Chapter 287 Does Lin Shiyuan want a woman like this as a concubine?

Below the emperor and empress's seats were the concubines, followed by princes and high-ranking officials, with the women's families behind them. Yao Qingling's seat was at the very end of the women's family.

Of these ladies of noble birth, only Qingling was a merchant's daughter.

When she looked towards the emperor and empress's seats, it was so far away that she could barely see what the emperor looked like, let alone hear what he was saying.

She followed others' actions; when they raised their glasses, she also picked up her own glass and grinned.

Then, silently eat the food in front of you.

Honestly, no matter how good the dish was, it would have gone cold long ago after such a long time, and you wouldn't even be able to get a hot bowl of soup.

No wonder these nobles are all so "dignified," taking only a bite of each dish.

Qingling had seen the world, and as she watched the graceful singing and dancing before her, she gently tapped her fingers to the rhythm.

The musicians' performance was quite good, much better than those in the entertainment venues.

Her gaze followed the dancer's movements.

The dancer held a pipa in her hand, playing and leaping lightly and joyfully. Her ribbons fluttered in the wind, like a fairy flying to the moon, heading straight for the emperor.

She was young, beautiful, and had a graceful figure; all the men's eyes were glued to her.

Qingling thought that holding a pipa and performing such a beautiful dance must have required a lot of hard work.

Her leap wasn't to the moon, but to the imperial harem.

With the loss of Consort Shu, the inner palace is stirring with unrest, and the ministers in the court are also getting restless, wondering whose daughter this is...

As Qing Ling was pondering, her gaze unexpectedly met that of Lin Shiyuan.

He was the greatest contributor to this major palace case, the most outstanding man in the entire previous dynasty, and naturally, the seat assigned to him was next to the emperor.

At such a distance, Qingling never imagined he would look over.

The man's expression was indifferent; his gaze lingered on Qing Ling's face for only a moment before shifting away.

Qing Ling's lips curled slightly as she took a small sip from her wine glass.

Others might not understand, but Lin Shiyuan's gaze conveyed that he was unhappy because she had seen too many beautiful women.

This person is really something.

She even interferes with women's opinions.

He's not normal. Such a beautiful young lady, why is he looking at her instead of other girls?

Lin Shiyuan remained expressionless, took a sip of wine indifferently, and watched the dance with a detached gaze.

He thought Yao Qingling would deliberately look at him, wondering if she was staring at him lustfully like other men, but to his surprise, she didn't have that thought at all and was looking at him even more enthusiastically than he was.

The man was inexplicably amused by her, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

Just then, from the opposite side, Prince Xin's voice came: "Minister Lin, who is usually so serious, is actually smiling now. Do you find the dance beautiful?"

Lin Shiyuan, whose name was called, paused slightly. He knew without looking that everyone else, including the emperor, was looking at him.

Lin Shiyuan said, "This humble official does not understand music theory, nor does he know the beauty of dance. He only finds the music pleasant and it seems to be able to uplift his mood."

The dancer stopped dancing, held her pipa, first bowed to the Emperor and Empress, then turned to Prince Xin and Lin Shiyuan to bow, and said, "This is a celestial music and dance that Lan'er composed herself. I'm just showing it off to you all."

The woman's voice was soft and gentle, her eyes were like rippling waves, and every move she made captivated men's hearts.

The emperor, intrigued, asked, "Where are you from? What's your name?"

The woman answered each question gently.

Then, a portly minister stepped forward from the banquet, bowed to the Emperor and Empress, and said, "This is my youngest daughter, Ye Lan. She has loved poetry, songs, and dance since childhood, and especially melody..."

Then came a long string of praise.

But everyone at the table was shrewd; who would be willing to raise their daughter as a geisha?

Ye Lan was clearly just a kept woman he'd adopted as his daughter. He was taking advantage of the opportunity to curry favor.

A mocking gaze swept over him, but the old minister wasn't angry. Instead, he was quite certain that the emperor would take the woman in his arms.

Empress Zhou frowned slightly and glanced at the emperor's expression.

It was obvious at a glance that the emperor was fond of this woman.

But how could such a bewitching woman be allowed to enter the palace?

Empress Zhou was displeased. After thinking for a moment, she suddenly asked, "Has Vice Minister Lin married?"

Lin Shiyuan was taken aback, and replied, "I have spent the first half of my life fighting on the battlefield, and in recent years I have been wandering around. I have no plans to marry yet."

Empress Zhou said, "Now that you are a Vice Minister, holding a high position, many women are attracted to you. Vice Minister Lin is not young anymore, shouldn't you consider settling down?"

Lin Shiyuan wondered if the Empress was going to give this woman to him, and he glanced at Yao Qingling out of the corner of his eye.

Yao Qingling couldn't hear what was happening ahead, but she saw a pot-bellied old man and a woman holding a pipa saying something to Lin Shiyuan.

Although Yao Qingling couldn't see what was happening in front of her, she could see the amused expressions on the faces of the others.

Could it be that the Emperor is going to send a woman to Lin Shiyuan?

In the storybooks Yao Qingling had read, there was an emperor who loved to play matchmaker and randomly paired up couples.

Qingling gritted her teeth, anxious to see how Lin Shiyuan would answer.

Although the dancer was beautiful, she was still just a dancer. Was she to be given to Lin Shiyuan as a concubine?

Would Lin Shiyuan want a woman like that as a concubine?

Ahead, Lin Shiyuan rose and bowed, replying to Empress Zhou: "Your Majesty, I am a humble man. Miss Ye Lan is of noble birth, and I dare not presume to presume upon her."

Prince Xin spoke up: "Minister Lin's life is usually quite dull. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were more beautiful women in your household to take care of you, both physically and mentally?"

As soon as he finished speaking, laughter erupted from the room.

This is both good for the body and the mind, and incredibly ambiguous; only a romantic figure like Prince Xin could utter such words.

Lin Shiyuan suppressed his anger and gave Prince Xin a gloomy look.

Empress Zhou smiled and said, "Prince Xin, you're used to making a fool of yourself. Minister Lin isn't a playboy like you who can be so easily manipulated. Minister Lin is an important official in the court; don't make jokes about him."

Prince Xin, holding his folding fan, bowed in the direction of the Empress and said nothing more.

Zhan Xingzhuo raised an eyebrow and said to Lin Shiyuan, "I have often heard that dancing is hard work. Miss Ye Lan has endured such hardship that is not something that ordinary people can endure. What hardship can't she endure? Minister Lin, please rest assured. Besides, you are now a minister. Your salary is more than enough to support a beautiful wife."

Lin Shiyuan glanced at Zhan Xingzhuo, then bowed to the Empress: "Your Majesty, I still have a younger sister in my household. My sister and I depend on each other for survival, and I am filled with longing for the past..."

He spoke at length, essentially saying that he had been on the battlefield for many years and had neglected to care for and discipline his younger sister, resulting in her spoiled and arrogant nature. He feared that Ye Lan might not get along with him if she came to his residence, and that he did not want to wrong either his sister or Ye Lan, so he asked the Empress to reconsider.

During the gathering, everyone knew that Lin Shiyuan had a straightforward and blunt personality, and he wouldn't refuse in a tactful way like a civil official.

Before she could finish speaking, Ye Lan's eyes reddened, and she bowed to the Emperor and Empress while holding her pipa before hastily leaving.

Qingling only noticed that the girl seemed about to cry.

She touched her nose and secretly glanced at Lin Shiyuan.

What's going on?

Ye Lan's words put Ye Siqing in a very difficult position, like he was being roasted over a fire.

This is spoiling the emperor's mood; trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice instead.

Ye Siqing knelt down and apologized.

The emperor grew impatient, coldly waved his sleeve, said he was tired, and got up to leave.

Empress Zhou remained unfazed and ordered the next program.

But she didn't stay any longer; she sat for a while and then left.