The palace banquet was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, an outer court feast where only the emperor and his ministers gathered to dine.
Before entering the grand hall, eunuchs led attendants carrying trays to collect the swords from the military officials one by one.
It was during her first audience with the emperor that Fan Changyu realized they only verified waist tokens and confiscated visible weapons carried on their persons, without conducting individual body searches. Thus, she had strapped a dagger to her leg before leaving home.
Once her long boots were on, no one could tell.
After all, aside from the nobility, those who attended court audiences or tonight's banquet were all distinguished ministers of high rank. If every court session or palace feast required body searches of the officials before they could enter the hall, it would not only be time-consuming and laborious but also damage the dignity of the ministers and the bond between ruler and subject.
The rule prohibiting military officials from carrying weapons into the hall, established across dynasties, served two purposes: to prevent disrespect toward the emperor and to guard against military officials threatening the emperor within the hall.
But what could a single blade brought into the hall truly accomplish for those with rebellious intentions? If someone sought to force the emperor's hand, they would have surely turned the entire Golden Guard of the palace to their side.
Ordinary ministers would never dare risk their heads by secretly bringing weapons into the hall.
Hence, the palace had never instituted body searches for ministers—such treatment was reserved only for low-ranking palace maids and eunuchs.
Fan Changyu's previous visit to the palace had been during the day, when the entire complex already appeared majestic and solemn. Tonight, with heavy snow swirling, the palace city blazed with lights, hidden within the boundless night like a colossal beast whose scorched hide had cracked open, revealing the glowing red embers beneath—both magnificent and eerily awe-inspiring.
Yet in the shadows untouched by the lights, there lingered endless scars and gloom.
Upon entering the grand hall of Supreme Harmony, attendants guided the ministers to their respective seats.
Civil officials were seated on the left, military officials on the right.
The seats for the Three Excellencies, Nine Ministers, and imperial relatives were all at the front. As a third-rank official, Fan Changyu was led by a eunuch to a middle seat on the right side.
In the entire hall, whether among civil or military officials, Fan Changyu was the only woman.
Her arrival drew gazes from all directions—some curious, others appraising.
Though the courtiers had seen her once before in the throne hall during the court session, she had stood at the very front with Tang Peiyi and others to meet the emperor. Those toward the back could only glimpse the crimson cloak trailing behind her armor. Tonight marked the first time many of these officials truly laid eyes on Fan Changyu.
Kneeling gracefully before the redwood low table, Fan Changyu remained composed and serene. The third-rank scarlet military robe she wore lent her a unique air of valor. Her back was straight as a rod, like a verdant bamboo growing ruggedly among cliffs—having weathered countless trials to root deep and rise tall, she now stood unyielding, showing no trace of timidity among these seasoned ministers.
The emperor had yet to arrive, and the foremost seats in both sections remained empty. The atmosphere in the hall was relatively relaxed, with familiar ministers chatting in small groups.
Fan Changyu had intended to wait quietly for the banquet to begin, but unexpectedly, an unfamiliar young military officer strode directly to her table. "I've long admired General Fan's reputation. During our brief encounter in the throne hall, I barely caught a glimpse of you. Tonight, I'm honored to see you again. Let me toast to you!"
With that, he raised his cup with both hands and drained it in one go, then turned it upside down to show Fan Changyu.
His gesture carried an unmistakable implication: if she refused to drink, she would be slighting him.At the previous victory banquet in Lucheng, Fan Changyu had been able to decline drinks by citing her injuries, but tonight's palace banquet was attended by officials of at least the fifth rank, making it difficult to refuse such toasts.
The generals in Lucheng had merely been overly enthusiastic, but this military officer came to propose a toast even before the banquet began. Even someone as thick-skinned as Fan Changyu could sense the undercurrents.
Her gaze swept over the officer's fourth-rank court robes as she simply said, "You flatter me, General."
She picked up the cup before her, tilted her head back to drink, then turned it upside down just as the other had done.
The officer immediately praised her: "General Fan has an impressive capacity!"
He Xiujun also noticed something amiss. Worried other officers might approach Fan Changyu to drink, he stood with his cup and said, "General Song, won't you share a drink with me?"
Zheng Wenchang rose as well: "Who do you think you're looking down on? I contributed no less than General Fan in suppressing the rebellion in Chongzhou. General Song, you must drink with me too!"
With Zheng Wenchang's words, the other generals who had come to the capital from Jizhou for the investiture also clamored to drink with the officer.
This time it was the officer's turn to be unable to refuse. He was forced to down seven or eight cups before being allowed to return to his seat.
After this commotion, others who had intended to propose toasts realized that anyone who drank with Fan Changyu would inevitably be subjected to another round from He Xiujun and his group. Not daring to be too bold before the banquet officially began, no one else approached Fan Changyu.
Fan Changyu gave Zheng Wenchang a surprised glance. She had previously thought him too rigid, but tonight he proved quite sharp—his act as one of those rough military men was quite convincing.
He Xiujun's seat was next to Fan Changyu's. When things quieted down, he lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty's praise for our Jizhou army in the Golden Hall likely left many generals dissatisfied. They'll surely try to get us thoroughly drunk at tonight's banquet."
Only then did Fan Changyu understand why that officer had suddenly come to propose a toast.
The toast was just a pretext—their real aim was to take turns drinking and intimidate them.
Fortunately, He Xiujun and Zheng Wenchang were sharp enough to block it in time.
Fan Changyu gave a slight nod and said, "I understand."
Her gaze swept across the hall as she considered that those who would actively propose toasts would likely be officials of lower rank or equal standing. Those of higher rank probably wouldn't stoop to such behavior.
As for the lower-ranking officers, their united front from Jizhou should be able to handle them.
Before long, Xie Zheng and Grand Tutor Li arrived at the banquet one after another.
Once again, they met at the entrance of the Taiji Palace hall.
Grand Tutor Li maintained his usual refined demeanor, greeting mildly, "Marquis."
Xie Zheng wore the black court robes of the Martial Marquis, the golden and crimson cloud patterns embroidered on his knee panels shimmering faintly under the candlelight—so intricate they were dizzying. His jade-like face bore a trace of cold weariness as he lazily lifted his eyelids and said, "What a coincidence, meeting you again, Grand Tutor."
He stepped slightly aside, though his tone held none of the respect his words suggested: "As a grand tutor who has served three reigns, you should enter first."
Grand Tutor Li replied, "The Marquis's military achievements are unparalleled, and your contributions in suppressing the rebellion were extraordinary. Tonight's New Year banquet is also a victory celebration—you should enter first."Compared to Xie Zheng's arrogance and disrespect, Grand Tutor Li's demeanor could be described as modest and yielding. The faction members following him all wore expressions of indignation. Li Yuanting, who would usually be the first to speak up in such situations, remained unexpectedly silent this time.
Xie Zheng's gaze swept past Grand Tutor Li and landed on Li Yuanting, his eyes flashing with cold mockery.
He said, "Since the Grand Tutor is so accommodating, this Marquis will not decline out of courtesy."
With that, he stepped into the grand hall. One of Grand Tutor Li's disciples, unable to contain his anger, moved forward to speak but was immediately stopped by the Grand Tutor's raised hand.
The outspoken official asked in confusion, "Grand Tutor, are we to tolerate such arrogance? Even Wei Yan never behaved like this in your presence."
Grand Tutor Li's aged eyes, tinged with a faint blue-gray hue, exuded an indescribable coldness. "Youthful arrogance will have its moment, but it will eventually lead to a fall."
The officials of the Li faction exchanged varied expressions at these ambiguous words.
As Xie Zheng and Grand Tutor Li took their seats, the previously noisy Taihe Palace fell silent.
Fan Changyu glanced toward Xie Zheng's seat. Perhaps because she hadn't seen him in a long time, or perhaps it was her first time seeing him in court robes, she found herself momentarily stunned.
She had always believed that the saying "clothes make the man" didn't apply to Xie Zheng. With his naturally striking appearance, even dressed in beggar's rags, he would exude an air of nobility. But these Martial Marquis court robes suited him far too well.
The gold and red embroidery on the black robes shimmered faintly under the candlelight of the hall, making his dark eyes even more intense and his cold demeanor even more pronounced.
As if sensing Fan Changyu's gaze, Xie Zheng turned his eyes toward her, a subtle ripple of emotion flickering in their depths.
She likely didn't realize how dashing and heroic she looked in her crimson military official robes.
All the young noblemen of the capital combined couldn't match the vitality and brightness that seemed to radiate from her brow like the morning sun.
Amid the crowded banquet, their gazes met only briefly before parting, yet Fan Changyu's heart still skipped a beat.
When the emperor arrived, the officials rose and bowed as a mere formality.
Fan Changyu noticed that the officials seemed to hold more reverence for Xie Zheng and Grand Tutor Li than for the emperor himself.
Wei Yan, still claiming illness, was absent from the New Year's banquet. Grand Tutor Li's seat should have been the first among the civil officials, but he had it moved back two feet, not presuming to take Wei Yan's place directly.
Fan Changyu couldn't tell whether this was caution or pretense on Grand Tutor Li's part.
He was the one who had dug the pit for Wei Yan and impeached him. The position seemed within his grasp, yet he adhered strictly to protocol, never overstepping.
It could only be said that this man was exceedingly patient and profoundly calculating.
Perhaps because Fan Changyu had been staring at Grand Tutor Li for too long, the elderly man, who had been eating only soft and easily digestible food, suddenly glanced in her direction.
Fan Changyu didn't avert her gaze, meeting his eyes directly.
One pair of eyes appeared gentle yet fathomless, the other pure and resolute, as if harboring a blazing sun within.
In the end, Grand Tutor Li was the first to look away, his withered hand picking up a pair of wooden chopsticks to slowly eat a bite of bland vegetables.
A crisp sound of shattering porcelain suddenly came from the side where the military officials were seated.A serving eunuch accidentally spilled wine on Xie Zheng's court robes, startling him so much that his hands trembled, causing the wine jug he was holding to fall to the ground.
All eyes in the banquet hall turned toward the commotion.
The eunuch's face turned deathly pale. Ignoring the spilled wine on the floor, he kowtowed repeatedly like pounding garlic, begging for mercy: "Spare me, Marquis! Spare me, Marquis!"
The emperor seated on the dragon throne observed this scene with barely concealed excitement in his eyes. He immediately called for the Golden Guard outside the hall: "Guards! Drag this slave who dirtied Wu'an Marquis's robes out and behead him!"
The officials stirred with unease, yet none dared to speak in defense.
Fan Changyu, sensing Xie Zheng would likely use this opportunity to leave the banquet, had just frowned when she heard Xie Zheng's cold, unhurried voice: "It was merely spilled wine. Since this is the New Year's banquet, it would be best to avoid bloodshed. Don't you agree, Your Majesty?"
Qi Sheng had no intention of prolonging this matter with Xie Zheng and immediately said, "Since Wu'an Marquis has pleaded for this foolish slave, shouldn't you express your gratitude?"
The eunuch kowtowed frantically: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Wu'an Marquis!"
Suppressing the malice in his heart and the wild joy of nearing some desired outcome, Qi Sheng maintained a composed expression as he instructed the eunuch: "Escort Wu'an Marquis to change his robes."
This entire scene had been part of Xie Zheng's plan. After thanking the emperor with a "Gratitude, Your Majesty," he followed the eunuch out of the grand hall.
With Xie Zheng gone, Qi Sheng seemed noticeably happier. In excellent spirits, he raised his cup to the officials: "Since my ascension, Great Yin has faced endless external threats and internal troubles. Thanks to all my loyal ministers, our nation stands strong today, and I have not failed my ancestors' legacy. Tonight, my ministers shall drink heartily—no one leaves sober!"
His sudden speech naturally compelled the officials to raise their cups in response.
Grand Tutor Li said, "Your Majesty's wisdom is our fortune."
The officials echoed loudly: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Fan Changyu couldn't help but find the word "wise" somewhat ironic when applied to Qi Sheng.
After offering her toast, she returned to her seat, only for her eyelids to begin twitching uncontrollably again.
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