Chapter 217 Mr. Song’s Show
"This landscape painting is wonderful."
Jun Li Luo looked at the painting in front of him and praised, "The mountains in the upper half are hazy, and the scenery in the lower half is pleasant. The four of you were able to complete this painting together, which shows your harmony and unity. I am very pleased about this."
"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty."
Zhenfei responded appropriately and then returned to her seat.
She received the dissatisfied look from General Ye, snorted in her heart, and didn't bother to pay attention to it.
She naturally understood that her father wanted her to be in the spotlight, but she felt it was meaningless.
Now, the most important thing for the four of them is to have fun, everything else is empty. They don’t need other people’s cheers, they just want to completely bid farewell to the lonely and boring time in the past. Getting together to play cards every day is more important than anything else.
As long as they don't cause any trouble, others will think that the harem is peaceful. Although it may not be of much help to their respective families, it is better than fighting with each other. If they commit a crime one day, it will bring trouble to the family.
It doesn’t matter if her father doesn’t understand this. No matter how much he curses, she just can’t hear it.
How much easier is it for four people to draw a picture?
There were many princes and ministers present today, so Jun Liluo naturally did not have the patience to ask them to display their gifts one by one, so he asked Manager Li to send someone to collect them and then look at them later when he was free.
What he was most curious about was naturally Song Yunchu's gift.
He didn't know what surprise Yun Chu would give him, and whether the gift would arouse his imagination. In order to avoid gossip, he could only suppress his curiosity temporarily and wait until the banquet was over to see.
According to past practice, when the emperor celebrated the Qianqiu Festival, someone would present their talents, firstly to entertain the emperor, and secondly to showcase their own skills. If the emperor appreciated their skills, there was a chance of being promoted.
The performers were mostly young military generals, who performed almost all kinds of martial arts in turn. The emperor would often give them some praises when he saw how hard they were performing.
After about six or seven performances, Master Lu's nephew Lu Xuan demonstrated smooth swordsmanship in front of everyone, which won applause from all four seats.
"Your swordsmanship is quite good, much better than your peers."
"Thank you for the compliment, Your Majesty." Lu Xuan was very humble in response to Jun Liluo's praise. "There are many people in the court who are better at swordsmanship than me. I am just showing off my ugliness to please Your Majesty."
"Speaking of swordsmanship, we have to mention His Royal Highness Prince Yi's Jinghong Sword Skill."
A minister in the crowd said this, and soon others followed suit.
"Yes, at the Emperor's Thousand Years Banquet three years ago, His Royal Highness Prince Yi's swordplay was truly unforgettable. Even after such a long time, I still vaguely remember His Royal Highness's demeanor that day."
"I wonder if I will be lucky enough to see the prince demonstrate his swordsmanship again today?"
Everyone was talking at once, and many eyes turned to where Jun Tianyi was.
When Song Yunchu saw this, he raised his eyebrows.
The Jinghong sword technique was described by the author in the original novel as being fancy and smooth, and it is indeed a skill that Jun Tianyi is very good at.
Every time Jun Tianyi demonstrated this sword technique, there would always be people around him praising him lavishly, as if the more people praised him, the more he would truly become a "dragon among men".
Let her see the fancy swordsmanship for once today.
"Uncle, since all the nobles want to see your stunning swordsmanship, you might as well demonstrate it again."
Jun Liluo looked towards where Jun Tianyi was.
Jun Tianyi was quite happy to accept everyone's suggestion, so he stood up and bowed, saying, "In that case, I will present my humble service."
He walked to the center of the hall with a long sword in his hand. Under the expectant or curious gazes of the crowd, he unsheathed the sword and cut through the falling frost.
Song Yunchu also watched very seriously, trying to decipher his sword style while watching.
[Although the dog is annoying, I have to say that he still has some skills. ]
[As someone second only to me and the Dog Emperor, this swordsmanship is not bad. ]
[Tsk, this somersault, this mid-air split, so fancy, it really looks like he's a bit of a show-off.]
[This spinning jump action looks okay, but it doesn't seem very practical in a fight, right? ]
[This jumping action is really redundant, it's better to delete it. The move still needs to be chanted for one second. If the enemy approaches, who will wait for you to finish chanting? Changing it to instantaneous will have a better effect. ]
[Sure enough, this sword technique is only for show. It is useless in actual combat. There are too many things to delete.]
Jun Liluo found it funny listening to her comments.
Yun Chu was right. This Jinghong sword technique did have its shortcomings. She could see the shortcomings, but others might not be able to see them.
After all, her martial arts skills are far ahead of others, and it is impossible for others to have her vision. Most people can't even see Jun Tianyi's movements clearly, let alone break them.
Thinking of this, Jun Li Luo felt a sense of pride in his heart.
He could always sense her confidence and pride, which was an irresistible attraction to him.
Jun Tianyi's stunning swordsmanship was nearing its end. Everyone saw him leap up, his body passing through the air like a light swallow, and finally he put away his sword neatly and stood in the center of the venue.
The next moment, he heard cheers from all four seats.
Jun Tianyi couldn't help but feel happy.
He hasn't been in such a good mood for a long time.
"Your Highness Prince Yi's performance was really good." Song Yunchu also clapped twice nonchalantly, then turned to Jun Liluo and said, "Your Majesty, I have prepared a performance for you as well."
"Oh?" Jun Liluo looked at her curiously, "What does the Song Qing family want to show?"
When it comes to swordsmanship, there is no one among the younger generation who is better than Song Yunchu. Perhaps only a few generals of the older generation can compare with him.
Jun Liluo thought that if Yun Chu also showed his swordsmanship, he would definitely overshadow Jun Tianyi.
Jun Tianyi snorted inwardly, then returned to his seat without changing his expression.
In fact, he had guessed that Song the thief would not miss the opportunity to show off in front of the emperor.
It's fine if this guy really wants to dance with a sword. Everyone knows that he is a martial arts expert. Among the young people present, who can steal the limelight from him?
Anyway, his Jinghong swordsmanship is not bad. Even if others praise Song Yunchu's swordsmanship, they will not belittle him. After all, many people cannot learn his sword moves.
"Your Majesty, although I have prepared a performance, I will not be performing on my own. I have been to the martial arts training grounds recently and have given many instructions to General Zhao and Captain Chu. I am considered to be their half-master. I know that I am a skilled martial artist, so I will not show off. I will leave the opportunity to the newcomers."
Song Yunchu smiled and said, "The next performance will be presented by the two of them. In addition to the two of them, I have also invited Scholar Ye who is proficient in music to play for them. Your Majesty and everyone else, please enjoy the music."
Song Yunchu's words surprised everyone.
Prime Minister Song spoke as frivolously as ever.
But this also made them more curious about what kind of abilities the people she brought out would have.
Soon, the sound of drums and music resounded throughout the hall.
Chu Yuni and Zhao Jingheng entered the hall with more than ten soldiers, each holding a wooden sword.
The instrument Ye Fengmian chose was the common pipa. When he saw everyone coming in, he sat at the edge of the venue with his pipa.
When he first received Prime Minister Song's invitation, he was quite surprised, because he had never thought of standing on Prime Minister Song's side. But this time, Prime Minister Song gave him a reason that was difficult for him to refuse. After thinking about it, he finally agreed.
It's just a performance, and it doesn't mean he's on the same side.
"Your Majesty, this performance is called Marshal Shen's Battle Song."
When Song Yunchu finished speaking, the first person to be shocked was Shen Yue who was sitting opposite her.
There is no need to think too much about the Marshal Shen that Song Yunchu mentioned. He is referring to the head of the Shen family who is currently stationed at the border, his father.
Was the song that Song Yunchu arranged to praise the soldiers on the border?
Under the gazes of many people, Ye Fengmian's slender fingers stroked the strings of the pipa.
“Zheng——”
A bright, crisp melody escaped from his fingers.
The clear sound of the pipa combined with the musicians' drum beats seemed to create ripples in the air, giving people a sense of hearty, free and happy feeling.
Chu Yuni and Zhao Jingheng had already divided into two teams in the center of the venue, fighting with their shields and wooden swords, as if they were playing the roles of the two army commanders.
The soldiers followed closely behind the two men, holding their wooden swords high in combat postures. Their movements were simple but not chaotic.
Almost everyone's eyes fell on the two people in the center of the venue, and they also noticed a huge "Mo" character pasted behind Chu Yuni.
"This Captain Chu seems to be playing the role of a Mobei general?"
"Yes, the prosperity of our dynasty today was achieved by the late emperor and his generals 20 years ago. At that time, the forces in Mobei were the most rampant, and the major tribes frequently attacked our dynasty. That was the most difficult period for our Tianqi Nation."
"Fortunately, the late emperor and all the generals survived. Marshal Shen was only in his early thirties at the time, but he was able to defeat the Mobei people on the battlefield and made many outstanding achievements. If you count carefully, he has been stationed at the border for fifteen years."
Everyone expressed their feelings while watching the performance in the center of the hall.
Nowadays, the court is peaceful, and the princes and ministers live a prosperous life. Many people probably don't even think about the soldiers on the border.
Suddenly, the tune of the pipa played by Ye Fengmian's fingers changed, and the speed of plucking the strings suddenly increased. The clanging sound became more and more passionate, making people feel as if they were on a battlefield with thousands of horses galloping, and they could vaguely imagine the grand scene of war.
The fight between Zhao Jingheng and Chu Yuni became more and more intense.
Although both of them are young warriors, their moves are extremely agile, making it difficult for most warriors present to break them up. Their strength and speed are also astonishing.
“Zheng——”
As Ye Fengmian's pipa music changed again, Chu Yuni's sword had already stabbed towards Zhao Jingheng's forehead.
The combination of picture and music made everyone excited.
But Zhao Jingheng turned his body and flashed to Chu Yuni's side like a light smoke, put the wooden sword across the other's neck, and raised his hand and swung it.
Chu Yuni's figure froze in place for a moment, and then fell to the ground with a bang.
The fall of the Mobei general he played symbolized the victory of the Tianqi Kingdom.
Everyone was feeling happy when Ye Fengmian's pipa music suddenly stopped.
The sound of drums and music in the air gradually disappeared, and everyone realized that the performance was over.
Zhao Jingheng looked at Chu Yuni lying on the ground and stretched out his hand to her with a smile.
It must have been pretty painful when you fell just now.
Chu Yuni grabbed his hand and stood up, then knelt on one knee with him facing Jun Liluo.
"Your Majesty, this performance of 'Marshal Shen's March into Battle' was directed by Lord Song. We have been rehearsing for many days and are here to present it to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be successful in everything, may the borders be peaceful, and may our dynasty enjoy prosperity forever."
"Good!" Jun Liluo raised the corners of his lips and praised, "This is the most wonderful performance I have ever seen."
After he finished speaking, the princes and ministers finally came back to their senses.
The performance was so exciting that they were enjoying it so much that it suddenly ended.
In their trance, they all forgot to cheer.
Zhao Jingheng said: "I dare not take credit for this, it was all arranged by Lord Song."
"Your skills are getting better and better. It's worth the Song Qing family's guidance for many days."
Jun Liluo said, sweeping his eyes across the ministers, "Do you understand the intention of the Song family?"
Gong Mingyuan bowed and said, "Lord Song's performance is to remind us that today's prosperous country was built by our predecessors with hard work. We have enough food and clothing in the imperial city, but Marshal Shen and his soldiers have been guarding the border and separated from their families for several years. We should remember the contributions of the soldiers and never forget them because of our comfortable lives."
General Zhao took over the conversation and said, "Not only that, Lord Song also wants these young generals to follow the footsteps of their predecessors, practice diligently, and continue the bravery and fighting spirit of their predecessors, so as to be vigilant in times of peace and always be prepared."
He had disliked Prime Minister Song in the past, but he had to admit that he enjoyed the performance arranged by Prime Minister Song today very much.
He and Zhao Jingheng did not train in the same place, and he only discovered today that this boy's lightness skills had improved so much.
It can be seen that Prime Minister Song’s teachings are indeed effective.
A few feet away, Shen Yue's eyes were already moist.
The last time I saw my father was when His Majesty had just ascended the throne.
My father has not returned to the court for a long time. If Prime Minister Song had not arranged this, many people in the court would have really forgotten him.
"Your Majesty, compared to the good feng shui of the imperial city, the border is really bitter and cold. This year, I have received a lot of rewards from your Majesty. I am willing to give half of it to increase the military pay of the soldiers on the border. This is my humble contribution."
When Song Yunchu said this, everyone was shocked.
I originally thought that Prime Minister Song was just praising the achievements of the border soldiers, but I didn't expect him to be so generous.
Half of his earnings this year would probably be tens of thousands of taels.
"Your Majesty, I received a reward from you a few days ago, and I am willing to give half of it to the soldiers." Gong Mingyuan echoed.
"I am willing to do so too!" Zhao Jingheng took over the conversation.
Chu Yuni has never cared about money, so she quickly agreed.
The ministers were silent for a moment, and then some of them agreed to donate silver, most of whom had received rewards this year.
Those who have low salaries and do not receive any rewards naturally do not need to ask for anything.
Among all the people, the princes had the highest annual salary. Jun Tianyi didn't want to be criticized, so he quickly said, "Your Majesty, I am also willing to donate half a year's salary."
His words were calm and powerful, but he was sneering in his heart.
Thinking back to the time, Minmin said that he was hypocritical and only seeking fame and reputation.
He really wanted to defend himself. When it comes to hypocrisy, how could he compare to Song Yunchu?
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