Chapter 110 Chi Danli (1)
They only shared gazes for a moment when Wen Yantong lowered her head and hid behind another person.
She subconsciously stroked her chest, her whole body could feel the rapid beating, and her blood felt as if it were boiling. Contrary to her inward dismay, Wen Yantong lowered her head and stood in a casual posture. She had retreated and almost blended herself in the darkness, inconspicuous and trying hard not to attract anyone's attention.
Wen Yantong seemed to hear the sound of her own heart beating. She didn't know if it was because she was afraid that Chi Jingxi would see her or something else, but she couldn't calm down.
But after a while, she discovered that what she heard was actually the sound of drums. A dull and rhythmic drumbeat.
Then a group of foreigners walked into the hall following the beat of the drums. They were slowly making their way into the middle of the hall. Men and women were all uniformly dressed in gorgeous bright colors, like vibrant peacocks. The difference was that the men had their long hair braided and tied up, while the women's long hair was loose, but the top of their let-down hair was decorated with glittering jewels.
There were several wide silver bracelets on the men's arm, and thin silver anklets on the women's ankle. All of these accessories had bells on them, which would ring with every step.
The men and women of a foreigner ethnicity twirled in circles, tapped and danced to the center of the hall. Suddenly they held hands and circled in twos, their beautiful clothes were like blooming flowers. Then these people turned faster and faster. They were all dancing on tiptoe, as if they were about to fly off.
In the midst of their high-speed rotation, the rhythmic drum beating suddenly and thumbed out of beat heavily. It was at this moment, these men and women who were circling suddenly turned into thousands of scattered plum petals! The watchers were startled by the scene and exclaimed in a low murmur.
As if carried by wind, the petals circled around the hall, brushing against everyone's clothes and hair. Wen Yantong reached out and grabbed a handful of the petals, smelling the aroma of plum blossoms all around her.
Opening her palm again, the white and pink plum blossoms turned into tiny snowflakes, which melted in an instant. Wen Yantong raised her head in amazement, and saw that the plum blossoms that were once circling around the hall had turned into snow. And it was all slowly coming down as if it were snowing indoors.
It hadn’t snowed in Chaoge since approaching New Year's Eve. Because of this, this New Year seemed a bit lacking, but everyone did not expect to see the scene of snow falling in the hall today.
The snow wasn't falling densely, but when one looked up, their eyes were covered with flying snowflakes. Wen Yantong opened her mouth slightly, and allowed some of the snow to fall into it. When the snow touched the tip of her tongue, the taste was sweet and cool.
She became immediately happier. Wen Yantong smiled and looked around, her eyes swirled in the snow, and before she had time to have self-awareness, her gaze fell on Chi Jingxi.
It may have been a coincidence, but as soon as her gaze settled, Chi Jingxi also locked eyes with her. The snowflakes fell on his black hair, red clothes, and golden silk embroidered ruyi patterns, but none ever fell into his eyes.
Just as Wen Yantong was about to panic, the lights in the main hall suddenly dimmed again. With only a few lights left, and the light suddenly became extremely dark, and Wen Yantong couldn't see Chi Jingxi's face at all.
This made her relax in an instant, and her eyes became wanton as she stared at Chi Jingxi's blurred outline.
Then the snow stopped. They turned into thousands of fireflies, highlighted by their green lights, these fireflies scattered around the hall. After circling aimlessly around, they then all flew to Chi Jingxi's side at the same time. Those fireflies will circle around Chi Jingxi's body, forming an ambilight-like beauty from top to bottom. In an instant, he became the most eye-catching person in the hall.
He lifted his hand slightly, and the speckled lights came down from his hairpin, and wrapped around his hands. Afterwards, the fireflies all moved downwards to his brocade boots hidden under the robe.
As if trying to pull him forward.
Chi Jingxi understood this, so he allowed himself to follow the speckled lights. However every time he took a step forward, a flower slowly bloomed beneath his shoe. The white flowers were tingled with pink tips; soft and delicate.
This was Shao Jing's national flower: a lotus.
Every time he took a step, a lotus flower would bloom on the soles of his feet. Endless sounds of exclamation in the hall came one after another.
Wen Yantong couldn't even move her eyes away. She didn't know if she was attracted by this gorgeous illusion or if she was infatuated by Chi Jingxi who was stepping on the lotus and surrounded by fireflies.
When he walked to the center, the lotus under his feet turned into little fragments and merged with the fireflies. Shortly after, the sound of drums reappeared and the foreigners appeared again. They encased Chi Jingxi in an auspicious circle, and bowed in union as a salute.
"Wishing the Little Marquis an auspicious birthday, may all your hopes be fulfilled."
Then lights slowly lit up in the hall, illuminating the spacious room once again. Everyone all shouted together, "Wishing the Little Marquis an auspicious birthday."
Chi Jingxi nodded. "Thank you all for your blessings."
The Emperor burst out laughing. He clapped his hands and said cheerfully, "How wonderful! It's truly gilding the lily to celebrate Xiao Xi's birthday banquet like this."
Chi Jingxi smiled, allowing his smiling eyes to become even more beautiful. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"It's your birthday today, tell zhen if you want anything." The Emperor said generously.
Someone stood up from the seat where the court officials were seated and said, "Your Majesty, don't overspoiled. It is enough for Xiao Xi to receive such an honor."
It was only then that Wen Yantong discovered that Chi Jingxi's father, Marquis Anhuai, was also attending the New Year Banquet.
The Emperor disagreed, and looked at An Huaihou with contempt, "Don’t try to persuade zhen. Gifts must be given... Forget it, read the edict."
The Emperor raised his hand, and the palace servant placed a tray on the ground. On it was a red and black inlaid jade brocade cloth. The palace servant picked it up and read,
"Chi Jingxi, third son of Marquis Anhuai, will be fifth in line. Born five years after the Ruixing Decade[1]. He is now eighteen years old. A great talent; well versed in literary and the arts of war. Today, he is bestowed the courtesy name ‘Danli,’ with the intent he lives up to everyone's expectations in the future and becomes the pillar for generations to come."
.
.
.
Footnote
[1] Ruixing Decade - when a new emperor steps up to the throne, they will name their time during rule a ‘__ Decade’. Kinda like how Japan is still using this system (but they have a new name every 10 years instead of changing it every new crowning since Japan is not ruled by kings). Ruixing Decade is not a real time period, this is a purely fictional name and time period.
Chapter 110 Chi Danli (1)
They only shared gazes for a moment when Wen Yantong lowered her head and hid behind another person.
She subconsciously stroked her chest, her whole body could feel the rapid beating, and her blood felt as if it were boiling. Contrary to her inward dismay, Wen Yantong lowered her head and stood in a casual posture. She had retreated and almost blended herself in the darkness, inconspicuous and trying hard not to attract anyone's attention.
Wen Yantong seemed to hear the sound of her own heart beating. She didn't know if it was because she was afraid that Chi Jingxi would see her or something else, but she couldn't calm down.
But after a while, she discovered that what she heard was actually the sound of drums. A dull and rhythmic drumbeat.
Then a group of foreigners walked into the hall following the beat of the drums. They were slowly making their way into the middle of the hall. Men and women were all uniformly dressed in gorgeous bright colors, like vibrant peacocks. The difference was that the men had their long hair braided and tied up, while the women's long hair was loose, but the top of their let-down hair was decorated with glittering jewels.
There were several wide silver bracelets on the men's arm, and thin silver anklets on the women's ankle. All of these accessories had bells on them, which would ring with every step.
The men and women of a foreigner ethnicity twirled in circles, tapped and danced to the center of the hall. Suddenly they held hands and circled in twos, their beautiful clothes were like blooming flowers. Then these people turned faster and faster. They were all dancing on tiptoe, as if they were about to fly off.
In the midst of their high-speed rotation, the rhythmic drum beating suddenly and thumbed out of beat heavily. It was at this moment, these men and women who were circling suddenly turned into thousands of scattered plum petals! The watchers were startled by the scene and exclaimed in a low murmur.
As if carried by wind, the petals circled around the hall, brushing against everyone's clothes and hair. Wen Yantong reached out and grabbed a handful of the petals, smelling the aroma of plum blossoms all around her.
Opening her palm again, the white and pink plum blossoms turned into tiny snowflakes, which melted in an instant. Wen Yantong raised her head in amazement, and saw that the plum blossoms that were once circling around the hall had turned into snow. And it was all slowly coming down as if it were snowing indoors.
It hadn’t snowed in Chaoge since approaching New Year's Eve. Because of this, this New Year seemed a bit lacking, but everyone did not expect to see the scene of snow falling in the hall today.
The snow wasn't falling densely, but when one looked up, their eyes were covered with flying snowflakes. Wen Yantong opened her mouth slightly, and allowed some of the snow to fall into it. When the snow touched the tip of her tongue, the taste was sweet and cool.
She became immediately happier. Wen Yantong smiled and looked around, her eyes swirled in the snow, and before she had time to have self-awareness, her gaze fell on Chi Jingxi.
It may have been a coincidence, but as soon as her gaze settled, Chi Jingxi also locked eyes with her. The snowflakes fell on his black hair, red clothes, and golden silk embroidered ruyi patterns, but none ever fell into his eyes.
Just as Wen Yantong was about to panic, the lights in the main hall suddenly dimmed again. With only a few lights left, and the light suddenly became extremely dark, and Wen Yantong couldn't see Chi Jingxi's face at all.
This made her relax in an instant, and her eyes became wanton as she stared at Chi Jingxi's blurred outline.
Then the snow stopped. They turned into thousands of fireflies, highlighted by their green lights, these fireflies scattered around the hall. After circling aimlessly around, they then all flew to Chi Jingxi's side at the same time. Those fireflies will circle around Chi Jingxi's body, forming an ambilight-like beauty from top to bottom. In an instant, he became the most eye-catching person in the hall.
He lifted his hand slightly, and the speckled lights came down from his hairpin, and wrapped around his hands. Afterwards, the fireflies all moved downwards to his brocade boots hidden under the robe.
As if trying to pull him forward.
Chi Jingxi understood this, so he allowed himself to follow the speckled lights. However every time he took a step forward, a flower slowly bloomed beneath his shoe. The white flowers were tingled with pink tips; soft and delicate.
This was Shao Jing's national flower: a lotus.
Every time he took a step, a lotus flower would bloom on the soles of his feet. Endless sounds of exclamation in the hall came one after another.
Wen Yantong couldn't even move her eyes away. She didn't know if she was attracted by this gorgeous illusion or if she was infatuated by Chi Jingxi who was stepping on the lotus and surrounded by fireflies.
When he walked to the center, the lotus under his feet turned into little fragments and merged with the fireflies. Shortly after, the sound of drums reappeared and the foreigners appeared again. They encased Chi Jingxi in an auspicious circle, and bowed in union as a salute.
"Wishing the Little Marquis an auspicious birthday, may all your hopes be fulfilled."
Then lights slowly lit up in the hall, illuminating the spacious room once again. Everyone all shouted together, "Wishing the Little Marquis an auspicious birthday."
Chi Jingxi nodded. "Thank you all for your blessings."
The Emperor burst out laughing. He clapped his hands and said cheerfully, "How wonderful! It's truly gilding the lily to celebrate Xiao Xi's birthday banquet like this."
Chi Jingxi smiled, allowing his smiling eyes to become even more beautiful. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"It's your birthday today, tell zhen if you want anything." The Emperor said generously.
Someone stood up from the seat where the court officials were seated and said, "Your Majesty, don't overspoiled. It is enough for Xiao Xi to receive such an honor."
It was only then that Wen Yantong discovered that Chi Jingxi's father, Marquis Anhuai, was also attending the New Year Banquet.
The Emperor disagreed, and looked at An Huaihou with contempt, "Don’t try to persuade zhen. Gifts must be given... Forget it, read the edict."
The Emperor raised his hand, and the palace servant placed a tray on the ground. On it was a red and black inlaid jade brocade cloth. The palace servant picked it up and read,
"Chi Jingxi, third son of Marquis Anhuai, will be fifth in line. Born five years after the Ruixing Decade[1]. He is now eighteen years old. A great talent; well versed in literary and the arts of war. Today, he is bestowed the courtesy name ‘Danli,’ with the intent he lives up to everyone's expectations in the future and becomes the pillar for generations to come."
.
.
.
Footnote
[1] Ruixing Decade - when a new emperor steps up to the throne, they will name their time during rule a ‘__ Decade’. Kinda like how Japan is still using this system (but they have a new name every 10 years instead of changing it every new crowning since Japan is not ruled by kings). Ruixing Decade is not a real time period, this is a purely fictional name and time period.
