Chinese New Year

Chapter 1450 Lishan Banquet

In late February, Shao Xun hosted the second batch of troops returning from their campaign at Lishan, namely Zhao Wei's nearly three thousand men—the able-bodied men had already been disbanded halfway through the campaign.

Four thousand fine horses and more than five thousand camels were parked outside the mountain.

Lantian County practically emptied the granaries of its officials' quarters of chaff and bran, and then ordered every household in the county to provide ten bundles of hay or straw. Clearly, this was an additional levy on top of the regular taxes, but where could one find so much hay at this time of year? As a result, the people complained bitterly and simply couldn't collect enough.

Fortunately, neighboring counties sent some horse feed, which barely kept the situation afloat. Otherwise, Lantian County would have had to use its grain reserves, which would have been a waste—in fact, there wasn't much grain left; most of it had already been sent to Liangzhou, and they were waiting for this year's summer and autumn harvests to make up for the deficit.

While the officials below were in a state of chaos and racking their brains, Shao Xun had far fewer things to consider.

On February 28th, he summoned Zhao Wei and other generals and officers to the Lishan Palace, a remnant of the Liu Han dynasty, and hosted a banquet with wine, enjoying himself immensely.

The first dishes served were fruit, mainly melons.

The officers were somewhat surprised, and they all sighed inwardly that he was indeed the emperor. The imperial palace was magnificent and splendid, and even his enjoyment was beyond the reach of ordinary people, just like the melon in front of him.

Shao Xun smiled without saying a word, wondering if anyone had ever written a poem like "Warm water is distributed in the inner garden, and melons have already been brought in by mid-February." But the possibility was very small; there weren't many studious people among this group of talented but ruthless individuals.

"Li Xian, have you ever eaten this melon?" Shao Xun asked with a smile, pointing to a plate of melons in front of Zhao Wei.

“No,” Zhao Wei replied.

This melon is a bit strange. It has a green outer skin and is divided into several parts inside, like individual compartments. Each compartment contains a little bit of red flesh, which you have to scoop out with a spoon to eat.

The flesh was somewhat sweet, but not very sweet, certainly not as sweet as the tangerines from Badong that he had eaten before. In short, for such a large melon, there was only a small amount of flesh inside, making it rather tasteless.

"I call it 'watermelon.' Last year, a messenger brought it back from Gaochang, and I found a place to plant some in Tangchi, Lishan." At this point, Shao Xun paused and said, "It seems that it still needs to be cultivated. I also don't think this melon tastes very good. If it is successful, it can benefit all the people of the world."

A melon, mostly just its rind, I wonder if the locals in South Korea would be overjoyed if it were sent there.

"Your Majesty's heart is always with the people; I admire you greatly," Zhao Wei praised.

Shao Xun waved his hand and laughed, “My daily expenses and enjoyment are all from the people’s hard-earned money, so it is only right that I do some work. You should also remember this in the future: if it is useful to the country and beneficial to the people, then you can enjoy it with a clear conscience.”

"Your Majesty's teachings will be followed," Zhao Wei began, followed by the others in unison.

Shao Xun laughed happily.

The army is still his; no one can take it away.

After enjoying the melon, dishes of food and wine were served one after another, making the atmosphere even more lively.

Just then, a group of Kucha dancers walked in and began to dance.

The group ate and drank heartily, and then shouted their approval.

The accompanying civil officials, such as Liu Bi, Huan Wen, Liang Zong, Le Kuan (formerly the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Vice Director of Waterways, and the Vice Director of Works), Feng Bi, Chen Fan, the Chief Secretary of the Left Guard, Miao Xie, the Commander of the Left Guard, Xiahou Zheng, the Prefect of Jingzhao, Shao Yong, the Director of the Deer Park, and Huang Xiang (son of Huang Biao, who married Princess Shao Qingsi of Huainan last September), the Imperial Son-in-Law and the Chief of the Revenue of Chang'an, all chuckled to themselves upon seeing this.

Some martial artists are just so easily provoked; if the emperor hadn't been present, they probably would have already made their move.

But you know what, these Kucha dancers are really good at dancing.

On the scarlet Persian carpet, the crisp, clear sound of bells, as clear as shattered jade and as dense as a sudden downpour, rang out rhythmically.

The Kucha dancers walked barefoot, their slender ankles adorned with delicate gold chains and countless tiny gold bells, each step creating a captivating rhythm.

The colorful brocade tightly wrapped around her graceful waist, embroidered with intricate patterns of vines and mythical birds with a strong exotic flair.

The gossamer-thin gauze draped down her shoulders and arms, fluttering gently with her steps, while her armlets and bracelets reflected glimmers of gold under the lamplight.

They were not as delicate and graceful as the ladies of the Central Plains; they had a completely different style, which immediately attracted everyone's attention.

The lead dancer held a beautifully curved five-stringed pipa, her fingertips gently plucking and strumming, as if she were playing a game or conducting.

The harp, flute, and drum resonated in unison, neither as elegant as the refined music of the Central Plains nor as rustic as folk tunes, but rather rapid and resounding, carrying the roughness of the desert winds and the passion of snowmelt.

The dance moves lack the swaying of flowing sleeves and the light movement of lotus steps; instead, they are a collision of strength and beauty, of spinning and stillness.

That swaying waist seemed to contain immense power; it was truly amazing. Some people in the audience were already imagining how exhilarating it would be to hold the dancer in their arms and watch her waist sway wildly!
Her toes danced to the beat of the drums, so fast it was dazzling, the only sound in the hall being the jingling of golden bells in a torrential downpour. Her colorful skirts bloomed wildly in the whirl, like vibrant flowers being rapidly twirled by an invisible hand.

Even the civil officials were captivated by it.

Wu Gongshao Yong tapped the table lightly with his fingers in time with the drumbeats, his eyes sparkling with curiosity and inquiry.

A woman leaped in front of Huan Wen, her deep-set eyes sparkling with a mixture of disdain and affection as she boldly gazed at the handsome prince consort.

Huan Wen, for some unknown reason, quickly lowered his head, appearing somewhat embarrassed.

Attendant Liu Bi frowned slightly, seemingly uncomfortable with the overly intense, unrestrained, and almost bewitching exotic dance, which was too emotionally expressive and lacked any restraint.

If civil officials are like this, military generals are even worse.

Some people were so engrossed in watching that their jade chopsticks hovered in mid-air.

Some people saw the dancer approaching and instinctively reached out their hands, but the dancer twirled lightly, and with the crisp sound of her golden bells, she gracefully flew away like a bird.

Some people, having drunk too much, instinctively stood up, but their eyes cleared considerably when they saw the imperial censor in the corner of the hall.

Shao Xun leaned against the armrest, his robe sleeve slipping down to reveal a thick wrist.

He rested his chin on one hand, while the fingers of his other hand unconsciously tapped lightly on the edge of the imperial desk in sync with the unrestrained drumbeats and the rhythmic tremolo of the pipa. A faint smile played on his lips, a smile that mingled with pure appreciation, the satisfaction of an emperor in control of rare treasures, and the excitement ignited by this wild vitality.

He'd seen all of this before! Only he'd only seen it on TV in his past life; now he was seeing it live. He had to admit, the experience of seeing it live was completely different from watching it on TV, especially when someone was putting on a show specifically for him—

"Zheng." With a crisp and clean strum, the pipa player brought all the music to an abrupt halt.

The sixteen dancers froze abruptly, as if a torrent had encountered a boulder.

The hem of her skirt cascaded down, the lingering sound of the golden bells echoing for a long time.

They maintained their final, energetic dance pose, their chests rising and falling slightly, their cheeks flushed with a healthy rosy hue from the intense exercise, and fine beads of sweat glistening on their foreheads under the lights. The pipa player was surrounded like a constellation of stars around the moon, bowing slightly to Shao Xun, her eyes filled with a deep, hidden longing.

"Clap clap clap..." Shao Xun clapped lightly and asked with a smile, "How was the dance?"

Zhao Wei, who was considered one of the more cultured generals, said upon hearing this, "It's as if I can see the oasis of Kucha, the snow-capped mountains and deserts I passed through last year."

The military academy students of the Black Spear Left Battalion all turned to look at their own commander.

How come we didn't notice?

All I saw was that strong waist, those feet with the golden bells hanging from them must be so fun to play with, those alluring eyes that seemed to speak, and those big breasts that were still rising and falling slightly.

What oasis and snow-capped mountains? Governor Zhao, you're not usually this eloquent...

Shao Xun then looked at Huan Wen and asked, "Yuanzi, what do you think?"

Huan Wen replied, "The grape wine is very sweet and refreshing. I was so busy drinking that I didn't have time to examine it closely."

Having said that, as if he felt he had laid enough groundwork, he continued, "At first glance, it seems as swift as lightning and as swift as a flowing breeze, truly a celestial appearance and a sound from a distant land."

He specifically requested the word "music," meaning that not only was the dance beautiful, but the music was also quite interesting.

Shao Xun laughed and said, "This dance actually originated in Kangju and was introduced to Kucha. In the past, it was mostly in the Western Regions, but now that it has entered the Central Plains, it can be called the 'Hu Xuan Dance'."

“This name is truly exquisite,” praised Liang Zong, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat.

Liu Bi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He always felt that as more things from the Western Regions entered the Central Plains, the culture and customs would gradually change, and many things would become out of his control.

But these words cannot be said aloud.

If someone asks you, "Do you like sesame flatbread and sesame oil?", would you prefer to sit on a folding chair, working at a high table, or kneeling behind a desk? Would you like to eat a cucumber? Would you like to listen to a pipa (a traditional Chinese stringed instrument)? Would you like to smell some fragrant herbs?
He couldn't answer.

The emperor was very open, or perhaps too open. Under his rule, the empire had undergone profound changes compared to the Wei and Jin dynasties.

Liu Bi didn't like this kind of uncontrolled change.

However, not everyone is like Liu Bi.

Liang Zong, Feng Pi, Xiahou Zheng, and others were also from aristocratic families, but they were very tolerant of these exotic things and smiled.

The reason is actually quite simple: these items were obtained by the Great Liang Dynasty after conquering the Western Regions, symbolizing supreme glory. They could listen or watch as they pleased, it didn't matter to them.

At this time, the civil and military officials of the Great Liang Dynasty were very confident. They readily acknowledged the superiority of foreigners in certain areas and then learned from them. They appreciated novel things and then adapted them to their own tastes, making them localized.

The music and dance of Kucha are indeed quite skillful. I can have someone learn them when I get back, and then make some modifications to make them more pleasing to the eye.

“My purpose in establishing relations with the Western Regions is not merely for trade, nor is it solely for the sake of dance and music,” Shao Xun said. “Confucius said, ‘Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me.’ There are also great powers in the far west, and there are things we can learn from them. If we can exchange goods and resources and maintain communication, then everyone will benefit. You should all remember this and never be arrogant.”

"Your Majesty is wise," the ministers responded in unison.

"Do you like these dancers?" Shao Xun asked, stepping down with a white jade wine cup in hand and smiling at the crowd.

The group looked at each other, none of them speaking first.

Shao Xun laughed and said, "What's there to be embarrassed about? We have captured sixty or seventy dancers from Kucha, and they are currently being taught dance and music. Do you think I could enjoy them all by myself?"

Before the civil officials could say anything, the military academy students burst into laughter.

Shao Xun looked at them and said, "Even if it's a reward for you, what difference would it make?"

Zhao Wei lowered his head and picked up his wine glass, while the other military academy students were overjoyed and all looked at Shao Xun.

"Come according to the merit list, those with more merits can be chosen first," Shao Xun said with a smile.

The warriors cheered softly.

Shao Xun laughed and scolded, "I like your honesty."

The martial artists burst into laughter, no longer trying to hide their laughter.

Shao Xun turned around and glanced around.

Huan Wen, Miao Xie, and Huang Xiang, the three imperial sons-in-law, sat upright, their eyes fixed straight ahead.

Xiahou Zheng, like Zhao Wei, lowered his head and drank his wine.

One of them was Shao Xun's nephew-in-law, and the other was his cousin's son-in-law; it was best not to speak at this moment.

Wu Gong Shao Yong boldly looked at his father, pointed to the pipa player who was leading the dance, and said, "Father, I want that one."

Shao Xun's face darkened, and he said, "You have not accomplished anything, so you are not entitled to any reward."

While everyone couldn't help but laugh, they also felt a sense of solemnity: even a prince who had not rendered meritorious service was not entitled to share such a beautiful concubine.

Shao Xun turned to look at everyone, raised his wine cup, and said, "As long as you make contributions, what reward can't you receive? Come, drink this cup to the brim."

"We, your humble servants, offer our congratulations to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty rule the world and enjoy eternal blessings," said Liu Bi, the Chamberlain, rising to lead the way.

"May Your Majesty rule the world and enjoy eternal divine blessings," the ministers said in unison.

At this moment, the territory of the Great Liang Dynasty, which had recovered the Western Regions, was approaching that of its predecessors.

At this moment, Shao Xun's achievements and prestige reached their peak, and no one could challenge his authority.

(End of this chapter)