Northern Qi’s founding day celebration banquet was held at the twentieth day of the first month. The party took place at the magnificently decored Yihe hall, the main hall of the imperial palace.

The majority of the guests had already settled at their respective seats the moment Prime Minister Zhao’s entourage arrived. There were nine ranks in total for government’s official, and being the prime minister was one of the highest positions. Thus, during the banquet, the prime minister and his family usually sat close to the imperial family and the other noble guests, almost in the same ranking as Prime Minister Zhao.

For this celebration, Zhao Xing dressed herself up in a special outfit that was granted by her emperor uncle. Her pale, violet colored dress was decorated with twin cranes and blooming peonies in Xiang styled embroidery. The upper-half of the girl’s silky hair was combed in an elegantly, while the rest was pooled down at her back, as dark as night.

Since Xiao Yi forced her to use makeup, Zhao Xing finally decided to use the makeup in a modern way instead of the way ladies were supposed to use them traditionally. It made her appearance even more outstanding.

The transmigrator had lost count on how many times she stole a glance at the man who sat across from her seat. Her heart thumped wildly inside her chest as she realized that she was only several steps away from her idol.

In the modern world, Zhao Xing always imagined how it felt to meet with this ancient general. She was envious that her best friends could easily meet their beloved idols at concerts or fan-meetings. They could stare at their idols’ face anytime they wanted to while Zhao Xing didn’t have that privilage.

Who told her to idolize an ancient god of war ah?

But now, when the heavens granted what she prayed for every night, she was almost got a heart attack!

That night, the man wore golden mask to cover his face. The only part exposed was his strikingly beautiful eyes, bewitching everyone into its darkness. His pair of phoenix eyes were extremely enthralling and icy, their clarity was akin to springs that flow in the green valley. A silken, black robe embroidered with golden roaring tigers hugged his tall and sturdy body, as a matching color belt encircled his waist.

The male was currently sitting leisurely and played around with his folded fan, but Zhao Xing glanced down to see him tapping his fingers rather impatiently on the table. There was an exceptional cold and aloof aura radiating from him, so it made people shiver in fear. He was emitting an untouchable vibe that made Zhao Xing somehow even more drawn to him!

This person was none other than His Highness Lanling Wang, General Gao Chang Gong. And due to his special background, his seat was higher than the highest ranked official, Prime Minister Zhao. He was sitting only a few steps lower than the emperor and the rest of the other royal family members. It truly showed how much the current emperor favored and respected him. Not only as his subject, but also as his nephew.

The general naturally felt someone stealing glances at him, and he didn’t need to look up to know who was that courageous person.

Since Gao Chang Gong didn’t look troubled with her stare, Zhao Xing kept on locking her eyes on him to her hear’s content. She even began to have a wild imagination inside her brain.

What if the general slowly took off that mask to reveal his perfectly sculpted face? Aw!

“M-miss! Your nose is bleeding!” Xiao Yi became incredibly anxious when she saw a stream of blood running down from her mistress’ nose.

“Ah?”

The transmigrator looked at Xiao Yi blankly. She lightly touched her nose and found out she indeed got a nosebleed. Zhao Xing’s eyes instantly widened at the view of her hands covered with the crimson liquid. Not wanting her mother to notice it, Zhao Xing clumsily wiped her nose with the handkerchief handed by Xiao Yi.

The young lady wasn’t aware her little action fell into the eyes of the general. Since the first drop of the blood ran from her well-sculpted nose, the young general had already noticed it. He himself wasn’t even aware that he furrowed his eyebrows as a faint trace of displeasure rose in his heart.

He heard about the second young miss of the prime minister’s manor was sickly, but he didn’t know she was that weak. For a moment, he grew a bit uncomfortable on why he cared about it, that he had to feel such a stuffy feelings when he saw her get a nosebleed. How peculiar!

Zhao Xing mentally cursed her own body. She was just imagining a pure thing yet her body’s reaction was so dramatic! If somehow in the future, she might have a wild imagi— Stop! She would never have such impure and dirty thoughts about her idol! Her mind and heart for Gao Chang Gong was chaste, as pure as the driven snow!

Just when Zhao Xing was busy wiping her nose and sorting through her messy brain, a familiar figure entered the imperial hall and stood at the stage, placed at the center of the hall.

The figure wore a bright red dress with flying butterflies embroidery that emphasized the fairness of her skin. Her appearance was alluring, and it was able to move every men present at the imperial hall.

In the whole capital city, Zhao Qing was famous with her superb dancing skills. Moving and otherworldly—that was how people described her when she danced. The empress often invited her to dance at imperial banquets. And at this important celebration, Zhao Qing would naturally be entrusted to open the banquet with a dance.

The Eldest Miss of Prime Minister Zhao’s manor began to move her body as soon as the imperial musicians started to play their instruments. Her every movement was gracefull and elegant. Her wide sleeves and long dress fluttered with the wind as she moved her feet and hand, creating an illusion as though she was dancing above the red, bloody clouds. Her lips were carved into a seductive smile as she threw a glance toward the direction of the imperial family’s seats.

Zhao Xing panicked upon seeing this snake demoness’ action. The transmigrator quickly shot a glance at her beloved general and observed his reaction. Zhao Xing immediately thanked the heavens when she found no infatuation nor interest in his dark onyx eyes.

However, the girl was quite shocked when she caught a glimpse of hatred in Gao Chang Gong’s pair of phoenix eyes. Even though the general quickly covered it with his usual cold demeanor, Zhao Xing still managed to catch that loathsome and disgusted gaze.

What happened? Why did Gao Chang Gong have that kind of look directed to her half-sister?

“Miss, look at First Miss. She keeps on throwing a wanton smile to the second prince!” Xiao Yi suddenly whispered in her young miss’ left ear. She made sure no one heard her voice.

Zhao Xing quickly turned her head at her half-sister before tracing the line of her sight. She felt so relieved when she realized Zhao Qing wasn’t looking at her general, but someone who sat near him.

Exhaling a relieved sigh, Zhao Xing mumbled under her breath, “That’s good, that’s good! I thought she was seducing my general! If she dared to do that, then I would have to chop her into pieces!”

Xiao Yi’s lips twitched. No one would willingly spare a glance at that hideous general, let alone seduce him!

“Xiao Yi, what is the relationship between Elder Sister and the second prince?” Zhao Xing quietly asked as she covered her mouth with a circle fan embroidered with blooming lotuses.

“Young Miss, this servant has heard the First Miss being infatuated toward the second prince. The prince saved her once back then, and First Miss is trying to use her heart to pay back the debt. So funny!”

Zhao Xing nodded her head in agreement.

“Love is a funny thing indeed!” The girl stole another glance at her beloved general as she spat out that statement dramatically.

Xiao Yi: “...” The servant suddenly wanted to go back to the manor and not witness this sort of thing anymore.

Right at that moment, a thunderous sound of people clapping their hands echoed throughout the hall, marking the end of Zhao Qing’s performance.

“Good, good! Reward!” The emperor nodded his head and smiled in satisfaction. He lifted his hand and motioned his eunuch to pass the reward to Zhao Qing.

Zhao Qing knelt and kowtowed to the sovereign to express her gratitude, “This official’s daughter thanks Your Majesty the Emperor! May Your Majesty live for another thousand years!”

Emperor Wucheng eyed Prime Minister Zhao for a second before landing his gaze at Zhao Qing again. With a kind voice, the emperor replied, “Prime Minister Zhao’s daughter is truly talented. Your father raised you very well, my child!”

“Your Majesty is too kind, this official’s daughter is still an amateur. Compared to my younger sister, this lowly commoner talent is nothing!”

“Cough, cough!”