The kindness of being recognized and appreciated
This is the only dance that the pregnant empress painstakingly choreographed for the dynasty. The empress was once regarded by everyone as the most dazzling pearl on the crown of the nearly thousand-year-old tradition of rites and music of the Central Plains dynasties.
No one knows why the Empress, who had been confined to her sickbed in the deep palace for so long, suddenly thought of choreographing a dance for the Qionglin Banquet. As the most beautiful and outstanding daughter of the Shangguan family, the Empress's calligraphy skills were already enough to ensure her lasting fame, and her talent and elegance were already deeply imprinted in the hearts of the scholars of Jiangzuo. She didn't need to do anything deliberately to earn people's respect.
However, the veteran instructors who had served several emperors in the Music Bureau clearly understood that this was an opportunity for music and dance to no longer be seen as mere skills for pleasing men, but truly valued as art. For artists who had dedicated their lives to music and dance for generations, this was an important stepping stone to entering the halls of high society and gaining the respect of the officials and scholars.
"Pluck the flower while it blooms" is a saying that refers to dancers and musicians.
The saying "Singer girls know not the sorrow of a fallen nation" still refers to dancers and entertainers.
Dancers and musicians adorn every peaceful and prosperous era, coming and going. But no one has ever truly dedicated themselves to crafting and conveying this art form with the same care as the Queen, hoping to express a certain aspiration and temperament through it.
Xue Hongbi's face flushed red as she roared, "What do I care what she does! Does the Empress need my help?"
The empress's ideals were always unattainable for her; she didn't understand them and didn't want to understand them at all. All she knew was that she had to seize this one and only opportunity to appear in public, to grasp the fleeting bloom in the long life of a dancer.
She had seen the bodies of her comrades brought back from the military camp. Geishas were always considered as insignificant as ants.
She locked Hu Miaorong tightly behind her back with her left arm and roared, "Is anyone going to take care of me? What am I supposed to do?!"
She raised her right arm, clenched her fist, and slammed it down hard on Hu Miaorong's face.
The punch didn't land on Hu Miaorong's face, but instead landed on the arm of Sun Ci, who was usually taciturn.
Xue Hongbi was still struggling and going crazy when she heard Sun Ci's clear voice ring in her ears: "Change into my clothes and get ready to go on stage."
Sun's wife finally remembered, and she smiled awkwardly, "No wonder you remember me."
In Sun's own memory, she was always the silent, unnoticed figure in the back row. Sometimes, she was like a wisp of cloud drifting across the sky after the bright moon. Sometimes, she was like a startled egret taking flight behind a washerwoman. More often, she was just one of many in the long row, moving to the rhythm of the music.
A stone pillar that has stood guard for a thousand years on a crescent-shaped bridge; a slender, snow-white wave in a blue sea.
Most of her life passed by uneventfully. She wasn't the type of person who would spend her whole life remembering her highlight moments.
The only few moments that shone brightly and were etched into my memory, the most unforgettable moments, were those with Shi Changqing.
On the Yan Ge Terrace, Changqing drank wine, accepting all who came. She, amidst hundreds or even thousands of people, raised a cup of wine to him with her trembling hand, filled with excitement.
That was the closest they had ever come to each other in their lives.
As the white silk dance ended, Shi Changqing's melodious flute solo accompanied her as she took her final bow, slowly retreating into the shadows of the Great Huan Dynasty's demise.
She has never really remembered herself.
Xue Hongbi sneered: "Of course. With hundreds of people in the dance troupe, why would I, Xue Hongbi, have the leisure to remember irrelevant people who have nothing to do with me!"
She gritted her teeth, continuing with her exasperation: "When you lent me your dance costume, didn't you ever think about what would happen if I didn't have time to return it after the performance?"
Sun's wife tried hard to recall the scene from that year. Finally, she slowly said, "Then, this dance will have no ending. But at least it has begun."
As long as it's been shown and made an appearance, that's fine.
It's better than no one ever knowing it existed. It's better than no one ever understanding Empress Shangguan's feelings.
She had a premonition that, given the Empress's health, she would never be able to personally instruct or choreograph a second dance for the dance troupe. The dance "White Silk" would become a final, unforgettable performance.
In the long river of time, there may never be another golden age like this, with beautiful songs and dances adorning peace and prosperity. There will never be another Empress Shangguan, nor another Shi Changqing.
Therefore, upon hearing the old tutor mention the Empress, she, despite her slow reaction, immediately made the fastest decision of her life.
She was willing to go to great lengths to ensure that the "White Silk" dance would be performed at the state banquet.
This is a story of an unknown dancer from the Qing Shang Dance Troupe of the Music Bureau, repaying the kindness shown to her by Empress Shangguan Yanxiu, the Empress Dowager of the Great Huanwen Dynasty. Every drop of water reflects her heartfelt gratitude.
Xue Hongbi sneered, "You really are stupid. Even if I can't go on stage, the dance can still start. Hu Miaorong is right there waiting! She can easily perform both 'Flying Fairy from Beyond the Heavens' and 'Lone Crane in the Clouds' by herself!"
She gazed at the vast expanse of water beyond the Xiangxie Corridor, the setting sun in the sky, and muttered, "But if that's the case, then the Lady Pei who's keeping you company here today is probably Hu Miaorong."
"You've ruined her plans."
Is it a good thing? Not necessarily. Sun's wife thought silently.
Hu Miaorong spoke at that time.
After Sun Ci said, "Change my clothes and get ready to go on stage," she heard Hu Miaorong speak.
Hu Miaorong's voice, usually low and gentle, had a sharp edge this time. "I didn't do it."
After she finished speaking, she got up and left without looking at the two of them again.
Xue Hongbi also remembered. At those times, although Hu Miaorong coldly observed her various embarrassing situations and seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, it didn't seem like she had personally touched any of her things.
She muttered, "It doesn't really matter. Anyway, after that dance, she went to Xueyang Pass. Hopefully, the wind in the Northern Qiang isn't too cold and won't make her old and ugly too quickly."
He then said sullenly, "It's a pity that Marquis Yongding, Fan Ying, is a woman, otherwise you, Sun Ci, would probably be a lady by now. You'd just be tending cattle and sheep on the northwestern frontier."
This statement seemed incoherent, but Sun's wife understood it.
Lady Sun stared blankly for a while, then finally said, "I'm fine as long as I'm still in the Music Bureau. I don't want to be rewarded by anyone."
Xue Hongbi spat at her: "Is this another one where you said it would count?"
Even Sun's wife couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
This matter was indeed largely thanks to the fact that Marquis Yongding, Fan Ying, was a woman.
The "White Silk" dance was an unprecedented success. The ethereal grace of the White Silk dancers was deeply cherished by the refined and cultured Confucian scholars of Jiangnan for many years to come, and countless artists and musicians privately imitated it. For a time, the White Silk dance was performed throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River, which is why later officials complained that the "White Silk" dance was a dance of national ruin.
After the performance of "White Silk," Xue Hongbi, who was the first dancer in the opening dance, was bestowed upon Pei Yuanli, the Grand General of the Capital Guard, by Emperor Wu of the time, Sima Yan. Hu Miaorong, on the other hand, was bestowed upon Li Mingyuan, the first leader of the Shuofang Army at the time and the father of Li Chongyu, the current Marquis of Guannei. After that court audience, Li Mingyuan returned to Xueyang Pass with his entourage, and Hu Miaorong was naturally taken along as well.
The three most powerful armies of the previous dynasty have continued to exert their influence to this day. They are the Jianzhang Army, the central army guarding the capital region under Pei Yuanli; the Shuofang Army, originally stationed within the pass but later retreated to the north of the Yangtze River, where Li Chongyu fought against the Northern Qiang for many years; and the Fan Family Army, which defended the northwest border against the Jie Hu of the Western Qin.
If Marquis Yongding, Fan Ying, were a man, Sun Ci, the third protagonist of "White Silk," would inevitably have been bestowed upon her. This was Emperor Da Huan's way of showing favor and winning over the commander of the three armies.
Xue Hongbi suddenly said, "I heard that the time for the Marquis of Guannei to pay homage to the emperor is approaching again. I wonder if we will be able to see Hu Miaorong this time. I also want to ask her what exactly happened back then." Her voice suddenly turned low.
Even if Lady Ren Sun was completely ignorant of worldly affairs, she could imagine that a palace maid bestowed by the previous emperor might still be given some respect and face by the Grand Marshal and General in the Jianzhang Imperial City, but once she arrived at the border military camp, she would probably be forgotten in a few days.
If I remember correctly, General Li Mingyuan did not take Hu Miaorong as a concubine at that time. To the current Marquis of Guannei, Li Chongyu, Hu Miaorong was not even a stepmother, let alone someone who would travel thousands of miles to the capital with a middle-aged dancer.
This is why people of the same kind have different fates.
A dignified yet cold female voice rang out behind them, each word distinct: "I have said it many times: those within the inner court are not allowed to discuss official matters of the court in private. Miss Xue, it seems you still haven't learned your lesson."
The dancers, in a panic, immediately scattered and fled. Even A Qiu, sandwiched between Xue Hongbi and Sun Neiren, instinctively lowered her head and bowed.
With just a voice, she possessed such imposing power that it could easily frighten away an unsuspecting geisha. A-Qiu racked her brains, but still couldn't figure out who it was.
The most powerful woman she had ever seen in the inner palace was Consort Chen, Li Lanxiu. Even Consort Chen, who was the head of the harem, spoke softly and gently, unlike this imposing and cold woman.
A Qiu lowered her head and saw a woman in a magnificent black silk brocade dress slowly walk up to her and stop. Her black silk shoes were embroidered with lifelike golden-winged birds, and several strings of pearls hung from the top of the shoes, which swayed gracefully with her steps.
The newcomer's overwhelming presence was unparalleled, but A Qiu wasn't too nervous because she could sense that the other party's main attention wasn't on her.
A Qiu glanced at her and saw Xue Hongbi, who was usually aloof, suddenly change color, then bow awkwardly, lower her head and say, "Madam is right. Hongbi knows she was wrong."
A Qiu's heart trembled violently. From the way Xue Hongbi and this person addressed each other, he realized who this person was.
Xue Hongbi was always addressed as "Madam Xue" in the palace music hall and anywhere else outside the Pei residence. But in front of this person, she would never be entitled to be called "Madam".
Because this woman in black silk robes is the true mistress of the Pei family, the wife of the Marquis of Dongguang and the Grand Marshal and General, and also the former Chief Justice of the Court of Justice of this dynasty. She is one of the Four Flying Phoenix Guards of the dynasty who used iron-fisted methods to implicate and imprison tens of thousands of people, and is known as "The Queen Mother of the West".
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