Two days later.

The flower-viewing banquet took place as scheduled.

Empress Xu had assigned every minor task to the female officials around her, and they did not disappoint her expectations, preparing everything in meticulous order.

The banquet was held beside a rockery in the Imperial Garden. Next to the rockery lay a clear pool stocked with many precious fish. Around the pool grew a ring of weeping willows, their long branches swaying gently in the wind with a soft, alluring grace.

Beside the willows stood a large pavilion, with several tables and chairs set both inside and around it. The tables were laden with fresh fruit and a variety of tea cakes.

A few musicians sat on the other side of the rockery, playing a melodious tune. With the rockery between them, the music was neither too loud nor overwhelming, yet it added a touch of leisurely atmosphere.

The consorts entered the pavilion together with Empress Xu and took their seats. Those of slightly lower rank could only sit a bit further away outside the pavilion. Fortunately, the surrounding trees provided ample shade, blocking out most of the sun.

Behind each consort stood two maids, each holding a flowerpot covered with a gauze cover made of light silk, so that the true appearance of the peonies remained indistinct and hidden from view.

The consorts looked around, sizing things up, chatting and laughing softly among themselves — it was all rather lively and amusing.

Empress Xu cleared her throat and said calmly, without hurry, “Everyone, settle down for a moment. I personally invited His Majesty yesterday, and he has already promised that he would definitely come to today’s flower-viewing banquet. Please be patient and wait a little while.”

No sooner had she finished speaking than a eunuch attendant came running to report, “Reporting to Her Majesty the Empress — His Majesty has arrived!”

Empress Xu quickly rose to her feet, and the consorts likewise stood up, following her to receive the Emperor.

Whenever the Emperor traveled, even within the palace, the procession was never small. Eunuchs, maids, and guards surrounded him in a grand, sprawling retinue.

“This consort greets His Majesty,” Empress Xu said, bowing respectfully. The consorts’ voices were even more sweet and charming.

“Empress, there’s no need for such formality. All of you beloved consorts, please rise as well!”

The Emperor had fallen seriously ill earlier in the year and had been recuperating ever since. On the surface, he appeared to have recovered, but in truth his health remained frail, his face still carrying a sickly pallor.

The consorts naturally would not speak the plain truth. Once seated, they could not help but vie with one another to flatter him. One said, “His Majesty’s health has recovered so well, this consort’s heart is overjoyed,” while another said, “His Majesty looks in such excellent spirits today, this consort is truly delighted.”

Each one outdid the last in charm and allure. Watching them, the Emperor was greatly pleased. “Today’s flower-viewing banquet truly lives up to its name. All of you beloved consorts compete with your flowers, and today I shall come admire them and judge the Queen of Flowers. Such an elegant affair truly suits my taste.”

Both “competing with flowers” and “admiring flowers” carried a double meaning.

The consorts feigned shy bashfulness on the surface, but inside, each was eager to give it a try.

A flicker crossed Empress Xu’s phoenix eyes as she said with a smile, “Since His Majesty is in such fine spirits today, everyone must perform well and not dampen his mood. Lady Wang, didn’t you say you had new peony varieties for us to admire? Why don’t we start with you?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward her at once.

Lady Wang, who loved nothing more than to be the center of attention, did not decline. She rose with a beaming smile. “Then this consort will go first and show what little she has.”

Her confidence and self-assurance stirred everyone’s curiosity.

Lady Wang led two maids to the center of the pavilion and lifted the first gauze cover, revealing a pot of pink peonies. “This one is called Yinfen Jinling.”

Everyone looked closely and could not help bursting into praise.

This Yinfen Jinling had four blossoms on a single stalk. The tender pink petals layered one over another, like a beauty freshly made up, shy and radiant — truly a rare treasure.

Lady Wang felt secretly pleased with herself, and said with a smile, “Lovely as Yinfen Jinling is, it’s not as rare as this pot of Lantian Jade. Please, Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress, take a look and judge for yourselves.”

With that, she lifted the second gauze cover.

This peony turned out to be an extremely rare shade of blue. Its petals were soft and full-bodied, gleaming with a mysterious, captivating hue in the sunlight. Whether by design or by coincidence, Lady Wang too was wearing palace robes of blue that day, and standing beside the peony, she looked especially charming.

“This name, Lantian Jade, truly suits it well,” the Emperor said, glancing at Lady Wang a moment longer and praising her with a smile.

Lady Wang’s heart swelled with delight. She offered her thanks and withdrew.

Empress Xu gave an inward huff. No wonder Lady Wang had been so brazen this year — she had actually managed to grow a rare peony like Lantian Jade.

Fortunately, Ling Jingshu had grown Luoyang Brocade — otherwise this year’s Queen of Flowers might really have been snatched away by Lady Wang, and where would that have left the dignity of an empress like herself?

Once Lady Wang’s two new peony varieties were brought out, the other consorts could not help feeling secretly disappointed. The peonies they had prepared were also the result of careful effort, but compared with this Lantian Jade, they inevitably paled by comparison.

Shou’an Red, Imperial Robe Yellow, Gold-Inlaid White Jade, Purple-Veined Jade… pot after pot of beautiful, vivid peonies were presented before everyone, almost too many to take in at once.

Unfortunately, every one of them fell slightly short of Lantian Jade.

The look of self-satisfaction in Lady Wang’s eyes grew ever stronger as she said, with feigned respect, “I wonder what kind of peony Your Majesty has prepared this year?”

Empress Xu smiled without revealing anything. “Rui Lian, Jingshu, the two of you come stand in the middle and let everyone see the peonies you’re holding.”

Mindful of her own status, Empress Xu naturally could not present her flowers the way an ordinary consort would, and so simply had the female officials beside her carry the peonies forward instead.

Rui Lian and Ling Jingshu, smiling brightly, carried their flowerpots and stood in the center of the pavilion.

Everyone felt their eyes light up at the sight.

Rui Lian was the most trusted person at Empress Xu’s side, and her looks and bearing were every bit a match for the consorts present. Everyone there knew her well already.

The young woman beside Rui Lian, however, surpassed even her in looks. Though wearing no makeup at all, her radiance was striking. Dressed in pale green palace robes, she stood there looking lovely and fresh, a smile at the corners of her lips.

The Emperor, who loved beauty above all else, could not help asking upon seeing such a striking woman, “Empress, who is this female official? Why have I never seen her before?”

Empress Xu said with a smile, “Her surname is Ling, given name Jingshu — she is the niece of Lord Ling of the Ministry of Works. I took a liking to her at first sight and summoned her into the palace to keep me company. When she entered the palace earlier this year, Your Majesty’s health was still weak. These past months she has been tending the flowers and plants in Jiaofang Hall the whole time, never venturing out, so it’s no wonder Your Majesty has never seen her.”

“The two peonies presented today have both been carefully tended by her as well. Your Majesty might enjoy taking a closer look.”

With that, she instructed Rui Lian, “Rui Lian, lift the gauze cover.”

Rui Lian acknowledged respectfully and lifted the gauze cover. “This peony is called Xiangyu.”

The Emperor’s gaze swept past Ling Jingshu’s lovely face and settled on the peony in Rui Lian’s hands.

Xiangyu was a soft, light pink, its blossoms large and radiant.

Everyone offered their praise in turn. With peonies, larger blooms were considered more beautiful, and this Xiangyu’s flowers, larger than the rim of a bowl, were indeed a rare sight. As for its fragrance, with so many peonies gathered together, the air was already too thick with scent for it to stand out.

Next, it was the turn of the peony in Ling Jingshu’s hands.