Chapter 66 Jin Guo Dinner You are not wrong.
As night fell, the banquet in the palace began.
The palace was lavishly decorated. Luminous pearls inlaid among the carved beams and painted buildings created a soft halo of light that illuminated the hall as if it were daylight. Dozens of golden pillars, adorned with coiled dragons, towered majestically, supporting a dome painted with a celestial figure. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of wine and meat, blended with precious incense. The melodious sounds of stringed instruments filled the air. Dancers, clad in light gauze, danced gracefully to the music, their sleeves fluttering and their eyes flickering in a voluptuous manner.
The princes, nobles, civil and military officials sat in order, toasting each other, chatting and laughing. The concubines, adorned with jewels and precious stones, chatted in low voices.
Li Yulan brought Lou Wanqiao to the table. She was still dressed as a palace maid. His entrance caused a commotion. Some people came to congratulate him with a smile. Li Yulan handled it easily with a faint smile on her lips.
He was seated at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on the surroundings, memorizing several faces while searching for useful information amidst the clamor. Li Yulan appeared to be handling the situation with ease, leaning leisurely against the table, his fingertips tapping lightly on the tabletop as if enjoying a song or dance. Only Lou Wanqiao, seated behind him, noticed the slight tenseness in his back.
"Your Majesty has arrived—"
The eunuchs' shrill calls of "Hello" echoed, and the hall fell silent. Everyone left their seats, knelt, and chanted "Long live the emperor!"
Jin Emperor Wanyan Shuo, flanked by a throng of palace maids and eunuchs, slowly entered the hall. He was about fifty years old, tall, and dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. The dark hue in his eyes, like Wanyan Zhe's, could not conceal the dejection beneath. He sat down in the main seat, his gaze sweeping across the room. He paused for a moment on the vacant crown prince's seat, his brows furrowed in a barely perceptible frown.
"Stand up."
After giving thanks, everyone returned to their seats, the music started again, and the dancers began to dance again.
Lou Wanqiao let out a light breath.
Fortunately, Wanyan Zhe was extremely self-willed in his daily life, and even the emperor could not grasp his whereabouts. It was normal for him not to come to such a banquet.
But after tonight, the probability of Wanyan Zhe being discovered missing will only increase.
"Yu Lan, what was the result of your trip to Li Kingdom this time?" Wanyan Shuo coughed a few times and suddenly asked Li Yu Lan who was sitting below him.
Li Yulan lowered his eyes and said obediently: "Your Majesty, I have already obtained most of the information, and the grand plan is just around the corner..."
"Hahahaha! Great! Great!" Wanyan Shuo laughed heartily, slapping his hands vigorously on the chair. "You are worthy of being a man born in the Great Jin Palace! I allow you to come to my palace tonight, and I will definitely reward you well!"
Li Yulan chuckled softly and lowered his eyes to hide the light in them: "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Oh, right." His eyes casually swept behind Li Yulan, "If there are any meritorious officials, you can also bring them along. I will give you the highest reward."
"yes."
After three rounds of drinks, the emperor left first. Lou Wanqiao had almost found out the rest of the news. He gently tugged at the corner of Li Yulan's clothes, and he understood and stood up.
Through this banquet, Lou Wanqiao got a general understanding of the situation of the Jin Dynasty's palace and court.
Li Yulan is a very delicate character in the Jin Dynasty court. He seems to have a high status. Everyone has a subtle awe of him, but also keeps a distance from him. Lou Wanqiao can't describe this feeling.
Li Yulan seemed to have gotten used to it and handled it with ease. He ignored the looks of others and just finished his drink and left.
The sky is gloomy and covered with dark clouds. It was a sunny morning, but now it is about to rain again.
Lou Wanqiao looked up.
A lot of things happened that day, and there was no time to make long-term plans for the rest of the day. All I could do was to go all the way.
I don’t know how Wen Xuechi is preparing.
Seeing that no one was around, Lou Wanqiao lowered his voice and asked, "Are we going to the Emperor's Palace tonight? What does he mean by that?"
Li Yulan paused and did not reply.
It was not until they were almost inside his palace that Lou Wanqiao thought Li Yulan would not answer, only then did he hear him suddenly chuckle.
Lou Wanqiao didn't turn around, but in the dim light from the palace, she could see half of his face covered in a wry smile. He said, "Azhao, it's just as you think. I... am such a dirty person."
Lou Wanqiao was silent for a moment, then whispered, "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"It's okay, this is the truth. Since you came to the Jin Palace and intervened in this matter, you will know it sooner or later... There's no point in me hiding it from you. Besides, before this, haven't you always wanted to find out how I have been living in the Jin Kingdom these past few years?"
Li Yulan's tone was nonchalant, but Lou Wanqiao felt inexplicably ashamed.
It's like digging open someone's bloody past with your own hands...
She had no ill intentions, it was just that Li Yulan had previously stood against her and posed a threat to Dali. But now they were allies, with no conflict of interest. From this perspective...
Lou Wanqiao didn't know how to comfort him, so she just said dryly, "It's okay, Li Yulan... No one will bully you from now on."
Li Yulan's eyes lit up and he turned around, holding her hands with both hands and saying expectantly: "You will protect me. You promised to watch over me and protect me from now on, right?"
She sighed softly and slowly pulled her hand out under his gaze.
"We can always be allies, or even friends if you wish."
As early as the afternoon when Li Yulan stood up to Wanyan Zhe's rudeness and decided to use him to protect himself, the string in Lou Wanqiao's heart loosened.
A person's instinctive choices and trade-offs when facing danger often best reflect his or her state of mind, which is difficult to disguise.
Lou Wanqiao never likes to owe favors to others, and this time is no exception.
Li Yulan's palace was ablaze with candlelight, but none of it outshone the light in his eyes. Li Yulan's eyes were beautiful, their lashes fluttering slightly as they widened, perhaps from excitement or something else entirely. He leaned forward slightly, not reaching for her hand this time, but instead carefully grasping a small hem of her clothes. "Okay, Azhao, okay, that's great. It's great to be able to stay with you forever..."
Seeing him like this, Lou Wanqiao didn't say much and silently looked away.
The rain outside was getting heavier, and I could faintly hear the muffled rumble of thunder in the clouds. The dark clouds rolled in, and the pitch-black night was occasionally torn apart by a few flashes of lightning, but it quickly healed.
Lou Wanqiao asked for his opinion: "Then according to your opinion, what should we do tonight?"
Li Yulan's expression returned to normal, then gradually turned colder. "Now that I've done this, I have to see it through to the end. Ah Zhao... To be honest, I've wanted to do this for years."
Lou Wanqiao nodded. "Then let's do it. I've made contact with the outside world and sent the message. The soldiers from the border and outside the city will attack together when the time comes. We will be responsible for clearing out the palace."
Li Yulan turned his head, a bloodthirsty smile rising from the corner of his lips: "Azhao, this day... I have been waiting for almost twenty years."
Lou Wanqiao looked at his features and couldn't imagine how he had come this far over the years.
Perhaps many people have an unknown past, dark and gloomy, and can only rely on themselves to get through it.
Fortunately, it was daylight and there was no need to hesitate.
Just as she was lost in thought, she suddenly heard a faint rustling sound. Lou Wanqiao looked up and saw Li Yulan undressing himself.
She took a step back. Li Yulan turned around and smiled at her, "We need to change clothes before we go to Wanyan Shuo's place."
Lou Wanqiao seemed to understand: "Do I need it?"
"No, you don't need to." The gorgeous brocade clothes slid down his waist, revealing the crisscrossing scabs on his shoulders and back. "I'll go."
Lou Wanqiao turned away and said, "Are you alone? Wanyan Shuo's palace must be heavily guarded and even more dangerous."
"With others around, it's hard for him to let his guard down. If it were just me, he'd be much less on guard." Li Yulan's voice was extremely soft. "...He wouldn't have thought I would resist."
Lou Wanqiao opened his mouth, but in the end, nothing came out.
"Then let's split up. You go to Wanyan Shuo's palace and look for an opportunity. If the situation isn't right, don't force it... Put your own life first."
He smiled brightly: "Azhao, are you worried about your own health or me now?"
Lou Wanqiao paused and did not respond.
"Alright, I get it. Don't worry." Li Yulan waved his hand nonchalantly. "Let's not talk about other things these years. If I were to say, I've gained the most from living."
His tone was light, but it concealed countless sorrows, pains and scars.
As Li Yulan walked in front of her, Lou Wanqiao saw clearly how he was dressed now.
A bright red robe outlines her slender figure, her waist is just right, and her white chest is faintly visible through the wide neckline.
Lou Wanqiao was stunned.
Li Yulan suddenly turned away embarrassedly: "Azhao, do I look... ugly like this?"
Before Lou Wanqiao could answer, he lowered his head and continued in a low voice, "The clothes they like... are definitely not good things. You'd better not look at them."
Lou Wanqiao stared at the sinister and fragile man before her, her expression gradually becoming solemn. She extended her hand and solemnly placed it on Li Yulan's shoulder, saying, "Li Yulan, don't punish yourself for the mistakes of others, and don't belittle yourself because of their disdain."
"You're not wrong. It was Li Lianhan's schemes, the emperor's connivance and neglect, and the corruption and incompetence of the Li court that forced you, a young child, to leave your homeland and face this situation in the Jin Kingdom. Tolerating the Jin Kingdom's provocations repeatedly was a sign of weakness, and sending the prince away to temporarily ensure safety was a sign of having no bottom line!"
Her words were powerful, even trembling with emotion at the end, echoing throughout the vast palace. Li Yulan stared at her for a long time, his eyes reddening.
"...You're right." He said softly, "This truth...I couldn't figure it out for a long time. Thank you, Azhao."
Li Yulan suddenly held her hand tightly: "Azhao, wait for my good news."
This time, his eyes were no longer filled with the usual false disguise, but a genuine smile, beautiful and charming, like the brightest magnolia in spring.
Lou Wanqiao moved his lips, but in the end, he said nothing. He walked away casually, his red dress gradually disappearing in the heavy rain.
Li Yulan waved his hand casually without looking back.
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