Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1123 The Banquet at Kunning Palace
Under the blazing sun,

The sun hangs in the sky.

Outside the Qianqing Palace at this time,
The officials seated around were already whispering amongst themselves; the news from inside the palace had spread like wildfire. The Imperial City Guards hurried away from the palace to arrest people and confiscate their property, while the officials who remained to attend the banquet whispered among themselves.
"What happened? Weren't we just enjoying the dance? How could this happen?"

Some officials looked around nervously, while others, slower to react, simply asked a question.
"Oh dear, you should know! Didn't you hear the eunuchs announcing 'Greetings' when that congratulatory message was read? They practically tore the face off of the imperial court!"

"It's not just tearing it off, it's giving away the Emperor Emeritus's face."

The group looked alarmed. Although they found these words satisfying to hear, they absolutely could not say them.

In the harem,

Inside the Kunning Palace, the atmosphere was already bustling with activity. The gilded bronze incense burner was filled with ambergris, a tribute from the South China Sea. Wisps of smoke spiraled upwards along the carved dome, weaving an invisible net between the gilded and painted beams.

The Emperor Emeritus held a birthday banquet in the main hall, while the Empress hosted an inner banquet in the Kunning Palace to entertain court officials and their wives. Empress Dowager Lu sat in the main seat, with Consort Zhen, the Dowager Consort, sitting beside her in a rosewood chair, her hand stroking a string of prayer beads. To her left were several elderly consorts with white hair, including the Eldest Princess and other concubines from the harem.

Opposite them were the Empress in her high position, and the wives and families of the nobles and elders. Sitting at the very front was the Dowager Lady Jia of the Ronggu Mansion, with a person standing beside her, followed by Wang Xifeng, who had come with a beaming smile.

The banquet was filled with laughter and conversation, mostly consisting of reminiscing about the past and sharing intimate thoughts.
The Empress Dowager cared most about these things. Seeing the Dowager Empress sitting in front, she smiled and asked...
"So it's the Old Madam who's here. We're all family, no need for formalities. And the one following behind her, is that Wang family daughter? Her reputation has even reached the palace."

The Empress's unintentional remark still attracted the attention of many ladies, especially the Eldest Princess Zhou Xiangxue and the Second Princess Zhou Ying. These two, who were sitting idly in the hall, were feeling rather bored when the Empress spoke to them. They turned their gaze to the woman behind the Old Madam of Ronggu Mansion, scrutinizing her for a moment.
She was a rare beauty, her figure and attire more radiant than any of the women present.

Grandmother Jia's face crinkled with laughter, and the silver lines at the corners of her eyes gleamed in the candlelight.
"Your Majesty is too kind. This old woman pays her respects to the Empress Dowager, the Dowager Consort, and all the other ladies."

Just as he was about to kneel down with Wang Xifeng's help, the quick-witted Second Princess Zhou Ying stood up and stopped him.

"You're too kind, Madam. We're all family; there's no need for so much formality."

With a half-smile in her eyes, she glanced left and right, then at the Eldest Princess and Consort Jia Yuanchun, as if sensing something. Grandmother Jia, startled, turned back to look at them and saw Jia Yuanchun sitting there. Her eyes reddened, and she almost wept.

"Second Princess Xie, this old woman is being pretentious. She's only showing off because the Old Ancestor appreciates her. That little monkey is just making a fuss. The other day he said the mansion was nice, and after entering the palace he said it was beautiful. He was dazzled by the sights in the Empress's palace. I scolded him a few times before he stopped. It was just childish play. I'm sorry the Old Ancestor had to laugh at me."

These words addressed the ancestor, which was Empress Dowager Lu. There were low laughs in the banquet room. The wife of the Duke of Zhenguo, who was sitting at the lower end, chimed in.

"Old Madam is taking her blessings for granted. Of my sons, apart from the eldest who has some ability, the rest are all good-for-nothings. They do nothing all day, which makes the master so angry that he chases after them with a rattan cane, making the mansion noisy."

"Yes, everyone has their own troubles. But once someone enters the household, they're yours. If they can manage the household well, then you're lucky."

The old lady of the Duke of Liguo also chimed in, her eyes full of smiles, but she was also sizing up the woman behind her. The woman who had married into the Wang family had an excellent figure and posture, and her cleverness was something to behold.

In the palace,

Empress Jiang Yuqing was personally serving food to the Empress Dowager when, in no time, the palace maids serving in the hall had already filled the tables in front of each master.

Empress Dowager Lu smiled broadly upon hearing this.

"What child in a household isn't mischievous? They all go through this. Fortunately, they all eventually become successful. In the south, that old lady's son, who was he again? Jia Lian, right? He won several battles in the south and was praised by many nobles in the capital. He's quite successful."

As soon as Grandmother Jia sat down, she pulled Wang Xifeng to sit beside her. Upon hearing Empress Dowager Lu's words, how could she possibly restrain herself?

"Oh dear, it's all thanks to the Empress Dowager and the Empress's good fortune. The younger generation has also relied on the Emperor's grace to achieve a few minor victories in the south. In truth, it's all thanks to the soldiers' hard work."

When the topic turned to the war in the south, although the civil unrest had been quelled, the amount of effort the court had expended was evident, and most of those present felt a deep sense of regret.
"That's true. There's no need to go on about that. You two girls, now that you're here, please offer a toast to all the old ladies."

Empress Dowager Lu didn't say much, but turned to the eldest and second princesses for a nod. The two princesses mostly nodded, picked up their wine cups, and bowed to the elderly ladies who had come to the palace.
"Ladies, I, Xiangxue, greet you all. In short, this cup of wine is a toast to you ladies."

After speaking, Zhou Xiangxue cupped her hands in a respectful gesture, downed the drink in one gulp, displaying her boldness. Many of the older ladies were also moved, but there were many things they could not say.
Just at this time,

Chunhe, a female historian in Kunning Palace, hurriedly entered the hall, came to the Empress's side, and whispered in her ear;

"Your Majesty, something has happened in the Qianqing Palace. Everyone says it's Xu Changwen, a disciple of Marquis Luoyun, who submitted the congratulatory memorial."

In a few words, he recounted what had happened in the main hall. Empress Jiang's expression hardened, and she paused. How could this have happened? How could this be?

Perhaps due to the shock, even the trusted maids serving the Dowager Empress and the Empress Dowager reported to them. In just a moment, the three exchanged glances, all understanding, their faces gradually darkening. Perhaps it was the atmosphere, or perhaps those around them sensed it, but they all knew that those people had come to deliver something important.

Seeing the atmosphere grow cold, Empress Dowager Lu was lost in thought. She hadn't expected a mere county magistrate to "speak out for justice"—yes, speak out for justice, which was a way of venting her anger.

The prayer beads in his hand twirled around, then he suddenly cleared his throat.
"Ahem, today is the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet, everyone please don't stand on ceremony. Come, pick up your chopsticks and try the dishes prepared by the Imperial Kitchen, and see if the taste has changed."

Before anyone could respond, she picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of venison, and put it in her mouth. Seeing that the people in the room were still in a daze, Empress Jiang quickly stood up and smiled.

"Since the Empress Dowager has spoken, what are we waiting for? Come on, everyone, pick up your chopsticks. The ambergris we used today is too strong, it's made everyone drunk. Someone, bring us some fresh tea for all the ladies and wives."

As soon as she finished speaking, palace maids came with celadon teacups to change the tea for the ladies and empresses. However, none of the people present were in the mood to taste the tea; their eyes were all darting around each other's faces.

As soon as the Dowager Consort started eating, all the concubines behind her followed suit.

"What's going on here? Why don't you try the perfectly good food? What are you doing here?"

The Dowager Consort Zhen's words were like a reminder. The ladies who were still looking at each other lowered their heads, picked up some food with their chopsticks and put it in their mouths, but their eyes were always fixed on what was in front of them.

"Please calm down, Your Highness. On this joyous occasion, we are able to gather together thanks to the blessings of the Empress Dowager and Your Highness. Chunhe just came here and said that pastries were served in the front courtyard. I was thinking that the Imperial Kitchen must have learned from someone to make cloud cakes as well. We can bring them up and have a taste together."

This explanation was obviously not believed by anyone present, but everyone still showed a look of sudden realization on their faces, and they picked up the cloud cake and put it into their mouths.

Zhou Ying sat in the seat below the eldest princess. Although the cloud cake she was eating was delicious, she couldn't help but have some questions in her heart. She pressed her head and asked in a low voice.
"Elder sister, what do you think could happen in the front courtyard? Could it be that Marquis Luoyun and the princes have drawn their swords against each other, or that someone started a fight at the banquet? But if they really fought in front of the Emperor Emeritus, I'm afraid the front hall would be in complete chaos."

It's quite amusing to think about. With Marquis Luo Yun's temper, how could he possibly tolerate this? If his brothers were to stir things up further, he might actually resort to physical violence. The Princess smiled slightly, put down her teacup, and glanced at those present. Only a few of the old ladies from the Duke's mansions remained calm. The rest of the noble relatives were mostly cautious. Only in the harem, among the concubines, was Consort Wu the most dazzling. But no matter how dazzling she was, she always gave others the feeling that something was amiss.

"Oh dear, look at what my sister is saying. How did you know about the commotion in the front hall? Even if a fight really broke out, with the Emperor there, what kind of commotion could they cause? I'm afraid it's something else."

Recalling Marquis Luo Yun's arrogance and his brothers' domineering ways, she thought that they might actually be at odds with each other verbally, but she didn't believe they would actually fight.

To cause such a disturbance at the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet is a grave offense of disrespect.

"Sister is so certain, she must have heard something. Since it wasn't Marquis Luoyun and the other princes who made the move, then in your opinion, who is behind this trouble?"

Since it wasn't these few people who stepped forward, those with such abilities must be none other than the Four Kings and Eight Dukes. So who could it be?

Looking at the somewhat agitated Princess Yongcheng, her alluring charm and wanton figure stirred a flutter in my heart.

"Sister, you're joking. I don't have such power. Only Her Majesty and the Empress Dowager know the details. If you want to ask, just go and ask them."

She pursed her lips, a smile on her face, but Princess Zhou Ying was not about to be fooled. Even if she were to ask a question, she would do so after the banquet, not now.

Just as she was about to say something, a messenger eunuch from the front hall hurriedly entered Kunning Palace. Seeing that the banquet inside had already begun, he slowed down, walked to the center of the hall, looked troubled, knelt down, and remained silent. The Empress Dowager found this strange and asked a question.
"What is it? Why are you kneeling there without saying a word?"

"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, this servant has come to convey the Emperor Emeritus's decree: the banquet for today will be adjourned for the women of the inner palace."

The eunuch delivering the message turned pale, biting his lip, not daring not to speak. As soon as he said this, the atmosphere in the room froze, and everyone fell silent. They all knew that it was about delivering a message, but they didn't know what kind of change had occurred in the front hall.

Empress Dowager Lu's expression darkened. How could a mere county magistrate have managed to disrupt the entire birthday banquet? Hesitating, she glanced at Dowager Zhen, only to find her resting with her eyes closed, seemingly unconcerned.

Having understood, I decided it was inappropriate to ask further.
"Alright, since the Emperor Emeritus has given his instructions, it wouldn't be right not to show our appreciation on this joyous occasion. Empress, have the palace staff pack all these dishes into food boxes and send them to each household. After all, it's a celebratory feast, so the palace staff can take them back and enjoy them at their leisure. As for the rest, it's not something we women should concern ourselves with. Go ahead."

Seeing that Empress Dowager Lu was not going to keep her, Grandmother Jia of Rongguo Mansion had already sensed something was amiss. She glanced at Yuan Chun, the head maid sitting in the back, who was still radiant. She seemed to want to say something, but dared not speak.

"It's still the old ancestor who takes good care of us. Since that's the case, this old woman won't stand on ceremony. Feng girl, don't trouble the palace staff. You tidy up the table of dishes, put them in a food box, and we'll take them back."

“Uh, yes,”

At this moment, Wang Xifeng originally intended to stay a little longer and take a look at the magnificent harem. Although she had been here more than once, she had never been given a proper look. She was about to get what she wanted, but before she could even sit for a while, she had to head back home. How could one invite guests to dinner and then take the dishes back home? Wouldn't that make the palace seem "undignified"?

But she dared not say it aloud, and her hands were quick as she put the dishes on the table back into the food boxes. Perhaps in her haste, she even put the pastries that were served later into the boxes, filling both boxes to the brim.

Seeing that the Old Madam of the Rongguo Mansion had taken action, the Old Madam of the Zhenguo Duke's Mansion did not delay either. She gave a signal to her eldest son and daughter-in-law, and they did the same.
Even the concubines, talented ladies-in-waiting, and other imperial consorts from the harem all joined in, making the entire Kunning Palace extremely chaotic. A shadow crossed the Empress's face; how could past events be allowed to spill over into the harem?

"Since everyone is about to leave, may I ask why you have come here, Your Excellency? Could it be that someone offended the Emperor Emeritus and angered him, leading to this?"

This questioning caused the people in the hall who were cleaning up to pause, and all their eyes turned to the kneeling eunuch who had delivered the message, especially the concubines in the harem, whose seemingly casual glances never left him.

Consort Ming, He Wanru, who was seated at the back of the table, pouted, leaned to the right, and nudged Consort De, Guo Mingyue, with her elbow.

"Mingyue, tell me, what could have happened in the front hall that led to the cancellation of the celebratory banquet?"

Mostly out of curiosity, and some speculation, the gossip in the capital, though shielded by the deep walls of the palace, couldn't be completely stopped. It's unclear whether Consort Zhou, having gained the Empress Dowager's favor, received more servants at the imperial palace. As a result, the previously troublesome Consort Wu quieted down for a while.
"What are you saying? What's in the palace is decided by the Empress and the Empress Dowager. This whole table of food won't shut you up."

Looking at the maids behind her, who were carefully putting away the dishes and bowls, she glared at He Wanru with annoyance. It was only because He Wanru liked these kinds of news that she was in such a tense mood. Even Consort Wu and Consort Zhou had become much more low-key.

"So what? The banquet was convened by Her Majesty, but it was the Empress Dowager who chased people away. They were guests, and they didn't even touch their chopsticks. They only ate a cloud cake and are still hungry."

Seeing that no one was paying attention to them, He Wanru quickly whispered, "I was hoping to steal a moment of peace here today, but it seems that all my efforts have been in vain."

"Say less. I think the matter in the front hall is no small matter, otherwise they wouldn't have acted this way."

The old ladies who came today are all from noble and long-serving families. How could they be sent back so soon after their arrival? It is clearly against etiquette. However, the Empress Dowager and the Dowager Consort did not stop them. There must be a reason.

Just then, before the two had exchanged more than a few words, the Virtuous Consort Jia Yuanchun, who was sitting in front of them, remained motionless, waiting for Baoqin to finish clearing away the dishes and bowls before rising first, standing on her seat, and offering her blessings of peace and good fortune.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I will obey Your Majesty's decree and take my leave now."

His eyes were clear, and he glanced at the old matriarch, Grandmother Jia, out of the corner of his eye, but ultimately remained silent.

"Alright, now that Consort Xiande has finished packing, I won't keep you any longer. You all should also pack up and go back on your own."

Empress Dowager Lu sat quietly, while Empress Jiang spoke on her behalf, waving her hand to everyone in the hall. The crowd understood and quickly rose, leaving Kunning Palace. Even Grandmother Jia, supported by Wang Xifeng, hurried away.

Upon reaching the outside of the palace, he wanted to hurry and catch up with "Consort Xiande," but after looking around, he couldn't find Jia Yuanchun. A sense of unease crept into his heart.

"Feng girl, where is Yuanchun?"

"This, old lady, she was just leaving the house a moment ago, how could she be gone in the blink of an eye?"

Wang Xifeng, carrying the food box, followed closely behind, hurrying as fast as she could, but still couldn't catch up. Though her face showed some bewilderment, she understood in her heart that seeing or not seeing an old friend only added to the sorrow; what good was this deep palace?

"Alright, let's go back."

Grandmother Jia's face also darkened. Although the Rongguo Mansion had wronged the eldest maid, many things were beyond her control. It was a pity such a good opportunity had been wasted. If she had deliberately sought it out, she feared it would have fallen into the eyes of those with ulterior motives. Looking at the palace again, she felt a sense of desolation, and a sudden pang of regret struck her. But then she remembered that Baoyu was still studying at the Imperial Academy, and that last bit of regret dissipated.
After the person left,
Inside Kunning Palace, only the Empress Dowager, the Dowager Consort, and the Empress remained. The Empress wanted to say something more, but then saw Empress Dowager Lu smile slightly.
"Your Majesty, thank you for your trouble here. I am tired and will go back to rest."

After exchanging greetings, they returned to Cining Palace, attended by several elderly maids. Even the Dowager Consort followed suit. Gazing at the empty and somewhat "messy" hall, Empress Jiang frowned, finding it all rather unbelievable.

"Chunhe, do you really think a mere county magistrate has such great abilities?"

(End of this chapter)