Chapter 151

Although Tan Hanchi is currently just a minor editor in the Hanlin Academy, he is favored by the Emperor.

Therefore, according to social customs, the Qiao family arranged a seat for him quite near the front.

Duke Yan, having been reminded by Qiao Zhongguo, was sitting diagonally in front of Tan Hanchi and quietly observed him while raising his wine cup.

Hmm… Handsome, tall, with a proper sitting posture, moderate in drinking, he seems quite decent so far.

Duke Yan secretly evaluated him in his heart.

This Tan Hanchi is young and promising, with a bright future ahead. It’s unclear if he already has someone in mind.

If his granddaughter Anning is to marry, she must marry a good man who will truly love and cherish her. His background doesn’t need to be exceptional, nor does he need to be particularly successful in court. Good character is the most important.

At this moment, Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Tianjing, having toasted the Crown Prince, were walking over.

“Father-in-law, today is a joyous day, let me toast to you!”

“Grandfather, let me toast to you!”

Duke Yan stood up smiling, gently patted Qiao Tianjing on the shoulder, and was full of satisfaction seeing how outstanding he had become.

“Good boy, live well, Grandfather has always had confidence in you.”

The three of them raised their cups and drank in one go.

When they put down their cups, Qiao Zhongguo gave Duke Yan a meaningful glance.

Duke Yan understood and nodded slightly.

Seeing this, Qiao Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up immediately.

[Hey, the plan is working! I knew Grandfather would definitely be satisfied with Tan Hanchi!]

[Now it’s up to them. I think Tan Hanchi is interested in cousin Anning. And cousin Anning, I’ve seen her blush several times!]

Qiao Zhongguo, with a smile, no longer needed to greet the guests himself as he had to return to accompany the Crown Prince.

Qiao Tianjing nodded to his father and continued his toasting rounds until he reached Tan Hanchi.

Tan Hanchi stood up and politely said to Qiao Tianjing, “Congratulations, Master Qiao!”

Qiao Tianjing smiled, raised his cup, and mouthed “Same to you” behind his sleeve.

Tan Hanchi was taken aback.

Qiao Tianjing gave him a meaningful look before moving on to the next guest.

Tan Hanchi slowly sat down, suddenly realizing something, and his heart started pounding.

Could it be… could it mean what he thought it meant?

Could it be that Qiao Tianjing really wanted to match him with Miss Zuo?

Thinking of this, Tan Hanchi felt as if the wine he had just drunk was burning inside him.

As the banquet continued, guests mingled and chatted with friends and colleagues.

Tan Hanchi sat quietly, not getting too close to anyone.

Seeing this, some people secretly complained, feeling envious and thinking Tan Hanchi was putting on airs.

With so many people moving around, it’s inevitable that someone accidentally spilled wine on Tan Hanchi.

He stood up abruptly, revealing wine stains spreading across his chest and hem.

Some people couldn’t help but snicker at the sight.

It’s not uncommon for such incidents to occur at a banquet, but no one expected the first unfortunate person today to be Tan Hanchi.

The person who spilled the wine looked quite young, probably a young master who had come with his elders.

He was extremely embarrassed and kept apologizing.

Tan Hanchi waved his hand, not minding, “It’s fine. I’ll just go change.”

Everyone attending the banquet had prepared an extra set of clothes or two because accidents like spills are inevitable, and maintaining decorum is important.

After saying this, Tan Hanchi left his seat and walked out. At the door, a Qiao family servant was waiting, ready to guide him.

Qiao Jiaojiao naturally noticed this scene.

Seeing Tan Hanchi walking out alone, Qiao Jiaojiao furrowed her brows slightly.

She had read too many melodramatic novels where something always went wrong at banquets involving drinking.

Even though this was happening in their Qiao residence, she didn’t dare to completely relax.

[Hmm, Tan Hanchi should be alright, right? By the way, who is that young master who spilled the wine?]

Qiao Zhongguo, overhearing this, immediately turned to look at the young master. The boy had a round face, delicate skin, and looked like a pampered young lord.

[When a child makes a mistake, why hasn’t an adult come forward to take responsibility? Tan Hanchi is now a close attendant of the Emperor. Logically, an adult should have come out to apologize immediately.]

Qiao Zhongguo was also feeling a bit uneasy.

There were too many guests at the Qiao residence today, and he was constantly on edge, worried about any oversights.

Even though Tan Hanchi didn’t seem to have any issues, it was always better to be cautious and keep an eye on things.

Thinking this, Qiao Zhongguo stood up, pretending to instruct a servant to bring more wine, and discreetly ordered a secret guard to follow Tan Hanchi and report back if anything happened.

Seeing Qiao Zhongguo’s caution, Qiao Jiaojiao felt reassured and her eyes sparkled.

She had heard her father and elder brother arranging the house defenses a few days ago. Whether it was the maids, servants, or secret guards, everything was meticulously planned.

The Qiao family’s secret guards were highly reliable, but they had many tasks, and several were already assigned to guard the Second Prince at the Ancestral Temple. Without special instructions, there could still be lapses.

Meanwhile, Tan Hanchi, guided by the Qiao family servant, quickly reached the dressing quarters designated for male guests. He swiftly changed into clean clothes and headed back to the banquet.

On the way back, a figure suddenly appeared in front of him. At first glance, he noticed the person’s luxurious attire, the hem glimmering under the lantern light.

Recognizing who it was, Tan Hanchi immediately stopped and bowed from a distance.

“Your servant greets Your Highness, the Princess.”

Hearing this, the Qiao family servant quickly knelt down to pay respects.

The Grand Princess, seeing Tan Hanchi in his new blue robe, found him even more handsome and approached him with a smile.

Seeing this, Tan Hanchi frowned slightly, took a few steps back, and respectfully said,

“Your Highness, I didn’t mean to intrude. Please forgive me. I will take my leave.”

As he turned to leave, the Grand Princess reached out and softly called,

“Tan Xiuzhan, please stay!”

“Qiao family servant, you may leave. I have something to say to Tan Xiuzhan.”

The Qiao family servant, not daring to defy the Princess, quickly bowed and hurriedly left.

Tan Hanchi glanced behind the Grand Princess and noticed she was alone, without any palace attendants. He immediately stepped back further.

“Your Highness, this is improper. I must take my leave!”

Seeing Tan Hanchi about to walk away, the Princess furrowed her brows and sternly said, “Tan Xiuzhan, I command you to stay. Do you dare to disobey my orders?”