Chapter 96: Trouble Brewing as the Wine Flows

Liu Xie plopped down right beside Qiao Shuang, startling the young girl enough that she shifted slightly to the side. Yet, her mouth didn’t stop moving, still eagerly chewing on the delicious food.

“Are you complaining that I’ve been neglecting you?” he teased.

“I... dare not!” Qiao Shuang replied, though her expression and eyes clearly said, “I dare, and what are you going to do about it?”

Seeing her reaction, Liu Xie found her not only adorable but also understood why Qiao Feng often deliberately stopped him from taking liberties with her sister. It turned out that all the intelligence and emotional savvy of the Qiao sisters were concentrated in Qiao Feng alone. But Qiao Shuang hadn’t lost out either—when it came to cuteness, she could easily outshine her sister several times over.

Moreover, men often favored someone like Qiao Shuang rather than Qiao Feng. As emperor, Liu Xie didn’t need to choose; he could have them both.

“Tonight, you have a task to complete for me. If you succeed, I will treat you as equally as your sister from now on. How does that sound?” Liu Xie looked at Qiao Shuang. If it weren’t for the fact that everything about her seemed fully mature, he might have felt like he was deceiving a little girl.

“What task?” Her attention immediately snapped to him at his words.

“Wait until your sister gets drunk, then you find a maid to escort her back. Keep an eye on her tonight—don’t let her go anywhere.”

“Just that simple?”

“For a grown woman who might be drunk, keeping watch over her isn’t easy.”

“Your Majesty, rest assured. Once she’s back tonight, she won’t be leaving our chamber!”

Watching Qiao Shuang’s confident assurance, Liu Xie glanced back at Qiao Feng, who was beginning to show signs of intoxication as she sparred verbally with Liu Bei’s two wives. He couldn’t help but feel a tight knot of worry for her.

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Qiao Feng had expected she’d get drunk tonight. The reason was simple—Liu Xie insisted on it.

Empress Fu Shu came from a scholarly family and was a well-known empress. If she were to become incoherent from drink, it wouldn’t just be a personal disgrace but also one that reflected poorly on Liu Xie.

More importantly, she didn’t understand why Liu Xie wanted to get Liu Bei’s two wives nearly drunk, and Liu Xie had no intention of explaining it to her just yet.

So the responsibility fell solely on Qiao Feng’s shoulders. Fortunately, once Liu Xie explained, she immediately grasped which mattered more—her image or their plans—and agreed without hesitation.

The reason for her getting drunk was straightforward too. Liu Xie told her that if she didn’t get drunk, Liu Bei’s two wives wouldn’t either. And the main goal tonight was to get them drunk.

Since Liu Xie had skillfully extricated himself from the main gathering, the atmosphere at the banquet subtly shifted.

To the onlookers, Liu Xie’s approach to Qiao Shuang wasn’t just a casual chat; after a few rounds of wine, it looked like the emperor had come to flirt with the little sister, eyes half-lidded with mischief.

With the emperor occupied with his woman, neither Guan Yu nor Liu Bei’s two wives dared to interrupt. Under Qiao Feng’s orchestrated conversation, they began to gather closer together.

After a while, Fu Shu, who hadn’t been drinking and clearly conscious of her status as empress, withdrew from the group and sat alone at a small table, lost in thought.

This left only Qiao Feng beside Guan Yu and Liu Bei’s two wives.

At this point, Qiao Feng hadn’t yet succumbed to intoxication. She understood it was all part of Liu Xie’s plan; he had done all he could, and now it was her turn.

“Ladies, from Xiapi to Xuchang, and now here in Wu County, having General Pian follow you so loyally demonstrates his bravery and devotion. His Majesty often says there’s no one else like him in the world. The days when you can reunite with Lord Liu are near. Why not take advantage of His Majesty’s banquet and offer General Pian a toast?”

Given the circumstances, Qiao Feng’s suggestion was reasonable. Madam Gan and Madam Mi had no objections and lifted their cups, eager to drink with Guan Yu to express their gratitude.

Up to this point, everything seemed perfectly normal.

But everyone overlooked one fact: once the wine was drunk, no one could predict what might happen after just one cup.

With clever Qiao Feng present, after the first cup, Madam Gan and Madam Mi’s gratitude toward Guan Yu flowed endlessly like a mighty river.

They thanked this and that, recalling how Guan Yu had protected them from Xiapi to Xuchang, their voices breaking with emotion. The wine flowed freely and without end.

Below the stage, a troupe of dancers sent by Sun Ce arrived, clad in scanty costumes, dancing gracefully to the music, stirring hidden desires in the hearts of those present.

“Your Majesty, Qiao Feng and Liu Bei’s two wives are about to get drunk. If they keep drinking like this, I fear that...” After some time, Fu Shu approached Liu Xie with a worried expression, reminding him.

Fu Shu didn’t care much about the others, but since Qiao Feng—whom Liu Xie clearly favored—was involved, this was a different matter. Though Qiao Feng hadn’t yet earned an official title, it was only a matter of time. At the very least, she would be a noble consort, and mingling so closely with officials like Guan Yu was inappropriate.

“It’s alright. I’ll take care of it. It’s rare to have General Pian here today. I know how to handle Qiao Feng. The empress is tired; this isn’t suitable for you. Better return early to the palace and wait for me!” After saying this, Liu Xie gave Fu Shu a meaningful look. Blushing, she gracefully withdrew.

“Your Majesty, perhaps you should find a maid to escort my sister back soon. I’m a bit tired and wish to rest,” Qiao Shuang finally mustered the courage to make this small request, eyes glimmering with envy as she watched Fu Shu’s retreating figure.

“By the way, I’ve always wanted to ask—though you and your sister don’t look alike, areI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.