Hong'an Xiangzhuang - 13

Hong'an Xiangzhuang - 13

On the fifth day of the eleventh month, before dawn, Yun Yixia, dressed in the stars and moon, rode in a carriage into the main gate of the imperial city.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone road, the sound echoing in the empty imperial city.

Yun Yixia lifted a corner of the curtain and saw the outline of the palace gradually becoming clear in the distance, with its vermilion walls and black tiles gleaming with a cold, hard luster under the palace lanterns.

Today's banquet will be held in the Linde Hall. It will begin at noon and, as is customary, will continue until evening.

The carriage stopped, and Zheng An walked over to lift the curtain for Yun Yixia.

"May Princess Kang be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and good health!"

"Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Zheng!"

Yun Yixia, dressed in plain clothes, disembarked from the carriage and boarded the palanquin.

"Can the Imperial Kitchen prepare roasted meat and mare's milk wine?"

"As you instructed, we have prepared thirty catties each of venison and mutton, ten jars of mare's milk wine, and also prepared strong liquor for the Khitan envoy to taste."

"The Music and Dance Department's 'Qin King's Battle Song' must not have the slightest error!"

"The geisha rehearsed until midnight last night, and they have memorized the material perfectly."

...

Yun Yixia walked around asking questions, making sure the person in charge became familiar with Bai Wei, Shaoyao, and Mujin.

She will soon be wearing the royal crown, weighing several tens of kilograms, which will make it inconvenient to coordinate with various parties.

The placement of incense burners, the height of candlesticks, the seating arrangement, and the display of ritual objects in the hall...

Yun Yixia walked through every corner of Linde Hall to make sure the carpet was flat and wrinkle-free, the screens were not obstructing the view, and she sat in the guest seats to ensure that she could clearly see the performance in the hall.

The side rooms behind Linde Hall were reserved for guests to change clothes and rest, while Yun Yixia did her hair in the outermost room.

She sat before the bronze mirror, letting the palace maids press pearls onto her brow. Her twelve-pleated skirt spread out like a full moon, each pleat concealing a silver-thread embroidered pattern of linked pearls and paired geese.

The outermost layer was covered by a light blue gauze robe with wide sleeves, the cuffs cut into an arc where the sky and water meet, and a waist belt with a phoenix holding a honeysuckle vine accentuated her narrow waist.

"Princess Consort Kang, it's time to put on your crown."

"Um!"

Yun Yixia tilted her head slightly, and the seven-jeweled jade crown slowly landed on her coiled hair bun. The gold-inlaid technique used agate and glass to create a peony scroll pattern, and nine strings of pearls hung down from the hair ornament, the longest of which swayed close to her earlobe.

As she finished her makeup, her neck began to ache. When she stood up, her long sleeves flowed like mercury, leaving a trailing shadow on the lapis lazuli floor.

With everything prepared, Yun Yixia took a deep breath and headed towards Linde Hall.

Civil and military officials entered one after another, and courtiers chatted in twos and threes.

Amidst the buzzing murmurs, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs announced loudly: "The Emperor and Empress have arrived!!!"

The hall was silent, and the officials knelt in worship. Zhao Yunxian led the Empress into the hall and ascended the dragon throne.

Another announcement came from outside the door: "The Khitan envoy has arrived!"

A group of more than ten people strode in, with the Khitan envoy at the head being a burly man whose sharp eagle eyes swept across the room.

He was dressed in traditional Khitan clothing, with a curved sword at his waist, and his gait was powerful and imposing, forming a stark contrast with the refined and scholarly officials in the hall.

Zhao Yunkang sat down next to Yun Yixia, carefully observing Yelü Hong, and then gasped.

If he hadn't known that the real person had died in his own back alley, he would never have imagined that the Khitan envoy in front of him had a different soul.

Their language, actions, and expressions were exactly the same as those of the Khitans behind them.

"Khitan envoy Yelü Hong, on the orders of my lord, pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Daqing."

He spoke Mandarin with a heavy accent, saying "Greetings" but his eyes held a defiant glint.

"Please take a seat!"

Zhao Yunxian slightly raised his hand, and the eunuch immediately stepped forward to lead the Khitan envoy to his seat.

The palace banquet officially began, and palace maids filed in, presenting one delicious dish after another to the table.

As the music began, dancers gracefully entered the hall. The powerful and stirring "Qin King's Battle Music" recreated the might of the Daqing army.

"The Daqing song and dance performances are beautiful, but they are too soft!"

Yelü Zongzhen did not touch his chopsticks, but picked up the mare's milk wine and drank it all in one gulp, then slammed the bowl down heavily.

The hall fell silent, the singing and dancing ceased, and Zhang Qing subtly waved his hand, signaling for the dancers to be taken away.

What is the envoy's intention?

Zhao Yunxian remained expressionless, propping his elbows on the low table, and looked at Yelü Hong with a quiet gaze, while glancing at the Kang Prince and his wife out of the corner of his eye.

The two sat side by side behind the rosewood crescent table, no more than a fist's distance apart.

The hem of the dark robe with its intricate lion-patterned design draped over the ripped skirt, creating an ambiguous and indistinct effect.

“We Khitan people are born on horseback and raised on bowstrings; we cannot bear to look at such soft and flimsy things.”

I propose a real contest!

I have long admired the bravery of the men of Daqing; I wonder if they would be willing to have a contest with my Khitan warriors?

Yelü Hong looked around, deliberately avoiding looking at Princess Kang.

Why not?

Zhao Yunxian looked down at the generals below, and one of them stepped forward to volunteer for battle.

"good!"

Yelü Hong clapped his hands, and a strong Khitan man stepped forward from behind him. He was over eight feet tall, and his arms were as thick as a normal person's calves.

The hall was cleared, and the generals and Khitan strongmen each held bows and arrows, their target being the copper coin hole a hundred paces away.

The light cast shadows on the pillars of the Panlong Hall. The two men stood apart, having removed their outer garments to make it easier to draw their bows and shoot arrows.

The military general in the east wore a black robe that clung tightly to his undulating muscles, subtly revealing his full, rounded figure.

He stood sideways, his left hand gripping an iron-backed bow, his right hand holding the string with three fingers. As the bowstring was pulled back inch by inch, his arm muscles bulged, and his six-pack abs were faintly visible under the fabric.

The Khitan strongmen to the west bared their right shoulder, wearing only a deerskin wrapped diagonally across their chest and back, with a leather belt fastened on their left shoulder, their large bronze skin gleaming with a wild luster.

When drawing the bow, the muscles of his entire upper body bulge and jut out, with veins like the roots of an old tree winding upwards.

"Buzz!"

"Boom!"

Two bowstrings twanged almost simultaneously. The general's arrow flew like a meteor, unstoppable; the Khitan strongman's arrow, accompanied by the sound of wind breaking, swooped down like a raptor, with great force and weight.

All eyes were fixed on the sturdy figures on the field, both sides hoping for a victory.

Yun Yixia leaned forward, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, staring intently at them.

Zhao Yunkang initially watched the competition in the arena, but out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at his princess and saw that she was watching intently with a burning gaze.

He picked up his teacup and took a small sip, glancing at her as his eyes drifted over the rim of the cup.

No response!

Zhao Yunkang put down his teacup and tugged at Yun Yixia's sleeve with two fingers under the table. She instinctively pulled her sleeve back and focused intently on the competition between the two countries.

His gaze returned to the arena, his eyes no longer showing interest in the competition, only a melancholy look of being ignored.

"uh-huh!"

Zhao Yunkang clenched his fist and held it to his lips, clearing his throat, successfully attracting Yun Yixia's attention.

"Your Highness?"

The admiration in her almond-shaped eyes had not yet faded, mixed with a hint of bewilderment at being disturbed.

"I accidentally choked!"

He loosened his fist from his lips, tapped his fingertips on his knee, and looked into her bright almond-shaped eyes. He tried to hold back, but couldn't.

Is it really that good-looking?

"Um?"

Yun Yixia's eyes widened even more, and she subconsciously turned her head to look at the two men shooting arrows, but Zhao Yunkang grabbed her chin and wouldn't let her move.

In a short while, the results of the competition were in.

The general hit the target twice out of three arrows, while the Khitan strongman hit it three times out of three arrows.

The Khitans have won.

"Khitan men learn to draw a bow at the age of three and ride a horse at the age of five; everyone is skilled in archery."

However, the competition inside the hall couldn't be fully utilized, so the defeat of the Daqing general was understandable.

Yelü Hong laughed heartily, his eagle eyes fixed arrogantly on the man on the dragon throne.

Zhao Yunxian raised his eyebrows, signaling Yelü Hong to continue.

"Your Majesty, why not hold a winter hunt and let the heroes be judged by the number of prey they catch? Let the Khitans witness the true skill of Daqing's horsemanship and archery!"

What does Your Majesty think of my idea?

Yelü Hong stared directly at Zhao Yunxian, their gazes clashing in mid-air, sparks flying, the atmosphere tense and fraught with tension.

"Excellent!"

Zhao Yunxian kept his emotions hidden, his hands clenched into fists in his sleeves, annoyed that the Khitan envoy was ungrateful.

When Prince Kang led his troops to a crushing defeat of the Khitan, and the Khitan sued for peace, it was Prince Kang who, in order to downplay Prince Kang's military achievements, transformed "suing for peace" into "negotiating peace."

Now that the Khitan envoy has made a request, he feels that if he doesn't agree, it would seem like he lacks the magnanimity of a great power; but if he does agree, he feels frustrated.

"A hunt will be held in the western suburbs in half a month. May this competition be a new beginning for friendship between the two countries."

"Your Majesty is wise!"

The courtiers echoed in unison, and Yelü Hong raised his cup to toast them, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly.

The banquet continued, but the atmosphere could never be the same as before; subtle tensions lurked beneath the clinking of glasses.

After achieving his goal, Yelü Hong sat down to drink and eat meat, lecherously staring at the women on the dance floor.

With foreign enemies around, the court officials banded together, with civil and military officials gathering to discuss how to humiliate the Khitan envoys during the hunt.

As the banquet drew to a close, the Khitan envoys took their leave, and the court officials, exhausted, also requested to leave.

Zhao Yunxian summoned Prince Kang and his wife to the imperial study, offered them seats, and then looked at them with a smile, immediately setting a trap for them.

"Princess Consort Kang, the banquet today was very well organized!" He leaned back in his chair. "Whom did you prefer to watch during the archery competition inside the hall?"

"Your Majesty!" Yun Yixia lowered her eyes, "I didn't see it very clearly!"

Why couldn't I see it clearly?

"Your Majesty, what do you need me to see clearly?" Yun Yixia asked softly, "I will definitely take a good look at the winter hunt in half a month!"

When you brothers are fighting, can you please not drag me into it?

Yun Yixia used Zhao Yunkang to shield herself from half of the body, keeping her head down and speaking tactfully, making it impossible for anyone to find fault with her.

"Princess Consort Kang, you really know how to talk!"

Before Zhao Yunxian could say anything more, Zhao Yunkang interrupted him.

"Brother, is there anything you need us to do?"

Zhao Yunkang took half a step forward, completely blocking Yun Yixia.

"It's nothing!" Zhao Yunxian's smile faded. "Are you confident you can beat them during the winter hunt?"

"Brother, please rest assured!"

Zhao Yunxian bowed respectfully, his tall figure completely blocking Yun Yixia from view.

"You can go back now!"

Zhao Yunxian waved his hand, watching the Prince Kang and his wife leave with an inscrutable expression.

They rode in a palanquin out of the imperial city and changed to a horse-drawn carriage. The moment the curtain was lowered, Zhao Yunkang was squeezed into a corner by the four of them.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

"Get it down right now!"

"My neck is about to break!"

Yun Yixia lowered her voice and urged her friend on; she had never been this tired even when working at her desk for a whole day and night before.

Bai Wei deftly removed the hair ornament, Shao Yao helped her take off her clothes, and Mu Jin wrapped her arms around her neck to massage her sore muscles.

In a flurry of activity, Yun Yixia changed into her usual attire, while her three maids went to the back carriage to tidy up her jewelry and dress.

"Your Highness, I'm so sorry!"

Yun Yixia moved around, stretching her arms, legs, and neck, feeling as if she could shed fifty pounds of weight.

Are you that tired?

Zhao Yunkang sat back in the center and reached out to massage the back of her neck. Judging from the stiffness, it must have taken a lot of force.

"Your Highness, I..."

"Sit still!"

Yun Yixia keenly sensed that Zhao Yunkang seemed to be in a bad mood, so she obediently sat back down and did not try to get away again.