Concubine Fu was Ting Fu's aunt, the Fu Clan Master's sister, the woman who specifically made Ling Yue attend the Feast.
She was the most seductive concubine amongst the four, every movement of her luscious body making men's bones soften. Her thin eyes slightly curved at the end, blood lips always provocatively curved into a half smile.
Concubine Fu was a cunning seductress who used her beauty to achieve all her ends, but her guile was also not something to disregard. Like a coiling snake hidden behind a mound of sand, she would stab a dagger to your back the moment you let your guard down.
She sat there, seemingly irritated. Her small, calculating eyes sometimes glanced towards the Yue Clan's sitting position, as if searching for someone.
As the noblemen and court officers all settled down, she raised her voice: "Clan Master Yue, where is your beautiful daughter? I haven't seen the dear girl in a while, I've come to miss her. I thought I told you to bring her here today? Did something happen to her?"
The Banquet Hall instantly silenced.
Many watched on with interest and amusement, silently observing the battle between the Concubine and the Clan Master.
Hong Yue's face darkened as his aura burst out, his Chi suppressing the air in the Banquet Hall, making it hard for people to breathe.
Ling Yue gulped, such immense aura!
Luckily Hong Yue actively lifted the effects of his aura on her, if not, someone as weak as her would cough out blood in an instant.
"It seems like you have forgotten who I am, Concubine Fu. A mere Concubine like you has no right to demand me of anything, not to mention the presence of my daughter."
Everyone's face blanched as they stared at his figure, standing straight and proud in front of the Concubine. These past few years, Hong Yue has indeed been keeping a very low profile, so much so that everyone had almost forgotten about him. They forgot about his capability, the power he possessed, and his peculiar position in this court.
Hong Yue was one of the strongest Chi users of this empire. Even the Emperor had to ask for his opinion when deciding things. This was the privilege of the strong in this world; with Chi, one could achieve almost everything – glory, fame, power, high status, money, wives.
Concubine Fu cowered in her golden seat as Hong Yue's sharp eyes settled heavily on her, along with it the brute force of his immense aura, slamming onto her, making her inside churn. A coppery taste gathered in her throat. Thick beads of sweat rolled down her forehead as her face quickly became white as a sheet under his oppression.
Hong Yue contemptuously huffed as he withdrew his Chi.
Concubine Fu flopped against her chair, breathing heavily. Rage and shame flooded her eyes as she glared at Hong Yue.
The Emperor sat there, calmly sipping his wine, not saying a word. The Empress remained placid, her straight face emotionless, but Ling Yue saw a gleam of delight in the woman's eyes. The remaining Concubines eagerly observed the situation, marveling at Concubine Fu's audacity and stupidity going up against the Yue Clan Master.
Concubine Fu inhaled deeply as she suppressed the rage bubbling at her throat.
She took out a silk handkerchief. Dabbing at her eyes, her voice dreary, she cried: "Hong Yue, I just wanted to see your daughter.... Was it too much to ask of you? She would become my nephew's wife after all, we will soon become family, this aunt just wanted to meet the girl once..."
Her voice was soft and pitiful, beads of pearly tears rolling down her cheeks, her body shivering slightly. Commotion arose amongst the nobles of the Banquet Hall as they stared at Hong Yue disapprovingly.
The Emperor finally spoke: "Concubine Fu just wanted to see your daughter, Hong Yue. No need to make such a big matter out of it. I also haven't seen the Lady in a while."
Hong Yue frowned.
Concubine Fu, he could go up against. The Emperor? Not so much. The Emperor's demand was apparent; he wanted to drag Ling Yue into this muddy puddle that was the Imperial Palace. What his intentions were Hong Yue dared not guess, but he couldn't disobey the Emperor. That meant he was a rebel, and rebels that threatened the Emperor never lived to see the sun for more than a year.
Even though he was strong, he couldn't go against the Imperial Army. He couldn't afford to go against the Emperor.
Ling Yue's smirked under her veil. The Emperor.
What was he planning, putting her under the spotlight? Maybe he wanted a tool to control Hong Yue. Everyone knew Hong Yue loved his daughter more than his life, even though she was just a stupid Imbecile.
Ling Yue's eyes flashed as realization dawned.
This has been the Emperor's will all along, the Concubine Fu was but a pawn acting under his orders. The Emperor knew Ling Yue was obsessed with Ting Fu, so he wanted the arranged marriage between the Fu and Yue clans to last.
Once she was married into the Fu Clan, she was nothing but a helpless, Chi-less hostage in the Fu Clan's hands – or even, the Emperor's hands. The Emperor wanted control over Hong Yue and the Yue Clan. He wanted submission. There was no better way, to use Hong Yue's one and only weakness against him – the Imbecile Ling Yue.
Her gaze turned ice cold as she looked at the people sitting in front of her. The Imperial Family, all dressed in gold and silk, all planning to use her as a pawn in their chess match for the Emperor's dragon seat.
Unlucky for them, their calculations left out one important factor, Ling Yue herself. She wouldn't just sit there for them to use her like that.
The Empress, posture rigid and demure in her throne, not a hair out of place, slowly opened her red lips: "If the Emperor wants to see the Yue Clan's Lady, his wish shall be fulfilled. Fetch her from the Yue Clan. Servants!"
As the Empress raised her voice and lifted her hands, a placid voice filled the silent void of the Banquet Hall: "I'm here."
A red figure blazing like Hell's fires slowly walked out from beside Hong Yue. Everyone's pupils dilated. They couldn't believe what they were seeing.
"She - she is Ling Yue?!?" A lady gasped.
"Impossible!!" Another responded, jealousy and disbelief in her eyes.
"Isn't she fat?! This couldn't be!"
"It might really be her; the Imbe--- Ling Yue always wore red."
"...!"
"Ling Yue?!!" Concubine Fu couldn't stop herself, raising her voice sharply as she stood up. She stared at the flaming figure in front of her, a hint of envy showing through her eyes.
Ling Yue smiled thinly as she uncovered her face: "It is I."
Sharp inhales were heard as the noblemen and court officials recognized her face. It really was Ling Yue, albeit much thinner, and much more beautiful. It was her, no doubt. She resembled Hong Yue's features in many ways.
Ting Fu gulped as he stared at the crimson figure standing in the middle of the Banquet Hall, disbelief and a hint of delight in his eyes. Ling Yue! How could he not notice that she was this beautiful before! That ugly piglet who had always tailed him everywhere he went in the capital city, that useless Imbecile whom he disgusted so much... has shredded her cocoon and changed into a blazing beauty!
Aina, who sat beside him, caught every expression flashing through his features. She grinded her teeth, her face blanching as resentment and jealousy swirled in her eyes.
Ling Yue! The Imbecile who had everything that she didn't deserve! She dared to show her face in front of this court. How could she steal the Princes' attention, and also the Emperor and Concubine's favor!
Aina smirked twistedly.
An Imbecile will forever remain an Imbecile. What does it matter if she lost a little weight? Her stupidity will always remain the same!
If the Imbecile has had the guts to come up in front of the Imperial Family, then Aina will make sure that she never has the honor to come back down. She would remind every single person in this Banquet Hall that an Imbecile will always remain an Imbecile!