Cangwu City
At the morning court session today, the atmosphere in the court was solemn. Civil and military officials stood on both sides, quietly, and no one dared to make a sound.
The empress sat high on the dragon throne, dressed in a gorgeous dragon robe, looking majestic and dignified. Her right hand gently stroked the jade ring on her thumb, as if she was in deep thought.
Suddenly, a clear voice came from below:
"Your Majesty!"
Everyone looked towards the source of the sound, only to see Xie Yan, the son of the King of Yanzhou, bowing and saluting. He had an upright posture and graceful movements, like an immortal descending to the earth.
"Xie Yan is on this trip to present Yanzhou's special gifts on behalf of my father, the Emperor, and to wish Your Majesty a long and prosperous life."
Xie Yan's voice was clear and pleasant, like a yellow oriole singing in a valley, which made people look at him sideways.
Everyone took a closer look and saw that Xie Yan had a face like a crown of jade, eyes like stars, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, a high nose bridge, red lips and white teeth. What a handsome young man! He was wearing a blue brocade robe with fluttering sleeves, which made him look even more elegant and graceful.
His appearance instantly livened up the dull court. However, everyone secretly wondered if the King of Yanzhou had sent his son to the capital for more than just a gift.
As expected, Xie Yan was only fifteen or sixteen years old, but he had a good-looking appearance, especially his eyes, which were clean and clear, like autumn water. He looked at the empress from time to time, as if conveying some message.
Upon seeing this, all the civil and military officials were so frightened that they dared not look directly at him. They lowered their heads and shrugged their shoulders, obviously trying hard to hold back their laughter.
Ever since Your Majesty issued the decree to recruit men, these vassal states have been like cats that have smelled blood, sending a handsome young man every now and then, calling it "tribute", but in fact they want to take this opportunity to curry favor with Your Majesty.
Now the vassal states are almost all located on the territory of one state, but the territory of Shangjin State is three times as much. In addition, it regained the south of the Yangtze River without bloodshed some time ago, and its power has increased a lot.
Jin Linlin looked at Xie Yan in front of her, who was winking at her from time to time, and then looked at the teasing looks of the ministers. She couldn't help but feel angry and amused.
"The King of Yanzhou is very thoughtful. Prime Minister, please prepare a special gift from the Shangjin Kingdom in return."
Jialiu and Xinan stood up at the same time:
"Your Majesty's order."
The two of them looked at each other and started to make trouble again. All the officials closed their eyes and remained silent. Here they go again. The Left Prime Minister and the Right Prime Minister racked their brains to cause trouble for each other every day, but His Majesty just liked to tease them.
At this moment, the Imperial Censor, who had been silent all this time, suddenly stood up and bowed:
"Your Majesty, I believe that we must be cautious in returning this gift. There have been frequent disturbances along the Yanzhou border in recent years, and Young Master Xie's visit this time may be a test."
The court suddenly fell silent, and everyone looked towards the empress. Jin Linlin frowned slightly and thought for a moment:
"My dear minister, what you say makes sense, but we are guests, and etiquette should not be abandoned."
Upon hearing this, Xie Yan hurriedly stepped forward:
"Your Majesty, rest assured. Yanzhou bears no ill will towards you. We have come here because we admire your majesty's divine power."
As he spoke, his eyes unconsciously turned to the Queen, full of admiration.
Jialiu curled his lips and said sarcastically:
"Oh, Master Xie's affection is genuine, but I don't know if it's because he admires His Majesty, or if he has other intentions."
Xinan also echoed: "Exactly, could it be that Yanzhou has other plans?"
The two began to argue again, and the atmosphere in the court became tense again. Jin Linlin coughed lightly and said:
"Shut up, we'll discuss this later. Mr. Xie, please go to the inn and rest first."
Xie Yan had no choice but to bow again and leave. When Xie Yan left, Jin Linlin frowned:
"This time, the queen must be from Shangjin. Please be careful. They are all from other countries. Don't let a fire break out in the backyard. I won't be able to focus on governing the former dynasty."
All the ministers saluted in unison:
"Your Majesty is wise. We will surely make this husband-hunting banquet a success."
She thought again:
"Have Mo Ren and Jin Nian lead a large force to the border. If any vassal states behave unruly during this husband-recruiting banquet, we will be ready to annex their territory at any time."
Jia Liu's eyes lit up and he immediately stepped out:
"Your Majesty is wise and wise. With General Mo Ren and General Jin Nian in charge, those with evil intentions will not dare to act rashly. However, the procedures for this husband-seeking banquet still require careful consideration."
Xinan was not willing to be outdone and also stepped forward and said:
"Indeed, the Husband Recruitment Banquet must not only demonstrate the majesty of our Shangjin Kingdom, but also select someone who is a good match for Your Majesty. The rules must be strict."
The two began to argue about the details of the Husband-Seeking Banquet again. Jin Linlin rubbed her temples and interrupted them:
"You two go down and discuss it together, come up with a charter, and then report back to me."
At this time, the Minister of Rites, who had been silent all the time, stood up.
"Your Majesty, this husband-hunting banquet is a national event. We can invite envoys from various countries to attend the ceremony. This will not only showcase our dynasty's style, but also test their attitudes."
Jin Linlin nodded:
"This is a very good plan. I will do as you say."
After that, she gave everyone some instructions and announced the dismissal of the court. She returned to the harem, but she was still thinking about the intentions of the King of Yanzhou this time, and she had a vague feeling that this husband-seeking banquet might not be peaceful.
After leaving the court, Jin Linlin hurried back to her study and began to search for information about Yanzhou. She walked through the bookshelves, carefully flipping through each book, hoping to find some useful information.
At this moment, Qiuyu walked in quietly and bowed to Jin Linlin:
"Your Majesty, Master Jinke and Master Jinsi have arrived and are waiting in Pingxin Hall."
Jin Linlin was so excited when she heard the news that she quickly picked up a book from the shelf. She turned around, looked at Qiuyu with a smile on her face, and asked eagerly:
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