Chapter 1197 - 874: Hot Spring Palace (2)
Just as his steps were turning soft and loose as he walked forward, he saw the space ahead packed with people, all bowing to him with utmost respect.
Looking closely, at the very front of the crowd stood the Crown Prince Yu Wenqian; at his side, two graceful figures—one was Crown Princess Consort Yu Mingyue, the other Crown Prince Consort Lou Chan Yue.
Yu Wenquan walked over and said, "So Lou Liangdi is here as well?"
Lou Chan Yue still maintained her bent posture in salute, seemingly not daring to speak much; instead, Yu Wenqian lifted his head and said, "It has begun to snow over these past few days, the roads are slick, it is difficult for Your Majesty to set out for Chang An, and yet soaking in the hot spring constantly is not all that good for Your Majesty’s health. So this son especially asked Chan Yue to prepare some music and dance to relieve Your Majesty’s boredom."
A hint of delighted surprise appeared on Yu Wenquan’s face.
This delight was not because someone had arranged music and dance for him, but because he had asked someone to arrange music and dance, and his son—this son who was aloof from the mortal world, who had once wished to forsake even his family, intent only on wandering the clouds in cultivation—though he had returned to his side, though he had helped him seize Chang An without bloodshed, though he had reclaimed the Dragon Raising Land, though he had been invested as Crown Prince, though he had taken a Crown Princess Consort, still always left him with the illusion that at any moment he might dissolve into a wisp of white cloud and drift away.
It seemed only at this moment that he had truly returned to the dusty world of men.
A pleased smile slowly rose upon Yu Wenquan’s face as he said, "Good, good."
Yu Wenqian added, "I have had a high platform erected beside the Furong Pool, so that the dancers may perform there; Your Majesty need not soak in the spring, yet may still feel its warmth, which will benefit Your Majesty’s dragon body."
Yu Wenquan nodded again and again. "Good, we shall do as you say."
Thus Yu Wenqian and Lou Chan Yue accompanied him as he turned and walked toward the West Hall where the Furong Pool lay, but Yu Mingyue’s steps lagged slightly behind. Watching Lou Chan Yue at Yu Wenqian’s side with a face full of smiles, a glint of coldness flashed through her eyes.
In no time, everyone had entered the West Hall.
This was just as he had mentioned before: here at the Hot Spring Palace they had newly discovered a vein of hot spring water. It had originally been an abandoned palace; when it was being cleared out, a stream of crystal-clear spring water gushed up from underground. The Ministry of Industry immediately ordered a new hall to be rebuilt upon the old foundations. Though not extravagantly magnificent, it was clean and elegant, and the spring’s heat surpassed that of the other vents: even without soaking in the hot spring, merely sitting within this hall one could feel a gentle, pervasive warmth, more pleasantly soothing than the dry heat of braziers set all about a palace.
And now, Yu Wenqian had ordered a high platform built behind the Furong Pool, with three tiers, draped in silk and brocade of blue, white, and black, at a glance clearly meant to evoke the Heavenly Palace, the mortal world, and the underworld.
Yu Wenquan had barely reclined upon the couch on the far side of the Furong Pool when a mellow flute melody floated out from the side halls on both flanks.
As the flute sounded, a troupe of gorgeously attired dancing girls stepped in time with the music onto the high platform. Each had cloud-like coiffure and flower-bright features, pendants chiming at wrist and waist, bodies supple and slender, their beauty beyond count. And from the Furong Pool below the platform, the hot spring sent up billows of milky-white steam that continually rose, hazy and veiling, mist curling like clouds, so that they truly seemed immortals descending to the world. Just as they fully mounted the high platform, bells and drums on both sides of the West Hall rang out together, the music booming as the dancing girls’ graceful figures whirled and fluttered—at once it seized all of Yu Wenquan’s attention.
He widened his eyes, fixedly watching the delicate silhouettes upon the platform, forgetting everything else for the moment.
Yu Wenqian cast Yu Wenquan a glance, then silently rose. As he passed by Eunuch Yu, he smiled and said, "Eunuch, it is rare that Father is in such fine spirits; see that no one disturbs His Majesty."
Eunuch Yu looked at him and smiled obsequiously. "This servant understands."
Yu Wenqian nodded, withdrew from the Furong Pool without any outward change of expression, and had just stepped out of the West Hall when he saw snow falling thickly ahead. Though it was not yet dusk, the pressing dark clouds had already dimmed the sky somewhat; yet the space before him was ablaze with lanterns. Several Ministers, with their families and guards in attendance, stood outside the hall, craning their necks to peer this way.
The moment they saw him approach, the low murmur of their conversation faded at once.
Yu Wenqian walked forward with a smile. Before he could raise his hand, everyone had already bowed and saluted to him. "We pay our respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Only then did Yu Wenqian lift his hand and say, "Esteemed Ministers, there is no need for such ceremony. Please, rise."
Only then did they slowly straighten, and at the very front of the group stood Minister Shen Shiyan. His beard and hair were grizzled, and having stood outside the hall half the day, the snow settled on his head and shoulders made him appear all the more aged. He said respectfully, "Your Highness, forgive us. We have come to request audience with Your Majesty."
Yu Wenqian laughed lightly. "Mr. Shen, what pressing matter brings you to seek audience with Father?"
Shen Shiyan said, "We have been granted Your Majesty’s boundless grace, resting at the Hot Spring Palace for several days now. Should we not also consider beginning the journey back to the capital?"
Yu Wenqian replied, "But Father is not yet prepared to return."
Shen Shiyan’s brows drew together. He turned and exchanged a look with Pei Xu standing at his side, and Pei Xu immediately stepped forward. "Your Highness, the realm cannot go a single day without its sovereign. Your Majesty—"
Before he could finish, Yu Wenqian was already smiling as he said, "It is rare that Father has such refined leisure. All you Ministers have followed him for many years as old companions and know that these past years he has burned the lamp oil late into the night, rising before dawn and retiring past dusk. It is rare that he may relax and rest here. Let us not interrupt his enjoyment at such a time. Shall we?"
Those last two words, spoken thus by the Crown Prince, were already a form of invisible pressure.
The Ministers traded glances; in the end, they did not dare press further, and could only step back and say, "We...understand."
Yu Wenqian smiled. "Since you are already at the Hot Spring Palace, why not take this opportunity to rest and nourish yourselves properly? Who knows—once you return to Chang An, there may still be many affairs awaiting you to handle."