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It was like he was waiting there for medicine to prolong his life, which made Tao Sheng feel helpless.
A few days later, news came from the palace that envoys from the Ling, Dai, and Jiang were visiting.
The emperor planned to hold a banquet on the day of the Beginning of Winter [1]refers to a traditional festival in China that marks the onset of winter. and prepare singing and dancing performances for the envoys to enjoy.
Lord Qiu, the Minister of Music, was summoned to the palace, and when he came back, he notified all staff to hold a meeting.
Lord Qiu is a person who is very afraid of trouble. He always lets documents convey any matters and rarely calls everyone to a meeting. This is the first time that Tao Sheng has participated in a full staff meeting after coming to the Taile Office, which shows the importance of this arrangement.
There were many employees in the Imperial Music Bureau, but only a few of them had official ranks. Even though Tao Sheng was the eighth-rank music director who arrived the latest, she still sat in the front center.
In the past, banquets were only held on the winter solstice and New Year’s Eve to entertain royal family members and officials. This was the first time that the Beginning of Winter Banquet was held.
Now time is short and the task is heavy. What is more important is to show something in front of envoys from other countries. Changle Palace and Jiaofangsi said it was difficult for them to do the job, so the emperor called Taile Ling Qiu Lord over and asked for help.
Lord Qiu is here to select the troops and generals. He and Lord Gu, the Minister of Music, must participate. Then he will select two officials, preferably those who are familiar with music and have a certain degree of operability on musical instruments.
In the end, Lord Qiu selected two musicians: one was Lord Zhu, a colleague of Tao Sheng in her office, and the other was Tao Sheng.
Usually, newcomers like Tao Sheng will not be entrusted with important tasks right after joining the company.
But Tao Sheng was appointed by the emperor to work in the Imperial Music Bureau after all. Lord Qiu felt that the emperor might be willing to see Tao Sheng grow, so he planned to send her to the front.
On the other hand, since Tao Sheng was specially recruited, with her keeping a close eye on her, even if something went wrong, the emperor wouldn’t be able to say anything. After all, she was a talent appointed by him personally, so it wouldn’t be good to embarrass himself.
Master Qiu, the Taileling, is now old and has many years of experience in making empty promises in the workplace. After the meeting, he took Tao Sheng aside for another private talk, saying that they are all old and are sunset-like figures who are about to set, and the future belongs to you young people.
At the end, Lord Qiu pointed out the topic again, saying that young people should work more. In the past, at such large banquets, they usually just played the role of clappers [2]refers to musicians who play simple, repetitive parts.. This time, with the three of them helping her, she would definitely be able to do it.
Tao Sheng heard this and felt that Lord Qiu not only wanted her to participate but also wanted her to take the lead.
In the workplace, pressure and benefits are usually linked.
She had worked as a director for large song and dance evenings before when she was in a big art troupe.
Tao Sheng still agreed.
As the guiding agency, the Taiyue Bureau mainly plans and formulates programs for large events, while the specific rehearsals and implementation are handled by the Jiaofangsi and Changle Palace.
Therefore, compared to several other palace music institutions, the Taiyue Bureau had the easiest job.
Tao Sheng prepared herself and then sighed with relief when she found that the work was not as hard as she had imagined.
Tao Sheng understood the emperor’s mindset, so she focused on selecting programs that could reflect good weather, peace, prosperity, and the strength of a great country. She also planned various performances, such as chime bells and fubo, which are based on some restored ritual music from ancient texts like “Zhou Li” and “Li Li”.
Additionally, Tao Sheng arranged iconic songs and dances from various countries to honor the envoys from different nations and to show the openness of a great country in supporting cultural exchanges and the desire for friendly cooperation in the future.
With the help of several superiors and colleagues, as well as the support of various professional materials from the Taiyue Bureau over the years, this work was not difficult for Tao Sheng.
Although the work itself was relatively easy, life’s journey is not always smooth, and there are always other matters to consider.
For example, the clothes that His Royal Highness the King of Chu needs to wear for the Beginning of Winter Banquet when he makes his first public appearance in three years.
Early that morning, Tao Sheng received an invitation from the Princess of Chu to go to the Prince of Chu’s mansion to “discuss major plans.”
Tao Sheng arrived at the Prince of Chu’s mansion and was led to a room by the nanny beside the princess. She was startled when she entered the room.
This is the most secluded and quiet courtyard in the palace. The doors and windows of this room are nailed shut and covered with thick curtains. Several people are sitting in the dark around a round table, seemingly plotting something.
As a result, when Tao Sheng came in and asked, she found out that the King of Chu and his staff had set up this arrangement just to discuss what clothes to wear for the Beginning of Winter Banquet.
Princess Chu also looked worried: “This is the first time Your Highness has attended such an event in three years. I thought you gentlemen, being grown men, have limited knowledge of clothing matters. We are more knowledgeable, so I thought of inviting you to discuss it together.”
Although the King of Chu had been out of favor with the emperor for the past few years, due to his consistent style and personality, he could be said to never be low-key.
This was the first time the King of Chu had appeared in a group setting in the palace in three years. After discussion, everyone agreed that he should dress as simply and low-key as possible.
The King of Chu never abandoned his ideals and pursuits, believing that he would make a comeback in the future. However, the chief historians and aides assigned to his palace did not think so. They felt that the King of Chu had no hope of ascending the throne now, and it would be better for him to retreat and do less harm. No matter which prince became the future ruler, he would be able to secure a way out for himself and his family.
The situation in the capital was still uncertain, and the King of Chu was in a difficult position after being rejected by the emperor. Tao Sheng felt there was nothing wrong with this low-key and simple strategy, so she supported it.
In the blink of an eye, it was the Beginning of Winter Festival. The emperor held a grand banquet in the palace and invited his relatives, ministers, and envoys from various countries. The King of Chu also dressed up early in the morning and took a carriage to the palace for the banquet.
The King of Chu took the advice of his staff and the princess to heart. When he entered the palace, he specifically chose the most “low-key” carriage in his household. It was small, cramped, and made squeaking noises.
As one of the directors of the banquet, Tao Sheng was not assigned any specific tasks, but she could not leave easily. At this time, she stood outside Changle Palace with several superiors, waiting for the arrival of the princes and other distinguished guests.
Everyone who came today was a prominent figure in the court, either a royal relative or an important minister. Among them, the appearance of several princes was the most notable.
Tao Sheng focused on the Crown Prince, who might be in trouble, and the eventual winner in the situation, Prince Rui, while waiting for the “low-key” Prince Chu to arrive.
After a while, the King of Chu appeared on the palace road.
The clothes the King of Chu wore today were indeed very plain and simple. Even Ji Yanming rarely wore such basic materials.
After all, he was a prince appointed by the emperor. Compared to the generals defending the country, he was far less impressive, which was somewhat disheartening.
But even the King of Chu, who tried so hard to remain low-key, stood out among the princes because of his simple clothes and tall stature.
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