Dugu Jingyao is reborn as Li Chu's beloved

Chapter 455 New Year’s Eve Palace Banquet

Back in the main hall, everyone was present after Emperor Suzong, the Empress, and Concubine Xiao (formerly Xiao Liangdi) entered the hall.

Suzong ordered everyone to stand up, and everyone shouted, "Thank you, Your Majesty." This greatly satisfied Suzong.

However, Suzong still remembered the rules. He called out the emperor's presence first, and then led everyone to pay their respects to the retired emperor. The retired emperor didn't really care, but since his son was so filial, he had no reason to refuse. He personally stepped forward to help Suzong up and said, "You are the emperor now, don't be so formal."

Emperor Suzong said, "Thank you, Father. However, you are always my father, and it is my duty as a son to pay my respects to you."

The Emperor smiled kindly and said, "Okay, okay, today is the palace banquet. You should get up quickly, and ask them to get up quickly too. You may not feel bad for others, but Jingyao is still pregnant with your grandson. Can you bear to let her kneel for so long?"

Upon hearing this, Dugu Jingyao thought to herself: What? You two, father and son, are fighting each other, and you even mentioned my name?

Suzong then stood up and said, "Your Majesty is right." Then he turned to the people below and said, "Everyone, stand up." The people below stood up in a hurry.

After everyone was seated, Emperor Suzong looked at the retired emperor and said, "Father, although I am the emperor, my country would not be as stable as it is today without you. Why don't you say a few words?"

The emperor didn't want to play the role of loving father and filial son with him anymore, so he said, "Hey, you are the emperor now, so you have to say these words. I have been saying them for many years and there is no new word left."

Upon seeing this, Emperor Suzong raised his glass and said, "Since that's the case, let me say a few words! My dear brothers and sisters, my dear ministers, this is the first New Year's Eve since I ascended the throne, and also the first year. I hope you can all work together to ensure that our Tang Dynasty enjoys good weather, peace, and prosperity!"

After Emperor Suzong finished speaking, he drank the wine in the cup. The retired emperor then laughed and said, "Hahaha, the emperor is right. The life and death of the Tang Dynasty depends on you. Let us toast to your majesty and wish the Tang Dynasty good weather, peace and prosperity!" After saying this, he also drank the wine, but because of his age, he did not drink it all.

Seeing that the two had finished their conversation, the people below raised their glasses and said, "Cheers to Your Majesty, Cheers to the Emperor!" After saying that, they drank it almost in one gulp.

Suzong nodded with satisfaction and said, "Although it is a palace banquet, today is a festival, so everyone doesn't need to be too restrained." Everyone agreed, and then the singing and dancing performance began.

For a moment, the atmosphere was filled with the clinking of glasses and the lively atmosphere. Seeing that the time was almost right, Li Chu and Dugu Jingyao slowly stood up, holding their glasses and said to the people at the top: "Father, Grandfather, and Mother, your son Jingyao and I toast to you and wish you good health and longevity in the new year!"

Suzong had also drunk some wine. He was pleased to see the two of them stand up. His son had never let him down. He smiled and said, "Okay, okay, but Chu'er, you're being naive. Jingyao is pregnant, and you're still asking her to sit down and get up. Shouldn't you drink a glass as a punishment?"

Li Chu was about to accept the punishment when Dugu Jingyao smiled and said, "Father, it's alright. The palace doctor said that pregnant women need more exercise to facilitate childbirth. But if Father says you have to drink as punishment, then you have to. I won't plead for your Highness."

Emperor Suzong looked at Dugu Jingyao with satisfaction. This was another explanation for Li Chu's predicament, and he didn't blame himself for making his son drink without asking the reason. This daughter-in-law really didn't disappoint him. He said, "Okay, Jingyao, as long as you can handle it." After that, they drank together, and Li Chu helped Dugu Jingyao sit down.

However, Concubine Xiao standing by was really angry. Li Chu always took the lead in everything. Moreover, Dugu Jingyao was also a man who knew how to deal with the current situation. She made Emperor Suzong happy, and now she was pregnant again. What should he do with his son?

However, Concubine Xiao did not give up. She gave Li Xi a look, and Li Xi understood. Before the other brothers and sisters could react, he stood up and toasted. Not only did he say auspicious words, he also wrote a poem based on today's scene.

This was something that neither Emperor Sukjong nor the people present had expected. After all, the Li family had never shown talent in this area before.

Suzong praised him highly, and even the retired emperor thought the boy was teachable. Li Xi said modestly, "Father, your majesty is too kind. In terms of poetic talent, I am far inferior to my elder brother."

Dugu Jingyao felt that this matter would not be so easy, but she and the poetry... really could not help Li Chu.

Fortunately, Li Chu was proficient in both civil and military affairs. However, he also said politely: "Second brother, thank you for your praise. Your poem is excellent. I, your brother, am ashamed of myself as your inferior."

Li Xi continued, "Brother, why should you be so modest? Even if you try to cheer up Father and Grandpa, it would be a great honor."

Dugu Jingyao clenched her fists and wanted to offer help, but Li Chu stopped her. After all, he was not afraid of such a confrontation and was just trying to preserve the last bit of brotherly love between them.

Looking at Li Chu's modest look, Suzong's expression was not very good, thinking that Li Chu was unwilling to do it, rather than that he was being modest to his younger brother.

Li Chu also noticed that Suzong looked unhappy, so he said, "Then I will show my humility." After that, he thought for a moment and wrote a poem (I am not good at Chinese, so I won't write the specific poem, I can't write it...)

After Li Chu finished his poem, the whole audience fell silent. Not long after, thunderous applause broke out. The emperor praised him, "This poem is wonderful!"

After this, Li Xi and Concubine Xiao were completely dumbfounded. They only knew that Li Chu was extremely talented in martial arts, but they had never heard that he was also so strong in literature?

Suzong's expression eased slightly and he said, "Chu'er, this poem is also very well written. Teach your brothers and sisters more in the future."

Li Chu agreed, then sat down again and gave Dugu Jingyao a "reassuring" look.

Li Ruo, who was standing by, noticed that Dugu Jingyao didn't seem to be eating much, so she asked in a low voice, "Sister-in-law, isn't it said that pregnant women tend to get hungry easily? Aren't you hungry? I see you haven't eaten much."

Dugu Jingyao also responded in a low voice: "It's because I was hungry, so I used some of it at home a long time ago. Now I'm not that hungry anymore."

Upon hearing this, Li Ruo looked as if she understood, and then changed the subject to ask what it felt like to be pregnant, and whether she could feel the baby moving... Dugu Jingyao also answered them one by one with a smile.

But in fact, Li Chu and Dugu Jingyao were afraid that someone would tamper with her diet to harm her and her unborn child, so they ate something in advance at home.

After all, the harem is full of wolves, so it's not too much to be cautious. Moreover, Suzong has promised to make Dugu Jingyao a prince when she gives birth to a legitimate son. This palace banquet is a good opportunity. There are so many people and eyes, and it will probably take a long time to investigate. If things go wrong, there will be scapegoats, and the people behind the scenes will not be punished at all. So, just to be safe, it's better not to take this risk.

On the other side, Li Chu was toasted by his brothers and sisters, and even some colleagues. Occasionally, Dugu Jingyao would be brought along, and Dugu Jingyao would respond politely, including to the Li family.

However, the palace banquet lasted a long time, and Dugu Jingyao was really sleepy. Li Chu pretended to be drunk, so Suzong and the Queen asked him to return to the palace first to stay up all night. So, when the two of them returned to the palace, Cui Caiping and Zheng Wan had already returned.

The other people in the palace did not leave the palace and go home until after midnight.