Chapter 114 The Feast at Hongmen [Bonus Chapter]
As soon as Guan Zhiwei left the palace, she heard that someone had discovered a stone in the Kunlun Mountains.
The inscription on the stone reads: "A woman descended from heaven, bringing abundant harvests."
She scoffed, "It's obviously Gao Huan's doing."
But people outside couldn't help but believe this nonsense.
Even if you're just squatting by the roadside eating noodles, you can hear the lively discussions among the people, which shows how widespread the conversation is.
—Only when an empress emerges can there be bountiful harvests year after year.
This is the decree of the goddess Nuwa; it is the divine stone she left behind after mending the sky that is warning all living beings.
—And what woman could be as good as Grand Tutor Guan?
"Is Grand Tutor Guan really that good?" Guan Zhiwei asked loudly, holding her bowl and moving closer to the table next to her, hoping to hear others praise her.
"I don't know either," the person on the other end said.
"I knew there wouldn't be any fighting before spring planting this year. As long as the weather is good, we won't go hungry this winter."
Guan Zhiwei said, "Maybe we won't have to go hungry anymore."
The man waved his hand: "I wouldn't dare to dream of such a good thing."
The city seems to have come alive.
Many people who had retired from military service settled down here, married, and had children.
With a large population, business is easier. Some farm, some forge iron, and even vendors selling silk flowers roam the streets. It's a lively and bustling scene.
Small stalls have sprung up in every corner of the streets and alleys, selling noodles, wontons, and spicy soup. The mixed aromas are irresistible, and the steaming white mist makes people feel warm just looking at them.
The thick soup contains wood ear mushrooms, persimmons, tofu, and eggs, all shredded. A handful of pepper and plenty of vinegar are added, and after stirring it all together, it's served in a bowl. It's delicious and filling, with a sour, spicy, and numbing flavor that soothes the soul and makes you sweat all over.
It's just a bit expensive.
Fortunately, Guan Zhiwei is doing well and has plenty of money now.
After eating her fill, she returned to her residence and saw a young eunuch dressed in palace attire waiting for her.
Gao Huan immediately explained what had happened: "Grand Tutor, the Empress invited you to a banquet in the palace. She said that Lady You wrote a letter to her crying, saying that Jiang Shuzheng had been kidnapped by Zhi Fang. Could you please ask her to bring him back?"
"Well, I'll go to the palace about this."
"Aren't you going to change your clothes?"
Guan Zhiwei looked at her coarse cloth clothes and said, "It's fine, I won't change it, it's not dirty."
"I have summoned the Zhai brothers to bring troops to accompany you into the palace. Please wait a moment." Gao Huan helped her straighten her clothes and smooth out the wrinkles.
The young eunuch interjected, "This servant is being presumptuous. Today is a women's banquet; it is probably inappropriate to bring men along."
Gao Huan gave him a cold, sidelong glance. The little eunuch was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and lowered his head, not daring to utter a sound.
Guan Zhiwei waved her hand dismissively: "Then don't bring anyone, I'll go by myself." With that, she strode out.
The young eunuch quickly followed.
Gao Huan swallowed all his words, and could only helplessly watch the person's back before turning around to do his own thing.
Empress Jiang held a banquet in the Imperial Garden. The place was spacious, and jars of fine wine were laid out, their intoxicating aroma wafting out.
Despite being dressed in a glamorous outfit, she insisted on personally pouring wine for Guan Zhiwei.
Guan Zhiwei thought she wanted to bring Jiang Shuzheng back, so she said, "He's in Zhifang, you'll have to wait a while."
If there's no fighting in the spring, we need to come up with an extra idea: kill off the enemy's guards, and then the people will come back.
Empress Jiang smiled and said, "It's really too much trouble for Grand Tutor Guan. My son has been pampered since childhood and is the apple of the eye of the elders in the family. If anything were to happen to him, it would be heartbreaking. I would like to offer you a toast to thank you for your help."
The wine glasses are wide and tall, and as you pour wine into them, you get a subtle sweetness that makes you feel intoxicated without even realizing it.
Guan Zhiwei's gaze swept over Empress Jiang. She had her head bowed and looked demure. Her neck was very slender, but she wore heavy necklaces, which looked quite gorgeous, but also very heavy.
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-one."
That pretty face, as delicate as a hibiscus flower, was covered with thick makeup and blush. Her hair was like clouds, adorned with many pearl hairpins and ornaments. She wore the empress's crown and a robe with a hundred birds paying homage to the phoenix, and even her belt was inlaid with jade beads.
Such formal attire is no less than that for a coronation ceremony.
"At twenty-one, she's mature enough and has even received an education," Guan Zhiwei thought, figuring she should be able to do something.
Releasing the emperor but detaining the empress seems a bit unreasonable.
Why don't we keep the emperor here and let him do some work? He's not a very good emperor, but he has excellent calligraphy skills; he writes very beautifully.
When husband and wife are of one mind, they are nothing but oxen and horses.
"Let me pour you some wine, have another drink," she earnestly urged.
Even the royal family doesn't have any colorless and odorless poisons. Even a little vinegar poured into wine will change its taste, and you can smell it without even putting it in your mouth.
So the only thing she could do was keep urging people to drink until they were drunk.
Guan Zhiwei sipped her wine as if it were water. The alcohol content of ancient wine was really low, and the brewing technology was not up to par. She would improve her brewing techniques when rice and grain were plentiful.
"I'm not drinking anymore."
"Is it because it doesn't taste good?" Empress Jiang asked nervously for a moment.
Guan Zhiwei felt uncomfortable from drinking too much and having her stomach full. She had already eaten before entering the palace, so she waved her hand and said, "I can't hold my liquor. I've had a bit too much to drink, and I'm feeling dizzy. I must take my leave of the Empress."
Empress Jiang clenched her fists and personally helped her up, saying, "I will see the Grand Tutor out."
A palace maid supported the other side.
Guan Zhiwei pretended to be drunk, took a few steps, and suddenly felt a murderous intent.
She looked at the palace maid beside her with some confusion. The maid was very slow. She drew her dagger and thrust it out, but before it reached her chest, it was grabbed.
"You want to kill me?"
"I..." The palace maid's hands trembled with fear. She tried to snatch the dagger back, but she couldn't budge it no matter how hard she tried.
Taking advantage of her attention being focused on the side, Empress Jiang immediately pulled out a dagger from under her sleeve and stabbed her forcefully.
Guan Zhiwei didn't even turn her head before kicking him away.
Empress Jiang fell heavily to the ground, her crown falling off. Many people tried to help her up, but she cried out in despair, "Kill her! Don't worry about me!"
The eunuchs and palace maids all around drew their daggers and rushed forward.
Guan Zhiwei casually picked up a nearby table and swung it, sending everyone flying.
Throughout the entire ordeal, she never drew the knife from her waist.
Empress Jiang looked desperate, but she still picked up the dagger on the ground and rushed towards her once again.
This is a suicidal act for everyone involved.
Guan Zhiwei easily snatched the knife from her hand.
"Many people have invited me to banquets so far, but no one has ever dared to ambush me at a banquet. I never expected that it would be the Empress who invited me to a treacherous banquet."
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