Chapter 24: Toss The Pot

Song Jinning slept feeling quite relaxed.

Something seemed to be touching her arm in a trance. Song Jinning thought it was Qiu Qiu. 

That little cat would always jump when she was sleeping, and then put herself in her arms to sleep with her.

She raised her hands and patted twice: “Qiu Qiu don’t make trouble.” 

Li Chengxuan, who was leaning over to pick up the book Song Jinning dropped, and just accidentally touched her arm…

Who the f*ck is Qiu Qiu? 

He thought that whoever Qiu Qiu is, he must not be good. 

But before Li Chengxuan had time to think who Qiu Qiu was, Song Jinning suddenly tilted to one side. 

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She was in pain, so Song Jinning didn’t notice the unnatural look on Li Chengxuan’s face.

“Why are you here?”

She was upset, so her voice was not good. 

Li Chengxuan looked in every direction except Song Jinning’s. He asked her: “Why is there no one to serve you?”

“Does your majesty like someone staring at you when your majesty’s asleep?” Song Jinning’s voice was still not good. 

After rubbing her forehead for a while, she felt that her forehead was not painful anymore. Song Jinning then laid down again. 

Although she doesn’t know what time it is, the sun is still high, so she must not have slept for long. 

“What is your majesty doing here?” 

Li Chengxuan gave her an unhappy look.

He was not dumb, this was obviously an order for him to leave! 

“Zhen still needs to do something.” 

Seeing Song Jinning’s eyes light up, Li Chengxuan’s lips curled slightly, and he smiled: “But even if there is something that zhen needs to do, it is not as important as spending time with the Empress.”

Song Jinning: …

Your Majesty, where was your indifference on the day of our wedding?

Song Jinning raised her hand to rub her forehead: “Your Majesty, are you saying this on purpose? Chenqie suddenly got goosebumps all over her body.” 

Li Chengxuan turned his head displeasedly. 

This person really doesn’t have any feelings! 

While slandering Song Jinning, he sat down angrily on the other side of the wooden couch. 

Song Jinning needed to persuade him harder. 

As she reached out to pick up the book that had fallen earlier, she said: “Your Majesty, Chenqie has no appetite today. Chenqie has already asked someone to go to the small kitchen and tell them to prepare light dishes. Chenqie is afraid that the dishes tonight won’t be to your majesty’s taste.”  

Hurry up and go so i can sleep more! 

Gu Yu was coincidentally entering the hall to serve tea when Song Jinning said these words. She immediately refuted and said: “Your Highness, when this slave went to the imperial kitchen earlier, this slave has already reminded Zhao Mama and the others to prepare some of his majesty’s favorite dishes since this slave thought that his majesty might eat in Weiyang Palace.” 

Song Jinning:…….

She raised the book in her hand to cover her face.

Gu Yu, stop mistaking me! 

Seeing her helpless look after being refuted, Li Chengxuan couldn’t help it anymore and laughed out loud.

As for staying here, he didn’t actually want to. Isn’t he doing this for the Empress Dowager?

His mood suddenly improved.

Taking two sips from the tea Gu Yu had brought, he raised his eyes to look at Song Jinning: “Since it’s still too early to eat dinner, can zhen play chess with you?”

“Responding to your majesty,” Song Jinning leaned on the backrest, flipping through a page lazily, “Chenqie doesn’t know how to play chess.”

“How about playing a song?”

“Responding to your majesty, chenqie doesn’t know how to play instruments.”

“Painting and calligraphy?”

“Chenqie can’t.” 

Seeing Song Jinning still leaning lazily, Li Chengxuan didn’t know what kind of emotion he should be feeling right now.

Isn’t chess, music, calligraphy and painting a must-learn for women? Even if they can’t be proficient at all these things, they should at least be able to know one or two, but Song Jinning is good, she doesn’t know how to do a single one! 

And looking at the way she just answered, she felt that this was quite reasonable, and was not at all ashamed.

“Then what can you do?”

You can’t really just sit and do nothing all day, right? 

Song Jinning raised her eyes and glanced at him.

Why are you asking this? Of course I can’t do chess, music, calligraphy and painting! They are too boring! 

It seems that Li Chengxuan wants to fail today. 

So Song Jinning thought for a while, and then asked, “Toss the Pot? Your Majesty, do you want to play it?” 

Toss the Pot is a popular game among the nobles. Not only is it elegant, it also doesn’t take too much trouble to play. 

You only need a copper pot to be placed in front of you, so that you can grab an arrow and throw it to see if it lands inside the pot. The more arrows the player has inside the pot will be the winner while the one with less arrows is the loser. 

Naturally, Li Chengxuan knew this game. He felt that he was quite proficient in this game, so he immediately nodded: “Okay.”

He called Zhou Jing over and instructed him to prepare the things needed to play Toss the Pot. After a short while, Zhou Jing came back and reported: “Your Majesty, Your Highness, this slave has prepared everything, please go to the back courtyard.” 

When Song Jinning arrived in the courtyard, she saw a copper pot with a thin neck and big base placed near the wall. Two eunuchs on the side held a vermilion tray in their hands, each with ten arrow shafts lying horizontally on it.

The sun was still high, so Song Jinning stood under the shadow of the pear tree on the side.

Li Chengxuan asked her: “Since it’s a game, there will be winners and losers. Should we bet?” 

He still remembers the time when Song Jinning took twenty taels of silver from him because he lost madiao. 

Silver is a trivial matter. The most important thing is that he lost, and Song Jinning took the opportunity to ridicule him. Whatever happened that day is in the past, and now he has to fight back! 

“Whatever.” Song Jinning nonchalantly said. 

Anyway, the one who will lose is definitely not her.

Li Chengxuan thought for a while, before untying a white jade pendant from his waist and placing it on a tray held by the eunuch beside him.

“Zhen will use this pendant as a bet.” 

Toss the Pot is actually a drinking game, and whoever loses has to drink a pot of wine. Although Li Chengxuan wanted to regain the face he lost last time, he thought that Song Jinning was a woman after all, and it was not good for her to drink.

It doesn’t matter if she uses a leaf or a flower as bet. The most important thing is that he regains his face! 

Song Jinning’s gaze swept over the white jade pendant.

This white jade pendant looks very good, it looked pure, and an auspicious pattern was carved on it. Nevermind a hundred gold taels, this must be worth thousands! 

Tsk, it’s just a small game, yet Li Chengxuan is willing to waste such a good pendant. 

But Li Chengxuan is the emperor. This jade pendant is probably nothing more than a piece of jewelry in his eyes. 

Li Chengxuan asked Song Jinning again: “What is your bet?”

Song Jinning glanced sideways at him.

Good! The more confident you are, the more miserable you will be when you lose later. 

Without saying a word, she took off a coral bracelet from her wrist and placed it on the tray.

Bai Lu and Gu Yu were standing on the side, watching. Seeing Song Jinning like this, Bai Lu turned her head and asked Gu Yu, “Obviously, she will win this competition. Why does she have to bet? Isn’t it an unnecessary move? “

Gu Yu:…… 

She wanted to kick Bai Lu in the head.

The Empress obviously wants to give His Majesty the chance to win. 

Men want to have face, and not to mention that Li Chengxuan is the Emperor above all. 

She still remembered the time when Song Jinning beat the Emperor in madiao and the emperor looked like he could kill someone after losing those 20 silver taels. 

This is not how a husband and wife should get along! 

So Your Highness, this time you must make his majesty win! Even if you really want to win, please don’t…..

Gu Yu put her hands together on her chest, and looked at Song Jinning expectantly.

Song Jinning was still standing in the shadow of the pear tree to avoid the sun.  The eunuch who was holding an arrow on the side stepped forward, and said respectfully, “Your Highness, we may start.” 

Song Jinning looked at Li Chengxuan. 

She is afraid that if she’s the one to throw first, her skills will be made obvious. 

“Your Majesty, whoever wins six of the ten rounds will win this game.” 

If the winner is determined with only one round, then why is she even playing? 

Li Chengxuan only thought that Song Jinning was not very proficient in Toss the Pot, so he allowed her condition. 

This time he is set to win!

Li Chengxuan was proud of himself in his heart, and his face couldn’t help but show a little joy.

Song Jinning couldn’t help but laugh in her eyes.

Very good! This girl will play with you today. She will let you know defeat that is unforgettable for a lifetime. 

So Li Chengxuan won the first four rounds. In each round, Li Chengxuan could throw seven or eight arrows in the copper pot. On the other hand, Song Jinning could only throw in two or three. The most she shot was five.

Bai Lu looked puzzled, and asked Gu Yu: “What’s wrong with Her Highness today? This is not her normal level.” 

“What do you know?” 

Gu Yu glanced at her and replied with joy, “This is the empress who is finally sensible.”