Chapter 5 Palace Banquet Should I pull open the screen to see if she’s there…

Chapter 5: Palace Banquet. Should I lift the screen to see if she's there...

The next day, an imperial decree was issued, calling upon all the princes, dukes, and ministers to bring their families to the palace for a banquet to celebrate the arrival of the Prince of Mobei.

The Chu Prince's household was naturally included.

The Chu Prince, as usual, was indifferent to everything, and it wasn't until just before leaving that he was helped up by his servants to change clothes and comb his hair, still heavily intoxicated and not fully awake; Consort Zhao Shi of Chu, however, appeared very happy. She had her maids prepare luxurious clothes and hairpins the day before, and today she had ordered the lights to be lit before dawn to begin her grooming and dressing.

Jiang Congyan didn't know why the Emperor of Liang had specifically instructed the ministers to bring their female family members to the palace, and she felt somewhat uneasy, but she couldn't refuse to go.

The three of them boarded the carriage and arrived at the palace gate in half an hour, then got off and were led inside by the palace officials. They walked through a long, narrow corridor, until they reached the Yunlong Gate, where the male and female guests were about to part ways. They happened to meet Zhao Zhen, the Minister of Finance, who was accompanied by his family.

The Zhao family was one of the aristocratic clans favored by the current Emperor of Liang, and Zhao Zhen was the head of this generation, with the most favored Noble Consort Zhao being his younger sister, and the current Consort of Chu also being from the Zhao clan, Zhao Zhen's cousin sister.

Upon seeing her elder brother, Consort Zhao Shi of Chu appeared very happy. She lifted her skirt and hurried over, "Elder brother!" Then she took his arm, exuding a youthful charm.

"What has elder brother been busy with? These days you haven't come to see me."

Zhao Zhen also smiled, his eyes resting on her face, patting her well-maintained hand, "I've been very busy recently. The Prince of Mobei has come to Chang'an, and once this matter is settled, I will definitely visit often."

The two of them stood at the gate and chatted and laughed.

Jiang Congyan watched, feeling something was off.

Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a palace maid in green in the corner, waving at her, silently saying something.

Jiang Congyan walked over, and the palace maid clutched at a lifeline, speaking in a small and urgent voice, "Miss, the princess urgently needs to see you. Please quickly follow me to the garden."

Jiang Congyan saw that she was almost crying, guessed the general situation, and then looked back at Consort Zhao Shi of Chu, who was still whispering with Zhao Zhen, completely unaware of her, so she nodded and was led by the palace maid along a small path.

The palace maid was named Nu Xia, a servant of the Sixth Princess.

Jiang Congyan followed Nu Xia, winding through flower bushes and bamboo groves, then passing through a small black door, finally arriving at the place agreed upon by the Sixth Princess, a bamboo grove.

She anxiously waited by the wall, and as soon as she saw Jiang Congyan, her eyes lit up with hope, as if she had seen a savior.

"Sister Congyan, what am I to do?" The Sixth Princess stepped forward and grabbed her hand.

"Don't panic, first tell me the details of the situation."

Jiang Congyan had returned to Chang'an two years ago, and at the Winter Solstice Banquet, she happened to encounter the bullied Sixth Princess, whose skirt had been splashed by the Fifth Princess and who was hiding in a corner crying alone. Jiang Congyan happened to pass by and handed her own hand warmer to her.

The Sixth Princess slowly raised her head, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing, trembling as she took the warm stove from this beautiful sister's hands, but cried even harder.

After her mother passed away, she grew up alone in the palace, forgotten by the emperor, bearing only the title of princess, but in reality, she was lonely and helpless, bullied by others. This was the first time she had felt such warm kindness.

Because of this small, unintentional act of kindness, Jiang Congyan had since gained a devoted follower, and every time she entered the palace, the Sixth Princess, Jiang Yu'er, would definitely come to find her, as if only her presence could bring her comfort.

Every time Jiang Congyan saw her frightened, deer-like eyes, she found it hard to refuse, and so she tacitly accepted this friendship.

"The Noble Consort wants me to marry a barbarian!" The Sixth Princess's voice trembled with fear.

She had also heard the rumors about the Prince of Mobei, and the thought of him being as towering as a tiger, inherently cruel, fond of killing, made her feel as if the sky was about to fall.

"How can you be sure? Was there an edict or did something else happen?" Jiang Congyan increased the strength in her hand to silently comfort, her plain lotus face looking particularly calm under the swaying bamboo shadows. She asked the most crucial question in one go.

The Prince of Mobei's words, "I wish to choose a good wife myself," had spread throughout Chang'an, and the people of the city were all indignant, cursing Tuo Baxiao as an arrogant upstart. How could the princess of our great Liang State be like grain on the street for you to pick and choose? But no matter what, one thing was clear: the marriage candidate was to be chosen by Tuo Baxiao himself, otherwise, the Emperor of Liang would have made arrangements long ago.

The Sixth Princess raised her eyes, as if she saw the scene of Sister Congyan appearing in front of her for the first time two years ago.

On that day, amidst the vast expanse of white snow, Sister Congyan walked gently towards her, the fox fur cloak on her shoulders shimmering with a halo of colorful light under the bright snow, as if Guanyin, the compassionate goddess from the pagoda, had appeared before her.

Though only a year older and of delicate constitution, her mere presence seemed to radiate a divine light.

She wasn't sure if this was the right way to describe it, but she knew there was a special aura about Sister Congyan, a resilience beneath her gentle exterior, unshaken by wind or rain, like Ananda in Buddhism, who, having endured countless sufferings, faced everything with calmness.

The Sixth Princess stammered, "Yesterday, the Consort sent her attendant to deliver a set of luxurious clothes and pearl hairpins, and told me to perform at the banquet today. The Fifth Princess is older than me and hasn't married yet, the Consort surely wouldn’t let her go, so she made me, made me..."

At that moment, Tuo Baxiao, passing by, abruptly halted.

He heard a familiar voice—the Han woman he had encountered at the border of Liangzhou.

She appeared in the palace; could she also be a princess? The thought ignited a spark of anticipation in him.

Influenced by his Han mother, Tuo Baxiao did not favor barbarian women. But he was already twenty years old, and among the barbarians, early marriage was the norm. Being unmarried at twenty was unusual, and his subordinates had been urging him. He also felt it was time to take a wife. This time, he came personally to Liang State to choose a Han woman he liked.

The attendant leading the way was puzzled by the Prince of Mobei's abrupt halt but dared not press him.

Tuo Baxiao stood still, brazenly eavesdropping.

Behind the wall, others couldn't hear clearly, but with his exceptional hearing and fluency in Chinese, he caught most of the conversation.

"Alright, I understand," Jiang Congyan drew a silk handkerchief from her sleeve and gently wiped the tears from the Sixth Princess's eyes.

Her soothing voice calmed the Sixth Princess.

"If the Consort ordered you to perform, she must be indecisive about the marriage candidate, so she orchestrated this to catch the Prince of Mobei's eye. If that's the case, as long as the Prince of Mobei doesn't like you, she naturally won't succeed."

"How can I make the Prince of Mobei dislike me?" the Sixth Princess hurriedly asked.

Tuo Baxiao was also curious to hear what this clever Han woman would say.

"A man who says 'I wish to choose a good wife myself' must be strategic and ambitious," Jiang Congyan combined historical evaluations with her brief encounter and Tuo Baxiao's recent actions to roughly deduce his character. "Such a prince likely disdains weakness and incompetence."

"When you perform, act as timid and fearful as you can, preferably playing the gentle melodies of the South River, he will surely be impatient."

Hearing this, the Sixth Princess's eyes brightened, and the dark clouds in her heart finally lifted.

"Thank you, Sister Congyan!"

"No need to thank me; it would be the same without me."

Jiang Congyan's method was tailored to Jiang Yu'er's character, and even if she hadn't said it, it would have been similar.

Hearing her evaluation of himself, Tuo Baxiao found it quite accurate and felt a bit of admiration, but their conversation displeased him.

The princesses of Liang State didn't want to marry him, and he looked down on their timid demeanor. Humph!

But that lady, he really wanted to see what she looked like.

Sister Congyan? Her name is Yan?

—

Apart from this little episode, the palace banquet welcoming the Xianbei envoy finally commenced.

Jiang Congyan saw Consort Zhao Shi of Chu hurrying over, her gold and silver hairpins slightly disheveled, and she was adjusting them.

The palace banquet was held in the Taiji Hall.

The main hall was surrounded by one hundred and twenty pillars, with a nine-foot-high platform constructed of stone. Inside, bright candles were lit, and the doors and windows were decorated with gold and silver. Inside and out hung portraits of renowned ministers from both ancient and modern times. The beams and rafters were made of agarwood, with golden animal heads as decorations at the ends of the rafters, exuding extreme luxury and opulence.

The Emperor of Liang specifically chose this location to show Tuo Baxiao that the great Liang State, with its vast territory and abundant resources, was not to be compared to the barbarians from beyond the borders.

He was still seething with anger over Tuo Baxiao's words.

He actually insisted on personally choosing a wife—wasn't this a blatant insult to his face? What was most infuriating was that, as the emperor of a nation, he had to endure this for the greater good! Otherwise, if the alliance with Liang were to fail, the surrounding Xiongnu, Qiang Di, and other barbarian tribes would surely invade from the south.

Since Tuo Baxiao was the king of the grasslands, the officials of the Court of State Ceremonials racked their brains to arrange the seating, ultimately placing two main seats, one to the east and one to the west, with Liang officials and Xianbei envoys seated on opposite sides.

In front of the Taiji Hall, the court orchestra was neatly positioned, and braziers were lit throughout the palace courtyard. Ministers, wearing official hats, dressed in crimson court robes, and adorned with seals, entered in two orderly lines from either side, taking their seats in the eastern pavilion.

Shortly thereafter, the Emperor of Liang emerged amidst the sound of drums and music, and all the officials bowed in reverence.

Once the Emperor of Liang took his seat, a golden bell was struck, and a court attendant loudly announced, "Please welcome the Prince of Mobei and the Xianbei envoys to enter the hall!"

Tuo Baxiao then entered the Taiji Hall with a dozen or so Xianbei subordinates.

Seeing the prepared tables, he frowned, stepped over, and sat down with a flourish, his long legs stretched out from under the table.

This action drew the attention of the Liang officials, causing a stir among the ministers, who began to whisper and comment, some even visibly furious.

"Barbarians, utterly lacking in manners!"

"Indeed, the barbarians are uncivilized!"

...

Etiquette, inherited from the Han dynasty, still considered kneeling as elegant and sitting cross-legged as rude and uncouth. Although some high-legged barbarian furniture had been introduced to the Central Plains, it was only for private use at home and was still considered inappropriate for such important occasions.

Tuo Baxiao naturally noticed their reactions but paid no heed. The rules of these Central Plains people were cumbersome and useless—why bother learning them!

And the Xianbei envoys behind him also sat freely in the hall, legs spread wide.

The Minister of Ceremonies finally couldn't stand it any longer and angrily rebuked, "It is said that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Since the Prince of Mobei has come to our Central Plains, shouldn't he respect our Chinese etiquette?"

A burly general with a nose ring behind Tuo Baxiao snorted disdainfully, "We came to Liang State for our king to marry, not for etiquette or manners! Hurry up and bring out the princess so our king can marry her and form an alliance between our two nations."

These words were too blunt and offensive, causing the Minister of Ceremonies to nearly faint with anger. The ministers around him hurriedly supported him and tried to calm him down.

"Lord, don't be angry, don't be angry!"

"Yes, don't stoop to the level of barbarians."

...

The nose-ringed general, seeing that his words had nearly caused the Minister of Ceremonies to collapse, laughed heartily, further infuriating the Liang officials.

"Prince of Mobei, this is the palace of Liang State. We respect you as an envoy, but don't go too far!" Grand Marshal Gao couldn't help but stand up and point at them.

Tuo Baxiao paused the wine cup at his lips, glanced sideways, and without even frowning, though seated, appeared more imposing than the standing Grand Marshal Gao—

"If you're dissatisfied, you can directly challenge General Modolou to a duel."

Hearing this, Modolou thumped his chest and shouted, "Come on, draw your weapon and fight me!"

Don't think they didn't know how these Liang people secretly called them savages and bandits. Now was the perfect time to infuriate them! If they had the guts, they would fight!

Modolou stood eight feet tall, nearly matching Tuo Baxiao in height. Even the fiercest generals in the army might not be able to defeat him, let alone the high-ranking ministers who had long been in positions of power. Knowing they were no match, none dared to accept the challenge. Losing was a small matter, but losing the dignity of Liang was a grave one! Worse yet, it could be recorded in history, tarnishing their families' names for generations.

Seeing the situation escalating, the Emperor of Liang knew that continuing would only bring more embarrassment. He took the initiative to offer a way to save face, addressing his ministers: "The Prince of Mobei was merely jesting. How can envoys from two states come to blows?"

Before the banquet even began, the relationship between the two states had already become strained.

Behind twelve white silk screens with phoenix patterns and gold-woven peony curtains, Jiang Congyan was lost in thought upon hearing the commotion from the front hall.

Later historians claimed that Tuo Baxiao admired Central Plains culture and even implemented Hanification reforms, turning it into a celebrated tale. However, based on what she had witnessed, to say that Tuo Baxiao liked Han culture would not only be a stretch but completely unfounded.

Perhaps in reality, he didn’t implement Hanification reforms, as he died too early to make significant changes. Or perhaps, despite his dislike, he did so for the sake of governance.

If it was for governance, his ambitions were truly immense.

If he had not died, he would undoubtedly have become Liang State's greatest adversary. Yet, even with his death, Liang State could not escape its doomed fate, as the Han lands remained trampled under the barbarians’ hooves.

Midway through the banquet, the curtains in the hall were suddenly raised, leaving only a screen between the women’s quarters and the front hall.

Noticing the movement, Tuo Baxiao instinctively glanced over, but the silk screen obscured his view, leaving only blurred figures. He could not discern who was who. His dark eyebrows knitted together.

The Sixth Princess was indeed arranged to perform, accompanied by the Seventh Princess. Both were led before the screen to play music.

Though dressed in lavish attire and adorned with jewels, their eyes were timid, like scared young animals, shrinking their presence and daring not to look up.

Is this what Liang State’s princesses are like?

She wasn't there!

Tuo Baxiao suddenly recalled the Han woman he had seen that day. At the time, he had not paid much attention, but now her image grew clearer in his mind, and the unnoticed details began to surface.

She was not clad in colorful robes, nor was she surrounded by opulent palaces. Instead, she stood on desolate land, wrapped in a white fox fur cloak, so pristine that she seemed not to belong to this earth. She should have lived in the legendary Moon Palace, yet her slender and upright posture was so resolute. Though he had not seen her face, Tuo Baxiao had already painted a vivid image of her in his mind.

Seeing Tuo Baxiao staring intently at the screen, everyone assumed he had taken a liking to one of the princesses.

The Sixth Princess, sensing his powerful gaze, grew increasingly anxious. Her fingers trembled, causing her to miss a few notes on the huqin.

"Don't notice me, don't notice me. If I follow Sister Congyan's advice, I surely won't be chosen..."

She kept comforting herself, her face growing paler.

Little did they know, Tuo Baxiao was considering whether to tear down the screen to see if she was there.