Chapter 64: The Night Banquet.

Chapter 64: The Night Banquet.

With the Emperor's permission, the Empress gestured towards the ladies. The Selected Attendant stood up and took a pair of swords handed to her by the maid Xiao Die, stepping into the center of the hall.

Holding the swords in reverse grip, she bowed her head and knelt on one knee, her exceptionally beautiful face flushed with a hint of red. In a soft voice, she said, "Your Majesty, Sun sister and I have learned a new dance. Please allow us to perform it for you."

As her words fell, musicians hidden behind screens started to play drums and flutes. Wǎn Xuǎn Shì positioned her double swords in front of her in a starting pose.

—— It was none other than the "West River Sword Dance."

Unlike the Grand Longevity Festival, where consorts offer toasts and gifts to the Emperor in order of rank, the Mid-Autumn family banquet allowed for performances in no particular order, at the Empress's discretion.

By choosing Wǎn Xuǎn Shì to perform first, it was clear the Empress held high expectations for her.

Emperor Xiao straightened slightly in his seat, showing a flicker of interest in Wǎn Xuǎn Shì's sword dance.

He indeed preferred energetic sword dances to the usual gentle or seductive dances. Sun Gui Ren's performance at the last Grand Longevity Festival was excellent, with her swords moving sharply and fluidly, exuding a distinct charisma. Unfortunately, an accident had marred the performance.

Wǎn Xuǎn Shì, lacking a lifetime of training, had only practiced for a few days. Naturally, her performance couldn't compare to Sun Gui Ren's or receive overwhelming applause.

However, she possessed something Sun Gui Ren did not: a pure and alluring beauty.

Especially with Sun Gui Ren's guidance on how to accentuate her looks, every turn and glance during her dance highlighted her exquisite face and tear mole, captivating the audience.

Seated among the guests, Jiang Hui watched Wǎn Xuǎn Shì dance, just like everyone else, but her attention was also on Lì Guì Rén nearby.

Lì Guì Rén, watching Wǎn Xuǎn Shì, seemed slightly distracted. Without waiting for the maids to serve her, she picked up some Dong'an Chicken with chopsticks, only to find it too spicy, leading her to drink several cups of water.

Her maid Yin Zhu hurriedly poured more tea, whispering, "My Lady, this dish is too spicy for you. It's better not to eat it."

"I just had a bite, I'm fine," Lì Guì Rén rasped, setting down her chopsticks to focus on the sword dance.

Sun Gui Ren, sitting beside her, glanced her way, her eyes circling over the bright red dishes on the table, betraying a hint of confusion.

As Wǎn Xuǎn Shì finished her dance, the Emperor simply acknowledged her with a word of "appreciation," without further expression.

Wǎn Xuǎn Shì, slightly disheartened, returned to her seat, casting a covert look at Sun Gui Ren.

Separated by several consorts, Sun Gui Ren only offered a reassuring smile before turning away.

After Wǎn Xuǎn Shì, several consorts took their turns, playing instruments, dancing, and even painting on the spot, all hoping for the Emperor's favor.

Yet, the Emperor seemed particularly uninterested tonight, making Wǎn Xuǎn Shì's single word of "appreciation" stand out.

Finally, after another consort finished her guqin performance, the Mid-Autumn night banquet neared its conclusion.

Sun Gui Ren curiously asked Lì Guì Rén, "Sister Lì Guì Rén, aren't you performing the pipa today?"

Lì Guì Rén was renowned for her exceptional pipa skills, known throughout the palace. Her absence on stage indeed sparked surprise.

Xu Xiū Yuān, sitting beside Lì Guì Rén, also inquired, "Yes, could it be that the burn from last time hasn't fully healed?"

"Thank you for your concern, Sister Xiū Yuān, it has completely healed," Lì Guì Rén replied with gratitude, then explained to Sun Gui Ren, "His Majesty often listens to my pipa in my palace. It's something he's accustomed to hearing, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to perform the same thing on stage."

This explanation seemed reasonable, so Sun Gui Ren didn't pursue further, simply nodding, "I see."

As the banquet was about to conclude, the Emperor suddenly said, "Since it's the festival of reunion, let's also send some gifts to Xiāo Shù Rén."

His words caused a stir among the attendees.

The Emperor's mention of Xiāo Shù Rén referred to the former Qí King, Xiāo Xù, who had been stripped of his status following a treasonous act. The Emperor had since left him languishing in prison, neither granting him death nor specifying a punishment like confinement or guarding imperial tombs, almost as if he had forgotten about him.

His sudden mention of Xiāo Shù Rén, especially during a discussion of unity on Mid-Autumn Festival, provoked deep contemplation.

The Empress and the consorts remained silent, while the royal family glanced at the seemingly dozing Elder Ruì King. He slowly opened his eyes, smiling, "His Majesty's kindness and fraternal love are blessings for our Great Week!"

With Elder Ruì King's remarks, the other royals followed suit, offering flattery to the Emperor. In such situations, complimenting the Emperor was a safe bet.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall became spirited and lively once again before the banquet concluded.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the Emperor, as usual, spent the night in Fengyi Palace. Jiang Hui returned to Yaohua Palace in her palanquin.

After seeing Nian'er, she was attended to as she removed her jewelry and changed into her nightwear, then lay down on the bed. She beckoned the night-shift Qiukui and whispered, "How did it go?"

Qiukui replied softly, "My lady, I sneaked out under the pretext of retrieving a cloak and watched from outside the hall. As you predicted, Luo Meiren led Lady Li and Consort He when the young master was passing by with Prince Jin. The ring, as you said, was indeed picked up by Lady Li."

The ring dropped by Jiang Yun was not particularly precious, but it had a unique feature: its design was almost identical to the ones Prince Qi usually wore.

When the Crown Prince Yuanhui was still alive, Prince Qi had a good relationship with Jiang Hui, as she was not only his younger cousin but also the wife-to-be of his close friend, Chen Xianyu.

Thus, Jiang Hui knew that Prince Qi cherished an emerald ring, a token of love from his future wife, as Prince Qi himself had mentioned.

The wife of Prince Qi had been decided by Emperor Qianning early on. She was three years younger than the prince, from the Shen family of Jiangnan, and a beautiful, gentle woman befitting the grace of the water town.

After Prince Qi was imprisoned for conspiracy, the Emperor did not mistreat his wife. She retained her status and was allowed to continue living in Prince Qi's residence. A young woman, newly married and childless, thus closed the doors of her home, living a visible, lonely widowhood.

However, why did Lady Li show such a reaction to a ring that looked similar?

It's known that despite Lady Li's flamboyant and beautiful appearance, she has always been well-behaved in the palace. Based on her usual demeanor, she would simply have maids or eunuchs pick up such items dropped by men.

"Have you noticed any suspicious behavior between Lady Li and Prince Jin?" Jiang Hui asked again.

Qiu Kui recalled carefully and shook her head, saying, "I'm sure Lady Li always maintained proper etiquette in front of Prince Jin."

After a pause, she added, "However, initially, Lady Li thought the finger ring belonged to Prince Jin and rushed to him directly after picking it up."