Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 79 The Night Banquet at the Mingtang (Please Subscribe)

As the Luoshui Festival came to an end, the sun was near its zenith.

When the imperial carriage returned to the city, the officials of the Spring Festival loudly announced the start of the "reopening of the fast" period.

Officials, according to their rank, rested temporarily in the Fengchen Courtyard outside the Mingtang, while musicians from the Taichang Temple began tuning the chime bells and zithers.

When Wu Zetian moved to the Zhenguan Hall for a short rest, the Imperial Guards took the opportunity to replace the guards inside and outside the Mingtang Hall.

At 3:45 PM, officials from the Court of State Ceremonial guided the assembled officials to bathe and change. Li Lingyue, served by female officials from the Bureau of Ceremonial Affairs, changed into a gold-embroidered phoenix gown. During this time, she sent people three times to inquire about Lu Chenyuan's whereabouts—Lu Chenyuan was busy arranging for the Empress.

To avoid a repeat of the embarrassing and distressing situation from last time, he first sent the Goddess back to the Lingni Palace and asked his master to take care of her and have the Golden Lion play with her.

As the goddess's wisdom deepened, she gradually realized that her brother was not a complete puppeteer; he had other things to do. She obediently stayed in the Spirit Lion Palace, reading and studying, seeking knowledge from Zen Master Yunhe, and also dealing with the basic materials that Lu Chenyuan was preparing to make the wooden ox and flowing horse...

Lu Chenyuan breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her busy.

Living is about finding things to do, whether there's nothing to do or something to do.

Whether it's a human or a mechanical puppet, if they don't understand the principle of "having something to do," their intelligence will become a torment.

The reason Zen Master Yunhe allowed her to entrust her heart to him was to give her something to look forward to.

Otherwise, if the path to "immortality" is shrouded in boundless emptiness, she will be the most tragic "person" in the world!
At the beginning of the hour of You (5-7 PM), the evening drum of Shen Du (the capital city) sounded.

The nine palace gates opened one after another, and civil and military officials, holding ivory tablets, lined up to enter.

Three hundred and sixty interconnected lanterns were lit simultaneously in the Mingtang Hall, illuminating the Nine Dragon Golden Pillars as if it were daytime.

Lu Chenyuan, dressed in his bestowed robes, stood quietly three steps behind Li Lingyue, looking as elegant as a jade tree.

Li Lingyue glanced back, the two exchanged a smile, and followed the officials to their seats according to the order of the "Spring Official" in the Rites of Zhou.

Wu Zetian sat in the highest position, the Purple Palace; her heir Li Dan and his family sat in the Azure Dragon position on the east step, while the princes of the Wu clan sat in the White Tiger position on the west step. Princess Taiping's seat was specially set up three steps below the imperial steps, two steps higher than the usual princess's seat. Lu Chenyuan sat next to her as a "family member," while her real family members sat with Wu Chengsi and others.

Wu Chengsi's face was grim because the plan had failed;

Wu Youji's face turned even uglier, both because of the green hat he was wearing and because Li Lingyue didn't care about his reputation at all.

Lu Chenyuan was wary of Wu Chengsi, but towards Wu Youji...

"What's going on with this guy?"

Lu Chenyuan glanced at him and noticed something was wrong: "It seems like he..."

Li Lingyue said calmly, "He must have practiced some evil technique. Don't worry about him! Thanks to you today..."

Lu Chenyuan smiled and asked, "So, how does Your Highness plan to thank me?"

Li Lingyue blushed slightly and whispered in his ear, "Let's go to Nuanxiang Pavilion tonight, it's up to you..."

Nuanxiang Pavilion is the bathing place of the princess's residence, and also her most private place of rest.

Hot spring bath?

Lu Chenyuan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, but said with a strange expression, "Is this you thanking me, or me thanking you..."

"Pooh!"

Li Lingyue blushed, raised her hand to punch him, glanced around carefully, and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense, there are so many people here..." She pinched Lu Chenyuan's hand under the table with her slender fingers, but she couldn't bear to use force, so she only twisted it half a turn before letting go.

"What I mean is..."

She picked up the glass and took a sip, her red lips barely moving as she concealed her mouth: "Warm Fragrance Pavilion has recently introduced hot spring water from Mangshan Mountain, which is said to invigorate the meridians... Didn't you say last time that your old injury hadn't healed...?"

Lu Chenyuan's expression became even stranger. "I don't have any old injuries anymore."

Fine, I'll give this little wench some face.

His smile deepened as he deliberately lowered his voice: "If I'm going to get hurt, it'll be due to insufficient kidney yang and weakened life-giving fire. If you manage to entangle me again, it could last five days and five nights..."

"Lu Chenyuan!!"

Li Lingyue pinched his waist hard in frustration, her earlobes turning bright red as if they were about to bleed. "Shut up—"

The two were playfully fighting as if no one else was around, which drew various expressions from the people in the Mingtang.

Wu Zetian sat high on the dragon throne, her phoenix eyes behind the pearl tassels slightly narrowed, and a barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of her lips.

She recalled the secret report from two days ago—the bedroom in Taiping Prefecture had not been opened for five whole days, and the constant supply of hot water and incense. She thought to herself that this girl really did follow her own nature.

The atmosphere at the Wu family's banquet was gloomy.

Wu Chengsi secretly weighed the gains and losses, his face somewhat gloomy. Wu Youji's face was even more ferocious, wishing he could devour Lu Chenyuan alive. Wu Sansi, on the other hand, only had curiosity on his face, constantly looking at Lu Chenyuan.

Among the officials, the literary master Yuan Banqian was also watching the couple, stroking his beard and smiling. He had long heard of Lu Chenyuan from his closed-door disciple Zhang Shuo, and recently there had been many rumors about him. But in any case, to be able to participate in such an occasion for the first time, and to be ranked below the Martial Emperor, without any stage fright and to talk and laugh freely, showed that he had the best temperament.

The older generation values ​​character more, while the younger generation focuses on winking and making faces.

Someone secretly gestured "five days and five nights," eliciting murmurs of laughter from those around them.

Zhang Shuo was among them, his face full of admiration. He thought to himself, "He truly deserves to be called a ruthless man who can write 'The smoke of war should convey military intelligence, but now it ignites the beacon three inches below the navel.' This guy is simply a role model for us!"

The scene at the imperial clan gathering was even more interesting. Princess Qianjin, waving a round fan, said, "Taiping is truly blessed..." Before she could finish, Princess Wan'an interrupted her with a laugh, "Sister, watch your words! Didn't you see the look on the Imperial Son-in-Law's face? Hehe..."

Li Dan smiled and raised his cup to toast his sister, his eyes full of satisfaction. But Liu Fei, who was beside him, stared at the faint hickeys on Taiping's collar and touched her belly thoughtfully.

"Wan'er."

With officials in attendance, the grand banquet was about to begin, and Wu Zetian waved her hand.

Shangguan Wan'er, who was serving by her side, was also watching the two people on the table. Upon hearing the sound, she bowed respectfully, carried the sandalwood edict box, and walked into the hall. When she opened the edict, the only sound in the hall was the rustling of silk. Everyone listened quietly.

"Disciples:"

"The imperial edict reads: Princess Taiping has rendered meritorious service in supervising the sacrificial rites and in harmonizing Yin and Yang. She shall be further commended and honored. She shall be granted ten bushels of luminous pearls from the Western Regions, three hundred households of bathhouse in the Western Garden of the Divine Capital, and shall be appointed as the supervisor of the translation center of the Dayun Temple, in charge of the translation of Buddhist scriptures and the construction of Buddhist temples. She shall also be granted a travel token, which allows her to access the secret library of the Yingxian Palace at any time."

"Lu Chenyuan, the head of the Yuantai Suiming Pavilion, is skilled in management and assists in the ceremonies. His merits deserve a reward. He is promoted to the rank of Fifth-Rank Censor of Yuantai, and is granted a Fifth-Rank Secret Manual of Xuanji Pavilion and a spiritual weapon. He is also appointed as the Director of the Translation Bureau, and is given a golden tortoise bag and a jade unicorn crown. He is authorized to participate in the discussion of the Imperial Lectures."

The officials were shocked.

Wu Chengsi's face instantly turned ashen.

The list of pearls and fiefdoms on the imperial edict was merely icing on the cake. What truly shook the entire court was the seemingly ordinary appointment—Supervisor of the Translation Center of Dayun Temple.

As is widely known, Dayun Temple was the political and religious hub of the Wu Zhou dynasty. On the surface, it was a place for translating scriptures and spreading Buddhism, but in reality, it was a major center of public opinion for Wu's usurpation of the Tang dynasty. The eminent monks in the temple were ordered to annotate the "Dayun Sutra" and interpret its meaning with the theory of "female ruler ruling the court." This interpretation spread throughout the world and provided a legal basis for Empress Wu's usurpation of the Tang dynasty.

By appointing Princess Taiping to oversee the translation of scriptures, Wu Zhou effectively handed over the power of the mouthpiece of the Wu Zhou dynasty to her.

Compared to the clandestine position of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guard, or the fleeting honorary title of Supervising Sacrifices, this was true power in the imperial court.

From then on, every translation and annotation of every scripture, and every prophecy, had to be reviewed by her.

This was a crucial position that laid the foundation for the Wu Zhou dynasty.

It can establish the meaning of the scriptures and correct misconceptions!

The courtiers exchanged glances, secretly wondering: Could the Emperor's move be paving the way for his beloved daughter's advancement in the court? The implications were too profound to ponder, while the younger officials were already calculating how to curry favor with this rising star of the court.

Li Lingyue's fingers trembled slightly.

She is now like Ma Su after passing the test at Jieting. From now on, she no longer needs to remain behind the scenes, but can gradually seize the power that belongs to her.

She glanced quickly at Lu Chenyuan.

Lu Chenyuan was also a little surprised. Was this guy addicted to playing the balance of power game and now he was trying to bring up another faction?
However, although the position sounds prestigious, it's actually not that impressive.

Historically, Li Lingyue was able to be given the title "Princess Zhenguo Taiping," establish her own government, and gather a large following thanks to two coups: the "Shenlong Coup," which killed the Zhang brothers and restored the Li Tang dynasty, was her first great achievement; the "Tanglong Coup," which wiped out the Wei clan and supported Li Dan's restoration, was her second great achievement.

After that, he held immense power in the court!
Without achievements of this caliber, her status as a woman is her greatest constraint.

With precedents like Wu Zetian and Empress Wei, the court officials would never allow a third "femme fatale to disrupt the government." It would be even more difficult for Li Lingyue to achieve anything than for Wu Zetian! Historically, even without Li Longji, she could only be Empress Lü Zhi, ruling from behind the curtain, and could not become a second empress—this move had been completely ruined by her mother!
Lu Chenyuan thought to himself that it was just a casual gesture, and he probably didn't intend to use it to control others; it was just a toy to give away.

As for his own part, there's not much to say.

The fifth-rank official in charge of the Imperial Censorate at the Yuantai Pavilion was a sinecure, as was the official in charge of the Translation Bureau. Their primary responsibility was still to manage the Suiming Pavilion.

The former is a compromise between having martial prowess that doesn't reach the Thousand Feather rank and merit that reaches the Fifth Rank, while the latter, Chun Chun, is simply for Li Lingyue's convenience, so that she can summon her at any time and even "defile" her.

Damn it!

Lu Chenyuan thought to himself, "Judging from this alone, Wu Zetian really dotes on her precious daughter!"

"Your humble servant kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty's grace!"

The two bowed and received the imperial decree.

Wu Zetian nodded slightly, her pearl-adorned tassels swaying gently as she revealed a pair of smiling phoenix eyes: "My Taiping administration is always efficient. As for the rest of the people at the Iris Terrace, you may bestow rewards upon them as you see fit." With a flourish of her wide sleeves, she announced, "Let the banquet begin—"

"Boom-"

The music master struck the bronze bell, and three hundred musicians played the "Great Music of the Divine Palace" in unison.

The golden bells on the eaves of the nine-tiered Mingtang Hall rang in response, and the sounds of the chime bells and jade chimes poured out like the Milky Way.

Halberd-wielding warriors stood on both sides, their steps echoing the drumbeats, while palace maids entered in single file, carrying gilded food trays, and the night banquet officially began.

The chime bells lead the way, followed by solemn drumbeats, then the sheng and xiao harmonize, and a female solo begins:
"The terraces reach the heavens, and the jade steps connect yin and yang."

The bright hall shines like the sun and moon, and divine music resounds throughout the eight directions.

All beasts danced in unison, and phoenixes soared and circled.
May the mountains and rivers sing praises to Your Majesty's boundless longevity.

To be fair, "The Great Music of the Divine Palace" is indeed grand and quite pleasant to listen to at first glance. However, it incorporates Buddhist musical concepts and some sonic techniques, which inevitably gives it a sense of Buddhist purity and detachment from desires.

In summary, it sounds nice, but it doesn't express emotions; instead, it suppresses them.

Lu Chenyuan listened for a few minutes and then stopped listening, focusing on devouring the delicacies on the table. As expected of imperial cuisine, the honey-preserved camel hump was roasted to perfection, and the golden minced fish was also very good. It was a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate, and he ate with great pleasure.

Seeing this, Li Lingyue pushed over the gilded food plate on her table. On the plate was a jade scroll with a ruyi shape, as green as a tender willow branch, neatly arranged like a work of art. Lu Chenyuan's eyes lit up. Li Lingyue smiled and said, "This is a new creation of the Imperial Kitchen. Try it."

Lu Chenyuan, without suspecting anything, picked up a cabbage roll and took a bite. To his surprise, the seemingly plain cabbage roll was filled with scalding hot chicken soup. The juice splashed out with a "hiss," but luckily he reacted in time, or he would have been soaked.

Li Lingyue immediately covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyebrows curving into a smile, utterly delighted.

Lu Chenyuan got angry, picked up a chopstick and put it into her mouth. Li Lingyue also picked up a chopstick and put it into each other's mouths. The two pairs of silver chopsticks were back and forth between them. The two of them started playing... Wu Zetian, who was sitting at the head of the table, shook her head helplessly. Although the music of the Divine Palace was just for accompaniment and eating and drinking were not allowed, it was still the music of the emperor. As a result, these two kept making small moves.

The Wu family was furious to see them openly flirting.

Once the music stops, the "Music and Dance Bringing Auspiciousness" segment is over, and the next stage, "A Hundred Plays Presenting Auspiciousness," begins.

Prince Gaoping and Minister of Ceremonies Wu Zhonggui stood up, glanced coldly at Lu Chenyuan, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's grace has recently enabled me to learn the art of 'Luoshui Triple Strokes.' I wish to offer this humble skill as a starting point before the various performances, to celebrate the successful completion of the ceremony, and to pray for the eternal stability of our Great Zhou Dynasty and the long life of Your Majesty."

Wu Zetian raised her hand and smiled, "Since Chonggui has this intention, I will observe this wondrous art with all of you."

"..."

The two, who were playfully fighting, paused, looked at each other, and then looked at Wu Zhonggui.

Wu Zhonggui made a hand seal and waved his sleeve. Suddenly, ripples appeared on the jade floor tiles, as if the Luo River was surging. Amidst the shimmering waves, hundreds of flower buds broke through the tiles and bloomed in succession. Peonies wept with dew, and lotuses piled up like snow. Most strangely, the mist rising from the flower stamens condensed in the air into the posture of the Goddess of the Luo River dancing.

Everyone unconsciously leaned forward, as if they could really smell the scent of spring mud on the banks of the Luo River.

"Good magic!"

Those officials who were allied with the Wu clan immediately applauded and cheered, while others nodded secretly in approval; this tactic was truly impressive.

Immediately afterwards, the petals suddenly detached from the branch, fluttering like colorful butterflies, and gathered in the air to form a seven-colored phoenix with a wingspan of three zhang (approximately 10 meters). Each feather had a different floral pattern, making this move even more difficult, and more and more people began to show their approval.

Li Lingyue frowned slightly; Wu Zhonggui had really put in the effort.

To achieve such subtlety, one's spiritual awareness must be quite high.

Lu Chenyuan picked up a piece of food and put it in his mouth, nodding to himself: Delicious!
Then came the third stanza. After circling several times in the Mingtang, the phoenix stopped in mid-air. It raised its head, stretched its neck, and cried out. Its voice was clear and melodious, as if it pierced through the nine heavens. Then the phoenix's body suddenly began to change. Its feathers fell off one by one, turning into fluttering petals that condensed into eight large characters in the air: "Peace and prosperity for the nation, for thousands of years!"

"it is good!"

Among the officials, Prime Minister Fu Youyi cheered loudly, praising, "The Prince of Gaoping's illusionary arts are unparalleled! The first layer is 'Flowers Bloom on the Luo River,' the second layer is 'Phoenixes Arrive,' and the third layer is 'Auspicious Heavenly Book.' What a magnificent performance of the Three Layers of the Luo River!"

Wu Zetian nodded and clapped her hands, laughing, "When did Chonggui learn such skills? Truly ingenious."

Amidst cheers from the hall, Wu Zhonggui smiled and cupped his hands, but his gaze was fixed on Lu Chenyuan.

Li Lingyue's heart skipped a beat. They're here!

Lu Chenyuan knew from the beginning that this was aimed at him: it was pointless.

Wu Zhonggui suddenly turned to Lu Chenyuan, his gaze sweeping over the golden mace at his waist, and laughed, "I have long heard that Commander Lu is proficient in mace techniques, unparalleled in fierceness, and can kill in no more than three moves. However, such a ferocious technique is probably a spoilsport for today's grand banquet..." He deliberately paused, his gaze sweeping over the guests in the hall, "I wonder if Commander Lu has any other talents to add to His Majesty's enjoyment at this auspicious occasion?"

Wu Chengsi picked up his wine cup and casually added, "I've heard that Lu Ge Ling is quite skilled at playing the zither, but unfortunately, the 'Great Music of the Divine Palace' has just ended. Playing the zither at this time would be like showing off one's limited skills before an expert."

Li Lingyue's expression changed.

Lu Chenyuan's qin skills have reached a profound level, and he may not be inferior to other musicians. However, "Shen Gong Da Yue" was composed by his mother, and Wu Chengsi's statement that he was showing off his skills in front of an expert refers to the piece itself, which is undeniable.

The hall fell silent instantly.

Everyone could hear the sarcasm in those words; they were clearly meant to block all of Lu Chenyuan's escape routes—his mace technique was too fierce, and playing the zither was inappropriate; it was obvious they wanted to embarrass him in public.

Li Dan frowned, Shangguan Wan'er pursed her lips, and the expressions of Banqian and Zhang Shuo among the officials changed slightly.

Li Lingyue made no attempt to hide the gloomy expression on her face. She raised her hand and pressed it on the table. She was not going to fall into their trap. It was Wu Zhonggui who jumped out and said he wanted to offer auspicious gifts. Lu Chenyuan did not say anything. Why should she offer them just because you told her to?

Just as she was about to get up and speak, Lu Chenyuan raised his hand, patted her arm, and shook his head at her.

joke!

Lu Chenyuan glanced at the Wu family members; they were seriously underestimating him.

Do you know how many skills Lao Tzu learned in order to become a "hexagonal warrior"?

Don't even mention limiting it to two items, even if you limit it to twenty, I still have ways to deal with it!

"Since the Prince has asked..."

He stood up, dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeves, and said calmly, "Then I shall make a fool of myself..."

(End of this chapter)