sbdcsierra Chapter 1239: The Only Light and Dependence (1 Million Rewards Plus)
Chapter 1239: The Only Light and Dependence (1 Million Rewards Plus)
The corners of Shen Zhinian's lips curled up slightly, and he said with a faint smile, "Oh? I guess that must be Elder Zhuang?"
"It seems that Concubine Liang will have a great time tonight..."
Handan was adjusting the hem of Shen Zhinian's long skirt. She looked up at the words, her round face radiating undisguised pride and confidence. "No matter how virtuous and respected Master Zhuang is, can he surpass you?"
Shen Zhinian didn't say anything, but just picked up the warm jade cup in front of him and took a sip of the imperially bestowed pepper and cypress wine. The spicy and slightly astringent taste melted on his tongue.
She looked calmly towards the throne, waiting for the emperor to arrive.
The sound of stringed instruments gradually rose in the hall, and palace maids in colorful clothes flew around like butterflies, serving up delicious food.
The clan members greeted each other and laughed happily.
Concubine Liang sat in the seat below Shen Zhinian, dressed in a simple yet expensive palace dress, with an impeccable and gentle smile on her face. She was talking to Princess Yun'an beside her with her head slightly tilted.
However, when Concubine Liang's eyes swept across her father who was sitting upright like a pine tree in the seat opposite her, the proud glow deep in her eyes finally revealed a hint of her feelings.
Shen Zhinian took it all in, and the playful smile on his lips deepened.
Prince Jin, Nangong Xuanche, sat among the clan members, dressed in his royal attire, a jade belt, and a golden crown. He still had that gentle, jade-like, and gentle demeanor that warmed everyone's heart.
His slender fingers gently played with the white jade wine glass, with a perfect smile on the corner of his lips. He was talking in a low voice with a clan relative beside him, his posture calm.
However, when King Jin's gaze seemed to pass unintentionally across the elegant figure opposite him, a trace of almost greed flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Not appreciation.
It's not even admiration.
It was an almost pathological desire to tear apart Shen Zhinian's unattainable holiness and dignity, and then completely possess her!
She was the woman he most wanted to fight, and that had never changed.
He wanted to shatter her composure and knock down her phoenix hairpin!
He wanted to drag her down from the clouds and make her only see him in her heart and eyes!
This twisted thought grew wildly beneath the gentle exterior of Prince Jin...
But he simply smiled and drank the clear wine in the glass in one gulp. As his Adam's apple rolled, all the churning darkness was perfectly swallowed, leaving no trace.
When he looked up again, Prince Jin's eyes were clear, as if the distortion just now was just an illusion.
Dunpin's seat was slightly off, separated by several banquet tables.
A serious illness drained her energy and spirit. Her once bright face was now so thin that her cheekbones were slightly protruding. Even the thick makeup could not hide the sallowness and haggardness underneath.
She was wrapped in a thick brocade fur coat, and from time to time she covered her lips and coughed softly. The fingers holding the wine glass were thin and pale, and the knuckles were slightly white due to the force.
Concubine Dun lowered her eyelashes, her gaze seemingly fixed on the delicacies in front of her, but in fact, the corner of her eye was fixed on Shen Zhinian!
Hatred gnawed at her internal organs!
However...Dunpin did not dare to reveal a single word.
The wound on her wrist, hidden by her brocade sleeves, seemed to still ache, reminding her of her current weakness.
Her hatred for Concubine Chen was deep in her bones, but at this moment, she could only suppress her emotions deep in her heart and pretend to be humble and submissive.
Concubine Dun looked away, looked at Prince Jin, then looked at Ba Da Ying who was not far away, and frowned slightly.
King Jin... Ba agreed...
She had felt for a long time that there was something inexplicable and unexplainable going on between these two people...
At this moment, the King of Jin was smiling and toasting with others with an upright attitude.
Ba Da Ying lowered her head, sipping the nourishing soup in small sips, carefully protecting her bulging belly with one hand, and she didn't even glance towards King Jin.
Concubine Dun observed for a moment calmly. There was indeed no eye contact between the two, nor any inappropriate behavior.
She pursed her pale lips and finally looked away.
Ba Ying lowered her head, her thick eyelashes like butterfly wings covering her charming eyes that were naturally exotic.
No one knew that what was surging in her heart was not the joy of becoming a mother, but boundless melancholy...
One year... a whole year...
Last New Year's Eve, she was personally presented to the almighty emperor by the man she worshipped as a god.
At that time, she was well aware of her mission, but she was still reluctant to leave.
Now, she is pregnant with a dragon seed and has become the focus of everyone's attention in the palace, but her heart is still firmly tied to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin.
Your Majesty...
He was sitting not far away, still so warm and dazzling.
Tomoe agreed and wanted to look up, even just to catch a glimpse of his profile.
But she didn't dare.
Not even a little bit.
She was afraid that she could not control the surging love and resentment in her eyes, and that the ubiquitous eyes in the deep palace would catch a clue that would doom both her and the prince.
Ba Da Ying could only lower her head tightly, locking all her emotions under her drooping eyelashes, and used the action of stroking her pregnant belly to hide the trembling of her fingertips.
Feeling the slight fetal movement in his belly, Ba Da Ying felt a deeper sense of confusion and sadness in his heart.
The years in the deep palace are long. Does she still have a chance... to return to the prince?
"His Majesty has arrived --!!!"
As Li Changde's voice rang out, everyone in the hall stood up from their seats.
Shen Zhinian also stood up gracefully and lowered his eyes slightly.
"Your Majesty, long live His Majesty!"
Nangong Xuanyu walked into the hall with the gait of a dragon and a tiger, his face solemn and with a hint of fatigue after the sacrifice.
His calm gaze instantly passed through the crowd and looked at the old man with white hair and beard in the hall who was about to stand up.
Under the gaze of everyone in the hall, the emperor almost walked up to Master Zhuang.
Without the slightest hesitation, he stretched out his powerful hand and firmly supported the old man's skinny arm, stopping him from kneeling down to pay his respects. His action was filled with unquestionable concern.
Nangong Xuanyu's voice was no longer his usual calm and majestic tone, but instead carried a rare, almost excited tremor: "Grandmaster!"
He supported Master Zhuang and gazed intently at the old man's face, which was full of wrinkles and the marks of weathering.
Admiration and respect were clearly surging in the emperor's deep eyes: "After so many years of separation, I... miss you so much, Grand Tutor!"
These brief words are like thunder!
Everyone knows that Master Zhuang is the Emperor's preceptor and the mentor who taught His Majesty when he was in the Imperial Palace.
They all knew that your Majesty's biological mother died young, and that the late emperor was foolish and lustful, and almost ignored his son.
Tutor Zhuang was almost the only light and support for the emperor during his dark childhood and youth.
And yet…knowing is one thing.
It is quite another to witness with your own eyes His Majesty expressing his deep affection and almost childish respect for his subjects so openly at a grand palace banquet in front of all the civil and military officials in the court and the concubines in the harem!