The little ferret, always eager for excitement, became even more thrilled, clapping its paws loudly as if applauding, its innocent eyes carrying a hint of schadenfreude.
"Tonight is going to be very exciting." Regardless of who wins or loses, this night will definitely leave a deep impression.
An Honghan looked up at the night sky, where stars twinkled and shone with their own light.
Inside the Liuyun Palace, all the ministers and envoys had arrived. Many ministers were chatting together, occasionally bursting into laughter. The scene was quite peaceful.
However, this is only the surface. In reality, behind their smiles lie countless conspiracies and schemes.
Xi Xizhi's interest waned slightly as he looked at the ministers' fake smiles.
Thinking to myself, it seems I'm not so much looking forward to it anymore.
As soon as An Honghan stepped into Liuyun Palace, all the ministers knelt down and bowed, shouting, "Welcome, Your Majesty!"
"Rise." An Honghan casually flicked his robes and carried the Phoenix Cloud Sable to the seat of honor.
Dongfang Youyu and the other envoys were all seated on the lower right. Their attire differed from that of the other ministers, so Xi Xizhi noticed him at first glance.
A palace maid carried a wine pot and poured wine for An Honghan.
The trembling sound of flowing water made Xi Xizhi's ears twitch. Watching the wine glass gradually fill up, Xi Xizhi swallowed and leaned in, preparing to take a sip to satisfy her craving.
Just as the claws were about to touch it, a large hand descended from the sky and lifted the wine glass that was only an inch away from it.
Xi Xizhi's little head followed that hand, gradually looking up, finally settling on An Honghan's handsome face.
Enraged, Xi Xizhi shook her fur and reached out with her paws to snatch it.
An Honghan moved the wine glass away, his brows furrowing. "You have a wound on your back, and you dare to drink? Do you want to have a scar?" After saying this, he picked up the wine glass, brought it to his lips, and drank it all in one gulp, completely extinguishing Xi Xizhi's hopes.
Xi Xizhi gritted her teeth and cursed inwardly. But she wasn't blind; she knew that An Honghan was doing this for her own good.
"Pour a glass of water." Worried that the little sable was really thirsty, An Honghan turned to the palace maid and ordered.
The palace maid paused for two seconds before reacting and replying, "This servant obeys."
So Xi Xizhi held the glass of water and licked it every now and then.
Her charming and innocent appearance immediately attracted the attention of many people.
Dongfang Youyu's gaze was also fixed on the little white ball, a faint smile playing on his lips. "So adorable, no wonder the Imperial Advisor managed to infiltrate the palace..."
Their Grand Preceptor of the Kingdom of Luyun, besides being skilled in divination and prediction, only seemed to care a lot about animals. His residence alone housed a large number of real birds and beasts.
Dongfang Youyu had never paid attention to animals, because his adversaries had always been humans. But now, seeing that mink, he felt it possessed a kind of magic that made him unable to resist drawing his gaze to it.
"It's just a sable, I really don't know why His Majesty treats it like a treasure. Look closely, that sable has such a big burn scar on its back. If it were me, I would have thrown it away long ago. Keeping it would be a disgrace."
A young minister not far away snorted, seemingly disliking Feng Yun Diao. Although they wore court robes, they could not hide their inherent frivolousness.
People who speak so recklessly are obviously the ones who climbed to their positions by spending money and pulling strings. Corruption exists in every dynasty, so this kind of thing is quite common.
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Youyu's gaze darkened. "Short-sighted, not understanding its true value."
The two guards beside him were a little confused, not understanding why their usually composed prince would say such a thing.
The banquet had begun. Lynn beckoned to the musicians, and the music gradually stopped, leaving the Flowing Cloud Palace completely silent.
An Honghan sat atop the nine-tiered platform, exuding an aura of dominance. He picked up the cup of wine on the table and slowly raised it, saying, "Crown Prince of Luyun Kingdom has come from afar. I will first offer you a toast as a way of welcoming your arrival."
An Honghan drank it all in one gulp.
Dongfang Youyu brushed his robes and stood up, a smile spreading across his face. "This cup of wine should be offered to His Majesty by me. Your Majesty is being far too kind."
The two of them exchanged pleasantries, but it was all just polite talk.
Xi Xizhi sat at the table, patiently observing their movements. Her bright eyes darted between An Honghan and the smiling tiger.
The two exchanged pleasantries, but there was a hint of distance between them.
Xi Xizhi sat there bored, wondering what kind of difficult questions Dongfang Youyu would ask...
Staring intently at the incomparably handsome Crown Prince, Xi Xizhi wondered, "Could it be that the more treacherous and dark one's heart becomes, the more handsome one's appearance grows?" Seeking the answer, Xi Xizhi then turned to look at An Honghan, who was equally dignified...
Both of these men are wolves in sheep's clothing. No... An Honghan is a genuine wolf, at least he doesn't hide like Dongfang Youyu and shows his true self to others.
Just as Xi Xizhi was getting bored and about to fall asleep, Dongfang Youyu finally got to the point, "I've heard that the Sixth Princess is exceptionally talented, and I originally came to Fengze Kingdom hoping to witness it for myself. Unfortunately, she passed away just a few days later. However, I've long heard that Fengze Kingdom has many talented women, and I'd like to see their dancing skills. For this purpose, I've specially brought a few dancers along, hoping they can have a competition."
Dongfang Youyu spoke with great humility, revealing not a trace of arrogance or conceit. Yet, in this very manner, he clearly and simply stated his purpose.
Dancing? She quite liked that; compared to pushing, pulling, singing, and playing instruments, dancing seemed much more interesting. Xi Xizhi eagerly sat up straight, her bright, pearly eyes gazing expectantly at those below.
An Honghan reached out and slapped it as a warning, "Why are you so happy when others are causing trouble for me? Or are you trying to side with outsiders?"
Xi Xizhi was speechless when asked the question. It seemed that its identity was An Honghan's pet, so it could be considered one of his "people". Since it was one of his "people", it had to side with its own people regardless of right or wrong. Xi Xizhi was troubled and chewing on its paws.
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