The banquet hall of the Wang Estate was adorned with intricate tapestries and fragrant flower arrangements, creating an atmosphere of elegance and sophistication. A long table was set with fine porcelain dishes and silver cutlery, ready to serve a lavish feast in honor of Li Junwei's arrival.
The banquet neither lacked any grace nor prestige nor was it too overbearing. It was a modest affair that did not lack any class at all.
As guests, Wang Fang had invited the officials of his dominion as well as the rich prominent families in the Purple Lotus City. Even though people were confused as to why Lord Li and his wife had come out of nowhere, no one dared to question or complain. This is necessary due to two reasons, one being that the Li family was as famous and powerful as the Wang, known by everyone in the region of Tianze as an influential family of Warlords. The second reason was that Wang Fang was greatly respected in the Wang Province and so since he had prepared such a banquet, no one cared any further.
As Li Junwei entered the banquet hall, he was greeted warmly by the Wang family and their esteemed guests. He bowed respectfully and exchanged pleasantries, expressing his gratitude for their hospitality.
The banquet began with a toast to Li Junwei's safe arrival, led by the Wang family's patriarch, Wang Fang. He raised his glass and spoke of Li Junwei's many virtues, praising his loyalty, wisdom, and courage.
The dishes were served one by one, each more delicious than the last. There were platters of succulent roast duck, steaming bowls of fragrant rice, and plates of crispy fried vegetables. Li Junwei and his wife were treated to the finest delicacies, their glasses continuously refilled with the finest wine.
As the day wore on, the guests engaged in lively conversation, discussing everything from current events to philosophy. Li Junwei shared his insights on a wide range of topics, impressing everyone with his erudition and wisdom.
While the men discussed the topics of war and politics, the women gathered around Li Yan and Lady Wang gossiping and chatting revolving around the topic of the upcoming children as they laughed and giggled.
As the banquet continued on, a hush fell over the room as a group of women entered, each adorned in flowing silk robes and delicate headdresses. They took their places at the front of the hall, bowing respectfully to the gathered guests.
The first woman was a dancer, her body moving with a fluid grace as she began to perform a traditional dance. Her movements were hypnotic, mesmerizing the audience as she twirled and spun, her colorful robes flowing around her like a whirlwind.
The second woman was a musician, her fingers deftly plucking the strings of a zither, the haunting melody filling the air with a melancholic beauty. The sound of the zither blended seamlessly with the dancer's movements, creating a harmonious atmosphere that captivated the audience.
As the performance continued, the guests paused in their conversations, transfixed by the captivating display before them. Some clapped their hands in time with the music, while others watched in silent awe, their eyes fixed on the graceful dancer and skilled musician.
The dancers and musicians continued their performance, each one more breathtaking than the last. The guests watched in rapt attention, their hearts filled with a sense of wonder and awe.
As the final notes of the zither faded away, the women took their final bow, their faces shining with joy and pride. The guests erupted into applause, cheering and congratulating the performers on their exquisite display.
The banquet resumed, the guests returning to their conversations with renewed energy and enthusiasm, their spirits lifted by the beauty of the performance they had just witnessed. While the group of women switched to a more tender, soft performance that handed into the background flawlessly.
"Beautiful performance!" A lady exclaimed with delight.
The other ladies too agreed in unison and showered praises upon the group of women.
"Noble lady Wang, where did you find such amazing performers?" Someone asked in curiosity.
"It was a coincidence. I have heard they are called the 'Elegant Blossom Band'. They travel from place to place and entertain the local Lords and Merchants. But they also have preferences I hear. They have their own pride and dignity and so they do not hesitate to refuse to entertain those who are not worthy." Lady Wang explained with admiration.
"Goodness! Aren't they afraid of to step on the tiger's tail?"
"I imagine so, but they have built their own reputation among the high society and there are many powerful Lords fond of their talent. In this case, who would dare bring disgrace upon themselves by harming such talented, reputable, and defenseless ladies over some minor disagreement?" Lady Wang said.
"Oh my, but I suppose this is the most that a woman can accomplish, isn't it?" Another noblewoman said with envy.
A silence then fell among the ladies as no one could deny what the woman had said. The fact that those performers had built such a reputation with simply their talent was nothing short of miraculous. However, in the end, they were still a defenseless weak bunch.
Suddenly the sound of muffled laughter rang as Lady Wang chuckled while covering her mouth with the finely embroidered silk fan.
"That's not true, haven't you heard the gallantry of Lady Li?"
Hearing this, most of the ladies' eyes brightened with realization but some still titled their heads in confusion.
"Noble Lady Li is one of the finest archers in the land. She has graduated from the academy and recently even thrashed the young master of the Cui Clan while galloping on a horse escaping from an ambush." Lady Wang said proudly as if these were her own accomplishments.
As her name was suddenly dragged into the conversation gathering everyone's gazes on her, Li Yan averted her eyes awkwardly as her cheeks brushed slightly.
While hearing the new tale, the ladies gasped in horror. They couldn't imagine how agonizing it must have had been to escape from an ambush in a wild chase while being pregnant.
Gradually, the fervor, admiring gazes changed into those of pity, sympathy, and concern as the ladies saw Li Yan in a new light.
Only after Lady Wang confirmed that no harm was done did the ladies heave a sigh of relief as all of them pounced on Li Yan, reprimanding her for her carelessness.
Just as the topic was turning out to be extremely embarrassing for Li Yan, the wife of Purple Lotus City's governor spoke,
"I say since Noble Lady Wang and Noble Lady Li have around the same delivery time, why don't we tie the knot between the two houses if the children are born of the opposite gender?
With this abrupt and curious suggestion, the group became silent once again. This time with complicated feelings as even though this suggestion sounded sweet, it was very difficult and almost ridiculous.
Mainly because the Wang Clan was a neutral entity among the many of the Tianze Region. And a marriage between these two major clans would disrupt everyone in a blink of an eye. Most importantly, it would contradict Wang Clan's philosophy of neutrality.
The awkwardness increased as each second passed and the governor's wife pondered in silence why this was so.
Just as Lady Wang was going to change the topic once again, suddenly the noise of the wooden door opening rang in the banquet Hall as a soldier then entered in a hurry.
The soldier made his way to Wang Fang and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was, Wang Fang's expression became solemn as he said something to the soldier.
The soldier then bowed once again and left in the same hurry. Wang Fang shot a glance at Li Junwei, imploring him to come closer as another soldier, this time in a haggard appearance and different armor entered the hall, approaching Li Junwei directly.
Recognizing the soldier in the haggard appearance, with a grave expression on his face, to be one of the messengers of the Li Family, Li Junwei furrowed his brows in alarm.
The soldier came in front of Li Junwei, bowed quickly, and without wasting a moment handed him a sealed scroll of the message.
At this moment, Li Yan who had sensed the tense air knew that something was wrong as she stood up and walked up to her husband.
Meanwhile, Li Junwei who was reading the message gritted his teeth as his expression sank. As his anger flared up, he crushed the letter to oblivion under his fist.
A/N - is anyone even reading this? Should I drop?