The prince longs for me every night after mastering thought-reading
Chapter 541 - 454: I Want to Drink To Boost My Courage, But I’m Afraid of My Wife

Chapter 541: Chapter 454: I Want to Drink To Boost My Courage, But I’m Afraid of My Wife

"It’s because I am in poor health," the Empress Dowager said, her body half buried in the grave. "I don’t have many years left, and I just wish to see Yuyu marry Wanxin, so I could see the addition of two great-grandsons. That would allow me to depart in peace."

With a grip on Xiao Jinyu’s hand, the Empress Dowager spoke slowly, nearly gasping for breath after each sentence, as if she might expire the next second.

Under normal circumstances, Xiao Jinyu would have certainly responded, but now, seeing the Empress Dowager exhaling more than inhaling, so sensitive and fragile, he dared not speak another word. What if he misspoke and shocked her? Then he would be the criminal.

The Emperor spoke softly to soothe her, "Royal Mother, you need to rest more now. Once you are feeling better, you can preside over Jinyu’s wedding ceremony."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager looked towards Xiao Jinyu, her cloudy eyes full of hopeful expectations, "Is Yuyu willing to marry Wanxin then?"

"... Your Majesty," Xiao Jinyu almost burst into tears. He did not want to marry Wanxin, but he also feared upsetting his grandmother. However, he simply couldn’t bring himself to nod in agreement; it was too much to bear.

The Empress Dowager looked expectantly at Xiao Jinyu, awaiting his answer.

Seeing his son hesitating, the Emperor patted his shoulder, "Jinyu, your grandmother is speaking to you."

"Your Majesty, your grandson..." Xiao Jinyu looked at the Empress Dowager, stammering for a long while, unable to utter the word ’willing.’

Shen Chuwei held Xiao Jinyan’s arm tightly, her heart aching as she watched Xiao Jinyu being forced to marry a woman he didn’t fancy, at the same time having to betray the woman he loved.

It also made her realize that even Xiao Jinyu, the most favored prince and a noble by birth, had no say over his own marriage.

She looked up at Xiao Jinyan, recalling how the Empress had chosen twenty women for him to pick from when he had just become the Crown Prince. How difficult it must have been for him.

However, Xiao Jinyan had not made a choice then but had let the Empress take full responsibility for the matter of taking a concubine.

Xiao Jinyan noticed Shen Chuwei’s sympathetic glance. He lowered his gaze to look at her, saw her compassionate look, and then a pained expression crossed her face.

He squeezed her hand and said nothing.

In the end, under dual pressures, Xiao Jinyu was forced to nod faintly.

Only then did the Empress Dowager show a smile, "It’s not in vain that I love you so much."

The Empress Dowager was seriously ill and needed to rest. After everyone visited, they left one after another.

Xiao Jinyu came out with a dejected expression and paused as he passed the corridor when he met Wanxin. He lifted his head to ask her, "What do you think about the Empress Dowager’s wishes?"

Wanxin slowly lifted her eyes, her tender gaze falling on Xiao Jinyu, "I am alone, without family. The Empress Dowager has treated me as her own kin. Naturally, I will heed her wishes."

Xiao Jinyu’s face showed a trace of pity, "You have been wronged."

Having said that, he strode away.

Wanxin stood in the corridor looking at Xiao Jinyu’s retreating figure. Xiao Jinyu was truly gentle, straightforward, and not particularly cunning. It wouldn’t be so bad to be his concubine.

Xiao Jinyu didn’t head straight back to Qiancheng Hall; instead, he went to the East Palace. When he arrived, it was just in time for the evening meal.

Looking at the table full of dishes, Xiao Jinyu turned to Shen Chuwei with a pitiable expression, "Sister-in-law, isn’t there any wine?"

Shen Chuwei saw Xiao Jinyu’s pitiful look and guessed that he wanted to drown his sorrows in liquor.

"There is. I’ll go get it for you."

They had plenty of wine at home, but Xiao Jinyan didn’t have the habit of drinking during meals, so there was no wine on the dinner table.

Shen Chuwei brought a bottle of Zhuyeqing and placed it on the table.

Xiao Jinyan glanced at the Zhuyeqing on the table, seeing Xiao Jinyu picking up the bottle and filling his cup to the brim, then downing it in one gulp before pouring a second one.

He cautioned, "You may drink, but not more than three cups."

Xiao Jinyu paused in raising his cup, looking towards his elder brother with a woeful expression, "Brother, your brother is like this, and you still won’t let me drink a few more cups?"

Xiao Jinyan said indifferently, "Drinking won’t solve the problem."

"It’s precisely because it won’t solve anything that I want to drink more. I don’t know how I’m supposed to face Miss Han later," Xiao Jinyu said, lifting his cup and downing the contents in one go.

Xiao Jinyan’s eyes darkened slightly; having been through a similar experience, he naturally understood his brother’s emotions at this time.

"If there are no solutions, then accept it. You have only agreed to marry her, not to harmonize in wedlock."

"That’s easy to say, but to marry someone..." Xiao Jinyu was suppressing frustration, pouring another cup of wine and drinking it down, "What kind of man makes promises he can’t keep?"