A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 75 This Place is a Pleasure

A heavy snow fell silently over Guanzhong.

The car crunched over the thick snow, and before us lay a vast expanse of white, with snowflakes fluttering freely in the air.

Wuqiu Shouwang opened his palm, and snowflakes fell into it, but under the warmth of his body heat, they turned into bright water droplets.

Ganquan Palace remains unchanged, with its evergreen pines and cypresses, and lush bamboo. A thick layer of snow covers the pine branches and bamboo leaves, making them bend heavily. The walls and pavilions are still there, and the water is deep and clear, with glistening ice flowers forming on the surface.

Winter is here.

"Greetings, Grand Master of Ceremonies and Attendant-in-Ordinary." From afar, Chun Tuo came to greet him.

When King Wuqiushou saw that it was Chuntuo, he asked, "Where is Your Majesty?"

"Or perhaps with Madam Li."

"Mrs. Li?"

Wuqiu Shouwang was taken aback. His Majesty's harem had a concubine surnamed Li, who had given birth to a prince... Now she should be Consort Li, the mother of Prince Yan Liu Dan and Prince Guangling Liu Xu.

Could it be that Consort Li has gained favor and been promoted to the rank of Lady?
That doesn't make sense. Consort Li wasn't favored. When His Majesty retired to a detached palace, Consort Li didn't accompany him; she was in Chang'an.

"It's the new Consort Li."

Chuntuo realized that Wuqiu Shouwang had misunderstood and explained, "It was a newly favored concubine after His Majesty arrived at Ganquan Palace."

Your Majesty has come to Ganquan Palace. Princess Pingyang, the eldest daughter of Emperor Xiaojing and Your Majesty's half-sister, has also come along. She has also brought people to keep Your Majesty entertained.

First, there was Li Yannian, an entertainer who had been castrated for committing a crime in his early years and worked in a dog ward. He was not only a singer and dancer, but also a composer, good at creating "new variations of songs", and his singing voice was moving.

“There is a beauty in the north, peerless and independent.

One glance could topple a city, a second glance could topple a nation?
How could one not know the power of beauty to topple cities and kingdoms? Such a beauty is hard to find again!

Chun Tuo learned to sing a short excerpt from Li Yannian's new song, but Wu Qiu Shou Wang discerned something beneath the surface of the song and asked, "Are there really beauties in the world who can topple kingdoms?"

"That's how it is with Madam Li."

Chun Tuo led Wu Qiu Shou Wang to Lady Li's place, saying, "After the Prince of Qi was enfeoffed, Lady Wang fell ill. On the way to Ganquan Palace with His Majesty, her illness worsened. After arriving at Ganquan Palace, she simply could not get up again."

After Princess Pingyang finished singing Li Yannian's song, she took the opportunity to request an audience with Lady Li. "This servant cannot speak for her mistress, but I can say: 'She is bright and beautiful, a graceful dancer, and a beauty that could topple kingdoms.'"

What happened next, even without Chun Tuo's words, was clear to Wu Qiu Shou Wang: His Majesty was lustful at first sight, Li Yannian was appointed as Xie Lü Duwei, and his sister rose rapidly in rank to become a lady.

Knowing that His Majesty had arrived at the detached palace, he still continued to play music and dance. Wuqiu Shouwang gritted his teeth, "It's Princess Pingyang again."

The selection of concubines in the Han Dynasty can be summarized into three forms: summoning, selecting, and presenting.

"Zhaona" refers to the emperor selecting concubines on his own, "Xunna" refers to officials selecting concubines for the royal family, and "Xianna" refers to a prefecture, state, or individual presenting women to the palace.

The current Empress Wei Zifu was presented as a concubine, which led to the current powerful Wei clan as an inescapable maternal relative. Now, Princess Pingyang has presented Lady Li as a concubine. Is this an attempt to repeat the past and create another Li clan as an inescapable maternal relative?
Empress Wei, the crown prince, is not comparable to Chen Ajiao, who has no children. Princess Pingyang has already caused trouble once, and she wants to cause trouble again? Does she have to destroy the Han Dynasty before she is satisfied?
The two arrived at Lady Li's quarters, where they saw His Majesty wearing a black cloak and a fur hood, his red lips pouting high, his chest rippling with waves of emotion, while Lady Li, her white hair soaked in the snow, stood beside him. The scene before them was indeed poetic, but at that moment, Prince Wuqiu Shou's inherent arrogance and self-importance, as well as the pressing political situation, rendered him unable to utter a single word.

But just because he couldn't compose one doesn't mean others couldn't. The emperor's close advisors presented one "Ode to Snow" after another.

Your Majesty was greatly pleased with my writing, which flowed freely from the scene, and bestowed upon me jar after jar of fine wine.

The relationship between ruler and minister is harmonious.

Even the brilliant scholar Dong Zhongshu could not escape the challenge at this moment. Holding his wine cup, he pondered for a moment, and a magnificent essay flowed from his lips.

"The jade dragon is born from the clouds, swooping and chasing each other. Behold the swirling silver armor, calmly descending. Suddenly reaching the farthest reaches, it hesitates and falls. The jade tree, adorned in white, stands proudly, its beauty surpassing even the fragrance of plum blossoms. It enters the flowing stream without a trace, leaving only the fleeting shadows of a wild goose on the frosty bridge. It hangs 'Sui pearls' from the eaves, and 'He jade' forms a pool of scales. Exquisite as a hair, yet filling the vast expanse. Exhausted, it communicates with the great spirit, taking movement and stillness as its ultimate form. Gazing at the white-clad southern mountains, it sighs at the winding paths that are nowhere to be found; covering the dense forest in the clear sunshine, only the capital remains deeply cold; thinking of the brave warriors of the northern lands, they sleep with their weapons, awaiting dawn. Hearing the bugle call from the camps, the horses' hooves leave no trace. Grace is bestowed upon the vast fields, its blessings spread across the fertile lands. A bountiful year for agriculture and sericulture is predicted, auspicious purple omens arrive from the east, rejoicing in the splendor of the mountains and rivers, knowing the vastness of the Emperor's grace..."

Dong Zhongshu paused here, as if unsure how to conclude his poem. Emperor Liu Che, seeing an opportunity, continued: "His virtue is profound and unyielding, comparable to Heaven and Earth; his achievements benefit the world without selfishness, as lofty as Yao and Yu. Spring arrives and returns to the primordial energy, his spirit vast and boundless."

Dong Zhongshu felt as if he had been enlightened, and bowed to the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty's literary talent flows like a spring, absolutely wonderful and excellent. I am ashamed to admit that I am no match for you."

"Hahaha."

Emperor Wu of Han was overjoyed and said with a smile, "I was just speaking casually. It was only when the scholar recited the poem that his inspiration flowed. I have received several dozen bolts of fine brocade. I will reward the scholar with ten bolts."

The eunuch Su Wen, who was accompanying the emperor, immediately replied, "Yes."

Dong Zhongshu was about to bow and express his gratitude to the emperor, but Liu Che quickly said, "No need to thank me, you deserve it."

A scene of harmonious coexistence between ruler and subject.

For some reason, King Wuqiu Shou was moved to tears, his lips trembling slightly.

Such a magnificent poem was recited by the former teacher, who deliberately pretended to make it difficult, allowing His Majesty to end the poem with utmost ease.

Using poetry to seek personal gain—that's something only someone like Sima Xiangru would do!
To strive for perfection in the ending of a poem—this is something even Sima Xiangru wouldn't do!

Is this the same teacher who was known for her integrity and stoicism, now so obsequious and sycophantic?
His Majesty, however, truly believed himself to be adding the finishing touch to a masterpiece, bringing the chapter to a close, and was overjoyed, spending lavishly.

When Dong Zhongshu announced that he would give half of the imperial brocade he had received to the court officials who were appreciating the snow and composing poems together, Wuqiu Shouwang knew that his teacher had changed.

During those three years in Jiaoxi Kingdom, the teacher who used to be arrogant and domineering disappeared, and in his place came a new "Dong Zhongshu".

Wuqiu Shouwang had lamented his teacher's incorruptibility countless times, but when his teacher truly changed, he suddenly missed the past.

Before he knew it, King Wuqiu Shou was already in tears.

In a moment of profound unease, Dong Zhongshu looked up and saw Wuqiu Shouwang. The awkwardness he felt was indescribable.

This unusual behavior drew everyone's gaze to Prince Wuqiu Shou. Perhaps even Liu Che himself didn't realize the tension in his eyes, and asked, "Has something happened in the court?"

(End of this chapter)