Sounds of strings resounded across the palace as drums were being beaten, the entire nation were in a happy mood as songs and dances filled the nation both inside the palace and outside the palace, an outsider would wonder if this is the daily life of the people not knowing that today is the emperor's birthday, a special day where they can enjoy his benevolence more than ever.

Notable visitors from other nations and across the country trooped into the palace with lots of entourage carrying their gifts while the soldiers at the city gate and the palace were carefully scrutinizing the visitors for anyone that might pose as a danger in the palace.

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In the palace.

Kings, queens, princes, and ministers were greeting each other, in front, they were putting on a smile but in their mind, they all have enmity against each other, they toasted to each other in the absence of the emperor while trying to curry favor with one another and create connections but none dared to overdo it for fear that they might be accused of allying with the wrong person.

"The emperor is here!" the head eunuch announced then everyone sprung to their feet with their head bowed and their hands cupped, the emperor entered in a black dragon robe with a red underlayer, a gold ring bounds his hair and held together with a gold pin that stood out among the crowd.

"Long live your majesty!" the crowd chorused in unison then the emperor waved his hand to signal them to take their seat.

The dance troupes then entered the stage in their long red and white apparel and long white and red scarfs in their hands, their flexible moves amused the crowd just like it was intended to, they all drank and whispered to each other as they pointed as the dancers.

Many from other nations wish to have the women in bed if they didn't belong to the emperor himself.

After scanning the surrounding in search of the fourth prince but in vain, he turned to the regional commander who is standing beside him with the queen, the imperial noble consort and the imperial consort seated beside him while the lower ranking concubines are seated below him.

One person he noted while scanning around is Madam Ju and three of her girls, he felt his mood lifted just like when his late imperial consort used to attend his birthdays and give him gifts after, her gifts were the most precious to him but now, no one's gift matters as much as hers.

"The fourth prince is not here again?" he whispered to the regional commander despite knowing the answer, the man merely nodded his head in affirmation as he watched the emperor's dejected look, the empress who understood what they were whispering about smirked in relief just like she does in the fourth prince absence.

The birthday celebration is her stage today and she doesn't want anyone to spoil it so she decided to place people at the city gate to watch out for the fourth prince despite knowing it is futile.

The imperial consort glanced at Li Changlin to make sure he is behaving himself but she was glad to see him seating in a composed manner while watching the dance just like every other prince.

The dance soon ended with applauses being rained over them, they exited the stage while another troupe of female sword dancers dressed in all black with a black veil over their faces came into the stage, everyone focused on them with deep anticipation for their performance.

They started beating the drums while they danced with their legs and swords in sync with each other, some visitors were clearly admiring the dance and envious of the palace dancers while some were sneering as they compared the dancers to their own dancers.

The dance soon ended following another rain of applause as they left the stage.

"Your Majesty," the imperial consort called causing everyone to turn to her.

"Yes, my consort,"

"I heard from the consort of virtue that princess Li Xiu especially practiced the flower dance to perform for your birthday, I wonder if your majesty will give her the honor to perform the dance," she requested with a compelling smile on her face.

Both women before her frowned at her boldness to ask the emperor for a favor in front of them, his approving smile aggravated them more and they resented the consort of virtue for currying favor with the imperial consort.

They are all aware that she must have asked the imperial consort to speak on behalf of her daughter.

"Alright,"

"Thanks, your majesty!" the consort of virtue and princess Li Xiu thanked then she left the place to get dressed and returned a few minutes later.

The beating of the drum started slowly while everyone held their breath to behold the maiden in a flowing white robe with large peony flowers embroidered on it, two large gold hairpins with tints of red dangled at both sides of her bun with the rest of her hair let down.

She slowly kicked her legs into the hair to begin the dance then nimbly spun around slowly, then the rhythm of the drum became faster, too fast that everyone wondered if she can keep up but to their amusement, she was totally in sync with the drum the red scarf on her arms fluttered into the hair as she spun around really fast and bent her body backward.

After some minutes of the vigorous dance, the rhythm of the drum became faster than she started spinning until the drumming ended abruptly then she dropped to the ground with her gown spread like flower petals.

Everyone applauded the dance including the emperor who has never noticed the princess before this day, beads of sweat ran down her face to her neck and chest as she tried to regulate her breathing, she stood up and bowed.

The sound of the emperor's laughter resonated across the ground, they have watched all sorts of performances but they have never seen him so satisfied, what they didn't know is that the late imperial consort performed the same dance for him when they first met.

"My princess, come," he beckoned, those of the palace were in disbelief when they heard him, she over excited princess made her way to the top when the emperor held her hand with a hearty smile, she almost couldn't believe it, for the first time she has felt her father's touch.

"Imperial father..." she muttered with tears gathering in her eyes.

"I have only watched a dance this beautiful once, the princess will be rewarded with anything she wants in the treasury and I will give her a lifesaving grace," the emperor announced, causing them to gasp.

"Your majesty is magnanimous!" everyone chorused including the princess.

The empress and the imperial noble consort clenched their jaw with their nose flared in anger, had they known that all it took is a dance to win his heart then they would have done it long ago, but what should the sons do.

"Your majesty, the princes have also prepared gifts for you," the empress informed with a feigned smile, the smile on the emperor's face quickly faded to their dismay.

"If so then they should present it," he responded soullessly.

The princes came out at once then bowed their heads.

"Happy birthday, imperial father!" they chorused while their attendants handed their gifts to the eunuch, everyone below started comparing whose gift is better than whose but everyone could see that the first prince has the best gift followed by the third prince and the one with the least is the seventh prince.

The emperor faintly smiled then dismissed them.

"Since the princes have presented their gifts then they envoys should present their gifts," the head eunuch announced, the eunuchs rushed down then lined up each to one envoy, they collected the trays where the gifts were placed then carried them away, one would think they are competing for who presents the best gift.

"Seems like the Mongolians still want to keep their heads," the regional commander whispered to the emperor seeing one of their princes amongst the envoys.

"They know better than to give me a reason for war," the emperor whispered back but clearly the ministers who have been trying to make the emperor go to war with the Mongolians were not pleased to see them here cause their presence shows that have no plans to bring war.

"Your majesty, I will like to make a toast to you," the empress said as she raised her cup to him with a threatening smile that he could clearly read.

{if you don't want to do it then I will do it for you,}

The emperor squinted his eyes knowing her bad intentions but he has no choice but to go along, after all, he has already prepared for this, the eunuch poured him wine then he raised the glass and turned to the empress.

"May your majesty live long and may your reign continue to be prosperous," she widened her smile then both sipped the wine gently with their eyes fixed on each other, then they placed the cup on the table, still maintaining her smile.

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