席间首辅夫人捏紧银箸，翡翠镯子磕在玛瑙碗上叮当作响：“诸位有所不知。“她强笑道：“珍馐阁东家正是江二公子，自家妹妹及笄，自然倾力而为。“
“可江玉窈去年及笄时？“说话人突然噤声，瞥向主位那个深蓝广袖的身影。江颂宜正接过太子递来的及笄酒，腕间白玉镯与对方指上墨玉扳指相映，在日色下泛着温润的光。
……
Celadon plates and cups were scattered across the long carved table. Jiang Yuyao paused, her chopsticks in her hand. The ladies sitting next to her could be heard whispering, "Is the lotus minced meat at the Treasure Pavilion truly as good as its reputation?" "I heard the Second Young Master specially hired twelve chefs?"
The gilded candlestick cast a shadow in her eyes. Last year, when she came of age, she had knelt before her grandmother and begged for half a day, only to receive a simple "Did the chef in the Marquis' Mansion not give you enough food?" But now, Jiang Songyi's feast had all eight chefs from the Delicacy Pavilion in attendance.
"Oh no!" Yu Chuwei suddenly exclaimed, covering her mouth. "Look at my memory. I forgot that Miss Jiang is now the daughter of the Chansi Marquis's mansion." Her fingertips lightly tapped the lotus-patterned teacup on the table. "This tea set is exactly the same as the gift that the Chansi Marquis' mansion gave to the Censorate last month."
Suppressed laughter echoed throughout the banquet. Jiang Yuyao's jade bracelet clashed against the rim of a celadon bowl, startling her maidservant and causing her to step back. She remembered her brother's stern expression that day, standing beneath the vermilion plaque in the Treasure Pavilion, as he declared, "Once the rules are established, they must be adhered to."
A sudden commotion erupted at the head table. Jiang Songyi was adding food to the prince's bowl with silver chopsticks, the agate-red Dongpo pork piled up into a trembling mountain. Xin Yidao looked at the glistening meat before her, her Adam's apple twitching slightly—the medicinal food delivered daily from the East Palace kitchen was so bitter that it numbed her tongue.
"Miss Chuchu?" He was about to speak when the Marquis of Yongding thrust his ivory chopsticks in. Jiang Dinglian calmly took the most delicious piece and said, "Your Highness's body is precious. I'll let this old minister handle such greasy things for you."
Xinyi's chopsticks, suspended in mid-air, trembled. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the eldest princess covering her lips with a handkerchief, her shoulders shaking, causing her golden step-shake to sway unsteadily. Jiang Songyi's cheeks flushed with anger. Just as she was about to speak, she heard a sudden "crack"—Jiang Baichuan broke the chopsticks with his force.
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