In the end, there is no one who always holds another in the palm of their hand.
“So Prime Minister Hang and his wife were doubly kin,” someone said in sudden realization.
The Second Prince Consort explained: “In truth it was an affinal relation. It’s said Madam Hang was kin on Prime Minister Hang’s sister-in-law’s side, and truly had nowhere else to turn when she sought refuge at the Hang estate. Unexpectedly, Prime Minister Hang favored Madam Di in particular, raising her in the inner chambers as though she were the most delicate flower in the world. When she came of age, he married her as wife. You all know Prime Minister Hang was the Hang family’s legitimate son, and already an official at court. His marriage should have been to a young lady of equal rank, yet he insisted on marrying Madam Di, and after the marriage he lavished her with care. Who did not say Madam Di was the most fortunate of women? Ah, but alas—she could not enjoy her blessings long.”
Qian Jiaoniang had heard of the Hang family’s power, but had not thought even the Crown Princess and Second Prince Consort would speak so highly of Madam Hang. It seemed Prime Minister Hang and his late wife had indeed shared a loving marriage, and Madam Hang had indeed been showered with affection.
“How then did Madam Hang pass away?” A voice came from afar—the legitimate daughter of the Minister of Rites. She only knew Madam Hang had died years ago, before Prime Minister Hang was raised to his current post. The details seemed taboo, seldom mentioned. Now, hearing the Crown Princess bring it up herself, she could finally ask the question buried long in her heart.
The Crown Princess started slightly, then sighed. “Madam Hang passed away in an accident. That year, Prime Minister Hang’s grandmother in Nanling died. It was just when General Xing was in the heat of his campaign against Xili, and Prime Minister Hang could not leave to attend the funeral. Madam Hang accompanied Madam Dowager Hang by boat to Nanling in his stead. Who could have foreseen that midway they would encounter river bandits? Madam Hang fell into the water by mishap, and though they tried to rescue her, she drowned in the river, her body never recovered. Prime Minister Hang nearly went mad. Alas, truly a beauty fated to short life.”
Qian Jiaoniang nodded pensively. Kneeling at her side, Qingya pressed her head low, her pale fingernails gripping tightly onto the chopsticks.
“It is the Crown Princess’s joyous day—why speak of the dead? Do you not find it inauspicious?” Princess Jianan coldly set down her chopsticks, flung her sleeve, and said, “All this is cold now, I will eat no more.”
Her maids hastily cleared the table.
Qian Jiaoniang recalled the kindly, approachable Princess Jianan she had seen before Xing Muzheng, and now glanced at her gloomy face upon her high seat, arching her brow slightly without a trace.
The Crown Princess said: “Aunt Jianan only speaks out of love for me, and my heart rejoices in it. But it was I who first brought this up, so I ought to take the blame. Madam Wang, please do not take it to heart.”
Madam Hang Ling, wife of the Left Shaoqing of the Dali Temple, stiffened, and said hoarsely: “Many thanks to the Crown Princess for remembering Sixth Sister-in-law. I am well enough.” Hang Ling was none other than Hang Zhi’s legitimate younger sister.
Following their gaze, Qian Jiaoniang looked over. The wife of the Left Shaoqing sat two or three places away, only faintly visible in profile, but even from that angle one could see she was a great beauty.
The Crown Princess nodded with satisfaction, then said again: “These dishes were prepared by regulation. Since none of us likes eating them cold, then clear them away. Now that the weather is turning chill, I find myself fond of hotpot. Why don’t we bring in the Five-Tiered Cauldron instead, and everyone can order whatever they like? What do you all think?”
Everyone agreed to follow the birthday celebrant’s wishes, so the Crown Princess Consort ordered the dishes removed and had a silver round pot set before each guest. In the center was a small circle, surrounded by a ring divided into four sections, each holding a different soup base for the guests to choose from.
Qingya, well-versed in the routine, prepared a dipping sauce for Qian Jiaoniang, chose beef, lamb, and several other items, and placed them into the various soup bases to cook. Once each item was cooked to perfection, she would pick it out and place it in front of Qian Jiaoniang. It was Qian Jiaoniang’s first time eating hot pot, and she was wide-eyed with amazement. Whatever Qingya gave her, she ate, nearly swallowing her own tongue from delight. But Qingya would not let her overindulge—only one or two slices of each item—before stopping and no longer cooking for her.
The other ladies stole glances at Qian Jiaoniang, seeing how skilled her maid was, and assumed she must eat hot pot often. Little did they know this dish was only popular among the nobility, entirely absent among common folk.
Though they were displeased, they had to admit Qian Jiaoniang was nothing like that Madam Xu—she clearly had seen the world. Combined with her title as Dingxi Marquis’s wife… she was not someone to bully. Truly, this Madam Qian had soared up to the branch to become a phoenix.
Many were merely here to make a fuss, and none outranked Dingxi Marchioness. Not daring to draw fire onto themselves, they now curbed their pettiness and reined in their “spectator” looks. Princess Jianan, seeing these fence-sitters, felt only disdain and grew even angrier.
After all the guests toasted the Crown Princess Consort, a young eunuch entered quickly, carrying a lidded silver platter. Bowing his head, he stopped in front of Qian Jiaoniang and said softly, “Dingxi Marchioness, Dingxi Marquis sent this humble servant to deliver this to you.”
The red silk was lifted, revealing—an eye from a fish.
“This is the eye of a ten-year-old golden fish,” the eunuch explained. “His Highness the Crown Prince bestowed it upon Dingxi Marquis. The Marquis ate one and kept the other to send to you.”
This caused quite a stir! The female guests were all taken aback, and even the Crown Princess Consort and the Second Prince’s wife showed a change of expression—while Princess Jianan’s face had already darkened to iron-blue.
Everyone knew that fish eyes were among the most precious delicacies served at high banquets, always reserved for the most important guests. Today the front hall was full of distinguished visitors, including the Second Prince and Prime Minister Hang, yet the Crown Prince had given the golden fish eye to Dingxi Marquis. And it was said that at the Longevity Banquet, the Emperor himself had bestowed the same upon him. For the Marquis, who enjoyed such imperial and princely favor, to give up one fish eye to his wife—
This was utterly unheard of. The golden fish eyes, a rare delicacy from the Yu River, were believed to prolong life, but were so hard to catch that nearly all went straight to the palace. That the Marquis would part with one for his wife was a public display of how much he valued her—willing even to “share longevity” with her.
Qingya herself hadn’t expected such a gesture from Xing Muzheng. She shook her head with a small smile, gently rolled the fish eye in the fresh soup with a small spoon, and presented it to Qian Jiaoniang. “My lady, please eat.”
Qian Jiaoniang frowned slightly. She had never liked eating eyes and had no idea why Xing Muzheng had sent this, making those nearby look at her as if they’d seen a ghost. That made it even harder for her to eat. But with Qingya offering it, she could only shut her eyes and swallow it.
“How does it taste, my lady?” Qingya asked, then added quietly, “Just be honest.”
Qian Jiaoniang promptly said, “Not good.”
The words had barely left her mouth before a chorus of sharp intakes of breath rang out. Qian Jiaoniang looked around in puzzlement—what was wrong with telling the truth?
Qingya, of course, knew why they were so shocked. The women here owed all their glory and wealth to the men in their lives—their fathers, brothers, and husbands were their heavens. How could they dare speak their minds as Jiaoniang did? Even if given ten times the courage, none of them would utter a single “no” to such a rare gift, no matter how much they disliked it inside.
Princess Leluo thought Qian Jiaoniang was insane. The Marquis had sent her such a precious item to honor her, and she could still say it tasted bad? How much confidence—or how much favor from the Marquis—did it take to be so brazen?
Princess Jianan nearly overturned the hot pot in front of her. How dare this country bumpkin!
Just then, another eunuch entered, presenting a whole golden fish to the Crown Princess Consort. “His Highness the Crown Prince bids this humble servant to present this golden fish to Your Highness, wishing you long and prosperous blessings.”
The Crown Princess Consort rose at once to accept it with thanks, and the others also stood. Once she had expressed her gratitude, concubine Wan Hong took the fish, and everyone sat down again.
As the eunuch withdrew, he exchanged a glance with Wan Hong.
“Oh my, our Crown Prince treats the Crown Princess Consort best—he gives a whole fish, unlike Dingxi Marquis, so stingy as to send only one fish eye,” the Second Prince’s Consort said with a clap and a laugh. Others joined in with their agreement.
The Crown Princess Consort smiled graciously, and the other ladies seized the chance to heap flattery on her. Yet eight out of ten of them knew all too well about the Crown Prince’s indiscretions—some had even personally dealt with concubines he had secretly taken. The more they saw the Crown Prince publicly honoring his wife, the more they inwardly disdained him, thinking him less forthright than husbands who took concubines openly.
The Crown Princess Consort kept the fish head, ordering it to be taken down so the guests could each have a taste. She toasted a displeased-looking Princess Jianan, then beckoned Wan Hong to go around pouring alcohol for the guests.
Following the order, Wan Hong and a maid took a alcohol pot and went first to toast the Second Prince’s Consort. Next was Dingxi Marchioness. Qingya had Qian Jiaoniang drink as the Second Prince’s Consort had, then Wan Hong refilled her cup. Rising to move on to the next guest, Wan Hong accidentally stepped on her skirt. With a startled cry, she tipped the alcohol pot, spilling most of its contents over Qian Jiaoniang’s shoulder.
Wan Hong’s face turned deathly pale as she dropped to her knees to kowtow and apologize.
The alcohol’s scent clung to Qian Jiaoniang’s shoulder, and the coolness seeped in. Without minding, she hurried to lift Wan Hong up with a light laugh, saying it was fine.
The Crown Princess Consort sharply scolded Wan Hong twice, but Qian Jiaoniang said, “I was just thinking how fragrant and mellow the Crown Princess Consort’s alcohol is, and that I’d like a few more cups. Heaven must have heard my thoughts and had Wan Hong spill it on me—only she missed the mark, wasting such good alcohol. Your Highness may as well pretend I’ve drunk it all.”
Everyone laughed.
As the Crown Prince’s only concubine, Wan Hong was not someone the Crown Princess Consort could punish harshly. Qian Jiaoniang’s remark gave her a way to let it go gracefully. After scolding Wan Hong twice more, she had her personally accompany Qian Jiaoniang to change her clothes.
