After the Crybaby Married the Disabled Villain - Chapter 11

An Yu felt much more at ease hearing him say this; it seemed the plot hadn’t diverged too much. With his mind at rest, he devoted himself entirely to petting the leopard.

Purr… purr…

The snow leopard stretched lazily under An Yu’s hand, eventually looking as if it were about to fall asleep. An Yu gently patted its head, and in return, the snow leopard affectionately rubbed its fluffy head against his palm.

An Yu was helpless against this, yet secretly delighted. However, he couldn’t just let it sleep in the middle of the courtyard. He looked toward Lu Shiyan.

The man smiled and said, “Take him back.”

The guards quickly tightened the chains to lead the snow leopard back to its cage. While taking it out had been easy, getting it back in was a struggle; it took nearly fifteen minutes of dragging and pulling to return the beast.

Lu Shiyan set down his teacup. Seeing An Yu still staring after the leopard, he said softly:

“If you like him, come and visit whenever you have time.”

An Yu’s legs had gone a bit numb from crouching. He swayed slightly as he stood up, and upon hearing this, he readily agreed: “Mn!”

By mid-July, Emperor Hongchang’s birthday banquet was held as scheduled, a celebration for the entire nation.

The arrival of envoys from various countries provided significant prestige. This was the first time An Yu had seen Emperor Hongchang. His figure was tall and upright, but his face was lined with wrinkles that showed his old age. He looked upon the civil and military officials with a smile, giving the impression of a kind old man.

Every detail of the banquet showcased the prosperity of the Great Shang Dynasty.

Emperor Hongchang sat upon the Dragon Throne, looking down at his subjects. The high-pitched, sharp voice of the Head Eunuch rang out:

“The Crown Prince has arrived! The Crown Prince and his Consort present the Painting of the Gathering Immortals as a gift to His Majesty!”

As soon as the words fell, whispers erupted from all sides.

“The Painting of the Gathering Immortals! That is the final masterpiece of the Painting Immortal!”

“Wasn’t that painting lost?”

Because his legs were impaired, Lu Shiyan could only perform his salutations from his wheelchair. An Yu followed the rules, kneeling and kowtowing by his side, while internally cursing these feudal remnants of the past.

“Your son wishes Imperial Father a life as vast as the heavens and eternal fortune!”

Perhaps because Emperor Hongchang was in an exceptionally good mood today, or because he was very satisfied with the gift, he said “good” several times in succession and commanded:

“Escort the Crown Prince and his Consort to their seats.”

“Thank you, Imperial Father.”

Subsequently, the eunuch called out again:

“The Fourth Prince has arrived!”

“The Fifth Prince has arrived!”

The birthday gifts presented by the other princes and princesses were all of great value, making Emperor Hongchang beam with joy. Even the youngest Eighth Princess tottered forward to present her gift, saying in a crisp voice:

“Your daughter wishes Imperial Father a life as vast as the heavens and everlasting health!”

The porcelain-like little girl was naturally adorable. In the end, the Emperor beckoned her over, held her in his arms, and kissed her twice before the palace maids carried her down.

While the princes and princesses offered their congratulations, Lu Youqi, who was coordinating the banquet, was nowhere to be found. The Emperor leaned over to ask the Empress.

“Where is Qi’er?”

The Empress was dressed with grand dignity, fully embodying the grace of the Mother of the Nation. She covered her mouth with a light laugh, her eyes full of warmth.

“Your Majesty, Qi’er is naturally preparing a gift for you. He will arrive shortly.”

Emperor Hongchang nodded. “No matter.”

Just as the Emperor turned his head back, the Head Eunuch’s voice rang out once more:

“The Second Prince has arrived! The Second Prince presents one Celestial Pill to His Majesty!”

The officials on both sides instantly broke into an uproar:

“A Celestial Pill! The legendary pill refined by the Holy Mother of the North Abyss?”

“What is that?”

“That is a precious treasure! Legend says it can restore the gravely ill to health and extend the life of the healthy.”

“I heard the Founding Emperor of the North Abyss lived to be a hundred by taking this!”

The Emperor’s pupils dilated instantly as he stared intently at the single golden pill in the box. The wrinkles on his face smoothed out slightly, and a sense of obsession erupted in his aged eyes.

“Good, very good! As expected of my Qi’er. Grant him a seat!”

Everyone present could feel the Emperor’s ecstasy. At that moment, an official hurriedly said:

“Congratulations to Your Majesty for obtaining the Celestial Pill! You shall surely lead Great Shang to prosperity for tens of thousands of years!”

Once this was said, the officials in the hall instantly echoed in unison:

“Congratulations to Your Majesty for obtaining the Celestial Pill! You shall surely lead Great Shang to prosperity for tens of thousands of years!”

The momentum was grand, echoing through the sky. At this moment, Emperor Hongchang looked nothing like the kind old man An Yu had seen earlier. His expression was full of calculated triumph, and his greed was unconcealed.

The princes took their seats, the court music was melodious, and the atmosphere was one of peace and prosperity.

A moment later, a burly man dressed in exotic foreign attire stepped into the hall, accompanied by a group of people carrying two large crates.

The leader had wheat-colored skin and deep features; his eyes were even green. His black hair hung down his back with only a few strands tied back at the sides, and he wore a vest sewn from animal skins that exposed his muscular arms.

“The Second Prince of the Xiliang Kingdom and his envoys seek an audience!”

Sitting beside Lu Shiyan, An Yu watched the envoys present their gifts. His attention was caught by the Second Prince of Xiliang. He had expected the man to speak the Xiliang language or broken Chinese, but he was surprised when the man spoke fluent Mandarin.

“I greet the Emperor of Great Shang. Xi Chen represents Xiliang to congratulate you on your birthday!”

Xi Chen knelt on one knee and performed a Xiliang salute by placing his right hand on his left shoulder.

“Second Prince, please rise.”

“Xiliang presents Your Majesty with the finest animal hides and six prized steeds. Please accept them, Your Majesty.”

“You are most thoughtful. The Second Prince has traveled a great distance; the journey must have been exhausting. Someone, grant him a seat quickly.”

After Xi Chen bowed again, he followed the palace maid to his seat. He looked up at Lu Shiyan across from him. The other man was currently smiling tenderly at the boy beside him. Xi Chen raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

“Why didn’t the Second Prince wait for this Prince before entering?” A man entered wearing elaborate, luxurious robes that looked somewhat out of place on a man.

Hearing this, Xi Chen turned his head and said indifferently, “Prince Xiao is a man of great power and status; naturally, you must make a grand finale entrance.”

“Hmph.”

Prince Xiao snorted coldly and knelt with his entourage. “North Abyss congratulates the Emperor of Great Shang. May Your Majesty rule the nine provinces and live for a thousand autumns!”

“We present our national treasure, Celestial Lake Water. Long-term consumption extends one’s life.”

“Excellent! North Abyss has been most diligent. Prince Xiao is brave and skilled in battle; seeing you today, your reputation is well-deserved.”

Emperor Hongchang’s eyes were narrowed into slits from smiling as he patted his thigh in praise.

The gifts from the royal children and foreign nations left the Emperor overjoyed. The man in his sixties sat on high, looking down upon the magnificent hall. Beautiful dancers performed graceful dances, and the hall was filled with the clinking of cups and lively chatter.

“I have long heard that the Crown Prince of Great Shang was brave and skilled in battle, leading troops at the age of fourteen and even defeating Xiliang. He is truly a pillar of the nation,” Prince Xiao said leisurely, leaning his right hand on the table and playing with his wine cup before draining it in one gulp.

The laughter of the officials instantly vanished into silence, and even the Emperor’s face darkened slightly.

No one responded. The Crown Prince had been assassinated on his way back to the capital and was now a cripple—how could he be a “pillar of the nation”? Furthermore, the Second Prince of Xiliang was sitting right there.

Crucially, when the two countries were at war, the general of Xiliang had been this seemingly gentle and harmless Second Prince. Scanning the hall, some officials didn’t even dare to raise their heads.

Seeing this, Xi Chen smiled casually. He drained his cup, tilted his head toward Prince Xiao, and looked at him with unconcealed mockery:

“It is naturally so. Although the Crown Prince was an enemy during the war, my army would never deny that he is a hero among young men.”

Prince Xiao turned his head and locked eyes with Xi Chen, spitting out his words one by one: “The Second Prince of Xiliang is truly open-minded. Unlike this Prince—if I were to lose to an enemy, I would have no face to sit in the same hall as them.”

Watching this back-and-forth, An Yu felt like he was watching an immersive performance; every word and phrase was exactly as it was in the book.

Eating a grape, An Yu whispered: “Your Highness, the Second Prince of Xiliang truly has a chivalrous spirit, even praising an enemy.”

Lu Shiyan handed him two more grapes and simply smiled without speaking.

“The two countries have now ceased fire and are in a friendly, mutually supportive relationship. Where is the ‘enemy’? Is Prince Xiao implying something else?”

Xi Chen’s calm tone had a powerful momentum. Prince Xiao’s glare nearly turned physical, making it feel as if he might take the other’s head in the next second.

“Well said! All nations are now allies; there are no enemies,” Emperor Hongchang added, his voice full of vigor.

Lu Youqi held his wine cup in silence. He turned to see that Lu Shiyan was completely unaffected, tasting fine wine with the boy beside him. The atmosphere gradually relaxed, returning to its previous state.

Then, a voice reached everyone’s ears.

“I have long heard that the Crown Prince’s Consort is the top talent in the capital, especially in poetry—every line is said to be perfect. This humble subject is untalented; I only took the top spot in the Imperial Examination (Zhuangyuan) last year to earn a seat here. I wonder if the Consort would be willing to grant this subject a wish?”

Everyone’s attention was drawn to a young official sitting in a corner. Xi Chen licked the wine from the corner of his mouth, looking toward Lu Shiyan’s side with an expression of watching a show.

An Yu had just swallowed a mouthful of wine. Just as he was about to speak, another voice beat him to it.

“Minister Fang, tell us, what is your wish?”

“The Empress may not know, but before I passed the exams, I always wanted to compete with the Consort. I thought we would settle it in the examinations, but I didn’t expect Brother An would marry the Crown Prince. The opportunity was lost. Now, using His Majesty’s birthday, if the two of us compose poems to congratulate His Majesty, it can be considered a bit of lively entertainment.”

The Empress was full of smiles. She turned and asked, “This is naturally good. What does Your Majesty think?”

“I grant it.”

“Quickly, prepare the ink and brushes.”

The Empress ordered the servants to prepare. After finishing her instructions, she seemed to frown in regret and looked at An Yu with an apologetic face.

“It is my fault for being too happy today; I forgot to ask if Xiao Yu was willing.”

As expected.

“Everything is for His Majesty; your son is naturally honored,” An Yu replied.

“Very well. Xiao Yu’s reputation has long been established. If it weren’t for your marriage to Shiyan, you would surely have a place in the Imperial Court.”

The eunuchs and maids were very efficient; in a moment, two sets of writing materials were placed on their tables.

The official lifted his brush with confidence and began writing with a fluid motion. An Yu moistened his brush, but just as he was about to start, he felt a tug on his sleeve.

Your Highness?

Giving the man a smile, An Yu mouthed: “Don’t worry.”

It was finally his turn to plagiarize the “Poet Immortal” (Li Bai).

“Song of the Spring Day”

An Yu wrote these three bold characters at the top of the paper. Just as he was about to continue, he suddenly snapped out of it.

That was close. I almost wrote ‘[Tang Dynasty] Li Bai’.

Silence filled the hall. The officials looked back and forth, but the results were already written on their faces. They looked at An Yu only to see if he was even moving his brush. Everyone knew that An Yu had traveled with merchant caravans since childhood and had never spent time in a private school; in the capital, he only idled away his time with playboys.

Compose poetry? How could he know how to compose poetry?

“Your Majesty, this subject has finished.”

The official picked up the paper and began to recite leisurely:

“The Supreme Sovereign sits as Emperor, From eight directions, they bow to the hero. May your great longevity flourish for ten thousand years, A cycle of years without end. Who is the master of peace and culture? He is known as the crown of all kings. This subject lacks the talent to continue the verse, I bow my head once more in deep respect.”

After the poem was recited, praise began to rise from unknown quarters.

“As expected of the Zhuangyuan! Truly, every generation brings forth new talents.”

“That is thanks to His Majesty’s keen eye for talent.”

Even the Emperor praised him repeatedly. As the praise died down, the Empress frowned with worry:

“Is Xiao Yu finished?”

An Yu had just finished his last stroke. “I am finished.”

An Yu blew on the ink and handed the paper to a nearby eunuch to present to the Emperor. Lu Shiyan, who had watched the whole process, no longer looked worried; he was leisurely sipping tea.

No one thought much of it; most even had expressions of disdain, having already prepared their mocking remarks. The boy scanned the room and recited:

“The purple heights of the deep palace reach the clear sky, Golden dragons coil around the embroidered pillars. A beauty at the window dallying with the bright sun, Her hands speak through strings, playing the zither. The spring breeze carries the tune to the Sovereign’s ear, This melody is the ‘Song of Ascension’. Emerging from the Heavenly Lake to roam the immortal realms, The grand ships crowd the water, startling the waves. Three thousand beauties offer songs and laughter, The striking of bells and drums makes the palace tilt, Ten thousand people gather to dance in celebration of peace. When I do nothing, the people are naturally at peace. Thirty-six emperors wish to welcome you, Immortals flutter down in their cloud-chariots. The Sovereign does not go, remaining in the capital. How can one be like the Yellow Emperor, Entering the dark void alone? This humble subject offers a toast for longevity as great as the Southern Mountain, May Your Majesty’s grand name endure for eternity.”

As An Yu spoke the last word, the entire hall fell into a deathly silence. If An Yu had looked around, he would have seen just how “vibrant” everyone’s expressions were. The Empress’s nails dug into her palms so hard they drew blood.