Dragon Boat Festival celebrations.
The city was filled with lively noise, and the people's faces beamed with joy. The aroma of zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) filled the streets and alleys, making mouths water.
On the riverbank, the dragon boat races were in full swing. One dragon boat after another sped past like arrows released from a bow, drummers beat their drums with all their might, and rowers worked in unison, wielding their oars and splashing up glistening water droplets. The people cheered and jumped for joy, encouraging their favorite teams.
The market was filled with a dazzling array of stalls. Some sold colorful silk threads, others sachets, and still others calamus and mugwort to ward off evil spirits and plagues, and to pray for peace and health.
Inside the palace.
It was a grand celebration, far exceeding the extravagance and solemnity of ordinary people. The magnificent palace was decorated to be even more dazzling, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of mugwort and spices, as well as the fragrance of exotic flowers and herbs.
At dawn, the emperor, accompanied by his consorts and officials, prayed to heaven and earth and their ancestors for peace, prosperity, and favorable weather. After the sacrificial ceremony, the emperor would personally bestow upon his ministers sachets embroidered with gold and silver threads and colorful ropes, as a sign of imperial grace and to bless his subjects and their families with good health.
Then came the exciting dragon boat race.
Unlike the dragon boat races held by ordinary people, the royal dragon boat races were held on the Imperial Lake outside the palace walls.
The Imperial Lake connects to the palace on one side and leads to the river outside the palace on the other, stretching for tens of kilometers. Both banks were already crowded with people watching the spectacle.
Sunlight spilled across the shimmering waters of the Imperial Lake, where several magnificently decorated dragon boats stood poised to set sail. The dragon heads and tails were sculpted with lifelike detail, their eyes gleaming as if they were about to leap into the air, propelling the boats forward through the waves. The sides of the boats were adorned with auspicious clouds and mythical beasts, their vibrant colors showcasing imperial grandeur. The people aboard the dragon boats, dressed in uniform brocade robes, held long oars, their spirits high, ready for action.
Each prince has his own dragon boat team, a competition not just a race, but a way to showcase strength and glory. His Majesty's dragon boat team, however, is composed of the Imperial Guards, battle-hardened and highly trained, representing the Emperor's majesty. Led by Jiang Jingtian, the Imperial Guards are menacing and determined to win!
As for kings, nobles, generals, and ministers, they also had their own fleets, but most of them were just going through the motions and joining in the fun.
The most interesting part was the fleets of the princes.
This year's Dragon Boat Festival also features an additional dragon boat belonging to the Northern Mongol King. The Northern Mongol King will personally lead his delegation to participate in the race. The Northern Mongol people are all robust and not to be underestimated.
The second prince stared at the seventh prince on the dragon boat beside him, his eyes dark. "Is this the seventh brother's first time participating? He'd better be careful..."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Li Yan replied calmly, not taking the Second Prince's threat seriously at all.
The Second Prince's face darkened even further. That Seventh Prince! He really hadn't realized that the Dragon Boat Festival ritual was so meticulously planned; his men had disappeared before even getting close to the altar.
I'll definitely give him a big gift at tonight's Dragon Boat Festival dinner!
"Today the weather is fine and sunny, perfect for dragon boat racing. We brothers are as strong as metal, and we must not let the Northern Mongol King's dragon boat win the championship."
Seeing the Second Prince and the Seventh Prince at odds, the Fifth Prince was secretly pleased, but on the surface he gently advised them.
The thirteenth prince immediately jumped out in his close-fitting clothes, "Father said that today's champion will not only receive the grand prize, but will also have one request personally granted!"
"Hahaha, I'm determined to beat you all! I beg Father Emperor to let me open my own government office and build my own residence! Then I can leave the palace every day!"
The thirteenth prince has not yet come of age and, according to the rules, cannot open his own office or establish his own residence. In recent days, he was only able to leave the palace every day thanks to the teaching of Master Li. Master Li has been on leave for the past few days, which has made him very bored. He has to rack his brains to find an excuse to leave the palace.
"After the establishment of the government office and the establishment of the mansion, I will have less time to spend with my mother. Consort De will definitely miss my thirteenth brother."
The twelfth prince, with the air of a Confucian scholar, said, "We should serve our father and mother well before establishing our own government offices, so as not to fail in our filial duty..."
"Why can't I be filial to my father and mother after leaving the palace? I think you've just become stupid from reading too much. Once I establish my own government office and household, I'll be an adult and able to share the burdens of my father and mother. That's true filial piety!"
Playing the role of a child is something only princesses do.
The thirteenth prince despised the twelfth prince's bookish air; a proper prince was turning into a pedantic scholar. "I will definitely win first place today! I will bring glory to my father! You crybaby... don't cry if you lose!"
"You... are lying and sophistry!"
The twelfth prince blushed, his eyes glistening, but he forced them back. He was no crybaby!
"Hahaha... arrogant brat, you think you can win the championship?"
The Northern Mongol King was tall and robust, with a thick beard and a fierce-looking face. He strode forward, each step carrying a heavy weight. When he reached the thirteenth prince, he suddenly stopped and stomped hard on the stone slab beneath his feet.
With a crisp sound, the stone slab cracked instantly, and the crack spread rapidly.
The thirteenth prince was startled and instinctively hid behind the seventh prince.
The Fifth Prince's face stiffened. His gaze swept over the Thirteenth Prince, then fell on the Seventh Prince, and finally settled on the King of Northern Meng. He forced a smile and said to the King of Northern Meng, "Children speak without thinking. Why should the King of Northern Meng take it to heart?"
"Hmph! The King of Northern Mongolia has quite the nerve. Let's see who's truly capable with their hands!"
The second prince followed up with a cold laugh.
Bei Meng laughed three times, "I wonder if the Second Prince has made any progress this year. Don't be like last time, unable to accept defeat and resorting to cheating!"
"you--"
The second prince was furious.
The King of Northern Mongol, however, was too lazy to look at his defeated opponent. Instead, he turned his gaze to the Seventh Prince, his eyes lighting up as he licked his lips. "I wonder which prince this is? Such a beauty is something I have never seen before."
Li Yan slowly raised his head and looked around.
His dark eyes held a chilling light, "The cruelty of the Northern King is well-known."
A hint of rage rose in the eyes of the Northern Mongol King. "Hahaha, I love your fair and tender skin. When you cry... it's the most exhilarating!"
“Bei Meng Wang, be careful what you say! This is my seventh imperial brother. He used to be unwell and rarely went out. Father Emperor doted on him. He is not someone you can humiliate at will!”
The Fifth Prince spoke up, revealing the Seventh Prince's identity.
The King of Northern Mongolia suddenly realized, his interest growing even stronger. He teased, "So you're that sickly fellow? Hahaha... Be careful later, the competition is fierce, don't get scared! Why don't you come behind me, I'll protect you!"
These words are extremely humiliating.
Dao Qing and Dao Hong gripped their oars and stepped forward, fiercely confronting the Northern Mongol King.
Li Yan stopped him with a glance, then looked at the King of Northern Mongolia, "Does the King of Northern Mongolia dare to challenge me?"
"Hahaha... What are we competing in?"
The Northern King stared at the Seventh Prince with great interest, as if he were eyeing prey.
Li Yan replied calmly, "Of course it's about winning or losing."
What's the stake?
Li Yan's lips curled up slightly: "The loser agrees to one condition from the winner."
The Northern King's gaze swept over the Seventh Prince, a glint of greed and desire flashing in his eyes: "Any conditions are acceptable?"
"yes."
The King of Northern Mongolia burst into laughter, his voice deafening: "Good! Hahaha! I'm betting! Seventh Prince... you'd better be prepared! Hahaha!"
The seventh prince's beauty is far more alluring than the princess's. How wonderful it would be to have him as my male concubine!
Thinking of this, a raging fire ignited in the heart of the Northern King.
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