Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Shanglin Banquet (2)
“Father… did he say anything else?”
“The lord said that he’s afraid that today’s banquet will not be good, and reminds the lady to be very careful.”
Just the usual instructions.
“Fine.”
She would just have to deal with things as they come then.
Outside the window, Ronghe Lane rumbled by as the carriage headed for the western outskirts of the city.
The Shanglin Banquet was taking place in the Plum Garden in the western outskirts.
The Plum Garden spanned an area of a thousand hectares; its large area made it ideal for horse-riding, games of cuju8, and holding winding stream parties9. The most incredible thing about the place was that in the past two decades, the Wintersweet was constantly in bloom. The sight of the flowers in full bloom was magnificent to behold, and because of this, it had long since become the Emperor’s private imperial gardens. It was guarded all-year-round by imperial guards, and only opened to visitors on special occasions.
Grand, majestic carriages pulled by the finest thoroughbred horses crowded the entire path that led up to the garden’s main entrance. There were hawkers cooking and brewing tea, hawking their wares along the street.
“It’s even more lively than in previous years.”
Luodai raised the curtain on one side of the carriage.
The pines and cypresses next to the road were decorated with delicate bell tassels; secured with knots, they tinkled merrily in the breeze, festive and beautiful.
Zheng Wan laughed.
“It has to be a lively affair.”
Today’s banquet was co-organised by the Minister of Rites and the Minister of Revenue. It was said that all the officials were coming together to celebrate the bumper harvest, but in reality, it was all to curry favour with that noble and precious State Preceptor. Be it treasures, beauties or delicacies, as long as they could earn even a bit of favour from his Excellency, it was all worth it.
Zheng Wan had also come here with the same purpose.
She had thought it through carefully before coming here—even if she disregarded her dream, and only looked at what had happened in the past, the Zheng family had indeed thoroughly offended Cui Wang; there was nothing she could do to change that fact.
Looking back, first, there was her father, who had looked down upon him as a beggar and had the butler chase him away. Then, there was the young and impudent her, who had gotten someone to beat him with the wooden stave. As he lay pressed on the ground, receiving the beating, he appeared to be a troublemaker.
Her wanting to obtain the Sword Sovereign’s heart now seemed like delusional, wishful thinking.
However, no matter how bad it was, it wasn’t as bad as it was now. Zheng Wan was never one to lack courage—though she did not let herself think about her odds of success. Her first priority now was to try to get close to this person, and attempt to eliminate his ill-feelings.
“Should I get Yanzhi to take the calling card to inform——”
“No need,” Zheng Wan shook her head. “The Zhengs can wait, like everyone else.”
Father’s punishment at the Anju Gate had shaken up the entire court. The annulment of her engagement with the Crown Prince was the final nail in the coffin of the fact that the Zheng family had lost the Emperor’s favour.
The sentiments that came from the top, will surely trickle down.
She didn’t need to invite humiliation and bring disgrace upon her head.
“Yes, my lady,” Luodai bowed her head as she answered.
“Is that Wan’niang?”
Just then, a sharp voice came from the side.
Zheng Wan looked out the window and saw that the curtain of the carriage next to her was also up. Third Lady Jiang, who she’d just met a few days ago, had stuck her head out through the window to look about.
These noble offspring from military families were always so boorish.
“Third Lady Jiang.”
Zheng Wan held herself upright as she sat gracefully, and nodded slightly at her.
Third Lady Jiang, “It’s rare to see Wan’niang also having to wait alongside all of us. Come, come, please have some tea.”
“Don’t bother yourself on my behalf, Third Lady Jiang.”
Zheng Wan refused with a slight smile.
Unexpectedly, this refusal seemed to have angered the other party. Third Lady Jiang arched her eyebrows angrily and sneered, “If you don’t drink this today, maybe in a few days, you won’t even have tea to drink.”
“If such a day really comes to pass, I hope that Third Lady Jiang can still be as generous as today, and send this old friend off with a bowl of tea,” replied Zheng Wan slowly.
Footnotes:
8 cuju: 蹴鞠; an ancient Chinese competitive game that involves kicking a ball through an opening into a net. The use of hands is not allowed. Invented in the Han dynasty, it is recognized by FIFA as the earliest form of football for which there is evidence, being first mentioned as an exercise in a Chinese military work from the 3rd–2nd century BC.
9 winding stream parties: an old Chinese custom in which the participants wait by a winding stream and compose poems before their cups full of rice wine float down to reach them.