On the high platform, apart from the emperor's chief seat, seats were arranged in the other three directions. Several young princesses and sons and daughters of court officials sat on the west and south sides, while the guests on the east side were the regent Mu Feiyu, Prince Xuan Mu Zixuan, and Prince Jing Mu Beichen, who were seated in an orderly manner.
Mu Beichen sat in the third seat, next to Mu Zixuan. He was dressed in a black brocade robe and had a handsome face, making him very eye-catching.
Feng Jin took her seat a few meters away from Mu Beichen. She raised her long eyelashes slightly and looked at Mu Beichen and Mu Zixuan with some curiosity. They looked like country men, drinking and chatting from time to time.
Regardless of the occasion, the two brothers spent the vast majority of their time together, which speaks volumes about their close relationship.
Even Feng Jin felt that she, as the Princess Consort of Jing, seemed somewhat superfluous.
Her gaze shifted slightly, slowly turning towards Mu Feiyu. He sat in the head seat on the east side, wearing a jade crown and a yellow robe. His long, snow-white hair cascaded down to his waist, and his entire body shimmered with golden light!
To date, no minister in the Northern You Kingdom has dared to dress so ostentatiously in front of the emperor. It seems that this renowned regent prince has already made no attempt to conceal his position at the pinnacle of power.
Mu Feiyu seemed to sense Feng Jin's gaze as well, and then looked over with a complex and aloof expression. He tilted his head, making his nose appear straight and his skin very fair.
Feng Jin gave him a forced smile out of politeness, then quickly looked away.
With drums and music playing all around and cheers erupting, the banquet was reaching its climax.
Amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation, graceful young women appeared one after another, dancing to the melodious music.
However, it was obvious to anyone with discerning eyes that the people present were merely exchanging pleasantries and going through the motions. In reality, everyone was incredibly bored. While the performance on stage was indeed lively and peaceful, it was something that was commonplace in the palace.
At this moment, a mysterious and melodious zither sound gradually spread like a tide, slowly entering the ears. When everyone looked up again, they saw that the person playing the zither in the center of the high platform was extremely dazzling. A red robe was draped in layers to the ground. Her eyebrows were slightly raised, her eyes were like spring water, and her jade fingers skillfully plucked the strings. Beautiful and ethereal zither music flowed from her fingertips, sometimes as soothing as a flowing spring, gentle and tranquil, and sometimes as rapid as a waterfall, high-pitched and passionate...
It was none other than Feng Yao, the second young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion.
She still wore a stunningly beautiful makeup look, her red dress was as red as blood, her black hair reached her waist, and every move she made exuded a charming and alluring aura.
It really was Feng Yao! Before she could even make a move, her opponent delivered himself to her doorstep. Feng Jin flicked her sleeve, casually grabbed a grape, and popped it into her mouth, trying her best to hide her inner excitement.
"I never expected that this young lady would have such remarkable musical skills at such a young age. It's truly incredible." People cast admiring glances at Feng Yao, while the young masters present quietly tapped their fingers to the beat.
Upon seeing this, even Mu Qiye couldn't help but put down his wine. His eyes were no longer able to leave Feng Yao. He had thought that the second young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion was only born out of wedlock and was far less noble than Feng Jin. Keeping such a pretty face by his side would not be of any help to him.
Unexpectedly, the second young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion was just as people said, possessing a stunningly beautiful appearance. Such a heavenly beauty was extremely rare even in the palace. Perfect timing, he could take advantage of today's birthday banquet to casually bestow a concubine title upon Feng Yao, making it easier to meet her in the future.
On the other side, Mu Zixuan stared at Feng Yao and couldn't help but laugh. Then, he moved his face closer to Mu Beichen and said with great interest, "Second brother, this Feng Yao is no less beautiful than your sister-in-law, the princess. In my opinion, why don't you let these two beauties serve you together?"
Mu Beichen didn't bother to reply, just sipping his wine intermittently, seemingly not paying any attention to the banquet.
The song ended in the blink of an eye, but the lingering sound still echoed in my ears.
As Feng Yao slowly stood up, she was immediately greeted with applause and cheers from the crowd.
Undoubtedly, Feng Yao was very excited at this moment. She accompanied Feng Qingyun into the palace, nominally because of the Princess Consort of Jing. Now, with her superb musical skills, she could easily steal the spotlight in front of the Emperor and the young masters of various wealthy families.
However, Princess Feng Jin, the wife of Prince Jing, was never noticed by anyone from beginning to end.
She moved gracefully and slowly across the front of the zither platform. When she looked up, she met Feng Jin's strange gaze. They smiled at each other, as if a sharp edge had flashed between them.
"Nowadays, only Kunlun Immortal Music can rival such a wonderful piece of music. I have long heard that the second young lady of the Prime Minister's mansion, Feng Yao, is exceptionally talented and beautiful. Seeing her today, I can confirm that she is indeed extraordinary."
"Miss Feng Yao truly lives up to her reputation as one of the most outstanding people in the capital. I admire her greatly!"
The crowd was noisy, and several young men planned to play a duet with Feng Yao using flutes, xiao, or poetry.
Feng Yao glanced at Feng Jin with a smug look on her face. She had been preparing for a month to make a great appearance at the Emperor's birthday banquet, but now, Feng Jin, the Princess Consort of Jing, had been easily overshadowed by her.
Mu Feiyu looked in Feng Yao's direction, and it seemed as if a beam of cold light pierced through it. Feng Jin happened to notice this moment, and she glanced in Mu Feiyu's direction, smiling somewhat strangely.
Mu Beichen's gaze fell on Feng Jin, whose smile was as beautiful as a flower in the sunlight, her eyes sparkling. The light blue skirt beneath her was stirred by a gentle breeze, as if it were floating on a crystal lake.
Feng Yao knelt before Mu Qiye, about to speak, when Mu Feiyu's cold voice suddenly rang in her ears: "Your Majesty, this person is Feng Yao, the second daughter of Prime Minister Feng. A few days ago, she offered herself to Your Majesty and asked for the position of Imperial Concubine, but her request was rejected. Now, instead of reflecting on her mistakes at home, she is shamelessly flaunting herself everywhere. I suggest that Your Majesty should handle this matter properly."
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere fell into a terrible silence. Everyone's face turned ugly. Although Mu Feiyu was usually domineering, they had never seen him openly get angry for anyone.
Mu Qiye looked ahead and saw Mu Feiyu stride forward with an air of utter disdain for all living beings. He unconsciously withdrew his smile: "Uncle is absolutely right. However, in my opinion, Feng Yao is truly exceptional in both talent and appearance, possessing the demeanor of a lady from a distinguished family. Therefore, I intend to..."
Mu Feiyu suddenly gave a cold laugh, interrupting Mu Qiye's half-finished sentence: "Miss Feng Yao has been proficient in playing musical pieces since childhood. I'm afraid she has put all her energy into how to please men. I must say, Prime Minister Feng really knows how to teach his daughter."
As the prime minister of the dynasty, Feng Qingyun was always flattered and respected wherever he went. Now, he was in a very awkward situation. He wanted to go up and defend his precious daughter, but he just didn't have the courage.
Seeing this, everyone fell silent, and Feng Yao was even more disappointed, her face turning red and green in an instant, and her original bowing had turned into a forced kneeling.
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