Then, as if remembering something, he turned to the three and asked, "Do you gentlemen have some free time? There are many banquets in the palace these days, and I would like to invite you to attend. Do you have any other important business in Xiyue?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xi's mind raced: "Your Majesty, we are merely traveling around. We heard that the snow scenery in Xiyue is quite beautiful, so we thought we would come and admire it."
The emperor nodded, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes: "Traveling around and gaining broad knowledge is indeed a good thing. However, although the snow scenery in Xiyue is beautiful, it is also bitterly cold. You must take care to keep warm."
Li Xi was grateful and quickly said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
The emperor looked at the three of them again, his gaze finally settling on Qin Xiaolin. He frowned slightly and said, "This young master seems somewhat familiar."
Qin Xiaolin's heart tightened, but he remained calm on the surface, cupping his hands and saying, "Your Majesty is mistaken. I am merely a martial arts practitioner; how could I possibly be worthy of Your Majesty's attention?"
The emperor thought for a moment, then smiled and didn't press the matter further.
Li Xi breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Xiaolin was currently wearing a mask and posing as Feng Monian to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.
Lian'er, standing to the side, was also a little nervous, afraid that her father would discover their identities.
It was nearly dark when Li Xi and his two companions emerged from the palace. They were then accommodated at the embassy outside the palace.
Unexpectedly, the banquet at the Western Yue Imperial Palace was quite delicious. Li Xi savored the braised bear paw dish, the taste of which was truly unforgettable.
Hong Gu covered her mouth and chuckled, teasingly asking, "Are you full?"
Qin Xiaolin was amused by Li Xi's appearance and said, "If Xiao Xi likes to eat, Yinxian Manor is always open to you."
Upon hearing this, Li Xi touched her nose somewhat embarrassedly and laughed, "That's great! Don't blame me for refusing to leave later."
Hong Gu and Qin Xiaolin both laughed, and the atmosphere became relaxed and pleasant.
But Hong Gu thought of her daughter; if they were all still alive, Xiao Xi wouldn't be in this situation…
After they returned to the embassy and closed the door, Li Xi took out all the meteorites from her backpack.
She now has three meteorites.
When these stones are pieced together, it's clear that one piece is still missing.
"It seems the Destiny Stone in the hands of the Xuanming Sect back then was probably a meteorite, but it's already in the hands of the Red Lotus Sect..."
Meanwhile, in a secret chamber far away in Jingyuan, the man in the yellow robe looked at the Destiny Stone in his hand, trying to sense the power within it.
He knew there were several other stones like this in the world, but the one in his hand was the true destiny stone that could predict the future. The others were just scraps.
He had previously foreseen from the Destiny Stone that a destined person would gather all the extraterrestrial stones and gain immense power, thereby altering the entire world's格局 (geju, a concept encompassing destiny, background, and power). And he only needed to reap the rewards in the end…
He had a way to control those experts. With that in mind, he continued trying to activate the Destiny Stone, wanting to learn more about the omens…
As the year draws to a close, the royal family of Xiyue has been holding palace banquets for several days in a row.
At the banquet, glasses clinked and music played. The dancers, with their graceful figures, danced to the music, their clothes fluttering, like fairies descending from the heavens.
Princess Xiyue leaned against the table, playing with an exquisite jade wine cup in her hand, occasionally taking a sip, her demeanor exuding nobility.
She looked at Mo Lian, who was laughing and talking in the hall, while the Fifth Princess was chatting and laughing with others.
Zhang Qian was still there, looking like a refined gentleman.
All of this, observed by the eldest princess, infuriated her. Those incompetent fools had taken her money, failed to accomplish anything, and had now vanished without a trace.
The eldest princess frowned slightly and gave a wink to the person next to her.
The maid understood immediately and quietly slipped out when no one was looking.
Since I can't kill you, I'll ruin your reputation and see how you'll marry Zhang Qian then! After finishing her drink, the princess got up and walked towards Mo Lian.
Seeing the princess's movements, Li Xi raised an eyebrow at Qin Xiaolin beside her, as if to say: See, I guessed right.
He smiled and nodded, then quietly left his seat.
"Xiaoxi, why not let your grandmother participate in such an interesting event?" Hong Gu said somewhat displeased.
"This is such a small matter, why should Grandmother need to do it? Just watch." Li Xi picked up a piece of lamb leg for her.
The food in western Vietnam is indeed quite good.
She originally wanted to escort her maternal grandmother back to reunite with her maternal grandfather, but she said she had some things to take care of.
Not far away, the eldest princess held up a wine glass, her cheeks slightly flushed: "Royal sister, congratulations."
Mo Lian smiled gently and replied politely, "Thank you for your blessing, Your Highness. But I wonder what brings you this joy?"
Seeing her so calm and composed, the eldest princess couldn't help but feel a little displeased, but she still maintained a smile on her face: "Royal sister, you're all drunk. Of course, it's to congratulate you on your happy occasion with the top scholar."
When Zhang Qian heard the princess mention him, he immediately felt uneasy and didn't know how to respond.
Mo Lian looked at the two of them and understood. She said meaningfully, "I have received your blessing, thank you."
Seeing this, the eldest princess handed the wine cup to Mo Lian again, and said with a smile, "Come, drink this cup of wine, and you will truly accept my blessing."
However, Mo Lian did not reach out to take the wine glass. Instead, in the process of declining, the wine spilled onto her dress, leaving a damp stain.
Watching this scene from the side, Li Xi couldn't help but feel speechless: Do these people only know how to use such outdated tricks?
As expected, Mo Lian led Chu Yun out of the main hall.
Not long after, the eldest princess and Zhang Qian also walked out one after the other.
“Grandmother, let’s go out and enjoy the snow scenery too.” Li Xi and Hong Gu also walked out of the main hall.
The palace after the snow was covered in silver, a pristine white.
Li Xi and Hong Gu followed the two people ahead of them at a leisurely pace, trudging through the snow.
The princess and Zhang Qian walked into a secluded room and began to argue.
"What have you been doing! How come she's still alive!" The princess glared angrily at Zhang Qian.
"Princess, please calm down. I didn't expect anyone to save her. She asked me to find a skilled protector, but I didn't. It was only with great difficulty that I managed to smooth things over this time..." Zhang Qian said helplessly.
"Hmph! A bunch of useless things!" the princess gritted her teeth and said, "Are you satisfied now? You can marry the beauty!"
Zhang Qian pulled the princess into his arms and whispered comfortingly, "All I want is you."
When the princess heard him say that, most of her resentment dissipated.
The two embraced...
Li Xi blew some sleeping powder into the room to enhance their mood.
He then left the area, whispered a few words to the people waiting nearby, and returned to the main hall.
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