Chapter 160: This publicity must be in place

In the court, the atmosphere was solemn.

After Liu Ju proposed letting Li Yannian set up a Great Han song and dance troupe, the officials were in an uproar, blocking him in the makeshift court and demanding an explanation.

Liu Ju was speechless: "How can I not let myself watch those performances, and not let others watch them either?"

Simply outrageous!

Zhang Tang, his expression solemn and brows furrowed, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate. Li Yannian was previously punished for bewitching Your Majesty. If we let him set up a song and dance troupe now, fearing his old habits won't change, he will introduce an extravagant, licentious atmosphere into the palace, which will then spread among the people. Our Great Han people have always been simple and hardworking; if they are infected by this bad influence, in the long run it will surely affect public sentiment and shake the foundations of the state."

Wei Xiang also slightly bowed and said earnestly, "Your Majesty, your wisdom should prioritize the state and the people's welfare first. While song and dance can bring temporary pleasure, if overemphasized it easily leads the populace to indulge in enjoyment, neglecting agricultural labor and national duties. Now the construction of the secondary capital is in full swing, with many affairs awaiting initiation; establishing a song and dance troupe now would likely disperse the people's energy, which is not conducive to the long-term development of Great Han."

Xu Wei showed concern and added, "Your Majesty, I have heard that Li Yannian, in order to set up the song and dance troupe, has been searching far and wide for rare treasures and crafting splendid garments; this is undoubtedly an extravagant act. If the people learn of this, it will easily spawn a trend of imitation, plunging our Great Han into a mire of extravagance. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider."

Jin Fu, supporting his still-unhealed body, struggled to rise, performed the salute, and said, "Your Majesty, I deeply know that perhaps Your Majesty intends this to boost morale and enrich the people's lives. However, Li Yannian's past conduct really makes it hard to feel assured. If the establishment of the song and dance troupe lacks proper guidance and strict supervision, it could very well become a breeding ground for bad influences. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider."

Several officials spoke earnestly, their eyes full of worry for Great Han's future; they hoped Liu Ju would consider carefully and not let the establishment of the song and dance troupe bring unexpected negative effects.

Liu Ju, however, waved his hand, unwilling to argue with them.

"My decision is final; if any bad influence arises later, stop it promptly. I am weary; all of you, withdraw!"

Having said that, Liu Ju directly returned to the sleeping quarters.

These few days, indulging with Consort Shi Liangdi, he grew lazy about caring what those officials thought.

Li Yannian, having received the order, promptly began to set up the Great Han song and dance troupe.

To expand the troupe's scale, he not only used the previous singing girls and dancers, but also sought far and wide, selecting from the market streets and noble mansions throughout Great Han those dancers and musicians of superb skill.

These dancers had graceful, lithe postures, each possessing extraordinary skill;

the musicians were versed in various instruments, able to play heavenly sounds.

Li Yannian, with original ingenuity, cleverly blended the original Western Regions barbarian women with native talents, carefully choreographing a series of splendid programs.

Soon, the Great Han song and dance troupe went to the construction site of the secondary capital, launching a tour of consolation performances.

At the construction site, the blazing sun hung high, scorching the earth; the workers endured the heat, sweating profusely as they labored.

The heavy sounds of labor and clashing tools intertwined, filling the air.

When the Great Han song and dance troupe's performance began, a burst of stirring music instantly pierced the clamor, drawing everyone's gaze.

Only see the musicians seated together, their instruments seeming to come alive.

The Western Regions' huqin drew out a lingering, graceful melody with a hint of exotic charm, responding to the Central Plains' bronze bells and guzheng; the bells rang clear and pleasant, each strike like jade beads falling on a plate;

the guzheng, with its lively and changeful tone, wove through like flowing water.

On stage, the dancers wore splendid, colorful garments; their light postures resembled butterflies dancing.

The Western Regions barbarian women had deep eyes, bearing mysterious charm; their dance was passionate and uninhibited, waists twisting like serpents, skirts flying, embedded gems flashing brilliant light.

The native dancers displayed an elegant, gentle grace; as their long sleeves swayed, they seemed to recount ancient tales, every gesture full of flavor. They coordinated with each other, sometimes in perfect unison, sometimes staggered, their agile steps tracing a lovely rhythm.

A young artisan stared, his tool unconsciously halting, and exclaimed involuntarily, "This dance is truly wonderful! We toil day in, day out; seeing such a performance fills us with vigor, making us feel the secondary capital could be built faster and better!"

The old master beside him also halted his work, nodding in praise: "Yes, although Li Yannian previously erred, this organized song and dance troupe truly brings us much joy, which can be seen as redeeming his fault."

The workers gathered around, faces beaming with joy, intermittently bursting into enthusiastic applause that thundered in their ears, intertwining with the music.

As the Great Han song and dance troupe's performance at the construction site achieved great success, the news quickly spread to the surrounding villages and towns.

Upon hearing it, the populace became intensely curious.

Soon after, the song and dance troupe gave public performances in the nearby towns, attracting large crowds of spectators.

"I've heard that the Great Han song and dance troupe is amazing, with all kinds of beautiful dances and pleasant tunes; we really ought to go see it."

People continually gathered at the performance site, becoming the most splendid sight at the construction sites of Yanjing and the Grand Canal.

Even the many newspapers under Great Han Media eagerly joined the coverage; for a time the scene was unprecedentedly grand.

Even the officials who had previously opposed it now had no voice left.

Zhang Tang, Wei Xiang, and others even took time to watch, and personally invited the song and dance troupe to perform on site to bolster the momentum.

As time passed, the fame of the Great Han song and dance troupe grew ever larger, its influence continually spreading to every corner of Great Han.

In the bustling capital, streets and alleys were all talking about the troupe's splendid performances.

In the teahouse, the storyteller also turned the troupe's deeds into comic segments, relating them to the tea drinkers.

Many youths, influenced by it, developed a keen interest in music and dance, flocking to become apprentices in hopes of one day joining the troupe.

Some local officials also recognized the troupe's positive role in cultural dissemination and popular cohesion, and began actively inviting it to perform locally.

The Great Han people's affection for the song and dance troupe grew day by day; it not only became an important part of people's entertainment life, but also invisibly strengthened the cultural identity and national pride of the Great Han populace, adding a unique cultural hue to Great Han's prosperity and flourishing.

Liu Ju, who had proposed the idea of establishing the song and dance troupe, meanwhile saw the newspapers reporting its growing prosperity, and a wistful expression involuntarily appeared on his face.

Those officials who had once opposed it also watched the performance;

the populace also watched, and many even joined in interactive performances;

Zhang Tang and Wei Xiang, those old fellows, had faces almost splitting with laughter, completely oblivious to home in their joy.

And he, the solemn Son of Heaven, master of Great Han's rivers and mountains;

yet was not allowed to watch!

What kind of world is this!

But Liu Ju still felt relieved in his heart; since the song and dance troupe had achieved initial success, the court's ideological publicity work could now be further promoted.

No matter how much effort he had previously made, however, limited by the era's constraints, the newspapers' limitations, most people's consciousness remained stagnant.

Now that the song and dance troupe's operation has shown initial results, more far-reaching plans can be implemented.

Especially the land reform, which has been obstructed since its announcement!