Chapter 80: The Old Trick

Ji Heng arrived very late.

Yet even so, Emperor Hong Xiao showed no displeasure at all, as if he was well accustomed to it. Moreover, not even King Cheng, among others, dared voice any complaint.

Jiang Li took all this in. Many feared the Duke of Su not simply for his ruthless, unpredictable nature, but surely for other reasons as well. In the court, power often came with checks and balances—those who acted recklessly could be reined in by someone more powerful. Yet, it seemed that no one had yet appeared who could put the Duke of Su in his place. Even those aligned with the Dowager Consort Liu, known for their arrogance, dared not speak ill of him. Not even Princess Yongning said much in his presence.

In this world, those of lower rank fear those above them, and the high fear those higher still. Even as the Son of Heaven, Emperor Hong Xiao’s burdens were likely no lighter than those of the Duke of Su.

Jiang Li thought, to reach the heights of the Duke of Su—such a life must be satisfying. At least no one dared to insult or humiliate him.

This thought amused her, and she shook her head, banishing such idle musings.

After greeting Emperor Hong Xiao, Ji Heng found a seat, placed so close to King Cheng that they sat as equals. Jiang Li noticed that many young ladies, who had been casting admiring glances at King Cheng or Shen Yuyong, now shifted their attention to Ji Heng.

In terms of appearance, none of the men in the hall, even combined, could rival Ji Heng. Even the handsome features of Shen Yuyong or Ye Shijie seemed dulled beside his.

Such a person was destined to outshine all others, the moon amid a host of stars.

But Jiang Li, now, felt little delight in outward beauty. Once, Xue Fangfei had been the first beauty of Yanjing, yet even she could not withstand the temptations of wealth and glory. Beauty alone, it seemed, was not enough.

“The Duke of Su is highly favored by His Majesty,” Liu Xu whispered to Jiang Li.

“His Majesty has no true confidants,” Jiang Li replied with a smile. “He can only rely on the Duke of Su.” The Emperor’s position was precarious, with King Cheng’s faction eyeing the throne. In the past, King Cheng had shown some restraint, but now, with the Right Chancellor’s support, his faction was stronger than ever. On the other side, Jiang Li’s father, Jiang Yuanbai, as the leading civil official, commanded vast influence. The Jiang family might have no rebellious intentions, but to a weak emperor, their power was a threat.

With the three powers—the Yuanfu faction, King Cheng’s side, and Emperor Hong Xiao himself—Northern Yan was like a tripod, each leg essential. If Jiang Yuanbai were gone, the court’s affairs would likely grind to a halt. The Emperor needed Jiang Yuanbai to keep the court stable, but also had to guard against King Cheng’s schemes. Ironically, of the three factions, Emperor Hong Xiao’s was the weakest. Jiang Li felt sympathy for him.

Most officials split into two factions: those loyal to Jiang Yuanbai, the conservatives, and those to King Cheng, the ambitious wolves. Emperor Hong Xiao had few he could truly use. Even after seven years on the throne, his circle of confidants was small and not yet strong enough to rival the other factions. Under such circumstances, Ji Heng was the ideal choice.

First, he had his father’s old military force—the late General Ji Minghan’s men—giving him command over soldiers and real power. Second, his grandfather, the old general, had grown up in the saddle, fiercely loyal and above reproach, which gave the Emperor peace of mind. Third, Ji Heng himself, with his unpredictable temper and ruthless methods, was not easily bribed. He kept his movements mysterious, allied with neither the Jiang nor King Cheng’s factions—utterly clean and neutral.

Thus, it was only natural that Emperor Hong Xiao would value Ji Heng and treat him as a confidant.

But was Ji Heng truly content to play such a role? Jiang Li glanced at the young man in red. She could not shake the feeling that Ji Heng was not as capricious as people claimed; the reason for his inscrutability was not randomness, but that his thoughts were hidden too deeply.

Something felt off to Jiang Li about the relationship among the Emperor, King Cheng, and Ji Heng, though she could not say exactly what it was. It was certainly more complex than it appeared.

Before she could ponder further, Liu Xu tugged her sleeve and whispered, “The palace banquet is about to begin.”

As the banquet was about to start, everyone took their seats.

Jiang Li joined the Jiang family’s ladies, parting from Liu Xu, and sat between Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yuer. Jiang Youyao’s forced smile oozed with malice, making Jiang Li almost avert her gaze. If you don’t wish to smile, why force yourself in front of everyone?

Emperor Hong Xiao had not yet sat down. The Empress stood beside him, with Lady Li slightly behind but still at his side. Jiang Li’s eyes flickered; the Emperor’s favor for Lady Li was even greater than she had thought.

The Emperor said, “I hear the results of the official academy are out. The top scholars of the Imperial College and Mingyi Hall are both present. Who are they? Come forward so I can see what fine young men and women you are.”

Jiang Li and Ye Shijie stood up together.

Under the table, Jiang Youyao twisted her handkerchief in secret. Jiang Yuer watched Jiang Li rise, unable to hide her jealousy.

Ye Shijie walked into the hall, trying hard to appear calm but betraying some nervous stiffness. No one would criticize him for that—anyone who topped the imperial examinations was worthy of respect.

In contrast, Jiang Li’s composure stood out even more against Ye Shijie’s tension. She seemed utterly calm, as if facing family rather than the supreme ruler.

A hint of amusement appeared in Emperor Hong Xiao’s eyes.

Kong Liu, the young officer of the Imperial Chariots, was also present, sitting beside Ji Heng in his familiar armor. He whispered, “The little girl isn’t afraid at all. Quite impressive.”

Ji Heng shot him a sidelong glance and replied with a faint smile, “Obviously.”

After Jiang Li and Ye Shijie bowed, the Emperor signaled them to rise and first turned to Ye Shijie. “You are Ye Shijie?”

“At your service, Your Majesty,” Ye Shijie answered respectfully.

“I hear you come from a merchant family, yet your scholarship is outstanding and you topped the Imperial College exams—very impressive,” said the Emperor with a smile. “I see great promise in your ambition and will reward you accordingly. There is a vacant post in the Ministry of Revenue; I appoint you as Assistant Director. You will assume the position after the banquet!”

Ye Shijie was astonished and delighted, and quickly knelt in gratitude. “Your servant accepts the decree and thanks Your Majesty for your immense favor!”

Jiang Li, too, was surprised. She had not expected the Emperor to grant Ye Shijie such a position. Though it seemed modest, the role was highly coveted in Yanjing; many young scholars dreamed of such a start. First, it was a capital post—most graduates were assigned to the provinces in their first year, but Ye Shijie could remain in the capital. Second, it was a fifth-rank post. Even Jiang Yuanxing of the Jiang family’s third branch, after years of leveraging the family name, was only a seventh-rank official.

Ye Shijie, newly entered into officialdom, had already surpassed many!

Li Lian’s hand trembled on his cup. He had long seen potential in Ye Shijie and hoped to win him over, but for some reason, Ye Shijie had grown distant. Now, as expected, Ye Shijie had achieved remarkable success upon entering office, but their relationship was nowhere near what he had hoped. This would be difficult.

At the men’s table, Jiang Yuanxing’s lips twisted bitterly. Even a newly appointed youth now outranked him. No doubt Lady Yang would make a scene about it when they returned home.

Jiang Yuanping exchanged glances with Jiang Yuanbai, both understanding each other’s thoughts. After all, Ye Shijie was a relation of the main branch, and those who reached a certain rank always liked to promote their own. If Ye Shijie proved capable, giving him a helping hand now might bring rewards in the future.

Ji Shuran frowned slightly—she had not expected Ye Shijie to become Assistant Director. She would rather the Ye family remained obscure, so no one would remember Ye Zhenzhen, and she alone would be the Prime Minister’s wife. But thinking of what was to happen that evening, her worries eased. No matter how things stood now, after tonight, neither Jiang Li nor Ye Shijie would live to enjoy their new positions, and what did it matter if they caused discomfort for a moment?

After Ye Shijie thanked the Emperor, Emperor Hong Xiao turned to Jiang Li with a smile. “I have long heard that the Grand Tutor’s household has a distinguished young lady, but never had the chance to meet her. Are you Miss Jiang the Second?”

Jiang Li lifted her head and smiled. “Your subject’s daughter pays her respects to Your Majesty.”

Compared to Ye Shijie, she was far more composed, calm, and collected—showing not a hint of awe at meeting the Emperor.

Jiang Yuanbai, who had been anxious that Jiang Li might make a misstep, finally relaxed.

Jiang Yuanping murmured, “Elder brother, Li is remarkably steady.”

Jiang Yuanbai was momentarily stunned as well.

The Emperor looked at the girl before him. Her gaze showed neither fear nor disrespect—only a serene, pure clarity, reminiscent of a child’s eyes. Noticing the prayer beads at her wrist and recalling her eight years in a convent, he asked, “Do you often read the Buddhist scriptures? Which ones?”

“Your Majesty, I enjoy copying the scriptures in my spare time. I often read the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the Flower Garland Sutra, the Golden Light Sutra, and the Lotus Sutra,” she replied gently.

“No wonder you are so calm,” the Emperor said with a laugh. “You and the Empress Dowager would get along well.”

The Empress Dowager was known for her devotion to Buddhism; such praise was high indeed.

Jiang Li smiled in response, also studying the Emperor. Though only twenty-seven, he appeared older and more somber than his peers—no doubt due to the burdens of rule, especially in a kingdom not as peaceful as it might seem. Jiang Li could understand some of his cares.

The Emperor, too, was surprised. He had heard many rumors about Jiang Li, including accusations of murdering her mother and brother. But learning she had lost her mother young gave him a sense of shared misfortune, and he felt little aversion to her. Now, seeing her win the academy’s highest honor and witnessing her gentle purity firsthand, he found himself admiring her.

He said, “Minister Jiang, you have raised a fine daughter—a true jewel. As the top scholar of Mingyi Hall, she deserves a reward.” With a wave, a eunuch approached, bearing fine silks and reciting a long list of treasures.

It was all jewelry and precious things. Jiang Li listened with a headache; the Emperor could not grant her an official post, and to bestow a title like County Princess would be too abrupt. She had no affection for such finery, taking it calmly; but Jiang Yuer, hearing the list, could scarcely contain her envy.

Kong Liu commented, “See? Miss Jiang the Second is unmoved—truly a girl untouched by worldly things.”

Ji Heng’s lips curled with a touch of mockery. “She has bigger ambitions than these. Not everyone is as shortsighted as you.”

“Shortsighted? I can shoot a hundred paces!” Kong Liu retorted.

Ji Heng ignored him.

After receiving her reward, Jiang Li returned to her seat amid the envy of all. Ji Shuran praised her with a smile, “Li, you’ve truly brought honor to our family.”

“Second Sister is far more accomplished than me,” Jiang Youyao echoed.

Ji Shuran’s praise was expected—Jiang Li knew her stepmother’s habits. But Jiang Youyao’s forced flattery was surprising; she should have been silent and seething, like Jiang Yuer.

Jiang Li studied Jiang Youyao more closely and saw a glint of expectation and excitement in her eyes, which put her on guard.

No matter what, the banquet had to proceed. The dishes were plentiful, but Jiang Li had no appetite. Jiang Yuer, almost boastfully, explained each dish as if to prove her broader experience or to catch Jiang Li in a faux pas. But Jiang Li either handled each situation with ease or simply ignored the dish, foiling Jiang Yuer’s plans.

Eventually, Jiang Yuer lost interest in Jiang Li and focused on showing her best side, subtly angling herself toward the men’s table, trying to attract attention.

Jiang Li found such behavior laughable—no wonder third branch had achieved so little if this was their standard.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yanbang kept glancing in Jiang Li’s direction. As she was seated beside Jiang Youyao, others assumed he was looking at his fiancée, and teased him accordingly, though his mind was elsewhere.

His longing to break off his engagement to Jiang Youyao and marry Jiang Li had become an obsession. But the Marquis and Marchioness of Ningyuan were firmly opposed. Zhou Yanbang knew how absurd his wish was—how could a great family like the Jiangs tolerate repeated broken betrothals?

But Jiang Li was different now. Each time he saw her, he admired her more. She was unlike any other noble lady in Yanjing. The more distant she became, the more he wanted her. Now, after her examination success, her reputation had improved, and many noble families would soon turn their attention to her. During the Emperor’s commendation, Zhou Yanbang could sense that many young men in the hall were watching Jiang Li with admiration.

Talented, gentle, beautiful, the daughter of the Prime Minister, and now favored by the Emperor—she was one of the best matches in Yanjing.

Zhou Yanbang was restless, afraid to lose his chance. But his engagement to Jiang Youyao was set for the end of winter, and unless something changed, Jiang Li would slip away from him forever.

He was deeply unwilling.

Absorbed in watching Jiang Li, he failed to notice that his every move was being observed by another—Shen Ruyun.

Shen Ruyun was delighted to finally see her beloved, but her joy soon faded. Though she was near Zhou Yanbang, his gaze never once fell on her, but always on Jiang Youyao’s direction.

Shen Ruyun was heartbroken. Having once thought herself unworthy, she now had a scholar brother and status to match Zhou Yanbang, but he was engaged. Worse, she could clearly see the tender affection in his eyes when he looked at Jiang Youyao—proof that he, too, cared for her.

Shen Ruyun’s heart plummeted, her sorrow tinged with resentment and jealousy. She could only hope that some misfortune would spoil the engagement, so it would never come to pass.

Jiang Li found the food tasteless, her appetite gone at the sight of Shen Yuyong and Princess Yongning. Yet the banquet dragged on. The officials exchanged toasts and talked politics; the ladies chatted about household matters; the young men and women, separated by the long tables, stole glances at one another, quickly averting their eyes if caught, intending to inquire about each other later.

It was a vivid tableau of life, each group with its own customs.

King Cheng and Emperor Hong Xiao appeared brotherly and courteous, though undercurrents swirled beneath the surface. The Empress Dowager was serene as ever; the Dowager Consort Liu chatted with the Empress; Lady Li poured wine for the Emperor, a task not her own, yet she did it with natural grace.

On the tables stood delicate white porcelain vases of apricot wine. As the ladies rarely drank much, the palace served sweet fruit wine at night banquets—a gentle, non-intoxicating drink. In front of Jiang Li was only a cup of tea; she had not touched her wine. Ever since the affair at Madam Shen’s birthday, she had sworn off alcohol, thinking how differently things might have turned out if she had not drunk that fateful cup.

Alcohol leads to disaster; she would never again touch a drop, especially at such grand occasions.

Jiang Yuer, unaware of all this, seemed to love the sweet wine, drinking until her cheeks were faintly flushed, lending her a charm she did not usually possess.

At that moment, Ji Shuran smiled and asked, “Li, why not try the apricot wine?”

Jiang Li looked up to see Ji Shuran, with perfect ease, fill her cup and place it before her, smiling. “The apricot wine here is sweeter and lighter than ours—hardly intoxicating. It’s good for young ladies, especially in summer.”

Jiang Li glanced at her, sensing an inexplicable unease, as if some inner voice warned her not to touch the wine.

She trusted her instincts. “Thank you, Mother, but I cannot hold my drink.”

“This hardly counts as wine—it’s just sweet syrup,” Ji Shuran laughed. “You haven’t eaten much tonight. In this summer heat, a sip will do you good.”

A chill ran through Jiang Li. Her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of Shen Ruyun and her mother conversing nearby. Suddenly, a memory flashed through her mind—she recognized the look in Ji Shuran’s eyes; it was the same as Madam Shen’s at that ill-fated birthday banquet, and the smile that accompanied Xiao Deyin’s urging her to drink.

In that instant, Jiang Li nearly lost her composure.

Though the suspicion came suddenly, she was almost certain: Ji Shuran and her daughter were plotting against her, just as those others had at that earlier banquet. They wanted her ruined.

From a lowly clerk’s daughter to the Prime Minister’s child, reborn into a new life, she was facing the same trap once more.

She could not tell whether she felt more anger or absurdity. In the end, she wanted only to laugh coldly.

It was this very thing that had destroyed her in her previous life. Now, with different people enacting the same old scheme, she would not let them have their way.

Turning to Jiang Youyao, she smiled and said, “Third Sister hasn’t had any wine either.”

“Youyao cannot touch anything made with apricots,” Ji Shuran replied. “She’ll break out in hives if she does. She may seem uninterested, but I’m sure she’s craving it inside.”

Jiang Youyao pouted but said nothing.

Jiang Li understood: Ji Shuran had covered every angle. She feared some mishap might cause Jiang Youyao to drink by mistake, so she even invented this allergy.

But did Ji Shuran really think that as long as Jiang Youyao abstained, everything would go her way?

She was gravely mistaken.

Jiang Li smiled faintly. “Is that so? I never knew Third Sister couldn’t touch apricots. Thank you, Mother.” She took the cup, shielded her face with her sleeve, and sipped, then set it down, still half full.

Ji Shuran saw this and did not press her further, instead continuing to act the gentle, caring mother.

Jiang Li felt a coldness inside. She glanced at the men’s table just as Ye Shijie, too, was being urged to drink. Many came to toast him after his appointment; to refuse would be impolite. But Jiang Li noticed the eunuch pouring the wine was far too attentive. There were many young gentlemen present—Li Lian, Li Jing, Zhou Yanbang, Shen Yuyong—but the eunuch focused solely on Ye Shijie.

In all her years at such banquets, with the noise and revelry, no one ever noticed a junior eunuch’s behavior. But Jiang Li, having learned from Xue Huaiyuan to watch the details in complex situations, spotted it immediately.

And then it all became clear: Ji Shuran and her daughter had chosen Ye Shijie as her “partner in crime.”

It made sense. There was already a connection between her and Ye Shijie, since they were cousins. Her public defense of him could be twisted into evidence of a secret affair. Young people’s mutual affection was nothing, but to commit impropriety at a palace banquet would be a scandal.

She, as a woman, would be utterly disgraced, her efforts at Mingyi Hall wasted. For Ye Shijie, newly appointed, such a scandal would end his career and draw the Emperor’s wrath. The Ye family and Jiang Li would be at odds forever—marriage or not, only enmity would remain. In short, both she and Ye Shijie would be ruined.

Such a well-laid plan!

Jiang Li’s eyes hardened briefly, but she quickly lowered her head. When she looked up again, her smile was as pure and untroubled as ever.

Jiang Youyao, turning her head, suddenly noticed Jiang Li’s cup was empty. “When did you finish your wine?” she blurted.

“Oh,” Jiang Li replied, “it was sweet and delicious, so I drank it all. But one cup is enough—no need for excess.” She smiled.

Ji Shuran finally relaxed.

At the other end, Jiang Yuer set down her own cup.

—End of chapter—

Jiang Yuer: Surprised? Delighted?