Chapter 139: Celebration Together - Rebirth of the Noble Daughter
Chapter 139: Celebration Together
Not long after they departed, the sound of ceremonial cannons echoed outside Changchun Tower.
The entire street was filled with cheers from the crowd, marking the official beginning of the Lantern Festival night in the Eastern Capital.
Feng Jinxu held Madam Wen in her arms near the window and whispered, "Feeling cold?"
Madam Wen shook her head. "Not cold, my lord. Don't worry."
She had never witnessed such a scene before. Perhaps it was the warmth of her husband's embrace or the infectious happiness of the common people below. As she looked up at the brilliant fireworks in the night sky, tears welled up in her eyes, but her lips and brows were all smiles.
Inside Zhengde Tower, already adorned with lanterns and lit up, the scene was magnificent and splendid.
Rows of lanterns hung in order, resembling a colorful dragon climbing the tower. The lanterns depicted numerous paintings, mostly related to immortal and demon stories associated with the Lantern Festival or local folklore.
In the higher Baiyue Pavilion, the seats were filled with members of the royal family and court ministers. This was also a custom of Da Jin—celebrating the Lantern Festival night with the people.
On both sides of the Baiyue Pavilion, musicians from the Xuanle Department sang and played melodious tunes of universal celebration.
In the center, Emperor Qi sat high on his throne. His normally stern face was considerably relaxed today, despite wearing imperial court attire, his expression was softened.
Watching the brilliant lights below, he felt deeply moved.
Since ascending the throne more than ten years ago, Da Jin had only achieved this peace and prosperity. A sense of pride surged within him.
Everyone appeared particularly pleasing to the eye.
On either side sat the Empress and Consort Wei. The Empress wore a reddish-gold imperial court attire, exuding elegance and magnificence. Consort Wei wore a beautiful crimson court attire, striking and charming.
Although there were fierce struggles behind the scenes, on the surface, harmony prevailed.
Both the Emperor and Empress raised their glasses to celebrate the arrival of the twelfth year of Tianqi.
"Well said, Empress. Today, on Lantern Festival, I offer a cup of wine to congratulate the enduring prosperity of Da Jin. I wish Your Majesty longevity and happiness." the Emperor spoke first.
"To prosperity!"
With his command, everyone raised their glasses in celebration, their faces filled with smiles.
After the Emperor and Empress finished their drinks, Consort Wei added, "Your Majesty, the Empress is the mother of the people of the world. Naturally, her concerns are for all. I, as a humble consort, am not as broad-minded as the Empress. I only wish Your Majesty good health and hope to accompany you more in the future."
"Well said, I appreciate your sentiment. In the days to come, I will spend more time with you." the Emperor replied.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."
Looking up at Consort Wei, who still had a bright smile on her face, waves surged in her eyes and she glanced at the Empress without speaking.
One was the long-standing lawful wife, dignified and generous; the other was the cherished consort, affectionate and dependent. Emperor Qi enjoyed the blessings of both, arousing envy in many.
Prince Yu stared at Consort Wei's neck for a long time, feeling a surge of desire, but he knew he couldn't be presumptuous. He could only divert his attention to the wine cup in front of him and drink one cup after another.
Prince Fu sitting beside him was not curious either. This elder brother of Prince Yu's always loved beautiful women and fine wine above all else. Indulging in a few cups of the palace's secret elixir was harmless.
"Brother Yu, this wine packs a punch. You should drink less,"
"Ah, even if I get drunk, it doesn't matter. This occasion isn't just between you and me. Whether I'm drunk or not doesn't affect it."
After saying this, he glanced at the Prince Kang in front of him and pretended to be drunk, "See that? That's the uncle the Emperor relies on. We're just extras here."
After that, he emptied his cup of fine wine in one gulp.
The mentioned Prince Kang was sitting closest to Emperor Qi at the moment. He was Emperor Qi's prince uncle, born of the same mother as the late Emperor. He had dutifully fulfilled his responsibilities for many years, never exceeding his bounds. His descendants were also mostly loyal and sincere, posing no threat.
Therefore, Emperor Qi held great respect for this close uncle of his.
He lifted the golden cup from the table and filled it to the brim, then addressed Prince Kang directly, "Uncle Kang, you are the steadfast anchor of our Da Jin. With you here, I am at peace every day. On this occasion, I wish you a long and healthy life, growing stronger with each passing day."
Upon hearing this, Prince Kang immediately rose with his consort and heir, as well as his son's consort, and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty's praise is excessive. The flourishing of the Da Jin Dynasty today relies entirely on Your Majesty's diligent governance. This old minister does not deserve the title of steadfast anchor. The enduring prosperity of the Da Jin Dynasty depends on Your Majesty alone."
These words touched Emperor Qi deeply. He raised his head and finished the wine in his cup. Prince Kang and his company also drank a cup before sitting down.
On the other side, among Emperor Qi's peers, Princess Fulin was respected.
She wore a navy blue princess court attire that fit her well. Her face, well maintained, showed no signs of aging, with strands of silver mixed in her hair, but it did not appear old, rather adding a touch of benevolence.
Smiling as she watched the lively scene below, she suddenly heard Xiao Tingyi cough a few times on her left. Immediately, she ordered, "Bring a few more braziers over. Tingyi can't tolerate the cold. Otherwise, he'll have to endure those bitter medicines again."
The attending palace servants immediately fetched more braziers. Xiao Tingyi appeared rather cold, saying, "Sister, there's no need."
Her distant attitude made Princess Fulin and several other peers on her side somewhat displeased.
But the more Princess Fulin looked, the more worried she became. "All those tonics delivered to your mansion like flowing water—why do you still cough like this? Wasn't the loquat jade dew effective?"
The loquat jade dew was something Princess Fulin had specially bought at a high price from a physician in the southwest. It had been promptly sent to the Prince Ding's mansion, but for some reason, it hadn't been effective.
Taking a sip of warm water from his nearby cup, Xiao Tingyi remained silent. Although he was deeply moved by Princess Fulin's genuine concern, he maintained a cold and proud demeanor.
Having ties with the Prince Ding's mansion was not a good thing.
Emperor Qi's gaze quickly noticed this. Seeing the palace servants bringing braziers over, the already rich aroma of wine became even warmer.
"But Seventeenth Brother isn't feeling well again?"
Showing such concern, who wouldn't say a word of grace from the imperial family. Unfortunately, it didn't enter Xiao Tingyi's eyes.
"Brother Emperor needn't worry. I feel unwell. I want to leave first."
"Okay, it's cool at night. Be careful on your way back." After saying this, he ordered the deputy commander of the imperial family's army, "Meng Da, take good care of Prince Ding and send him back to his mansion. There must be no mishaps on the way."
"Yes."
This general Meng was Emperor Qi's confidant and had been eyeing the Prince Ding's army for many years. With eyes fixed on Xiao Tingyi, he remained motionless like a hungry wolf watching its prey.
"Prince Ding, please!"
Yang Zhao helped him up. General Meng followed behind, keeping a close eye on him. After he left the table, Princess Fulin's worry became even more evident in her eyes.
Comments
Post a Comment