Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 449 The Eldest Princess's Humility

Wei Shanyue was stunned for a moment, not understanding.

Feng Wenzheng offered no explanation, but simply strode toward the palace gate.

Wei Shanyue quickly followed.

As they approached, Yun Jiu and his group maintained their bowing posture.

Chen Anran stood there, his gaze sweeping over them before landing on Wei Shanyue.

"Commander Wei," he said.

Wei Shanyue was startled and quickly bowed, saying, "Master Chen!"

His bowing posture was even more respectful than the night before, with a deeper bend and a lower head.

Chen Anran remained silent.

He simply stood there, his gaze passing over Wei Shanyue and landing on Feng Wenzheng and Feng Changyuan behind him.

Feng Wenzheng nodded slightly at him.

Chen Anran nodded as well.

Yun Jiu straightened up, a perfectly timed smile on her face: "Seniors, the banquet has been prepared in the Peony Garden, personally overseen by Her Highness the Eldest Princess, with the entire Great Qian royal family present to await you. Please, seniors."

As he spoke, he stepped aside to lead the way.

Chen Anran stepped into the palace gate.

Lu Kong followed beside him, smiling, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the group of Nascent Soul cultivators before returning to his own.

Wei Shanyue stood there, watching the two figures disappear into the night, motionless for a long time.

Feng Wenzheng walked over to him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Commander Wei," he said, "let's go take a look together."

Wei Shanyue snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and followed after him.

The peony garden was brightly lit.

Hundreds of palace lanterns hung from the branches, illuminating the entire garden as bright as day. The renowned peonies appeared even more vibrant under the lights, their reds as fiery, their pinks as rosy as the sunset, and their whites as pure as snow, blooming in layers upon layers in full glory. A night breeze swept by, causing the branches to sway gently, releasing a fragrant aroma that made one feel slightly intoxicated.

But at this moment, no one in the garden is admiring the flowers.

Everyone was standing.

Princess Feng Jin stood at the entrance of the Peony Garden, followed by a group of members of the Great Qian royal family.

The emperor, empress, princes, princesses, and dukes—a dense crowd of twenty or thirty people—stood there. They wore the most solemn court robes, the most exquisite jewelry, and the most polite smiles on their faces.

But beneath that smile, there was an undeniable nervousness.

Feng Jin was fifty-three years old this year, but she was well-maintained and looked no more than forty. She was wearing a crimson palace dress, her hair was styled in a high bun, and she wore a gold hairpin with nine phoenixes holding pearls, exuding an air of elegance and nobility. But at this moment, she lowered her eyes and clasped her hands in front of her, her posture so respectful that it was almost humble.

Behind her, the young emperor would occasionally tiptoe to peek towards the garden gate, then quickly retreat. The empress clutched her handkerchief, her face slightly pale. Several young princesses, held back by their nannies, stood ramrod straight, not daring to breathe.

Footsteps came from the direction of the garden gate.

Feng Jin raised his head.

Elder Yunjiu walked at the front, followed by a group of Nascent Soul stage Immortal Alliance deacons. They walked with ease and arrogance, as if they were surveying their own territory.

Feng Jin's gaze passed over them and landed on the two people behind them.

The one walking in front was dressed in dark cloth, very young, with a blank expression on his face. He carried a vermilion gourd on his back, which gleamed faintly under the lamplight.

The man behind her, dressed in a light blue robe, had a faint smile on his face. His gaze swept over her once before returning to his own.

Feng Jin's heart skipped a beat.

What kind of person is it that Yun Jiu personally leads the way and that group of Nascent Soul deacons serve him so diligently?

She didn't have time to think about it.

Yunjiu had already approached.

"Your Highness," Yun Jiu nodded slightly in greeting, her tone carrying a hint of instruction, "these two are our distinguished guests for tonight. Is the banquet ready?"

Feng Jin quickly bowed and said, "Reporting to Elder Yunjiu, everything is ready. A banquet has been set up in the Peony Pavilion, and the Imperial Kitchen has prepared all the best dishes."

Yun Jiu nodded, turned to Chen Anran and Lu Kong, and his face instantly lit up with a smile: "Seniors, please."

Chen Anran stepped into the peony garden.

Feng Jin maintained his bowing posture until the man passed by, then quietly raised his head and glanced at him quickly.

The young man walked slowly, his gaze sweeping over the peonies without lingering. The man in the blue robe behind him, however, glanced at her more often.

Feng Jin's heart sank even further.

She had lived for fifty-three years and seen far too many immortals. Someone like Yun Jiu was already a great figure she had to carefully serve on a daily basis. But tonight, this person made Yun Jiu bow down…

She dared not think any further.

"Keep up, everyone."

Yunjiu's voice came from ahead.

Feng Jin took a deep breath and led the royal family members to quickly follow.

The Peony Pavilion is located at the deepest part of the garden, open on all sides, offering a view of the garden full of flowers. Inside the pavilion, a table is set with all the imperial utensils, and the dishes are laid out to the brim, steaming hot.

Chen Anran took a seat in the pavilion.

Lu Kong sat down beside him.

Yunjiu stood to the side, not sitting down.

Feng Jin led the royal family members to stand outside the pavilion, unsure of what to do.

"Your Highness," Yun Jiu beckoned to her, "come in, come in, sit here."

He pointed to the seat below.

Feng Jin was taken aback for a moment, then quickly walked into the pavilion and sat down in the spot Yun Jiu had indicated. She sat very carefully, only touching half of the chair, her back ramrod straight.

He pointed to the seat below.

Feng Jin was taken aback for a moment, then quickly walked into the pavilion and sat down in the spot Yun Jiu had indicated. She sat very carefully, only touching half of the chair, her back ramrod straight.

The emperor and empress stood outside the pavilion, looking at each other in bewilderment.

Yun Jiu glanced at them and frowned. "Come in, all of you. What are you standing there for?"

The emperor, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, hurriedly led everyone into the pavilion. But the pavilion was small, and there was no room for twenty or thirty people. In the end, only the emperor, empress, and a few older princes and princesses were seated, while the rest had to stand at the back, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Feng Jin sat at the lower end of the table, his gaze involuntarily drifting towards the head of the table.

Chen Anran was holding a cup of tea, drinking it with his head down, as if the lights in the garden, the delicacies on the table, and the royal family all had nothing to do with him.

Because he had already determined that this Feng Jin was not Feng Xiaolu's previous incarnation.

Feng Jin sat at the lower end of the table, his palms already slightly sweaty.

She secretly glanced at Yun Jiu.

The elder of the Immortal Alliance was holding a cup of tea, his gaze shifting back and forth between Chen Anran and Lu Kong, as if he were pondering something. The group of Nascent Soul deacons behind him were also standing, none of them daring to sit down.

Feng Jin knew she had seen countless scenes. But tonight's scene was something she had never encountered before.

The members of the Immortal Alliance stood, while the mortals sat.

No, that's not right.

The people from the Immortal Alliance were standing, while the two people of unknown origin were sitting.

And she, the eldest princess, sitting here, was shorter than the standing elders of the Immortal Alliance.

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess."

Yun Jiu's voice suddenly rang out, carrying a hint of command.

Feng Jin quickly raised his head: "What are your orders, Elder Yun Jiu?"

Yun Jiu smiled at her, a smile that carried a deeper meaning: "The arrival of the two seniors tonight is a great joy. Your Great Qian royal family should at least show some sincerity."

Feng Jin was stunned for a moment, not understanding.

Yun Jiu continued, "I've heard that the palace keeps a group of dancers who are quite good at it?"

Feng Jin's heart skipped a beat.

She got it.

"Yes," she quickly replied, "The palace does indeed maintain a group of dancers, all carefully selected promising talents with decent dancing skills. Elder Yunjiu's meaning is..."

"Let them perform a dance," Yun Jiu said matter-of-factly, "to entertain the two seniors."

Feng Jin opened his mouth, as if to say something, but then swallowed it back.

She instinctively looked at the emperor.

The young emperor sat there with a perfectly measured smile, but something was clearly hidden beneath that smile. His gaze swept over Chen Anran and Lu Kong's faces before quickly looking down.

Feng Jin understood.

The emperor wouldn't say anything. He wouldn't dare.

"Yes." Feng Jin stood up. "I'll make the arrangements right away."

She strode out of the Peony Pavilion and waved to a eunuch standing outside. The eunuch trotted over, listened to her instructions, nodded repeatedly, and then quickly disappeared into the night.

Feng Jin returned to the pavilion and sat down, his back straighter than before.

Before long, the sound of string and wind instruments came from outside the garden.

Feng Jin raised his head.

From the direction of the garden gate, a group of dancers were filing in.

Twelve women, dressed in colorful light gauze dance costumes, with slender waists and graceful steps, walked to the Peony Pavilion, stopped in the moonlight and lamplight, and bowed in unison.

The lead dancer raised her head, her gaze sweeping across the faces of everyone in the pavilion before finally settling on the young man in the main seat.

That face was breathtakingly beautiful.

Chen Anran glanced at it, then lowered his gaze and continued drinking his now-cold tea.

The sounds of string and wind instruments begin.

The dancers began to dance.

Their long sleeves fluttered, their skirts billowed, and their waists swayed like willow catkins in the wind. Their dance was truly beautiful; every turn, every glance back, was perfectly timed. Moonlight and lamplight fell upon them, illuminating their light gauze dresses, making them appear and disappear.

The attention of everyone in the pavilion was drawn to it.

The Emperor watched intently, the Empress lowered her head to sip her tea, and several princes wore expressions of amazement. Yun Jiu squinted, her fingers lightly tapping a rhythm on her knees. The group of Nascent Soul deacons were also watching, some with particularly brazen gazes.

Feng Jin didn't look at it.

She simply lowered her eyes, gazing at the cup of tea in front of her.

The tea had gone cold, and a thin layer of oil floated on the surface.

The dance ended.

The dancers stopped in front of the pavilion, slightly out of breath, their bodies glistening with sweat. The lead dancer raised her head, her gaze once again falling on the young man in the main seat.

The young man still didn't look at her.

He simply put down his teacup, raised his head, and looked out at the night view outside the garden.

Feng Jin's heart sank slightly.

She quickly looked at Yun Jiu.

Yun Jiu's smile froze for a moment, then he coughed and gave Feng Jin a wink.

Feng Jin understood, stood up, and waved to the dancers.

The dancers bowed and filed out of the peony garden.

Feng Jin sat down again, his palms already sweaty.

"Seniors," Yun Jiu raised his wine cup with a beaming smile, "this rural place cannot compare to a celestial abode. I hope you will forgive its crudeness. I would like to offer you both a toast."

He said this and drank it all in one gulp.

Chen Anran picked up her wine glass and took a sip.

Lu Kong also drank some, and after finishing, he smacked his lips and said with a smile, "Elder Yun Jiu, your wine is quite good."

Lu Kong nodded and said without ceremony, "Okay, thank you very much."

Yun Jiu's smile deepened.

He refilled the wine cup and turned to Feng Jin: "Your Highness, these two seniors are honored to grace Tianjing with their presence. Your Great Qian Imperial Family must treat them well. If they encounter any difficulties in the future, they will naturally lend a hand."

Feng Jin was slightly taken aback, then quickly nodded: "Yes, yes. Elder Yun Jiu is right."

She raised her wine glass and toasted Chen Anran and Lu Kong: "My two immortal masters, I would like to offer you a toast."

The wine burned and burned as it went down his throat. Feng Jin forced himself not to cough, put down the wine glass, and resumed his elegant and dignified demeanor.

Outside the pavilion, Feng Wenzheng and Feng Changyuan stood beside Wei Shanyue, observing everything inside. They didn't go in, because they wanted to learn more about the Feng royal family from three thousand years ago.

Feng Changyuan lowered his voice and asked, "Uncle, don't you think our Feng family, the royal clan, is being treated too unfairly?"

Feng Wenzheng shook his head. "It's still uncertain whether they are our ancestors. Let's speak as little as possible and observe more. With Fellow Daoist Chen here, everything will be fine."

Feng Changyuan nodded, then looked back at the arena.

Inside the pavilion, Feng Jin sat at the lower end, her back ramrod straight, a polite smile on her face. But beneath that smile, something was clearly hidden. She remained perfectly upright, as if she were using all her strength to maintain her posture.

Feng Changyuan suddenly felt a little uneasy.

He thought of the Feng family's old house in modern society, the lively gatherings of the whole family during festivals, and the days when he never had to worry about anyone's opinion.

But these people, who are suspected to be the ancestors of their Feng family, are sitting here now, and they have to be careful even when they breathe.

Wei Shanyue stood aside, watching everything unfold. He glanced at Feng Wenzheng, then at Feng Jin in the pavilion, and a strange emotion suddenly welled up inside him.

In this world where immortals reign supreme, the respect of mortals will never end.

If you bend down, someone will make you kneel. If you kneel, someone will make you kowtow. If you kowtow, someone will make you give up your life.

Wei Shanyue lowered his eyes and looked at the ground beneath his feet.

The ground was so brightly lit by the lights that not a single shadow could be seen.

Inside the pavilion, after three rounds of drinks...

Yun Jiu was already flushed from drinking and had become quite talkative. Holding his wine cup, he talked incessantly to Chen Anran and Lu Kong, from the history of the Immortal Alliance to the scenery of Tianjing, from his own cultivation experience to the interesting stories of the Great Qian royal family.

Chen Anran listened, occasionally taking a sip of wine and nodding occasionally.

Lu Kong listened with great interest, occasionally interjecting a word or two, which made Yun Jiu laugh heartily.

Feng Jin sat at the lower end, her back still ramrod straight, and her face still bearing a polite smile. But her gaze would occasionally drift towards the outside of the pavilion.

He glanced at the ordinary people standing there.

The emperor stood outside the pavilion, surrounded by several princes and dukes. The young emperor smiled and spoke softly to the princes beside him, as if they were having a casual chat. But his hands were clenched tightly behind his back.

The Empress stood beside him, eyes lowered, saying nothing. Behind her, several young princesses were held ramrod straight by their nannies, not daring to breathe. One of the little princesses couldn't help but yawn, and was glared at by a nanny, which made her so frightened that tears almost fell, but she forcefully held them back.

Feng Jin withdrew his gaze.

She picked up her glass and took another sip.

The liquor still felt spicy and hot as it went down my throat.

But suddenly she felt that the wine tasted different from before.

It's bitter.

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess."

A voice suddenly rang out.

Feng Jin looked up and saw that it was the young man in the blue robe looking at her.

The man smiled, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment before moving away.

"What are your instructions, senior?" Feng Jin asked hurriedly.

Lu Kong waved his hand: "Nothing much. I just think that Her Highness the Princess's peony garden is quite well-grown."

Feng Jin was taken aback for a moment, then quickly said, "Senior, you flatter me. These are just ordinary flowers and plants, nothing compared to the rare and exotic flowers and plants in a celestial abode."

Lu Kong smiled and said nothing more.

Feng Jin felt a slight sense of relief and took another sip of wine.

But as soon as she put down her wine glass, she heard Yun Jiu's voice again.

"Your Highness, the princesses are all grown up now. Have they learned any singing or dancing?"

Feng Jin's hand suddenly trembled.

She raised her head and looked at Yun Jiu.

Yun Jiu was looking at her with a smile, a smile that held a deeper meaning.