Next to arrive was the prince of the Northern Di. When Dorje and Jiang Heng met eyes, they glared at each other fiercely, their eyes filled with hostility.
Everyone was completely confused, but then they realized that the two must have had some kind of grudge.
When Yan Jue arrived, Shen Tangning was slightly surprised. She looked up at the sickly young man, whose expression was calm and reserved, and whose overly pale face conveyed a sense of compassion.
Unlike the Crown Prince's gentle and inclusive nature, Yan Jue's tranquility was more like an indifference to everything, including life and death, which were not important to him.
Some people whispered among themselves, "Doesn't the Fourth Prince usually avoid these kinds of occasions? Why is he here today?"
"What's so strange about that? The Third Prince is still under house arrest, yet His Majesty has granted him special permission to attend. This shows how grand the occasion is today!"
Occasionally, a few strange glances fell on Yan Xingzhou, making his already gloomy expression even more somber, before he returned to his nonchalant demeanor.
With the arrival of the Emperor and Empress, the palace banquet officially began.
As the sounds of sheng and xiao (traditional Chinese wind instruments) begin, dancers gracefully enter the stage.
Shen Tangning looked around carefully, but there was no one she recognized. It seemed that the dancer who had attempted the assassination was not among them.
She glanced discreetly in the direction of Yan Xingzhou; he was looking down, his expression somewhat somber.
In her past life, she always felt that the assassination was orchestrated by the Third Prince himself, but judging from the recent events, she suddenly became somewhat uncertain.
Yan Jue's gaze inadvertently fell upon the envoys' seats, and upon noticing something, his expression softened slightly.
Yan Xingzhou, who was standing next to him, stared at him thoughtfully: "Fourth Brother seems to be in a good mood today?"
His younger brother has always been uninterested in anything, and naturally, very little can stir his emotions.
Yan Jue paused, then smiled faintly: "It's been a long time since I've seen such a lively scene. I'm sorry to have made Third Brother laugh at me."
Yan Xingzhou still looked somewhat suspicious, but Yan Jue had already started drinking his tea, so he could only give up.
"His Highness the Crown Prince seems to be recovering day by day." Yan Jue said this unintentionally while looking in Yan Huai's direction, which instantly diverted Yan Xingzhou's attention.
The latter looked at Yan Huai, who was chatting and laughing as usual, and pursed his lips without saying a word.
Halfway through the song and dance performance, Dorje stood up casually and presented a gift: "I have come to Daqing on the orders of the King to bring tribute to His Majesty the Emperor. Please accept it with a smile!"
The surroundings gradually quieted down.
The envoy stepped forward, unfolded the gift list, and slowly read aloud:
"Three thousand fine horses, and eight thousand cattle and sheep each..."
Resources on the grasslands were limited, but this fine steed truly pleased the emperor. The grasslands were a natural racetrack, and the warhorses raised by the Northern Barbarians were glossy, majestic, and far superior to those of Daqing.
He smiled with satisfaction after hearing this: "The King of the Northern Barbarians is very thoughtful."
Next up is the State of Qi. Qi is located by the sea and is much richer in resources, with a wide variety of things to offer.
As the list came out, people gasped in astonishment.
After reading the gift list, Jiang Heng stood up, a smile playing on his lips, and said, "My father intends to forge an alliance with your country, so he specially brought along the most favored seventh princess of Qi. What does Your Majesty of Daqing think?"
After a moment of silence, those in the know couldn't help but think to themselves: He really dares to say that the most favored seventh princess?
Wasn't it just found?
If she were truly favored, the marriage alliance wouldn't have fallen to her.
Various complex gazes fell upon Jiang Zhijing, who was being examined like a piece of merchandise. Her smile was forced, and her fragile neck seemed to droop as if it could not support her.
Emperor Chongde's expression was unreadable: "Oh? I have three sons of marriageable age. I wonder which prince your country has taken a fancy to?"
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