The imperial banquet that night was a spectacle of splendor and gold.
Palace maids in green jackets and red silk skirts glided gracefully through the hall, serving exquisite dishes of every kind. In the courtyard, musicians from the Imperial Music Bureau stood in two orderly rows, strings and flutes filling the air. At the center, beautiful dancers in flowing gowns and jade sashes moved like blossoms in the wind, their peach-blossom faces enough to stir the hearts of many young men.
“By imperial decree, newly crowned officials enter service;
Once more they ascend the palace steps and behold the Son of Heaven.”
The Qionglin Banquet was held only once every three years, and those in attendance were among the most important figures in the empire. Though the top three graduates were already one-in-ten-thousand talents, every examination cycle still produced a Champion, a Second Place Scholar, and a Third Place Scholar. For many of them, the powerful figures seated at the Qionglin Banquet would be people they met only once in their entire lives.
If they could seize this opportunity and leave an impression upon the Emperor, their future would be secure.
Seated at the banquet, Chang Shouguang watched as the Tanhua (third place), already over fifty years old, sat together with Minister of Rites Liang Kang, downing cup after cup of wine. They had already begun addressing one another as brothers.
Chang Shouguang snorted softly and set down his cup. He disdained such sycophantic behavior and found the banquet rather dull.
Though he had studied since childhood, what he truly loved was the martial path.
A true man should become a hero in life and a noble spirit in death.
Spending all one’s energy navigating literary circles and social niceties, what kind of life was that?
The only reason he had entered official service at all was to fulfill the dying wish of his grandfather.
At the head of the banquet sat Emperor Yuanzhi, taking in every expression and gesture below. After a sip of wine, he said to Eunuch Xia standing beside him: “Tell me, did they perhaps reverse the rankings of the Second and Third Place Scholars? The Second Place Scholar is a youthful talent, while the Third Place Scholar is an old muddied thing.”
How could Eunuch Xia possibly answer that?
He knew the Emperor was somewhat dissatisfied with this year’s Third Place Scholar, but it could hardly be helped. With Ye Jinghua and Chang Shouguang standing before him, no matter whom they selected, would he not appear an “old muddied thing” by comparison?
The Emperor had not expected an answer anyway. “By tradition, the boy from the Chang family should have been named Third Place Scholar. But he’s young and spirited; if I ranked him too low, he might not have accepted it. Better to make him Second Place Scholar.”
Eunuch Xia immediately agreed.
“Your Majesty’s foresight is unmatched. This old servant is fond of both young gentlemen as well. Their learning, appearance, and bearing, standing together, they are like a pair of flawless jade discs.”
The Emperor chuckled. “If I favor them, naturally you favor them too.” Then his gaze shifted. “Bangyan Official.”
Startled, Chang Shouguang immediately rose and bowed. “Your Majesty.”
The Emperor leisurely looked him up and down. “What do you think of tonight’s banquet?”
Chang Shouguang lowered his head. “It is naturally magnificent.”
Emperor Yuanzhi looked at him, amusement flickering in his eyes. “You boys who grew up running around military camps must find the palace wine too mild.”
Turning his head, he instructed Eunuch Xia, “Bring out the two jars of fine wine that Northwest Marquis sent the other day.”
Receiving the order, Eunuch Xia immediately withdrew and returned carrying two jars of excellent strong liquor. He poured a bowl for the Emperor.
Picking up his wine bowl, Emperor Yuanzhi said to Chang Shouguang, “Come, Bangyan Official. Have a drink with me.”
Chang Shouguang accepted the wine without any affected modesty. After responding with a simple “Yes, Your Majesty,” he tipped his head back and drained the bowl in one gulp.
The palace maids and eunuchs nearby were startled by his boldness. They watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed several times before he lowered the empty bowl. A faint flush appeared on his cheeks, and his eyes lit up.
“Excellent wine!”
Seeing how forthright he was, Emperor Yuanzhi burst into hearty laughter and pointed at him. “Look at that! A true son of the Chang family!”
Naturally, everyone present immediately followed with a chorus of praise.
Looking at Chang Shouguang’s thick brows, sharp eyes, broad shoulders, straight posture, and strikingly martial bearing, the Emperor’s smile deepened. “Your Chang family has produced loyal ministers and great generals generation after generation. I have seen it all.”
Then his expression grew serious.
“I know that you’ve practiced martial arts since childhood. You admire your father and brothers and wish to carry on your ancestors’ teachings, bringing honor to your family. But since I have accepted the favor owed to the Duke Cheng’en, I cannot send you to a place where swords and arrows show no mercy.”
At this point, Emperor Yuanzhi paused. A trace of complexity crossed his features before he continued, “Duke Chengen rendered great service in protecting my son… Now that you have come to the capital, your future and your life are under my protection. You have no uncles, elders, or brothers here in the capital. If you ever encounter difficulties and have no one to consult, come to me. I will make the decisions for you.”
Those words landed like a thunderclap among the guests.
Even the music of strings and flutes seemed to falter for a moment.
Chang Shouguang hurried forward, knelt, and gave a firm, resounding kowtow. “This subject is deeply honored by Your Majesty’s favor.”
Emperor Yuanzhi immediately turned to Eunuch Xia. “Quickly, help him up.”
The scene of mutual regard between ruler and subject gave everyone present much to ponder.
As expected, Emperor Yuanzhi still favored the Crown Prince’s faction. Even after all these years since the Chan Kingdom affair, he still remembered the debt owed to Old General Chang, who had stayed behind to cover the Crown Prince’s retreat.
After Chang Shouguang was helped to his feet, the Emperor continued by asking after his food, clothing, lodging, and daily life.
Chang Shouguang answered each question in turn. His manner was neither servile nor arrogant; his words were concise yet perfectly courteous.
The Emperor’s smile grew increasingly warm.
Then he suddenly turned his head toward a certain figure seated higher up the hall, a man who had remained unusually quiet throughout the banquet. “Huiqing, you come as well.”
At the summons, Ye Jinghua paused briefly before rising and walking to the center of the hall. Bowing with clasped hands, he said, “Your Majesty.”
With a smile, Emperor Yuanzhi looked him over from head to toe, then pointed at him and teased Chang Shouguang,
“This year, I awarded him the title of Zhangyuan. Are you dissatisfied with that?”
Knowing the Emperor was joking, Chang Shouguang nevertheless dared not answer carelessly. He immediately lowered his head. “Absolutely not, Your Majesty.”
Then he glanced at Ye Jinghua.
His profile was as flawless as carved jade, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Grinding his teeth inwardly, Chang Shouguang finally admitted, “This time… I am sincerely convinced.”
The Emperor took in every detail of the expression on his face, the lingering reluctance mixed with an unwilling acknowledgment that Ye Jinghua’s scholarship surpassed his own and secretly found it amusing.
The two young men truly had very different temperaments.
Chang Shouguang was straightforward and open-hearted. His youthful thoughts were written plainly across his face.
As for the other one—
Though they were of the same age, nothing at all could be read from him.
Dressed in moon-white robes embroidered with golden medallions, Ye Jinghua stood quietly in place. Even after hearing Chang Shouguang’s admission, not the slightest trace of pride appeared on his face.
Truly cold-hearted and detached.
At such a young age, he was already exactly like his father.
The Emperor withdrew his gaze and said to Chang Shouguang, “Still, don’t lose heart. He may write better essays than you, but when it comes to horsemanship and archery, he certainly can’t compare to you!”
Chang Shouguang naturally declined with the usual polite demurrals. Looking at these two outstanding young talents standing before him, Emperor Yuanzhi was in excellent spirits. After laughing heartily a few times, he called over his Fifth Prince, who had been seated among the accompanying guests. “Little Five, quickly, offer each of them a cup of wine.”
The Fifth Prince immediately rose with a wine cup in hand. Today, he wore a golden crown and a scarlet ceremonial robe, making his snow-white little face appear even more delicate and lively. Holding the specially prepared light fruit wine, he walked before Ye Jinghua and Chang Shouguang. He toasted them while reciting auspicious phrases; putting on a proper show of himself, he no longer resembled the mischievous child from before, instead displaying fully the bearing of an imperial prince.
Seeing this, Chang Shouguang was somewhat surprised. The Fifth Prince did not seem nearly as unruly as the rumors claimed. At first glance, he truly looked like one of those immortal child attendants serving beneath heavenly deities.
What he did not know was that beneath the Fifth Prince’s composed exterior, the boy was secretly watching Ye Jinghua’s expression. When offering him wine, his hand even trembled slightly, spilling several drops. The Fifth Prince instantly held his breath and cautiously studied Ye Jinghua’s face. Only after Ye Jinghua merely glanced at him, lowered his eyes, and did not rebuke him did he slowly let out a breath of relief.
Chuckling from behind, Emperor Yuanzhi said to Eunuch Xia, “Little Five can’t compare to his elder brothers in ability, but if he could just resemble this little uncle of his by even one or two parts, Zhen would die without regrets!”
Hearing this sent another ripple of shock through the crowd.
The “elder brother” in the emperor’s words naturally did not refer to Ping Wang or Xiang Wang. Compared to the Crown Prince, of course the Fifth Prince fell short. But the implication behind Emperor Yuanzhi’s words—
What kind of person was Ye Jinghua? Even if the Fifth Prince could not match the Crown Prince in scholarship or political strategy, if he could learn even a fraction of the Ye family’s depth and temperament, it would already be enough for him to command subordinates effectively. With Consort Chen’s overwhelming favor and the Ye clan, this powerful maternal family, pouring all their effort into cultivating him, then in five years’ time, would there not simply be another Crown Prince in the Eastern Palace?
Once the scenes from today’s Qionglin Banquet spread, they would be enough to occupy the entire court’s speculation for half a month. Emperor Yuanzhi was already considered a straightforward and open-minded ruler, yet the old saying “the emperor’s heart is unfathomable” truly was no empty phrase. The emperor maneuvered masterfully, offending no one in this affair. As for the matter of establishing an heir, there was clearly still a grand drama yet to unfold.
After finishing the toasts and returning to their seats, the Fifth Prince finally let out a long breath. He truly feared Ye Jinghua. Once seated, he looked up at the quietly seated Ye Jinghua and suddenly felt a chill crawl up his spine. Instinctively, he sensed that his little uncle was in an extremely bad mood today.
As the saying went, a nephew resembles his uncle. The Fifth Prince looked similar to Ye Jinghua, and having struggled to survive under him for years, he possessed an almost precise instinct for Ye Jinghua’s anger.
Meanwhile, Chang Shouguang glanced at Ye Jinghua but could not discern anything from his face. Earlier in the side hall, after Ye Jinghua had opened the pouch tossed by one of his servants, his expression had immediately soured, though he had quickly returned to normal. The slip of paper inside the pouch had been burned at once, so Chang Shouguang had no idea what had been written on it.
Now, seeing him seated upright at the table like a jade statue, Chang Shouguang merely thought the Ye family was rather strange. Father and son acted as though they did not even know each other.
That was right, Ye Jinghua’s biological father, the current Prime Minister Ye Zhonglun, was also present at the Qionglin Banquet. Yet the two had not exchanged a single word the entire evening. They sat directly facing one another without speaking, each colder-faced than the other.
Curious, Chang Shouguang looked toward Ye Zhonglun for the first time. This was his first time seeing the famed Prime Minister of the court. The man wore the ceremonial robes of a first-rank official and a black gauze cap. Sharp-featured and elegantly bearded, his face likewise revealed little emotion, yet his entire person radiated extraordinary authority.
After observing him for a moment, Chang Shouguang concluded that Ye Jinghua probably resembled Madam Ye more.
Though father and son did not particularly resemble each other in appearance, they shared exactly the same composure of “Mount Tai collapsing before them without a change in expression.” Sitting face-to-face, they resembled a pair of silent mountain stones, truly dull to behold.
Emperor Yuanzhi appeared to share the same thought and spoke up: “Prime Minister Ye, now that Huiqing has attained the rank of zhuangyuan, have you no words of encouragement for him?”
Hearing this, Ye Zhonglun slowly rose from before his table and bowed toward the emperor. Though Emperor Yuanzhi had already said there was no need for excessive ceremony given his age, Ye Zhonglun still observed every courtesy perfectly before speaking: “My son is stubborn by nature. Though he has heard the words of the sages, he failed to understand proper cultivation, shirked effort, and thus brought disgrace upon the Ye family. Now, by relying upon Your Majesty’s grace to bestow him with honors, he must henceforth devote himself loyally to serving the court so as not to waste the mercy Your Majesty showed in overlooking his faults. Under such circumstances, how could there be any talk of encouragement?”
He was referring to Ye Jinghua repeatedly refusing to participate in the spring examinations earlier.
After speaking, he turned toward Ye Jinghua and said coolly: “Hurry and thank His Majesty for sparing you the crime of dragging down the family.”
At once, Ye Jinghua rose and knelt before Emperor Yuanzhi to offer thanks. The emperor frowned, personally descending from his seat to help him up. Somewhat displeased, he said to Prime Minister Ye: “Prime Minister Ye, one should not be overly harsh in ordinary times either. Children will naturally be playful from time to time, ”
Yet Ye Zhonglun’s expression remained cold and untouched. “Your Majesty is benevolent, but does not know that this second son of mine is exceptionally unruly, truly inferior to all the princes in refinement and propriety. Why are you not yet thanking all the honored officials?”
The latter sentence was directed at Ye Jinghua.
Thus Ye Jinghua picked up a wine cup and began offering toasts one by one, starting from Liang Kang, the chief examiner seated at the head table. Watching this, Emperor Yuanzhi shook his head helplessly.
“You, ah, you are simply too cautious.”
Ye Zhonglun’s expression did not change in the slightest. Bowing with clasped hands, he replied: “This old minister never dares forget the grace Your Majesty has shown the Ye family for even a moment. Yet my sons are stubborn by nature. So long as this minister still draws breath, I must discipline them strictly, hoping only that after my death they will not disgrace the family name. If they can someday be of even a little use to Your Majesty, that would already be a blessing earned from ten thousand lifetimes of merit.”
After hearing this, Emperor Yuanzhi, though aware there was some exaggeration in his words, was still deeply moved. Moreover, he knew Ye Zhonglun truly was strict with his two sons, to the point that his relationship with Ye Jinghua even seemed somewhat distant. Thus he nodded and patted the old minister’s shoulder.
“I naturally understand your loyalty. But I must still remind you of one thing. Discipline is discipline, but take care not to harm the harmony between father and son.”
Ye Zhonglun naturally nodded in assent. “This minister accepts the instruction.”
Watching Ye Jinghua being ordered around by Ye Zhonglun to toast everyone one by one, the Fifth Prince stared in astonishment. Usually, only Ye Jinghua disciplined him, when had he ever seen Ye Jinghua himself being “disciplined” by someone else? Secret delight immediately stirred within him, and he hurriedly lowered his head to drink fruit wine as cover.
Meanwhile, Chang Shouguang felt increasingly uneasy. Originally, both he and Ye Jinghua had been sitting perfectly well, but now he alone remained the only one who had not gone around offering toasts.
At the same time, all the officials who received Ye Jinghua’s wine felt rather flattered. They had long heard rumors of this young man’s aloof arrogance, yet who would have thought that today the son of the Prime Minister, the top scholar of the imperial examinations, and the court’s future favored minister would personally come toast them one by one? Moreover, he drank solidly, tilting his head back and emptying great bowls of wine in one gulp. They were greatly pleased.
For a time, the banquet overflowed with harmonious relations between ruler and ministers.
After finishing every toast, Ye Jinghua returned to his seat. Chang Shouguang had been watching him the whole time, and as Ye Jinghua approached, he frowned slightly, feeling something off about the man’s posture.
Bang!
A dull crash suddenly interrupted the music at the banquet.
Emperor Yuanzhi turned his head and saw Ye Jinghua collapse face-first onto the table. Instantly alarmed, he shouted: “Quickly, see what’s wrong!”
The young eunuchs attending nearby hurried over and helped Ye Jinghua up. His eyes were closed, his brows faintly furrowed, a flush spreading across his cheekbones while his thick lashes trembled slightly.
Eunuch Xia leaned in for a look and whispered beside the emperor’s ear: “It seems he has passed out drunk.”
Seeing this, Ye Zhonglun stood and bowed toward Emperor Yuanzhi. “Please forgive him, Your Majesty. At home, this minister forbids my son from drinking. He must have drunk too quickly just now, resulting in such disgraceful conduct.”
Hearing it was merely drunkenness, Emperor Yuanzhi’s tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed. Laughing loudly twice, he waved his hand. “So that’s what it is. He is still young and cannot hold his liquor. Quickly summon the imperial physician, ”
Yet before he could finish, Ye Zhonglun interrupted: “At such a late hour, there is truly no need to trouble the imperial physicians further. I ask only that Your Majesty permit my son to return home first. A dose or two of medicinal soup will suffice.”
Emperor Yuanzhi nodded. “Very well.”
He then instructed Eunuch Xia: “You personally escort him to the palace gates.”
Eunuch Xia accepted the order. A soft sedan chair was immediately brought over, and two young eunuchs supported Ye Jinghua out of the palace.
After he had gone, Emperor Yuanzhi looked amusingly at Ye Zhonglun, who had returned to his seat, thinking to himself that this old fox truly did care for his son after all, not nearly so estranged as he appeared on the surface.
***
Meanwhile, Ye Jinghua was carried all the way out through Shenwu Gate. By the palace wall, the Ye family carriage had already been waiting for some time. Several servants helped their drunken young master aboard. Eunuch Xia could not help but add a few more instructions, telling them to brew a sobering soup with mulberry leaves, chrysanthemum, and kudzu root once they returned.
Zhao Yan, who had long served beside Ye Zhonglun, acknowledged everything one by one and helped Ye Jinghua into the carriage. Soon after, the carriage departed from the palace walls.
Inside the carriage, Zhao Yan frowned as he looked at the completely unconscious Ye Jinghua. Reaching out with a handkerchief to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, he could not understand how the Second Young Master had become drunk to this extent at the Qionglin Banquet with the master himself present.
Yet before his hand could touch Ye Jinghua, a pair of star-bright eyes suddenly opened in the darkness, cold light flashing within them. There was not the slightest trace of drunkenness.
Zhao Yan nearly jumped out of his skin. “S-Second Young Master, you weren’t drunk?”
When he had been carried out earlier, Ye Jinghua had clearly looked dazed and limp, utterly without strength!
Ye Jinghua did not answer. Slowly sitting up, he spoke a few words: “At the next turn, head to my residence.”
Zhao Yan was startled. According to Madam’s instructions, after leaving the Qionglin Banquet they should have returned to the main family estate,
But before he could voice any objection, Ye Jinghua looked over. The expression on his face was colder and sharper than Zhao Yan had ever seen before.
A chill instantly crawled down Zhao Yan’s spine, as though a blade had brushed across his throat. He immediately tightened the reins and directed the horse to change course toward the smaller Ye residence.
