Tao Zhi immediately went and brought the prepared food and snacks to the dining hall. Xiao Yan glanced at Helian Ye and then took his guards to eat in another hall.
Seeing this, Chu Changning said nothing and sent them the pepper wine, water, and snacks.
Taozhi also bought maltose and brought her a plate of five pungent spices.
"Tsk tsk, you made this?"
Helian Ye smiled and looked up at her.
Chu Changning said calmly, "It was all prepared by Taozhi and the others. If the young master doesn't like it, he can go to a restaurant outside."
"You're such a downer."
"---"
Chu Changning cleared her throat and poured him a drink.
"People in the Central Plains love to drink pepper and cypress wine during the New Year. Would you like to try some, young master?"
Helian Ye raised an eyebrow, the warm lamplight illuminating half of his face, making him appear exceptionally handsome.
He took the wine, tilted his head back, and drank it down.
Chu Changning, not considering the two to be familiar with each other, poured the wine and then sat down to eat by himself.
Helian Ye raised an eyebrow in displeasure. "Is this how princesses from the Central Plains treat their guests?"
"---"
So many things to do?
Chu Changning didn't want to be disturbed by him during the New Year. What if he got the urge and kidnapped her to the Western Regions? She would be left helpless and desperate.
She remembered the storytelling she had heard at the teahouse a few days ago, and started chatting with him casually.
Helian Ye chuckled, "Sticky and sour."
"---"
Can we still chat?
The Imperial Palace.
On New Year's Day, the entire palace was brightly lit, and the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments filled the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
Outside the Duanmen Gate, braziers were lit, and the assembled officials stepped into the East Pavilion, took their seats, paid their respects to the Emperor, and offered him birthday wine.
As the sounds of bells and drums began, the emperor, dressed in a black and gold dragon robe, emerged from the inner chambers carrying a small child in his arms and entered the main hall. All the officials prostrated themselves in worship, and music filled the air.
Most of those who came to the palace to attend the banquet were born into noble families and held high positions of power and influence.
Yan Beimo placed his son, whom he was holding, on the imperial table and lay down, glancing at the commotion below the palace with a lazy expression.
Since His Majesty ascended the throne, the six palaces have been empty, and even his first wife from his time as a prince has been missing, leaving behind only a son.
The Qi dynasty had few male heirs, and the Yan clan had long wanted to place women in the imperial harem. Taking this opportunity, they began to offer their advice.
Ayu lay on the table, glanced at the officials below the hall, and looked around. Not seeing her mother, she began to grab at the golden goblets and jade cups on the table with her chubby little hands.
The faces of the noble families below were not pleasant. How could the son of a commoner princess be so favored?
If a daughter of such a prestigious family gives birth to a legitimate son, he will surely be favored, inherit the throne, and solidify the status of the aristocratic families throughout the land.
“The Empress Dowager recently summoned many women from noble families. Your Majesty should also listen to the opinions of us old ministers and expand the harem to ensure the continuation of the imperial line.”
"What Elder Yan says is true. The Great Qi has just been established, and Your Majesty should think about the future of our Great Qi for generations to come."
The Great Qi Emperor's thoughts were unfathomable. Those who spoke were all from prominent families in Yandu, while the others sat at their seats enjoying the music and dance, observing quietly.
Yan Beimo sipped his wine languidly.
"The women of noble families in the world are all plain-looking; I simply cannot bring myself to eat them."
"---"
What kind of talk is this? The daughters of noble families are all pampered and raised to be as beautiful as flowers. How can you say they are ugly?
One of Yan Beimo's uncles couldn't stand it anymore and, emboldened by alcohol, began to speak.
"Today, the Empress Dowager's Jianzhang Palace is filled with countless noble ladies. Your Majesty might as well go and take a look. The world cannot be without an empress, and the six palaces cannot be without a mistress."
"The daughter of the Cui family is well-educated and courteous—"
Yan Beimo interrupted, swirling a glass of wine in his hand, and chuckled softly.
"Uncle is right. Once the Lantern Festival is over, I will take in six concubines. What do you say?"
The powerful families held power, but the Emperor of Qi was born into a powerful family in Yandu and had always been at odds with them. Now that he was so obedient, some members of the powerful families began to get arrogant and started making wild remarks and discussing the matter of the Empress.
Yan Beimo listened indifferently, drinking one glass of wine after another, his expression listless and dejected.
He glanced at his son, who was having a great time playing on the table, and slipped a wine bottle into his little hand.
Ayu stared suspiciously at the celadon lotus-shaped wine vessel that he was playing with, shaking it aimlessly, and the wine inside would occasionally spill out and splash onto his little face.
He stuck out his tongue and made a panting sound as if he wanted to lick it.
But the next second, the wine cup in his hand suddenly flew out and hit the head of the noisy Yan clan members below, instantly giving them a bump.
Ayu sat on the imperial table, tilting her head in a bewildered manner, looking at it with an extremely cute expression.
The people below fell silent instantly, all looking at the person in the high hall in astonishment.
Yan Beimo sat on the dragon throne, the surrounding lights highlighting his well-defined features, but his imperial aura was undeniable.
He glanced at the Yan clan members with a light laugh and spoke.
"The child slipped."
That little prince is only a few months old, how could he hold a wine cup?
No one present was a fool; they knew that His Majesty was too lazy to listen to their arguing, so they all shut up.
The emperor has already promised to take in many women for the palace; in due time, women from noble families will be sent to the palace.
The palace was brightly lit, and on the Xuantian Gate tower, the emperor offered sacrifices to Heaven, rejoiced with the people, and sang and danced all night long.
Yan Beimo drank quite a bit of wine, and by the time he returned to the palace, it was already very late.
On New Year's Day, the palace banquet was held, and court officials, noble ladies, and young misses all came to the palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. Some noble ladies from the Yan family stayed in the palace.
Wang Ningyan is beautiful and is the most outstanding legitimate daughter cultivated by the head of the Wang family.
The four families of Yan Wang, Xie, and Cui intermarried, but Yan Bei Mo's ascension to the throne broke the balance of power among the aristocratic families. Naturally, the head of the Wang family had to consider the interests of his family, so he sent his eldest daughter to the palace.
Wang Ningyan was instructed by the Empress Dowager to wait here for His Majesty to return to the palace.
Yan Beimo escorted his son to the warm pavilion, and upon exiting, they happened to run into each other in the palace corridor.
When Wang Ningyan saw the young and handsome emperor walking towards her, her heart skipped a beat.
As expected, Lanling Yan Er is the most famous and talented man in Jiangzuo. If one could marry him as a concubine, it would be comparable to marrying thousands of noblemen.
"Your subject, Queen Ningyan, pays her respects to Your Majesty."
Yan Beimo ignored him and strode forward, the cold wind whipping through his robes.
Wang Ningyan's hand holding the handkerchief tightened. "Your Majesty?"
A sweet, delicate female voice rang out, and Yan Beimo paused, turning around.
Wang Ningyan was surprised when he suddenly stopped and almost bumped into his chest. She quickly stopped, blushed, and whispered.
"The Empress Dowager said His Majesty is here, and sent me to bring a bowl of hangover soup."
Yan Beimo stared at the woman's face in front of him, then suddenly reached out, lifted her chin, and examined her closely.
Wang Ningyan felt as if she were naked, like prey being scrutinized, when he looked her over like that. She was extremely uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty--Your Majesty--"
Seeing her blush, Yan Beimo chuckled, "What, even the eldest daughter of the Langya Wang family wants to offer herself up?"
Wang Ningyan's cheeks instantly flushed a blush. Looking at his smiling face, she felt her legs go weak and her heart flutter with desire.
Yan Er, who could be hailed as the number one man in Jiangzuo, naturally had a refined and elegant appearance. His long, slanted eyebrows and facial features were as lofty as the moon in the clouds. When he smiled, the red mole under his eyebrows added a touch of imperial elegance to his appearance.
She felt a slight nervousness inside, but smiled obediently on her face.
"The whole world belongs to Your Majesty, and naturally so does this humble woman."
Yan Beimo raised an eyebrow and glanced down slightly.
"Take it off and let us see."
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