Farm Girl's Manor
Chapter 807: Bestowed Marriage, Together until we are old (3)

Chapter 807: Chapter 807: Bestowed Marriage, Together until we are old (3)

However, both seafood dishes were made from dried products, and naturally, their taste couldn’t compare to the freshness of newly caught seafood. Fortunately, the culinary skills of the Imperial kitchen were up to par, and the dishes were not bad.

The atmosphere at the New Year banquet was quite lively, with the sound of toasting and merrymaking filling the hall. Before long, singing and dancing began to enhance the festivities. The dancing girls, with their graceful figures, had practiced laboriously every day just for this moment, to bring a smile to the faces of others, and thus each performed with the utmost zeal.

For Mo Yan, it was the first time she had ever personally witnessed the ancient song and dance, and she watched with far more concentration than the others. In her eyes, the dancers indeed moved beautifully, each delicate and soft, full of grace and charm, a sight that inspired feelings of tenderness.

Seeing Mo Yan so focused, nodding unconsciously while watching, Xiao Ruiyuan, who had initially shown little interest in the performances, found his attention drawn to the dancers, though after only a few glances, he felt bored.

Just as Xiao Ruiyuan’s attention was about to shift back to Mo Yan, a teasing voice rang out in the hall, "It’s rare to see General Xiao appreciate the song and dance. Could it be that he has taken a fancy to one of the dancing girls? Haha, if that’s the case, why doesn’t General Xiao ask The Emperor for a grace, and take her back?"

The voice was neither loud nor soft, just enough to cover the sounds of clinking glasses and music in the hall, prompting everyone to simultaneously turn their gaze toward Xiao Ruiyuan, who was indeed watching a dancing girl performing in the center of the hall. Aside from a bit of surprise, everyone wore knowing smiles.

After all, even if a man isn’t particularly interested in the company of women, there are times when he needs some relief, and these dancing girls did have their special allure. It was only natural for General Xiao to be moved.

Xiao Ruiyuan’s expression darkened, ready to burst out, when he heard Emperor Huian laugh heartily, "Oh? Xiao Aiqing, who has caught your eye? You’re not getting any younger, and it’s about time you had someone to take care of you. If you fancy anyone, just say so, and after the banquet, you can take her with you."

As soon as Emperor Huian spoke, the entire hall fell silent. Even the twenty or so dancing girls in the midst of their performances had their graceful steps thrown into disarray.

These dancers came from the Palace Music Workshop and, although their status was higher than that of common geisha, they were still of lowly birth, ranked even below palace maids. The best they could expect was to catch the eye of the sovereign and, overnight, be by his side, transforming from a salted fish to a phoenix. The next best outcome was to be given by the monarch to a meritorious minister as a concubine, securing a patron for the latter half of their life through bearing children. Those less fortunate might grow old in the Workshop and become instructing old ladies until the end of their days; the least fortunate would be let go from the palace when the time came.

However, having entered the palace at a young age and being confined for many years, everything outside was unfamiliar to these dancers. Moreover, for women past their prime, getting married was already difficult, let alone for these dancing girls who were looked down upon by society. The prospect of marrying into a wealthy household as the main wife was even more challenging. Poor households might be easier to marry into, but these girls couldn’t endure the hardship, and their only skill was song and dance. Once released, they would have to live by their art, often ending up in brothel music workshops to teach geisha.

Although they resided in the isolated Palace Music Workshop, they had heard of the great name of Xiao Ruiyuan and that he was unmarried. with no one to attend to him. Now, hearing Emperor Huian suggest giving them to General Xiao, a man with illustrious military achievements and a boundless future, even the prospect of being a minor concubine was like a pie falling from the sky — how could they not be excited?

Xiao Ruiyuan quickly glanced at Mo Yan, fearing she would get angry, but she was focused solely on the group of dancers, not sparing him a proper look.

A feeling of suffocation welled up within him, and the temperature around Sir Xiao plummeted. Without a change in facial expression, he stood up, casting a few chilling glares at the talkative minister before bowing to Emperor Huian and saying, "Thank you for Your Majesty’s generous offer, but among these dancers, there is none that this subject favors. I regret not accepting Your Majesty’s kind intentions, and ask that Your Majesty punish me."