Chapter 41, Year's Beginning
The Lantern Festival is filled with laughter everywhere.
Even the solemn and secluded palace was lit with towering red candles. At first glance, it was so dazzling that one might mistake it for fire.
Inside the main hall, Yan Dibai tightly held the woman beside him with his arm.
His clothes were disheveled, and blood trickled down the jade steps.
He couldn't help but stroke that patch of skin:
"Yangliuqing, Yangliuqing..."
As she frowned, Yan Dibai's voice was hoarse and menacing, as if in retaliation: "Who gave you permission to refuse me..."
Yang Liuqing bit her lip in pain, tears welling in her eyes. Yan Dibai realized he was losing control and nuzzled her ear.
"Should I try going to someone else's palace again?"
"No..." She shook her head, tears welling in her eyes, obedient and docile. Tears swayed with her movements, gradually clinging to her eyelashes. Water droplets blurred her clear black and white eyes, and Yan Dibai slowly closed her eyes, suddenly biting into a soft white dumpling.
His scalp tingled, and his hair stood on end. Slaughter and conquest… After a long while, Yan Dibai stared at the back before him. He gently reached out and pressed his hand against it.
It is as smooth and lustrous as pearls and jade.
Sweating profusely, he was just starting to feel bewildered when she suddenly turned around and delivered a knee strike to him—"Ouch!"
Yan Dibai suddenly opened her eyes.
What came into view was a magnificent palace—his own bedchamber. There was no sign of Yang Liuqing turning against him.
Yan Dibai remained silent, withdrawing his hand that had reached for the second son, just as he had done every morning recently, quietly waiting for it to bow its head on its own.
After several sharp pains, he realized that pressing down was not an option; any more force would only break it, and he feared he would end up squatting down to urinate like Wo Xue.
"..." Thinking of that scene, Yan Dibai shuddered. He let out a frustrated sigh.
This troublesome thing is not as good as being castrated.
Yan Dibai closed his eyes again for a while.
Yang Liuqing began to hum softly again.
He immediately opened his eyes and stared intently at the dome.
It must be because she was the first person to encounter someone like him that he included her in his dream.
He has so many concubines, each more beautiful than her. Even if she doesn't intend to actually have sex with her, it's still better than having erotic fantasies about Yang Liuqing.
Yan Dibai pulled the covers up and frowned deeply.
The old bell on the city tower rang, signaling that it was already dawn.
The vermilion gate creaked open, and Qingqing went to wake Yan Dibai, who was still in bed, right on time.
Yan Dibai lay there, her face still flushed from the warmth of the heating.
"Your Majesty, please rise."
As soon as the clear female voice rang out, Yan Di, lying in the white-walled bed, narrowed her eyes to slits. The girl's face moved up and down within those two narrow lines, her lips, slightly paler than in her dream, opening and closing.
"The concubines are already waiting, and the princess seems to be making preparations as well. To celebrate this reunion, Eunuch Wang has arranged three palace banquets today, morning, noon, and evening..."
Yan Di rolled his eyes, not having heard what she said. His mind was filled with the image of her nestled in his arms, licking his chest intermittently.
Yan Di's white robes tightened, and just as she seemed about to stand up again, she suddenly rolled over, her voice slightly hoarse: "Hmm."
Seeing that he still wanted to stay in bed, Qingqing brought over the clothes she had put together the night before and wisely withdrew.
"Then I will not disturb Your Majesty any longer. May Your Majesty enjoy a peaceful and healthy New Year."
Yan Dibai suddenly raised his voice: "Wait."
Qingqing paused, and the boy, whose back was to her, suddenly spoke in an extremely cold and arrogant voice:
"I know you also want to come with me to see the lanterns, and I grant your request."
Qingqing: ?
She hadn't thought that way. Was this group there to see the lights, or to engage in subtle power struggles?
With Yan Dibai around, things are bound to get chaotic. It would be better to hide in a corner with Fu'an and quietly watch.
She blinked slightly, watching his figure. "Thank you, Your Majesty. However, I am of lowly status and fear that I may offend Your Majesty and the ladies' eyes."
After much hesitation, her decision was so decisively rejected; the mighty emperor had offered his warm welcome only to be met with Yang Liuqing's cold indifference. Yan Dibai's breathing became heavy. She abruptly turned around, staring at the figure standing in the morning light with disdain, a hint of unspeakable bitterness in her eyes:
"Didn't you used to treat Xianning Palace like your own home, acting so arrogantly? Now you know your place and the hierarchy?"
Qingqing lowered her head, looking submissive and timid: "This servant dares not."
Yan Di's white teeth itched, his brows furrowed in a sinister rage, and after a long while, he felt a deep resentment:
"You'd better remember this."
She pursed her lips.
He angrily grabbed his pipe, and after a while shouted at Wo Xue, who was waiting outside with his eyes downcast: "Get here and serve me while I change my clothes!"
Wo Xue squeezed her buttocks together and sighed.
The beginning of the year in the Great Jin Dynasty became the great year in later generations.
The city lights shone brightly, illuminating a scene of dazzling prosperity. As for the slaves and refugees outside the city, they were nothing more than ants that no one cared about.
Yan Xifang arrived early in the morning to have a reunion dinner with Yan Dibai. Afterwards, the concubines took turns to pay their respects, some talking and others playing mahjong in the warm room.
Xiao Yuanshu sat alone in a corner, isolated from the group of people, looking unhappy.
The concubines, all smiles and charming smiles, surrounded the young emperor, speaking softly and sweetly. One sang, another played the zither, each trying their best to please him.
Xiao Yuanshu watched coldly from the sidelines.
I don't know how these women still dared to pounce on them.
Perhaps because the princess was present, the young emperor showed no temper whatsoever. He watched with a smile as the beauties took turns flattering him, and all who showed their faces were generously rewarded.
Standing to the side, clasped his hands together, thinking to himself that this was incredibly generous, giving away half of his private treasury.
For some reason, hearing the room full of giggles, he secretly glanced outside.
Princess Xifang went back home and hasn't come back yet.
His Majesty seemed very pleased, just as he had been a year before Yang Liuqing had arrived.
Seeing a concubine clinging to the Emperor's arm so intimately, Wo Xue felt a little uncomfortable and suddenly her heart skipped a beat. A thought popped into her head: "No wonder."
No wonder he looked uncomfortable.
Since Yang Liuqing began serving His Majesty, His Majesty has almost never set foot in the palaces of these beautiful women, let alone massaged their legs and shoulders.
He felt that he had probably been subtly influenced by Yang Liuqing to become more serious. At this moment, seeing this scene made his eyes sting.
…Princess Xifang, as His Majesty's elder sister, repeatedly encouraged him to take concubines and have children. Such a kind and soft-hearted person did not feel uncomfortable about it.
Doesn't this encourage His Majesty to indulge in women?
Humans are really strange.
Looking at Lady Yue Rong, perhaps it had been too long since she had received the emperor's favor. Abandoning her usual dignity, she held a wine cup, her bright red fingernails touching the rim, and with a graceful bow, she poured the wine into Yan Dibai's mouth.
The wine has a mellow and sweet flavor, with an unknown, bone-melting gentleness. It seems to permeate every part of the body, seeping into every crevice of the bone.
"Reward." Yan Dibai was slightly confused for a moment, then suddenly became happy. He squinted and hooked a woman's chin, chuckled at the shy concubines for a while, and then suddenly turned his head.
Wo Xue quickly focused her attention and saw the young man push the concubine away, his dreamy smile instantly turning into a mocking one.
Wo Xue was instinctively on edge, but Yan Dibai's face instantly turned cold. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he kicked open the door alone and staggered into the evening snow and rain.
Wo Xue was stunned. What was going on?
The equally bewildered concubines behind them chattered amongst themselves:
"My lord, why did His Majesty suddenly leave?"
"But they complained that I didn't serve them well enough..."
"I thought Your Majesty had finally gotten rid of that vixen surnamed Yang today, but I never imagined... Your Majesty would never have been like this before!"
"...Alright, alright!" Frustrated, Wo Xue quickly covered her ears to calm the group of beauties down.
"Stop making fun of His Majesty! Are you out of your mind? His Majesty will take you to see the lanterns tonight, so get ready!"
"Where did His Majesty go?" Upon hearing that the young emperor had suddenly left his seat, Yan Xifang put away what she was holding and immediately led her people to find Yan Dibai.
The maid also worried: "Then Wuxue should have followed, but I'm afraid..." Feng Ying went upstairs, and at this time the young emperor must not be harmed.
Yan Xifang lowered her gaze, her words lingering: "It should be alright... I'll wait for him on the city wall, he will come."
At this moment, Qingqing is quietly waiting for Fu'an.
From afar, they saw the concubines ascending the Xuanwu Gate, just as Fu'an walked over with a smile.
Qingqing waved to him, taking care of his limp, and the two walked slowly. Fu'an pointed out the direction: "The path is below the right gate. Qingniang, be careful not to let the guards find you."
She answered, and he asked, "Didn't Qingniang ask His Majesty for leave?"
Qingqing shook her head: "No, although I want to go home, after thinking it over, I think it's not too late to wait a couple of days. There are too many people and too much noise these days."
She had previously asked Dai Xian to deliver something to the original owner's parents, and Dai Xian said he had succeeded. However, she hadn't received a reply, so she couldn't help but worry.
Lady Yue Rong has been in seclusion for a long time, and her status makes it unsuitable for her to ask any of the concubines for help.
I can only keep it in my heart forever.
Fu An sighed, "That's fine too."
Qingqing had just nodded when he smiled again: "Look at the sky."
Qingqing raised her face and suddenly widened her eyes.
A sea of stars, stretching as far as the eye can see, as bright as day. In the distance, there are fiery trees and silver flowers, and nearby, colorful lanterns and galloping horses.
With gongs and drums banging and firecrackers crackling, the lantern market opens.
It may not be as colorful as later generations, but it is more ancient and simple.
The place was bustling with noise. They crowded side by side at the small crenellation, hoping to see the crowds jostling each other through the waist-high wall. It was a lively and exciting scene.
Qingqing couldn't help but smile from the bottom of her heart: "Beautiful."
It has a rich, human touch that's different from that of the imperial palace.
Fu'an raised her head, her bright eyes reflecting a myriad of sparkling lights: "This is the first time in my life I've seen fireworks in the capital, and they truly surpass those of my hometown. If I had control of these fireworks, they certainly wouldn't be inferior to today's..."
The brain was relaxed after a long time, and even if the boy's words were somewhat ambiguous, it was hard to be wary at this moment.
At this moment, Qingqing was immersed in the magnificent lantern market that lit up half the night, and she was unaware of the immense ambition hidden within the young eunuch named Fu'an beside her.
…enough to overturn ten states, creating a series of difficulties and obstacles for her progress.
Qingqing thought he was feeling melancholy: "Everyone's inner world is different."
Fu An paused for a moment, then chuckled softly, "Yes..."
Beauty, after all, has its limits. As the fireworks faded, there seemed to be some commotion among the people on the opposite side.
Qingqing snapped out of her reverie, and just as she was feeling confused, she heard a commotion.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
"The emperor has only just arrived?!"
Qingqing was stunned. Shouldn't Yan Dibai have gone up the tower long ago? Why did he only appear now? Just as she was about to ask Fu'an beside her, she turned her head and the living person was gone.
She sniffed; men really are all unreliable.
It's clear that Fu'an doesn't seem like the type to just leave without saying a word...
Stealing a half-day of leisure from a busy life, let's enjoy the lanterns.
Meanwhile, Yan Xifang was filled with worry when she saw her younger brother, whom she had been searching for for a long time, silently walk up the stone steps and disappear into the crowd in full view of everyone. The people below the city wall began to murmur and looked up, trying to catch a glimpse of the emperor's face.
It's too high up; ordinary people can't possibly see it clearly. Yan Xifang asked softly, "Where did His Majesty go just now?"
Yan Di Bai Mo.
It's not appropriate to say that he condescended to go to Yang Liuqing.
After losing interest and disappearing for a while, Yan Dibai went out for a stroll but still couldn't find anything to amuse him. So he decided to go look for Yang Liuqing. Unexpectedly, the woman wasn't there, and no one knew where she was after asking around.
Only a young palace maid trembled as she said that Imperial Attendant Yang and Fu'an from Wende Hall walked together toward Xuanwu Gate.
Yan Dibai was immediately filled with anger, but he didn't forget to ask, "Who is Fu'an?"
He narrowed his eyes, and the palace maid trembled with fear: "Yes, he's the eunuch who was recently brought into the palace... He's handsome, and many palace maids take care of him. His master, Lord Dai Yun, also taught Imperial Attendant Yang before..."
Yan Dibai couldn't stand listening to this for some reason, and smiled sinisterly.
Hurrah.
Instead of following him to look at the lights, he ran off with some nobody. What is he trying to do?
Yan Dibai stared at the dense crowd below, but couldn't find what he was looking for, so he simply didn't answer.
Yan Xifang had no choice but to hand over the arrow:
"Your Majesty, shoot the colored ball and you'll win a prize."
Yan Di's white hair was a little sore. He casually thanked Yan Xifang, grabbed his bow and arrow, and shot at the three colorful balls set up on the high platform ahead.
He received instruction from renowned teachers from a young age, and although he neglected his studies after ascending the throne, his fundamental skills remained. His archery was still excellent, with not a single shot missing.
Three colorful fireworks were shot down in succession, and cheers erupted from the crowd. Officials below the city maintained order, and Woxue hurriedly followed to announce the start of the second round of fireworks, but suddenly a commotion broke out.
The fireworks stand next to it was knocked over, and the lanterns on the road were scattered all over the place, with many places covered in oil and sparks flying.
The crowd jumped in surprise, and Yan Xifang frowned. Yan Dibai looked curiously into the distance and vaguely saw a thin figure running downstairs from beside the flickering lamplight. Then a sharp female voice shattered this seemingly thriving scene:
“Yuanyu, a nun from an unnamed nunnery on the outskirts of Beijing, pays her respects to Princess Xifang, begging the princess to do justice for the unnamed nunnery!”
Suddenly, everything went quiet.
To stand up for the nuns?
Yan Dibai squinted, thinking he had misheard. Yan Xifang, who had already put on a weak appearance and was planning to use the excuse of going downstairs to secretly meet Li Mingshao, couldn't help but look at the crowd in surprise upon hearing this.
The woman's voice trembled, and she raised a leather belt in one hand, gradually making way for the crowd.
Behind her, Deng Mengnu grabbed Xue Ying'er, who was about to chase after her, and whispered through gritted teeth in her ear: "This is her business! Don't forget that you yourself escaped from a nunnery! If you get caught, you'll be in big trouble!"
Xue Ying'er shuddered, biting her lip tightly as she stared intently at Yuan Yu's retreating figure.
"This humble nun is hereby suing the princess's stepson, Li Erlang of Longxi, for allowing his men to humiliate nuns at an unnamed nunnery, forcing women into prostitution, and for illegally occupying the outskirts of the capital and building camps!"
In the darkness, the brass lock on the leather belt reflected a bright light. It suddenly flashed in Yan Di's white eyes.
"This humble nun possesses the leather belt of one of his subordinates. I beg the princess to summon Li Mingshao so that I may confront him in the hall and restore the innocence of this Buddhist disciple!"
Everyone held their breath, and then simultaneously gasped.
People revere Buddhism and Taoism; even high-ranking officials treat novices with deference. This custom existed even before the founding of the nation. Even though many monks today are half-baked and don't uphold the precepts, the matter of forcing monks into prostitution…
That's truly astonishing.
"How dare they insult Buddhism like this? And this guy is the princess's stepson!"
"I know that nameless nunnery. It's full of women who practice asceticism, all adopted by the abbess. It's already difficult enough, but to think that..."
"Instead of seeking His Majesty's help, seek the Princess... This nun is quite shrewd... The Princess's reputation has improved lately, but can she control Li Erlang? She's not even as old as her stepson..."
"No wonder Li Er didn't stay in the grand mansion bestowed upon him by His Majesty, but instead rented a room at a nunnery. It turns out he didn't want to be caught soliciting prostitutes and ruining his reputation. So he went to visit nuns instead!"
Whispers spread like wildfire, and even though those above couldn't hear them, Yan Dibai still subtly raised an eyebrow.
“…Oh?” Wuming Temple… He thought for a moment. He didn’t remember it.
But that Li Erlang had an excellent reputation. He refused the mansion offered as a reward and lived a simple life in the suburbs of Beijing. He was also very low-key and never argued with anyone.
How could someone so adept at interpersonal relationships harbor such a calamity?
The frustration of not finding Yang Liuqing suddenly found an outlet. What a novel scene!
Even his actors don't perform like that.
Yan Dibai was somewhat interested.
If this is true, how did the nun escape from Li Mingshao's clutches?
This was also a source of surprise and doubt in Yan Xifang's heart.
This nun's act of seeking out her before the emperor was already overstepping her bounds. Not to mention that Li Mingshao was closely related to her. Even after returning to the palace, in order to avoid gossip, she never had any contact with him, yet everyone knew that she was Li Mingshao's stepmother.
Whether this sudden complaint to the emperor was genuine or not, Yan Xifang wanted to suppress the matter almost immediately.
If Shao Lang's subordinates are morally deficient, it is because Shao Lang has failed in his duties. If he has failed in his duties, then what crime should be committed against my stepmother, the princess of Da Jin, whom he has been escorting all this way?
Yan Xifang hurriedly said coldly, "Is this really true? Your Majesty, why don't you settle that female novice first? I'll go and summon Erlang to interrogate her. To bully a nun is a great disrespect to the Buddha, and it must not be tolerated so easily!"
At this moment, an official finally realized what was happening: "On such an auspicious day, where did this madwoman come from? Quickly seize her and interrogate her so as not to disturb His Majesty's lantern viewing!"
Yan Dibai had initially thought it was just for fun, but seeing her sister's unusually stern and cold demeanor, and her immediate demand to punish Li Mingshao, she seemed quite concerned.
A subtle glint appeared in his eyes, and his smile blossomed:
"Sister is indeed righteous, no wonder Prime Minister Lin praised her so highly."
There was shouting and arguing below; the nun seemed unwilling to leave, and the crowd was in chaos. Yan Xifang's heart skipped a beat when she heard this.
Looking at Yan Dibai again, the young man's expression was calm, without a trace of the mockery she had expected.
Yan Xifang then lowered her eyes: "Brother, you flatter me. The Great Jin has always respected these monks. If Erlang really has such beasts under his command, he must be punished severely as a warning to others. Although I am Erlang's stepmother, I would never dare to abuse my power for personal gain and let his subordinates run rampant."
She spoke with conviction, her voice no longer weak and sickly: "Today is the beginning of the year, a day for the whole world to watch."
Yan Xifang lowered her head even further, quickly scanning the crowd below. She didn't see any familiar faces.
Does Erlang not know this?
Having said all that the older sister had to say, Yan Di smiled, her white and red lips parting slightly: "In that case, elder sister, you shall conduct the interrogation."
Yan Xifang was secretly delighted, but her face showed reluctance:
"That would be inappropriate. With His Majesty before us, how could I, a mere woman, be treated like this..."
He scoffed, "With me here, whatever my elder sister says goes."
The implication is that it's up to Yan Xifang to decide.
He didn't care.
Yan Xifang's tense heart relaxed.
Yan Dibai gave Wo Xue a look, and the noisy crowd was immediately silenced. The little nun who had been fleeing through the crowd also stopped, looked at the high-ranking figure, and stubbornly turned and knelt down:
"Your Majesty, I beg the princess to do justice for this humble nun!"
Yan Di chuckled and said, "Wo Xue, bring her up."
Wo Xue went down to call for help, and at the same time, the news reached Li Mingshao, who had been waiting at the city gate.
Li Mingshao's expression was solemn.
His men searched at night but returned empty-handed, unaware of how the nun had managed to infiltrate the city.
For the sake of the princess and the Li family's reputation, those guards could not be protected; their heads had to be sent up to appease the people's anger.
However, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.
The young emperor respects the princess and will likely show leniency out of consideration for her. He's playful by nature, and this was probably just a moment of fun...
Ultimately, one must distance oneself from the situation. Only in this way can one avoid future criticism and hurtful remarks.
In their haste, none of them noticed that there were other eyes watching in the darkness.
Xiao Yuanjing is on his way from the city.
Chen Mian gloated: "It was worth it for my subordinates to have people keep an eye on the nameless temple; it really is a den of filth."
In reality, Yuanyu didn't have the ability to truly shake off Li Mingshao's guards. That night, Chen Mian instructed his guards to patrol, only to see Li's guards disguised, carrying familiar knives, wandering in the shadows, seemingly searching for someone.
After a moment's thought, Chen Mian's men decided that they couldn't let the Li family have their way no matter what. Immediately, someone went up to distract the Li family's soldiers, allowing Yuanyu to successfully get through the rest of the day.
It can be described as a stroke of luck.
Chen Mian laughed: "If my men don't distract the Li family, this opportunity to dampen Li Er's spirits will be a rare one."
Xiao Yuanjing quickened his pace: "You did an excellent job."
The people inside the imperial city were unaware of the dangers outside, and their hearts were in their throats as they watched the nun accusing Li Erlang, eager to see what would happen.
Li Mingshao had already arrived in a hurry with his men.
Upstairs, Yuanyu knelt before Yan Xifang with great joy, tears streaming down her face, and explained the whole story clearly.
Wo Xue frowned as she listened.
On such a fine day, to publicly judge such a sordid matter in front of the people—this is truly unprecedented and will likely never happen again.
Yan Dibai sat in the chair brought by Wo Xue, resting his chin on his hand, looking quite relaxed. He didn't utter a single word, as if he were truly just observing.
Yuanyu sobbed, "A nun does not lie; everything I said is true. I have long heard of Your Highness's kindness and compassion; I beg you to do me justice!"
Yan Xifang bent down to help her up, "Don't worry, I'll definitely find out the truth. Erlang will be here with his men soon, and you can come and identify him then."
Yuan Yu nodded and thanked him repeatedly.
At the foot of the city gate, several people took a detour to look around before entering Xuanwu Gate. Just as they were about to step onto the stone steps, one of the men grabbed one of the men in black robes and growled menacingly:
"Do you know what to say when you go up there?"
The man in black robes trembled and said, "I...I understand."
Only then did the group resume their steps.
Qingqing, huddled in the corner of the battlement, slowly turned around. Her heart pounded.
That person in black robes... clearly had a female voice.
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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 18:24:07 on October 8, 2023 and 23:30:19 on October 10, 2023!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Yue Sheng (7 bottles); Lue Lue Lue and A Bai (1 bottle each);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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