GBP Chapter 721 New Year's Banquet Gift 6
Chapter 721 New Year's Banquet Gift 6
The two of them were actually a little confused. Although the glass bottle didn't seem to have anything special about it, it was still glass.
Moreover, such a large glass bottle is very rare, and they spent a lot of money and effort to buy it.
Judging from the Emperor's expression, he didn't seem particularly surprised. They didn't recall ever seeing such a large glass artifact in the palace.
Why does Father seem so reluctant to accept this gift? It's a beautiful glass vase!
Regardless of their confusion, they returned to their seats.
Next up was the Eighth Prince, who also carried his own gifts up.
Unlike others, it wasn't packaged in an exquisite wooden box; it was simply wrapped in a piece of leather, much like the man himself—rough and unrefined.
The leather was shaken off layer by layer, revealing a long knife.
The moment the long sword was revealed, the entire place fell silent; one could even hear the imperial guards placing their hands on the hilts.
The atmosphere inside the store suddenly became extremely tense.
The crown prince was also startled. He stood up and walked in front of the emperor, using his body to shield his father.
The Empress immediately stood in front of the Empress Dowager, and of course, she was surrounded by layers of palace maids and eunuchs.
Although it may seem a bit affected, this is a pose that really can't be avoided.
Filial piety is never wrong.
The Crown Prince was closest to the Emperor, while the Empress was closest to the Empress Dowager. This mutual protection was both natural and logical, and the two of them handled it very smoothly.
The culprit, the Eighth Prince, then raised his long sword above his head, making a gesture of offering a gift.
Only then did everyone realize, amidst their tense nerves, that this "murder weapon" was actually the Eighth Prince's New Year's gift to His Majesty?!
The imperial guards were clearly taken aback and slowly moved their hands away from the hilts of their swords.
"Is this your New Year's gift to me?"
The emperor's words were devoid of joy or sorrow; no emotion could be discerned.
By giving up his position, the Crown Prince could allow his father to see the Eighth Prince holding a long sword.
"Yes, Father Emperor!"
The emperor gestured for Eunuch Wang to bring up the long sword. In any case, it would be best to keep the long sword away from the Eighth Prince first.
The eunuch was bold enough to come down and take the long sword, but the Eighth Prince dodged it.
"Please wait, sir. This knife looks thin, but it actually weighs about a hundred pounds. You need to be prepared before I hand it to you, so as not to hurt your wrist."
The eunuch Wang withdrew his outstretched hand. It weighed about a hundred pounds. He estimated his own strength and thought it would be difficult.
He wasn't some lowly eunuch doing manual labor; the heaviest things he usually carried were probably teacups and teapots.
It's better not to take the risk. If he can't lift it and it falls, wouldn't that be even more embarrassing? In front of everyone, doesn't he, as the imperial eunuch, have any dignity?
Thinking of this, he gave a wink to the imperial guard, who stepped forward to take it on his behalf.
The guard who received the longsword from the Eighth Prince discovered that the exquisitely crafted sword was not sharpened; it would need to be sharpened before it could be used as a weapon.
An unsharpened longsword now serves the same function as a fire poker.
The long sword was presented to the emperor, who examined it carefully.
The blade is long and slender, and the scabbard is engraved with exquisite cloud patterns. Although it is not sharpened, it exudes a sharp and fierce aura.
"Does this knife have a name?" the emperor asked.
The Eighth Prince said loudly, "Father, this sword is named 'Lingyun,' which means 'soaring ambition.' I hope that Father will be like this sword, with a spirit that can swallow mountains and rivers and a might that can awe the world."
The emperor nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes.
The Empress frowned slightly, sensing something was amiss. While the gift was well-intentioned, presenting a long sword during the New Year was somewhat inappropriate.
Moreover, the palace is heavily guarded. How did the Eighth Prince manage to bring this long sword, a weapon, into the palace? Didn't the Imperial Guards check it?
At this moment, the Empress Dowager spoke up: "This knife is a rare item, and it must be extremely valuable. The Eighth Prince is very thoughtful."
However, the blade is a bit too heavy; it would be more suitable for your own use. Are you willing to give it away?
"Your Majesty, this sword was specially forged from meteorite iron that your grandson found for Father Emperor. There is only one of its kind in the world. A precious sword is given to a hero, and Father Emperor is the hero in your heart!"
The usually taciturn Eighth Prince uttered such flattering words, leaving the ministers and the Emperor himself momentarily speechless.
Who taught this?
"In that case, I will accept this knife. Don't regret it later."
The Eighth Prince bowed and said, "It is my great honor to win the Emperor's favor."
Having said that, he returned to his seat.
The atmosphere inside the hall gradually eased, and the Ninth Prince stepped forward with his New Year's gifts.
The Ninth Prince, holding an exquisite brocade box in both hands, stepped forward with light steps and respectfully bowed.
The Ninth Prince's appearance resembled that of Consort Liu by seven or eight parts; his features were delicate and handsome, but this delicacy on a man carried a slightly effeminate air.
The Ninth Prince slowly opened the brocade box, inside which was a luminous pearl emitting a soft glow.
Luminous pearls are not uncommon in the palace, but the Ninth Prince's pearl is truly too large.
It's no exaggeration to say that the luminous pearls most people see on a daily basis are only about the size of a baby's fist.
The luminous pearl that the Ninth Prince took out was almost the size of an infant's head, which was extremely rare.
Moreover, this luminous pearl was perfectly round and translucent, like a bright moon falling into a box, without any impurities. Even in the brightly lit hall, its brilliance could not be concealed.
One can imagine how bright this luminous pearl would shine in the dark.
The Ninth Prince smiled and said, "Father, I obtained this luminous pearl by chance. At the time, I felt that only Father was worthy of using the largest luminous pearl in the world."
A hint of surprise flashed in the emperor's eyes. At the right moment, Eunuch Wang took the luminous pearl from the Ninth Prince and presented it to the emperor for him to examine closely.
"This pearl is indeed very rare; Ninth Prince, you have put a lot of thought into it."
Although Jiang Xiaoqi was far away, she still managed to spot the enormous luminous pearl thanks to her good eyesight.
All he wanted to say was, does this thing emit radiation?
Your Majesty is currently in poor health. If this luminous pearl is kept in your bedchamber day and night like a light bulb, will you be able to hold on until the day when the sea opens for the voyage next spring?
But it seems that people at this time don't know what radiation is. How should I explain it?
If the Emperor believes him, the Ninth Prince will be in danger.
If the emperor doesn't believe me, then the emperor himself will be in danger.
This is really difficult~
While Jiang Xiaoqi was in a state of confusion, the youngest prince, the tenth prince, stepped forward.
“Father, the gifts from my brothers are either original or extremely valuable. Compared to them, my New Year’s gift seems rather inadequate.”
Although the teenager's features were not as refined as the Ninth Prince's, he possessed a decisive and efficient martial spirit, which was inseparable from his maternal family's generations of military service.
"Oh? Then what are you preparing for your father, the Emperor?"
The Empress Dowager seemed to like this youngest grandson very much, and asked in a gentle voice before the Emperor could speak.
“Reporting to Grandmother, Father, and Mother, this is a model I carved myself out of wood. It is a bit rough, but I hope Father will not find it unworthy.”
The tenth prince lifted the red cloth on the tray carried by the eunuch, revealing a simple war chariot to everyone.