After all the ministers expressed their blessings and congratulations to the emperor for his first year on the throne, the banquet held in the Chunying Palace Hall officially began.
Although seats were only arranged for officials, all courtiers could go in and out of the palace to watch performances or delicious food. Many young officials gathered in the corners of the corridor and in the next room, and from time to time the screams of the palace servants being delivered were heard.
The emperor, who was sitting in the upper seat, drank wine quietly and enjoyed the performance of singing, dancing and music.
When the ministers came to congratulate him, the queen who was sitting next to the emperor quietly left her seat.
"...Your Majesty looks really lonely."
Lu Fusu looked back and found the Zhuge family standing nearby.
"Are you guys showing up together to provoke me?"
"Even if we come to pay our respects to the Emperor while the Queen is here, we are just watching the Emperor and the Queen show affection."
"..."
"I was joking with the emperor. Because the opportunity is rare, I want to enjoy it from the best position."
"Let's take a seat here."
Zhuge Qing and Qing'er asked someone to bring chairs and squeezed into the empty seats at the table as if nothing had happened. Lu Fusu couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"It was already so crowded that I could hardly breathe."
"That's right! Why are all those young people who always find the emperor's banquets boring coming?"
"Didn't you never attend festive banquets before?"
"Yes, this is my first time to participate. Even my father said it was the first time he saw such a lively festival."
"Compared with the word grand, lively is indeed more suitable to describe today's banquet. The emperor's banquet can also be so relaxed. Maybe it's unprecedented? Why is this?"
As Qing'er spoke, she put the delicious dishes on Zhuge Qing's plate. Lu Fusu looked ahead and replied sadly: "I still want to ask this question! Isn't it the man you are putting the dishes for him who instigated it?
The queen’s?”
"..."
Zhuge Qing, who was putting the fish meat into his mouth, stopped.
"If the Emperor is not happy, you can tell the Queen yourself..."
"It's not that I'm unhappy. It's just that I'm still torn between wanting to show off and wanting to be exclusive."
"...Then let's show off today!"
"If the New Year is as lively as this, I may have to reconsider the location of the banquet in the future."
It was getting dark, but the number of people attending the banquet showed no sign of decreasing.
at this time……
When the emcee announced that the dance "Snow Moon, Wind and Flowers" was next, he used the same tone as when he introduced the other court dancers and musicians just now.
The human voice is mixed with the sound of bells.
The dancer stood there quietly holding a dead branch of a plum tree with three red bells tied on it.
The palace servants in the corners of the palace were all waiting for this moment, but those who were more interested in wine and food than singing, dancing and music did not notice this, and the palace was still noisy.
Lu Fusu put down his wine glass.
A faint smile appeared on Shui Xinyuan's mouth and he looked directly at Lu Fusu.
Raise the hand holding the plum branch high.
Jingle Bell.
Hearing the sound of the bell, the musician began to play the pipa.
In the faintly reflected sunset, the pale red silk fabric danced.
…
Only that space is far away from the noise...
Shui Xinyuan waved his sleeves gracefully and stepped silently on the floor. There was only one person dancing for the other person.
The bright red plums overcome the cold snowflakes and bloom under the moonlight that is so dazzling that it makes people feel sad...
...For you, I decided to become the best dancer in Yuan Kingdom...
That night, because you extended your hand to me, and under your guidance, I was able to be where I am today.
Until now, and from now on, I will only dance for you.
Everything about me exists for you.
because I love you……
When the dancers bent their knees to the aftertaste of the last note, the noise in the hall disappeared.
Shui Xinyuan raised his eyes in a silence that seemed like time had stopped, staring at a person.
Jingle Bell.
The crisp bell sounded.
After the dancer finished the last movement, he stood up and bowed to the person sitting directly in front of him.
I only heard a pair of hands clapping slowly.
Seeing Lu Fusu nod, Shui Xinyuan smiled back and took a step back.
At this moment, there was a burst of cheers in the hall, followed by bursts of applause.
Shui Xinyuan bowed slightly to the surroundings and immediately came to the corridor.
The hall became lively again, and only Zhuge and his wife noticed that the emperor had left his seat.
"Borrow it for a moment."
The corridor was crowded with people, and Shui Xinyuan was running through the gaps in the crowd.
The man who was talking and laughing with a wine flask realized that it was the queen and hurriedly made way for her.
She kept running forward.
The corridor leading to the upper seats of the palace was forbidden to enter. There were imperial guards standing guard there. When they saw Shui Xinyuan, they all bowed and gave way.
Shui Xinyuan passed by the suddenly deserted corridor, and as soon as she turned the corner, a pair of gentle arms hugged her.
The bell rang.
"...At that time, I also wanted to hold you like this."
Shui Xinyuan knew that Lu Fusu was talking about how they met again at this corner of this corridor more than a year ago, three years apart.
She endured her rapid breathing and smiled in Lu Fusu's arms.
"If the emperor had held me like this...I would have fainted from fright."
"That's not possible. I'm so glad that I can hug you as much as I want now."
Lu Fusu also laughed, picked up the branch with the bell tied to Shui Xinyuan's hand, and inserted it into Shui Xinyuan's hair, which had a hairpin inserted today.
"So beautiful, you dance so well..."
He brushed Shui Xinyuan's hair away from her cheeks with his fingertips and kissed the corners of her eyes.
"Thanks……"
Shui Xinyuan looked up at Lu Fusu with a bright smile on his face.
"But I'm going to stop practicing dancing for the time being."
"Why...?"
"Before the plum trees bloom next year."
Although she cannot practice her beloved dance for the time being, the expression on her face cannot conceal her joy.
Lu Fusu looked curious.
Shui Xinyuan stretched out his arms, hugged Lu Fusu's neck, and lifted his heels off the ground.
She stood on tiptoe, slowly pulled Lu Fusu's face in front of her, and kissed his lips.
Jingle Bell.
The bell rings.
It was rare for Shui Xinyuan to take the initiative to kiss. Lu Fusu was a little confused. Shui Xinyuan smiled and said: "The imperial doctor said that he will be born during the season when plum blossoms are in full bloom."
"..."
"Although the emperor said he wanted to be a man, there are already people here."
"……child?"
"right."
"Are you pregnant?"
"I asked the imperial doctor to check it out the day before yesterday. Nine times out of ten, I can't be wrong..."
"..."
Lu Fusu held Shui Xinyuan's shoulders and was stunned for a long time, then looked up at the ceiling and took a deep breath... holding Shui Xinyuan tightly.
"Yeah……?"
"right……"
"Very good."
"Um."
"You should take care of yourself..."
Halfway through, Lu Fusu hurriedly let go of his hand and looked at Shui Xinyuan's face.
"You... weren't you dancing just now?"
"Yes! I've finished dancing."
"Is it okay? You dance so fiercely..."
"My physical condition is good today, I should be fine."
"should be no problem……?"
Lu Fusu's face turned pale with fright, and Shui Xinyuan laughed.
"I felt really uncomfortable when I was running on Chunhua Street, but I felt much better after resting in Yunshang's shop, and dancing was no problem at all. I heard from the imperial doctor that it was thanks to my regular dance practice to keep my body active."
"..."
"I also went to dance practice before, and the doctor also said that as long as I don't feel uncomfortable on the day of the festival, there will be no problem with dancing."
"Shui Xinyuan..."
Lu Fusu's body softened and he stroked his forehead.
"Please, don't do dangerous things..."
"sorry."
"No...you are absolutely not wrong about Chunhua Street..."
Shui Xinyuan also squatted down next to Lu Fusu and pulled his sleeves gingerly.
"Actually, the imperial doctor said that even if you are pregnant, you should move your body as much as possible. After entering a stable period, you can continue to practice dancing without exhausting your body... Or should I rest?"
Lu Fusu finally raised his head and said with a wry smile: "You don't have to force yourself to rest because of my worries. I just hope that you can give birth to the child safely..."
but……
Lu Fusu said, hugged Shui Xinyuan tightly and said, "But you have to let me worry about you... because you are my beloved wife."
"emperor……"
Shui Xinyuan also hugged Lu Fusu's neck and buried her face in his shoulder.
"I'm also worried about one thing..."
"Um?"
"My parents had a huge fight when I was born."
"quarrel?"
"Because my father loved me too much at that time."
"……What?"
"I look like my mother. My mother saw that my father loved me, a daughter who looked very much like her, more than he loved her, so she was very angry and stopped talking to my father for about ten days."
"..."
"I thought of this, so I couldn't help but think..."
Shui Xinyuan raised his head and looked at Lu Fusu.
"The emperor was worried that I would take care of the children all day long, so he hopes to do it again in a few years."
"Oh, yes, I did."
"But maybe the emperor will love the child more than me..."
"ah?"
"At that time, I may be as angry as my mother..."
"No...wait a moment, Shui Xinyuan, please wait for me."
Lu Fusu frowned, put his hand on his forehead and thought deeply.
"...It's not that I can't understand your father's mood at that time. Imagine if the daughter you gave birth to looked exactly like you..."
"Um."
"No! No matter who the child looks like, whether it is a daughter or a son, I will put you first."
"..."
"Don't cry like this. If you ignore me for ten days, I will cry!"
Seeing Lu Fusu suddenly panicking, Shui Xinyuan couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm sorry... If the emperor can love me and the child equally, I will be satisfied."
"I still think you are the cutest..."
After Lu Fusu finished speaking, he nodded repeatedly, as if approving what he said.
Even so... Shui Xinyuan thought to himself.
...I still hope that the child will look like Lu Fusu...