Chapter 4 A Couple in Disarray

After her family banquet, Jiang Shuifu was extremely busy, spending over twenty days planning the celebration banquet.

It must be said that although the celebration banquet was a bit small in scale, it didn't skimp on anything that needed to be included.

From the dishes and snacks, the layout and the banquet guest list, even the plants placed are strictly controlled. The foliage in the East Palace has been replaced several times.

It's truly a mentally and physically demanding task.

Therefore, Jiang Shuifu paid less attention to Shen Jizhao, and only sent him some nourishing soup and porridge when he returned at night.

But to her surprise, Shen Jizhao took the initiative to visit her once.

Although he was the main character of this banquet, Jiang Shuifu never expected him to take it seriously. Based on past experience, he probably wouldn't even show his face.

"How are the banquet preparations going?"

When Shen Jizhao arrived, it was late at night. Jiang Shuifu was busy with personnel arrangements. When she heard the voice, she was dazed. After rubbing her eyes to confirm, she immediately got up and called to him:

"Husband, why are you here so late?"

Upon hearing this, she immediately thought of his promise to "come back to the room more often," and she instantly sobered up, her expression brightening with joy.

Shen Jizhao didn't respond to her. After he sat down, he glanced at her. Jiang Shuifu knew he was waiting for her answer, so she held the bamboo scroll in her hand closer to him:

"My lord, the preparations for the banquet are mostly complete, but could you please take a look at the list of officials to be invited?"

This celebration banquet should not be extravagant, and the guests should be carefully selected, as she really doesn't know much about this.

Shen Jizhao took it, and his hand brushed against her fingertips. Even though it was only for a moment, she felt it was burning hot.

Perhaps she was too tired, because she was a little distracted, listening to his babbling while staring at him intently.

Her husband was truly a handsome and charming man. Even after all these years, he was still very good-looking. Her gaze unconsciously fell on his opening and closing lips.

His thin, jade-like lips were moist and captivating with every movement. A thought inexplicably popped into her mind: What did he taste like? Was it fragrant or sweet?

"what's on your mind?"

Her mind was hazy. "It smells so good! My husband..."

Jiang Shuifu was a little shy, her fingers fidgeting and twisting. Why would her husband ask her such a question?

Shen Jizhao looked at the strange woman who soon became flushed with pink, somewhat speechless. He tossed aside the bamboo slip and scrutinized her sharply:

"If you're sleepy, go to sleep quickly. Remember the people I just mentioned and the precautions for the banquet, especially regarding Yilou Garden. Don't make any mistakes."

Is my husband sleepy? Is he going to bed?

Jiang Shuifu's thoughts suddenly drifted back to the day of the family reunion dinner. Her mother touched her belly and told her to hurry up, and also gave her a lot of advice. Her face flushed red, and she hurriedly made the bed, then timidly reached out to take off his clothes.

Shen Jizhao then stood up cooperatively, saying, "If there's anything you don't understand, just tell me."

Jiang Shuifu was preoccupied with her own chaotic thoughts, so she only heard the second half of his sentence. She was stunned by the sudden happiness. What did he say? He wanted her to hug him?

After a while, her hand trembled as she changed direction and slowly moved towards his waist.

She longed to rush into his arms, but she didn't dare. She quietly unbuckled his belt and took the opportunity to give him a gentle hug.

The movement was so subtle that Shen Jizhao didn't notice anything amiss. However, when he opened his eyes again, his robes had already been removed.

Shen Jizhao frowned suddenly as he looked down at the woman who was helping him change. She knew how to keep him there and had taken his place without his consent.

He remained silent for a long time, but ultimately did not stop her.

That day, his father asked him about taking a concubine and whether he wanted to welcome a new woman. He nodded. It was time for someone to enter the Eastern Palace. He replied, "It's in the planning stages."

Jiang Shuifu and Shen Jizhao slept in the same bed, still keeping to themselves, but her heart was filled with sweet bubbles, her heart was dreamy and radiant at this moment.

Things will get better, right?

*

In the blink of an eye, the victory celebration banquet arrived as scheduled.

This morning, officials from prominent families began arriving at the Eastern Palace one after another.

There were still several hours before the banquet began, but almost all the guests from the Crown Prince's Palace had already arrived.

With the support of the people and the emperor's favor, the crown prince's ascension to the throne was almost a certainty. Therefore, although the celebration banquet was not large in scale, it was extremely grand in scale.

After all, no one wants to lose this opportunity to curry favor with the future emperor.

The banquet officially began.

At the male guests' table, it was Xiu Qing, another third-rank guard of Shen Jizhao, who was greeting them.

Even if Shen Jizhao didn't appear, the people below were still all smiles, and words of congratulation and flattery were endless.

Everyone was eager to whisper sweet nothings in Xiuqing's ear, hoping to indirectly demonstrate their loyalty to Shen Jizhao.

The women's banquet was overseen by Jiang Shuifu.

Separated by a row of screens, the flower garden of the East Palace served as a banquet venue for the women.

With its rocky hills and flowing water, surrounded by lush greenery and vibrant flowers, the area is a picturesque scene of springtime beauty, with butterflies fluttering and bees gathering nectar from the blossoms.

At the banquet, the wine cups floated on the winding stream, and fine wines were served—a truly remarkable sight.

The theme of this banquet was to celebrate victory, so Jiang Shuifu specially imitated the cuisine of the frontier regions.

The main dish is roasted beef and mutton, served wrapped in a type of vegetable called "Qianjin Cai" (千金菜).

In addition, each table was served more than a dozen local specialties from the border regions.

Shen Jizhao brought Jiang Shuifu a lot of frontier specialties. He never shortchanged her in this regard, and she always kept the gifts he gave her.

For today's banquet, she specially selected some food from the gifts Shen Jizhao had given her for everyone to try.

Of course, there were also plenty of local dishes on the table, in case anyone didn't like them.

These ladies and noblewomen were a little dazzled as soon as they sat down, and even their seats were arranged in a wavy, circular pattern.

This was a decision made by Jiang Shuifu to avoid conflict; since no one was in front of anyone else, there would naturally be fewer disputes.

Today is special, and Jiang Shuifu's makeup is much more refined.

She wore a jadeite dress with flowing blue waves, exuding elegance. A piece of mutton-fat jade with intertwined flowers, which was given to her by Shen Jizhao before their marriage, was hanging above her collarbone.

She loved it.

But because it's too formal, I can't bear to wear it on ordinary days.

The banquet table is divided into two sides.

On the left side sat the princess consort, and on the right side sat the families of powerful officials and nobles, all of whom were people of high status and position.

They were all of different shapes and sizes, and their attire was elaborate.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a riot of colors.

Jiang Shuifu knew most of these people; they were all people she had "frustrated" with in the past.

There was only one figure draped in warm yellow silk gauze.

It was completely unfamiliar.

The woman had a round face and big eyes. She frowned, clutched her stomach, and kept swallowing.

It seems like I'm hungry.

Once everyone had arrived, Jiang Shuifu said a few polite words and then announced the start of the banquet.

As soon as she finished speaking, the round-faced woman was overjoyed. She quickly wrapped the long-desired mutton in the vegetable dish and stuffed it into her mouth, letting out a satisfied sigh.

She is Tang Shan'er, the daughter of the Grand Academician of the Hanlin Academy, and also the one with the highest status among these unmarried women.

Jiang Shuifu glanced at her again.

She was innocent and naive, a completely naive young girl who had been well protected.

"This roasted mutton is so delicious, so fresh and tender, with a unique texture. It's no wonder it's wild. The mutton raised in my backyard can't compare at all. When I get back, I'll definitely ask my father to ask His Highness the Crown Prince for some."

Jiang Shuifu found this amusing; this woman was indeed childlike. Just as she was about to offer to pick out some things for her, the woman next to Tang Shan'er nudged her shoulder:

"Look at you, so greedy! Didn't the Crown Prince send food to every household? What? You've finished eating yours?"

Jiang Shuifu's smile froze instantly. It turned out that the gift he had painstakingly brought back from the frontier was not unique to her.

Tang Shan'er casually mentioned:

"My family has two loads, how about yours?"

The woman beside her, thinking she was showing off her status, pouted and said, "Tch, who isn't!"

With so many officials in Dabei, it's impossible for every household to send a gift, but everyone present must have. Thinking about it this way, it's just like Shen Jizhao's character—impartial and just right in his approach.

However, it's hard to say whether he was too fair; he treated her the same as everyone else, and she didn't receive any more than them.

This topic was put aside, and Tang Shan'er continued eating meat, while most of the others chatted in twos and threes, laughing and joking with their close female friends.

until……

"Could this be the purple iris offered as tribute? I heard it's a new variety that Zanglu has been carefully cultivating not long ago. The Crown Prince is truly a dragon among men, with refined taste, extraordinary interests, and noble character."

A loud, rising sound suddenly filled the garden.

This is a woman wearing a purple silk dress with flowing floral patterns reminiscent of begonia flowers.

She smiled and touched the delicate hairpins in her hair.

She was Gao Zhuxia, the daughter of Gao Ming, a third-rank official and the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture.

He's flamboyant but brainless.

Wang Hanxi, a woman in a blue brocade dress with a hundred flowers standing next to Gao Zhuxia, nodded. Her father held the official position of Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and her status was not low either.

"Yes, yes, the Crown Prince is not only handsome and extraordinary, but also has the virtue of loving the people and having compassion for all living beings. I imagine he is also very caring towards his wife."

Another woman chimed in:

"He is truly the best choice for a husband!"

These women were stirring things up, harboring thoughts that we all knew perfectly well.

Gao Zhuxia's eyes were upturned, and she was very proud of herself. She had specially chosen the color that Shen Jizhao usually wore today.

As soon as she stepped into the flower-filled banquet hall, she knew she had made the right choice.

The garden has a wide variety of flower species, but the overall color is pale purple.

She was like a proud peacock, her words were straightforward and haughty.

"It suits me very well."

Gao Zhuxia picked a purple iris and fiddled with it with her fingertips as she spoke.

Anyway, she was talking about flowers, and what others thought was none of her business. After she finished speaking, she glanced at Jiang Shuifu, who was in the main seat.

The people around Gao Zhuxia were of lower status than her, and upon hearing this, they merely scoffed inwardly before turning their gazes to Jiang Shuifu with ill intent, as if watching a show.

Jiang Shuifu showed no expression, pretending not to hear. Stupid and ostentatious, she probably wouldn't even be able to get her hands on the door of the East Palace.

The princesses on the eastern side formed their own faction. Upon hearing this, they made no move. They neither expressed their dissatisfaction or mocked Gao Zhuxia for her scheming, nor did they speak up for Jiang Shuifu. They simply chatted amongst themselves, exuding an aura that kept others at bay.

Their status as princesses was naturally no less than that of noble ladies, and the fact that their husbands were princes added an unattainable air of nobility to their already innate elegance.

Royal families are incredibly prestigious, and they are unwilling to share their inner circle with others.

Over time, a barrier developed between the prince's consort and the noble lady.

Moreover, they looked down on the way these noble ladies were testing each other and behaving without any manners.

Not to mention, the noble ladies present might even live under the same roof with them and share a husband.

Even the usually respected Crown Princess did not have much conversation with the noble lady.

Coincidentally, Shen Jizhao was extremely popular among women in the capital, especially the daughters of high-ranking officials.

The fact that almost all the ministers attending the banquet today brought their own or collateral relatives' unmarried younger relatives speaks volumes.

These women openly expressed their admiration for Shen Jizhao through their words.

Gao Zhuxia looked at Jiang Shuifu's stiff expression and scoffed even more arrogantly. So what if she's the Crown Princess? She's out of favor and doesn't even dare to retaliate against her provocations.

On the other side, Tang Shan'er, who sat far away from the young ladies and next to the princes' wives, was quite different. She didn't say a word from beginning to end, but just kept eating and drinking with her chopsticks.

Cao Lanzi, the woman in the light green silk skirt on the other side, revealed the truth.

"The Crown Prince is so engrossed in state affairs that he doesn't care about the purple irises. The beauty of this entire garden, including the stone path beneath our feet, is all thanks to the Crown Princess. I've heard that this banquet was entirely arranged by the Crown Prince and entrusted to the Crown Princess. The two of them are truly a loving couple!"

Cao Lanzi's father was only a fifth-rank official, so her status was naturally not as high as these other noble ones.

Upon hearing this, all the women present cast unfriendly glances at her, which she readily accepted, yet she continued speaking:

"What you ladies say is true. The Crown Prince's actions are indeed those of a good husband. He is taking care of his wife's affairs, ensuring her legitimacy and consolidation of her position. He is truly showing great care. The Crown Princess is indeed very lucky."

These words touched a nerve with Gao Zhuxia, whose feud with Jiang Shuifu had lasted since she was never of marriageable age.

She hated Jiang Shuifu for becoming the Crown Princess, a woman of such high status.

At this moment, Wang Hanxi also took a sip of tea and casually replied:

"The Crown Prince is noble and refined, with a handsome appearance. Everyone in the capital thought that his future wife would be a well-behaved and virtuous woman skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. But our Crown Princess is lively and playful. She used to love riding horses in the streets, playing ball, and teasing cats and dogs. Truly, things are unpredictable!"

Gao Zhuxia snorted and made a light, sarcastic remark:

"Don't jump to conclusions too quickly, it's not over yet! In my opinion, it's in grave danger!"

Anyone with eyes to see that the conversation was about Jiang Shuifu's precarious status as Crown Princess.

"At that time, everyone will have to rely on their own sect's true abilities. By the way, it would be best to get my father's consent, otherwise, wouldn't I be an unfilial son? How shameful!"

As soon as Gao Zhuxia finished speaking, the ladies burst into laughter and echoed her words.

This not only satirizes Jiang Shuifu for being forced into the palace because of her power, but also criticizes Jiang Sheng for his poor upbringing, which resulted in a shameless and unfilial daughter who disregards her reputation and even throws herself at his door.

Jiang Shuifu knew that every time she attended a banquet, she would be surrounded by gossip, sarcasm, and ridicule.

She had heard these words many times since marrying Shen Jizhao.

If you hear it too often, just treat it like a fart.

But her father did nothing wrong. He just couldn't bear to see her sad. He shouldn't have to bear all the blame. They shouldn't have humiliated her father.

Moreover, she is not someone to be trifled with and will not be bullied to the end.

Besides, we're still in the Eastern Palace today.

"What Madam Gao said is absolutely right, but sometimes power is of no use. For example, with those scoundrels and gossips, their noses are even worse than those of livestock. They insist on ramming into the filth that people avoid like the plague, crashing into wherever it's dirty, not stopping until they're covered in filth. How can they understand human language when they're covered in stench like that? Madam Gao should understand this very well, right?"

Jiang Shuifu's words clearly implied that Gao Zhuxia was worse than a pig or a dog. Gao Zhuxia's anger flared up instantly, and her already limited patience was completely extinguished.

She put her hands on her hips, looking like she was about to devour someone.

"Who doesn't know that your marriage to the Crown Prince was forced upon you? The Crown Prince is a man of lofty ideals, a man of pure character and noble bearing. He has never liked a vulgar, shameless woman like you, who actively seeks to please him and has no regard for propriety. It was you who kept pestering him with your tantrums. Ask yourself honestly, since you got married, has the Crown Prince ever taken the initiative? Let alone doing anything affectionate with you, even something as simple and common as holding hands or hugging between husband and wife? I doubt he has even given you a second glance! Your bedroom door must be covered in dust! You are nothing but a fake couple who are only together in name!"

Although Gao Zhuxia did not know the details of their interactions, she could discern the affection between a man and a woman.

There was not a trace of love in Shen Jizhao's eyes when he looked at Jiang Shuifu.

Shen Jizhao doesn't love Jiang Shuifu; even an outsider knows that.

Jiang Shuifu was stunned by the series of questions. Her body involuntarily leaned forward, and her buttocks were about to leave the chair.

But she loosened her grip and sat back down, realizing that she seemed unable to refute it.

Because that's how it is between the two of them.

She's the one who takes the initiative, she's the one who pesters, she's the one who forces things.

Everything, everything, is her.

Shen Jizhao watched indifferently as she liked him, became infatuated with him, and tried to please him, like a bystander.

The garden was completely silent, everyone was startled by what had just happened. At this moment, a majestic and powerful voice rang out.

"How could I not know that the Crown Princess is uncouth and utterly ill-mannered? I find her utterly repulsive and cannot get along with her."

A note from the author:

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Sleeping in the same bed but dreaming different dreams, sigh.

Lettuce is a mustard green; lettuce wrapped around grilled meat is delicious!

I'm getting a little hungry, hahaha.