The storm is brewing.
Zongzheng Mingchen remained silent for a moment, his hands clenching slightly beneath his cloak. He naturally knew the importance of Prime Minister Jiang, and he was even more aware of the methods of his ninth brother, Zongzheng Hengyu, who never did anything meaningless.
"you mean……"
"When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits." The Night Hawk Pavilion Master's voice carried a seductive tone.
"Regardless of their purpose, Jiang Wanzhi has become a pawn at this delicate juncture. Your Highness, perhaps we can... push things a little harder and stir up the waters even more. If we can use this to sow discord between Prince Zhao and Prince Heng, or even cause Prime Minister Jiang to turn against one of them, wouldn't that be twice as effective with half the effort?"
A glint of ruthlessness and excitement flashed in Zongzheng Mingchen's eyes: "How exactly should we do it?"
“There is an opportunity right now,” the Night Hawk Pavilion Master said slowly. “Soon, the Empress Dowager will hold a Hundred Flowers Banquet in the palace, and all the noble ladies in the capital will be invited.”
"At that time, we may arrange one or two 'accidents' to frighten Miss Jiang and then redirect the trouble in the right direction."
He lowered his voice and carefully explained his plan.
Zongzheng Mingchen listened, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth: "Excellent! We'll follow the Pavilion Master's plan! If it succeeds, and I ascend the throne one day, the Pavilion Master will be the most meritorious official! I will never forget your and my mother's former subordinates' contributions to the founding of the dynasty!"
The Night Hawk Pavilion Master bowed slightly, his posture humble, but a faint, mocking, and ambitious smile curved his lips in the shadows: "It is our duty to serve Your Highness. We only hope that Your Highness will soon restore the glory of the former dynasty and ascend to the throne, so as not to have wasted the spirit of the princess in heaven and our many years of painstaking efforts."
Zongzheng Mingchen was deeply moved by his words, and his tone became more excited: "Don't worry! I will definitely take back my mother's empire! I will not let any of those who once looked down on and bullied my mother and me get away with it!"
After discussing a few more details in hushed tones, Zongzheng Mingchen left quietly, just as he had arrived.
The Night Hawk Pavilion Master stood alone in place for a long time before slowly raising his head to look at the dim and unclear night sky, which was cut off by the narrow eaves.
He raised his hand and gently pulled down his hood, revealing an extremely young and handsome face, with a hint of effeminacy in his brows and eyes. However, his deep eyes burned with a mad and obsessive flame that was completely inconsistent with his age and appearance.
"Restore the glory of the former dynasty?" he muttered to himself, his voice regaining its original clear yet cold tone, filled with endless mockery. "That was originally the land of my Murong clan! Why do you need to restore it?"
He, Murong Xuan, is the legitimate heir of the previous dynasty's royal family.
That foolish Ming king, and his concubine mother who also had the blood of the previous dynasty but was willing to submit to the enemy for love and only knew how to compete for favor, were nothing more than tools he used to take revenge and reclaim his kingdom.
His plan was to use someone else to do his dirty work and seize control of the place.
"The corrupt emperor of the Zongzheng family, and his sons who are constantly fighting amongst themselves..."
Murong Xuan's fingers slowly tightened, his knuckles turning white. "Fight to your heart's content. The day you are both severely injured will be the day I, Murong Xuan, take back everything that belongs to me!"
His figure flashed and disappeared into the thick night like a ghost, leaving only an empty courtyard and a silent conspiracy.
A storm is brewing.
…………
The Empress Dowager's Hundred Flowers Banquet was one of the most prestigious gatherings in the palace every spring. Ostensibly a gathering for appreciating flowers, tasting tea, composing poems, and painting, it was in reality an important social event for the aristocratic circles of the capital, and an excellent occasion for eligible young men and women to showcase their talents and secretly admire each other.
When the invitation arrived at the Prime Minister's residence, Jiang Wanzhi was grinning foolishly at a stack of crookedly drawn characters written by the children of Ci'an Hall. Upon hearing the news, her good mood was immediately overshadowed.
"Here we go again..." she sighed, collapsing onto the soft couch. "Can't you just let me be a quiet, lazy bum in peace?"
Chuntao and Qiuju were overjoyed and busied themselves rummaging through drawers and cabinets, selecting clothes and jewelry.
"Miss! This time we can't just do things perfunctorily like before!" Chuntao held up a light red pleated skirt with gold flecks and butterflies on her body.
"I heard that this year's Hundred Flowers Banquet is a huge event, with almost all eligible young men and women attending! Even the princes will be there!"
“Especially His Highness Prince Zhao and His Highness Prince Heng!” Qiuju added, her eyes sparkling. “His Highness Prince Zhao took such good care of you at the last tea party, Miss. You must dress up nicely this time; you can’t let him down!”
Jiang Wanzhi's heart skipped a beat when she heard the words "Your Highness Prince Heng". He... would go to that kind of occasion?
Imagining that iceberg sitting amidst a riot of colors, appreciating flowers and sipping tea, she found it somewhat incongruous.
"If he goes, he'll probably just freeze those delicate flowers!" she muttered to herself.
"What did you say, Miss?" Chun Tao didn't hear clearly.
"It's nothing!" Jiang Wanzhi quickly shook her head, trying to shake off the strange images in her mind.
She had absolutely no interest in the Hundred Flowers Banquet; it was nothing more than a bunch of people flattering each other and secretly comparing themselves—it was exhausting. She'd rather spend that time watching the children grow vegetables at Ci'an Hall.
However, Prime Minister Jiang took this matter very seriously. During dinner, he specifically instructed, "Zhi'er, you must attend the Empress Dowager's Hundred Flowers Banquet, but you must be careful in your conduct."
"The situation in the capital is delicate right now, and you have been in contact with both princes recently, which is bound to attract attention. You must be dignified and proper in your words and deeds, so as not to lose the dignity of the Prime Minister's residence, and also not to get involved in any trouble."
Her father's words were earnest and earnest, and Jiang Wanzhi understood the admonition in them. She nodded obediently, "I understand, and I will be careful with my words and actions."
Even so, she increasingly felt that this Hundred Flowers Banquet was a trap.
…………
Meanwhile, in the study of Prince Heng's mansion.
Zongzheng Hengyu also received an invitation from the palace. He glanced at it only, then casually tossed it aside and continued reviewing the border military reports in his hands.
Yan Cheng stood to the side, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke in a low voice: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has sent word that Your Highness must attend this banquet to show the harmony of the royal family."
Zongzheng Hengyu continued writing without looking up: "I'm busy."
Yan Cheng had already anticipated this outcome, and bracing himself, he continued, "I have also heard that... both the Prince Zhao's residence and the Prince Ming's residence have confirmed their attendance."
“Prince Ming?” He frowned, as if he had seen something, and gave a helpless sneer, “It seems that the Empress Dowager really does love the second prince the most.”
The fact that a useless son who was demoted to a commoner by the emperor and imprisoned for life was still able to attend the Empress Dowager's Hundred Flowers Banquet suggests that the Empress Dowager must have done a lot of work behind the scenes to win over the emperor.
Zongzheng Hengyu, with a gloomy face, continued to review official documents, showing no intention of leaving.
Seeing this, Yan Cheng continued, "...Prime Minister Jiang's daughter is also among those invited."
Upon hearing a certain name, Zongzheng Hengyu paused almost imperceptibly in his work of reviewing official documents. He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping coldly over Yan Cheng.
Yan Cheng immediately lowered his head: "This subordinate has spoken out of turn."
A moment of silence fell over the study. Zongzheng Hengyu's gaze returned to the military report, but he seemed not to look at it again.
The image of her bright eyes as she chattered on about the Ci'an Hall plan in the carriage that day flashed through her mind, as well as the image of her turning pale and withdrawing her hand in fear in the teahouse even earlier.
The Hundred Flowers Banquet was a gathering of all sorts of people, a place where hidden dangers were easy to spot. With her meager cleverness and easily flustered nature…
Thinking of this, his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"I understand." After a long silence, he spoke calmly, his tone devoid of emotion. "You will accompany me then."
Yan Cheng was surprised, but he didn't show it on his face and respectfully replied, "Yes!"
This is already a huge concession from His Highness Prince Heng.
…………
Meanwhile, in another dark corner of the capital, in the lair of the Night Hawk Pavilion.
Murong Xuan, the Night Hawk Pavilion Master who had been lurking in the shadows, was listening to the report from the Deputy Pavilion Master, Ying Sha.
"Master, the layout of the Hundred Flowers Banquet has been initially arranged. Our people have infiltrated the servants responsible for arranging the flowers and supplying the drinks. At that time, a special pot of 'Cleome' will be delivered to the vicinity of Jiang Wanzhi's seat. The fragrance of this flower, mixed with another common spice, can make people dizzy and lose their composure for a short period of time."
Ying Sha's voice was completely flat, as if she were stating something utterly ordinary. Murong Xuan listened while fiddling with a jade thumb ring, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Ying Sha hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Our people report that Prince Heng will also be attending, and his personal guard, Yan Cheng, has been frequently mobilized recently, seemingly checking the security for the banquet. I'm worried..."
"Worried about alerting the enemy?" Murong Xuan chuckled lightly, but there was no smile in his eyes.
“If Zongzheng Hengyu were so easy to deal with, he wouldn’t be alive today. No matter, the plan will proceed as usual. The more vigilant a person is, the more likely they are to fall into a fixed mindset. Besides… our target isn’t entirely him.”
His goal was to muddy the waters, to create cracks, and to knock down the first loose brick on that seemingly impregnable wall of power.
Jiang Wanzhi was merely a trigger, a perfect tool to test the reactions of all parties and stir up their nerves.
“Go ahead,” he waved his hand. “Make sure everything goes perfectly.”
"Yes!" Shadow Assassin accepted the order and silently retreated into the darkness.
Murong Xuan sat alone in the shadows, his fingertips tracing a rough map of the capital's defenses before him, finally landing on the location of the imperial palace.
"The Hundred Flowers Banquet... Ha." He muttered to himself, a fanatical flame burning in his eyes.
A storm is brewing, and the wind is already blowing through the building.
…………
By imperial decree of the Empress Dowager, the Hundred Flowers Banquet was to be held at the Lanyue Pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The weather was perfect, with a gentle breeze blowing, and the Imperial Garden was ablaze with the beauty of a hundred flowers, with butterflies fluttering about, truly a scene where spring's splendor could not be contained.
With vermilion gates and embroidered doors, and luxurious carriages and fine horses, all the princes, nobles, dignitaries, talented men and beautiful women of the capital attended the event in their finest attire.
The men, dressed in fine clothes or loose robes, spoke of elegant literature and current affairs; the women, in particular, were adorned in vibrant colors, their jewelry jingling, their hair adorned with flowers and golden hairpins, leaving a trail of fragrance and laughter wherever they went.
As Jiang Wanzhi entered this flower-filled place with Chun Tao and Qiu Ju, she was overwhelmed by the dazzling sight before her eyes. The air was filled with the fragrance of various precious perfumes and flowers, creating a very grand atmosphere.
Today she wore a sky-blue, wide-sleeved fairy dress with gardenia patterns and an exquisite updo, which was both befitting of the daughter of a prime minister and not overly flamboyant, perfectly matching her desire to "keep a low profile".
However, her beautiful appearance and her growing fame due to her seemingly casual entanglements with the two princes still attracted many overt and covert glances as soon as she appeared.
"Look, Prime Minister Jiang's daughter has arrived..."
"She is indeed beautiful, no wonder..."
"I heard that His Highness Prince Zhao even sent her a gift a few days ago..."
"His Highness Prince Heng also seems to be..."
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