The whole of DaDu is abuzz!

  Primarily, their Lord Khublai and his Kheshig had returned from the funeral of M?ngke Khan. Then throughout the week six Princesses, having journeyed to the capital, were to be presented to the Crown Prince, the Khazan Zhenjin at a special banquet.

  On the first day Lady Meiling of the Tang Nation and Lady LinHua of the Han arrived with their sponsors and their mothers and other assistants including the stylists and beauticians. Each lady is assigned a spacious pavilion in the Chaoyang district. Qin Lady Yangli and Sui Lady Suyin arrived the following the day. They too were escorted to Chaoyang. And finally the Lady Jing Fei of the Ming and Xiaowen of the Sung arrived.

  Each lady made a dramatic entrance and the Xinese all born to think theatre and life are seamless all felt it proper to wear the appropriate colours of each kingdom. Although several kingdoms did comprise the Middle Kingdom, during the reign of the Khans you had to be a Khan to be in the line to the throne. The kingdoms became estates run by a Magnate or a Taipan. These estates were referred to as nations. These nations were run by powerful clans. Children of powerful clans were titled and many were married to prestigious Khans which put their children in line to the throne. But none as directly as a a marriage to the Crown Prince the Khazan Zhenjin.

  After the Six Ladies and their bulky entourages were settled into their pavilions, the first of the grand banquets would be held at the Summer Palace hosted by the Vassal Heirs. At that banquet the Six Ladies would be presented along with their sponsors. All focus would be on the ladies as each would be escorted before throne with her sponsor to bow to Zhenjin. Each Lady would be introduced by her sponsor. Each lady would be given a chance to address Zhenjin, the Vassal Heirs and the Mandarin Court. Each lady would be judged by the Temple Masters on the balcony above. Her beauty, her form her way of bowing and walking, her bank account, her outfit….her hips. All this would be tabulated, scored and totaled by the Temple Masters.

  Meanwhile at the mezzanine opposite the balcony, also overlooking the Main Hall of the Summer Palace, the three Queens were also doing their own assessment. They were also planning their interviews of their given assignments.

  “All of them are so beautiful it’s so hard to tell which one is the most beautiful.” Dusshela says.

  “Does it matter to the Khans? They want a Xinese heir to solidify their hold on the grain. Still think the Paraluman might have made this so much more interesting” inserts Gitarji

  “And more complicated.”, remarks Dusshela.

  “The Medans have grain too” Gitarji says.

  “But it’s on the other side of the world.”, asserts Dusshela.

  Meanwhile, Khublai and Chabi and other important members of the Mandarin Court sat at banquet tables. Master Tsai was busy working the room. A merchant of antiquities and recent gossip. Urduja and her ladies were dressed in elegant silks. Cheongsun, Prince Rajiv, his uncles Perantaka, Patali, Somash and his wife Pereiri, Princess Raji Dewi and her mother Gayatri and Noble Lady Sumita were also present. These two ladies: Raji Dewi and Sumita, were always the best dressed. They won admiration wherever they went. They were the best of friends. The nine wizards of Akbar were also invited and showed up wearing their best.

  “You’re beautiful Urduja” Cheongsun teases her

  ”You look like you combed your hair! It was a new experience for you” her repartee

  ”You’ll comb Tanggol’s mane before you comb your own hair” he remarks. They both giggle.

  First of the presentations was Lady Meiling of the Tang Nation. Presented by Senior Mandarin Li. Bragging of her lineage and her beauty, Li stated the obvious that banking was their business

  “She does not look approachable. I want to secure the grain but I don’t want to condemn Zhenjin to a loveless marriage.”

  “Is there any other kind of marriage? Asks Gitarji.

  ”Don’t be so cynical. Many marriages are based on love and cooperation. Just not the 5 marriages I had” remarks Dusshela in a tired voice. “Zhenjin will make a better Emperor than Khublai. Don’t quote me but mark my words.”

  Then as was the protocol of the evening, Mei Ling was to address Zhenjin and the Vassal Heirs who were the evenings host, and the members of the Mandarin court in general. And Mei Ling bored everyone by speaking about investments and inflation.

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  At the balcony of the Temple Masters Mei Ling received good marks except from Mod.

  ”Narrow hips” he says frowning “not good”.

  “Good profit margins”, says Tenger.

  Meiling returned to her table where her sponsor, Senior Mandarin Li , her mother, beautician and other assistants sat together,

  Then Lin Hua of the Han rose as Huaizong bowed at her table to escort up the dais where she will be introduced to Zhenjin and she will take her bow. Her sponsor will then speak of her talents, assets and achievements. Each sponsor would go overboard describing the beauty of their protégé. Chancellor Lin Bang was Lin Hua’s sponsor. And he described her as a timeless beauty. Maybe because she was the eldest of the Ladies.

  As was the protocol for the evening each Noble Lady was expected to bow before the Crown Prince Khazan Zhenjin and also address Zhenjin , the Vassal Heirs and Khan and his Mandarin Court.

  Lin Hau spoke about history and she at least sparked some interest in Zhenjin who was truly a student of history.

  LinHua received low marks from all the temple masters except Tenger who was proud that a Noble Lady would be so versed in history. Mod thought the hips narrow and wanted a younger lady for better child bearing.

  The Queens were even less forgiving.

  “She could be his tutor” says Dusshela dryly.

  The third presentation was Lady Yanli of the Qin. The Qin were spice traders. Spices preserved food, processed into medicines were vital to the Xinese apothecary. The Qin spice traders was an off shoot of their shamanism. Her sponsor Chancellor QingZhao was high himself. His eyes had the blue glaze of a time traveler. Caught in gossamer dreams, Yanli almost tripped as she got up from bowing and needed Huaizong to steady her. She recited a poem that seemed rather “far out there”. As Tan Po escorted her back to her table, she kept giggling

  At the mezzanine the Queens noticed everything.

  ”Spice traders have a terrible reputation and yet they are necessary to society.” Dusshela remarked

  ”She claims to have been to the moon and back”, inputs TaraBai

  ”Maybe she has been to the moon and back.” Gitarji says

  On the balcony the reviews were even more scathing.

  “Never trust the Qin. If there are traitors in the Middle Kingdom, it’s the Qin” says Salkhi

  “They practice the dark arts”, Tenger says

  “The Qins are addicts. We can’t have a Queen that’s perennially high on Bhang!” Deng says.

  Daughter of silk merchants Suyin of the Sui clan was the next Noble Lady to be presented. Most remarkable about her was her gown. Sponsored by Mandarin Guong, Suyin was famous for her dancing. She bowed gracefully. Then from her sleeves rolled out a long stream of silk. As she moved and danced the silks around her changed color and cascaded around her mesmerizing the audience. Then, Seven Veils of Ardor were dropped a reference for wild abandon. An applause broke out

  At the mezzanine the three Queens were finally entertained

  “Bravo! Finally talent I appreciate!”, exclaims Dusshela.

  At the balcony of the Temple masters, it was not so well received

  “That performance was for the brothel” Tenger is judgemental.

  The next to be presented was the Jing Fei of the Ming. She was presented by Minister Hong who bragged of her innocence. Her talent was that she could sit still. So she sat still and porcelain ware was placed on her head and lap. Plates were piled high and she sat absolutely still. The audience applauded her special skill.

  ”it is not a useful talent” said Dusshela from her seat on the mezzanine.

  “She’s she’s a Queen not a statue” observes Tenger on the balcony across

  “Queens should be absolutely still.” Salkhi says “ she should be the one.

  “She’s got the right hips” says Mod.

  The last Noble Lady to be presented was Xiaowen. Xiaowen was a weapons expert and after her sponsor Chancellor Shi Huang bragged of her skill at weapons, she executed a warriors bow and unsheathed a sword, she brandished it about. An assistant threw two more swords which she caught and started juggling them. There was a clash of steel. Sparks flew. After a few minutes of intense juggling she caught them all and nearly nicked Zhenjin.

  ”She almost killed Zhenjin”Said Dusshela who was truly fond of Zhenjin.

  ”He’s still alive. He’s hard to kill. I already tried that.”, said TaraBai smiling.

  “We want to marry him off not murder him.” Gitarji states

  On the balcony the condemnation was total.

  “Women are only allowed bladed fans and short daggers. That was manly and unnatural!” The eunuch Tenger screeches.

  Sitting at the banquet table the younger Vassal-Heirs are getting restless.”Did you see that?” Asked Urduja. Cheongsun, Tala and Ligaya, till the display of arms of Xiaowen, seemed completely disinterested.

  “Not bad “ says Cheongsun, “not bad at all”.

  Later after the presentation of the Six Ladies The three princes: Huaizong, Mahintha and Tan Po shared a hurried meal.

  “Where is Zalir? We can’t let that sly fox out of our sight” says Huaizong

  “He is on the Mezzanine with the Queens.” Faizi suddenly emerges from the wall.

  “What? we are here working hard while he gets pampered by three Queens?” Huaizong complains.

  “I wouldn’t call presenting guests “hardworking” perhaps you should do some laundry” says Tan Po. “But he is tied to Gayatri and is in love with Gitarji. If the war continues to follow him, he will leave his three ladies in our care. He wants to trust us. Maybe we should pity him.”, Tan Po is softening up. He begins to sympathize with Zalir.

  “This entire evening while we auctioning Zhenjin off, he was with the three Queens.” Mahintha sighs

  Faizi snickers and disappears into the wall.