Chapter 63: Spring Festival

This year's Palace Banquet had even fewer people than it had in the past. In previous years, the only ones who could attend the Palace Banquet were the aristocracy and nobility, and they all more or less shared the same blood. But this year, if it were to be conducted according to the same standards as the past, there would be no difference between the Palace Banquet and Jiang Changbai eating a meal alone. As a result, she'd simply altered the restrictions, and summoned all officials above third rank to attend.

Though at the start, she'd thought that the more bustling and raucous the better, not everyone could attend. Jiang Changbai hadn't imagined, either, that an unwelcome guest would come to the Palace Banquet. Yang Zhuofei had found a carpenter from who knew where to construct a wheelchair, and, at the very last moment, she pushed a sickly, gaunt, frail man in using it. Her seat was towards the inside, and all those who'd already sat down followed her to her seat with their gazes.

Qin Anhe shot a glance at her. "Even if a celebration's meant to be lively, this is the Palace Banquet—how come just about anyone's being brought in?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it was just enough for the sound to carry to Yang Zhuofei's ears. But Yang Zhuofei acted as if she hadn't heard, tilting her head to speak with the man. Those sitting around Qin Anhe were all newly-promoted officials, and a not insignificant amount of them were on friendly terms with her. Seeing Yang Zhuofei turning a deaf ear, they bowed their heads and murmured to each other about it.

Qin Anhe still had a child's temperament; she couldn't stand others ignoring her like this. Those around her couldn't hold her back even if they tried, and Qin Anhe raised her voice and spoke. "Pushing a wheelchair on the New Year's—how truly ominous."

This time, her voice was quite loud, and nearly all the officials around heard it. Even missing a named name, everyone's gazes were either brazen and fearless, or cautious and furtive, but they all turned in Yang Zhuofei's direction.

But it was Wu Dongmu who beat out Yang Zhuofei in replying. "You're young and don't understand etiquette. Her majesty made an exception to let you come—you ought to be deeply grateful. Raising your voice and making such a racket—what a scandal!"

Qin Anhe stood up with a whoosh. "Wu-daren really knows how to label others unfairly; I was just talking idly, how have I become someone who's ungrateful? They say that whatever's in one's heart is what they see—could it be that you're that way, Wu-daren?"

Wu Dongmu was left speechless by her, and before he could say anything, Qin Anhe added, "Since you think that making a racket's scandalous, how come you started speaking? More than that, since you're so proper, how did you raise a rebel of a younger brother? Looking at it broadly, the one in this hall who ought to be the most grateful is you." Qin Anhe was unyielding, and with each following sentence, she left Wu Dongmu dumbstruck and at a lack of a retort. The other senior officials had originally intended to mediate, but seeing this bearing of Qin Anhe's, they feared that they'd bring disaster on themselves, and could only keep quiet. In the end, it was Shen Yanyi who couldn't bear to watch it any further, and spoke, and only then was Qin Anhe curbed.

She actually wasn't afraid of Shen Yanyi; though everyone knew Shen Yanyi was a former subordinate of Jiang Changbai's, Qin Anhe wasn't someone who'd pay that any mind. It was just that she'd just suddenly thought of the earnest advice Chen Xun had given her a few nights before, and then remembered the dealings that Shen Yanyi had had with Chen Xun, and feared that these actions of hers would make their way to Chen Xun's ear.

But this scene had drawn everyone's attention, and there wasn't anyone who'd noticed that, from start to finish, Yang Zhuofei, who ought to have been the main player, hadn't said a single word.

The call of "her majesty's carriage has arrived!" made everyone fall silent, and when Jiang Changbai sat down and swept a gaze about, she noticed the sickly man at Yang Zhuofei's side as well. Yang Zhuofei finally spoke, pushing the wheelchair right to the centre, and slowly made obeisance. "By Bixia's blessing, this servant's Mingyou was found."

At these words, everyone was startled.

But Jiang Changbai only stilled for a moment, and then worry showed on her face. "We feel deep grief at Jiang Mingyou's perishing as well. We know that your love of your son made it hard for you to accept this face, but people die like lanterns going out, and those who live on ought to let go of them as soon as possible. If Mingyou has awareness in the Springs, and were to see that you'd found someone of similar appearance to place by your side as a replacement, I fear he'd worry for you as well."

But Yang Zhuofei acted as if she hadn't heard what Jiang Changbai had said, and pushed "Jiang Mingyou"'s shoulder. "Quickly, pay your respects to Bixia, you weren't well acquainted before. You haven't met for so long now, and with your journey to the gates of hell and back, not Bixia can't even recognise you!"

How could the man who'd been taken to act as Jiang Mingyou ever have seen such an impressive scene? He'd long since been frightened such that his thighs were shaking. He'd originally thought that, by acting at being severely ill, he could avoid this entirely, but he hadn't imagined that his "mother" would forcefully push him to the very front. He was terrified that if he were to speak and decline, he'd make even more mistakes the more he spoke, and so he could only brace himself and stand up from the wheelchair and make obeisance.

Yet Jiang Changbai didn't look at him, indicating to Xun Zhu to take the "mother and son" back to their seats. Her gaze swept over the crowd, and she said, "This year has been a year of many happenings for the Great Li; the late Emperor misplaced his trust in scoundrels, and the people had no way to make a living; the Regent had no alternative but to come from the border and clear out the corrupt officials, in order that the common people of the Great Li could live happy lives. As for matters turning out contrary to what was wished for, leading to many dying in the disaster, that really was an accident, and the Regent surely hadn't wanted it to happen either." Having spoken to this point, she paused, and turned her head to look at Song Juguang. Song Juguang's expression was one of equal grief, as if she were grieving and lamenting over it.

"But the dead are already dead," Jiang Changbai continued, looking at Yang Zhuofei. "Even greater grief can't bring the dead back, and rather than struggling to search for those who've already passed on, it's better to focus on the life before us. Don't you agree?"

Everyone in the hall knew that Jiang Changbai had spoken these words for Yang Zhuofei to hear, and countless eyes turned to look at her at once. Yet Yang Zhuofei, hearing this, merely hid her face and wept, not replying.

Qin Anhe's gaze flickered back and forth—even she could understand. Never mind debating the veracity of Jiang Mingyou's identity, that Yang Zhuofei had taken advantage of the Palace Banquet for "Jiang Mingyou" to make a public appearance was so that her majesty would recognise his identity. But her majesty was unwilling to do so, and so she'd talked around it, asserting that this Jiang Mingyou was a fake.

How interesting, Qin Anhe thought; this was far more interesting than the vernacular tales she'd read in the past. She was more than clear on which side she stood, and, swinging the chopsticks in her hand, she said, "Ah, what her majesty said is right—Princess Yu's too depressed from staying in the manor every day, can't she come out and wander a bit? If she really can't, then she should come sit with me and relieve her boredom a bit. Don't guard fake goods day after day—you really can't leave your life where it started."

Yang Zhuofei looked at Qin Anhe, and said with a strength that came from who knew where. "Where on earth is there a mother who can't recognise her child? This is my child! Ah, my poor Mingyou was homeless and miserable outside for so long, only making it home after a great many struggles—he even has his jade pendant, so why can't he return to his ancestral home?"

Qin Anhe knew of this imperial token as well, and in a moment of dazedness, she unexpectedly believed Yang Zhuofei's words as well. But she looked at Jiang Changbai's icy expression, and felt that it was strange, and couldn't help but hide her hands under the table, and furtively draw a divinatory diagram.

He was a fake.

In this world, Qin Anhe herself was the one who most trusted the divinatory forms that she made; as soon as she reached the conclusion, she raised her voice, and said, "What being homeless and miserable? He's clearly a Boyang native—he hasn't even been in the capital for half a year!"

"Slander and maligning!" Yang Zhuofei had lost her usual poise, and she stood, heading for Qin Anhe.

Qin Anhe wasn't afraid of her, and she stood as straight as a brush. But before they came together, Jiang Changbai called out in a stern tone, "Impudent!"

The imperial bodyguards standing at either side swarmed, pulling Yang Zhuofei to a stop. Jiang Changbai signalled to them with a glance, and they dragged her outside. No one dared to speak, the hall as silent as a grave. Only after a long while did someone unknown speak, and said, "How come the Shejin Princess who came for a marriage alliance isn't here?"

Song Juguang didn't raise her head, answering blandly, "Shejin doesn't celebrate the Spring Festival, and she doesn't speak the language of the Great Li well, so we didn't press her."

But at this moment, the foreigner that Song Juguang was speaking of not celebrating the Spring Festival was happily cutting paper decorations in her private rooms. Liang Jiwen originally hadn't celebrated it, but seeing Bi Yushuang and the surrounding maids have such enthusiasm for the Spring Festival, she'd decided to follow the local customs. Unlike the subtle atmosphere of the Palace Banquet, the ambiance held in this private hall was what truly counted as that of the Spring Festival. The coal in the furnace burnt flourishingly, and the room was warm and cosy. The masters and servants weren't as clearly separated as they usually were, chattering over each other, the bustle and twitter quite lively.

By now, Bi Yushuang had moved to neighbour Liang Jiwen. The two birds of a feather had previously participated in the preliminary examinations, and had come back with failure, and, pondering the painful experience, had said they'd come together and study to prepare for the next keju. But though they'd come together, the books hadn't been studied nearly at all.

Suddenly, a maid hurriedly came in through the doors, and, restraining a smile, said something into Bi Yushuang's ear. Bi Yushuang smiled as well, and as she did so, she patted Liang Jiwen. "It's lucky you didn't go to the Palace Banquet."

Originally, Liang Jiwen was meant to go to the Palace Banquet. She didn't have even the lowest of official positions, but in any case, she was the Princess of a foreign nation, and she ought to attend such an important occasion. But Bi Yushuang, hearing of it, had repeatedly obstructed her, insisting that she find a way to refuse. Not only that, but Nanny Pei Yu, hearing the news, had grown grave as well. So, she'd found an excuse to decline.

The maid who'd just entered was one who'd previously waited on Bi Yushuang; the two were of a similar age, and their relationship was decent. As a matter of fact, having just been relieved of her shift at the Palace Banquet, she'd been unable to stop herself from telling Yang Zhuofei's absurd disturbance to her.

Bi Yushuang seemed to long since have expected it. In previous years, Palace Banquets had only had the imperial wives and concubines, the Emperor, and the imperial relatives attend. Everyone at the banquets had shared the same blood. But even so, year after year, scheming and fighting was unavoidable. This year, the Palace Banquet had had so many senior ministers, and those who vied for power most and were the most conceited had all gathered together, and adding in a few cups of wine, how could they not make fools of themselves?

But she hadn't expected that it would be this wonderful, and, treating it like a laughing matter, she explained it to Liang Jiwen. But Liang Jiwen, hearing this, didn't make a sound, falling silent for a long while before she said, "My Royal Father is Jiang Mingyou?"

"What?" Bi Yushuang startled, and when she reacted to this new Shejin secret, she immediately tugged at the hem of Liang Jiwen's clothes, and lowered her voice. "Come on, hurry up and explain."

At first, Liang Jiwen was hesitant, but thinking on it, felt that she wouldn't return to Shejin in her lifetime, and Bi Yushuang was one of her few friends in the Great Li, so she didn't hide it anymore. As it turned out, her Royal Father had created a disturbance of a haze of suspicions about his identity, and it was her paternal grandmother who'd argued on strong grounds, and so had substantiated her Royal Father's identity, and so he'd had the right to vie for the throne, and so had become the current King of Shejin.

"Then the scene Princess Yu made…" Having spoken halfway, Bi Yushuang suddenly thought of something, and hurriedly covered her mouth. Those around her all looked at each other, and only Liang Jiwen was at a loss.

"Do none of you believe me?" Liang Jiwen looked all about. "What I know is what my Nanny explained to me—she knows much more than I do. In a bit, when Nanny comes back, she can explain it to you."

The maid looked at Bi Yushuang, blinking. Bi Yushuang looked at the maid, and blinked as well. Finally, Bi Yushuang raised the hand over her mouth to make a gesture of silence, and then picked up the paper cutout that she'd half finished cutting.

Liang Jiwen was still thinking of the story that hadn't finished being told, waiting eagerly for Nanny Pei Yu to return. But she waited and waited, waited until the paper cutouts Bi Yushuang were all cut out, and Nanny Pei Yu's figure never appeared. The terror she'd almost forgotten once more enveloped her—Nanny Pei Yu had disappeared once more.

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