Full Moon and Rainbow Robes
The Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was held at Penglai Hall on the banks of Taiye Pond.
The hall was brightly lit, with thousands of candles reflected in the glass lamps, making it as bright as day.
Wu Zetian wore a crimson gauze gown with a golden phoenix design, the wide skirt cleverly concealing her seven-month pregnancy, and her nine-flower hairpin shimmered in the candlelight.
Li Zhi took her hand and they sat down together, followed closely by ten-year-old Li Hong and five-year-old Li Xian.
The young prince, dressed in apricot-yellow court robes, already displayed the demeanor of a crown prince.
Li Xian curiously surveyed the hall filled with crimson robes, her small hands tightly gripping her brother's hem.
(Inner monologue: This dress is a bit heavy, but it's worth it to make a statement!)
As the music of string and wind instruments began, the Imperial Music Bureau presented a newly arranged version of "The Song of Rainbow Feathers".
The dancers' flowing sleeves danced like clouds and mist.
As the music reached its climax, Wu Zetian suddenly turned her head and whispered to Li Zhi:
"Does Your Majesty remember last year's Mid-Autumn Festival? At that time, Xian'er could not sit still and insisted on grabbing the jade rabbit pattern on the moon cake."
A smile appeared in Li Zhi's eyes as he held a seeded, chilled grape to her lips: "I remember. He's been much more composed this year; he even gave up his seat for Di Qing's son just now."
(Inner monologue: My boss has such a good memory! He even remembers such a small thing.)
As the banquet reached its climax, the envoys from various countries presented their gifts in turn.
The luminous cup presented by Persia shone brightly in the darkness, and the ivory carvings from India were exquisite.
When the Tibetan envoy presented the saddle inlaid with jewels, Wu Zetian gently stroked her pregnant belly and smiled as she said to the envoy:
"Your country's barley wine is excellent. Why not send some barley seeds as well? Let the people of the Tang Dynasty also taste the flavor of the plateau."
The envoy was taken aback for a moment, then quickly bowed and agreed.
Li Zhi gently held her hand under the table, his gaze approving.
(Inner monologue: Food seeds are much more practical than gems!)
The most heartwarming thing is sharing a mooncake.
The Imperial Kitchen specially made small five-nut mooncakes. Li Hong first presented them to his parents, and then helped his younger brother wipe the crumbs from the corners of his mouth.
Wu Zetian broke open the red bean paste-filled mooncake and fed it to her two sons.
"Mother, you should eat too!" Li Xian held up a half-eaten mooncake and stood on tiptoe to feed her.
She bent down and took a bite from her youngest son's hand, the sweetness filling her mouth.
Li Zhi, watching from the side, suddenly said, "Once Xian'er is born, there will be more people to share the moon next Mid-Autumn Festival."
(Inner monologue: Sharing a month's worth of food as a family is sweeter than any delicacy.)
As the moonlight deepened, Wu Zetian showed signs of weariness.
Just as Li Zhi was about to order the banquet to end, she shook her head and ordered someone to bring out a specially made lotus lantern.
"We won't release sky lanterns today, so as not to disturb the birds. Releasing river lanterns to pray for blessings is fine."
The family of four walked to the edge of Taiye Pond.
Li Hong carefully wrote "Peace and prosperity for the nation" on the small boat, while Li Xian drew a crooked rabbit.
Wu Zetian, supporting her back, drew a peony on the lamp.
Li Zhi took the brush and added a bamboo leaf next to the peony.
(Inner monologue: He actually remembered my casual remark about "bamboo bringing peace"!)
Hundreds of river lanterns floated downstream, their glow reflecting the bright moon in the sky.
Those in the royal family who were nearby heard the Empress speaking softly to the two children:
"Look at this river, no matter where it flows, it will eventually flow into the sea. Just like our family, we will always be together."
Li Zhi embraced his wife and two children.
Moonlight shone on the emperor and empress's clasped hands, revealing the matching gold rings on their fingers gleaming softly.
——
[Mini-drama: The Mooncake Scandal]
(Chronicle of the Imperial Food Bureau)
The Empress suddenly had a brilliant idea: to add salted egg yolks to the mooncake filling.
"A balance of sweet and salty is the way to harmony," the Empress said.
The experienced craftsmen were heartbroken, saying that this violated the ancestral rules.
As a result, the salted egg yolk mooncakes were the first to be snatched up at today's palace banquet.
His Highness the Crown Prince ate all three, and even the pickiest Second Prince finished half a mooncake.
(As expected, the Empress is always right.)
What's most absurd is that after the Tibetan envoy finished eating, he secretly came to ask how it was made, saying he wanted to make it for their king to try.
Looks like I'll have to pickle more duck eggs next year.
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