Chapter 82
The people of the capital were celebrating joyously, and within the palace, the annual birthday banquet was about to commence.
Envoys from various countries naturally prepared more than just one gift. Valuable and numerous offerings had been delivered to the treasury in advance, and only one gift, of utmost importance, was kept in hand to be presented during the banquet.
Before the appointed hour, preparations for the palace banquet had already begun. The Ministry of Rites and the Honglu Temple were busy with the protocols of the banquet. As the time arrived, envoys from various countries and royal officials were escorted to their seats one by one.
Chu Wei held a relatively low official position and was not attending the banquet. He remained in his residence, listening to the festive sounds outside. His brows slightly furrowed, revealing a faint smile.
A modest and gentle scholar, as refined as jade. Lady Chu watched him from within the hall. After a while, she couldn’t help but smile and turned to a maid beside her, saying, “Look, our Wei-ge has become even more handsome.”
The maid agreed, “Indeed, there’s no one in the entire capital as charming as our young master.”
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Ubw Elk kdiwkale, “Ebs?”
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Ubw Elk’p casop pzsozu jdkvvle vstlvbla. Tl pvlrrle qsaoyae vs vyjl vbl tkqv qasx vbl plahydv’p byde yde srldle kv. Rdpkel oyp y plv sq tsze qzsola ynnlppsaklp nsxxsdzu plld kd Elpvlad Dky. Gp lmrlnvle, y vaynl sq ekptwpv qzypble kd Ubw Elk’p lulp. Tl alvwadle vbl tkqv ekalnvzu vs vbl plahydv’p byde, nszezu pyukdt, “Myjl kv cynj.”
Mbl rakdnl sq Elpvlad Dky xktbv byhl y elnldv yrrlyaydnl, cwv bkp vbswtbvp olal ekavu. Ubw Elk bye yzoyup…
Fweeldzu, Ubw Elk vbswtbv sq bkxplzq.
His breath caught, ignoring his mother’s calls. He turned and left the hall.
As he stepped over the threshold, a thought struck Chu Wei.
If the prince of Western Xia behaved this way upon seeing him, wouldn’t he be even more disrespectful if he were to meet the emperor?
Li Angshun was led to his seat by officials from the Honglu Temple, with the other envoys from Western Xia sitting behind him. Next to Western Xia sat the envoy from Fusang Country.
The envoy from Fusang Country initially intended to exchange a few words with the Western Xia prince, but upon seeing Li Angshun’s displeased expression, wisely averted his gaze. Instead, he continued to chat and laugh with the officials from the Honglu Temple.
Li Angshun’s face turned sour for a moment, then improved. He brushed his hand through the black hair beneath his felt hat and said, “It doesn’t matter. It’s fine even if I don’t catch a glimpse of Chu Wei. Today is the Da Heng Emperor’s birthday banquet, and I refuse to believe that Prince He, who wouldn’t give me face, won’t show up today.”
The Western Xia envoy inquired, “Seventh Prince, what will you do if Prince He appears?”
“It will be the perfect opportunity for him to lose face in front of the Emperor of Da Heng and envoys from various countries,” Li Angshun sneered. “To repay the humiliation of us losing face.”
“Being embarrassed is not something we alone will experience.”
Later, royal officials and envoys from various countries had all taken their seats. The hall was splendidly adorned with gold and jade, and the lights shone brightly, illuminating the place like daylight.
Prince He sat in the front row, at the most prominent position.
Glancing at the birthday gift he had brought, a magnificent embroidered map of mountains and rivers woven by a hundred court maids in the royal palace, had already been delivered to the treasury. This item, however, remained a source of internal conflict for him. It was something he had personally sought out a couple of days ago.
Looking at the gift, Prince He couldn’t help but question himself. Given Gu Yuanbai’s skeptical look, why was he putting in so much effort for this?
The emperor didn’t treat him as an elder brother, yet he was still eager to maintain a cold front.
Just as he was feeling restless, a eunuch’s voice called out from outside, “The Emperor arrives.”
The people in the hall all stood up in unison, lowering their eyes and bowing their hands. A bright yellow robe adorned with dragon patterns passed by, and the palace attendants followed closely behind, neither too fast nor too slow. After the Emperor took his seat, he said, “Please, be seated.”
The voice sounded somewhat familiar. Li Angshun’s eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he looked up abruptly towards the Emperor pf Da Heng.
Gu Yuanbai had changed out of his elaborate ceremonial attire and was now in casual clothing. He was talking to a senior eunuch beside him, and although the distance was far and his face was somewhat blurred, his slim chin and distinctive temperament were unmistakable. He was the exact same person who had given Li Angshun cold and commanding orders on the carriage that day.
That person was actually the Emperor of Da Heng!
Li Angshun’s expression fluctuated.
Someone behind him tugged at Li Angshun’s robe, and he snapped back to reality, following the force to sit down. The envoy from Fusang Country beside him chuckled and said, “Why does the Seventh Prince of Western Xia look so displeased?”
Li Angshun said stiffly, “It’s nothing.”
The eunuch from behind approached, filling his glass with wine. He held the wine glass firmly, his expression shaded with a touch of gloom.
To think it was the Emperor of Da Heng! He had become the subject of mockery for no reason.
How could he forget? The Emperor of Da Heng health wasn’t that great. He was an authoritative figure in the capital. Who else but the Emperor?
Li Angshun looked up towards the elevated area. The deep features on the emperor’s face seemed to be clouded with darkness. Even from this distance, his appearance wasn’t quite clear, but his actions exuded a distinct air of nobility.
Performers from the imperial music and dance troupe entered the hall. Gu Yuanbai glanced downward and asked Prince He with a smile, “What’s that placed by your table?”
Prince He covered a wooden box and adjusted his sleeves. This was his first time personally preparing a gift for Gu Yuanbai, and he felt ashamed and irritated. He mumbled, “A birthday gift for His Majesty.”
Gu Yuanbai turned his gaze towards Tian Fusheng, and Tian Fusheng reminded him, “Your Majesty, the embroidered map of mountains and rivers was the gift that Prince He’s residence sent to the palace earlier.”
“Prince He is quite thoughtful,” Gu Yuanbai nodded slightly and chuckled, “I’ll have to guess what’s in this gift he’s holding.”
He lifted the cup, filled with clear water instead of wine, took a sip, and pondered for a moment. Remembering Prince He’s habit of gifting precious items to the late Emperor, he said, “Is it a unique jade piece or a precious stone?”
Prince He gave a somber acknowledgment. The eunuchs stepped forward to take his gift, but he waved them off, rising from his seat and walking to Gu Yuanbai’s side. “I found something that looked somewhat decent a few days ago,” he said.
Tian Fusheng opened the wooden box, revealing a jade stone shaped like ginseng, with a dark red color and a few threads of gold flowing within it. A beauty as rare and exquisite as this was easily connected to legends of immortals. Gu Yuanbai took a few glances and remarked, “We really like it.”
Prince He wanted to smile, but he forced himself to maintain a serious expression. He said nonchalantly, “I’m glad Your Majesty likes it.”
With Prince He setting the example, others began to present their gifts. These offerings were chosen for their sentiment and novelty. Among them, there were a few unique and fascinating items that caught Gu Yuanbai’s interest.
The officials were in the front row, and the envoys from various countries were seated behind. After witnessing the Da Heng empire’s military action in the north, some envoys had secretly added more weight to their gifts. Seeing the offerings brought forth by the representatives of other nations, they were both surprised and relieved. Even if they couldn’t be the most generous gift-givers, they certainly couldn’t be the least generous.
Watching this scene, the expressions of the Western Xia envoy weren’t looking very pleasant.
The envoy from Western Xia had come to Da Heng for three reasons: to wish the Emperor of Da Heng a happy birthday, to gather information about the current state of Da Heng, and to discuss matters concerning the “marketplace” between the two countries. The term “marketplace” referred to the trade interactions between the two countries at their border. Due to Western Xia’s limited resources, they heavily relied on this trade for many essential goods. However, two months before Li Angshun’s visit to Da Heng, the Da Heng empire unexpectedly suspended the “marketplace” with Western Xia.
This caught Western Xia off guard.
Da Heng’s cavalry had been reliant on Western Xia for its supply of horses. With Da Heng unilaterally shutting down the marketplace, one might wonder if they weren’t afraid of straining their relations with Western Xia. After all, without a stable source of horses, what would Da Heng do?
This was precisely why Prince He had been sent to Da Heng by Western Xia. Yet, Li Angshun believed that the horses from Da Heng and the local salt merchants couldn’t do without Western Xia’s Qing Salt, so he felt confident and acted in a brazen and domineering manner.
His audacity even reached the Emperor.
They had initially believed their lavish gifts would be sufficient to mend the situation. But as they now looked at the generous gifts brought by the representatives of the Da Heng Dynasty, they found it both perplexing and absurd.
Could it be that all the envoys from other countries were seeking favors from Da Heng?
Western Xia’s gifts, originally substantial, were now completely overshadowed. They no longer stood out.
When it was time for Western Xia to present their gift, the envoy from Western Xia held a valuable offering and intended to hand it to a nearby eunuch. Suddenly, Li Angshun stood up, snatched the gift, and strode forward. All eyes in the hall were fixed on him. As Li Angshun approached, he could finally see the Emperor of Da Heng’s face clearly.
The Emperor of Da Heng sensed his presence and glanced at him briefly, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Li Angshun’s footsteps paused for an instant, then he continued forward with determined steps. When he stood before Gu Yuanbai, he hadn’t spoken yet. The eunuch who followed closely behind him respectfully announced, “Your Majesty, this is the envoy from Western Xia, Seventh Prince Li Angshun.”
“I have some impression,” Gu Yuanbai said with a half-smile. “Western Xia prince, quite bold.”
Though the Emperor of Da Heng hadn’t said much, it felt as if he had already mocked Li Angshun. Li Angshun was certain, and his tone was just like that person in the carriage that day.
Following Western Xia’s etiquette, Li Angshun bowed to Gu Yuanbai and apologized with a rueful smile, “Those lacking experience often resort to a facade of false bravado to conceal their unease. The Da Heng Dynasty is vast and abundant, with remarkable individuals and thriving landscapes. When we first arrived in Da Heng, we were captivated by its splendor and felt timid, leading us to make mistakes. If our actions have led you to disdain Western Xia, then we are indeed not worth your attention.”
Gu Yuanbai raised his hand slightly, indicating for Li Angshun to rise. “You have a way with words.”
Li Angshun stood up straight and saw the attractive face of the Emperor of Da Heng once again. Li Angshun had a penchant for handsome individuals, and speaking solely about looks, the Emperor of Da Heng possessed a face that made it impossible for anyone to harbor resentment towards him.
“The gift from Western Xia, I have examined it, and it is quite substantial,” Gu Yuanbai’s tone was leisurely, “From spices to felt blankets, from camels to horses, they have put in great effort.”
Li Angshun smiled, the gold decorations on his attire shimmering. He possessed a pleasing appearance, with deep features akin to an eagle’s. However, the arrogance lurking in his eyes detracted from his favorable looks, tarnishing his handsome visage. “For your birthday, Western Xia must certainly put in significant effort.”
He handed the gift in his hand to the eunuch, who then passed it to Tian Fusheng.
As the exquisite wooden box was opened, a faint glow emanated from within. Tian Fusheng placed the box before Gu Yuanbai’s eyes, revealing a semi-translucent, beautifully colored, nearly spherical luminous pearl.
What was even more remarkable was that even under the bright candlelight in the well-lit hall, the luminous pearl emitted a beautiful fluorescence – a golden green tint with a touch of blue, akin to the treasures of the deep sea.
Li Angshun’s face faintly showed a hint of pride. Although the Da Heng royal family possessed many luminous pearls, this particular one was undoubtedly exceptional.
“An excellent item,” Gu Yuanbai exclaimed as expected, “I never expected Western Xia to possess such treasures.”
Li Angshun didn’t catch the underlying danger in the words of the ruler of Da Heng. He chuckled with self-satisfaction and declared, “Although Western Xia may not match up to Da Heng, we have treasures aplenty, just like an abundance of crucian carp swimming across a river!”
Gu Yuanbai took the luminous pearl from the box, feeling its smooth and plump texture. It was remarkable that he could hold it in just one hand. He toyed with the luminous pearl, and its faint glow cast a gentle blue hue in his eyes.
“Truly exquisite.”
Western Xia was truly a wonderful place.
Salt, camels, horses, sheep, beeswax, musk pods, brown fur, and antelope horns… It was such a marvelous place, and now this splendid luminous pearl from Western Xia made Gu Yuanbai thoroughly delighted.
The Emperor sighed in admiration. He had Tian Fusheng pack the luminous pearl back into its box and looked at Li Angshun with a smile, his gaze akin to that of someone beholding a gold mine. Such a look made Li Angshun’s handsome face flush with warmth.
A place this wonderful should belong in his hands and become a part of the Da Heng, shouldn’t it?
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