Chapter 62: Completely Bewildered
The main hall was filled with the sound of music and clinking glasses when a sudden urgent shout interrupted the merry laughter, causing everything to fall silent.
A guard hurriedly stepped into the hall, clutching an urgent report from the frontier, his expression grave.
He walked straight to Emperor Jing’s throne, knelt down, and raised the urgent report high.
Emperor Jing took the report and skimmed it quickly, his brows furrowed tightly.
Everyone in the hall held their breath, watching Emperor Jing intently, wondering whether the news from Beiguan on this New Year’s Eve was good or bad.
After a while, Emperor Jing put the urgent report into his sleeve. He sighed, stood up slowly, swept his gaze over the ministers, and finally rested his eyes on Prime Minister Wei, speaking in a deep voice: "Prime Minister Wei, come with me to the Imperial Study Room."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the elder minister replied.
Prime Minister Wei responded immediately by putting down his wine cup and quickly standing up to follow the Emperor. The two men made their way through the lively banquet and out of the hall, one ahead of the other.
With the Emperor gone, how could there still be a royal betrothal?
Zhao Zun looked at Han Lei, his face quite awkward.
But Han Lei seemed indifferent. She shrugged playfully at him and smiled lightly, "No need to rush. Let’s enjoy the palace banquet first and wait for His Majesty’s return!"
"Hmm!"
Zhao Zun nodded, pursing his lips.
The two of them bowed to the Empress and then walked hand in hand to their designated seats.
As soon as they sat down, Han Lei immediately felt two unfriendly stares.
Following her instincts, she looked toward the men’s table and saw a familiar man—the very same Mr. Wei who she and Zhao Zun had beaten up the previous day at Tengyun Building.
Yesterday, she heard from Zhang Hanlin that that Wei Chengchao was indeed the son of Prime Minister Wei, a scoundrel. She hadn’t expected to run into him again so soon at the palace banquet.
Although Wei Chengchao was adorned in luxurious garments and exuded nobility, his face still bore swollen bruises from their previous encounter.
He glared at Han Lei with a pair of loathsome squinted eyes, his gaze sinister.
But was Han Lei afraid?
No, she wasn’t.
Han Lei brushed her thumb across her petite nose, her fingers closing into a fist, and returned a fierce yet cute expression and a waving fist at him.
Her demeanor was reminiscent of a landlady, aggravating Wei Chengchao to the point where he quickly averted his gaze, no longer daring to look at her.
After intimidating Wei Chengchao with her presence, that other unfriendly gaze diminished.
Han Lei specifically surveyed her surroundings but couldn’t locate the source of that other look. Meanwhile, the palace banquet continued; however, the atmosphere wasn’t as lively as before.
The Empress took note of this and stood up with a smile to take charge of the situation.
"Dear ministers, since His Majesty and Prime Minister Wei have important matters to discuss, let us continue to enjoy this rare feast. I propose a toast!"
The Empress raised her glass, signaling to everyone, and without exception, the ministers rose to respond, though their minds were preoccupied with the contents of the urgent report, leaving them little heart for the banquet’s pleasures.
With the Emperor and Prime Minister Wei’s departure, the New Year’s Eve palace banquet gradually became the domain of the womenfolk.
At the urging of some ministers’ wives, the noblewomen present began to flaunt their talents and beauty.
One by one, they stepped to the center of the hall to perform, either playing instruments and singing, dancing gracefully, or painting and calligraphy, showcasing their skills.
As their performances continued, the hall slowly regained its lively atmosphere.
The Empress sat on high, smiling as she appreciated their performances, occasionally offering a few comments.
These noblewomen used the occasion of the palace banquet to exhibit their literary and artistic talents and beauty, hoping to capture the attention of a talented gentleman present and thus find a worthy husband.
Han Lei sat in her seat, watching intently, intrigued. This was her first time witnessing such performances by ancient people, naturally piquing her interest.
Next to her, Zhao Zun gazed at Han Lei with gentle eyes, a doting smile playing on his lips.
He picked up a wine jug and poured a glass, waving it under Han Lei’s nose.
"Girl, give it a try. The imperial wine from the palace tastes much better than that from Beiguan; see if it suits your taste."
Han Lei turned her head and took a small sip from Zhao Zun’s hand, saying in a low voice, "Hmm, it’s okay! Just wait until Tao Qing’s wine arrives; you’ll see, it tastes much better than this."
Amused, Zhao Zun tapped the tip of Han Lei’s nose with the wine cup, "Haha, you sure know how to drink."
The two of them whispered to each other, discussing the palace’s expensive wine, entirely oblivious to the venomous gaze fixed on them.
Not far away, Princess Changle bit her lip, her hands clenching into fists, her well-manicured nails almost digging into her palms.
As she watched the intimate interaction between Han Lei and Zhao Zun, the jealousy in her heart surged like a tide.
She resented Han Lei for stealing the heart of the man she loved and envied Han Lei for receiving Zhao Zun’s tender gaze and deep, affectionate smile.
All of this was Han Lei’s fault; she was the one who disrupted what should have been her perfect love.
Princess Changle was secretly scheming about how to humiliate the woman who had taken her beloved’s heart in front of everyone, ensuring that infuriating smile would vanish in the presence of all.
She wanted everyone to know that Han Lei was just a lowly woman, unworthy of Zhao Zun, who was like a dragon among men without her noble status as a Commandery Princess.
Perhaps the heavens sensed her thoughts, as soon the opportunity presented itself.
"Changle, the New Year’s Eve palace banquet is all about joy and excitement. All the other young noblewomen have taken turns performing their talents. As a Commandery Princess, shouldn’t you perform too?"
The Empress smiled elegantly, her words carrying a hint of expectation and suggestion.
The Empress cast a glance between Zhao Zun and Princess Changle, seemingly conveying some subtle message.
Upon hearing this, Princess Changle smirked triumphantly. This was exactly the moment she had longed for.
"Yes, I obey, Changle," Princess Changle replied, trying hard to suppress the smile about to escape her lips. She stood up gracefully and slowly strode toward the stage at the center of the hall.
Standing on stage, Princess Changle shot a provocative glance at Han Lei, as if to say, "Just wait and see, I’ll show you what true humiliation means."
As the melodious sound of a zither began to play, Princess Changle commenced her elegant dance.
Dancing was her forte, and she was confident she could capture Zhao Zun’s heart with her performance.
With each move, her eyes involuntarily drifted towards Zhao Zun, as if her performance today was solely to please him.
Her dance was light and graceful, every motion perfectly showcasing her grace and nobility.
The guests in the hall responded with appreciative glances, and exclamations of praise resounded throughout.
As the dance concluded, applause filled the hall.
The only unfortunate thing was that this ancient court dance was only watched with keen interest by Han Lei, the "bumpkin" from another time, while Zhao Zun merely glanced indifferently.
His gaze alternated between appreciating Han Lei’s "naïve demeanor" and looking anxiously toward the hall’s entrance, wondering why His Majesty hadn’t returned yet.
Princess Changle was very pleased with her performance. She bowed slightly, greeting the Empress with a proud smile, to which the Empress gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Understanding the gesture, Princess Changle elegantly stepped down the stage and approached Han Lei’s seat.
She looked down at Han Lei, a glint of challenge and disdain flashing in her eyes, yet her expression remained a polite smile.
"I’ve heard Miss Han is highly talented. Since you have the fortune to attend this palace banquet, why not showcase a performance yourself?"
"Hmm?"
Her words took Han Lei by surprise as she was chatting with Zhao Zun. She looked up in bewilderment at Princess Changle.