Chapter 200: Chrysanthemum Banquet Incident, Resolving the Crisis with Wisdom
The autumn chrysanthemums at Taiye Pond were in full bloom, their pink, yellow, and white petals drenched in morning dew, resembling a dusting of gold in the morning sun. The white marble railings along the shore were entwined with scarlet silk ribbons. Palace servants moved among them, setting up tables and chairs. The clink of silverware, the eunuchs' chants, and the whispers of the palace maids intertwined in a bustling atmosphere that seemed to dispel the autumn chill.
Xiaoyanzi wore a stone-blue riding coat with a slit skirt for easy movement. Around her waist was an apricot-colored belt, adorned with a bronze bell, a gift from Yongqi, that tinkled as she walked. She was standing on tiptoe, gazing out at the lake. There, a pleasure boat sat, where Emperor Qianlong and the Empress were sitting, drinking tea. From afar, it looked like a painting. "Look at that boat, with its carved beams and painted rafters, it's even more beautiful than the ones we see in Jiangnan!" She tugged at Ziwei's sleeve, her fingertips pointing toward it, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.
Ziwei, wearing a moon-white skirt and a lilac cape with daisies embroidered on the collar, was carefully tidying Xiaoyanzi's wind-blown hair. "Be careful! We need to pay our respects to the Emperor and the Empress later. Don't be too careless." Her fingertips barely touched Xiaoyanzi's hair when she smiled and dodged, "I know! You're becoming more and more like my mother now. Even more nagging than Mother Fang."
"Princess Huanzhu, you're joking." Erkang came up from behind, holding two freshly picked black chrysanthemums. He handed one to Ziwei, "These black chrysanthemums are rare, and they'll go perfectly with your cape." Ziwei took the chrysanthemum, gently touching the petals with her fingertips, and her ears blushed. Yongqi walked over to Xiaoyanzi and handed her an oil-paper bag, "I just asked the kitchen to make some osmanthus cakes. Eat some to fill your stomach so you don't get hungry after the opera."
Little Swallow had just taken a bite of the sweet-scented osmanthus cake when Little Wart emerged from the crowd, holding a candy figurine in the shape of the Monkey King. Its golden cudgel gleamed with shimmering sugar. "Wow! Look, Princess! This candy figurine maker's craftsmanship is incredible! Look at the monkey's fiery eyes, exactly like what Little Stool described!" Little Wart handed the figurine over, spilling some sugar crumbs along the way. Little Stool reached out and caught them.
"You only know how to eat!" The little stool patted the back of his head, holding a storybook in his hand, "I have specially memorized the 'Three Tunes of the Banana Fan' from Journey to the West today. If anyone dares to make trouble later, I will tell them how Sun Wukong dealt with Princess Iron Fan!" The little bug squatted on the ground, and suddenly "Awooo" imitated the roar of a tiger, making the eunuchs around him laugh.
In the midst of the bustle, Eunuch Su's voice rang out from afar: "The Emperor has arrived—The Empress has arrived—" Everyone stood in a hurry. Xiaoyanzi took the opportunity to stuff the last piece of osmanthus cake into her mouth, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and stood straight. Qianlong helped the Empress down from the pleasure boat. Her bright yellow dragon robe shone brightly in the sunlight. The Empress wore a royal blue dress with lotus embroidery on the hem. She looked at Xiaoyanzi and Ziwei with a kind look: "The weather is beautiful today, and the chrysanthemums are in full bloom. Which kind do you two like?"
"Your Highness, I like that white chrysanthemum. It's as pure as snow," Ziwei replied softly, her manner dignified. Xiaoyanzi pointed to a cluster of vibrant yellow chrysanthemums in the distance and said, "I like that one! It's in vibrant bloom, like the lanterns at our Jiangnan temple fairs!" Qianlong was amused by her and, pointing to the cluster of yellow chrysanthemums, said to Eunuch Su, "Move two pots of those 'Golden Hydrangeas' to Shufangzhai for Princess Huanzhu to enjoy."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiaoyanzi bowed playfully, and the copper bells around her waist jingled.
The banquet was held in a pavilion overlooking the water. The tables were laden with exquisite snacks and fruits, and the eunuchs and palace maids served dishes at a rapid pace. Concubine Gao, wearing a crimson palace gown with a pearl embellishment around the collar, smiled brightly as she served the dishes to Emperor Qianlong. "Your Majesty, please try this 'Chrysanthemum Tofu'. It's made with this year's fresh chrysanthemums and is a heat-clearing and greasy dish." She glanced at Xiaoyanzi with a hint of false warmth. "Why doesn't Princess Huanzhu have tea? This pre-rain Longjing tea has just arrived from Hangzhou and goes perfectly with the osmanthus cake."
Xiaoyanzi looked at the steaming cup of tea before her. The tea was clear, yet it had a faint, strange, indescribable flavor—not the fragrance of tea, but rather the astringent taste of some herbal odor. A thought struck her, and she remembered Yongqi's instructions from last night. Under the table, she quietly pinched Yongqi's hand, signaling him to pay attention. Yongqi immediately understood, picked up his own teacup, and said with a smile, "Father Your Majesty, I heard Princess Huanzhu has been learning the art of tea making. Why don't you ask her to offer you a cup of tea?"
Xiaoyanzi's eyes lit up, and she stood up, picking up her own cup of tea and ready to exchange it. "That's right! Father Emperor, I've just learned the 'Phoenix Three Nods'. Let me show you how I do it!" Pretending to lose her balance, she tilted her wrist slightly, and the cup dropped to the ground with a thud. The scalding tea splashed onto the blue bricks, sending steam rising. "Ouch!" She stamped her foot dramatically. "It's all because of my long skirt. I tripped!"
The surrounding palace servants hurried forward to clear the tea. Yongqi handed her his teacup and said, "Use mine. It's freshly brewed and still hot." Xiaoyanzi took the cup, winked at him, and turned to offer tea to Emperor Qianlong. Although her movements were not standard, they were clever and clever. "Father, please forgive me. I will practice harder next time before offering you tea!"
Qianlong saw the cunning in her eyes, and although he knew it clearly, he deliberately put on a stern face: "Next time you act clumsily, I will punish you by making you copy the "Instructions for Women"!" Although he said this, his eyes were full of smiles. The Queen tried to smooth things over: "It's better for children to be lively. How can you really punish them? Sit down and have some snacks."
Concubine Gao's face froze, and her fingers tightened around the teacup. She had clearly asked Nanny Li to add some "sedative grass" to the tea, as drinking even a small amount would only make people dizzy and disrespectful. She hadn't expected Xiaoyanzi's throw to ruin everything. Concubine E sat beside her, gently blowing away the hot air from the teacup, a faint smile playing at the corner of her mouth, as if nothing had to do with her.
Halfway through the banquet, the eunuchs pushed a small stool to the center of the pavilion. He cleared his throat, picked up the storybook and began to tell the story: "Ladies and gentlemen, today I will tell you a story from Journey to the West, 'Borrowing the Fan at Flaming Mountain'! It is said that Sun Wukong went to borrow Princess Iron Fan's palm-leaf fan to cross the Flaming Mountain. Princess Iron Fan was not a good person. She first gave Wukong a fake fan, which blew him away ten thousand miles away..." He told the story vividly, even dancing and imitating Sun Wukong's behavior, "But who is our Sun Dasheng? His flaming eyes knew it was a scam at a glance, and he smashed the fake fan to pieces with a stick!"
Xiaoyanzi was delighted, clapping her hands on the table in approval. "Well said! That fake fan should be smashed! Those harboring evil intentions will sooner or later be exposed by Sun Wukong's golden cudgel!" As she spoke, her eyes casually glanced at Concubine Gao and Concubine E, whose smiles faded a little. Qianlong put down his teacup and laughed heartily. "That's a well-told story! One must be honest and upright. Those who try to be clever and play tricks will eventually be exposed."
The chrysanthemum viewing banquet ended as the sun set. Xiaoyanzi followed Qianlong back, the chrysanthemums lining the palace path appearing hazy in the twilight. "That cup of tea just now, wasn't it right?" Qianlong suddenly asked in a low voice. Xiaoyanzi was stunned for a moment, then nodded, her fingers unconsciously stroking the copper bell at her waist. "It tasted a bit astringent, not like Longjing. How did the Emperor know?"
"Could you have hidden your little tricks from me?" Qianlong smiled and patted her head. "If you encounter such a thing again, don't force yourself to do it, just tell me. I will fight off the evil spirits in this palace for you." Xiaoyanzi felt warm in her heart and looked up at his profile. The golden light of the setting sun fell on the white hair at his temples, which was surprisingly gentle.
When they returned to Shufangzhai, Ziwei and Erkang were watching the lanterns in the corridor. Seeing her return, they hurried to greet her: "Are you not scared? My heart was in my throat when the teacup shattered just now." Xiaoyanzi smiled and waved her hand, pulling Yongqi to her side: "Thanks to Yongqi! His trick of 'borrowing tea' was brilliant!" Yongqi was embarrassed by her praise and scratched his head: "You reacted quickly. If it were someone else, they would have panicked a long time ago."
The little stool was still excitedly telling a story in the yard, and the little mosquito chirped beside him, "Wow, boom! That princess threw the teacup just now, even more decisively than Sun Wukong fighting the White Bone Demon!" The little insect chirped in unison, as if accompanying the story. Moonlight climbed up the crabapple treetops, spreading a warm glow over the laughter that filled the yard.
Meanwhile, in a side hall of Jingren Palace, Concubine Gao slammed her teacup to the ground, spilling tea onto Nanny Li's dress. "What a waste! You can't even bring a cup of tea to her lips!" Her chest heaved with rage. Concubine E's personal maid had just delivered news that the Emperor, far from blaming Xiaoyanzi, had actually praised her for her cleverness. Nanny Li knelt on the ground, her voice trembling, "Your Majesty, calm down. Next time...next time, it will definitely work!"
Concubine Gao looked out the window at the dusk, a sinister glint in her eyes. "Next time? There won't be a next time. If the play at Taiye Lake doesn't go ahead, let's try another stage—there's always a time when she'll stumble."
The night breeze blew through the palace walls, carrying the cool fragrance of chrysanthemums, yet the lights of Shufangzhai remained bright, like a star that refused to extinguish. This night, without earth-shattering events, concealed the thoughts and calculations of countless people. Xiaoyanzi, clutching the bronze bell gifted by Yongqi and listening to the storytelling in the courtyard, knew in her heart that the palace struggle had only just begun. But as long as she had these people by her side, and the warmth that filled the courtyard, she could continue on with a smile, no matter how difficult the road.
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