newbobooks Chapter 528 was nothing more than a show put on for everyone to see.
Chapter 528 was nothing more than a show put on for everyone to see.
As the autumn sun gradually slanted westward, it bathed the campsite in a golden afterglow.
From the distant mountains and forests, shouts could be heard from time to time; those were the noble sons who were still chasing their prey.
The women's camp was much calmer, and Su Wan stayed in her tent without coming out again.
Chu Ruohan played with the children for a while, then asked the wet nurse to take Xiao Qingchen to rest. Xuan Ge'er was full of energy and wanted to go out to play.
She kept tugging at Gu Junze's clothes.
Lu Ge'er walked to Xuan Ge'er's side and said, "Come on, brother will take you there."
Xuan-ge'er happily took Lu-ge'er's hand, and the two children walked one after the other toward the edge of the hunting ground.
Gu Junze watched the two children's retreating figures, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes.
Lu Ge'er is thoughtful and calculating. Spending more time with Xuan Ge'er and absorbing some of the child's innocence will be beneficial to his character development.
He turned to look at Chu Ruohan and saw her gazing into the distance, looking somewhat lost in thought.
"What's wrong?" He stepped forward and gently took her hand.
Chu Ruohan came to her senses and smiled at him: "It's nothing, I just felt that today's hunting grounds really showed all the different aspects of life."
She thought of Su Wan's dejection, Master Gu's smugness, Brother Lu's composure, and the farce of the startled horse earlier.
Gu Junze followed her gaze and seemed to see through the undercurrents beneath the surface of the lively scene.
He simply squeezed her hand tighter, silently conveying his strength.
“Let’s go,” he said softly. “Let’s go back to the tents; the children should rest.”
“Okay.” Chu Ruohan nodded and walked towards the tent side by side with him.
As night fell, bonfires were lit in the hunting grounds camp, illuminating half the sky.
The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, accompanied by bursts of laughter.
Gu Junze took Lu Ge'er and Xuan Ge'er to the evening hunting banquet.
Zhao Yunci was in a great mood, frequently raising her glass to celebrate with everyone.
Because of his outstanding performance during the day, Brother Lü was the subject of much conversation.
He handled each situation with grace and tact, leaving no room for error, which earned him much praise.
Master Gu was overjoyed and praised his grandson to everyone he met.
Chu Ruohan, with Xiao Qingchen in tow, sat on the other side with several ladies she was on good terms with, chatting idly without joining in the commotion.
Su Wan did not attend the banquet, only saying that she was feeling unwell and stayed in the tent to rest.
Chu Ruohan knew that what she needed was not rest, but time to process what she had seen and heard today.
The campfire was burning brightly, with crackling sparks shooting into the night sky before quickly going out.
Large chunks of venison and wild boar sizzled and dripped with oil over the fire, their rich aroma mingling with the scent of wine, filling the camp and tempting everyone's mouths.
The men's banquet circle was undoubtedly centered around the emperor.
He leaned back on the couch covered with a thick tiger skin, holding a golden cup in one hand and casually resting the other on his knee, his face flushed with the effects of the wine and a joyful smile on his face.
Consort Rong sat right next to him.
She had already changed out of her riding clothes and was wearing a crimson palace dress with a neckline that was just right, revealing a section of her snow-white neck.
In the flickering firelight, her already beautiful face appeared even more alluring.
"Your Majesty, please try this." Consort Rong carefully cut a slice of the tenderest roasted venison with a small silver knife.
He used silver chopsticks to hold it and personally brought it to Zhao Yunci's lips.
Zhao Yunci opened her mouth and took it in, chewing with satisfaction, but her gaze never left her charming face.
"Yes, Rong'er is the most caring."
His voice was slightly hoarse, and he made no attempt to hide the various gazes directed at him from those around him.
Consort Rong lowered her eyes shyly, but a smug smile played on her lips as she poured Zhao Yunci another full glass of wine.
She said softly, "It is my honor to serve Your Majesty."
"Hahahaha!" Zhao Yunci was delighted by her flattery and laughed loudly. He raised his cup to the surrounding relatives and nobles, "My dear ministers, let's enjoy ourselves today. There's no need for formalities. Let's all drink this cup to the brim!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Everyone readily agreed, raised their glasses, and for a moment, the air was filled with the clinking of glasses and endless flattery.
Gu Junze sat a little further away, his wine glass half full, and he hadn't touched the grilled meat much.
He simply sat quietly, his deep gaze fixed on the flickering flames, seemingly oblivious to the bustling scene on the other side.
In his eyes, the intimacy between the emperor's favorite concubine was nothing more than a show put on for everyone to see, noisy and empty.
Amidst the noise, Zhao Yunci's interest only grew stronger.
He suddenly took off a fine white jade pendant from his waist, grabbed Consort Rong's hand without saying a word, and placed the pendant in her palm.
"This jade pendant has been with me for a long time. It is very smooth and warm. I'm giving it to you."
Consort Rong feigned surprise, widening her eyes. Then, her eyes welled up with joy and emotion, and her voice trembled.
"Your Majesty, this is too precious, I dare not accept it."
"If I say you are worthy, then you are worthy!" Zhao Yunci squeezed her hand.
The implication of bestowing a personal jade pendant upon a concubine is self-evident.
Consort Rong's cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were glistening with tears. She clutched the jade pendant tightly in her hand, almost snuggling into Zhao Yunci's arms, her voice so soft it could melt your heart.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness."
Gu Junze finally shifted his gaze from the flames, glanced at the area indifferently, and then fixed it on Lu Ge'er.
He saw that Brother Lu was sitting quietly with a polite smile on his face, but there was a hint of fatigue in his eyes.
He gave Lu Ge'er a barely perceptible nod.
Lu Ge'er immediately understood, found an opportunity to walk to Gu Junze's side, and whispered, "Uncle."
"It's getting late, and you and Xuan-ge'er must be tired. Go back and rest first." Gu Junze's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached Lu-ge'er's ears.
"Yes." Brother Lu felt as if he had been granted a pardon and turned around to find Brother Xuan, who was still staring longingly at the roast meat.
Gu Junze stood up and walked to the seat where Chu Ruohan was sitting.
It was much quieter on the women's side. Little Qingchen was already asleep, being held in her wet nurse's arms.
Chu Ruohan was talking to a lady when she saw him coming and stopped.
"Are you going back?" she asked softly.
"Hmm," Gu Junze nodded, his gaze falling on her with a questioning tone, "And you?"
"I'm tired too." Chu Ruohan stood up, smiled at the ladies, and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I'll take my leave now."
Everyone quickly stood up to return the greeting.
The Gu Junze family left the noisy banquet place quietly, as if they had never been there.
Even after they left, the laughter and chatter around the campfire continued. Zhao Yunci, with Consort Rong in his arms, was still toasting and drinking with his ministers, his enthusiasm undiminished.
The emperor's favor and majesty...