Consort De's verbal order, though not an imperial decree, was not much less effective. Shen Lixue could not refuse and had no choice but to come to the palace to attend the chrysanthemum banquet.
"Brother Shen, as a man, you must have had many banquets and social engagements after you came of age. You'll get used to it eventually!" Lu Jiangfeng smiled slightly, picked up the teapot, and poured the clear, fragrant tea accurately into the white porcelain teacup on the table. The rising steam obscured his handsome face, creating a hazy, indescribable beauty.
Shen Lixue blinked. She felt uncomfortable, not because she disliked the crowd and noise, but because she didn't want to see Ye Qianlong. He was living a good life now, and she didn't want to disturb him.
"The Emperor has arrived! Consort De has arrived! Consort Shu has arrived!" The eunuch's distinctive high-pitched voice came from afar.
Everyone stopped talking, rose and bowed: "Greetings, Your Majesty, Consort De, Consort Shu, long live the Emperor, long live the Consorts..."
"My beloved ministers, you may rise!" The emperor, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat on the golden dragon throne, his majestic gaze sweeping over the many court officials, a slight smile on his face.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The officials rose and took their seats.
After settling in, Shen Lixue quietly looked up at the supreme ruler of Xiliang. He was about forty years old, with a very well-proportioned figure and standard features. There was a faint air of majesty and menacing between his brows, and his facial lines were very resolute. In his youth, he must have been an outstandingly handsome man.
To the emperor's left sat Consort Shu, dressed in a graceful light blue palace gown that accentuated her delicate beauty, gentle grace, and dignified demeanor. Her alluring eyes, though filled with silky charm, also concealed a hint of wit and pride.
To the Emperor's right sat Consort De. When Shen Lixue first saw her, she was drowning, her face pale, her hair disheveled, and her breath weak and on the verge of death. Now, she had recovered from her illness, her face rosy like a beautiful flower nourished by rain and dew. She was beautiful, dignified and virtuous, and her formal attire further accentuated her elegance and nobility.
As expected of outstanding daughters raised by noble families, Consort De and Consort Shu each have their own merits. Their speech and behavior are extraordinary, and they have many things under their control in their gentle conversation.
Looking further back, she saw a stunningly handsome face. He was dressed in a mysterious and noble black brocade robe, his long hair was tied up high with a purple-gold hair crown, and he was handsome and outstanding. His clean and clear eyes looked around the crowd as if searching for something.
Shen Lixue was startled and quickly lowered her head. The court officials and their families were scattered throughout the venue. The Zhenguo Marquis's residence was located near the royal family, but there were many people blocking her view, so Ye Qianlong should not be able to see her.
A eunuch, holding a whisk, walked over and, gathering his strength, chanted loudly into the air: "The Chrysanthemum Appreciation Banquet begins."
"The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet begins... The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet begins... The chrysanthemum appreciation banquet begins..." The commands were announced one after another. Eunuchs carried small cups and hurried into the venue, respectfully placing them before the Emperor, Consort De, Consort Shu, the Crown Prince, the princes, the ministers, and their families...
In October, chrysanthemums bloom everywhere, displaying a dazzling array of colors. Hundreds of chrysanthemums are also placed in the center of the venue, allowing ministers and their families to enjoy them at any time.
The crabs served at the Chrysanthemum Banquet are all live crabs caught from the water, cleaned of mud and impurities, and refined through dozens of processes by the imperial kitchen chefs, which speaks volumes about their deliciousness.
"At today's chrysanthemum banquet, please refrain from formalities and enjoy yourselves!" The emperor's words, spoken with a smile, carried a hint of authority.
The ministers respectfully agreed and bowed their heads to enjoy their delicious crabs.
Shen Lixue lifted the lid with her fair fingers, and a fragrant aroma wafted out, making one's mouth water. She scooped up a small spoonful of the delicious crab soup, put it in her mouth, and the crab flavor instantly filled her entire mouth. The taste was excellent.
Looking up discreetly, I saw that the ministers and their families were also eating crabs, their manners elegant and orderly, with faint smiles on their lips, as if they were savoring the finest delicacy in the world.
The aroma of crab wafted through the air, enticing people to savor it. Shen Lixue was about to continue eating crab when she caught a glimpse of a young eunuch out of the corner of her eye. His clothes and the whisk he carried were no different from those of an ordinary eunuch, but he slightly raised his head and looked in a gloomy direction.
Shen Lixue followed his gaze and saw Ye Qianlong, dressed in black brocade robes, elegant and composed. The little eunuch's strange eyes were fixed on the small spoon in Ye Qianlong's hand, and his young face kept changing expressions with every movement of his, his impatient look as if he was urging through gritted teeth: "Eat quickly, eat quickly!"
Everyone was enjoying the delicious crab, and no one noticed the little eunuch's unusual behavior.
The small spoonful of delicious crab soup was about to be fed to Ye Qianlong. The eunuch's eyes gleamed sinisterly, and his young face twisted with excitement. His fingers, gripping the whisk, tightened instantly, as if his conspiracy was about to succeed.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened, and she jumped up from the shore: "Your Highness, wait!" She didn't want to meet Ye Qianlong, but the incident happened suddenly, and saving lives was the priority, so she couldn't worry about anything else.
A clear, familiar voice rang in her ears, startling Ye Qianlong. She abruptly stopped eating the crab and quickly looked up. A young man in white robes with his hair tied up with a ribbon stood out among the seated crowd.
That bright face and clear eyes would appear in his dreams every day, but whenever he tried to hold onto her, she would vanish like a mirage.
But now, she stood in the sunlight, dressed in men's clothing. He knew it must be her. She was so close to him, so real. He was not dreaming. His clear eyes shone with intense joy. Li Xue! It was her, it really was her. She had come to see him.
"How dare you disturb His Highness the Crown Prince's enjoyment of crabs! Guards, drag him away and beat him severely..." The eunuch's distinctive shrill voice echoed in the air.
Ye Qianlong stood up with a flick of her sleeve and said angrily, "Shut up! She is my friend. I forgive her!"
As the crown prince of a country, Ye Qianlong is simple-minded, but he is also good at judging situations. Shen Lixue is dressed as a man and calls herself Shen Li, so he cannot rashly go up to her and acknowledge her.
The young eunuch was terrified and hurriedly bowed, admitting his mistake: "Your Highness, please forgive me, I have overstepped my bounds!" His eyes flickered unnaturally, whether from fear or some other reason.
"Hehe, Your Highness, you can't say that. Young Master Shen is your friend, and it's fine for him to speak loudly in private. But at the royal banquet, you are the Crown Prince, representing the entire Western Liang royal family. He is just a court official's family member. Their statuses cannot be compared. To reprimand Your Highness at will is disrespectful to the royal family." Consort Shu's alluring eyes flashed with a cold glint. Her light words, in the blink of an eye, condemned Shen Lixue to a serious crime.
“Xiao Li is always steady and wouldn’t make a fuss. There must be a reason why he raised his voice to reprimand His Highness the Crown Prince. Why don’t you listen to him and tell us why, Consort Shu?” Consort De, noble and dignified, glanced at Shen Lixue and affectionately called her Xiao Li, showing that she was on the same side as her and was protecting her.
The two most powerful concubines in the harem subtly engage in a power struggle, using Shen Lixue as a cover.
"Your Majesty is wise! There was something wrong with His Highness's bowl of crab. This humble subject was unable to stop him from eating it in time, and that's why I shouted to stop him!"
Shen Lixue's cold words struck like a thunderbolt, leaving everyone stunned and unable to move for a long time!
There's something wrong with His Highness the Crown Prince's crab! What happened?
Consort De glanced at Consort Shu, whose face was gloomy, and the corners of her mouth slightly turned up. She turned to look at Shen Lixue and softened her voice: "Xiao Li, is what you said true?"
"Your Majesty, this concerns His Highness the Crown Prince's life. How could I, a humble subject, dare to speak such nonsense!" Shen Lixue didn't know what had been done to the bowl of crab, but there was definitely something wrong with it.
The emperor's gaze was terrifyingly gloomy as he coldly stared at the bowl of crab: "Imperial Physician He, investigate the Crown Prince's crab!"
"Your humble servant obeys the decree!" A middle-aged man of about forty years old walked quickly to Ye Qianlong and placed a silver needle into the crab bowl.
All eyes were fixed on the silver needles, with people wondering if the crab had been poisoned. Was someone trying to poison His Highness the Crown Prince?
A moment later, under the watchful eyes of everyone, the imperial physician slowly took out the silver needles. Everyone's hearts were in their throats, their eyes fixed on the silver needles, eagerly awaiting the final result.
The silver needles gradually left the soup, refracting a bright silver light under the bright sunlight without changing color at all.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened. Why didn't her expression change?
"Your Majesty, the crab is not poisonous!" Physician He bowed and reported the test results.
"Is it really not poisonous?" The emperor narrowed his eyes, his tone cold.
"Your Majesty, I swear on my life, there is absolutely no poison!" Physician He was an old physician in the palace who had practiced medicine for many years. He had not noticed any poison in the bowl of crabs, nor had he detected any poison with his silver needles. He was absolutely certain that there was no poison in the crabs.