"Mm."
The two clinked their cups. In her previous life, Yun Xiao did not reject alcohol. Although she wasn't invincible, she could hold her liquor and was not afraid of Shangguan Yao getting her drunk.
After they finished their drinks, the attendant at the pavilion quickly refilled their cups. Yun Xiao picked up her cup, looked at Shangguan Yao, and smiled, "Your Majesty, Leng Yue toasts you. I only ask for one thing from Your Majesty."
"Speak?"
Shangguan Yao raised his cup, not knowing what Yun Xiao intended to say. She then spoke with a serious expression, "Your Majesty, if there is no important matter, could you please refrain from summoning Leng Yue to the palace so frequently in the future."
These words were bold and arrogant, daring to make such a request directly to the emperor. Before the emperor could even respond, she downed the wine in her cup.
The eunuch serving in the pavilion broke out in a cold sweat. The emperor's temperament was notoriously fickle, and if he were to become angry, even he might not escape. Holding his breath, he thought, this young ancestor Leng Yue truly knew how to cause trouble. Couldn't she try to please him a little?
Actually, Eunuch Ting did not realize that Yun Xiao had accurately gauged the emperor's personality.
This man was suspicious and unpredictable, acting outside the norm. If you constantly indulged him, he would inevitably suspect you of having ulterior motives. Therefore, sometimes a little resistance was necessary, and he would then not suspect anything else.
As expected, Shangguan Yao merely frowned and did not show anger. Instead, he drained his cup of wine.
After Yun Xiao put down her wine cup, when the eunuch approached to refill it, his legs went weak, and a chill ran through him. He wished he could tell this young ancestor to spare him.
Yun Xiao paid no attention to Eunuch Ting's pale face. She picked up a jade chopstick and reached for a plate of scallops with sauce in front of her. The plate was already empty, and she couldn't help but express a slight regret, "This dish is truly to my liking. It's rare to taste such delicious food." As she spoke, her lips and teeth seemed to still yearn for more.
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yao chuckled. Leng Yue was indeed still Leng Yue. He looked up at the attendant by the side, "Go and have the imperial kitchen prepare another plate of scallops with sauce. This fellow has good taste. This is a famous dish in the palace."
Yun Xiao let out a cold snort. She was a member of the palace, so how could she not know that the scallops with sauce were a signature dish? If it were an ordinary dish, the emperor wouldn't believe it.
Eunuch Ting accepted the order and left. Only Yun Xiao and Shangguan Yao remained in the pavilion. xxs
Shangguan Yao's deep eyes always seemed to linger on Yun Xiao, which annoyed her, but she couldn't openly show it. Finally, she stood up, picked up her wine cup, and respectfully offered it to Shangguan Yao.
"Your Majesty, Leng Yue toasts Your Majesty again. It is rare to drink with Your Majesty, and I fear there will be no opportunity in the future."
Indeed, if she were to steal the Jade Dragon Talisman, would she still need to dine with this man?
Shangguan Yao did not object. He watched Yun Xiao drink it down, without suspicion, and raised his cup to finish another.
Little did he know that within Yun Xiao's sleeve was Cloud Luo Drunk. This potent aphrodisiac was indistinguishable from wine in its scent. Once inhaled, it quickly caused intoxication.
Shangguan Yao, unaware of the ruse, finished his wine and soon became somewhat groggy, though he did not realize it himself.
Seeing him slumped on the table, Yun Xiao quickly reached out to nudge him. The man was indeed soundly drunk.
To avoid revealing any flaws, Yun Xiao kept her body mostly still, only tilting herself slightly. She reached her arm under the stone table to unfasten the Jade Dragon Talisman from Shangguan Yao's waist.
Unexpectedly, just as she was halfway through, Shangguan Yao suddenly let out a soft hum...
Yun Xiao's expression instantly turned grim. She withdrew her hand, her heart filled with alarm. Cloud Luo Drunk had no antidote and would not be easily roused. What was going on? Was he faking it?
Her entire body tensed, her palms covered in cold sweat. Her fingers had already concealed some poison, ready to administer it the moment he moved.
However, Shangguan Yao made no further movement beyond that single hum.
Yun Xiao looked closely and saw that the man's face was calm, his brows lightly furrowed, as if troubled by something in his dreams, which was why he had let out that cold hum.
Yun Xiao put away the poison, her face slick with cold sweat. If Shangguan Yao were to truly awaken, the situation would likely spiral out of control, and she would be caught attempting to steal the Jade Dragon Talisman, a crime punishable by death.
However, it was more important to replace the talisman quickly. Yun Xiao continued to tilt her body and reached out to unfasten the Jade Dragon Talisman from Shangguan Yao's waist.
The genuine Jade Dragon Talisman felt slightly heavier and had a brighter luster. However, this would only be noticeable to someone who had made a direct comparison. Without such a comparison, it would be difficult to discover. Even Shangguan Yao would likely not suspect that someone would dare to switch his Jade Dragon Talisman.
Yun Xiao tucked the Jade Dragon Talisman into her embrace, took out the fake one, and swiftly tied it to Shangguan Yao's waist. As Eunuch Ting would soon arrive, she had to act quickly.
Her heart was in her throat. She could already hear approaching footsteps from a distance. The clear melody outside the pavilion continued to play with abandon.
Inside the pavilion, however, a different scene was unfolding. Someone quickly fastened the fake Jade Dragon Talisman and then inspected it from all sides. Only when she was certain there were no mistakes did she breathe a sigh of relief.
Just then, the footsteps reached the pavilion entrance. Yun Xiao quickly struck a pose, slumping onto the table like Shangguan Yao. Her other hand, however, subtly reached under Shangguan Yao's nose, holding the antidote for Cloud Luo Drunk.
At this moment, Eunuch Ting walked in, carrying a plate of scallops with sauce.
The pavilion was filled with the rich aroma of wine, more fragrant and potent than usual.
Eunuch Ting thought nothing of it. He looked up and saw the two figures in the pavilion slumped over the table, seemingly drunk. Unsure of how much they had drunk, he quickly put down the plate of scallops with sauce, walked to Yun Xiao's side, and nudged her with his hand, calling out softly.
"Young Master Leng, wake up. Young Master Leng, wake up."
Yun Xiao opened her slightly blurry eyes and looked at Eunuch Ting with a dazed expression, smiling and pointing at him, "You're back."
"Yes. How much did Your Majesty drink to get so drunk?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Shangguan Yao on the opposite side opened his eyes. They were slightly red. He shook his head hazily and pointed at Eunuch Ting and Yun Xiao, "My head feels a little dizzy."
"Your Majesty is a bit drunk."
Eunuch Ting and Yun Xiao said in unison. Although the Cloud Luo Drunk had been countered, it would take some time to fully recover. At least two to three hours of sleep were needed to regain complete clarity.
Therefore, Shangguan Yao's senses were still not entirely clear. In his muddled state, he looked at Yun Xiao's face with a rare, gentle smile. He pointed at Yun Xiao, "Leng Yue is also drunk."
"Yes, Your Majesty and Young Master Leng are both a bit drunk."