Chapter 54: Bao Si (Part 2) Palace Banquet
Lin Jiaojiao took a deep breath, lifted the quilt and got out of bed.
A'mo hurried forward and skillfully helped her tidy up her clothes. A'mo was wearing a light green palace maid's uniform. She was thin but nimble, with a look of cautious flattery in her eyes, just like the stray puppy she had taken in when she was in Weishui.
Lin Jiaojiao smiled gently at A'mo and made a "don't rush" gesture. This was the gesture she and the mute servant agreed upon when they were at Weishui, meaning "take your time, don't rush."
A'mo was stunned for a moment, then he smiled shyly and slowed down his movements.
Under A'mo's help, Lin Jiaojiao changed into the Shu brocade long gown with curved hems that King You specially awarded her.
The material of this dress is a rare two-color Shu brocade. The outer layer is a dark color, embroidered with a pattern of a phoenix and a crane singing in harmony. The inner layer is a light pink plain silk, which is soft and comfortable against the skin. The collar and cuffs are embellished with tiny pearls, which make a tiny sound when she walks, making her already peerless beauty even more gorgeous.
The bronze mirror was made of bronze and was polished very smoothly, reflecting her appearance clearly.
The woman in the mirror has eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like rippling autumn water, and skin as white as snow. Even if she is just standing quietly, she has a breathtaking beauty.
But unlike when she first entered the Daji chapter, her eyes were more calm and experienced, and less ignorant and uneasy. That was the confidence given to her by thirty years of stable life in Weishui, and also the composure after going through the ups and downs with Ling.
"Are you ready?" Zero's voice sounded in his mind, with a hint of concern.
"I'm ready." Lin Jiaojiao took a deep breath and responded in her heart, "Let's go and see how much trouble this Western Zhou palace has hidden."
A'mo helped her adjust her skirt and handed her a small sachet filled with mint that Ling had prepared in advance. It could both refresh her and dispel the cloying smell of incense.
Lin Jiaojiao took the sachet, hung it around her waist, then made a "ready to go" gesture to A'mo, and the two of them walked out of the Qiongtai Palace, one in front and the other behind.
On the way to the main palace, Lin Jiaojiao did not curiously observe the luxury of the palace like she did the first time she entered the palace, but instead focused her attention on the palace ladies and the environment along the way - this was the "art of observing the details" she learned from the old minister when she was in Weishui, which means "judging the situation from the details."
She noticed that the armor of the guards on both sides of the palace road was mostly old, and some even showed signs of repair. It was obvious that they had not replaced their armor for a long time.
Most of the palace maids' clothes were old clothes that had been washed to a pale color. They had an expression of sadness on their faces and walked with their heads down, fearing that they would get into trouble.
Even on the palace's pillars, one could see obvious signs of peeling paint, revealing the dark wood underneath. These details confirmed what Ling said about the "decline of the royal family" and made her even more certain that the Western Zhou Dynasty's rule had long been shaky, and this banquet was destined not to be peaceful.
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, they finally arrived at the side hall of the main palace. The side hall was much larger than the Qiongtai Palace. Two rows of eunuchs stood outside the hall. When they saw Lin Jiaojiao approaching, they all bowed their heads and saluted, saying respectfully, "Greetings, Madam Si."
Lin Jiaojiao nodded slightly, said nothing, and followed the eunuch who led the way into the hall.
As soon as I stepped into the palace, a mixture of the smell of wine and the aroma of food hit me in the face. Unlike the light aroma at the banquet in the Weishui fiefdom, the aroma here was particularly strong and carried a luxurious atmosphere.
The hall was brightly lit, with dozens of bronze lampstands illuminating the entire hall like daylight.
Sitting in the main seat was a man in black clothes. He had a handsome face, but due to long-term excessive indulgence, there was obvious fatigue and swelling in his eyes. It was King You of Zhou.
When he saw Lin Jiaojiao come in, a flash of surprise flashed in his eyes. He waved at her, and his tone was casual, like a superior: "My beloved concubine, are you here? Come and sit down. I have been waiting for you for a long time."
Lin Jiaojiao calmed herself down and followed the Western Zhou etiquette she had learned from the old Confucian scholar at Weishui. She slowly walked forward, bent her knees and bowed gracefully. Her movements were standard and smooth, without any mistakes: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects." Her voice was neither too high nor too low, with just the right amount of gentleness, neither seeming flattering nor too distant.
"No need for formalities." King You waved his hand and pointed to the empty seat to the right of the main seat. "Hurry up and sit down. Don't stand."
Lin Jiaojiao sat down as she was told. As soon as she settled down, she felt a cold gaze falling on her.
She raised her eyes calmly and saw a woman in scarlet palace dress sitting on the left side of the main seat. She had a high bun with a red gold and jade hairpin in it. Her makeup was exquisite, but she couldn't hide the hostility in her eyes - she knew without Ling's reminder that this was Queen Shen.
Standing next to Queen Shen was a palace maiden named Kamen, who was the "Queen Shen's confidant" mentioned by Zero.
The palace maid was staring at her with a vigilant look, holding a silk handkerchief tightly in her hand, obviously paying attention to her every move at all times. However, Lin Jiaojiao still maintained a gentle expression on her face, keeping all of this in mind. These people were the "opponents" she would have to deal with next.
Most of the ministers in the hall were wearing dark court robes and sitting at the desks on both sides, talking in low voices.
Lin Jiaojiao quickly scanned the area and noticed an old man sitting in the corner. The old man was dressed in gray court robes, with white hair and beard, but he looked energetic. He was holding a scroll of bamboo slips and looking at her thoughtfully.
Ling's voice sounded at the right moment: "That person is Taishi Bo, who is in charge of the royal records. He is an upright man and is very dissatisfied with King You's indulgence in pleasure. He is someone we can win over."
Lin Jiaojiao nodded and memorized Tai Shi Bo's appearance in her mind.
At this moment, Queen Shen suddenly raised her wine glass towards Lin Jiaojiao, her tone clearly testing her: "I heard that Concubine Si was born in Bao State. Although Bao State is small, it has a reputation as a 'state of ritual and music'. I wonder if Concubine Si can play a piece from the Book of Songs? I have heard that 'Guanju' from the Zhounan section of the Book of Songs is very beautiful. If Concubine Si can play, why not play it for us so that we can witness the elegant rituals and music of Bao State."
This statement seemed to be a compliment to Bao State, but in reality it was a deliberate attempt to embarrass the king. Lin Jiaojiao knew very well that Bao State was remote and resource-poor, lacking any dedicated court musicians. Ordinary people struggled to even get enough to eat, so how could they possibly learn to play music? Queen Shen had clearly investigated her background beforehand, hoping to embarrass her in front of the ministers and convince King You that she was "vulgar and ignorant" and unworthy of his favor.
The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became tense. The ministers stopped talking and all their eyes fell on Lin Jiaojiao.
Some came with curiosity, some with worry, and some with disdain - in their opinion, a woman from a remote small country would most likely not understand etiquette and music.
King You also looked at Lin Jiaojiao with interest, obviously wanting to see her performance. A'mo stood behind Lin Jiaojiao, nervously clutching the corner of his clothes, wanting to step forward but not daring to.
Lin Jiaojiao, however, was not the least bit flustered. She set down her wine glass, lowered her eyes slightly, and said softly, "Your Majesty, you're joking. Although I am from Baoguo, I am not of noble birth. I am a peasant girl. When I was young, I worked in the fields and spun yarn with my mother. The songs I heard most often were the 'Weeding Song' and 'Rice Planting Song' sung by peasant women. How could I possibly understand the songs from the Book of Songs? If I were to play rashly and fail, not only would it disturb the King and Queen's enjoyment, but it would also bring shame to Baoguo. I simply cannot afford to make such a fool of myself."
She spoke frankly, without any inferiority in her tone, but with a bit of the simplicity and sincerity of a farm girl. As soon as she finished speaking, a few low discussions were heard in the hall - the ministers obviously did not expect her to be so frank, let alone that she would take the initiative to mention her "farming family background."
King You was already impatient with complicated rituals and music, so upon hearing this he immediately smiled and said, "Farmer's songs are fine too. I've listened to too much palace music on a daily basis, and I'd like to hear something new. My beloved, please sing a song for everyone to hear. Don't worry about whether it sounds good or not, as long as I like it."
Lin Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief, knowing that she had made the right move. She deliberately mentioned her "farming family background" to avoid Queen Shen's trap and make King You feel that she was "honest and simple-minded", which met his expectation of a "controllable chess piece".
She cleared her throat and slowly sang the "Weeding Song" that she had heard the peasant women sing when she was in Weishui.
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