CHAPTER 701: CHAPTER 568: A SPECIAL GIFT

Confronted with Emperor Beiqing’s questioning, Feng Xun responded with a smile before suddenly speaking.

"Your Majesty, there is something I wish to ask. My heart has long admired the Yue Marquis, and taking advantage of today’s celebration, I earnestly request that Your Majesty grant us marriage."

A single stone stirred up a thousand waves.

Inside the Chuyun Palace, the entire hall erupted into commotion.

Just now, Ye Lingyue and Feng Xun had entered the palace together, and the affection between the two of them, as well as their attire, was evident to anyone who was not blind.

Yet no one expected that Prince Feng would directly, in the presence of everyone, ask Emperor Beiqing for a marriage alliance.

Even Ling Yue hadn’t anticipated that Feng Xun would suddenly make such a statement; she thought he would wait until after the banquet to privately seek out Emperor Beiqing.

A "snap" was heard, as a cup from Xue Pianran’s table fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

"This minister deserves to die a thousand times."

Xue Pianran hurriedly left her seat and walked to Feng Xun’s side, kneeling to his left.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with tears and a sense of grievance, almost on the brink of weeping, she glanced at Feng Xun but received no response.

Emperor Beiqing laughed dryly twice.

"It is nothing more than the accidental breaking of a cup, what crime is there in that? A wine pot naturally comes with several cups; to forcibly match it with just one would be quite strange. Someone, prepare a new cup for the Heavenly Maiden."

The eunuch quickly cleared away the fragments and presented a new wine cup.

"Prince Feng, today is the day of My ascension ceremony. It is naturally good to have more joyous occasions, but everything has an order of precedence. You and Pian Ran should withdraw for now. I have heard that Emperor Xia has prepared a rather unique celebratory gift for Me. Perhaps the Yue Marquis should present it now so that I may have a look," said Emperor Beiqing with an amiable smile, his response neither a direct acceptance nor a rejection, effectively giving Feng Xun a tactful snub.

Feng Xun wanted to say more, but Ling Yue gently shook her head at him.

Feng Xun then had no choice but to stand and return to his seat.

Xue Pianran, on the other hand, was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She glared fiercely at Ling Yue before rising and retreating to her seat.

On her table, a brand-new cup had already replaced the old one.

Upon seeing the cup, Xue Pianran’s face revealed a smug smile.

Emperor Beiqing’s display of favoritism towards her was obvious to all.

Feng Xun was like a fine wine pot, while Ye Lingyue was akin to a disposable wine cup - how could she ever be a match for Feng Xun?

Moreover, the news of the Daxia Embassy’s fire incident had already spread far and wide within the Emperor City.

The gift that Xiahou Qi had previously prepared as well, had been consumed by the flames.

She was eager to see what kind of celebratory gift Ling Yue could prepare in such a short amount of time.

"Your Majesty, originally Emperor Xia had prepared a generous gift for Your Majesty, but unfortunately, the embassy suffered a fire incident. This minister had to hurriedly prepare another gift, and I hope that Your Majesty will like it," said Ling Yue, as she instructed someone to bring forward a box.

Only one gift?

For this anniversary ceremony of Emperor Beiqing, all the countries treated it with great importance. Even the least generous country prepared no fewer than six gifts, and some even had as many as twenty.

Although Daxia was not as powerful as Beiqing, it was still a wealthy nation. Just one gift seemed far too meager.

The envoys from other nations all showed looks of disdain, thinking that Daxia was being too stingy.

If this one gift could not impress, and Emperor Beiqing was to be enraged, then Daxia’s Yue Marquis might not even make it out of the Imperial Palace.

Yet Ling Yue was neither urgent nor slow.

She opened the box.

Inside the box lay a robe.

That robe, while decently crafted in purple, had nothing else remarkable about it.

Compared to the dragon robe worn by Emperor Beiqing, this robe seemed utterly common and vastly inferior.

"Is this actually a robe they’re presenting? That’s like bringing an axe to the door of a master carpenter. Everyone knows Beiqing Cloud Brocade is unparalleled in the world."

"The Yue Marquis is really barking up the wrong tree here with his flattery."

The envoys chattered among themselves, finding the Daxia’s congratulatory robe paling in comparison to the famed Beiqing Cloud Brocade.

"Yue Marquis, why don’t you explain what’s so special about this robe?"

The Beiqing Empress, unlike the others who showed disdain, actually seemed intrigued as she inquired to Ye Lingyue.

Ye Lingyue smiled.

"Your Majesty, may I ask if there is someone present with exceptional martial prowess who could demonstrate the unique features of this garment for me?"

At Ye Lingyue’s request, the hall erupted with laughter.

Everyone found her question amusing, being in Beiqing where Martial Artists were renowned far and wide for their outstanding abilities, the court was full of them.

"Yue Marquis, if there’s one thing Beiqing is never short of, it’s Martial Artists. If you don’t mind, I’ll volunteer to assist the Yue Marquis with this. How does that sound to you?"

Across from Feng Xun’s seat, a man adorned in jade stepped forward.

Seating arrangements at today’s Beiqing Emperor Palace banquet were meticulously organized.

The highest seat was naturally reserved for Emperor Beiqing, with the first row on his right occupied by Heaven and Earth Dual Venerables from the Tongtian Pavilion.

Chen Hongru of Dan Palace was supposed to sit on the left, but having retired from court for many years, he usually did not attend such occasions.

Therefore, next in line were Beiqing’s chancellors, followed by royal relatives.

Feng Xun, being a Prince, was of course seated opposite other Princes, precisely from the Kaijiang Prince Manor.

Ye Lingyue had not managed to look carefully earlier, but upon hearing the man volunteer, she couldn’t help but take a closer look.

The man looked a few years older than Feng Xun, around twenty-three or twenty-four.

With brows like wilting willows and standing as tall and straight as a jade tree, he wore an extravagant azure blue banquet suit, his limbs were long and strong. Owing to years of cultivation, his physique was well-sculpted, and he exuded an aura of nobility and sharpness.

Judging purely by looks, this man was a top-grade beauty.

Earlier at the banquet, the daughters of the Beiqing nobles were sneakily glancing at this handsome man.

It seemed he was even more popular than Feng Xun.

Had the Beiqing women’s eyes been covered in filth? How could this man be better than Feng Xun?

Ye Lingyue couldn’t help but feel indignant on behalf of her man, disregarding the man’s ingratiating demeanor.

"I am Chen Mu from the Kaijiang Prince Manor, and I have the honor to meet the Yue Marquis."

Just as Ye Lingyue was pondering, the man had already saluted.

Realizing he was the older brother of the unfortunate Chen Minzhi, Chen Mu made sense of his attire.

Wasn’t this man the Core Disciple of the Hunyuan Sect?

Ye Lingyue thought it over and it quickly became clear that with the close relationship between the Hunyuan Sect and Beiqing, Chen Mu, as the Princely Heir of the Kaijiang Prince Manor, naturally had to return to congratulate the event.

Chen Minzhi was no good, and Chen Mu was likely even worse.

Ye Lingyue’s gaze roamed over Chen Mu and, with a pleasant smile, she said:

"Then I’ll trouble Heir Chen. Please remove your clothes first."