In the cage, a desert monitor lizard over four meters long flicked its long tongue!
Its pitch-black eyes were watching the crowd outside the cage vigilantly.
Qin Zhao had seen this creature on the Discovery Channel before, but wild desert monitor lizards were not this big, so this one must have been captive bred!
Facing such a huge and ugly creature, the emperor's expression changed slightly and he pretended to be calm: "This thing is quite novel indeed, it has opened Our eyes."
E Le Deng smiled and said, "This is a walking lizard unique to My Chi Rong, it is omnivorous and very easy to feed. Does Your Majesty like it?"
Qin Zheng's eyes twitched and he said, "You have a kind heart. Take it away."
Several guards went over and dragged the desert monitor lizard away.
The frightened crowd also slowly returned to their seats.
Sitting next to Qin Zhao, the Seventh Prince Qin Zhan, asked Qin Zhao, "Sister, you weren't scared, were you?"
Qin Zhao: "I was ugly to death."
Qin Zhan chuckled twice, and asked again, "Sister, was the painting you gave Father really painted by you?"
"Yes."
Qin Zhan said in slight excitement, "Then sister, could you paint one for brother too?"
Qin Zhao leaned in close to Qin Zhan and said, "I can, but a painting requires one thousand taels of gold."
Qin Zhan: "..."
Qin Zhan regretfully turned his head, "Forget it, my annual allowance is only four hundred taels of silver."
Qin Zhao rolled her eyes.
This guy wasn't lacking money, he just wanted to take advantage of her.
After the desert monitor lizard exited the scene, the gift presentation segment was nearing its end.
The court musicians entered and took their place on the right.
The noisy banquet hall suddenly became quiet, and everyone's eyes gathered in the same direction.
A group of white-clad, graceful and beautiful women walked over under the hot gaze, with Qi Yan Su Luo as the center!
Judging from her position, she was the lead dancer.
When they were all in position.
The musicians started playing and they began to dance along with the music.
Qin Zhao fixed her eyes on Qi Yan Su Luo.
She marveled at her dance moves, light yet powerful, elegant yet rhythmic!
Every step was to the beat of the music, resonating with her own heartbeat.
Qi Yan Su Luo had always been beautiful, but at this moment she was shockingly gorgeous!
Qin Zhao didn't dare to look anymore, for fear that she would lose herself in her beauty.
Qin Zhao looked elsewhere, and saw nothing but the infatuated expressions of others.
Huo Chengjin's eyes never left Qi Yan Su Luo.
E Le Deng watched with mouth agape, Adam's apple bobbing up and down, seemingly eager already.
The emperor was the same!
Qin Zhao had a bad premonition!
Qin Zheng's lust could be glimpsed from the fact that he had dozens of children.
If he took a liking to Qi Yan Su Luo...
Qin Zhao felt nauseous and didn't want to think further.
No matter what happened, Qi Yan Su Luo could only be hers!
After a dance ended, everyone was still immersed in it.
Someone took the lead and shouted, one more dance!
But Qi Yan Su Luo and the women curtsied and prepared to exit.
But Qin Zheng called for her to stop, "You, come here."
"You" naturally referred to Qi Yan Su Luo.
She walked up a few steps, knelt down, and said, "Your humble subject pays respect to Your Majesty."
Qin Zheng said, "Raise your head."
Qi Yan Su Luo raised her head, eyes downcast.
Qin Zheng said again, "Look at Us."
Qi Yan Su Luo did as he said.
Qin Zheng looked her over for a while, and asked, "How is life on Luo Xi Street?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, your subject lives very well."
"Being bullied by others all day is considered good?
We have an unoccupied palace, why don't you move into the imperial palace to live?"
This rendered everyone unable to remain indifferent.
Huo Chengjin's eyes turned red, seemingly experiencing intense emotional turmoil.
Qi Yan Su Luo replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty, but your subject prefers her current life."
Upon hearing this, displeasure showed on Qin Zheng's face.
Just as he was about to erupt in anger, a man walked up!
This man was dressed in foreign attire, sturdy in build and handsome in appearance. He saluted Qin Zheng and said, "Crown Prince Sa Qi of Dongqu Country, pays respect to Your Imperial Majesty."
Qin Zheng signaled him to continue.
Sa Qi said, "I have fallen in love with this beautiful lady at first sight, and ask that Your Majesty grants us marriage!"
After he finished speaking, the scene became dead silent.
The people of Yue all understood, Qin Zheng had just meant to take Qi Yan Su Luo into the imperial harem!
As a foreigner, Sa Qi didn't understand the implication, which was why he dared to say such words, competing with the Yue emperor for the same woman.
Dongqu was a powerful country, having established diplomatic ties with Yue in the thirteenth year of Yuangjia.
As the crown prince, Sa Qi would become the next king of Dongqu.
If Qin Zheng refused him now, it could likely rupture peace between the two countries.
Offending the Dongqu crown prince over a woman was not worth it.
Qin Zheng suppressed his anger and said, "We grant..."
But before he could finish speaking, another person stepped forward, who turned out to be E Le Deng!
He said to Qin Zheng, "Your Imperial Majesty, I have also developed tender feelings for this lady, please allow me to compete fairly with the Dongqu crown prince!
As the saying goes, a hero deserves a beauty. In my Chi Rong country, only the bravest warrior can gain a beauty's favor!"
After him, noblemen from other countries also stepped forward!
Qin Zheng was quite angry, but things had developed to this point, leaving him no choice.
If so many countries all turned hostile against Yue, Yue would be in mortal peril.
Qin Zheng had no choice but to restrain his anger and said, "So be it, everyone present may participate in the competition!"
The crowd discussed in hushed voices as Qin Zheng ordered Zhou Quande to prepare a fighting stage.
Qi Yan Su Luo stood alone among the crowd, her expression tranquil, seeming indifferent to becoming a war prize.
But Qin Zhao could tell from her trembling fingers that she was enduring tremendous humiliation.
Suddenly, she looked up and met Qin Zhao's gaze!
Qin Zhao clearly sensed her resentment towards herself.
But not only did Qin Zhao not apologize, she even smirked, which made Qi Yan Su Luo even more hateful!
So angry that she looked away.
502 spoke up: "Host, don't you think the heroine is pitiful?
If you hadn't mentioned her in front of the emperor, perhaps she wouldn't have encountered this today."
Qin Zhao said: "From the first time she forced us to share a bed, I've been plotting for today."
502: "You clearly enjoyed it very much!"
Qin Zhao: "..."
"Whether I enjoyed it or not is irrelevant to right or wrong.
For men, beauty is enough.
But for women, sincerity must be exchanged for sincerity.
Her ostentatious tricks are an insult to my intelligence.
So she deserves all this."
An hour later, the fighting stage for the competition was constructed.
Sa Qi went up the stage first, and E Le Deng stood opposite him as his competitor.
The two skipped pleasantries and bowed to each other, then attacked at the same time!
Sa Qi wielded a scimitar, while E Le Deng used an iron hammer.
The clashing of metal resounded in Taihe Park, stimulating everyone's nerves.
Some men who hadn't decided to participate earlier had their servants fetch weapons.
Qin Zhao beckoned Cong Han over and whispered a few words in her ear.
Cong Han left swiftly on her mission, disappearing into the crowd.
