Chapter 108 The afterglow of the setting sun shines...
The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the plaque of the Chengjun Prince's Mansion. The plaque, now the Chengqin Prince's Mansion, seemed to glow in the setting sun.
After several days of intensive work, the mansion is now brightly decorated and looks magnificent and festive.
The servants in the Prince's mansion, whether they came from the palace, were bought later, or were brought from Jiangzuo, all of them had been retrained according to the original rules of the Prince's mansion. At this moment, they were all dressed in new clothes and moved about busily but in an orderly manner. They looked like they could already support the appearance of a Prince's mansion.
Today's banquet is held in Yuexin Hall, the largest flower hall in the Prince's Mansion. Since it is a family banquet, there is no separate seating for men and women. Apart from Prince Cheng and his wife sitting in the main seats, all other seats are arranged according to seniority.
Princess Qingya did not come, but sent a congratulatory gift and had her old nanny deliver a message.
It is said that the princess has been meditating in a secluded courtyard recently, and will not leave the house for forty-nine days after the start of her meditation.
Seeing Xiao Yan's snow-white wrist adorned with the gold-embroidered eight-treasure bracelet given to her by the Princess, Qin Ji couldn't help but reach out and tug at it a couple of times before saying, "The Princess is quite a remarkable person; she always finds a time each year to meditate."
"Isn't it all to avoid you troublesome nephews?" He already holds a superior position, so it's wise for him to stay away from these nephews who are starting to fight.
Xiao Yan glanced at the sky; it was almost time. She urged Qin Ji, "Why don't you go to the entrance to greet them?"
"Just greet her outside Yuexin Hall." He withdrew his hand, but slightly tilted his head, his gaze falling on Xiao Yan Hui's hair, where a jeweled hairpin stood out.
"Is this one of the new batches from Jiangzuo?" In addition to jade, agate, and pearls, this hairpin is also made of various colored glass, and its design is quite unique. Even Qin Ji, who is not very sensitive to jewelry, was immediately impressed.
“That’s right, isn’t it pretty? Here, have one too.” Xiao Yan replied, pulling a pendant from a hidden pocket on her body.
This is a gourd pendant. The gourd is made of a string of blue glass beads with rich color and extremely clear color. The waist of the gourd is separated by a slightly larger transparent gold wire glass bead. The lower pendant is made of jade and agate in a staggered arrangement. The whole is decorated with gold wire woven pearls as a string and embellishment. At the end are two almost transparent glass teardrops.
The pendant was bright, clear and lovely. At this moment, Xiao Yan held the pendant between her fingers and gently shook it, creating a dazzling display of light and shadow.
In terms of appearance alone, glass products are in no way inferior to various gemstones. The reason they are so common in modern times is simply because they are so readily available. Even now, they still possess their own unique technology, and as long as production is controlled, making a fortune for several years is not a problem at all.
Today, not only did Xiao Yan Hui wear several years' worth of glass and gemstone jewelry, but glass goblets were also specially placed on each table at the banquet to match this year's new wine. One reason was that the jewelry was truly beautiful, but more importantly, how could Xiao Yan Hui miss such a high-end banquet and such an excellent opportunity to impress?
Oh, I almost forgot to mention, they will no longer use the name "glass" in the future; they will be treated the same as everyone else and will be included in the category of "glass".
And just like the idea behind the hairpin and pendant, these glass and gold and gemstones are used together to create the impression that everyone is wearing precious gemstones.
Upon hearing Xiao Yan say that she would hang the pendant on him, Qin Ji turned slightly to the side and pointed to the antique jade pendant already hanging on his waist: "Okay, then you can put it on for me."
"Hmph, you wish, but unfortunately, you won't get a share." Xiao Yan retracted her hand, about to grasp the pendant back into her palm.
"That won't do. Since you said you'd give me one, then this one is mine."
Qin Ji was incredibly fast; before Xiao Yanhui even saw him move, she felt her hand go empty, and in the blink of an eye, the pendant was already in Qin Ji's hand.
Seeing that she was looking over, Qin Ji deliberately put on a smile and shook the pendant in her hand, then deftly used it to replace the ancient jade that was originally hanging at her waist.
The material and style of this pendant are clearly part of the same set as the one Xiao Yan wore when she turned around. The gemstone hairpin would have been perfect for Xiao Yan, and this spring-style waist pendant would have been perfect for weighing down Xiao Yan's skirt, but hanging on Qin Ji's waist now would seem a bit too delicate.
He seemed quite satisfied, letting Xiao Yan Hui hang up the sign as he pleased, only urging him to prepare to greet the guests. Xiao Yan Hui, meanwhile, made his own preparations to receive the female guests.
......
The first to arrive were the seventh prince, Li Ye, and the eighth prince, Li Xuan.
Li Ye, who was granted the title of prince so soon after coming of age, was unique among his brothers. He had always been favored by the emperor, and at this moment he looked even more flamboyant and spirited.
Standing next to him, Li Xuan looked much less impressive. Although he was two years younger than Li Ye, he appeared mature and composed, lacking the youthful exuberance of a boy and instead exuding the air of an honest middle-aged man.
"Sixth Brother, the renovation of this mansion was too hasty. It has plenty of wealth and grandeur, but it still lacks elegance and cultural depth."
The Seventh Prince, fanning himself with a folding fan, surveyed the Cheng Prince's residence from all sides, offering his opinions to the Eighth Prince beside him without any restraint. These words made the steward of the Prince's residence's eyes twitch with anxiety.
"Seventh Brother, please don't say that. It wouldn't be good if Sixth Brother heard it and misunderstood," Li Xuan gently advised.
Looking at the radiant Li Ye beside him, a fleeting hint of jealousy flashed in his eyes, but his face remained calm and almost naive with a smile.
"What's there to misunderstand? I'm just telling the truth. Besides..." The Seventh Prince moved closer to the Eighth Prince, lowering his voice slightly, "So what if there's a misunderstanding? Do you think I'm afraid of him?"
"Seventh Brother, you should say less, otherwise you'll just offend people with your mouth. Now that Sixth Brother is so favored by Father, why would you want to offend him for no reason!"
At first glance, Li Xuan's words seemed like well-intentioned advice, but after being persuaded, Li Ye, who had only been casually making sarcastic remarks, actually felt a bit annoyed.
"Your Highnesses, please. The Yuexin Hall, where we are hosting today's banquet, is just ahead." Although the steward who was leading the way did not hear the last few words the two princes whispered, he clearly saw the Seventh Prince's face suddenly darken, so he quickly spoke up to break the atmosphere that was beginning to turn somber.
Just then, Qin Ji, who was at Yuexintang ahead, saw his two younger brothers arrive and came to greet them.
Just as Li Ye was feeling a little displeased, he looked up and saw a young man walking towards them with a smile. His every move exuded a natural ease and elegance, and most importantly, he had a handsome face as clear as a gentle breeze and a bright moon.
Just looking at his smile, it was as if I could truly feel what it meant to be bathed in a spring breeze on this spring evening.
Li Ye was stunned for a moment, and after regaining his senses, he thought to himself, "Is my sixth brother really that good-looking?"
Then he tried to recall his memories, but gave up after a few seconds.
Because he suddenly realized that he had no memory of his sixth brother's appearance at all, and all he could find were a few back views and side views he had seen when he was made a prince.
"Seventh and Eighth Brothers are here! Please come in!"
Upon seeing the Sixth Prince approach, Li Ye, who had shown a hint of disdain when he entered the mansion, acted like a true younger brother, pulling Qin Ji aside and offering many words of congratulations.
Then he praised the servants of the Prince's mansion for being well-trained and very disciplined, and also praised the tasteful decorations. As he talked, he somehow got onto the topic of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and strongly recommended a zither maker to make a new zither for Qin Ji, who was about to have one made.
At this moment, they appeared to be brothers, chatting happily. Little did anyone know that just before today, the two had met less than a handful of times, and had never had any close interaction.
Throughout the conversation, the Eighth Prince remained very patient, occasionally joining in the laughter and banter. His words seemed to flatter his two older brothers, but his calm and honest demeanor made his words appear genuinely sincere.
Next to arrive were the Second Prince Li Fang and his concubine Guo, and the Fifth Prince Li Sheng and his wife Xue.
The Second Prince arrived dressed in his princely attire. Although there were four princes at the banquet, the others were all dressed casually, making Li Fang, in his princely attire, seem somewhat out of place.
However, the other brothers were already princes, so they didn't mind wearing the prince's robes. But the eighth prince felt awkward seeing all his brothers who had been granted the title of prince, while he was the only one still wearing the title of prince.
But he couldn't show these emotions on his face. Not only could he not show any displeasure, but he also had to act as a mediator and straight man among his brothers. For a moment, he felt a tightness in his chest.
The Second Prince, however, showed no sign of discomfort. He even feigned an apology to Qin Ji, saying that he was busy with other matters and was late, and asked his sixth brother not to mind. His face wore his usual smile, which at first glance appeared respectful but actually contained arrogance.
After saying this, he glanced at his younger brothers and then gave a special nod and smile to Li Sheng, who had arrived a step later. Only then did he continue to congratulate Qin Ji, his tone still quite warm, as if their previous life-or-death encounters had never happened.
That's right, Li Fang's feigned intimidation of his other brothers today was just a side effect; his main target was the Fifth Prince, Li Sheng.
Everyone in the court knows that His Majesty is recuperating and neglecting state affairs, leaving many minor matters to the Second Prince. If the struggle between the Second Prince and the Fifth Prince was previously evenly matched, the scales of victory now seem to be tipping in favor of the Second Prince.
Regardless of his inner thoughts, the Fifth Prince showed no outward expression, only smiling as he stepped forward to apologize to Qin Ji.
"I'm so sorry, Sixth Brother, I'm late. I didn't expect to be the last one to arrive among the brothers. I'll punish myself with three cups of wine later to apologize to you."
Their tone was very intimate, as if they were really close brothers with a deep bond.
"Everyone says Sixth Brother's family has good wine. Fifth Brother, is this self-punishment for the sake of good wine?" The Eighth Prince, who always acted like a calm and honest person, joked with the Fifth Prince, revealing a bit of his youthful appearance. It seems that he and the Fifth Prince have a very good relationship.
"We can't let Fifth Brother get all the benefits. Sixth Brother, I'm not going home until I'm drunk tonight." Before the Fifth Prince could respond, the Seventh Prince chimed in first.
"What's so difficult about that? My family not only has good wine, but also strong wine. Seventh Brother has declared that he won't leave until he's drunk. Don't regret it later." Qin Ji raised his eyebrows as he looked at the Seventh Prince who was sticking close to him, took his hand and led him inside, and then gestured to his other brothers to invite him in.
The group chatted as they walked, discussing where to find good food and wine, creating a harmonious atmosphere that made the Second Prince seem somewhat out of place.
Meanwhile, in the side hall of Yuexin Hall, the women were taking a break.
In the side hall, the most conspicuous person at first glance is Guo, the concubine of the Second Prince's residence, who is ranked last. Although she is only a concubine, she implicitly considers herself the mistress of the Prince's residence because she comes from the Guo family and there is currently no principal wife in the Second Prince's residence.
But at today's family banquet, every single female guest was either a princess or a royal consort. In terms of status, each of them clearly surpassed her. However, Consort Guo didn't think so. She believed that for the Second Prince, the position of Crown Prince was easily within his grasp.
Moreover, judging from the rumors that have been circulating in the palace recently, His Majesty's health seems to be deteriorating day by day. So in the future... whether it's a princess or a royal consort, they will all have to pay their respects and greet him when they see him.
With this secret thought in mind, perhaps to make up for the gap between reality and imagination, Consort Guo dressed in a very magnificent and dazzling outfit today. Her pomegranate red brocade dress embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers was already eye-catching, and with the addition of pearls and jade, she looked even more radiant and dazzling.
Among the group of women dressed in either simple or delicate attire, she stood out even more.
But no matter how much attention she drew, it was useless. After the ladies exchanged only casual greetings with her, the conversation almost never turned to her again. She could only grit her teeth in frustration, forcing a smile.
We'll see what happens in the future!
"Really? It can even be made into the shape of flowers?"
Princess Shuhe's small exclamation brought Consort Guo back to her senses. She looked up and saw Princess Shuhe chatting enthusiastically with Princess Cheng and Princess Ning. Even the usually quiet Princess Changning seemed interested, a stark contrast to the somewhat somber atmosphere before.
"Not quite as beautiful as real flowers, but still quite exquisite and lovely." Xiao Yan waved her hand and instructed Zhu Yue, who was serving beside her, "Go and fetch my vase of peach blossoms."
"Yes, Master."
Watching Zhu Yue's departing figure, Xiao Yan smiled happily.
......
Upon first meeting Princess Shuhe today, she immediately noticed a striking resemblance between the princess and the Empress in both temperament and appearance. They truly were mother and daughter. After a few words, the princess's first topic of conversation was whether she was settling into life in the capital and whether her journey from Jiangzuo had been smooth.
Well, even their conversation topics are exactly the same as the Empress's back then.
Princess Changning seemed to be a rather taciturn person. After a simple greeting, she sat to the side drinking tea with a perfect smile and hardly said another word.
It wasn't until they started talking about trendy fabrics, makeup, and jewelry that their conversation gradually opened up.
Princess Shuhe's eyes had actually fallen on the gemstone hairpin in Princess Cheng's hair as soon as they met today. However, since they were not familiar with each other, she was afraid that asking about it would be offensive. Now that the topic had come up, it was like a pillow being delivered to someone who was sleepy. She naturally asked which family made the hairpin.
But unexpectedly, this was a new product made in Jiangzuo.
Zhu Yue returned quickly, carrying a pure pink and white gradient vase with a few newly cut peach blossoms inside, and a butterfly perched on one of the blossoms, ready to take flight.
But as she drew closer, everyone realized that these weren't newly cut peach blossoms or butterflies ready to take flight; they were all clearly made by Liuli. It wasn't just that she used various techniques to make them so lifelike.
"It is truly a masterpiece." Princess Ning praised the ornament in a gentle voice, and after looking around, she said with admiration, "I have been to this residence before, but I have never seen it so well-organized and elegant. My sister-in-law has managed to manage this mansion so well in such a short time, which shows that you have excellent taste."
I absolutely love the bamboo grove and pond I saw when I came here. I'll probably have to come back someday to ask you for advice on how to renovate it. Please don't look down on me then." Princess Ning's praise was extremely sincere.
"Fifth Sister-in-law, you flatter me. The affairs of the manor are just routine matters, and there is still much to learn. However, I did personally oversee the bamboo grove. It is a wonderful place to rest occasionally. If you have some free time, Fifth Sister-in-law, why don't you come over? We can have tea together, and I can draw up the blueprints for you while I'm at it."
Xiao Yan Hui clearly sensed the Princess Ning's intention to befriend her, and since she shared the same idea, the two hit it off immediately.
After speaking with Princess Ning, she turned to the two princesses and Consort Guo and asked, "Your Highnesses and Consort Guo, would you like to have some tea together when you have time? If you don't like tea, I also have some good wine here."
The three women all smiled and agreed. However, judging from Princess Changning's brief reply followed by her lowered eyes, and Consort Guo's stiff smile, it seemed unlikely that these two would come even if they were invited in the future.
Princess Shuhe, however, hinted at a desire for a long-term relationship. It's unclear whether her attitude fully represents her own feelings or if the Empress is subtly influencing her. Regardless of the reason, this is good news for both Xiao Yan Hui and the Prince Cheng's residence.
Of all the friendly signals released during today's brief encounter, Princess Ning's gestures were the strongest.
At this moment, she smiled slightly and leaned forward a little, appearing more intimate than before: "Since you said you would draw blueprints for me, I will take it seriously. However... I won't take your blueprints for nothing. Not to brag, but the flowers in our Prince Ning's flower room are quite presentable. I will bring you a few pots later."
Just then, a maid came to report: "Your Highness, the banquet in the flower hall will be starting soon."
The group then moved to the Yuexin Hall flower room.
As dusk fell, gilded candlesticks with intertwined branches were placed at the four corners of the flower hall, their thick candles illuminating the hall as bright as day.
Thick Western-style velvet carpets covered the floor, making no sound when stepped on. Seating arrangements were already made according to seniority in the hall. In addition to exquisite porcelain bowls and plates, silver chopsticks and jade spoons, fine wine with an amber glow was served in crystal-clear glass bottles. Even before the bottles were opened, one could almost smell the aroma of the wine. Matching glass cups were also provided, shimmering in the candlelight.
Seeing that this group of people, who could be called the most discerning and luxurious people in the entire Great Qi, couldn't help but linger their gazes on these glass artifacts for a few more seconds, and considering the obvious interest the women had in the hairpins, Xiao Yan knew that this was a sure thing.
A variety of delicacies were served in a continuous stream, and the air began to fill with the aroma of fine wine and food. As the banquet began, the melodious sounds of silk and bamboo instruments rang out, and a group of graceful dancers entered, their flowing sleeves fluttering as they performed exquisite dances.
Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, the royal siblings appeared outwardly to be a harmonious and happy couple.
......
Inside Yuexin Hall, melodious music filled the air, accompanied by laughter and cheerful conversation. Meanwhile, most of the Prince's guards had been redeployed to the banquet area, openly and covertly protecting the distinguished guests. With the front courtyard heavily guarded, the back courtyard was inevitably less secure than usual, since the masters were all at the front.
The quiet backyard was only occasionally disturbed by the footsteps of the regular patrol guards, and the dimly lit backyard seemed even more secluded than usual.
Suddenly, a dark shadow swept silently across the courtyard like a raccoon dog, then precisely avoided several patrolling guards, and almost effortlessly sneaked to the outside of Qin Ji's study in the main courtyard.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com