Chapter 150: Palace Banquet

Chapter 150: Palace Banquet

The Azure Phoenix Lord, with an overwhelming aura, wouldn’t tolerate any resistance and boldly pulled Jie Tanguang onto his horse.

"Either sit still obediently, or I'll find a rope to tie you up and haul you like a sack of potatoes into the palace," he whispered threateningly into Jie Tanguang's ear.

Jie Tanguang kept his eyes closed, aware that he had become the butt of jokes among the high officials and nobles who had come to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. He also knew that the Jie family had been completely embarrassed.

And this was precisely the Azure Phoenix Lord's intention.

Even if it meant taking a hit himself, he was determined to clear the path for the Crown Prince while simultaneously humiliating Jie Tanguang and the entire Jie clan.

Jie Tanguang's throat felt dry as he struggled to speak in a calm voice, "Your servant... will comply."

The Azure Phoenix Lord sneered, his voice full of mockery.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the Azure Phoenix Lord turned his horse around, the dust from the hooves covering the Jie family’s faces.

He returned to his carriage but did not enter it. Instead, he ordered, "Drive carefully and keep up. I'm going to the palace to ask His Majesty for permission to marry."

Qiu Huanian, who had seen this big show, was happy even though he didn’t get the full picture.

Wasn’t this way more interesting than the stories and plays he’d seen?

The Azure Phoenix Lord's coachman pushed the carriage forward, following the lord's horse through the eastern gate of Chang'an. Once the gate was cleared, those stuck outside finally got moving, dismounting and stepping onto the imperial street.

Unlike the Azure Phoenix Lord, who had special permission to use a vehicle in the palace, they had to walk on their own two feet. Any more delay and they’d miss the Emperor’s birthday banquet.

The Jie family's faces turned green and white. The surrounding high officials and nobles, knowing they were in a tough spot, steered clear of talking to them, but their subtle glances made the Jie family feel even more uncomfortable.

"Madam, what should we do?" the Jie matriarch's daughter-in-law whispered.

"Get word to the palace and Prince Jin right away. We’ve got to stop that barbarian-born... from wrecking Tanguang’s future!"

The Concubine Ying, who had been in the palace for many years, and the deeply rooted Jie family still had a few channels to quickly send messages to her.

The Jie family, barely keeping it together, entered the eastern gate of Chang'an to attend the Emperor's birthday banquet. As they moved, a servant slipped away unnoticed, heading in a certain direction.

...

This was Qiu Huanian's first time attending the Emperor's birthday banquet, and if he had to sum it up in one word, it’d be "spectacular."

It wasn’t the skill of the imperial chefs or the captivating performances of the court musicians. In fact, these things didn’t hold a candle to the grand drama involving the Azure Phoenix Lord, leaving no deep impression on Qiu Huanian.

Not just Qiu Huanian, but even the regulars at palace banquets had never seen such a birthday celebration before.

In previous years, the Yuanhua Emperor would go to the inner palace after the morning court to receive birthday greetings from his concubines and princes. Then he would proceed to the outer court to meet the nobles and officials eligible to attend the banquet, before finally appearing at the inner palace banquet.

However, this time, the usual routine was disrupted after the morning court by the Azure Phoenix Lord.

He rode his horse into the imperial city, dismounting only at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, where he grabbed Jie Tanguang and ordered someone to report to the Yuanhua Emperor, requesting an audience.

The guards at the gate, aware of the Azure Phoenix Lord's temper and the Emperor's favor, didn’t dare waste time and immediately went to the Qianqing Palace to report the matter to the Yuanhua Emperor, who was receiving birthday greetings from his concubines and princes.

Thanks to the Azure Phoenix Lord, Qiu Huanian also got to see the entire royal family of the Yu Dynasty.

However, he didn’t attract any attention. Just as he arrived at the majestic Qianqing Palace, someone quietly pulled him aside. Turning around, he saw Sixteen, whom he recognized instantly even with a mask.

Knowing the strictness of the palace, Qiu Huanian didn’t dare speak and immediately followed Sixteen's lead to the side.

He stood outside the hall, still curious about how things were unfolding, and couldn’t help but crane his neck to get a clearer view.

Sixteen paused for a moment, then quietly pulled him to a hidden yet well-positioned spot.

"..."

Qiu Huanian wasn’t concerned about what his uncle might think of him, focusing intently on watching the drama unfold.

Azure Phoenix Lord's antics took everyone by surprise, and despite Noble Consort Ying and Prince Jin coming up with numerous excuses, they couldn’t stop the Yuanhua Emperor from granting the marriage.

After all, putting aside other considerations, Azure Phoenix Lord was seriously looking for a consort for himself.

Who would dare say to the Yuanhua Emperor’s face that marrying Azure Phoenix Lord wasn’t a good idea? Did they not value their heads?

It was Jie Tanguang’s good fortune to marry Azure Phoenix Lord! Noble Consort Ying took a deep breath and had to thank the Emperor for her nephew.

Thus, Azure Phoenix Lord blocked the gate while on horseback, securing a consort for himself, and then forbade Jie Tanguang from attending the banquet in the front court, instead having him accompany him in the rear court as his consort.

He wanted to make sure everyone knew about it, to embarrass the Jie family.

Qiu Huanian watched this thrilling drama unfold and also saw the Second Prince, Prince Jin, and the three high-ranking consorts in the palace.

Qiu Huanian had never met any of the consorts before, but based on their appearances, he easily matched them to their identities.

Noble Consort Kang was the youngest and looked somewhat like the Crown Prince—this meant she indeed resembled the late empress.

Noble Consort Kang now held the highest rank in the palace, almost like a deputy empress, standing closest to the Yuanhua Emperor, like a dignified and elegant peony, showing no trace of her humble origins.

The woman across from Noble Consort Kang was a bit older but still strikingly beautiful, her eyes always sparkling. Earlier, she had made several arguments about Azure Phoenix Lord and Jie Tanguang’s situation. She was Noble Consort Ying, from the Jie family, who had given birth to Prince Jin.

Besides these two, the other high-ranking consort was Noble Consort Wen, the mother of the Second Prince.

Qiu Huanian had heard that Noble Consort Wen loved reading and was fond of literature, hence her title "Wen." Upon seeing her in person, Qiu Huanian felt the title was very fitting.

Noble Consort Wen’s outfit was simpler compared to the other consorts, her hair tied up high with velvet flowers shaped like orchids adorning her head. Her oval face wasn’t as stunning as Noble Consort Ying’s or Noble Consort Kang’s, but her eyes exuded a calm and distant charm.

Even as she watched Azure Phoenix Lord snatch a consort in the streets, she only offered a faint smile, as if her thoughts were elsewhere.

Three consorts, each with their own unique beauty, not to mention a large group of young and beautiful minor consorts. Qiu Huanian thought being the Emperor must be a real blessing.

He seemed to understand the Crown Prince's mindset a bit better.

If the late empress were still alive, would the Yuanhua Emperor’s harem be this big?

...Who knows?

After Azure Phoenix Lord got his way, the palace banquet for the Emperor's birthday proceeded as usual. Sixteen didn’t let Qiu Huanian get a word in, taking him to where the noblewomen were gathered, then disappearing in a flash.

The Emperor’s presence was overwhelming, and no one dared to cause any trouble in the rear court. All the noblewomen followed the rules, bowing, eating, and chatting when appropriate.

The banquet’s focus was entirely on Azure Phoenix Lord and the consort he’d taken by force. Qiu Huanian kept a low profile, and under the care of the people Azure Phoenix Lord had specially arranged, he completed his first trip to the palace without any incidents.

Except for not eating much because of the strict palace rules, everything went smoothly.

As the sun set, the banquets in both the front and rear courts finally ended. Qiu Huanian arrived at the East Gate of Chang'an and immediately saw Du Yunse waiting for him by the gate.

The two rode home together in a carriage. As for Azure Phoenix Lord, he was hosting a banquet to welcome his consort that night, so Qiu Huanian didn’t disturb him.

Azure Phoenix Lord had caused quite a stir, and Du Yunse had also heard about it at the banquet in the front court. The officials kept quiet, clearly unhappy with Azure Phoenix Lord’s actions but powerless to stop him.

If the Crown Prince had pulled a similar stunt, the censors' impeachment and admonishment memorials would have already flown in like snowflakes. But when it came to the Azure Phoenix Lord, sending memorials was pointless because he simply didn't care about his reputation.

"Yun Se, did you know the Azure Phoenix Lord was planning this today?"

Du Yunse shook his head in the carriage, "I doubt even His Highness the Crown Prince knew at first."

"I thought it might have been part of His Highness's scheme."

Du Yunse smiled, "Although His Highness has a ruthless side, he operates with principles and limits, and he deeply values those close to him. Wu Shen and the Azure Phoenix Lord are both among them."

"He would never scheme with the Azure Phoenix Lord's marriage."

Qiu Huanian nodded, understanding the Crown Prince better.

This trait of the Crown Prince might seem like a flaw for a future ruler, but it is actually an advantage.

If a person is too ruthless and heartless, they can't win genuine trust and loyalty from others. At least, Du Yunse decided to firmly stand on the Crown Prince's side, partly for this reason.

After returning home, Yin Chuan and old lady Jin had already whipped up a feast in the kitchen. Qiu Huanian and Du Yunse enjoyed a hearty meal, filling their stomachs after the unsatisfying palace meal.

Seeing them eat so heartily, Jiu Jiu couldn't help but ask, "Brother Hua, wasn't the palace feast tasty?"

"It was delicious, but with people in power who could have your head at any moment, and surrounded by strangers, every few bites, you had to mind your manners, so you couldn't eat much."

Hearing this, Jiu Jiu lost her longing for the grand and luxurious palace.

"It's better at home, where you can eat what you want and speak freely."

Qiu Huanian nodded in agreement, "Home is definitely better."

After dinner, Qiu Huanian changed into light pajamas and lay on the bed chatting with Du Yunse.

"After the Longevity Festival, it seems like there's not much going on for a while. Qiu's Six Staples shop is running smoothly, the two estates are being managed, the children are in school, and we just need to hire a martial arts instructor for Chun Sheng..."

As Qiu Huanian listed things one by one, Du Yunse held him from behind, his hand resting on Qiu Huanian's belly.

Qiu Huanian was almost two months pregnant, and though it wasn't very noticeable, you could feel a slight bulge when you touched it.

Whether it was due to pregnancy or just gaining weight, his belly had softened a bit, and Du Yunse liked to pinch and knead it when no one was around, making Qiu Huanian laugh and dodge.

"Stop pinching, what if it gets ruined later?"

"How could it? Brother Hua always looks the best."

Du Yunse bent down, whispering close to Qiu Huanian's belly, "Be good, baby, don't give your father a hard time. Later, I'll take you horseback riding, okay?"

Qiu Huanian couldn't help but laugh, though his heart was incredibly soft.

"He probably doesn't even have hands and feet yet, how could he understand this?"

Du Yunse kissed Qiu Huanian's belly, insisting, "He understands."

Not wanting to ruin the excitement of this soon-to-be silly dad, Qiu Huanian let Du Yunse pull out a poetry book and start reading, starting the baby's early education.

What if he really understands? A competitive person's child can't fall behind early, so let's start learning early!

...

At the Longevity Festival palace banquet, Qiu Huanian met a few like-minded friends of similar status, gradually opening up his social circle in the capital. He would sometimes invite people over for small get-togethers, casually chatting about gossip.

Now, the biggest gossip in the capital is about Azure Phoenix Lord and his husband, Jie Tanguang.

On the night of the Wanshou Festival, Azure Phoenix Lord indeed set up two tables of wine at his residence, held a simple wedding ceremony, and kept Jie Tanguang at the Azure Phoenix Lord's mansion.

The commotion that night was incredibly loud, as they called for water several times, as if they wanted everyone to know.

After that, Jie Tanguang never went to the Hanlin Academy to sign in again. Although he still held the position of a Hanlin Academy editor, everyone knew he could never return to the officialdom.

His promising future was utterly destroyed.

Azure Phoenix Lord also did not treat the Jie family, behind his husband, kindly. After the marriage, he called the Jie family to the Azure Phoenix Lord's mansion several times, mocking and humiliating them without a word of explanation, making the Jie family wish to avoid the mansion and no longer dare to openly contact Jie Tanguang.

Jie Tanguang was trapped in the Azure Phoenix Lord's mansion. Those unaware of the truth felt sorry for the once-promising top scholar; those who knew the inside story understood that this was essentially a conflict between the Crown Prince and Prince Jin, and lamented the fate of the Jie family's talented son.

Everyone could see that Azure Phoenix Lord was deliberately humiliating Jie Tanguang, not treating him as a husband but merely as a tool for venting anger and curiosity.

Jie Tanguang's days in the Azure Phoenix Lord's mansion were probably agonizingly slow, each day feeling like a year, all because he was unlucky enough to catch Azure Phoenix Lord's eye!

Qiu Huanian listened to these stories of love and hate between Azure Phoenix Lord and his husband, which had spawned countless versions, and thought that the ancients had quite a talent for storytelling.

As for how Azure Phoenix Lord and Jie Tanguang interacted in private, Qiu Huanian had not seen it and could not make a judgment.

His current focus was mainly on how to get sixteen to talk.