Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Geng Shuning originally had no interest in the entanglement between Niuheru Jingyi and Tong Siya. Neither of them were good people, so let them vie for influence within the palace.

But an unexpected sneeze suddenly gave her a sense of foreboding.

She didn’t care how those two fought, but she didn’t want to get caught in the crossfire of their petty squabbles.

Being cautious, Geng Shuning waved at Geng Xue.

"Come here, help me with something..."

Geng Shuning leaned into Geng Xue's ear and gave her instructions, then added, "Don't let anyone find out, and while you're there, ask the Six Bureaus to get me some special materials for making menstrual belts."

Geng Xue, a cousin from a branch of the Geng family that hadn’t been elevated to banner status, nodded without hesitation, even if she didn’t fully understand the instructions.

Her father, a fifth-rank official in Beijing, had been specially selected through the Geng family’s connections and would eventually take over Geng Shuning’s duties.

"I'll go right away!" Geng Xue said.

Among the imperial clan, those who were well-informed knew that the Imperial Household Department had been busy preparing for the Thousand Autumns Festival.

*

With the surprising auspicious signs at the luncheon, expectations for the evening banquet were even higher, especially among the princes.

Yin You, the seventh prince, was working in the Imperial Household Department and knew some inside information. Unable to resist the pestering from his brothers, he let some details slip.

So, the princes were even more eager for the evening banquet. Before it was even dark, they left from the Western Five Palaces, including the fifteenth and sixteenth princes, and eagerly headed to the Qianqing Palace.

As soon as they stepped into the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, the brothers were dumbfounded.

Led by Prince Yin Zhi of Cheng, several of them nearly collided and stumbled as they crossed the threshold.

The grand and solemn hall, which had been used for the morning court session earlier that day, had been transformed beyond recognition.

The tables and chairs were still arranged on both sides, left and right.

But in front of the tables, two long crystal curtains hung from the top of the hall, draping over all the tables, casting faint shadows. The candlelight and screens on both sides of the walls could still be vaguely seen.

Elegant and gentle silk and bamboo music drifted out from behind the screens, and a faint, warm fragrance lingered in the air.

It felt like stepping into a dream, a surreal beauty that seemed almost otherworldly.

Yin Zhi plopped down into his seat and muttered, "Since when did Fourth Brother become so... ahem, so tasteful?"

Even the most honest Yin Qi nodded unconsciously, "This doesn’t seem like Fourth Brother's style. It's more... refined than even the Emperor."

The brothers all thought to themselves, could it be that ascending to the throne brought out a more refined and elegant side, even in the most rigid of men?

As it turned out, they had spoken too soon.

When the empress arrived with all the women who were eligible to attend the Qianqing Palace family banquet, the imperial relatives and princes were once again stunned.

The attendants serving the empress and consorts held large fans that could conceal nearly half of their bodies.

The fan surfaces featured peonies at the top, symbolizing wealth and honor, and wintersweet at the bottom, representing resilience, completely concealing the imperial women.

Only after the Empress and her consorts were seated behind the left-side crystal curtain did the palace attendants lower the ceremonial fans.

It wasn't just the royal relatives and imperial princes who were stunned.

The female relatives who had arrived with the empress and consorts also wore a dazed expression of admiration, sitting beside their husbands and gazing absentmindedly at the opposite side.

Under the double crystal curtains, it was barely visible that the Empress was dressed in a goose-yellow imperial gown, Consort Qi, née Li, in a peach blossom red... and the lowest-ranking attendant consort at the very end was wearing a striking crimson.

Not only were the colors vibrant, but the styles were also more elaborate than typical palace attire, giving them an almost ethereal, captivating beauty.

Perhaps it was the gentle music or the sweet incense, but even the younger princes had their eyes glued to the opposite side, unable to look away.

For a moment, no one remembered to pay their respects to the Empress.

It was the female relatives who had rested in the Empress' quarters, having traveled together and thus developed some resistance, who felt a pang of jealousy seeing their men in such a state.

Third Princess Consort Dong E viciously pinched Yin Zhi in the waist.

"Ow... ahem!" Yin Zhi jumped up in pain, realizing under Dong E's cool gaze what had happened, and he discreetly cleared his throat to remind everyone.

Everyone quickly stood up—

"Your servant/I offer Empress ten thousand years of peace!"

The Empress's voice was slightly strained. "We're all family here, no need for such formalities, please rise."

Even behind the curtain, she could sense the overly intense gazes from the opposite side, making her feel uncomfortable and regretting, just a little, that she had listened to the female officials' persuasion to dress so meticulously.

If word got out that the royal relatives were so captivated by the consorts, it would be a humiliation they couldn’t bear.

Fortunately, the crystal curtains obscured the view enough that everyone knew better than to spread any unseemly gossip.

Even so, the Empress cast a cold glance at the consorts, a silent warning.

They would have to go out soon, and if any of them lost their composure and caused a scandal, she would not let them off.

The consorts, equally flustered under the intense gazes, quickly composed themselves, well aware of the stakes.

In truth, their attire wasn't that different, just a little more embellished than usual, nothing too extravagant.

But people of this time knew that the less clear the beauty, the more it stirred the heart.

A beauty enhanced by seven parts, combined with the soft music, sweet incense, and the allure of mystery, creating an atmosphere of enchantment that magnified their allure tenfold.

Even Consort Qi, née Li, could hardly bear the unmoving gazes from the opposite side. Touching the peach blossom mark at the corner of her eye, she regretted choosing such a bold makeup look.

When the Emperor arrived, he stood before the dragon throne, staring at the consorts behind the crystal curtain for a long while before telling everyone to rise.

Consort Li inadvertently met the Emperor’s gaze and, seeing his focused expression, blushed and felt a warmth in her heart, no longer regretting her choice, a plan forming in her mind.

If today’s arrangement could draw the Emperor to her palace or keep him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, even facing the Empress’s wrath would be worth it.

*

As the lamps were lit, the Empress Dowager entered the hall with the Thirteenth Princess Consort and the Fourteenth Princess Consort.

Her seat was directly in front of all the consorts, giving her a clear view of their attire.

The Empress Dowager smiled with particular satisfaction. "Look at them, each more beautiful than the last. They should have dressed like this long ago!"

"From now on, dress like this as a gift to me, it pleases me more than any gold or jade you could offer."

The Empress's last lingering worry vanished as she heard this.

She secretly glanced at the Emperor, and upon seeing his gaze fixed on her, a smile at the corner of his lips, her face felt warm and she quickly stood up.

"Mother Empress, please don't tease us. We dressed up specially for you today, to make you happy. The best is yet to come."

Uya glanced at the Emperor and saw that Yinzhen's eyes never left the consorts' side. Her heart was finally at ease.

If the Emperor would frequently grace the imperial harem and bring more princes and princesses into the world, her own legacy would be complete, and there would be no need for further celebrations.

She nodded with a smile, "Then I shall await your gifts."

Consort Qi, née Li, also chimed in with some flattering words. She only sat properly for the meal once all the dishes were served.

The consorts' gifts were yet to come.

The first to present their gifts were the imperial clansmen and the princes.

The evening's gifts differed from those presented earlier in the day. They weren't about value, but rather the thought behind them.

Since it was a family banquet, even if it was just for show, they had to create a warm and harmonious atmosphere. It was best to give something unique and delightful.

Yin Zhi and Yin Qi presented calligraphy and jewelry they had crafted themselves.

Yinti and Yinzhen entertained with a qin and xiao duet, lifting the atmosphere to its peak.

Then it was the consorts' turn, marking the climax of the entire banquet.

The Empress presented her own embroidered portrait.

Nine hundred and ninety-nine characters for longevity formed a large longevity symbol, showing both thoughtfulness and significance.

The audience wasn't particularly surprised. The Empress's virtue and reputation had long been known.

What truly shocked everyone was that the Empress, known for her strict adherence to propriety and harmony with the Emperor, wore a soft yellow palace gown with peony petal patterns on the hem.

A golden peony painted on her forehead transformed her originally plain face into one of grace and elegance.

As she walked, she seemed like a peony fairy.

Consort Qi, née Li, chose a pink gown with a double-breasted design, the buttons shaped like peach blossoms, complementing the peach blossom design at the corners of her eyes, creating a striking brightness in her performance of "Phoenix Dance."

Consort Mao, née Song, presented a hundred flower folding screen, wearing a moon-white gown. Though she appeared proper, her sleeves were designed like beautiful orchids, revealing her fair wrists in layers, exuding a cold yet gentle charm.

Next was Consort Wu, née Wu, who wore peony slippers and presented Buddhist scriptures. Attendant Hai wore a pomegranate tasseled robe, and Attendant Su, a lotus silver embroidered gown.

Each consort brought something new and unseen; not all were national beauties, but each was beautifully fresh and refined.

By the time Attendant Qiao, wearing plum blossom earrings, appeared, everyone was already mesmerized by the beauty.

Finally, led by the Empress, twelve flower spirits knelt—

"Your servant borrows flowers to offer Buddha, praying for the Empress Dowager's eternal peace and boundless blessings!"

Uya beamed with joy. Even women appreciate beauty.

"I love this performance of flower spirits offering longevity. Each of you will be rewarded!"

Prepared gold longevity peaches were bestowed. The Empress smiled and led the consorts back behind the crystal curtain.

Everyone was still at a loss for words.

In a way, the beauty of tonight was appealing to both men and women; everyone loves beautiful things.

Yinzhen hadn't expected the Six Bureaus to perform so excellently. Every scene he witnessed tonight was so beautiful that words failed to describe it.

If not for the considerations of dynastic affairs, even someone as detached and uninterested in worldly desires as he was would gladly spend time with the delicate flowers of the twelve seasonal palaces.

After a few rounds of wine, Yintang, who had drunk a fair amount, surprisingly spoke sensibly to his fourth brother.

"Brother, you sure have it good. No wonder you're staring! It's really... enviable!"

Yinzhen smiled faintly. "...I'll ask the Fourth Consort to teach the other consorts later."

When toasting, Yinzhen didn't refute his brothers' teasing, which carried a hint of jest. He had to admit he was somewhat stirred.

However, the reason he couldn't take his eyes off each of his consorts wasn't because of the Empress or Consort Li.

As for why... Yinzhen pressed his lips, feeling his throat go dry. After hastily drinking a cup of wine, he felt a bit reluctant to face his earlier indecent thoughts.

If that troublesome troublemaker had been the one dressed like this, he thought... he wanted to see her cry even more desperately than in his dreams, which would surely dissipate his resentment.

The more he thought about it, the hotter he felt. His half-lowered eyes swept across the soup he had drunk, and he roughly understood why his thoughts were so turbulent.

Having a reason made it even harder to restrain the deepening desires in his mind.

He suppressed the urge to pull at his collar and couldn't help but drink a few more cups of wine.

*

Yinzhen's alcohol tolerance wasn't great, and by the time he returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he was somewhat incoherent.

Su Peisheng carefully helped the emperor lie down. "Your Majesty, Empress Dowager has sent someone to deliver hangover soup. Should I let them in?"

Yinzhen felt waves of heat rising within him. In a haze, he seemed to see a slender figure step through the door.

This troublemaker was truly bold, daring to enter his bedroom without announcement!

Those small hands even dared to wipe near his lips, then slowly moved down... to daring places.

In a flash, the figure vanished, leaving the bedchamber empty.

Had she run off after only teasing him?

If he didn't deal with this, she might ride on his neck to the heavens in the future!

He pinched his brow, trying to clear his head, but his mind remained foggy and unable to fully focus.

Yinzhen let out a few low breaths, closing his eyes to suppress the restlessness.

"Send her in here!"

A graceful figure in light green entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, carrying a huanghuali wooden food box, exuding a warm and sweet fragrance.

*

Su Peisheng waved off the others, leaving them outside while he stood guard at the door, allowing the woman to serve the emperor the hangover soup.

However, as expected, the hangover soup wouldn't be needed.

About fifteen minutes after she entered, Su Peisheng heard a low cry as expected, and soon the sounds inside changed.

Su Peisheng looked up at the sky. The full moon on the eighteenth hung in the sky, still round and plump.

Hearing the sounds inside growing louder, Su Peisheng’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. This Thousand Autumns Festival is finally wrapping up perfectly!

As soon as he finished his thought, Su Peisheng suddenly lowered his head and saw a eunuch carrying a lantern accompanying a palanquin approaching.

The Empress has her own Phoenix carriage. Nowadays, the only ones who can ride in a palanquin in the palace are Consort Qi and Concubine Mao.

Concubine Mao wouldn’t dare come near the Emperor. But when it came to Empress Qi… Su Peisheng sucked in a sharp breath, his scalp tingling with dread.