Chapter Four: Undercurrents at the Palace Banquet
The next morning, Qi Yue was woken up early by Yun'er. When dressing, she specially chose an elegant light blue dress, and simply adorned her hair with a few pearls, which was both polite and not too flashy.
"You look much better today, young lady." Yun'er said with a smile as she straightened her collar. "It seems you slept well last night."
Qi Yue looked at herself in the mirror and nodded gently. The decision in her heart gave her a strange courage, and even the timidity in her eyes faded a little.
After breakfast, Xin Rui arrived as promised. Today he had changed into a moon-white brocade robe, which made him look even more dashing.
"Is Yue'er ready?" He smiled as he looked Qi Yue up and down. "This outfit suits you very well, making you look elegant and refined."
Qi Yue blushed slightly: "Cousin, you flatter me."
The carriage slowly made its way to the palace. Along the way, Xin Rui carefully introduced her to the important figures who might be present that day, as well as the etiquette and rules of court.
“The Northern Barbarian delegation will arrive in the capital tomorrow, and I’m sure many court officials will be discussing it at today’s banquet,” Xin Rui said in a low voice. “If you hear anything, don’t worry about it; just keep smiling.”
Qi Yue nodded in agreement, but her mind drifted to Xin Suiyun's Northern Di bloodline. She wondered what his feelings would be towards the upcoming delegation of his own people.
Upon arriving at the palace gates, numerous carriages were already lined up, waiting to enter. Qi Yue quietly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, revealing the majestic palace walls, resplendent in gold and jade, and heavily guarded. Every time she entered the palace, she felt an invisible sense of oppression.
"Don't be nervous." Xin Rui gently patted the back of her hand. "Your cousin is here."
Qi Yue looked at him gratefully. From childhood to adulthood, whenever she felt uneasy, Xin Rui had always been able to give her comfort and strength.
Upon entering the palace, eunuchs led them to the Imperial Garden. It was late autumn, and chrysanthemums were in full bloom, their golden, snow-white, and crimson blossoms shimmering in the autumn sun. Empress Xin Jiuwei sat regally in the main seat of the pavilion, dressed in a phoenix-patterned court robe, exuding elegance and nobility. To her left and right sat Crown Princess Su Qingwan and several princesses and noblewomen.
"Your subject Qi Yue greets Your Majesty the Empress." Qi Yue knelt and bowed in accordance with etiquette.
The Empress lovingly beckoned her to rise: "Yue'er is here, come quickly and let your aunt take a look."
Qi Yue stepped forward, and the Empress took her hand and examined her closely, smiling, "You've grown even more beautiful in just a few days. You must be sixteen this year!"
"Your Majesty, I just turned sixteen," Qi Yue replied softly.
Crown Princess Su Qingwan gently chimed in, "Sister Yue'er is at the perfect age. I remember when I was sixteen, I had just married into the Eastern Palace. Thinking back now, it feels like yesterday."
The Empress patted Qi Yue's hand: "Yes, time flies. Speaking of which, Yue'er should also consider her marriage."
Qi Yue blushed and lowered her head, unsure how to respond. Fortunately, other guests arrived one after another, diverting the Empress's attention.
The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet officially began, with ladies strolling in twos and threes through the garden, admiring the flowers and composing poems. Qi Yue, not good at socializing, chose a quiet corner to sit down and silently observed everyone present.
She noticed that besides the noble ladies from the capital, there were also several unfamiliar faces among those present. Xin Rui introduced them, and she learned they were princesses from several vassal kings who had come to the capital specifically to offer their congratulations to His Majesty on his birthday.
“The one in red is the daughter of the Prince of Pingxi. She has a fiery temper, so it’s best not to mess with her,” Xin Rui whispered a reminder. “The girl in blue next to her is the granddaughter of the Marquis of Jingnan. She’s said to be very talented, but she’s also very ambitious.”
Qi Yue silently noted it down, feeling grateful for her cousin's thoughtfulness. If it weren't for Xin Rui's company, she really wouldn't know how to handle this situation.
Midway through the banquet, Crown Prince Xiao Chengji, accompanied by several princes, came to pay their respects to the Empress. Qi Yue noticed Xin Suiyun following far behind the Crown Prince, dressed in black and with a cold expression as always, completely out of place in this lavish banquet.
Perhaps it was the determination she had made yesterday, but this time Qi Yue did not avoid his gaze, instead quietly observing him. Xin Suiyun stood beside a golden chrysanthemum, his eyes warily scanning his surroundings, his right hand always resting on the hilt of his sword, as if ready to deal with any unexpected situation at any moment.
"What is Yue'er looking at?" Xin Rui followed her gaze, his brows furrowing slightly. "Is it Xin Suiyun again?"
Qi Yue quickly looked away: "I just happened to see it..."
Xin Rui sighed: "Didn't I tell you to stay away from him? The Northern Barbarian delegation is arriving in the capital today, and he probably won't be in a good mood."
As they were talking, the princess of the Prince of Pingxi suddenly walked towards the Crown Prince, seemingly wanting to speak with him. Xin Suiyun immediately stepped forward, blocking the Crown Prince's path, and said something coldly. The princess's face immediately turned ugly, and she retreated sullenly.
"See?" Xin Rui said in a low voice, "He treats everyone the same way. If it weren't for the Crown Prince protecting him, he would have offended countless people long ago."
Qi Yue noticed that when Xin Suiyun stopped Princess Pingxi from approaching the Crown Prince, her arm movements were somewhat stiff, as if she had aggravated an old injury. She recalled the Crown Prince mentioning yesterday that Xin Suiyun had a new injury, and her heart tightened inexplicably.
The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet continued, and the ladies began to showcase their talents. Some played the zither, some painted, and some recited poems. Qi Yue, who was not good at this, quietly retreated to the back of the crowd, hoping to find a quieter place.
She strolled along the path and unknowingly came to a relatively secluded artificial hill. Just as she was about to turn back, she heard whispers coming from behind the hill.
"...The delegation will arrive in the capital tomorrow. Everything will proceed according to plan," a deep voice said.
“But the Crown Prince’s side has already noticed something. Yesterday, our people…” Another voice hesitated slightly.
"No matter how capable Xin Suiyun is, he's just a dog of the Crown Prince. As long as the plan is well-thought-out, he can't cause any trouble."
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