The Imperial Palace, Qianqing Palace

The hall was magnificent, filled with the sounds of drums and music.

The hall was bustling with activity. Envoys from the three kingdoms had all taken their seats, and all the princes were in attendance—all except for Sang Zhi.

The families of Beili’s four great Prince Mansions were present, as were the civil and military officials with their households. The young masters and ladies of the various noble houses had also gathered.

However, the seats for Dean Chen, the Zhan family, the Qian family, the Xiang family, and Boss Gu were all empty, which naturally raised some questions.

To be absent from the Emperor’s birthday banquet was a grave offense.

「Chengde Palace」

The Beili Emperor’s expression was grim. The banquet was about to begin, yet Xiang Minghou, the Great General of Beili, had still not appeared.

Inquiries soon revealed that it wasn’t just Xiang Minghou. The highly respected Dean Chen, the Zhan family, the Qian family, and even Gu Shuo were also absent.

’What audacity! Every one of them. After the banquet, they will all be severely punished.’

"Your Majesty, the hour has come," Mr. Li announced as he walked in.

"Have Dean Chen, General Xiang, and the others arrived?" the Beili Emperor asked, his voice low.

"Not yet."

Hearing this, the Beili Emperor slammed his hand on the table. "The audacity! Every single one of them! A Great General of the empire, and he dares to skip my birthday banquet. If the envoys from the three kingdoms find out, won’t I lose all my prestige?"

"Perhaps they were simply delayed by some urgent matter. Your Majesty, it is time for the banquet. The Empress and the other consorts are waiting outside."

No matter how furious he was, the Beili Emperor could not afford a breach of etiquette in front of the foreign envoys. He rose from his seat and walked outside.

At the banquet, the foreign envoys observed Beili’s court officials. From time to time, a guard would lean in and whisper something in their ear.

At the table for the envoys from East Shu, the Seventh Princess and her consort scanned the area where the princes were seated but saw no sign of Sang Zhi. They exchanged a look and shook their heads slightly.

The Great General of Xi Yan, however, was staring at Xiang Minghou’s seat. Seeing it remain empty, his mood improved considerably.

"Your Highness, the banquet is about to begin, yet the Beili General has not arrived," the Xi Yan General said to the boy of twelve or thirteen at his side. "I imagine he’s afraid to face me, now that he can no longer produce an heir."

The boy wore a golden coronet and a jade-inlaid belt, and his every movement exuded an air of nobility.

His cold, handsome features, in particular, drew frequent gazes from the other guests at the banquet.

The envoys from Nanyuan were Prince Yu and the Little Prince. The Little Prince, now nine years old, had a passion for literature. He had come to Beili primarily because he admired the dean of the Lou Mountain Academy.

"Royal Uncle, which one is Dean Chen?" the Little Prince asked, looking out at the crowd.

Prince Yu scanned the hall. "It seems Dean Chen is not in attendance."

The Little Prince looked disappointed.

"His Majesty, the Emperor, arrives!"

"Her Majesty, the Empress, arrives!"

A resonant voice shattered the guests’ reverie.

All the civil and military officials rose in unison, kneeling to pay their respects.

"We greet Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, long live His Majesty for ten thousand years!"

"Your Majesty the Empress! May you live a thousand years!"

"All of you may rise," the Beili Emperor said with a wave of his hand. His gaze swept over the empty seats, and his heart sank with frustration.

The civil and military officials rose and returned to their seats.

The envoys from the other kingdoms all knelt before the Emperor, with the sole exception of the young Crown Prince of Xi Yan.

As the envoys returned to their seats, the Great General of Xi Yan remained standing. His voice rang out, "On the grand occasion of Your Majesty’s birthday, why is General Xiang not in attendance?"

"Our dear General Xiang has been delayed by some matters," the Beili Emperor replied with a smile. "I heard that you, General Mo, sought him out for a drink just two days ago. What’s the matter? If you didn’t get your fill, Beili has plenty of officials who can hold their liquor, not just General Xiang."

"When I saw General Xiang this time, he didn’t touch a single drop. I suppose I should be blamed for not knowing my own strength back then and injuring the General’s... foundation," the Xi Yan Great General boomed with laughter, the mockery in his voice unmistakable. "It seems General Xiang is not what he once was. Far too frail."