Shi Qingxuan's Dragrace

9. Ling Wen as director of ceremonial and etiquette

After lunch Ling Wen took over, as director of ceremonial and etiquette, to explain everyone the pageantry expected of such an event. Carrying a long scroll with all the timings carefully marked, they decided, noisily, the order of the presentations; after the choreography, one by one, they made their way walking slowly and deliberately up and down the altar, now for all intent and purpose the main stage.

"My lords, you must walk slowly to show the devotees, ahem, the public, your outfits. Mind you'll be wearing heels too so we better allow some extra time."

At the mention of heels, the whole group exhaled excruciating groans.

"Wait, we don't just walk slowly, we have to show off ourselves here right?" Mu Qing asked, "Rather like a bride in a wedding?" He glanced quickly at Xie Lian.

"I would say General Xuan Zhen perfectly exemplified what's expected in terms of pageantry."

Shi Qingxuan, who was passing, intervened, "Only not as a gentle and soft bride my lords. Your time on the main stage must be dazzling, exquisite, flamboyant, you must be unforgettable, the tale of the ages, the stuff dreams are made of!"

The contestants looked at him somewhat puzzled; only Xie Lian, who knew Shi Qingxuan well, smiled. As a whole they much preferred Ling Wen's practical and down to earth explanations.

"Now my lords, your outfits. They must be, as The Lord Wind M, ahem, as Mister Shi just said, dazzling, exquisite and flamboyant. However, they must follow a 'concept'."

"?"

"They must follow a 'theme', tell a story. So, the concept Mister Shi came up with was..." Ling Wen shuffled on another scroll, "Legendary Tales of The Weird and Wonderful".

All the gods and ghosts fell on a dead silence, the words for this so-called concept still sinking in.

Ling Wen proceeded, "At the presentation of your conceptual outfits, you can use your spiritual power to aid to the storytelling."

This time was Lang Qianqiu who asked, "Oh like earthquake and thunder, things like that?"

"Not quite Your Highness Tai Hua, however, you may if it's within context. I meant using spiritual powers to create a scenery, a place in time and space."

"Hummm...", it started to dawn on them slowly what Ling Wen was trying to say.

Ling Wen concluded her explanation, trusting the participants would all send junior officials everywhere in a hurry to research about concept scenery and storytelling. She sighed, knowing deep in her heart that she would be the one everyone would resort to in the end.

He Xuan, being elusive and mysterious, said nothing about his own task of directing the lights and effects, so everyone thought he was seeing to it directly with Shi Qingxuan; their suspicions about something between them only deepening. So they resumed rehearsing the choreography adding the pageantry with the timings.

After what Xie Lian thought it was longer than his 800 years in the mortal realm, they reached an acceptable level as a group, so they agreed on having a few more general rehearsals in the following days; then they dispersed, to see to other important matters such as outfits, makeup and wigs.

Ling Wen knows it all! 😉 Thank you for reading!