The Poetry Assembly: Bananas Cause Trouble

"Does the Princess of Mobei suffer from constipation?"

Such a private and embarrassing matter—the Crown Prince of Beiming actually knew of it? Furthermore, he didn't even find it distasteful?!

"Xiao Miao, bring it over!" He smiled, then looked at Dantai Huang, saying with deep affection, "The Princess must cure her illness quickly, lest this Crown Prince worry day and night! Moreover, as long as it is the Princess's words, this Crown Prince believes them. So, does the Princess believe this Crown Prince's words?"

To outsiders, these words sounded like they were lost in a fog, only feeling that the Crown Prince of Beiming spoke with exceptional affection. As for the hidden meaning within, they had no way of knowing. But Dantai Huang understood perfectly.

That day, she had said, "If you believe I have constipation today, I will believe you are jealous." Obviously, his meaning was that he believed she had constipation, so she could also believe he was jealous. Dantai Huang grumbled in her heart: what benefit did her believing he was jealous bring him? Lunatic! (His way of expression was truly unique!)

Xiao Miao placed the tray on Dantai Huang's table as ordered, then bowed respectfully and retreated to Jun Jinglan's side.

Thus, both Huangfu Xuan and everyone else stared at the tray, waiting to see if Dantai Huang would eat it. The one with the most anxious expression was Xiao Xing. Its wolf mouth was slightly parted, its tongue half-extended, its eyes filled with laughter...

Dantai Ji also frowned slightly, finding it increasingly difficult to guess what Jun Jinglan was thinking. One moment helping, the next moment making things difficult, impossible to distinguish friend from foe! But these bananas—if Huang'er ate them, it would be equivalent to admitting her constipation before the entire world! Thinking of this, he smiled, his voice echoing through the hall, "Huang'er has disliked bananas since childhood. How about this Prince eats them instead?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Jun Jinglan had no reaction, but Xiao Xing suddenly leaped up from the table, looking extremely excited. Raising its front paws, it extended its middle finger toward Dantai Huang! — Disdain. Master Xing knew you wouldn't dare eat them!

Jun Jinglan frowned, seeing Xiao Xing's unusual excitement, a trace of doubt flashing in his beautiful eyes. Suddenly, in a voice only he and Xiao Xing hear, he asked, "Did you do something behind my back?"

Xiao Xing, with its back to him, was still frantically raising its middle finger at Dantai Huang. But it instantly froze, turned around with a flattering smile, hid its paws behind its back, behaving like Tom the Cat—"Master Xing didn't do anything!"

But Jun Jinglan felt something was amiss. Frowning slightly, just as he was about to stop Dantai Huang, she snatched the bananas from Dantai Ji's hand and stuffed them into her mouth in one go! At the same time, she nodded and evaluated, "Although this Princess dislikes bananas, and the Crown Prince of Beiming misheard, mistakenly believing this Princess has constipation, the Crown Prince nonetheless possesses a sincere heart. This Princess must eat them!"

Seeing Dantai Huang had eaten them, Jun Jinglan opened his mouth but stopped. He looked down at Xiao Xing's flattering face, his expression icy cold.

Master Xing looked around, not daring to meet his gaze.

After eating, Dantai Huang didn't feel anything unusual. She looked at Jun Jinglan with doubt. *Hmm... perhaps she was overthinking!* After all, Xiao Xing was often foolish; she knew that much. Little did she know, the drama was yet to come...

At this moment, Huangfu Xuan, as the host, spoke, "Today is the poetry assembly. I wonder what you all think should be the main theme?"

"This official believes that using any specific theme would be unfair! Some themes are naturally favored by some and not by others. How about we have no theme and compose poetry spontaneously?" These words were spoken by the envoy of Xiwu.

As soon as he spoke, everyone looked at him strangely. In truth, the Empress of Xiwu, Murong Fu, had also come to Dongling's banquet, but she had claimed illness and had yet to appear, only sending her envoy. This was also the first time the representative of Xiwu had spoken at the banquet.

Huangfu Xuan pondered slightly, then said, "The envoy of Xiwu makes a valid point. What do you all think?"

"That is excellent!" everyone chimed in agreement. In their hearts, they cursed, *Excellent my foot! No theme is the hardest theme of all!*

"Since that is the case, let it be so. This Emperor and the Crown Prince of Beiming shall act as judges. The final prize today is the Thousand-Leaf Guanyin. To maintain fairness, this Emperor and the Crown Prince of Beiming shall not participate. Please, everyone!" Huangfu Xuan spoke, his golden eyes fixed on Dantai Huang. Composing poetry—if this woman could do it, that would be a miracle!

Jun Jinglan heard this, nodded, and had no objections. His long, narrow eyes stared at Dantai Huang, watching to see if she showed any unusual reaction after eating the bananas. Seeing this, Xiao Xing, highly dissatisfied, waved its front paws to assert its presence, while blocking Jun Jinglan's view. *Master, don't look at her, look at me! I am better than her, oh... Why don't you look at me...*

The Thousand-Leaf Guanyin was a priceless jade treasure of the world! Offering it as a prize, Huangfu Xuan was indeed exceptionally generous! The envoys of various nations were eager to try. If they won this, they wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives even if they didn't serve as officials! With the Crown Prince of Beiming and the Emperor of Dongling not participating, and Dantai Ji having no interest in poetry, haha, what a great opportunity!

"Then let this Princess go first!" Huangfu Lingxuan was the first to stand up.

Huangfu Xuan nodded, still possessing great trust in his imperial sister.

Dantai Huang didn't look at Jun Jinglan, but looked at Huangfu Lingxuan, nodding in appreciation! Truly a peerless beauty, with crescent-moon willow brows, cinnabar phoenix eyes, lips red without rouge, and a figure like a willow in the wind. No wonder Chu Changge couldn't bear to reject her. Hmm, if she wasn't mistaken, she wanted to use this opportunity to confess to Chu Changge?

Indeed, Huangfu Lingxuan did not disappoint. Looking affectionately at Chu Changge, she spoke:

"The stars light up the deep candles,
Do not let our long journey be in vain.
The exquisite dice hold red beans,
Do you know the deep yearning that penetrates the bone?"

Having finished, her jade-like face flushed with embarrassment. She hastily lowered her head, saying nothing as she crumpled her handkerchief.

Seeing this, Dantai Huang shook her head and sighed in her heart, *Alas, does everyone become so foolish when they encounter love? If there comes a day when I like someone and have to blush and crumple a handkerchief... I would rather become Abbess Miejue!* Just as she was about to feel amused, her stomach suddenly churned, and a faint urge to defecate arose...

*What is going on! Why does this feel exactly like when I drank weight-loss tea with Mu Ziling in my past life? Extremely... want to use the latrine!* A flash of realization struck her mind. Could there be something in the bananas?

Thinking of this, she threw a murderous gaze at Jun Jinglan! The other party was also looking at her at this moment, his thin lips slightly pursed, without a trace of a smile. But Dantai Huang believed he must be laughing in his heart. This scoundrel dared to give her laxatives!

This time, she truly wronged Jun Jinglan, for he truly did not know.

After Huangfu Lingxuan finished her poem, everyone quickly clapped, their faces filled with appreciation! They praised endlessly, "Princess Lingxuan is indeed a talented woman!"

Only Dantai Huang bore a pained expression. Could she stand up and say she wanted to go to the latrine? But with so many people present, would it be inappropriate?

Dantai Ji turned to look at her, and seeing her unwell state, asked with concern, "What is wrong?"

"I..." She uttered one word, but the rest she truly couldn't bring herself to say. How could she say she needed to relieve herself?

Meanwhile, Jun Jinglan had roughly understood her predicament. He looked down at Xiao Xing, the corners of his lips curling into a dangerous smile that successfully made Xiao Xing shudder! In truth, he didn't mind giving this woman a small lesson, so she wouldn't "court death" by teasing him in the future. But that didn't mean he liked a wolf playing tricks behind his back!

While everyone clapped and Jun Jinglan smiled faintly, only Dantai Huang bore a pained expression! This was completely disrespectful to Dongling and Huangfu Lingxuan! Huangfu Lingxuan, who already detested Dantai Huang, saw this and felt her anger flare. She looked at Dantai Huang and sneered, "Does Princess Qinghuang have such an expression because this Princess did not perform well? Then I pray Princess Qinghuang will instruct me?"

"Indeed, Princess Qinghuang should also compose a poem!" The envoys from various places were no different; they only wanted to watch the excitement.

How could Dantai Huang be in the mood to compose poetry now? She had thought she could endure it, but found it increasingly unbearable. With everyone pressing her to compose, her gaze drifted to the maidservant holding a bronze incense burner ten meters away. Seeing the light smoke curling from the burner, she gritted her teeth and said with great difficulty, "The sun shines on the incense burner, producing purple smoke..."

At that exact moment, she suddenly leaped up from her seat, rushing like the wind toward the entrance of the hall, looking exceptionally hurried!

Reaching the entrance, her head turned rapidly, her phoenix eyes scanning one hundred and eighty degrees. Her face was flushed red as she bellowed the next line: "The sun shines on the incense burner, producing purple smoke! Looking from afar, where is the toilet? Where is the toilet?!"