As the performance began and the lead actress flourished her spear for a few lines, it was clear they were staging "Mu Guiying Takes Command."
County Princess Yunhua clearly understood the impropriety of the occasion and had specifically chosen a play that fit the current national mood. This, however, did not prevent the censors and imperial historians seated throughout the manor’s garden from drafting mental critiques. They planned to impeach her, starting with the accusation: "The soldiers at the border struggle between life and death, yet here on stage, they sing and dance." They would also impeach County Princess Yunhua for using the Northern Frontier war as a pretext to host a banquet and hoard wealth, and perhaps even suggest that Prince Ruicheng’s failure to discipline his daughter reflected a similar laxity in his command of the troops.
Just as they were meticulously polishing their phrasing, the music stopped. The actors withdrew, and the portly manor steward stepped into the center of the pavilion, bowing to the crowd. "Honored guests, after three acts, I fear you must be growing weary."
Chapter 220