It was just that the others didn’t know. She had long been unique in his mind.
Qin Yunuan knew that he was talking about her. She met Leng Changxi’s gentle, sea-like eyes. At that moment, her heart was extremely peaceful. This kind of tranquility had never been seen in the mansion of Grand Commandant.
Sima Xiu smiled and praised, “General Leng’s vision is really unique and insightful.” Followed by his sentence, Eunuch You smartly came back and said that the banquet seats were ready.
Sima Xiu originally wanted to stop the topic just now cleverly. But he didn’t expect that Saichun still didn’t want to let it go. The children of the grassland were born to be stubborn and straightforward. Now that she heard Leng Changxi’s words, Saichun got angry for no reason. She stood up, broke free of the maid who pulled her down and shouted towards Leng Changxi, “Is that what you mean? That I’m not strong and clever enough for you.”
Wanyan Su knew that his sister was a stubborn woman, but he didn’t expect that she was as bold and carefree as in North Di. This was Qi, which was in war with North Di for decades. They were supposed to take extreme caution in this visit. He didn’t want to ruin all his efforts because of his ignorant sister.
He strode forward and held the somewhat impulsive Saichun, then apologized to Sima Xiu and Leng Changxi, “My sister is used to being open-minded in the grassland, and Khan has always loved her much. Please forgive her for talking nonsense, Emperor of Qi and General of QI.” As he spoke, Wanyan Su held a thin silver needle in his fingers and squeezed it into Saichun’s neck.
It was soaked with the most powerful anesthetic. It was often used when hunting large preys on the grassland and it was very effective.
Leng Changxi just nodded slightly. How could Wanyan Su’s little action hide from him? But it was none of his business, so he didn’t bother checking it.
“My sister was tired from the travelling. She must be sleepy,” Wanyan Su held the drowsy Saichun and bowed to Sima Xiu, “Please allow me to send my sister back to her tent first, then I will drink and talk with you, Emperor.”
Sima Xiu was rather satisfied with such a result, so he nodded and his tone was quite polite.
Sima Han hadn’t appeared, from the shooting range to the banquet seats. Qin Yuzhao seemed to be a bit impatient.
“Where’s the silly big guy? Did something happen?” Qin Yuzhao was extremely unsettled in her seat. She pulled Tong to let her peel the chestnuts for herself, and then leaned against Qin Yunuan’s shoulder, asking her about the situation of Sima Han.
The banquets of the hunting grounds were arranged in the style of a grassland bonfire. The open seats were surrounded by thick and smooth beige canvas around thick oak pillars. With the mahogany table and no chairs, so the floor was only covered by thick blankets and everyone was sitting on the floor. Empress Chen was considerate enough to add a layer of cool jade cushion to each blanket, and the roasted whole sheep was also grilled first outside before delivered in.
Qin Yunuan sat with a group of women on the periphery, a very unobtrusive position, but she could see the inner situation clearly.
Because of Qin Yuzhao’s disturbance, the jade cushion under her butt had been rubbed out of the seat. Qin Yunuan picked it up for her, just to see that Maner, who had just been sent by her to investigate the news, came back.
“How’s it?” Qin Yunuan asked while pretending to let Maner add fruit wine for her.
“Just as Third Miss guessed, the Fourth Prince has been put under house arrest by Imperial Concubine Duan. However, Imperial Concubine Duan just has told the Emperor that the Fourth Prince is unwell and needs rest.”
“Unwell? Sure enough,” Qin Yunuan took a sip of fruit wine, “I knew something wrong when I saw Imperial Concubine Duan’s look at the Fourth Prince last time in the palace. Although she was usually very gentle and motherly, but right when the Fourth Prince overturned that plate of snails, the flash of cruelty in her eyes was almost like coming from a different person.
The more extreme people have more secrets. Recalling that last time Sima Han told her that Imperial Concubine Duan would rather let Imperial Concubine Yu finish up the snails, Qin Yunuan was more certain that the miscarriage of the child of Imperial Concubine Yu had something to do with Imperial Concubine Duan.
She couldn’t do it alone. After all, it was not the snails but the clams that really caused Imperial Concubine Yu’s miscarriage. The scapegoat Imperial Concubine Xian, Sima Ray whom Imperial Concubine Xian kept looking at, Empress Chen who told Sima Ray what to do. All the dots were connected.
Qin Yunuan looked up at the dignified and graceful mother of a country sitting next to Sima Xiu. She was smiling gracefully and asking Wanyan Su if he could get used to living in Qi. She was so gentle as if she were shining glamour. Together with Sima Ray, they walked flexibly in the heart of every officials, leaving people with the image of the gentle mother and the filial son.
Qi emphasized on family integrity, and this pair of mother and son was obviously more pleasing than Imperial Concubine Yun and Sima Ruo.
Like attracts like, Qin Yunuan sneered in her mind.
“Third sister, where’s the silly big guy?” Qin Yuzhao had asked this question countless times tonight already.
Qin Yunuan glanced at Maner, and Maner nodded firmly.
“He’ll be here immediately. You can rest assured.” Qin Yunuan patted Qin Yuzhao’s little hand gently, comforting her. Subconsciously, she put her sight far away, towards Leng Changxi, who was sitting on the opposite side with fingertips rubbing the wine container rhythmically but didn’t drink. It seemed to be telepathic that at the moment when Qin Yunuan’s eyes cast on him, Leng Changxi also turned back with a tender smile. Qin Yunuan’s heart felt warm.
Tonight the banquet was quite exclusive. The attendees were mostly the women in the harem, princesses and noble ladies in the Royal City like Qin Yunuan. Wanyan Su was talking comfortably, with some laughing and some timely comments. Everything seemed harmonic.
Right when the people were tipsy, there was suddenly a loud and firm shout coming from outside, “Bad mother, how can you shut me up?”
As he spoke, Sima Han had rushed in from the outside, with sweat on his head. He kept on talking about Imperial Concubine Duan, “It’s hot in the tent and there’s no food. Mother, you don’t love me anymore. I was merely telling you that I wanted to bring the fairy sister back to the palace.”
Imperial Concubine Duan’s expression changed immediately. She clearly sent a few tall and strong guards to guard the door. But beyond her expectation that even so, the silly Sima Han escaped.
“Oh, sister, why did you lock the Fourth Prince up?” Imperial Concubine Yun’s sweet voice was very handy when it came to say such harsh words, “Look at the weather, how hot must it be in the tents. Surely you’re not distressed because he’s not your biological son.”
Empress Chen came forward and said, “It’s not a day or two for sister Duan to take care of the Fourth Prince. Maybe the Fourth Prince was causing troubles again. Now that there are guests from far away, sister Duan really has no other way.”
“Alas, the Empress is so forgiving, and you always think about sister Duan. It’s my bad.” Imperial Concubine Yun bowed, but her voice was indeed teasing the Empress’ hypocrisy to always be the nicer one.
Sima Xiu only glanced sideways at these grumpy women. He frowned and said to Sima Han, “Your mother has said that you’re unwell, and you’ve performed so many tricks on the horses when you get here. You need some rest. It’s good for you.”
Sima Han shouted immediately, “How is it good for me? Father, look at your son. I’m alive and kicking. I don’t know how I am unwell. It’s all my mother’s bad. I heard that there’s roasted whole sheep tonight, but mother is selfish. Last time, she won’t let me eat the snails of Imperial Concubine Yu. This time, she won’t let me eat the sheep that the North Di prince brought from the grassland.”
Sima Xiu’s complexion immediately changed when the previous incident was mentioned. Losing a child had already made him heartbroken, and now Sima Han was still fooling around about it. Consequently, his tone got a little tougher, “Among all my sons, you’re the most disobedient and worrying one. Now that there are guests from afar, your mother is doing the right thing. You should be kept away.”
Hearing Sima Xiu said such angry words, Imperial Concubine Duan was relieved. She took a quick enquiring glance at Empress Chen, and got a look which was telling her to rest assured. Then she naturally gathered the anger on her face and said motherly, “Han, look at you, why did you come out again? Alas, as soon as you get tired, your temper get worse. Now, apologize to your father.”
“No,” Sima Han continued to shout, “Mother, you just don’t like me. You don’t give me anything good to eat, but you saved a lot of roast goose, fruits and candles on the seventh day of July every year and headed for Weiyang Palace to eat them secretly. I don’t like mother anymore.”
The seventh day of July? Weiyang Palace?
This was the second time Qin Yunuan heard the date and the name of the palace. The last time was in her previous life. She tried to recall it and suddenly remembered it. The Queen Mother had given birth to a princess besides the current emperor. The previous emperor named her Yuanhe, and she was the eldest princess of Qi. As for the Weiyang Palace, it was where Princess Yuanhe lived before she went for the political marriage in West Xia. Later, Princess Yuanhe was separated from the group on the way to West Xia. The Queen Mother was heartbroken. The previous emperor had sent three thousand of the Meng Army to search for her in West Xia, but they found nothing. Yuanhe just simply went missing.
The seventh day of July was more of a bizarre day. On that day, the rain was pouring, but Weiyang Palace, which had been idle for a long time, had a fire on this wet rainy day. The fire burned for three days and nights before it was extinguished. The Weiyang Palace had also been completely burnt down. And the Weiyang Palace today was reconstructed exactly after that day according to the original drawings.
The Queen Mother missed her daughter, and the emperor was distressed by his sister. After the reconstruction, the Weiyang Palace was heavily blocked. Except for the emperor and the Queen Mother, who occasionally went in remembrance, no one else was allowed to enter. Especially on the seventh day of July every year. The emperor even executed a concubine who strayed into Weiyang Palace by mistake.
And now, Sima Han’s seemingly unintentional shouting had pushed Imperial Concubine Duan into the middle of the storm. Why would Imperial Concubine Duan appear in Weiyang Palace on the seventh day of July every year?
