Mo Yunhan's expression was very grim.
Ye Qi and Qing Sui behind them were also on high alert.
On the contrary, Jiang Qingwan, who was deeply caught in the vortex, leisurely finished the last bite of meat, and wiped her small hands little by little with a handkerchief. The crisp sound echoed throughout the entire hall.
"It's not impossible."
As she spoke, she stood up, gave a faint smile to the worried Mo Yunhan, and then bowed respectfully.
“Your Majesty, although I am a commoner, I am the Ninth Princess Consort, whom you personally bestowed upon me. I am a royal daughter-in-law, not a performer in a theatrical troupe. If it were a family banquet, I would not refuse to add to the atmosphere. However, this is not a family banquet, and it is truly detrimental to the royal dignity for the ministers to incite the current princess Consort to join in the fun.”
The empress looked disdainful.
“If the Ninth Princess Consort cannot summon the true dragon, she should just say so. There’s no need to make it sound so serious. The royal banquet is a time for the Emperor and his ministers to enjoy themselves together. These ministers are the backbone of our Great Zhou Dynasty and are naturally also the Emperor’s family. This banquet can be called the Great Zhou Family Banquet. The noble ladies from various families will also be showcasing their talents. Are you suggesting that this banquet has turned into a theatrical performance?”
Jiang Qingwan responded with an "oh".
"Now I'm relieved. I thought you were all ganging up on me."
Everyone was stunned by the bluntness of the words.
Jiang Qingwan looked at Mo Yunzhao on the dragon throne again.
"Since it's all for the sake of celebration, why not have some good luck? I heard that His Majesty has set up a hundred tables outside the palace today to enjoy the festivities with the people. But there are tens of thousands of people in the capital, so I'm afraid they can't all enjoy the Emperor's favor. Why don't we each contribute a thousand taels of silver, in the name of His Majesty, the Son of Heaven, to distribute rice and flour to the six districts with the most poor people among the eighteen districts?"
She raised her hand and waved as she spoke.
"Green ears of grain".
Qinghui understood immediately and took two steps forward with the tray.
Jiang Qingwan pointed to the items on the tray.
“These pieces of jewelry are worth a thousand taels of silver; I’ll be the first to sign up.”
He then looked at the prince and his officials.
"Weren't you all shouting very loudly just now? Surely you didn't disappoint His Majesty."
"Oh, and Your Highness, since you came up with this plan, you will definitely support it. So let's double it to five thousand taels."
Before anyone could react, she gracefully bowed.
"On behalf of the people, I kneel to thank the Emperor for his great kindness."
Everyone was put on the spot; they had no choice but to comply.
Mo Qingrui stood up, bowed, and echoed her.
"Everything Qingrui has is a gift from the Emperor. My husband and I are willing to be second to him."
Consort Su also took the opportunity to act coy.
"Then I will be the third one."
...
His Highness and his courtiers were all heartbroken, yet dared not disobey.
In an instant, everyone responded to his call, shouting "Long live the Emperor!"
Mo Yunzhao was overjoyed.
"The Ninth Princess Consort's concern for the people brings me great comfort,"
Mo Shaoqing was in a toothache.
"Aunt Jiu, we're all waiting to see the true dragon appear. Let's begin."
Jiang Qingwan looked at him with a smile.
"His Majesty is my witness, so none of you should renege on your promise."
After saying that, he walked out of his seat.
Mo Yunhan was about to come out as well, but she stopped him by raising her hand.
He gave a look to indicate that he was alright.
Mo Yunhan's eyes were filled with deep worry.
She has almost completely lost her cultivation; how can she summon a true dragon?
If not...
Jiang Qingwan had already taken out several blank talismans.
He bit his fingertip and began drawing talismans, his movements as smooth as flowing water.
Each time a talisman is carved, it floats into the air.
Dancing without wind.
Su Yulan gave a soft, cold laugh.
"You're just being mysterious. We'll see how you die later."
Qin Minglang glanced at her sideways, about to ask a question with suspicion, when Jiang Qingwan's voice came from ahead, pulling him back to reality.
"Your Majesty, after a true dragon appears in the world, it will be attracted to those whose dragon energy is gathered. If it rushes straight towards you, please do not panic, it will not harm you."
Mo Yunzhao suddenly glanced at Mo Yunhan.
The chill in his eyes was like a deep, dark pool.
A deep, resonant voice rang out.
"good!"
The next moment, Jiang Qingwan shouted.
"Charge!"
The talisman floating in the air spun rapidly.
A sharp, cold wind suddenly swept through the entire hall.
It seemed as if winter had suddenly arrived.
Strangely, this cold wind did not come from the ground.
Their clothes did not flutter in the wind.
The chill swirled in the air, as if it were truly descending from the sky.
The cold wind gathered into clouds, and lightning struck across the sky.
The sound resounded throughout the entire hall.
The crowd gasped in surprise, all looking up at the increasingly dense clouds.
In the distance, it seemed as if a dragon's shadow was indeed moving through the clouds, appearing and disappearing intermittently.
"Look, there really is a dragon."
"I never expected that the Ninth Princess Consort would actually have such abilities. She's truly remarkable."
Su Yulan gritted her teeth in anger.
"Impossible, how could she possibly summon a real dragon?"
Qin Minglang scoffed dismissively.
"Are you stupid, and do you also think others are stupid?"
He felt increasingly regretful. If he hadn't abandoned Jiang Qingwan back then, with her abilities, he wouldn't have taken so many detours.
Mo Shaoqing looked at the dragon shadow in the clouds, a cold smile flashing in his eyes.
He was genuinely worried that the woman didn't have the ability.
Now things are really messed up. The Emperor was already wary of the Ninth Prince, and now the Ninth Prince's wife can even summon a real dragon. If this gets out, the foundation of the country will surely be shaken.
Then he can reap the benefits.
He poured himself a glass of wine and sipped it leisurely.
Guo Changhong, standing to the side, looked at Mo Yunhan with some concern, wanting to remind him to hide his talents, but the other party did not look at him.
He was powerless to do anything about it and could only shake his head gently.
As the lightning intensified, a low roar of a dragon echoed from within the clouds.
Everyone held their breath, and Jiang Qingwan did not disappoint. Amidst a thunderous roar, a golden dragon shot out from the clouds.
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