Today is a sunny and beautiful day. Jin Linlin, the king of Shangjin Kingdom, hosted a banquet in the imperial garden to entertain kings from various countries.
Ever since he learned from Ouyang Jin what happened to her in Kyoto that day, Jiang Zhixu was extremely anxious and couldn't wait to see her every day.
He explained the situation to her, but no matter how earnestly he requested, he could not see her.
Today, as the King of Li, he was invited to attend this banquet. He arrived at the Imperial Garden early, feeling both excited and anxious.
The Imperial Garden was beautifully decorated, with a profusion of flowers and a fragrant aroma. Jiang Zhixu strolled through the garden, looking for a relatively quiet corner to sit down so he could quietly observe his surroundings.
Soon, kings from various countries arrived one after another. They were dressed in gorgeous clothes and were chatting and laughing. The entire imperial garden was filled with laughter.
As the host, Jin Linlin was radiant in a gorgeous long dress. With a smile on her face, she warmly greeted each monarch and then slowly walked to the main seat and sat down.
Jiang Zhixu's eyes were fixed on Jin Linlin. He saw her immediately. Just as he was about to stand up and walk towards her, he was stopped by other kings, who started to greet him.
Jiang Zhixu was a little anxious, but he didn't want to be rude, so he had to talk to them reluctantly.
Empress Jin Linlin seemed to notice Jiang Zhixu's gaze, but she just turned her eyes away indifferently, as if she didn't care about him at all.
The banquet officially began, and the waiters brought out the exquisite dishes one after another. Today, the Imperial Garden was hosting a sumptuous crab feast, with a dazzling array of delicious crab dishes that made everyone salivate.
The crabs are at their plumpest at this time and are made into a variety of foods, including steamed crabs, spicy crabs, crab meat dumplings, etc. Each dish has its own unique flavor and is eye-catching.
Everyone sat around the table, which was filled with plump crabs and fragrant wine. Everyone ate with gusto, talked and laughed, and it was a very pleasant occasion.
In this cheerful atmosphere, no one mentioned state affairs. Everyone temporarily put aside their worries and stress and enjoyed this relaxing moment.
After eating and drinking, the palace servants quickly removed the empty plates and bowls on the table and replaced them with various fresh fruits and juices.
At this moment, the sound of stringed instruments rang out leisurely, the crisp sound of the zither and the melodious sound of the harp intertwined with each other, like a wonderful symphony.
Following the rhythm of the music, a group of dancers dressed in light gauze clothes danced lightly. Their dance steps were graceful, like fairies descending to earth.
These songs and dances were presented by various countries, with different styles and wonderful performances. Except for the first dance, which was performed by dancers, all other dances were performed by men.
Obviously, the envoys from these countries hoped that in this way, Jin Linlin would have a good impression of their children and grandchildren, so that she might be named a concubine.
Jin Linlin picked up a glass of juice, took a sip, then closed her eyes and tapped the table rhythmically with her fingers, as if enjoying the music and dance.
Her eyes sometimes fell on the dancers, sometimes swept over the other monarchs, observing their reactions.
Among the many monarchs, only Jin Linlin and Cao Jiao were women. Cao Jiao was not only a skilled martial artist, but also had a wise and resourceful military advisor, Jiang Shuyan, to assist her.
Some vassal states had launched attacks on the State of Yan, but under the leadership of Cao Jiao, the State of Yan not only did not suffer any losses, but instead caused the enemy to suffer heavy losses.
As for Jin Linlin herself, although she is not good at martial arts, she has powerful troops and many brave generals in her hands, as well as many wise and resourceful civil officials to assist her.
She also possesses the largest territory. Recently, she seems to be becoming restless, deploying large numbers of troops along the border, leading people to speculate on her true intentions.
Cao Jiao examined Jin Linlin, then her eyes fell on the slender men on the dance floor. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile:
"Lord Shangjin, these men are quite athletic. I wonder if any of them catch your eye?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the other monarchs present pricked up their ears, wanting to hear how Jin Linlin would respond.
Jin Linlin slowly opened her eyes, a slight smile on her lips:
"Isn't the King of Yan also a woman? Do you have a favorite? If so, I can help you achieve your goal and give him to you."
Cao Jiao stared at Jin Linlin, secretly sighing in her heart. Jin Linlin was no longer her former best friend. When talking to her, she had to think carefully and choose her words carefully.
Because Linlin knew she was just joking, but she refuted her so ruthlessly.
At this moment, everyone's attention was suddenly drawn to the ruler of a small country. He walked up to Jin Linlin with his son. The young man stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with a handsome face and a heroic look between his brows.
He knelt on one knee and saluted Jin Linlin with an elegant and solemn movement.
"Your Majesty, I would like to present a sword dance for you."
After saying this, he drew the sword from his waist and began to dance. The sword shadow flashed and the wind was fierce.
When Jin Linlin was concentrating on watching the sword dance, a man in red came in from the side and started dancing with him.
Everyone was captivated by this sudden development, their gazes focused on the center of the dance floor. The man in red was agile and his swordsmanship was sharp, complementing the young man perfectly.
Jin Linlin raised her eyebrows slightly and watched this unexpected sword dance with interest.
Cao Jiao's lips curled up into a smile, and she whispered to the person next to her, "This is quite interesting."
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