Li Xuan chuckled, "After all, I was brought up in the earl’s mansion and have spent several years in pleasure houses. How could I not possess such skills?"
However, upon arriving and settling in the main hall of Earl Huichang’s mansion with Sun Jizong, he found that tonight’s banquet was indeed ’sincere’. In front of him, where he was accompanying his guests, was a pot of Golden Abalone Soup, and a famous dish made from dragon alligator tail and tiger at called ’Huju Longpan’.
At a glance, the dragon alligator tail was clearly over two hundred years old, and concerning the Golden Abalone Soup - Li Xuan took a taste and found it to be from an abalone over three hundred years old.
"I had soone inquire about your likes, Master Earl Jingan, that you enjoy Golden Abalone, Dragon Alligator and Tiger. So, I asked the people from Shanwei House to prepare this feast, hoping it will suit your taste."
Sitting at the top, Sun Jizong burst into hearty laughter, "Please feel at ho. Coming from a humble background, Sun does not practice empty formalities. There’s no need to be polite!"
Upon hearing this, Li Xuan couldn’t help but fall silent, mourning privately for the three clans in his heart.
Sun Jizong then raised his wine glass to Zhang Yue, full of apology, "Allow to offer Earl Jingan a toast as an apology for the previous incident."
"How could I dare!" Zhang Yue raised his cup in return, "For the matter from three days ago, I no longer hold it in mind, uncle-in-law there’s no need to ntion it anymore."
He drank the wine in his cup with great montum, then looked around as if searching for sothing. His face showed a hint of disappointnt and hesitation.
Sun Jizong watched, silently chuckling. He then clapped his hands together, "Gentlen, without music and dance during the feast, it is dull to just sit and eat. Co on!"
Soon, twelve young girls in bird skirts, draped in purple gauze and carrying palace lamps, walked in from the doorway. All of them were graceful with soft features, their faces as fresh as peach blossoms and as bright as roses.
As the enchanting lody sounded, the young girls started to dance to the music. They swung their water sleeves, releasing a subtle fragrance within the hall. Their dancing was light and agile, their delicate bodies were soft as fluffy clouds, their arms seed boneless. Each step created lotus-like dance movents, like butterflies dancing among the flowers.
Li Xuan was unaffected, his Great Rectitude was of an extrely high standard, and he was aware of the hidden charm within the girls’ dance movents. However, Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue were both spellbound after just a mont’s gaze.
Luo Yan was also unaffected. She spoke quietly to Li Xuan who was seated next to her, "These i maidens are not ordinary, each one possesses profound charm techniques. Their ability to charm n far exceeds the best courtesans in a brothel.
There have long been rumors in the world about Empress Sun having ties to the Demon Sect. It seems, these rumors are likely true."
Li Xuan also slightly nodded, his face showing a serious expression.
He knew that Empress Sun was not ordinary. Her husband, Yu Zhanji, awarded the temple na Xuan Emperor, was the primary architect of the ’Reign of Ren and Xuan’ revered by the scholars of today. Yu Zhanji’s mother, ’Chengxiao Empress Zhang’, was a known prodigy among won who ruled in the regency for a dozen years after Yu Zhanji’s death.
However, Empress Sun was able to maintain her favored status with the Xuan Emperor under the watchful eyes of ’Chengxiao Empress Zhang’, even to the extent of making him depose an empress for her. This demonstrated her ability.
And in the world that Li Xuan ca from, there was another Empress Sun with a similar life trajectory who was a master of palace intrigue.
The Zhengtong Emperor’s death without an heir and the coup that restored the Zhengtong Emperor to his throne were all related to her.
Li Xuan then followed Zhang Yue’s gaze and his eyes brightened and his mind was at ease. It was a girl with a unique temperant. At first glance, she was a fresh beauty, as delicate as the autumn moon, but upon further inspection, she appeared flirtatious, showing an air of sensuality.
Although she had a face of pure and innocent beauty, every gesture and action she made was full of temptation. Among these twelve girls, she stood out like a crane amongst chickens.
He thought to himself that this should be the ’Wu’ that Zhang Yue ntioned. No wonder Zhang Yue was so captivated by her.
After three dances, Sun Jizong waved his hand to let the dancing girls retreat. However, four of the girls stayed to accompany them with their wine. It seed that Peng Fulai and Zhang Yue, both srized, let loose.
With his relationship with Hongshang no longer restraining him, Li Xuan was also feeling fond. However, in front of Luo Yan, he dared not act recklessly. He maintained a serious deanor, not giving any indecent looks to the girl beside him.
The banquet lasted until midnight, not until the drum signalling the third watch sounded did Sun Jizong laugh and say, "It’s already quite late, why don’t you four rest here for the night?"
Zhang Yue had co for this purpose, naturally he couldn’t ask for more. He replied with seemingly pretended reluctance, then left with Gong Xiaowu.
Li Xuan was guided into a guest room to rest, and demonstrating his daring, he practiced the `Hunyuan Celestial Scripture` for two hours, until a purple butterfly flew in through the window, after which he stealthily left the room.
At this ti, it seed that there were no guards or servants outside the room, but Li Xuan could sense the hidden posts scattered around. Indeed this was the case for the entire mansion of Earl Huichang, the guards seemingly lax on the surface, but in fact maintaining strict vigilance inside.
However, under the guidance of the purple butterfly, Li Xuan moved in freely, unimpeded in the deserted premises and arrived at an outdoor pavilion. At this ti, Luo Yan’s figure was at a corner on the east side of the pavilion, looking in the direction in front.
"How is it?" Li Xuan opened his Heavenly Eye and followed her gaze, and very frustratedly closed it again.
The scene he just saw in the room ahead was pretty eye-popping.
A man with a physique as robust as a mountain was ploughing the field. There was nothing impressive about that.
"This side is almost done, the girl has been affected by her charm technique." Luo Yan turned around, leaving a smiling expression on Li Xuan, "What about your pay? You know, even a businessman knows to trade hand in hand."
Li Xuan laughed, "Why in such a hurry? The saying goes, ’Writing skill is a gift from heaven, with a touch of genius’. How could I produce sothing in such a short ti? I must wait for the right mont, then inspiration will co, and everything will fall into place."
Luo Yan huffed in response, "But I want it now! When you were facing Jiang Hanyun and Xue Yunrou before, I didn’t see you spending ti thinking."
Unnoticed by the two of them, a young girl dressed in a purple pogranate skirt, with incredibly beautiful youthfulness, quietly approached the lakeside near the pavilion without their knowledge.
"Writing skill is a gift from heaven, with a touch of genius?"
This girl looked slightly surprised, looking towards the pavilion interior.
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