was just looking for an opportunity, and with a little goading, he had walked right into it.
She didn’t hesitate, pouring another cup and offering it with both hands. “Exactly three cups of Golden Tray Dew. I have three wishes, all for Your Majesty’s continued health.”
With the beauty whispering by his side, Gu Zhen couldn’t help but chuckle. He took the cup and whispered, “With those words from you, even if this were arsenic, I’m afraid I would still drink it.”
Zhao Yiyi knew that while Gu Zhen’s tolerance was decent, he wasn’t fond of drinking. He only had a few cups during banquets and detested it when others toasted him.
Back in the Eastern Palace, during banquets, the officials and his brothers all loved to toast him as the Crown Prince. When others lowered their posture, even as the heir to the throne, he had to give them face. But upon returning, he was always displeased.
Now, she had forced three full cups of strong liquor on him. Though he appeared calm and unbothered in front of others, who knew how he would be in private.
Zhao Yiyi sat there, becoming more anxious by the minute.
“What is it, Yiyi?” Gu Zhen’s eyes were on the field, but his attention was entirely on her. Sensing her restlessness, he asked warmly, “Is it too hot here?”
Zhao Yiyi followed his lead. “It is a bit hot.”
Gu Zhen said, “It’s late spring, and the sun is high. It must be hot.” He looked at Wu Mao. “Go get some ice, and make a bowl of ‘Crisp Mountain’ for the Empress.”
His sudden kindness made Zhao Yiyi nervous. She said, “I don’t want any.”
“Didn’t you say last night you wanted Crisp Mountain?” Gu Zhen turned to her with a slight smile. “Eat more in a bit.”
Zhao Yiyi’s heart trembled. “Why?”
Gu Zhen said, “It’s nothing. I just think that later on, Yiyi might not have the time to eat.”
Looking at the field, the competition seemed only halfway through. Zhao Yiyi’s gaze wandered until she easily found the group of young girls. Each was dressed in men’s clothing, pretending to be young lords, yet they were recognizable at a glance.
Everyone just turned a blind eye, seeing through the disguise but saying nothing. After all, with the Emperor and Empress present, it wasn’t their place to speak.
Zhao Yiyi assumed he meant it was still early. If they waited for every match to finish, it would likely be mid-afternoon. Lunch would surely be delayed.
The interesting matches were ending, and the remaining participants were far less impressive. Zhao Yiyi lost interest. She glanced at Gu Zhen, who seemed to be watching with great interest, and tugged on his sleeve. “You watch. I’m going for a walk.”
“Be careful on the way.” Gu Zhen nodded and ordered palace servants to escort her.
Things were going so smoothly that Zhao Yiyi felt something was off. But as it grew hotter and the matches were boring, she didn’t want to linger and headed down.
She said she was going for a walk, but after a short while, she felt tired. Her feet led her to a nearby resting area.
“Go get some water.” Zhao Yiyi had just finished her Crisp Mountain, and her mouth felt sticky. She sat down on a reed mat and instructed Yunzhu, “Just plain water, nothing added.”
Yunzhu agreed with a smile. “Why didn’t Your Majesty try that Golden Tray Dew earlier? This servant has never heard of it; it must be a new tribute.”
Zhao Yiyi frowned. “It smelled too strong. What’s there to drink? If you’re craving it, I’ll let you have some plum wine when we get back.”
Yunzhu smiled and left.
Hearing the birds chirping outside, Zhao Yiyi leaned against the table and began to doze off.
Steady, powerful footsteps came from behind. She thought it was Yunzhu returning with the water and said softly, “Just put it there.”
However, no cup was placed on the table. Instead, her shoulders were gripped.
Zhao Yiyi’s expression changed. She turned around sharply and met those burning phoenix eyes. Her heart shook. “Why are you here?”
Gu Zhen looked her over silently and said warmly, “Yiyi, you brought this on yourself.”
As soon as he spoke, the raspy quality of his voice told Zhao Yiyi something was wrong.
She shrank back and asked with a trembling voice, “Does… does that Golden Tray Dew have such a strong kick?”
He wasn’t someone who couldn’t handle strong liquor. It was only three cups; did he really need to come find her for a reckoning?
Pah! And he called her petty! He was clearly the one with the smallest heart!
“If it were just Golden Tray Dew, the kick wouldn’t be this strong.” Gu Zhen smiled, his hands still on her shoulders. He spoke slowly. “But during today’s competition, someone hunted a deer in the imperial park and added some deer blood to the Golden Tray Dew that was presented.”
He reached out and gently brushed his fingers over her face, his voice mellow. “I was going to leave it be and didn’t intend to use it. But who knew Yiyi would be so enthusiastic?”
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