To celebrate the official appointment of the first batch of female officials since the founding of the Great Liang Dynasty, Emperor Xiao Che issued an edict to hold a grand banquet at Hanyuan Hall, inviting officials of the third rank and above and their families.
This is not only the highest affirmation of Empress Lin Wanwan's implementation of the new policies, but also a declaration to the world that the system of female officials has been recognized by the imperial power, is an inevitable trend, and is unlikely to be changed.
Night falls and the city lights come on.
Inside Hanyuan Hall, the lights were bright, and people were drinking and making merry, creating a harmonious and joyous scene.
Lin Wanwan, dressed in a magnificent phoenix robe, sat side-by-side with Xiao Che on the main seat, receiving the congratulations of the officials. Not far behind her, the newly appointed Palace Attendant Qin Zheng, leading several capable female officials, was methodically assisting the Director of the Palace Attendants in managing the entire banquet's flow. Their composed and efficient figures formed a stark contrast to the palace maids who only knew how to smile sweetly, becoming a unique sight at the banquet.
This should have been a highlight moment for Lin Wanwan and her female officials.
However, amidst this hustle and bustle and celebration, Lin Wanwan's heart remained shrouded in a subtle sense of vigilance.
Because the atmosphere at tonight's banquet is just... too strange.
The strange thing is that those conservative ministers who had vehemently opposed the system of female officials, especially the faction led by Regent Xiao Yuan, are now behaving in an unusually "kind" and "humble" manner.
At the start of the banquet, several senior officials, led by the Minister of Rites, took the initiative to step forward with their wine cups. They did not mention the "hen crowing at dawn, violating ancestral rules" again, but instead bowed to Lin Wanwan with "sincere" smiles on their faces.
"This old minister congratulates Your Majesty the Empress! Congratulations, Your Majesty the Empress!" The Minister of Rites' wrinkled face beamed like a chrysanthemum. "Your Majesty's actions, though somewhat contrary to etiquette, now seem to have been a good thing in selecting such a talented individual for our Great Liang. This old minister has been quite rude before, and I hope Your Majesty will forgive me!"
Several officials behind him echoed his sentiments:
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty the Empress is farsighted; we were truly short-sighted before!"
"Congratulations, Lady Qin! You are young and promising. We will need your help in the future!" They even raised their glasses to Qin Zheng, who was not far away, with friendly smiles.
This dramatic 180-degree turn left the other officials present speechless.
If one hadn't seen it with their own eyes, who would believe that these old fogies, who were crying and wailing in the court just a few days ago, accusing the Empress of being a "wicked empress who disrupts the government," would now have such a face?
Lin Wanwan sat upright on the phoenix throne, a proper and dignified smile on her face, calmly accepting their "congratulations," but in her heart, she was filled with cold vigilance.
Something unusual must be going on.
These old foxes are not genuinely repentant. Beneath this sudden "amiable" facade, there must be a deeper, more deadly intent at play!
Her gaze swept across the entire room without making a sound.
She noticed that the Imperial Guards responsible for security at the banquet tonight seemed to be a different group of unfamiliar faces. What made her even more wary was that the open space in the center of the banquet hall, reserved for a song and dance performance, was now being prepared by a troupe of dancers she had never seen before.
The dancers were all tall and slender, with slightly dark skin and striking features, clearly not from the Central Plains. They wore extremely revealing exotic clothing, with strings of golden bells hanging from their waists, and their eyes were alluring, exuding a wild charm.
"Qin Zheng," Lin Wanwan asked Qin Zheng behind her in a low voice, "who arranged the song and dance performance tonight?"
Qin Zheng immediately bowed, lowered his voice, and quickly reported, "Your Highness, I have checked tonight's schedule. This troupe of dancers is said to be a tribute from the Western Regions, personally recommended by... His Highness the Regent, who said it was to add to the festivities of the banquet."
Recommended by the Regent?
Lin Wanwan's heart sank suddenly.
A strong sense of unease, like vines, quickly coiled around her heart.
She subconsciously turned her head to look at Xiao Che beside her.
At this moment, Xiao Che was holding a wine cup, a perfectly measured imperial smile on his face, calmly dealing with the officials who came to offer toasts, showing no sign of anything amiss. He seemed completely unaware that beneath this seemingly harmonious banquet, undercurrents were already surging.
But Lin Wanwan knew that he could never be completely unprepared.
She raised her eyes, her gaze landing precisely on the top of Xiao Che's head.
As expected.
Above his calm and composed imperial face, in that familiar meme-worthy area, hangs a huge, yellow-and-black triangular warning sign!
The warning sign was still flashing a blinding yellow light rhythmically, like a danger alarm running at high speed.
In the center of the warning sign, a line of bold black characters, also flashing, clearly caught Lin Wanwan's eye—
[Stay Alert.gif]
In an instant, Lin Wanwan's heart sank completely.
She and Xiao Che didn't even need to exchange a glance to reach a consensus in this unique way—there's danger tonight!
This unspoken understanding brought her some peace of mind. They were like two audience members who knew the script, coldly watching the clowns on stage, diligently performing their hypocritical "kindness" and "humility."
They wanted to see what tricks these people were up to!
Just then, the sounds of string and wind instruments in the main hall suddenly changed.
A rapid, exotic drumbeat rang out, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
The group of dancers from the Western Regions, like alluring snakes, swayed their hips and glided into the center of the hall. Their dance was bold and passionate, full of primal allure, causing many officials present to stare wide-eyed and blush.
Halfway through the enchanting dance, Regent Xiao Yuan slowly rose from his seat.
He held a full cup of imperial wine in his hand, a mysterious smile on his face. He did not walk towards the main seat, but instead raised his wine cup to Lin Wanwan on the phoenix throne from afar, across the group of graceful dancers.
His voice, though not loud, clearly overpowered the decadent music and resounded throughout the entire hall.
"Your Majesty,"
He spoke with a forced smile, and a chilling glint flashed in his cloudy old eyes.
"The dancers tonight are gifts that I, Your Majesty, have painstakingly sought out to entertain you."
He paused, his smile deepening, carrying an almost cruel, playful quality.
"I hope Your Majesty will like this 'surprise' that I have presented."
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