The attendant looked at the boy with slight surprise.
Since her marriage to the Empress, the Queen and the Empress have hardly seen each other, let alone attended any banquets hosted by the Empress.
Furthermore, the Empress often held banquets with her male favorites, indulging in sensual pleasures.
"Is Your Majesty... going to a banquet?"
Jiang Linxian lowered her long eyelashes slightly, and her beautiful, crimson lips curved into a faint smile.
"when?"
They didn't say they would go, nor did they say they wouldn't go.
Unable to fathom the Queen's thoughts, the attendant respectfully replied, "It is the hour of Wu (戊)."
Jiang Linxian said, "Go down."
"yes."
-
The Empress will hold a banquet as soon as she returns, and she has notified all the male favorites in the palace that they must attend.
The male favorites in the harem had varying expressions; some were extremely disgusted, while others were happily dressing up, hoping to obtain some treasures from the incompetent empress.
The banquet was held in a waterside pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The pavilion was surrounded by water on all sides, and colorful lotus lanterns were placed on the water, embellishing the beautiful night scene.
Palace servants carried fine wines and delicacies, moving between tables laden with various delicious foods.
Each of the male favorites was attended by servants who would pour them tea and water.
When will Her Majesty the Queen arrive?
"I wonder what Her Majesty the Empress is holding this banquet for tonight?"
One of the male concubines laughed and said, "What else could it be but to enjoy the music and watch everyone sing and dance?"
That's quite ironic.
What respectable young man would want to sing and dance all day long? Wouldn't that be no different from those lowly officials and male prostitutes in brothels?
Having been notified that all the male favorites in the palace must attend the banquet, Ouyang Ziming also arrived at the banquet with her attendants. Upon seeing the male favorites with rouge and powder on their faces, a look of disgust flashed in her eyes.
The men in these matriarchal societies are considered lowly and have no dignity whatsoever.
They all wore rouge just like women, looking effeminate and strange, without any masculinity.
This is what he thought of his male lovers.
However, these men, who live in a matriarchal society, are taught from a young age to take pride in pleasing themselves and to go out of their way to please the women they admire.
Ouyang Ziming glanced around and walked to the highest position in the middle.
The enormous dragon-shaped table was filled with the most items: jade wine cups and rare fruits on golden plates, their glistening sheen under the light inviting the palate.
The two seats behind the dragon table were reserved for the emperor and empress.
Ouyang Ziming never expected that the dragon desk, which usually only had one chair, would have two sandalwood chairs today.
Therefore, he naturally assumed that one of the chairs belonged to him.
Ouyang Ziming sat on a chair next to the dragon throne, and a servant poured him wine. He drank the wine from the cup and looked at his male concubines with a mocking gaze.
The male concubines chatted and laughed amongst themselves.
Then the female official's voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived—"
The smiles on the male concubines' faces faded slightly, and they quickly stood up to greet the most distinguished person in the country.
A servant carrying a four-cornered glass palace lantern led the way, and in the center, a woman wearing a red robe embroidered with gold dragons slowly strolled forward.
When she entered the attic, the bright light illuminated her face.
The woman possessed an exquisitely beautiful face, with bright, clear eyes like autumn water, and alluring, crimson lips that beckoned a kiss. This stunning woman was like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
The servant who was pouring wine for Ouyang Ziming stared blankly at the approaching empress, the wine overflowing from the cup.
The woman walked towards the dragon table.
The male concubines swallowed hard, unable to believe their eyes.
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