Chapter 165: A New Year Tribute That Shone Brilliantly
Only after Yue Wang accepted it did Yu Yi finally let out a heavy breath. Once he sat back down, he heard Steward Qin give a quiet, cold snort from the side. A wail rose in his heart. The red packet he had only just received would likely be confiscated by tomorrow.
Inside the Su Residence, warmth and liveliness filled every corner. In the imperial city of the capital, the palace was even more brilliantly lit.
After the Emperor had accepted the congratulations of the imperial princes, ministers, and palace consorts, his face was bright with pleasure. Reclining slightly upon the dragon throne, he swirled the wine cup in his hand while admiring the song and dance below the hall.
Seeing that the wine cup in His Majesty’s hand had emptied, Xu Li quickly stepped forward to refill it. In a soft voice, he said, “Your Majesty, this year the winds and rains have been timely, and the people are peaceful and well. This servant heard that among the New Year tributes presented by the various regions this year, several are exceptionally magnificent. We servants were fortunate enough to glimpse them once, and found ourselves unable to look away.”
“Oh?” The Emperor looked toward him. “You may be considered an old hand in the palace. What sort of treasures have you not seen? For you to praise them so, they must indeed be unusual. Since that is the case, have them brought up for Us to see.”
Joy stirred in Xu Li’s heart. He quickly withdrew and instructed the young eunuchs to present the selected New Year tributes.
“Your Majesty, please look. This is the Divine Stone of Mount Tai, presented by the Governor of Ludong. It is said to emit a glow at night, and the stone bears natural markings that form the character for longevity. It is especially wondrous.”
The Emperor glanced at it, but little interest appeared in his expression. “Some days ago, when We celebrated Our birthday, the regions below sent up no small number of strange stones and auspicious objects. Looking at them again and again holds little meaning. Are there others?”
“This servant has heard that Jingling City also presented a New Year tribute. It is said to have come from Niyun Pavilion, which Your Majesty previously rewarded, and the people of five or six cities near Jingling also took part in it.”
At the mention of Jingling City, the Emperor’s interest had just begun to stir. But when he heard that the people of five or six cities had all participated, a hint of displeasure appeared. “The most important thing in a New Year tribute is sincerity. If, for the sake of presenting a gift to Us, the common people were disturbed and made uneasy, would that not be mere pursuit of empty fame?”
Xu Li’s heart tightened. He had only just been promoted to Chief Eunuch; in the end, his understanding of the Emperor’s temperament could not yet compare to Eunuch De’s. He had only wished to secretly sell Mu Yunyao a favor, but had forgotten to carefully weigh the Emperor’s thoughts.
Yet the Emperor had already spoken. “Bring up the New Year tribute from Jingling City. We would like to see what sort of tribute required the labor of the people of five or six cities.”
Upon hearing the words “Jingling City,” the officials below gradually lowered their voices. Jingling City had been too conspicuous of late. Judging from His Majesty’s expression just now, he seemed somewhat displeased. Could it be that misfortune had finally come for them?
At this thought, many of them became alert, their gazes drifting without a trace toward the entrance of the hall. Before long, two eunuchs carried in a frame. From its shape, it appeared to be a screen, though it was covered with red cloth, making it impossible to see clearly.
Quite a few people looked toward Su Wenyuan with schadenfreude. During the Emperor’s birthday banquet, Su Wenyuan had presented a screen in hopes of claiming merit, only for the Splendid Rivers and Mountains at Sunrise screen to turn in the blink of an eye into an ominous sign of blood staining the empire.
Because of that, the Su family had suffered a period of cold treatment. For the past half year, they had been doing their utmost to perform well, all to erase the shadow left by that screen. Just when success seemed near, who would have thought Jingling City would send in another screen? Was this not stabbing the Su family straight in the heart?
Su Wenyuan remained composed, a mild smile still upon his face. Only the wine cup in his hand trembled faintly, sending a cold glint across its surface.
When the Emperor saw the frame, he clearly also remembered the screen Su Wenyuan had presented on his birthday. The displeasure in his expression deepened. “What is there to hide? Remove the red cloth.”
Seeing the Emperor’s anger, the eunuchs below shrank in fear. Their hands trembling, they hurriedly yanked the red silk down.
The great hall was filled with bright lamps. Suddenly, everyone felt a flash of brilliance before their eyes, almost dazzling enough to blind them. When they recovered and looked carefully, they could not help drawing in a sharp breath.
The object presented by Jingling City resembled a screen, yet seemed even more like a piece of embroidery mounted upon a frame. Because the eunuch’s movements had been too forceful, the embroidery still swayed faintly. Upon it, four golden characters were releasing a dazzling divine light.
Under the candlelight in the great hall, the auspicious clouds beneath the large characters seemed to flow slowly. The four golden characters looked as though they had flown down from the heavens and now stood firmly among the clouds—
Fortune. Longevity. Peace. Health.
Even the Emperor’s eyes widened slightly. His gaze fixed upon the embroidery below, and he felt a surge of vast, upright energy stir within his chest. He could not help laughing aloud. “Good!”
As he spoke, he rose and descended the steps, approaching the embroidery to admire it up close. The nearer he drew, the more miraculous it seemed. “These four large characters—Fortune, Longevity, Peace, and Health—are actually all formed from smaller characters written in different hands. There must be tens of thousands of these small characters, no?”
Seeing the Emperor’s expression turn from overcast to clear, Xu Li secretly wiped the cold sweat from his palm. He knew he had won this wager. Hearing His Majesty’s question, he quickly stepped forward to answer. “Replying to Your Majesty, Governor Zhang Boyong of Huainan submitted a greeting memorial. It records the origin of this embroidery in detail.”
“Present it. We wish to see whose hands produced such astonishing embroidery.”
Very soon, Governor Zhang’s greeting memorial was delivered. After the Emperor finished reading it, his expression grew even more pleased. “These small characters of Fortune, Longevity, Peace, and Health were actually written by fully blessed elders from the six cities of Huainan—more than sixteen thousand people in all. Truly astonishing. Zhang Boyong says the papers collected with them were also sent into the palace. Where are they now?”
Xu Li quickly replied, “This servant will have them brought at once.”
Before long, several guards carried in two large chests. Xu Li immediately ordered them opened. Inside, sheets of white paper covered with the words Fortune, Longevity, Peace, and Health were stacked neatly one upon another.
Xu Li took several sheets and presented them to the Emperor. “Your Majesty, please examine them.”
The Emperor picked up one sheet and compared it carefully against the screen. The small characters forming the four large words on the screen were varied in shape and size; for a time, it was truly difficult to find the corresponding writing.
“Beloved ministers, each of you take a few sheets and come forward to help Us look. See whether you can find the matching handwriting.”
Several senior ministers hurried forward. Taking the papers, they compared them carefully. Suddenly, one of them cried out in surprise, “I found it, Your Majesty. This minister has found it. Please look here.”
“Indeed. It corresponds exactly.”
“This minister has also found one. Your Majesty, please look.”
For a time, the entire Golden Hall became exceptionally lively. Everyone held slips of paper and searched for the corresponding handwriting on the embroidery. To their surprise, every single sheet matched. Most remarkable of all, the handwriting showed not the slightest deviation. Other than the difference in size, the stitches were exactly the same.
“The skill of the embroiderer is truly like the work of Heaven!”
“Indeed. These tens of thousands of characters are each in different handwriting, yet arranged in perfect order, making the four large characters appear dignified, solemn, and magnificent. It is truly rare.”
“As expected of Niyun Pavilion, which received His Majesty’s reward. Such craftsmanship may be called unparalleled under heaven.”
wowwww i wish i could see it too!!
ReplyDeleteMe, too!
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