Chronicles of the Qin Dynasty

Chapter 257 256.Yuan’s Night Banquet
On the night of New Year's Day, the auspicious hour will arrive again.

Ji Heng and Qin Shi changed their clothes again, and the servants hung the Taiwei Tianshi Swords on their waists one by one before bowing down.

"Congratulations to the King and Queen!"

Ji Heng held the sword hilt, recalling the Tai'a sword that had been left in the Ji Temple during today's sacrifice. Then, with a "clang," he drew the sword out a section of it, the blade gleaming coldly, especially intimidating.

He gazed silently at the long sword at his waist, and then a sense of pride welled up within him:

From this day forward, the sons of Qin will have such divine weapons to gallop across the battlefield. As for the Tai'a, the treasure obtained from the State of Chu in the past, since it has already followed other kings, it will remain in the Temple of the Supreme King for the ancestors to use as messengers!
I am destined to rule the world, to be the eternal monarch of the mighty Qin Dynasty, and to have the divine sword I wield serve only me wholeheartedly!
He deftly returned the Taiwei Sword to its sheath, then reached out his hand to the Queen:
"The auspicious time has arrived; the New Year's Eve banquet shall begin."

Qin Shi smiled and placed her hand in his palm. The two of them then went together to the main hall of Zhangtai Palace.

This place, once a hub for political discussions, is now brightly lit, sparkling with glass, filled with laughter and the intoxication of wine.

Palace servants moved about in a bustling fashion, while inside the hall, everyone gathered together, including the ladies of the harem, the prime minister, and the prefect, all dressed in colorful robes and adorned with jade pendants.

A eunuch loudly announced:
"Your Majesty and the Queen have arrived!"

At this moment, all the officials, their wives, and attendants bowed with their hands clasped in respect.

"Congratulations to the King and Queen, and congratulations to the Qin Kingdom on unifying the world!"

"On the occasion of Your Majesty's birthday, all nations submit and the world's hearts are with you."

Such uniformity in their speech clearly indicates that the Imperial Household Department had carefully rehearsed it.

The crowd below cheered and celebrated. Qin Shi, standing on the high platform alongside Ji Heng, couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. She thought: No wonder everyone wants to be emperor.

Such absolute power and majesty combined with the supreme glory and responsibility of one person is indeed something that no one in this world can resist.

Ji Heng was the same.

On New Year's Day last year, no one in the Qin state paid any attention.

On those days of homage, everyone's attention was focused on the army fighting abroad.

On the first day of the tenth month, they were facing their final battle against the State of Qi. The two sides had been fighting for a long time, and with the unstoppable momentum of the State of Qin, the outcome was already decided, but not yet determined.

On the fourth day of the tenth month, the Qin state defeated the Qi state, finally ending this centuries-long war.

This also laid the foundation for the Qin state's unification of the world.

From this day forward, there will be no more seven kingdoms in the world.

This vast land has only one national title—

That was the Qin Dynasty!
This is the first time Qin has held a pilgrimage after unifying the country.

Our ancestors throughout the ages devoted themselves to studying and researching, working tirelessly day and night, and preparing for war, finally enabling him to achieve such a great feat at this moment.

Ji Heng relaxed his brows and raised his long eyes, then lifted the wine cup and held the Taiwei sword in his hand:

"May our Great Qin Dynasty last for a thousand generations, let us celebrate this moment together!"

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

The crowd below cheered, and the atmosphere, which had been serious, gradually became more enthusiastic.

Accompanied by the movements of the band, which could be faintly seen behind the surrounding curtains, music soon began to play.

With the sounds of zithers, drums, and bells, people took their seats and sat gracefully around the spacious hall of Zhangtai Palace.

The acrobatic troupe then presented music and dance, with rows of women dressed in white flowing robes holding bronze lamps, moving smoothly and fluidly like swimming fish through the center of the hall.

With a slender waist and delicate hands, her flowing skirt swayed gracefully, and the flame on the bronze lamp burned incessantly.

Whether held, carried, raised high, or placed on the shoulders, the dancers' movements ensured that not a drop of lamp oil fell. Sparks of light scattered like fireflies, only to quickly gather again.

With wide robes and flowing sleeves, arms swaying lightly, Qin Shi admired the scene from the high platform, feeling overwhelmed by the sights.

At this moment, I can only marvel: such simple costumes and props, yet they bring such vitality to the dance!

They had no fancy decorations or dazzling dance costumes; they weren't even wearing plain gauze or brocade, but rather grayish-white linen clothes that had been washed and soaked in wood ash.

It is also the most common clothing worn by ordinary families today.

The only striking detail was the shoes on her feet, dyed bright red with vermilion, which, in turn, flowed gracefully with the dance movements, adding a touch of elegance and brilliance.

The dance moves were neither thrilling nor exciting, nor did they involve any leaping or soaring.

Because the quju (a type of traditional Chinese dress) is somewhat restrictive, the dance movements are not very large, yet this very dance possesses a mysterious and unpredictable beauty.

So beautiful.

Qin Shi stared intently.

Ji Heng was drinking with Liao He, the Minister of Agriculture, below the platform, when he turned and saw the Queen engrossed in her work. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The Queen has been in the palace for nearly three months. Upon her arrival, she had heard that she wished to visit the palaces of the six kingdoms in Xianyang. Yet, she has not even had the chance to witness a single performance of traditional opera, and now she is even thoroughly enjoying a dance…

He had given her a few times a month before.

If I had to say something, I could only say that after his trip to the West, the Queen brought one surprise after another, so much so that he was so focused on his duties that he had no time for anything else.

Meanwhile, on Qin Shi's side, the ladies of the six palaces were also enjoying delicious food and watching the pleasant song and dance performance before them, feeling exceptionally at ease.

how to say?

Since the king appointed a queen, most of them have felt a sense of security.

She neither needs to compete for favor nor does she seem to be someone who just sits around in the palace doing nothing.

Even now, sitting here in such a rare and grand moment, I no longer need to worry about how to attract the king's attention...

It feels so safe and comfortable!
Only Madam Chu's fair face flushed slightly, her heart filled with anger and resentment:

How could any of the dances performed by the palace's entertainment companies compare to the Lotus Dance she had meticulously presented to the King that day? How carefully she had dressed in her new clothes, adorned herself with flowers, and applied makeup!
Although the king enjoyed watching it, he didn't take it very seriously.

The Queen had watched intently then, quite pleased with herself. But why was she also so captivated by this dance now?

Not picky?
Is there no better dance in Kunlun Mountain?

How can you still admire it like that?!
Thinking about the long list of songs she had to create for the king, she realized she hadn't practiced dancing for a long time.

Over the years, in order to maintain her slender figure, she has never stopped practicing her basic exercises. Even shortly after giving birth to Chenghu, she had to restrict her diet again.

Now, she angrily picked up the brown sugar cheese in front of her and took two more bites, feeling wronged:
My waist has gotten two inches thicker!

Even if the Queen wanted to watch the dance again, she probably wouldn't be able to dance anymore.

Thinking of this, Madam Chu's eyes welled up with tears, and she felt even more aggrieved. It was a pity that she had applied too much makeup today, and no one could know the bitterness in her heart.

Looking at Madam Zheng beside him, he saw that she was also intently staring ahead, occasionally cheering loudly!
Madam Chu: ...Hmph!

Looking at her face again, I wonder if it's just my imagination, but it seems a bit rounder.

Lady Chu immediately put aside her grievances and barely suppressed the urge to roll her eyes: With such a mindset to appreciate dance and such poor taste, why not go back and teach Prince Qian to memorize a couple more books!

vulgar!

　For someone with no artistic talent to write this chapter, heaven knows how much research they must have done; it was incredibly difficult…

　　Wearing white was very common in this era, but it wasn't pure white; ordinary families simply didn't have the time or money to dye their clothes. Dyed clothes also required frequent maintenance.

　　(End of this chapter)