Chapter 63 Flower Arrangement Banquet "Minister Pei must treat me with the courtesy due to a subject to a ruler..."
Knowing when to stop, Chu Yueyuan obediently raised her head, letting the man gently wipe away her tears, her dark eyes blinking lightly:
"The other positions are fine, but the choice of the deputy examiner is a different story. Pei Qing has already chosen Xie Yu as the chief examiner for this imperial examination. If the deputy examiner is not chosen from An Xian Wang's side, I'm afraid they will not let it go."
Pei Muwei pinched the little empress dowager's chin. The woman's skin was delicate. After crying her heart out, a light pink blush spread across the corner of her eyes, making her look almost bewitchingly beautiful.
He said calmly, "What does Your Highness think about appointing Lord Shen as the Imperial Censor?"
Shen Zizhan?
Chu Yueyuan had been ruling from behind the curtain for a year and a half. She was already intelligent, and with a little guidance from Pei Muwei, she immediately understood the key to the matter.
Neither the Regent nor the Prince of Anxian wanted the other's people to be appointed as deputy examiners. The best solution was to select an official who would not be appointed by either side. The Censorate, where Shen Zizhan worked, was an oversight department, and was very suitable for the position of deputy examiner both morally and logically.
Furthermore, Shen Zizhan is the grandson of Prime Minister Shen, so he can easily get past Prime Minister Shen.
"So it turns out that Minister Pei already had a plan in mind, and was just... just waiting for me to beg you!"
Chu Yueyuan was so angry that she could hardly speak. She pushed aside the treacherous minister with phoenix eyes who was smiling, quickly went around to the back of the desk, picked up the roster on the ground, and rudely threw it onto the desk.
"Quickly, circle the remaining candidates for me!"
The young empress dowager stood with her hands on her hips, her brows furrowed and her eyes cold. She had shed the noble and reserved demeanor she had feigned in Ping Ruli, and now appeared spoiled and domineering, yet also remarkably lively and adorable.
Pei Muwei looked at the domineering and arrogant woman with a smile in his eyes, and then acted as a submissive subject, picking up his pen to divide the radishes in the field.
Seeing that she could deliver on her promise to Prime Minister Chen, Chu Yueyuan felt relaxed and happy, and she pulled the phoenix chair back to her own territory.
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the carved window lattice, casting dappled patterns on the man's profile. His thick, curled eyelashes trembled slightly in the interplay of light and shadow, softening his otherwise aloof and detached demeanor. He lowered his eyes, focused intently on writing, the faint blue veins on the back of his hand radiating a chilling power.
Chu Yueyuan held a cup of tea, her gaze unconsciously falling on his hands. She recalled how those hands had effortlessly lifted her onto the table, their warm palms pressing against her waist...
She quickly lowered her head and took a sip of tea, trying to calm her inexplicably rapid heartbeat.
Pei Muwei handed over the completed list of names: "I have decided on the candidates. Please review it, Your Majesty."
Chu Yueyuan took the roster and looked down to flip through it. She heard the man say in a low voice, "Your Highness, there is one more thing that I need your help with."
Pei Zei needs something from her? This must be incredible!
Chu Yueyuan raised her eyelids, met his deep, dark eyes, and asked curiously, "What is it?"
Pei Muwei said in a calm tone: "Your Highness would like to hold a banquet in the inner palace and invite members of the royal family, female officials and their families, as well as... Princess Nianyi."
Not long ago, Chu Yueyuan issued an imperial edict, in the name of honoring the death of Prince Chen while guarding Jingzhou, and exceptionally conferred upon Xie Nianzhi the title of Second-Rank Imperial Lady, and granted her 100 acres of fertile land in the suburbs of the capital, with an annual salary of 30,000 strings of cash.
As spring warmed, the high-ranking families in the capital vied to host banquets and send out invitations. However, these invitations seemed to have eyes, all avoiding the Xie family. Clearly, the ladies of these high-ranking officials were deliberately isolating Xie Nianzhi.
Pei Muwei explained Prince Chun's intentions: "Xie Yu wants Nianyi to leave the mansion and move around so that she can relieve her grief as soon as possible. He is also worried that she will be harassed at the banquet. Therefore, he earnestly requests Your Highness to hold a banquet in the inner palace to take care of her."
Chu Yueyuan knew best what it felt like to be isolated, so she sympathized with Xie Nianzhi's current situation.
Just as she was about to nod in agreement, a sudden inspiration struck her—it was a rare opportunity for Pei to ask her for a favor, so why not take this chance to request that the cage door be locked?
She calmly straightened her clothes, straightened her back, and coughed lightly: "I can grant Pei Qing's request, but... I must first make a three-point agreement with you."
Pei Muwei stared with interest at the young Empress Dowager's stern face, and nodded slightly: "Your Majesty, I would like to hear the details."
Chu Yueyuan immediately extended a slender, white finger and said solemnly, "First, let bygones be bygones about what happened in Xixia Kingdom and the post station. Let it all be wiped clean from now on, and never mention it again in the future."
"Secondly, I need thirty well-trained prisoners of war. Pei Qing, hand them over to me. These men will only obey my orders and will not report anything about the Phoenix Perch Palace to you."
After Zi Rui's betrayal, Chu Yueyuan suspected that there were still many 'fouls' in Fengqi Palace, but she had limited manpower and needed to ask the Regent for some capable people to completely eliminate the hidden dangers in Fengqi Palace.
The captured soldiers were all elite troops capable of fighting ten men each. She needed thirty of them, which was equivalent to adding three hundred Imperial Guards. In the future, if she encountered any difficult situations, she could handle them on her own.
"Third, I am the sovereign, and you are my subject. In the days to come, you must treat me with the respect due to a sovereign and your subject, and your behavior must not be frivolous or unrestrained."
After speaking, the woman firmly waved three fingers in front of Pei Muwei's eyes.
Pei Muwei grasped the young Empress Dowager's soft hand, pressing her two fingers back one by one, and finally tapped the stubbornly protruding index finger, a smile playing on his lips:
"Your Highness, I can grant your first two requests, but I don't understand what constitutes frivolous and unrestrained behavior in your third request?"
Chu Yueyuan pulled her wrist back and said irritably, "You are being frivolous and unrestrained."
Pei Muwei nodded, seemingly understanding, "Oh, if that's the case, then this humble subject must find out..." He calmly rose from the grand chair, his palms resting on the armrests, and slowly lowered his tall frame, unabashedly closing the distance between the emperor and his subject. A mischievous smile flickered in his phoenix eyes, which met the light.
"For example, what about me?"
"Hmm..."
"And what about this?"
The man practiced what he preached, seemingly humbly seeking instruction, but in reality, he wanted to verify every frivolous act he could perform on her. Chu Yueyuan was forced to teach him by example for half an hour before finally raising her hands in compromise and requesting that the third rule be changed to not being presumptuous in front of others.
———
In the warm spring of April, scholars from all over the country gathered in the bustling capital city of Daqi, like drops of water in a stream. They traveled by horse, carriage, or on foot, their journeys arduous, eventually converging along the post roads.
The inns in the capital were already overcrowded, and room rates were rising three times a day, yet demand still couldn't meet supply. Those candidates who arrived late could only watch helplessly as the rooms were snapped up, and in desperation, they squeezed together in groups of three or five to spend the night in cowsheds.
To maintain order, the Prefect of the Capital increased the number of patrols on Zhuque Avenue, and officials from the Three Departments and Six Ministries were extremely busy before the imperial examinations.
The Ministry of Rites worked day and night to seal the examination papers and arrange the examination venues. The Ministry of Revenue was busy counting the number of candidates and allocating supplies. The Ministry of War specially transferred a group of imperial guards from the outskirts of Beijing to guard the examination hall to ensure that everything went smoothly during the imperial examinations.
This lively scene continued until the fifteenth, when the gates of the examination hall opened and long lines of candidates entered. The usual order was restored on Zhuque Street, and the officials in the court finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Taking advantage of this break, Chu Yueyuan sent invitations to the flower arrangement banquet to the ladies of prominent families in the capital.
The banquet was held at the Lotus Breeze Pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The pavilion was located in the center of the lotus pond, and sheer gauze curtains hung on all four sides of the pavilion, as if a thin mist was enveloping the pavilion. Through the gauze curtains, one could vaguely see the lotus flowers in the lake standing tall and pure.
Inside the pavilion, exquisite tea, snacks, and fruits were laid out on the table, and the ladies, dressed in their finest attire, took their seats in order of rank and status.
Closest to the head of the table were Princess Anxian and her daughter, Princess Zhaohua, followed by Madam Shen from the Shen family, then the Marquis's wife, the Earl's wife, and the women of second and third-rank officials.
Chu Yueyuan sent out fifteen invitations. Including the one or two relatives each lady brought, the Xuan Pavilion had prepared a total of fifty seats, which should have been more than enough. However, with the banquet about to begin, there were still more than ten ladies standing at the end of the table with nowhere to sit.
This was something she hadn't expected. Before marrying into the palace, she had almost no contact with these ladies from noble families. She thought it would be good if half of them came, but unexpectedly, each of the invited ladies brought several relatives, as if they were rushing to the opera house to see the latest play.
Chu Yueyuan ordered Baoluo to inform the Inner Palace Attendants Bureau. Eunuch Wang personally led several eunuchs to add dozens more tables and chairs, finally allowing all the guests to take their seats.
The room was filled with the rich scent of rouge, and the hair was piled high like mountains, with emerald green and flowing red.
Princess Zhaohua glanced at the empty seat next to her mother, her exquisitely drawn eyebrows slightly raised, and she sneered: "After all these years, Xie Nianzhi still has such a big attitude, always liking to arrive late."
The Countess, sitting in the middle of the seats, smiled and chimed in: "If Princess Zhaohua hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have noticed. All told, Princess Nianyi has been away from the capital for five whole years. Now that she's returning to her homeland, she'll surely dress up carefully and make a grand appearance to impress us!"
Another lady scoffed, "What's there for a widow who hasn't even finished her mourning period to dress up for..."
As soon as the lady finished speaking, she was subtly nudged by someone next to her. She quickly shut her mouth and looked at the young empress dowager sitting at the head of the table with lingering fear.
Chu Yueyuan remained calm, holding a gold-embroidered brocade fan and slowly fanning herself, a faint smile playing on her lips, as if she had not heard what the lady had just said.
The murmurs at the table gradually grew louder.
When the news of Xie Nianzhi's marriage to the son of the governor of Jingzhou reached the capital, it immediately caused a stir among the noble ladies. Those noblewomen who had once interacted with her outwardly sighed with regret, but inwardly they could not hide their schadenfreude.
After all, Xie Nianzhi was once the most dazzling person in the capital. Her beauty, family background, and talent were the envy of many. Seeing her fall into such a state naturally became the best comfort in their hearts.
Among these gloating noble ladies, Princess Zhaohua laughed the loudest.
Princess Zhaohua, as the eldest daughter of Prince Anxian, was about the same age as Xie Nianzhi. Both of them were born into the noble status of princesses and their family backgrounds were comparable. However, Xie Nianzhi was always more outstanding than her in terms of appearance and talent. In the eyes of the young masters of the capital, she was like a noble and sacred bright moon, making her pale in comparison.
Ever since Xie Nianzhi left the capital, Princess Zhaohua has always appeared at banquets with her head held high, her steps lighter than ever before, and her smile brighter than ever before.
Just when Princess Zhaohua was certain that Xie Nian, a young widow, would be confined to the small place of Jingzhou for the rest of her life, she heard the news that she had returned to the capital.
That night, Princess Zhaohua angrily smashed all the utensils in the room, scaring her husband so much that he hid in his concubine's room.
The noblewomen who had once secretly mocked Xie Nianzhi were shocked and curious. Under the tyranny of Princess Zhaohua, they dared not send invitations to the Xie family, but they were genuinely curious about what Xie Nianzhi looked like now.
Therefore, the flower arrangement banquet hosted by the young empress dowager attracted half of the noblewomen in the capital.
Chu Yueyuan sat on the phoenix chair with a calm expression. She slowly waved the peony fan in her hand, quietly observing the noble ladies at the table, each with their own ulterior motives. She secretly complained to herself about the task Pei had given her—it was not easy!
The wind chimes hanging under the eaves tinkled softly, and at the same time, the eunuch's high-pitched announcement rang out: "Princess Nianyi has arrived!"
In an instant, everyone looked up and looked outside.
A gentle breeze stirred the gauze curtains, and the swaying moonlit curtains resembled a thin mist. As the mist gradually dissipated, a graceful figure emerged from within.
The woman wore a plain white dress with no embellishments, and her black hair was adorned only with a small mutton-fat pear blossom hairpin. Her eyes were deep as autumn water, clear and bottomless, yet they carried an elusive sense of aloofness. Her temperament was aloof and cold, like a fairy who had stepped out of the fragrant sandalwood and was not of this world.
Her appearance was like a pure white pear blossom amidst a sea of colorful flowers, elegant and bright, with an undeniable presence.
Xie Nianzhi stepped forward amidst the admiring or envious gazes of the crowd, bowed slightly, and said softly, "Nianyi greets the Empress Dowager. May Your Highness be blessed with good fortune and eternal health."
To be honest, this was the first time Chu Yueyuan had seen Princess Nianyi's true face.
At first glance, she understood why Chu Wanxi was able to claim the title of the most beautiful woman in the capital after Princess Nianyi left. Both of them had a cool and aloof temperament, but Princess Nianyi's eyebrows and eyes were more delicate and her temperament was more otherworldly.
Chu Yueyuan smiled slightly: "Princess, please excuse the formalities and take a seat."
Xie Nianzhi nodded slightly and walked gracefully to the empty seat next to Princess Anxian.
Princess Zhaohua smiled slightly and, before the other person could sit down, said, "Sister, you dare to arrive late to the palace banquet hosted by the Empress Dowager. You don't respect the Empress Dowager at all. You should punish yourself by drinking three cups of wine to apologize!"
The maid behind her immediately filled three cups with wine.
Xie Nianzhi bowed to Chu Yueyuan again and explained softly, "Your Majesty, the coachman from the Prince's residence came from Jingzhou. He was not familiar with the roads in the capital and thus got lost. Nianyi is late and should be punished, but I am still observing mourning for the deceased emperor and cannot drink alcohol. I humbly request Your Highness to allow me to copy scriptures by hand as an apology."
Princess Zhaohua then said sarcastically, "Sister, you really are sentimental. Even the coachman is someone you used to work with in Jingzhou. If you are so sentimental, why didn't you stay in Jingzhou for the full three-year mourning period instead of rushing back to the capital?"
"Hmph, are you just saying one thing and meaning another, or do you look down on the Chen family because they're not respectable enough, and now that they've risen in power, you're discarding them like trash?"
The room was completely silent. The women's eyes darted between Xie Nianzhi and Princess Zhaohua, their faces showing anticipation for a good show.
Xie Nianzhi looked calmly at Princess Zhaohua, her tone neither humble nor arrogant: "My brother has been ordered to return to the capital to take up his post, and my sister-in-law needs to take care of the young prince, so it is inconvenient for her to accompany him. Nianyi will return to the capital with my brother first to manage the affairs of the household, so that we can bring my sister-in-law to the capital as soon as possible. Although I am the widow of the Chen family, I am also a daughter of the Xie family. May I ask, sister, what identity did you use when you entered the palace with Princess Anxian today?"
Princess Zhaohua married the son of the Minister of Revenue. Although their families were of similar social standing, in terms of status, the wives of officials were far inferior to those of the imperial family. The reason she was able to sit so close to the front at the banquet was naturally because she was the daughter of Prince Anxian.
Princess Zhaohua's face flushed red and then turned pale. She hadn't tasted the bitterness of being looked down upon in a long time. The return of that dazzling woman was like the moon, which had disappeared for many years, reappearing in the night sky, making her, the star, lose her brilliance.
She was about to lash out when the young empress dowager interrupted her loudly.
Chu Yueyuan put down the peony palace fan and said with a smile, "Now that everyone is here, let's begin the flower arrangement. Today, I will select the most outstanding flower arrangement to send to the examination hall to boost the morale of the candidates. I hope that all the ladies and young ladies will show their skills and contribute to the pillars of the Great Qi."
"Your Majesty, I obey."
Jin Tong led a group of palace maids into the pavilion. On the trays they carried were flower vases of various shapes and several baskets of various flower branches that had been cut from the Imperial Garden that morning.
The women only need to select their favorite flower branches, trim them slightly, and arrange them into a vase of flowers that is perfect in shape, color, and meaning.
The wives of officials had arranged flowers countless times in their boudoirs and did not care much about the rankings. However, the unmarried noble ladies were all determined to have their own handmade flower arrangements enter the examination hall in order to earn the reputation of a talented woman.
A countess leaned slightly forward and spoke attentively to the Duchess of Shen, who was drinking tea:
"I see that there are many young ladies from prominent families at today's banquet. Your son is not young anymore. He can't just be successful in his career; he should also enjoy his spring breeze. Why don't you take this opportunity to choose a gentle and virtuous noblewoman for your son?"
Madam Shen smiled without saying a word, and slowly savored her tea.
The Countess persisted, saying, "I have a niece from my family who just turned seventeen this year, and she's here today too. Look, she's the girl with the plum blossom vase, wearing a light blue silk dress. Does she seem pleasing to the eye, Madam?"
Madam Shen glanced towards the end of the table and praised, "The flower arrangement has a Zen-like quality; she is a clever and good girl."
The Countess's smile lines deepened, and she was about to speak again when the lady beside her interrupted:
"My lady, have you lost your senses? Haven't you heard about Duke Shen drinking with Headmaster Lin? Headmaster Lin's granddaughter is a year younger than your niece, and their zodiac signs are compatible—a match made in heaven!"
Hearing the commotion, the surrounding guests offered their congratulations to Madam Shen.
Madam Shen smiled without speaking, neither acknowledging nor denying the marriage alliance between the Shen and Lin families. Her gaze inadvertently drifted to the young Empress Dowager, who was focused on arranging flowers at the head of the table, and her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Upon hearing the news that Shen Zizhan was about to get married, Chu Yueyuan felt no emotion, but rather a faint sense of relief.
He is such a good person, gentle and refined, talented, sincere and kind. He deserves a bright future, to spend the rest of his life with a virtuous and kind woman, to have many children and grandchildren, and to enjoy all the blessings in the world.
Chu Yueyuan placed a peony flower into a white jade crackled vase, examined it for a moment, trimmed off the excess branches and leaves with silver scissors, and added a few camellia and iris leaves as embellishments.
"The flower arrangement made by the Empress Dowager is very beautiful."
Chu Yueyuan lowered her gaze and saw Madam Shen's kind smile. She smiled and said, "I haven't done flower arranging for a long time, and my skills have become quite rusty. If the Duchess likes it, I will give it to her as an early congratulatory gift for Lord Shen, to add to his joy and happiness."
"The lady thanks Your Highness for the gift."
After a stick of incense had burned, the women had all finished their respective flower arrangements. On the table, a hundred flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, each with its own unique charm. Some had tall, graceful branches, while others were in full bloom, exuding a lively and unrestrained energy. Still others had drooping branches, displaying a delicate and graceful beauty.
Chu Yueyuan claimed that she was young and inexperienced, and selected Princess Anxian, Lady Shen, and the eldest Lady Wu to jointly evaluate her.
The three walked around the long table, praising the girl from time to time for her intelligence and ingenuity.
When they reached Princess Nianyi, the three of them stopped in their tracks. Princess Anxian kept a straight face and didn't say anything, Madam Shen's eyes showed approval, and Madam Wu couldn't stop praising her.
"After several years, I finally saw a vase of flowers that combined form, color, and meaning."
Madam Wu's voice was deep and gentle, yet carried an undeniable authority; her gaze was loving as she spoke:
"It seems that Princess Nianyi did not neglect her skills during her time in Jingzhou; on the contrary, she improved them even further."
Xie Nianzhi also chose peonies as the main flower, paired with a few elegant pear blossoms and emerald green bamboo leaves. The branches are arranged at varying heights and in a natural manner, as if bringing the tranquility and serenity of the mountains into the pavilion, making people feel refreshed and happy.
Unfortunately, Princess Zhaohua clearly failed to appreciate the elegance of the arrangement. She drawled, "Madam Wu is a woman of high moral character and profound knowledge. If you say Sister Xie's vase flowers are good, then they must be the best among us, but..."
She abruptly changed the subject, giving Xie Nianzhi a cold look and a contemptuous smile: "The Empress Dowager just said that this vase of flowers is to be sent to the examination hall to boost the morale of today's candidates, and is for the purpose of praying for blessings. How could something for the purpose of praying for blessings come from the hands of a widow?"
A noblewoman who was on good terms with Princess Zhaohua chimed in: "Yes, as the saying goes, 'Better to marry a woman who has been married twice than a woman who has been abandoned.' Widows are considered unlucky, and the shorter a woman's marriage is, the more misfortune she is plagued by."
Another noblewoman chimed in softly, her tone tinged with worry: "The Great Qi's imperial examinations select only the talents fit for the nation's destiny. If someone is tainted by bad luck, alas, that would truly be..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but it clearly revealed her disdain.
Xie Nianzhi sat at the table, listening to everyone's chatter. Her fair face gradually lost its color, like a pear blossom swaying on a branch after a rainstorm, pale and fragile. She lowered her eyes and bit her lower lip tightly.
Madam Wu's stubborn temper flared up; she pounded her sandalwood cane forcefully, the sound echoing loudly.
“The Emperor’s disciple, a man of extraordinary talent, would never be like you shallow-minded women who believe in the fallacy that widows bring misfortune to their husbands. In my opinion, the vase of flowers that Miss Xie made today is worthy of being sent to the Imperial Examination Hall.”
Madam Wu's husband was the previous head of the Hanlin Academy, and nearly half of the officials in the court were his students. He was a respected elder, and although he had retired, his reputation remained undiminished.
With her backing Xie Nianzhi up, the other ladies of high society could no longer gossip.
At this moment, Princess Anxian suddenly spoke up: "This matter concerns the fate of the nation and cannot be taken lightly. Princess Nianyi's vase flowers are truly stunning, but the vase flowers made by the other noble ladies are equally remarkable. Why must you be so particular, Madam?"
Madam Shen remained silent throughout, her attitude mirroring that of Chancellor Shen in the court—always a neutral party focused on self-preservation.
As an observer, Chu Yueyuan saw the whole commotion clearly.
The flower vase sent to the examination hall was a minor matter; Princess Anxian and Princess Zhaohua wanted to use this incident to solidify Xie Nianzhi's reputation as a widow, so that she would never be able to hold her head up in the capital again.
Since she had invited the person and Prince Chun had repeatedly entrusted her with this task, Chu Yueyuan, the puppet empress dowager, had no choice but to remove the puppet talisman from her body.
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