So as to not be noticed by them since they would surely recognise Zhou Sheng and Ning Fu, Su Li made a split-second decision and asked Baozhai to take them to their wine selection so that they could pick a small wine jar each to take it back with them. 

Baozhai readily agreed to her request and they bought small wine jars and by the time they returned to the main hall of the entertainment house, the other group had already left. 

Once they left The Drunken Flower, Su Li turned towards the Head Commander and probed, "You have been almost silent the entire evening. Why? Are you not feeling well or is it something else?" 

The Head Commander wanted to flick his sleeves and leave the other three behind. 

He was really upset about visiting such a place which couldn't even be discussed in polite society. 

He had been on pins and needles the entire evening worrying himself to death about it. 

What if someone noticed the monarch and the word was spread around? 

What if someone launched an attack?

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He wanted to berate everyone for this foolish outing but when he noticed the monarch's genuine concern, he didn't have the heart to air out his worries or grievances.

"It's nothing, Your Majesty. This lowly one was just thinking about the security of the Imperial Palace."

At this point, Zhou Sheng turned towards Su Li and asked, "Shall we call a carriage to take us all back to the Imperial Palace or do you want to walk to clear your head?" 

It was already quite late and the streets were pitch black with just the light of a few lampposts every few feet and the barely discernible light of the moon which was in its waning cycle. 

"It's nice out here. Let's just walk for some time, it's not like I am far too drunk to walk on my own." 

Everyone acquiesced and just as they turned the corner, they saw the earlier group of Young Masters they had been eavesdropping on in The Drunken Flower walking a few paces ahead of them.  

The other group was boisterous and none of them could walk in a straight line. Their words had turned even more coa.r.s.e and disrespectful towards each other as well. 

Before Su Li could take a different route back to her palace, she heard one of those drunk young master's speak. 

"Heh! Wonder if he has an advisor and we entice that person to double-cross him and join our side. Wouldn't it be wonderful?" 

Then he laughed uproariously at his own words as if he had said something very witty. 

A few seconds later he continued, "However if that person refuses us, then we can only slowly kill him in front of his master. At that time, wouldn't he regret his loyalty? Would the dog emperor do everything in his power to save an insignificant advisor?" 

At his words, the other youngsters also laughed. 

"We will surely get a good show to watch." 

The group had kept moving forward while talking and had walked quite far away in a few minutes. 

However, their words were like a thunderclap for Su Li. 

While the Head Commander and the Unit Commander had slowed their steps to keep some distance from the other group, they wondered about the disrespect these youngsters had for their liege. 

Just as Ning Fu was about to let loose a few curses to calm the anger that had been building up the entire evening, he noticed that the monarch had stopped and his face had lost all its colour. 

"Your Majest…?" 

Before he could finish his words, he watched as the monarch took out the wine jar they had bought while leaving the entertainment house, opened it up with a practised flip of his thumb and removed the cloth. 

His brow furrowed at the monarch's actions but the said person didn't give anyone a chance to even say a word before he raised the one jar high up, tipped his head back and guzzled the wine like there was no tomorrow. 

The moonlight filtered through the stream of wine and fell on the emperor's fair face and made it seem even more charming. 

He drank the wine in urgency and because he didn't stop to have it in mouthfuls, some of the wine dribbled down his chin and on to his clothes. 

However, the said person seemed to be ignorant of the mess and kept on drinking and then gagged on the liquid. 

His eyes watered and he started coughing. 

It was at this point that Ning Fu realised that something was wrong but he couldn't understand the reason for the monarch's actions. 

Everything had occurred in the span of a  few seconds and everyone could see that the monarch's happy mood had spiralled downwards. 

The monarch's coughing seemed to jolt them out of their surprise and Zhou Sheng rushed towards the main arch and tried to get hold of the jar but was rebuffed when the monarch turned sideways. 

"Prin...You should stop drinking it before you die of choking on wine in some small back alley of this place." 

Ning Fu wanted to berate his brother for saying such inauspicious words to the monarch but then he noticed the thin sheen of tears in the monarch's eyes and felt that it was better for him to keep quiet in such a situation because he didn't know what had triggered the monarch. 

"Wouldn't it be better if I die? At least — at least…" 

Su Li couldn't finish her words. 

Every word that she spoke was like a hot lance striking her heart.