Chapter 153: The Birthday Banquet Incident, Sleeping Beauty Invincible
“That silver-haired girl inside should be Princess Xue, right? I heard she’s His Majesty’s most beloved daughter…”
“Rumor has it that today’s coming-of-age ceremony might also be a marriage selection event.”
“Heh, I know even more… His Majesty’s intentions are unclear, but the Empress has expressed her desire to personally find a suitable husband for Princess Xue.”
“Eh, why the Empress? Isn’t Princess Xue’s mother Imperial Concubine Min? Could it be that Imperial Concubine Min…”
“Shh, be careful what you say, these are the Sun and Moon Twin Halls!”
“What’s there to be afraid of? Not many can hear us. You’re too nervous, Brother Liu…”
Several handsome young men stood respectfully beside their elders, but their private voice transmissions were filled with gossip.
They were the most outstanding disciples of their respective clans, all younger than half a jiazi, and their cultivation had already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. They were all prodigies with the potential to reach the Tribulation Immortal Realm, or even the Sea Crossing Realm.
To find someone with greater talent than them, one would have to look back at least three thousand years within their clans to find a few prodigies capable of becoming pillars of their clans.
And how could prodigies of this level be willing to submit to a political marriage?
Although Princess Xue was the apple of the Immortal Emperor’s eye, it was well known that she had been frail and sickly since childhood, unsuitable for cultivation.
Even with the abundant resources of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty, even if her cultivation was boosted to Nascent Soul, her lifespan would only be a few thousand years, not a suitable match for a top prodigy.
Therefore, the young masters of the various clans, upon learning about the princess’s matchmaking event, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope.
Although they all claimed to have no chance, their occasional glances towards the gauze curtain revealed their thoughts.
What if?
What if, because of their handsome looks or something, they were chosen by the little princess and became the Prince Consort of the Immortal Dynasty?”
Not to mention the Immortal Emperor’s favor, their cultivation path would become smoother, and even their status within their clans would greatly increase. After all, they would be representing the imperial family.
Moreover, according to rumors, the little princess was a great beauty.
It made sense… otherwise, why would the Immortal Emperor dote on her so much?
Thinking of this, the young masters’ gazes became more intense.
“Ugh…”
Luo Xue, behind the gauze curtain, seemed to sense something and shivered slightly.
The elderly etiquette official beside her immediately glared and said sternly,
“Your Highness Princess Xue, please maintain your composure. The banquet is about to begin. Do you want His Majesty and his subjects to see your unseemly behavior?”
“…Understood.”
Luo Xue replied with a bitter face, but under the etiquette official’s gaze, she could only endure.
Although the start of this life seemed much better than her previous ones, even becoming a princess of high status, this torturous court etiquette…
Luo Xue felt like every day was a year, she just wanted to run away.
…It was better to be chased and killed.
However, Luo Xue hadn’t fully grasped the situation in this life yet, and to avoid any trouble, she could only continue to endure… sitting there “dignifiedly.”
The etiquette of the birthday banquet was extremely complicated, especially since this was also the little princess’s coming-of-age ceremony.
After a series of rituals that Luo Xue couldn’t understand, the lords and nobles finally took their seats, but the young masters beside them still had to stand, not even qualified to sit.
In fact, if not for the Empress’s decree, requiring the lords and nobles to bring their most outstanding descendants younger than half a jiazi, they wouldn’t even be qualified to enter the Sun and Moon Twin Halls.
As for their private voice transmissions within the hall… it could only be said that they weren’t discussing anything sensitive to the imperial family, so it was ignored, considered just the chatter of juniors.
The Sun Hall was where the Immortal Emperor discussed important matters with his officials, and the Moon Hall was where the Empress summoned imperial concubines or external officials. The Sun and Moon Twin Halls represented the convergence of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty’s fortune.
Unlike mortal dynasties, the Empress wasn’t powerless, not just a consort to the Immortal Emperor.
After all, the one who could become the Immortal Emperor’s Dao companion, although slightly weaker in strength, wouldn’t be too far behind and was also a powerful figure within the Immortal Dynasty.
The interdependence of the sun and moon was the foundation of the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty’s eternity.
After all the lords and nobles were seated, the Sun and Moon Twin Halls quickly quieted down, and an imperial attendant with a dignified expression stepped forward.
He first bowed respectfully three times and kowtowed nine times towards the empty throne, then kowtowed several times towards Luo Xue.
Luo Xue felt a bit uncomfortable watching others kowtow to her, but under the gaze of the etiquette official, she could only endure.
After these necessary rituals, the attendant respectfully took out a scroll made of exquisite immortal silk, lifted it with his head lowered, slowly unrolled it, and read its contents in a high-pitched voice.
The wording was too archaic and obscure, and Luo Xue couldn’t understand what he was saying.
Only after the lords and nobles’ expressions changed slightly did Luo Xue glean some substantial information from these incomprehensible words.
That was…
“My convenient father isn’t coming? The Empress is presiding instead?”
Luo Xue’s expression turned strange. She had heard about how much the Immortal Emperor doted on her, how good he was to her.
And the Empress’s role in all of this… wasn’t very flattering.
Thinking about it carefully, Luo Xue understood. She, Princess Xue, probably wasn’t the Empress’s daughter.
It seemed that palace schemes existed everywhere, even in an immortal dynasty.
But now… the Immortal Emperor, who supposedly doted on his daughter, wasn’t even present at her coming-of-age ceremony, and the Empress, whose attitude was…questionable, was presiding instead?
Did her convenient mother lose the palace power struggle?
Luo Xue muttered inwardly, her expression slipping slightly.
She quickly corrected herself, but she noticed that the usually strict etiquette official wasn’t glaring at her, but instead looking at her with pity.
“The Empress has arrived!”
The shrill voice of the attendant rang out again, and all the lords and nobles stood up, bowing towards the Empress’s throne.
Even the etiquette official was no exception. However, when Luo Xue also wanted to stand up, she was stopped by the etiquette official with a look.
It seemed that she didn’t need to bow to the Empress…
At the same time, a purple mist, impenetrable to prying eyes, enveloped the Empress’s throne in the Moon Hall.
A graceful and languid figure slowly appeared within, a mere silhouette carrying an air of imperial majesty.
The next moment, the Empress’s cold and indifferent voice rang out.
“Rise, my dear subjects, be seated.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The lords and nobles said in unison and sat down again.
Luo Xue, sitting beside the Empress’s throne in the Moon Hall, couldn’t help her curiosity and looked towards the throne.
She immediately felt a sharp gaze directed at her, and an indescribable pressure descended, making it difficult for her to breathe.
This wasn’t pure strength, or deliberately targeting Luo Xue, but rather the heavy aura of someone in a position of power for a long time.
However, the Empress only glanced at Luo Xue briefly, then retracted her gaze, not paying any more attention to her.
Although Luo Xue, as Princess Xue, was the true protagonist of this banquet, the Empress seemed to completely ignore her existence.
…Not even a hint of concern.
Coupled with the fact that the etiquette official, who was usually strict, didn’t correct Luo Xue’s slight awkwardness just now, but instead looked at her with pity, all of this hinted at a hidden story…
The more Luo Xue thought about it, the stranger it felt. Just then, the memories in her mind gradually returned, and the life of Princess Xue began to overlap with her own.
A cold palace, a boring past…
And also various banquets, celebrations, lively scenes…
Extremely fragmented memories appeared in Luo Xue’s mind, and she couldn’t help but rub her temples again, but immediately stopped, remembering the etiquette official.
However, the etiquette official didn’t say anything. Although her expression was still stern, she seemed to turn a blind eye to Luo Xue’s slight breaches of etiquette.
It seemed that after learning that the Empress was presiding over the birthday banquet, the etiquette official had changed her attitude.
It could only be said that…
All of this was probably related to the Empress.
Luo Xue looked towards the Empress again, but this time, the purple mist around the throne blocked her perception—this wasn’t targeted either, the Empress simply found the environment too noisy and had shielded herself with a barrier, ignoring everything.
The lords and nobles seemed to understand the Empress’s personality very well. After learning that the Immortal Emperor wasn’t coming, they relaxed and signaled for the juniors beside them to interact more.
Having a rare opportunity to socialize with other lords and nobles, they found old friends, made new connections, and seemed to have forgotten about Princess Xue, the protagonist of the banquet, though they still occasionally glanced at the silver-haired figure behind the gauze curtain.
The first half of this banquet was just to warm up the atmosphere. If the Immortal Emperor were present, he might have done something on a whim, but the lazy Empress didn’t care about these things.
As for Princess Xue, the protagonist of the coming-of-age ceremony… she hadn’t removed the gauze curtain yet, which could be interpreted as her not wanting to appear at this time, intending to observe first, so everyone just assumed she hadn’t arrived yet.
However, there would still be an opportunity for the juniors to show their talents.
Whether it was the Empress or Princess Xue, if either of them showed any interest, it meant that this junior had a bright future, their path within the Great Qin Immortal Dynasty smooth and unobstructed.
Since the Empress didn’t bother to preside over the banquet, someone with prestige, someone all the lords and nobles could trust, had to step forward.
“Everyone, quiet down, and listen to this old man.”
An old man in luxurious robes slowly spoke, supported by a delicate young woman beside him.
Instantly, all the lords and nobles stopped what they were doing and looked at the old man.
They were all prepared, but no one dared to step forward before the Empress.
However, this old man’s identity wasn’t ordinary. With him stepping forward, neither the lords and nobles nor the Empress would object.
According to the family tree, this old man was a distant uncle of the Empress, a member of the royal family, with the title of Sixth Prince.
Although the Sixth Prince’s status was high, his lifespan was nearing its end, with only two or three thousand years left.
Therefore, he was no longer in charge of clan affairs and had the leisure to attend such banquets.
“This old man dares to propose, with so many talented young people gathered here, why not have a friendly competition?” The Sixth Prince said cheerfully. “It would also allow Princess Xue to see how outstanding the young disciples of our Great Qin Immortal Dynasty are, and perhaps even find someone she fancies.”
Everyone laughed, and the juniors were even more excited.
Although everyone knew this, only the Sixth Prince dared to say it so directly before the Empress.
With that, the Sixth Prince turned and bowed to the Empress.
“Your Majesty… what are your thoughts?”
After a moment, the Empress’s cold voice came from the throne.
“Permitted.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The Sixth Prince bowed deeply again, then turned around, supported by the young woman, and looked at the lords and nobles, a smile appearing on his wrinkled face.
“In that case, this old man will throw a brick to attract jade. Xiao Mian, go and have a try with these talented juniors.”
Xiao Mian? Who?
The lords and nobles were puzzled. The Sixth Prince shouldn’t have brought any young talents with him, right?
With the Sixth Prince’s status, and his relationship with the Empress, it was impossible for him to offer a junior from his clan for marriage to Princess Xue.
This wasn’t just a matter of impropriety, it was practically slapping both the Empress and the Immortal Emperor in the face…
Under everyone’s puzzled gazes, the young woman who had been supporting the Sixth Prince respectfully stepped back a few steps and bowed.
“Yes, Sixth Granduncle.”
The young woman looked up, smiled at the young talents, and said,
“Which fellow Daoist would like to have a try with this little girl?”
The lords and nobles didn’t react, but the juniors beside them were shocked, their faces filled with fear.
“Holy shit, isn’t that Mian Wudi! Why is she here?”
“Peak Foundation Establishment within half a jiazi, a quirky genius who refuses to break through, pursuing the legendary Enlightenment Core Formation!”
“More importantly, those who have fought against her… seem to have all lost limbs…”
And this seemingly gentle girl…
Was a body cultivator…
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