"You have all worked hard. You have made great contributions to the Qin Dynasty on this expedition, and I am very pleased with you." Ying Zheng looked around at the generals present, his eyes revealing praise and trust.
"Your Majesty flatters us. We were merely fulfilling our duties and serving the country," the generals, including Efu, replied humbly, bowing respectfully.
Ying Zheng nodded and continued, "In that case, let's return to the city first. You should all go back and freshen up. Tonight, I will host a banquet at Zhangtai Palace to welcome you all back!"
"We thank Your Majesty!" the evil man and the others responded in unison, especially the surrendered generals such as Bao Yuan, whose faces showed obvious excitement.
To be personally hosted by the King of Qin upon arrival is an honor and a sign of great importance. The king's banquet wasn't because they lacked food; rather, it was for the extraordinary significance it represented.
Once inside the city, everyone went home to their own families and mothers, preparing to attend the banquet at the palace that evening. Ying Zheng, on the other hand, returned to the palace under the protection of guards and ceremonial guards.
Upon returning to the palace, Ying Zheng immediately ordered: "Take out all the best ingredients from the storehouse and decorate Zhangtai Palace. I will be hosting a grand banquet tonight."
Following Ying Zheng's order, the palace quickly sprang into action.
Inside Zhangtai Palace, the lights shone brightly. Musicians tuned their instruments and danced gracefully, preparing for the king's banquet that night. Palace maids moved among the halls, setting out fine wines and delicacies to ensure everything was ready.
As night fell and stars dotted the sky, Ying Zheng and his court officials entered Zhangtai Palace together.
He ascended the platform and laughed loudly, "Gentlemen, please take your seats!"
"Your Majesty, we thank you!"
The ministers bowed respectfully and then took their seats.
On the table before them, fine wine flowed like a spring, and delicacies piled up like a mountain. The emperor and his ministers laughed and chatted, recounting their military exploits.
Ying Zheng frequently raised his cup to toast the meritorious generals and other generals of this battle, expressing his gratitude to them.
"This victory not only expands the borders of our Great Qin, but also demonstrates the might of our Great Qin to the world." Ying Zheng's words were filled with pride.
"We are willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty without hesitation!" the wicked man and the others responded in unison, their voices resounding and powerful.
As the drinking progressed, the atmosphere in the hall became increasingly casual and harmonious. Ying Zheng set aside his usual kingly dignity and chatted with his civil and military officials like old friends.
Just then, General Yang Duanhe suddenly spoke up: "Your Majesty, this program is a bit bland. Wu Shilu said to prepare some exotic elements, so why are you hiding them?"
Upon hearing this, everyone stopped drinking and stared intently at Ying Zheng, who sat in the highest position.
Their information network was extremely efficient; by the afternoon they had heard that Wu Shilu had put on some programs they had never seen before to celebrate the triumphant return of her wicked husband.
However, due to etiquette, they could only wait anxiously and dared not ask. Seeing Yang Duanhe as the one to speak up, they were naturally happy to see him sooner.
Ying Zheng didn't take his careless words to heart, and instead laughed, "Wu Shi Luo, since General Yang can't hold back, why don't you quickly show us?"
At this moment, Bao Yuan and the others asked E'fu in a low voice, "Commander, uh... Commander Wei, who is this Wu Shi Luo, and what is this exotic culture?"
Upon hearing this, the wicked man swallowed the wine in his mouth, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes. "This general doesn't know... whether this exotic scenery is as I imagine. Let's wait and see, and we'll know soon enough."
Wu Shi Luo, who was sitting in the center of the main hall, suddenly stood up. His lips curled up slightly, and his smile was like spring flowers in bloom. He gently waved his hand to signal the musicians to stop playing for the time being.
Immediately afterwards, he clapped his hands lightly, and a group of women draped in light gauze and thin wings gracefully entered the hall from the side door like fairies.
The half-veiled veil barely concealed their faces, creating an illusion of mystery. Through the veil, it was easy to see that these dancers had high noses and deep-set eyes, and were women from a foreign land.
Their long, coiled hair cascaded down like a waterfall, adorned with dazzling, colorful jewels.
These women wore sheer, gossamer-thin fabrics in vibrant colors, like the sunset. Their graceful figures were partially obscured, and their exposed skin was as white as snow, like jade carvings, enough to make one's blood boil just by looking at them.
It truly has an exotic feel!
Following behind the dancers, the musicians filed into Zhangtai Palace, stood steadily on both sides of the palace gate, and began to play magnificent music.
The melodious flute music was like a babbling brook, clear and pleasant to the ear; the stirring drumbeats were like bursts of spring thunder, awe-inspiring and powerful.
To the accompaniment of this beautiful music, the exotic dancers began to dance gracefully.
Their dance was passionate and unrestrained, yet carried a touch of mystery. Every movement seemed to tell an ancient story, full of exotic charm, captivating the civil and military officials present. Their hearts were pounding, as if the blood in their bodies was boiling.
Even Ying Zheng, who always disregarded women, nodded repeatedly, expressing his satisfaction with Wu Shi Luo's arrangements, his eyes filled with admiration.
As the dancers moved, the entire hall seemed to be transported to a distant and mysterious world. The audience's gazes lingered on the dancers' graceful movements, admiring a style distinct from that of mainland China.
"May I ask, Great Shang, where do these dancers come from?" a civil official couldn't help but ask Wu Shi Luo with curiosity.
Wu Shi Luo smiled slightly and replied, "These dancers all come from small western countries. These countries have trade relations with my Qin state, and these dancers were specially sent by them for me to present to Your Majesty!"
Ying Zheng nodded, grinned, and praised, "Wu Shi Luo, you are truly thoughtful. This exotic scenery is indeed refreshing for me."
The dancers' dance gradually reached its climax. Their steps became faster and faster, and their light gauze fluttered as they twirled, making them look like fairies descending from heaven to earth.
The musicians moved in sync with the dance steps, and the flute and drum sounds grew increasingly passionate, filling the entire hall with exotic rhythms.
Ying Zheng stood up, raised his cup to Wu Shi Luo, and said, "Wu Shi Luo, you have added much color to tonight's banquet. Come, let's drink to this cup together."
Wu Shilu quickly stood up and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty flatters me. It is my honor to be able to share Your Majesty's burdens."
"No, I can't take it anymore!"
Yang Duanhe suddenly shouted, startling everyone and abruptly ending the heated atmosphere in the hall.
The musicians and the women from other ethnic groups also stopped, looking at Yang Duanhe with fear on their faces, wondering if they had done something wrong to displease these powerful figures.
"Yang Duanhe, why are you doing this?!" Ying Zheng, whose mood had been ruined, was also somewhat displeased and immediately asked in a deep voice.
"Your Majesty, this humble general begs... to lead the army and destroy these small countries!" Yang Duanhe showed no fear, striding into the center of the hall and kneeling down, his voice booming like a great bell.
"Hit...hit...why are you hitting people?" Ying Zheng was quite taken aback by his words, a look of speechlessness on his face. Why did he suddenly start shouting for violence?
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