Chapter 4 Welcome Banquet

General Guo was a brilliant strategist, a general who had won every battle since the reign of the late emperor, the top military commander in the land, and admired by countless people.

General Guo rose to fame at a young age, displaying exceptional combat talent on his first battlefield campaign. He drove out the northern barbarians, expelled the southern barbarians, attacked the eastern coastal tribes, and repelled the western Tibetans, thus stabilizing the situation in the world.

There are even legends that General Guo was strong enough to lift a tripod, like the reincarnation of Xiang Yu, the Hegemon-King of Western Chu.

Heroes have always been revered, and Huiyi is no exception.

Unfortunately, General Guo was away fighting battles and guarding the borders for many years. Huiyi had never seen this great hero during her five years in Chang'an, which always made her feel a little uneasy.

Fortunately, she finally got her chance, and she'll take a good look then.

Let's see if General Guo is as brave and divine as the people of Chang'an say.

...

Six days pass neither quickly nor slowly, and in the blink of an eye, they are over.

On February 12th, Emperor Yongxi held a grand banquet in Linde Hall to welcome General Guo, who had been fighting for half a year.

At the same time, the army was heavily rewarded, and based on their military achievements, they were granted money, silk, land and houses, and the families of the fallen soldiers were given generous compensation.

War is cruel and unavoidable; the only solution is to increase compensation so that the families of fallen heroes can live better lives.

This battle was very successful, severely damaging the main force of the Turks, capturing the Turkic Left Wheel King and his prince, annihilating 80,000 enemies and capturing 30,000, which prevented them from gathering troops to threaten the Central Plains for ten years, and brought peace to the border.

On the twelfth, after Huiyi finished dressing, she asked the palace servants of Xunfeng Palace if her attire was appropriate and suitable for the day.

Seeing the princess's unchanging habit over the years, Yu Niang remained silent, her expression full of pity.

She remembered that when the princess first came to Chang'an, at her first Flower Festival banquet, the princess, not understanding the elegance of Chang'an, simply chose a dress she liked very much based on her own feelings, only to be ridiculed by the noble ladies.

Princess Yan was dark-skinned and thin, unfit for the elegant yellow dress. Her words were full of sarcasm, implying that the princess was vulgar and unsophisticated, not like a princess but like a village girl.

This is undoubtedly a blatant humiliation of the princess.

Everyone in the world knows that the princess was born halfway through the emperor's exile to Lingzhou. The midwives were found in the countryside, and she was born without even swaddling clothes.

It was winter, and the wind was biting cold. The whole family took off their outer robes and used them as swaddling clothes to wrap the newborn baby; otherwise, the princess would not have survived the journey.

When the emperor was demoted from crown prince to Prince of Heling by Empress Zhu, he was exiled to Lingzhou. His subordinates were always opportunistic. Seeing that the former crown prince was in decline, they cut off his original salary as a prince. His family lived in a dilapidated house that leaked when it rained. They had to do everything themselves for their daily needs, and farming and weaving were commonplace.

The princess, who grew up in Lingzhou, started doing chores with her parents from a young age. She often went out with her older siblings to pick wild vegetables to bring back as meals and soups.

The sage and the empress said that the newborn princess had fair and tender skin, but after twelve years of hard work, she became a dark and thin little girl due to the wind and sun.

As a result, the princess, who had just arrived in Chang'an, was seen by outsiders as a crude and uncouth village girl, timid and clumsy, and completely ignorant of the fashion trends of noble ladies in Chang'an.

Such words were undoubtedly hurtful. Yu Niang remembered that the princess returned that day and cried her heart out, hiding in Xunfeng Palace for half a month without ever leaving the palace.

But the princess wanted playmates and close friends, so she lived that year with both effort and caution.

But this only lasted for a year. The princess changed her attitude and stopped trying to win him over. She became the person she is today.

Everyone in Chang'an said that Princess Chang Le was willful, arrogant, and spoiled, but Yu Niang thought that the princess was not bad.

At least you won't be bullied, you won't be sad, and you can be carefree and at ease.

"The princess is flawless today, still outshining all others in beauty."

Yu Niang gently placed a jade hairpin in the hair of the noble lady, and said with a smile.

Hearing this, Huiyi was relieved and hurried to Linde Hall with her usual large entourage.

From afar, one could see that the Linde Hall was brightly lit and resplendent.

To welcome General Guo back victorious, the grandfather put a lot of effort into the welcoming banquet, using the same batch of wine that he had buried in the Eastern Palace when he was the Crown Prince.

To match the glow of the glass lanterns tonight, Huiyi chose a bright yellow silk skirt and a light blue wide-sleeved blouse.

The upper garment was embroidered with bright small floral patterns, and the skirt was decorated with lotus scrolls outlined in silver thread and adorned with round pearls, which trembled slightly as the wearer moved.

The hair bun is based on a round and full jewel bun, adorned with a flower tree hairpin, a pair of jade hairpins on both sides, and a pair of begonia gold hairpins hanging down on both sides of the temples. Finally, a blooming pink camellia hairpin is placed at the back of the temple.

Under the glass lamps, the elegantly dressed young woman appeared like a peony in full bloom, or a pearl shining in the night, drawing everyone's attention.

Tonight, Linde Hall is filled not only with civil and military officials, but also with young men who have come with their fathers.

Regardless of Princess Chang Le's reputation, her beauty alone leaves no room for criticism.

The Jade Terrace and Jade Trees, the Peony Night Tour – all these scenes are captivating and enchanting.

Some of the young men were momentarily distracted and forgot that they were pouring wine, causing the wine to overflow from the lotus leaf-shaped silver cups and drip onto the food table.

Just then, Lin Lanting was seated next to him. He had just turned his gaze away from the peony flower when he saw Zheng Qilang's silly scene beside him.

"Stop looking, you idiot! The wine's practically dripping down your pants!"

Lin Lanting was an arrogant and unreserved person, and he was used to being in the military camp, so he didn't know anything nice or elegant to say at this time.

But Zheng Qilang was different. He was a young master from Chang'an who had been taught the Six Arts of a Gentleman and rarely heard such vulgar language, especially when he was being ridiculed at this time.

Instantly, his face flushed red like a sunset, and he frantically wiped away the spilled wine.

Lin Lanting chuckled a few times and ignored him, then glanced at the delicate young lady sitting beside the sage.

She's beautiful, but not gentle or kind enough. Anyone who marries a woman like that is likely to suffer.

Lin Lanting's gaze swept over the woman from head to toe, and he clicked his tongue when he saw the round, pinkish-white South Sea pearls on her skirt.

extravagant.

He had just finished shaking his head and sighing when he noticed the lady at the head of the table looking over.

Before Lin Lanting could even raise a smile, he saw someone glare at him fiercely before wiping away their eyes.

She was clearly extremely annoyed with him and didn't want to look at him even once more.

His smile froze, and Lin Lanting's anger flared up, turning into a cold laugh.

You brat!

At the head of the table, Emperor Yongxi chatted and laughed with his ministers, paying special attention to the dignified and imposing General Guo below.

"Minister Guo, drink this cup to the brim!"

The emperor always addressed his officials as "卿" (qing), but the number of officials who could be addressed as "爱卿" (aiqing) was less than one in a handful.

General Guo was one of them, and another was Lin Er's grandfather, Prime Minister Lin.

Huiyi discreetly glanced at General Guo at the courtiers' table, trying to get a clear look at his appearance.

However, the distance was still quite far, and Huiyi could only roughly tell that General Guo was a heroic and extraordinary figure; she couldn't see anything else.

Just as Huiyi was feeling somewhat disappointed, she heard her father say he was going to give her some wine. Huiyi had a sudden inspiration and came up with an idea.

"These are several jars of fine wine that I buried under the peach tree in the Eastern Palace during my first year as Crown Prince. It's been almost twenty years now. The border is now at peace, which is a joyous occasion. So I'm bringing them out to share with you all. Please don't find the wine too weak!"

"Your words are too weighty, and we are not truly honored."

The ministers stood up, their posture humble, and shouted.

Emperor Yongxi was pleased and began to have the eunuchs distribute the wine one by one.

For convenience, several jars of wine were placed into tall, round-bellied silver pots with phoenix heads, which were then carried by eunuchs to the seats below.

Huiyi snatched the wine pot meant for pouring wine for General Guo's area and volunteered, "Father, let me go to General Guo's area!"

Emperor Yongxi murmured, "You are a princess, there's no need for you to pour wine."

Huiyi leaned closer to her grandfather and said playfully, "Actually, I can't see General Guo clearly from here, so I wanted to go over and take a look. Please allow me, Father!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Yongxi realized it was his youngest daughter's idea and laughed, granting his request.

It's just to satisfy my curiosity and take a look, what's wrong with that?

Moreover, the fact that Xi Nu personally poured the wine only further demonstrated the saint's deep affection for him.

This achieves two goals at once, which is excellent.

Then, everyone saw Princess Chang Le, carrying a silver wine pot, gracefully walk down from her seat beside the Sage and stop in front of General Guo's seat.

He picked up the wine pot, intending to pour wine for the general.

Sitting next to his uncle, Lin Lanting raised an eyebrow, stopped drinking, and leaned on the couch, watching the unruly princess's unusual behavior.

When Guo Shiji saw that it was Princess Chang Le herself who came down to pour him wine, his expression changed, and he immediately stood up to decline, not daring to accept the cup.

"Your Majesty is too kind to this humble subject. How could I possibly trouble the princess? I am deeply humbled."

Huiyi had always heard her parents say that General Guo was a calm and steady person, and as a subject, he was neither arrogant nor impatient, but respectful and humble, which made Emperor Yongxi, the monarch, feel much more at ease.

Now that I see it, it's indeed true.

"General, there's no need for such formalities. Your military achievements are outstanding. You repelled the Turks and brought peace to the border. You deserve a cup of wine from Chang'an."

Speaking in a clear and pleasant voice, Huiyi did not forget to look at General Guo's appearance.

With a long face, broad forehead, long eyebrows, and tiger-like eyes, he was already quite old, but one could still see the handsome and extraordinary features he had in his youth.

Coupled with his imposing physique, he truly exuded the air of a great general.

Huiyi saw the person clearly, satisfied her curiosity, and smiled contentedly.

But to those who don't know the difference, the taste is completely different.

For example, in Lin Lanting's view, the young lady's warm hospitality as a princess, pouring wine and smiling at his still vigorous and handsome uncle, made Lin Lanting think more.

With this suspicion in mind, Lin Lanting's gaze toward Huiyi began to darken, carrying a hint of hostility.

While being wary of her, Lin Lanting also thought she had lost her mind.

My uncle is so old.

Huiyi had already poured the wine into the eight-petaled lotus-shaped silver cup. Guo Shiji wanted to refuse, but then Emperor Yongxi at the head of the table spoke.

"The wine has already been poured, yet Guo Aiqing is still refusing. Is he not going to give us, father and daughter, any face?"

Upon hearing this, Guo Shiji was terrified and bowed deeply in gratitude: "Your Majesty and Princess, you misunderstand. That was not what I meant..."

"In that case, I, your humble servant, thank Your Majesty for your grace."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Thank you, Princess."

Guo Shiji raised his silver cup, drank it all in one gulp, and bowed again in thanks.

With the ruler and his ministers in harmony, and the wine poured, there was naturally no need for any further discussion of Huiyi.

However, when she glanced to the side, she saw Lin Lanting frowning at her, his eyes dark and his face sullen, which was rather eerie.

Huiyi cursed her bad luck inwardly, and overthought things, thinking that this guy was waiting for her to pour him wine.

What is her identity?

What is General Guo's identity?

And what is his identity?

Huiyi placed the silver pot on the tray held by the eunuch beside her, then turned and left, ignoring him completely.

This reaction, in Lin Lanting's eyes, was somewhat embarrassing and angry.

His teeth ached, and he turned to look at his aging and faded uncle, still not understanding.

After returning to her seat, Huiyi, having satisfied her curiosity, couldn't sit still any longer. After drinking a few cups of fruit wine, she told her parents and then took Biqing and the others out for some fresh air.

Linde Hall and Xunfeng Hall were quite far apart. After drinking a few cups of wine, Huiyi felt a little dizzy. Instead of rushing back to her bedroom, she chose a pond and sat on a rock by the water.

Biqing hurriedly tried to put the handkerchief under the princess, but Huiyi waved her hand and said it wasn't necessary.

“These stones are much cleaner than those in Lingzhou Village.”

She muttered something, but no one heard her.

It's only mid-February now, and there are no lotus flowers in the pond. It's just bare, with only the cool water and the occasional soft thud of koi swimming and churning.

The night breeze was still cool, and Biqing considerately draped a cloak over the princess to prevent her from catching a cold.

Huiyi did not resist and let Biqing do as she pleased, only resting her chin on her hands and looking at the pool in front of her.

"If only it were summer, then we could see lotus flowers and eat lotus seeds."

Lingzhou is located in the south, with many waterways, and lotus flowers grow abundantly there. In the past, large lotus ponds and lotus ponds were common in Huizhou.

If it were the season when lotus flowers are in full bloom, she could pick some lotus flowers to put in a vase.

She has already learned flower arranging from Aunt Shangyi and will no longer make any laughable vase arrangements.

Just as she was thinking about the delicate fragrance and beauty of the pink lotus, Huiyi suddenly heard the palace maids behind her exclaim in surprise.

"Wow, what's that glowing thing!"

Huiyi looked in the direction and saw several green spots of light in the grass by the pond.

She asked in confusion, "Don't any of you recognize this?"

The palace servants all shook their heads. Seeing this, Huiyi's eyes lit up, and she said proudly, "You don't know this, do you? These are fireflies, also known as the 'night-shining insects' mentioned in the poem. I used to see them often in Lingzhou during the summer, and I even caught them to make little lanterns!"

Life in Lingzhou was always so dull and arduous. Catching fireflies to make lanterns was one of the few pleasures, which left a deep impression on Huiyi.

"It's just that these fireflies have come a bit early. They used to be visible in March or April, but they're here in Chang'an so early."

As Huiyi sighed, a tinkling sound came from the water, as if something had entered the water.

The palace servants looked over again, and Huiyi said familiarly, "It should be a frog entering the water. I've seen it many times."

But this time she was wrong; what went into the water wasn't a frog at all, but a small pebble.

As for the person who threw it...

Huiyi turned her head and saw that it was Lin Er.

In the darkness, his eyes shone frighteningly bright; if they were to glow green, he would look even more like a wolf.

A note from the author:

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