Repudiating a Good Wife Is Out of the Question

187. Han Qi’s Banquet

Translator: Sissy That Walk

Dragon Boat Festival was the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, people in the palace and plain folks both celebrated this day for auspicious blessings.

A solemn ceremonial thanksgiving sacrifice would be offered to heaven and to the ancestors on that day. All the madams with titles were all invited to the palace to attend the ceremony.

The twin ear rice that Prince Ning had prepared were ruined, so Cao Mo presented some apples with characters ‘Peace’ and ‘Happiness’ on them. The emperor were delighted to see those unique apples when he first saw them, he asked Cao Mo with great interest what Cao Mo had done.

Cao Mo told the emperor the truth, he just cut a few paper patterns first and then used some food colouring.

The emperor just nodded his head in silence, he felt a bit disappointed for he was hoping Cao Mo could come up with a story to fawn upon him.

Han Qi host a banquet for all the madams in his palace. Cao Mo had attracted everyone’s attention the second he walked into the palace. The empress even asked Cao Mo to take a seat right next to him, everyone was surprised, even Lady Lu had gasped, for Cao Mo was sitting closer to the empress than her.

Auntie Lu glared at Cao Mo and wished him death.

Cao Mo, on the other hand, didn’t spare a look at anyone. He just took his seat and hoped to get this banquet done and over with, he just wanted to be home.

Cao Mo didn’t fancy activities like this, all he wanted was to spent time with his husband, they could talk freely and feed each other some delicacies whenever they felt like it.

Thinking of the way how Xiao Yi blushed when he fed him for the first time, Cao Mo couldn’t help but give a chuckle.

The empress asked, “Madam Modest, feel free to share us the good jokes you have in mind.”

Cao Mo replied calmly, “I’m just so happy to be surrounded by so many beauties, people always say beautiful women are good at lying, but in my opinion, some ugly women are not shy at all when they are lying!”

With that Cao Mo shot a glimpse at Auntie Lu, Auntie Lu turned red with indignation, everyone knew Cao Mo was making fun of her, but there was nothing she could do about it.

Han Qi was amused by Cao Mo, he started to understand why Xiao Yi doted on him so much, Cao Mo was indeed something else. Xiao Yi had even asked Prince Xing to beg the empress to watch Cao Mo in the banquet in case Cao Mo got drunk.

Imperial Concubine Fair rose to her feet and showed a dry smile, “Your Highness, please allow me to propose a toast to you on such a happy occasion.”

Han Qi replied with indifference, “You are pregnant now, you better stay away from alcohol, let’s drink after you give birth.”

Imperial Concubine Fair soon excused herself saying that she was feeling under the weather and asked Auntie Lu to pour wine for all the madams on her behalf.

Cao Mo squinted his eyes on seeing Auntie Lu’s triumphant smile, he knew there was something wrong with the wine.

Han Qi laughed when Auntie Lu took Cao Mo’s cup, “Shizi has asked me to make sure you won’t get drunk tonight, he complained that you have always been too shy to say no, and I’ve guaranteed him that I will look after you at the banquet, I will drink this wine for you.”

Imperial Concubine Fair showed an uncanny smile, ‘This is such a great surprise!’

Cao Mo thought for a while, though he suspected the wine was questionable, he decided to not make a scene for he didn’t have any evidence.

“Your Highness, how dare I ask you to drink some wine for me!” Cao Mo tried to stop Han Qi.

Han Qi played the cup in hand and asked with a meaningful smile on his face, “Why are you trying to stop me, you think the wine is poisoned?”

Cao Mo chuckled, “You are joking, Your Highness, no one dares poison your wine in your own palace!”

“Really? But the wine pot in her hand says otherwise!” with that Han Qi threw the cup on the ground.

Hearing that, everyone knelt down in silence.

Imperial Concubine Fair said anxiously, “Your Highness, it’s me who asked Auntie Lu to pour the wine, are you accusing me of poisoning the wine?”

Han Qi sneered, “Oh, you are feeling wronged? Let’s ask Auntie Lu a few questions then.”

Imperial Concubine Fair turned pale, she knew Han Qi must have had solid evidence now, he had been in the palace for so long, of course Han Qi had recognized the special design in the wine pot, Han Qi was using Cao Mo as a bait just now.

Auntie Lu’s heart gave a jolt, she knew no way could she walk out of the palace this day.

She just gulped down the rest of the wine and pointed at Cao Mo, “You scoundrel, this is all because of you! You bad omen, you… you have brought nothing but chaos to the Xiao family since you married Xiao Yi, and I’m haunted because of you! Tell you what I will… will haunt you after I die! Xiao Yugui maintains over two hundred thousand private troops, I’ve given all the evidence to… to the master in Mercy Temple! I don’t… I don’t want to die… …”

Imperial Concubine Fair pounded the desk and pointed at Han Qi, “Your Highness, have you heard that? Maintaining private troops is capital crime, and to be fair, you have been partial to Cao Mo, are you a part of that too?”

Han Qi turned livid, “Servants! Take Imperial Concubine Fair away and guard her well, and send for imperial physicians to see whether this Lu woman is poisoned or not!”

Imperial Concubine Fair shouted, “Han Qi! You have colluded with the Xiaos, just admit it!”

Han Qi sneered, “Do you know why I’m not worried about the poisoned wine?”

Imperial Concubine Fair was choked by that question.

Han Qi said, “This is all thanks to that good son of yours! He was in charge of the purchasing for this festival, but I’ve checked all the items from tea spice to medicines all adulterated goods. And do you really understand the emperor’s heart? Do you know why Cao Mo’s title is Modest?”

“No! My son would never purchased adulterated goods! Don’t slander him like this!”

“You just tell yourself that. You and your son, selling offices and bartering ranks for money, your avarice indeed knows no bounds, but do you know you are courting death by doing that?” Han Qi argued and asked two eunuchs to drag Imperial Concubine Fair away.

Han Qi then turned around and saw Cao Mo who looked so dumbfounded.

“Madam Modest, are you all right?”

“No, Your Highness, you have stolen my line! I would love to give that vicious woman a lecture as well!”

Han Qi burst into laughter, “You… you are indeed… something else!”