Chapter 256 Flirting and Running Away, Breaking This Back
Li Yuzong, with his sharp ears, had already heard the sounds outside.
But Emperor Wusu did not speak, so he stood quietly beside the dragon pillar.
The rhythm of the drumbeats was sometimes fast and sometimes slow, and it didn't sound like ordinary drumming, but rather like drum music. However, there was something special about it, as it was not very clear inside the Qin Zheng Hall.
Emperor Wusu lowered his head, reviewing memorials, and asked in a cold voice, "What's going on outside? Why is it so noisy?"
Li Yuzong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, it is indeed Miss Ji Wu."
Seeing Emperor Wusu raise his eyes, Li Yuzong continued, "When I passed through the Imperial Garden this afternoon, I saw the servants of Cining Palace setting up a platform there."
Li Yuzong already knew who created the voice, but the Emperor had given instructions that news about Ji Qingwu should not be relayed to him.
Emperor Wusu had been deliberately ignoring her these past few days, but when he suddenly heard her name, his long fingers holding the imperial brush tightened.
The drumming and music outside grew louder. He asked, "What is she doing? Is she setting up a stage?"
Li Yuzong said, "This old servant didn't see it either; it was just a frame back in the afternoon."
Emperor Wusu gave him a sharp look, then stood up.
*
The Imperial Garden.
Ji Qingwu specifically chose a location closer to the Hall of Diligent Governance and built a platform in the center of the flower bed.
This table isn't big, but it's ingenious.
The shelf was ten feet tall, and on it were seven glass plates arranged in two rows, with a large drum placed in front of the plates.
The musicians first played the sounds of string and wind instruments, the music of which was elegant and exquisite.
It was right after dinner, and many empresses and concubines were strolling in the Imperial Garden to digest their food. Hearing the noise, more than a dozen people came to watch the commotion.
Ji Qingwu changed into a wide-sleeved, narrow-legged dance costume, with a red palace dress loosely tied around her waist. As she moved, the folds of the skirt flowed like moonlight, gently cascading to the ground.
She stepped onto the crystal plate, leaped down, her left leg outstretched, her right leg like a drawn bow, and began to dance, her steps powerful and rhythmic.
The flowing sleeves of the moon-white dance dress swayed gracefully, and the silver ribbons on the moon-gazing bun fluttered in the air.
Accompanied by the music of the musicians, Ji Qingwu lightly tiptoed on the plate and leaped high onto the drum to dance.
The onlookers gasped in surprise, and Wei Liru was among them.
"Your Highness, Consort Wei, you are the most skilled dancer in the palace. What kind of dance is this?"
Wei Liru ignored the person who asked the question and looked at Ji Qingwu, who was dancing alone in front of her.
He replied, "This is an ancient dance, also known as the Seven Plates Dance."
Very few women can perform this kind of dance because it requires a high level of physical strength, as well as strength in the waist and legs.
She had tried, but when she jumped onto the drumhead, she couldn't produce such a resounding and rhythmic sound.
At the last palace banquet, Ji Qingwu said that she couldn't dance.
Ji Qingyuan happened to be standing next to Wei Liru. The two looked at each other and both thought of that performance.
Ji Qingyuan scoffed and left.
Ji Qingwu's feet spun rapidly on the drum, the soft gauze swirling around with her movements, her hands cupping together like rippling spring water.
The palace has not seen such a fine dance in a long time.
Wei Liru watched intently, noting down the rhythm of each time she stepped on the drum.
Consort Liu, who entered the palace last year, said, "This Miss Ji is dancing in the Imperial Garden. Sisters, guess why?"
Consort Bai, who was close to her, chimed in, "Is that even a question? Of course, she wanted to dance for the Emperor's benefit."
Consort Liu said, "I thought she was from the Empress Dowager's family, and that we would have another sister in the harem. Who knew that she would be kicked out by the Emperor after only a few days?"
Wei Liru wanted to calmly appreciate the seven-plate dance in front of her, but their chattering was particularly annoying.
"You want to be disliked by the Emperor? You don't even have the chance. Have you ever been to Zhaoyang Palace?"
None of the women in the harem had ever spent the night in Zhaoyang Palace.
Although Emperor Wusu has not punished Wei Ting recently, the Wei family's power has been largely dissipated.
Consort Liu retorted provocatively, "I've never been to Zhaoyang Palace, but I've only been in the palace for a year. Sister Wei is a veteran in the palace, so how come I've never heard of her staying overnight in Zhaoyang Palace?"
Wei Liru turned her face away and said disdainfully, "Who do you think you are, daring to shout at me?"
Consort Liu said angrily, "Your elder brother has already been demoted to guard the city gate, and you still..."
Consort Bai tugged at her sleeve, telling her to stop talking.
Wei Liru said, "What about me? No matter what my brother does now, he is better than your good-for-nothing brother."
They were arguing fiercely.
Then came the eunuch's shrill announcement.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
The group stopped arguing and tidied themselves up to prepare for their audience with the emperor.
The musicians stopped playing their instruments.
Emperor Wusu walked up to them and asked, "What are you doing?"
His tone was so cold it was as if ice shards were about to fall from the sky.
Consort Wei, being the highest-ranking among them, stepped forward and replied, "Your Majesty, we were drawn here by the drumbeats of Miss Ji's Seven-Plate Dance."
Emperor Wusu stared at the empty platform, his face darkening.
Wei Liru looked up and realized that Ji Qingwu had disappeared sometime earlier.
She exclaimed in surprise, "Miss Ji was just here a moment ago. These seven dances were so exquisite and magnificent, I haven't had enough of watching them yet."
While Ji Qingwu was dancing on the stage, he had already ordered people to keep an eye on the direction of the Hall of Diligent Governance from the side of the stage.
If the emperor came, she would leave immediately.
Emperor Wusu hesitated for a long time about whether to come and see, and after finding a reason in his mind, he came over but did not see the person he wanted to see.
His eyes darkened as he stared at the edge of the drum on the stage, which was engraved with red totems.
Consort Wei hadn't seen enough, but he hadn't seen it yet.
Consort Liu had only been in the palace for a short time, and she still harbored unrealistic expectations of the emperor, hoping that she could become the exception.
She pretended to twist her ankle and fell towards Emperor Wusu.
Before even touching the emperor's robes, Li Yuzong helped Consort Liu up and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please be careful. Falling on flat ground could indicate a brain ailment. This old servant will fetch the imperial physician to examine you."
Emperor Wusu then strode away.
Such situations occurred repeatedly in the palace afterward.
Every one or two days, Ji Qingwu would create a big commotion in the inner palace, always in front of the emperor, letting him know but not letting him see it.
On one occasion, it was at night, just as Emperor Wusu was about to retire for the night.
Ji Qingwu led the palace servants to quietly draw a curtain not far from Zhaoyang Palace, illuminating it with warm-colored lights.
When Xiao Dongzi, who was on night duty, saw this, he immediately perked up and went into the hall to deliver a message to the emperor.
The woman in red was alluring, her waist as slender as a willow, swaying gracefully. Every twist and turn aroused desire in men, making them want to break her waist.
Emperor Wusu initially stood by the window, but gradually moved to the doorway and stood with his hands behind his back.
My mind was itching with desire from the enchanting dance, and my body felt hot.
He finally couldn't resist and walked towards the white curtain.
Ji Qingwu, behind the curtain, seemed to possess the ability to disappear into the ground, and quickly vanished from sight.
Emperor Wusu walked to the curtain, and could still smell the fragrance that was neither flower nor fruit.
His palm touched the soft silk curtain, and his eyes were dark as if there was a thick fog that could not be dispelled.
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