Chapter 202: Undercurrents at the Family Banquet
On the day of the family banquet, the vermilion gates of Prince Duan’s Mansion were thrown wide open.
The banquet was held in Xie Fang Garden. Red carpets were laid on the nine-bend corridor, stretching from the bridgehead to the waterside pavilion, with lanterns on both sides making the lake shimmer like scattered gold.
The corridor of Tan Qiu Courtyard was also adorned with red silk, exuding an atmosphere of joy.
The head steward, accompanied by several maids and two embroidery women, bowed as they passed through the hanging flower gate, carrying a screen embroidered with gold thread and jade, and a brocade auspicious robe. They hurried along, drawing the attention of the young maids who craned their necks to watch.
“Be careful!” the head steward said, holding the edge of the jade screen. “This is a treasure bestowed by the Imperial Consort. Not a single mistake can be made… Our Consort is counting on this to bring her face in front of all the noble people in Shangjing!”
Ru Yi, who was feeding pigeons by the window, heard the head steward’s shrill voice and her small face immediately fell.
“These short-sighted people, do they really think our Young Lady cares about these inanimate objects? That she needs to rely on them to gain face? Hmph! Their faces are painted with cosmetics, but our Young Lady’s face is honed by swords. What pretense of grandeur, like a clay Buddha – looks good but is useless.”
Jinshu glared at her, “Hush, don’t talk nonsense.”
Ru Yi stuck out her tongue and, as she turned to speak, saw Xiao Zhao pushing the door open.
“Young Lady! Princess Ruihe is here again.” She placed the book on the desk and turned to tuck a freshly picked ten-zhang beaded curtain into Xue Sui’s hair.
The two exchanged a glance.
Xue Sui dismissed everyone in the room, leaving only herself and Jinshu.
Xiao Zhao then lowered her voice, “Young Lady, Princess Ruihe stayed at Princess Ping Le’s mansion last night…”
Jinshu frowned, “The two have been very close lately. Young Lady, you must be careful; she comes with ill intentions.”
“Then let’s go meet her.”
Xue Sui looked at herself in the bronze mirror.
The red marks on her collarbone were skillfully concealed by rouge, leaving only a faint, almost imperceptible pink, like the rosy glow diffused in celadon glaze, hazy and noble.
“Young Lady, you are truly beautiful,” Xiao Zhao said sincerely. “Just now, I saw this flower blooming so prettily, and I thought of you.”
Xue Sui smiled and stroked the ten-zhang beaded curtain that Xiao Zhao had pinned in her hair.
Before her words had even fallen, the head steward entered the courtyard, repeatedly offering congratulations.
Xue Sui and Jinshu exchanged a look, slowly stood up, and gently brushed the hidden patterns on their sleeve cuffs.
“Let’s go.”
–
Xie Fang Garden.
Princess Ruihe was led to a guest seat in the east wing and noticed the seat covered with gold-threaded brocade at the main position.
She was slightly stunned, wishing she could wring her handkerchief dry—
Li Huan had placed Xue Sui’s seat to his right, almost alongside the Princess Consort.
And Consort Zhang, also a consort, was seated to the lower left.
She sat down with a dejected air.
A maid hurried over to serve tea.
To avoid gossip, there were not many guests present today, but everyone who should have come, did.
Princess Ruihe frowned, “Why haven’t your Princess Consort and Consort Xue arrived yet?”
The maid said, “Consort Xue is the focus of today’s event, so she must take her time to dress up. Our Princess Consort is considerate and went to pick her up.”
Consort Xue puts on quite an act, requiring the Princess Consort to personally fetch her.
“She’s not the bride getting married, why the airs…”
The maid pretended not to hear.
Xue Sui, who had just arrived at Xie Fang Garden, seemed to have heard, and cast a glance over.
The corner of her lips curled into a sneer, and she entered the hall gracefully in a brocade skirt, her steps light and her demeanor elegant.
The sisters’ wide sleeves overlapped, like twin lotuses.
One was as graceful as a peony that could topple a kingdom, the other as pure and noble as a white crane standing in snow.
Princess Ruihe’s smile froze on her face. She lowered her head and drank tea to conceal it.
“We respectfully wish Crown Prince, Prince Duan, Prince Wei, and Prince Chun peace.”
Li Huan and Li Zhao were chatting happily and looked over upon hearing the announcement.
“Princess Consort, you are excused.”
“Consort Xue, you are excused.”
Xue Yuechen nodded, gently patting her lower abdomen, and returned to her seat.
Xue Sui lightly supported her forearm and, after ensuring she was seated, turned to sit on Li Huan’s right.
Today, with the Crown Prince present, although Li Huan was the host, the Crown Prince was still the most honored. Therefore, the seating arrangement was very clever: the Crown Prince sat facing south in the center, Li Huan was slightly below and to his left, and Xue Sui sat to Li Huan’s right, diagonally opposite the Crown Prince’s seat.
On one side was Li Zhao, and on the other was Li Huan. Although their positions differed in height, they were subtly balanced like three stars in a row.
Prince Wei Li Yan, Prince Chun Li Jian, and a group of Imperial Family members, as well as relatives of the Prince’s Mansion, were also seated according to their ranks, chatting and laughing harmoniously.
Old Madam Cui and Xue Qingzhi also came with several children and grandchildren to offer congratulations, their words warm and intimate.
Princess Ruihe felt a strange sensation in her heart—
The garden was bustling with activity, with clinking cups and laughter, yet no one paid her any attention.
It was as if she were the only outsider.
“Consort Xue looks particularly radiant today,” Li Yan said, swirling his wine cup, his gaze fixed on Xue Sui’s bejeweled neckline, his eyes smiling.
“Consort Xue is indeed beautiful. Second Imperial Brother is truly fortunate.”
These were superficial pleasantries, not overtly offensive, but Xue Sui detected a hint of flirtatiousness in his eyes.
At Prince Duan’s villa, Xue Sui was one of the witnesses to his “adultery” with Xue Yueying.
Xue Sui guessed he didn’t have a good impression of her, and couldn’t help but curl her lips into a smile, glancing at the seats in the east and west wings.
Perhaps to avoid embarrassment, Xue Yueying did not attend the banquet.
She smiled sweetly, “Thank you for your compliment, Prince Wei.”
Li Yan rubbed the rim of his cup, a malicious smile on his lips.
“Just saying thank you isn’t enough.”
He raised his wine cup, signaling her to finish it.
“Today is Consort Xue’s joyous occasion, so you must drink heartily. This cup, I toast to Consort Xue, wishing you and Second Imperial Brother a harmonious marriage and early offspring.”
He immediately urged her to drink, and in front of the Princess Consort, spoke of “harmonious marriage” and “early offspring,” clearly with malicious intent, wanting to see her make a fool of herself at the banquet.
Xue Sui’s fingertips touched the rim of the cup, sensing a complex, restrained gaze like a hidden dart from above, and her throat tightened slightly.
After regaining her composure, she smiled faintly, raised her cup, lifted her sleeve to cover her face, and then quietly poured the wine into a hidden pocket in her sleeve.
Li Yan: “Good capacity for drink, this second cup…”
“Third Imperial Brother!” Li Zhao suddenly interrupted.
A cold glance, filled with mockery and an indescribable sense of pressure, very arrogant, very intimidating.
“Second Imperial Brother is hosting a banquet for his family, and it has become your playground. You are having fun, but what about Second Imperial Brother’s position?”
Li Yan gave an embarrassed smile, looking somewhat flustered.
Li Huan’s expression remained unchanged, and he casually glanced at Li Yan.
“Crown Prince is right. Third Imperial Brother, you should conduct yourself with more propriety and not lose your composure.”
Li Yan quickly clasped his hands in apology, “It was my brother’s slip of the tongue. I drank too much and spoke nonsense. I hope Second Imperial Brother will forgive me.”
After speaking, he refilled his cup and drank it in one gulp.
“I shall punish myself with another cup. Consort Xue, please calm your anger.”
The atmosphere immediately became somewhat tense.
“Come, Sister, have some food,” Xue Yuechen said with a smile, her crimson wide sleeves brushing as she personally served Xue Sui a plate of crystal crab meat, instructing a maid to bring it to her desk.
“Seasonal river delicacies are at their peak of richness and flavor. Don’t miss this deliciousness.”
Li Yan took the opportunity to lower his head and eat.
Xue Sui took a bite, then turned to Consort Zhang, who looked absent-minded, and smiled faintly, “Sister Zhang, have you tried it? It’s more refreshing than yesterday’s crab roe tofu.”
Consort Zhang’s face was pale; she had clearly not recovered from the shock of her brother’s downfall.
“Sister is thoughtful…”
She clutched her silk handkerchief, took a small sip, and forced a smile.
“The sauce is flavorful and truly delicious.”
Princess Ruihe’s heart sank. The jade bracelet on her wrist suddenly hit the edge of the table, making a clear sound.
She stared at the phoenix hairpin with pearls in Xue Sui’s hair, her smile not reaching her eyes.
“I’ve long heard that the inner quarters of Prince Duan’s Mansion are harmonious. Seeing it today, it truly lives up to its reputation—”
Everyone looked at her.
Only then did they notice a County Princess sitting in the corner.
Since returning to the capital, Princess Ruihe had lived in seclusion and acted with great caution. Everyone said she was frail and sickly, evoking much pity.
Now, seeing her, her words were sharp and somewhat aggressive.
She had no sense of propriety.
All the guests present showed embarrassed expressions, their gazes shifting between Princess Ruihe and the female members of the Prince’s Mansion.
“The County Princess flatters us. The harmony throughout Prince Duan’s Mansion is all thanks to the Prince’s capable management of the household.”
Attributing the credit to her husband, she displayed the demeanor of a virtuous wife.
Xue Yuechen said calmly, and then poured a cup of red date ginger tea for Princess Ruihe, signaling Fei Cui to personally deliver it.
“County Princess, please have some hot drink. The autumn wind is bleak today; don’t catch a cold.”
Saying this, she wiped the moisture from her lips with a handkerchief, then smilingly urged guests to drink and eat, displaying a gentle and generous demeanor as the mistress of the household, so proper that no fault could be found.
Xue Sui smiled faintly, “Sister, the County Princess has a strong liver fire. She should have some cooling sweet soup to clear her heart fire.”
Consort Zhang also looked at Princess Ruihe and agreed with a smile, “County Princess, Consort Xue is skilled in the art of health preservation. Her words always have some truth to them. You might as well drink more lotus seed and lily soup; it will surely be beneficial.”
Xue Yuechen smiled, “It was my oversight. Someone, bring the County Princess a bowl of lotus seed and lily soup…”
Li Huan watched this scene and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Your sisters’ harmony brings me great comfort, my dear.”
