After Being Mistakenly Taken for a Fellow Traveler by Emperor Long Aotian - Chapter 136

Chapter 136: The Unforgettable Northern Wei Banquet

 

The envoy from Northern Wei arrived in the capital yesterday. A week earlier, the emperor had mentioned this matter to Zhou Xun. However, Zhou Xun had been busy with the financial records all day and had no time to inquire further about it.

 

“The envoy from Northern Wei this time is Prince Kang, the seventh prince of Northern Wei,” the guard said to Zhou Xun inside the carriage.

 

“Is he the emperor’s most favored younger brother?” Zhou Xun furrowed his brow.

 

He had heard of the notorious reputation of this prince. The prince was extremely overbearing and often rode his horse through the streets, creating a commotion. If he only behaved like this within Northern Wei, it might have been tolerable, but even outside the country, he couldn’t contain his nature. Yet, the emperor of Northern Wei spoiled this brother greatly, which only fueled his arrogance.

 

Among the many scandals surrounding him, the most famous was the incident with the Kingdom of New Moon. The Kingdom of New Moon, a small nation located between Northern Wei and Jing Country, was known for its music and fine wine. Though weak in military power, it had lived in peace for many years. Prince Kang got into a quarrel with the prince of New Moon and, accompanied by Northern Wei’s infamous General Li, flattened the country. Not only was New Moon turned to ashes, but its royal family was also taken captive.

 

This was enough to show the prince’s infamous reputation.

 

Zhou Xun was pondering this when the guard spoke again, “Master Zhou need not worry, I’m sure the emperor must have…”

 

“The emperor must have…”

 

The guard: …

 

Zhou Xun: …

 

They were both stunned by the sight before them.

 

The grand Taiji Palace, used to host banquets for officials and foreign envoys, was decorated with festive red banners and flags fluttering in the wind. A long red carpet stretched from the palace gates to the hall, with flower baskets made of wooden slats on either side, and colorful petals scattered on the carpet as if someone was walking beside it, tossing the petals from a bamboo basket…

 

In addition to this, there were suspicious scraps of red paper scattered around, looking like remnants of firecrackers. Zhou Xun then looked up and saw the Taiji Palace was adorned with more red flags, and on the main hall in the distance hung a red banner that read, “Long-lasting Friendship between the Two Nations.”

 

Zhou Xun: …

 

“The emperor is in the imperial garden with Prince Kang,” a eunuch ran over from the distance and said, “Master Zhou, please go in and take your seat.”

 

“Mm.”

 

He didn’t want to think about what peculiar sights awaited him in the imperial garden.

 

Soon after, when Zhou Xun and the other officials sat down for the banquet, he saw the emperor and Prince Kang entering. The emperor returned to his seat and, seeing Zhou Xun staring at him, looked back and gave him an unbothered smile.

 

… Zhou Xun shifted his gaze.

 

It was not until a small incense stick had burned down that Prince Kang appeared. He was tall and handsome, but there was a look of someone who had been drained by indulgence, with a fierce, wolf-like greediness in his gaze. However…

 

There was still a petal stuck in his hairpin that hadn’t been removed.

 

Zhou Xun: … Pfft.

 

He subtly shifted his gaze away. But the next moment, he saw that there was someone standing next to Prince Kang.

 

From a distance, he could only see a young man in a crimson gauze robe, with black hair cascading down like a plaything kneeling beside Prince Kang. Zhou Xun couldn’t see his face, only his bare neck and collarbones visible through the open robe. On his neck, there was vaguely a chain emerging from his dark hair, the other end held by Prince Kang.

 

Zhou Xun narrowed his eyes slightly. As he was contemplating the identity of the young man, he saw the young man briefly lift his eyes and look towards him.

 

The young man appeared to be between adolescence and young adulthood, with skin as white as snow and eyes a faint amber. When he looked over, his cat-like eyes showed no emotion.

 

Soon, Prince Kang tugged at the chain. He seemed to say something to the young man, and the young man’s frosty face finally showed a change. He lowered his head, seemingly submitting once again.

 

Just before the banquet started, Zhou Xun recalled something. In the Kingdom of New Moon, located in the oasis, both men and women seemed to have amber-colored eyes. And when General Li captured the New Moon princess, who was known for her musical talent and referred to as the “pearl of the oasis,” her younger brother…

 

As he was thinking, he felt a chill down his spine.

 

Zhou Xun looked up and saw that Prince Kang, sitting opposite him, was also staring at him with a malicious sneer in his eyes.

 

The banquet then began. The emperor raised his cup, “Today, we gather here to celebrate the arrival of our dear friend, Prince Kang of Northern Wei. As we all know, Northern Wei is a cold land with little arable land, but they excel in herding. Let us all wish for eternal friendship between Jing Country and Northern Wei! May our lives shine brightly!”

 

With that, everyone raised their glasses and drank. Zhou Xun drank his wine and then heard Prince Kang’s provocative voice, “I heard that Jing Country is vast and rich in resources. But I wonder, how are the songs and dances of the southern water towns? Can they compare to the beautiful dances of the Hu women in Northern Wei’s imperial palace?”

 

“No need to be modest, we’ve prepared something special for you. We don’t put on those superficial, face-seeing performances, but we guarantee that it’s full of Jing Country’s unique charm,” the emperor replied, laughing heartily and clapping his hands. “Come, bring on the show!”

 

Prince Kang: ?

 

He had prepared himself for a provoking remark from the emperor, thinking he would have the chance to retort. He had no high opinion of the southern dances, having seen many similar performances on his journey from Northern Wei, finding them rather weak. Surely, nothing could compare to the fiery, passionate dances of the Hu women in Northern Wei’s imperial palace…

 

But the next moment, the eyes of Prince Kang nearly popped out of their sockets.

 

He trembled, “What is this?”

 

“Dragon and lion dance, Jing Country’s traditional performance,” the emperor said cheerfully. “Come, give him a show! Nietzsche once said, ‘A day without dancing is a day wasted.'”

 

Prince Kang: …

 

He stared in disbelief at the chaotic scene in the banquet hall, where yellow lion heads were being waved around by several muscular men. The officials from Jing Country remained perfectly still, as if they were accustomed to such a spectacle.

 

Eventually, the lion head kept following him, dancing near him. As Prince Kang tried to avoid it, he saw two hands reach out from inside the lion head. He was about to call for his guards when…

 

A massive flower wreath was suddenly thrown over his neck with lightning speed.

 

Prince Kang: … ?!

 

A flower wreath, dragon and lion dances… What kind of emperor would host such a program in the palace! Could the rumors about the tyrannical emperor of Jing country have originated from this?

 

“Alright, the dance and music are finished, now for the next program, a poetry recital,” Xiao Lizi also stood beside the emperor and loudly announced.

 

Dozens of men and women dressed in black and white entered the palace, and Prince Kang almost spilled his wine as his hand shook. He nearly called for the hidden guards. The performers marched in with great force and then recited a poem in unison…

 

“Drinking Song.”

 

“The waters of the Yellow River come from the sky, rushing to the sea, never to return. Originally, we were going to recite ‘Ode to the Yellow River,’ but alas, I can’t remember it,” the emperor said, shaking his head, raising his wine cup to Prince Kang, “Let’s drink! Don’t stop! Come, brother, bottoms up!”

 

Prince Kang: …

 

He realized he couldn’t interrupt the emperor’s rhythm and was instead forced into the neurotic pace of this absurd event. Soon after, another group appeared, holding pipa instruments and singing a song called “Blue and White Porcelain.” The emperor smiled faintly and commented, “This is a must-see program for every time traveler.”

 

Zhou Xun: …

 

Next, there was a skit titled “Selling Crutches,” where several elderly men took the stage and performed a story. Then, there was something called “Er’ Ren Zhuan” (a traditional performance style). The emperor watched with great enjoyment and said to Prince Kang, “Well, what do you think? Do you have a deeper understanding of our Jing country now?”

 

Prince Kang: …

 

Prince Kang felt like blood was about to burst from his throat.

 

This script is wrong! Why are there no dancers in fluttering sleeves? Why are there no old men sitting to the side playing the sheng? Why are there no musicians playing the qin??

 

What is this nonsense??

 

At this moment, Zhou Xun glanced at the emperor. The emperor noticed his gaze, winked at him, and gave him a mysterious smile.

 

Zhou Xun: …

 

Okay, he understood now. This whole ordeal was deliberately set up by the emperor to torment Prince Kang.

 

Finally, after a normal dance performance, the stage seemed to return to normal. Prince Kang’s attendants from Northern Wei saw the graceful dancing girls in the dance hall and nearly burst into tears. At this moment, Prince Kang sneered.

 

“Jing country’s dancers and singers…” He finally didn’t feel guilty saying this. Earlier, when watching the elderly men perform the skit, he had felt awkward saying anything like this, “Their skills are certainly good, but I wonder about the emperor’s concubines. I’ve heard that the emperor has many concubines. I wonder…”

 

He tugged at the chain in his hand, and with the sound of the chain, the young man, who had been kneeling on the ground, was forced to raise his head. “How do his talents compare to this slave, whom I bought for ten thousand taels of silver?”

 

The atmosphere in the hall immediately fell silent. Prince Kang’s words were undoubtedly offensive, likening the emperor’s concubines to a slave. He laughed loudly, enjoying the silence, then reached out to touch the young man’s pale face and said with a cold smile, “This slave used to be that prince from that country… New Moon Kingdom? I only killed a few lowly people from New Moon, and he dared to whip me in front of everyone. Later, New Moon was destroyed, of course, we let some of the more obedient royal family members go, but they still owe us millions of taels in reparations. We searched the entire treasury of New Moon, but we couldn’t find that much silver.”

 

“Guess what? They decided to pay us with people—ordinary people cost five taels, nobles a hundred taels. Oh, his sister, the princess of New Moon, was sold for eight thousand taels, sold to the notorious General Li of Northern Wei. But he was more expensive than his sister,” Prince Kang continued, pinching the young man’s chin, smiling wickedly, “He sold for a full ten thousand taels, once he was the crown prince of New Moon… Come on, ten thousand taels, give me a smile?”

 

The young man’s snow-white face stared at him, and after a long time, he smiled slightly.

 

“His sister was good at playing the pipa, and he was once good at playing the guqin, but now he has a unique style of dancing the pipa dance. Even slaves are like this, I wonder what the emperor’s concubines can do? How about we have a competition?” Prince Kang said, looking provocatively at the emperor, “Surely the emperor, as the ruler of a great country, wouldn’t lack such tolerance?”

 

The young man lowered his head again, his eyes empty of any emotion.

 

The palace was silent, seemingly everyone was stunned by his lewd words. Prince Kang was about to smirk and enjoy the silence he had caused when he suddenly realized…

 

Everyone wasn’t looking at him??

 

They were all looking at the emperor?

 

And in their eyes, there was fear and reverence for the emperor of Jing country??

 

Prince Kang: ??

 

He heard the emperor say softly, “Since that’s the case, bring out the eleven most skilled concubines in the palace, starting with Li Zhaoyi.”

 

“Your Majesty!” He heard the emperor’s trusted eunuch speak in a hurried, fearful tone, “Your Majesty, please don’t, what if something goes wrong…”

 

“Prince Kang wants to see a talent competition, so let them come out and compete. Let them show their best skills,” the emperor said.

 

“Good!” Prince Kang quickly applauded, laughing loudly for everyone to hear, “Eleven concubines right off the bat! The emperor of Jing country indeed has a big heart! In that case, I’ll have some of my dancers come out too!”

 

He wanted to make sure there was no possibility of him backing out!

 

As time passed, Prince Kang could clearly feel the increasingly tense atmosphere. He smirked, looking at the slave sitting beside him, grabbed his hair, and whispered in his ear, “Perform well, Xiaoxue, and tonight I’ll make sure you suffer less.”

 

But the young man only gave him a cold look and sneered.

 

Prince Kang’s anger flared again. This person always made him furious, no matter when—whether it was when he wore princely clothes and mercilessly whipped him back in New Moon, or now when he was a captive whose life and death were completely under Prince Kang’s control.

 

He always wanted to break this person, to crush him, to make him beg and stay obedient by his side. It seemed that only when this person was on the verge of breaking, unable to even speak coherently, did Prince Kang feel a brief sense of satisfaction deep inside, feeling that this person was truly in his grasp. For this reason, he had used all kinds of humiliation against him. That’s why this once-proud prince of New Moon, now just a slave named “Xiaoxue,” had become so much more obedient to him.

 

But it still wasn’t enough. Prince Kang always felt it wasn’t enough.

 

He didn’t understand what he truly wanted, but he just felt that forcing him like this wasn’t enough.

 

Prince Kang stopped talking to him, as footsteps came from outside the palace. After some low whispers, a palace maid entered and whispered to the emperor. The emperor then said, “Since that’s the case, let them come one by one.”

 

With a clap of his hands, he said, “Show your talents!”

 

As soon as the emperor finished speaking, Prince Kang looked toward the entrance, wanting to see what the emperor’s concubines were really like.

 

The outside sky seemed to instantly turn dark, and the twilight that had been shining through the palace windows disappeared.

 

Was it going to rain? Prince Kang wondered.

 

Then…

 

He saw a soccer ball roll in and stop in the center of the dance floor.

 

Next, a man entered, doing somersaults as he spun around the entire dance floor. His movements were so fast and intense that Prince Kang was left dumbfounded.

 

What the hell is this??

 

But his shock was far from over. The next moment, he saw the man do another somersault and reach the soccer ball. He grabbed it and began to perform ball control.

 

Then, the second and third men entered, all of them strong and broad-shouldered. They all started to…

 

Perform… passing???

 

Meanwhile, two other men dragged a large stone into the hall. One of them actually lay down on the ground while the other picked up a hammer.

 

Prince Kang: ?????