The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

Deep within the imperial palace in Bianjing (Kaifeng).

Inside Kunning Palace, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, yet it could not suppress the undercurrent of an impending storm.

Today is the day before the Empress Dowager's birthday, and it is also the day when Empress Cao will host a banquet in the palace to entertain the concubines and noblewomen.

What appeared to be a family banquet was in reality a "colosseum" for the elite social circles of the Song Dynasty.

Who wore the new style of brocade, who wore the new pearls and jade bestowed by the emperor, and who showed more face in front of the Empress Dowager—these were all unseen battles and intrigues.

Empress Cao sat serenely on her phoenix throne. Today she wore a solemn dark blue robe and did not wear much gold or silver jewelry, except for the "Heavenly Crafted Glass Hairpin" that Zhao Lingjun had given her, which was inserted into her hair.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling directly on the hairpin.

The crystal-clear hairpin body resembles a solidified spring, and the lotus flower at the head of the hairpin shimmers with iridescent light in the interplay of light and shadow, breathtakingly beautiful yet elegant.

May Your Majesty the Empress enjoy boundless blessings and peace.

The concubines and noblewomen bowed gracefully.

"No need for formalities, please take a seat." Empress Cao raised her hand slightly, and the hairpin swayed gently with her movement, reflecting a dazzling arc of light that instantly attracted everyone's attention.

Sitting first on the left was none other than Consort Zhang, the most favored concubine in the harem.

Consort Zhang went all out today. She wore an extremely gorgeous pomegranate red brocade dress, and on her head she wore a complete set of red coral headdresses that the Emperor had just bestowed upon her, so red that it was like fire and so dazzling that it was breathtaking.

She had intended to use this to overshadow the Empress, but as soon as she looked up, she was dazzled by the light emanating from the Empress's head.

What is that...?

Why is it so bright? So clear? So sparkly?

Consort Zhang squinted, staring intently at the hairpin.

In the face of that pure and flawless light, the priceless red coral headdress on her head actually looked somewhat vulgar, like a pile of red stones.

"You look great today, sister."

Consort Zhang spoke sourly, her voice tinged with resentment: "But sister is usually so frugal, why is she so frugal today..."

"This hairpin looks quite unusual. I wonder what kind of object it is? I've never seen it in the palace before, sister?"

As soon as she said this, all eyes in the room turned to the Empress.

The wives of Han Qi, Fu Bi, and Ouyang Xiu... these noble ladies who were usually arrogant and haughty were now craning their necks, their eyes filled with curiosity and amazement.

Empress Cao usually found Consort Zhang's competitive and ambitious nature extremely annoying, but today, she suddenly found the woman much more agreeable.

This is what they call a stepping stone delivered to your door.

She casually raised her hand to touch the hairpin at her temple, her movement elegant and composed, and spoke in an extremely Versailles-esque tone:

"Oh, this? Nothing special."

Empress Cao smiled, her eyes filled with a mixture of helpless affection:

"It's that girl Lingjun. A few days ago, she went on a study tour and said she met an old alchemist from the Western Regions. That alchemist had some celestial artifacts called something like 'Heavenly Crafted Glass'."

"Heavenly crafted glass?" Consort Zhang frowned. "I've seen plenty of glass, but never anything so clear. Sister, have you been deceived? Could this be... made of polished crystal?"

"crystal?"

Standing behind the Empress, Zhao Lingjun couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She stepped forward, bowed to Consort Zhang, and said with an innocent and naive expression:

"Your Highness is too kind. Although crystal is transparent, it inevitably contains impurities such as cotton-like fibers, and it is extremely hard, making it very difficult to carve into such delicate lotus petals. Moreover..."

Zhao Lingjun pointed to the seven-colored halo that the hairpin reflected in the sunlight:

"Crystals don't emit light. This is a divine stone left behind by Nuwa when she mended the sky; it was formed by absorbing the essence of the sun and moon."

"The old alchemist said that there are only a handful of these things in the whole world, and it's all about fate."

"I originally thought it was too plain, but this child is so filial that he insisted that I wear it."

Empress Cao sighed, her face showing a helpless expression. "Alas, this child is just too filial; there's no stopping him."

Consort Zhang's molars were practically grinding to powder.

Too plain?

That light almost blinded me! You call that plain?!

Moreover, the mere mention of the "Nuwa's Mending the Sky Stone" instantly rendered her red coral utterly worthless. No matter how expensive red coral is, it's just an ordinary object; this is a divine artifact!

"Sister, you are truly blessed." Consort Zhang forced a smile that was more like a grimace. "I wonder where one can buy this 'Heavenly Crafted Glass'? I would like to find one myself and absorb some of its divine aura."

Upon hearing this, the ladies below all perked up their ears.

Who wouldn't want one? Wearing this out is like having "I'm rich and have class" written all over your face!

"purchase?"

Zhao Lingjun shook his head, looking regretful:

"Your Highness, this is a celestial treasure, not something you can just buy casually. I've heard that the old alchemist travels the world, appearing and disappearing like a dragon."

"My daughter also went to great lengths... cough cough, to obtain this piece."

Consort Zhang's expression turned even more unpleasant.

Can't buy it?

So it's out of print?

The more she couldn't buy it, the more her heart itched, like a cat scratching at her. She was the Emperor's most favored concubine; why did the Empress have it, but she didn't?!

This is not just about a hairpin; it's about status within the imperial harem!

Just then, Madam Han Qi, who had been silent until now, couldn't help but speak up:

"Your Majesty, this 'Heavenly Crafted Glass' is indeed rare, but now that it has appeared in the world, there must be some kind of destiny involved. I've heard... that Fanlou is holding an auction in a few days, and it seems that such a divine object will be on the list?"

These words caused an uproar in the room.

Zhao Lingjun's eyes lit up, and he secretly gave Madam Han a thumbs up in his heart: What a divine assist!

Empress Cao feigned surprise: "Oh? Is that so? What a coincidence."

She looked at Consort Zhang and said with a half-smile:

"If you really like it, sister, you might as well send someone to Fanlou to try their luck. But I've heard that the auction has a very high threshold, and only high-ranking officials and nobles attend. You'll have to ask the officials to give you a lot of money."

That was a truly devastating blow.

Consort Zhang was so angry that she almost wrung out her handkerchief, but in front of so many people, she could only force a smile:

"Thank you for reminding me, sister. I'll go back now... and make some preparations."

A seemingly harmonious palace banquet, under the dazzling light of "Heavenly Crafted Glass," turned into a silent battle.

And this smoke of battle will soon spread beyond the palace walls and engulf the entire city of Bianjing.