The old gentleman had sold enough of the case and slowly spoke up, “It all started two years ago at the Spring Banquet. The Spring Banquet has always been controlled by aristocratic families, and the leader of literary examinations has always been monopolized by the descendants of aristocratic families. However, at that year’s Spring Banquet, there was a young gentleman from the Wei Kingdom who came out of nowhere and swept the literary projects, defeating the descendants of aristocratic families led by the Yan family and many literati and scholars in the north of the Yangtze River. It is said that even the upright Left Prime Minister, Jimo Qingyu, had a keen eye on him and wanted him to be his disciple. However, in the end, the Left Prime Minister did not get what he wanted…”
There are basically three types of people who come to tea houses on the street to drink tea: ordinary civilians, passing merchants, and literati and scholars.
In addition, this year’s Spring Banquet is about to begin, and many literati and scholars have flocked to the Sui capital. Nearly half of the people in the lobby are scholars from various regions. They had naturally heard of the Spring Banquet two years ago, knowing that a young gentleman had won the top spot in the literary category with his astonishing talent, but they did not know the inside story, let alone the matter of the Left Prime Minister wanting to accept him as his disciple.
Moreover, two years ago, the Spring Banquet was still a grand banquet for the descendants of aristocratic families. Most of them did not qualify to attend the Spring Banquet, but had heard of it from other literati. They had always been longing for that year’s Spring Banquet. When the storyteller took the initiative to mention it, a scholar immediately became curious and asked, “In this world, there are as many scholars who want to be the Left Prime Minister’s disciple as there are carp in the river. And most of them can’t even cross the threshold of the Left Prime Minister’s mansion. Even if that young gentleman is talented, it’s a blessing enough to catch the Left Prime Minister’s eye. Why did the Left Prime Minister not achieve his wish?”
Fan Zhou also vaguely heard of the news of the Spring Banquet in Jiangbei, but at that time, his Highness’s life and death were uncertain, and the situation at Muyun Pass was critical. He was busy dealing with King Chu, Jiang Lang all day and did not pay much attention. After listening to two sentences, he was also attracted and wanted to hear about the joints.
Amidst countless pairs of eyes, the old man calmly picked up his tea bowl and took a sip of tea before squinting his eyes and saying, “Because of the Crown Prince.”
“The Crown Prince?”
“And what does this have to do with the Crown Prince?!”
The old man suddenly opened his eyes and said, “Because the Crown Prince has also taken a liking to that young gentleman and brought him back to the private courtyard to raise as a Waishi. With the extraordinary glory, wealth, and supreme favor of the Crown Prince of a country, that young gentleman naturally cannot see the lintel of the Left Prime Minister’s mansion.”
“What?!”
Everyone is victorious.
Fan Zhou and Gongsun Yang also suddenly paled.
After half a day, the young gentleman of the Wei Kingdom who made a name for himself at the Spring Banquet turned out to be the little concubine for whom the Crown Prince of Sui went crazy for?
The two subconsciously looked at Jiang Yun.
Jiang Yun took a second bite of plum blossom cake calmly, as if he had not heard the storyteller’s words.
But the two knew that their Highness must have heard.
It’s true that what you’re afraid of will come to you. He didn’t expect to encounter such a thing, even just by drinking tea.
Fan Zhou frowned and immediately said, “Your Highness, why don’t we…”
“It’s fine.”
Jiang Yun spoke lightly. “The plum blossom cake here tastes very good, and the storyteller’s story is also very exciting. Gu wants to finish listening before going back.”
The two looked at each other.
What else is there to listen to?
The matter was already bizarre, and when the storyteller spoke it out, it naturally became even more vivid and delicate. Fan Zhou and Gongsun Yang also heard many details that they had never heard of before.
Until the wood fell again, the tea drinkers continued to discuss with satisfaction, “I had heard that the Crown Prince favored a concubine, but I never imagined that he would be infatuated to such an extent.”
“This little concubine is still a thorn in the Crown Prince’s heart to this day and cannot be mentioned, it indicates that the Crown Prince has not let go of this relationship in his heart. That Crown Prince of Jiang is somewhat pitiful…”
“Don’t say this nonsense, it’ll be a problem if it reaches the Crown Prince of the Jiang’s ears.”
The two Crown Princes’ incomparable feeling is still a small matter. If there is another war between the north and south, it will be the people who suffers, and the world will be in chaos.
The literati had another point of concern: “I never expected that the young gentleman who made a name for himself at the Spring Banquet that day would be someone who is on the Crown Prince of Sui’s bed.”
“For the sake of glory, wealth, and honor, he didn’t even look up to the Left Prime Minister Mansion. It’s really devoid of literary and social integrity!”
There is a lot of discussion.
Others were excited to hear it, but Fan Zhou felt frustrated. He grabbed the tea cup and took a big sip of tea.
Jiang Yun put down the plum blossom cake in his hand and called Gongsun Yang over, whispering two commands. Gongsun Yang was taken aback for a moment, and then he answered yes.
In an unnoticed corner, a servant quietly withdrew from the crowd, climbed the stairs, and turned into a private room on the second floor. The servant called out in a low voice, “Young Master.”
A faint “En.” came from inside.
The servant pushed open the door and walked in, looking at the young Young Master in a plain robe sitting behind the tea table, drinking tea. A smile appeared in his eyes, and he said, “The servant followed the Young Master’s instructions, the speech is finished. The Crown Prince of Jiang sat in the lobby and listened to the whole process before getting up and leaving. The servant saw that the two advisors who were following the Crown Prince of Jiang had turned green. One of them was irritable and even smashed a tea cup. It seems that the Crown Prince of Jiang’s mood is not much better. This move of Young Master is really clever.”
“It’s just a small trick.”
The young Young master—Yan Qi—put down his tea cup, and a mocking smile flashed across his lips.
“Isn’t this Crown Prince of Jiang claiming to have a reputation for virtue all over the world? I’m curious to see if he really has a pot-bellied and can tolerate his new husband, who has someone else in his heart as his rumored reputation.”
The servant said, “The so-called virtue and reputation are only for the world to see. The Crown Prince of Jiang is not a saint, and his heart is not made of stone. How could he be indifferent to such things?”
Yan Qi suddenly put aside his tea cup, and his eyes fell to the window.
A green figure wearing a veiled hat was pedaling and bending into the carriage with a flash of sleeves.
Yan Qi first frowned, then thought of something, his eyes narrowed: “That’s the Crown Prince of Jiang?”
“That’s right.”
The servant followed and said, “Although the famous scholars all over the world are praising the Crown Prince of Jiang for his unparalleled elegance, but even when he goes out, he has to wear a veiled hat. The servant doesn’t think that his appearance is any better, at least he definitely can’t compare to the Young Master.”
When the servant remembered this matter, he felt injustice for his Young Master.
If it weren’t for that Chu Yan came out of nowhere, he would not only be known as the most talented person in Jiangbei but also as the most beautiful man. As soon as Chu Yan appeared, not only did he take away the literary leader, which originally belonged to his young master, but even his appearance was superior to that of his young master’s too.
Good that he’s dead.
Yan Qi suddenly sneered once again.
The servant did not understand.
Yan Qi tugged at the corner of his mouth and said, “The Crown Prince of the Jiang, even with his noble status, seems even more pitiful than I imagined.”
The servant naturally didn’t want to inquire about his master’s thoughts without authorization and quickly reported another matter: “The two lords of the Military and Horses Department have arrived and are in the ‘old place’. Does the Young Master want to see them now?”
Although the situation of the Yan family has declined, their roots are deep and dense. Their connections in the court cannot be completely eradicated overnight. These two officials from the Military and Horses Department who secretly met with Yan Qi were one of Yan Bing’s hidden chess pieces.
Their family background and resume show no trace of any connection with the Yan family, so they managed to avoid a thorough investigation.
His grandfather was confined to his ancestral home, unable to go out, and he was the only one who could take care of everything in the family, including external contacts. According to his grandfather’s original plan, when the war between the north and south broke out, the court would be empty and the Crown Prince would be trapped in Jiangnan. This was the best opportunity for the Yan family to make a comeback. Unexpectedly, the war that was supposed to erupt in one place suddenly came to an end and eventually turned into a marriage alliance between the two countries. The Yan family can only restrain their sharpness and continue to hibernate, but the infiltration of power in the court still needs to continue.
Yan Qi stood up, put on a cloak, and wrapped his face and body tightly before leaving the private room.
On the way back, Jiang Yun and Fan Zhou returned to the carriage together. Fan Zhou was not foolish, he’s angry but also rational, and he said with a focused expression, “Today’s incident.”
Jiang Yun said calmly, “As long as the Master knows it in your heart, there’s no need to say it out loud.”
Fan Zhou was taken aback for a moment, then frowned. “It’s just, what is this person’s purpose? Is it to separate Your Highness and the Crown Prince of Sui? Or is it to disrupt the peace negotiation between the north and south and cause disputes between the two countries?”
In a sense, the properties of these two are actually the same.
Fan Zhou became increasingly angry as he thought about it.
His Highness remained calm and restrained and did not act impulsively. If ordinary people were to hear such news, they would have probably had a quarrel with the Crown Prince of Sui long ago. At that time, the marriage alliance between the two countries will truly become a joke.
Jiang Yun pondered for a moment and said, “It’s alright, Master keeps it quiet for now.”
Fan Zhou saw that his Highness had already made up his mind, so he didn’t ask much. However, although the mastermind behind the scenes had ulterior motives, the little concubine actually existed.
“If Your Highness is concerned about this matter, in fact, Your Highness may as well directly point it out to the Crown Prince of Sui.”
Fan Zhou hesitated several times but still spoke up.
Jiang Yun was thinking about something, and upon hearing this, he immediately understood what Fan Zhou was referring to. He smiled lightly and said, “Master, rest assured, Gu is not angry, and Gu is also very happy.”
“Huh?”
Even as calm and sophisticated as Fan Zhou, he couldn’t help but open his mouth wide.
Jiang Yun just smiled again and said, “Let’s go back to the mansion.”
After sitting in the carriage, Jiang Yun had already removed his veiled hat. Fan Zhou saw his Highness sitting with his sleeves spread out, the corners of his mouth rising, smiling warmly, not in a forced smile but rather shrouded in mist.
If one has to talk about depression, it would be Sui Heng.
When Jiang Yun’s carriage arrived at the Crown Prince’s mansion, Sui Heng happened to ride his horse back from the palace as well.
As the weather warmed up, Jiang Yun had already changed into a light and thin spring robe. Sui Heng got off his horse and came to the carriage, stretching out his arm to directly lift Jiang Yun off the carriage.
Unexpectedly, he was stopped by Fan Zhou.
“In public, Your Highness, please pay attention to your influence.”
Fan Zhou said with a cold face.
This is his own territory, and the two have already gotten married. Sui Heng naturally wouldn’t listen to an advisor like Fan Zhou. However, on the first day of his wedding, if he didn’t give each other faces, he was afraid it would cause dissatisfaction from other advisors and generals in the Jiang Empire.
Finally, Jiang Yun spoke up and said that his feet were uncomfortable, allowing Sui Heng to carry him.
Although Sui Heng achieved his wish and carried Jiang Yun all the way into the mansion, Fan Zhou’s murderous gaze behind him still made him shiver with fear.
Before his marriage, Sui Heng suffered a lot in Fan Zhou’s hands. Seeing this situation, he was even more confused and didn’t know where he had offended this big Buddha again.
“This Master Fan of yours has been treating Gu politely these days and has also not paid much attention to our affairs. What’s going on today? It’s like he ate a cannonball.”
Sui Heng couldn’t figure it out on his own, so he asked Jiang Yun.
Jiang Yun suppressed a smile and pinched his nose, saying, “Of course it’s because you offended their most respected Crown Prince.”
“Offended you?”
Sui Heng frowned. “Gu already wishes that Gu could make Your Highness Rongyu as Sun Tzu. When has Gu offended you?”
“How would I know?”
Jiang Yun’s eyes curled and he said cunningly, “Your Highness think by yourself.”
In the blink of an eye, it was the Spring Banquet.
The Spring Banquet was originally held on the third of March, but due to the two Crown Princes’ wedding, it was postponed for a period of time later this year and moved to the second week of March.
As in previous years, two days before the banquet began, participants from various subordinate countries, literati, and scholars from various regions set off in a grand manner towards Mount Li. The long dragon-like carriages once again gathered at the entrance of Mount Li.
Compared to the silence and desolation of last year’s Spring Banquet, this year’s Spring Banquet is particularly lively and eye-catching, as the two Crown Princes of Jiangnan and Jiangbei will make their first appearance after their wedding and attend this year’s banquet together.
Moreover, due to the interconnectivity between the north and south, as the suzerain state of Jiangnan, the Jiang Empire would also send some scholars to participate in banquets by the Qushui River in a ceremonial manner as support for the Jiangbei’s Spring Banquet.
In this sense, this can be considered one of the most significant achievements since the north-south interconnection.
