OBS Chapter 1589 A Natural Allure, a Beauty That Brings Disaster
Chapter 1589 A Natural Allure, a Beauty That Brings Disaster
His Majesty has confined her for so long, and his special release today is not hard to guess.
Princess Yun'an, unaware of the ulterior motives in everyone's minds, sat calmly in her seat.
She made mistakes, but so what?
My brother has already forgiven her; what right do others have to interfere?
Soon, Li Changde's shrill voice rang out from outside: "His Majesty has arrived—!!!"
"The Imperial Concubine has arrived!!"
Nangong Xuanyu, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, walked with a steady gait. He didn't need to deliberately display imperial majesty; the entire hall held its breath in awe.
Shen Zhinian was half a step behind Nangong Xuanyu.
She was also dressed very formally tonight, wearing a floor-length palace gown embroidered with gold phoenixes and peonies, over which she wore a matching long robe with wide sleeves embroidered with gold cloud patterns. The red was intense and solemn, almost identical to the Empress's attire.
Her black hair was styled into a magnificent peony bun, with a large phoenix hairpin inlaid with red gold filigree and rubies at the center, and long tassels of pearls hanging down.
Six symmetrical gold phoenix hairpins with pearls are inserted on both sides, and a magnificent kingfisher feather and jewel inlaid ornament adorns the forehead.
Its entire body was dazzling, and under the light of the candles in the hall, it was so bright that people dared not look directly at it!
The deafening shouts from inside the hall were: "Welcome, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"
"Welcome Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine, may Her Majesty live in peace and happiness!"
Shen Zhinian walked with ease, following Nangong Xuanyu step by step toward the high seat.
At this moment, she was not a favored concubine, but the acting empress dowager, entitled to share the emperor's honor with all nations!
On the dragon throne, Nangong Xuanyu took in the myriad scenes below, his face remaining impassive.
He raised his hand in a gesture.
As the music began, the palace banquet officially commenced.
Li Changde shouted loudly: "Summon the Xiongnu envoy to an audience—!!!"
At the palace gate, the imposing Luan Di Yi Tu led the Xiongnu envoys in with great strides.
Today he had changed into a more formal Hun royal robe, still retaining the rugged air of the grasslands. His gaze was like that of an eagle; he first looked at the emperor on the throne, then glanced at Shen Zhinian.
The Xiongnu spies hidden within the Great Zhou Dynasty mentioned this Imperial Noble Consort more than once in their intelligence reports.
She was the most favored woman in the Great Zhou Dynasty's harem, without exception.
She was the target of the assassination attempt at the Mulan Hunting Grounds.
If this woman, who has captivated the emperor of the Great Zhou, could be eliminated, it would undoubtedly be a heavy blow to Nangong Xuanyu, and would also disrupt the harem and even the court of the Great Zhou.
Unfortunately, the effort ultimately failed.
At that time, Luan Di Yi Tu disagreed.
She's just a woman. No matter how much she's favored, she's nothing more than a plaything for the emperor in his spare time. How much trouble can she cause?
Seeing it with his own eyes now, he realized that what the spies had said about him being the most favored concubine in the harem was not an exaggeration.
She is indeed beautiful.
It wasn't the meticulously crafted beauty of ordinary palace concubines, but rather a bewitching allure that emanated from her very bones.
Her skin was as white as snow, her lips as red as cinnabar, and her eyes held a natural allure that seemed to possess a captivating charm. Yet, her demeanor was dignified and supremely noble. She suppressed her allure beneath a graceful bearing, creating a contradictory yet fatal attraction!
She simply sat there quietly, as if enveloped in a halo of light, making it impossible to look away...
She was born with a seductive charm; a femme fatale!
Luan Di Yi Tu made a judgment in his heart.
No wonder the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty doted on her so much.
It has always been the case that heroes are tempted by beautiful women.
But, that's all.
A hint of disapproval flashed in Luan Di Yi Tu's eyes.
No matter how beautiful a woman is, she is still a woman.
The eagles of the grasslands will not give up their view of the earth just because a woman is beautiful.
A true ruler will not let the beauty of his bedmate cloud his judgment.
No matter how favored the Imperial Noble Consort was, in Luan Di Yi Tu's eyes, she was no different from a precious pet. She might be able to influence the emperor's mood, but she couldn't control real national policy.
Luan Di Yi Tu withdrew his gaze, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed in the Xiongnu etiquette: "Luan Di Yi Tu, the Left Wise King of the Xiongnu, by order of the Chanyu, pays homage to His Majesty of the Great Zhou. I wish His Majesty a long life and a prosperous nation!"
Nangong Xuanyu said calmly, "Left Wise King, there's no need for such formalities. Please take a seat."
Luan Di Yi Tu was seated below the throne, opposite the important civil and military officials of the Great Zhou.
His gaze swept across the area and met several pairs of eyes.
General Zhou, the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, had eyes like knives and exuded a fierce aura from years of battlefield experience.
His son, Zhou Yuxi, is even younger, with a sharp and spirited look in his eyes.
This father and son duo repeatedly tore apart the Xiongnu's defenses in several major battles.
Enemies are extremely jealous when they meet.
An invisible gunpowder smoke filled the air...
Luan Di Yi Tu raised his glass first and said loudly in the accented Zhou language, "Since we parted in the Northern Frontier, General Zhou's demeanor remains as impressive as ever, and Young General Zhou is even more valiant than before."
"I toast to you both. It is truly a blessing for the Great Zhou to have such a valiant general!"
His words seemed flattering, but his tone was very indifferent, and he didn't seem to have much sincerity.
Zhou Yuxi narrowed her eyes slightly.
He was nothing more than a defeated general.
He suppressed the murderous intent surging in his chest, forced a smile, and said in a cold, hard voice, "You flatter me, Left Wise King."
"Defending the land and protecting the borders is the duty of every soldier. This general only hopes for lasting peace on the frontier, and for no more bloodshed. Otherwise... the soldiers of the Great Zhou are not to be trifled with!"
Among the Xiongnu envoys, a hot-tempered general's face darkened, clearly sensing the barb in Zhou Yuxi's words!
He grunted in dissatisfaction and put his hand on his waist.
Unfortunately, the Xiongnu envoys were disarmed when they entered the palace; this was merely a subconscious action.
Luan Di Yi Tu glanced at him, and the general immediately fell silent, though his chest continued to heave.
Luan Di Yi Tu remained expressionless, tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup in one gulp, then laughed heartily: "What General Zhou said is also what I wish for."
"When war breaks out, lives are lost and people suffer. Whether it is the Xiongnu or the Great Zhou, the people all suffer."
"Therefore, I have come here on the orders of the Chanyu to stop the fighting and seek peace together."
He spoke in a high-sounding manner.
The people at the table had different thoughts.
Everyone knows that the Xiongnu lost the war and couldn't afford to waste any more time, so they had no choice but to come for peace talks.
After several rounds of drinks, an official in charge of specific affairs in the Xiongnu delegation finally couldn't hold back any longer. He stood up, cupped his hands, and tentatively got to the point: "...Your Majesty, the Xiongnu and the Great Zhou are neighbors and should be on good terms."
"Now that there is a desire to end the war, it is of utmost urgency to establish border markets to exchange goods and to pay tribute annually as a sign of goodwill."
"Does Your Majesty have any plans for this?"
Upon hearing this, many people perked up their ears.
These were the main objectives of the Xiongnu delegation's trip.
Nangong Xuanyu acted as if he hadn't heard the Xiongnu envoy's words, picked up a piece of tender venison with his chopsticks, and slowly chewed it.
Only after swallowing did his gaze sweep lightly over the envoy before turning to Luan Di Yi Tu: "Today's palace banquet is to welcome the Left Wise King and wash away the dust of his journey. It is best if all guests and hosts enjoy themselves."
"The border markets and annual tribute are matters of diplomatic relations between the two countries and cannot be decided in a few words."