Pouring tea
The vast city of Mujing is never short of topics for gossip. Lin Xu was already used to such sarcasm in her previous life, and even those sharp glares could not hurt her in the slightest.
A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of flowers, yet she stood quietly and elegantly between the waterside pavilions. Her sleeves fluttered lightly, like a lone bamboo stalk amidst the spring blossoms, a solitary, verdant scene.
Meanwhile, by the pond, wine cups were clinking and the lights were shimmering.
Lin Xu fixed his gaze on each of the women, all of whom were radiantly made up. Each of them possessed a beauty that rivaled even the most radiant spring.
Among the most eye-catching flowers in the bouquet, one was the fourth daughter of Prince Gong, who was wearing a bright yellow and vermilion double-colored cloud patterned jacket, so gorgeous that it was almost ostentatious; the other was the Crown Princess Miao Yiyun, who sat in the center. Her eyebrows were decorated with pearls and kingfisher feathers, her phoenix eyes were slightly curved, and her smile was sharp yet gentle, truly a woman of great grace.
Not far from the two of them were several familiar faces she recognized from the past.
A woman dressed in a light blue palace gown, with an apricot-colored soft belt around her waist, had skin as white as snow, and a touch of vermilion between her brows, making her face appear as gentle and serene as a wisp of spring smoke. The woman's smile was dignified, and every gesture exuded nobility. She was Yao Suran, who had recently married the Fifth Prince and was now the Princess Consort of Zhenshan.
On the other side stood Dou Zhen, dressed in a moon-white gown, and Song Xiyan, in a pomegranate-red pleated skirt, her smile as radiant as a peony. Both were now concubines of Prince Gong, their daily struggles within the Prince's residence a constant battle of wits, even when attending banquets at the palace. Lin Xu glanced at them briefly but noticed the weariness in Dou Zhen's eyes, a weariness she couldn't conceal.
Seeing these familiar faces after so long, she couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Lin Xu suppressed the regret in her eyes, smiled, and gracefully sat down.
Liao Yan had been waiting at the banquet for a long time. As a princess, she sat on the other side of the table, with several empty seats next to her, presumably reserved for the eldest princess. When she saw Lin Xu arrive, she waved her hand and said with a smile, "You are beautiful even without makeup, so why have kept me waiting for so long?"
“...It’s Mianxue.” Lin Xu said softly in Liao Yan’s ear as he sat down. “The little girl didn’t want me to go out. She cried and made a fuss when she left, which almost prevented me from coming.”
The group chatted idly for a while, occasionally served delicate tea and snacks by graceful palace maids. With babbling brooks all around and the warm spring sunshine, even drinking tea and talking was a pleasant experience.
A moment later, a high-pitched, shrill voice rang out, "The Emperor has arrived—The Empress has arrived—His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived—"
For a moment, all was silent. The people who had been laughing and chatting just moments before all rose respectfully, whether it was the elegantly dressed women here or the ranks of officials not far away, everyone bowed their heads and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"
Lin Xu followed the others in bowing, and through the lush floral scenery, he slightly raised his eyes to look at the most distinguished people in the Great Yu Kingdom.
Emperor Su, over fifty years old and thin, possessed a dignified and imposing presence. Dressed in black robes and wearing a golden crown, he exuded authority without raising his voice. Beside him, the Empress was as elegant and dignified as ever, a gentle and composed smile playing on her lips. Not far away, the Crown Prince, dressed in brocade robes, walked with his hands behind his back, his handsome face as striking as ever.
The group quickly took their seats, and the banquet officially began. The princess and her husband had also arrived sometime earlier, but instead of taking their seats, they stood together at the bridgehead not far away, exchanging pleasantries with several officials.
Liao Yan glanced up discreetly and whispered to Lin Xu, "The tall, thin one among them is Prime Minister Zhao."
Lin Xu had never met Zhao Xiang before. Although he and his father were both civil officials, his father had been a protégé of Xun Xiang, and the two had never had a close relationship. However, Lin Xu never expected that Zhao Xiang, who had been able to wield considerable influence in the court for so long and who had caused a stalemate between a group of civil officials and the powerful and meritorious Prince Mao's faction, was actually so inconspicuous.
As if knowing what she was thinking, Liao Yan smiled slightly.
.
The water clock had reached its second watch, and incense smoke filled the Zhaohua Pavilion. The crimson gauze curtain was half-rolled up, and the reflection of the water rippled. As this was the Wenhua Banquet, a special section was set up for scholars to recommend talents. Amidst the clinking of cups and the exchange of toasts, Fu Sheng, dressed in the robes of a Hanlin scholar, walked up. It had been a long time since we had seen him, and this former gentleman now looked somewhat aged, with a few more gray hairs at his temples.
He bowed respectfully to the person at the head of the table, then looked up at the guests. He slowly swept his gaze across the crowd, his expression calm, and said:
"Today, the Emperor uses literature to cultivate virtue and holds a banquet to bestow gifts upon scholars. With the Spring Examination approaching, the Wenhua Banquet will, as is customary, set out a topic for essay writing. Many of you present here today are former students of Zhiqiong Hall, and are my former disciples under the tutelage of Fu Sheng. I, Fu Sheng, am not talented, but I would like to offer you another topic as a separate chapter."
Besides the civil and military officials and noblewomen present, many dignitaries were also former members of the Zhiqiong Hall, and thus felt a deep sense of nostalgia. Even the Crown Prince, seated at the head of the table, Duan Jinru, a military officer in the distance, and the Fifth Prince, the Prince of Zhenshan, whose face was already flushed from drinking, all looked over. People respectfully responded to the invitation.
Fu Sheng then lifted the silk cover of the gold box containing inscription slips presented by the servant beside him. Inside the box were dozens of strips of gold-edged silk paper with inscriptions in light ink and neat handwriting.
"Draw a topic and compose a poem to express your aspirations."
Before Fu Sheng could finish speaking, Lin Xu's gaze swept around. He saw that Miao Yiyun's faint smile had deepened, and she exchanged a glance with Wei Tingya beside her, and the two smiled at each other.
Miao Yiyun looked up at Lin Xu across the crowd, only to find that Lin Xu was also looking at her. She momentarily concealed her surprise, her eyes filled with smug provocation.
She had long harbored a deep-seated resentment towards Lin Xu.
Last time, when Lin Xu requested an audience with the Crown Prince late at night, she secretly kept the letter. She never expected that the Crown Prince would still find out. Even more unexpectedly, when the situation was so critical, the Crown Prince still risked his life to plead with the Emperor for her sake!
She thought the Crown Prince's feelings for Lin Xu were merely out of consideration for their past friendship, but she never expected that these feelings would be so deep that they would make the Crown Prince, who had always been greedy for power, take such a risk!
Lin Xu… this person must naturally be eliminated. She had painstakingly obtained her position as Crown Princess through scheming and hard work; she couldn't tolerate this vile woman destroying everything she had achieved!
Ever since she learned about this banquet, she had been secretly plotting it, and now with Wei Tingya's help, she was certain that she would make that bitch pay a terrible price today!
Thinking of this, Miao Yiyun looked at Lin Xu through the crowd with an undisguised ruthlessness in her eyes.
Lin Xu, however, seemed oblivious and quickly looked away.
What caught her attention was a young man sitting silently among the princes and princesses, staring blankly at the rising smoke from the incense burner.
Lin Xu was slightly taken aback.
Although the Ninth Prince had grown taller and transformed into an exceptionally handsome young man, the composure and calmness he exuded now made him appear quite different from before. Even sitting down, the young man was now half an inch taller than the stocky Fifth Prince, with his brow bones just beginning to form, clear eyeliner, and an indescribable air of imperial nobility.
Although he sat silently, he no longer resembled the anxious young boy he once was.
As if noticing her gaze, the Ninth Prince raised his eyes and looked at her through the swirling smoke of incense. Their eyes met, and he nodded almost imperceptibly.
He then looked away and returned his gaze to the plate of incense ash.
Lin Xu remained silent, simply sipping her tea. Composing poetry had never been her hobby, and now that so many talented people were gathered around, it was certainly not the time for her to show off. Sure enough, within moments, several officials, the Crown Prince, Dou Zhen, and others recited poems, each one quite remarkable.
Emperor Su was also delighted to see this. He glanced at Liao Qianxiao, who was sitting next to the eldest princess, and clapped his hands, saying, "It is a great joy that our Great Yu has produced so many talented people." After speaking, he raised his hand and instructed the eunuchs to reward each of them with one hundred taels of gold and bestow upon them a set of writing implements.
Dou Zhen was already exceptionally talented, and now that she had received a reward, even though she had previously been uninterested, she couldn't help but smile with joy. Song Xiyan, however, rolled her eyes and deliberately turned her face away, refusing to look at Dou Zhen again.
Seeing Emperor Su's enthusiasm, everyone naturally joined in.
Besides the lively poetry recitations, people soon began to enjoy flower viewing, tea tasting, and pitch-pot games, creating a bustling and vibrant atmosphere filled with elegant attire and graceful figures.
Lin Xu simply sat there silently, sipping his tea.
It was rare to find so many young military officers present today. There were also some men, led by the King of Zhenshan, who had always been unconvinced by Liao Yan's reputation as a polymath. They found poetry and prose quite boring. After sitting there for a while, they could no longer contain themselves and suggested that they have a horse race against the backdrop of such beautiful scenery.
Emperor Su had always been fond of martial arts. Despite holding the Golden Phoenix throne for many years, he was always quite interested in hunting, so he naturally agreed.
Liao Yan, with his proud spirit, accepted the invitation to ride with his head held high even though he wasn't dressed in riding gear. Although the palace wasn't a designated hunting ground, the area was spacious, with lush grass and birdsong, allowing the horses to run with extra joy, creating a unique and pleasant atmosphere.
So one side of the palace was filled with the elegant custom of floating wine cups on a winding stream, while on the other side, horses galloped, kicking up waves of grass, and the people cheered and applauded.
Lin Xu sat quietly under the shade of a tree, savoring her tea. She quickly finished the cup. Just as she was about to call a palace maid from nearby to refill her tea, a rich, delicate fragrance wafted past her ear, and she sat down leisurely beside her.
"Since Lady Zhao'en wants to drink tea, how can I sit idly by and be the bad guy who doesn't help others achieve their goals?"
The soft female voice carried an undeniable certainty. Before Lin Xu could speak, Wei Tingya clapped her hands lightly, and then a beautiful maidservant beside her stepped forward to pour Lin Xu a full cup of hot tea.
Lin Xu chuckled and looked up at the famous Fourth Miss of Prince Gong, who was now sitting beside her and treating her with exceptional kindness.
He was a man who hid a knife behind his smile; his intentions were not good.
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