Inside the Imperial Palace
The palace stands majestically with layer upon layer of halls. Cai Wei walks in silence, her head bowed behind the eunuch’s back. The further they proceed, the more magnificent and towering the previous palace appears.
Upon reaching the palace in front, the plump eunuch stops and says softly, "Princess An Le, we have arrived!"
Upon raising her head, Cai Wei sees the characters for ’Ninghui Zhongrui’ written on the palace with dragons and phoenixes dancing around. The noon sunlight showers the magnificent palace, casting a golden glow.
The plump eunuch steps forward and says to another eunuch standing at the entrance, "Little Quanzi, go announce that Princess An Le is here!"
The young eunuch rushed off after hearing his instructions.
A moment later, a thin and high voice came from within the hall, "The Emperor has a decree: Summon Princess An Le for an audience."
The round eunuch whispered, "Princess, the Emperor has summoned you. Step inside carefully, don’t violate any rules in his presence!"
Cai Wei smiles faintly then proceeds to walk slowly towards the great hall.
In the great hall, the Emperor is hosting a banquet for his ministers. The interior of the hall is magnificent and dazzling. The ministers are seated in two rows, enjoying their wine and merriment.
At the top of the hall, the Great Prince of Liaodan Kingdom, Saknu, is toasting with the Emperor seated on the Dragon Chair. The Empress and Jin Guifei are sitting next to them, along with several princesses and consorts. A dozen beautifully dressed dancing girls are gracefully dancing on the golden carpet to the rhythm of the music. The entire hall presents a scene of prosperity and peace.
Cai Wei walks around the golden carpet and approaches the Emperor. She kneels and respectfully says: "An Le pays respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor for thousands of years!"
Her clear and melodious voice, like that of a nightingale, intrigues Emperor Jin Ming, who sets his wine cup down to look at her more closely.
Cai Wei slowly raises her head, and her unparalleled beauty instantly captivates everyone present.
The woman in the hall is incredibly beautiful; her features glow like bright pearls, her skin is whiter than snow, her eyes are clear as autumn water, her porcelain-white cheeks are unforgettable. Truly unforgettable!
After a long silence, Emperor Jin sighs and says, "Such an unparalleled beauty. The Great Prince has good taste!"
Saknu, who had already been looking at Cai Wei since she entered the hall, hears the Emperor’s compliment and bursts into hearty laughter, saying, "Indeed! Princess An Le’s exquisite beauty is just like the bright moonlight on the grassland. She’s the only one who could make me, Saknu, give up the thought of marrying the principal princess. I hope His Majesty won’t let me down!"
Saknu may look reckless, but his mind is sharp. He immediately notices the look of astonishment in Emperor Jin Ming’s eyes when he sees Cai Wei, and he seizes the opportunity to issue a reminder.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Jin laughs and says, "The Great Prince worries too much! You have my word. Since I have promised to marry An Le to you, I will not break my promise."
After saying this, he orders, "You may rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Only after showing her gratitude for the Emperor’s grace does Cai Wei get up. Her manners are flawless.
With the gracious smile befitting a nation’s mother, Empress Mo says, "An Le, the Emperor has agreed to your marriage with the Great Prince of Liaodan Kingdom. From now on, you will be the royal consort of Liaodan Kingdom."
With a slight bend in her knees, Cai Wei answers deferentially, "Yes."
Li Zequan, who was standing nearby, whispers, "Princess An Le, you can’t simply say ’yes’. You have to show gratitude quickly!"
Cai Wei replies, "I dare not show gratitude. If I do, it’s like committing the crime of deceiving the Emperor!"
The Emperor, sounding puzzled, says, "That’s quite strange. I would like to hear why expressing gratitude would be seen as deceiving the Emperor."
Cai Wei explains, "To thank is to express gratitude for someone’s help or gift. If I were to marriage with the Emperor and Empress, naturally I would be grateful and thank them. But, as I am already betrothed and do not wish to marry into the Liaodan Kingdom, yet I cannot defy the royal edict and show disrespect. Thus, I can only answer ’yes’ and not express gratitude. Otherwise, it would be deceiving the Emperor, which is an unforgivable crime."