A few moments later, a big golden cage had been standing in front of them. It was so big that it was more suitable to be called a mini house rather than a cage. A black tiger-like creature was standing still inside the cage. The tiger was elegant and calm, unlike the ordinary tiger which was fierce and often roared. It was looking at them sharply. Zhu Di stared back at its sharp gaze.
"Fantastic," He murmured in amazement. "No human can make me daunted. But this creature, just by the gaze and it can make my hair stand on end."
Zhu Di turned to Zhu Su. "It seems hungry. Have you fed it?"
"I have, Sire, but it's been a few hours ago."
"We can't allow it to be hungry." Zhu Di waved to a servant. "Hey! Bring a large plate of meat!"
Zhu Su prohibited him hastily. "Sire, zouyu doesn't eat meat. It is a vegetarian."
"Uhm, I forget it... then bring a large plate of leaves!"
In fact, Zhu Di doubted that this tiger-shaped creature is a herbivore. Thence, his eyes widened in astonishment as the zouyu really ate the leaves serving for it. It even appeared to enjoy its meal a lot.
"Fantastic... fantastic!" Zhu Di clapped his hands. "We really have to celebrate the arrival of zouyu, we have to arrange an extravagant party, and we should truly welcome and nurture it very well, because it is the noble creature that Heaven has granted to us! And," He turned to Zhu Su again, "I must give you the greatest reward for bringing zouyu here!"
Zhu Su and Zhu Youdun's eyes widened. Zhu Di indeed looked jubilant with this zouyu. Both of them immediately bowed respectfully, thanking the emperor.
The arrival of Zouyu The Legendary Creature became a big news. Zhu Di arranged an extravagant party to celebrate it. The palace yard, which was usually deserted, was now full of people. A large number of dancers were invited to perform a show. The imperial officials and the royal family were invited, including the Fan Wangs who initially lived in their respective cities.
"Brother, you are so great! I heard that it is zouyu itself who approached you!"
"As soon as the imperial invitation arrived I immediately came here! Guilin is very far from here, luckily I can arrive on time!"
"I've seen zouyu! What an awesome creature! I have to thank Heaven as I live in this era! We must be very grateful for this!"
The ministers and generals also congratulated the emperor cheerfully.
"This is a great blessing to our country. A sign from Heaven that His Majesty receives the blessing and grace from Heaven for becoming a benevolent leader."
"Zouyu rarely appears itself. Many emperors of other dynasties didn't get this great opportunity. The Emperor is truly blessed by Heaven as a great leader."
"Hopefully the Heaven will bless Ming forever! Bless the Emperor forever!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
Zhu Di still laughed happily. Looking at his happy face, Zhu Su and Zhu Youdun also felt very happy. The happiness covering Feng Tian Palace was so immense it made them forget the turmoil in Kaifeng they were in trouble with.
"I want to bring this joy to Kaifeng." Zhu Youdun said.
Zhu Su nodded. "You can, Boy."
"If only I can... I want to bring those rioters here, so they can see the happiness of the unity."
"You should be positive that you can do it."
"Speak honestly, Fu Wang... the situation always becomes worse day by day, that's why I can't be positive..."
"The meaning of belief is, when we see thick fog covering our ways but we feel sure that we will be okay and arrive at our destination. We may not see anything good at the front, and everything always becomes bad for us, but we are still sure that the good will come. Without belief, you wouldn't get the goodness, Youdun, because you won't make effort to reach something you don't believe will happen, right?"
Zhu Youdun stared deeply into Zhu Su's eyes. Then, he smiled. "That's right. We have passed through every kind of obstacle, we have even stepped into the area between life and death. And it always brings goodness for us in the end. Alright, Fu Wang, I will believe that we can get the good result as before!"
"Take a deep breath and inhale all positive energy here. Happiness... cheerfulness... blissfulness... inhale it all. Then visualize it in your mind; you visualize that Kaifeng people finally know they are being manipulated and that they will be loyal again to Ming. Good visualization will lead you to believe."
Zhu Youdun followed his father's instructions. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, the drums were beaten triumphantly.
The entertainers began to show their performance.
They performed one by one. There was a group of female dancers with beautiful clothes dancing elegantly, there was a mask dance, there was a circus, and there was a group of hefty men showing their genius in the art of swords. Everything was shown so beautifully, so attractively.
It was the same with the food served for them. So luxurious. The court ladies walked back and forth to serve the food, and swiftly replaced the empty plates with plates full of food.
"However, although this food is delicious, it can arouse Heat and Phlegm in our body, even may cause our orifices closed *," Zhu Su commented.
Zhu Youdun, who was enjoying his meal happily, soon commented, "Oh my, there you speak it again. It's okay to eat it rarely! Look, the imperial physicians are eating their streaky pork and they don't have the same thought with yours!" He pointed at a group of imperial physicians who were enjoying their meal without realizing that they were being discussed.
Zhu Su laughed. "Alright, alright! You can eat it here, but after we return to Kaifeng, don't eat this again, okay?"
Zhu Youdun smiled naughtily and then pulled his gaze to his aside, it clearly appeared that he would not follow his father's advice.
Zhu Di went to the front. The whole yard thus fell into silence.
"I am very happy today." He uttered. "The zouyu has come, sent by the Heaven to The Great Ming. This is a great blessing for The Great Ming! We must thank Heaven and celebrate it!"
Zhu Di's cheerful words were responded by the loud voice of the whole yard. "Long live the Great Ming! Long live the Emperor!"
"And, especially," Zhu Di continued after the whole yard turned silent again, "Let me thank my fifth brother, Zhou Wang. It is he who brings "the great blessing" here. I will grant him a great reward. Yes! I will grant him 5,000 suilü !"
Astonished by Zhu Di's final word, Zhu Su got to his feet hastily, stepped straightly before Zhu Di, then kneeled down before him. "Many thanks for the great reward from Your Majesty'!"
And, thank Heaven, for Your great blessing for us.
***
* Closed orifices is generally shown by a loss of consciousness such as from a seizure or stroke.