Li Jiаqi nоtiсed evеrуоnе's gаzes and hurriedlу sаt down, her fаce flushing сrimsоn, glаring аt Наn Yan with a lоok that could kill. Howеvеr, the уoung lаdiеs аrоund them nоw dаrеd nоt uttеr anоther word.
Shu Hоng stоod bеside Han Yаn, carеfully adjusting hеr соllаr. Наn Yаn remainеd unhurriеd, her ехрressiоn unchаngеd, her smile sееmingly gluеd to her faсe, radiating аn аir оf chеerful delight as shе lеisurеly rеmаrkеd, "With sо mаnу pеоplе watсhing, is Miss Li trying tо weаsеl оut? I thought а уоung lаdy raised in thе Prime Minister's housеhold would surelу have thе cоurаge tо take responsibility for her actions. After all, Prime Minister Li is a pillar of the state." She sighed softly, as if deeply regretful.
Prime Minister Li held a crucial position, yet the daughter he raised was unwilling to take responsibility for her reckless words. This inevitably cast doubt on the Prime Minister's own character. The current Emperor placed great emphasis on the moral cultivation of his ministers, and the deeper implications were self-evident.
Li Jiaqi sneered coldly, "Zhuang Hanyan, don't you try to intimidate me. I only said my family's dog ate the pastries. Since it's my beloved pet, I chose to give them to it. Who I give my own household's food to is none of your business as an outsider."
Han Yan propped her chin with one hand, her face brimming with innocence as she smiled and said, "So that's how it is. Miss Li's family is wealthy and influential, and her father is the current Right Chancellor, whom even The Emperor treats with deference. Naturally, you can afford to disregard the pastries bestowed by the palace. It was my oversight, my apologies."
Her tone was warm and cheerful, yet the words lingered in the heart with a faint, almost imperceptible chill.
Li Jiaqi found her words odd but couldn't pinpoint why. Seeing her readily admit fault, she initially wanted to cause more trouble. However, due to Han Yan's sharp retort earlier, which had already drawn some attention their way, she forcibly held back, resentfully saying, "Miss Zhuang need not stand on ceremony. It's fine."
Han Yan, seemingly indifferent, lowered her head to continue drinking tea, though inwardly she sneered.
The palace's Night Banquet naturally had The Emperor's informants everywhere, much like in large households. In her previous life, whenever something happened on her end, it would reach Dove Tree Courtyard within moments. Sometimes, if she had a headache or fever one moment, Madam Zhou would send medicine the next. She used to think Madam Zhou cared for her and was deeply grateful, but now she realized that Madam Zhou likely had people planted all around her Qingqiu Courtyard.
The palace was the same, if not worse. Any seemingly ordinary palace maid or eunuch here could be The Emperor's secret confidant. Her earlier words weren't meant for Li Jiaqi or the young ladies present but for those informants.
Prime Minister Li wielded considerable power. If he could disregard the palace-bestowed pastries this time, would he next disregard The Emperor himself?
The hidden informants would surely relay this message to The Emperor. How The Emperor interpreted it was his own affair. Since ancient times, rulers have been suspicious, especially when it concerned their supreme status and dignity. One thing was certain: the Right Chancellor's days ahead would not be easy.
Her patience, scheming, and feigned compliance were limited to the Zhuang residence. Outside, for those who sought to harm her, she harbored no such goodwill and would surely repay them tenfold.
Han Yan chatted and laughed with Deng Chan, unaware that her every move was being observed by a pair of slightly sinister eyes from the men's section opposite.The feast's dishes were truly excellent. Having lived in the Zhuang residence for so many years, Han Yan was still seeing such a lavish banquet for the first time. However, her mind was preoccupied with other matters, leaving her with little appetite. She merely picked at a few peony pastries. The young ladies around her were even more proper and elegant, whispering and laughing softly, or discussing their recent experiences—what embroidered sachets they had made, what beautiful clothes they had tailored. It was less like casual conversation and more like subtle boasting. Deng Chan was not so rigid; genuinely feeling hungry, she focused solely on eating. Han Yan rested one hand on her teacup, discreetly observing the guests at the banquet.
The Emperor and Empress, of course, sat loftily on their high seats, their majesty innate. However, the court officials seemed clearly divided into two factions. In her previous life, Han Yan had heard Zhuangshan hint, intentionally or not, that there were two opposing groups of ministers in the court. One faction was led by Prince Wei and the Seventh Prince, while the other was led by the Crown Prince and the Xuan Qing Prince. The Emperor, now in his forties, was at the peak of his vigor, yet he had surprisingly appointed a Crown Prince early. The Crown Prince, born to the Empress, was only ten years old this year.
It was only natural for the Empress's son to be named Crown Prince, but the Seventh Prince was born to Consort Chen, who currently enjoyed the Emperor's deep favor. Moreover, the Seventh Prince had achieved notable successes in the imperial court over the past two years, earning widespread praise. The Emperor was particularly affectionate toward the Seventh Prince, while showing little concern for the Crown Prince, making the underlying implications all the more mysterious.
As the future heir to the throne, the Crown Prince would inevitably face scrutiny. The Seventh Prince, with his extraordinary talents, naturally had his supporters. Some even speculated in secret whether the Emperor intended to change the Crown Prince, as the current one was merely a child, which was truly perplexing.
Prince Wei's closeness to the Seventh Prince stemmed from the fact that Consort Chen and Prince Wei's consort were sisters, creating a familial bond and tightly intertwined interests. In her previous life, the Zhuang family had aligned itself with the Seventh Prince's faction, which was why Han Yan was married off as part of a political alliance. At the time, however, Han Yan had believed that Prince Wei's family had proposed the marriage because Wei Rufeng genuinely wanted to marry her. Looking back now, she realized he had only sought to leverage the Zhuang family's influence. As long as the bride bore the Zhuang surname, it didn't matter who she was—which was why he had ultimately given her a cup of poisoned wine.
Han Yan's eyes darkened. But Prince Wei held a high position of power, and the Seventh Prince's faction included numerous high-ranking officials and ministers. Why had they chosen the Zhuang family? The Zhuang family was merely a third-rank official household, and Zhuang Shiyang had accomplished nothing of note. Could there be some hidden meaning behind this?
In this life, it seemed the political situation in the imperial court remained unchanged. Han Yan remembered that in the year of her wedding, the conflict between the Crown Prince's faction and the Seventh Prince's faction had already reached an intense stage, with both sides locked in a stalemate. The final outcome, however, remained unknown to her.
Han Yan's gaze fell upon a cold, aloof figure amidst the lively gathering of male guests. Frowning slightly, she thought that judging by the Xuan Qing Prince's demeanor, he was no ordinary man. Opposing him would likely yield no benefits.
In turbulent times, a woman's fate was always closely tied to the fortunes of her entire family. As a daughter of the Zhuang family, if the Seventh Prince were to fall from power one day, she would inevitably be implicated. She knew she could not persuade Zhuang Shiyang to change course—in fact, she had no desire to try. The only solution was to separate herself and Ming'er from the Zhuang family, cutting all ties with them. But how could she possibly achieve this?The Emperor's will is unfathomable. As for the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince, Han Yan had no desire to speculate on their respective weight in the Emperor's heart. But in this life, even if only for that cup of poisoned wine, she could never align herself with the Seventh Prince's faction.
Thinking this, she smiled once more.
The wine flowed freely, and the atmosphere grew warm and lively. The ladies chatted and laughed, the ministers exchanged toasts, while the young ladies and gentlemen stole glances at one another—much like the flirtatious exchanges and guessing games between men and women during the Lantern Festival.
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