Chapter 18

　June 18th, the 24th year of Wude, was the 40th birthday of Yang Shao, the Emperor of Jin. Yang Shao took over the precarious empire at a young age, swept across the country, unified the world, and made unprecedented achievements. He enjoyed unparalleled prestige in the hearts of the ministers and people of the empire. His 40th birthday was particularly grand, so as soon as night fell, the city of Tianjing was surrounded by joy.

　　The Emperor's Centenary Celebration was held in the Hall of Ten Thousand Bangs next to the Imperial Palace. Whenever there were national events involving foreign nations and a large number of people, banquets, music and dance, and ceremonial programs were often held in this place. Just after noon, envoys from various countries, ministers watching the ceremony, and performers had already arrived at the Hall of Ten Thousand Bangs, waiting for the night to fall and the banquet to begin.

　　The scholars who took the civil and military imperial examinations this year were also brought here early. The eunuchs instructed that the scholars must sit in their seats and not move around at will. If they need to go to the bathroom, they must be accompanied by the eunuch attendants, and the eunuchs will bring them back after they have finished going to the bathroom.

　　According to the rules, ministers participating in the night banquet can bring two family members to the banquet. Generally speaking, ministers will bring their wives and legitimate sons to attend, but this year's Qianqiu Banquet coincides with the imperial examination held once every thirty years. Some ministers also have their own plans in mind. They bring their daughters to meet the successful candidates in order to get a good son-in-law. Therefore, a large number of noble ladies secretly glanced at the civil and military officials when they passed by several tables.

　　Not only the daughters of ministers, but also young girls of noble families and ladies from famous families were all looking at Pang Jun and his companions, especially Pang Jun. Because the candidates who passed the military examinations all looked more or less strong and sturdy. Even someone as elegant as Yu Lingfeng had some edges and corners. But Pang Jun looked like a weak and elegant young man, and he was sitting in the main seat in the center. Naturally, he attracted more attention. Everyone knew that a new "little Tiance scholar" had emerged this year.

　　Therefore, many open-minded aristocratic girls and women approached Pang Jun intentionally or unintentionally, or deliberately dropped their handkerchiefs near Pang Jun, intending to strike up a conversation with Pang Jun so as to promote a fleeting romance. However, no matter who Pang Jun was facing, he always smiled and was polite, which made people helpless and unable to get angry.

　　While others were looking at him, Pang Jun was also looking around, but he did not see the little girl Yue'er. However, he felt relieved when he thought about it. As a princess and a member of the royal family, Yang Yue would definitely appear with the emperor and other royal family members, and would not appear so early.

　　Thinking of the moon, he couldn't help but think of that person, that lonely figure sitting on the ground under the moon, the person who made him feel mixed emotions. Thinking that he would see her soon, his hands trembled unconsciously.

　　Qin Yi, who was sitting next to him, noticed something was wrong with Pang Jun and asked with concern, "Ziye, what's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?"

　　At this time, Pang Jun woke up, smiled, and said to Qin Yi insincerely: "No, it's okay, just a little nervous."

　　Qin Yi laughed: "Haha, Liu Ziye, who remained calm and composed in the face of so many people cheering for him in the martial arts arena, would actually be nervous at a dinner party. Don't worry, there will be many more of these in the future and you will get used to it soon." Qin Yi was obviously quite familiar with the people in the court. He introduced the ministers and generals to the officials at the same table.

　　"Well, thank you Brother Qin for the advice. I will keep it in mind." Pang Jun, who was knowledgeable and had a good memory, secretly wrote down the characteristics and information of each person in order to use them in the future.

　　Just as the hour of You arrived, the sound of dense footsteps suddenly sounded, and an eunuch shouted in a sharp voice: "Your Majesty has arrived, the Empress, the Imperial Concubine, the King of Wei has arrived!"

　　As soon as the voice fell, all the officials in the Hall of Ten Thousand Nations and the envoys from various countries fell silent. Then, melodious string music was heard from the inner building, followed by the sound of footsteps. Two middle-aged men, surrounded by a group of fierce guards and beautiful women and girls, slowly walked out. They were the Emperor Yang Shao and his brothers and other members of the royal family.

　　All the officials and envoys present knelt on the ground and shouted in unison: "Long live the emperor, long live the emperor, long, long live the emperor!"

　　At this time, the royal family had already arrived at the chairman's seat. Emperor Yang Shao stood beside the throne in the middle and said in a soft and majestic voice: "All the ministers, please stand up!"

　　"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone stood up and looked at the royal family members on the rostrum. Pang Jun also saw that among the royal family members who appeared, the petite Yang Yue was there, but she was just a princess and stood behind the crowd. Tonight, Yang Yue was wearing a light pink palace dress. Her jet-black hair was tied up in a floral quilt on her head. Two strands of hair were loose in front of her forehead. Her big watery eyes glanced around secretly, looking very cute.

　　Pang Jun looked around again and saw two beauties in palace dress standing on the left and right of Yang Shao. The one on the left was an extremely hot beauty, with almond eyes and rosy cheeks, a pair of charming watery eyes, quite capable of bewitching souls, a plump and charming body, and a strong seductive power of seduction that makes people aroused at first sight, and just want to pin her down and beat her well. Standing on the other side of her was Zhao Wang Yang Sheng, so Pang Jun deduced that this should be the powerful figure in the harem, Nan Xiangwu, or Concubine Nan.

　　In this way, Pang Jun knew that the equally mature, plump, cold and charming beautiful woman standing on the other side of the emperor was probably his aunt whom he had never met, the current Queen of Dajin, Tang Yulin.

　　Tang Yulin's face was not as charming as Nan Xiangwu's, but more beautiful. She was tall and plump, wrapped in a bright yellow phoenix robe. The two white breasts on her chest were trembling under the low-cut palace dress, and trembled with every breath. The snow-white in the deep ravines seemed to be about to tear the clothes apart. Coupled with her cold and elegant expression, she exuded a different kind of charm.

　　The person standing next to Tang Yulin should be Wei Wang Yang Tong, who looks somewhat similar to Yang Shao. Perhaps not as a monarch, he has the same majestic and domineering appearance as his brother, but with a bit of gentleness.

　　After looking at Yang Tong for a while, Pang Jun finally saw the figure that had been lingering in his dreams: a delicate face in her early thirties, wearing a light yellow palace dress, with two soft breasts trembling as if they were about to burst out of the bodice, very tall and straight, with a stunning appearance, 50% similar to Tang Yulin but less cold and charming than Tang Yulin, and more fresh and elegant, with a gentle and elegant smile on her face all the time, making people feel as comfortable as a spring breeze.

　　Tang Yuxian, the principal wife of King Wei, the mother of Yang Yue, and also Pang Jun's biological mother, or rather, his former mother. Pang Jun stared at Tang Yuxian intently. He could not combine the lonely figure wrapped in despair under the moon with the noble and elegant princess at this moment. He really wanted the figure in his eyes to be someone other than his mother. However, that familiar face, familiar smile, familiar tenderness, all told him with certainty that this was his biological mother, the woman who cruelly abandoned him eleven years ago and became the high and mighty princess. Thinking of this, Pang Jun's hands began to tremble again.

　　But he recovered quickly. Before the people around him noticed that something was wrong with him, he suppressed his trembling and returned to his original calm appearance.

　　The emperor raised his wine glass and said solemnly, "Since I ascended the throne, I have experienced countless ups and downs. Today, I finally see peace and prosperity, and the people live and work in peace. I am very happy. Today is my fortieth birthday. I will celebrate with you and the people. You don't need to be polite. Let's have fun to our heart's content. We won't go home until we are drunk tonight!"

　　Everyone raised their glasses and said in unison: "May the Emperor live a long and healthy life! Long live His Majesty, long live His Majesty, long, long live His Majesty!"

　　"I now declare that the Qianqiu Banquet has begun!" Following the emperor's order, the palace maids and eunuchs busily brought out all kinds of delicious wine and food. Although the wine and food were served, as participants in the banquet, they could only eat a little bit, and then they had to accompany the emperor to watch the performance, otherwise it would be impolite in front of the palace.

　　Next, birthday gifts were presented to the emperor, first by civil and military officials, then by envoys from various countries. There were white jade ruyi, night pearls, crystal-like corals, famous paintings and calligraphy, and so on.

　　Among them, the birthday gift for Crown Prince Yang Zhi was a famous sword from ancient times that had been missing for hundreds of years - the Crescent Moon. He said to Yang Shao: "Father, I know that you like precious swords. This Crescent Moon was forged by the famous craftsman Gu Mingzi three hundred years ago. It can cut iron like mud and is extremely sharp."

　　"Yeah." After Yang Shao received the Cangyue, he said nothing else.

　　Then, Zhao Wang Yang Sheng presented a strange plant with red leaves and green flowers. Zhao Wang held the flower pot and read aloud: "What your son presents to your father is a rare treasure from southern Xinjiang - Qianling Flower. It blooms only once a year, and each time the flowering period is only three days, but the fragrance of the flower during these three days of flowering will cure diseases and prolong the life of the absorber."

　　At this time, Concubine Nan said beside Yang Shao: "Your Majesty, look how filial Sheng'er is. He knows that you are busy with state affairs day and night, so he specially sent people to the land of Minyue to find him back."

　　"Okay, you are thoughtful." Yang Shao nodded with a smile.

　　After the princes and ministers finished presenting their treasures, it was the turn for the envoys from various countries to present birthday gifts. However, when it was Japan's turn to present treasures, what they presented were nine dull-colored round beads with several small holes of different sizes on them. Seeing this, Yang Sheng looked at the Japanese envoy with a bad face and asked, "These nine round beads are dull and incomplete. The great Japan only presented such a birthday gift? Do they look down on our Great Jin?"

　　The Japanese envoy was named Kujo Noriaki, one of the core figures of the Kujo family, a prominent family in Japan. He was appointed Minister of the Ministry of Justice (a Japanese official rank below the fourth rank, equivalent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs). After taking a look at Yang Sheng, he smiled slightly and said in fluent Central Plains Mandarin: "Your Highness Prince Zhao, you don't know that these nine round beads are one of Japan's national treasures, the Nine Illusion Star Beads. They may seem ordinary, but they actually contain mysteries. Come on."

　　"Pa pa," he clapped his hands, and two Japanese attendants walked out from behind him, each holding a pot in his hand. Then he picked up a bowl, put one of the round beads into the bowl, pointed at the pot and said, "Everyone, these two pots contain water in one pot and ordinary Huadiao wine in the other. Now, I will pour the water into the bowl."

　　Then, he asked his followers to pour water into the bowl with the star beads. The water was slowly poured into the bowl until it covered the star beads, but nothing changed. Yang Sheng said angrily again: "Nothing has changed. Are you still trying to play tricks?!"

　　Kujo Tokuaki said calmly, "Your Highness, please be patient, it will work soon."

　　At this time, the fourth prince Yang Jie, who was watching on the side, suddenly shouted: "Look, that star bead..." Everyone looked at the star bead intently, and saw that the dimness on the star bead gradually dissipated, and then began to emit a light blue light, gradually becoming radiant, and it would continue to change between light and dark, shining on people's faces.

　　Just when everyone was feeling surprised, Kujo Tomiaki on the side gestured to take out another star bead and put it in another bowl, and signaled his followers to pour wine into the bowl, and said: "Nine Illusion Star Beads, each bead has nine holes, each connected to each other. When the nine holes are filled with different liquids, the star beads will emit light of different colors, just like the stars in the sky, dazzling." Following his voice, everyone looked at the other bowl, only to see that in the other bowl filled with wine, the star bead was emitting red light.

　　The people present were amazed: "There are such wonderful things in the world!"

　　Yang Shao looked at Kujo Tomoaki calmly and asked, "Although Dongying has always been on good terms with our Great Jin, it is not a vassal of the Great Jin. I'm afraid such a generous gift is not that simple, right?"

　　There was a gleam in Kujo Tokuaki's eyes, and he said respectfully: "Your Majesty is wise. My Great Ying does have a favor to ask of Your Majesty." As soon as Kujo Tokuaki said this, the princes and ministers present recovered from the surprise brought by the Star Bead and looked at the envoy.