The Second World in Ancient Times

As the day of receiving the foreign envoys drew near, I threw myself into the preparations like a spinning top. That day, I went to see the Minister of Rites, who was familiar with the various countries involved.

"Your Excellency, I would like to discuss with you the accommodation arrangements for the envoys from Fuso. They attach great importance to the cleanliness and simplicity of the environment. I plan to place some more bamboo decorations in their rooms. What do you think?" I asked anxiously.

The Minister nodded in praise. "Si Qing, that's a very good idea. The Fusang people love bamboo, and it will make them feel at home. However, the envoys from the Kingdom of Daqin are very particular about the use of spices. The type and concentration of spices in the accommodation must be carefully controlled."

"Don't worry, sir. I have arranged someone to be in charge of the spices. I will ensure that they conform to the customs of the Arab Empire and are neither too strong nor too light." I responded confidently.

Afterwards, I gathered palace maids and eunuchs who were proficient in foreign languages.

"You are the key to this reception mission. When communicating with the envoys, you must convey information accurately without any mistakes. If you encounter words or special expressions you don't understand, ask in time." I warned them seriously.

A young eunuch said, "Madam, we will do our best. However, the languages ​​of some countries are really complicated, so we have to be extra careful."

"I know it's not easy, but this is about the country's reputation, we must do our best," I encouraged.

I went to inspect the accommodations prepared for the envoys. In the Fusang envoy's room, I told the maid in charge of decorating it, "The bed can be made a lighter color. The Fusang people value nature, and overly bright colors would be uncomfortable for them. Also, the tea set on the table should be replaced with the style they're used to."

The maid quickly replied: "Madam, we will adjust it immediately."

In the room of the Arab envoy, I sniffed the spices and said to the eunuch, "The smell of these spices is still a bit strong. Dilute it a little. Also, the water temperature in their bathroom needs to be easily adjustable. They like to bathe in warm water."

The eunuch hurried to make adjustments: "Madam, I'll do it right away."

As for the Indian envoy's room, I examined the colorful hangings and soft cushions. "It's nicely decorated, but we need to add some of their favorite spices, like sandalwood. Also, prepare some of their religious ritual utensils, just in case."

The banquet program design is of utmost importance. I discussed it with the officials in charge of the performance.

"This banquet will begin with a magnificent piece of Chinese court music and dance to showcase our country's cultural heritage. Then, we will intersperse the fan dance of Fuso to let their envoys feel a familiar atmosphere." I said.

An official asked, "Madam, how can we connect the two naturally?"

I thought for a moment and said, "We could add some notes similar to Fusang music elements to the end of the court dance as a transition. Then, the dancers would slowly enter from both sides, holding fans, and begin the fan dance."

"That's a good idea. What about the musical performances from the Arab Empire?" asked another official.

"The music performance from the Arab Empire will be placed in the middle part. We can let our musicians play a classic Arab Empire piece with their instruments, and at the same time, arrange for dancers to perform a dance that incorporates the Arab Empire's dance style." I replied.

The day before the envoys arrived, I checked all the preparations again.

I asked the captain of the guards in charge of security, "Have all the patrols been arranged? No suspicious individuals should approach the envoy's residence or the banquet venue."

The captain of the guards replied, "Don't worry, lady. We have doubled the manpower, and every corner has a dedicated person in charge."

I then said to the head chef in charge of the meals, "Master Li, are all the dishes for tomorrow ready? We must ensure the quality and taste of each dish."

Master Li patted his chest and said, "Madam, everything is ready. We tried making it again last night, and the taste is absolutely perfect."

I arrived at the banquet venue, looked at the gorgeous decorations and neatly arranged tables and chairs, and said to the palace maids and eunuchs, "The arrangement here is perfect, but we can't be careless. Tomorrow, keep the venue clean and the tableware spotless."

Finally, the envoys arrived one after another. With a smile and an interpreter, I greeted the Fuso envoys at the palace gate.

"Your Excellency, welcome to our court. I hope you can feel our hospitality here," I said through the translator.

The Fuso envoy responded: "We are deeply honored by your country's welcome."

Next came the envoy from the Arab Empire. I stepped forward to greet him, "Sir, thank you for your hard work on the journey. We have prepared comfortable accommodation and delicious meals for you."

The Arab envoy smiled and responded, "Thank you for your hospitality."

When the Indian envoy arrived, I clasped my hands together and said, "Welcome, sir. I hope you will enjoy your stay at my court."

The Indian envoy nodded in thanks, saying, "We are truly impressed by your country's etiquette."

I guided the Fuso envoys to their residence.

"Sir, this is the room prepared for you. I hope you will be satisfied. The decoration here incorporates some Japanese elements. I hope you will feel at home." I introduced.

The Fuso envoy walked into the room, looked around and said, "Your country is really thoughtful. The layout of this room is very much to our liking."

I brought the envoys from the Arab Empire to their residence.

"Sir, look, the flavors of the spices here are blended according to your habits, and the water temperature in the bathroom can be adjusted at will." I said.

The Arab envoy smelled the spices and said with satisfaction, "Very good, you have considered everything very carefully."

After seeing the layout of their residence, the Indian envoy also expressed his gratitude to me: "Everything here is beautiful, thank you."

The banquet was about to begin, and the envoys filed in. I stood aside, nervously watching every step of the process.

The palace music and dance began. The magnificent music and the graceful dance moves of the dancers dazzled the envoys.

The Fusang envoy exclaimed: "Your country's music and dance are truly wonderful."

As the music transitioned, the fan dance of Fuso began to perform, and the Fuso envoys applauded excitedly.

"This fan dance is so beautiful, it makes us feel like we are back home," said an envoy from Fuso.

Then, the music performance of the Arab Empire began. The unique fusion of music and dance made the Arab envoys couldn't help but praise it.

During the banquet, I shuttled between the envoys to ensure smooth communication.

I saw an envoy from Fuso was very interested in our country's silk clothing, so I walked over with an interpreter.

"Sir, this is our country's silk. It is soft in texture and bright in color, and is loved by everyone." I introduced.

The Fusang envoy touched the silk and said, "What a magical fabric! We in Fusang also have similar craftsmanship, but your silk is even more exquisite."

The envoys from the Arab Empire were discussing trade with our ministers. I walked over and listened for a while. I found some minor language problems, so I asked the translator to communicate in time.

"Your Excellency, they mean that they hope to have more cooperation in the spice and jewelry trade." The translator conveyed the message accurately.

Just when the atmosphere of the banquet was getting lively, suddenly, a little palace maid accidentally knocked over a glass of wine, spilling it on the clothes of an envoy from the Arab Empire.

My heart tightened, and I immediately walked over and said, "Sir, I'm so sorry. This was an oversight on our part. Please follow me, and we'll take care of it for you right away."

I took the envoy from the Arab Empire to the lounge nearby and asked the palace maid to bring clean clothes and wet cloths.

"Sir, please change into clean clothes first and we will help you wash this dirty clothes. I hope this incident will not affect your mood." I apologized sincerely.

The Arab envoy smiled and said, "It's okay. It was just a minor accident. You handled it promptly."

After dealing with the emergency, the banquet continued.

The Indian envoys were very interested in the dance performance at the banquet. I introduced it to them: "This dance combines cultural elements from my country and other countries. I hope it will give you a different experience."

The Indian envoy nodded in praise, saying, "This fusion is very creative and allows us to see the charm of different cultures."

The envoys from various countries happily communicated with each other, tasted delicious food, and enjoyed performances at the banquet. The atmosphere of the whole banquet was harmonious.

After the banquet, I saw the envoys from various countries back to their residences.

"Sir, I hope you have a pleasant evening. If you need anything, please feel free to let us know." I said to the Fuso envoy.

The Fusang envoy replied: "Tonight's banquet was wonderful and we are very satisfied."

The envoys from the Kingdom of Daqin and the Kingdom of India also praised the banquet highly and expressed their gratitude for the reception from our court.

The next day, I went to the palace to report to the king on the reception.

"Your Majesty, everything went smoothly with the reception of foreign envoys. The envoys were very satisfied with the accommodation, banquet and other arrangements." I said while kneeling.

The king smiled and asked, "Oh? Is there anything special?"

I replied, "Your Majesty, there was a small incident during the banquet. A palace maid accidentally spilled some wine and stained the clothes of the Arab envoy. However, we handled it in time and it did not affect the envoy's mood."

The king nodded. "Well, you handled it very well. You completed this reception mission very well. I am very satisfied."

My outstanding performance soon spread inside and outside the palace.

The palace maids discussed privately: "The court lady in charge of love affairs is really amazing. This reception mission is so complicated, and she has completed it so well."

One minister said to the other ministers in the court: "Si Qing has brought honor to the country this time. The foreign envoys have spoken highly of our court."

Outside the palace, the people also heard about this and praised it.

"I heard that the palace's reception of foreign envoys was a great success. The lady-in-charge was truly capable."

As my fame grew, my life also changed a bit.

Some officials who were a little cold to me before now greet me warmly when they see me.

"Si Qing, you really opened our eyes this time. If we need any help in the future, just let me know." An official said to me with a smile.

The allocation of resources in the palace has also become smoother, and everyone actively cooperated when I was preparing other matters.

Although I received praise this time, I know I can't be complacent. There are more challenges waiting for me.

Wanqing said to me, "Siqing, you are famous now. You will definitely have more missions in the future."

I looked into the distance and said, "Well, I can't relax. I have to continue working hard and make more contributions to the country and the court."