Feeling uncomfortable under scrutiny, Yuer gently tugged on Mudan’s sleeve. “Young Mistress, perhaps you should take a seat? There are still many delightful performances to come.”
“Oh,” Mudan replied, scanning the venue. She realized the seating arrangements were deliberate. At the front were three cushioned seats. The central one was empty, but surrounded by Princess Qinghua’s servants—reserved for her as the highest-ranking guest. To the left sat Pan Rong and his wife, Lady Bai, with his group of beautiful concubines behind them. The right seat, meant for Mudan and Liu Chang, had been taken by Princess Qinghua.
Below, male and female guests were seated separately. The women’s section was already full, while the men’s still had space. Mudan couldn’t sit there. At the back, where she stood, there was only a lonely Chinese redbud tree with no seating nearby. She had nowhere to sit.
All eyes were on her, except for Liu Chang and Princess Qinghua. The musicians faltered, and dancers missed their steps. The gazes held various emotions: sympathy, schadenfreude, disdain, and mere curiosity. Yet no one moved to help her. Pan Rong even raised his cup in a mock toast. Lady Bai frowned at Liu Chang and Princess Qinghua but lowered her eyes. Mama Lin began to sob quietly, while Yuhe’s angry, heavy breathing was audible.
Perhaps everyone thought she should leave to avoid embarrassment. But if she retreated now, how could she ever show her face again? They were simply bullying her, assuming she was thin-skinned. Was that supposed to defeat her? Mudan smiled faintly at the crowd and gestured for Yuhe to spread the gold-embroidered brocade cloak she was carrying under the redbud tree. Then she sat down gracefully.
She had plenty of fine fabrics. If she couldn’t sit on a cushion, why not on gold-embroidered brocade? Sitting opposite that adulterous couple wasn’t so bad. What was a “seat of honor” anyway? Her solitary tree and makeshift seat seemed more like the place of honor. With the Green Waist Dance ruined, there was nothing left to see. Mudan sat there, calmly observing the crowd. They watched her, and she watched them back. She prided herself on her mental fortitude.
An eerie silence fell.
Everyone stared at Mudan, then at Liu Chang and Princess Qinghua. Whispers began to rise. Though the current dynasty was known for its liberal customs, and princesses often kept male favorites in private, this blatant flirtation in front of another man’s wife was too much. The man was cruel, and the woman was shameless.
Noticing the change, Princess Qinghua’s face flashed with anger. She pinched Liu Chang’s waist hard and hissed, “Your wife seems quite wealthy, dazzling everyone with that gold brocade. She’s quite clever too. What exactly does she want? Why hasn’t she left yet?”
Liu Chang cast a dark glance at Mudan. He slowly spooned a sugar and cheese-coated candied cherry from the gilded silver bowl before him, eating it leisurely. “With her staring like that, no one can enjoy themselves. Some people here know the He family well. That old fool will likely come demanding explanations tomorrow. How troublesome.”
Princess Qinghua’s lips curled into a cold smile. “How nice of you to say that. You’re just feeling sorry for her pitiful act. Fine, if she starts wailing in public, it’ll make you look bad too. I’ll go to my seat first.” She rose and went to the front, calling for the handsome youth in a foreign dress to massage her legs. She sipped her grape wine, her gaze fixed intently on Mudan.
Following Liu Chang’s orders, Xixia quickly approached Mudan and bowed. “Young Mistress, the Master says it’s chilly here. That cloak is too thin, and with your delicate health, it would be better if you sat over there.”
Summoned at will and dismissed at whim—was the purpose of her vigil truly just to compete with Princess Qinghua for a seat? Mudan smiled slightly. “Tell your Master that I’m perfectly comfortable here. If he’s truly concerned about my health, he can arrange another seat for me.”
Xixia was torn but couldn’t refuse Mudan. He bowed and retreated to relay her message to Liu Chang, who responded impassively, “Let her do as she pleases.” Xixia quickly went to prepare a new seat for Mudan.
Once seated, Mudan surveyed the table. A gilt silver platter with deer patterns held Hu flatbread stuffed with lamb. A gilded silver bowl contained cherries mixed with sugar and cheese. Glass cups were filled with grape wine, and a fine porcelain plate held white eels, a delicacy known as “soft snow in a bamboo basket.”
The tableware was exquisite and the dishes refined—a top-tier feast for the time. However, Mudan found the idea of cherries mixed with sugar and cheese rather odd. Seeing Yuer eyeing the food longingly, she casually handed the bowl of cherries to her attendants. “You can share these.” She also gave the white eels to Xixia.
Xixia beamed, eager to please. “Young Mistress, if you don’t like these, there will be sliced raw fish and mixed lamb later.”
Mudan knew about the raw fish but was unfamiliar with the mixed lamb dish. “What’s this mixed lamb?”
Xixia explained enthusiastically, “It’s a new recipe from the palace. They scald a goose to remove its feathers, then remove its organs and stuff it with meat and rice seasoned with five spices. Then they prepare a lamb the same way, put the goose inside the lamb, sew it up, and roast it. When it’s done, we eat the goose. The Master recently paid to learn this method and wanted everyone to try it today.”
Mudan sighed, “That seems quite wasteful.” Inwardly, she thought about how much money Liu Chang had, wondering how much he had taken advantage of the He family. She made a mental note not to let him keep a single coin of her dowry when they divorced. She then asked Xixia, “When will we start appreciating the flowers?”
Xixia smiled, “Young Mistress, that will begin after the guests have eaten and drunk their fill when they’re in a poetic mood.”
Seeing Mudan at ease, Princess Qinghua felt irritated. She shoved away the handsome youth and glared at Liu Chang. “Is she deliberately defying you? I remember she used to cry and follow you around at every opportunity. Now she’s so formidable, she’s even won over your servants.”
Before Liu Chang could respond, Lady Bai interjected calmly, “Perhaps she’s just too timid to approach. If she were to break down in tears as before, it would spoil everyone’s mood. This is better.” She then raised her cup to Princess Qinghua. “Qinghua, I’d like to propose a toast.”
Lady Bai, from a centuries-old noble family, was well-respected in aristocratic circles. Princess Qinghua didn’t dare to slight her, despite their usual coolness. She cheerfully replied, “Let’s drink together. You’re right. Although she’s an interloper, we shouldn’t let her ruin everyone’s enjoyment.”
An interloper? And you think you’re universally welcomed? Lady Bai smiled faintly, sipping her wine before standing. “Sitting all day gets tiresome. I think I’ll take a walk.”
Pan Rong shrugged, downing his wine. “Go ahead, whatever makes you happy.”
Lady Bai glanced at Mudan, then left the banquet area with a few of her maids.
As the effects of the wine set in, Princess Qinghua excitedly moved closer to Liu Chang. She clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention, then announced loudly, “I recently acquired a Hu Xuan dancer who’s quite skilled. Let me share this treat with you all.”
Who would dare refuse her show-off? Everyone eagerly agreed. A maid in blue laid a small round carpet in the center of the lawn and retreated. Princess Qinghua eyed the handsome youth and commanded, “Dance well for me.”
“As you wish, Your Highness,” the youth replied with a dazzling smile that rivaled any woman’s beauty. He stepped onto the carpet, and as the strings and drums began, he raised his sleeves and started spinning left and right like the wind. He leaped and pranced, never leaving the carpet, occasionally casting flirtatious glances at the female guests.
Seeing everyone captivated and praising the performance, especially the young girls blushing in the audience, Princess Qinghua grinned triumphantly. Pan Rong clapped his table, exclaiming, “Marvelous!” But before he could finish, a clear voice rang out, “Bravo!” He looked up to see Mudan’s animated expression, much to his surprise.
Not only Pan Rong, but even Yuhe, Mama Lin, and the others were shocked.
Mudan realized she had spoken out of character as soon as the words left her mouth. Her heart raced, but she maintained her composure. She decided to lean into her excitement, telling Yuer, “I rarely attend such banquets. What a loss! This dance is truly spectacular!”
Yuer, seeing Mudan’s flushed face and sparkling eyes, nodded in agreement. “Of all the dancers this servant has seen, he is indeed the best.”
“This? It’s nothing but a distraction!” A disdainful laugh accompanied these words as a young man in his early twenties approached. He wore a white silver robe with floral patterns, wrinkled boots, and a gauze headpiece. His lips were red, and his teeth were white.
Upon seeing him, Mudan’s anxious heart finally settled. She quickly signaled to Yuhe and rose to greet him happily. “Cousin, I thought you weren’t coming.”