Chapter Nine, Longevity
At this moment, Ji Wujiao loudly read out Ye Zhenzhen's masterpiece, and amidst the suppressed laughter of the concubines below, he pointedly criticized her, saying, "It seems that the Empress's talent has not increased since the age of seven"
Li Fei let out a cold snort, and even Xian Fei's face lost the joy it had just moments ago
Autumn is the season for climbing high and appreciating chrysanthemums. Ye Zhenzhen had many chrysanthemums arranged around the banquet, including rare varieties such as green peony, one-zhang silk, and handsome flags, creating a dazzling display. Ji Wujiao, after drinking a cup of chrysanthemum wine, was inspired and proposed that his wives compose poems on the theme of chrysanthemums. Upon hearing this, the concubines all agreed enthusiastically, and some of the more talented ones secretly rolled up their sleeves, thinking that they would surely impress the emperor and gain his admiration.
Generally, men in the community perform the cap ceremony at the age of twenty. However, as the Son of Heaven, Ji Wujiao bears significant responsibilities and conducted the cap ceremony a few years earlier. Therefore, this year's Longevity Festival was not particularly grand; during the day, a family banquet was held in the inner palace, and in the evening, a feast was hosted for the ministers, and that was the extent of the celebrations
Among them, Wang Zhaoyi stands out the most. She holds a brush, gazing at a pot of green peonies, her brows furrowed in deep thought, her vacant eyes captivating due to her focus. Wang Zhaoyi entered the palace at the age of thirteen. Although Ji Wujiao has a broad mind and diverse tastes, he finds it difficult to approach such a youthful and tender face, which is why it took him two years before allowing her to serve him at night. Recently, she was promoted from a fifth-rank beauty to a fourth-rank Zhaoyi. Although Wang Zhaoyi is not as beautiful as Li Fei or Xian Fei, her literary talent is exceptional, and Ji Wujiao occasionally changes his tastes to indulge in this talented woman.
On the carpet, the dancer was performing with eighteen hoops, and the pressure was immense. She was truly afraid that this true dragon son of heaven might become displeased and cut her down.
The voice of Consort Xi is unparalleled, melodious like a yellow oriole, and when she sings, it is exceptionally captivating, thus Ji Wujiao granted her permission once again
Ye Leiting has been dismissed, and the newly appointed commanders of the three major battalions are the brothers-in-law of Fang Xiuqing, truly representing the Fang faction
Do not be misled by Li Fei's lack of sharpness; her skills in playing the guqin are exceptional, a fact that even Ji Wujiu finds surprising. In theory, the highest realm of playing the guqin is about conveying a certain artistic conception, and Li Fei seems to fall short of this notion. Yet, paradoxically, she plays remarkably well, captivating all who listen.
Among all the gifts for longevity, Ji Wujiao's favorite is still the one he gave to himself. A few days ago, Ye Leiting, the commander of the three major camps in the capital, made a minor mistake, and he was reassigned to a position in Ningxia under the pretext of "ineffective command." Although it appears to be a lateral transfer on the surface, even a fool can see that it is essentially a demotion. The three major camps have a force of over 100,000, making them the most elite army in the entire Da Qi, while the garrison in Ningxia cannot be compared to them.
Ye Zhenzhen noticed his dazed expression and smiled as she explained, "I came across a line in ancient poetry that says, 'The spring breeze is enchanting, making one languid and weak, with the eighteen rings lacking strength.' Thus, I had the dancer style her hair into this eighteen-ring bun, thinking it would add considerable charm. Your Majesty, what do you think of it"
"Therefore, I am already prepared," Ye Zhenzhen interrupted the words of the virtuous consort, "A few days ago, I acquired a stunning dancer, and today is the perfect opportunity for His Majesty to have a look." As she spoke, she waved her hand, and indeed, a beautifully dressed dancer gracefully walked up to the carpet that had been laid out, beginning to dance lightly to the sound of the zither.
Ye Zhenzhen saw that Ji Wujiao was finally unhappy again, which made her feel a bit happier. Her attitude towards this emperor was quite complex; she both despised him and did not dare to truly offend him or confront him directly. Therefore, she could only occasionally engage in small acts to annoy him. Life in the harem was exceedingly dull, and she needed to find a source of mental support.
Wang Zhaoyi's eyes lit up as if she had thought of something, and she took up her pen to write on the paper
Thus, Ji Wujiao waved his hand, and everyone ceased their commands, all pricking up their ears to listen to Consort Li play the qin
This day is the ninth day of the ninth month, which is not only the Double Ninth Festival but also the birthday of Ji Wujiao, the Emperor's Longevity Festival. After today, Ji Wujiao will be twenty years old
Ye Zhenzhen, with a thick skin, said without changing her expression: "Since ancient times, there have been many scoundrels among the cultured, which shows that having too much literary talent is not necessarily a good thing." After a moment's thought, it seemed that she had also insulted her own family, so she added, "Of course, those who truly serve the country and the people are exceptions."
The six palace concubines were all dressed in splendid attire, their faces beaming with joy as they exchanged auspicious words with Ji Wujiao. Ji Wujiao was in a good mood, rarely managing to squeeze out a few smiles, and the atmosphere of the banquet was exceptionally pleasant
Why does Ji Wujiao want to cause trouble for Ye Leiting
This is truly outrageous and deserving of a lesson
The family banquet is naturally organized by Ye Zhenzhen
In fact, this hairstyle is not unattractive; the main issue is... it's quite amusing. The dancer, dressed in a light yellow gauze skirt adorned with tassels, moves gracefully like a startled swan reflected in water. However, the layers upon layers atop her head resemble a basket of freshly baked Wudalang's burnt cakes—if not slightly overcooked—creating an instant sense of subtle dissonance.
Ye Zhenzhen heard about this matter and remarked that the virtuous consort was petty, only giving half of the gift
In fact, the actions of the Xianfei are rather inappropriate. While it is not uncommon for men and women in the common folk to exchange dragon and phoenix symbols, within the imperial palace, the Emperor is the dragon, and thus the phoenix should naturally be the Empress. It is not yet her turn as a favored concubine. Although everyone with discernment believes that Ye Zhenzhen will eventually fall from her position, she is still in that position for now, and her eagerness to play the dragon and phoenix game with the Emperor is somewhat premature. ... Although her true intention was merely to flirt with Ji Wujiao ... . Although everyone with discernment believes that Ye Zhenzhen will eventually fall from her position, she is still in that position for now, and her eagerness to play the dragon and phoenix game with the Emperor is somewhat premature. ... Although her true intention was merely to flirt with Ji Wujiao ... . ... The Xianfei herself realized this and broke out in a cold sweat, secretly cursing her own foolishness. Fortunately, Ye Zhenzhen did not cling to this matter.
Thus, Ji Wujiao taught him a lesson. Ye Xiuming originally intended to protect Ye Leiting, but unfortunately, Ye Leiting actively requested to be transferred to Ningxia, cutting off his own future. Ye Xiuming suffered a silent loss and could not understand it at all, only able to sigh in secret at Ji Wujiao's cunning.
What angered Ye Zhenzhen was that every time he finished drinking, he would recite a line of poetry starting with the character "Hua"... such as "Hua jin gao lou shang ke xin", "Hua jing bu ceng yuan ke sao", "Hua hong yi shuai si lang yi", "Hua xu liu yan ge wu lai"... Since she was sitting right next to him, there was no need to count; it was certainly her who drank...
At this moment, the emperor and empress, lost in their thoughts, could not help but glance at each other, only to turn their heads away again—still harboring mutual disdain.
On this day, the autumn sky is high and clear, with the bright sun casting countless golden rays. The heat of summer has long faded, and the coolness of autumn has yet to sweep in, making it one of the most pleasant periods of the year. Ye Zhenzhen originally planned to hold the banquet inside the Yan Chun Pavilion, but upon seeing the beautiful autumn scenery outside, she decided to have everything moved to the edge of Tai Ye Pool, enjoying the autumn breeze and water, which adds a unique charm to the occasion
In addition to the bird gun gifted by Ye Zhenzhen, Ji Wujiao also received various gifts from his concubines, including embroidered items, paintings, and precious trinkets made by the imperial consorts themselves. Among them, the Xianfei presented him with a jade pendant, which was originally part of a pair of dragon and phoenix pendants. The Xianfei gave the dragon pendant to Ji Wujiao while keeping the phoenix pendant for herself. Ji Wujiao was well aware of her intentions, yet such a heartfelt gift only prompted him to have Feng Youde put it away without wearing it. His tenderness was reserved for when it was truly needed, such as before going to bed. Ji Wujiao was well aware of her intentions, yet such a heartfelt gift only prompted him to have Feng Youde put it away without wearing it. His tenderness was reserved for when it was truly needed, such as before going to bed
It is quite remarkable that the queen also understands the art of poetry and prose, Ji Wujiao turned his gaze towards her, "I do not know what an eighteen-ringed hairstyle looks like, but I imagine it is not simply a matter of placing eighteen circles on one's head." He began to admire Ye Zhenzhen a little; this woman always had a way of appealing to his tastes
At this moment, Ye Zhenzhen said, "If there is both the sound of the zither and singing, it would be even better if there were also a dance to enjoy."
All the concubines followed suit, each trying to send their own orders to Ji Wujiao, the birthday celebrant, resulting in him being inundated with a considerable amount of wine
The virtuous consort was somewhat eager to try. Her figure was graceful, and when she danced, she appeared ethereal and light. She excelled in the piece "Lingbo Xian," which even Ji Wujiao praised after witnessing it. "This humble servant..."
Upon realizing that she had no part in the matter, Li Fei quickly said: "Today is the Emperor's birthday, and I wish to perform a piece to celebrate his longevity."
Let us set aside idle chatter and speak of the family banquet at hand
This dance | It is difficult to determine whether the woman is exceptionally beautiful, as all his attention is captivated by her magnificent hairstyle
After finishing the poem, the emperor and the empress along with the concubines engaged in a game of "Qiongshang Feihua" drinking order. The so-called "Qiongshang Feihua" order refers to a game where a person is asked to recite a line of poetry containing the word "flower". Then, based on the position of the word "flower" in that line, they count the number of people corresponding to that position. The person who is counted as the corresponding position becomes the one who is ordered to drink. After finishing the drink, they must also recite a line of poetry containing the word "flower", and the process continues in this manner.
Therefore, for every cup that Ji Wujiao drank, Ye Zhenzhen accompanied him with the same number of cups
He could almost imagine the expression on Ye Zhenzhen's face if she were to say these words... He couldn't help but sneer; firearms are indeed instruments of great destruction, and she truly dares to present them as a birthday gift to the emperor, truly... truly... hmph
However, this drinking game is both simple and elegant, making it quite popular. Throughout history, countless literati have composed verses about flowers, so everyone who is called upon can recite a line. Wang Zhaoyi was called upon twice, and each time the verse she recited pointed to Ji Wujiao. When Ji Wujiao drank, he would steal glances at her, while Wang Zhaoyi shyly looked back, and the two exchanged glances filled with emotion, almost igniting sparks in the air
Unbeknownst to him, Ji Wujiao's attitude towards Ye Zhenzhen was also quite complex, filled with both gritted teeth and helplessness. At first, he thought she was foolish, yet the facts proved that she was "extremely intelligent"; he was also afraid that she might play tricks on him, but she laid her intelligence out in the open, candid and unreserved, for all to see—this was, in fact, a form of wisdom that transcended mere cleverness.
Many people covered their mouths, wanting to laugh, but upon seeing Ji Wujiao's displeased expression, they dared not laugh and desperately suppressed their laughter, which was quite a struggle
Li Fei was in complete agreement with the words of the Empress this time, for if it were not for Ye Zhenzhen, she would likely be the one at the bottom. She detested poetry and similar pursuits the most! She stole a glance at the triumphant Wang Zhaoyi, her silver teeth clattering as she inwardly cursed "vile woman" countless times.
Another poem! Ye Zhenzhen was very unhappy
At this moment, the noble consort Xi smiled and said, "Since Sister Li Fei's exquisite musical talent is present, I am also willing to offer a humble performance to contribute to the festivities."
Ji Wujiao certainly understood what Ye Zhenzhen meant: "You see, even without showing me the blueprints, I can still create it. Do you know what it means to be a prodigy of extraordinary talent and unparalleled intelligence?"
Ji Wujiao withdrew his gaze and looked at Ye Zhenzhen beside him, only to see her frowning as she drew crosses on the paper. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, revealing a barely noticeable smile
Whenever Ye Zhenzhen is mentioned, Ji Wujiao recalls the birthday gift she gave him: a bird gun she made herself. Ji Wujiao specifically had someone find gunpowder to test it. It turned out to be quite useful
When a stick of incense has burned out, it is time to submit the papers. Ji Wujiao held the stack of poetry for evaluation, and in the end, Wang Zhaoyi emerged victorious, receiving a prize. As for the one at the bottom, it was naturally Ye Zhenzhen. Fortunately, what she submitted was not filled with crosses, but rather a few lines of her own humorous poetry. She was indeed not skilled in poetry; when she was at home, her father had tried to cultivate her into a talented woman, but the outcome was predictable. Ye Zhenzhen had a point: "A woman without talent is a virtue." Ye Kangle sneered, "So you spend all day being idle, only wielding swords and sticks, and that counts as virtue?" Ye Kangle was quite puzzled; their family had been scholarly for generations, and not a single military general had emerged in the past three generations. How could a girl be born and turn out to be a female Mulan? Ye Zhenzhen did not care about that; she was spoiled by Ye Xiuming and naturally did whatever she wanted, and if she did not want to do something, she simply would not.
It turns out that Ye Lei Ting is a descendant of a renowned general, and he has worked hard to excel, possessing exceptional martial skills and a strict approach to military governance, earning considerable respect within the army. At a young age, he has already taken command of the three major camps, indicating a promising future. However, it is unfortunate that he is a collateral branch of the Ye Xiu Ming lineage. Although his father had some disagreements with the Ye clan in the past, he has since changed his course and begun to align himself with Ye Xiu Ming.
In the past few days, Ji Wujiao has had several restful nights of sleep and is in good spirits. When he sees Ye Xiu Ming, he often engages him in conversation, and watching him puff out his cheeks and glare brings him great joy