Chapter 13: At the palace banquet, he actually became jealous of the princess's brother. ...
The ancient Zhang Chang painted eyebrows for his wife. In his hands, the pair of thin eyebrows became more charming and attractive, and the love between the couple became famous in Chang'an.
Today, Zhang Huaiyu was painting eyebrows for the princess. Even though her eyebrows were naturally thin and curved, they could not withstand the man's ruthless hands. He painted her willow-leaf eyebrows into two big caterpillars. The princess was so angry that her face turned pale, she snorted coldly, and refused to pay any more attention to him.
Zhang Jin, knowing she was in the wrong, coaxed her gently, "Emperor Minghuang of Tang said, 'You don't need to paint your eyebrows; Heaven has ordained them to grow long into your temples.' Your eyebrows are naturally curved like crescents; they're already black without any painting. Why bother painting them?"
With that, Zhang Jinwei went to touch the princess's bun. Her hair was lush and flowing, and she wore a full set of gold and jeweled headpieces. A jeweled spider pendant dangled from her temples, dangling back and forth, revealing a pair of misty eyes. Zhang Jinwei found it strangely amusing; the scene before him looked like a cat, sulking, stepping on its tail, unable to catch a spider.
The next moment he couldn't laugh anymore.
The princess opened his hand with a "snap". The fragile little beauty was actually quite strong, and her blows were quite painful. Zhang Jinwei was scratched hard by the cat, so he quickly let go of the girl and coaxed her, "It's my fault, don't be angry, okay?"
"Get out! I don't want to see you!" Zhou Xian turned away, her cheeks already flushed crimson with anger, even before she'd applied her rouge. He picked up the soapy handkerchief and carefully wiped away the two hideously ugly, caterpillar-like eyebrows, growing angrier the more he looked at them.
Without even turning his head, he said coldly: "Your Highness, there is no need to apologize. I will ask my aunt to clean up the west wing tonight and I will move there!" This will prevent him from waking up in the middle of the night and seeing Zhang Jinwei's face. He would get angrier and angrier, and he might even end up murdering this man.
How could the princess be allowed to move to the west wing?
Zhang Jin, feeling guilty, took the initiative to say that he would sleep in the west wing. The princess did not respond, only gave him a faint back view. He smiled bitterly and went out, asking the maids to help him clean up the west wing, although it was just a pretense to appease his angry wife.
When the maids heard his words, they all had complicated expressions. Because they had just been punished, they didn't dare to say anything. With a lot of doubts in their hearts, they obediently went to clean up the west wing.
Zhang Jinwei stood in the yard with his hands behind his back and sighed deeply. Now he would remember this lesson - the little liar must not make any noise when drawing eyebrows and eyes, which is like stepping on a cat's tail!
After all this commotion, the two hurried along and finally arrived at the palace banquet on time. From the moment he got off the sedan chair to the moment he sat down in the Baohe Hall, Zhou Xian didn't glance at anyone around him. It wasn't until a member of the royal family looked at him and Zhang Jinwei curiously that he revealed his charming smile and spoke softly to Zhang Jinwei.
Zhou Xian said, "Don't keep staring at me, my dear husband!"
Zhang Jinwei smiled: "Then where should I look? There are so many relatives in the room, it's not good to look around. I think I can only look at the princess a few more times."
Zhou Xian: ...
He inexplicably missed the nerd when they first met. This nerd had become more and more slick-tongued since he didn't know when, which made it increasingly difficult for him to deal with him recently. He was always worried that he would be exposed.
Zhou Xian gnashed his teeth, wondering why he had to be so talkative. He wasn't a slow talker; he was even overly articulate. It was inevitable that he'd reveal himself in front of outsiders, so he had no choice but to restrain his nature.
The poor guy didn't realize that he was an "outsider". After playing with the cat, he was in a good mood and glanced across the hall indifferently.
Concubines, princes, princesses, and clan members were all seated, but the throne at the top was still empty; His Majesty and the Empress had not yet arrived. Zhang Jinwei quietly withdrew his gaze, then glanced back to see a lone figure, his sleeves fluttering, walking into the room.
——The Sixth Prince, Zhou Heng.
The handsome Taoist stopped for a moment, as if he was looking for someone, then he whispered something in the eunuch's ear. After hearing what he said, the eunuch actually led the person straight towards him and the princess!
Zhang Jinwei frowned, wondering what the missing Sixth Prince was up to.
"Sixth brother?" Zhou Xian, who was standing by, stood up upon seeing the Taoist priest. A faint blush appeared on his pale face, and his round eyes widened slightly. He said with great joy, "You're back in the capital?"
Sixth brother?
Zhang Jinwei stood there in a daze. He had walked with the princess all the way, and all he heard was her calling him "Royal Brother" and "Royal Sister"...
Sixth Brother! What a nickname.
Zhang Jinwei suddenly felt uncomfortable. He laughed at himself and wondered why he was jealous of the princess's brother.
Zhou Xian, standing by, was completely unaware. Ever since Zhou Heng came of age, he had devoted himself to Taoism, traveling extensively despite Emperor Yongchang's objections. Zhou Xian had rarely seen him in recent years. But the memory of their childhood never faded. He still remembered Zhou Heng's kindness to him, and he would always be close to anyone who treated him well. He had always been that way.
The Taoist priest walked quickly to Zhou Shan and said with a smile, "I haven't been back to the capital for almost two years. If I don't come back soon, my father will be unhappy again. Sister Shan, I just heard that you got married. How is your husband treating you well?"
After saying this, the Taoist looked at Zhang Jinwei with a surprised expression: "Is this my brother-in-law?"
Zhou Xian nodded. He glanced at Zhang Jinwei with a complicated expression and said, "Yes... Sixth brother, don't worry. I'm doing well."
"Your humble servant respectfully wishes the Sixth Prince good health." Zhang Jinwei stood up and saluted calmly. "It has been a month since I married the princess, and I didn't realize that the Sixth Prince and the princess have such a good relationship. In this case, I hope the Sixth Prince will bear with me in the future. Rest assured, Sixth Prince, I will not let the princess down."
Zhou Xian inexplicably felt that this person was being sarcastic.
The look he gave Zhang Jinwei became increasingly complicated, and he was a little unable to understand what this man was thinking.
The Sixth Prince, Zhou Heng, also smiled and returned the greeting: "I have long heard of the great name of Zhang Huaiyu of Gusu. Your sister is also a scholar of poetry. It would be a good match for you two to become husband and wife."
Zhou Xian almost held his forehead with his hands.
I didn't expect Zhou Heng to be such a bad guy. He sold me out in just a few words! Well, it will be even more troublesome to deal with Zhang Jinwei from now on!
Zhang Jinwei just smiled when he heard this, thinking to himself, "Sister, sister ...
So the three of them sat side by side in this delicate manner. Zhou Xian was sandwiched in the middle, with no one to turn to. He had no choice but to lower his head, fiddling with the silver chopsticks with his fingers from time to time, wondering why the meal hadn't started yet?
He could relax as soon as the banquet began, and concentrate on watching the princes compete with each other. Every year at the palace banquet, they would compete with each other, trying their best to please the Yongchang Emperor, even their mothers, offering rare treasures and beauties, just to make the Yongchang Emperor smile.
Only when Emperor Yongchang smiled did he praise his son. With the praise, it seemed that he was not far from the position of crown prince.
This year's palace banquet is sure to be very spectacular.
Zhou Xian raised her eyes and glanced at Zhou Cong, who sat in front of her. In just two weeks, this Prince Yu had lost a considerable amount of weight. His once fierce features had become even more pointed, and his slanted eyes, weary yet eerily gleaming, clung to the throne. He stared repeatedly at it, obsessed and panicked, his entire demeanor bordering on madness.
According to Wang Xiang's inquiries, since the day the Jiangzhe silk scandal was exposed, Emperor Yongchang had banned all discussion of the matter, and the court had fallen into a state of silence. However, the old man refused to see Prince Yu or Concubine Shen. He kept his young son on edge, tormenting Zhou Cong's resolve while simultaneously offering him a glimmer of hope. A mere dozen days felt, to Zhou Cong, like a decade.
Zhou Xian sneered in his heart.
It’s not enough. For such a stupid and evil waste, the torture and punishment Zhou Cong suffered is far from enough.
——He will never forget that when he was seven years old, seventeen-year-old Zhou Cong wanted to examine his body, but he refused and was pushed into the pool and almost died.
Click.
The silver chopsticks fell from the chopstick rest. Zhou Xian came back to her senses and vaguely heard Zhang Jinwei calling softly, "Princess...Princess?"
Zhou Xian only then realized that his hands and feet were cold. He tilted his head and forced a smile: "I was just dazed. There's no need to worry, Prince Consort."
"Princess, if you're feeling unwell, please tell me," Zhang Jinwei whispered. The woman, who had been fine a moment ago, suddenly turned pale, startling him. Almost instantly, he remembered the sickly girl from two weeks ago. He looked in the direction his wife had been "dazed" and suddenly saw the vacant Prince Yu. His usually bright and clear eyes darkened.
"I..." Zhou Xian was about to say something else when suddenly footsteps were heard outside the hall, and the entire Baohe Hall fell into absolute silence.
A eunuch shouted at the top of his voice: "The Emperor has arrived——"
Everyone left their seats, bowed, and said, "Long live the emperor."
Emperor Yongchang was over fifty, well into his prime. He was a tall, thin man, his dignified face wrinkled and scarred by time, yet a glimpse of his youthful handsomeness remained. Wrapped in a dragon robe, he took a square step, supported by Empress Guo, and sat down on the throne with a solemn expression.
"No need for formalities." Emperor Yongchang said.
"No need to be so polite—" the eunuch shouted again, his sharp voice echoing in the huge Baohe Hall.
Zhou Xian returned to his seat. It was cold, so the eunuchs and palace maids in the inner court had put cushions on the stools. He had just been kneeling for a long time, and his legs were numb when he sat down.
"Let's eat first to fill our stomachs. I'm old and can't bear drinking on an empty stomach." Emperor Yongchang smiled. He was usually very serious. Perhaps only in private occasions like family banquets could he show the loving look of a father and brother.
Even though he is the king and father of Daning.
Zhou Shan disliked attending palace banquets. First, he didn't want to see the supreme emperor, and second, he didn't want to see these annoying clan members. If it weren't for the fact that he had to feign illness every year, he really wouldn't want to come. Of course, palace banquets weren't without their benefits. For example, the silk nest and tiger eye candy, the assorted seafood stew, the ice duck... all rare imperial delicacies. The accompanying wine was Taixi Bai, the century-old product of the Imperial Winery, and it also included some rare winter fruits. In short, it was best not to come. But if he did, as long as he didn't cause trouble for Zhou Shan, it wouldn't be a wasted trip.
Because the emperor was a Confucianist, the clan members were required to keep silent while eating. When Emperor Yongchang put down his golden chopsticks and lifted up the wine jug, the silent hall began to resound with laughter and joy, as everyone toasted to the new year.
After three rounds of drinks, the princes and concubines could no longer contain their thoughts. A gorgeous and elegant woman at the head of the table rose gracefully. Fine lines appeared at the corners of her eyes. Her every frown and smile was full of charm, but her face was exceptionally pale. It was Prince Yu's biological mother—Noble Consort Shen, whose maiden name was Chu Xi.
Concubine Shen held the wine jar and smiled cautiously, "Today marks the transition from the old year to the new year. Your Majesty has been toiling for state affairs all year. I, moved by the peace and prosperity of the country, have specially asked the Music Bureau to prepare some novel acrobatics. Your Majesty, I will now..."
"No hurry," Emperor Yongchang interrupted her calmly. The old man's expression remained unchanged, but the smile on his lips faded a little.
Concubine Shen was stunned and smiled apologetically, "It was I who was rude! I will tell them to slow down right away!"
The hall fell into silence.
The well-informed relatives knew that Emperor Yongchang was dissatisfied; those who were not interested in worldly affairs also knew that the atmosphere was not right, so they all put down their chopsticks.
Emperor Yongchang closed his eyes, then opened them again. Suddenly, he changed the subject and asked, "Has Heng'er returned to the capital this year?"
"Your Majesty, I am here." Zhou Heng, dressed as a Taoist priest, hurried over and knelt on the ground.
Everyone's eyes were on him, especially the princes, each of them had a gloomy look in their eyes.
Emperor Yongchang glanced at Zhou Heng from afar for several times, slammed his hand on the table, and scolded him with a smile, "You stinky boy, you're the happiest person alive! You don't want fiefdoms or a wife, you're just wandering around the world. Humph, one day you'll forget you have an emperor as your father!"
"I know I'm wrong." Zhou Heng also smiled and said respectfully, "I won't leave now that I'm back. After all, I'm your father's son, and I have to shoulder my responsibilities. How can I be so self-satisfied if I just indulge in my own happiness?"
This made Emperor Yongchang laugh. The old man waved his hand and said, "Heng'er, come here and let me take a look."
He paused, his sharp gaze shifting to rest on Zhou Shan. The old man suddenly softened, a smile on his face as he added, "Shan'er, come here too."
Zhou Xian put down his chopsticks and looked at his elderly father for a moment.
He lived for eighteen years and was summoned by Emperor Yongchang for the first time.
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