Long live the Emperor!
Moreover, he was a Marquis of Guannei, a man of great heroism and talent.
After a moment of silence, Li Chongyu finally spoke, which surprised A Qiu:
“I cannot give them the protection they want, so I have no right to judge the path they have chosen. Admittedly, it is painful and embarrassing for me, but it is my own business.”
He added, "His Majesty is no longer a child, nor is the Su Clan Chief. I will not help them with what they are scheming to obtain, but I will not sabotage it either."
He looked at A Qiu again and said in a deep voice, "Sister, let's keep to ourselves. We are not on the same path. Since we cannot accept each other and live together, we can only remain strangers forever."
Princess Wansui, like a goddess descending from the heavens draped in the holy light of the Buddhist kingdom, gracefully walked towards Xie Lang on the throne.
As she walked, the candlelight shone brightly and the silver lamps were dazzling. Everyone in the hall held their breath, waiting for Xie Lang's reaction.
Among those in the inner palace, Zhang E'xu and Cui Luzhu were the most naive and inexperienced. At this moment, Cui Luzhu couldn't help but whisper to Xue Hongbi, "Instructor, do you think His Majesty will accept this Princess Longhair?"
Xue Hongbi didn't blink for a moment and said firmly, "Yes."
Even A Qiu was curious and couldn't help but ask, "Why is the instructor so sure? The entire court is watching! And Consort Chen is also there."
The thought of this gave her a headache.
I should have made it clear to Li Chongyu at that time that I opposed letting Princess Wansui enter the palace.
Given how much Li Chongyu values her, he will be willing to listen to her opinions.
The fact that dancers were performing in the palace was not a big deal in itself, but Princess Wansui was never one to be trifled with. To put it bluntly, she harbored malicious intentions and was someone who thrived on chaos.
Therefore, An Daoling strongly opposed the Princess Wansui entering the palace, and was even unwilling to let them enter the Music Bureau.
Xue Hongbi said nervously, "It's just experience. A woman as beautiful as Princess Wansui is probably irresistible to any man." She had been in the palace and the Pei residence for many years and had seen many beautiful dancers. But she had never seen a dancer like Princess Wansui, who possessed both exotic charm and a captivating, dreamlike magic.
She felt that Princess Wansui's path was different from the dance and music path they practiced every day, but she couldn't quite put her finger on why.
An Daoling's expression was also extremely solemn. Although there were Hu women in the Southern Dynasties' music bureau, they were all descendants of Hu musicians who had lived in Jianzhang Palace for generations and had long been Sinicized. The entry of a woman like His Majesty, with such a complex background and wild nature, into the palace at this time would inevitably add more variables to the already complicated situation.
But now that this woman has arrived before the Emperor, whether she stays or leaves is entirely up to Emperor Xie Lang.
Shangguan Yuqi, who had been silent all along, spoke up at this moment, saying calmly, "Don't worry, His Majesty will not spare her."
As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked at her.
When Shangguan Yuqi spoke, it was not without reason. Her expression was as cold and aloof as ever, without any ambiguity or hesitation; she simply stated a fact in a detached and emotionless manner.
A Qiu whispered, "Those in the palace with slightly weaker inner strength are all dazzled and captivated by beauty. His Majesty is not a master of unwavering resolve like the Flying Phoenix Guard, so why is Miss so certain?"
Shangguan Yuqi sighed softly, “You have all underestimated our Emperor. Although he is not as resolute as a warrior, nor as devoted as a cultivator, he has great ambitions. He will never allow any personal feelings or desires to become stumbling blocks on his path to pacifying the world.”
Everyone present fell silent.
Shangguan Yuqi's words show that she has a very deep understanding of Xie Lang.
Compared to martial arts masters or sword immortals, Xie Lang was just an ordinary person, but he also had his own achievements. If he hadn't been extremely self-disciplined, ambitious, and never slackened over the years, he wouldn't have stood out from the many outstanding talents in the Xie family and risen from an ordinary young man to the throne.
But what truly shocked A Qiu was Shangguan Yuqi's unique understanding of Xie Lang.
The emperor stands in the central court, and his every word and action is visible to all under heaven. However, among all those present in the previous court and the inner palace, few could match Shangguan Yuqi's profound understanding of Xie Lang.
But she immediately recalled Shangguan Yuqi's background: the Shangguan clan, the foremost family in Jiangzuo for centuries, a family that had served the emperor for generations, with many men serving as prime ministers and many women as empresses. Few families probably possessed the Shangguan family's accumulated political insight and seasoned experience in understanding and serving the emperor.
Shangguan Yuqi looked at A Qiu again and said patiently without any prejudice, "Sitting in his position, he would only choose women who are beneficial to him. As for who he favors, it doesn't matter. Rather than calling it the cruelty of a monarch, it can also be called his self-discipline."
A Qiu's heart was reeling. Shangguan Yuqi was taking this opportunity to give him a hint.
If she truly wants to become the person by the Crown Prince's side, she must make herself useful to him. Otherwise, no matter how much the Crown Prince favors her, she will likely find it difficult to achieve her goal.
But what truly moved A Qiu was Shangguan Yuqi's seemingly indifferent yet earnest and painstaking efforts.
She was clearly the most suitable woman in the entire dynasty to become the future empress, yet she had no interest in this path, instead repeatedly offering him guidance. Is this the noble and independent demeanor of a sword immortal, detached from worldly affairs?
The twelve tassels of the crown hung heavily, the pearls and jade swaying gently, obscuring most of Xie Lang's majestic yet sharp face.
The hall was silent, except for the sound of the princess walking in, the golden necklaces and bells on her feet making a clear sound.
When Princess Wansui was three steps away from Xie Lang, A Qiu noticed that Consort Chen, Li Lanxiu, whose face was usually gentle and serene, now showed a look of attention.
Zhao Lingying, the magistrate of the Imperial Library, also subtly shifted his body slightly towards Xie Lang.
They were all from the Flying Phoenix Guard and were instinctively wary of outsiders who got close to the emperor.
Princess Wansui clasped her hands together above her head, bowed deeply, and said in a slightly hoarse but beautiful voice, "Your Majesty, the daughter of the Kingdom of Kucha, on behalf of the Marquis of Guannei, pays respects to His Majesty Dayan. May His Majesty live a long and prosperous life, and enjoy endless happiness."
She raised her head and looked up at Xie Lang with her beautiful eyes, continuing, "I was in the borderlands and never saw the splendor of the people of the Central Plains. Now, after traveling thousands of miles, I have the good fortune to arrive in this great country and witness the magnificent style and effective governance of this great nation. I am deeply impressed. I beg Your Majesty to take me in by your side in your palace, even as a servant or maid, which would be better than me wandering from country to country! I beg Your Majesty's mercy!"
After she finished speaking, she immediately kowtowed heavily to the ground and remained in that position for a long time.
Xie Lang's first reaction was to turn his gaze to Li Chongyu in the guest seats.
This troupe of musicians and dancers was a gift from him. His Majesty's earnest request to stay by the emperor's side raises the question of whether this idea originated from Li Chongyu or His Majesty himself. Xie Lang must consider this.
Seeing Xie Lang looking at him, Li Chongyu stood up gracefully, holding his cup, and said, "To be honest, Your Majesty, this woman brought her entire music and dance troupe to join my Shuofang Army from beyond the Great Wall. However, the music and dance in the army are of no use, so I, Li Chongyu, brought her here to present to Your Majesty. Your Majesty may wish to keep her, or it may be inconvenient to keep a foreigner in the palace. You may do as you please, and there is absolutely no need to consider my feelings."
He laughed heartily after speaking, and then sat back down at his seat.
These words revealed to the assembled court officials that Li Chongyu was indeed a bold and unrestrained man, devoid of any polite formalities. His frank statement that music and dance were useless and therefore being given away was the truth, and that whether Xie Lang stayed or left was up to him, clearly distancing himself from the Princess.
Ah Qiu knew that if Su Rouhua heard his words, she would be filled with rage. He was absolutely unwilling to vouch for Princess Wansui.
When Xie Lang saw Li Chongyu neatly and decisively push the hot potato back to him, a bitter smile appeared on his usually dignified face.
His Majesty appeared pitiful and expressed his deep admiration for the elegance and refinement of the superior nation, revealing his willingness to follow in their footsteps. If he were to refuse outright in front of everyone at this moment, it would seem rather lacking in the demeanor of a great nation and the heart of a gentleman.
But Xie Lang was no ordinary man; he considered things from a long-term perspective. When he first witnessed the Princess's exquisite dance, he did feel as if the room was filled with light, as if he were in a Buddhist paradise on earth. However, based on his experience with women, he knew very well that women were not children's toys, which could be kept as pets if one liked them, and then put away if one grew tired of them.
He had been dealing with the former Flying Phoenix Four Guards since he was young. All four of them were women, and they all had their own loves, hates, and grudges. Who would dare to underestimate their feelings and emotions?
Even now, he absolutely cannot take the Emperor into the harem, lest he chill the heart of Consort Chen, Li Lanxiu.
The former Flying Phoenix Four Guards were of one mind and would not turn a blind eye if Li Lanxiu harbored resentment.
Xie Lang sighed inwardly, then said to the Emperor with a gentle smile, “The princess is called ‘Long Live the Emperor,’ but in our country only the emperor is called ‘Long Live the Emperor.’ The princess seems out of place in our Southern Dynasty’s court; she should have a more expansive and open place to go. I bestow upon the princess a thousand taels of silver. If the princess wishes to stay, she can purchase a house in Jianzhang Palace to live in. If she is homesick, she can return to the borderlands with the Marquis of Guannei. This will also fulfill the princess’s wishes.”
Upon hearing Xie Lang's words that he did not wish to keep her because her name was presumptuous, the Emperor immediately kowtowed repeatedly, weeping, and said, "My name was given to me by my mother because she admired the culture of the Central Plains. In the past, a Marquis of Guannei presented a Han brick to Empress Huanwen of the Great Han Dynasty, one of which was engraved with the auspicious words 'May you live a thousand autumns and ten thousand years.' My name comes from this. My clan thought that the Han people liked this name and considered it auspicious, but I did not expect it to offend Your Majesty!"
Her words caused at least three people to change their expressions.
A Qiu was one of them. Although she found Princess Wansui's name quite unique, she assumed it was a name chosen by the people of Kucha to signify good fortune, since longevity was a wish that every nation and people placed on music and dance. Since Wansui came from a background of serving in dance and music, it was quite normal for her to have such a name.
But she never expected that the name "Wansui" actually came from the Han Dynasty brick inscribed with "Qianqiu Wansui" (meaning "May you live a thousand autumns and ten thousand years").
The brick broke in two. One of them ended up on the street, where it was spotted by her master, Wan Qiqing, and kept in her study in Songxue Hall. She often saw it when she was young. The other one, however, was recently purchased by her in the West Market. The rumors about the former Empress Wen discarding these three Han Dynasty bricks have been circulating since then.
This further convinced her that the theft of these three Han Dynasty bricks from Qiwu Palace must have been related to Su Rouhua.
Meanwhile, another vague memory was also being awakened in her mind.
Princess Wansui's name is "Wansui" (meaning "Long Live the Emperor"), while her sworn brother Li Chongyu was privately referred to as "Qianqiu" (meaning "Thousand Autumns") by Su Rouhua, and Li Chongyu never refuted this.
Presumably, "Qianqiu" was his childhood name.
May they live a thousand years! The origin of the names of these two children is surprisingly found here.
In A Qiu's heart, the words Princess Wansui had asked Su Rouhua back then echoed again.
"Are my brother and I also special in the clan leader's heart?"
At this moment, the answer is self-evident.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
