She instinctively straightened her body, her gaze scanning through the group of dancers.

All the dancers were dressed as flying apsaras, holding pipa instruments, silk ribbons fluttering, with strings of ornaments swirling around them, quite ethereal.

They all had fair skin and slender waists, tall and graceful figures, their faces half-veiled with light gauze, foreheads decorated with pearl flower ornaments, with jeweled light creating an enchanting haze that obscured their faces.

Tie Ci’s gaze fell to their feet. No matter how well a certain someone disguised as a beauty, he still had feet destined to be larger than ordinary women’s. That’s why when he played the courtesan, he preferred loose, wide garments that trailed long on the ground—he’d rather sweep the floors for free than expose his feet.

But these dancers were all barefoot, their feet adorned with golden bells that chimed clearly as they danced, golden light swaying. Combined with their rapidly changing movements and formations, it was difficult to see clearly for the moment.

Her intense staring at the dance below aroused curiosity among those who had originally paid no attention, and they all turned to look. What kind of dance moves could so captivate the Crown Princess?

It did look quite beautiful, but surely not enough to make the Crown Princess, accustomed to wealth and luxury, react like this?

After watching for a while without discerning anything conclusive, Tie Ci smiled self-mockingly, feeling she had become too fixated.

If the imperial palace could be so easily infiltrated by him, the Crown Princess’s Nine Guards would need a thorough investigation.

Immediately the song and dance lost its appeal for her, and she turned away.

But at that moment, she suddenly heard the drum sound.

The sound was deep and resonant, reverberating through the great hall.

She instinctively looked back.

She saw a tall figure in red suddenly flip out from under the drum, sleeves billowing gracefully in mid-air, robes filled with wind.

That person leaped extremely high, almost reaching the middle of the great hall. Everyone looked up to see, beneath the dragon-and-phoenix carved ceiling and among the multicolored brilliant palace lanterns, a figure with a long, vigorous form—a pair of extended leaping legs that captured everyone’s attention, arms spread wide, sleeves flying in graceful undulations like an immortal.

For a moment everyone thought this was the climax of the performance and cheered in unison.

Tie Ci forgot to make a sound.

Not only her, but Dan Shuang and Chi Xue were also stunned.

Wasn’t that the one from Liaodong?

Was this even allowed?

For an instant Tie Ci’s spine went rigid, then in the next moment she settled back into her chair.

A faint smile played at her lips.

He had come after all.

Indeed, even through mountains of blades and seas of fire, through arrow storms and thunderous forests, this fellow would definitely come to where the excitement was.

She raised a cup of wine, slightly narrowing her eyes in appreciation.

She had never seen Murong Yi dance before.

It was actually… quite beautiful.

People of this era enjoyed wealth and elegance. Men dancing was common, especially when men performed—their vigorous and graceful beauty had a distinctive flavor. Paired with the soft and gentle women, it was even more worth watching. It’s just that dancers were of low status, and men rarely became dancers unless forced by livelihood or family crimes.

So everyone set down their cups to watch carefully.

All felt that this male dancer’s physical beauty and movements—vigorous, graceful, natural, and elegant—were far superior to what they had seen before. Although his face was half-masked, the exposed snow-white jaw, smooth forehead, and a pair of eyes with flowing light that offered glimpses during rises and turns gave a hazy sense of complete beauty and charm. Not to mention his tall, jade-tree-like figure, pure as the bright moon, with ink-black hair and slender fingertips. His dancing and leaping posture reminded people of jade trees above cloudy peaks, with light mist around the tree tops. When wind passed, the tree swayed, beautiful jade leaves chiming melodiously, while the blue sky passed over the crescent moon embedded at the tree’s tip.

Wherever he rose and fell, his footsteps on the drum created rhythm, with clear beats that were subtly forming a musical piece.

For a moment the crowd’s applause was endless. Some with interests in male beauty couldn’t help but have gleaming eyes, calculating that when the banquet ended, they’d ask which troupe this dancer belonged to—perhaps they could get close to him.

Although this dancer seemed skilled, surely with their own status and position, making him submit wouldn’t be difficult?

Rong Pu glanced at the person on the drum, then at those officials with burning gazes, lowered his head with a chuckle, and poured himself wine.

Qi Yuansi sat beside him, eating while staring at the person on the drum, saying with some puzzlement: “Why does this person look somewhat familiar?”

Yang Yixiu sat next to him—the good friends from Yueli Academy all sat together. Hearing this, he laughed: “Yuansi, you really don’t learn from your mistakes. Wasn’t this the one who hung you on a flagpole just a few days ago?”

Qi Yuansi nearly bit his tongue: “What?”

Tian Wu also widened his copper-bell eyes, delighted: “What? Is it Rong Wei? His dancing is truly beautiful. I didn’t expect him to personally come perform for His Highness. His Highness must be very pleased… Hey, why are you poking me?”

Yang Yixiu snatched the lamb leg from under his leg, saying expressionlessly: “Sorry, the meat fell.”

But Rong Pu smiled and said: “No matter, I don’t mind.”

Yang Yixiu looked at him with some admiration, thinking Scholar Rong had a strong will. Today his gift presentation was full of sincerity, praised by the entire court, and would surely please the Crown Princess greatly.

But he couldn’t compete with the incredibly flamboyant Murong Yi!

The dignified heir of Liaodong had actually mixed into the dance troupe, personally performing menial tasks, dancing for His Highness in the hall.

What was this called? Wearing colorful clothes to entertain one’s parent?

Among all present—Crown Princess suitors, secret admirers, worshippers—who could do this?

Yang Yixiu searched his heart—he couldn’t do it, couldn’t even think of it.

Rong Pu definitely couldn’t do it.

So at this moment, he had lost again.

Even though the joint poetry gift had used all his effort, making Rong Pu run for seven days, traverse the entire city for seven days, using his silver tongue for seven days to invite so many renowned scholars to write joint poetry—such grand sincerity was so easily defeated by a single dance.

Because Murong Yi was a madman with no concept of rules, propriety, or dignity in his heart. His everything was the Crown Princess. He could use any method to prove to the Crown Princess that he could do anything for her.

While people constrained by propriety, dignity, and various visible and invisible rules absorbed since childhood could never cross the chasms and gulfs he could cross.

Yang Yixiu looked at Rong Pu with some sympathy.

But Rong Pu seemed unbothered, raising his wine cup, leaning back, and genuinely appreciating the performance.

While appreciating, he said to Yang Yixiu: “Watch carefully—this isn’t over. He must have more tricks.”

Qi Yuansi couldn’t help saying: “I find it strange and unseemly. Better not to watch.”

Rong Pu smiled: “We must watch. How else can we learn the essence?”

Qi Yuansi exclaimed: “You’re really going to learn? We… you can’t learn this.”

“Just joking,” Rong Pu said. “No need to learn. Everyone has different talents and personalities. Learning would just be imitating unsuccessfully. Being oneself is enough. Like today, you all think I’ve lost, but the significance of 170 renowned scholars writing joint birthday congratulations for the Crown Princess and imperial family won’t be erased by this dance. In the Crown Princess’s sage mind, these are definitely two different things.”

Qi Yuansi nodded, finding this very reasonable.

Yang Yixiu also nodded but sighed inwardly.

Indeed, they were two different things.

One was public business, one was private affairs.

Even if public duties bloomed like flowers, one couldn’t truly get close to the Crown Princess’s side.

But did Rong Pu really not understand this principle?

Yang Yixiu didn’t think so.

But Scholar Rong had grand ambitions and ministerial composure—this was the realm he should possess.

Just as Yang Yixiu was pondering the word “realm,” he heard the high-minded Rong Pu turn to chat with a nearby official whose eyes were burning, enthusiastically praising the male dancer’s graceful moves and definitely stunning appearance. When the other party subtly expressed interest, he also quietly encouraged the other to bravely pursue love.

Yang Yixiu: …I take back all my positive evaluations of Scholar Rong just now.

……

The rhythm on the drum rang clearly. Because of some noise in the hall, most people, though vaguely hearing it was a musical piece, didn’t listen carefully to distinguish it.

Only Tie Ci listened quietly, connecting the tune in her mind.

“Yearning Thoughts”

This was a famous Great Qian melody, generally about young people longing for that distant maiden by the river, but unable to approach due to the distant road and fierce river waters, so expressing longing through bells, drums, fallen flowers, bright moon and other objects, finally building a bridge over the river and approaching their beloved step by step.

Uneven water plants, gathered left and right. The graceful, virtuous lady, bells and drums delight her.

Even Murong Yi’s dancing was so calculated.

After she finished listening to one “Yearning Thoughts,” she saw Murong Yi turn in mid-air, reach behind his back, and like magic produce a beautifully crafted small bow.

His other hand brushed, and his fingers already held a row of glittering golden small arrows.

The hall erupted in alarm as countless people pushed away from their seats: “Assassin! Protect the Emperor!”

Palace guards rushed over—some charging toward the emperor and Crown Princess, others rushing toward Murong Yi while drawing their swords.

Many ministers hurriedly stood up, some diving under tables.

Tie Yan shouted: “Protect the Crown Princess first!”

The crowd immediately became chaotic, but suddenly many female voices arose: “Don’t misunderstand! Not an assassin!”

But with the current uproar in the hall, various sounds mixed together, those female voices were drowned out.

Only Murong Yi on the drum had a slight smile at his lips, drawing his bow toward Tie Ci’s direction.

Tie Ci raised her eyes to look at him. The moment their gazes met, Murong Yi’s lips moved, saying something.

Tie Ci looked away and said sternly: “Quiet!”

Her voice didn’t seem loud, but instantly suppressed the entire hall’s clamor.

The crowd, like headless flies, instinctively quieted for a moment.

Tie Ci sat high above, saying calmly: “Not one arrow has been fired. Whether he’s an assassin is yet undetermined. As court ministers, where is your composure?”

The ministers looked down to see some had lost shoes, some had disheveled hair, some had crawled under tables, some had wrinkled the curtains.

Tie Ci ordered the guards: “No need to protect me. Help the ministers out from under tables and behind cases. Those who ran outside the doors, please return. And that secretary—the bronze crane is heavy, please put it down early to avoid injuring your feet.”

Ministers: “…”

That secretary silently put down the bronze crane.

The entire great hall fell into the embarrassment of social death.

Tie Ci met the smile in Murong Yi’s eyes and sighed inwardly.

Today she had lost face in front of Liaodong.

After those hiding here and there were extracted one by one, they all received merciless mockery from the military officers.

Qi Ling had drunk several more cups in the hall today and was somewhat drunk. Pointing at Murong Yi on the drum, he said loudly: “Those arrows have no points and are too short, obviously for performance use, unable to harm anyone. You all panicked too much!”

A censor who had just crawled under a table felt his face burning, angrily saying: “We’re not those rough military men. In the sudden moment, how could we see clearly!”

“What’s wrong with military men? Without military men protecting the country, how could you all sit here peacefully!”

Emperor Tie Yan on the throne rubbed his forehead in pain. Here we go again.

Civil and military officials were like fire and water, having such arguments at least eighty if not a hundred times a year.

But Qi Ling’s mood today was somewhat poor. Having bragged earlier, it wasn’t easy to take it back later. These days he’d endured plenty of sarcastic ridicule, and his son also blamed him for talking too much when he got home. Actually, he hadn’t given up hope. After all, when he showed goodwill to the Crown Princess, she hadn’t clearly refused. The Crown Princess still hadn’t decided on a fiancé—wouldn’t she still have to choose from noble family sons? Looking around, how was his literary and martial son Qi Yuansi inferior? Why should he withdraw early?

Not to mention Rong Pu—Rong Pu was just a scholar with a weak constitution. The imperial family needed to have many sons. Could Rong Pu’s body handle it?

As for that troublemaker from last time, acting sneaky and strange, he hadn’t heard the Crown Princess being special to anyone. Did Yuansi need to be so scared he didn’t dare show himself?

Today was the Crown Princess’s birthday. He had wanted to prepare gifts well and let his son shine, but Qi Yuansi looked dead inside, saying to just send some gold and jade objects and be done with it—he didn’t want any attention at all.

Qi Ling couldn’t stand his son’s useless appearance. Now arguing with civil officials was a good way to vent. Hearing that minister still going on about military men being crude and not knowing propriety, he grabbed his son and pulled him up: “My Yuansi, from a military family but earned his own scholarly credentials—he can stabilize the nation with civil skills and secure it with military ones. Your Majesty, please grant bow and arrows so this fellow can see clearly what real bows and arrows are, what real archery is, so next time encountering fancy bow tricks, he won’t dive under tables!”

Tie Yan said with difficulty: “This…”

Such a good birthday celebration—why add more weapons?

Qi Yuansi tugged his father’s clothes: “Father! Father! Don’t! I don’t want to…”

Qi Ling slapped away his hand, then continued: “Also, let my son perform for the Crown Princess’s birthday celebration to win the Crown Princess a smile.”

Putting it this way, Tie Yan immediately felt relieved, thinking perhaps his daughter would enjoy watching, so he ordered bow and arrows brought.

Qi Yuansi: …My father is ruining me!

My father always wants to send me to the port!

When the bow and arrows arrived, Qi Ling glared at his son: “Perform well!”

Qi Yuansi said nothing, glancing at Murong Yi from the corner of his eye.

Murong Yi seemed not to have heard Qi Ling’s taunts, smiling as he played with his toy-like beautiful bow and arrows.

“If you deliberately hold back and embarrass your old man, I’ll throw you to the Nine Sui military camp to eat sand for ten years before you can return!”

Qi Yuansi wasn’t afraid of eating sand, but he’d have to eat Hanli Khan’s sand—this was what he’d promised the Crown Princess. But if he really made his father lose face, what if his father sabotaged his grand plan?

He still wanted to leave his name in history by governing the Hanli Khan desert. But his father obviously wasn’t very supportive.

Qi Yuansi had no choice but to take the bow and arrows.

Weapons couldn’t enter Chengqian Palace, so these arrows also had their points removed, with the target placed outside the great hall.

The carved flower partition doors opened in sequence. On the jade platform outside the great hall, a target was set up. In front of the target, a row of bronze gongs was arranged vertically, hanging from frames from large to small. Each bronze gong had a small hole in the center. Following Qi Ling’s instructions, the eunuchs carefully aligned the center holes of the bronze gongs in a straight line with the bullseye.

Qi Yuansi stood inside the hall, a full ten zhang away from the bronze gong formation outside.

Qi Ling said proudly: “My son has practiced archery since childhood and can shoot arrows through seven gong centers without making the bronze gongs ring.”

Everyone showed amazed expressions.

This meant the arrow had to shoot exactly through the small holes in the center of seven bronze gongs, passing through each one until hitting the final target?

What kind of eyesight was required!

The slightest error and the arrow would hit a bronze gong, creating a loud clanging embarrassment.

Under everyone’s gaze, Qi Yuansi sighed helplessly and picked up his bow.

Since he’d been forced onto this path, he could only shoot well.

Honestly, he also wanted that guy to see his archery skills.

Not for the Crown Princess’s sake—who was afraid of whom!

Full draw, nocking, five fingers slightly released—twang—

The arrow’s vibration cutting through air was light and sharp, a flash of light in an instant.

Everyone only saw a black streak pass through the bronze gong formation in a blink, striking the bullseye with a “whoosh.”

The bronze gongs made not the slightest sound. The hall was completely quiet.

Qi Yuansi lowered his bow and saluted toward the throne.

The hall then erupted in admiration and applause.

In the applause, a military officer loudly declared: “Young Master Qi is talented in both civil and military arts—truly Great Qian’s finest talent!”

Tie Yan, looking at the young man in the hall who, though from a military family, had a gentle, handsome appearance and a tall, impressive bearing from years of martial practice, felt his heart stir.

In terms of looks, naturally the Rong family son was better, but Qi Yuansi’s constitution was much stronger.

Moreover, military families had military power and were simple…

His thoughts differed from Consort Jing’s. He didn’t want Tie Ci’s chosen imperial husband to be too noble or complicated in background—what if he developed ambitions?

Judging by this point alone, Qi Yuansi was more suitable.

But Ci’er seemed to have someone in her heart. That young man from Zhegui Tower last time had quite an ambiguous relationship with her…

He was a playful type, sending crickets that defeated all palace champions.

It’s just that he looked so lazy and bold, not like someone from a great noble family. Tie Ci’s future imperial husband might not need to provide much assistance, but couldn’t drag her down either…

He had also sent people to investigate what happened during Tie Ci’s training, knowing there was indeed such a friend with extraordinary relationship, but still couldn’t determine the other party’s identity.

After all, only Tie Ci’s most trusted inner circle currently knew Murong Yi’s identity, and without Tie Ci’s consent, these people wouldn’t say an extra word even to the emperor.

The old father was calculating repeatedly when he suddenly heard the drum sound.

Everyone’s attention was immediately drawn over, seeing the dancer on the drum spin the small bow on his hand once before declaring loudly: “Today I offer my humble skills to congratulate the Crown Princess on her auspicious day.”