Huh? The Tyrant Cries After My Inner Thoughts Were Exposed!-Chapter 13: Palace Banquet Dispute

Song Qianfan had just warned Su Juan not to leave the Prince Mansion, yet shortly after, a message came from the palace inviting the entire family for a banquet, specifically naming Su Juan.

Su Juan dressed ostentatiously and swaggered past Song Qianfan, fearing he might miss her, waving her round fan twice.

She curtsied with a sweet smile, "Young Master."

Song Qianfan turned his face away and got onto the carriage, choosing to ignore it, but the carriage couldn’t block out Su Juan’s voice.

[Well, someone won’t let me leave the mansion, but there are plenty of people who invite me out. It’s really unavoidable.]

Su Juan lifted her dress and boarded another carriage.

"..." Song Qianfan pressed his thin lips together, holding a new string of prayer beads.

...

In the palace, flowers bloomed everywhere; the Empress hosted the Hundred Flowers Banquet, inviting many noble families’ wives to the palace.

Delicacies and wines flowed like water onto the tables; Su Juan sat next to Liu Miaoying.

After finishing her table, Su Juan occasionally stared at Liu Miaoying’s table, licking her lips.

[That pink pastry looks good too, its texture should be soft and fluffy...]

[Ah, life here in the palace is great, so much delicious food, unlike in the Prince Mansion where there’s no freedom or good food...]

The next second, the pink dish of pastries was sent over from Liu Miaoying’s table to Su Juan.

"I’ve never liked sweet things, so you help me with them."

Su Juan’s eyes lit up, "You don’t like sweets?"

"Hmm, always find them a bit too much."

Seeing Su Juan eating happily, Liu Miaoying also felt content.

While the women’s table enjoyed their food, two or three chatted intimately, while others whispered about recent happenings in the Capital.

"I heard the Du Family has already annulled the engagement with the Mu Family, and now Mu Yan stays inside, never coming out to see anyone."

"What did Mu Yan do wrong! If you ask me, it’s all because of He Yue that... "

"Shh!"

The conversing group glanced back; He Yue had entered without notice.

Sitting there with a veil covering her facial injuries, still displaying pride, clearly unaffected by recent events.

"She’s shameless; Mu Yan was harmed by her, yet she still dares to sit here."

"Were I her, I’d have thrown myself into the lake to apologize!"

As they quietly gossiped, the male guests gradually took their seats.

The Emperor sat with the Empress at the head table; even before seeing Su Juan, her voice was heard.

[The food in the palace is so delicious! I envy the Emperor and Empress—they get to eat this every day, lucky them!]

The Emperor remarked to the Empress beside him, "There’s plenty of palace food, yet this Heir Consort is only focused on eating, truly a young girl’s perspective."

The Empress laughed, her gaze admiring, "I think the Heir Consort is a sincere child; only interested in food, there’s nothing wrong with that."

Upon first seeing Su Juan, she liked the child instantly, feeling a strong affinity.

In this Capital, many noble daughters are clever and cunning; she has seen through much in the palace, and ones like Su Juan are very rare.

There’s nothing wrong if this child keeps her simple, carefree mindset.

After all, being simple leads to a carefree life, untroubled by palace walls.

Thinking this, her eyes showed some loneliness.

Beside her, the Emperor didn’t pay attention, focused on the guests at the banquet below.

Someone suddenly mentioned the incident at the Liu Mansion the other day, prompting a debate below.

Two drinks in, Vice Minister Du felt somewhat drunk; usually full of etiquette, yet now lecturing Junior Minister Lian from Dali Temple, "Not to argue, Lian, but regarding the matter at Liu Mansion that day, your son bears some responsibility, you should discipline him accordingly."

Junior Minister Lian was straightforward; gossip in the Capital recently had embarrassed him as a father. Already frustrated, Vice Minister Du’s words ignited his anger further!

"Vice Minister Du, you’re mistaken!"

"People have feelings; the child may be different but has never harmed anyone, nor put anyone in danger! Why would it be the child’s fault?"

Su Juan took a bite of the pastry, listening to the men’s side talk, blinking, [The son doesn’t intend harm, but the father might not be clean—putting Miss Mu’s family in trouble, yet now wants to cleanly absolve themselves, oh this blame shifting, who can top you?]

The Emperor raised an eyebrow; earlier he’d heard that during the Liu Mansion commotion, the Heir was present when the two girls fought.

Seeing this, she must have had a helping hand at the time.

He’d heard bits about this, unclear of details, but with gossip delivered to him, why not enjoy it.

He leisurely watched the debate below between the officials.

Mu Liquor-masters was already enraged, "Junior Minister Lian! With one simple ’never harmed anyone,’ you’ve troubled my daughter, locking herself in her room ever since. Now you waive responsibility from your son, isn’t this a bit much!"

[That’s not entirely true, fundamentally your daughter erred in choosing friends, trusting the wrong people, the engagement annulment still stemmed from the Du Family!]

Junior Minister Lian laughed coldly, "Mu Liquor-master, why tell me?"

"The Du Family broke the engagement, not my son."

Seeing Junior Minister Lian shift blame to him, Vice Minister Du was ready, "Mu Liquor-master, initially the two families’ engagement was good, but matters of marriage involve the children themselves. My son’s heart belongs elsewhere, insisting on annulling, what could I do?"

[See how grandly this is said, implying the lady’s reputation was ruined, unsure of her innocence, unwilling to marry her!]

Mu Liquor-master was red-faced with anger, "Vice Minister Du, how dare you speak such words as Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites!?"

"The one who hurriedly proposed to my daughter was your family, now the one annulling is also yours! The Du Family surely is overbearing!"

Back then when the daughter was still being considered, Mrs. Du was intent on Yanyan—this was vividly remembered.

Vice Minister Du, calm as ever, sipped his wine, acting detached, infuriating many.

[Isn’t it because Vice Minister Du’s son keeps an outside mistress, her belly’s large, Mrs. Du hurriedly sought a legitimate mother, seeing the Mu Family as easy prey, certain after marriage even if the daughter learns, she’d dare not speak!]

"Crash," A guest’s wine cup shattered on the table.

Nearby maids quickly tidied up.

"Heavens! I’ve always found the Du Family proud, how could they set sights on the Mu Family? Turns out the son has an outside mistress, and her belly is large!"

"Having a bastard child before marriage, utterly outrageous!"

"The Du Family trying to deceive and harm Miss Mu, utterly heartless!"