The military advisor did not think rudely of him, continuing to speak: “Didn’t think she is Madam Lou.” These words spoken didn’t seem to be his, instead it was said on Lin Rui En’s behalf, Lin Rui En knits his brows together, about to say something. Right at this moment, he notices Lou Che lower his head, his expression gentle as he says something, Gui Wan turns her head and sweetly smiles. Upon seeing this, Lin Rui En freezes, his brows knitting together even more, forgetting whatever he was about to say.
Seeing him like this, the military advisor also frowns, lamenting: “Beauties are all disasters.”
Hearing his words, Lin Rui En didn’t even get the chance to react, when the tall and slim man besides him has already spoken up: “Didn’t think that Military Advisor Lu has also taken a liking to that beauty.” He pauses for a moment, seeming to have thought of something, he speaks again: “This cannot do, Military Advisor Lu, your child is already at the age qualified to enter the battlefield. For you to think of such a young beauty, this is unjust to Madam. I’d say, such a beautiful young lady, seems to match our General quite well.”
Once he had said that, he even let out a snicker or two, as though he felt his own idea wasn’t bad.
“Shut up.” Lin Rui En scolds, “What nonsense are you speaking?”
The people nearby also turns their heads, everyone there had only just seen this frost-like youth reveal a look of anger for the first time. The tall and slim man freeze on the spot, not knowing how he should respond. Everyone else also appears to be shocked by Lin Rui En’s expression.
Having just scolded, he immediately felt a sense of regret, these people are all brothers who he had fought through life and death with on the battlefields, yet he was unable to keep his emotions in check. Just now, he doesn’t know why, but he just couldn’t withstand such crazy talk that carried wishful thinking, severely interfering with his emotions. From the corner of his eyes, he sees the military advisor’s knowing expression, and once again another round of irritation rises within. Looking away, he just happens to meet eyes with Gui Wan’s surprised yet studying expression, he quickly turns away, pretending he didn’t see it.
In this moment of Lin Rui En’s endless irritability, an ink blue figure stands in front of the hall, calling out from the top of his lungs: “His majesty the Emperor, Empress, and Lady Consort Ying has arrived—“
Officials and their partners that filled up the entire hall, all bows down in greeting, the large hall falling into silence, only hearing the noise of footsteps walking in, following on is the modestly spoken “Forego the formalities—“
Gui Wan slowly raises her head, the Emperor stands in the middle of the large hall, a lady stood on each side of him. On the right, is the one who Gui Wan feels familiar yet unfamiliar towards, Consort Ying, and on the left should be the mother of the empire, the Empress. She had heard that within the palace, the one who is specifically opposing Consort Ying is the Empress, unable to hold back her curiosity, Gui Wan cannot help but to look over towards the Empress. The Empress is dressed in a lilac water sleeve robe, although she does not have such startling beauty like Consort Ying, she too has the eyes of a phoenix, clearly a delicate and beautiful woman, what’s more rare is, within her temperament there is tranquillity, a sense of a kind of amiable yet unapproachable elegance.
As a fellow woman, Gui Wan also had to give it to her, secretly singing her praises, she is indeed deserving to be the mother of the empire.
Seeing from the corner of her eyes, that the Emperor has already sat down, Gui Wan also sits down at the first seat on the left hand side, accompanied by Lou Che.
The banquet had already been prepared, without the Emperor’s command, no one dared to move. Gui Wan raises her head to look at the Emperor, who is completely different to the image she had of him. The Emperor has a handsome face, although he is nearing thirty years of age, presumably due to being pampered since young, he appears to have an elegant magnanimity, however, what makes Gui Wan feel regretful is, the Emperor has no eagerness and vigour, when the current Emperor was Crown Prince it was because he was approachable and was loved by the people, but as the Emperor, such modest attitude would definitely be a great flaw.
Seeing the Emperor hold up the jade bottle, Gui Wan also holds up the white jade cup in front of her. In that moment, she didn’t even get to hear what the Emperor had said, only hearing the people beside her reciting “Of peace and harmony” “A golden harvest of all five grains” “It is a rarely seen golden age since the beginning of a new reign” “The Emperor is ingenious” words of this sort. Looks like hypocritical flattery during occasions like this cannot be any more common, Gui Wan carries a mocking smile, whilst maintaining her grace and poise as she sits there……