Chapter 80 July 15th: He and Jin'an
On the fifteenth of July, the sky was a clear, pristine blue, like a flawless piece of jade. Even as evening approached, a few strands of pale golden light lingered on the horizon, gently enveloping Princess Jingfu's residence west of the imperial city.
The mansion was located in the most prestigious area of Lin'an City, with vermilion gates and high walls, flying eaves and brackets, showing the grandeur of an imperial family.
At the beginning of the hour of You (5-7 PM), the sun was already setting in the west, and the heat was no longer scorching.
In the back garden of the princess's residence, the birthday banquet had already been arranged. Along the winding corridor, dozens of sandalwood tables were arranged in a staggered manner, displaying official kiln porcelain dishes, glass wine cups, and a dazzling array of delicacies, from roasted venison to fruit platters carved into exquisite flowers and birds, all of which were extremely delicate.
Dressed in uniform palace attire, the maids carried food boxes and wine jugs, moving gracefully among the guests.
Princess Gyeongbok is the current emperor's youngest sister and enjoys great favor from him. She has extensive connections in the palace and the court.
However, she was aloof and arrogant, and ordinary people rarely caught her eye. Those who came today who received invitations were either members of the imperial family or noble ladies who had some connection with the princess. Among them, Lady Wu, the wife of the Earl of Zhongyong, had the closest relationship with the princess.
The rest were mostly family members of powerful officials in the court, a veritable gathering of dignitaries.
Holding the invitation, Meng Yutong followed the maid into the garden, where bustling activity and elegance coexisted.
The garden was already bustling with people, with groups of noble ladies gathered together, surrounded by jewels and jade, chatting and laughing.
Her gaze swept across the room, recognizing several ladies she had met briefly at the Ji family's birthday banquet. She nodded respectfully from afar, then found a secluded corner near the water, hidden among flowers and trees, and sat down comfortably.
As soon as she sat down, she could vaguely sense several probing gazes and faint whispers drifting over, mostly curious about how she, a woman who had already broken off her engagement with the Ji family, was able to enter the princess's residence.
Meng Yutong remained calm and sat quietly, waiting for the banquet to begin.
Before long, the number of guests increased. As Madam Ji, Li Wan, entered the garden, several familiar ladies immediately greeted her warmly.
Li Wan remained calm, nodding in response to each person's request. However, her gaze swept through the crowd, finally settling on a corner. She then bypassed the group and walked straight towards Meng Yutong.
She walked to the table, her smile gentle and kind, and asked softly, "Yutong, why are you sitting so far away? There are still seats up ahead, would you like to come with me?"
This move drew slightly focused gazes and whispers from those around, all speculating about the current relationship between the Ji and Meng families.
Meng Yutong rose and gracefully curtsied, her smile appropriate: "Thank you for your concern, Madam Ji. This place is quiet and offers a good view; I am quite content here. Please make yourself at home, Madam, and do not trouble yourself with me."
Seeing her resolute attitude, Li Wan did not force her. She simply patted the back of her hand affectionately and said gently, "In that case, you should be at ease. If you encounter any inconvenience, be sure to come and find me."
Meng Yutong smiled and agreed.
Just as Li Wan turned to leave, a slight commotion arose in the crowd. Meng Yutong followed the crowd's gaze and saw a figure slowly approaching from the moon gate.
The newcomer was none other than Ji Yun. Today, he was dressed in a dark purple brocade robe with cloud patterns, a matching jade belt around his waist, and his black hair was tied up high with a mutton-fat jade crown, which further accentuated his handsome face and upright posture.
The dappled sunlight filtering through the pomegranate tree leaves cast a soft, hazy golden glow around him.
He walked past the pomegranate tree in full bloom, its exquisite beauty paling in comparison to his aloof and noble demeanor, becoming merely a backdrop.
Two or three steps behind him followed a woman. She wore a light blue long dress with gold embroidery, and her figure was slender and delicate.
What was most striking was her snow-white skin, almost translucent in the twilight, and her clear, amber eyes that held a hint of fragility and naivety, making her appear pitiful. She was Princess Jin'an.
The two walked side by side, one in front of the other, without exchanging a word. Their elegant purple robes and delicate green skirts created a truly pleasing sight.
They walked to the front, near the main seats, and sat down on either side. Coincidentally, Ji Yun's seat was diagonally opposite Meng Yutong, not far away.
As he sat down, his gaze, seemingly unintentionally, drifted in her direction.
Princess Jin'an also turned her head, her gaze lightly falling on Meng Yutong, with a hint of curiosity.
Meng Yutong met her gaze across the distance, but only for a moment before calmly looking away. The crowd whispered amongst themselves, their discussion undoubtedly revolving around the three of them.
Ji Yun was aloof and low-key, but due to his illustrious family background and extraordinary appearance, he had always been a highly sought-after young nobleman in Lin'an City.
Since he broke off his engagement with Meng Yutong, many families in the city have been secretly considering whether they could marry their daughters to this promising eldest son of the Ji family.
Today, he appeared at Princess Jingfu's birthday banquet, accompanied by Princess Jin'an. This sight of them walking side by side inevitably sparked speculation.
Princess Jin'an and Ji Yun had known each other since childhood and shared a bond of childhood sweethearts. After Princess Jin'an returned to the palace as a widow, Ji Yun personally took over all her medical treatments and care. To outsiders, the relationship between the two was certainly extraordinary.
Considering Madam Ji Li Wan's unabashed concern for Meng Yutong earlier, the subtle and unspoken relationship between the three became even more perplexing, prompting everyone at the table to speculate in their own minds.
Before the group of noble ladies could even process what was happening, they heard the soft tinkling of jade pendants and smelled a pleasant fragrance. Princess Jingfu, surrounded by a group of palace maids and servants, gracefully stepped into the garden.
Today, she wore a pomegranate red brocade palace dress embroidered with gold butterflies and flowers. The color was slightly lighter than the bright red she usually wore, just like the pomegranate flowers that were just beginning to bloom in the courtyard. It was bright and elegant, just like her usual style.
Her hair was styled in a high bun, with a red gold and kingfisher feather hairpin inserted diagonally, inlaid with red pearls, the tassels swaying and sparkling.
She walked with a composed gait to the head seat, her gaze carrying a hint of her usual arrogance as she surveyed the entire room. A slight smile played on her lips as her voice, clear and bright, carried an innate nobility: "I am delighted that you have graced me with your presence today. I hope you will not stand on ceremony and simply enjoy yourselves."
From afar, Meng Yutong's gaze fell upon her walking posture. Although her steps appeared leisurely, upon closer inspection, it could be noticed that the weight distribution in her legs was much more even than before. Unless one was paying close attention, it was almost impossible to distinguish the difference between her left and right sides.
It seems that Princess Gyeongbok has indeed been taking good care of herself according to her prescription during this period.
Seeing this, Meng Yutong felt somewhat relieved, guessing that Jingfu's invitation to come today was probably not meant to cause her any trouble.
Jingfu exchanged brief pleasantries with several distinguished ladies sitting beside him, then gracefully took his seat and gestured to the maids beside him to prepare for the banquet and performance.
Before long, the sound of silk and bamboo instruments rose, and a group of dancers dressed in moon-white silk robes and with colorful silk sashes around their waists gracefully entered the garden.
As dusk settled, a sliver of magnificent sunset glow lingered on the horizon, illuminating the graceful figure of the beautiful woman and the fluttering of her flowing sleeves, creating a scene resembling a flowing, enchanting painting.
As the singing and dancing reached their climax, Princess Jingfu slightly turned her head and whispered a few words to Lady Wu, the wife of the Earl of Zhongyong, beside her. Lady Wu covered her lips with a handkerchief and responded with a light laugh, revealing the close relationship between the two.
Speaking of the Marquis of Zhongyong's family, besides the good relationship between Wu and Jingfu, there is another, deeper connection with the imperial family, which no one dares to mention easily.
The late Earl of Zhongyong had three sons. His eldest son accompanied his father on a military campaign in his early years and died on the frontier, his body wrapped in a horse's hide.
The second son, Shen Duo, once served as the deputy commander of the Imperial City Guard. He married Princess Jin'an and was living a life of great prestige, but unexpectedly, he contracted a serious illness and died suddenly not long after the marriage. Now, only the third son, Shen Zhou, remains in the Earl's Mansion, working as a clerk in the Imperial Medical Academy.
The once illustrious military family is now somewhat deserted, with only Madam Wu and her youngest son, Shen Zhou, remaining to uphold its honor.
Strictly speaking, Wu and Princess Jin'an still had a mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship. However, since Shen Duo's death, Princess Jin'an returned to the palace as a widow and severed ties with the Earl's mansion. Therefore, on such occasions, the two only acted as ordinary acquaintances and had no further interaction.
The dancers moved gracefully in the hall, while the ladies at the table sipped their finest wines and admired the exquisite dances. Occasionally, they would whisper and laugh, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
Meng Yutong's gaze did not linger on the singing and dancing. Her eyes were calm as she carefully examined each of the guests at the banquet that night, from Princess Jingfu at the head of the table to Lady Ji Li Wan beside her, and then down to Princess Jin'an below her.
She recalled her past life, in which Princess Gyeongbok was poisoned by the begonia at the spring banquet the following year.
That spring banquet was also organized by Jingfu. The people who attended the banquet that day were roughly the same as the faces in front of us.
Her gaze slowly swept across the room, but she still had no clue. Who on earth had the audacity to plot against a princess who was currently enjoying the Emperor's favor?
Was the person who killed Princess Gyeongbok the same person who killed her?
Her vision was a jumbled mess, and she couldn't make out anything clearly for the time being.
Before her, flowing sleeves danced, their shadows shimmering. A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of flowers. Meng Yutong looked up, and unintentionally, her gaze pierced through the crowd, meeting the eyes of the person diagonally opposite her.
Ji Yun appeared focused on watching the dance, but his gaze seemed to pass through the dancing girl in the center and silently fall on her.
But the moment Meng Yutong looked up, he abruptly looked away and turned his gaze back to the scene, as if everything just now was an illusion, and he was truly just enjoying the song and dance.
This silent exchange, though brief, did not escape the eyes of Princess Jin'an standing nearby.
Her slender fingers rested gently on the celadon teacup in front of her, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the warm, smooth surface of the cup.
A shadowy, unfathomable emotion flickered in those clear, amber eyes.
After the song and dance ended, a piece of music on the zither followed.
The musician in the mansion plucked the strings, playing a piece called "The Wind in the Pines." The music was initially clear and ethereal, gradually becoming expansive and grand. As the music flowed, the branches and leaves of the trees in the courtyard rustled, seemingly in harmony with it.
Even the birds atop the high walls were drawn in, chirping softly. A few gray pigeons, seemingly out of nowhere, had landed under the eaves of a nearby house, pecking at the tiles.
Suddenly, the music quickened, like the roar of pine trees and the faint sound of thunder. The pigeons under the eaves seemed to be startled by the sudden, intense music, and they took flight, circling low over the garden, the sound of their wings flapping clearly audible.
At first, only one or two pigeons flew low overhead, which was not a big deal. But for some reason, in an instant, more than a dozen more appeared from all directions, their gray and white wings fluttering in the twilight.
Some of them landed on the bluestone ground and pecked at it hurriedly, while others flew around haphazardly, making a chaotic rustling of wings and scattering feathers throughout the garden.
Several timid noble ladies turned pale, clutching their handkerchiefs tightly, screaming in alarm as they carefully dodged the birds that were hurtling around them.
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