On the night of the eighth day of the tenth month, a grand banquet was held at the Left Chancellor’s mansion to celebrate Madam Pei’s fortieth birthday.
The weather that day was exceptionally pleasant, with a gentle breeze and warm autumn sunshine. A large theater stage had been erected early in the day at the side entrance of the mansion, with the sounds of drums and music filling the air. As the main feast was scheduled for the evening, no guests arrived between noon and sunset. However, the theater troupe performed continuously on stage, attracting throngs of common folk from the capital. They crowded around, eager to catch a glimpse of the grand celebration at the Chancellor’s mansion.
To mark the joyous occasion, as dusk fell, the mansion was adorned with lanterns and decorations both inside and out. Over a hundred attendants lined up on either side of the main gate, holding torches to form a long dragon of fire. Inside, maids flitted about carrying lotus-shaped palace lanterns, their light mingling with that of countless candles to illuminate the night sky. Accompanied by the sounds of gongs, drums, and flutes, along with songs and dances, the scene exuded an air of unparalleled wealth and elegance.
At dusk, Jiang Ci was “escorted” by several Long Feng Guards to a secluded side room in the rear garden of the mansion.
She entered the room with a pout, and An Hua greeted her with a smile, “Miss Jiang!”
Jiang Ci flopped down on an embroidered stool, tilting her chin up. “Let’s get on with it!”
An Hua smiled and said, “I don’t possess such skills to apply makeup and disguise for Miss Jiang. We’ll need to call upon ‘Jade Face of a Thousand Visages’ Granny Su for that.”
Jiang Ci had heard her junior uncle mention the name ‘Jade Face of a Thousand Visages’ before, and asked curiously, “Is ‘Jade Face of a Thousand Visages’ Granny Su in the capital too? Did your Chancellor invite her here?”
“Is there anyone in this world that my Chancellor can’t invite?”
As they spoke, the door to the side room was gently pushed open. A Long Feng Guard led in a hunched old woman with graying hair. An Hua stepped forward to greet her, “Granny Su!”
Seeing how frail and unsteady Granny Su appeared, Jiang Ci felt a twinge of disappointment. Seeming to sense her thoughts, Granny Su’s half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open, emitting a startling flash of light that made Jiang Ci jump. Only then did she believe that this Granny Su was no ordinary old woman.
The Long Feng Guard retreated outside the room. Granny Su took various disguise items from the bamboo basket she was carrying, including face powder, rouge, brushes, charcoal, and red and white clay. She methodically laid out all the items from her basket, then bent down to search for a moment before pulling out a silk scarf. She let out a soft exclamation, “Oh dear, it’s gone. This could be troublesome.”
An Hua, who had been sitting to the side monitoring the guard, quickly stepped over when she heard Granny Su’s words. “What’s wrong? Did you forget to bring something?”
Granny Su held up the silk scarf in front of An Hua and said weakly, “Look at this scarf—”
Before she could finish speaking, An Hua let out a big yawn, her body going limp as she collapsed to the ground.
Granny Su gave a sinister smile, crouched down to cover An Hua’s face with the scarf, then stood up and looked at Jiang Ci.
Jiang Ci watched in shock, and by the time she realized something was amiss, Granny Su had already moved with lightning speed to seal her acupoints.
Jiang Ci glared at Granny Su, who smiled as she took out a porcelain bottle from her bosom, and poured out several pills into her palm.
Jiang Ci inwardly cursed her misfortune, wondering why she had such bad luck this year. Not only had she made an enemy of a tree, but now she seemed fated to encounter poison as well. She regretted her momentary lapse in judgment that led her to climb the wrong tree.
Seeing the fear and anger in Jiang Ci’s eyes, Granny Su became even more pleased. Without laughing out loud, she reached out to support Jiang Ci’s chin, forcing the pills into her mouth. With a push and a stroke on her throat, the pills slid down, and Jiang Ci closed her eyes in despair.
Granny Su chuckled softly and leaned close to Jiang Ci’s ear, whispering, “Don’t worry, child. This poison won’t take your life immediately. You only need to take the antidote once a month to avoid dying from it. As long as you obey, someone will deliver the antidote to you every month.”
Jiang Ci’s eyes flew open in relief. Granny Su continued, “Pei Yan wants you to identify someone by their voice, doesn’t he?”
Jiang Ci nodded quickly.
“Listen carefully. That person will attend the birthday banquet tonight. If you want to keep your life, you must not reveal his true identity to Pei Yan. Even if you recognize his voice and know who he is, you must act as if nothing is amiss. If Pei Yan asks, you must say that the masked person you saw before is not this man.”
Jiang Ci nodded, then shook her head.
Granny Su seemed to understand her concerns and added, “Don’t worry, that person will find a way to prevent some officials from attending this banquet. That way, Pei Yan will suspect those absent officials instead of doubting that you recognized someone but didn’t tell him.”
Jiang Ci nodded, then shook her head again.
Granny Su said softly, “After tonight, Pei Yan will surely take you to identify the voices of these officials one by one. But they will either have some small issues at home and need to take leave to return to their hometowns, or they will have minor colds or throat problems. You just need to say you can’t hear clearly. After some time, you can say your memory is fuzzy and you’re not sure. Just do your best to confuse Pei Yan.”
Jiang Ci inwardly cursed but nodded with a face full of grievance.
Granny Su smiled with satisfaction and unsealed Jiang Ci’s acupoints, patting her head. “Such a good child. Granny likes you very much. Granny loves obedient children the most. If you continue to be this good, that person will send someone with the antidote for you every month.”
She bent down to help An Hua stand up straight, removed the silk scarf from her face, and lightly flicked her right middle finger. An Hua’s body shuddered slightly as she opened her eyes, thinking she had just blinked. She asked, “Granny, did you forget to bring something?”
Granny Su picked up a porcelain bottle from the table and smiled, “I found it. It was originally wrapped in this silk scarf. I thought I had forgotten it, but it had just fallen out.”
An Hua smiled faintly and stepped back to sit in a chair, closely observing as Granny Su applied makeup and disguise to Jiang Ci.
Although the Left Chancellor’s mansion had only a few days to prepare for this birthday banquet, its scale was unprecedented, with a gathering of the most illustrious guests. All the civil and military officials of the capital, as well as members of the royal family and nobility, were on the guest list. From sunset onwards, a steady stream of ornate carriages and fine horses arrived at the mansion’s gate, beneath colorful banners and canopies. Guests were announced by the mansion’s ceremonial officials as they entered through the west gate, with smartly dressed servants guiding them into the main garden.
In the main garden of the Chancellor’s mansion, nearly fifty tables had been set up, with four main tables placed inside the main hall, naturally reserved for the highest-ranking ministers and royal relatives.
At this time, the main garden was in full bloom with chrysanthemums, its pavilions lush with greenery. Lantern trees were placed throughout, and the soft sounds of string and bamboo instruments filled the air, creating an atmosphere of opulent luxury throughout the garden.
As the Chancellor’s mother preferred tranquility and had always lived in seclusion, avoiding the public eye, Chancellor Pei personally hosted the reception of guests. That night, Pei Yan wore a deep purple autumn robe embroidered with gold dragon patterns along the edges, cinched at the waist with a jade belt. He looked resplendent, his every movement graceful and elegant, his handsome demeanor even more striking than usual.
Jiang Ci, with her face darkened, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, was disguised as a young servant boy standing behind Pei Yan. Thinking of the two types of poison fed to her by the “cat” and the “crab,” she wished she could steam, braise, deep-fry, and roast them both before eating them. However, at this moment, she could only maintain an expressionless face as she followed behind Pei Yan, listening carefully to the voices of the guests.
Despite her resentment, she secretly admired both the “big crab” and the “faceless cat,” recognizing that neither were ordinary individuals. The “big crab” had come up with the brilliant plan of holding a grand birthday banquet to identify someone by their voice, while the “faceless cat” had anticipated this move and, instead of silencing her, had cleverly designed to have her poisoned. By boldly appearing at the banquet, he not only dispelled Pei Yan’s suspicions but also directed his attention towards the officials who hadn’t attended the banquet—truly killing two birds with one stone.
However, as these two battled fiercely, she had become collateral damage, poisoned twice over. Now she could only live day by day, unsure if she would ultimately survive. If she were to pass away and reunite with her master, it would be an unavoidable fate.
As she was lost in these thoughts, the guests entering the main garden were being led by the mansion’s servants to pay their respects to Pei Yan, offering blessings for Madam Pei’s longevity and eternal prosperity.
Pei Yan maintained a humble smile throughout, returning the greetings of each guest and exchanging a few words with everyone. Many officials seized this rare opportunity to flatter and curry favor with him.
That night, the congratulatory gifts received by the Chancellor’s mansion filled the gift hall, dazzling with their splendor. Only the gifts from the “clean stream” faction and some middle-ranking officials known for their integrity and non-partisanship were relatively modest. The Grand Academician of the Longtu Pavilion and father-in-law of the Crown Prince, nicknamed “Dong the Stubborn Stone,” Academician Dong Fang, didn’t even attend the banquet. He only sent a calligraphy piece with four large characters reading “Honest and For the People,” which greatly embarrassed the ceremony officials.
After all the guests at the entrance had paid their respects to Pei Yan and taken their seats, Jiang Ci still hadn’t heard the familiar voice she was listening for. Noticing Pei Yan’s sharp gaze sweeping over her from time to time, she could only shake her head slightly. Seeing that more than ten people had not yet arrived, Pei Yan steeled himself to wait patiently.
After a short while, Prince Zhuang and Prince Jing arrived one after another. Pei Yan went out to the main entrance to welcome the two princes, leading them to sit in the main hall. As he was exchanging pleasantries with them, suddenly the ceremonial official outside the garden loudly announced, “His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!”
Pei Yan was startled, not expecting the Crown Prince to personally attend his mother’s birthday celebration. He had guests far and wide but had not invited the Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince was nominally the ruler and he was the subject. While Prince Zhuang and Prince Jing could be invited, it was not appropriate to invite the Crown Prince.
He hurriedly rushed out to the mansion gate, kneeling to pay his respects. The Crown Prince helped him up, smiling, “This isn’t the palace, Chancellor. There’s no need for such formality.”
Pei Yan bowed and said, “Your Highness’s attendance to celebrate my mother’s birthday is too great an honor for this subject.”
The Crown Prince walked into the mansion with his hands behind his back, looking around as he went. “Chancellor Pei’s mansion is indeed exquisite. I’ve long heard that in the capital, both your mansion and Third Brother’s are unparalleled. Seeing it today, the reputation is well-deserved.”
Pei Yan smiled as he led the way. By the time they entered the main garden, the Crown Prince’s arrival had caused everyone to kneel. The Crown Prince laughed, “Everyone, please rise. Today is the Chancellor’s family celebration, I’m just here to join in the festivities. There’s no need for such formality. If it’s too rigid, it won’t be any fun!”
The civil and military officials were well aware of the Crown Prince’s temperament. This Crown Prince was known for his easygoing nature, bordering on weakness. His health seemed poor, and he often secluded himself in the Eastern Palace, frolicking with his consorts and concubines. When the Emperor assigned him tasks, nine out of ten would fail. If not for his father-in-law, Grand Academician Dong, repeatedly cleaning up his messes, he might have already been stripped of his title by the Emperor.
There were even rumors in the city that the Emperor had long intended to depose the Crown Prince and choose a more suitable heir from either Prince Zhuang or Prince Jing. In recent years, two factions had gradually formed in the court—those supporting Prince Zhuang and those backing Prince Jing. The overt and covert struggles between these two camps had intensified, with officials racking their brains to discern the Emperor’s intentions so they could align themselves with the right faction to secure their prospects.
Everyone had their thoughts as they stood up with forced laughter. The Crown Prince was delighted and entered the main hall, taking the seat of honor. He chatted and joked with Prince Zhuang, Prince Jing, the Right Chancellor, and others, completely at ease.
Pei Yan noticed that more than ten people had still not arrived, including officials from both his and Prince Jing’s factions, as well as those aligned with Prince Zhuang and the Right Chancellor. Among them was a key figure. As he was pondering this, he suddenly heard the familiar high-pitched voice of the Imperial Ceremonial Eunuch, Head Eunuch Wu: “Imperial Decree!”
The Crown Prince hurriedly stood up, and all the guests quickly prostrated themselves on the ground. Head Eunuch Wu, accompanied by several other eunuchs, entered the garden with a smile, unrolling the imperial decree in his hand. He called out in a loud voice, “Left Chancellor Pei Yan, hear the Imperial Decree!”
Attendants swiftly brought forward an incense table, and Pei Yan knelt, arranging his robes: “This subject, Pei Yan, humbly receives the Imperial Edict!”
“By the Grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Today, We hereby bestow upon the mother of Left Chancellor Pei Yan, née Rong of the Pei family, the title of Duchess Rong, with all the honors and privileges of a first-rank imperial consort. We also grant her a square of beautiful jade from Hotan, a branch of red coral from the Calm Sea, and a pair of emerald jade butterflies. So be it!”
The guests exchanged glances, perplexed. Madam Pei had no public reputation, and while it was not excessive for the Emperor to confer a title and bestow these priceless imperial gifts out of consideration for Chancellor Pei, it was puzzling why she wasn’t summoned to receive the decree herself, with Pei Yan receiving it on her behalf.
Some officials thought: Does the Emperor’s generous favor towards Chancellor Pei indicate that Prince Jing’s faction is set to win the struggle for succession?
Pei Yan remained prostrate on the ground, his expression hidden from view. After a moment, they heard him say softly, “This subject receives the decree and thanks His Majesty for his great kindness!”
Head Eunuch Wu handed the imperial decree to Pei Yan, smiling, “His Majesty has shown great favor to Chancellor Pei. The Chancellor must not fail to live up to the imperial grace.”
Pei Yan received the imperial gifts with both hands and carried them into the main hall, then quickly stepped out again.
Head Eunuch Wu cupped his hands and said, “There are pressing matters at the palace, so I must take my leave now!”
Pei Yan, who had always been on good terms with Head Eunuch Wu, hurriedly responded, “Let me see you off.”
The two exchanged smiles and were about to take their leave when a voice from outside the garden announced loudly, “Commander Wei of the Guangming Division is here!”
Jiang Ci, who had been closely following Pei Yan, found her attention wavering as the person had not yet appeared. But upon hearing that Wei Sanlang had arrived, her spirits lifted. She stretched her neck, eagerly looking toward the garden entrance.
However, Pei Yan was standing in front of her and was much taller, so she had to step to the right to get a better view. She was eagerly anticipating seeing Wei Zhao, known as Wei Sanlang and celebrated in the capital with the reputation of a “Phoenix.”
As she craned her neck to see, she suddenly felt something unusual in the atmosphere around her and couldn’t help but glance sideways. She saw that everyone in the garden had become silent and still, their eyes fixed intently on the entrance. The drum and music on the stage had stopped, and the performance had come to a halt. The garden was now eerily quiet, with everyone’s expressions a mix of anticipation, excitement, disdain, and fear—difficult to describe.
Jiang Ci was intrigued and was about to turn her head when familiar laughter reached her ears: “Wei Zhao is late; please don’t mind, Young Lord!”