Chapter 4: Ode to Longevity

  Situ Min Hui took a step towards the imperial steps and walked away, but Xia Tian was still standing there, motionless.

  Xia Jingting hurriedly and gently pushed her from behind.

  Summer surprise, one side of the heart muttered unlucky regret, while reluctantly walked out of the ranks.

  "My daughter, Sito Min Hui, pays homage to Your Majesty, wishing Your Majesty's good fortune to be as vast as the sky and your longevity to match that of Heaven." Sito Min Hui bowed deeply with utmost respect, her clear voice echoing throughout the grand hall.

  Xiatian glanced at her and also silently knelt down beside her.

  "Longevity rivaling Heaven? Ha!" Emperor Zhao Qian laughed dryly, "All of you get up!"

  Following Sito Man Wai standing up, Xia Tian lowered his head and kept telling himself to calm down.

  "Look up!"

  She hesitated for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

  On the golden chair on the noble stage sat a man over fifty years old, wearing a bright yellow brocade robe embroidered with blooming imperial flowers, and a jade-inlaid crown on his head. He leaned against the back of the chair with one hand, staring down at the people below, his eyes not sharp but majestic. However, his face looked very tired, and it was clear that he had been ill for a long time. On his right side sat a stunning beauty, in her early twenties, wearing a purple-red palace dress that exuded an indescribable elegance and luxury.

  The Emperor Zhao looked at the two girls standing on the stage, one in pink and the other in pale blue. His gaze naturally fell on the girl wearing a pale blue dress: from the hem up, the color gradually changed from deep blue to white, a green silk ribbon was tied around her slender waist, the wide sleeves were white at the top and blue at the bottom, the high-standing collar reflected a delicate face with a hint of pink, and a pink lotus flower was pinned on her black hair. She stood tall and elegant, pure and beautiful, like a lotus flower standing alone in the clear ripples of a green pool.

  Zhen Fei leaned in close to Emperor Zhaojian and pointed at Xia Tian, smiling as she said: "Your Majesty, look! This girl is so pretty! She's got a lively spirit! If she were to stand next to the Fifth Prince, they would definitely make a perfect match."

  Staring at Xia Tian, Zhao Jian Emperor nodded slightly with an ambiguous meaning.

  Situ Bi originally had a breath, and now he was even more holding his breath. He had expected that Xia Jingting's daughter would not be ugly, but he did not expect her to be so stunning. At this moment, standing with his own ordinary-looking daughter made her look like a celestial being. However, could Zhen Fei's words move the Emperor's heart? Would Min Hui gain an opportunity from this?

  "Two girls, today is My Majesty's birthday, what gifts have you prepared for Me?"

  Summer is desperately holding back the urge to roll her eyes.

  "Your Majesty," Minister Si Tu Min said with a bow, "my daughter is foolish and cannot present a gift worthy of your greatness. She only hopes to bring a smile to your face."

  A hint of a smile flashed in Emperor Zhao's eyes, but he pretended to be disappointed and let out a leisurely sigh: "In that case, I'll take a look."

  Situ Min Hui pursed her lips, her confidence slightly shaken, but she quickly regained her composure: "Your humble servant has learned a little bit of music since childhood. I heard that Xia sister is good at composing poetry, so I will compose a poem with Xia sister and present it to Your Majesty as a birthday gift."

  Xiatian suddenly turned her head, as if she wanted to use her eyes to pierce several holes in Sutu Minhuai's body: "Sister, you don't have to find someone to carry your back when showing off! What was it that she just said she was good at?"

  Sister Mianhui thought she was blaming herself for stealing her thunder, and hurriedly smiled: "Little sister is well-read and eloquent, but big sister is not learned and shallow, afraid of being embarrassed in front of people. Why don't I go first and play a piece to pave the way for you?"

  When Xia Tian was seven years old, he had already composed a "Rú Yì Fù" (As You Wish Fu), the words and sentences were immature but won in clarity and fluency, the content was lively and delightful, at that time it had spread throughout the capital city and no one did not know about it. Sī Tū Mǐn Huì was precisely because she knew this reason that she would have made this proposal. She looked as if she couldn't wait to get the first draft, but in fact, she wanted to give Xia Tian enough time to think and compose the fu.

  There were already palace maids in the hall who had set up a jade zither. Xīa Tiān Wēn Hé smiled warmly at Sī Tú Mǐn Huì, turned around and walked to the back of the zither case, sat down. Feeling her father's displeased gaze, she knew that her little thoughts couldn't deceive her father after all, so she didn't dare to slack off anymore. Moreover, she was also afraid that Emperor Jūn would have a bad impression of herself, after all, Wǔ Diàn Xià was the son whom Emperor Jūn loved the most.

  Her slender wrist lightly raised, her jade-like fingers danced, producing a series of high-pitched piano notes that flowed like a mountain stream. The sound was crisp and clear, like pearls falling onto a plate. It was as if the notes had been carefully crafted and polished, like a skilled artisan cutting and grinding precious stones. At times, the music seemed to evoke the gentle breeze blowing against wind chimes by a window on a spring day; at others, it was reminiscent of water droplets echoing through an empty valley.

  In the summer, she stood frozen in place with cold hands and feet. Her eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter as the music played on, her heart sinking deeper and deeper. The female leads who traveled through time were either good at singing or dancing, and Tang poetry and Song lyrics flowed effortlessly from their mouths, each one a masterwork. But reality proved that she, an ordinary girl with no talents to speak of, was only capable of standing stupidly in place. She used to sing many songs when K-singing, but now she couldn't even remember the complete lyrics of one song. She had studied many poems in her language class, but now all she could think of was "geese, geese, geese". Sighing, she resigned herself and closed her eyes.

  "My daughter is ugly!"

  "Hmm." Emperor Zhaoqing nodded in satisfaction, turning his gaze to Xia Tian as if he was eagerly anticipating her performance. The eyes of the others also unanimously focused on her without exception.

  Summer is here, and although I've made up my mind to break the jar and be done with it, when the time comes, I still can't help but feel nervous and afraid.

  Xia Jingting and Xia Yang on the side were staring at her with unblinking eyes, hoping that she would speak again despite knowing that she was unable to speak.

  Silence...

  Summer's head hung lower and lower, with beads of sweat rolling across his forehead, and his undershirt clinging to his body with a hint of dampness.

  The great hall was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

  "How about it, can you or can't you come up with a birthday poem?" Zhen Fei asked impatiently.

  In the summer, all I could feel was the blood vessels on my head throbbing and jumping, with only the sound of my own heavy, trembling breathing in my ears, like a running train.

  "How is it that you are unwilling to compose a poem for me?" The tone was half cold and half annoyed.

  Her knees went weak and she automatically knelt down without anyone telling her to. In the past, she had no idea what it meant to "accompany a king like accompanying a tiger", but now she deeply understood that with just one word from the superior, whether it was an action or a glance, she could immediately lose her head.

  Xia Jingting also hastily knelt down and apologized, saying: "Your Majesty please forgive me, I was frightened a few days ago and temporarily lost my ability to speak, so today I'm afraid I won't be able to compose poetry for Your Majesty."