Chapter 69: Playing the Melody of “Moon Over the West River”…

Chapter 69: Playing the Melody of "Moon Over the West River"...

Shortly thereafter, the Emperor, the Empress Dowager, the Empress, along with the two princes and their consorts, arrived.

The officials cheered, "Long live the Emperor!" As the Emperor passed the steps, he glanced at the first person on the east side. He saw a tall and imposing figure with a commanding presence, a high nose bridge, and thick eyebrows—clearly a formidable character. The Emperor felt a sense of wariness towards this Prince of Nan'an.

Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager cast a casual glance towards Cheng Mingyu at the head of the west side, gracefully adjusted her robe, and ascended the steps with the Emperor.

After the Emperor took his seat, Liu Xi, the Head of the Office of Ceremonies, announced the start of the banquet.

First, the officials toasted three times to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. Then, starting with the Crown Prince and Prince Ning, they presented their gifts to the Emperor.

The Crown Prince's gift was quite innovative—a Taihu stone naturally shaped like the character for "longevity," a true masterpiece that elicited thunderous applause from the entire hall.

Prince Ning stepped forward with calm dignity and, looking at the Crown Prince, said,

"With my elder brother's gem presented, I feel my own efforts pale in comparison, so I can only offer some clumsy work." He pointed to the stage ahead, "Bring forth the comprehensive encyclopedia I compiled."

Spanning two millennia, the cultural heritage of the Central Plains has flourished from ancient times to the present, accumulating a brilliant literary tradition. Five years ago, Prince Ning had the idea to gather hundreds of scholars from the Hanlin Academy and the Imperial College to compile this comprehensive encyclopedia.

The sheer number of volumes made it impractical to bring them from the royal library, so Prince Ning only had the catalog brought.

The catalog alone filled five volumes, demonstrating its extensive coverage.

The appointed scholar from the Hanlin Academy publicly unveiled the encyclopedia's compilation system, leaving all the officials and envoys in awe.

Prince Ning's strategic move served two purposes: first, to assert dominance over rival states, demonstrating the true cultural orthodoxy of the Central Plains.

Second, to garner the admiration of scholars nationwide.

This encyclopedia was the fruit of tireless effort, with Prince Ning, as a royal prince, humbly visiting various noble families to collect rare manuscripts, which were then transcribed and compiled. Once published, many of these rare texts would be celebrated by the world, a truly significant contribution.

Though Prince Ning called it "clumsy work," it was actually a masterstroke.

Even neutral observers like Cheng Mingyu couldn't help but marvel at Prince Ning's achievement.

Prince Ning became the center of attention at the banquet.

The Crown Princess glanced worriedly at the overshadowed Crown Prince, who remained silent with a smile.

Being the Emperor's own son, Prince Ning's brilliance rendered the quality of others' gifts insignificant.

Next, it was Princess Minglan's turn.

If Lu Xusheng was the Emperor's "favorite son," then in Princess Minglan's eyes, Cheng Yian was almost like her own daughter.

She passed a scroll to Cheng Yian,

"An An, present this precious map to His Majesty on my behalf."

It was a clear intention to give Cheng Yian a chance to stand out before the Emperor.

Cheng Yian, unsure of what it was, solemnly accepted it and stepped forward with a female official. Together, they unfurled the scroll.

The scroll was about eight feet long, densely marked with place names and mountains and rivers.

When the Emperor leaned in to look, he saw that it was a maritime map of the four regions, a treasure of the nation.

"Minglan, where did you obtain such a treasure?"

Princess Minglan smiled and said, "I got it from a merchant ship in the South Seas."

The emperor was thoroughly pleased.

Cheng Yian glanced at the nautical chart, which was incredibly detailed, depicting not only the locations of the Great Jin Dynasty and Northern Qi but also listing various countries in the South Seas. With this chart, it would be a breeze for Great Jin's merchant ships to venture into the South Seas.

It was truly a one-of-a-kind treasure.

She closed the scroll and approached the head of the Office of Ceremonies to present it.

Seeing this, the Yunnan King shot a look at his youngest son behind him.

The second young master, Mu Xun, came forward holding something.

It looked like a birdcage, draped in a deep red cloth. When Mu Xun lifted the cloth, a breathtakingly beautiful bird leaped out of the cage, circling above the steps and letting out a few melodious chirps.

But that wasn't the most jaw-dropping part. What truly blew everyone away was that every time the bird flapped its wings, its feathers changed color, as if performing a magic trick. The empress was completely spellbound.

"My heavens, there is such a marvelous bird in this world."

Mu Xun looked up and pointed at the silver bird, replying crisply,

"Your Majesty, this bird is known as the Silver Finch. It has eighteen different colors across its feathers. It is a sacred bird from Jade Dragon Mountain in Yunnan. My father personally tasked me with capturing it and presenting it to Your Majesty."

"Good, very good. Yunnan King, I am delighted with this birthday gift."

Then Mu Xun whistled, and the bird flew back into its cage. The empress couldn't take her eyes off it, fascinated.

"Oh, Young Master Mu, you know how to train birds?"

Hearing this, Mu Xun flashed a row of small white teeth, proudly saying, "Your Majesty, everyone in my family has their own special talent. My father handles horses, my mother handles snakes, and I handle birds!"

The empress was taken aback, her gaze shifting to the gentle and radiant Xia Fu.

"The princess consort handles snakes?"

At the mention of snakes, many at the banquet drew in a sharp breath.

Xia Fu slowly rose and curtsied to the empress, "It's just a child's joke, Your Majesty. Please do not take it seriously."

Her words were clearly modest, suggesting that she indeed had the skill to handle snakes.

Heavens, the empress quietly placed a hand over her heart.

A delicate beauty who could tame snakes... Even the emperor gave a slight shudder, casting an admiring glance at the Yunnan King.

The Yunnan King glared at his son,

"Such boastful talk," he stood up and addressed the empress, "Please forgive him, Your Majesty."

The empress chuckled, "You are too kind, Your Highness. I quite like this young master."

The Yunnan King glanced at his son, signaling him to return to his seat.

This was one of the Yunnan King's intentions—his son and Xia Fu would stay in the capital, and he wanted his son to build good relationships, making it easier for the nobles in the palace to look after him.

Cheng Yian glanced at her father, Cheng Mingyu, who remained as he was when he arrived, his gaze lowered on the dining table, his posture seemingly unchanged.

After the royal relatives, the Minister of Rites, Kong Yunjie, stepped forward to introduce the envoys one by one.

Kong Yunjie let the Prince of Nanan present his gift first. The Prince of Nanan smiled at Lu Xusheng across from him,

"My gift will be presented last; let the other friendly nations celebrate His Majesty's birthday first."

Thus, starting with the Chahan Kingdom, envoys from over ten countries around the borders presented their most renowned treasures to the emperor. Finally, it was the Prince of Nanan’s turn.

He patted the dust off his hands, stood up, and walked to the central platform, bowing to the emperor,

"Your Majesty, our Northern Qi is known for its horses. My royal uncle ordered me to select ten fine steeds as a tribute to Your Majesty. However, I feel this is not enough. I wish to spar with General Lu to entertain Your Majesty. What do you think?"

I knew he came with ill intentions.

When a general from an enemy country challenges you, how can you refuse?

The Prince of Nanan was certain that Lu Xusheng would not decline, so he acted without restraint.

The emperor did not look pleased, but Lu Xusheng had already risen calmly, stepping onto the platform with composure,

"Very well, if the Prince wishes to display his skills for our Emperor, how can I refuse to accompany you?"

The word "display" subtly put the Northern Qi envoy in a lower position.

The Prince of Nanan noticed that these people from the Great Jin were quite cunning, fond of verbal sparring. He said indifferently,

"I hope General Lu can still smile while speaking later."

Lu Xusheng placed his left hand behind his back and smiled, "Today is my Emperor's birthday. No matter what, I will continue to speak with a smile. Since the Prince is a guest, let me make it easier for you. I will allow you one hand."

The invitation of envoys for this Longevity Festival was actually Lu Xusheng's idea.

Long before he headed south to Jinling, news had reached Northern Qi, prompting them to secretly plot to invade the Great Jin Dynasty. However, before they could finalize their plans, he swiftly dealt with matters in the south and returned to the capital, catching Northern Qi off guard.

Despite this, Northern Qi still managed to secretly engage with various Western Regions and Chehan, aiming to form an allied force to attack the Great Jin Dynasty. Thus, Lu Xusheng decided to strike first, using the emperor's birthday celebration as a pretext to lure these forces into the Great Jin Dynasty.

What was the purpose?

Three years later in his previous life, the crown prince rebelled, and Northern Qi, allied with Chehan and the Western Regions, launched a southern invasion, plunging the Great Jin Dynasty into turmoil and despair. The people suffered immensely, with many women and children captured and subjected to atrocities in military camps. Lu Xusheng was filled with righteous indignation.

Having been reborn, he couldn't let this opportunity slip away. He had to eliminate this threat as soon as possible.

He was determined to completely sever any chance of an alliance between Chehan and Northern Qi.

By offering to fight with one hand, Lu Xusheng was actually trying to undermine the enemy's morale.

The Prince of Nan'an arrived with great fanfare, brimming with arrogance. If he didn't curb this arrogance, other nations might perceive the Great Jin Dynasty as feeble.

The Prince of Nan'an was indeed livid, his face contorted with rage.

"Lu Xusheng, this isn't the first time we've crossed swords. Do you really think you can beat me with one hand?"

After the death of the Prince of Nankang, the Prince of Nan'an harbored deep resentment, frequently leading his troops to harass the Great Jin Dynasty. Although these skirmishes were minor, they were still a nuisance. At that time, Lu Xusheng was in mourning, and on several occasions, he was ordered to the north to confront the Prince of Nan'an. They were old adversaries.

Lu Xusheng smiled, "If I lose to you with one hand, it's only natural, right?"

Essentially, Lu Xusheng had no desire to engage the Prince of Nan'an in combat.

The Prince of Nan'an couldn't let him have his way, so he decisively put one hand behind his back as well.

"I'll also use one hand. Now you have no excuse."

Lu Xusheng still had a proposal, "Here's the deal: the first one to move their other hand loses."

The Prince of Nan'an was clearly itching for a fight. Their martial arts skills were evenly matched, and if they were to truly determine a winner, they might end up destroying the Guanghan Hall. He couldn't let the emperor's birthday celebration be ruined here, so naturally, he had to find a way to defuse the situation.

The Prince of Nan'an realized Lu Xusheng had trapped him but had no choice, "Alright, I accept your terms."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Prince of Nan'an's eyes gleamed with intensity, and he launched a bare-handed strike towards Lu Xusheng's face.

Cheng Yian's heart pounded with fear,

"Your Highness, the Prince of Nan'an is absolutely vile!"

Princess Minglan held her cold wrist, "An An, stay calm. Lu Xusheng went south and survived no fewer than a hundred assassination attempts. He must be incredibly skilled to have made it back alive. He'll be fine."

With so many imperial guards around, experts were surely present to prevent the Prince of Nan'an from harming Lu Xusheng.

Cheng Yian, upon hearing "no fewer than a hundred assassination attempts," glanced at Princess Minglan, "Your Highness, you never mentioned this in your letters."

Another instance of only sharing the good news.

Princess Minglan sheepishly brushed her forehead, "What would telling you accomplish? You couldn't fight for him, and worrying wouldn't do any good. It's better for you to live comfortably at home."

Cheng Yian had no retort.

Even if she couldn't help, she couldn't live so carefree.

For the first time, Xia Fu glanced up at the stage. After all, it was her son-in-law, and she was visibly worried. She murmured to the Yunnan King,

"Your Majesty, how do you rate the Prince's skills? Does Xusheng stand a chance?"

She twisted the ring beneath her sleeve.

The Yunnan King glanced at her sleeve, guessing her intention,

"If he's outmatched, will you step in?"

Xia Fu looked at him without speaking.

She didn't care about the outcome; she just wanted to protect her son-in-law.

If Lu Xusheng were injured, An An would be devastated.

The Yunnan King shook his head, "With three distinguished guests present, don't alarm them."

Although the little snake was as fast as lightning and no one around would notice, if it were truly discovered, it would be a disaster.

Mu Xun watched with great interest, standing up and leaning on the white jade railing to observe the fight.

On the wide stage ahead, the two men moved like lightning, like flowing light. No matter how the Prince of Nan'an attacked, Lu Xusheng dodged left and right, never leaving the stage, ensuring the banquet below remained undisturbed.

The Prince of Nan'an was displeased, "Lu Xusheng, show your true skills! Don't hold back!"

"This isn't your emperor's birthday banquet, so of course, you don't need to hold back."

The Prince of Nan'an punched towards a nearby pillar, but Lu Xusheng hooked his leg, forcing him to retract his hand. The two tangled again in the center.

The Prince of Nan'an's fist techniques were fierce, while Lu Xusheng's leg techniques were even more impressive, though they took a toll on his waist.

After watching for a while, Princess Minglan casually said to Cheng Yian,

"You have quite the strong core, man."

Cheng Yian shot her a light glare.

What kind of occasion is this, and yet the Princess still finds it in her to joke with her.

The Princess laughed; there was no helping it, given her sharp eyes.

On stage, the Prince of Nan'an attacked with increasing ferocity, his brutal demeanor suggesting he wanted to crush Lu Xusheng with a single punch.

The Emperor also grew concerned, pondering whether to call a halt.

At that moment, the Prince of Nan'an aimed a punch at Lu Xusheng's midsection, forcing him to lean back. The Prince then swept his leg sideways, nearly pushing Lu Xusheng off the wide stage. At the critical moment, Lu Xusheng hooked his toes around a pillar, his slender frame teetering off the stage.

This was the perfect opportunity.

Defeating Lu Xusheng publicly today would severely undermine the authority of the Great Jin Dynasty's border army commander, humiliate the Emperor, and avenge half of his father's grievances. Thus, the Prince of Nan'an decisively leaped onto the pillar, swinging his right fist with the force of a mountain towards Lu Xusheng. Lu Xusheng dodged swiftly, stepping onto the stone railing to retreat northeast. The Prince of Nan'an seized the moment, chasing relentlessly, aiming a kick at Lu Xusheng's neck.

Just as he was about to strike Lu Xusheng, Lu Xusheng pressed his right palm against a dining table, using the force to leap away. At that moment, a young face came into view.

It was Prince Cheng, the third son of the Khan of Chehan.

The Prince of Nan'an realized he had been outmaneuvered and quickly hooked the pillar to retreat. By then, Lu Xusheng's right fist was already aimed at his waist.

The Prince of Nan'an had no choice but to block with his left hand, using the momentum to retreat to the center of the stage.

Facing the cunning Lu Xusheng, he sighed deeply, "I have lost."

He glanced at Prince Cheng, who had been frightened by his earlier punch, slipping from his seat in embarrassment, now glaring at him with gritted teeth.

The Prince of Nan'an shook his head to himself.

Lu Xusheng smiled and bowed, "I concede," before stepping down from the stage.

The Great Jin officials immediately erupted into thunderous applause.

But the Prince of Nan'an had not yet departed.

The Emperor said impatiently,

"Prince of Nan'an, do you still object?"

"It's not that I object." The Prince of Nan'an first bowed to the Emperor, then abruptly turned towards Cheng Mingyu,

"Does Your Majesty know that my aunt, Princess Mingyue, harbors feelings for Cheng Mingyu?"

The Princess's heart stirred, narrowing her eyes at the Prince of Nan'an.

Back when Cheng Mingyu was on a diplomatic mission to Northern Qi, Princess Mingyue of Northern Qi took a liking to him and insisted on keeping him as her consort. At that time, the Princess was also in the throes of youthful infatuation, defying the then Emperor's opposition, secretly leading her troops to the border to bring Cheng Mingyu back to Great Jin.

The forces of the two princesses clashed at the border, and it was only after Cheng Mingyu used a clever escape tactic that both sides ceased hostilities.

As far as the Princess knew, Princess Mingyue remained unmarried to this day.

She had more perseverance than herself.

The Princess silently sipped a cup of tea.

The emperor frowned and asked, "What does the Prince intend?"

Prince of Nan'an suddenly produced an object from beneath his robe, something resembling a conch, about the size of a palm. He placed it on the balustrade and bowed deeply to Cheng Mingyu.

"Lord Cheng, my aunt has been confined to her sickbed for a long time. Before her death, she had one wish. Back then, Lord Cheng's rendition of 'Breaking the Formation' during the military competition left my aunt in awe, as if she had witnessed a divine performance. Today, may I humbly request Lord Cheng to perform 'Breaking the Formation' once more? I will capture it in this conch and take it back to soothe my aunt's yearning."

Cheng Mingyu's brow furrowed slightly, but he remained silent.

Several deputy officials from the Censorate behind him rose in anger, pointing at Prince of Nan'an and exclaiming,

"Who do you think our Lord Cheng is? He is the chief civil official of the Great Jin Dynasty, the head of the Cheng family. Asking him to play the qin in public to console your so-called princess is nothing short of a fool's dream and an insult!"

"If you lost, accept it. Don't try to use our Lord Cheng to save face!"

"Step down, step down. As a guest, you should observe proper decorum. You are an envoy, don't disgrace your Northern Qi royal family."

Prince of Nan'an ignored their insults completely.

He clasped his hands sincerely and bowed to Cheng Mingyu once more.

"Lord Cheng, my aunt is on her deathbed. For so many years, her heart has been devoted solely to Lord Cheng. She once summoned all the qin players in Northern Qi to study 'Breaking the Formation,' but none could even approach Lord Cheng's brilliance. Her dying wish is for Lord Cheng to perform it once, to bring her solace in her final moments."

Cheng Mingyu's reputation was immense, and having him perform the qin in public would be beneath his dignity.

The emperor didn't even think before refusing.

"Prince of Nan'an, this is excessive. I will overlook it given your unfamiliarity. Step down."

But Prince of Nan'an had no intention of giving up. He cupped his hands towards the emperor and said to Cheng Mingyu,

"Lord Cheng, to be frank, today is His Majesty's birthday. Even if not for my aunt, as a subject, it would be fitting for you to offer a performance in celebration of His Majesty's birthday, would it not?"

The emperor, seeing Prince of Nan'an using him as a shield, was furious.

"Guards, Prince of Nan'an is intoxicated. Escort him to rest."

Immediately, eunuchs stepped forward. One seized the conch and hurled it aside, while the other two forcibly removed Prince of Nan'an from the stage.

Prince of Nan'an was reluctantly escorted away.

This matter should have concluded there, but unexpectedly, Cheng Mingyu rose and slowly approached the center of the stage, bowing to the emperor with his sleeves folded.

"Your Majesty, today is Your Majesty's birthday. I have no other gift to present, but I am willing to perform a piece on the qin to entertain Your Majesty."

The emperor thought he was being forced. "Lord Cheng, there's no need..."

But Cheng Mingyu's tone was firm. "I am serious."

The emperor was shocked.

The hall fell silent.

In recent years, Cheng Mingyu had rarely appeared at banquets, let alone shared his calligraphy or poetry. Whenever Princess Minglan was present, he always found excuses to avoid her. The emperor knew how proud Cheng Mingyu was. The late emperor had once asked for his calligraphy to gift to his sister, but Cheng Mingyu refused.

And today, not only had he come, but he was also willing to play the qin in public.

The emperor found it unbelievable.

"Lord Cheng, are you jesting with me?"

Cheng Mingyu shook his head to indicate that he had no objections.

The Crown Prince, as if remembering something, suddenly smiled and said,

"Your Majesty, Cheng Gong is a renowned music master of our era. Since he is willing to celebrate Your Majesty's birthday, why not let us also share in the joy and cleanse our ears?"

To be honest, when Cheng Mingyu was on a diplomatic mission to Northern Qi, his qin-playing skills were highly praised by the Northern Qi people. Later, when the soldiers of the Great Jin Dynasty returned to the capital, they revered the piece "Po Zhen Zi" that helped them defeat the enemy as celestial music. Everyone was incredibly curious about his talents.

Who wouldn't want to see Cheng Mingyu play the qin?

The ladies seated at the back were restless with anticipation,

"Father must have been pressured by that Northern Qi man," Cheng Yiqiao said indignantly.

"Not necessarily," Cheng Yixin said, sensing something unusual about her father today. "When Father went out today, I saw Uncle Jiao carrying his Jiao Wei Qin (a type of qin) onto the carriage."

Cheng Yiqiao was surprised, "Could it be that Father anticipated that the Prince of Nan'an would challenge him?"

Cheng Yixin shrugged.

Seeing this, the Prince of Nan'an was delighted and promptly stood up to ask,

"Cheng Gong, are you planning to play 'Po Zhen Zi'?"

Cheng Mingyu had already set up the qin table, and the Jiao Wei Qin was also brought to the stage. He slowly took his seat behind the qin table, his gaze fixed ahead, slightly lost in thought,

"'Po Zhen Zi'—I haven't played it in years and have long since forgotten it. Today, amidst such a splendid scene, I shall play 'Xi Jiang Yue'."

His long, fair fingers rested on the qin strings, and with a gentle touch, a series of enchanting melodies emerged.

Xia Fu, I vowed to play 'Xi Jiang Yue' for you the next time we met.

It has been nineteen years since we parted.

The promise of the past, I, Cheng Mingyu, have come to fulfill today.