Chapter 43 The Talent Conference II

Today's talent conference was set up at one of Bogu Hall's buildings, the Xiexiu Hall. It's said that this hall was built by a foreign princess that married over in the previous dynasty. After the princess passed away, Hongjia* Emperor was unwilling to let the scenery here wither away, thus he used the place as the stage for the talent conference.

(*TN: The emperor's posthumous title; it roughly translates to 'Very Excellent'.)

It's said that this princess loved plum blossoms very much, that's why deep within the Xiexiu Hall was a plum orchard. Every winter, it would become a aromatic sea of snow.

The so called 'aromatic sea of snow' is called such because the plum orchard spread as far as the eye can see.

Qingdai watched Qingyan staring out the window and said with a smile, "Miss, what are you thinking about?"

Qingyan gazed into the distance and shook her head, "If there could be a day where all the beautiful sceneries in the world could be obtained in hand, how great would that be."

She once thought of traversing the great lakes and mountains of the four kingdoms one day with Weisheng Junmo, but ever since she became the empress, she could no longer fulfill those dreams.

Weisheng Junyan wasn't considered a bright ruler, but towards governing the country, he still had some merits. However, because of the previous emperor dying from illness, Nanchen was gradually declining in power. It was already impossible for them to unite the four kingdoms.

And right now, she only wants to select a bright ruler to help him become the one that would command the unification of the four kingdoms. But she doesn't know if she'll have the chance to meet this bright ruler.

Weisheng Junyan, if one day, I can stand before you once again, then I will definitely pull you down from your high throne, and let you have a taste of human suffering.

--------------------------------

The talent conference was just a disguised form of entertainment. The ones that attended were basically all students of Bogu Hall. And they knew that every time, it was Su Qingyan that would become the laughing stock of the conference.

"Say, what do you think Su Qingyan will wear for the talent conference this time?" Du Yulin look to them and sneered, "Last year she wore a crimson dress with various gold accessorie

ly refers to daughters of previous emperors, thus usually sisters or aunts of the current emperor; Xianyi - posthumous title meaning virtuous.)

"Liu Shang, did you know that I treated Yan'er as if she was my own daughter."

When she heard that name, Qingyan took a step forward. She cover her mouth in shock. It seems this person wasn't a stranger, but was precisely the wife of the previous Nanchen Emperor, Chunyuan* Grand Princess who had married over from Donghe. After Qingyan married Weisheng Junyan, in order to fulfill Chunyuan Grand Princess's request, she arranged for the grand princess to return to Donghe from Nanchen.

(*TN: Her honorary title/name meaning pure or innocent)

She'd never thought that Xiexiu Hall was actually the Grand Princess's manor in the past. And next to her was Liu Shang, who just happened to be one of the Thousand Beast Pavilion's four great guardians, the Black Tortoise.

"Your Highness, if Xianyi Empress knew you were like this, she would definitely be unhappy." The man called Liu Shang reluctantly replied to her, "You promised Xianyi Empress that you would properly live out the rest of your life."

"Liu Shang, she's dead. She died full of regrets." Grand Princess look to Liu Shang and dryly spoke, "If I'd known she would end up like that, I would've rather never returned here."

Qingyan was unable to continue listening. Just when she was about to turn to leave, she accidentally knocked over a vase of scarlet lilies. Hearing this sound, that voice called out, "Who is it? Who's there?"