The top-level junior sister also wants to act weak today

The afterglow of the setting sun had not yet completely dissipated, and the heads and young masters of the eight major families had already arrived at the palace gate one after another.

The vermilion palace walls appear particularly solemn and majestic in the twilight. The gilded palace lanterns light up one after another, illuminating the entire palace like daylight.

The palace that night seemed to be covered with a layer of gold foil. The two sides of the hall were filled with royal family members and officials, and the rosewood tables were filled with a wide variety of delicacies.

Pearl soup from the South China Sea, camel humps from the Western Regions, snow clams from the Northern Frontier... Every dish was priceless, even the vessels they were served in were imperial blue-and-white porcelain. Musicians played chimes, and melodious music echoed throughout the hall.

This was completely different from the welcoming banquet of the previous two days. While the dishes there were exquisite, they were nowhere near as luxurious as today's. Even the maids' attire had been changed into more luxurious brocade.

"What kind of play is the king performing..." Chu Ying couldn't help but wonder when she saw this scene.

Chu's father, who was standing by, was even more shocked than Chu Ying. He was already old, but had never seen such a luxurious scene.

He was about to scoop a bowl of pearl soup to taste, but Chu Ying slapped his hand: "Dad, don't eat it in a hurry."

"Hey, little girl, haven't you been eating in the palace for two days and two nights? You won't even let Dad have a taste?"

"Oh, that's not what I meant." Chu Ying frowned: "I just can't guess the king's intention."

After all, the fifth princess said that the better the king treats people, the more he needs help from them.

The king is dressed much more majestically today than he was the previous two days.

The king was seen walking slowly towards us in a bright yellow dragon robe. The five-clawed golden dragon on the robe looked lifelike in the candlelight.

He wore an imperial crown with twelve tassels, each tassel made of high-quality oriental pearls. They swayed gently with his steps, casting fine shadows in the hall.

When he sat down, the crown tassels swayed slightly, and the pearls and jade made a crisp sound, as if reminding everyone of the emperor's majesty.

He looked around at the people from the eight great families in the hall and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, the last time we gathered here was when I ascended the throne. I summoned you all here today to discuss important matters. But first, let's enjoy some delicious food and some singing and dancing."

Before he finished speaking, the eunuch behind the king stepped forward, and his shrill voice echoed in the hall: "Announce, singing and dancing, begin——"

Suddenly, the candlelight in the hall dimmed a little. A faint fragrance came, accompanied by the sound of crisp bells.

Two teams of dancers in gauze floated out from both sides like flowing water. They were barefoot with silver bells tied on their ankles, and every step made a crisp sound.

Amidst the dancers, a beautiful woman in purple gracefully emerged. Her purple dress was no ordinary silk, but rather moonlight yarn, imported from the Western Regions. A veil partially obscured her face, revealing only a pair of captivating phoenix eyes, the corners of which were outlined with gold powder, gleaming in the candlelight.

The music suddenly began, and the purple-clad beauty spun around, her sleeves fluttering like butterflies. Her waist was as lithe as a willow, and the golden bracelets on her fair wrists jingled. Her slender feet tapped lightly, their toes drawing graceful arcs on the floor.

Suddenly, she leaned back, her long hair cascading down like a waterfall, her purple dress slipping off, revealing her snow-white shoulders. Just as everyone held their breath, she spun around again, the purple dress wrapping around her graceful figure once more.

The veil fluttered down as she spun, revealing a stunningly beautiful face. Her red lips were slightly parted, and her eyes were full of charm.

The men present were all so fascinated by the performance that they didn't even notice that their wine glasses were tilted.

Only the Cen family's Patriarch and Young Master remained seated, their gaze fixed on the purple-robed woman, but their eyes were filled with vigilance and disgust.

The purple-clad beauty spun around, her veil fluttering like a butterfly as she walked gracefully towards the king sitting on the dragon throne.

The silver bells around her waist jingled, and finally, she slowly fell into the king's arms with an extremely gentle posture.

The king couldn't let go of the beauty, and his face was filled with joy. He reached out and gently scratched the beauty's nose: "My dear friends, is my beloved concubine beautiful?"

There was a hint of boasting in his voice, and someone in the crowd immediately chimed in: "Your Majesty, this is simply breathtakingly beautiful!"

"Yes, it's like a fairy descending to earth. I wonder which family the queen is from?"

Upon hearing this, the purple-robed woman's eyes flashed with panic, and she shrank into the king's arms: "I... am not some noble lady..." Her voice was gentle but with a hint of grievance, and her slender fingers twisted the king's sleeves nervously.

"this..."

The hall was suddenly filled with silence; even the music stopped. Everyone looked at each other, hesitation in their eyes.

"What?" The king frowned unhappily, the pearl curtain of his crown tassels shaking violently. "If you're not a noble lady, you can't enter my harem?"

He reached out and lifted the beauty's chin: "Isn't her face and body good enough to be my woman?"

The king frowned unhappily: "Although she is not a noble lady, I will give her the supreme status."

The king said, "Ying'er will be my queen!"

Amidst the uproar, Cen Hanwen suddenly stood up and said, "This is simply nonsense!"

"Master Cen, you are so bold!" The king narrowed his eyes, his knuckles turning white from exertion. "Are you questioning me?"

Cen Hanwen clasped his fists and saluted, the jade pendant on his waist jingling. "I dare not, but this woman is not human, but a fox demon!"

"Bastard!" The king was furious and slammed the table with his palm, causing the golden cup to fall over and the nectar to spill all over the floor.

He pointed at Cen Hanwen and said, "Don't think that just because your Cen family is the strongest of the eight great families, I can't do anything to you! How dare you slander my woman? I think you are tired of living!"

Cen Hanwen said calmly, "Our Cen family is a family of beastmasters, and we know all too well what monsters are like. This woman exudes demonic energy, clearly a fox demon in disguise! Fox demons are best at changing their appearance and deceiving people. Your Majesty, don't be fooled!"

Upon hearing this, the purple-robed woman burst into tears. She snuggled in the king's arms, her eyes tearing up. "My king, if you don't believe me, just look at me with the magic mirror."

She raised her tearful eyes and said, "How could I be a fox demon?"

"Don't be afraid, my beauty." The king hugged her tighter, but his eyes were fixed on Cen Hanwen: "The head of the Cen family must be jealous of me, so he came to deceive me."

Cen Hanwen took a deep breath, a thousand words in his chest, but in the end, they condensed into a long sigh: "The king is confused..."

Fu Zhanxiong didn't take it seriously. Instead, he laughed out loud, his voice a bit sharp: "Hahahahahaha!" He picked up the wine glass and shook it gently: "Cen Hanwen, I don't like disobedient people, and I dislike people who are capable but disobedient even more. After all, such people are often prone to rebellion, don't you think?"

Cen Hanwen's heart tightened, his expression changed slightly, and he quickly lowered his head: "I have absolutely no second thoughts about the Canglan Kingdom! I hope the king will understand!"