novelAbuy Chapter 304 Empire
Chapter 304 Empire
The fifth year of the Qiming era, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. The Double Ninth Festival.
Autumn in Chang'an is the most beautiful time of year. The locust tree leaves turn yellow, the ginkgo leaves turn golden, and the maple leaves turn red. The whole city seems to have been dyed, a riot of colors, dazzling and magnificent.
Climbing to a high place to enjoy the view is an old tradition of the Double Ninth Festival. On this day, the people of Chang'an, young and old, would climb Shaolingyuan and Leyouyuan outside the city to wear dogwood, drink chrysanthemum wine, and pray for a year of peace and health.
However, this year's Double Ninth Festival was different from previous years.
Because all nations came to pay tribute.
Starting from the end of August, one delegation after another poured into Chang'an from all directions. People from the Western Regions, the northern deserts, the South China Sea, and Japan... dressed in strange clothes and speaking various languages, they broadened the horizons of the people of Chang'an.
On the ninth day of the ninth lunar month, Chen Xing hosted a banquet on the city tower of the imperial city to entertain envoys from various countries.
On the city wall, long tables were laid out. On the tables were dishes meticulously prepared by the imperial chefs and fine wines treasured from the palace. Below the city wall, a dense crowd of people waited expectantly.
Chen Xing sat in the main seat, with Empress Murong Mingyue behind him, and Consort Su Xiaoxiao, Consort Lin Wan'er, and Consort Lan Fenghuang on either side. The three princes sat beside their respective mothers. The youngest, Chen Ke, was already five years old, his big eyes wide open as he curiously observed the strangely shaped guests.
Jia Wen stood up and said loudly:
"In the fifth year of the Qiming era, on the Double Ninth Festival, all nations came to pay tribute. Today, envoys from thirty-seven countries have gathered in Chang'an to celebrate the prosperous reign of the Celestial Empire!"
The courtiers raised their cups and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
The envoys rose one by one and offered their blessings in their respective languages. There were Turkic, Uyghur, Tibetan, Khotanese, Persian, and Arabic languages... The interpreters were busy and sweating profusely, but each of them had a smile on their face.
Chen Xing raised his glass and drank it all in one gulp.
"I am deeply pleased that you have traveled from afar. Today, let us set aside state affairs and focus on our friendship. Please—"
The envoys drank their fill, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.
The first to step forward and offer a toast was Ashina Mo, the new Khan of the Tiele.
This nineteen-year-old, dressed in a black brocade robe and wearing a golden crown, was composed and unassuming, a stark contrast to the boy who knelt before Chen Xing and wept a year ago.
He held the cup with both hands and knelt before Chen Xing:
"Your Majesty, I have come to court today for two reasons: first, to offer my congratulations on the Double Ninth Festival, and second, to report that all the tribes of the northern deserts have submitted. I have erected a flag in the royal court, the black dragon flag bestowed upon me by Your Majesty. I want everyone to know that the Tiele's backing is Emperor Qiming."
Chen Xing looked at him, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.
"Rise. I have heard about what happened in the northern deserts. You did a good job."
Ashina Mo did not rise, but instead kowtowed heavily:
"I have one more request."
"explain."
Ashina Mo raised his head, his gaze resolute:
"Your Majesty, I would like to request an imperial decree that my younger brother may also come to Chang'an to study."
Chen Xing was slightly taken aback.
Ashina Mo continued:
"My younger brother is ten years old this year and is exceptionally intelligent. I wish to send him to Chang'an to study at the Imperial Academy, to learn the language and customs of the Central Plains. When I grow old and he returns home, he can also help me with my affairs."
Chen Xing was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
"Ashinamo, you are wiser than your father."
Ashina Mo was stunned, unsure whether the words were a compliment or an insult.
Chen Xing waved his hand:
"Granted. Your younger brother will come next spring."
Ashina Mo was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly.
The second person to step forward and offer a toast was Saban, a merchant from Yanqi.
This old merchant, whose front teeth had been worn down by the wind and sand, was now one of the most famous foreign merchants in Chang'an's West Market. He wore a brand-new brocade robe, his hair was neatly combed, but the wrinkles on his face were even deeper.
"Your Majesty," he knelt on the ground, raising his cup with both hands, "I have come not as a merchant, but as an envoy from Yanqi."
Chen Xing raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"
Sapanda said, "My king said that over the years, I have made money and broadened my horizons in Chang'an. He has appointed me as the 'Trade Envoy,' specifically in charge of trade between Yanqi and the Celestial Empire. From now on, I can come to Chang'an openly and legitimately."
Chen Xing looked at him and couldn't help but laugh.
"Saban, you certainly know how to find work for yourself."
Saban grinned, revealing his front teeth worn smooth by the wind and sand:
"I dare not. I am truly grateful to Your Majesty. If it weren't for Your Majesty opening up the trade market and repairing the official road, I would have spent my entire life wandering in the desert."
He paused, then suddenly pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket and presented it with both hands:
"This is my account book, which I've kept for five years. It records how much I bought from Chang'an, how much I sold back in Yanqi, how much I bought from India and Persia, and how much I sold back in Chang'an. I would like to ask Your Majesty to take a look—this trade really can make money."
Chen Xing took the cloth bag but didn't open it; he just looked at Saban.
"Saban, you're a smart man."
Sakya Pandita bowed deeply.
The third person to step forward and offer a toast was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a simple monk's robe.
He was a disciple of the Japanese monk Ennin, with the Dharma name **Kukai**. His master, Ennin, had come to Chang'an three years ago to copy Buddhist scriptures and had now returned to Japan. Before leaving, Ennin accepted him as a disciple, allowing him to stay in Chang'an to continue his studies.
"Your Majesty," Kukai knelt on the ground and said in fluent Chinese, "This humble monk, on behalf of my master, offers you a toast. My master often said that he learned more in three years in Chang'an than he did in thirty years in Japan. After returning, he opened a new temple on Mount Hiei, dedicated to teaching the Buddhist teachings he learned in Chang'an. Now, it has several hundred disciples."
Chen Xing nodded:
"Your master is a man of great wisdom. Since you are staying in Chang'an, study hard. Once you have mastered your studies, go back and open a temple."
Kukai bowed deeply:
"This humble monk obeys the decree."
The fourth person to step forward and offer a toast was a middle-aged man with a thick beard, wearing a white robe and a headscarf.
He was an Arab merchant named Hassan. His fleet sailed between the Persian Gulf and Guangzhou every year, bringing frankincense, myrrh, coral, and pearls, and taking away silk, porcelain, tea, and lacquerware.
"Your Majesty," Hassan knelt on the ground and said in broken Chinese, "I have been in Chang'an for three years. I run a shop in the West Market, and business is very good. I would like to ask Your Majesty for a favor."
"What is it?"
Hassan said, "I wish to marry a woman from Chang'an."
Chen Xing was slightly taken aback, then smiled.
"This is a good thing. Go ahead and marry her; there's no need for my approval."
Hassan shook his head repeatedly: "No, no. What I want to ask is, after I marry you, can I stay in Chang'an for a long time? I don't want to go back to the Abbasid Caliphate."
Chen Xing looked at him and remained silent for a moment.
"Hassan, do you have a home in the Arab world?"
Hassan lowered his head, remained silent for a moment, and then said:
"Yes. But I don't want to go back. When I was in the Abbasid Caliphate, we were fighting every day, and people were dying every day. After coming to Chang'an, I realized that people can live like this."
He looked up, his eyes filled with anticipation:
"Your Majesty, I wish to stay."
Chen Xing stared at him for a long time.
Then he nodded.
"Okay. Stay."
Hassan was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became increasingly lively.
Envoys from the northern deserts danced the dances of the grasslands, merchants from the western regions sang songs from their homelands, and foreign visitors from the South China Sea played unfamiliar instruments. The strange melodies and unfamiliar dance steps left the people of Chang'an dumbfounded and broadened the horizons of the officials on the city walls.
Chen Ke leaned on the railing, watching intently. He suddenly turned to Lan Fenghuang and said:
"Mother, the clothes that person dancing are wearing are so strange."
Following his gaze, Lan Fenghuang saw an envoy from the northern desert spinning and leaping, his fur robe billowing like a soaring eagle.
She smiled and patted her son's head:
"Those are clothes worn on the grasslands. It's very cold there, so they wear fur robes."
Chen Ke blinked: "Do they have small insects there too?"
Blue Phoenix thought for a moment and said:
"Yes, they do. But their insects are different from ours."
Chen Ke said "Oh," and then leaned on the railing to look again.
Chen Heng sat beside Su Xiaoxiao, munching on his snacks in small bites, his eyes fixed on the envoys. He suddenly asked:
"Mother, where did those people come from?"
Su Xiaoxiao said, "From a very, very far place."
Chen Heng asked, "How far?"
Su Xiaoxiao thought for a moment and said, "It's so far... it would take a year to get there."
Chen Heng's eyes lit up.
"A year? Then why would they come?"
Su Xiaoxiao smiled slightly and pointed to the person on the throne:
"Because their emperor is there."
Chen Heng followed her finger and looked at the figure who was talking and laughing with someone, his eyes filled with admiration.
Chen Qi stood beside Murong Mingyue without saying a word.
He looked at the messengers, at the dances, at the unfamiliar faces, but his mind was on something else.
His father once told him: "Being emperor is not for personal enjoyment, but to make the people of the world live a good life."
Now, he seems to understand the meaning of those words a little better.
At dusk, the banquet gradually ended.
The envoys took their leave one after another, and the officials gradually dispersed. Only Chen Xing's family remained on the city wall.
As the sun sets, it bathes the entire city of Chang'an in a golden-red hue. In the distance, the Zhongnan Mountains appear and disappear in the twilight, like a silent barrier. In the nearby streets and alleys, wisps of smoke rise from chimneys, and the sounds of people can be faintly heard—everything exudes a vibrant, alive atmosphere.
Chen Ke was sleepy and fell asleep on Lan Fenghuang's shoulder. Chen Heng was still quietly asking Su Xiaoxiao all sorts of questions. Chen Qi stood beside Murong Mingyue, silently watching everything.
Chen Xing stood alone on the edge of the city wall, gazing at the golden-red sky, the bustling capital, and the myriad lights that gradually came on.
Murong Mingyue walked to his side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?"
Chen Xing was silent for a moment, then slowly said:
"I'm thinking, it hasn't been easy getting here all this time."
Murong Mingyue didn't speak, but simply gently took his hand.
Chen Xing grasped her hand tightly in return.
"Zitong, do you think anyone will still remember today, a hundred years from now?"
Murong Mingyue thought for a moment, then said softly:
"Someone will remember."
Chen Xing nodded.
"That's good."
The sun gradually sank below the horizon.
The lights of every household in Chang'an City lit up one by one, forming a continuous expanse that stretched to the horizon.
Behind each of those lights, there is a family.
Those people's lives were his domain.