flstandardbreds Chapter 181: The Amazing Banquet (Part )
Chapter 181: The Amazing Banquet (Part )
We are finally talking about the Jinghong Banquet, so let’s stop talking nonsense and get straight to the point.
Yu Jiu looked at the palace with a sentry every 10 steps and asked, "Sir, the emperor is not in the palace, why does he need so many guards?"
Li Yi smiled and said, "Although the emperor is not here, the queen, concubines and princesses are still in the palace. It is normal to strengthen the guards for outsiders who will enter the palace for this banquet."
The group arrived in front of the Huaguang Hall, where they saw a white jade carving on the Sumeru Platform. The base was only three meters high, with tall red-lacquered pillars standing like a forest, grey tiles and colorful beams adorning the sky, and bronze bells and pendants on the flying eaves and corners, demonstrating the imperial power that has lasted for four dynasties.
Yu Jiu looked at the palace and couldn't help but sigh: "Sir, this palace is so good and beautiful, why does the emperor want to go to the temple?"
Li Yi smiled and said, "This house is not about being bigger or more beautiful. The most important thing is to live comfortably. If you are not comfortable, it will be very uncomfortable to live in this palace."
Yu Jiu shook his head in confusion and said, "How could I not feel comfortable living here? With so many people protecting me, so many people serving me, and living in such a big palace, how could I not feel comfortable? If it were me, I would definitely not live in a temple!"
Li Yi smiled and said, "Many people think of this palace as great as you do, but when they actually sit in that position, they find that there are more troubles! Well, we're about to go in, so stop talking nonsense. If you have anything to ask, wait until we leave the palace." Yu Jiu closed his mouth and carefully observed everything in the palace.
Entering the Huaguang Hall, it had been rearranged according to Li Yi's design, and the stage and seats had been arranged. Li Yi and his team came early to get used to the actual rehearsal. After rehearsing for a while, Li Yi and his team retreated outside to rest, while the palace maids were making final preparations.
As the sun sets and the moon rises, the lights shine brightly. The guests stop to take their seats. The Huaguang Hall is packed with people. The eunuchs call out to welcome them. Crown Prince Xiao Zongqing and the third prince Xiao Zonggang have arrived. Everyone stands up to salute. Xiao Zongqing smiles and returns the greeting. Xiao Zonggang waves his hand and says with a smile, "Sit down, everyone! His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked everyone to sit down."
Xiao Zongqing rolled his eyes at Xiao Zonggang. He had something to say, but Xiao Zonggang's disturbance made it impossible for him to say the nice words he had prepared in advance. Li Yi saw this scene and smiled without saying anything. He thought: Fortunately, Tuoba Jun doesn't have this trouble now. Having more sons is also very noisy!
Xiao Zongqing came to Li Yi and asked, "Li Lefu, everyone is here, shall we start?"
Li Yi waved his hand and said, "How can we have a banquet when the main character hasn't arrived yet?"
Xiao Zongqing asked in confusion: "Who else hasn't arrived yet? Aren't they all here?"
Xiao Zonggang interrupted, "Brother, the real person that Li Yuefu was talking about is Qi Zhen. Tonight is the Jinghong Banquet. If the most beautiful woman in Daliang is not here, how can there be Jinghong?"
Xiao Zongqing said coldly: "The purpose of this evening's banquet is to raise money for disaster relief. Qizhen is just here to join in the fun. Third brother, please don't confuse the priorities."
Xiao Zonggang shook his head and smiled, "Brother, Li Yuefu is the special envoy of the wedding delegation, and the one he is welcoming is Qizhen's sister. In his heart, Qizhen is his future imperial consort of Wei, so she is the master, and neither of us are! So who else could the real master be except Qizhen?"
Li Yi maintained an awkward but polite smile, Xiao Zongqing flicked his sleeves and walked towards his seat. Since the emperor was not there, the crown prince naturally sat in the main seat, with the third prince and Princess Huaxuan on both sides. Xiao Zongqing had just sat down when he suddenly heard the eunuch announce, "Princess Huaxuan is here!" Xiao Zongqing had no choice but to stand up to greet this sister who was most favored by his father, and everyone stood up to salute.
When Princess Huaxuan and Xiao Ruoping entered the palace, Princess Huaxuan was really dignified, elegant and beautiful. She entered the palace and the spring breeze came, and the flowers bloomed to welcome the spring. Princess Huaxuan walked to her two brothers with a smile, bowed and said, "Qizhen greets His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and my third brother."
Xiao Zongqing quickly reached out his hand to help her up and said, "Sister, please get up quickly. There is no need for such empty formalities between you and me, brother and sister."
Xiao Zonggang smiled and said, "Sister, you've come at the right time. Li Yuefu is waiting for you."
Xiao Qizhen looked in the direction of Xiao Zonggang's finger, and Li Yi immediately knelt down and saluted, saying, "I, Li Yi, the music official of Wei State, greet Princess Huaxuan."
Xiao Ruoping said coldly: "Hey, why did Li Yuefu have to perform such a great ceremony? Why didn't you kneel when you saw me?"
Xiao Qizhen smiled and said, "Alright, sister, why bother to be so serious! Li Yi, raise your head so that I can see you. After all, you are the most talented scholar in Wei State. I have only heard sister talk about you, but this is the first time I have seen you in person."
Li Yi shook his head and said, "I dare not. Your Highness Princess will be my great Wei imperial consort in the future. It would be against etiquette for me to raise my head. If Your Highness wants to see me, you will be able to see me clearly during the performance later."
Xiao Qizhen waved his hand and said, "Okay, then you can get up."
Xiao Zonggang reached out and pulled Li Yi up, saying with a smile, "You really don't understand romance. Who doesn't know your poem "Giving Poems to Rain in the Exiled Immortal Tower"? Sister Qizhen asked you to look up because she wanted to ask you for a poem to see if you can write a better one than that one, but you didn't even raise your head."
This was only half true. Xiao Qizhen did mean this, and Li Yi also knew her intention, but he insisted on not looking up because he knew he had no better poem than that one. If he looked up at the most beautiful woman in Southern Liang and couldn't come up with a better poem, it would not only be his own people who would be embarrassed. As long as he pretended not to look up and stole a few glances, he could use courtesy to prevaricate even if he didn't have a poem. Alas, this great talent Li was really cunning when it came to dealing with women!
Xiao Zonggang smiled and said, "Okay, since the main person has arrived, let's start..." He glanced at Xiao Zongqing's long face and swallowed the rest of his words with a smile.
Xiao Zongqing calmed down his facial expression, then smiled and said, "Sisters, please take your seats. We can start the banquet." Just like that, everyone took their seats. Xiao Zongqing waved his hand and said, "Li Lefu, shall we start this stunning banquet? Someone, come! Pour the wine! I would like to thank you all for coming..."
At this moment, Li Yi had no time to listen to what Xiao Zongqing was saying. He was only thinking about how to appreciate the true appearance of the most beautiful woman in Southern Liang. Li Yi picked up the wine glass and took the opportunity to watch Xiao Zongqing's toast to glance at Xiao Qizhen, but this glance broke his heart! Why?
But I saw the long yellow skirt tightly tied at the waist, the white and blue ribbon made her look light, the orange shirt with a busty look made her skin as white as jade, the pearl flowers on her head were as fragrant as orchids, there was a red lotus mark between her eyebrows, and her phoenix eyes were full of pity, but she did not understand the lotus' words welcoming spring, only because the faint fragrance was in the Forbidden City.
After seeing Xiao Qizhen's beautiful appearance, Li Yi felt so bad! He cursed in his heart: Fuck your ancestors! Why on earth do such beauties have to be given to you, Tuoba Jun! Aren't you just an emperor? What else do you have besides this emperor status? You can't have all the good things! No! You can only choose one between Nangong Xue and Xiao Qizhen, so let's do it this way, the most beautiful woman in Nanliang is given to you, and Nangong Xue is mine!
Li Yi adjusted his mood and sighed deeply, but this sigh was a little loud. At this time, Xiao Zongqing hadn't finished speaking yet! He frowned and looked at Li Yi, who scratched his head awkwardly. Xiao Zongqing, who was interrupted, said unhappily: "Okay, that's all I have to say. Come on, let's drink this cup together!"
Everyone raised their glasses and drank together. Xiao Zongqing said calmly, "Li Lefu, we can start now!"
Li Yi took a deep breath, then concentrated his mind and recited aloud:
"The East China Sea was startled by a thousand-foot wave, and the dikes collapsed, causing disaster to thousands of households within a hundred miles.
Tonight, I raise my cup to keep warm, and all the poor people will be happy.
First, I would like to thank Your Majesty for his consideration for the people, and then I would like to pay tribute to your kindness.
If you don’t attend this stunning banquet, how can you see the beauty of the prosperous world? "
Li Yi pointed at Xiao Qizhen, and saw brilliant purple air gathering from all directions to his palm, forming a rotating airflow. He pressed his hands, and the airflow turned into a ball of light, and then lifted the ball of light up and hung it under the beam. Li Yi made a gesture to Cui Zhi and the other two, and condensed the air to transform into various musical instruments. He used the suona to play the prelude of "The Feast of the World", and used the spiritual sound spell to control the various instruments to play automatically, and then sang (the lyrics were slightly changed):
The wind is blowing, the clouds are lush, the mountains and waters are green
(The clouds and mist are rolling under Li Yi's feet, and the scene of green mountains and green waters is reflected around him)
People say that one day in heaven is equal to one year on earth.
(The star map of the solar system appears around Li Yi)
Picking stars and moons to admire the Nine Palaces and travel through the world
(Li Yi stretched out his hand to push away the stars, and the camera moved to the Earth-Moon system. He stretched out his hand and touched the Earth)
I can't paint all the beautiful mountains and rivers
(The picture shows a bird's eye view of the beautiful mountains and rivers)
I went to the feast of the world to see the beauty of the world
(Li Yi raises his glass to Xiao Qizhen)
Spending the years like a wandering immortal
(Sprinkle the wine into the picture)
The changes in the world are better than poems, the breeze touches the heartstrings, the flowers are in full bloom, and the youth is young
(The picture fast forwards to show the changes in the world)
I went to the feast of the world to see the beauty of the world
No matter how time changes, I still smile at the heaven (Li Yi raises his glass to toast the heaven)
Flowers bloom, the moon is full, the wind blows softly, the beautiful scenery makes people nostalgic, sighing that the world is endless
(The roof shows the beautiful scene of breeze blowing clouds and half covering the moon)
Li Yi's control over his talent has now reached the level of being able to do whatever he wants. The special effects this time are comparable to holographic projections, which instantly shocked everyone, even Xiao Zonggang, who had attended the birthday banquet of Empress Dowager Xiao of the Northern Wei Dynasty. After singing this song, Li Yi sat aside and played the guitar, and the light shone on Cui Zhi.
Cui Zhi smiled as she played the zither, "The song we just played is called 'The Amazing Banquet in the World'. It was composed by Li Yuefu specifically for tonight's banquet. It takes a lot of effort to control the talent to create such a scene. Let him rest for a while, and I will present a song called 'Su Mu Zha'."
The tune changed, the prelude sounded, Cui Zhi played and sang:
Light sweat and light clothes embellish this splash-ink landscape painting
The lazy and slender hands make Luoyang paper expensive
Poor fallen flowers knocking on jade pillow, the person waving sleeves is still sleeping
The cool breeze makes the beauty frown again
Dressing in front of the mirror, listening to the hustle and bustle of the crowd
The more affectionate you are, the more you will be involved
The dream is broken and I feel haggard
Jinse's voice of regret for no reason wins tears
Straight to your heart is not beautiful day and night flowing east water
My thoughts and hatred are endless. When will it end?
Half River Faith Half River Sorrow
The wine was drunk and the young people were persuaded to stay
When a beautiful woman gets drunk, thousands of troops retreat
Can't cut it off, can't sort it out, choking with sobs and clearing my throat
Drink Qu Liver and Intestines
The cool breeze makes the beauty frown again
Dressing in front of the mirror, listening to the hustle and bustle of the crowd
The more affectionate you are, the more you will be involved
The dream is broken and I feel haggard
Autumn colors are like waves, cold smoke and green
The mountains reflect the setting sun and the water is beside
The grass is ruthless, even beyond the setting sun
Good dreams every night keep people asleep. Don’t stand alone on the high building.
Whose heart is filled with wine and turns into tears of longing
Jinse's voice of regret for no reason wins tears
Straight to your heart is not beautiful day and night flowing east water
My thoughts and hatred are endless. When will it end?
Half River Faith Half River Sorrow
The wine was drunk and the young people were persuaded to stay
When a beautiful woman gets drunk, thousands of troops retreat
Can't cut it off, can't sort it out, choking with sobs and clearing my throat
Drink Qu Liver and Intestines
Although there were no special effects in this song, Cui Zhi performed it perfectly, showing her singing skills to the fullest. Even her Wu dialect pronunciation was clearly identifiable, which was of course due to her life in Linjiang City. After singing this song, Li Yi stood up, stretched out his hand to grab the Qi Condensation Pen, and then wrote and chanted in the air: