Chapter 75: Ambush from All Sides

It was just that Fengming Tower was actually ranked behind Lanxiang Troupe, which made Liu Zheng a bit displeased.

It seems many people are indeed very optimistic about the Court Grand Dance of Lanxiang Troupe. After all, everyone feels that for a program welcoming the Empress, the Court Grand Dance is still the most popular choice—luxurious, grand, and high-class. It pleases the Empress and highlights the prosperity of the era; why not do it?

By comparison, the "Prosperous Longyan" from Fengming Tower had already appeared during rehearsals, so it could not provide people with too many surprises. Moreover, although "Prosperous Longyan" was also quite grand, it still could not compare to a true Court Grand Dance.

"Fine, then let's play. One thousand taels, bet on Fengming Tower!"

Liu Zheng laughed heartily.

That person was overjoyed. Generally, those who set up such betting spots had formidable figures in Liangzhou City backing them, so there was no worry about being cheated. After receiving the one-thousand-tael Silver Note, the person gave Liu Zheng a receipt; once the Top Courtesan Competition ended today, he could go to "collect the prize"!

Zheng Yueru, standing by, was left between laughter and tears: "Brother Liu truly has a refined interest!"

Liu Zheng chuckled: "Just earning some pocket money!"

Zheng Yueru smiled bitterly: "How is Brother Liu still so confident?"

Regarding the preparation of the program, Zheng Yueru had not participated at all. Because there were truly too many other matters for the Top Courtesan Competition, the various sales and promotions Liu Zheng had arranged for her had already kept Zheng Yueru busy to the point of exhaustion. Therefore, she had no concept of the program Liu Zheng had prepared. She only knew that the people of Liangzhou City today were very optimistic about Lanxiang Troupe.

Liu Zheng laughed heartily: "Yue Ru, rest assured, tonight we shall certainly seize victory!"

At this time, night was slowly falling over Liangzhou.

Liangzhou today could truly be called overcrowded; heads were jostling, shoulders were rubbing, and the entire city was full of people. At a glance, even Liu Zheng was startled. It was a scene of the whole city turning out. The locals of Liangzhou, along with some outsiders who had come for the reputation, had all joined the ranks of the revelry.

"Lanxiang Troupe!"

"Fengming Tower!"

"Shen Manqing!"

"Xiao Ruozhi!"

Today, whether they were commoners, young masters, or those literati who affected refinement, all were supporting the top courtesans they favored. The entire Liangzhou City was brightly lit, with lanterns everywhere and flowers of fire. On the Lantern Festival, northerners liked to build a row of large fires made of yellow earth on the streets; everyone would also take flower cakes on this day to roast and eat over the fire. Elders said it could dispel cold and cure illnesses, and this had become a custom of the Lantern Festival.

On this day, whether officials, soldiers, commoners, or children, all shared in the joy of the festival together.

Children ran back and forth, each holding a pinwheel distributed for free by Fengming Tower, being shouted at and scolded by adults in various ways. Young masters accompanied beauties, standing before the doors of several merchants to look at the lantern riddles on the lanterns; by guessing a few, they won the shy smiles and favor of the beauties.

Wealthy merchants, however, took silver and Silver Notes, rushing toward the products of the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce, which had become famous this year. Many middlemen had even hoarded a lot at the original price, planning to go back and make a big profit.

The flower streets and willow lanes today looked even more magnificent. The display prepared for the Empress, costing one hundred thousand taels of silver, was truly extraordinary. Just the colorful lanterns taller than the buildings numbered over a dozen, highlighting the prosperity of the era.

"The Empress has arrived!"

"May the Empress be blessed with good health! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years!"

Just at this moment, someone chanted loudly.

Everyone knelt down, and the whole scene erupted. Looking up, one could see that on the seven-story flower building, a gorgeously dressed woman, supported by palace maids and a Eunuch, was looking down upon the common people; it was none other than the current Empress Zheng Fu of the Longyan Dynasty. Chen Ping and other high-ranking officials were accompanying her on the side.

"On the Lantern Festival, the lanterns bloom with brilliance! The Empress is virtuous, sharing joy with the people..."

The Eunuch recited a long list of Lantern Festival blessings before saying:

"Rise!"

The whole city shouted "Long live the Empress," and Empress Zheng Fu raised her hand slightly, signaling that the Top Courtesan Competition had officially begun.

The crowd was completely ignited. In this instant, all kinds of string and bamboo music played, gongs and drums shook the heavens, colorful lanterns vied for beauty, and the honor guard was luxurious. The commoners shouted for the eternal prosperity of the era, and as the music began, the first flower float drove out from the crowd.

To please the Empress, much effort had been put into the decoration of this flower float. Under the illumination of the surrounding lights, the float was dazzling and incomparably luxurious.

The Empress was also very satisfied, smiling and nodding.

The first flower float to arrive was actually that of Lanxiang Troupe. At a glance, over a dozen top courtesans were each dressed in magnificent attire, stunningly beautiful.

"Ah!"

"Too beautiful!"

"This is comparable to royal etiquette!"

The crowd let out bursts of exclamations.

Zheng Yueru was also overwhelmed by the sight. The magnificent attire worn by the top courtesans of Lanxiang Troupe at this moment had never been seen before. It seemed they had also been hiding their true strength. The clothes they wore today were all golden, made of fine silks and satins; as they danced, what spilled out was the light from the surrounding lanterns.

It made people look on, dazzled and mesmerized.

Ding-dong...

Xiao Ruozhi, who sat in the center, could be considered a beauty of peerless grace and heavenly fragrance. This Court Grand Dance, paired with her superb zither skills, directly brought the atmosphere of the scene to a peak. She played the zither alone while the other top courtesans danced gracefully, luxurious and grand.

The sound of the zither continued along the way, as did the cheers.

The program of Lanxiang Troupe was indeed too suitable for such a grand occasion.

Zheng Fu, on the seventh floor, was also very satisfied and nodded frequently: "This Xiao girl would be enough even if she entered the palace to serve as a Lady of the Court."

Those around her echoed in agreement.

Although Du Biao was not on the seventh floor where the Empress was today, he was on the third floor of the flower building. Seeing the program of Lanxiang Troupe was so perfect, he could not help but laugh heartily, looking at Liu Zheng beside him and saying: "Young Master Liu, how about it?"

Liu Zheng smiled without a word.

It was also his first time witnessing this ancient Court Grand Dance in person. Frankly speaking, it was indeed grand and possessed quite a bit of royal majesty. It was even much grander than the "Prosperous Longyan" of Fengming Tower, mainly because the music was solemn, gentle, and long-drawn, which was more in line with this royal etiquette.

"Good!"

"This Lanxiang Troupe is truly extraordinary!"

"It seems tonight's top courtesan must be this Xiao Ruozhi!"

The first flower float was so stunning that it made the people on the scene cheer one after another. The supporters of Xiao Ruozhi were even frantically throwing flowers and Silver Notes. The process of the Top Courtesan Competition was actually very simple; it was originally an activity for burning money. Therefore, in previous years, it was all about looking at these supporters spending money to buy flowers for these top courtesans, and the degree of money-throwing; whoever received the most support would be that year's top courtesan. Although there was the Empress this year, and who would win the title would certainly be decided by a word from the Empress, these habits were still retained.

Here, as people threw flowers, Silver Notes, and silver, staff members immediately went up to collect and then conduct the tally.

"It seems today, this top courtesan belongs to Lanxiang Troupe!"

Chen Ping was very happy.

This situation was, of course, the best for him. Although the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce spent money to organize this Top Courtesan Competition, as long as you could not reach the threshold of the Empress, you could not stir up any waves. Therefore, he naturally did not want Fengming Tower to steal the limelight today.

The second flower float to enter was from Yihong Courtyard.

This flower building of Guo Yu was a bit inferior, but under the influence of Liu Zheng's several stunning rehearsals this year, Yihong Courtyard had still spent a lot of money to hire a teacher of court dance to train these top courtesans. The flower float was also dressed up uniquely, which could be considered barely passing, and it also received cheers and applause from many people.

Afterward, the second, the third, the fourth...

There were over thirty flower houses participating in the Top Courtesan Competition, all vying for beauty and pulling out all the stops. After several rehearsals and improvements, the prepared programs were one more magnificent than the next. But perhaps influenced by Fengming Tower's "Prosperous Longyan," the programs they prepared were mostly in praise of the prosperous age, the Empress, and the Longyan Dynasty.

This, naturally, would lead to aesthetic fatigue.

"The Empress is benevolent and loves the people, a model of motherhood for the world; she is worthy of being praised by all!"

The Eunuch said happily.

Officials like Chen Ping also chimed in one after another.

Zheng Fu, however, gave a faint smile, noncommittal. As the Empress, she had heard these flatteries day after day until her ears were calloused. Seeing one float after another, all with this kind of performance, she also began to feel annoyed.

Just at this moment.

"The Fengming Tower float is here!"

"Shen Manqing, Shen Manqing!"

"Miss Manqing!"

The crowd, which had already felt bored, suddenly became excited again, with constant cheering.

The Empress Zheng Fu asked curiously: "Who is this Shen Manqing?"

Chen Ping said from the side: "Empress, she is the top courtesan of Fengming Tower, which is to say, the top courtesan of the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce."

"Oh?"

Zheng Fu nodded. Ever since returning to Liangzhou, the four words "Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce" had been everywhere, which also made her very curious. What kind of program could this Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce possibly bring out?

However, the next moment, she was disappointed.

"Prosperous Longyan"!

It was this program again. Although the Fengming Tower float today was more luxurious than before, and the clothes on the top courtesan were more beautiful and colorful, when people heard this familiar tune, they burst into boos one after another.

"Ah? This again!"

"What are they doing! I thought Fengming Tower would be able to surprise us today!"

"Hahahaha, do they not have any presentable programs left?"

The crowd jeered.

Du Biao on the third floor also looked at Liu Zheng in disbelief, thinking to himself, has this young master of the Liu Family just admitted defeat like this?

Zheng Yueru also looked over anxiously.

Over there, Guo Yu had already started laughing loudly, believing that Liu Zheng had exhausted his talents.

The Empress Zheng Fu also said with a faint smile: "This palace thought there would be some great surprise; it turns out to be just as lackluster..."

However, just at this moment.

The float had just reached the middle of the flower street.

Suddenly, Shen Manqing changed the style of the music.

The other top courtesans shed their grand costumes, and each of them was now wearing a red tight-fitting outfit, with a long sword suddenly appearing in each of their hands.

The scene was instantly in chaos.

"Assassins!"

"Protect the Empress!"

Guards, Eunuchs, and maids were all in a state of panic.

Yet, who would have known that no assassination was taking place.

A burst of urgent zither music rang out, and the atmosphere at the scene instantly became tense.

This was the program!

The Empress's expression tightened, and she looked on with gloomy eyes.

This sudden change made Zheng Yueru gasp, looking at Liu Zheng in disbelief.

Liu Zheng chuckled.

"Ten Ambush" in a prosperous age—do you like it, Empress?