Tenuous Peace

The outdoor clearing for the autumn hunt banquet was staged on a podium that was erected for this purpose. With the endless sea of tents serving as a formidable backdrop, the emperor's place on an elevated dais was opulently decorated with folding screens and embroidered cushions that padded the seats slotted neatly behind low tables. 

At the spring banquet just earlier in the year, Yan Zheyun had gazed up upon Emperor Xuanjun in all his dignified glory. Now, he sat by Liu Yao's side, robes of finery spilling over onto the wooden platform like a colourful fan, gazing down upon the rows of guests like an idol upon an altar, distant and indomitable.