Chapter 7: The Selection Banquet

The oppressive atmosphere in the Prince’s residence had persisted for days. Ever since the Prince returned, his expression had been icy. Fresh off the battlefield, he exuded a chilling aura of authority and ruthlessness. Even in normal times, the reserved and inscrutable Prince Qi rarely smiled, but now he was even more intimidating.

Prince Qi sat at the head of the study, tapping the table rhythmically with one hand. His dark eyes were deep and unreadable as if lost in thought.

A knock on the door interrupted his contemplation.
“Come in,” he said coldly.

Xuan Yi entered, cupping his hands respectfully.
“Master, there’s still no news. We’ve split our forces to investigate, but even with both teams scouring for information, we haven’t found any trace of Miss Lin,” Xuan Yi reported.

He glanced at Sheng Qi’s face. The Prince’s brows were furrowed, and his fingers gripped the edge of his teacup, rubbing it with barely contained tension. The temperature in the study seemed to drop even further, making Xuan Yi shiver involuntarily.

“Keep searching,” Sheng Qi commanded as he stood, ready to leave.

Xuan Yi quickly added, “Master, five days from now is the empress dowager’s planned selection banquet. Early this morning, an imperial eunuch came with her decree. You are required to attend.” He bowed his head, not daring to meet Sheng Qi’s gaze.

The Prince had always been reluctant about these selection banquets. He had only returned this time because of an imperial decree from the emperor, and now, with the unresolved matter of Miss Lin’s disappearance, his mood was bound to worsen. The oppressive atmosphere in the study weighed heavily on Xuan Yi, and cold sweat began to bead on his back.

“Spread a rumor,” Sheng Qi said, his tone flat and decisive. “Claim that I spent last night at Wanxiang Tower, enjoying the company of ten beauties, and contracted an… ailment. Have Wanxiang Tower find a few women to testify, and ensure their statements match those of the other patrons.”

With that, he strode out of the study.

Xuan Yi stood there, stunned.
“What? The Prince claiming he’s contracted an ailment just to avoid the selection banquet? He’s completely cutting off his options…”

The next day, news spread like wildfire across the capital: the mighty God of War, Prince Qi, had spent an indulgent night with ten beauties at Wanxiang Tower and contracted a hidden illness as a result. The story reached every corner of the imperial city, even making its way into the palace.

The rumor shattered the hearts of many noble young ladies who had been preparing to shine at the selection banquet.

Some, unwilling to believe it, secretly sent servants to Wanxiang Tower to verify the story.

Meanwhile, at the Lin household…

Crash! Bang!

Lin Xia’s room was in complete disarray, its furnishings turned into a chaotic mess.

“Waaah… waaah…” Lin Xia lay sprawled on her bed, sobbing uncontrollably. She had spent so much time preparing for the selection banquet, confident that even if she couldn’t become the main consort, she could at least secure the position of a concubine. But now, with such scandalous rumors spreading, she couldn’t bear the thought of marrying into the Prince’s residence, only to live a life of solitude.

Yet, among the royal family members with power in the capital, only Sheng Qi remained. The others were all much older men. Lin Xia clenched her fists, her heart filled with unwillingness and frustration. She refused to give up.

Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face twisted in anger. Outside, she was praised as a talented and graceful woman, but only her personal maids knew the truth. Lin Xia was far from the paragon of virtue and talent the world believed her to be.

In reality, her heart was deeply twisted. If things didn’t go her way, she would vent her anger on her servants, often resorting to beatings. On more than one occasion, her actions had even caused deaths.

Her personal maid, Xing’er, knelt on the floor, trembling with fear. She had always been the one to bear the brunt of Lin Xia’s fury.

When Concubine Wen arrived, she was greeted by a scene of utter chaos. She immediately ordered the servants to clean up the mess. Xing’er hastily stood up, calling others to tidy the room before closing the door behind them.

“My dear daughter, what’s happened to you this time?” Concubine Wen walked over, pulling Lin Xia into her arms and soothing her gently.

Lin Xia clung to her mother, her voice shaking with panic.
“Waaah… Mother, what should I do? I don’t want to attend the selection banquet. I don’t want to live as a widow… a widow!”

“Enough!” Concubine Wen’s voice turned stern. “This isn’t for you to decide. Your father has already made arrangements, and there’s no changing it. Besides, the truth of these rumors hasn’t been confirmed yet. All you need to do is focus on preparing for the banquet.”

Though Concubine Wen secretly didn’t want her daughter to attend, she knew there was no choice. The empress dowager had decreed that all daughters of officials ranked third or above, who were at least 14 years old, must participate. Originally, Lin Qing, Lin Xia’s younger sister, was supposed to go, but now the responsibility had fallen on Lin Xia.

“My sweet girl, there will be so many participants. You may not even be chosen. During the talent performance, just hold back a little. You don’t need to give it your all,” Concubine Wen whispered, offering advice.

Lin Xia, feeling helpless, nodded reluctantly.

She was one of the capital’s five great talents, known especially for her skill in playing the qin. Initially, she had planned to dazzle everyone at the selection banquet and secure her position. But now, if she deliberately held back, her reputation as a talented woman might crumble. At the same time, she would lose the opportunity to become Prince Qi’s concubine.

This bitter compromise left Lin Xia deeply unwilling.