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墨書 Inktalez
The performance began normally and was quite spectacular, especially when the military drums sounded. In the biting cold of winter, the Warriors danced and sang with bare shoulders, igniting a fervor in the audience that made everyone want to join in and shout along.
Sang Qingxiao heard Mingze not far away, boasting proudly that he had written the lyrics for this newly arranged battle song. Just as this heart-stirring program concluded, a languid melody floated from the stage. Most people sensed something was amiss, stopping their chatter to glance at Xuande Emperor's expression. The emperor, who had just been laughing heartily, now wore a dark scowl.
This banquet was of a higher caliber than previous state banquets; it should have featured uplifting performances. Instead, a group of alluring women dressed in slightly revealing attire took the stage to sing a love ballad. What was going on?
Those unaware of the situation watched with great interest, but once they realized what had happened—or if someone pointed it out—the emperor's reputation would inevitably become entangled with this scandal. Especially since Cui Cheng's illustrated book was still circulating in the city; it could not be easily dismissed, and those present could easily connect the dots.
"Ministry of Rites!" Xuande Emperor's voice thundered. Xue Zhe, the Minister of Rites, fell to his knees in shock and confusion. "Did you arrange this program?"
"No, I did not," he stammered.
"Even if you didn't, you should have reviewed it! You usually flatter those above you without hesitation."
"I thought you were reliable and knew your limits. Occasionally listening to sweet words would lighten my mood; that's why I didn't take action against you."
"Do you not understand what kind of occasion this is? In front of so many people, how could you dare commit such a grave mistake? Xue Zhe, what were you thinking?"
"Your Majesty! Please allow me to explain. I did not approve this program; I wanted to review it, but the Crown Prince insisted on keeping it confidential out of filial piety."
"I reluctantly agreed but made sure to inform the Crown Prince several times about the key points and taboos for this banquet."
"The Crown Prince assured me that everything would be fine and told me not to worry. But how could I truly relax? During the rehearsal period, I sent officials three times and even went myself once, yet the Crown Prince refused to let me see anything."
"Your Majesty, regarding this matter, I consulted you before, and you laughed and told me to let them be."
Xuande Emperor recalled that Xue Zhe had indeed mentioned that a prince wanted to contribute but wished for confidentiality and did not want the Ministry of Rites to review it. At that time, he had been hopeful about the prince's filial intentions and signaled Xue Zhe not to worry.
In the end, the problem lay with himself!
Xuande Emperor realized he had scolded the wrong person; his anger simmered within him as he turned his gaze sharply toward his eldest son, Qin Jun De.
Seeing that Qin Jun De seemed completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere in the hall—his eyes gleaming with excitement as he fixated on the stage—Xuande Emperor felt even more infuriated. In the silence of the room, he could hear Qin Jun De softly humming along with the tune being performed.
How engrossed must he be to have missed his father's earlier outburst?
Fuming over losing face because of this son in front of everyone, Xuande Emperor picked up one of the largest items on the table—a pot of warm lamb soup—and poured it over Qin Jun De's head. The hot liquid made him wince and curse in surprise.
Fortunately, since they were close by, otherwise, with the Xuande Emperor just recovering from a serious illness, it would be hard to tell which unfortunate soul would have to suffer for Qin Jun De.
Only when Xuande Emperor asked, "Is it really that interesting?" did Qin Jun De realize something was off in the hall. "Father, Father Emperor, I was just lost in thought and didn't realize what had upset you."
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