Pampered Consort of the Fragrant Orchard c1-234

by N/A

  The princesses who were famed for their dancing were Eastern Li’s Lu Junqi and Northern Qi’s Beiling Yu. It was unheard of that Northern Yuan also had an exceptional dancer. Yet now, looking at Zhao Zhen’s face that was full of confidence, the Northern Yuan must have a person who was even more skilled than the two princesses. Seeing how there had never been any news of this, they must’ve been waiting for this moment!

  Since Zhao Zhen had already spoken to this extent, Han Mingze had no choice but to take the bait. In any case, Du Xiaoli’s dancing skills were indeed pretty good. If it weren’t for the fact that she had to take care of arrangements for this competition, she would’ve been signed up to participate long ago. Faced with Northern Yuan’s provocation, he would also feel more at ease if she were the one competing. Thus, he waved his hand and said, “Since Marquis Zhen has spoken, Du Xiaoli shall participate in the competition. This should fulfill your younger cousin’s request.”

  “Then, many thanks to Your Majesty, the Emperor.” Zhao Zhen raised his wine cup and toasted Han Mingze. “Since it’s like this, shall we make a small wager?”

  “What kind of wager is the Marquis thinking of?” Han Mingze asked.

  Zhao Zhen thought about it and said, “If the future Princess Consort Ding wins, this one will bestow upon her two thousand pieces of gold. However, if this one’s younger cousin gets lucky and wins, then may Your Majesty fulfill a wish of hers.”

  “What wish?” Han Mingze asked.

  Han Mingyi, who had remained silent this entire time, saw the glance Zhao Zhen sent his way. Subconsciously, he furrowed his brows while a foreboding feeling began to form in his heart.

  When Zhao Zhen saw Han Mingyi’s expression, the corners of his mouth lifted as he said, “My younger cousin has always admired Prince Ding’s heroic appearance, and it has been her long time wish to marry him and become his imperial concubine. If she somehow has the good fortune to win, will Your Majesty grant her this small request?”

  “Marry Prince Ding?” Han Mingze uttered before looking at Han Mingyi, whose surroundings had suddenly become icy. He said, “I, Zhen [1], once promised Prince Ding that Zhen will not interfere with his marriage, so this matter has to gain his approval first.”

  Han Mingze had just finished speaking, and Han Mingyi wasted no time to voice his rejection: “This Prince does not agree.”

  “This one heard prior to coming here that Prince Ding has vowed to marry only one person in this lifetime. But my younger cousin only wishes to marry Prince Ding. Even if it’s as the 1st Imperial Concubine or 2nd Imperial Concubine, she doesn’t mind.”

  “This Prince minds,” Han Mingyi said.

  “Is it that Princess Consort Ding cannot accept any other women?” Zhao Zhen said with a smile. His words were full of derision for Han Mingyi.

  “It’s This Prince that cannot accept.” Saying this, Han Mingyi lowered his head and drank from his wine cup while ignoring Zhao Zhen.

  Ch. 093.2 – Let Her Compete! (2)

  Han Mingze looked at Zhao Zhen apologetically and said, “There are deep feelings between my imperial brother and Du Xiaoli. They don’t wish for anyone else to interfere. I’m afraid the Marquis’ younger cousin will have to be disappointed.”

  “Mm, since the feelings between Prince Ding and the future Princess Consort Ding are strong, this marquis can’t be overly forceful. Then let’s change the wager. Why doesn’t Your Majesty wager to open up a city that is settled on the border so it can be used as a trading point between our two countries?”

  This was tonight’s main highlight!

  The things before were merely Zhao Zhen laying down the groundwork. His true objective was obtaining a liberal city to increase trade!

  Feng Ming not only had a vast territory but also abundant amounts of resources. The soil was fertile and their harvest bountiful. In comparison, Northern Yuan was far inferior. If a trade route could be opened up, it would be extremely advantageous for Northern Yuan.

  It would also make it more convenient to gather information in Feng Ming!

  “The Marquis’ thoughts are too fanciful. What is Northern Yuan’s intention? If you wish to open up a trade city, that’s fine. When Northern Yuan opens one, This Prince will definitely have his people show support,” Han Mingyi refused adamantly.

  “Haha, don’t be impatient, Prince Ding. Like this one said, this wager is only valid should this one’s younger cousin win. But if His Majesty is unwilling, let’s drop this subject,” Zhao Zhen said lightly.

  “Haha. Even if Marquis Zhen says this, we’re already set to wager, so how can Zhen withdraw? However, it is indeed quite unfair this way. So how about this? If Du Xiaoli wins, you’ll reward her with a thousand pieces of gold. If Marquis Zhen’s younger cousin wins, Zhen will reward her with a thousand gold, and Feng Ming will also open up a trade city. How’s that?” Han Mingze said.

  Han Mingyi sent a questioning look toward Han Mingze. He wanted to interject, but Zhao Zhen spoke before him: “Then the matter will be settled like this. The wager will be done according to Your Majesty’s words.”

  Saying this, Zhao Zhen smiled provocatively at Han Mingyi and said, “Prince Ding, you should be more confident in the future Princess Consort Ding!”

  Han Mingyi shot Zhao Zhen a look. He then lowered his head to drink his wine, paying no more attention to the people around him.

  Zhao Zhen raised his wine cup and toasted Han Mingze. When he lowered his head to drink the wine, the corner of his mouth curved into a cold smile.

  Following the evening banquet, Han Mingze wrote the secret decree to have Du Xiaoli join the dance competition. He even wrote at the end that should she win over the person from Northern Yuan, he would grant her a request. After he finished writing the secret decree, he had Eunuch Shan deliver it that very night.

  ***

  After Eunuch Shan finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room became tense. Du Yunhan immediately got up and said, “I’ll go to the palace to talk to the Emperor!”

  “Aiyo. Prime Minister Du, don’t be impulsive! The Emperor’s edict has already been handed down, and this matter has already been settled with Northern Yuan. Even if you go now, it would be pointless! Not to mention, the Emperor also realizes that this is troubling for Du Xiaoli, which is why he has rewarded her with many benefits. The Emperor put in a lot of thought to this,” Eunuch Shan persuaded.

  Du Yun Han and Han Ming Yi looked at Du Xiaoli, not knowing what were the benefits Eunuch Shan mentioned.

  Du Xiaoli shrugged and said, “The Emperor promised that should I win, he would grant me one request so long as it is within reason.”

  Promising her a request—this was better than bestowing any sort of gold or valuables. As long as the request was not overboard, there was a wide range of choices to choose from!

  It seemed that Han Mingze was also aware of the saying ‘in order to make a horse run, you must first feed it with grass’.

  “For Eunuch Shan to deliver this message so late into the night, it has been hard on you,” Du Xiaoli said this and stuffed a silver ingot into Eunuch Shan’s hand.

  Eunuch Shan accepted the silver and said, “Miss Du, we all know that you are capable, and since this decree has already been passed, you have no choice. Why not look forward and win the competition? This way you are even able to gain profits! You should start preparing for tomorrow’s contest. This humble one still has to report back to His Majesty, so I won’t impose on you any longer.”

  After saying this, Eunuch Shan bowed towards Han Mingyi and the others before quickly turning around to leave with the two other eunuchs behind him. Han Mingyi gave Leng Er a look, and Leng Er also followed them outside.

  “Eunuch Shan, it is already so late, allow me to send you back.”

  “Then I’ll have to trouble Imperial Bodyguard Leng Er.”

  After Eunuch Shan and the others left, Du Xiaoli sat down on a stool and tossed the imperial edict onto the table. What Eunuch Shan said was right. S
ince the imperial edict had been given to her, she must participate in the contest regardless of whether she wanted to. Compared to doing it half-heartedly, she would rather compete seriously and win that 2,000 gold along with the Emperor’s promise!

  “In history, there were never any mentions of opening a trade city during a negotiation. If we can open up a trade city on the border of Northern Yuan, it will be extremely advantageous for Feng Ming,” Han Mingyi said. “We can make the other side give up a city with deploying troops, so naturally, the Emperor won’t give up this opportunity.”

  “I know,” Du Xiaoli replied. In her previous world, she already knew of things like the treaty ports, so she could analyse the current state of affairs and could understand Han Mingze’s way of thinking. “Right now, I can only properly compete to obtain the Emperor’s promise. Otherwise, I will be exploited for nothing. Oh, by the way, what is the background of this Marquis Zhen?”

  “Zhao Zhen? He was previously a little prince. In the past, an upheaval occurred in Northern Yuan’s imperial household, and the Emperor suddenly died, causing Northern Yuan to slip into turmoil. Moreover, they were still at war with us at the time, so it was like adding hail on top of snow for them. During this difficult period of time, he invited the people who were causing unrest to a banquet and killed all of them. Meanwhile, he ordered assassinations for the troublemakers who had not attended. Later on, he obtained the military seal and ordered the military to capture anyone who participated in the upheaval. He quickly dissolved the unrest before pushing the crown prince, who was not yet twelve at that time, onto the throne. Many people thought that he would directly ascend to the throne himself, but he unexpectedly chose to control the country through a puppet ruler instead.”

  Ch. 093.3 – Let Her Compete! (3)

  “Since he’s so powerful, then why didn’t he become the Emperor?” Du Xiaoli was puzzled.

  Since ancient times, most men yearned for power. Zhao Zhen was capable, and he had the means and even the opportunity. If he had crowned himself the Emperor, no one would have dared to say anything.

  “I don’t know. Perhaps he is not interested in the position, or maybe he wants to ascend in a proper fashion,” Han Mingyi said, shaking his head.

  “Ai, let’s put him aside for now. Do you know what is the specialty of his younger cousin?” Du Xiaoli asked.

  “Mm, I’ve sent people to investigate. Zhao Zirui is indeed skilled in calligraphy, but her strongest point is dancing. She can even dance and draw at the same time,” Han Mingyi replied.

  “That is her specialty?” Du Xiaoli asked.

  “Yes,” Han Mingyi replied. “How is it? Are you confident in winning?”

  “I’ve never seen her dance before, so I can’t make any conclusions right now. Since she draws, then I will also try drawing, although it remains to be seen whether I can beat her,” Du Xiaoli said truthfully.

  “En, all you have to do is focus on competing. Don’t worry about anything else,” Han Mingyi said in reassurance.

  Du Xiaoli let out a heavy sigh and said, “I know. Dad, Xiao Yi-gege, you guys head back first. It’s late, so get some rest. I have to get ready for tomorrow’s contest.”

  “Do you need anything? Should I help?” Han Mingyi asked.

  “No need, no need. I can take care of it myself. You both should go.” Du Xiaoli waved her hand and kicked Du Yunhan and Han Mingyi out of the room.

  Once Du Yunhan and Han Mingyi left, Du Xiaoli ordered Xia Yuan and the others to prepare some things. She then practiced the dance twice. Her posture and movements shocked Xia Yuan and Ying Ge into a stupor. It was only when the sky began to brighten that she headed to bed to rest.

  Since Han Mingze ordered her to enter the competition, Du Xiaoli didn’t need to worry about any of the arrangements for the contest. Sure enough, on the morning of the second day, Meng Weiren came to find her.

  “Uncle Meng, why have you come over so early in the morning? There’s still a while before the competition starts,” Du Xiaoli said when she entered the reception room and saw Meng Weiren standing with his hands behind his back.

  “Last night, I received an imperial edict saying the Emperor is having you enter the dance competition. I’ve already arranged everything, so I came here to notify you about it. We transferred Chen Yue’s quota over to you. Since you are the sixteenth contestant and will be performing last, you can head over to the site a little later,” Meng Weiren explained.

  “Thank you, Uncle Meng,” Du Xiaoli said. She invited Meng Weiren to sit and had Xia Yuan serve tea before asking, “Uncle Meng, may I ask when Zhao Zirui of Northern Yuan will be performing?”

  “She’s the fourteenth contestant, just two spots before you,” Meng Weiren stated. “I heard that the contest between the two of you will affect the affairs between the two countries. Do your best. With your ability, winning should be no problem.”

  “En, en. I’ll try my best,” Du Xiaoli said with a smile.

  “There’s only a month left before Jiang Zhuo is set to marry. After the competition, you should go visit her if you have time,” Meng Weiren pointed out suddenly.

  “I will. I also hate to part with Jiang Zhuo-jiejie. Although it hasn’t been long since I came to the capital, I've received her help all this time. It was my good fortune to be able to meet her,” Du Xiaoli said.

  “To be able to meet you before getting married is also Jiang Zhuo’s fortune. Alright then, you should go prepare. I’ll be leaving first. The Emperor and Marquis Zhen might visit the competition today, so take care to arrive on time,” Meng Weiren said as he stood up.

  Du Xiaoli got up with him and said, “Thank you, Uncle Meng. I’ll get there earlier.”

  During the previous contests, she had always gone late and returned early, but that’s because she hadn’t been competing in any of them. This time was different. Since she was a participant, she couldn’t be as capricious as before.

  After Meng Weiren left, Du Xiaoli idled around in the court for a while. Then when it was about time for the competition to start, Fu Yalan came to visit with her guqin.

  “Xiaoli, what did you call me here in such a hurry for?” Fu Yalan asked and had her maidservant place her guqin onto the table.

  “I have some matters that I want your help with…” Du Xiaoli answered.

  Just as Meng Weiren said earlier, Han Mingze and Zhao Zhen both came that day, along with some officials from the Imperial Court. Quite a few ministers had attended the evening banquet the previous night, so the matter of this competition wasn’t exactly a secret. Everyone had some objection toward how a state affair was being settled through an Academy competition—for example, Du Yunhan, who had a long face all day, appeared as if everyone owed him money. Yet since this matter was already set in stone, they could only place their hopes on Du Xiaoli and hope she could defeat her opponent. Even if she couldn’t get first place, she had to at least beat Zhao Zirui from Northern Yuan.

  “Greeting Your Majesty!”

  At the competition site, the people of Feng Ming knelt down. The contestants from other countries also stood up and bowed toward Han Mingze.

  “Everyone, rise,” Han Mingze said with a wave of his hand.

  “We thank Your Majesty.”

  Everyone got up and stood by their seats.

  “Today is the last day of the Academy’s competition. Zhen, Northern Yuan’s Marquis Zhen, and the present noblemen and ministers have all come to watch the competition. There is no need to be nervous, just act as you normally would. Zhen prays for all of you to perform well!” Han Mingze spoke a few words of encouragement before heading to the viewing area with Marquis Zhen and the others.

  Since the people in this group were all of high status, safety was of the utmost importance. Thus, a large group of imperial guards was also present, crowding up the viewing area. The students who were originally sitting there could only move to other viewing areas.

  Ch. 093.4 – Let Her Compete! (4)

  W
hen everyone had settled down, Meng Weiren walked onto the stage and said, “Today’s competition is the dance contest. There’s no preliminary round or finals. A single round will decide the final results. At the end of each contestant’s act, the judges will give a score according to the contestant’s performance. We will exclude the highest as well as the lowest score they received and then calculate their average score. The contest’s ranking will be based on their final score. There are a total of sixteen contestants for this contest. The contestants already drew lots yesterday to decide the order. Now, the contestants will come forth onto the stage to perform according to that order. The first to perform is Miss Qin Chunmei of Eastern Li. After her, it will be Miss Deng Hanxue of Northern Qi. May Miss Qin Chunmei please come onto the stage.”

  Meng Weiren left the stage, and Qin Chunmei went up dressed in her dance attire and brought along a musician who was instructed to be on standby. Once Qin Chunmei was ready, she sent a signal to the musician, who then began to play the melody. Following along with the music, Qin Chunmei began to dance.

  At a corner, Ji Liufeng and Han Mingyi were surveying the situation in the competition site to see if there were any suspicious people making conspicuous movements. This was in order to ensure that the contest proceeded smoothly.

  Ji Liufeng looked at Zhao Zhen, who was sitting beside Han Mingze, and elbowed Han Mingyi, saying, “Hey, this Zhao Zhen really is bold, actually using a trade city as a wager. What do you think is his intention?”

  “Exactly what it seems,” Han Mingyi said impassively.

  “Exactly what it seems? So he really wants to use this competition to decide the opening of a trade city? Isn’t he afraid that we’ll take this chance to invade after they open their gates?” Ji Liufeng asked.