Chapter 57 - 57 57 Astonishingly Divine

Words : 1394 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Astonishingly Divine Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Astonishingly Divine “Seal Keeper Mu Yan has arrived!” the Empress said with a smile. She knew Mu Yan was a Prince, but since His Majesty had not yet announced Mu Yan’s identity to the world, she could only address him as such. Mu Yan gave a slight nod to the Empress and walked to the first row, taking a seat at the edge. “Mu Yan?” “The Seal Keeper of the Xingtian Department, Mu Yan?” “Indeed, just as the Empress said!” the crowd murmured to each other. A group of noble ladies blushed bashfully. Bai Lu exclaimed excitedly, “So it turns out that Seal Keeper Mu Yan is such a handsome man; he’s surely the most handsome man in Nanjin!” Cui Ying felt infuriated as she watched Bai Lu making eyes at Mu Yan. Bai Lu, always falling for every man she sees, hadn’t she said that Young Master Si Jun was the most handsome before? Now, upon seeing Mu Yan, she can’t seem to take her eyes off of him! Zhan Liluo timidly gazed at Mu Yan, seated in the place of honor; she had seen his portrait in Cui Ying’s boudoir. After seeing the portrait, she fell for him instantly. Never had she expected the real person to be so stunningly divine. The ladies were so captivated by Mu Yan’s beauty that they momentarily forgot his notorious reputation as a casanova. Perhaps they did not care in their hearts. After all, a reformed playboy who loves only her is also a beautiful tale. Women don’t love a man unless he’s been a bit of a bad boy, that’s all there is to it. Upon confirming that the person before them was Mu Yan, the men felt a sense of fear toward this god of slaughter. To think he was only a young man in his twenties! This god of slaughter, pampered by Emperor Xuanwu, being in the same grand hall was enough to send shivers down their spines! Mu Yan did not care for the gazes cast his way. His eyes swept across the hall, rendering it silent. His gaze landed on someone sitting alone in a corner—the only person who wasn’t looking at him. Mu Yan fixed his stare on that person; Zhan Lan seemed preoccupied, head bowed, looking at her hands. Suddenly, Zhan Lan raised her eyes towards Zhan Hui; she was slightly worried: she wondered if her brother was prepared. Zhan Hui was seated diagonally opposite Zhan Lan, nodding at her with a smile. This entire scene was caught in Mu Yan’s eyes. Mu Yan’s expression cooled, his posture straightening up a bit. So Zhan Lan liked Zhan Hui that much, exchanging glances even under the scrutiny of so many! Mu Yan played with his wine cup, feeling stifled! Withdrawing his gaze from Zhan Lan, Mu Yan noticed Si Jun was looking at him from not far away. Si Jun’s lips curved up slightly, gazing at Mu Yan in an almost placating manner. Mu Yan’s expression became frosty as he swept his gaze over Si Jun and lowered his head to toy with the white jade porcelain cup in his hand. For him, he would never regard anyone more highly just because of their status or position. In Mu Yan’s eyes, even Emperor Xuanwu was no different; they were just people after all! Thus, Mu Yan never cared how others viewed him! Nor did he deign to associate with fair-weather friends! Si Jun was taken aback by Mu Yan’s indifferent manner; he did not meet Mu Yan often. This was their first encounter at such a court banquet, where he had hoped to ingratiate himself, but he did not expect Mu Yan to be so arrogant! So proud! So rude! The banquet had begun, and after the Empress’s grandiose speech, the Fengwu Palace became a place of toasting and revelry. Zhan Lan sat in a corner when someone quietly moved next to her and said excitedly, “Zhan Lan!” “Chu Yin, why didn’t I see you just now?” Zhan Lan was a bit surprised. Chu Yin whispered, “I was late and secretly gave a nanny some silver to slip in quietly!” Zhan Lan understood, “Then let’s sit together, don’t wander off today.” “Alright!” Chu Yin grabbed a handful of raisins and stuffed them into her mouth, “Raisins from the Western Regions are really sweet!” Zhan Lan also ate a few, the sweet taste lingering on the tip of the tongue. “Let’s have some wine!” Chu Yin’s restless hands began to pour Zhan Lan a drink. The two talked and laughed, and Zhan Lan did not ignore the Crown Princess’s expression. Si Yao was looking at Zhan Lan coldly. Nanny Xie had somehow not managed to intimidate Zhan Lan; instead, she came back looking ashen with fear. It seems that Zhan Lan wasn’t a simple figure either. The Crown Princess then turned her gaze to Zhan Hui, not expecting him to be even more handsome in person than in his portraits. The young girl’s heart thundered and fluttered upon first seeing Mu Yan at the palace. But the Crown Princess overheard a conversation between her father and mother, realizing that Mu Yan was actually her Imperial Uncle. Thus, she completely dismissed that impractical notion! Although Zhan Hui wasn’t as handsome as Mu Yan, she couldn’t find the same air of valor in Mu Yan that Zhan Hui possessed. Only today did Si Yao understand what true valor looked like. Amidst the clinking of cups, the Empress’s gaze unintentionally rested on a woman in plain clothes. The woman looked around thirty and was different from the other concubines in the palace; sitting there, she was as clean as a lotus flower and had an ethereal quality. The Empress quietly looked at her and smiled, “Sister Wanlan, don’t the delicacies today suit your taste?” The woman called Wanlan turned to the Empress and said, “Your Majesty, my old ailment has flared up today; I apologize for disturbing your enjoyment.” The Empress replied with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes, “Why would you say that, sister? Your daily hard work is something I envy a lot!” Then, the Empress hinted, “However, for His Majesty’s sake, you must take care of your health.” Wanlan nodded and replied, “Yes.” Though far away, Zhan Lan couldn’t hear the conversation between the two, she could still feel the enmity the concubines had towards Wanlan. It was evident that Noble Lady Lan was not welcomed in the palace. “What are you looking at?” Chu Yin, who was drinking wine, looked at Zhan Lan with slightly flushed cheeks. Zhan Lan held Chu Yin’s hand, preventing her from grabbing the wine jug, “You, don’t drink too much.” With a smile, Chu Yin said, “You don’t understand, this slightly tipsy feeling helps one forget many troubles.” Zhan Lan laughed, “What troubles could you possibly have?” Chu Yin’s gaze fell briefly on Zhan Hui before quickly withdrawing it. “When did Zhan Peng become so close to Zhan Hui?” Chu Yin asked Zhan Lan with suspicion. Zhan Lan looked over and saw Zhan Peng sitting next to Zhan Hui, toasting him. They even clinked their cups together. Zhan Lan withdrew her gaze and warned, “Don’t wander around later, and don’t drink too much; it’s not good to lose your composure.” “Oh! You’re more and more like my mother now!” Chu Yin put down her wine cup. After three rounds of drinks, the Empress announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, please move to the viewing platform to enjoy the fireworks display.” “Yes!” Everyone stood up and made their way to the viewing platform. Chu Yin, hearing the word ‘fireworks’, had already run off and was out of sight. Zhan Lan was not in a hurry, waiting until everyone had left before she slowly got up. Walking slowly behind Noble Lady Lan. As the sky had darkened, Zhan Lan, following Noble Lady Lan alone, did not attract anyone else’s attention. Noble Lady Lan’s personal maid, Qiuju, looked back at Zhan Lan. She stopped and asked, “May I know if there is something you need from following our Master?”

Chapter 57 - 57 57 Astonishingly Divine

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