Chapter 55 Imperial Decree Granting Marriage

The lights outside Haiyan Hall flickered, making it impossible to discern who the visitor was.

But even if you don't want to know, the only ones who will appear at this time are Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

In the silence of the room, the two stepped over the high threshold and into the hall.

The warm light cast a soft halo around them, clearly revealing their figures and features.

The Prince of Ning, dressed in a black and gold python robe, had a calm face and a composed gait. His aura and majesty were so imposing that people dared not look him in the eye. His family members subconsciously avoided his gaze and dared not stare at him directly.

But unlike him, the young man walking beside him was tall and elegant, with long silver hair cascading over his shoulders and back, which complemented the bright and beautiful pink silk brocade robe he wore, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.

As he moved, the fabric of his clothes and his long hair seemed to shimmer with a luminous jade light, and even the crane embroidered on his chest was lifelike, as if it were about to take flight at any moment.

The young man's flawless and beautiful face was so stunning that it seemed otherworldly.

Everyone's gaze involuntarily fell on him, and many people were stunned. Even the ministers who saw Chu Jiubian almost every day had a hint of undisguised amazement in their eyes.

Many people even recalled the day of his coronation ceremony, when the young man, dressed in magnificent robes, fell to earth. Though disheveled, he was so aloof and distant that it was hard to know how to approach him.

With such an air of grandeur and appearance, he truly possesses the bearing of an immortal.

With a true immortal like Chu Jiubian around, people will no longer be able to utter the words "immortal appearance" when they want to praise someone's junior.

Chu Jiubian's expression was cold and aloof, his light-colored, inorganic pupils sweeping over everyone present, from the ministers to the women.

The ministers concealed their emotions well; after that moment of amazement, all that remained was outward respect.

But just as Chu Jiubian had predicted, once the women's attention was diverted from his face, they became fixated on his clothes.

After being used to seeing clothes in somber colors, no woman could resist such a beautiful light pink.

In particular, because this silk has been improved, its luster and drape are a level higher than the previous fabrics. As it reflects the light with movement, it looks as if there is light and shadow flowing.

Moreover, Chu Jiubian's previous job included shooting commercials and magazines, so showcasing the advantages of her clothes and jewelry was a piece of cake for her.

Seeing the undisguised delight in the eyes of those ladies, Chu Jiubian felt that if he were to take out a batch of silk identical to what he was wearing, it would surely be snapped up.

Naturally, even among those ministers, several who were always fond of beauty glanced at his clothes several times.

The most conspicuous one was Wang Pengyi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, whose eyes were somewhat glazed over.

Chu Jiubian withdrew his gaze and headed with Qin Xiao toward the top platform.

The family members on the lowest platform did not speak, but stood on both sides of the main hall without daring to greet them. When they approached, they lowered their eyes and stood solemnly, not daring to raise their eyes. Chu Jiubian even imagined that they were students in class who were afraid of being called on by the teacher.

Only after ascending the second step did the officials bow and pay their respects.

"Greetings, Prince Ning; greetings, Grand Tutor."

Chu Jiubian glanced around; they were all old acquaintances.

Today's palace banquet is a formal affair, and everyone's attire follows certain rules. For example, first-rank officials wear robes embroidered with cranes, while second- and third-rank officials wear robes embroidered with golden pheasants. Military officers from the Ministry of War wear robes decorated with unicorns, lions, and so on.

But none of them were wearing official robes, and the colors and styles were more varied than those of official robes. These old people also looked younger than usual.

Chu Jiubian's gaze lingered on Xiao Huaiguan, the Minister of Personnel, for a few more moments.

This old man loves to act like a senior citizen. He did seem to be in poor health before, but recently he has become more and more energetic, and even his slightly hunched back has straightened up.

It couldn't possibly be a last gasp before death.

A slight smile appeared on Chu Jiubian's lips, but his eyes grew even colder.

If you're willing to court death, then go ahead and do it.

The two passed by a number of ministers, nodding slightly as a greeting.

In terms of rank, Chu Jiubian was actually the same as the Minister of the Six Ministries, but the position of Grand Tutor was independent of the Six Ministries, and Chu Jiubian's status as a "deity" gave him the confidence to be above others.

Therefore, even if he acted more dignified than Qin Xiao, no one would find it problematic.

The two walked to the top platform.

There are only five sets of seats here, all with low tables and cushions, plus a small armrest.

There are two sets on each of the east and west sides, corresponding one to one. The two seats on the west side are for the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Jiannan, while the two seats on the east side are for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian.

As the Empress Dowager was a woman, she could not sit cross-legged, so her seat was equipped with a heel support.

The emperor's seat was on a slightly higher platform in the middle. The cushions were made under the personal supervision of Eunuch Hong. They were high and soft, and even children could reach the items on the table while sitting on them.

Chu Jiubian turned to look at the audience below, easily taking in everyone's expressions.

The hall fell silent after the two of them entered, and even now that they were in their places, no one spoke.

Before long, eunuchs began to announce that the Emperor and the Empress Dowager had arrived together, and naturally, the Prince of Jiannan was following behind them.

Everyone immediately straightened their robes, lowered their heads and composed themselves.

Even the six ministers were all respectful and did not let anyone see their "disrespectful" nature in such a setting.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao naturally couldn't stand out in such a trivial matter; they had to make sure the children's face was taken into consideration.

Baili Hong had just encountered the Empress Dowager and the Prince of Jiannan outside the palace. The two were waiting for him to come in together, and they greeted him with a bow and showed great affection.

Baili Hong stared at the two of them with his bright eyes for a couple of breaths before smiling and saying "Rise" before taking the lead and walking towards the main hall. Hong Fu naturally followed beside him.

Xiao Ruohan's gaze swept over the child's back, but her face still showed a loving smile.

The little child's eyes just now seemed to see through everything, almost making her think she had seen Qin Feng, that woman.

She suddenly realized that Baili Hong was not a simple-minded fool.

This little emperor absolutely cannot be allowed to grow any further!

Baili Hong strode quickly into Haiyan Hall with his short legs. He first looked up at the highest point, and only when he saw his uncle and teacher did his tense body relax.

I'm also more attentive to other people around me now.

However, he didn't recognize any of these family members, so it wasn't very interesting.

He remembered what his teacher had taught him: he was eager to stand with the two of them, but he didn't run away; he maintained his composure.

The children slowed down as they climbed to the highest point.

Chu Jiubian lowered his eyes and saw the child walk past him. He smiled unconsciously, and even his eyes showed a hint of doting affection that he himself was unaware of.

The young emperor sat down in the highest position directly facing the palace gate.

"Greetings!" Eunuch Hong called out loudly.

Qin Xiao led everyone to stand in several long rows in the center of the hall, from high to low, from top to bottom, in an orderly manner.

"May His Majesty live a long and prosperous life," Qin Xiao said, and everyone repeated.

Baili Hong sat in place, looking up at Qin Xiao.

Standing beside my uncle was the Empress Dowager, behind him were my teacher and the Prince of Jiannan, and further back were the court officials.

As the shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" faded, Qin Xiao led everyone to kneel down and bow in worship.

The Empress Dowager was no exception. Although she was nominally Baili Hong's elder, there was a generational gap between them. According to the laws of Da Ning, only Baili Hong's real parents, namely Emperor Yingzong and Qin Feng, did not need to kneel before him.

Everyone else, whether you're an uncle, grandfather, or grandmother, is a "subject".

Chu Jiubian did not kneel, but instead bowed deeply with his hands clasped.

But no one in the court thought it was wrong; in fact, they all thought that if Chu Jiubian knelt down to someone, that person's lifespan might be coming to an end.

The rites to the gods are too much for even emperors to bear, let alone others.

"Rise," the child said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Qin Xiao stood up, and the others followed suit.

Hong Fu called out loudly, "Take a seat."

There were over a hundred guests in the hall, plus several hundred palace servants, yet they moved about without making a sound, only the rustling of fabrics. This showed that everyone was carefully maintaining their demeanor and etiquette.

Qin Xiao turned around and walked to the seat, glancing to his side.

They discovered that the young man had already sat down, his wide sleeves drawing a beautiful arc in the air, and his long hair swaying gently with his movements.

As he sat down, the wide hem of his robe spread out behind him, and his long, silvery-white hair was spread out on the light pink silk, making it impossible to tell which was softer and shinier.

Chu Jiubian looked up at him and slightly raised his eyebrows.

Qin Xiao smiled slightly and sat down, his back straight.

Today, Jiannan King Baili Hai was wearing a bright gold python robe, the kind only princes of the same surname could wear, and sat opposite Chu Jiubian across the wide central aisle.

He saw Chu Jiubian as soon as he entered the hall.

This was the second time he had seen this immortal, yet he found him even more astonishing than the first time.

The first time was at the morning court session. The other party was wearing a crimson official robe, exuding an air of more authority and coldness.

Today, his light pink robe gave him a more gentle and elegant look, which made his superior features and fair skin even more striking.

And even more... tempting.

Chu Jiubian felt the gaze on him and looked up.

When Baili Hai met his gaze, he immediately lowered his eyes in a panic, his long eyelashes trembling slightly, and a blush of embarrassment appeared on his face.

He seemed like a naive and innocent boy who was genuinely shy.

Chu Jiubian twitched his lips.

That was a really bad performance.

Qin Xiao glanced indifferently at Baili Hai.

On the table in front of the young emperor was a small bronze wine vessel. Eunuch Hong sat down a little behind him and poured him a glass of juice.

This juice was freshly squeezed by Chu Jiubian this afternoon. He used white sugar he redeemed from the system and squeezed it together with crisp, sweet apples. The kids love it.

Baili Hong raised his small wine cup, and Hong Fu shouted loudly, "Let the feast begin!"

The eunuchs relayed the message down the chain of command, and then two imperial guards struck the enormous bronze bell outside the hall.

A constant buzzing sound filled the air.

As soon as the bell rang, almost everyone in the hall raised their wine glasses at the same time. After Baili Hong tilted his head back and drank the juice, everyone else followed suit and drank a glass as well.

As the wine entered their throats, everyone couldn't help but be surprised.

It has a rich and mellow flavor, with a spicy kick that doesn't burn your throat, and it warms you all the way down to your stomach.

The brewing technology in Daning is still very backward, even primitive. Not only is the alcohol content low, but the taste is also cloudy, which is commonly known as "cloudy wine".

But the wine in the glass was completely different from these other wines.

The adults, who usually enjoy drinking, smelled a rich aroma of soy sauce as soon as the wine was poured. After tasting it, they almost exclaimed "Good wine!" but luckily they managed to hold back.

However, they tasted the sweetness of it. When the maid refilled the wine glass, they immediately picked it up, took a sip, and savored it with their eyes closed.

The taste is simply like tasting a delicacy from heaven!

Thinking of this, everyone's gaze seemed to drift upwards again, landing on that dazzling pink figure.

This wine must have been brought from the celestial realm by that person.

They, too, benefited from the light and drank the same wine as the immortals!

Among the first-rank officials closest to the top position, Lu Youwei, Minister of War, and Qiu Heng, Minister of Justice, were the most fond of wine.

Chu Jiubian glanced at the two of them and saw that they couldn't wait to drink another cup and looked like they were enjoying themselves. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

This is 15-year-old Maotai, and he spent 20 points on ten bottles. They got a good deal.

Wang Zhiyuan, the Minister of Personnel, preferred tea and found wine to be somewhat sweet and sour, which he considered not very palatable.

But this wine has a completely different flavor.

It tastes a bit spicy at first, but the spiciness gradually disappears, replaced by a rich and lingering aroma.

The more he tasted it, the more he loved it. He couldn't help but look at Chu Jiubian, who was sitting above him, and asked, "Was this wine brewed by Lord Chu?"

Chu Jiubian asked, "Are you all enjoying the drink?"

"This wine is truly delicious," Lu Youwei said. "I wonder if it will be sold in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu Heng's heart stirred, and he immediately said, "My Qiu family has already transported fine salt to the border, and we should be able to return to the capital with profits soon. If this wine can also be sold, our caravan can take it to the border the next time it sets off, and the national treasury will surely be even fuller."

Chu Jiubian may not be able to brew Moutai, but the Qiu family has truly solidified the perception that "merchants prioritize profit."

After the fine salt agreement was signed, the other three companies paid their deposits on time, but the Qiu family kept dragging their feet.

If it weren't for the floods in Hexi County that prompted the Ministry of Revenue to urge the Qiu family to pay, that deposit would have been delayed even longer.

Later, the deposit was paid, but when the Hexi County was hit by a flood, the Qiu family tried every means to embezzle the disaster relief funds, forcing Chao Shun, the secretary of the Ministry of Revenue, to feign illness to evade responsibility.

The Qiu family was stingy even with the deposit, let alone the huge dividends.

Therefore, Chu Jiubian was willing to bring out Moutai today not only to support Baili Hong, but also to whet the Qiu family's appetite.

Using this wine, which promises huge profits, as bait, the Qiu family will surely hand over their share of the fine salt's profits in order to obtain the agency rights.

Chu Jiubian doesn't know how to brew wine, nor would he spend points to buy it; that would be too inappropriate.

With that much faith value, he might as well just buy a cannon and blast whoever he doesn't like.

"Minister Qiu is right," Chu Jiubian said calmly. "If the conditions are right, this wine can certainly be a business deal."

He didn't give a definite answer, only saying "conditions allow," and whether it would be allowed at the time was another matter.

But to Qiu Heng and the others, these words sounded like they were saying, "If the price is right, he'll sell."

The profit margin for alcoholic beverages is not much lower than that for tea.

Therefore, everyone had their own ideas, and Qiu Heng naturally had his own plans as well.

However, this was not a good time to discuss business at the palace banquet, so everyone tacitly refrained from saying anything more.

Not only were they surprised, but the women also curiously tasted the wine in their glasses.

Sweet and mellow, with a subtle wine flavor accompanied by a rich fruity aroma.

It was better than any wine they had ever tasted before!

Su Xier's eyes lit up after taking a bite.

She subconsciously wanted to share it with someone, but looking around, she could no longer see that lively figure who used to joke with her.

The smile on her lips gradually disappeared.

Her throat was dry, so she raised her glass and drank the wine in one gulp.

Seeing this, Madam Su quickly covered her mouth and coughed lightly. When she looked over, she gently shook her head and whispered, "Don't drink too much."

Su Xier smiled reassuringly at her with red eyes, and didn't touch her wine glass again.

With the banquet underway, it's time to serve the dishes.

The bell has rung nine times since the beginning.

As the bell tolled, the palace servants filed in.

They served up a variety of dishes that were unlike anything they had ever seen before, from stir-fried vegetables and meats to braised meats and vegetables, and then to a rich chicken soup made with a variety of seasonings.

Each dish exudes a rich aroma, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

In previous years, no one could actually get enough to eat at the palace banquets, and the dishes were always served cold, consisting of just a few familiar foods that people were used to eating at home.

So most people only ate a couple of bites as a formality, and mostly just sat there or enjoyed the wonderful performances of the girls from various families.

But at today's palace banquet, not only were the dishes served piping hot, but they were also dishes they had never seen before.

So everyone couldn't resist taking a bite.

Once you taste it, you can appreciate its flavor.

The desert-like taste buds finally encountered "sweet rain," and everyone could no longer restrain themselves, taking one bite after another.

Moreover, Chu Jiubian did not order any dry steamed buns or flatbreads; instead, he cooked fragrant rice.

Rice is already available, but northerners still prefer to eat noodles, which are easier to eat with soup.

But right now, soft, cooked rice is still the best match for stir-fried dishes and braised meat.

Delicious!

With celestial wine and celestial delicacies, everyone felt they could live for two more years.

The thought that Qin Xiao and Baili Hong might be able to eat these things every day filled many people with envy and jealousy.

Why did Chu Jiubian only target these two people and remain indifferent to the recruitment efforts of other forces?

Is it because of that so-called love tribulation?

Can't we change players for this?

Or was it because Qin Xiao picked him up on the day he descended to the mortal realm that he became fixated on him?

They can actually catch it, and catch it steadily, so he won't fall!

Their thoughts were in turmoil, but that didn't stop them from enjoying the delicacies of the celestial realm.

They ate one bite of rice and one bite of vegetables, and by the time they realized it, most of the food on the table was gone.

Su Xier was almost dumbfounded when she touched her slightly protruding belly. She subconsciously looked at the others and saw that everyone had eaten quite a bit, just like her, and some were even still eating. Only then did she feel less reserved.

The other women had never eaten so much before, and seeing that everyone else was doing the same, and even the adults had almost finished their meals, they felt relieved.

Then they all restrained themselves from eating, but picked up their wine glasses to take a sip of the sweet fruit wine, feeling incredibly happy.

However, due to excessive drinking, they dared not drink more, only slightly suppressing their appetite before stopping.

They didn't expect that after a while, the palace servants would bring up the trays again.

This time, I'm bringing a dessert—a small piece of cream cake.

The palace servants thoughtfully told these noble ladies that the cake contained milk, and that if they couldn't drink milk, they should avoid it.

There have always been people with lactose intolerance, and the stomachs of ancient people were indeed more delicate than those of modern people.

So even though all the ingredients used except for white sugar were readily available in Da Ning, and the cake was baked in an iron pot, Chu Jiubian still had someone tell everyone about the dietary restrictions.

When Baili Hong saw the cake finally served, his eyes immediately crinkled with laughter.

Chu Jiubian couldn't possibly make cakes for so many people himself, so he only made them the first time, and Qin Xiao also whipped the cream. After that, the people in the imperial kitchen all followed Chu Jiubian's example to make them.

Many of the first cakes he made ended up in Baili Hong's mouth; the kids loved them so much that they wanted more after finishing them.

But Chu Jiubian was afraid he would damage his teeth, so he never let him eat it again until today, when the child ate it for the second time.

Delicious little cakes!

Baili Hong had been waiting for this moment for a long time!

But the child remembered what his teacher and uncle had said, and didn't move around. He sat up straight the whole time, but his lips were tightly pursed, and he swallowed his saliva several times.

The cake was served to everyone's table, including the children's table. While everyone else's cake was a small piece, his was a whole round piece.

It's twice the size of everyone else's!

Wow!

Children are easily satisfied, and immediately flashed a sweet smile at Chu Jiubian, revealing his little teeth.

My husband is very kind. Although he worries that eating too much sweets will damage his teeth, he still gives him candy or small cakes from time to time.

Chu Jiubian winked at him gently, and the little boy, as if receiving a command, immediately picked up his chopsticks happily and started showing off.

Chu Jiubian couldn't help but laugh and subconsciously glanced at Qin Xiao.

Qin Xiao was also looking over.

"What are you looking at?" Chu Jiu asked.

Qin Xiao laughed.

If this had happened at a previous palace banquet, people wouldn't have eaten much and would have just watched the performances for entertainment.

The noble ladies sitting below must have started showing off their talents long ago, but today everyone was only focused on eating, and no one paid attention to the performances.

Xiao Ruohan looked at the half-eaten dishes and cakes on her table. Her face was gentle, but the ruthlessness in her eyes could not be hidden beneath her lowered eyelashes.

So this is the source of the aroma wafting from the Hall of Mental Cultivation every day; so this is celestial cuisine!

She prided herself on being knowledgeable and exceptionally noble, but now it all seems like a joke.

She had never even heard of these things before, let alone eaten them.

She tried her best to suppress the resentment and anger in her heart, and then looked up at Baili Hai beside her again, but was stunned.

She followed the other person's gaze and saw Chu Jiubian talking to Qin Xiao with his head tilted to the side. She didn't know what he said, but Qin Xiao, that fierce man, actually smiled.

Chu Jiubian truly deserves to be called an immortal; even his profile is as perfect as a painting, surpassing even the most beautiful woman in the Xiao family in beauty.

The Xiao family members are fond of beautiful women, and many of the male members prefer men. Xiao Ruohan had long known that her grandson Baili Hai preferred men, but he could like anyone but Chu Jiubian!

That person is no ordinary individual; he can use any condition to his advantage, turning it into a weapon to stab the enemy.

If Baili Hai is captured by Chu Jiubian, the Xiao family will be in its greatest crisis.

In Xiao Ruohan's mind, Baili Hai was naive and ignorant, and was very likely to be deceived and taken advantage of, which made her even more worried.

It seems we really need to arrange a marriage for him as soon as possible.

The day before yesterday, the Xiao family sent a letter asking her to arrange a marriage for Baili Hai, and even selected a suitable candidate. However, she always felt that the current situation was still uncertain, and that the Prince of Jiannan would have a more suitable choice. Therefore, she had not yet made up her mind whether to grant him the imperial decree to marry her.

But now it seems she has no choice but to do so.

In fact, as a prince and a subject, Jiannan Wang's marriage should be arranged by the emperor, even if it was a bestowed marriage. However, if Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan bestowed the marriage in advance and spread the word so that everyone would know, then the emperor should at least give her some face.

Otherwise, rumors of discord within the royal family would also somewhat harm the interests of the royal family.

Xiao Ruohan's eyes were calm, and she glanced at Xiao Huaiguan, the Minister of Personnel, without leaving a trace. He seemed to sense something.

Their eyes met, and Xiao Huaiguan put down his wine cup, looking in Baili Hong's direction, and said, "Your Majesty, today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, a rare and auspicious day for family reunion. My little granddaughter is somewhat skilled in music; I wonder if she may be allowed to present Your Majesty with a song to celebrate the festival?"

Baili Hong knew about this procedure, and seeing that neither his uncle nor his teacher objected, he nodded and said, "Granted."

The palace servants behind Xiao Huaiguan stood up, walked quickly to the side of Old Madam Xiao, and whispered what their superiors had said.

Madam Xiao immediately looked at a young girl sitting behind her. The girl was only a teenager, gentle and beautiful.

She stood up gracefully after receiving her grandmother's gaze.

The maid behind her helped her up, and then took the pipa that had been placed on the wooden stand behind her and handed it to Miss Xiao.

Despite her young age, Miss Xiao was not at all shy. Holding her pipa, she walked to a spot near the second-floor platform, stopped, performed a curtsy, and said a string of auspicious words.

A palace maid brought her a stool, so she sat down and began to play.

Chu Jiubian had seen many child stars and was no stranger to talented children.

He felt somewhat helpless knowing that their performance was a prelude to choosing a husband right now.

Children as young as thirteen or fourteen are expected to start discussing marriage, and then by the time they reach sixteen or seventeen, they are expected to be engaged. Families who dote on their daughters may even keep them for a couple more years.

However, children from ordinary families are expected to get married and start living together by the age of fifteen or sixteen.

Even if you get pregnant and give birth in the same year or the following year, you are still a child yourself, and you have to raise a child. This can be very harmful to your body.

It's no wonder that people don't live long these days. The lack of a balanced diet is secondary; the main problems are overwork and physical damage.

However, Chu Jiubian couldn't just make a snap decision and say that young people shouldn't get married before the age of eighteen. He could only take it slowly and focus on developing traditional Chinese culture first.

When the Xiao family girl finished her performance, the audience erupted in applause.

Then one by one, the girls came forward to perform, playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Except for chess, which could not be performed, all the other arts were performed.

Everyone wanted to show their best side, and indeed, they all had a great time.

Before long, Chu Jiubian saw a girl who looked familiar walk up to him.

He remembered the other person; she was Su Xi'er, the daughter of Su Sheng, the Minister of Revenue.

Previously, at an auction, she was tricked and kidnapped by Zhao Qian, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Zhao Xi, the third daughter of his family. Qin Chaoyang followed her all the way and finally rescued her.

Miss Zhao committed suicide the day after the incident, and Chu Jiubian never heard from Su Xier again after that.

He only saw the name again a few days ago when the list of those who had registered for the imperial examinations was sent from the capital.

Su Sheng must have a powerful backer, and it is very likely that he is one of the seven vassal kings. Therefore, Chu Jiubian did not want the Su family to take the imperial examination.

On the surface, he was a pure minister, not from a prominent family, and his family only had one daughter who came to register.

Since there were already few women signing up, each additional woman would broaden her future path. Therefore, Chu Jiubian asked Qin Xiao to turn a blind eye and not restrict the other party from signing up.

Su Xier performed a long-sleeved dance, accompanied by a transverse flute played by her maid.

With the melodious sound of the flute, Su Xi'er flicked her long sleeves and began to dance gracefully.

Her long hair was half tied up and half down, adorned with white jade hair ornaments and pearls swaying under a gold hairpin. She wore a long white and blue dress, the main body of which was white, while the sleeves and hem were navy blue.

Her skirt cascaded down in layers, rising and falling with her movements, like swaying, multi-petaled flowers.

The flute music was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, until it finally faded away.

Su Xier also completed the entire dance at the same time.

"good!"

"It's so beautiful."

"As expected of a talented woman renowned throughout the capital, her reputation is truly well-deserved!"

Da Ning didn't have the habit of clapping or praising, so everyone just opened their mouths to praise and cheer.

Su Xier had eaten too much and was worried that she would feel heavy when she jumped, but unexpectedly, she had gained strength from the food and was able to jump with even more ease.

With her eyes slightly lowered, she took a few steps forward, gave a slight curtsy to the distinguished guests, and said, "This humble girl has made a fool of herself."

Su Sheng dotes on his youngest daughter, and is currently feeling gratified and proud.

Although the adults around her were usually at odds, they often maintained a facade of harmony, so for a moment everyone praised Su Xier for her talent.

Su Sheng also repeatedly said modestly that his daughter was still young and could not compare to the girls from other families.

Then he wanted to tell his daughter to go back and sit down, but Empress Dowager Xiao Ruohan suddenly spoke up: "What you gentlemen say is true. This girl is very pleasing to my eye. She makes me happy just by looking at her."

She smiled kindly and took off a jade bracelet of excellent quality from her hand, handing it to the nanny beside her: "Give it to the child to play with."

After receiving the bracelet, the nanny walked down to Su Xier and presented it to her with both hands.

One cannot refuse a gift from an elder, and on such an occasion, one cannot disrespect the Empress Dowager.

So Su Xier had no choice but to accept, and thanked him somewhat nervously.

"Good child," Xiao Ruohan said with a smile, "I know you are not yet engaged, but it just so happens that I have a good match for you."

She glanced in Su Sheng's direction, seemingly oblivious to his darkening face, and said, "The Prince of Jiannan is not young anymore. His mother died early, and as his grandmother, I can only make decisions for him..."

"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation!" Su Sheng interrupted her without regard for etiquette, stood up, walked to the center, bowed deeply, and said, "My daughter is unruly. It is already an honor for her to be favored by the Empress Dowager. She must not have any other ambitions."

Below the stage, Su Xier understood the Empress Dowager's meaning. Her face turned pale instantly, and her hand holding the jade bracelet trembled slightly, her knuckles turning white.

Su Sheng's refusal was quite obvious; it was practically a direct statement of "I disagree!"

However, Xiao Ruohan's smile remained unchanged, as if she did not understand his words, and continued: "Minister Su, please do not be modest. I think your daughter is gentle and virtuous, and is worthy of being the Princess Consort of Jiannan."

After he finished speaking, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence.