Chapter 212 - 149
The atmosphere of this dynasty is open, and the grand feast in the palace is an occasion for Your Majesty, the Empress, to celebrate with the influential ministers and princes of the royal family. Naturally, high-ranking concubines of the harem can also attend.
The seating arrangement does not distinguish between men and women. Xie Wanqing and Pei Yuqing were guided by the eunuch to their seats.
As the Holy Emperor’s highly favored nephew, it wouldn’t do to place him too far away; they were merely a few steps apart.
Xie Wanqing slightly turned her head and saw her aunt, Lady Shufei, smiling and nodding affectionately at her. In those gentle eyes, who would believe there could be a merciless betrayal capable of poisoning her?
Even though she told herself not to dwell on the cause of her past life’s death, this was, after all, the first time facing her ’family’ who was her murderer since learning the truth. Xie Wanqing still felt somewhat uneasy in her heart. After barely nodding in salute, she withdrew her gaze.
As she turned her face, her gaze inadvertently swept across and met someone directly opposite, causing her pupils to involuntarily contract. This time, Xie Wanqing’s expression was even stiffer than when she faced her mortal enemy.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly lowered her eyes to avoid the gaze from across.
She had thought upon leaving that this palace banquet wouldn’t make her encounter this person again, yet as soon as she sat down, she found him right opposite her.
Pei Yuqing noticed her anomaly, raised his gaze, and saw Lu Ziyuan sitting alone opposite him. Thus, the two men seemed to engage in a silent contest, as if whoever looked away first would concede defeat, staring at each other across the hall.
The ministers around, noticing this development, dared not make a sound to interrupt, intimidated by Lu Ziyuan’s usual cold and hard demeanor.
It wasn’t until a group of dancing girls appeared and began their performance in the center of the hall, blocking the view between the two men, that they finally stopped.
The dance arranged in the palace was naturally extremely novel. A dozen dancing girls dressed in exotic costumes, charming and enchanting, displayed a section of their waists while swaying gracefully. Among them, the dancer in the center was the most captivating, with a straight nose, deep-set eyes, and the most beautiful dance.
Even Xie Wanqing, who had been somewhat distracted, gradually became entranced.
When the dance ended, everyone praised it highly.
The emperor laughed and said, "This is a song and dance presented by Yu Aiqing, Qiang clan women. If any of you esteemed ministers fancy one, I can gift them."
The surname Yu is rare, and the only official with that surname to be addressed by the Emperor is Yu Cheng, the Great General and Commander of Xiangzhou at Yanyun Pass.
Yanyun Pass is at the Southwest Border of the Great Khan, beyond which lays the Qiang clan. This clan, often disregarded by the Great Khan, suddenly invaded a few years ago, with their cavalry nearly breaking through the pass. It was the Great General Yu Cheng who led the troops to barely hold on, though greatly weakened.
Although one invasion was not successful, the Great Khan was unable to fully crush them, leading the Qiang clan to realize that the Great Khan was not so unshakable after all.
In recent years, the Southwest Border has been plagued by continuous warfare, and the Jin Dynasty beyond the Yangping Pass of Northern Border has repeatedly invaded, leaving the Great Khan overwhelmed.
Last year, Lu Ziyuan went to Yunzhou to capture Lü Ping, who was colluding with the Qiang clan, attempting to cooperate internally and externally to disrupt the Great Khan’s realm.
Currently, the ministers on the hall were somewhat astonished that these graceful dancing girls were identified as the uncivilized Qiang clan they had known.
It seems the Emperor intends to gift them to the ministers rather than keep these exotic dancers in the palace permanently.
The ministers exchanged glances, quite willing to have one or two dancing girls bestowed by the Holy Emperor added to their own courtyards, but none wished to appear eager before the Emperor and colleagues, so even if they fancied one, no one wanted to be the first to ask.
Yet Xie Wanqing’s eyes lit up, pondering whether to bring home the leading beauty to dance for her every day, when she heard Pei Yuqing beside her clasp his hands and propose, "Given that foreign troubles plague the borders, relying on military generals to conquer and achieve success, it would be better for Your Majesty to bestow these exotic beauties upon the unmarried generals."
With these words, the hall fell silent immediately.
Everyone knew that the Great Khan had been increasingly beset by internal and external troubles over the years. The military generals were more and more valuable and busy, and most were stationed at the border, with a few dispatched domestically to quell internal upheavals. Commanders of major areas were never called back to the Capital without urgent reason.
Generals who could leisurely remain in the Capital during the New Year were either burdened with injuries and illnesses or had grown old and frail. Officials present at the palace banquet were at least of third-rank or higher, and still unmarried...
When these conditions were listed one by one, apart from Lu Ziyuan, no one else met them in the hall.