Palace Banquet (Part One): The Man in Black from the Border?

"You are..." Zhou Yao was stunned, puzzled by this sudden kindness.

"Right, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sun Yuan. We met at the border before," he said with a grin.

The moment she saw his eyes, a flash of understanding struck her. When she had first left Chang'an, she'd encountered assassins fighting—he must have been one of them!

"Then you..." Zhou Yao still couldn't fathom why the young General Sun seemed so familiar with her.

"How did I recognize you?" His smile faded as he stared straight at her. "A lone woman in such a remote place in the dead of night—how could I forget?"

"Once you've caught your breath, head back. I'll pretend I never saw you."

As he left, Zhou Yao's thoughts grew even more tangled. If General Sun's mansion meant to ally with the Crown Prince, why would his son intercept the Crown Prince's men at the border? The evidence from that incident had likely been left by him.

Given the situation, Zhou Yao could easily guess that Qi Yanhan had played a pivotal role in it as well.

In a few days, the palace would host a banquet. Tailors and embroiderers had been coming to the mansion for fittings over the past few days. Word had it that this embroidered garment took thirty embroiderers working through the night, using gold thread and the finest silks.

Whether it was a show for outsiders, they were all in the same boat anyway.

She didn't scrutinize the embroidery further; instead, she packed a basket, slung it over her shoulder, and headed to the Jiuyao Kilns to load her remaining porcelain pieces.

After days of steady sales, the backlog of porcelain was finally nearly cleared, and Zhou Yao's craftsmanship was improving by the day.

Her stall was thriving, profits rising daily. Occasionally, loquacious townsfolk would say, "Ever since these affordable porcelains appeared, our everyday tableware has gotten better—good quality and cheap."

That sense of validation only strengthened Zhou Yao's resolve to benefit the common folk through commerce. Today, as she counted the coppers in her till, she was pleasantly surprised to find that she had unknowingly saved enough to repay Qi Yanhan the silver she owed.

Once she returned the money, she could soon turn her attention to replicating the liuli—the colored glass—she had seen in the Western Regions. With that, she could strike it rich overnight.

Suddenly, Duyun leaped down from the rooftop, grabbed the sleeve of Zhou Yao's robe, and tugged her away. "The Crown Prince has sent men to the mansion," he said breathlessly. "They claim to be hunting the true culprit who provoked the young masters' fight that night—and they think he's hiding here. My master says I'm to get you out of sight for now."

"And him?" Zhou Yao frowned.

"The Grand Chancellor has his own plan. Don't worry," Duyun replied.

From the front of the mansion, faint sounds of commotion drifted to the back courtyard. Zhou Yao remained calm—after all, no matter how deeply outsiders investigated, they wouldn't tie this back to her.

She pulled her sleeve free from Duyun's grasp, saying impatiently, "I'll go take a look."

As she turned and lifted her skirt, her vision went dark. The lantern-lit corridor before her vanished.

"Forgive me."

He had been ordered by his master that, under no circumstances, must the Ninth Princess go to the front hall. It was crowded and full of prying eyes, not to mention entangled with the Crown Prince's faction.

Duyun had some inkling of the stakes, though he felt his master was overreacting—after all, this business had nothing to do with the main branch.

He settled Zhou Yao in a side hall not far from the Qi mansion and turned to leave. What he didn't notice was that someone in the shadows had been quietly observing their every move.

Zhou Yao never expected that when she woke again, everything around her had changed. Walls of black and gold, the relentless footsteps outside, the wind chimes that only graced the imperial palace—all of it screamed that she was now within the palace grounds. The servants outside seemed newly replaced, different from those in her own palace days.

Or perhaps this was a place she had never set foot in. The palace boasted no fewer than three hundred halls and chambers, and many closed-off corners had never known a visitor. Counting the dates, today was the day for the palace banquet, but she shouldn't be here like this.

Before she could roll out of bed, a ragged cluster of footsteps approached the door, halting just outside. Then a voice spoke.

"Greetings to the Ninth Princess. This humble servant is here to offer congratulations."

Zhou Yao's brow furrowed in confusion. First she mysteriously wakes up in the palace, and now a servant spouts such cryptic words.

She straightened her garments, rose, and opened the door. Glancing at the kneeling servants with dismissive indifference, she addressed the lead eunuch. "And what is this congratulation for? If you can't give me a proper reason, I won't let it pass."

"Your Highness, you jest. It's simply that the Crown Prince, thinking of your sibling bond and noting how long it's been since you've met, has sent us to fetch you." The eunuch smiled falsely, his horsetail whisk swaying with each word.

The clear threat beneath his pleasant tone meant that if she showed an ounce of resistance, they would immediately resort to force. Zhou Yao's frown deepened, her face darkening. "Where is my royal brother? Kindly lead the way, eunuch."

Had she held any real power, she wouldn't be so easily cowed within these palace walls.

Satisfied, the eunuch nodded, seeming pleased with her compliance. "You are too kind, Princess. Please, follow me."

As she walked beside him, the scenery shifted. The intricate, overlapping patterns etched into the architecture told her exactly where she was.

The Crown Prince's residence.

She had fainted last night, hadn't she? How, then, had she woken up here? Could it be that Qi Yanhan's negotiations with the Crown Prince's faction had broken down, and they'd resorted to violence?

But that didn't fit. She had been taken away by Duyun... Duyun. Could he have conspired with the Crown Prince, striking in the shadows last night to use her as leverage against Qi Yanhan?

Yet, the more she thought, the less sense it made. Duyun was Qi Yanhan's own devoted protégé; without direct orders, he wouldn't have dared.

Zhou Yao kept her steps even, eyes lowered, quickly weighing her options. Lost in thought, she was already being swept into the inner hall by the crowd of eunuchs and maids.

The current Crown Prince hadn't been groomed as heir since childhood. Zhou Yu had once been the most forgettable of the princes. The previous heir, born to Empress, had died early under suspicious circumstances.

After that, the position sat vacant for ages. The year before Zhou Yao's betrothal, Zhou Yu earned merit on the frontier and secretly gained backing from the old Qi family, securing the crown.

By the time Zhou Yao snapped back to the present, she'd been led into the front hall—the place where the Crown Prince entertained his ministers. Her heart tensed; she truly loathed this scheming brother of hers.

The hall was lavishly arrayed; black and gold dominated every corner.

While not as imposing as the main audience hall, the sheer opulence rivaled any other structure. As she stepped inside, she saw the Crown Prince seated at the head.

Summoning a smile, Zhou Yao approached, bowed her head, and said, "Your humble sister Zhou Yao greets the Crown Prince."

"Dearest sister, you are too polite. Rise." Zhou Yu's words were detached, but his gaze flicked to the eunuch behind her.

No one in the hall moved, leaving Zhou Yao in her bow.

He toyed idly with a cup in his hands. "I've heard my sister has seen many curious things from the Western Regions lately. Just recently, the governor of Suzhou presented me with Buddhist scriptures and books on feminine virtues. Since you've been wed for some time and still have no heirs, I fear it lacks decorum for the imperial family. So, I'll have my people send them over later—do study them thoroughly and commit them to memory."

The last four words he bit off with deliberate weight. Zhou Yao had once agreed to help Qi Yanhan secretly investigate the governor of Suzhou for corruption, but Qi had never mentioned it again. Now, to connect that case to the Crown Prince...

This gift of women's virtue texts was a veiled warning—to remind her of her place as a woman and not to overstep.

"My brother, burdened with countless duties, still finds time to think of me. I am truly grateful. I shall accept this book on feminine virtues and read it diligently at an appropriate time... as you wish."

Zhou Yao gritted her teeth, forcing a smile as she accepted. The ache in her calves served as a constant reminder of the Crown Prince's hypocritical performance.

"Given my relationship with Yanhan, if you simply remain quietly at the Qi mansion, I won't trouble you. When the banquet begins, I trust you'll behave with proper dignity. The servants will take you to the side hall to change. But if..." Zhou Yu swept a cold glance over her. "...losing a wife of the Qi mansion wouldn't be of much consequence."

Zhou Yao's eyelids twitched involuntarily. She forced another smile.

She bowed once more. "My brother speaks too gravely. How would I ever oppose you? Surely there's some misunderstanding. If not for your plea to His Majesty back then, I'd never have enjoyed the life I do now."

"I've yet to offer my congratulations on your attaining your heart's desire." She quickly added, "I shall bear everything you've said in mind."

"As long as you know. You may go." The Crown Prince signaled for the servants to escort her out, just as he'd promised not to harm her. Only when she was back in the hallway did Zhou Yao exhale.

The eunuch's smile was utterly false as he said, "This way, Your Highness," leading her to a side chamber.

The palace was full of exquisite ornaments; at her current standing, Zhou Yao could secure some fine pieces. Though her arrival here had been unexpected, the Crown Prince's lavish taste was evident.

This excursion wasn't wasted after all—she'd observed that Qi Yanhan and the Crown Prince maintained far more private connection than expected, and she could even vaguely piece together their relationship.

From somewhere came the faint strains of orchestral music. Given the occasion, all officials would soon be entering. Following them came the tedious imperial protocols, and Zhou Yao truly didn't want to participate. In years past, she'd never been called upon for such banquets.

It wasn't so much a family gathering as a change of venue for courtly affairs.

Given yesterday's incident, her first priority was to find Qi Yanhan and demand an explanation, and also to warn him that the Crown Prince knew she was a spy. Yet there was still something nagging at her mind.

The Crown Prince's eunuch had long since retreated, leaving her to walk toward the main hall alone.

Past this corridor, then two more halls, would come the front hall. Zhou Yao, however, turned aside. In the corner of the palace diagonally opposite, two young maids were whispering. She paid them no heed and made her way to the front hall, but a few snatches drifted her way.

"Did you hear? The Grand Commandant Gu's family has come to the palace with their household—first time ever!"

Another maid replied, "Yes! If I'm lucky enough to say a few sweet words to the lady, I'll get a hefty reward. She's far more generous than many of the consorts."

The first maid jabbed her with an elbow, scanning the area, and hissed, "Hush! Don't speak such words if you want to keep your head."

The Gu family... Zhou Yao searched her memory. She knew little of them, only that they were exceedingly wealthy, though the exact extent had never been mentioned.

A short while later, she glimpsed the layout of the banquet. Invited guests included only the highest-ranking officials and prominent figures of Chang'an. Though a Crown Prince had been appointed, it hadn't dampened the lust for power or the hidden currents beneath the surface.

As usual, Zhou Yao sought a corner seat, but a palace attendant stopped her before she could sit.

A broad smile fixed on his face, he said in a honeyed tone, "Your Highness, your status has changed. Such a seat won't do." He gestured upward. "Please, take the seat of honor."

Zhou Yao glanced at the indicated spot—it was located near the top of the hall.

Apart from the royal household and imperial kin, the adjacent spot beside Grand Chancellor Qi was indeed fitting for a chancellor's wife. But she was long used to the shadows; being thrust into prominence felt alien.

Once all the invited guests had assembled, the Emperor finally emerged from behind a screen, surrounded by attendants. Everyone bowed, yet Zhou Yao noted that Qi Yanhan had not arrived.

Other senior members of the Qi family were present, and His Majesty was seated. Even with yesterday's disturbance at the mansion, such a grave absence today was a blatant show of disrespect.

The earlier hubbub of the court quieted to a hush. In the almost pin-drop silence, Zhou Yao could hear her own heartbeat; her palms grew slick with sweat.

Though the hall wasn't warm, she felt restless. Before the command to rise had even been given, the Emperor's steady voice rang out.

"Yao'er's husband has yet to arrive. Does he think so little of this banquet?"

The unexpected question made Zhou Yao's heart clench. She hadn't anticipated her father singling out Qi Yanhan, leaving her utterly unprepared.