Jiang Mingyang held Qian Renxue's hand and strode forward, heedless of what the guests and ministers behind them might be thinking...
Preparations for the banquet had begun several days before Jiang Mingyang's sacrifice to Heaven. Rare ingredients from across the continent were everywhere at this momentous feast.
Banquets were usually lively affairs, especially one of the most lavish gatherings on the continent, held in Jiang Mingyang's Imperial Palace.
For a banquet of this caliber to come together, both the timing and the state of the continent had to be right.
After all, not everyone was free at the same time. The leading figures of the various factions had to set aside their pressing affairs to attend.
And not just anyone had the standing or influence to bring them together.
A banquet of this caliber was a rare sight, perhaps once in a decade.
Of course, Xue Ye's funeral meant the interval between these two gatherings had been much shorter.
At such grand banquets, faction leaders would usually talk among themselves and seize the chance to arrange exchanges of interests that would be difficult to negotiate otherwise.
They attended partly to show respect and give face to the host, but the chance to meet certain people and strike deals was another major reason so many leaders came.
This banquet, however, was different.
Jiang Mingyang and Qian Renxue sat on their thrones, calmly eating the food Eunuch Liu brought them. Neither looked at the crowd below.
Jiang Mingyang was, after all, the founding Grand Ancestor of an Empire, and Qian Renxue its founding empress. That was without even considering their other identities.
As the hosts of the banquet, they had no reason to take the initiative.
So, faced with the strange atmosphere below, Jiang Mingyang and Qian Renxue ate in perfect accord.