He secretly clenched his fists. In any case, the Jin Kingdom’s Emperor and Prince Xian had already agreed to his proposal to marry the Princess. Today’s palace banquet would announce it, so he wasn’t in a hurry. Even if the Princess had no feelings for him, he believed he could make her fall in love with him.

Wei Qiheng’s gaze seemed glued to Bai Qingyan as he returned to his seat, his expression unable to conceal his joy.

He had been with countless women, but only that one woman could make him so lovestruck after just one meeting. He was willing to have no other beauties accompany him for the rest of his life – her alone would be enough.

Wei Qiheng thought he was probably, as his eldest imperial sister had said, encountering his destined person!

Hearing the eunuch loudly announce the arrival of the Jin Kingdom’s Emperor and Great Yan’s Emperor, everyone in the great hall rose to pay their respects.

Bai Qingyan raised her eyes to look toward Great Yan’s Emperor. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and Bai Qingyan’s calm gaze contained a subtle warning. Murong Yu was stunned for a moment, then smiled with some headache – it seemed he had severely offended his younger brother’s beloved girl last time.

The Jin Kingdom’s Emperor and Great Yan’s Emperor Murong Yu arrived together, their seats arranged side by side on the high platform.

The young prince Murong Li, following beside Great Yan’s Emperor Murong Yu, saw Bai Qingyan and his eyes brightened. He was personally guided by the Crown Prince to sit beside him.

The Crown Prince treated Murong Li with warmth, like an elder brother.

Murong Li restrained his impulse to turn back and look at Ninth Uncle. The Crown Prince pretended not to know about their lake excursion and made introductions. Only then did Murong Li say, “Yesterday’s lake excursion was accompanied by Master Xiao. Li is acquainted with Master Xiao.”

Emperor Yan looked toward Murong Li and Xiao Rongyan, smiling as he raised the wine cup before him to gesture toward Xiao Rongyan from afar.

Xiao Rongyan put on an expression of being overwhelmed by this honor, hurriedly standing with his wine cup and bowing respectfully, using his sleeve to shield as he tilted his head back and drained it in one gulp.

The Crown Prince was quite pleased. Yesterday, after learning that Xiao Rongyan had gone boating with Emperor Yan, he had specifically instructed Xiao Rongyan to interact more with Emperor Yan.

“Emperor Yan knows Master Xiao?” the Jin Emperor asked Murong Yu.

“Indeed. The grand eunuch by my side became acquainted with Master Xiao in Nanyan. Yesterday, my youngest son insisted on going boating and even used Master Xiao’s pleasure boat.” Murong Yu answered truthfully without concealment.

“Master Xiao’s talent is remarkable. Though he has a merchant’s status, he has deeply won our Jin Kingdom’s Majesty’s favor. I didn’t expect Emperor Yan to also appreciate Master Xiao so much,” the Empress said.

The Empress, who had not appeared publicly for a long time, accompanied the Emperor to this grand banquet. What no one expected was that the Crown Prince’s birth mother, Consort Yu, was seated below the Emperor, while the currently favored Concubine Qiu was surprisingly brought to the Emperor’s side.

Just as everyone was shocked by Concubine Qiu’s favor and amazed that Yan Kingdom’s Emperor was such a stunningly handsome figure, urgent sounds of barbarian music began, with dense drumbeats.

A woman wearing a fiery red dance dress with gold-inlaid jade ornaments and a golden veil over her face entered the palace hall barefoot to the music, her steps light and graceful. With each step matching the drumbeat, the golden bells on her ankles chimed crisply. Behind her followed over a dozen Western Liang strongmen carrying drums.

Bai Qingyan’s gaze fell upon Li Tianfu. Yesterday, Li Tianfu had been grief-stricken over Lu Tianzhuo’s death, but today she seemed completely transformed, displaying enchanting allure and looking directly at the Emperor… her purpose seemed very clear.

She turned to look at the high seat, where the Emperor was leaning toward Concubine Qiu saying something. Her lips curved slightly – it seemed no matter how seductive Li Tianfu’s performance, it wouldn’t attract the Emperor’s attention.

Western Liang women’s clothing had always been bold, almost exposing their chests, not hesitating to let others admire their beauty. The fair skin of her waist and shoulders contrasted strikingly with that red dress, making many young men in the great hall restless with desire.

The graceful woman stepped forward to the drumbeat, her slender waist like a water snake moving with full tension, swaying left and right with the rhythm. Her dance was soul-stirring, her enchanting eyes smiling toward the Emperor. Beneath fan-like eyelashes, her gaze was full of mysterious and bewitching charm.

As the barbarian music changed, the woman’s eyes, more charming than peach blossoms, smiled as she gracefully leaped onto a drum held high above the strongman’s head, causing everyone to gasp in amazement.

This woman could perform such a light dance on drums!

Li Tianfu smiled as she spread her sleeves, her toes lightly touching the drum surface as she spun at high speed. Her dress flew up due to her rapid rotation, looking from afar like a blooming red plum blossom – breathtakingly beautiful and blood-stirring.

The bell sounds, drum sounds, and music accelerated rapidly, and the woman’s spinning and jumping became faster and faster.

Even the Emperor straightened up to look at Li Tianfu…

Li Zhijie’s lips curved up as he tapped his folding fan against his palm rhythmically.

Watching Li Tianfu move from one drum to another while spinning at such high speed, so fast that people could only catch her red afterimage, everyone broke into a cold sweat for that graceful woman while watching with boiling blood.

The music suddenly peaked, and Li Tianfu’s spinning immediately stopped. She formed her fingers into a peacock shape, standing steadily on the drum… Those strongmen who had been kneeling slowly rose. Under the brilliant palace lanterns in the great hall, Li Tianfu looked like a proud peacock perched high above.

She turned back to look toward the Emperor’s direction, her clear eyes seeming to contain desire, making any man who saw her feel unbearably itchy.

She slowly stretched her arms and slender waist, stepping down from the drum surface to land barefoot on the ground, like a fairy descending from the heavens, gracefully kneeling in obeisance.

Such a woman could bewitch not only the seated men, but even Bai Qingyan felt her soul stirred.

Li Zhijie rose and bowed to the Emperor, saying: “The Western Liang Princess dances for Great Jin’s Emperor, wishing Great Jin’s Emperor endless longevity!”

“Excellent!” The Jin Kingdom’s Emperor applauded. “The Princess’s dance is truly unparalleled in the world.”

“This time, this foreign minister comes on orders from our Western Liang Empress to escort the Princess for a marriage alliance, hoping for eternal friendship with the Jin Kingdom,” Li Zhijie smiled.

Concubine Qiu, who had been pulled to sit beside the Emperor, tightened her palm slightly. Seeing the Emperor already laughing heartily, she gently grasped the Emperor’s clothing, her watery eyes looking toward the Emperor with extreme resentment.

The Emperor smiled and squeezed Concubine Qiu’s boneless, soft hand, laughing: “The Western Liang Princess is born so beautiful and moving. If she could marry into our Jin Kingdom, it would naturally be wonderful. However… the Crown Prince already has a primary consort, so we can only trouble the Princess to accept the position of side consort.”

As he spoke, the Emperor’s gaze fell on Concubine Qiu, full of indulgence and favor.

The Crown Princess was stunned, raising her head to look at the Emperor on his seat, her pupils trembling slightly as she twisted the handkerchief in her hands.

The Crown Prince was quite surprised and hurriedly rose to express his gratitude.

Li Tianfu was confident in her beauty. In Western Liang, as long as she wanted, no man would refuse to submit at her feet. Her original target had been the Emperor – she hadn’t expected the Emperor to be unmoved by her.

She tightened her palm. The Crown Prince would do too… As long as she remained in the Jin Kingdom’s power center, she could always eliminate Bai Qingyan’s family.

She raised her head, her soul-stirring eyes looking toward the Emperor as she reached up to remove her veil, gracefully bowing.