The Blood Crown - Chapter 46

The Emperor’s birthday was a national celebration, and Emperor Zhaowu was known for his extravagance. Every year on his birthday, he spared no expense, and this year, as he turned a perfect forty, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Before dawn, Emperor Zhaowu, accompanied by his entire family and the civil and military officials of the court, went to the Temple of Heaven to offer sacrifices and bathe the Buddha. Simultaneously, throughout the entire country, there was a one-day ban on slaughter, and within the capital, the entire city was celebrating his birthday. Outside the palace walls, there were offerings of vegetarian food and feasts laid out along the streets, spanning for dozens of miles, attracting over ten thousand people who came to witness and partake.

The ceremony at the Temple of Heaven lasted until the afternoon, and the court officials stood under the scorching sun for a full five hours. Some of the elderly officials, weakened by age, fainted two or three times.

Yan Sikong stood at the very back, chanting a calming mantra while keeping an eye on Fēng Yě. He noticed that Fēng Yě turned his head several times, clearly looking for him. He counted how many times Fēng Yě had turned his head in search of him and found that it happened a total of sixteen times. The ceremony wasn’t as dull as he had thought.

After the ceremony, they returned to the palace for the evening banquet.

This year, Emperor Zhaowu used his birthday as an opportunity to pray for the people suffering from flooding along both banks of the Yellow River. Therefore, the banquet was a completely vegetarian feast. Yan Sikong couldn’t help but mock the extravagant Emperor. The cost of the birthday celebration was in the tens of thousands of silver taels, and he wondered how it could genuinely alleviate the suffering of the common people.

On the way back to the palace, Yan Sikong and Liáng Suí walked side by side, chatting about the birthday gifts they had prepared. Suddenly, Yan Sikong felt someone approaching from behind. He was just about to turn around when a strong hand grasped his shoulder, and a familiar scent filled his senses. It was a unique scent, a mixture of Fēng Yě’s natural aroma with a hint of the fragrance of wormwood. It was as refreshing as a meadow after the rain, with every blade of grass brimming with vitality.

Yan Sikong turned to find Fēng Yě smiling at him. Under the evening sun, his skin appeared as translucent as jade.

“Oh, my lord,” Liáng Suí greeted with a respectful nod.

Fēng Yě nodded, “Have the two of you been tired?”

Liáng Suí forced a smile, “Not too much, not too much.”

“Mr. Yan, could you spare a moment to help me review the congratulatory message for any errors?”

Yan Sikong replied respectfully, “I am at your service, Your Highness.”

Fēng Yě led Yan Sikong to a quiet corner and whispered, “Where were you standing today? I’ve been looking for you.”

“Why were you looking for me?” Yan Sikong’s lips curled. He counted how many times Fēng Yě had looked for him – sixteen times in total.

“I was worried you might faint from the heat and wanted to send someone with water.”

Yan Sikong chuckled, “I’m not that weak.”

Fēng Yě touched his cheek, “Look at you, your face is all red from the sun. Eat more tonight after the banquet is over. I’ll come find you, and I’ll escort you back.”

“Alright,” Yan Sikong asked, “Did the scouts find anything?”

“The Wala always send people to spy, so this time was nothing special.”

Yan Sikong nodded, “That’s good.”

“Is there nothing else you want to say to me?”

Yan Sikong blinked his eyes, “Are you referring to…”

Fēng Yě scoffed, slightly displeased, “You don’t miss me even after just two days?”

Yan Sikong couldn’t hold back his laughter, “Only two days apart.”

Fēng Yě touched his chin, “So, does that mean you’ll miss me if we’re apart for more days?”

Yan Sikong finally laughed, “I can’t make daily trips to and from the Jing Shan Camp, so, you don’t miss me if we’re apart for more days…”

Fēng Yě huffed, “I’ll bring you up the mountain if you don’t miss me.”

Yan Sikong couldn’t help but glance around and coughed softly, “Keep your voice down.”

Fēng Yě grinned, undeterred, “I’ll be staying in the city for a few days. I’ll come to see you after the banquet ends.”

Yan Sikong’s lips curled, and he adjusted his attire before striding into the Baohe Hall.

The birthday celebration began with Emperor Zhaowu reciting the sacred teachings, not aimed at the court officials, but rather at himself. The words he recited were mostly self-deprecating, praising his virtues and expressing his responsibilities to the heavens and the people.

Following that, Eunuch Xie Zhongren from the Office of Ceremonies, in charge of the Imperial Seal, recited Emperor Zhaowu’s achievements. Yan Sikong listened with an indifferent expression, and he had to join the chorus of cheers, shouting “Long live the Emperor.”

Afterwards, the feast of music and dance began, and the court officials could finally catch their breath and fill their stomachs after a long day of fasting.

Yan Sikong was chatting and laughing with his colleagues, but his mind was calculating. If Ali was riding hard, he should be close to Qingyang by now.

As the dance and music paused, officials from the Ministry of Rites held long scrolls and began reading out the birthday gifts from foreign envoys, princes, and courtiers. Each time a gift was mentioned, the young eunuchs would present it. If the gift was particularly grand, they would bring it in.

Of course, not everyone had the opportunity to present their birthday gifts personally to the Emperor. However, it was an essential ritual for the Crown Prince. After all the gifts had been displayed to Emperor Zhaowu, Chen He, the Crown Prince, stepped forward with the scroll in his hands. He walked to the front of the dais and knelt before the Emperor.

“Your son wishes His Majesty, the Emperor, a long life as boundless as the eastern sea. May His Majesty live for ten thousand years—”

Emperor Zhaowu was in a particularly good mood that day and responded with a smile, “Rise, my son.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Empress Xu inquired, “What precious gift has our Crown Prince prepared for Your Majesty?”

At the banquet, the gaze of hundreds of officials fell upon Chen Mu.

Chen Mu held his head high, and his handsome young face carried an undeniable air of nobility. He answered confidently, “Your son has written a poem for Your Majesty.”

There was an astonished murmur throughout the hall. Among the many splendid birthday gifts, the Crown Prince, who was the future Emperor, had only presented a poem, which seemed rather inadequate.

Emperor Zhaowu, however, wore a satisfied smile and said, “Good. Come, Chen Mu, recite it for me.”

Chen Mu slowly unrolled the scroll, cleared his throat, and began to recite the poem.

The poem was filled with restrained yet sincere praise, and it was clear that Chen Mu held deep admiration for his father. It was not excessively flattering, but it left a refreshing feeling. Although the language at times was somewhat immature, it did not diminish the overall effect. It left a lasting impression of Chen Mu’s genuine emotions.

When the poem concluded, Yan Zilian, the chief of the Grand Secretariat, led the applause, and the court officials followed suit, applauding to show their appreciation.

Yan Sikong wore a satisfied smile.

Emperor Zhaowu’s face beamed with joy, “Chen Mu, your knowledge has greatly improved.”

Yan Zilian knelt and praised, “Your Majesty, although the Crown Prince’s poem may still carry traces of immaturity in its construction, his talent should not be underestimated. What’s most important is the genuine affection and admiration contained in this poem. Hearing it, I can’t help but be moved.” He ended his statement with a quavering voice.

“Yes, it’s a splendid poem. The Crown Prince’s sincere and childlike heart is worth more than countless treasures.”

The hall resounded with admiration.

Officials aligned with the Second Prince couldn’t hide their displeasure.

The birthday banquet continued until midnight. The officials were all tired, and after the banquet, they hurriedly returned home.

Yan Sikong walked out of the hall at his own pace, thinking that the new historical records had already been submitted, and they would be made public the next day. Cai Zhongfan would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to attack Wang Shengsheng’s reputation, and the court would inevitably face a storm. Whether it would be a violent tempest or a gentle drizzle was something he couldn’t predict. However, even if he didn’t achieve his goal, it was worth trying. Sooner or later, he would overturn the clouds and rain.

“Sikong,” he heard a voice from behind.

Yan Sikong paused and turned to see his teacher. They walked side by side, and Yan Sikong spoke in a low voice, “Teacher.”

Yan Zilian walked over and asked, “Did you write the poem for the Crown Prince?”

Yan Sikong smiled faintly, “Nothing can escape your notice, Teacher.”

Yan Zilian stroked his beard and smiled, “The poem was flawless, and the Crown Prince lacks such talent. He might be too rigid to accomplish such a task. Besides you, who else could it be?”

Yan Sikong appeared somewhat uneasy, “Did I do something wrong?”

“You did very well. In the future, you must continue to assist the Crown Prince with all your heart.”

“I understand.”

“By the way,” Yan Zilian seemed to remember something, “I heard you’ve been getting close to the Crown Prince of Jingyuan lately?”

Yan Sikong diverted the conversation, “The Crown Prince graciously accepted my friendship, and we’ve had a drink together.”

“Hmm, good.” Yan Zilian stopped and patted Yan Sikong’s shoulder, “Si Kong, I have high hopes for you. Don’t let me down.”

“Yes.”

The two of them walked outside the palace, and they saw Fēng Yě leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for Yan Sikong.

Yan Sikong explained, “It’s quite late now, so I asked the Crown Prince to give me a ride.”

Fēng Yě raised an eyebrow, “Is that so?”

Yan Sikong reassured him, “I wanted to wait for you in a less crowded place.”

Fēng Yě snorted, “Is that really the reason?”

“Of course it is.”

Fēng Yě raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

Yan Sikong hesitated for a moment, and a voice inside him urged him to make a decision. In an instant, he had an answer. He said softly, “Today, there was a banquet but no wine. It wasn’t enough to enjoy. How about… going to my residence for a few drinks?”

Fēng Yě’s face lit up.