Chapter 93: Refuse the Toast, and You Will Drink the Punishment

The news of a sweeping victory spread through Bianjing like wildfire.

The common folk of the capital rushed to share the tidings with one another. Many hung lanterns outside their doors to celebrate, and for a time the city was even livelier than it was at New Year’s.

Zhao Huan looked at the memorial in his hands, and his mood was truly excellent. The great victories at Zhen Ding and Shunchang meant that the Song Dynasty was no longer the same Song Dynasty that could be kneaded and bullied at will.

At the moment, the most dangerous place was Fuping City in the Guanzhong region, where Wu Jie was holding the line. Yet Zhao Huan trusted Wu Jie deeply. Though the Western Xia army numbered two hundred thousand, Wu Jie had already written back, saying that Fuping was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and that he was confident he could hold it.

After the morning court session ended, and seeing that there was nothing pressing in the afternoon, Zhao Huan prepared to slip out of the palace quietly. As someone who had crossed over from a later age, he was not used to being cooped up forever in such an imperial inner courtyard; it would suffocate him.

But before he had gone far, someone blocked his way.

“Big brother Emperor, are you sneaking out to play again?” A little girl of fifteen or sixteen suddenly appeared before him, saying with a spoiled and imperious air.

Seeing this girl, Zhao Huan could not help but feel a headache coming on, and he quickly said, “Yan Yan, why are you here? Why aren’t you keeping Mother Empress company?”

It turned out that this little girl was actually Zhao Huan’s own younger sister, Zhao Yan. Though they had different mothers, she had been raised by the Empress Dowager, and so her relationship with Zhao Huan was very good.

When Zhao Yan heard Zhao Huan’s words, she wrinkled her cute little nose and said unhappily, “Mother Empress spends all day making me learn the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I’m sick to death of it, so I sneaked out. Big Brother Emperor, are you going out to play? Take me with you, okay?”

As she spoke, Zhao Yan moved close to Zhao Huan, tugged at his sleeve, and began to act coquettishly. “Big Brother Emperor, you’re the best!”

Feeling the pressure on his arm, Zhao Huan could not help but marvel that the girl had truly grown up. In order to avoid losing his composure, he quickly pulled his arm free from Zhao Yan’s embrace and said, “Fine, just this once.”

“Waa! Big Brother Emperor, you’re the best!” Zhao Yan was so excited she nearly jumped up. A princess who had grown up in the depths of the palace had long dreamed of leaving to see the world, but she had never had the chance. Now that she had obtained Zhao Huan’s permission, she could finally go out openly.

“Today I’m in a good mood, so I’ll take you out for a stroll. But when we return, you must listen to Mother Empress. You must not be this unruly again.” Zhao Huan told Zhao Yan.

Zhao Yan waved a hand and said to Zhao Huan, “I know, Big Brother Emperor. I’ve heard these words from Mother Empress all the time; I’m already sick of them. Since we finally got out today, let’s just have a proper time and enjoy ourselves. Don’t say these things anymore.”

Just like that, Zhao Huan and Zhao Yan, both in plain clothes and accompanied only by Zhang Xin and a few other guards, quietly slipped out of the imperial palace.

Zhao Yan had never left the palace in her entire life. Walking down the bustling streets and seeing everything for the first time, she found even the smallest thing novel. Before long, she had already bought several bundles of things.

Zhao Huan did not stop her. Since they had come out to have fun, the point was naturally to relax. If he still kept a tight rein on Zhao Yan, what was the point of coming out at all?

However, not long after Zhao Yan had gone out, trouble arose.

“Oh? Where did such a lovely young beauty come from? Why have I never seen you before?” Zhao Yan had been so focused on buying things that she accidentally bumped into someone beside her, and that person immediately stepped in front of her.

At first, the man had even snapped, “Who has no eyes and dares bump into this young master?” But when he turned and saw Zhao Yan, he instantly changed his tune and put on an elegant, polished expression.

“It was my rashness just now. I offended you.” Zhao Yan, after all, came from the imperial family. Though she had heard the man’s rude words at first, she still felt that it had been her own fault for colliding with him, so she politely apologized and prepared to leave.

But the man had no intention of letting her go so easily.

“I have not yet had the honor of learning the young beauty’s name,” the man said, pretending to be very modest.

“You don’t need to know my name. Move aside!” Zhao Yan said unhappily when she saw that he would not let her pass.

“Heh, little beauty, don’t be angry. I only saw that you were alone and feared you might be in danger, so I wanted to protect you.” The man put on the air of a righteous gentleman.

“I don’t need that. Move aside at once, or I’ll call for help!” Zhao Yan looked around for Zhao Huan. When she found that Zhao Huan had already noticed what was happening, her eyes suddenly rolled, and instead of immediately asking him for help, she deliberately said this.

She could tell from the man’s speech and manner that he was very practiced at this sort of thing. It did not seem like his first time. If it had been someone else, they would surely have been bullied by this lecher. So Zhao Yan wanted Zhao Huan to step in and teach the fellow a lesson.

“Hahaha…” Hearing Zhao Yan’s words, the man could not help but throw his head back and laugh. “Little lady, go on then, call out if you can. With a voice like yours, I’m sure it would sound wonderfully sweet when you shout!”

“You shameless roue, you despicable wretch. Get lost!” Zhao Yan said coldly.

“Roue? I like that title!” The man did not feel ashamed at all upon hearing her abuse. On the contrary, he looked extremely pleased and said, “Young Master is in a good mood today, so I’d like to invite the little lady to dine at Drunken Immortal Tower.”

The way he said it was truly brazen. The implication was clear: I’m only inviting you to dinner because I’m in a good mood, so don’t be so ungrateful.

“Hmph. And if I say I’m not going?” Zhao Yan was so angry she almost laughed, and she asked in return.

“That’s impossible. Little lady, you will go.” The young man said with great certainty.

“Our young master inviting you to dinner is already showing you respect. Drunken Immortal Tower is not a place just anyone can go to. Young miss, if you know what’s good for you, you should obediently listen. Otherwise… heh heh…” said the two attendants beside him.

“And what if we don’t?” Zhao Yan’s face turned icy. From childhood to now, no one had ever dared speak to her like this.

“If you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit, then don’t blame us for being rude.” Those two attendants clearly did this sort of thing often as they threatened, “We’re rough men. If we act and accidentally mar that tender little face of yours, it would be a shame indeed.”

A naked threat.

Zhao Yan was furious. Having grown up in the palace inner quarters, this was her first time seeing the dark side of society, and she could not help but say angrily, “Bold of you! How dare you?”

“Oh?” The two men burst out laughing when they heard her. “What is there that we wouldn’t dare?”

“Do you even know who I am?” Zhao Yan was incensed, and she was about to reveal her identity.