It was only at this moment that Jiafu suddenly realized that in her past life, the misfortune of Noble Consort Liang might not have been masterminded by Consort Zhu, who had taken her own life out of guilt, but very likely by this dignified woman now smiling at her from across the table.
The golden liquid in her cup shimmered slightly when lifted, as if flecked with crushed gold, appearing identical to the one beside Madam, the Duchess of Qin.
She had no idea what drug Zhang Fengtong had secretly added to this cup reserved solely for her. Whatever it was, she knew she must not drink it.
As Madam, the Duchess of Qin, and others rose to toast following Zhang Fengtong’s lead, the rest of the female guests followed suit. Jiafu also stood slowly, holding her cup and watching Zhang Fengtong intently. The moment Zhang Fengtong raised her cup to drink and her gaze left Jiafu, Jiafu brought her own cup to her lips. With a subtle bend of her wrist and the cover of her wide sleeve, she poured the entire contents down her arm and into her sleeve.
Though it was summer and the fabric of her clothes wasn’t as thick as winter garments, the formal attire for such occasions consisted of at least three layers. The wine seeped quickly into the inner layers and her underwear. The outer robe was green, and even if some liquid seeped through the sleeve, it was completely concealed when Jiafu lowered her arm, unnoticed by those around her.
After the toast, Zhang Fengtong glanced at Jiafu’s empty cup and smiled before sitting down. Only then did the birthday banquet officially begin.
Jiafu remained composed, engaging in quiet conversation with Madam, the Duchess of Qin beside her. Occasionally, female guests came to pay their respects to Zhang Fengtong individually. Jiafu noticed that despite her busyness, Zhang Fengtong kept stealing glances in her direction. She pretended not to notice.
Gradually, Zhang Fengtong seemed to grow impatient. After dismissing a fawning lady, she signaled to a palace maid behind her. Understanding the hint, the maid approached again with the wine jug, repeating the same method as before to pour wine for everyone at the table. When it came to Jiafu’s cup, the same trick was employed, and Jiafu caught every detail.
This woman was truly relentless. One cup wasn’t enough—she must have thought the drug wasn’t potent enough and was now trying to force a second cup on her.
Anger surged within Jiafu. Seeing Zhang Fengtong raise her cup again to toast her mother, with everyone at the table joining in, Jiafu also lifted her cup but then set it down, feigning dizziness as she held her forehead.
Madam, the Duchess of Qin, noticed Jiafu’s discomfort and quickly inquired.
Jiafu slowly opened her eyes and apologized, “Just now, I suddenly felt a burning in my stomach and a slight dizziness, as if my head is spinning…”
Madam, the Duchess of Qin, asked with concern, “Do you usually drink?”
Jiafu covered her face with her hands, shaking her head as if severely dizzy. “Rarely…”
Madam, the Duchess of Qin, chuckled. “That explains it. You must be a little drunk. I often drink, and I could tell from the first sip that this wine is indeed a fine brew, stronger than what I usually have. It seems you can’t handle alcohol.”
Jiafu smiled apologetically and turned to Zhang Fengtong. “I fear if I drink more, I might embarrass myself in front of everyone. Perhaps I could toast with tea instead to celebrate your birthday…”
There was a teapot on the table. Jiafu reached for it herself and asked a maid standing behind her for a new cup. As she poured the tea, her hands trembled weakly, and the teapot slipped from her grasp.Madam, the Duchess of Qin laughed, "You're truly drunk! Come, come, let me pour for you. Drink some tea quickly to sober up."
Zhang Fengtong observed Jiafu for a moment before suddenly smiling. "Madam Pei indeed seems unable to hold her liquor. Just one cup and she's already like this. We can't have you collapsing drunk—substituting tea for wine is just as good. Have more dishes first. Once you recover, you'll surely feel better soon." As she spoke, she raised her wine cup and was about to drink with the others when a young eunuch entered the birthday hall, announcing in a drawn-out voice, "His Majesty has sent a longevity plaque and two longevity peaches. Kneel to receive them."
The hall, previously filled with laughter and chatter, instantly fell silent at the arrival of the imperial envoy. Madam Zhang, who had been flitting about like a butterfly urging guests to enjoy themselves, was overjoyed and hurriedly led the others out to welcome the gifts.
Zhang Fengtong also set down her wine cup and rose hastily to head toward the hall's entrance. The female guests in the birthday hall, along with all the maids and matrons standing by, rushed out in a flurry to welcome the gifts.
In an instant, the entire table was empty, leaving only Jiafu behind.
Jiafu glanced at the wine cup before her, then at the one Zhang Fengtong had just picked up but set down again without drinking. Her heart pounded as she quickly picked it up, swiftly circled the table, and swapped the cups in passing. Steadying herself, she hurried after the others to kneel in welcome.
The eunuch sent was Cui Yinshui, who entered with a beaming face. After announcing the imperial decree, several young eunuchs carried in the longevity plaque and peaches, placing them on the birthday table, as if illuminating the entire hall. Only then did Zhang Fengtong and Madam Zhang lead everyone to rise. Madam Zhang thanked Cui Yinshui for his trouble and invited him to stay for wine, but he waved his hand, offered a few congratulatory words, and departed with the young eunuchs.
By the time Madam Zhang returned from seeing them off, the guests had already resumed their seats, and the atmosphere grew even more lively than before. Madam Zhang was, needless to say, brimming with pride, while Zhang Fengtong listened to the flattering words of the ladies at her table with a faint smile in her eyes. She raised her wine cup, and the ladies followed suit.
Jiafu watched as Zhang Fengtong drank from that cup, then lifted her own teacup and took a slow sip.
The birthday banquet continued. Suddenly, the clanging of gongs and drums erupted, and beyond the birthday hall, across a pond, the makeshift opera stage began a performance—"Five Daughters Celebrating Longevity."
Jiafu maintained the appearance of someone who couldn't handle alcohol, but aside from that, she showed no other signs of discomfort.
Zhang Fengtong chatted and laughed with the ladies seated near her while occasionally glancing at Jiafu.
Jiafu knew she must be utterly perplexed at this moment. Pretending to be engrossed in the opera, she turned with the Duchess toward the stage, listening to the performance and exchanging quiet remarks.
"The Crown Prince has arrived—"
Just as the opera reached its climax, another eunuch entered and announced loudly.
The atmosphere in the birthday hall reached the pinnacle of the evening's excitement.
Madam Zhang was overjoyed and swiftly turned to look at her daughter. At first, Zhang Fengtong seemed disbelieving, frozen for a moment before her face lit up with delight. She hastily rose and went out to welcome him.
As before, the entire hall rose to follow and greet him. When Xiao Yintang, clad in the bright yellow robes of the Crown Prince, appeared at the entrance of the birthday hall, all the female guests either bowed or knelt in reverence. Even the actors on the stage paused their performance and knelt.Xiao Yintang smiled warmly, his gaze sweeping across the room before quickly settling on Jiafu standing behind Madam, the Duchess of Qin. His eyes lingered on her briefly before he spoke, "No need for formalities. I came merely to offer my congratulations to my mother-in-law on her birthday. Please, be at ease."
Back in Wuding, Madam Zhang had long known her daughter was not favored by Xiao Yintang. On her birthday evening, she never imagined the Crown Prince would personally come to offer his blessings. To spare her daughter any discomfort, she hadn’t even hinted at such a possibility. To her astonishment, the Crown Prince had shown such respect, and she couldn’t help but beam with joy.
Before Xiao Yintang could finish his formal greeting, she eagerly stepped forward and warmly helped him up.
Zhang Fengtong’s father and brothers, having heard the news, hurried over. However, as the gathering was primarily for female guests, they couldn’t stay long. After offering his birthday wishes to his mother-in-law, Xiao Yintang was ushered to another hall. As he left, his gaze subtly drifted toward Jiafu once more.
First, the Emperor had bestowed birthday plaques and peaches, and now the Crown Prince himself had come to offer congratulations. Once the ladies were seated again, the flattery directed at Zhang Fengtong grew even more effusive.
Initially, Zhang Fengtong also wore a bright smile, but gradually, her expression began to change. Her face flushed as if she were dizzy, and she leaned slightly to the side, pressing a hand to her forehead.
The mother of the Duke of Zhu, seated beside her, quickly steadied her. The other ladies at the table finally noticed her distress and fell silent. The palace maid, sensing the Crown Princess’s unusual state, hurriedly called for Madam Zhang.
Madam Zhang hastily excused herself from the guests and rushed over. Seeing her daughter’s flushed face and vacant stare, as if intoxicated, she was startled and immediately supported her, whispering, "Fengtong, what’s wrong?"
Zhang Fengtong seemed not to hear. Suddenly, she turned her head and fixed her gaze on the stage, where the play depicted the impoverished scholar Zou Yinglong, after becoming the top scholar, declaring his unwavering love for his humble wife Sanchun. Zhang Fengtong stared intently, her eyes widening, her expression growing increasingly erratic. Then, she let out a cold, mocking laugh.
Madam Zhang finally realized something was terribly amiss and called for attendants to help her daughter back to her room. But before they could act, Zhang Fengtong abruptly shoved her mother away. Caught off guard, Madam Zhang stumbled back, nearly falling.
"Stop! All of you, stop! What nonsense are you actors spouting to deceive the world? Where in this world are there men of such deep affection? It’s all lies!"
Zhang Fengtong pushed Madam Zhang aside and shouted at the actors on stage, her voice dripping with disdain.
The actors, deeply immersed in their performance, were stunned by the Crown Princess’s sudden outburst. They faltered, then hastily knelt in fear.
The entire hall fell silent in an instant. Everyone turned to stare at Zhang Fengtong, who now appeared drunk and deranged, their faces filled with shock and confusion.
Madam Zhang was horrified, unable to comprehend her daughter’s sudden loss of composure. She hurried forward again, whispering urgently into her ear, "Fengtong! What’s gotten into you? Snap out of it!"
Zhang Fengtong’s eyes reddened as she turned to her mother. After staring at her for a long moment, tears suddenly streamed down her face. Choking back sobs, she said, "Mother, don’t you know how much I’m suffering?"Madame Zhang knew her daughter must be utterly drunk and unaware of her actions. Turning around, she saw countless eyes fixed upon them. Suppressing her shame and anger, she forced a smile and said, "The Crown Princess must have had too much to drink. My apologies—I'll take her to rest first..." She signaled to those beside her, who quickly held Zhang Fengtong and hurriedly tried to escort her out.
Zhang Fengtong struggled violently, screaming and refusing to let anyone touch her. With a loud crash, her wide palace sleeves swept several bowls and dishes from the table, along with the wine pot, sending them shattering to the ground. Gnashing her teeth, she glared at the stunned mother of Duke Zhu beside her and suddenly reached out, strangling her neck. She shook the woman’s head violently while laughing hysterically, "Cao Shi, you should have died long ago! Did you think just because you climbed into the Crown Prince’s bed a few times, he actually liked you? How dare you disrespect me in front of everyone! You fool, let me tell you—the Crown Prince lusts after Pei You’an’s woman! That vixen surnamed Zhen! You pathetic worm, even if the Crown Prince strangled you to death, you’d deserve it!"
The entire hall was stunned into silence, mouths agape. When they finally processed her words, many turned their gazes toward Jiafu.
Jiafu’s heart pounded wildly.
She had switched the cup of wine with Zhang Fengtong’s earlier, admittedly out of anger, intending only to give her a taste of her own medicine—a simple, harmless retaliation. Zhang Fengtong would never suspect that Jiafu, having lived two lifetimes, knew the secret of that teapot. Even if she reflected later, she would only assume a servant had poured the wrong wine, never realizing Jiafu had switched them.
But Jiafu hadn’t expected the medicated wine’s effects to be so terrifying. After drinking it, Zhang Fengtong completely lost her mind. Revealing the scandal behind the Eastern Palace’s recent mourning was one thing, but dragging Jiafu into it was another.
The grand birthday hall was now deathly silent, save for Zhang Fengtong’s chilling laughter and the desperate choking sounds of the elderly Duchess Zhu, whose neck she still clutched.
Madame Zhang, horrified, struggled with others to pry Zhang Fengtong’s hands away. To their shock, her grip was inhumanly strong. Only after great effort did they finally free the half-conscious duchess, who collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. Nearby ladies rushed to help, pounding her chest and rubbing her back. Meanwhile, servants had restrained Zhang Fengtong’s limbs and were forcibly dragging her out of the hall. She fought wildly, and Madame Zhang, fearing she might spew more madness, clamped a hand over her daughter’s mouth—only to yelp in pain as Zhang Fengtong bit down hard, forcing her to let go.
"Mother! Even you—why are you treating me like this?!" Zhang Fengtong’s eyes were bloodshot as she laughed and sobbed, utterly deranged. She clung desperately to a table leg, dragging the entire table forward with her as servants pulled her away. Plates and dishes crashed to the floor amid the screech of wood against stone, splattering sauces everywhere. The ladies shrieked in alarm. In the chaos, one of her palace shoes flew off—any trace of her former dignified grace now utterly gone.Who could still be in the mood for drinks and dishes? The entire hall was in chaos as people gathered around, some trying to mediate while others whispered among themselves. Amidst the mess, hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance of the birthday hall. Everyone turned to see the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess’s two brothers rushing in. Their expressions darkened at the sight, and they pushed through the crowd. One forcefully clamped Zhang Fengtong’s mouth shut while the other pried her arms open, swiftly dragging her away.
Xiao Yintang’s face was ashen. He glanced at Jiafu, who stood at the back of the crowd, and said stiffly to the guests, “She’s drunk and spouting nonsense. My apologies for the disturbance.” With that, he hurriedly left.
Though Zhang Fengtong had been taken away, the birthday hall remained in disarray. The elderly lady who had been choked by her finally regained consciousness, and her family arrived in haste. Their expressions darkened as they listened to Madam Zhang’s hurried apologies before escorting the old lady away.
The banquet was beyond salvaging. Madam Zhang stood there, sweating profusely, her face alternating between red and white as she struggled to smooth over her daughter’s disgraceful outburst.
The ladies gradually recovered from the shock, though they knew the night’s events were scandalous beyond belief. Still, they feigned composure, echoing Madam Zhang’s excuses and offering hollow reassurances that the Crown Princess must have been exhausted from recent strain and had simply had too much to drink.
One by one, guests began to take their leave. The Zhang family’s servants, now devoid of their earlier vigor, escorted them out with faces as if mourning a death, their movements clumsy and distracted.
Jiafu felt a pang of regret and lingering fear.
Had she not been cautious beforehand, she would have surely drunk that cup of wine tonight. The thought of what might have happened if she had was unbearable.
She shuddered involuntarily.
Someone tugged at her sleeve. Turning, she saw Second Madam Meng giving her a meaningful look before whispering, “You’an sent word that he’s waiting outside to take us home. Let’s go.”
Jiafu turned and caught Madam Xin’s cold glare.
Zhang Fengtong had brought this shame upon herself, yet Jiafu couldn’t help feeling a sense of humiliation under the lingering gazes of those around her. Silently, she followed the others out of the hall. As she reached the moon gate separating the inner and outer courtyards, she spotted Pei You’an standing motionless. Her unease deepened.
Given the uproar in the hall, he must have already heard.
Zhang Fengtong’s public outburst, accusing the Crown Prince of coveting her, was undoubtedly a humiliation for Pei You’an as her husband.
Passing by him, Jiafu couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze and lowered her head slightly.
She heard him address Madam Xin and Second Madam Meng, explaining that he had just returned from the palace and, having nothing else to do, had come to escort them home. His tone sounded no different than usual.
Stealing a glance, she accidentally met his eyes. Not daring to look further, she quickly averted her gaze again. The group proceeded in silence to the gate, where Jiafu boarded the carriage while Pei You’an mounted his horse. Just as they were about to depart, Zhang Fengtong’s father hurried out from the main gate, calling, “Lord Pei, wait!”
Pei You’an turned and dismounted.
Old Zhang led him near the gatehouse, where they were alone.
“What else do you need, Old Zhang?” Pei You’an asked.Old Zhang was a man of great reputation and advanced age, and Zhang Fengtong was his youngest daughter. Thus, in the court, everyone respectfully addressed him as "Old Zhang."
Old Zhang had lost his usual composure, his face filled with shame. Before even speaking, he bowed deeply to Pei You'an and said remorsefully, "This old man has come on behalf of the Crown Princess to apologize to Lord Pei. She drank too much tonight, lost her senses, and spouted nonsense—not only slandering the Crown Prince but also offending Lord Pei and your wife. It is truly due to my failure in disciplining my daughter in the past. Tonight, I will enter the palace to confess my guilt before Your Majesty, for which death would not be enough to atone! But as for Lord Pei, I beg for your magnanimity and hope you will not take offense. On behalf of my entire family, I am endlessly grateful!" As he spoke, he bowed deeply once more.
Pei You'an's tone was polite but distinctly cold. He merely replied, "The Crown Princess must indeed have been speaking nonsense while drunk. Old Zhang, if you intend to confess before Your Majesty, it would be best to hurry. If delayed, I fear the palace gates may already be closed."
With a slight nod in return, he turned and left.
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