Fragrance rises to dance

Chapter 1

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In the first month of the seventh year of Xiande in the Later Zhou Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin, the commander of the palace guards, staged a mutiny at Chenqiao Post Station. The Song Dynasty was established at the beginning of the dynasty, and the reign title was changed to Jianlong, with Kaifeng as the capital.

Several years later, Zhao Kuangyin, a member of the imperial clan, ascended the throne, later known as Emperor Taizong of Song. In the fourth year of the Taiping Xingguo era, Emperor Taizong led troops to Yanyun, capturing Yizhou and Zhuozhou, and reaching as far as the Gaoliang River.

"The mournful wind howls beyond the Great Wall, the Jiaohe River is frozen solid. The vast sea is filled with waves, the Yinshan Mountains are covered in snow for a thousand miles. The garrison returns with fires on the perilous peaks, the layered mountains inspire lofty integrity. The banners flutter leisurely, the horses water their way out of the Great Wall."

This is Emperor Taizong of Tang's poem "Drinking Horse at the Great Wall Cave," which can be used to describe the heroic spirit of the Song family at that time.

At this time, during the rise of the Song Dynasty, four powerful figures and five wise men shone brightly in the court, subtly creating a trend of mutual restraint and support. Some of them were nobles, and some were not, but the influence of these nine individuals on the imperial family and on the Song Dynasty was beyond anyone's comprehension.

Four powers

They are Ze Ning, the third son of Prince Qin and commander of the palace guards; Shang Xuan, the eldest son of Prince Yan and commander of the imperial cavalry; Liu Yin, the music official in charge of singing, dancing and music in the palace; and Tong Wei, the master of the wind.

Five Saints

It is Yu Xiu, the Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate; Sheng Xiang, the son of Zhao Jin, the current Prime Minister; Qi Yang, the Imperial Physician of the Imperial Medical Academy; Rong Yin, the Privy Councilor; and the ancient ghost descending from the altar.

Chapter One: Spring Robes Accustomed to the Dust of the Capital

The capital of the Great Song Dynasty, Bianliang (Kaifeng).

The Imperial Palace.

Xuande Tower was the center of the Song Dynasty imperial palace and also the center of Bianjing (Kaifeng). To the south of Xuande Tower was the Imperial Street, about two hundred paces wide, with imperial corridors on both sides. The central Imperial Road was the main road, where people and horses were not allowed to walk.

In front of Xuande Tower, the left south corridor faces the left side gate, and the right corridor of the Secretariat faces the right side gate. To the east are the two government offices, and to the west is the Ministry of Personnel. Walking south along the Imperial Street, the Jingling East Palace is on the left, and the West Palace is on the right.

Heading south from the west corridor of the inner palace, past the West Palace are the Capital Secretariat and the Hundred-Mixed Pharmacy, all the way to Junyi Bridge Street. West of Junyi Bridge is Kaifeng Prefecture.

Three hundred steps down from Kaifeng Prefecture is the East Corner Tower, and beyond the East Corner Tower is the Baolu Gate.

Behind the Baolu Gate lies the famous Prime Minister's Residence, the home of Zhao Pu, a veteran minister who helped found the Song Dynasty.

A man dressed in dark blue slowly walked to the front of the Prime Minister's residence. People say that the residence of gods is in heaven and the home of prime ministers is on earth. I wonder how prosperous and luxurious this Zhao residence is now, filled with gold and jade.

His dark blue clothes had faded from washing, but were still neat and clean. His hands were empty, with only a small bundle hanging on his back.

After glancing around in front of the mansion a few times, he stepped up the stairs and picked up his ring to knock on the door.

The door creaked open, and a servant poked his head out. "May I ask who you are looking for, sir?"

“Manager Bi,” the man in blue said.

"Steward Bi? Ah, young master, you must be Qiu Han? Please come in, please come in." The servant slapped his forehead. "Steward Bi and the master have gone out and are not here at the moment. Only the young master is in the mansion. Do you remember Young Master Bi? We used to play together when we were little."

The man in the blue shirt nodded. "It's been more than ten years since I last saw you. I'm afraid you wouldn't recognize me if you saw me."

"No, no, our young master is just like he was when he was a child. He's still causing trouble and making a ruckus all the time, which annoys the master." The servant laughed. "It's good now that young master Bi is back. There's someone to keep an eye on him, so he won't be doing anything all day long that leaves us servants confused."

The man in blue smiled faintly, "Qiu Han's memory of what your young master looks like is already hazy. Your young master probably wouldn't take outsiders seriously either, so how could I possibly control him?"

The servant led Bi Qiuhan into the mansion, "No, no, our young master is playful and mischievous, but he just loves friends..."

The man in blue was Bi Qiuhan, the nephew of Bi Jiuyi, the chief steward of the Prime Minister's residence. He had played with the Prime Minister's son at the Zhao residence when he was five or six years old, but had not returned to the capital for nearly twenty years because he went away to practice martial arts. This year, he suddenly said he wanted to come back, which surprised Chief Steward Bi, who had almost forgotten that he had this nephew.

"Young Master is in the courtyard." The servant's name was Taibo. He was over fifty years old and had watched Bi Qiuhan and the Prime Minister's son, Shengxiang, grow up. He was very kind to Bi Qiuhan.

Bi Qiuhan had no curiosity about this "young master." The son of a prime minister was prone to arrogance, and he had already heard about this young master's reputation for recklessness, playfulness, and extravagance when he first arrived in Bianliang. He had no interest in meeting this number one playboy in the capital, but since Taibo was so enthusiastic, he couldn't help but go to the courtyard to take a look.

It was the 18th of August, just after the Mid-Autumn Festival. A few traces of the lively atmosphere still lingered in the garden, and the lanterns hanging everywhere had faded. It was midday, and the lingering summer heat was intense; the servants sought refuge from the heat under the grapevines. The flower-lined corridor from the Lantern-Testing Residence to the Moon-Sweeping Pavilion was eerily quiet, with only a few clusters of wisteria blossoms swaying in the breeze, offering no solace to anyone.

But if you listen carefully, you can faintly hear a soft melody coming from the palace corridor hidden among the flowers and trees. The sound is neither flute nor zither, neither zither nor drum; the tone is delicate, weak but not fading.

Beneath the wisteria blossoms and beside the green ivy, a person leans against a vermilion pillar, kneeling and playing a tune while holding a leaf. The profusion of flowers and the shady vines create a dazzling spectacle in the imperial corridor. But from afar, the first thing that catches the eye is the person holding the leaf and playing a tune.

Her hands were as white as jade, and the sleeves covered with embroidered gold thread and green leaves made the whiteness of her hands stand out even more.

He held the leaf up to his face, and all he could see were a pair of eyes.

That look... its color was like glass.

Bi Qiuhan was slightly startled. He seemed to have seen that look before. "Sacred Incense?"

Taibo shouted loudly, "Young Master Shengxiang, Young Master Bi is back!"

The man in brocade robes who was blowing leaves raised his eyes and blinked. "Young Master Bi?"

Taibo pulled Bi Qiuhan to Shengxiang and said, "Young Master, have you forgotten? This is Steward Bi's nephew. You two used to play together when you were little."

Shengxiang thought for a moment, then thought again, "I forgot."

“Anyway, Young Master Bi is back. He likes young people. These days, Young Master Rong, Young Master Yu, and Young Master Qiyang are all away. It’s good to have more company.” Taibo patted Bi Qiuhan on the shoulder. “I heard from the steward that Qiuhan is highly skilled in martial arts. It’s safe for him to be with the young master.” He was in a hurry to go back to the main gate to keep watch, so he patted Bi Qiuhan and left first.

"So Lao Bi got me a bodyguard?" Sheng Xiang muttered to herself.

Bi Qiuhan frowned slightly, then relaxed, remaining silent.

"Hey, your name is Bi Qiuhan?" Sheng Xiang asked lazily, seemingly uninterested in the so-called bodyguard.

"Not bad." Bi Qiuhan was quite composed; although he was casually treated as a "bodyguard," his displeasure only flashed briefly.

"What a rustic name," Shengxiang sighed. "It sounds like the name of a martial arts hero. Was it given to you by your mother?"

"Name and background are not important to me," Bi Qiuhan said calmly. "Since Taibo wants me to protect your safety, I will protect you. As for the rest, I'm sorry for being rude, but I don't want to talk about it." After he finished speaking, he stepped aside and stood to the side, clearly telling Shengxiang that he disdained to lower himself to the level of a spoiled brat like him.

Shengxiang sighed again, muttering to himself, "If Lao Bi is going to get me a bodyguard, he should at least pick someone with a good temper. Why be so impulsive?" He stretched and stood up from the flower corridor, patting Bi Qiuhan's shoulder. "Don't be so serious. It's better to be relaxed and ordinary. It would be even better if you knew how to eat, drink, and have fun... Ha—" He yawned widely, then suddenly asked seriously, "Do you know how to play cards?"