Perchance to Dream

11: Three Princes and One Stage

Once Wei Wanru had left the stage, the performances after her seem to pale in comparison. There were lovely works of art and delicate calligraphy presented to the empress dowager, but it was obvious the old woman didn't have her heart in the proceedings. The empress, observant as always, stepped in with a nod here and a rare smile there, while the emperor occasionally made a comment or two about a particularly eye-catching work. The royal couple were kept on their toes playing host and hostess until the next musician appeared to play a sweet flute solo.

"I suppose that's the it," Crown Prince Chu Yeguang took a swill from his goblet as he whispered to his brothers. "Nothing left but some minor officials' daughters now."

"They've worked hard for this too," second prince Chu Yeci objected gently.

"And I don't doubt that. But the fact remains that there's rarely anyone worth watching in the realms of fourth rank and beyond," Chu Yeguang muttered back as he picked through his food. "Imperial father and imperial grandmother are simply giving face to the officials, but it's likely they've chosen the winner already."

"Who do you think it'll be?" Chu Yexuan piped up a little too quickly.

Chu Yeguang glanced at him before he smirked. "What now, Shuyang? Do you think I know imperial grandmother's opinion on these things?"

"You'd know better than either of us," Chu Yexuan protested mildly. "Being the oldest."

"Aren't I now?" Chu Yeguang gave an easy smile, his eyes wandering over the hall in his habitual hunt for beauties. "Unfortunately, I don't much care for her thoughts. This prince only knows that if it were up to me, the most attractive girl in this hall would be the winner!"

"And who would that be?" Chu Yeci asked drolly.

Chu Yeguang snapped open his fan and covered his growing smile. "Who else but the lady that pined for her long lost love~?"

"Li Siyan?" Chu Yeci tried.

"Now, now! This prince didn't give you permission to say her name," Chu Yeguang tsked good-naturedly. "Speaking of which, Shuyang, didn't she stay with us one summer when her mother was sick?"

"I wouldn't remember," Chu Yexuan admitted.

"I do," Chu Yeguang said confidently. "You were only five back then, and she couldn't be more than four---but she'd follow you around all over the palace. Imperial mother and I found it the funniest thing!"

"Did she?" Chu Yexuan asked.

"I seem to remember something similar," Chu Yeci pondered thoughtfully. "Though I was bedridden most of the time, I could hear her call for you every time I was in my rooms."

"Big brother Yexuan, that's what she'd say!" Chu Yeguang rapped his knees with his fan. "Thankfully, she's grown out of that. It's nothing but 'Your Highness' nowadays."

Chu Yexuan blinked. "What was she doing at the palace?"

"Imperial mother was great friends with Miss Li's mother before she died," Chu Yeci said delicately between bites of fruit. "So she offered to look after her daughter."

"She might've been raised in the palace if she were kin," Chu Yeguang added. "As things stood, father didn't allow it, so she was sent back. You don't remember this at all?"

"Not very well..." Chu Yexuan admitted.

"Never mind then," Chu Yeguang brushed it off. "She's far more attractive now than she ever was as a child. Her face and chest are both blooming wonder---"

"You're already betrothed to a princess," Chu Yeci cut in promptly. "At least welcome in your official consort before you think of taking concubines."

Chu Yeguang just laughed and chucked a slice of pastry at his brother's dish. It flew past him, and Chu Yexuan caught it before plopping it into his mouth. Chu Yeci sighed helplessly. "Please don't forget that we're princes."

"Nobody's going to pay attention to us when the performances are still going on," Chu Yeguang shrugged, looking up as the flutist finished and came to pay her respects. "Quick now, formal faces." His expression turned so comically stern that Chu Yeci coughed and Chu Yexuan choked on his drink.

The flutist bowed and made her exit, and a few musicians appeared to take her place while various servants busied themselves with setting up a stage. Chu Yeguang's face relaxed as he raised his eyebrows back at his brothers.

"It looks like another dance performance," Chu Yexuan observed.

"You must mean, 'not another dance performance,' brother," Chu Yeguang sighed.

"I thought you liked those things," Chu Yeci remarked.

Chu Yeguang leaned in close and lowered his voice. "When they're at the local brothels, certainly. The daughters of nobles here rarely bare any skin. And they don't even move! All they do is wave their sleeves, or some ribbons or fans, and walk around back and forth!"

Chu Yeci's mouth twitched, while Chu Yexuan simply intoned, "I didn't realize you studied dance, brother."

"I study the female form. Did you see the Minister of Works' daughter? She moves like a stick. And let's not forget the Minister of War's second eldest, who looked like she was going to spear imperial father with her fan at any second."

"Dearest imperial brother, please shut up," Chu Yeci deadpanned. Chu Yeguang gave him a defiant look and was about to babble when---

"Official of the Fifth Rank, Mei Jingyan's daughter Mei Yanran!"

The announcement of the eunuch made the princes return obediently to their seats as their attention drifted back to the stage. A platform had been set up in the back center of the stage with steps leading down to the dance floor. As they watched, six girls dressed in identical costumes walked into the hall with a figure following behind them.

"That's Mei Yanran?" Chu Yeguang tested the name on his lips, before frowning as he saw its owner. Dressed in a simple gown of pale yellow, she had no other ornaments besides the dangling accessories in her coiled up hair. Most notably, her face was above average at best and her chest rather flat, causing the crown prince to lose interest in her immediately.

He sat back in his seat with a sigh. "And she didn't even bring any props for her dance." I won't have anything to look at. Dull!

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mei Yanran take her bow before she and her fellow dancers went to their positions on stage. Much to his chargin, everyone was flat-chested. Mei Yanran's spot was to recline right on the platform, where she picked up a bamboo scroll and pretended to read.

Is this a dance, or a play? Chu Yeguang thought mockingly as the music began.

And then his thoughts ground to a halt.

A spell seemed to have cast itself on Mei Yanran as soon as the music began. All she did was move an arm---but the motion was so fluid, so elegant, that it transformed the simple sweetness of the girl into that of a refined creature of grace. As the dancers on stage moved in slow rhythm to the music, she followed the main melody and gave voice to her limbs, which came alive with the rare lyrical poetry that only professional dancers possessed.

The stage was a strange place. Everything on it could seem both distant and immediate at the same time. Each breath, each sigh, each gesture and angle of her fingers, told a little story of its own. Unlike the other contestants, who had seem confined by their formal court moves, Mei Yanran was freest when she gave her body rein to speak. Chu Yeguang found himself transfixed by the sight, watching her every move as she spun, reached, lingered, and flowed.

What is this? Is this dance as well? I've never seen anything like it!

And then Mei Yanran raised her leg perfectly in the air to form a 180 degree line, eliciting little stunned gasps from her viewers.

What was that? What did she just do? How is that even possible?!

In another part of the hall, a certain someone had snapped his eyes open as soon as the bell-like notes of the dance eased into a familiar melody. Ling Fengxiao too, was staring at Mei Yanran with unusual intensity, a frown on his lips and a spark in his eyes.

Who...?