Perchance to Dream

12: Startling with Each Step

Classical Chinese dance was an art forms as ancient as Chinese history itself. It had evolved throughout the ages from simple court dances and rituals to a complete dance system composed of three main parts: bearing, form, and technical skill. It was an expressive art, made more potent when the performer used her inner feelings to drive the movements. Furthermore, it included a variety of tumbling techniques that allowed the dancer to leave the ground and become, for a brief moment, breathlessly airborne. In fact, there were many similarities between Chinese dance and traditional martial arts---the only difference being that while the former emphasized beauty, the latter used such skills to kill.

Mei Yanran had originally wanted to add more flips and and tumbling techniques into her dance, but felt that the revelation might be a few centuries too early for an ancient court. Moreover, the accessories she was wearing on her head were real gold---and thus heavy! Simply using her skills in bearing and form seemed more than enough, especially when a simple lift of her leg could elicit such a reaction.

Flexibility was one of the basic requirements for a dancer, but one needed yun (韻), or inner grace, to be an actual performer. Otherwise, you could take any gymnast off the street and make them 'dance' instead. The original story behind her piece expressed the languid elegance of a noble lady in her quarters, dancing while surrounded by the swirling tendrils of incense. Now she was in a real palace with real incense, surrounded by all members of nobility. She looked like she was dancing for them all; but in her heart she was only moving for one man.

If you knew, you'd probably find me strange, Ling Fengxiao.

Me, a silly little girl, trying to gain your attentions like this. If I could, I'd go up right now and tell you all about my feelings.

But if you don't know who I am, that won't mean anything to either of us.

She thought she caught glimpses of his face between her spins, perhaps the flash of his robes as she turned and twirled and twisted. Every smile, every movement, she sought to reach him in some way, to tell him what mere words were insufficient to say.

I'm not very smart. I'm not the prettiest, either.

But I like you, and I like this world all the more for having you in it.

So I'm not going give up on this gamble. Not until I move your heart a little bit towards me. Got it?

I've got my sights on you.

Her body was her instrument, her movements made the song. The stage became her canvas and the dance became her poetry. Nothing like this had ever been seen between the pages of Conspiracies in the Northern Court, nor would the people living and breathing before her ever see it again in their lives. She was a painting brought to life---a marvel, a wonder---an immortal from the Heavens whose light steps brought them a little closer to the skies and its dream of flight.

She was concubine, consort, queen; she didn't dance so much as float, her dress rippling in her wake like a gentle stream. If her feet were dancing on clouds, then her head was in the stars, her hair wreathed in their glimmering, golden light. She didn't leap---but she reached, tried, wished, yearned---and the beauty of her movements covered far more distance in a single look than any step on the physical plane. At the very end when the music grew softer, she stopped. Turning towards the back, she clothed herself in regal robes and led the way offstage, her fellow dancers following in her wake like a river of floating petals.

There was silence when she left. It persisted even when Mei Yanran returned to the stage in her yellow dress to bow for the empress dowager and company. Without their say, she couldn't exactly straighten up again. Her back was starting to get sore when...

"Fairylike!" A male voice broke the silence with enthusiasm. "Absolutely divine!"

It broke the spell upon the court as well, as everyone exploded into various whispers and murmuring.

That doesn't sound like the emperor... Mei Yanran was lost in her thoughts when the empress dowager found her voice as well.

"Rise!"

She straightened up dutifully, but kept her head modestly bowed.

"Just then, you..." the empress dowager didn't seem to know where to begin. She finally settled on the most obvious thing. "Those...movements, Mei Yanran, and that leg..."

Mei Yanran tried not to wince. Well, I wore extra skirts just in case, but you can't help showing some skin when you lift a leg like that! Still, I thought the Goddess of Fates said she'd take care of cultural etiquette woes...!

"Was it not a fine dance, imperial grandmother?" the male voice spoke up again. "A more ethereal sight has yet to grace these courts. For a moment, I was sure we were raised to the heights of---"

"Crown prince, it is not your turn to speak!"

Mei Yanran felt her heart give a jolt. Ah, so it was the crown prince speaking.

Huh?

That playboy who only likes large chests? Why's he suddenly talking so much?

"....apologies, imperial grandmother."

"Mhm," the empress dowager tried again. "This Dowager was saying...Mei Yanran?"

"Yes, Yanran is here, Esteemed Empress Dowager."

There was a long pause, before the empress dowager finally spoke. "Well danced, Mei Yanran. You may return to your seat now."

...is that it?

No wait, this is good! She didn't say anything about my legs!

Thank you, Goddess of Fates!

Mei Yanran took her bows and made a graceful retreat. She didn't think much of the empress dowager's reticent mood, being glad that the performance was over. After all, her only purpose in participating in the competition was to catch Ling Fengxiao's attention! And since the goddess had promised her that, she could move on to the next phase of her plan.

Oblivious to the mixed looks of admiration, disbelief, and hints of envy shot her way, Mei Yanran happily returned to her seat and took her first chance to peek at Ling Fengxiao.

Who was looking right at her.

She blinked, and in the next second he'd looked away to study his wine cup instead.

That wasn't my imagination, right?

Feeling thirsty, Mei Yanran took a sip of more tea and hummed over her thoughts.

Well! Now that I'm more than a nobody I can try to keep his attention after I get it! Maybe an accidental 'bump' to start, on the way home...ooh, can I find a chance to tip him off about the plot? Let's see, the next story arc after the Snow Festival should be...

"Esteemed Empress Dowager shall now announce the winner of the Snow Festival Talent Exhibition!" Eunuch Luo proclaimed just then.

Mei Yanran kept planning, unaffected by the words. Most likely, the empress dowager and emperor had agreed to choose the female lead already. It was a show of good will on the empress dowager's part, because she disliked Wei Wanru personally despite supporting the girl's views. Winning the competition ended up bringing more trouble to Wei Wanru than it was worth since her rivals---

"Mei Yanran, you have been granted the honor of a single wish from Her Esteemed Highness!"

Mei Yanran suddenly forgot to breathe. Wait, what?

W H A A A A T ?!