*

When Nanqing finished dealing with the affairs of Qinzhou City and returned to Shangjing with Pei Linmo, the timing was perfect, as the next day was Emperor Wei's birthday banquet.

On the day of the birthday banquet, the Wei Kingdom's palace was brightly decorated and resplendent.

Before dawn, palace servants were busy laying out a vermilion carpet embroidered with auspicious clouds in front of the Taiji Hall, and colorful glass lanterns were hung from the palace gate all the way to the main hall. Officials from the Ministry of Rites were running back and forth, checking every detail.

At the hour of Si (9-11 AM), princes and vassal kings from various regions, along with court officials and their families, entered the palace one after another.

Liang was the only foreign country invited to the birthday celebration, and Pei Linmo held a prestigious position in Liang, so he was seated at the front of the banquet.

Today he was wearing a black four-clawed python robe, with a white jade talisman hanging from his belt.

This banquet was attended by officials of the fifth rank or above in the capital, high-ranking officials of the second rank or above in the provinces, as well as princes and nobles from various regions, all of whom brought their families.

Therefore, many young ladies who had not seen Pei Linmo at the previous welcoming banquet could not help but steal glances at this regent of Liang.

"The Emperor has arrived!"

"Her Majesty the Empress has arrived!"

"Her Highness the Crown Princess has arrived!"

With each chant and shout, everyone in the hall knelt in worship.

Fifth Jing wore a bright yellow dragon robe embroidered with nine-symbol patterns and a twelve-crown crown.

Empress Nan Qingwan wore a bright red phoenix robe, embroidered with nine phoenixes in gold thread, exuding dignity and majesty.

Standing beside the Emperor and Empress, Nan Qing was dressed in a bright red robe woven with gold, wearing a six-phoenix pearl crown. His eyebrows were slightly raised, and his lips were slightly pursed, exuding the dignity of a crown prince.

Pei Linmo stood at the head of the Liang Kingdom's envoys, his gaze unconsciously following the familiar red figure.

As soon as Nan Qing entered the hall, her gaze swept across the room and met his dark eyes.

Fifth Jing walked to the high seat and waved his wide sleeves: "Rise."

Everyone in the hall took their seats again.

After the words "Let the feast begin," the eunuchs began to serve out delicacies.

Fifth Jing took a sip of his wine, but his gaze subtly observed the regent of Liang.

During the last welcome-home banquet, he could tell that this person was extremely cunning and unpredictable.

What border patrol? This regent of Liang is clearly chasing after Zhao Yang to Qinzhou City.

Is it genuine affection or ulterior motive that the King of Liang focuses his attention on Zhaoyang?

Nan Wanqing gently reminded, "Your Majesty, it's time to serve the dishes."

Fifth Jing looked in Nan Qing's direction and saw her casually fiddling with the golden jujubes in front of her. He nodded and then signaled the eunuchs to distribute the specially made peach longevity cakes from the imperial kitchen to the officials.

Seeing that it was almost time, Nanqing took the lead in leaving his seat and walked slowly to the center of the main hall, where the music temporarily ceased.

"Your subject wishes Your Majesty a long and healthy life, and a long and prosperous life."

She clapped her hands, and two eunuchs carried in an exquisite wine jar, its body carved with nine lifelike flying dragons.

“Father, this wine is called ‘Longevity Spring’. It was brewed by me personally by collecting a hundred kinds of fresh flowers and aged in the cellar for three years before being taken out today.”

Nan Qing opened the seal himself, and a rich aroma of wine immediately filled the hall.

Fifth Prince Jing loved wine, especially wine brewed by his beloved daughter. He immediately beamed with joy and even secretly gave the Empress a smug look.

See? He said that Zhaoyang respected and loved her father, the emperor, even more!

Nan Wanqing smiled, secretly amused. Qing'er was still as adept at understanding her father's preferences as she had been when she was young.

Smelling the intoxicating aroma of the wine, Fifth Jing, who called himself the "Wine Immortal," couldn't wait any longer: "Zhaoyang, quickly, pour me a cup!"

Nan Qing smiled and personally used a jade wine ladle to pour the amber-colored wine into the Nine Dragon Cup.

Fifth Jing took the wine cup, took a small sip, and was immediately delighted:

"Good! The floral fragrance is intoxicating yet not cloying, and the wine is mellow yet not strong. Zhaoyang has put a lot of thought into it."

Upon seeing this, the officials in the hall praised the Crown Princess's filial piety. Prince Jing, seizing the opportunity, rose and deliberately adopted a worried expression, bowing and saying:

"Your Majesty, I am afraid that my birthday gift cannot compare with the Crown Princess's filial piety, but I only hope to make Your Majesty smile."

As Prince Jing clapped his hands, sixteen guards carried a crystal artificial mountain into the hall. The artificial mountain was over eight feet tall, with flowing water inside, and various koi carp swimming in the crystal-clear mountain, which was very pleasing to the eye.

"Okay, okay, okay!"

"My brother is thoughtful too."

Following this, the various princes and vassal kings presented their gifts. The Prince of Lingnan presented a seven-foot-tall blood-red coral, the Prince of Zhenbei presented a painting of a hundred longevity characters crafted from black iron, and even the twelve-year-old Prince of Huaiyang presented his own handwritten copy of ten thousand volumes of Buddhist scriptures...

When it was time for the ministers to present their gifts, Pei Linmo calmly rose, and the civil official beside him held a scroll of gift lists in both hands, reciting aloud:

"The Kingdom of Liang extends its congratulations to Emperor Wei on his birthday and respectfully presents birthday gifts—"

"One hundred Akhal-Teke horses, one nine-foot-nine-foot red coral from the South China Sea, one hundred bushels of luminous pearls from the East China Sea, one genuine copy of the 'Ten Thousand Miles of Mountains and Rivers' scroll, and one thousand catties of Yunwu tea..."

With each report, the discussions among the officials in the hall grew louder, especially regarding the hundred Akhal-Teke horses. Several military officers in the hall even unconsciously leaned forward. It should be known that the Liang Kingdom was famous for its fine horses, especially the Akhal-Teke horses, which could travel a thousand miles a day and were extremely rare. The gift of a hundred of them was truly a great present.

Even Fifth Jing, standing on the high platform, raised an eyebrow slightly, his eyes showing surprise, followed by a flash of understanding.

This Pei Linmo is quite interesting.

but.....

The list of gifts was read for nearly a quarter of an hour. The officials in the hall went from initial amazement to numbness, and finally to shock.

Although Liang's military strength is currently inferior to Wei's, the gap is not significant. According to etiquette, such a lavish gift is unnecessary for celebrating the Emperor's birthday.

After reciting the poem, Pei Linmo bowed respectfully: "This humble subject congratulates Emperor Wei on his birthday, wishing him a long and prosperous life, as enduring as the moon, as rising as the sun, and as long as the Southern Mountain, never waning or collapsing."

Looking at the figure in the hall, Fifth Jing said meaningfully:

"I appreciate the Regent's generous gift."

"But will there be any objections from the Liang court regarding such a generous gift?"

Pei Linmo looked up at the person on the high seat and said, "Your Majesty is overthinking it. Liang and Wei are on good terms, and this small gift is nothing to worry about."

He spoke casually, but all the civil and military officials in the hall understood that this "small gift" was of great significance, especially the hundred Ferghana horses. It seemed that the Liang Kingdom was indeed under the complete control of this regent.

After the offering of gifts was completed, the sound of bamboo flutes could be heard again in the hall.

Princess Wenyi, daughter of the King of Lingnan, was the first to perform, with her rendition of "The Crane Cries in the Marsh" being melodious and captivating.

Fifth Jing leaned slightly closer to his empress and lowered his voice:

"Look at that girl from the Liu family, her real intentions are not what they seem."

Nan Wanqing covered her smile with her sleeve, her gaze sweeping across the hall. Seeing that many noble ladies were frequently casting their eyes at Pei Linmo, she chuckled softly:

"The regent of Liang is indeed handsome, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and an extraordinary demeanor."

Fifth Jing snorted lightly: "Attracting bees and butterflies." He added: "Such a flamboyant person is unlikely to be a good husband."

Nan Wanqing: "Didn't Your Majesty say that the Regent was delusional? Why are you considering this matter again?"

As soon as the Regent of Liang arrived in the capital, he invited Qing'er to travel with him, and then followed her to Qinzhou City. He has been talking about her a lot these past few days.

One is the regent of Liang who holds real power, and the other is the crown princess of Wei. Such identities are extremely difficult to match.

Fifth Jing glanced at Nan Qing below him and said meaningfully:

"No matter how much I consider it, it can't compare to my daughter Xinyue's feelings."