Beneath the azure sky, birdsong filled the air, and colorful petals danced in the air. Feng Jin chased after Mu Beichen's figure, swaying gracefully with ease. From afar, people could only see two figures dancing in the air, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, their white robes fluttering in the wind, their colorful fans like exquisite paintings. The two twirled and turned, opening and closing, rising and falling, constantly changing their movements, like dragons and phoenixes soaring through the sky. A wonderful song and dance was perfectly natural.
At this moment, in her eyes, Mu Beichen was dressed in white, with long, sword-like eyebrows and long, ink-black hair cascading casually over his shoulders. He was otherworldly and ethereal, exuding an indescribable elegance and otherworldly grace.
He and she would sometimes raise their wrists and eyebrows, their eyes meeting; at other times, they would gently extend their jade fingers, their sleeves fluttering in the wind, the clear music in their ears, and the gentle breeze swirling around them, as if in a dream.
Everyone present was stunned, completely unaware of when they landed.
As the music ended, Mu Beichen and Feng Jin stood before the crowd, and a round of enthusiastic applause erupted. The crowd was in an uproar, and even Mu Qiye couldn't help but stand up and step forward to praise them: "Prince Jing is courageous and resourceful in his actions, and at the same time, he has mastered such exquisite skills. He is indeed a man of many talents. I was right about you after all!"
Upon hearing this, Mu Beichen immediately smiled and said, "Your Majesty flatters me. I merely wish to use this opportunity to entertain everyone here today, and that has nothing to do with anything else."
"Prince Jing, there's no need for such modesty. Our Northern You Dynasty is indeed lacking in talents like you." Mu Qiye slowly approached him and said meaningfully, "If I were to promote you, I wonder if you, my dear minister, would be up to the task?"
"Your Majesty, as one of the subjects of this dynasty, it is only natural for me to serve Your Majesty and be loyal to the country." Mu Beichen understood the meaning behind these words and quickly bowed to Mu Qiye. Although he only lowered his head slightly, he could still feel the unusually sharp gazes cast upon him by everyone.
"Good, well said." Mu Qiye stood tall and proud before everyone, his face glowing, and addressed Mu Beichen, saying each word in a loud voice: "Prince Jing, Mu Beichen, personally raised funds for disaster relief to benefit the people on my behalf. Such a good deed deserves to be rewarded and honored. By imperial decree, he is hereby appointed as Grand General of the State, in charge of all military affairs. So be it!"
As soon as he finished speaking, murmurs arose around them, and Mu Feiyu's face turned extremely ugly. He immediately glared angrily at Feng Yao; this woman was utterly useless, constantly getting herself into trouble and never learning a lesson. This time, instead of using this opportunity to suppress Mu Beichen and his group, he had only emboldened them.
In contrast, Feng Jin was much smarter. She always appeared humble and composed, but she was always able to remain calm and collected. Almost every time, she managed to keep a low profile and accumulate strength before unleashing it.
But now, she has become his rival.
He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in secret, but now, the matter was already settled.
"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your subject accepts the decree and expresses gratitude!" Mu Beichen and Mu Qiye looked at each other, cautious and careful, yet calm and composed, seemingly sharing a tacit understanding.
After a long pause, Mu Feiyu suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I think Princess Jing is quite capable, and her intelligence is in no way inferior to that of men. Why don't we... find her a job in the palace as well?"
"What Your Majesty says is absolutely right." Mu Qiye nodded in agreement, then raised his voice and announced, "I have decided that today, the eldest daughter of the Feng family, Feng Jin, shall be appointed as a Royal Attendant. From this day forward, she may freely enter and leave the palace. So be it!"
At this moment, Feng Jin was still standing there in a daze, as if everything in front of her was just an illusion. She never thought that she would inexplicably become a female official when she was just looking for a free meal at the banquet. Even now, she still couldn't quite believe her eyes.
Mu Beichen suddenly tugged at her sleeve, forcing her to gradually come back to her senses. She hurriedly curtsied to Mu Qiye and said, repeating Mu Beichen's words, "Thank you, Your Majesty. Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses gratitude."
The melodious sounds of string and bamboo instruments filled the air, and the atmosphere returned to its original mundane scene of singing and dancing. At this moment, however, Feng Jin was thinking about something else entirely.
Everyone says that working in the palace is the hardest job, and she's always agreed with that, especially since she's now working right next to the Emperor. If she's not careful, she could face utter ruin. In fact, from the moment she married Mu Beichen, she was destined to be drawn into all the power struggles and intrigues within the royal family.
As night fell, the banquet gradually drew to a close.
The Emperor, Empress, and the concubines of the various palaces have all left the banquet one after another, and the officials have followed suit in leaving the palace.
Mu Beichen and Feng Jin, each with their own thoughts, went straight to the most secluded area in the city. They stood on the shore of Mirror Lake, watching the boatmen row their small boats across the lake. On the other side, there were groves of willows, their green branches swaying in the wind. The scenery before them was like a paradise on earth.
Feng Jin folded a small lotus boat, clasped her hands together and silently prayed. She carefully placed the lotus boat on the lake and watched it drift away. She let out a long sigh, her mind in turmoil.
"Do you know why I'm good at singing and dancing?" Mu Beichen suddenly asked.
She immediately shook her head, without replying, and stared at him with a puzzled expression.
Mu Beichen slowly shifted his gaze to the side and sighed, "My mother was originally a palace maid. From the moment I was born, my mother and I were targeted by everyone in this palace. The court officials argued about this constantly, and the concubines in the harem regarded me as a thorn in their side, watching me closely at all times. Therefore, my mother died without ever receiving a title."
At this point, Feng Jin's expression changed from confusion to astonishment. She remained silent, trying her best not to interrupt him.
"You might not believe it if I told you, but I've never cared about these superficial fame and fortune. I firmly believe that nothing in this world is absolute. Being born humble makes it easier to preserve one's strength. In fact, I can easily pretend to be stupid and make others believe it. Everyone thinks I'm just a useless person who's good at singing and playing instruments, but no one knows that I'm secretly studying military strategy and honing my self-defense skills."
But... what I hate most is that no matter how hard I tried, I still couldn't escape that calamity. When the late emperor was on his deathbed, the Northern You Kingdom faced siege from all the countries of the Five Continents. Yet, in order to protect Mu Qiye, he forced me, as the eldest prince, to go to the Jiang Lan Kingdom as a hostage in place of Mu Qiye. I stayed in the enemy country for a full seven years until the day Mu Qiye ascended the throne, when I was finally allowed to return to the territory of the Northern You Kingdom.
After that, I spent three years painstakingly maneuvering and feigning weakness between Mu Qiye and Mu Feiyu, finally winning their trust. It was in that year that I was bestowed the title of Prince. Therefore, I constantly endured the pangs of my conscience, using you to lure Mu Feiyu into gradually lowering her guard, because only in this way could I ensure my own invincibility.
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