Ning wang glared, his tone unfriendly. “The task assigned to you isn’t being handled properly, and yet you come up with so many excuses. Presumptuous!”
Liu Zhao did not even twitch an eyebrow. “Fuwang should understand the difficulties of this matter better than anyone. Why single out your son and make things difficult for me?”
Ning wang snorted. “Helping benwang shoulder burdens is filial piety.”
Liu Zhao smiled coldly. “Your son would very much like to share fuwang’s burdens, but unfortunately my abilities fall short. Why not let si di take on this heavy responsibility instead?”
The moment Liu Yi heard this, he became anxious.
Asking him to raise money and repay the Ministry of Revenue’s outstanding debts, how could he possibly have that ability?
He hurriedly said, “As the eldest brother, da ge should lead by example and set a model for us younger brothers.”
Liu Zhao looked at Liu Yi with a half-smile. “Si di is always saying that he dares to take responsibility and is capable of doing so. Now that fuwang has assigned a task, you keep declining. What is the reason for that? Could it be that all those things you said before were merely empty words?”
Liu Yi hurriedly defended himself. “Da ge jests. I have had too little experience and my abilities are lacking. If even da ge cannot handle this matter well, how could I? I ask da ge not to make things difficult for us.”
Liu Zhao turned back to Ning wang. “I ask fuwang to make the decision.”
Ning wang felt a headache coming on. Money, money, what a troublesome thing it was.
Pei shi quietly muttered to Ning wang, “This year business in the south has not gone well. Losses have been severe, and profits are a full twenty percent lower than last year.”
Ning wang frowned.
Shu fei quickly said, “It’s the New Year. Let’s not discuss unpleasant matters. As for the Ministry of Revenue’s arrears, since His Majesty has not yet issued a decree, there is no need to frighten yourselves. Huyang, don’t look so worried either. When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally find a way through. If that day truly comes, this palace will think of a solution together with you.”
Princess Huyang turned from worry to joy. “Many thanks, mufei.”
A palace servant came to report that the banquet had been prepared and everyone was invited to proceed to Chenghui Hall.
Shu fei asked, “Has His Majesty said who will preside over tonight’s family banquet?”
The servant shook his head. “His Majesty has not stated it explicitly.”
Not stated it explicitly? What did that mean?
Shu fei waved her hand and dismissed the servant first.
She looked toward Ning wang. “What is your view of this matter?”
Ning wang remained as immovable as a mountain. “I am not optimistic.”
Shu fei frowned. “Guifei has been making frequent moves lately. Tonight’s family banquet can be treated casually, but what about tomorrow’s New Year audience? Empress Ruizhen Cui has already passed away. When the noblewomen enter the palace, are they supposed to pay respects to a spirit tablet in Weiyang Palace?”
Ning wang said indifferently, “Mufei worries unnecessarily.”
Shu fei flew into a rage. “This concerns the future of both mother and son. It concerns whether your descendants will fall into the dust or soar into the heavens. Yet you dare say that bengong worries unnecessarily. I think you are becoming more and more absurd.”
Ning wang lounged lazily in his seat. “Does mufei truly think that winning that position would be useful?”
Shu fei let out a cold snort and remained silent.
Ning wang continued, “Fuhuang will not be easily manipulated. At a time like this, stillness is better than action. Besides, from what I see, fuhuang may not even have any intention of appointing an Empress.”
Shu fei frowned. “If no Empress is appointed, then this harem, ”
Ning wang interrupted her cleanly. “Empress Ruizhen Cui has been gone for nearly a year, has she not? Yet the harem is still the same harem. Has it fallen into chaos because there is no Empress? Right now, having no Empress is good for everyone.”
Shu fei frowned thoughtfully.
The hall grew so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Gu Jiu secretly glanced toward Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao wore a solemn expression, as if someone owed him five hundred taels and refused to repay it.
Gu Jiu lowered her head, pondering.
There were the Ministry of Revenue’s arrears and the harem’s struggles. The court was becoming increasingly chaotic.
Yet the Crown Prince still sat firmly in his position. No matter how many people attacked and slandered him, none had been able to make the Emperor reach a final decision.
Everyone could see that the Emperor disliked the Crown Prince and found fault with him in every way.
So what exactly was the Emperor waiting for?
Why had he still not made up his mind?
Was he waiting for the Crown Prince to become desperate and make a reckless move?
Was he using this opportunity to observe the character of the various imperial princes?
Or was it because Empress Ruizhen Cui had made the Crown Prince observe three years of mourning, and the Emperor was genuinely honoring his promise by giving the Crown Prince those three years?
However, judging from the Emperor’s past conduct, he was not someone known for keeping promises.
Turning ruthless the moment he changed his mind and never forgetting a grudge, that was the Emperor’s true nature.
Princess Huyang reminded everyone, “The banquet is already prepared. Shouldn’t we be going?”
Ning wang glanced at Shu fei.
Shu fei said, “No hurry.”
Ning wang beckoned a palace servant over and instructed, “Keep an eye on Xue guifei’s movements. The moment guifei niangniang leaves her quarters, report it immediately.”
The servant accepted the order and withdrew.
Shu fei smiled. “You and bengong were thinking the same thing.”
Ning wang laughed. “Naturally, your son must help mufei shoulder her worries.”
Only after Xue guifei‘s party set out did Shu fei order the palace servants to prepare her sedan chair and proceed to Chenghui Hall.
Inside Chenghui Hall, the lights blazed brightly.
The moment Shu fei entered, Xue guifei greeted her with a smile.
“Shu fei, you’ve finally arrived. We were only waiting for you.”
Shu fei maintained a reserved expression. “Hasn’t His Majesty not yet arrived?”
“Oh? Does Shu fei intend to arrive later than His Majesty? When His Majesty arrives, I must tell him about that.”
Xue guifei smiled ambiguously.
Shu fei‘s face hardened. “You always enjoyed twisting other people’s words, creating something out of nothing. After all these years, that habit still hasn’t changed.”
Xue guifei raised an eyebrow and smiled, counterattacking, “Shu fei still speaks as bluntly as ever. So many years have passed, yet you still haven’t corrected that flaw?”
Shu fei snorted coldly and had no desire to speak further with Xue guifei. She walked directly toward the end of the main hall.
Rows of low tables had been arranged neatly, and everyone sat on the floor.
Gu Jiu separated from Liu Zhao and went to the women’s seating area on the right side, taking her place behind Pei shi.
Ouyang Fu and Xiao Qin’er sat below Gu Jiu.
Today, Gu Jiu wore a dark red quju-style deep robe with little ornamentation. On her head was a set of red-gold jewelry.
On her wrists were matching red-gold bracelets.
Xiao Qin’er wore a jade jewelry set today and a quju-style robe embroidered with rich peonies. With bright eyes, white teeth, and a sweet smile, she looked radiant.
Her eyes moved about the hall. Everyone around her was familiar.
Gu Jiu heard her mutter, “The Eastern Palace is here too.”
Sure enough, under the Crown Prince’s leadership, the entire Eastern Palace had arrived.
Everyone looked toward the Crown Prince’s group. The women naturally exchanged greetings and pleasantries with the Crown Princess.
The princes, however, were not nearly so polite. They could not resist making a few sarcastic remarks toward the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince coughed twice. His complexion was pale; his illness had not yet recovered.
He ignored his brothers’ sarcasm and walked directly to the foremost seat, sitting cross-legged behind his table.
The princes of the Eastern Palace sat behind him.
Gu Jiu noticed that the arrival of the Crown Prince’s family immediately changed the atmosphere in the hall.
Many people leaned together, whispering among themselves, their gazes repeatedly turning toward the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince remained as immovable as a mountain, as though unaware that he was the subject of everyone’s discussion.
The Crown Princess, however, kept her head lowered the entire time, sitting with her hands folded. Hidden within her sleeves, her hands had long since clenched into fists.
“His Majesty arrives!”
With the eunuch’s loud announcement, the Emperor arrived.
The Emperor walked with swift strides into the hall and headed toward the seat of honor.
Everyone rose, preparing to pay their respects.
When the Emperor saw the Crown Prince, his steps visibly paused for a moment. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued to the seat of honor and sat down.
“Greetings, fuhuang (Imperial Grandfather).”
“Rise.”
Shu fei and Xue guifei stood at the Emperor’s left and right, attending him.
This arrangement avoided any need to determine precedence between them. After all, they were both imperial consorts.
The Emperor gave the order. “Begin the banquet!”
Palace attendants filed into the hall carrying wine and dishes.
Gu Jiu looked at the cups, plates, and bowls before her. There was little difference between a imperial family banquet and an imperial banquet. If there was any difference, it was that the food and wine at the family banquet were at least served hot rather than cold.
Today was New Year’s Eve, the last day of the year.
The Emperor was in a fairly good mood.
With music, dancing, and feasting, and no outsiders present, everyone in attendance was a member of the imperial family, the atmosphere quickly became lively.
Zhao wang was the first to rise and approach the Crown Prince’s table.
“Da ge, didi brother offers you a toast.”
Before the Crown Prince could react, the Crown Princess had already become tense.
The Crown Prince’s face was pale. After coughing twice, he said, “As my younger brother offers a toast, I should by all rights drink. However, bengong is unwell, and the taiyi have instructed me not to consume alcohol. I hope younger brother will forgive me.”
Zhao wang immediately looked displeased. “Does da ge look down on me? You won’t even drink a single cup of wine?”
“It is not that I refuse to drink. It is that I cannot.” Even the Crown Prince’s voice carried a note of weakness.
Zhao wang’s expression darkened. “The Crown Prince looks down on me, believes me crude and vulgar, and thinks I am unworthy of drinking with you. Is that it?”
The Crown Prince firmly denied it. “Bengong has absolutely no such thought.”
“Then drink.”
Zhao wang stared fixedly at the Crown Prince, determined to force him to drink.
Bang!
The eldest imperial grandson suddenly stood up.
“I will drink with wangshu.”
Zhao wang laughed loudly and pointed at the Imperial Grandson.
“You yellow-mouthed brat, sit down.”
The Imperial Grandson became furious. “Does wangshu look down on this nephew?”
Zhao wang’s eyes were like those of a hawk as he looked the Imperial Grandson up and down.
“You are not yet worthy of receiving a toast from benwang.”
“Then this nephew will toast wangshu.”
The Imperial Grandson raised his cup respectfully.
Prince Zhao ignored him completely and continued staring at the Crown Prince.
“Does the Crown Prince truly intend to have the Imperial Grandson drink this cup on your behalf?”
The Crown Prince coughed repeatedly, coughing so hard that he could not even speak.
“I’ll drink it for him.”
A sharp voice rang out as the Crown Princess stood up.
“Bengong shall drink this cup for the Crown Prince. Am I qualified enough?”
Zhao wang turned to look at the Crown Princess and laughed.
“If saosao drinks this cup for the Crown Prince, then naturally that is acceptable. Come, your younger brother offers saosao a toast.”
The Crown Princess lifted the cup and drained it in one gulp.
Zhao wang also emptied his cup and even displayed the bottom of it to show that not a drop remained.
Then he turned back toward the Crown Prince and laughed loudly again, the laughter filled with mockery.
The dignified Crown Prince actually needed a woman to step forward and drink on his behalf. So this was all the Crown Prince was capable of.
The Crown Prince’s eyes turned toward the Crown Princess.
His gaze was extraordinarily complicated, filled with too many emotions to name.
From beginning to end, the Emperor never intervened.
He remained an observer throughout, watching everything unfold with cold indifference.
Gu Jiu glanced around.
When the Emperor looked at the Crown Prince, there was obvious disappointment in his eyes.
Disappointed in what?
Disappointed that the Crown Prince had not drunk the wine?
Or disappointed that the Crown Prince could not even handle such a minor provocation?
Gu Jiu thought to herself: The Crown Prince is in danger.
Perhaps it would not even take three years.
The Emperor might depose the Crown Prince before then.
Zhao wang took the lead, and the princes and imperial sons wove among the dancers, going about looking for people to drink with.
The atmosphere was lively and somewhat casual.
Ning wang ran up before the Emperor and said he wished to offer a toast.
For once, the Emperor gave Ning wang a pleasant expression and drank half a cup.
Yet Ning wang still failed to read the room. “Why did fuhuang drink only half a cup?”
The Emperor shot Ning wang a cold glance and answered succinctly, “Get lost.”
Ning wang truly got lost.
Seeing this scene, Gu Jiu found it rather amusing.
On the other hand, when imperial grandsons such as Liu Zhao stepped forward to offer toasts, the Emperor remained pleasant and amiable throughout, his gaze full of affection.
As expected, grandparents doted on the generation below.
Down below, Ning wang complained, “The old man is so biased it’s unbearable to watch.”
Beside Gu Jiu, Xiao Qin’er poured herself wine and drank happily.
After several rounds, when the wine had everyone flushed and warm, she raised her cup.
“Dasao, let me toast you.”
Gu Jiu smiled. “Thank you, dimei. Today is a royal family banquet. Do be careful not to get drunk.”
Xiao Qin’er snorted. “As if I’d get drunk. Dasao really talks too much.”
Gu Jiu did not argue and drank a cup.
Xiao Qin’er then carried her wine cup forward to toast the wangfei.
At that moment, an attendant hurried over to the chief eunuch, Chen Dachang, and whispered a few words into his ear.
Chen Dachang’s expression changed slightly.
The Crown Princess, who had remained quiet all this time, cast a subtle glance toward Chen Dachang. The fist hidden within her sleeve also relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.
Gu Jiu noticed this scene and immediately felt a bad premonition.
She looked across the hall, searching for Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao was surrounded by people offering him drinks and could not free himself.
When Chen Dachang began walking toward the Emperor, Gu Jiu unconsciously clenched her fists. For no reason she could explain, she felt nervous.
She swept her gaze around. It seemed that many people had not noticed the attendant who had just come in and were busy drinking.
Would something happen?
Had something happened at court?
Or was there a natural disaster somewhere?
Gu Jiu raised her wine cup to conceal the corners of her mouth, discreetly observing the Emperor.
Chen Dachang came to the Emperor’s side and whispered into his ear.
Neither Xue guifei nor Shu fei, seated on either side, appeared to notice. Even if they did, they would not dare strain their ears to listen.
Gu Jiu clearly saw that after Chen Dachang finished speaking, the Emperor, whose mood had been quite good moments before, instantly became dark and stormy. It looked as though he might kill someone at the slightest provocation.
Gu Jiu’s heart skipped a beat.
It’s over. It’s over. Something must have happened.
She continued hiding part of her face behind her sleeve, exposing only her eyes as she watched the Emperor’s movements.
The Emperor’s gaze first swept toward their side.
Gu Jiu’s heart jumped. Could something have happened to Ning wang fu?
Looking carefully, she realized the Emperor’s gaze was not directed at their row at all, but at Princess Huyang.
Immediately afterward, the Emperor’s gaze shifted toward Chen fuma, who was seated at the very end.
Gu Jiu nearly dropped her wine cup.
Princess Huyang and Chen fuma?
What on earth had those two done to make the Emperor look as though he wanted to devour them alive?
Gu Jiu grew anxious.
As the saying went, prosperity and ruin were shared together.
Although Princess Huyang was hypocritical and manipulative, now was absolutely not the time to kick her while she was down.
Unable to warn Ning wang or Liu Zhao, she instead went to warn Pei shi, who sat in front of her.
Gu Jiu rose and approached Pei shi.
“Reporting to wangfei niangniang, His Majesty just looked at Huyang gumu and Chen fuma. There seems to be danger.”
Pei shi was startled and instinctively looked toward the Emperor. Sure enough, she saw fury hidden within his eyes.
“You didn’t see wrongly? It really was Huyang and the fuma?”
Gu Jiu nodded solemnly. “I did not see wrongly. Please find a way to warn fuwang.”
Pei shi waved her away.
Her own thoughts were in turmoil. Part of her felt schadenfreude, while another part worried that Ning wang fu might be implicated.
After thinking it over, she decided it was more important to warn Ning wang first.
Xue guifei was sharp-eyed and the first to sense that the Emperor’s mood was wrong.
“Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?”
The Emperor downed a cup of wine and slightly shook his head.
Bang!
The wine cup in the Emperor’s hand smashed onto the floor.
Everyone was startled.
Ning wang muttered, “What’s the old man gone mad about now?”
The Emperor’s gaze pointed directly at the fuma, Chen Yuan.
Chen Yuan was already extremely uncomfortable. Having sat motionless for so long, his lower body had gone numb. His injuries had worsened as well, making the experience feel like torture.
Suddenly the musicians stopped playing, the dancers withdrew to the sides, and everyone’s gaze followed the Emperor’s toward him.
Panic seized him.
His hands fumbled, knocking cups, plates, and bowls from the table onto the floor with a loud crash.
That only made him more nervous, and cold sweat poured from his body.
“Your… Your Maj–”
Ning wang suddenly spoke up. “Fuhuang, what does this mean?”
“Shut your mouth. Zhen will settle accounts with you later.”
The Emperor harshly rebuked Ning wang.
Pei shi was terrified.
What had happened?
What exactly had Princess Huyang and the fuma done?
“Chen Yuan!”
“Chen* is here!”
Chen fuma immediately rose from his seat, stepped forward, and knelt in the center of the hall.
The Emperor laughed in fury.
“I had long heard that you spend money like water. It seems the reputation is well deserved.”
Cold sweat drenched Chen fuma.
“Chen* knows his crime.”
[T/N: He says 臣, as in ‘I, this subject’; not 陈, his surname.]
Princess Huyang’s palms were slick with sweat, her face pale. She repeatedly glanced toward Ning wang and Shu fei.
Shu fei gave a slight shake of her head, signaling her to stay calm.
“A few days ago, the Xiuyiwei captured a group of tomb robbers. According to their confession, all of the treasures they obtained from grave robbing were fenced through Chen fuma of the capital’s Chen family. They also claimed that the locations of major tombs were provided by Chen fuma. Furthermore, they were able to operate together because Chen fuma personally guaranteed them. Zhen was unaware that a dignified fuma possessed such skill in geomancy and tomb-finding.”
The moment these words were spoken, everyone in the hall was shocked.
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