The Western Xia envoy looked utterly bewildered, and Hua Chun smiled brightly, lifting her foot to continue walking.
The girls in the water had no idea what had just happened either. They had been instructed to pull the Prime Minister into the water, but the person assigned had failed for no apparent reason, so the dancers lurking on both sides of the stone pillar showed no mercy, each reaching out like octopuses toward Hua Jinghua.
Sensing their movements, Hua Chun sank her energy to her dantian, steadied her stance, and gave a great shout: “Long live the Emperor, ten thousand years!”
Everyone was startled, turning to look at her, and the dancers in the water didn’t hesitate, gritting their teeth and grabbing her ankle.
“Ah!”
The result was another round of screams echoing, and the nearby Western Xia envoys sighed in admiration: “So many people in Great Liang can speak the language of the heavenly gods—this method of prayer is truly special.”
Hua Chun shook her legs and hopped out of the pool with a smile, returning to the Emperor’s side and saying, “Prince Xi has really put thought into this.”
The remark carried a double meaning, and Yuwen Xi looked at her deeply, saying with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “The Prime Minister is truly impressive.”
“Not at all, not at all.” Hua Chun said. “The Prince prepared so much, so this humble official naturally couldn’t lose face for His Majesty either.”
The exchange sounded like a riddle contest, and aside from the Emperor in the middle, the people on both sides felt something was off but couldn’t tell exactly what, so they all followed along with awkward smiles.
Yuwen Jie kept his eyes forward, continuing to watch the performance, but the corner of his eye stayed on the person beside him, his hand tapping lightly on the armrest of the throne.
Hua Chun turned her head to look at him.
The Emperor glanced sideways, gesturing toward her leg.
Hua Chun understood, gently tugging at the hem of her official robe to reveal her trouser leg.
Having been grabbed at repeatedly by the dancers, the specially made protective needles tied around her ankle had already pierced through her trousers, and the silver needles pointing outward seemed stained with quite a bit of blood.
Too cruel, the Emperor shook his head.
No wonder that morning, Hua Jinghua had told him not to get close to her no matter what—he guessed there were probably hidden weapons in other places besides her ankle as well.
Truly a Prime Minister who spared him worry in every way.
Prince Xi, apparently still not understanding why this attempt had failed, sat with a dark expression beside the Empress Dowager, saying nothing.
After his program finished, it was time for the Emperor’s prepared program. However, since the water dance had already stolen the spotlight so unexpectedly, the singing and dancing arranged afterward seemed bland by comparison. Since Prince Xi had done such a thorough job keeping things secret beforehand, it was now too late for the Emperor to turn things around.
Although both were Great Liang’s programs, being overshadowed by Prince Xi still displeased the Emperor, and he watched the palace dancers’ ordinary performance with a dark expression, saying not a word.
Prince Xi smiled, just about to offer a few casual compliments to smooth things over, when he heard Prime Minister Hua on the other side let out a loud “Waah—” and burst into tears.
Yuwen Jie flinched in shock, turning his head with a startled expression. He Chang’an, equally caught off guard, hadn’t expected Jinghua to suddenly do this and was also stunned.
The Western Xia envoys all looked over curiously, and even the Empress Dowager couldn’t help but ask, “What’s wrong with the Prime Minister?”
Hua Chun covered her eyes and wailed twice, then stood up and walked in front of the Emperor, dropping to her knees with a thud. “This official, upon seeing this dance, is overcome with so many emotions—if there has been any breach of etiquette, I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness!”
The reason she covered her eyes was probably because she couldn’t actually produce tears. Yuwen Jie’s eyes held a hint of amusement, though his expression remained serious: “What is the Prime Minister feeling so moved about? Why not share it with everyone?”
Pinching her own thigh hard, Hua Chun turned, looking with tear-blurred eyes at the dancers who were huddled together in fright, not daring to move. “This dance has been performed in the palace for three years now! Ever since this official became Prime Minister, every year I’ve heard this familiar melody, seen this graceful dance.”
Prince Xi frowned, trying hard to recall—this dance had been performed for three years?
The other officials were also trying to remember, but Hua Chun had already moved on with her fabrication: “The first year it was danced, though our national strength was strong, natural disasters struck repeatedly. The second year it was danced, Great Liang had a bumper harvest of all five grains, yet the common people still went hungry. Now, dancing it again, our Great Liang has ushered in wise rule and a flourishing golden age! This official, moved by remembrance of the past, could not help but weep uncontrollably!”
“Our Emperor is wise and enlightened—no matter how strong Great Liang’s power has grown, he never forgets the hardship of the path traveled step by step. It is precisely because we have such an enlightened ruler that all the civil and military officials can once again sit here safely today, watching such a performance! At this moment, this official only wishes to shout: long live the Emperor!”
The speech was delivered with rising and falling cadence, deeply moving, and He Chang’an beside her cooperatively stood up and knelt alongside her.
Seeing Marquis Gongyu move, the other officials followed suit, kneeling down all together. With no prior arrangement at all, it was a completely spontaneous show: “Long live the Emperor, long live, long live, ten thousand years!”
The sound shook the heavens, echoing through all of Furong Palace, stirring the blood.
The Empress Dowager’s eyes grew moist, moved by this display of unity from the civil and military officials for their ruler, and she also felt a pang of tenderness for her own son the Emperor.
Sitting on that dragon throne, there truly was so much hardship involved.
Yuwen Jie pressed his lips together, glanced at Prince Xi, whose face had darkened considerably, and curled his mouth slightly. “Rise, all of you.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
“The nation cannot be governed by me alone,” he said in a solemn tone. “Civil and military officials, none can be dispensed with. I hope all of you will continue to assist me with your full effort, so that Great Liang’s realm may flourish!”
“We obey Your Majesty’s decree!”
The sound of a hundred voices responding in unison was truly stirring, and the palace dance that had been outshone by the water dance now took on new meaning—likely to be repeated every year from now on.
Hua Chun let out a sigh of relief, quite pleased with the effect. Looking up at the Emperor, her eyes were full of meaning.
Don’t forget the promised reward!
The Emperor gave her a look of disdain, but still nodded slightly.
The Western Xia envoys were shaken by this scene, even more so than by watching people pray in the water. This unity between Great Liang’s ruler and subjects couldn’t help but inspire awe in them, and it even made them feel that the earlier dance had considerable depth to it.
“With such a wise ruler, no wonder Great Liang has always remained a great power,” one envoy said, standing up. “For Western Xia to form a friendly relationship with Great Liang is truly our honor.”
The Emperor nodded. “Western Xia is rich in resources. Though its territory is not vast, its people live in peace and prosperity.”
“Your Majesty is too generous. On this visit to pay tribute, we have naturally prepared gifts as well,” the lead envoy said. “We will present them later.”
Hua Chun interjected with a smile, “I hear Western Xia produces the most gold.”
The envoy froze, then laughed awkwardly. “We wouldn’t say we’re the top producer.”
Was this robbery? Western Xia’s gold production had only increased in the past couple of years, and now, during the tribute visit, they were being directly asked for gold?
The King of Western Xia had told them before they left: if anything else could serve as a substitute, they were absolutely not to offer gold. Because with gold, if you gave too little, a great nation wouldn’t think much of it. If you gave too much, it would hurt!
So the envoy continued, “Speaking of Western Xia, what’s truly famous is our night-glow…”
“Oh, right.” Hua Chun suddenly clapped her hands as if realizing something. “The Western Xia envoys have come to visit—how can we entertain them with such ordinary tableware? Your Majesty, forgive me, this official has been careless! Someone, change the tableware!”