Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Birthday Banquet

Year 230 of the Song Calendar, the Left Prime Minister Lin Bowen raised troops and marched out, and news of victory came from the front lines.

Under Lin’s command, the general Chen Bitai led seven thousand elite archers, equipped with fire-thunder arrows, and launched a surprise attack on the recovering Northern Qi. The enemy’s two generals were killed in battle, their elite troops utterly destroyed; Lin Bowen then led his forces to attack from both flanks, storming the city with fire-thunder bombs and eliminating the remaining rebels within.

In the late emperor’s edict, the task of reclaiming lost territory was entrusted to Lin Bowen. Now, two out of the nine states of Youyun, which had been seized, have been reclaimed.

Northern Qi had just annexed the Jin Kingdom and was severely depleted, struggling to recover. The remnants of Jin still stirred restlessly, and Qi was beset with troubles within and without. The King of Qi dared not risk everything in a war against the Song at such a time and could only sue for peace.

To safeguard his realm, the King of Qi proposed a treaty with the Song, returning the remaining seven states as a gesture of sincerity, and agreeing to pay tribute annually.

Although our own forces suffered heavy casualties and losses in this campaign, such an outcome was the best possible: peace between two nations, sparing the common folk from war, and both countries living in harmony. Moreover, the Song would profit handsomely—a deal with no loss.

The Song Emperor received urgent news: Qi wished to negotiate and return the seven states. The Youyun Nine States are the Song’s frontier, of strategic importance.

At the same time, many regions of Song suffered droughts, locust plagues, barren lands, and persistent disasters—not enough to wage full-scale war against Qi.

For the people’s peace and prosperity, the Emperor ultimately agreed to the treaty, appointing Prime Minister Lin as Song’s representative to accept Qi’s agreement.

Qi withdrew its troops from the seven states, and Lin returned in triumph to the capital.

...

Elsewhere, in two days’ time, it would be the Empress Dowager’s birthday in the Song Kingdom. Civil and military officials would be invited to celebrate and attend the feast.

Neighboring Tubo also sent an embassy, traveling thousands of miles and bringing a mysterious grand gift.

This year’s banquet was different; to please the Empress Dowager, some special entertainments were arranged, including poetry and musical performances.

Li Dog-Egg, the most renowned talent of Lanzhou, was naturally invited; his name appeared on the guest list, leaving him both surprised and honored.

When the news arrived, Li Shenfang and Ajiao were delighted. Ajiao, having little else to give, made a pair of shoes for her son with her own hands.

Two days later.

Li Pingyang attended the banquet as invited, dressed in clothes sent for the occasion and wearing the shoes made by his mother, looking sharp and handsome.

He tied back his jet-black hair, revealing an elegant face. Without the cover of bangs, his appearance shifted from youthful vigor to mature masculinity.

Outside the great hall, officials donned their formal robes, greeting each other with laughter as they entered.

The Crown Prince’s faction, the Second Prince’s followers, and the Grand Tutor’s supporters… All sides gathered. Li Pingyang walked with Li Hu.

Li Hu, being aligned with the Third Prince and serving as a sword-bearing commander, was granted a seat, but his status prevented him from sitting alongside Li Pingyang; he took a place at the very back.

Inside the hall, an attendant approached Li Pingyang, guiding him to a seat in the front row, left side, with Minister Fang seated to his right.

As he was personally invited by the Empress Dowager, his status was special, and he could not sit with Li Hu.

Li Pingyang thanked the attendant, adjusted his robes, knelt and sat, surveying the hall. Many seats were still empty; not everyone had arrived.

Seated, he gazed at the sumptuous food before him, and his stomach rumbled audibly. Minister Fang turned and glared; Li Pingyang smiled sheepishly.

Having rushed out early, he’d only eaten a pastry on the road, and now the spread before him truly made him hungry.

“I…”

Li Pingyang began to speak, but Minister Fang immediately turned away, sitting upright with a cold snort, plainly contemptuous.

Li Pingyang looked puzzled, unsure why.

“He is Fang Miao, Minister Fang, a supporter of Grand Tutor Li Heyan. That’s just how he is; don’t take it personally. If I’m not mistaken, you are the famed Li Dog-Egg?”

A minister seated to his left leaned in, speaking quietly. Li Pingyang smiled and nodded, confirming.

The man fumbled about, producing a small notebook. Li Pingyang frowned, not understanding his intent.

The man then extracted a pen from his sleeve, and from elsewhere a bottle of ink, leaving Li Pingyang amazed.

Was this Doraemon?

In fact, the minister wished for an autograph. His daughter adored Li Dog-Egg’s poetry, their home adorned with his verses—she was a devoted fan.

Li Pingyang couldn’t refuse, but his handwriting was embarrassingly poor. Still, he braced himself and wrote his name, each stroke careful.

The script looked like a child’s, but the minister cherished it, folding it carefully and storing it away.

Just then, three burly men entered, dressed in exotic attire.

They wore strange garments.

...

The banquet began; the Empress Dowager sat upon the dragon throne, flanked by two attendants. Everyone rose, hands before them, saluting the Empress Dowager.

In chorus, they proclaimed, “May the Empress Dowager’s longevity be as the Southern Mountains, her blessings as vast as the Eastern Sea…”

The Empress Dowager beamed at all, her hair silvered with age, but her hearing and vision unimpaired, her spirit vigorous and her smile benevolent.

It was Li Pingyang’s first time seeing her, and he felt an immediate closeness, a sense of déjà vu, smiling at this imperial grandmother.

Among the crowd, the Empress Dowager spotted Li Pingyang at once, seeming to take a liking to him. She asked her attendant, pointing at him, “Who is that?”

Looking closely, the Song Empress Dowager bore a resemblance to Li Pingyang’s late modern-day relative. Memories surged, and he felt a pang of sorrow.

In childhood, his grandmother had been his closest companion, knowing all his secrets.

After the blessings, the Empress Dowager looked delighted.

She responded, “I accept your goodwill, my dear ministers!” Then, raising her cup, she invited everyone to drink.

On this joyous day, the Empress Dowager herself took a sip. The guests followed, raising their cups and drinking in one draught.

Afterward, the Empress Dowager bade everyone sit. Li Pingyang, finally awaiting the feast, eagerly grabbed a chicken leg and started eating.

One hand held the chicken leg, the other wielded chopsticks, eating heartily. His manners attracted much comment, but he paid no heed, intent on filling his stomach.

Minister Fang, seeing his uncultured behavior, shifted his seat away, embarrassed and wishing to distance himself.

Li Pingyang was unconcerned, waving a chicken leg at Minister Fang, who quickly shielded his face, pretending not to notice.

At that moment, the Tubo embassy leaders stepped forward, dressed in striking foreign attire.

Their skin, darkened by sun, was a deep bronze; their eyes were bright and bold, their physiques tall and powerful.

Despite the heat, they wore tiger and leopard skins to display their bravery. Their shoulders, forearms, and knees were adorned with animal hides, showing great attention to detail.

The group advanced, bearing gifts for the Song Kingdom. A large iron cage, placed on a wooden cart, was dragged in by seven or eight men to the center of the hall.