Chapter 438: with translation of chapter title

Not only were ordinary nobles and high officials curious and gossiping nonstop.

Not only were ordinary nobles and high officials gossiping curiously without end.

We'll output: 【1】 Not only were ordinary nobles and high officials gossiping curiously without end.

Check: need to keep same length? Not required.

This is shocking to anyone!

On top of the palace walls, a group of consorts, ladies, and royal noblewomen once again silently looked toward Ji Yaoyue.

Even the most fastidious person could only silently approve, as Taiping had found a good son-in-law.

He really is the brother-in-law!

Ji Yifan laughed loudly.

"Heng Xian!" For some reason, Ji Gan's eyes showed no joy.

"Heng Xian!" Ying Zihou could hardly hide the anger in his eyes.

"Heng Xian!" Han Fuyou likewise blazed with anger: "Why does he not keep his promise, come as agreed? Instead he sent you? Does he look down on me?"

Xu Youzhi bowed with clasped hands: "He knew you'd say that; he said it's not about looking down on you, he simply dislikes this kind of arena contest! Moreover, sending us is enough—he doesn't need to act himself!"

Han Fuyou stared, stunned: "How could he possibly guess these pills of mine? And even guess what I'm going to say?"

Cao Wei bowed and said: "He only wanted to tell you one thing: there are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens; stay humble and low-key, free from all calamities!"

"There are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens; stay humble and low-key, free from all calamities…" Han Fuyou stared, stunned.

Those around listened silently, each gaining some insight.

At this moment, Ying Zihou suddenly stood up and laughed loudly, showing no trace of his earlier embarrassment, gesturing to the crowd with clasped hands: "Great Zhou truly is a land of outstanding talent and fertile ground, with talents galore; in this round, Great Zhou wins completely!"

The surrounding crowd's expressions eased, seeing the Qin admit defeat, feeling refreshed.

"For the Empress's birthday, please invite envoys from all states, nobles, royal vassals, officials, and city lords to enter the Celebration Yang Palace grounds!"

In the distance, the loud command of a Ministry of Rites official rang out.

The dense crowd then exchanged greetings, carrying their discussion of just now's "Pill-Identification Round," and entered the palace grounds.

In the distance, the consorts, ladies, and royal women on the palace walls had already disappeared.

Ye Xingruo reluctantly withdrew his gaze, looking toward the "Dan Gui" beside him, he let out a long sigh, and walked inward.

Ying Zihou, Ying Zhiq, and their brothers, together with Han Fuyou and the Wei state princess, also raised the ceremonial guard, proceeding inward under the escort of the Great Qin envoy officials.

But each face was solemn, brows furrowed without relief.

A general spoke resentfully: "We prepared for a year just for this trip to Zhou; originally Zhou had no great talent, yet everything was ruined by that Heng Xian—I request permission to go and kill him!"

Ying Zhiq glanced at him: "General Hu, what is your cultivation level?"

The general straightened his chest: "I am at the ninth level of the Qi Hai Realm, great perfection."

Ying Zhiq said: "Heng Xian is at the Yuan Dan Initial Realm."

The general objected: "I'm different! I specialize in surprise attacks; even against a Yuan Dan Initial Realm cultivator, a moment's carelessness is no problem!"

Ying Zhiq said: "Three years ago, three Yuan Dan Middle Realm experts went to assassinate Heng Xian; within the span of an incense stick, he turned the tables and killed them all!"

The general's mouth opened into an "O" shape.

Ying Zihou interjected, calmly: "This Heng Xian indeed has some ability, but he can't possibly know everything; this time, we must not let him ruin things again!"

"Yes!" Everyone clasped their hands in unison.

Ying Zihou said to Han Fuyou: "Just… Miss Han, your plans are likely to come to nothing!"

"No problem!" Han Fuyou relaxed considerably, adding: "After all, Heng Xian has always been a pill refiner of our Pill Refining Alliance; that's enough!"

The Ying Zihou brothers exchanged glances.

Following the gate of the Celebration Yang Palace into the palace grounds, the expanse of the grounds lay before us, easily accommodating over ten thousand people; at this moment the birthday celebration atmosphere was intense, the scale enormous, everywhere filled with joyous cheer!

"Celebration Yang Palace? Over by Huating Lake there's also a Celebration Yang Pavilion!" Ying Zihou said.

Han Fuyou said: "I've been to the Dongyu Northern Lands; that is the founding ground of the Great Zhou Empress's Wu family, named Celebration Yang!"

The Ying Zihou brothers suddenly understood!

The further we went in, the livelier the atmosphere became!

Birthday towers, birthday mountains, birthday beasts, birthday stars, birthday suns and moons—everything was everywhere.

Palace maids and eunuchs wore festive attire, bustling back and forth, as court fruits and pastries arrived in an unending stream.

All the guests wore smiling faces, taking their seats one by one according to their places.

Ying Zihou's group also sat at the seats of the Great Qin envoys, then looked around to see refined scholars, deep cultivators, handsome men and beautiful women, and those of outstanding elegant bearing everywhere.

Only then did they feel that Great Zhou truly is a land of outstanding talent and fertile ground, not living up to empty fame; the two previous challenges merely exceeded these people's expectations, and if the other side provokes, we could also set up a match to let Great Qin break—yet that would be difficult!

The time ahead was still early; the Empress and His Majesty the Emperor had not yet appeared, but Great Zhou's song and dance, acrobatics, and opera followed one another without pause.

All the way until noon!

From afar came a heavy "bang drum" sound, and a sharp voice shouted: "His Majesty approaches!"

"Whoosh—"

One hundred thousand people rose in unison, bowing: "Welcome Your Majesty!"

Next, the bead curtain swayed; the emperor, no longer ill, with some flesh on his face, looking slightly stern and dignified, emerged in his regular robes, escorted by the Grand Eunuch Jia Gonggong and ten Great Han generals.

On his face bore a gentle smile: "Rise!"

One hundred thousand people rose: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

The emperor chuckled: "Today is a great occasion; it is the birthday of my birth mother, the Holy Grace Empress; all under heaven celebrate together, so please, no need to be formal—sit as you like!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" the crowd, as the emperor also sat upon one of the two lofty dragon thrones, each laughed and took their seats.

Soon, the imperial banquet began, as beautiful palace maids successively presented delicious dishes.

After the banquet dishes were served, no one moved their chopsticks, for everyone knew the main character was about to appear!

"The Holy Grace Empress" is the deserving protagonist of Great Zhou over the past decades; any legendary color added to her would not be excessive!

Everyone eagerly awaited!

Not long after, a senior Tàijiān presented an imperial edict and intoned in a rising-and-falling cadence a long string of splendid, laudatory birthday wishes!

Next, a female official with a loud voice said: "The Empress graces the banquet!"

Everyone looked toward the direction of the rear palace gate.

Only hearing the tinkling of pendants, a limping female official first walked out of the vermilion-painted, carved-beam-and-painted-rafters palace gate.

Upon seeing this female official, no one dared to look down on her.

Interior Prime Minister Xu Lulu, whose word can repel three hundred thousand northern wilderness cavalry, is never speaking in jest!

Xu Lulu glanced at the sea of people, smiled slightly, and stepped aside.

A large group of female officials escorted a woman out from inside the palace gate!

To everyone's surprise, this woman not only lacked the dignified, immaculate regalia befitting a mother of the world, nor did she have phoenix robes and phoenix hairpins, and she had not even a trace of dignity.

About forty years old, she wore a green Daoist robe, her features were delicate, and her expression gentle.

She was actually just a middle-aged Daoist nun!!

This was completely different from everyone's imagined scene of phoenixes singing in harmony and majestic authority over the world; for a moment, people could hardly react.

Only when the Daoist nun came close did everyone notice that her eyes were like two pools of deep-well water, making one's heart tremble upon seeing them.

They involuntarily bowed down, saying: "We pay our respects to the Empress!"

Ying Zihou and Ying Zhiqing brothers also knelt down in utter submission, their virtue benefiting the holy realm; even the common folk of Qin feared and revered them!

At this moment, the Emperor's Majesty hurriedly stepped down from the stairs and, together with the waiting Qin Prince on one side, helped the Daoist nun up from left and right.

The Empress smiled kindly, scanning the crowd: "I, a poor Daoist, have taken refuge under the Three Pure Ones' Daoist Ancestor; I originally did not want to fall into this vulgar custom, but helplessly, my children's filial piety obliges me to trouble you all!"

"Not daring!" a hundred thousand voices shouted in unison, bowing their heads.

"Rise, be at ease!" the Empress released the support of her two sons and sat upon one of the two highest dragon thrones.

The Qin Prince withdrew, and the Emperor kept him company.

Only then did the people dare to rise.

The music and dance of peaceful prosperity continued, and the banquet commenced.

Yet nobody had the mood to truly eat; their glances occasionally flicked toward the Empress and the Emperor.

When the banquet had proceeded halfway, His Majesty the Emperor presented the first congratulatory gift.

Next came the Qin Prince, the Grand Elder Princess, the Empress, the Virtuous Consort, and so on.

Immediately followed were the princes, princesses, clan members, and nobles…

The birthday gifts were one more novel and precious than the next, each priceless enough to be called worth a city.

The Empress always gave a faint smile, neither dissatisfied nor particularly pleased, which both relieved everyone and made them feel their efforts were not quite good enough!

Ji Yaoyue's birthday gift was a square spiritual treasure medicine platform from thirty thousand years ago, exuding medicinal fragrance year-round, possessing beautifying, longevity-extending, mind-calming, and brain-nourishing effects; it could be called supreme, yet the Empress merely gave a simple nod and smile.

And Ji Yaoyue's heart seemed not to be placed on whether the Empress was satisfied or not; instead, she occasionally glanced toward the palace gate's exterior. Alas, Heng Xian had rendered such great service, yet he was never permitted to come!

After the nobles of our own country came the birthday gifts of the various vassal states; this is the main event, for the weight of the birthday gifts concerns the relations between the two nations!

Only to see each vying for beauty and splendor, exhausting the arts of flattery, making everyone exclaim how thrilling it was!

Soon, it was the turn of the last one, Qin!

The state of Qin and the state of Zhou were equal in standing; many wondered what gift they would present!

Only to see Ying Zihou tidy up the black formal robe of Qin's chief envoy, empty-handed, step by step walking toward the center, and, clasping his fists before the Empress and the Emperor, say: "Qin's birthday gift is not brought into the palace; it will later be presented to your state's Ministry of Rites. I believe that, to celebrate the Empress's longevity, one need not flaunt the gift; having courtesy in the heart is naturally the greatest respect for the Empress!"

This remark was considered to have provoked public anger.

Countless gazes filled with hostility stared at him.

Ying Zihou paid no heed, lightly saying: "I am untalented, but I wish to gamble one more round with the Great Zhou, to win applause, in celebration of the Empress!"

Damn! Again!

Everyone cursed in their hearts!

(End of chapter)