Great! I'm surrounded by villains!
Chapter 166 - 86: The King in Dancing Garb

Chapter 166: Chapter 86: The King in Dancing Garb

Jiuyue had earned the admiration of all the cooks in the Imperial Dining Room, who quickly realized that this fox demon girl was not just for show; she had a real knack for cooking chicken.

At the same time, they had also gained a little bit of knowledge about monsters, such as the fact that a fox demon’s tail doesn’t shed hair.

Jiuyue flitted non-stop between the stoves, enjoying this time more than the banquet itself. The joy was doubled, as she could steal... sample the food while learning court techniques.

That is the greatest perk of being a cook, the ability to eat while you work.

This was how she always managed at home.

Duan Mingyuan patiently waited at the door, somewhat envious of the little fox. The worries of the world seemed like they could never catch up to her. Even if the sky were falling outside, Jiuyue would still be cheerful and laughing.

But he was a serious person.

When he was in the workplace, he was often seen as one of the most difficult colleagues to approach.

"Mr. Mingyuan, this is for you!"

Preparations were nearly finished, and the time for the banquet was approaching. Jiuyue walked towards him reluctantly, still holding a large piece of chicken leg meat in her hand.

She brought the chicken leg meat to Duan Mingyuan’s lips and said, "This is steamed after marinating according to the technique they taught. The meat of the Bai Yu chicken is much more delicious than the chickens here, perfect for stewing, stir-frying, or roasting."

"You’ve also been marinated."

When Duan Mingyuan tasted the marinated chicken leg, he accidentally tasted Jiuyue’s fingertip too.

It seemed like the fragrance of jasmine mixed with some kind of fruit.

"Ah? Really?"

She hurriedly lifted her sleeve to take a sniff.

The overly sensitive canine sense of smell was a drawback at this moment; she felt that all the scents in the kitchen mixed together, making it impossible to distinguish.

She had no choice but to seek help from outside the scene.

She tiptoed closer to Duan Mingyuan, "Can you help me smell? Is there still time to take a bath before the event?"

Although Jiuyue liked chicken, she definitely did not want to be described as having the scent of braised chicken or Kung Pao chicken at a formal occasion.

"No need to wash."

Duan Mingyuan smelled Jiuyue’s long hair and made another significant discovery in the field of research on fox demons—their bodies absorbed only the subtle fragrances. Despite the heavy ingredients used in several dishes in the kitchen, none had adhered to Jiuyue. Her scent was a faint fragrance of flowers and fruits as if she had just soaked in a petal bath.

What was the logic behind this?

With his current knowledge, it was hard to explain such a strange phenomenon.

In contrast to Jiuyue, the pot-bellied head of the Imperial Dining Room exuded a scent from five or six meters away that he had been marinated in chili peppers.

Duan Mingyuan could only assume that fox demons, in the process of their evolution and metamorphosis, had received nature’s favor, with too many wonderful gifts bestowed upon them.

"Let’s go."

They were the last to arrive. As completely unimportant persons, they were seated in the farthest corner of the hall, near the door. Their tablemates were all strangers whom they had never seen before, which was also related to their new arrival status and only knowing a few people in total.

Moreover, if you looked on the bright side, should a fire unfortunately break out in the hall, their table would be closest to the "emergency exit."

Duan Mingyuan was content with the tranquility.

Jiuyue was even less inclined to waste her time on meaningless socializing. Although the people at the table seemed eager to get to know her, she was not interested in interacting with them. She leaned on the table, covered with a red cloth, and began to study the patterns on the utensils.

After some observation, Duan Mingyuan thought that the seating arrangement was rather odd. Qing Hua was alone in the chair of honor above the stairs, as if to declare to all that the Extraterrestrials were the hosts of this grand banquet. To Qing Hua’s left were several princes and princesses, and to the right were employees from companies like Falang and Cai Hui.

Among them, the Second Prince was not in attendance.

Logically, the person seated in the chair of honor should have been the Prime Monarch; if the Prime Monarch couldn’t come due to illness, at the very least, the Third Prince, who hosted this banquet, should have taken his place.

The other people in the great hall, however, seemed quite accustomed to this. This was not the first time such a thing had happened, or perhaps in their eyes, having Qing Hua attend the banquet was "heaven" stooping down to watch over them, and they ought to treat this messenger from above with the highest respect.

During the grandiose introduction of Qing Hua by the Third Prince and the announcement that the banquet had begun, Duan Mingyuan finally learned where the missing Second Prince had gone.

Amidst the expectant stares of the guests and the tide-like applause and cheers, the Second Prince walked briskly from outside the great hall, a Flying Sword at his fingertips, with four dancing girls trailing behind him. The four dancers positioned themselves at the four corners, placing the Second Prince directly at the center.

Compared to when Duan Mingyuan last saw him, the Second Prince had changed so drastically that at first, he almost failed to recognize him.

Gone was the sharp and arrogant air from his face; a light touch of makeup harmonized his rugged features into softer, more delicate contours. His garb, more reminiscent of dancers’ clothing, gave him an androgynous appearance.

What was going on?

Could it be that after being defeated by the Elder Princess and trampled under her feet, the Second Prince had an accidental awakening of his "feminine" heart and thus entered the race of cross-dressing?

As Qing Hua explained, Duan Mingyuan gradually understood.

It appeared that the Second Prince indeed had an awakening, but it happened earlier, unrelated to the battle with the Elder Princess and the academy. This item known as "Sword Dance" was an important event at every banquet.

Qing Hua said the Prime Monarch’s Sword Control Technique was unparalleled in the world. Although once an enemy, it left a profound impression on the company. The Second Prince perfectly inherited the Prime Monarch’s talent in swordsmanship—to showcase the exquisite art of Sword Control to visitors from various planets, he created this item called "Sword Dance."

However, since it was a performance to enhance the fun, it toned down its sharpness, amalgamating with the soft and beautiful dance to create a unique treasure unique to the Imperial Court.

This Sword Dance was telling everyone under the sky that the savage wars no longer conformed to the rhythm of the times. The world was about to welcome a new Era of peace, prosperity, and stability.

Qing Hua was full of praise for the Second Prince, claiming he possessed the style of the young Prime Monarch.

To the melodious and pleasant sounds of drums and zithers, the Flying Swords, now tied with purple gauze ribbons, danced gracefully above the great hall. The Second Prince, who in the battle at the academy did not need to move but could control the Flying Sword with mere thought, also twisted his body, dancing under the watchful eyes of all.

The powerful elites of the Imperial Court watched intently, incessantly praising the Second Prince’s superb and unparalleled dance steps.

Qing Hua held a wine cup in his left hand, listening to the melody, and leisurely leaned back on the dragon throne.

The department heads of the company who had come to the Imperial Court with him, seeing the "Sword Dance" for the first time, also revealed smiles on their faces.

It was as if they were watching some kind of novel clown performance.

"Crack."

The sound of a dish breaking reached Duan Mingyuan’s ears.

He turned his head and saw Jiuyue also holding a vessel, having forcibly bitten off a piece with her sharp teeth.

"I can’t watch this anymore."

She spoke gloomily, "Mr. Mingyuan, shall we leave now?"

"There’s the Bai Yu chicken banquet later; aren’t you eating?"

"I’m not eating."

"Then let’s go."

Out of courtesy, Duan Mingyuan waited for the "Sword Dance" to end amidst the thunderous applause of the guests. He and Jiuyue stood up, using the cover of the cheering to head towards the exit.

But it seemed someone didn’t want them to leave just yet—as Qing Hua suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, all other noises in the hall instantly ceased.

"Mr. Duan, why the hurry to leave? Does this ’Sword Dance’ not meet your expectations?"

All eyes in the great hall instantly fell upon Duan Mingyuan and Jiuyue.

Duan Mingyuan stopped in his tracks, saying indifferently, "The Second Prince’s Sword Dance is peerless under the heavens, better seen once than heard a hundred times. It’s just that my lady is not feeling well today, so we must take our leave early."