Let Me Explain, Fairy
Chapter 794 - 497: Grand Banquet at the Prime Minister’s Mansion

Chapter 794: Chapter 497: Grand Banquet at the Prime Minister’s Mansion

Night.

As winter deepened, Di’an City’s prosperity gradually gained a tint of dragon-fire red. Although there was still some time before the year’s end, the streetlamps were already shielded by red lanterns arranged by the minor officials from the Ministry of Rites. The temple fairs and night markets within the city were brightly decorated and bustled ceaselessly, day and night. In addition to the bustling streets, some highly esteemed scholars in Di’an City hosted elegant poetry gatherings to celebrate the New Year, attracting many young noblemen and wandering scholars. Occasionally, a few refined verses would create ripples in Di’an at year’s end, leaving behind moderately significant tales.

However, in the past half a month, these banquets organized by the scholars had gradually ceased, for a simple reason: half a month earlier, the Prime Minister’s Mansion had already sent out wide invitations, busily preparing for the grand feast of the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

Scholars may be noble and full of integrity, but they also need to eat.

Moreover,

If one’s poetry gathering were to coincide with the day of the feast at the Prime Minister’s Mansion and no one showed up, it would be quite awkward to see the courtyard deserted.

On the day of the grand feast, the enormous Prime Minister’s Mansion was unusually crowded, even the majestic gates seemed to take on a bit more of the earthly hustle and bustle.

To prepare for this banquet, a triennial event of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, stewards of all levels and officials were busy around the clock.

After all, those who could enter were all distinguished guests.

Among them were bureaucrats from the six ministries, three dukes and nine ministers, as well as military officials from the frontiers. Apart from those connected to the court, there were also Guest Elders with unfathomable cultivation walking about. They either gathered in small groups to exchange knowledge or leaned against the wall to drink cold wine alone, sword in hand.

Of course, a gathering as grand as this was naturally also graced by the shadows of the Sects.

Despite the current tensions, faces had not been completely turned away, and the Sect Alliance had also sent some Elders and genius disciples to pay their respects.

Each guest at the grand feast held influence over the lives of thousands of commoners outside its walls.

Thus, the grand feast at the Prime Minister’s Mansion was known as the "Mini New Year’s Feast."

According to the ancestral system of the Dayan Empire, on New Year’s Eve, officials from the six ministries, nine ministers, and local government offices—all Entry Level officials—must faithfully stay within the Government Office for the Empire to keep watch and celebrate the New Year, no matter who they were.

And after New Year’s Eve, comes the Imperial New Year’s Feast.

Then, the Emperor of Dayan will host a banquet in the Taiqing Palace to see out the old year and welcome the new.

However, with the political situation in Dayan becoming increasingly tense in the past couple of years and undercurrents stirring in all regions, some apprehension had already begun to spread among the invited guests before they officially received the invitation from the Prime Minister’s Mansion.

What if, I mean just what if, the Prime Minister decided to set the date of his grand feast on the first day of the New Year? What then?

Fortunately, that did not happen.

Although the date of the Prime Minister’s grand feast moved closer to the first day of the New Year, it was still a few days off. Whatever the next year held could wait until it arrived, but at least for this year, everyone could have a peaceful New Year.

Flowers bloom on both sides, each displaying its own sprout.

Apart from these nobles and dignitaries, the grand feast also invited some emerging young talents. There were debates and poetry topics prepared for their examination; those who excelled could even receive a private audience with the Prime Minister. Thus, compared to those worried high-ranking officials, they seemed much more carefree—riding spirited horses, beaming with pride, eagerly showcasing their talents at the evening banquet.

In short,

No matter what, the grand feast was proceeding in an orderly fashion within a joyful atmosphere....

...

...

...

Waking up once again from unconsciousness, her head throbbed painfully, and an intense thirst swept over her.

O’Reilly’s golden eyelids trembled as she struggled to open her eyes to see her surroundings, but darkness and silence were all that surrounded her.

The smell of decay and a faint stench of blood filled the air.

O’Reilly’s tongue lightly traced her dry, cracked lips. Instinctively, she tried to move but the clanking of chains immediately caused a tearing pain in her shoulders.

The pain was heart-piercing, and it brought back a clearer awareness of her body.

She was standing, or rather half-kneeling, but her knees couldn’t touch the ground.

Two chains hung from the darkness, the hooks at their ends piercing through and suspending her upside down, while two other drooping hooks penetrated her shoulders, fixating her body in this uncomfortable position.

She didn’t know where she was, but she presumed she hadn’t been killed, as the pain that coursed through her body was still sharply felt.

Remembering the expression of that Dayan man before she lost consciousness, a sigh flickered through O’Reilly’s beautiful eyes.

She was caught...

Once O’Reilly acknowledged her predicament and adapted to the pain, she began to attempt to connect with her Magic Eye Circle.

Though unaware of the dangers that lay ahead, her nature wouldn’t allow her to just wait for death.

Regarding the intelligence obtained, the cultivation system of the Dayan Empire is completely different from that of Xi’en. Although they possess Magic Restriction Art, it might not be very effective against her.

As her consciousness submerged into the Magic Eye Circle, a mouthful of bright red blood instantly surged out.

"Cough cough cough..."

Upon reopening her eyes, a flicker of dark light shined in O’Reilly’s eyes, and she instinctively looked down at her chest.

Under the effect of the Magic Eye Circle, she could barely make out her surroundings.

This was a room resembling a dungeon, a cramped space with nothing but the chains that stretched down from the ceiling, save for a tightly sealed iron door that blocked off the room.

She was still wearing the purple, Gothic, and elaborate gown she had on initially, but her heart area was already drenched in fresh blood.

During her unconsciousness, four black iron rods were driven into her flesh, piercing through her clothes and the layers of fat, and fixed around her heart.

The once elaborate gown was now stained with blood, and the four black rods emitted a strange fluctuation that delayed her sensing of the Magic Eye Circle. However, she could take solace in the fact that the blood oozing from there had already clotted; otherwise, she would most likely have died from blood loss by now.

Biting her dry, pale lips gently, O’Reilly moved her lips slightly and struggled to utter a syllable:

"Bastard..."

The only person in the Dayan Empire who knew the rules of the Magic Eye Circle was that Xu Changtian, but she did not expect him to use such means to restrain her.

As she had guessed, Dayan did not have any Magic Restriction means tailored for Netherworld Demonic Masters. Although the four black rods could affect her sensing of the Magic Eye Circle, they could not cut it off.

But the problem was that the four black rods were too close to her heart.

If she connected with the Magic Eye Circle, a slightly increased heartbeat would cause her to come into contact with the four black rods.

And once contact was made, the special material of the black rods would instantly physically disrupt the circuit of the Magic Eye Circle around her heart.

After feeling annoyed, O’Reilly’s habitual calm thinking caused a hint of a curve to form on her pale lips instead.

The satisfaction grew within her from this crude yet utterly ingenious Magic Restriction design that contained no trace of skill.

She could perform some small Magic Eye Circles, but she was unable to cast spellcraft that could break her shackles.

A brief contact wouldn’t be fatal, but it would make her weak.

This was that man’s tease, as well as his provocation towards her.

O’Reilly’s thoughts raced quickly, a spark of excitement shining in her azure eyes, and her pale lips, tainted with blood, wore a bewitching smile.

She loathed events beyond her control, but the thrill of rising against adversity and a powerful, cunning opponent was capable of exciting her.

That Xu Changtian was very smart, but unfortunately, he knew too little about the Magic Eye Circle or perhaps too little about her.

"Thud..."

As O’Reilly’s hand, pierced by iron hooks, clenched gently, a slightly grating sound of flesh and blood mixed nonchalantly arose.

"..."

In an instant,

the light in O’Reilly’s eyes stalled, and her consciousness, along with the blood spilling from the corners of her mouth, began to fade rapidly.

Her heart shrank under the binding of the Magic Eye Circle, and its beating halted.

The frailty of a Netherworld Demonic Master’s body was almost indistinguishable from that of an ordinary person, and this spellcraft that forcibly shrunk the heart was definitely lethal...

"Bang!"

As if sensing something, a muffled sound suddenly came from the direction of the iron door, and a middle-aged man dressed in tight clothing broke in rather frantically.

The door opened, and the firelight from the dungeon corridor entered the room, casting its flickering light on O’Reilly’s lifeless yet beautiful forehead. The tight dungeon remained silent.

Seeing the exotic woman whose heart had stopped beating and whose life was fading fast, the middle-aged man teleported to O’Reilly’s side and bent down, taking out a jade bottle containing secret medicine from his chest while cursing softly:

"Damn it! Even if you want to die, don’t do it while I’m on duty...."

"Thump thump..."

Before he finished speaking,

the man’s actions froze.

It seemed that within the room, he could hear someone else’s heartbeat.