The carriage moved slowly. Though seemingly modest from the outside, the interior of the blue-curtained carriage was extremely comfortable.
Yu Jin reached for a piece of fruit on the small table and took a bite, smiling as he looked at Jiang Si.
This trip to the palace would not be peaceful, but he wasn’t afraid at all. On the contrary, he felt a sense of eager anticipation.
He had never been one to overthink or be overly cautious. Since he had set his sights on that position, the sooner the obstacles on his path revealed themselves, the better. Once he dealt with them all, his goal would be nearly achieved.
The excitement in Yu Jin’s eyes made Jiang Si shake her head and smile, “Knowing there might be trouble, why do I feel like you’re looking forward to it?”
Yu Jin tossed the fruit back onto the plate and grinned, “It’s not just anticipation, it’s impatience.”
Jiang Si couldn’t help but laugh.
In the struggle for succession, the road ahead was full of thorns, but Ajin’s positive attitude made her feel much more at ease.
“Still, we should be careful. Don’t be careless.”
“Don’t worry, and you be careful too.”
As they talked, they arrived at the Imperial City.
The Empress Dowager’s birthday was usually a grand event second only to the Emperor’s birthday. However, the Empress Dowager had not liked grand celebrations for many years. This year, citing poor health, she only set up a family banquet in the Changsheng Palace, attended only by members of the imperial clan.
Yu Jin got out of the carriage first and extended his hand to help Jiang Si down.
Just as Jiang Si steadied herself, a voice called out, “What a coincidence, meeting Seventh Brother and Seventh Sister-in-law here.”
They turned to see Prince Qi standing not far away, a faint smile on his face.
Prince Qi quickly walked over, “Seventh Brother, let’s go in together.”
Yu Jin gave him a long look, then suddenly stepped forward and lowered his voice, “Fourth Brother is persistent in offering warmth to those who are cold towards you.”
“You—” Prince Qi, despite his good upbringing, was almost overcome with rage upon hearing these words, nearly losing his composure on the spot.
Yu Jin, on the other hand, put on a gentle smile, “Wasn’t Fourth Brother suggesting we go in together? You’re the elder brother, please, after you—”
He raised his voice slightly, immediately attracting the attention of some of the arriving nobles and royals.
Prince Qi’s anger was instantly stifled.
With so many people watching, even if Seventh Brother had no shame, he still had his reputation to consider. If the two brothers started arguing at the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration, how would it look if word got back to their father?
While Prince Qi was trying to suppress his anger and hadn’t moved, Yu Jin said with a smile, “Fourth Brother is too polite. Then this younger brother will shamelessly go in first.”
By the time Prince Qi reacted, Yu Jin had already walked away with Jiang Si.
Prince Xiang, who arrived a step late, came over, “Fourth Brother, what happened?”
Prince Qi’s expression returned to normal, though his eyes were as cold as ice. He said lightly, “Nothing. Eighth Brother, let’s go in too.”
Prince Xiang glanced at the retreating figure and asked in a low voice as they walked in, “Fourth Brother, did that bastard provoke you again?”
Prince Qi glanced around and lowered his voice, “Eighth Brother, mind your words.”
With so many people around, it wouldn’t be appropriate for others to hear Eighth Brother calling Seventh Brother a bastard.
Prince Xiang shook his head, “Fourth Brother, you’re too good-tempered, too tolerant.”
Prince Qi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and he whispered almost inaudibly, “What’s the use of temporary forbearance?”
In his view, his current forbearance was worthwhile if it could exchange a moment’s patience for a lifetime of honor. Once he succeeded, he would no longer need to endure.
He saw Seventh Brother’s arrogance as childish, believing that sooner or later, there would be a day of reckoning for his current foolishness.
As Prince Qi thought this way, his anger gradually subsided.
Just then, Yu Jin glanced back, meeting Prince Qi’s gaze. A mocking smile flashed across Yu Jin’s lips.
Prince Qi’s steps faltered, and the anger he had just suppressed nearly flared up again.
“Asi, I’ve discovered that Fourth Brother is quite talented,” Yu Jin said.
Jiang Si turned her head to look at Yu Jin, “How so?”
Yu Jin chuckled softly, “Even after what I just said, he managed to suppress his anger. Don’t you think he’s especially talented at self-consolation?”
He knew exactly what that coward was thinking – no doubt believing that enduring for now would allow him to settle scores later. But he didn’t realize that once you get used to enduring, you’re only fit to be a turtle hiding in its shell. How could he still dream of soaring in the nine heavens?
“You’ll see, even if there’s trouble today, that coward Fourth Brother won’t dare to act himself.”
Jiang Si giggled softly, “You seem to understand Prince Qi thoroughly.”
Yu Jin sneered, “I’ve seen plenty of people like him.”
“Ajin, if that’s the case, you should be wary of Prince Xiang,” Jiang Si leaned closer and whispered.
Yu Jin nodded slightly, “Don’t worry, I know.”
Eighth Brother must still be harboring resentment over the matter of the Empress’s adopted son. With a little provocation from Fourth Brother, he might very well choose to make a move today.
Thinking of this, a cold smile played on Yu Jin’s lips.
A fool who couldn’t even clean up after himself was now jumping up and down – was he afraid Yu Jin’s life was too boring and wanted to provide some entertainment?
He was truly looking forward to it.
“The Prince and Princess are truly a loving couple,” a man nearby said with a smile.
Yu Jin glanced at the man, recognizing his identity.
The speaker was the eldest son of the Prince of Kang, known as the Young Prince of Kang.
Though they weren’t close, since the other party was so polite, it was worth acknowledging.
Yu Jin thus showed a hint of a smile and greeted him in return.
In the Changsheng Palace, the banquet was already set up. Men sat on the left side, women on the right. Since they were all from the same clan, there was no need for strict separation, only a yard-wide aisle was left in the center for people to pass through.
As for leaving space for dancers to move about – those who had attended Princess He Fuqing’s eye-recovery celebration all shook their heads.
That was completely unnecessary. Remembering that banquet still sent chills down their spines. The dancer who had killed the Fifteenth Princess had been able to poison her undetected precisely because she could dance freely among the nobles.
The palace had learned from the lesson of that banquet. Today, the stage was only at the front of the great hall.
Below the high platform where the Emperor, Empress, and Empress Dowager sat, there was a circular brocade carpet. When the palace banquet began, the dancers could perform on this carpet to entertain, but they were not allowed to step off it.
Many people, looking at the beautiful women singing and dancing lightly on the brocade carpet, nodded in approval: Yes, this was much safer.
Some young nobles who weren’t clear about the incident at that previous banquet grumbled quietly, “This is so boring.”
Someone nearby scolded in a low voice, “What do you know!”
No matter how boring it might be, it was better than being dead.
First, the Fifteenth Princess was poisoned at a palace banquet, then Prince An was assassinated on Mount Cuiluo. Now, attending any royal banquet was nerve-wracking.
But looking at today’s arrangements, it should pass safely. Moreover, this was the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration; surely no one would be brazen enough to cause trouble.
Emperor Jingming, sitting on the high platform, surveyed all this and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
His eyelid wasn’t twitching, his heart wasn’t racing, and most importantly, the dancers couldn’t move around freely. Today would surely go smoothly.
Thinking this, Emperor Jingming relaxed and turned to chat with the Empress sitting beside him.
“I heard that even the brocade carpet was personally selected by the Empress. The Empress has gone to great lengths.”
Under the gaze of many, the Empress smiled modestly, “It was my duty.”
As the imperial couple were speaking privately, a court eunuch’s voice rang out: “The Empress Dowager arrives—”