Chapter 79: The Lotus Banquet Invitation Presses the Heart, Undercurrents Rise to Protect the Family
The night, like a piece of velvet soaked in ink, silently spread across every corner of the Fang residence. Lanterns in the Begonia Courtyard lit up one after another, their warm yellow glow filtering through the mica-papered window frames, casting tiny specks of light on the blue brick floor. But it couldn't dispel the heavy, oppressive feeling in the air.
Xiaoyanzi froze in place, her gaze fixed on the scattered string of candied haws on the ground. The bright red hawthorns were scattered all over the floor, their sugar coating gleaming in the light like beads of solidified blood. Her fingertips were icy cold, and even her heart felt like a block of ice, freezing her to the point of being unable to utter a single sound.
"Ci'er." Fang Zhihang's voice came from behind, a hint of imperceptible fatigue. He walked slowly closer, bent down, and picked up the gilded invitation on the ground. The golden dragon pattern shone majestically under the light, but it made Xiaoyanzi shudder.
"Dad..." Xiaoyanzi came back to her senses suddenly, her voice tinged with tears, "I won't go! I don't want to attend any lotus banquet!" She took a step back and bumped into the pomegranate tree behind her. The leaves on the branches fell down, and the coolness touched her shoulders.
Xiao Jian quickly stepped forward, supporting her shaky body, his brow furrowed. "Dad, this invitation came too suddenly. The Emperor is clearly..." He didn't finish his words, but the deeper meaning behind them was clear. The Emperor's orders were never arbitrary; this invitation was more like an order that could not be refused.
Fang Zhihang's fingers, which were holding the invitation, turned slightly white. He looked up at Xiao Jian with a serious look in his eyes: "Let's go inside and talk first." He took the lead and walked towards the main room. The hem of his long blue cloth gown swept across the hawthorns on the ground, leaving a faint trace.
Mrs. Li had already heard the noise from inside the house. Seeing the three people enter with solemn expressions, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly put down her needlework and stood up to greet them. "What's going on? Uncle Fu said there was something sent from the palace?" Her eyes fell on the invitation in Fang Zhihang's hand, and her smile faded a little. "This is..."
"Mother," Xiaoyanzi threw herself into Li's arms, her voice choking with sobs. "The Emperor asked me to attend the Lotus Banquet in the palace, but I don't want to go!" She buried her face in her mother's warm clothes, the familiar scent of orchids lingering around her nose, but the fear in her heart remained undimmed. The intrigues and deceits of her past life's palace surged back like a tide. Those cold palaces and suspicious gazes made her shudder.
Li hugged her daughter's trembling shoulders and looked at her husband with heartache: "Master, this... is it appropriate for Ci'er, an unmarried girl, to go to the palace banquet?" Although she did not understand the disputes in the court, she knew that royal banquets had many rules and that any carelessness could cause trouble.
Fang Zhihang sat down at the eight-immortal table and gently placed the invitation on the table. The golden dragon pattern was particularly dazzling under the light. He took a sip from his teacup, but the warm tea couldn't warm his cold fingertips. "The Emperor specifically requested Ci'er's attendance. I'm afraid I can't refuse." He looked at his wife, his eyes full of helplessness. "The court has been turbulent these past few days. Lord Liang has already impeached several Jiangnan officials under the pretext of investigating disaster relief funds. If the Emperor summons Ci'er to the palace now, I'm afraid..."
"I'm afraid they want to use Ci'er to teach those people a lesson?" Xiao Jian interjected, quietly clenching his fists at his side. "Lord Liang is close to E Min. The E family has always regarded our Fang family as a thorn in their side. They're eager to find fault with us."
Li's face turned pale when she heard this. She held Xiaoyanzi's hand tightly and said, "What should we do? If Ci'er goes to the palace and is bullied and plotted against..."
"Mom, don't worry." Xiaoyanzi sniffed and forced herself to calm down. "I won't cause trouble. I will endure whatever others say. I will come back after the banquet. Everything should be fine." Although she said so, she felt like a huge rock was pressing on her heart. The troubles she had caused at the palace banquet in her previous life flashed before her eyes. Those open and hidden arrows could never be avoided by endurance.
Fang Zhihang felt a pang of pain in his heart as he watched his daughter feigning composure. He was silent for a moment, then said gravely, "Tomorrow I will visit Lord Fulun. He has been in the court for many years and is familiar with palace etiquette. I'll ask for his guidance and prepare some appropriate gifts to avoid impoliteness." He paused, then looked at Xiao Jian. "Pay close attention to the goings-on in the capital these days, especially at the Liang and E mansions. Report any signs of trouble immediately."
"I understand, Dad." Xiao Jian nodded, his eyes sharp as a knife, "I will arrange for someone to keep an eye on her and will never let Ci'er suffer any injustice in the palace."
As the night deepened and the family dispersed, Xiaoyanzi lay in bed, unable to sleep. Moonlight streamed in through the window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the bed, evoking the unpredictable hearts of those in the imperial court of her past life. She tossed and turned, her fingertips unconsciously caressing a jade hairpin beneath her pillow—it was a gift from her mother for her coming-of-age ceremony after her rebirth. The jade was smooth and soft, and it was engraved with a simple lotus pattern.
"Miss, you're still awake?" Chuntao walked in with some soothing soup. Seeing her staring at the ceiling with her eyes open, she couldn't help but lighten her steps. "The kitchen has made some lily and lotus seed soup. Drink some to warm you up, and maybe you'll sleep better."
Xiaoyanzi sat up and took the celadon bowl. The warm soup flowed down her throat, but it didn't dispel the chill in her heart. She looked at Chuntao's worried eyes and forced a smile: "I'm fine, I just feel a little attached to my bed."
Chun Tao sighed, sat down beside her bed, and tucked in the quilt for her. "Don't overthink it, young lady. The master and the young master will protect you. Besides, you are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. You might even be praised by the emperor at the palace banquet."
Xiaoyanzi lowered her head and stirred the lotus seeds in the bowl, whispering, "I don't want any praise, I just want to stay at home peacefully." She thought of the embarrassing incident of playing "The Lotus Picking Song" at the palace banquet in her previous life, and her cheeks felt slightly hot. "By the way, Chuntao, help me find that moon-white dress tomorrow, and match it with that pearl hairpin. The plainer the better." She wanted to hide in the crowd and try not to attract attention.
"It's better to keep it simple," Chun Tao nodded. "Being too flashy will indeed attract attention. I will prepare it for you tomorrow morning."
After seeing Chuntao off, Xiaoyanzi lay down again, but still couldn't sleep. She quietly stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack. The night breeze blew in, bringing a slight chill. In the distance, the night watchman's clapperboard sounded, "dong-dong-dong," each beat hammering at her heart. She knew this Lotus Feast was an inevitable hurdle. All she could do was stay alert and protect herself and her family.
Meanwhile, the lights in the Hall of Mental Cultivation remained brightly lit. Qianlong put down the memorial in his hand and rubbed his swollen temples. Su Peisheng hurried forward and offered him ginseng tea: "Your Majesty, it's late. You should rest. You have an early court tomorrow."
Qianlong took the teacup, but his eyes fell on the moonlight outside the window. He said quietly, "Do you think she will be so scared after receiving the invitation that she won't be able to sleep?"
Su Peisheng smiled and said, "Miss Fang is smart and clever, she will definitely be able to handle it well. Besides, Your Majesty has specifically instructed us to take good care of her, who would dare to neglect it?" But he muttered to himself that Miss Fang must be feeling nervous at this moment, after all, it was her first time attending a royal banquet.
Qianlong took a sip of ginseng tea, a complex smile appearing on the corner of his mouth: "She has been afraid of these rules and regulations since she was a child. In order to avoid a banquet in the imperial garden, she actually climbed up the rockery to hide. As a result, she fell and cried and called me 'Emperor Father'..." He stopped talking halfway, and a trace of nostalgia and regret flashed in his eyes.
Seeing this, Su Peisheng tactfully kept silent. He knew the emperor was thinking of that "old friend" again. These days, the emperor often stared at Miss Fang's portrait in a trance. He even had someone collect some snacks from Jiangnan and send them to the Fang family, saying that they were "rewards for Miss Fang to try." The deep meaning behind this was self-evident.
Qianlong was silent for a moment, then said in a deep voice, "Tomorrow, have the imperial kitchen make some Jiangnan lotus root starch and osmanthus cake and send it to the Fang family. Tell them that... I heard Miss Fang liked it, so I gave it to her as a special reward." He paused, then added, "Don't make it too ostentatious. Just put it in a regular lunch box."
"Yes, I'll arrange it right away." Su Peisheng bowed in response, but he knew in his heart that the emperor was afraid that Miss Fang would be nervous, so he used the taste of his hometown to comfort her.
The next morning, Xiaoyanzi had just finished washing up when Chuntao ran in happily, "Miss! Snacks have been sent from the palace! They say it's lotus root starch and osmanthus cake, specially gifted by the Emperor, made using our Jiangnan method!"
Xiaoyanzi's heart skipped a beat as she watched the maid bring in the food box. She opened the box, and the familiar sweet aroma filled her. The snow-white osmanthus cake, sprinkled with golden osmanthus flowers, was exactly like the ones she had eaten at home as a child. She took a piece and put it in her mouth. The soft, glutinous, and sweet flavor melted on her tongue, but her eyes suddenly warmed. What did the emperor mean by this? Was he reminding her not to forget the peace and tranquility of Jiangnan, or hinting that he knew her preferences intimately?
"Miss, this osmanthus cake is so delicious! The emperor is so considerate of you!" Chuntao was eating happily and didn't notice Xiaoyanzi's complicated expression.
Xiaoyanzi forced a smile, but her heart grew increasingly uneasy. The emperor's favor was like a gentle net, seemingly warm, but leaving her with nowhere to escape. She put down the cake and whispered, "Chuntao, help me find that set of 'Instructions for Women'. I need to learn some rules today." She knew that hiding was useless. She had to be fully prepared to protect herself and the Fang family at the upcoming Lotus Banquet.
Fang Zhihang returned from the Fu Mansion that morning, his face dignified. He summoned Xiao Jian and Xiao Yanzi to his study and said in a deep voice, "Lord Fulun said that this Lotus Banquet may seem ordinary, but it's actually an opportunity for the Emperor to inspect the families of officials in the capital, especially those of us who recently moved to Jiangnan. E Min's daughter, Concubine E, will also be in attendance, so you must be extra careful."
"E Fei?" Xiao Yanzi's heart tightened. In her previous life, E Min and his daughter had always troubled her. In this life, would they...
"Don't worry." Fang Zhihang noticed her concerns and soothed her. "Lord Fulun said that although Concubine E is arrogant, she is well-behaved in front of the Emperor. As long as we are careful with our words and actions and don't provoke her, she won't easily get angry." He pulled a small booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Xiaoyanzi. "This is the palace banquet rules compiled by the nanny of the Fu Mansion. Take it and take a good look at it, especially the etiquette and taboos during the banquet. Be sure to remember them well."
Xiaoyanzi took the booklet and saw it was filled with dense handwriting in neat small characters, detailing everything from how to sit down to the proper gestures for toasting. She took a deep breath and nodded solemnly, "Dad, I'll memorize it."
For the next few days, Xiaoyanzi stayed at home, memorizing the palace banquet rules and learning flower arrangement and tea ceremony from her mother, hoping to avoid mistakes at banquets. Xiao Jian, on the other hand, went out early and returned late every day, gathering information from all sides. Upon learning that the E Mansion was indeed secretly investigating Xiaoyanzi's preferences and habits, he became even more vigilant.
Fang Zhihang was also busy. Besides handling disaster relief work in Jiangnan, he also visited his colleagues in Beijing with generous gifts, carefully maintaining relationships with various parties and paving the way for his daughter's trip to the palace banquet. Li personally sewed a new dress for Xiaoyanzi, selected understated yet elegant jewelry, and repeatedly reminded her to be careful.
Time slipped quietly amidst the intense preparations, and soon it was the day before the Lotus Banquet. In the evening, Xiao Jian hurried back to the mansion and approached Fang Zhihang with a serious expression, "Dad, I've discovered that the E Mansion bribed a young eunuch in the Imperial Kitchen to tamper with the desserts at the Lotus Banquet, embarrassing Ci'er in front of the Emperor."
"What?" Fang Zhihang stood up suddenly, his eyes blazing with anger. "E Min is so bold! How dare he tamper with the palace banquet!"
"Father, calm down," Xiao Jian said in a deep voice, "I've already had that eunuch dealt with. I've also found out that Concubine E is planning to have Ci'er perform at the banquet, hoping to use this opportunity to embarrass her. Concubine E has been dancing since she was young, and she believes she's unmatched. She must be trying to embarrass Ci'er with her singing and dancing."
Fang Zhihang frowned, pondered for a moment, and said, "Talent show... Ci'er plays the zither well, so let her play. 'Pingsha Luoyan' is peaceful and balanced, and it's not easy to make mistakes. As for Concubine E, I will visit Concubine Ling tomorrow. She has always been kind and is the emperor's favorite concubine. With her care, Concubine E won't dare to act too presumptuously."
As the night deepened, Xiaoyanzi, upon hearing the news, felt a sense of calm. What was to come would eventually come, and instead of panicking, it was better to face it with equanimity. She walked to the piano room and sat down to play the instrument. The sound of "Wild Geese Flying Over the Plain Sand" flowed through the night, initially trembling, then gradually becoming steady and melodious. She knew that this was not only a practice of her skills, but also a tempering of her mind—no matter how turbulent the palace banquet tomorrow, she would, like this piano sound, steadfast in her heart and protect herself and her family.
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the girl's focused profile and the resilient spirit in her eyes. The Lotus Banquet was about to begin, and the winds from the Forbidden City had already reached Begonia Courtyard. This time, she wouldn't panic like she had in her previous life. With her family's love and protection, she would forge her own path step by step.
The next morning, everyone in the Fang residence was busy. Li personally dressed Xiaoyanzi, tying her long hair into a graceful bun and inserting a pearl tassel hairpin. She then changed her into the moon-white dress embroidered with magnolia flowers, which accentuated her slender figure and elegant temperament.
"Mom, isn't this too plain?" Xiaoyanzi looked at herself in the mirror and always felt a little lacking in confidence.
Mrs. Li looked at her daughter with satisfaction, her eyes full of love. "This is just right. It's neither impolite nor too ostentatious. Mother is confident that you will return safely." She gently stroked her daughter's cheek. "Remember, no matter what happens, stay calm. Father, mother, and brother are waiting for you at the mansion."
Little Swallow nodded vigorously, taking her mother's words to heart. She took a deep breath, followed her father and brother out of Haitang Courtyard, and boarded the carriage bound for the palace. The wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement, making a rhythmic sound, as if sounding the prelude to her journey to the palace.
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