Hongmen Banquet
The lights were as bright as day. Fu Qinxiang sat at the head of the table. Soon after Zhao Peiming took his seat, she revealed her true intentions and instructed a maid to serve wine, saying, "Tomorrow, the general will be heading to Banhuatun Garrison. He has worked hard and made great contributions. Today's farewell banquet must be enjoyed to the fullest."
The guests knew this was a trap set by Zhao Peiming. They exchanged glances, but were powerless to do anything, only feeling a sense of regret. After all, it was a dying nation, its own situation precarious; how could it care about others? In chaotic times, survival was the only option.
The maid, dressed in fine silk and satin, with long, flowing eyebrows and eyes full of spring water, entered the hall with the sound of bells. She held a golden goblet in her hand and presented it to Zhao Peiming, saying softly, "This humble servant, Zhuoyu, presents a goblet of fine wine. Please, General, drink this cup to the brim!"
Fu Qinxiang looked up and glanced around at the guests, who then began to urge her to drink.
Zhao Peiming sneered, raised his glass and drank it all in front of everyone, wiped the remaining wine from the corner of his mouth and raised an eyebrow at Fu Qinxiang, saying, "Thank you for your kindness, Imperial Preceptor."
At this moment, Zhao Peiming felt as if a ball of fire was burning in his throat, and his face gradually turned red. He clenched his fist and thought to himself, "Fu Qinxiang has copied this overused scheme that has been used for thousands of years. She will stop at nothing to find a handle on me. Fu Qinxiang has just sent away my guards and put me in a helpless situation. Right now, I should endure the effects of the drug and stay away from this maid."
Jiang Heng noticed Zhao Peiming's unusual behavior and, before he could react, another maid approached him with a tray. He slightly extended his foot, and the maid, already anxious and under Fu Qinxiang's watchful eye, became extremely nervous. She stumbled and fell onto the carpet beside Jiang Heng, spilling all the warm wine in the tray. Fu Qinxiang frowned upon seeing this and said, "How could you be so careless? Quickly, prepare another cup of wine for Supervisor Jiang!"
Jiang Heng smiled and gestured for the guards to help the maid up, saying gently, "It's alright. It's late at night, and you must have been too tired to notice. Please rest well first."
The maid suddenly looked at Jiang Heng for help, tears streaming down her face, her whole body trembling, unable to get up. Seeing that the maid was not moving, Fu Qinxiang gestured to the guards to forcibly drag her away.
Seeing that something was wrong, Jiang Heng raised his hand and said, "Wait! The Jade Dew wine that this young lady just offered has an unusual aroma. It doesn't seem to be brewed in the palace, but rather like a privately brewed wine."
Xu Liaoxiang interrupted, "Jiang Tiju has only been in court for a few days, yet he knows the difference between official and private brews? Besides, there are many kinds of Jade Dew. Even if I were given it to him, I might not be able to tell them apart!" After saying that, he frowned and shook his head slightly at Jiang Heng, trying to stop him.
Jiang Heng laughed and said, "What if I told you that this wine is poisoned?!"
These words shocked everyone present. Xu Liaoxiang nearly fainted and could only sigh, clutching her forehead. Zhao Peiming, the effects of the drug taking hold, became somewhat dazed. Hearing a familiar voice pierce his eardrums, a glimmer of hope suddenly appeared, yet he couldn't help but abruptly lower his head. The maid, already weak and powerless, was terrified upon hearing this and shook her head repeatedly, struggling to kneel.
Fu Qinxiang had intended to focus on exposing Zhao Peiming's innocence tonight—she believed that with Liu Zhiluo as a hostage, Jiang Heng wouldn't dare to act rashly in front of her. However, she hadn't expected Jiang Heng to be so reckless. This, in turn, ruined her good plan.
Fu Qinxiang said loudly, "Jiang Tiju, don't make a fuss. This wine is imperial gold wine, how could it be poisonous? I think it's just that Jiang Tiju is drunk and suspicious." She stood up and smiled apologetically at everyone, "My apologies, please continue."
"How can that be?" Jiang Heng's eyes were fixed on Fu Qinxiang, and the wine glasses raised by the guests froze in mid-air. "This young lady is the Grand Preceptor's confidante, isn't she? This wine is indeed a royal gift, but the person serving it is not. If this person serving the wine has ulterior motives, wouldn't that damage the Grand Preceptor's reputation?"
Seeing Jiang Heng's composure, and then glancing at the maid—her trusted confidante being held by guards, her makeup ruined by tears, her lips bleeding from being bitten, her eyes darting around—Fu Qinxiang's heart sank. Could this maid have truly poisoned the wine? But that would do her no good. Or perhaps she should defect to someone else? She doubted the maid would dare. Since failing to offer the wine meant certain death, if she deliberately sought suicide, so be it. Fu Qinxiang said sternly, "Take her away and investigate thoroughly!"
"Should we investigate our own people?" Zhao Peiming suddenly spoke up, intending to help Jiang Heng. His breathing became heavier and heavier. Fu Qinxiang, seeing the joy of impending success, continued, "Since Jiang Tiju has questions first, why don't we let him investigate?" At this moment, she just wanted to get rid of Jiang Heng as soon as possible, so as not to delay her from continuing her plan.
"I will take my leave now. Please enjoy your meal." Jiang Heng stepped down as he pleased, and with a maid pointing at him, he went to the kitchen to inspect the wine. When they arrived at the front of the house, Jiang Heng stopped the guards and went in with the maid.
"I'm sorry you were frightened, young lady. I know you're innocent. You should escape this tiger's clutches as soon as possible and pursue a bright future. If you have nowhere to go, you can come to Jiang Heng's thatched cottage for refuge," Jiang Heng comforted her gently.
The maid, regaining her composure from her initial shock, removed the jade bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Jiang Heng, saying with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for saving me, young master... I will repay your kindness in my next life... In the west wing, there's a jade bracelet... Her wine is poisoned, save her as soon as possible..." Before she could finish speaking, blood seeped from the corner of her mouth, and she died suddenly.
Jiang Heng was shocked. The maid's poisoning must be related to Fu Qinxiang. She was probably poisoned before the wine was served, and the antidote was only available after the deed was done. But the maid's expression just now clearly showed that she was begging him to save her. But if the order was not followed, it should have been a dead end. Could it be... just so that he could save Zhao Peiming?
Jiang Heng closed the maid's eyes to rest, put away the bracelet, got up and opened the door. He took out two silver ingots from his sleeve and said to the two guards, "The wine was indeed not poisoned, but the maid has been poisoned. They were all working for the Grand Preceptor; you should know the reason. Give her a proper burial, and the rest will be yours to enjoy with wine." After saying this, Jiang Heng gave them the silver and left. The two guards, realizing that Jiang Heng was a sensible man, carried the maid out.
Seeing the guards walk away, Jiang Heng hurriedly ran towards Zhao Chen's residence. Running at night felt like he was back on the night he sought the medicine. He didn't have time to reminisce. Just as he was about to arrive, he was stopped by the guards on both sides.
"Saving lives is the priority!" Jiang Heng took out Zhao Chenci's summons token from his pocket. The two guards nodded and followed Jiang Heng out of the mansion.
At this moment, Zhao Peiming's consciousness became even more blurred, and he was about to fall when Zhuoyu caught him with a smile. Fu Qinxiang and Zhuoyu exchanged a glance, and Fu Qinxiang said, "General Zhao is drunk, Zhuoyu, quickly help the general sober up and change his clothes."
Zhuoyu understood and softly coaxed Zhao Peiming to get up and follow her. This maid also carried Fu Qinxiang's hallucinogenic fragrance, but it was too pungent, causing Zhao Peiming to frown and look away. The two staggered towards the west wing. Zhao Peiming was tall and strong, and it took Zhuoyu a quarter of an hour to finally drag him to the corridor of the wing.
The corridor was covered with fragrant vines, which looked even more alluring under the moonlight. The cold wind rustled them like the hiss of a venomous snake.
Jiang Heng was still running. The journey from the kitchen to Zhao Chen's residence had already exhausted him. At this moment, he felt a burning sensation in his throat, along with a slightly sweet and metallic taste. Under Jiang Heng's instructions, the two guards arrived at the side courtyard first, jumped over the wall, and intercepted Zhuo Yu.
"Oh, are you two coming along too?" Zhuoyu said, quite displeased, as she was restrained by one of them.
"General Zhao, you dare to hook him? Don't you want your head?!" The guard tightened his grip, and Zhuoyu couldn't utter a sound, only watching as tears dripped onto the wooden planks beneath her feet. Another guard helped Zhao Peiming up, but was pushed away. The guard cried out urgently, "General Zhao! I am Fu Guang!"
At this moment, the corridor was at a standstill. Jiang Heng arrived soon after and ordered the guards to release Zhuo Yu. Amid the two guards' confusion, he took out the jade bracelet from his sleeve and said, "Does the young lady recognize this?"
Zhuoyu coughed for a while before looking up—this was clearly Zhuoyun's bracelet.
"Where did you get this from! I'll kill you!" Knowing that her scheme had been exposed, Zhuoyu immediately turned hostile and shouted.
"This young lady disregarded her own safety and begged me to come to the west wing to save you." Seeing Zhuoyu's reaction, Jiang Heng guessed that the two young ladies might have a deep bond, so he changed the subject and went along with Zhuoyu's words.
Zhuoyu was stunned upon hearing this. She snatched the bracelet and hugged it to her chest, crying to Jiang Heng, "Why did she have to do this! My life, Zhuoyu, is worthless. My innocence is not worth preserving. She didn't have to suffer with me, yet she risked her life to save me..."
“Both young ladies come from good families, so they must have been forced by that scoundrel Fu Qinxiang…” Jiang Heng said in a low voice.
“Ha, Fu Qinxiang poisoned me with deadly poison. Whether the deed succeeds or not, the poison will take effect at midnight… Zhuoyun never expected Fu Qinxiang to be so ruthless, and she still fantasizes about saving my innocence…” Zhuoyu’s eyes were like knives, and tears fell from the corners of her eyes. “But if you don’t come, General Zhao will only be guilty of raping and murdering a maid… In that case, it will be a good deed.”
Jiang Heng frowned, about to speak, when Zhuo Yu glared at him fiercely.
Zhuoyu continued, "She was my sworn sister. Her name was Zhuoyun, and I am Zhuoyu. We were forced into service by Fu Qinxiang for ten years. Now that my sister is dead, I will not live alone. After death, I wish to become clouds and rain, to die a pure death and be free from sin." The guards sensed something was wrong and tried to stop them, but Jiang Heng, with a solemn expression, gently raised his hand.
Seeing Jiang Heng's actions, Zhuoyu bowed respectfully to him, smiled as she wiped away her tears, and touched the jade bracelet in her bosom again and again. Suddenly, she drew a dagger from her waist and stabbed it viciously into the neck, scattering petals in the air. Jiang Heng turned his head away, tears also glistening in his eyes, and said after a long while, "Please, you two, give Miss Zhuoyu a proper burial. The rest is up to me."
The guards exchanged bewildered glances and led Zhuoyu away from the corridor. Jiang Heng took out a handkerchief and wiped the remaining blood from the wooden board, still shaken. Zhao Peiming leaned against a pillar, completely disoriented.
Just then, several figures seemed to be moving in the distance, getting closer and closer. Jiang Heng immediately became alert and decided to play along. He hurriedly tried to pull Zhao Peiming up, but the man did not move. Jiang Heng thought that Zhao Peiming might still be under the influence of the drug and hallucination, so he pulled off his hairband and said in the tone of Zhuoyu, "Please, General Zhao, move to the room to change your clothes."
This suggestion worked as expected. Zhao Peiming got up and followed Jiang Heng straight into the room. Jiang Heng heard this again, and just then, the group of people turned to the corridor, probably because they hadn't seen him.
Before Jiang Heng could even feel relieved, Zhao Peiming suddenly hugged him tightly from behind, burying his head in his neck and whispering, "Smells so good."
Jiang Heng was at a loss and asked in a panic, "What?"
Zhao Peiming remained motionless in the same position and said, "Jiang Heng."
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