Chapter 36 The Night Banquet at Ganquan Palace
As the sun sets, the outline of Ganquan Mountain gradually deepens in the twilight. The sound of string and wind instruments drifts from Daqing Hall, seemingly reminding people of the magnificent scene tonight.
Huiyin wore a moon-white, curved-hemmed deep robe, with a wide crimson belt tied around her waist, from which two silk ribbons hung down, and a plain gauze garment over it.
Her black hair was tied into a cloud-like bun, secured only by a single white jade hairpin, the head of which was carved into a budding magnolia. Two bright pearls, glistening and lustrous, hung by her ears.
He Jiaying's attire today was similar to her usual style: a cherry-colored cross-collar ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), her hair styled in a bun, adorned with a gold and jade butterfly hairpin and three pearl pendants, which accentuated her snow-white skin.
Madam Pei was dressed in a dignified manner, with a deep purple triple-layered hem, her high bun adorned with jewels and jade, and a jade pendant hanging from her waist that made a clear, melodious sound when she moved.
As dusk approached, Lady Pei led Huiyin and He Jiaying out of the house, heading towards the inner palace along a shallow stone path. Along the way, they encountered many familiar officials' families, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then proceeded together to the Daqing Hall in the inner palace.
Huiyin and He Jiaying followed behind Madam Pei, discreetly observing the lady who was speaking with Madam Pei. She was the mother of the two sisters, Liu Tan and Liu Tong, and the head of the Liu family in Hedong.
Madam Liu's features were strikingly similar to Liu Tong's, except that she had a longer face and a rounder profile, and always wore a gentle smile, giving people a warm and gentle feeling.
Huiyin had met this Madam Liu once. Her mother, Yan Zhuo, did indeed have some connection with the Liu family, but not in the way Liu Tong described.
Twenty years ago, Song Wei, the father of Huiyin, rose to fame and his talent spread far and wide, attracting many students from other places to Wan County to compete with him in scholarship. Liu Yinguang, the current head of the Liu family in Hedong and the father of the Liu sisters, who was then serving as Guanglu Xun Dafu, was also one of them.
Liu Yinguang was handsome and eloquent, and attracted the attention of many women as soon as he arrived in Wan County.
Yan Zhuo was the most beautiful young lady in the surrounding area at the time. She was the youngest daughter in her family, and was frail from childhood. She was pampered like a precious jewel and grew up with an innocent nature.
When a spirited young man meets a young woman in the prime of her life, stories of talented scholars and beautiful women, as often told in traditional novels, are bound to unfold.
The two quickly fell in love, but Liu Yinguang came from a powerful clan. Even though the Yan family was a prominent clan in Wan County, they were no match for the Liu family of Hedong.
Liu Yinguang's parents said that if Yan Zhuo wanted to enter the Liu family, she could only become a concubine, or Liu Yinguang could voluntarily give up his status as the eldest son of the family and not inherit the position of the head of the family, only then would they agree to let Liu Yinguang marry Yan Zhuo.
Liu Yinguang was unwilling to give up his position as head of the family, nor was he willing to give up Yan Zhuo. He found Yan Zhuo and swore to the heavens that even if Yan Zhuo became his concubine, and he married another woman in the future, Yan Zhuo would still be the person he loved most in his heart, and he would give Yan Zhuo the best of everything.
Yan Zhuo refused and decisively broke up with Liu Yinguang. At this time, Song Wei suddenly came to the Yan family to propose marriage to Yan Zhuo. In order to avoid Liu Yinguang's entanglement, Yan Zhuo agreed to Song Wei's proposal.
As for how Huiyin knew about these past events, it was all thanks to her father's openness. Song Wei and Yan Zhuo had Huiyin less than two years after their marriage. Just as the new emperor ascended the throne, Huiyin was summoned to the capital by His Majesty.
Liu Yinguang had always resented Song Wei for secretly arranging for Yan Zhuo to marry him. He had held a grudge for many years, and after Song Wei entered the capital, he repeatedly tried to trip him up.
Every time he tripped someone up, Song Wei would go home and wail in front of Yan Zhuo, complaining about Liu Yinguang's despicable behavior. Then he would get jealous and make Yan Zhuo feel sorry for him.
Although Huiyin was young at the time, she was old enough to remember things. Not only did Song's father not shy away from the matter, but he also repeatedly told Huiyin in front of Yan Zhuo not to befriend the children of the Liu family, especially the men of the Liu family.
Unsurprisingly, each time he was met with a scathing rebuke from Yan Zhuo.
As for Madam Liu, in previous banquets where the two families met, she always appeared warm and friendly. But from what Liu Tong revealed, Huiyin understood that she harbored resentment.
As a father, Liu Yinguang would naturally not talk about his past romantic entanglements in front of his daughter. Everything Liu Tong knew came from the teachings and examples of this Mrs. Liu.
However, instead of blaming the culprit, she blamed her mother, which is utterly unreasonable.
He Jiaying noticed that Huiyin's gaze was fixed on Madam Liu, so she leaned over and whispered, "Madam Liu is so gentle and refined. I wonder how she raised a daughter like Liu Tong."
Huiyin snapped out of her thoughts and smiled, "Perhaps Liu Tong's temperament is like his father's."
She was talking to He Jiaying with her head down when she suddenly felt a gaze fall on her. Huiyin looked up and saw that Madam Liu was looking at her meaningfully and talking to Madam Pei.
Madam Pei's expression was easy to guess. She waved her hands repeatedly, her smile somewhat forced, her lips moving as if trying to explain something.
Huiyin guessed that it must be Madam Liu who was trying to sow discord between her and Madam Pei, and Madam Pei was explaining things on her behalf.
It must have been tough on her. Huiyin's words that day must have had a significant impact on Liu Tong. She must have had a good argument with Madam Liu when she got back. Otherwise, Madam Liu wouldn't have waited here specifically to try and sow discord between Madam Pei and Madam Liu.
Madam Liu laughed, her gentle demeanor vanishing, replaced by a haughty and disdainful smile. She continued speaking to Madam Pei.
Huiyin saw Madam Pei's explanation abruptly stop, her expression turning grim. She began to wonder what Madam Liu had said that could cause Madam Pei's change of expression.
After saying that, Madam Liu glanced at Huiyin meaningfully before turning and leaving.
Madam Pei remained silent for a moment, then forced a smile and beckoned Huiyin and He Jiaying to follow. She was unusually silent, her face devoid of a smile.
Even He Jiaying noticed something was wrong and cautiously asked, "Auntie, what's wrong?"
Madam Pei thought she had covered it up well, and forced a smile, saying, "It's nothing, let's go, the palace banquet is about to begin."
He Jiaying looked suspicious and nudged Huiyin beside her, "Do you know what Madam Liu said?"
Although Huiyin didn't hear their conversation, she basically guessed what was going on: "The connection between the Pei family and the Liu family lies in Pei Yu and Liu Tan. Just now, Madam Liu kept looking at me. I guess she was telling Madam Pei what to do with me after Liu Tan marries Pei Yu. She probably wants Madam Pei to get rid of me as soon as possible."
“No! I disagree,” He Jiaying said angrily. “She’s shameless. They were the ones who broke their promise. They married Liu Tan off less than three months after the news of her cousin’s death. If they had been willing to wait, things wouldn’t be like this now.”
Huiyin teased her, "What's the use of you disagreeing? Your cousin is willing."
“My cousin is blind!” He Jiaying’s lips turned down; she really, really liked Huiyin now.
He Jiaying felt inexplicably moved and sad. If she were Huiyin, her family had fallen on hard times, and she was the only one left to support them. She had gone from being a pampered daughter of heaven to becoming someone's concubine, while that person still had another woman in his heart and was always thinking about marrying her! Just thinking about it made her want to cry.
She pouted and hugged Huiyin's arm to comfort her, "Huiyin, don't be sad. Between Liu Tan and you, I will definitely choose you. Even if she marries into the Pei family in the future, I will help you fight against her!"
Looking at He Jiaying's extremely serious expression and slightly red eyes, Huiyin felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She held He Jiaying's hand tightly and smiled, "You'll be getting married in the future, so how will you help me fight?"
“Then I won’t marry you, I’ll stay with you for the rest of my life,” He Jiaying said earnestly.
Huiyin's vision blurred with tears. She blinked, suppressed her tears, looked up at the stars in the sky, and smiled happily, her voice very soft: "He Jiaying, thank you."
“You’re welcome,” He Jiaying replied softly, “This is what I owe you.”
——
As dusk settled and the sky grew dark, the Daqing Hall shone like a bright pearl, attracting everyone's attention.
Every ten steps in front of the hall, a bronze lamp with a bird carrying a pearl was placed on the ground, its flames shining brightly. The bright yellow gauze curtains fluttered lightly, and the night breeze swept through the hall, carrying the fragrance of the lotus pond and dispelling the sultry heat of the summer night.
The ground is paved with black jade square bricks, smooth as a mirror. The surrounding pink walls are painted with immortals riding dragons and goddesses gathering lingzhi mushrooms. The brushstrokes are elegant and seem to exude a mystical aura.
The throne was set on a high platform to the north of the hall, with the wind seat slightly behind. The two banquets were divided into male and female seating areas, with men on the left and women on the right. The vermilion-painted tables were neatly arranged in the hall according to official rank, and bamboo mats were laid out in three rows at the front and back. The hall was so spacious that it could accommodate a thousand people.
The bronze ice chests were placed at the four corners, emanating a chilling aura. Behind each seat was a palace maid who had been waiting for a long time, holding a long-handled phoenix fan and gently waving it to send a cool breeze.
Outside the hall, musicians sat in rows below the steps. As the Yellow Gate Attendant sang, the deep sound of the chime bells rippled outwards, and the zithers, flutes, and pipes began to play. Everyone rose solemnly, bowing their heads in reverence.
In the distance, palace lanterns, like stars, meandered to the front of the palace, signaling the approaching imperial procession.
"His Majesty has arrived!"
"The Empress has arrived!"
At the palace gate, two teams of Imperial Guardsmen carrying halberds filed in, standing on either side, their black armor reflecting the firelight. Following them, twelve palace maids, carrying delicate lanterns, moved slowly forward with small steps.
Emperor Wu wore a black robe and a twelve-tassel crown, with white jade beads hanging down, obscuring his deep-set eyes. He walked with a steady gait, his steps powerful and unrestrained, the jade pendant at his waist clinking lightly, displaying his imperial majesty.
Empress Pei accompanied her, dressed in a deep red blouse with wide sleeves that draped down the hem, embroidered with subtle golden phoenix patterns that shimmered under the lamplight. Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a matching set of golden phoenix hairpins, and her face was dignified and exuded elegance and nobility.
As the Emperor and Empress approached the throne, Emperor Wu raised his hand, and Empress Pei stepped back to stand beside him. The crowd prostrated themselves and shouted in unison, "Your subjects respectfully welcome Your Majesty and Empress! May Your Majesty live ten thousand years, and Empress live a thousand years!"
Emperor Wu's gaze swept over the crowd, a slight smile playing on his lips, and he said in a deep voice, "Please rise, my lords. Tonight is a fine banquet; there is no need for formalities."
Empress Pei smiled and nodded, then subtly raised a fingertip from her sleeve, signaling the palace servants to begin the banquet.
Su Jinghao, who was serving Empress Pei, looked at the familiar figures in the women's section and gradually felt relieved. After today, the Su family's predicament would be resolved.
She and Princess Guangling below exchanged a glance, then simultaneously looked away.
Su Jinghao lightly tapped her fingertips on the lacquer tray, a flash of dark light passing through her eyes. She beckoned to a palace maid and whispered a few words in her ear.
After the palace maids left, she straightened her back, smoothed her dress, and looked at the Empress's back with envy. In a few years, she could also sit in this position and be worshipped by thousands.
Huiyin and He Jiaying shared a table, on which chilled fruits were served on a jade plate. Lychees and bayberries were piled up like pearls, and a cold melon was cut open, revealing red flesh and black seeds, which were moist and crystal clear.
Beside it was a stack of freshly picked lotus pods, emitting a delicate fragrance. On both sides, large and small lacquer plates were filled with delicacies such as sashimi and roasted meat, their aromas wafting through the air.
The two had no interest in the delicacies on the table, but they loved the pastries and fruits. They shared the food and enjoyed the song and dance performances in the center of the hall as they ate.
Huiyin and He Jiaying both agreed that the "Jian Drum Dance" was the best. Four strong, bare-chested warriors took turns striking the heavy drum, the drumbeats thundering.
The hall was crowded and noisy. Even with ice, the atmosphere was still hot. He Jiaying had also drunk some berry wine, and her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed.
Huiyin waved in front of her and asked, "Who am I?"
He Jiaying held up her wine cup and said with a grin, "Fairy, hehe."
Huiyin: "..." She really didn't expect He Jiaying to have such a low alcohol tolerance; after three times the amount of fruit wine, she couldn't even recognize people. If she had known, she wouldn't have let her drink.
He Jiaying, perhaps feeling hot, reached out to pull down the collar of her clothes, revealing a section of her fair collarbone.
Huiyin quickly pressed her hand down, and said apologetically to the palace maid standing beside her, "Could you help me take her out to get some fresh air and sober up?"
The palace maids stepped forward, and the two of them helped He Jiaying out of the main hall. Huiyin placed her on the swing that had been set up in the garden and asked the palace maids to find some water for He Jiaying to drink.
She sat outside with He Jiaying for a while before He Jiaying regained some consciousness, clutching her head and crying out that she was dizzy.
Huiyin said helplessly, "Get up and walk around."
He Jiaying nodded sadly, and the two walked into the garden. The garden was brightly lit, so they didn't have to worry about not being able to see the way.
After walking for a short while, He Jiaying complained of being tired again. Huiyin was completely exasperated this time and led the group around the artificial hill to rest in the pavilion.
After sitting for half an hour, Huiyin saw that He Jiaying was much better and prepared to take her back, since it would be difficult to explain if she was seen missing for too long.
The two had just reached the edge of the artificial hill when they heard a faint, familiar sound coming from inside.
Huiyin and He Jiaying exchanged a glance, both knowing that the voice belonged to Guangling. Huiyin pointed to the bushes behind her, gesturing for He Jiaying to come over.
He Jiaying covered her mouth and tiptoed carefully behind Huiyin. The two found a safe place to squat down and looked into the artificial hill.
Guangling leaned against the artificial rock, her face flushed, her hair disheveled, her eyes closed, her expression a mixture of pleasure and pain, and she occasionally let out a groan.
It seemed as if someone was crouching under her skirt. Huiyin could only see his lower body, which was dressed in a gray, curved robe like that of an eunuch, while his upper body was hidden under Guangling's skirt.
After they finished, the eunuch tidied Guangling's clothes and quickly left. From beginning to end, Huiyin hadn't had a chance to see his face clearly. Guangling stood there for a moment to calm himself, then left with a languid expression and a blissful smile.
He Jiaying grimaced as she got up; her legs were numb from squatting and throbbing with pain.
Huiyin was also feeling unwell. The two of them stood there for a moment to recover before helping each other away.
He Jiaying affirmed, "The build is similar; it's the same male concubine I bumped into. But what were they doing, and why was Guangling making that strange sound?"
Looking into her clear eyes, Huiyin didn't want to corrupt the child. She wasn't sure of the specifics, but she vaguely knew that she was engaging in illicit activities.
She lied through her teeth: "Maybe it's a massage."
He Jiaying didn't think much of it. The two hadn't walked two steps when they met a familiar-looking palace maid from Suiyang's side. She respectfully stepped forward and said, "Miss He, I just came out and ran into Madam Pei looking for you."
"We're going back right away," He Jiaying said, pulling Huiyin along as they prepared to leave.
A palace maid from Suiyang stepped forward to block their path and said, "His Highness Suiyang has instructed me to invite Lady Song over for a chat."
Huiyin nodded, telling He Jiaying to return to the main hall first, while she followed the palace maid to the west.
Huiyin: "Where is Prince Suiyang?"
A palace maid said, "His Highness felt stuffy in the main hall and went to the railing not far away to get some fresh air."
Huiyin looked in the direction she pointed, and there was indeed a figure leaning against the railing not far away, dressed exactly like Suiyang was today.
The palace maid led Huiyin westward, but the further they went, the less anyone they saw. Huiyin sensed something was wrong, stopped, and turned to leave when the maid wasn't looking.
She turned around and saw two eunuchs walking towards her, a pungent-smelling handkerchief pressed tightly against her nose. Huiyin struggled and whimpered, but the next moment, her arms were tightly bound, and she gradually lost consciousness.
He Jiaying returned to the banquet alone and found that Madam Pei was chatting enthusiastically with the lady beside her. She went up to ask Madam Pei what she wanted to see her about, but Madam Pei waved her hand and said, "I didn't come to see you."
He Jiaying frowned. Why was that palace maid lying to her? She sensed something was wrong and was about to get up and go out to find Huiyin.
Madam Xiao, sitting opposite Madam Pei, asked, "Is this your niece? She's so pretty. Let me take a closer look."
Madam Xiao was the most enthusiastic matchmaker in the capital, and countless couples had been brought together by her. Madam Pei was overjoyed and quickly pulled He Jiaying to sit down, where they began to chat warmly with Madam Xiao.
Unable to leave her post, He Jiaying glanced at Princess Suiyang out of the corner of her eye and discovered that she was indeed not in the palace. Suppressing her suspicions, she turned to deal with Madam Xiao.
Guangling leaned against Consort Zheng, listening to the palace servants' report, and laughed happily.
Consort Zheng, who was standing beside her, gave her a warning look and scolded, "You displeased your father with what happened at the last banquet. You better behave yourself and don't cause any trouble during this time."
Guangling leaned in without any backbone and said coquettishly, "Mother, don't be angry. I'm here to avenge you this time."
As she leaned closer, her neckline was exposed, and Consort Zheng saw the ambiguous red marks on Guangling's chest. How could she not know what they were? She raised her hand to gather Guangling's collar, her tone even more serious than before: "You can play around as you please, but hide that little toy of yours well. If word gets out, no one can save you."
Guangling straightened his clothes and said unhappily, "I understand."
Consort Zheng glanced at Guangling; she knew her daughter's nature better than anyone—the most two-faced and hypocritical. However, she looked disdainfully at the Empress sitting high on the throne. Her Zheng family was now on equal footing with the Pei family, and she was confident that nothing could harm the Zheng family.
Let Guangling play if she wants; she'll clean up the mess if anything goes wrong.
Consort Zheng asked, "What did you mean when you said you were standing up for me?"
Guangling picked up her wine cup and drank it all in one gulp, her eyes sparkling: "Mother, just wait and see the show."
Sitting at the top, Su Jinghao stared at Huiyin's empty seat, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Huiyin, don't blame me. Blame yourself; you're just unlucky.
She glanced at Pei Yu, who was drinking with the Crown Prince in the crowd, and a slight smile appeared on her lips. She was looking forward to seeing what Pei Yu's expression would be when he found out.
Pei Yu keenly sensed that someone was watching him. He lifted his eyelids to glance at Su Jinghao, then leaned back and hid behind the Crown Prince.
The crown prince noticed his movements and asked with a smile, "Are you drunk?"
Pei Yu raised his hand and pointed at Su Jinghao above, "Annoying."
The Crown Prince looked in the direction he was pointing and saw Su Jinghao's affectionate gaze. His heart stirred slightly, and he smiled in response.
At the same time, he asked Pei Yu, "What's bothering you?"
Pei Yu, too lazy to look at his infatuated expression, turned his head away in boredom and drank alone. His gaze wandered aimlessly around the hall, looking at Madam Pei, He Jiaying, and Pei Yan, but he didn't see the person he wanted to see.
Huiyin was awakened by the heat; she was covered in sweat, and her nose was filled with a sweet, cloying fragrance. She moved her body and found herself covered with a thick cotton quilt.
With the lingering effects of the incense still present in her body, Huiyin weakly got up and extinguished the incense burning in the burner.
She had seen this kind of tactic many times before; it was nothing more than drugging someone and having their reputation ruined. Today, she was careless and fell for such a clumsy trick.
Fortunately, before those people left, they covered her body with a blanket, waking her up early and buying her some time. Huiyin pinched her thigh hard, clearing her mind. She had inhaled quite a bit of aphrodisiac incense, and it had already started to take effect.
Huiyin could feel that something was wrong with her body. At this moment, she felt like she had drunk too much alcohol, with a hot feeling in her chest, a tingling sensation in her lower abdomen, and a slight dampness.
She struggled to push open the door, only to find it locked from the outside, as expected. She then tried to open the window, but it was also nailed shut from the outside. Unable to get out, she decided to hide.
Huiyin looked around. The room was small and sparsely furnished. Apart from a window, a desk, a few wooden cabinets, and some scattered ornaments, there were only a few pieces of furniture.
The only place to hide was on the beam. She pushed the only wooden box in the room to the wooden cabinet, then took out a piece of brocade cloth and covered the box, creating the illusion that it was originally there.
Then, with great effort, he climbed up the wooden cabinet, and then used the cabinet to climb onto the beam, where he quietly leaned against it, waiting for his chance.
As the drug took effect, Huiyin's head began to spin, and she seemed to see hallucinations. Her breath felt scalding hot. She could only keep pinching her legs and pressing her acupoints to stay awake.
Not long after, the copper lock fell to the ground, and a figure pushed open the door and walked in.
Huiyin was tense, hoping he would realize that no one had left the room, so that she would have a chance to escape.
The person approached and seemed to smell the unusual fragrance in the room as well, covering their nose with their sleeve.
Huiyin looked closely and saw that the person below was a beautiful and voluptuous woman. She was certain that she was a woman she had never seen before.
The young woman went straight to the bed, and when she found no one in the room, she began to search around, calling softly, "Huiyin, Huiyin."
She looked anxious, glancing at the door every now and then, and searched the entire house but couldn't find anyone.
"I'm here."
A sound came from above. Yueyi took two steps back in surprise and looked up at the beam.
"Who are you?" Huiyin asked weakly.
Le Yi stamped her foot anxiously, went to move the square cauldron that could be used as a footrest in the room, flipped it over on the wooden box, and shouted, "Don't ask those questions now, come down quickly, Prince Lu will be here soon."
The lustful Prince Lu? Huiyin recalled the person who stopped her during the Shangsi Festival.
She struggled back to the cupboard, and with Le Yi's help, she fell to the ground and was helped away by Le Yi.
Huiyin couldn't go far, so Leyi helped her hide in the shadows next to the house.
Just as the two had hidden themselves, Prince Lu, reeking of alcohol and walking unsteadily, came toward them, cursing under his breath: "Damn brat, wait till I catch you, I'll teach you a lesson."
He squinted at the wide-open room in front of him and laughed triumphantly: "Fool."
King Lu strode into the house, and soon came out angrily, standing with his hands on his hips looking around at the door before finally chasing after him down the path to the south.
Huiyin and Leyi both breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the Prince of Lu was unaware of the situation and had been lured here.
Le Yi wiped her sweat and looked at Huiyin with concern: "Are you alright?"
Huiyin bit her lip and shook her head. She was fine, but she was very hot, burning up all over. What was even more embarrassing was that her legs were numb and tingling, and she only felt a little better when she squeezed her legs together.
Le Yi said, "I can't stay out for too long, or I'll be discovered. I'll go back to the palace and send someone to the Pei family to tell them to come find you."
Huiyin hugged herself tightly and nodded.
Le Yi looked at her lower lip, which had turned white from biting it, and instructed her, "Wait here, I'll call someone right away."
She turned to leave, but Huiyin grabbed her arm. Leyi's face looked even more beautiful in the moonlight, like a blooming peony. Huiyin asked breathlessly, "What's your name?"
"My name is Le Yi."
After Le Yi left, Hui Yin lay on the ground, curled up. She was dazed and wondered who had made the move tonight, and who could command the palace maids in Suiyang.
Light footsteps approached, and Huiyin peeked through the crack. Two palace maids and three eunuchs were checking the doorway. Another one shouted, "Oh no! The person has escaped! Quickly, go tell Her Highness the Princess!"
"You four, search this area carefully."
Huiyin leaned against the wall to get up and walked unsteadily backward. She knew the answer: it was Guangling and Su Jinghao.
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