Chapter 454: King Rui (4)
Seeing this, Luo Xueyan smiled with relief. Shen Miao was completely undecided. Luo Tan blinked at Luo Ling. Luo Ling's cheeks flushed slightly and he turned his head away as if nothing had happened.
After the three-hour ceremony was complete, a banquet would be held with the Emperor and Empress. Tomorrow's tribute banquet would naturally be filled with singing and dancing, demonstrating to the people of Qin and Daliang how prosperous Ming Qi was.
Shen Miao and Luo Tan had only walked a few steps with the crowd towards the palace banquet hall when someone patted her shoulder from behind. Shen Miao turned around and saw a familiar face.
“Hey, I saw you just this morning, but we were too far away to come over. Shen Miao, long time no see!” Feng An Ning hugged Shen Miao with her backhand, her heart burning with passion.
Compared to two years ago, Feng An Ning looked even more beautiful, her youthful innocence clearly revealed. She wore her hair in a bun with hundreds of flowers, and wore a pomegranate-red long dress, looking graceful and elegant. She let go of her hand, looked at Shen Miao with dissatisfaction and said, "Why aren't you surprised at all to see me?" Without waiting for Shen Miao to reply, she continued, "Forget it, that's just your personality. I forgive you. However," she looked Shen Miao up and down, "I haven't seen you for two years. How come you've become so beautiful? Is the climate and soil of Xiaochun City really so nourishing? Why do you look so different from before?"
Today, Shen Miao, instructed by Luo Xueyan to have her servants dress up, wore a crescent-shaped phoenix-tail silk skirt with a violet-colored pattern. Her double-breasted outer garment was embroidered with large lilac blossoms. Her hair was styled in a cloud-like bun, with a jade crabapple hairpin inserted diagonally in it. Her earrings were tiny pearls. Her features were naturally delicate and small, but her presence was striking. Standing there quietly, she exuded a gentle and dignified air. Her eyes, as clear and dark as a newborn deer's, attracted many young men to turn their heads and look at her.
A woman with good looks and extraordinary demeanor is the icing on the cake, making it hard to forget her.
Luo Tan had been standing beside Shen Miao, looking at Feng An Ning curiously. Feng An Ning finally noticed her and asked, "Who is this?"
"My cousin Luo Tan." Shen Miao said, "This is Miss Feng Anning."
Luo Tan greeted Feng An Ning. Feng An Ning was impetuous, while Luo Tan was straightforward and lively. The two hit it off immediately, arguing so much that Shen Miao's ears ached. When it was time to take their seats, Feng An Ning even greeted Madam Feng and then slipped over to sit on Shen Miao's side, making it easier for her to talk to him.
Previously, during sacrificial ceremonies, everyone stood according to their official rank, but now, at the evening banquet, everyone could sit wherever they wanted. Chen Xin had just returned to Dingjing City and didn't have any particularly close colleagues, so he just found a seat. However, since he had been "invited" back by Emperor Wenhui, his colleagues naturally didn't dare to neglect him and spoke respectfully to him.
Feng An Ning and Shen Miao whispered in each other's ears: "Tsk, these fence-sitters, why didn't they greet General Shen when he left the city? Now they are trying to be intimate and pretentious."
Shen Miao smiled faintly, without commenting, only to hear Feng An Ning say again: "Look, your cousin is here too."
Shen Miao was startled, and looked up at the place Feng An Ning pointed, just in time to meet his gaze.
After two years, I finally saw Shen Yue again.
Shen Gui's position in the court had plummeted since Shen Yuan's accident. He had originally relied on playing both sides to climb up the ladder. After Shen Yuan was beheaded, the court officials treated him like a plague and tried to avoid him. Shen Gui himself had no ability and his life became worse and worse. He had no chance to attend such an occasion. It was Shen Wan's family who came.
Shen Wan's career was probably going smoothly now, as he was toasting with a smile on his face. Next to him sat Chen Ruoqiu, smiling and chatting with his wife, looking as content as he had been two years ago. However... time had passed, and life wasn't as vibrant as it once was. The second wife's childlessness had been a major factor, and Old Madam Shen had been putting pressure on the third wife. Chen Ruoqiu, under the pressure of Old Madam Shen to give Shen Wan children, wasn't having an easy time either.
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