The next day, in the evening, inside the Hundred Flowers House in the Great Gan Imperial City.
The Hundred Flowers House, as its name suggests, was a five-story building, with twenty types of flowers on each floor.
There were always more than a dozen Great Master florists in the Hundred Flowers House responsible for taking care of these flowers; with their meticulous care, more than half of the flowers in the Hundred Flowers House bloomed every day, all year round.
As one of the top Advanced consumption venues in the Great Gan Imperial City, the Hundred Flowers House did not actually have many daily visitors.
After all, in an elegant place for the wealthy like the Hundred Flowers House, a single cup of fine wine far exceeded the annual income of an ordinary person.
But starting from this afternoon, the Hundred Flowers House saw a surge in visitors, and amidst the bustling sounds, scholars and beauties on the lower three floors composed poems, while the capital's dignitaries on the upper two floors came and went continuously.
All of this was because the Hundred Flowers House had reached its annual Hundred Flowers Festival; only on this day, at the first quarter of the Hai hour, would the entire Hundred Flowers House experience a moment of simultaneous blooming of all flowers, lasting for only fifteen minutes.
In previous years, many noble scions and young ladies from prominent families would get engaged at this moment during each Hundred Flowers Festival, and amidst this romantic floral splendor, many scholars and beauties would also secretly pledge their love.
According to rumors, two people who pledged their love at the moment of the Hundred Flowers' simultaneous bloom would receive the blessing of the Hundred Flowers Fairy.
The two would always respect and love each other, living in harmony until old age.
Thanks to good publicity methods, coupled with the truly luxurious and Advanced feel of the various facilities within the Hundred Flowers House, the popularity of the Hundred Flowers Festival had always remained high in the upper-class circles.
As the first quarter of the Hai hour approached, many dignitaries who came to watch the excitement speculated, while clinking glasses, which two newcomers would have the biggest impact tonight.
The couples who were preparing to get engaged today also gathered on the fifth floor of the Hundred Flowers House.
Because at this moment, only the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus on the fifth floor of the Hundred Flowers House had yet to bloom.
The Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus was a delicate variety, with only one in the entire Hundred Flowers House, and its blooming period was only a short fifteen minutes at the first quarter of the Hai hour, once a year.
As the time drew near, everyone on the fifth floor of the Hundred Flowers House had their eyes drawn to the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus.
Suddenly, a pure white bud slowly bloomed.
The first quarter of the Hai hour arrived.
Under the moonlight, the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus emitted a captivating glow, as if a pure and ethereal Fairy had descended to the mortal world.
At this moment, a graceful man walked out from the crowd; he went straight to the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus, gently picked it, and with a look of deep affection, handed the flower in his hand to the woman beside him.
The man's action instantly caused an uproar among the people in the Hundred Flowers House.
Those around who were preparing to get engaged all stopped their actions.
One must know that even the previously renowned Duke Rong had failed to buy this Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus, despite spending a fortune.
Who was this young man?
How dare he act so presumptuously in front of nearly half of the capital's dignitaries?
“This is… Your Majesty!”
A sharp-eyed minister quickly recognized the young man's identity and immediately knelt on the ground, respectfully saluting.
“Long live, long live, long long live Your Majesty!”
The surrounding dignitaries also reacted, and for a moment, everyone on the fifth floor of the Hundred Flowers House, except for Jiang Wudao, Shen Yufu, and Zhou Fan, who was sitting in the corner drinking tea, all knelt on the ground and did not rise.
Zhou Fan had already entered the Celestial state at this time; as long as he did not wish it, no one present could notice him.
Unless there was a Cultivator in the venue whose cultivation had reached the Celestial or Qi Refining Late Stage.
But Zhou Fan looked around and did not find any martial artists or Cultivators like himself whose cultivation had reached the limit of mortals.
As for Shen Yufu, her cultivation should still be at the Qi Refining Middle Stage level.
Zhou Fan took another sip of tea; looking at Shen Yufu, who seemed otherworldly and had a cold, ascetic expression, he felt that today's plan would be much smoother.
The wide, pure white Daoist robe seemed unable to conceal Shen Yufu's curvaceous figure; she looked at Jiang Wudao, who was gazing at her with deep affection, feeling a headache.
She didn't understand why, even after refusing so many times, Jiang Wudao could still persistently pester her.
Seemingly noticing the resistance in Shen Yufu's eyes, Jiang Wudao directly put the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus into Shen Yufu's hand.
He looked at Shen Yufu's exquisite, ascetic Face and said with deep affection.
“Yufu, may our love be like this Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus, pure, beautiful, and never withering.”
The already withered Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus: ...Watashi, I only bloom for a short fifteen minutes a year, and you use me to wish for eternal love?
Shen Yufu just quietly looked at Jiang Wudao, saying nothing.
Seeing that the atmosphere seemed a bit awkward, Jiang Wudao quickly said to the people around him.
“Everyone, rise.”
Everyone present quickly rose as if granted a great pardon, then applauded and offered their blessings.
Seeing the atmosphere become lively again, Jiang Wudao continued his fierce offensive against Shen Yufu.
“Yufu, don't you understand My feelings for you yet?”
“If you agree to be with Me, I will protect you with My life.”
Shen Yufu held the Moon-Gazing Gloom Lotus in her palm, and a faint fragrance lingered at her nostrils.
She frowned slightly, feeling a bit helpless.
Jiang Wudao gazed deeply at Shen Yufu and continued: “Yufu, do you know why I chose to meet you in this Hundred Flowers House?”
Shen Yufu remained silent; she knew Jiang Wudao's intention, but she had no interest in court life.
Jiang Wudao smiled, as if seeing through Shen Yufu's thoughts, and he whispered: “I know your temperament is cold, and you dislike the elaborate etiquette of the court.”
“But I can build a garden for you, a garden that belongs only to you.”
“There, you can freely cultivate flowers and plants, far from the hustle and bustle of the mundane world.”
A trace of emotion flashed in Shen Yufu's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure and said indifferently: “Your Majesty's kindness is appreciated, but I only wish to pursue the ultimate of the Immortal Dao, and have no interest in romantic affairs.”
Jiang Wudao was not discouraged; he took a step forward, tightly grasped the sleeve of Shen Yufu's Daoist robe, and said solemnly.
“I do not care whether you have an interest in romantic affairs; I only hope you can stay by My side.”
“I will grant you supreme glory and power, making you the happiest woman in this world.”
Shen Yufu shook off Jiang Wudao's hand, turned and left, leaving behind a sentence: “Your Majesty, if you truly understand me, you should not be so insistent.”
Jiang Wudao looked at Shen Yufu's graceful retreating back, feeling very displeased; he had thought that under the gaze of so many people, Shen Yufu would give him some Face.
Unexpectedly, this woman was so insensible.
As the Son of Heaven, I have pursued her for a whole year; what else is she dissatisfied with?
Does she really think My imperial throne is just for show?
Seeing that Shen Yufu was about to descend the fifth floor, Jiang Wudao gave a look to the two Offerings beside him.
Three Offerings and Four Offerings understood, and with a movement of their bodies, they directly blocked the stairway entrance on the fifth floor.
Seeing this, Shen Yufu's eyes gradually turned cold.
She looked back at Jiang Wudao and asked coldly.
“Your Majesty, what is the meaning of this?”
Zhou Fan, who had been sitting in the corner, also stopped drinking tea; he slowly put on a White Mask.
The show was about to begin.