Lotus Appreciation Banquet Controversy
Three days later, at the Imperial Palace, by the lotus pond in the Imperial Garden.
The lotus flowers in the pond stand tall and graceful, some pink and some white, set against the backdrop of the emerald green lotus leaves. A gentle breeze carries their fragrance, creating a truly delightful scene.
The Empress Dowager hosted a banquet, and all the noble ladies and wives of officials in the capital who were of some standing were invited. Dressed in elegant clothes, their hair swaying, and their jade pendants jingling, they chatted and laughed, while undercurrents of passion flowed beneath the surface.
Jiang Wanzhi was dressed in an elegant light blue palace gown. Her face was lightly powdered, concealing the slight pallor from her earlier shock. Her expression was calm. Chun Tao and a composed maid named Qingdai, a female bodyguard arranged by Zongzheng Hengyu, accompanied her as she quietly sat in her assigned seat.
Her appearance undoubtedly attracted a lot of attention. The story of Prince Heng rescuing a beauty from his palace and taking her in for protection had already spread like wildfire in the capital, with various versions, but the core of the story all pointed to Prince Heng's extreme importance on this future princess.
Jiang Wanzhi occasionally nodded to a few familiar ladies, her manners impeccable. She could sense that Qingdai beside her, though seemingly casual, was actually on high alert, her eyes scanning everyone who approached like a hawk.
Princess Munasha sat not far from the main seat, dressed in a vibrant red dress in the style of Beiyuan, adorned with dazzling gold jewelry, making her stand out among the reserved noble ladies of the capital. She smiled brightly as she spoke with the Empress Dowager and several imperial concubines, but her gaze would occasionally sweep seemingly unintentionally over Jiang Wanzhi, a cold calculation hidden deep within her eyes.
After several rounds of drinks, the banquet atmosphere became increasingly lively. Palace servants moved about, serving wine and dishes to the distinguished guests.
A meek and obedient palace maid, carrying a glass plate filled with exquisite pastries, carefully approached Jiang Wanzhi's desk and replaced the dishes for her.
Just as she put down the pastry, seemingly due to nervousness, her hand slipped, and a tiny, almost transparent paper packet slipped from her sleeve. With a flick of her fingertip, a small amount of colorless and odorless powder landed on the rim of the freshly filled fruit wine glass in front of Jiang Wanzhi. The movement was so fast that it was almost an illusion.
The palace maid quickly withdrew and blended into the other palace staff.
All of this was observed by the highly vigilant Qingdai. Her eyes narrowed, but she did not make a sound immediately. Instead, she quietly approached Jiang Wanzhi and whispered in a very low voice, "Miss, do not touch the wine."
Jiang Wanzhi was startled, but she maintained a polite smile. She picked up a piece of pastry with her slender fingers, took a small bite, and showed no further interest in the fruit wine that was so close to her.
Munasha had been observing this side out of the corner of her eye. Seeing that Jiang Wanzhi had not drunk the wine, she frowned almost imperceptibly and gave a wink to the maid beside her.
A moment later, another slightly older nanny came forward with a smile, bowed to Jiang Wanzhi and said, "Miss Jiang, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager noticed that you still seem a little weak, so she specially bestowed upon you a cup of 'Mind-Nourishing and Qi-Boosting Ginseng Tea,' a secret recipe from the palace. It is extremely nourishing, please enjoy it."
As he spoke, a young eunuch behind him brought over a mahogany tray with a delicate white porcelain bowl on it.
The Empress Dowager's gift could not be refused.
Qingdai's nerves tightened instantly. This ginseng tea had passed through several hands; its safety was impossible to ascertain.
Jiang Wanzhi quickly weighed her options, stood up, bowed in the direction of the Empress Dowager, and said in a clear voice, "This humble woman thanks Your Majesty for your kindness." She stepped forward and personally took the teacup from the eunuch's hand.
Just as she took the teacup, she seemed to trip over something, stumbled, and the teacup in her hand fell to the ground with a "crash," scattering warm ginseng tea and porcelain shards everywhere.
"Ah!" Jiang Wanzhi exclaimed softly, a hint of panic and regret appearing on her face at the right moment. "This humble woman has been disrespectful. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!" She looked apologetically at the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, not taking offense: "It's alright, it's good that she's unharmed. Perhaps the floor tiles are uneven. Just serve Miss Jiang another cup."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager." Jiang Wanzhi lowered her head, but inwardly she breathed a sigh of relief. This "accident" was one of the pre-arranged signals between her and Qingdai; if they encountered food that they couldn't refuse, they would create an accident to spill it.
Munasha's face was somewhat unpleasant; the two consecutive mishaps were making her anxious. She hadn't expected Jiang Wanzhi to be so heavily guarded, even daring to "accidentally" overturn the Empress Dowager's reward.
The banquet continued, and soon it was time for free time to enjoy the scenery. The noble ladies strolled and chatted in twos and threes along the winding corridors and waterside pavilions by the lotus pond.
Not wanting to join in the fun, Jiang Wanzhi led Chuntao and Qingdai to a relatively secluded waterfront viewing platform to get some fresh air.
Princess Munasha, accompanied by several maids from Beiyuan and a few noble ladies from the capital who seemed to be on good terms with her, also gracefully arrived at this place, blocking the exit of the viewing platform.
"Miss Jiang, why are you here alone? Do you find the banquet boring?" Munasha smiled brightly, but her tone carried a hint of subtle provocation.
Jiang Wanzhi turned around and gave a composed bow: "Your Highness. The view here is expansive, and the lotus flowers are beautiful, so I paused here for a moment."
"Really?" Muna Sha took a few steps closer, her gaze falling on Jiang Wanzhi's still-bandaged arm. She feigned concern. "I heard that Miss Jiang was frightened and injured a few days ago. Are you well now? His Highness Prince Heng took you into his residence to take care of you personally. He is truly considerate." Her words were tinged with obvious sourness and probing.
"Princess, you are no longer in danger. Your Highness is kind and was merely fulfilling your duty of protection," Jiang Wanzhi replied flawlessly.
"The responsibility of protection?" Munasha chuckled, glancing around at the noble ladies around her, her voice rising slightly, "Speaking of which, although Miss Jiang and His Highness Prince Heng are engaged, the marriage ceremony has not yet taken place. Her frequent stays at the Prince's residence, while understandable, might ultimately be somewhat of a hindrance to her reputation, wouldn't it? We women of Beiyuan, with our straightforward nature, find this rather surprising. Perhaps the customs of the capital are different from ours?"
These words were clearly malicious and provocative, intended to publicly question Jiang Wanzhi's reputation.
Upon hearing this, the ladies exchanged glances and began to whisper among themselves.
Chun Tao blushed with anger and was about to retort when Jiang Wanzhi stopped her with a look.
Jiang Wanzhi raised her eyes, calmly looking directly at Munasha, a faint smile even playing on her lips: "Your Highness has come from afar, and it is understandable that you may not understand the etiquette of our dynasty. The Rites of Zhou says, 'In times of emergency, one should act expediently.' On that day, the situation was critical, and His Highness Prince Heng was ordered by the Emperor to investigate the case and rescued my daughter from danger. His Majesty also granted my daughter temporary accommodation in the Prince's residence for her safety. This is a grace from the Emperor, and it is also Your Highness's fulfillment of his duty as a subject and his consideration for the future of his subjects."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "Does the princess perhaps feel that His Majesty's decision and Your Highness's righteous act are inappropriate? Or does she believe that a woman's reputation is more important than her life and safety and the imperial decree?"
Munasha was taken aback, her face immediately turning ugly. She hadn't expected Jiang Wanzhi to be so sharp-tongued, daring to directly invoke the Emperor to intimidate her.
The whispers around them subsided, and the ladies looked at Jiang Wanzhi with more caution. This seemingly delicate young lady of the Jiang family was not someone to be trifled with.
Just then, a calm and dignified male voice sounded from behind.
"I was unaware that Princess Beiyuan was so interested in how I would arrange for my future queen."
Everyone turned around and saw that Zongzheng Hengyu was already standing under the water corridor not far away. He was dressed in a black prince's casual robe, his posture was upright, his face was cold and stern, and his gaze was as cold as ice as he looked at Muna Sha. He had obviously heard the conversation just now.
Everyone present immediately bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Heng."
A flicker of panic crossed Munasha's face, but she quickly regained her composure and put on a charming smile: "Your Highness, you misunderstand. Munasha is only concerned about Miss Jiang..."
Zongzheng Hengyu ignored her and walked straight to Jiang Wanzhi's side. His gaze swept over her, and after confirming that she was unharmed, he said coldly, "Jiang Wanzhi's reputation is none of the princess's concern. I do not need to explain my actions to outsiders."
His words were undisguised in their protectiveness and distance, and Munasha's smile froze on her face.
Zongzheng Hengyu stopped looking at her and said gently to Jiang Wanzhi, "Father has summoned you. Come with me to express your gratitude."
This directly took her away from this place of trouble.
Jiang Wanzhi felt a warmth in her heart and nodded obediently, "Yes."
Amidst the varied gazes of the crowd, Zongzheng Hengyu, along with Jiang Wanzhi, left the observation deck as if no one else was there. Munasha watched their departing figures, her eyes practically spitting fire.
…………
Inside the Imperial Study, the incense burner emitted a delicate fragrance of ambergris.
Emperor Zongzheng Hong sat upright behind his desk. Although he was nearly fifty years old and his temples were slightly gray, his eyes were still as sharp as an eagle's, and he exuded an unquestionable imperial majesty.
He looked down at Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Wanzhi, who were standing side by side, with a calm expression, even carrying a hint of elder's gentleness.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." The two bowed in unison.
"Rise." The Emperor's voice was steady. "Jiang Wanzhi, you were frightened. Are you feeling any better?"
Jiang Wanzhi lowered her head and replied respectfully, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am now much better. I am grateful to Your Majesty for allowing me to recuperate at the Prince Heng's residence, and I am even more grateful to Your Highness for saving my life."
The Emperor nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Zongzheng Hengyu: "Ninth Prince, how is the investigation going?"
Zongzheng Hengyu stepped forward and succinctly reported the current progress of the investigation into the Night Hawk Pavilion, as well as the elimination of several peripheral strongholds. He concluded by saying, "Your Majesty deduces that this kidnapping has a clear target. If it is not aimed at your Majesty, then it is intended to use Jiang Wanzhi to disrupt the court, or both. The timing of the Northern Abyss delegation's arrival in the capital is coincidental, and there may be some connection within it. Your Majesty has already increased manpower to monitor them."
After listening, the emperor pondered for a moment, then tapped his knuckles lightly on the imperial desk: "The Night Hawk Pavilion... these rats from the gutter of the previous dynasty, having been dormant for many years, now dare to stir up trouble in the capital again. Their intentions are despicable."
"Ninth Brother, you are in full charge of this matter. Investigate it thoroughly. If necessary, mobilize the capital's garrison for assistance. As for the Northern Abyss delegation..."
He paused, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. "King Muleyan has already issued a decree to send Munasha back to Beiyuan soon. He will send a new delegation to discuss the details of the alliance. Until then, keep them calm, but there is no need to be overly accommodating. My Great Shang Dynasty has its own magnanimity."
"Your subject obeys the decree," Zongzheng Hengyu replied in a deep voice. The emperor's attitude was clear: he supported his thorough investigation but also remained vigilant towards Beiyuan.
The Emperor then looked at Jiang Wanzhi, his tone softening: "Jiang Wanzhi, since you are engaged to Hengyu, you will be a royal daughter-in-law in the future. Some storms are inevitable. After this incident, I hope you can be more composed. I also believe that the Ninth Prince will protect you."
These words were a reassurance, a warning, and also an affirmation. Jiang Wanzhi understood, and once again curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty's teachings will be remembered by this humble woman."
Leaving the Imperial Study, Zongzheng Hengyu walked slowly along the shady path beneath the palace wall, deliberately slowing his pace to accommodate Jiang Wanzhi.
"Did Munasa make things difficult for you at the lotus viewing banquet just now?" Although he asked the question, his tone was certain. When he appeared, he only heard the end of the story, but the atmosphere there and the reports from his spies were enough for him to piece together the general picture.
Jiang Wanzhi gave a soft "hmm" and didn't say much about her grievances, only saying, "Thank you for appearing in time, Your Highness, to help me out of this predicament."
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