C23 Chu Yingxuan

At this moment, Gong Wushang did not know if it was due to inertia, but he inadvertently glanced at Shu Jing, who was sitting opposite to him. Gong Wushang did not know if it was due to inertia, but unintentionally glanced at Shu Jing, who was sitting opposite to him.

Shu Jing noticed his gaze and looked over.

His eyes, which were as deep as the vast stars, were almost devoid of any warmth, so cold that it terrified people. If it were anyone else who had those eyes, they would certainly be incomparably gloomy, but when matched with his face, it only served to accentuate his charm and coldness.

Many young ladies were infatuated with that face, and it was the same with her in her previous life.

But after her rebirth, she was incomparably clear on the ruthlessness of that face, so she would never be bewitched again.

Ye Zichen looked away with a frown, not willing to be bothered by Gong Wushang's gaze any longer. However, he didn't expect this expression to appear in Gong Wushang's eyes, causing his originally dark eyes to become even darker.

The banquet began as the ministers successively wished the empress the birthday and presented her gifts. Some of the ladies who had yet to present their gifts prepared their talents and won cheers from the hall.

Especially one of the three great talents, Chu Yingxuan. She was the eldest daughter of the Marquis' Mansion, two years older than Chu Chiangling. She had been talented since she was young, and had even been sought after by the rich young masters of the capital.

Her piece today was the same one the Empress had danced back when she entered the palace. Her snow-white gauze skirt fluttered as she danced. Her figure was graceful, full of strength and gentleness. Her every frown and smile was especially alluring, greatly gaining the Empress's praise.

"Good, truly worthy of being one of the three great talents. This Qu Lingshuang is even more outstanding than I was all those years ago. She has surpassed Lan Lan."

The empress gave him a great deal of praise. Chu Yingxuan, clad in a white gauze, lowered her eyebrows and kept silent, her aura like an orchid.

On the other hand, Marquis Chu, who was beaming with pride, quickly stood up and replied modestly:

"Esteemed Empress is exaggerating, my daughter is shallow in her knowledge and diligent in her studies day and night." Esteemed Empress is exaggerating, my daughter is shallow in her knowledge and is diligent in her training.

Marquis Chu's words made the empress, Feng Yan, extremely happy. She continued to laugh:

"Master Hou is too modest. Today's crown and Virtue Hairpin must belong to Xuan'er. Someone, come and give us a hairpin."

As the empress spoke, the other women who'd contributed their talents or not yet, all bit their lips and puckered their tongues, unwilling to accept what the empress had just said.

Especially Qin Wan'er, who was also one of the three great talents, when she saw Chu Yingxuan's display of power and the Virtue Hairpin she had always wanted, she felt even more troubled. If it wasn't for Shu Jing's incident today, the champion would definitely be her.

Qin Wan'er gritted her teeth at Shu Jing.

However, at this time, Chu Yingxuan, who had been silent all this time, suddenly kneeled on the ground and said in a gentle voice:

"Empress, can Xuan'er be bold enough to ask the Empress for a reward?"

Not just the empress, almost everyone at the banquet looked at Chu Yingxuan who knelt in the middle, feeling that she was too stupid. That Virtue Hairpin was no ordinary object, at that time it was a symbol of a talented girl, many female disciples that had yet to leave the pavilion wanted to win over the Virtue Hairpin, but Chu Yingxuan had actually rejected it. Qin Wan'er had even eaten her heart, and the thing she wanted to obtain was actually rejected by Chu Yingxuan.

Chu Chiangling and Chu Chianghu, who had been sitting quietly in the corner the whole time, were watching their father being so nervous about a concubine girl, yet was indifferent to the direct son of their daughter. Chu Chiangling only had a cold feeling in her heart, while Chu Chianghu's face looked forward to when his father would look at him again.