Shocking! Five men are in love with the same woman!

As night falls, the entire palace is illuminated by dazzling lights, as if stars from the heavens have descended to earth.

Inside the magnificent hall, the banquet was about to begin, and everyone was already seated and waiting.

Ling Yan and Xiao Muyao sat at the very top left of the main hall, with an exquisite and magnificent throne beside them, highlighting their noble status.

Around their seats sat other princes and their wives, each dressed in magnificent attire and wearing polite smiles.

Lingyan's gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on the princes who had stopped her last time.

She smiled slightly, a mischievous glint in her eyes, and then deliberately flicked her sleeve.

The princes were immediately startled, their faces showing panic and helplessness. They stood up immediately and involuntarily moved several meters away from Lingyan.

Ling Yan looked at their unruly behavior and a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

The princes realized they had been tricked by her again and were immediately furious.

They glared at Ling Yan, wanting to lash out but not daring to.

Especially when they saw the stares from the people around them, they felt even more ashamed.

He could only suppress his anger and sit back down.

At this moment, Xiao Muyao gave them a cold look.

His gaze was icy, instantly sending a chill down the spines of the princes.

They were in a state of panic. They had always known that Lao Liu was powerful, but it was only after the Zhou family incident that they truly realized how terrifying he was.

Being targeted and resented by him is not a good thing.

The second prince, in particular, was even more terrified than the others.

The Fourth Prince and the Ninth Prince were close enough to clearly see all the actions and reactions of the people present.

The two of them already understood.

He chuckled to himself, but made no other reaction.

At this moment, the eunuchs announced their arrival, and Emperor Jingzhao, the Empress, and several high-ranking concubines arrived.

Everyone stood up and saluted.

After Emperor Jingzhao and his consorts took their seats, the atmosphere in the hall became solemn once again.

Emperor Jingzhao raised a cup of wine and said in a relaxed yet resounding voice, "Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. On this grand occasion, I gather here with you all to celebrate this reunion. May our Great Zhao be prosperous and peaceful, may our people live in peace and happiness, and may our Great Zhao flourish for thousands of years to come!"

After saying this, he tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, displaying the grandeur and majesty of an emperor.

Everyone raised their glasses together and shouted in unison, "May our Great Zhao Dynasty prosper and flourish for thousands of generations!"

The sound echoed in the hall, embodying everyone's wishes and expectations.

The banquet then officially began, with dancers filing in one after another.

They wore flowing, ethereal colorful robes, their sleeves fluttering like flower petals dancing in the wind, while the music played was as melodious and gentle as flowing water.

Their figures were light and graceful, like swallows in flight. With light steps, their skirts bloomed like flowers as they twirled, bringing with them a fragrant breeze.

Her waist swayed softly, like a willow swaying in the breeze; every movement was full of charm and agility, just like "the dance moves scattered and gathered with the wind, the song's melody like a chime, still melodious."

Lingyan was captivated by the spectacular song and dance performance before her, her eyes glued to it, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.

The dancers moved gracefully, their clothes fluttering, like fairies descending to earth, a truly breathtaking sight.

At the same time, many men couldn't help but focus their gazes on them, unable to look away.

Sitting opposite Ling Yan and Xiao Muyao, He Jingchuan would occasionally glance at Ling Yan, who was smiling and enjoying the song and dance performance.

Apart from the parties involved, Xiao Muyao, and Lu Yanqing, no one else noticed this action.

Lu Yanqing sat two seats behind He Jingchuan, and the unspoken tension between them was obvious.

Because his gaze would occasionally drift towards Lingyan.

Inside the main hall, the other officials and their families were all smiling and chatting with those around them, exchanging toasts and laughter.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, everyone thoroughly enjoyed this rare reunion and joy.

The atmosphere inside the main hall was lively and harmonious.

Of course, many men also stole glances at Ling Yan from time to time, thinking that their gazes were subtle, but in fact, they had already been seen by many people.

However, everyone kept it to themselves and no one said it aloud.

After all, it is only natural for people to appreciate and admire beautiful things.

Didn't you see that many women's eyes were also turned towards Prince Rui and General He?

These people practically had their eyes glued to them.

When the wine was half-drunk and the banquet was halfway through, it was time for the daughters of the various mansions to perform.

This performance aims to showcase the talents and charm of these wealthy young ladies.

At the same time, the top three daughters with the best performances will be selected, and Emperor Jingzhao will personally reward them with a jade ruyi as a token of appreciation.

While the jade ruyi is indeed precious, what's more important is that it has won everyone's praise and recognition.

This is not only an affirmation of talent, but also an elevation of status and position.

To appear before His Majesty and numerous high-ranking officials and receive imperial rewards was undoubtedly the dream of every noblewoman.

Therefore, in order to have the opportunity to perform this year, the young ladies of each family would start preparing months in advance, practicing day and night, striving to show their best selves in front of everyone.

They all knew that this was a golden opportunity to showcase their talents and win praise.

Once the performance began, everyone gave their all, showcasing their superb talents.

The music was melodious, the dance graceful, the flute clear and melodious, the paintings vivid, the calligraphy elegant, the poems moving, and the recitations full of emotion…

Every performance was a visual treat, making you feel like you were in a large-scale concert where good looks and talent coexisted.

After the performance, everyone's faces were filled with satisfied smiles.

They nodded repeatedly and chatted with the people next to them.

Clearly, everyone was extremely satisfied with and appreciated this talent extravaganza.

Every year, the judges are Emperor Jingzhao and his concubines, but this year Consort Shu made a novel suggestion.

She smiled and said to Emperor Jingzhao, "Your Majesty, in previous years the selection of candidates was made jointly by Your Majesty and your concubines. But this year, I would like to try a different approach. How about letting one person select the final three? This person's talent surpasses that of all of us present. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

After Consort Shu finished speaking, Lingyan knew that this person was definitely her.

Because she wanted to cause trouble for her.

Consort Shu's words piqued Emperor Jingzhao's curiosity, and he asked with great interest, "Oh? My dear consort, tell me who this person is. I want to see who has such talent."

Consort Shu maintained her gentle smile.

She spoke slowly, her voice filled with praise for Ling Yan: "This person is Princess Rui. As everyone knows, Princess Rui is exceptionally talented, her talent is astonishing, and she can be called a genius that is only seen once in a thousand years. I believe that no one here will object to her judging the top three performers."

Emperor Jingzhao suddenly realized what Consort Shu had said.

He recalled that recently, both inside and outside the palace and in the imperial court, everyone was praising the Princess Consort Rui's talent.

His five consecutive exquisite poems are particularly breathtaking, truly showcasing his exceptional talent.

Emperor Jingzhao nodded in agreement, saying, "My beloved consort is right."

He then turned to Lingyan and said seriously, "In that case, sixth brother's wife, I'll leave the evaluation to you."

It truly is a gentle knife, yet every strike is deadly!

These noble ladies went through great lengths to perform for the emperor, naturally hoping to gain Emperor Jingzhao's approval.

Now that she's been given this task to evaluate, even if everyone acknowledges her talent, how could they not harbor resentment?

After all, this meant losing the chance to have Emperor Jingzhao's golden words of approval!

Furthermore, the fact that she alone is responsible for evaluating so many noble ladies inevitably leads people to feel that it is unfair and that she is acting based on her own preferences.

Neither the top three noble ladies nor those who were not selected will remember her kindness; they will only feel resentment towards her.

Some people with extreme psychological biases might even harbor resentment towards her because of this.

They seemed to think she was exceptionally talented and that this was an honor, but in reality, they were digging a huge pit for her.

If she actually jumps in, it will be a losing proposition.

At this point, some clever people also figured out the reason behind it, and their gazes toward Consort Shu had changed.

Who would have thought that Consort Shu, who usually seemed so unassuming, was actually such a scheming person?

Unfortunately, Emperor Jingzhao had too much of a soft spot for her and didn't think much of it.

Lingyan had already figured out how to refuse the task, but unexpectedly, the Empress's voice suddenly rang out from the main hall.

The Empress sat upright in the main hall, her gaze sharp and piercing. She glanced at Consort Shu, a hint of displeasure flashing in her eyes.

She spoke slowly, her voice revealing an undeniable authority: "Sister Shufei, these young ladies are all from prestigious families and are exceptionally talented."

Everyone possesses unique talents and charm. With so many noble ladies, each specializing in such different areas, how can Princess Consort Rui possibly make a judgment? I find your suggestion utterly inappropriate.”

Consort Shu was so shocked by the Empress's words that her face froze.

She didn't expect the Empress to stand up for Princess Rui at this time.

Wasn't it said that the Empress and Princess Rui's relationship had never been good? Why is she so protective of her today?

But at this moment, Consort Shu had no time to think further; she had to deal with the Empress's questioning as soon as possible.

So she quickly adjusted her mindset, as if she had really done something wrong, and lowered her head.

Then, with tears in her eyes and a choked voice, she said, "Your Majesty, I didn't mean it. I really didn't think that much about it. I just made this suggestion on a whim because I saw that Princess Rui was so talented. Your Majesty, please believe in my original intention!"

Consort Shu spoke these words with tears streaming down her face, as if she had truly suffered a great injustice.

How fragile and innocent they are!

They really know how to make tea.

Lingyan felt so disgusted that she started to vomit.