A graceful and agile lady in purple ended the game with a beautiful airborne goal.
All the monarchs applauded and praised, “Wonderful!”
The atmosphere was particularly lively.
This female soccer match was organized by the Empress and the four consorts together. It ended smoothly and successfully, and the officials from the Ministry of Rites finally let go of their worries.
Huangfu Yuchen knew that these monarchs had a purpose for this visit, and they would speak up when they couldn’t hold it any longer. He just watched quietly from his throne without saying a word, occasionally sipping tea, appearing leisurely, and letting the performances proceed one after another.
After another three or four performances, King Ye Kezheng of the Xilan Kingdom looked at the other monarchs and said, “Your Majesty, your kingdom is blessed with talented and beautiful women. It is truly a feast for the eyes. I have a daughter who is very good at dancing. I would like to present her dance to Your Majesty. Would you be interested in watching?”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “This is my honor. However, it is scorching hot even though it’s only March. The princess is like a golden branch and jade leaf, and she should rest under the canopy. But I appreciate the princess’s kindness, thank you.”
Ye Kezheng was momentarily speechless and could only express gratitude on behalf of his daughter. Xilan was a small kingdom, and if they could establish a connection with the prosperous Great Han, there would be countless benefits. Unexpectedly, Huangfu Yuchen showed completely no interest in meeting his daughter.
Liao Chengyuan glared angrily at Ye Kezheng. Ye Kezheng was too hasty and almost ruined his grand plan.
Liao Xueyin stood up and walked gracefully to the center, bowing to Huangfu Yuchen. Her voice was melodious and her words eloquent, “Your Majesty, the Liao Kingdom is a nomadic nation on the grasslands. I am not afraid of the sun. May I have the honor of dancing for Your Majesty and the other monarchs? I don’t mind admitting that I have been preparing for this day for a long time.”
Huangfu Yuchen smiled faintly and said, “It is my pleasure. Both princesses must have prepared for today for a long time as well. I suddenly realized that my assumption earlier might have unintentionally hurt the Princess of Xilan, and I feel uneasy about it. If the two princesses don’t mind, why not perform together? The phoenix of the grasslands and the spirit of the forest dancing together; just the thought of it makes one eager to see it.”
With these words, Huangfu Yuchen effortlessly shifted everyone’s interest to comparing the two princesses, blurring the original purpose and effect of their dances. Liao Chengyuan and Ye Kezheng were both frustrated but had no choice but to suppress their anger.
One young official sitting next to Yan Xiaojing secretly chuckled, only to be gently tapped on the head by Yan Xiaojing.
“Father!”
It was actually Yan Ge! It turned out that he had been present all along, disguised and wearing the official’s robe, blending in with the other officials.
When Jiang Gan, Luo Wei, and the others first saw an unfamiliar face next to Yan Xiaojing, they were a bit puzzled. It was at this moment that they realized it was Yan Ge and couldn’t help but smile discreetly, feeling extremely envious of Yan Xiaojing.
Meanwhile, the two princesses were worthy of being members of the royal family. They regained their composure, and with the unique pride of royalty, quickly calmed down. The music played by their respective bands began, and they each danced in their own style, trying their best to showcase their most perfect dance moves.
Unfortunately, Huangfu Yuchen’s move was too brilliant, and everyone unconsciously began comparing who danced better and who didn’t, completely overlooking the artistic conception and charm brought by the two performances.
After the two princesses finished dancing, they realized that something was off. They tried to maintain their composure, bowed, and returned to their seats in silence.
The monarchs who wanted to create more opportunities before the formal test, had failed. They exchanged glances wordlessly and paid more attention to Huangfu Yuchen, this young and powerful emperor.
King Wei Lie of the Mini Kingdom said, “Your Majesty Huangfu, we have visited the capital in the past two days and have seen and heard so many wonderful things. We are curious about the talent behind your kingdom’s pens, umbrellas, soap, and even cement. Regardless of who this person is, their talent, ingenuity, and abilities are unparalleled. I wonder if His Majesty would be willing to introduce this person to us?”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled and said, “To be honest, this person is my beloved consort. But it is not easy to introduce you all to him.”
The king of the Feng kingdom spoke up, “As far as I know, His Majesty Huangfu’s beloved consort is Yan Caiqing, who is known for his exceptional talents and beauty. He has opened a company in the capital and often moves outside the palace due to business. However, I don’t understand why His Majesty Huangfu can’t introduce him to us?”
This statement was a bit blunt, implying that Yan Caiqing, as a palace consort, frequently appeared in public, meeting many people. Why couldn’t he be introduced to them?
Huangfu Yuchen replied calmly, “Your Majesties may not be aware of this, but my beloved consort acts according to his own wishes. If he is interested in something, there is no need to invite him; he will do it on his own. If he is not, no matter how you try to convince him, it won’t work. He was present during the celebration just now, but now he’s gone somewhere. I really have no way to control him.”
Yan Ge gestured to Yan Xiaojing.
Yan Xiaojing pretended not to notice.
Yan Ge could only wink at Jiang Gan.
Jiang Gan chuckled inwardly, wondering what this person was up to now. He stood up and said, “Your Majesty, we haven’t finished the performances prepared for all the monarchs. Should we continue?”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “Continue.”
“Yes.”
Yan Ge elegantly raised his sleeve and walked to the front of the stage, bowing to the monarchs, “Your Majesty, this humble servant wishes to present his talents to you and all the monarchs.”
Huangfu Yuchen immediately recognized it was Yan Ge and there was a mix of helplessness and indulgence in his eyes. “Why not? All the monarchs have come from afar, and Official Qin’s performance will surely add to the enjoyment. What would you like to do?”
The Empress, along with all the officials, palace attendants, and guards, recognized Yan Ge’s voice and became spirited, knowing they were about to witness a good show.
Yan Ge said, “I have been diligently practicing martial arts in recent months and feel that my skills have greatly improved. I dare to challenge the masters present here. If I happen to win, Your Majesty can grant me a reward.”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled, “And what if you lose?”
Yan Ge replied, “If I lose, Your Majesty will naturally reward the winner.”
All the officials burst into laughter.
Huangfu Yuchen readily agreed, “Very well. If you lose one match, the winner will be rewarded with a thousand taels of gold and also your salary deducted for a year.”
“This servant obeys.” Yan Ge looked expectant. “Does that mean I get a thousand taels of gold for each match I win?”
Everyone suppressed their laughter.
Huangfu Yuchen sighed inwardly. Why was his beloved so keen on extorting him?
“That’s the deal.” Huangfu Yuchen smiled, looking at all the monarchs. “This official of mine indeed has some skills. All the monarchs are in for a treat.”
Yan Ge bowed to the monarchs, saying, “If any of Your Majesties are interested, you can also add some rewards.”
Afterward, Yan Ge took a quick walk around the area and asked, “Who would like to spar with me?”
Zhang Yingjie stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, I have long heard of Official Qin’s exceptional martial arts, but I have never had the chance to test my skills against him. I’d like to learn from Official Qin.”
Huangfu Yuchen introduced Zhang Yingjie to the other monarchs, “This is General Zhang, the left commander of the Imperial Guards.”
“Alright, you two can have a friendly exchange. It’s a rare opportunity today. The winner will receive a reward of a thousand taels of gold.”
The officials’ eyes lit up. Since Yan Caiqing dared to say this in front of all the monarchs, he must be confident of winning. This was a rare opportunity to present them with gifts, and they spoke up one after another.
“Your Majesty, this humble official would like to add a reward of a pair of blackwood bracelets.”
Everyone was amazed. Blackwood, also known as dark wood, didn’t rot after being buried underground for thousands of years. It absorbed the essence of the sun and the moon, making it a precious and spiritual material. A pair of blackwood bracelets was worth at least a thousand taels.
“This humble official would also like to add a reward, a calligraphy piece by the talented Zhang Xinzhi.”
“This official offers a landscape painting by the famous artist, Chen Yuezhi.”
…
Since the officials couldn’t bring personal items to the celebration, a nearby ceremonial officer recorded their offerings on paper.
The monarchs didn’t notice anything unusual and thought the officials were merely echoing Emperor Huangfu Yuchen to liven up the atmosphere.
Yan Ge’s eyes sparkled with joy; this time, he would make a big profit.
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Alright. You two may begin.”
A guard stepped forward and presented them with swords.
Zhang Yingjie chuckled and said to Yan Ge, “Official Qin, please enlighten me. If I offend you in any way, please don’t take offense.”
Yan Ge smirked, “It seems like Master Zhang is quite confident. I’ve heard about your ever-changing Illusion Star Sword Technique, it’s hard to predict and rarely matched. Today, I want to experience it for myself. If I win, you must treat me to a feast at Liuxian Pavilion.”
“Fair enough, fair enough,” Zhang Yingjie chuckled.
After some staged pleasantries, they shouted “begin” and drew their swords.
After exchanging around ten moves, Zhang Yingjie sensed that Yan Ge’s internal strength surpassed his own, and he gave him a surprised glance. Yan Ge signaled him to continue. Though initially disheartened, Zhang Yingjie soon discovered that Yan Ge was secretly guiding and advising him during their match. This pleasant surprise led him to gain insights quickly due to the fast pace of their spar.
To those unfamiliar with martial arts, it seemed like they were evenly matched, only a few truly knowledgeable individuals understood the truth and unknowingly became engrossed.
After about a hundred moves, Yan Ge raised his sword, suppressing Zhang Yingjie’s blade, and pointed it at his neck.
“Master Zhang, admit defeat.”
“I yield.”
Huangfu Yuchen applauded, “Excellent. Bring a reward of a thousand taels of gold for Official Qin.”
Yan Ge accepted the gold and the rewards from the other officials, placing them on his table with a deliberate look of arrogance. He then said to Huangfu Yuchen, “Your Majesty, I’d also like to take on two opponents at once. If anyone can defeat me, I’ll offer everything I’ve won in the first battle. I wonder if anyone dares to take on my challenge.”
As he spoke, he cast a sidelong glance at the other monarchs.
The officials of Great Han understood the situation instantly and knew that it wasn’t the time for their people to step up. Hence, they remained silent.
Huangfu Yuchen appeared surprised as he looked at Yan Ge and gently said, “Official Qin, won’t you reconsider?”
Jiang Gan, Yang Zhuo, Jiang Guangyuan, and Grand Tutor You all lowered their heads simultaneously, thinking to themselves, ‘Your Majesty, Yan Caiqing, you two are quite good at acting.”
“I’ll do it!” Behind King Hei Zhentian, a tall and robust man in military attire suddenly stood up and strode to the center of the square. He bowed to Huangfu Yuchen, “Foreign Envoy – Leader of the Wei Kingdom Imperial Guards – Bai Shaobai, pays respects to Emperor Huangfu.”
“And me!” Similarly, another sturdy guard behind King Hei Zhentian stepped forward, “Foreign Envoy – Rank Three Sword Guard Zou Xiangying, pays respects to Emperor Huangfu.”
Huangfu Yuchen’s smile became somewhat forced, and he nodded, “Very well. If you two emissaries win, I’ll reward each of you with a thousand taels of gold.”
Yan Ge hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, if I win, can I get two thousand taels?”
Huangfu Yuchen said nonchalantly, “Let’s wait until you win, Official Qin.”
A glimmer of amusement appeared in Hei Zhentian’s eyes as he declared loudly, “In that case, I want to also add a reward of two thousand taels of gold.”
