The King of Qin did not forget the people of Xianyang. He ordered Zhao Gao to arrange for wine and meat to be sent to them and lifted the ban on gatherings for drinking.
The Moon Goddess appeared at some unknown time in the seat reserved for her. She was a woman with an ethereal and distant air, and her long skirt fell to the ground like a flower, as if she had accumulated thousands of years of loneliness.
Even with a bright candle, a faint glow could still be seen in the area.
"The Moon Goddess...she has truly come."
Wang Ben was so excited that he almost dropped his wine cup. He dared not look at the deity and instead focused his gaze on the hem of His trailing skirt.
Although the crowd below the stage wasn't as exaggerated as Wang Ben, most of their attention was focused on the Moon Goddess, while they continued to talk and drink with others as usual.
However, everyone was out of sorts, and their conversations were nonsensical. One asked, "Have you eaten?" Another nodded and said, "I shot three arrows today."
The system laughed so hard its throat was hoarse, and the Jade Rabbit trembled all over as it ate the carrot.
Ying Zheng asked with concern, "What's wrong with the Jade Rabbit? Is it not enjoying the food?"
As the most prestigious rabbit, the Jade Rabbit also has its own table, on which cups, plates, and saucers are filled with various kinds of sweet spring water, tender grass, flowers, and leaves.
It was far more exquisite than the banquets served to some officials and concubines.
However, the dishes on the Moon Goddess's table were made with all the effort of the Qin Palace. The tenderest meat was from piglets that were only three months old, and the beef and mutton had been raised for a long time. Only a small amount of the best meat was taken and stewed with salt. It was the chef's masterpiece.
Ling Xiao didn't even glance at the dishes. Without a doubt, they had no seasoning and eating them would only be poisoning her stomach.
"The Jade Rabbit is being picky about food again; the Human Emperor need not worry about it."
The Moon Goddess seemed to relax a little, resting her chin on her jade hand, her fair wrist as beautiful as frost and snow. Her eyes were fixed on the dancing women below the stage as she casually answered.
Because of the moon goddess's attention, other high-ranking nobles also turned their gaze to the dancers below the stage.
The music was clear and melodious, and the dancing figures seemed to be pouring out their life's passion into the dance. Every movement, every turn, was beautiful.
"Host, this person dances so beautifully!"
Ling Xiao agreed, saying that although the dance movements were relatively simple and not as refined as modern dances, the dancers' rhythm and the beauty of their movements were in no way inferior.
As the center of the banquet, the Moon Goddess's every move would be observed by those who were interested.
For example, His praise for the dancers in the audience at this moment!
Some people were very jealous that a lowly dancer had managed to steal the moon goddess's attention. What right did she have?
The dancer was overwhelmed with emotion, feeling the gaze of the gods on the high platform. She felt as if she were floating in the clouds, about to soar into the sky in the next second.
"That was a great jump!"
The Moon Goddess lowered her head and spoke, her face filled with undisguised admiration.
"If you wish, I will present it to Her Highness the Moon Goddess."
Ying Zheng generously stated that she was merely a dancer, and her greatest value lay in winning the favor of the Moon Goddess.
Upon hearing his words, the dancer stopped dancing, knelt down, and waited hopefully for the moon goddess's approval.
The other guests at the banquet looked at her with envy, clearly thinking that the dancer had gotten incredibly lucky.
"Hmph, no!"
The system Jade Rabbit, under Ling Xiao's command, jumped out, decisively refused, and said:
"You humans have changed so quickly. In ancient times, shamans communicated with the gods through dance. Powerful shamans even comprehended the principles of mountains and rivers through dance and could perform divine duties. But now you no longer value dance. It's truly laughable."
"Ah... is that so?"
"That's right. There are records that the shamans of the Shang dynasty were skilled in music and dance to communicate with the gods."
The crowd gasped in surprise, most shaking their heads in annoyance at their oversight—they had failed to make contact with something clearly recorded in the classic texts.
"Is that so? Then Zheng has been disrespectful before the Moon Goddess."
Ying Zheng decisively admitted his mistake and said that Qin would pay more attention to dance in the future.
The moon goddess said to the bewildered dancer:
I really like your dancing, and I hope you can continue to dance.
The dancer nodded frantically. She truly loved dancing and knew that with the Moon Goddess's words, she would have the best environment for dancing for the rest of her life.
That's a bit of a tangent; Ling Xiao needs to get into the next scene as soon as possible.
Then, the moon goddess gently tapped the bronze wine vessel on the table, and the candlelight flickered, revealing a honey-colored liquid inside.
"This cup of imperial nectar is bestowed upon you."
Emperor's Flowing Wine - Yellow wine with a touch of chili
The dancer couldn't believe it until sharp, piercing gazes pierced her, at which point she snapped out of her daze and stammered her thanks for the reward.
He was very clever; he drank the "immortal wine" in one gulp, and many people regretfully turned their gaze away, including Ying Zheng on the stage.
Please, this is divine wine!
It's not impossible to say that drinking it will extend one's lifespan by a hundred years.
A tingling yet sweet sensation, followed by a slightly intoxicating feeling after swallowing, swept through her body. The dancer's face flushed, her eyes glistened, and she was instantly drunk.
After getting drunk, she had to take her leave, and the servants gently helped her and carefully led her outside to rest.
Ying Zheng tilted his head slightly, but before he could speak, the Moon Goddess called to him:
"Your Majesty, although you appear unharmed while wielding the Xuanyuan Sword, you are actually injured inside," Ling Xiao said with a straight face, spouting nonsense.
Ying Zheng listened attentively, his long, dark eyebrows furrowing slightly. He clearly took the Moon Goddess's words to heart and began to think about how to make amends.
As for giving up the Xuanyuan Sword, that's impossible.
When the ministers below the stage heard that the king was unwell, they all looked anxious, as if they themselves were the ones who were injured.
"It was ultimately because of me that the Emperor had to face Xiang Liu, so the Emperor should also drink a cup of Imperial Elixir."
As soon as the mythical sound of the moon goddess faded, the liquid in Ying Zheng's cup changed to Imperial Flowing Wine.
The surprise came too quickly; he needed a moment to process it.
"Let's drink together!"
After saying that, without looking at anyone else, the Moon Goddess drank the Emperor's nectar in one gulp, and then drank one cup after another.
Soon, everyone watched as the Moon Goddess's eyes gradually became hazy. She propped her face up with one hand and drank from a wine cup with the other, seemingly seeking to get drunk.
Ying Zheng was cautious by nature and was not in a hurry to drink the Emperor's Elixir. Instead, he was very concerned about the Moon Goddess's unusual behavior.
"Chang Xi is fine. She's been in the Moon Palace for so many years, and she still loves drinking the Emperor's Dew. She's never tired of it."
The Jade Rabbit twitched its three-lobed mouth, looking at Emperor Liujiang, a hint of disdain flashing in its eyes.
The jade rabbit hopped onto Ying Zheng's table on four legs, staring intently at the cooked meat on the plate. Its front legs were crossed, and it said:
"Your Majesty, can I have a piece of meat?"
Ying Zheng gestured towards the Moon Goddess, and the Jade Rabbit hurriedly said, "She doesn't want to deal with the outside world anymore. In short, I can eat."
Since that's the case, what's there to be reluctant about? The Jade Rabbit happily ate the meat, saying:
"Fairly, I, Jade Rabbit, don't take advantage of others. Whatever you want to ask, I can tell you."
Ying Zheng was stunned, unable to believe that it was just a piece of meat, and the opportunity that he had been prepared to spend a lot of effort on was right in front of him.
Li Si, sitting below, couldn't even eat. He was so busy exchanging glances that his eyes were twitching. "Your Majesty, ask quickly!"
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