Master, don't tease me, you can't handle three of them.

Chapter 135 What exactly does Jing Shu want to do?

royal palace.

Ji Chen arrived early with Elder Lu and Lu Yunqi. He maintained a smile and responded to the officials' warm greetings with perfect composure.

Everyone knows that Ji Chen is a male prostitute that Lu Yunqi bought from Tianxiang Tower, but so what? He has been recognized by Old Master Lu and is his adopted son, so he is the person they want to befriend.

Only Shi Ye remained seated, not bothering to greet Prime Minister Lu and his entourage. Shi Chuan patted Shi Ye's head, knowing that his younger brother disliked Lu Yunqi, and didn't force him to get to know Ji Chen.

Shi Chuan didn't step forward; he simply nodded slightly to the three of them as a greeting.

The purpose of this banquet was to arrange a marriage alliance, so not only officials but also their families attended. All eligible women, regardless of gender, were invited—this was the emperor's intention. Anyone whom Prince Yi took a liking to would be granted a marriage.

Upon hearing the imperial decree, Prime Minister Lu and his ministers felt a chill run down their spines. The Emperor was clearly trying to curry favor with Prince Yi, attempting to sacrifice his own life for the stability of the dynasty! How was this any different from the dynasty of the past?!

However, they had no choice but to comply, simply because he was the emperor, and the common people could not afford another dynastic change in a short period of time.

Meanwhile, another faction of ministers applauded, believing that this move would not only quell the war without firing a single shot, but also bring endless benefits to their families if their children were chosen.

A seemingly peaceful banquet was actually fraught with hidden turmoil.

After finally managing to deal with everyone, Ji Chen sat down in his seat, looked at Lu Yunqi beside him, and whispered, "Hey, do you think Prince Yi likes men or women? If he likes men, won't we be in big danger?"

Lu Yunqi glanced at Ji Chen, who was dressed particularly flamboyantly today, and couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I think you're just hoping that Prince Yi will take a liking to you!"

"Hey~ How can you say that?" Ji Chen opened the fan in his hand, slightly covering the lower half of his face. "This isn't my first time attending a banquet like this. I thought there were so many beautiful girls there, I couldn't dress too shabbily."

Indeed, Ji Chen, who seemed flashy and frivolous to Lu Yunqi, presented a completely different picture in the eyes of the young ladies. Many of them secretly glanced in their direction, blushing and whispering amongst themselves.

Just as Ji Chen was about to praise himself a few more times, he heard the eunuch outside shout, "Prince Yi has arrived!"

Ji Chen and the others looked toward the palace entrance, where two figures, one in black and one in blue, came into view.

The man in black wore a silver mask, obscuring his face, while the man in blue had a white conical hat covering most of his body; outsiders could only determine the color of his clothes by looking at the exposed hem.

Both men possessed extraordinary bearing, and for a moment, the crowd couldn't tell which one was Prince Yi, and who the other was.

Ji Chen and Lu Yunqi both stiffened at the same time, then looked at each other in surprise, but neither of them said anything.

So, Jing Shu is Prince Yi! No wonder, no wonder Jing Shu said he would find out in a couple of days.

But why did he bring Han Luo along? And besides, more than just the two of them have seen his mask!

What exactly does Jing Shu want to do?

After returning to the Prime Minister's residence yesterday, Ji Chen learned about the background of Immortal Venerable Hanluo from Lu Yunqi. The current Immortal Venerable Hanluo is a member of the former dynasty's royal family. So, did Jing Shu come today to avenge Immortal Venerable Hanluo?

On the other side of the seat, Shi Ye suddenly grabbed Shi Chuan's arm and said excitedly in a low voice, "Brother! I know him! He was there when Tianxiang Tower auctioned off male prostitutes, and he even took one away in a high-profile manner! He was back even before you came back!"

Upon hearing this, Shi Chuan frowned. If what Xiao Ye said was true, then the one he brought back was a fake?!

When he negotiated peace with Prince Yi before, the man's words clearly indicated his agreement. Now, with this stunt, does he not intend to continue living in peace? But this is the capital. If a war breaks out here, Prince Yi will have no advantage whatsoever.

And what about the person next to him? Why did he feel a strange sense of familiarity...?

Shi Chuan raised his hand and grasped Shi Ye's hand that was gripping his arm, removing Shi Ye's hand and shaking his head at Shi Ye.

Shi Ye instantly understood Shi Chuan's meaning and quieted down, but her eyes couldn't help but look in the direction of Prince Yi, very curious about the two of them.

Could that man beside Prince Yi be the male prostitute? If so, he's incredibly audacious! Bringing a male prostitute to a palace banquet—he clearly doesn't respect the Emperor!

Shi could recognize Jing Shu, and those who had been at Tianxiang Tower that day would naturally recognize him as well. The once lively banquet quickly quieted down.

Jing Shu didn't have time to pay attention to these people. After helping Han Luo sit down, he asked softly, "Is there anything wrong with your body?"

Han Luo chuckled through the white veil, "I'm really not some porcelain doll, there's no need to worry so much."

The white veil on the hat was made of some unknown material, and Han Luo's vision was not obstructed at all, but no one could see his face clearly.

Han Luo looked at the fruit laid out on the table. "I want to eat oranges."

Jing Shu immediately reached out and, under the scrutinizing gazes of everyone, picked up a plump and juicy-looking orange, then slowly began to peel it.

Most people had never actually met Jing Shu, so when they saw him peeling an orange, they subconsciously assumed that this person was not Prince Yi.

Why would the dignified Prince Yi peel oranges for someone? This person must be Prince Yi's subordinate or male concubine!

"Your Majesty has arrived——"

A eunuch's voice suddenly rang out, and everyone quickly stood up and knelt down in the direction of the palace gate.

"Greetings, Your Majesty—"

A bright yellow figure slowly walked over. Ji Chen, who was mingling in the crowd, squatted down and secretly looked up, complaining to the Azure Light Cauldron in his heart.

"The emperor has really dark circles under his eyes. Did he stay up all night last night?"

Ji Chen secretly shifted his gaze to Jing Shu and the other man. Sure enough, neither of them reacted. In fact, Jing Shu was still peeling oranges, showing no respect for the emperor at all.

"It's good to have power!" Ji Chen thought to himself.

"Master, lower your head obediently, the emperor is about to see you!" The voice of the Azure Light Cauldron suddenly rang out, and Ji Chen hurriedly lowered his head.

But at this moment, the emperor had already walked to the main seat and sat down. "All of you, rise."

Ji Chen stood up and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty—" while in his heart he was talking to the Azure Light Cauldron.

"You scared me?!"

The Azure Cauldron chuckled twice. "Master, it was just a joke. Also, this emperor is that divine artifact. To avoid it sensing me, I'm going into slumber now. Good luck, Master!"

After saying that, the Azure Cauldron fell silent, seemingly having truly fallen into a deep sleep. Ji Chen sighed helplessly and sat back down.