Chapter 46 Could it be that Lin Yan actually has a taste for this...?
The Chonghua Hall was already bustling with noise.
The thick candles on the gilded dragon candlesticks burned brightly, illuminating the hall as if it were daytime. The warm floor heating dispelled the chill of the winter night, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of wine.
The officials sat scattered according to their rank, chatting and laughing in twos and threes, while the women and their families were ordered to gather in another area, their clothes fragrant and their hair swaying, their jade pendants jingling.
Lin Yan followed Xiao Che into the hall. With a quick glance, he saw many familiar faces as well as many unfamiliar ones.
Sure enough, the emperor's birthday celebrations were quite extravagant.
Lin Chengji quickly found his circle of colleagues from the Ministry of Works, and they greeted each other with clasped hands. Wen Yun also led Lin Mo, skillfully blending into the conversation of the ladies and young women.
Lin Yan immediately spotted Qin Wang Xiao Yu, who was sitting alone in a slightly secluded corner, idly poking at a piece of pastry.
The young prince was dressed exceptionally formally today, in a princely robe, with a gold crown and jade belt, which made his still somewhat childish face appear more serious. However, the boredom and depression drooping between his brows and eyes almost seemed to solidify.
It seems that he didn't memorize "Ten Thoughts for Emperor Taizong" very well.
Lin Yan suppressed a laugh and looked away.
Besides Xiao Yu, he also saw several other unfamiliar members of the imperial clan.
Among the princes who appeared to be older than Xiao Che and possessed a composed demeanor, were presumably Xiao Che's elder brothers who had already been enfeoffed. They brought their families, and although they seemed to be chatting and laughing, their eyes held a degree of caution and scrutiny.
Perhaps many of these men, who were also sons of the late emperor, had their eyes on the dragon throne that now belonged to Xiao Che.
There were also some younger members of the imperial family, dressed in the robes of princes or even lower ranks, gathered in groups of three or five, their conversation revealing a sense of relaxation, or rather, a sense of marginality, that came from being far removed from the center of power.
This hall truly encapsulates the myriad aspects of human life.
Lin Yan was secretly observing when he suddenly saw Xiao Che get up and walk towards the women's area.
Xiao Che walked with a steady gait and a smile on his face, yet his imperial dignity remained undiminished. Wherever he went, the crowd naturally parted and bowed in respect.
Lin Yan's gaze followed Xiao Che and went straight to a middle-aged woman dressed in a crimson palace gown, with a gentle and calm demeanor. He bowed respectfully and asked in a gentle tone, "How is Consort Ning's health these days? Are you getting used to living in the capital? If there is anything lacking or uncomfortable, please let me know."
Oh, so it's the mother of [the emperor's name], Consort Ning.
Consort Ning quickly rose to return the greeting, her smile both polite and affable, unlike any other: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. Everything is fine. The accommodations Your Majesty arranged are extremely thoughtful, and I feel perfectly comfortable."
Xiao Che then asked a few more questions about her daily life, and Consort Ning answered them one by one, which drew different expressions from the other consorts present.
They were all concubines of the late emperor, and all imperial concubines with children, but only Consort Ning received the current emperor's care and concern.
Lin Yan saw it all clearly from the side.
Is it because of Xiao Yu?
Thinking of Xiao Che's astonishing plan to "pass the throne to his younger brother," Lin Yan felt a mix of emotions when he looked at the interaction between the "mother and son."
Did Consort Ning know that her son, whom Xiao Che was disciplining by pulling his ear, was the future emperor of Dayu?
After exchanging pleasantries, the palace banquet officially began.
The musicians of the Imperial Music Bureau played elegant music, and palace maids in colorful clothes carried food trays, moving silently through the tables like flowing water, presenting each table with a variety of exquisitely prepared imperial delicacies.
Looking at the dishes that were quickly laid out on the table in front of him, Lin Yan once again marveled at the emperor's extravagance.
Even though Xiao Che had already reduced many of the standards set by the Ministry of Rites, it was still hard to hide the extravagance.
However, this time seemed somewhat different from the palace banquets I had attended before.
The dishes were still exquisite, but there were fewer fancy and elaborate dishes and more substantial ones. The drinks were plentiful, and there was no requirement for everyone to sit upright or adhere to rigid etiquette.
Xiao Che even said: "Today is my birthday. Let us celebrate together with all of you. There is no need to be too formal. Just enjoy yourselves."
As a result, the atmosphere inside the hall visibly relaxed considerably.
The officials began to truly enjoy the food, chatting and laughing in hushed tones, and those who were close even toasted each other.
Lin Yan was happy to be free and focused on his work, appreciating the dishes prepared by the imperial kitchen.
Mmm, the goose feet are stewed until tender and flavorful.
The braised pig's trotters were cooked until soft, tender, and chewy.
The fish slices are as thin as cicada wings, and are incredibly delicious.
Even though he had eaten imperial cuisine many times, Lin Yan was still impressed by the chefs' skills.
Lin Yan was enjoying his meal when the performance in the center of the hall began.
The songs and dances performed by the Jiaofangsi were not the kind of grand, large-scale performances that the late emperor had during his lifetime, where the performers practically wore their "I am very expensive" on their sleeves.
Instead, it leans more towards elegance and sophistication.
A group of graceful dancers, dressed in light green gowns, danced to the melodious sounds of the qin and xiao, their long sleeves fluttering like willows brushing the water, light and agile.
There were no dangerous acts like acrobatics, fire-breathing, or knife-swallowing, but there were some ingenious illusion and contortion performances, which drew occasional low gasps and chuckles from the audience.
Lin Yan read it with great interest.
In modern times, Lin Yan almost never watched the Spring Festival Gala. Now that he's in ancient times and can't watch it, he misses it. So, watching the performance by the Jiaofangsi at Xiao Che's birthday banquet, he pretends he's at the Spring Festival Gala.
As he munched on chicken wings while enjoying the beautiful women's singing and dancing, he felt that this extra work... uh, no, this perk was well worth it.
However, Xiao Che, sitting on the dragon throne, glanced down several times, but gradually frowned.
His gaze kept unconsciously falling on Lin Yan.
Lin Yan, his cheeks slightly bulging from eating, stared intently at the dancing girls in the hall, his eyes sparkling and a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He was completely absorbed and thoroughly enjoying himself.
Xiao Che's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the wine glass.
The dancers of the Jiaofangsi (Imperial Music Bureau) were indeed carefully selected, possessing outstanding looks and superb dancing skills.
So... Lin Yan is looking at people? Looking at those young and beautiful dancers?
As soon as this thought arose, Xiao Che felt that familiar feeling of tightness in his chest resurface.
He recalled in that secret report that Lin Yan complained about the troubles of being surrounded by ladies from various families trying to arrange marriages for him.
At the time, I only felt annoyed, but now I can taste a different meaning.
Did Lin Yan not want to get married, or did he dislike those noble ladies and instead prefer these beautiful and graceful dancers?
Could it be that this is what Lin Yan likes?
Xiao Che's gaze swept across the audience once more.
Just as Lin Yan was getting to the exciting part, he clapped his hands silently, his smile widening.
In Xiao Che's eyes, this was simply "conclusive evidence".
Xiao Che's face darkened.
He considered himself to be no less handsome or imposing, so why had he never seen Lin Yan look at him so intently before?
Are they not even as good as a few dancers from the brothels?
This idea was utterly absurd, yet it only fueled the nameless fire burning within Xiao Che's heart.
He slammed his wine glass down, making a soft, crisp sound.
Li Defu, who was serving nearby, felt a chill run down his spine. He cautiously glanced at the Emperor's expression and then followed the Emperor's gaze to look at Scholar Lin, who was watching with great interest. He immediately felt a sense of dread.
Oh dear, my Lord Lin, if you're going to watch a song and dance performance, can you please tone down your expression? Didn't you see that the person upstairs's face is almost as black as the bottom of a pot?
We're not exactly unsophisticated people, so how could we be so easily captivated by song and dance?
If Lin Yan knew what Li Defu was thinking, he would definitely cry foul. Besides, he had never seen anything like this before, so he had to take a good look.
Li Defu desperately tried to signal Lin Yan with his eyes, but unfortunately, the distance was too far and Lin Yan couldn't receive the signal at all.
Just then, the music ended, and the dancers gracefully exited the stage.
Lin Yan reluctantly withdrew his gaze, licked the sauce from the corner of his mouth, felt a little thirsty, and reached for the wine glass next to him.
Just as he was about to pick it up, he suddenly heard the emperor's cold voice from above: "Minister Lin."
Lin Yan was startled and quickly put down his wine cup, stood up and bowed: "Your subject is here."
All eyes turned to them instantly.
Xiao Che's expression remained calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. He simply said, "I noticed you were very focused while watching the dance. Do you have a fondness for music and dance?"
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat.
What does that mean? Why is the big boss asking me this?
Didn't he himself say that there's no need to be formal and just enjoy yourself?
Lin Yan unconsciously thought of Ruoxi again, and instantly got goosebumps.
He quickly and cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, I have no deep knowledge of music. I was simply captivated by the exquisite singing and dancing just now and lost myself in the moment. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
Xiao Che's expression softened slightly after hearing this: "It's alright. I was just asking casually. Minister Lin has been working very hard lately in handling the reception of the Northern Rong delegation. I am very pleased with that."
Before Lin Yan could react, Xiao Che turned to Li Defu and said, "Give me some wine."
Li Defu quickly responded, personally carrying a cup of imperial wine and hurriedly delivering it to Lin Yan's desk.
Lin Yan was flattered and quickly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty!"
[You startled me! It turns out it was just a complimentary drink. The big boss really gave me a fright.]
Lin Yan took the wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.
It's a sweet fruit wine.
This isn't over yet.
Xiao Che then said, "Since Lin Qing entered the Hanlin Academy, he has been conscientious in his duties and has made many contributions with his suggestions. I remember them all. I hereby bestow upon him a pair of jade discs, a bushel of pearls from the East Sea, and ten bolts of brocade as a token of my appreciation."
Lin Yan: "!!!"
Everyone: "!!!"
The hall fell silent for a moment, and all eyes were once again focused on Lin Yan, filled with shock, envy, and deep doubt.
Is this Scholar Lin so favored by His Majesty?
Lin Yan was also stunned. He quickly stepped forward and knelt down to express his gratitude: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness. Long live Your Majesty!"
[However, why is the boss so happy today? Birthdays really do make a difference, huh? I feel a little guilty accepting this reward...]
Hearing his self-righteous complaint, Xiao Che's expression softened, and he waved his hand, saying, "Rise. I am happy today."
Li Defu stood to the side with his head down, his lips twitching.
Your Majesty, are you happy? You are clearly... Ah, never mind, this old servant knows nothing.
This incident made the atmosphere inside the hall even more subtle.
The gazes of the crowd toward Lin Yan became increasingly complex.
Lin Yan sat back down and felt that the cushion under her bottom was a little hot.
He stole a glance at Xiao Che on the dragon throne, only to see that His Majesty the Emperor had regained his usual calm and majesty, as if the sudden and generous reward was just a routine operation.
So, why did Xiao Che reward him?
Lin Yan racked his brains but still couldn't figure it out.
Could it be because he ate the chicken wings so deliciously just now that His Majesty felt a surge of appetite?
Or is it because his clapping posture is more standard?
Your heart is like the sea, unfathomable.
Lin Yan shook his head, deciding not to torture his fragile brain cells any longer.
Anyway, it's always a good thing to get a reward.
He refocused his attention on the food, but this time he ate more discreetly and dared not stare at the singing and dancing so openly anymore.
He didn't want the boss to suddenly become "happy" and reward him with something, otherwise he was afraid his heart wouldn't be able to take it.
The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the hall again, and the banquet continued.
However, many people, including Lin Yan himself, were somewhat distracted.
Lin Yan mechanically ate his food while secretly glancing at the throne again.
Xiao Che sat upright, accepting a toast from an old prince of the imperial family. His profile appeared somewhat hard in the candlelight.
The jade pendant with a qilin on his chest stood out against the backdrop of his vermilion robes, appearing particularly warm and conspicuous.
Looking at the jade pendant, an even more absurd thought suddenly popped into Lin Yan's mind.
Could His Majesty's sudden reward to him be because of the jade pendant he gave him?
As the emperor, he was unwilling to take advantage of him, a mere fifth-rank official, but also wanted to protect his self-esteem, so he found a reason to reward him at the banquet.
Lin Yan thought about it more and more and felt that this was possible. He knew his boss, who was always very generous.
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Author's Note: The ladies of the Imperial Music Bureau: This is really ridiculous! Our leader is acting like he's crazy, trying to outdo us in beauty.
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