Chapter 98: Verbal Arguments
The twelfth day of the twelfth lunar month is Wanshou Festival.
The prime ministers, princes, princes, clan members, and officials entered the palace to pay homage to the emperor and wish him a happy birthday. Holding a tablet in hand, they performed a grand ceremony to pay homage to the emperor.
At that time, the sound of hundreds of birds singing in harmony was endless on the colorful pavilion of Jiying Palace, as if phoenixes and luans were flying in the palace.
The prime minister, the princes, the princes, the royal family, the important civil and military officials, as well as the envoys and deputy envoys of the vassal states sat high in the hall, while the chief and deputy chiefs of the ministries and the officials accompanying the envoys of the vassal states sat in the two corridors below the hall.
In front of everyone there was a low, black lacquered side table with a red surface, a green base and a black lacquer finish. On each table were displayed cakes and fruits such as ring cakes, oil cakes, and date towers, as well as various fruits and drinks.
The Jiaofang band was arranged in the colorful tent under the colorful building. At the front were clappers, ten strings in a row; followed by fifty painted pipa; followed by two konghous; two large drums were placed on a high drum stand, with golden dragons painted on the painted flower background, and the drumsticks were wrapped in gold foil. With both hands raised high, they beat the drums alternately, like shooting stars. Behind them were two jie drums, placed on a small table, and the stick drums should be beaten in rhythm with the jie drums.
Next were instruments such as the flute, sheng, xun, and dragon flute, all waiting for the banquet to begin.
Important officials of the previous dynasty gathered in Yingdian, and the ladies from inside and outside the harem gathered in the Queen's Palace to celebrate the emperor's birthday together.
The eldest princess was so ill that she couldn't get up, and not even any birthday gifts were sent to the palace.
Also bedridden was the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, who was unable to personally congratulate the Emperor of Southern Qi on his birthday, so he sent his fourteen-year-old eldest grandson Yuan Yi to the palace to congratulate the Emperor.
The Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace had been ill for a long time, and the Emperor's eldest grandson Yuan Yi had also been studying hard at home. Except for occasionally entering the palace to pay respects to the Emperor and Empress, he had almost no trace outside. It was not until his official appearance in public on the Emperor's Birthday that the other princes realized that the Emperor's eldest grandson had grown up without them noticing.
The fourteen-year-old boy was already very tall, only half a head shorter than his adult uncle. Although he looked like a teenager, his expression was calm and reserved, and his eyes were clear. He sat on the seat that should have been the crown prince, causing important officials and princes in the court to speculate about the Emperor of Southern Qi's thoughts.
According to seniority, Yuan Yi should sit behind all the princes.
However, he represented the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace and actually surpassed the other princes to take the first place. Even the Emperor of Southern Qi did not seem to think that the eldest grandson of the emperor was usurping the throne. Instead, he introduced him to the people of the vassal states: "This is my eldest grandson, who is smart and clever."
The kings and envoys of the vassal states all complimented him, praising the emperor's eldest grandson for his extraordinary talent and bravery. Outside the palace, drums and music sounded under the colorful tent, and inside the palace, there was harmony and joy, creating an atmosphere of prosperity.
The second prince Yuan Lang was below Yuan Yi. Under his wide robe and sleeves, he clenched his fists, but his face remained calm. He asked Yuan Yi about the health of the crown prince: "How has your health been these days, brother? After returning from the winter hunt, I was busy with trivial matters in the palace and had no time to visit you, brother."
Yuan Yi raised his glass to thank the Second Prince: "Thank you for your concern, Second Uncle. The weather has been bad recently and my father cannot stand the cold, so he cannot celebrate the birthday of my grandfather, so I sent my nephew here."
The other princes sat below the Second Prince. The Third Prince thought to himself: Little brat, if you had a little humility in your heart, you should give the first seat to your second brother. The junior sat in front of his uncle and felt comfortable sitting there. You really have evil intentions!
Although the Queen was the most respected person in the Southern Qi harem, in fact, Noble Consort Wan was more favored and slightly overshadowed the Queen.
The Empress has always valued harmony and never competed with Imperial Noble Consort Wan, sometimes even avoiding her edge. In addition, the Crown Princess was weak and had been recuperating at home all year round, which made many officials in the court think that the Emperor of Southern Qi wanted to change the Crown Prince. There were also many officials who attached themselves to the Second Prince and the Wan family, and they formed a force that could not be underestimated. They even felt that with the favor of Imperial Noble Consort Wan and the reputation of the Second Prince, the replacement of the Crown Prince was just around the corner.
Even the congratulatory article about the Second Prince's ascension to the throne of the Eastern Palace had been secretly thought about countless times in his mind. Unexpectedly, the Emperor of Southern Qi made a surprise counterattack and brought out the eldest grandson Yuan Yi to make an appearance. He also praised him highly in front of the princes and kings of vassal states and envoys, which made the ministers who were attached to the Second Prince and the Wan family dumbfounded for a moment.
Your Majesty, what do you mean?
Fu Chen and Tang Ying both had official duties today. One was in the front hall, responsible for the safety of the Emperor, while the other was in the harem, guarding the safety of the Queen. They also witnessed with their own eyes the gossipy abilities of the ladies inside and outside the harem.
The Empress was dignified, the Imperial Noble Consort was beautiful, the Crown Princess had not arrived yet, but she appeared at the harem banquet. Everyone stood up together and wished the Emperor of Southern Qi a happy birthday in the direction of Jiying Hall. After they sat down again, they inevitably started to engage in verbal battles.
Imperial Concubine Wan brought the listless Ninth Princess with her. The Queen asked with concern, "Shu'er has not been feeling well lately. Why do you look so pale?"
The Ninth Princess was to marry far away, which was like cutting out her beloved Concubine Wan's heart, but it was a great thing for the Queen's lineage. Moreover, when the Queen heard that the future consort of the Ninth Princess went straight to Yuanyang Tower after entering the capital, she was greatly relieved that she had been worried that Yuan Shu would marry Fu Chen.
Concubine Wan could almost imagine how the Queen was mocking her daughter behind her hypocritical concern, and her face turned cold.
The Ninth Princess's fiery eyes were fixed on Tang Ying, who was standing on duty in a corner of the palace wearing a flying phoenix. Then she thought of the insult she had suffered in Fu Chen's tent during the winter hunt, and absentmindedly replied to the Queen: "Thank you for your concern, mother. I caught a cold during the winter hunt, and I will be fine after a few days of rest."
The Crown Princess, who had always been aloof from the world, also jumped out to help her mother-in-law today, and said with a smile: "The Ninth Princess has just found a good husband, so she must get well before getting married. Otherwise, the journey to Nanyue is long, and I heard that the climate is very different from our Southern Qi. If it doesn't work, ask the imperial physician to prescribe some soup and medicine to regulate her body, so as to avoid trouble if she gets uncomfortable on the way."
Imperial Concubine Wan almost choked on her gulp of Baihua wine. Seeing her beloved daughter's pale face, she felt distressed. She turned the wine glass and said calmly, "The Crown Princess has been busy taking care of the Crown Prince in the East Palace. She actually has the time to worry about Shu'er. I thank you on Shu'er's behalf."
The Crown Princess used to be reserved and gentle, and she also followed the Queen's style of not getting involved, and she rarely argued with Imperial Concubine Wan. But today, she was very different, as if her back had suddenly straightened up, and she sighed, "Your Highness's health has always been taken care of by the Imperial Physician, and I can't help much, but seeing that Yi'er has grown up, and he even went to the palace to celebrate His Majesty's birthday today, I heard that the Ninth Princess was engaged, and Yi'er is actually old enough to get married, so I'm a little envious."
Her words immediately caused the ladies inside and outside the hall to prick up their ears.
The selection of a concubine for the emperor's eldest grandson is a big event.
Moreover, the Crown Princess openly opposed Noble Consort Wan, and why did she speak of the Emperor's eldest grandson with such pride?
Tang Ying stood in a corner of the hall, taking in all the discussions. She was also thinking about the changes in the court situation. Seeing the Empress' faction and the Imperial Concubine's faction fighting each other, she couldn't help but sigh.
The royal family had very little affection. They were all fighting for the throne under the emperor's buttocks. The third prince's biological mother, Hui Fei, helped Wan Huang Guifei. The empress and the crown princess were in solidarity, and the barriers in the palace were clear. The fourth prince's biological mother, Rong Fei, wanted to shrink in a corner, with the intention of "Don't punish mortals like us when the gods fight", and it was clear that she would not help either side.
She looked at the mess in the Southern Qi emperor's harem, thinking about the case of ghost soldiers mentioned by the fourth prince Yuan Jian. She didn't know whether it was an isolated case or a common malpractice in the Southern Qi army.
I have to urge Yuan Jian to investigate further, maybe we can find some clues.
In the former court and the harem, everyone had their own thoughts and celebrated the birthday of the Emperor of Southern Qi with great enthusiasm.
In the Grand Princess's residence, Yunniang helped the pale-faced Yuanheng to get up and drink a sip of water. The noise in the palace was so loud that it seemed that the noise could be heard even from across the imperial city.
Yuan Heng took a sip of water, leaned on Yunniang's shoulder to take a breath, and asked weakly: "Where is Yan'er...?" She felt a sharp pain in her heart after saying this, which shattered the self-control that she had always been proud of. Her whole body felt like it was falling apart. She wished she could collapse on the bed, close her eyes and live forever, forgetting all the troubles in the world.
Yunniang counted on her fingers and said softly, "I estimate that the young master will be able to go home in two days. The master should cheer up."
The eldest princess smiled bitterly, tears streaming down her eyes: "I... I..." She couldn't say another word.
Yunniang helped her lie down. She stared at the ceiling with her eyes open, tears streaming down her face. After a long while, she said, "I seem to hear the sound of drums and music in the palace. Is today the Emperor's birthday?"
During the Emperor's birthday celebrations in previous years, she was always the guest of honor in the Empress' palace, with countless ladies from both the inner and outer courts coming to serve her, and she was extremely proud and happy.
Yunniang tucked the corner of the quilt for her: "Master, take a good rest and don't worry about the things outside."
The eldest princess closed her eyes, feeling hopeless: "How can I do anything about it..." After a while she muttered again: "Will you come to the banquet in Lang'er Palace?" Seeing the second prince every day seemed to give her a moment of peace, and she gradually developed a dependence on the second prince.
Yunniang: "The Second Prince said he would come. He is worried about the master's health, and he will come if he has time. He will come when the master wakes up."
Incense was burning in the hall, making Yuan Heng's mind a little confused, but also a little clear. She suddenly said, "I think Lang'er is reliable. Why don't you hand over the people under Xin Niang and the rest of the people to him? I'm too lazy to take care of those trivial matters anymore."
The eldest princess has been in charge of the Forbidden Cavalry Bureau for many years, and has also developed a team for herself, such as the Yuanyang Tower in the capital, and several underground banks. Although the Forbidden Cavalry Bureau suffered some losses after self-inspection, there are still some people sent to various banks and in secret.
When Huan Yanbo was exiled, they originally sent a small number of people in order to avoid attracting attention. They were afraid that Huan Yanbo was a person who always liked pomp and circumstance , and would make a huge noise and attract attention from the capital. However, they did not expect that something bad would still happen.
"I should have sent more people to Yan'er..." The eldest princess regretted it so much that she not only hated Tang Ying in her heart, but also resented the Emperor of Southern Qi: "If he loved Yan'er more, why would Yan'er be unable to return home and even lose his life?" She cried and complained, wishing that the Emperor of Southern Qi could also taste the pain of losing a child so that he could understand the pain she was feeling today.
