The palace banquet was a joyous occasion for both host and guests, but Qin Xiyi, sitting beside Liang Shi, found the table full of delicacies tasted like wax. She did not spare another glance at the assembled ministers.

She truly couldn’t lift her head; the moment she had uttered the word “no” earlier, Cheng Mozhi’s gaze had been sharp enough to kill.

This was the Huangji Hall of the Liang Kingdom. Even a single look or gesture could allow Liang Shi and his ministers to sniff out a clue.

Not to mention the unspeakable relationship they once shared—even if he, as an envoy, merely showed disrespect or committed a breach of etiquette before the court, Cheng Mozhi would find it hard to explain himself.

Thinking of Cheng Mozhi’s brazen gaze in the grand hall, Qin Xiyi felt a wave of stifling frustration rise in her chest.

Qin Xiyi held her wine cup for a long time without drinking. She wished the banquet would end quickly; she wanted to escape.

But just as the midnight bells chimed, Cheng Mozhi, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly stood up.

「Your Imperial Majesty of Great Liang, this humble servant has brought Fuyao, a famous wine of the Zhao Kingdom. My Emperor repeatedly instructed me to offer three cups of wine. The first cup is dedicated to Your Majesty’s longevity, wishing that the conflicts between Liang and Zhao will cease forever, and that our nations will flourish for generations.」

Cheng Mozhi drained his cup in one gulp. Liang Shi calmly emptied his own cup, giving the envoy ample face.

Cheng Mozhi poured another cup of wine.

「This second cup is to congratulate the heir apparent. May the Crown Prince inherit the nation’s destiny with grace and majesty.」

The eunuch standing beside the Crown Prince, receiving a nod from the Emperor, raised the cup and drank on his behalf.

「And this third cup!」 Cheng Mozhi suddenly raised his voice, his gaze landing squarely on Qin Xiyi. 「This humble servant toasts Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, wishing Her Majesty a long and splendid life.」

She met Cheng Mozhi’s gaze, paused for a brief moment, and then lowered her head to drink the wine. However, before the words of gratitude could leave her mouth, she was nearly choked by what Cheng Mozhi said next.

Cheng Mozhi did not return to his seat. Instead, he said with a bright smile, 「Although Her Majesty does not know me, I have long admired Her Majesty.」

「Back then, before I entered officialdom, I saw Her Majesty from afar standing on a pleasure boat by the shore of a garden. Her regal grace was breathtaking, like a celestial being. This diplomatic mission has fulfilled a personal wish of mine. To catch a glimpse of you brings immense honor to my family, and I shall have no regrets in this life.」

「Even my wife’s eyes and brows resemble Her Majesty’s. It seems heaven has truly blessed me.」

*Clack.* The chopsticks in Qin Xiyi’s hand dropped to the floor. Her palms were already slick with sweat.

She snapped her head up to look at him, suddenly finding him terrifyingly unfamiliar.

When did this man become so mad?

What kind of occasion was this? How could he say such things here?

Sure enough, the Liang officials instantly erupted like a boiling pot. They stood up one after another, glaring with wide eyes and condemning Cheng Mozhi’s presumption and insolence.

How could the mother of a nation be subjected to the repeated “admiration” of a minor official from a lesser state? Worse, his words carried a distinct undertone of public infatuation.

The court, which had just been filled with toasts and laughter, was instantly ignited by several officials from the Ministry of Rites. They already looked down on the Zhao Kingdom, which paid annual tributes, and would not easily pass up a chance to humiliate a Zhao envoy.

The very thing Qin Xiyi feared most had happened.

「Such a crime of lèse-majesté warrants the immediate expulsion of the Zhao delegation!」

「To babble about trivial personal matters in front of His Majesty is an insult to the throne! He should be arrested and prosecuted!」

「This man is treasonous and rebellious! He must be beheaded and his head displayed to the public!」

……

The demands for punishment echoed through the golden hall, rising wave after wave.

Yet the instigator, Cheng Mozhi, actually sat back down, poured himself some wine, and began drinking on his own. He completely ignored the other Zhao officials standing behind him, whose faces had turned pale with fright.

The Emperor of Liang, who had remained expressionless, suddenly slammed his wine cup onto the table.

With a clatter, the guards stationed in the corners marched forward and surrounded them, their swords and sabers unsheathed to reveal a cold, pale gleam.

The grand hall fell dead silent. The civil and military officials of Liang all bowed their heads and stood in attendance, no longer showing even a hint of their previous anger.

They suddenly remembered that the one who should be most furious in this entire hall was the sovereign sitting high above.

Moreover, it was Emperor Chenghong, Liang Shi, who had ascended the throne through sheer ruthlessness.

Qin Xiyi felt a sudden chill sweep through the hall, cold to the bone.

Liang Shi looked at Cheng Mozhi expressionlessly: 「Do you have anything else to say?」

Cheng Mozhi stood up again, walked before the imperial dais, stood below the steps leading to the Empress, and bowed deeply.

「This humble servant merely spoke from the heart, with absolutely no intention of deception or offense. If my words were poorly chosen, I submit myself entirely to Her Majesty’s disposal.」

Cheng Mozhi straightened up and looked at Qin Xiyi, his eyes bottomless as he spoke each word deliberately.

「This servant will have absolutely no complaints.」

The palace banquet was in full swing, with hosts and guests enjoying themselves, but as Qin Xieyi sat beside Liang Shi, the mountain of delicacies before her tasted like nothing more than wax. She didn’t dare glance at the gathered officials again.

She truly couldn’t bring herself to look up; the look Cheng Mozi had given her just moments ago, when she’d uttered the word “no,” was enough to kill.

This was the Imperial Hall of the Liang Kingdom. Even a single glance or gesture could provide the sharp-eyed ministers of Liang with a trail to follow.

Never mind the unspeakable history between them; even if he, as an envoy, showed the slightest disrespect or breached court etiquette, Cheng Mozi would find it nearly impossible to answer for it.

Thinking of the reckless, unbridled gaze Cheng Mozi had fixed upon her in the hall, Qin Xieyi felt a lump of bitter blood welling up in her chest.

Qin Xieyi clutched a cup of wine, unable to bring herself to drink it for the longest time. She prayed for the banquet to end quickly; she wanted to escape.

But just as the midnight bell tolled, Cheng Mozi, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up.

“Your Majesty, Emperor of Great Liang, for this mission, I have brought ‘Fuyao,’ a renowned wine from the Zhao Kingdom. Our Emperor has repeatedly instructed me to offer three toasts. The first is dedicated to Your Majesty, wishing you an eternal reign and praying that the weapons of our two nations may be laid to rest, leading to generations of prosperity.”

Cheng Mozi downed the cup in one go. Liang Shi drank his in silence, giving the ambassador enough face.

Cheng Mozi poured a second cup.

“This second toast is to congratulate the Crown Prince. May His Highness be blessed with the wisdom of the state and carry himself with the grace of a dragon and the elegance of a phoenix.”

The attendant standing beside the Crown Prince, receiving a nod from the Emperor, lifted the cup and drank on his behalf.

“And this third cup!” Cheng Mozi suddenly raised his voice, his gaze locking onto Qin Xieyi. “I offer this to the Empress, wishing Her Majesty a long and glorious life.”

She met Cheng Mozi’s gaze, paused for a heartbeat, then lowered her head and drank the wine. But before she could even utter a word of thanks, she was nearly choked by what he said next.

Cheng Mozi didn’t return to his seat. Instead, he continued with a beaming smile, “Although Her Majesty the Empress does not know me, I have long held her in the highest reverence.”

“Back then, before I had entered official service, I saw Her Majesty from afar on the banks of a pleasure garden, standing upon a royal barge. Your grace and beauty were so breathtaking, I thought you were a celestial being. Being sent as an envoy today has fulfilled a private wish of mine. To see you once more—my family is honored, and I have no regrets in this life.”

“Even my own wife’s features bear a resemblance to Her Majesty’s. It seems I have truly been favored by the heavens.”

Clatter. The chopsticks in Qin Xieyi’s hand fell to the floor, her palms slick with cold sweat.

She snapped her head up to look at him, finding him utterly unrecognizable.

When did this man become so insane?

What kind of occasion was this to be saying such things?

As expected, the Liang officials erupted in an instant. One by one, they stood up, eyes blazing with fury as they pointed fingers at Cheng Mozi for his insolence and presumption.

The Mother of the Nation—how could a petty official from a vassal state dare to speak of “reverence,” let alone imply a romantic obsession right there in the court?

The hall, previously filled with the clinking of cups, was instantly ignited by several protocol officers. They had always looked down upon the Zhao Kingdom for its annual tributes, and having finally found an opportunity to insult a Zhao envoy, they weren’t about to let it slip by.

The very thing Qin Xieyi feared most had come to pass.

“Such an act of gross disrespect! The Zhao delegation should be expelled immediately!”

“To speak of such trivial, personal matters before His Majesty is an act of deception! He should be arrested and dealt with by the law!”

“This man is a traitor to all norms! He must be beheaded to serve as a warning!”

…

The cries for punishment in the golden hall rose wave after wave.

Yet, the instigator, Cheng Mozi, simply sat back down and poured himself another drink, ignoring the other Zhao officials behind him who had turned deathly pale with terror.

Liang Shi, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly slammed his wine cup onto the table.

Clatter, clatter—the guards stationed in the corners surged forward, their blades drawn, flashing with a chilling, pale light.

The hall fell into an instant, deathly silence. The civil and military officials of Liang all bowed their heads, their faces stripped of any trace of indignation.

They had suddenly remembered: the person who should be most furious in this entire hall was the monarch sitting high above.

Especially since that monarch was the Emperor Cheng-Hong, Liang Shi, who had ascended to the throne through sheer ruthlessness.

Qin Xieyi felt a sudden, bone-chilling draft sweep through the hall.

Liang Shi looked at Cheng Mozi, his face devoid of expression. “Do you have anything else to say?”

Cheng Mozi stood up once more, walked before the throne, and bowed until his forehead touched the floor at the foot of the Empress’s dais.

“Your subject only spoke from the heart, with no intention of deception or offense. If my words have failed to convey my meaning, I leave my fate to the judgment of Her Majesty the Empress.”

Cheng Mozi rose and looked at Qin Xieyi, his eyes bottomless as he spoke, enunciating every word.

“Your subject… has no complaints.”