Chapter 511: Bright Light Night Banquet
Twilight just gathered, Bright Light Hall blazed with lights, and the eighty-eight new nobles of the state, led by palace attendants, took their seats one after another.
These people were mostly scholar-aristocrats, with a few from wealthy merchant or master craftsman families who were not short of money; many studied in private, and they had the chance to take the imperial exams and serve in office alongside the scholar-aristocrats, making the Northern Border the first of its kind.
At this moment, regardless of background, everyone sat properly in their seats, moving only their eyes.
Even if they were used to the extravagant lives of the great scholar-aristocracy, the Northern Border Manor was enough to make them become restrained and demure.
Countless glazed lamps hung high, bathing the whole hall in splendid gold and azure. Palace maids dressed in tender green spring attire moved lightly among the banquet.
Others might not have enough eyes, but Zhou Huang could manage. He often came and went; the Great King frequently summoned him. Right now he only cared about the various snacks the palace maids had just set out. The Great King always ate flowery snacks, and Zhou Huang was extremely concerned about the manor's food and drink.
Seeing a new snack plate with words printed on it, his gaze immediately went there; the characters were printed square and seal-like, reading
"I haven't eaten this before!"
To his left and right were the first and third placers, opposite him were the Wei brothers and the Xue brothers; now that everyone had just taken their seats, no one dared to move, yet the second placer had already popped one into his mouth!
Result…… "Wow, it's just a hawthorn cake with words added……still delicious!"
Wei Shen, upon hearing this, silently withdrew his outstretched hand, "The Great King really can bluff."
Wei Ke looked over expressionlessly; this guy made a zipper motion on his lips, the Great King's personally transmitted hand signal to shut up.
Only then did Wei Ke ignore him, returning a fist‑and‑palm greeting to Yang Fang opposite; Yang Fang then realized the Wei brothers were actually all in the Northern Border, and he dismissed the young Wei Heng as a mere brat.
"The Northern Border Prince has arrived～"
Everyone rose and knelt in welcome; the Great King swiftly went up to the high platform and took his seat, calling for the meeting to begin.
Everyone alike seized the chance to glance up while rising; this glance was harmless, but the timid outsiders almost lost composure and exclaimed aloud!
What is that crouching beside the Northern Border King?!
A huge, fluffy thing!
Its hind legs sat on the ground, squatting on the high platform, looking even taller than the Great King standing, not to mention the size difference.
The outsiders stared for a moment before realizing, this is the legendary White Marsh!
No, they thought it was just a large canine deliberately posing as a divine beast; after all, such examples are not uncommon.
Folklore still says that the Great King's white giant beast pet is extremely formidable, having stopped the fleeing Left Worthy King of the Xiongnu amid ten thousand troops.
Yang Fang was thinking, looking so otherworldly, could the rumors possibly all be true?
Everyone glanced hastily, not daring to stare; their minds had already wandered, for the world actually has such a rare species—it truly is a unicorn!
Above, the Great King also gave White Marsh a look, saying, "As we agreed, quickly spot who possesses that aura of talent; I will closely observe them."
White Marsh completely ignored him, its gaze sweeping the hall before quickly withdrawing; it only lowered its head to give two extra looks at the top three seats. After looking, it simply put down its forelimbs, shifting from a squat to a lie, relaxed and leisurely, just like when it usually lounges in the Year Feather Hall. The Great King sighed heavily to express his anger, deciding to question it thoroughly later.
The Great King arrived, and the Bright Light Night Banquet officially began.
With so many people at this formal event, the Great King never fails; he duly praised everyone's learning, then outlined the future prospects of the Northern Border, and, skilled at retaining old techniques, drew a big pie.
Follow me and work hard; wealth and honor will surely come.
Strings and bamboo sounded, pearls and jade fell onto the plates; musicians in the palace corner lowered their eyes, plucking gently; dancers with towering cloud‑bun hairstyles swirled their long sleeves, flowing wind and returning snow.
Wei Shen felt they looked familiar; after a moment he realized they were likely the performers from Spring River Flower Moon Night, but today's formal occasion meant less abandon and more elegance.
He considered himself a vulgar person, preferring the lively, unrestrained Hu Xuan dance. He found it distasteful, not wanting to disturb others who were awestruck. It turned out the manor's dance performance was actually quite a level! These dancers' costume styles were novel and brightly colored, their makeup exquisite like celestial maidens, the music pleasing and the dance beautiful.
Many of these well‑read people were impoverished scholar‑aristocrats; most were not the clientele of Spring River Flower Moon Night, and the membership‑only invitation meant the vast majority could not see such a high‑level performance.
Everyone was watching intently when suddenly something rushed in from outside the hall; barely managing to glance, the drink they had just swallowed spewed out!
A dragon?!
Taking a closer look, pinching himself, it really was a dragon!
A dragon, and it wasn't just bluffing for show?!
That dragon flew in from outside the hall doors, trailing white clouds, soaring over their heads straight to the Great King on the high platform; upon finding the Great King it unhesitatingly exhaled a thick mist, saying, "Let me go back!"
I also don't know where the Great King got that folding fan just after spring began; he unfolded the fan and waved it at the white mist, calmly pointing to the thickest pillar on the right, "Coil around it, as we agreed～"
That clam wouldn't leave, nearly twisting itself into a knot beside the Great King. Yang Fang, standing close, could feel the dragon's moisture, see its glistening scales, and didn't know whether it was the hall lights that made it shimmer with five‑colored flowing light as it moved. Its head resembled a camel, its antlers like a deer's, on its crown grew a wooden pillar like an incense burner, its color dark azure! Truly a dragon!
The Great King understood the meaning of the clam; he sighed and pushed away its sea‑scented big head with the fan, then once again pointed to the hall's beams and pillars, whispering, "Coil properly, after work there'll be something good to eat, two pieces."
The clam stalled for a moment, then swung its coral‑branch‑like large tail, its big head circling the pillar several times; everyone in the hall opened their mouths to witness the Great King's true, living Coiled Dragon Pillar.
The strings and bamboo kept playing inside the hall, yet now no one could hear them!
The Great King held his juice cup and enjoyed the view, saying, "I was just wondering why our pillar lacks a coiled dragon carving—no matter, look, heaven has sent the Great King a real Coiled Dragon Pillar!"
The crowd below: ……
Although they still didn't know what Versailles was, they were quite sure the Great King had shown off.
Zhou Huang wasn't seeing this dragon for the first time; he quickly calmed down. Today his status was different from before, he pretended to be very excited, blurting out, "If this isn't the Mandate of Heaven, what is? Your Highness, the Mandate of Heaven belongs to you! To see a divine dragon today, this commoner is truly honored!" Shameless, but he's the youngest.
Xie Tu rose, bowed deeply, "Congratulations, Your Highness!" Seeing this, others reacted and joined in with a clamor.
The Great King laughed; no wonder he's first and second placer—his mind is sharp! He hadn't arranged this bit.
Over quota, over quota!
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Great King's surface: proud and smug·JPG
Great King's heart: Is the Coiled Dragon Pillar nice? Bought with silver. Poor but holding on·JPG
End of Chapter
