GTB Chapter 99

Chapter 99: Attending the Banquet

Jiang Jiuchu wanted to raise her hand to refuse, paused, and then lowered it, letting the quilt be placed over her.

For some reason, Shí Yan’s brief words made a sense of reassurance rise in her heart, making her feel that he just wanted to cover her with the quilt, just wanting them both to be covered.

She looked at Shí Yan beside her, only able to see his closed eyes, but unable to clearly see the expression on his face.

At this moment, she felt that this man, apart from some minor flaws, wasn’t so bad after all. At least, he didn’t take advantage of her while she was drunk.

And he didn’t have the air of “wine pool and meat forest” about him; this alone set him apart from most of the aristocratic sons in Kyoto.

A husband like him was indeed a top choice, but he lacked the one thing she cared about most. No matter how good he was, it wasn’t the kind of good she wanted.

……..

The morning sun in mid-May carried a slight heat, falling through the window lattices onto the dressing table.

Jiang Jiuchu, dressed in her undergarments, sat in front of the dressing table, letting Lu Yi comb her hair into an exquisite and beautiful updo.

“Miss, how about this lotus-root pink dress?” Lu Luo said, then took out another one and held it up towards the dressing mirror, “Or this water-blue one?”

Without waiting for Jiang Jiuchu to answer, Lu Luo retracted the water-blue dress in her hand and said:

“Or maybe Miss should wear the lotus-root pink one! Miss wore the water-blue one to the Hundred Flowers Banquet last time, so Miss should change color this time!”

Jiang Jiuchu looked at Lu Luo standing beside the wardrobe through the bronze mirror, “Okay, that one then!”

After dressing up, Jiang Jiuchu went out with Lu Luo. Li Mama also followed behind, taking this opportunity to enter the palace together to visit the Empress Dowager.

In the carriage, Jiang Jiuchu looked at Li Mama and asked, “Li Mama, why isn’t His Highness going with us? If it’s just me alone, will the Emperor say anything?”

“Princess Consort, don’t worry. No matter how favored Consort Yao is, she is just a consort. Besides, it’s just a birthday banquet. Our Prince has never been one to follow the rules, so no one will say anything. Your presence, Princess Consort, is already giving her face.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded, then, thinking of something, she asked again, “Is Consort Yao the mother of the Second Prince?”

“She is indeed the Second Prince’s birth mother.” Seeing that Jiang Jiuchu was not familiar with the palace relationships, Li Mama explained to her:

“Consort Yao was born with a captivating beauty, and the Yao family also contributed to the Emperor’s rise to power, so she is deeply loved by the Emperor. From the time she entered the palace, she dominated the harem, and her limelight once overshadowed the Empress.”

“Until…” Li Mama said, sighing, “Until His Highness’s mother, Consort Wan, entered the palace. Consort Wan’s beauty was completely opposite to that of Consort Yao. His Highness’s mother looked like a white lotus, pure and serene, which the Emperor favored at first sight, and from then on, she enjoyed exclusive favor.”

Seeing Jiang Jiuchu listening attentively, Li Mama thought for a while, feeling that in the future, there would likely be many occasions like today’s banquet, so it was necessary to tell the Princess Consort some things so that she could have a better understanding when socializing.

“But how could Consort Yao willingly let a woman from the common people steal her limelight, so she was always at odds with Consort Wan.”

“After Consort Wan gave birth to His Highness, she was even more envied. The Empress also often fueled the flames in secret because she was not on good terms with Consort Yao, until Consort Wan’s premature death.”

“But there is no substantial evidence for any of this. Palace intrigues have always been insidious, killing without bloodshed. Moreover, one is the Empress, and the other is a Consort, and the powers behind them are not to be underestimated, while Consort Wan only had the Empress Dowager’s life-saving grace.”

Jiang Jiuchu was shocked by what she heard and understood why the Empress Dowager was so fond of Shí Yan, and she also understood why Shí Yan did not attend the Imperial Consort’s birthday celebration.

“Li Mama, then I…?” Jiang Jiuchu wanted to say, if that’s the case, did she still need to go? Wouldn’t this be like attending the birthday of an enemy?

“Go, why wouldn’t you go?” Li Mama was happy that Jiang Jiuchu could consider things for Shí Yan, and she smiled, saying:

“It’s good to have an understanding in your heart. It’s best to do some superficial work after all, since the Emperor will also be there.”

Jiang Jiuchu nodded, digesting what Li Mama had said in her heart. She felt that the root cause of such things was that there were too many women.

Whether it was in the harem or in the inner courtyard of a household, as long as there were many women, such things as vying for favor and jealousy would be unavoidable.

To put it bluntly, there was no such thing as magnanimity and virtue; it was all just superficial. How many women would be willing to share their husband with others, able to watch their beloved embrace other women?

Anyway, she couldn’t. She only had to think about it a little, and if Brother Fu…,

Jiang Jiuchu immediately stopped her hypothetical thought. She couldn’t bring Brother Fu into it.

She was already someone else’s wife, and Brother Fu would eventually marry and have children. She had to change this habit and not think about Brother Fu in everything.

Inside the palace, in Jing Shu Palace, Fan Yuwan, seeing that Consort Shu had not responded after listening to her plan, urged:

“Aunt, this is a rare opportunity. It not only helps you avenge your grievances but also helps me remove a stumbling block. Why not do it?”

Consort Shu pondered for a long time and felt that what Fan Yuwan said made sense. If she were to rely on herself to seek revenge, how long would that take?

She was indeed no match for Consort Yao, but if it involved the Seventh Prince and the Empress Dowager, that would be a different matter. She might as well use the informants she had planted over the years to stage a borrowed-knife-to-kill scheme.

To avenge her child who died in her womb, to avenge her inability to conceive again.

Moreover, besides the Second Prince and the Fourth Prince, the remaining ones were the Seventh Prince, the Fifth Prince, and the Eighth Prince. Among these, she felt that the Seventh Prince was the most likely, after all, he was the son of the woman the Emperor loved most back then, and also the Empress Dowager’s precious treasure.

If Yuwan could really achieve her wish in the future, then she could also help the Seventh Prince by the way, and she would have someone to rely on.

“Alright, Aunt promises you.”

“That’s great, thank you, Aunt.” Fan Yuwan happily grabbed Consort Shu’s arm, “Aunt, don’t worry, whether this method succeeds or not, it won’t involve you.”

As she spoke, she took out a small white porcelain bottle from her body and handed it over, “It’s getting late, Aunt, hurry up and arrange it.”

Consort Shu took the porcelain bottle and handed it to the old Mama beside her.

Seeing the old Mama retreat, Fan Yuwan’s eyes filled with a fierce look. How could she let that Jiang family girl easily get the man she had admired for so many years? Being the Seventh Prince’s Consort for a month was enough, and she should pay the price.

Consort Yao’s birthday banquet was held in the Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union, which was used for holding various banquets and was located near the Imperial Garden.

The banquet was scheduled for a moment before noon, and it was now half an hour before the banquet.

In the Imperial Garden, Jiang Jiuchu looked at the distant pond, where Ji Shutíng and Gu Changxuan were talking face-to-face under an old locust tree.

She pursed her lips. Sure enough, she was a friend who forgot her friend when she saw a handsome man. Once she met her sweetheart, she forgot all about her sister. She wondered how long they would be talking?

She looked around and saw that those who had arrived early were all sitting in pairs in the distant pavilions or beside stone tables, thinking that her brother and sister-in-law should also come today for Consort Yao’s birthday celebration!

She looked at the two people under the locust tree again, feeling that they might talk until the banquet began, so she turned around and walked to a stone table nearest her and sat down.

She had just sat down when a little palace maid came with tea and snacks.