It was the first Mid-Autumn Festival after Bai Lihong’s ascension, and also the first grand palace banquet, so everything had to go off without a hitch.

It was essential that all of the wealthy and powerful families, as well as the common people of Great Ning, saw that Bai Lihong was a legitimate ruler chosen by divine right.

Qin Xiao asked Chu Jiubian’s opinion, and upon hearing that he didn’t mind, he ordered his people to spread the word about everything he had done in Hexi Prefecture.

The natural and manmade disasters had finally subsided, and the most important thing was determining to whom the people owed their gratitude.

They were grateful for the Imperial Court’s disaster relief efforts, and even more grateful to Grand Tutor Chu, who was believed to be the reincarnation of the Sacred Star God.

Thanks to Grand Tutor Chu, they had food to eat, clothes to keep them warm, and medicine to treat their illnesses. Their faith in their divine lord was unwavering.

Through the mouths of these common people, Chu Jiubian’s identity as a “deity” had already spread through Northern Zhili. Now, with Qin Xiao’s simple manipulation and amplification efforts, these rumors spread wider and wider, quickly spreading through the northern regions and then traveling southward. 

For a time, whether they had met Chu Jiubian or not, everyone spoke about the Divine Lord and the emperor with absolute confidence.

“Our current emperor has been acknowledged by heaven itself. It’s because His Majesty cares about us common people that we can triumph over any difficulties we encounter and transform danger into safety.”

“That’s right! The drought in the southern regions and the flooding in Hexi Prefecture were all successfully overcome. Had these things happened at any other time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.”

“Our emperor was sent by the heavens to save us, and the Divine Lord also reincarnated in order to help him govern the country.”

“I’ve heard that too. It’s said that His Majesty was originally a heavenly deity, and upon seeing the suffering of us common people, he voluntarily descended to earth to become emperor. And the Divine Lord, being a close friend of his, also descended to earth to accompany him.”

“Our lives will surely get better and better. Even common people like us now have the opportunity to become officials. Isn’t this a blessing from His Majesty and the Divine Lord?”

“Ai, that’s the truth! We must thank His Majesty properly! And thank the Divine Lord!”

The common people clasped their hands together and bowed toward the heavens, the earth, and also toward the capital city.

Although their lives were still full of hardships, there was a glimmer of hope in their eyes; they carried anticipation for the future, and believed that their lives would continue to improve. 

Such rumors spread for nearly half a month, and a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival, these claims had become so widespread that they effectively solidified Bai Lihong’s divine right to the throne.

This also proved that Chu Jiubian’s identity as the reincarnation of the Sacred Star God, the Divine Lord, had been accepted by the vast majority of the common people. His Faith Points were also increasing by the day, and he had already earned three more card-drawing opportunities.

On the evening of the twelfth, Chu Jiubian bathed and burned incense, then began his latest attempt at drawing cards.

He didn’t want to waste a single one of his lucky draws.

At present, he had drawn four different keywords: Armed Forces, Charisma, Wealth, and Connections, with two more remaining to be drawn.

Chu Jiubian currently needed to recruit talents, specifically those who could participate in the Imperial Examinations.

He had previously asked Wang Qichen, Jiang Shuoye, and Situ Zhaoling to promote the examinations within their respective spheres of influence, encouraging those with relevant talents to participate. However, due to a lack of familiarity or a systematic vetting process, Chu Jiubian couldn’t fully trust these individuals.

Therefore, it would be reassuring to have highly-capable Believers on his side.

“System, give me a hand,” Chu Jiubian whispered.

[Keyword cards have been prepared for Host. Please draw one. (Only one may be drawn at a time)]

Chu Jiubian reached out and selected a card.

It was a duplicate Armed Forces card.

He drew another, and this time it was a duplicate Charisma.

Chu Jiubian: “……”

It couldn’t happen three times in a row, right? He couldn’t be that unlucky!

This was the last one. New card, new card!

He took a deep breath, and after a long pause, picked his last card.

All of the other cards vanished, leaving this single one in front of him.

Chu Jiubian took the card and rubbed it between his fingertips before gingerly turning it over. His eyes instantly lit up.

It was actually a [Wisdom] card!

Without a doubt, anyone who could be described as “wise” was certain to be a rare and exceptional talent.

It was like a wish come true!

“Good System,” Chu Jiubian said.

[Thanking Host for the compliment. Would you like to draw a Believer?]

“Yes.” 

[Searching for Believers. Please wait.]

[Believer information successfully collected. Please draw a card, Host.]

The keyword card in Chu Jiubian’s hand instantly dispersed into mist, then reformed into nine character cards.

A full nine cards!

This was Chu Jiubian’s first time drawing so many character cards. Even the most composed person in the world would jolt upright in their seat. 

He just didn’t know how many familiar faces would be among them. Hopefully it didn’t go the same way as the Charisma card, because it would be a shame if he couldn’t draw a single one. 

The light engulfing the nine character cards slowly faded away, and Chu Jiubian was able to read the text written on them.

He glanced over them quickly, and his heart skipped a beat.

This System had really given him backdoor access, ah! Besides Qin Xiao, that persistent troublemaker, there wasn’t a single familiar face!

However, he still looked at Qin Xiao’s card first.

[Ning-wang Qin Xiao, age 25. He possesses the talent to govern a nation, and has the wisdom and means to contend with all of the officials in the Imperial Court. Wisdom level: 100%. Choosing him is definitely the right decision! (Not recommended!)]

Chu Jiubian: “ ? ”

One sentence suggested that he choose him, and the next said he wasn’t recommended. Was the System’s code able to contradict itself this way?

But Qin Xiao’s wisdom level was 100%, which was undeniably high.

Chu Jiubian, however, had no intention of choosing him, and instead looked further down the list. The candidates varied in terms of age and location, originating from all over the country and ranging from fourteen at the youngest to forty-three at the oldest.

Wisdom levels varied, but even the lowest score was no less than ninety, indicating that they were all very intelligent people.

But Chu Jiubian was most interested in two of them.

[Tan Yuzhu, female, age 14. Born in Baxian County, she is well-versed in history and the classics. She is morally discerning, skilled in legal affairs, and highly-experienced in human nature and social customs. With a wisdom score of 96%, choosing her is definitely a wise decision! (Recommended!)]

[Lu Yao, courtesy name Zicheng. Male, 19 years old. A natural genius, with a wisdom level of 200%! (If not him, then who?)]

The first contestant, Tan Yuzhu, hailed from Baxian County, and Chu Jiubian had heard of her before.

After news of the Imperial Examinations spread, only a handful of women had registered at the outset, and those who did so only registered for embroidery.

This young woman, who called herself the “Bamboo Rain Scholar,” then wrote an essay urging all women to bravely step out of their secluded homes and seize the opportunity to change their destinies. 

Chu Jiubian had read the essay, and still recalled a few sentences from it: 

“It is said that the wise emperor has issued a new decree, establishing an examination system for the selection of officials without regard to gender, and selecting only those with talent and virtue. This is an unprecedented, historical achievement.”

“There are accomplished young women in every region who are skilled in various fields – some are knowledgeable in classics and history, others are proficient in mathematics or law, and some excel in weaving and embroidery. However, many are confined to their homes, their talents wasted and their lives unfulfilled. Now that our benevolent emperor has paved the way for all women under his rule, why not pack your books and set out on this journey to fulfill your lifelong ambitions?”

After encouraging women to bravely step out of their comfort zones, she then gently urged the fathers and brothers of these families to “facilitate the fulfillment of others’ aspirations,” asking them to give their daughters a chance should they have the desire to serve their country.

“In this way, no talent will be left undiscovered among the women in their inner chambers, and the nation will secure virtuous officials. Regardless of gender or family background, all sons and daughters of Great Ning will jointly defend our divine ruler and create a prosperous era.”

The young girl was well-spoken, and after her essay was widely circulated, more women began to come forward to register.

Although the powerful families and vassal kings had also begun to compete for these talents, they did not establish examinations for women. Therefore, the women of Great Ning who dared to be among the first to “try their luck” could only participate in the Imperial Examinations, which was an unexpected boon to the Imperial Court and allowed them to gain many female talents.

Chu Jiubian really wanted to summon Tan Yuzhu, but he also really wanted to meet this Lu Yao.

A person with a 200% IQ – what kind of “monster” would such a person be?!

Not recruiting such a talent would be an incredible waste.

After much deliberation, Chu Jiubian ultimately chose Lu Yao. His points were steadily increasing, and he could always choose Tan Yuzhu later.

However, when he asked the System to summon him, he was told that this person was still awake and could not be summoned.

Chu Jiubian attempted to summon him again the next morning before dawn, but Lu Yao was still not asleep.

Had he stayed up all night? Was he so hard-working?

Chu Jiubian tried several more times that evening, but each time, he received a message that he was unsummonable. He then tried summoning him during the day, but still couldn’t manage to make him appear.

Speechless, Chu Jiubian asked: “Does he just never sleep?”

[This System has detected that Believer Lu Yao is not currently in a sleeping state. Please try again.]

Chu Jiubian: “……”

He tried again and again at different times, but was never able to get through.

These attempts continued until the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

*

*

Cining Palace.

It was midday, just as the morning court session came to a close.

Exuding prestige, Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan touched her newly-made ceremonial robes, which were gold in color and embroidered with intricate auspicious cloud designs, along with the character for “longevity.” 

“The Xiao family has been well-behaved lately,” she said slowly.

Matron Liu said: “Now that the Wang family is in such a strong position, our family has been put at a disadvantage.”

Xiao Ruohan: “This is a good thing.”

Silence lingered in the room for a few seconds, and then she said with a sigh: “The Mid-Autumn Festival is the perfect day for a family reunion, ah.”

Matron Liu said: “This servant will help you change clothes.”

Xiao Ruohan smiled, saying as she stood up: “I’ll just go in this. After all, even a new set of clothing can’t conceal a person’s true nature.”

Empress Dowager arrived at Yangxin Hall with great pomp and circumstance, as if to ensure that everyone would witness her arrival.

Indeed, within just fifteen minutes, various rumors had already begun circulating in the capital.

It was said that Jiannan-wang simply had no experience with court affairs, so it was understandable that he would make some mistakes, and he had been reflecting on his actions in seclusion for some time now. He also copied scriptures every day and prayed for the people who died in the flooding in Hexi Prefecture, which showed that he was truly remorseful and had a genuinely kind heart.

It was also said that the Empress Dowager was benevolent, and that when she went to Yangxin Hall to see the emperor during the Mid-Autumn Festival, she surely intended to bring Jiannan-wang to reunite with the emperor, so as to prevent a conflict between brothers.

The emperor was benevolent and magnanimous, and must have taken note of Jiannan-wang’s remorse. He would surely take this opportunity provided by the Empress Dowager to mend his relationship with Jiannan-wang.

It would seem that if the emperor refused, he would be seen as unjust and lacking in compassion.

Chu Jiubian returned to Yaotai Residence after leaving court and listened as Xiao Xiangzi unhappily reported this bit of gossip: “She arrived at Yangxin Hall half a shichen before you returned from morning court, and rather than going in, she waited outside as if she truly loves and respects His Majesty.”

Chu Jiubian was amused by him.

“The Empress Dowager truly holds deep affection for Jiannan-wang,” he said.

He had just passed by Yangxin Hall on the way back, and naturally saw her there. He knew without a doubt what she was up to and couldn’t be bothered to watch her performance, so he came back first.

“Definitely,” said Xiao Xiangzi. “But Jiannan-wang is the only one she has affection for.”

“What do you mean?” Chu Jiubian hadn’t actually looked into the Empress Dowager in detail before.

“You might not know this, but she is actually a formidable character.” Xiao Xiangzi immediately began to chatter on.

During Emperor Chengzong’s reign, despite her high status, Empress Xiao Ruohan had remained childless for a long time while other concubines became pregnant one after another. Therefore, her Xiao family sent her younger half-sister, Xiao Ruojiao, into the palace.

Not long after this half-sister arrived, she also became pregnant.

However, Xiao Ruohan and her half-sister had been at odds since childhood, and the two of them were simply unable to get along inside the palace.

Seeing this, the Xiao family decided to abandon their support for Xiao Ruohan as empress, and instead focused all of their efforts on promoting her half-sister, successfully elevating her to the position of one of four Imperial Consorts.

Unable to accept this situation, Xiao Ruohan took matters into her own hands and eliminated her half-sister, taking the seventh prince, whom her half-sister had given birth to, to raise as her own. 

The Xiao family only wanted the position of empress and a prince with Xiao family blood, so they voiced no objections to Xiao Ruohan’s actions, and instead felt that her decisive and ruthless character was very suitable for the Imperial harem.

However, Xiao Ruohan still harbored hatred toward her half-sister, as well as this seventh prince who was born from her womb.

The child had also inherited the typical Xiao family characteristics – a propensity to hold grudges and seek revenge for the smallest of slights. If he were to ever discover that his mother had been killed by Xiao Ruohan, how could he possibly coexist peacefully with her?

Therefore, rather than letting the seventh prince ascend the throne, Xiao Ruohan preferred to raise a child who was completely devoted to her.

To this end, she devised a plan to send her loyal personal maid, Xiao Mei, to Emperor Chengzong’s bedchambers.

That girl was indeed capable, and became pregnant after being favored by Emperor Chengzong only that one time. And with the secret help of Xiao Ruohan, she successfully gave birth to the eighth prince, who later became Emperor Yingzong – the father of Bai Lihong.

In order to prevent the Xiao family from discovering her true intentions, Xiao Ruohan pretended to break off her relationship with Xiao Mei.

Xiao Mei, a concubine who came from a humble background as a palace maid, was already out of favor and had now fallen out with the empress. Life in the palace was undeniably difficult for her, and the eighth prince, being the most insignificant, was easily trampled upon by everyone.

Yet under these circumstances, Xiao Ruohan secretly took care of them, and was “accidentally” discovered to be the one looking after this mother and son.

Xiao Mei was already fiercely loyal to Xiao Ruohan, and thought she had been maliciously tricked by other people into having an affair with Emperor Chengzong, so she felt very guilty toward her.

Therefore, even when Xiao Ruohan rejected her, she felt that it was her own fault and held no resentment toward her.

Even when she was bullied and persecuted, she endured it in silence. And just when she and the eighth prince were on the brink of despair, a “mysterious benefactor” appeared, not only helping her overcome her difficulties, but also protecting her and her son. Naturally, she was overcome with gratitude.

When she “happened” to discover that the person protecting her was none other than Xiao Ruohan, whom she had served since childhood, she felt even more moved and guilty. She became even more devoted, and the ideas she instilled in the eighth prince every day were all related to being filial to Xiao Ruohan. 

Everything unfolded exactly as Xiao Ruohan had anticipated.

Later, the competition for the throne grew increasingly fierce due to the surplus of capable sons, yet a crown prince had not yet been designated. Ultimately, Emperor Chengzong realized that this was a problem.

Therefore, he appointed as crown prince the seventh prince of the Xiao family, and sent the other princes to their respective fiefdoms, which were now the territories ruled by the vassal kings.

Of course, there were a great many princes at that time, including young Emperor Yingzong, for a total of thirteen.

Later on, five of them died in the struggle for the throne, leaving only Emperor Yingzong and the seven princes who remained today. 

During the most intense period of the succession struggle, Xiao Ruohan outwardly sided with the Xiao family, pretending to be overjoyed that the Seventh Prince, with Xiao family blood, had become the crown prince. But secretly, she hoped that the Eighth Prince born to Xiao Mei would rise to power. 

However, it was incredibly difficult for a powerless and insignificant prince with no resources to stand out among his brothers, all of whom had powerful family backgrounds. 

Unless he could receive some powerful assistance.

Therefore, Xiao Ruohan turned her attention to the Qin family, who were stationed far away on the northern frontier to guard the border.

Although Grand Marshal Qin was advanced in age, he commanded an army of 300,000 elite soldiers, enjoyed immense prestige within the military, and was both courageous and resourceful.

If he would stand behind the Eighth Prince in addition to Xiao Ruohan acting as an insider, they would have a fighting chance in the struggle for the throne.

Therefore, Xiao Ruohan tried every means possible to persuade Emperor Chengzong to grant the Northern Territories to the Eighth Prince as his fiefdom.

However, she was a cautious person who always had a backup plan, so she also promoted a girl from a collateral branch of the Xiao family whom she had aided before. She was given to the Eighth Prince as a concubine, and later became Consort Duan during Emperor Yingzong’s reign.

Xiao Ruohan’s thought process was that if the Eighth Prince were to become emperor in the future, the child born to this Xiao family girl would still be of her bloodline and would be fiercely loyal to her, allowing her to maintain complete control over the Imperial harem.

And when the Eighth Prince went to his fiefdom, he indeed lived up to her expectations. He became involved with the Qin family and even married Qin Feng, the granddaughter of Grand Marshal Qin.

Subsequently, she re-established contact with the Eighth Prince and, before the death of Emperor Chengzong, had him bring the Qin Family Army closer to the capital.

Emperor Chengzong’s health had already been damaged by excessive drinking and indulgence in women, and he died after only a few days of confinement to his bed.

Deciding to go all in, Xiao Ruohan then directly killed the Seventh Prince born to Xiao Ruojiao, forcing the Xiao family to side with her and the Eighth Prince.

After the battle for the throne began, Emperor Yingzong, backed by hundreds of thousands of Qin family troops, quickly captured or killed the four remaining princes with his superior military force.

Having witnessed how formidable the Qin Family Army was, the seven vassal kings realized they were no match for them and that the tide had turned, and they all settled down and returned to their respective territories.

As long as the green mountains remained, there would be firewood to burn.

Ultimately, with the help of the Qin Family Army and the internal support of Xiao Ruohan and the Xiao family, the Eighth Prince successfully ascended the throne to become Emperor Yingzong.

Chu Jiubian truly hadn’t expected there to be such a huge inside story. This empress dowager was indeed bold and resourceful, as well as ruthless, always choosing the path that was most advantageous to herself.

“Actually, did all those princes have women sent to them from the Xiao family?” Chu Jiubian asked.

It was widely known that the Xiao family used its female members to attract and consolidate power. The fact that they could send a Xiao family woman to the Eighth Prince’s fiefdom made it highly likely that they had likewise sent women to the other vassal kings.

Regardless of who ascended the throne, the Xiao family would have connections within the palace.

Xiao Xiangzi nodded vigorously: “My Lord’s guess is absolutely right. The Xiao family did indeed send a daughter to each of the vassal kings, but Nanjiang-wang, Pingxi-Wang, Anhuai-wang, and Dingbei-wang all refused them, while the other three vassal kings accepted them without hesitation.”

Chu Jiubian found this quite interesting.

The Xiao family was truly wise to not put all their eggs in one basket, and this Empress Dowager was indeed skilled at assessing situations and acting accordingly.

She must have gone to Yangxin Hall today in order to lift the restrictions on Jiannan-wang, and Qin Xiao would surely take the opportunity to back down and release him at her suggestion.

Jiannan-wang was a key piece, and could not be removed from the chessboard just yet.

Not only did the Xiao family need him, but so did Qin Xiao.

“By the way, Young Master, the Imperial Clothing Bureau delivered your formal attire for the banquet. Please take a look,” said Xiao Xiangzi.

Chu Jiubian entered the inner chamber and found light pink robes embroidered with silver patterns hanging on one of the clothes racks.

He walked over and touched them lightly; the silk fabric was soft and smooth, far superior to the brocade he had been wearing.

“This fabric is truly excellent, but there was unfortunately only enough to make one outfit each for you and His Lordship. If there had been more, it would have been good to have several outfits that can be rotated in and out as they’re washed.”

Xiao Xiangzi had been becoming increasingly comfortable and familiar when speaking to Chu Jiubian, and no longer put on a pretense of maturity or hid his youthful nature.

Chu Jiubian said: “There will be more of it in the future. At that time, I’ll get some for you to wear too.”

“This servant wouldn’t dare wear such a bright color, as it would be inconvenient for carrying out my work. It’s much better suited to you, Young Master.”

Chu Jiubian simply gave him a smile.

Situ Zhaoling was very efficient in her work, and with her talented younger brother Situ Zhaoyao by her side, although it had not yet established large-scale operations, the dye workshop was progressing well. The brother and sister had already figured out how to produce better silk and dye it.

The fabric before Chu Jiubian was made by the Situ siblings and sent to the Divine Realm, but because it was not yet being mass-produced, it was only available in light pink and light blue.

Upon seeing it, Chu Jiubian chose to keep it and wear it to the palace banquet. He would be like a walking advertisement, and once the fabric from Nanjiang arrived, there would be no worries about selling it.

He had intended for he and Qin Xiao to wear matching outfits, so he showed the fabric to him.

When he saw it, Qin Xiao didn’t dislike the pink color at all, and left the final decision up to Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian wanted to make him wear pink just to see how “delicate” the regent would look, but ultimately decided against it.

At an Imperial banquet, Qin Xiao was required to wear robes that conformed to regulations, which would likely be the black and gold python robes that signified his status.

Therefore, Chu Jiubian would have to wear it alone.

However, he had a light blue outfit made for Qin Xiao, and when he got the chance to wear it later, the effect would be the same.

As Chu Jiubian had expected, Qin Xiao readily agreed to Xiao Ruohan’s request, lifting Jiannan-wang’s house arrest and allowing him to attend the Mid-Autumn Festival palace banquet.

On the day of the Imperial banquet, all officials were given the day off.

When the time for the evening banquet arrived, all officials of third-rank or above and their families entered the palace one after another. 

Today’s occasion was very important for the young emperor, so Chu Jiubian didn’t hold back. He brought out fine salt and thirteen-spice powder, and even taught the palace kitchen maids how to make several new dishes, including braised pork and cakes, determined to ensure that the child would enjoy a truly special meal.

Apart from the guest list and the food and drink, which were the more important matters that required the approval of Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, everything else regarding the Imperial banquet was handled entirely by Eunuch Hong.

Security fell under the purview of An Wuji, the commander of the Imperial Guard, and the lockdown of the palace and the entire capital city had begun the day before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

All suspicious individuals would be monitored and questioned. An assassin must not be given the slightest opportunity to cause trouble.

Before the start of the banquet, Chu Jiubian changed into his set of light pink robes. The fabric was soft and lustrous, and draped over him beautifully.

Qin Xiao and company were standing at the entrance of Yangxin Hall when they spotted the young man approaching.

The slightly delicate pink robes featured a silver-white overlapping collar and a matching silver belt. The young man’s silver hair stirred in the breeze, giving him an ethereal, almost divine appearance that seemed out of place in this world.

Qin Xiao was clad in black and gold-embroidered robes, his hair neatly tied up in a golden guan. His eyes were deep-set and sharp, giving him a commanding and imposing presence.

The last time Chu Jiubian had seen him wearing these clothes was the day he had first arrived. Seeing him in them again now, although he was handsome and still looked imposing and fierce, he felt like there was something different about him.

He walked past Qin Xiao without stopping or even sparing him a glance. “Let’s go,” he said.

Qin Xiao watched him walk by, then followed with a soft chuckle and walked beside him: “This color suits you very well.”

“Is there a color that wouldn’t suit me?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Qin Xiao thought for a moment, then said: “None have been discovered yet.”

Chu Jiubian just smiled: “My Lord certainly has a way with words.”

Qin Xiao instinctively turned his head to look at him, his gaze slowly sweeping across those smooth, rosy lips.

Would they be sweet?

The Imperial banquet was held in Haiyan Hall, which was used specifically for large-scale banquets within the palace. It was four times the size of Fengtian Hall, and was decorated with dazzling splendor – adorned with gold and silver gauze curtains and illuminated by swaying lanterns, it made a magnificent and breathtaking sight.

The interior of the hall featured three seating levels, each one step higher than the one below it.

The most prestigious seats were originally reserved for members of the Imperial family, but considering the current unusual circumstances, those seats were occupied by the emperor, the empress dowager, Jiannan-wang, Qin Xiao, and Chu Jiubian – a total of five people. 

The emperor sat in the main seat, facing the others below. To his right sat Jiannan-wang and the empress dowager, and to his left sat Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

On the next tier sat officials of the third rank or above, arranged in order of rank and status.

Sitting on the last tier were the family members brought along by these officials. Besides their wives, many of them had brought their daughters – but none of them had brought their sons.

The main reason for this was that today’s palace banquet was not a social occasion, so there was no point in their sons attending. But it was different for daughters. These young ladies from prominent families had all prepared small performances to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, firstly to showcase their upbringing and bring honor to their fathers and brothers, and secondly – and more practically – to be seen by eligible suitors.

If their talents and personalities impressed any of the ladies of suitable families, further contact would be made, and if all went well, marriage arrangements could be discussed. 

Therefore, all of the young ladies in attendance today were beautifully-dressed in addition to their exquisite demeanors and etiquette, making them a delight to behold.

And it wasn’t just the young ladies; the noble ladies and officials themselves were elegant and dignified, elevating the magnificence of Haiyan Hall with their very presence.

Since everyone had arrived early, they gathered in small groups to chat rather than taking their seats.

This was the established protocol for Imperial banquets: the more powerful the guest, the later they arrived, with the emperor being the last. Only after everyone paid their respects to the emperor and were given permission to sit would the banquet officially begin.

Now that the six first-rank ministers had arrived, it was likely that the two most powerful officials and the members of the Imperial family would soon make their appearance.

Sure enough, it wasn’t long before everyone caught sight of two figures approaching outside the hall.

The hall immediately fell into complete silence, dozens of pairs of eyes fixed on the hall entrance.

---

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Chapter 53 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 55