Chapter 84: The Banquet (Part Two)

Princess Yiruo, the consort of the Loyal Prince, and Liu Songxian were little more than acquaintances; they seldom found much to talk about. In fact, it was Princess Guyu who was closer to Liu Guanju. So when she saw Liu Songxian leading Guanju over, she called out to Zhu Guyu in somewhat halting Han speech, “Guyu, Guanju is coming over.”

“Oh,” came the indifferent response. To her surprise, Zhu Guyu only answered briefly, her head lowered as she fiddled with the butterfly pattern on her sleeve, wholly uninterested. She had heard that Xue Ao had recently become enamored with a beauty, even declaring in public that he would marry no one else. And that woman was none other than today’s guest of honor, Liu Chuyan. She had expected her to be stunning, but found her to be only so-so.

Yet, as she thought this, a twinge of guilt crept in. Liu Chuyan was nearly the most beautiful girl she had ever seen: bright eyes and dazzling teeth, long flowing black hair, a slender waist that could be encircled with one hand, a graceful figure that not even the widest sleeves and longest skirts could hide. She exuded that unique southern gentleness, as if the line “her lotus skirt is cut from the same fabric, her face framed by blooming lotuses” had been written just for her.

Moreover, there was a quiet stubbornness and endurance in her eyes, something uncommon among women. A fleeting glance from her could stir an ache in the heart. But why should she feel sorry for her, having only just met? Especially when this girl had stolen the man she fancied.

And as for Xue Ao, he was already twenty years old and had never even touched a woman. She used to flatter herself, thinking that his aloofness stemmed from pride, that he was waiting for her to come of age, all the while thinking of her. Yet, out of nowhere, Liu Chuyan appeared and stole his affections.

That Liu Chuyan, aside from her looks, had neither status nor position. How could she possibly compare to her? Why would Xue Ao set his sights on such a woman?

The more Zhu Guyu thought about it, the angrier she became. Her gaze turned vacant as she stared ahead, completely ignoring Liu Guanju.

Liu Guanju didn’t mind in the least. The only thing that irked her was being called “Guanjiu” by the Loyal Princess, and she muttered to herself, “You’re the turtledove, you’re the turtledove...”

The Loyal Princess exchanged a few polite words with Liu Songxian. Seeing that Zhu Guyu was ignoring Liu Guanju and that Liu Guanju’s face betrayed her annoyance, she helplessly poked Zhu Guyu’s forehead with a smile. “Guyu, are you quarreling with Guanju? Guyu? Guyu?”

Zhu Guyu didn’t respond to the first call, nor to several that followed. At last, she seemed to awaken from a dream, giving an awkward, affected smile as she shook her head and denied any disagreement, pulling Liu Guanju’s hand as she did so. “Guanju, I didn’t sleep well last night and was neglectful. Don’t hold it against me.”

Liu Guanju chuckled, unconcerned. She had already noticed Zhu Guyu’s shining eyes fixed on Liu Chuyan, sharp and bright like a clever little mouse—hardly the look of someone sleep-deprived. If anything, it was the look of someone jealous of Chuyan’s beauty.

She remembered then that Zhu Guyu’s feelings for Xue Ao had always been a mix of love and hate. But as she grew older, her girlish affection had long overtaken the bitterness of having once lost to him. Now that she was nearly an adult herself, her feelings toward Xue Ao were anything but subtle; she was all but dragging her mother to the Duke’s mansion to propose marriage.

Given this, she was probably brooding over Chuyan. Still, from what she knew of her, she was unlikely to plot against Chuyan in secret, though one had to guard against her openly slighting or tripping her up.

Zhu Guyu was unaware of what was in Liu Guanju’s mind. She only felt that two friends who had once been close now suddenly sat in awkward silence, their expressions distant. Could it be that Liu Guanju too had fallen under Liu Chuyan’s spell? She had heard that Liu Guanju had recently become inseparable from Liu Chuyan, even reading “Records of the Grand Historian”—which she used to detest—just for the sake of a smile or a word of praise from the beauty.

Was Liu Chuyan really so formidable?

If so, she truly wanted to meet her properly.

“Look, she’s coming out,” someone exclaimed in awe behind them, and Liu Guanju turned to see Liu Chuyan, now dressed in a new outfit with her hair elegantly done up, having completed her coming-of-age ceremony. She glanced at Zhu Guyu, and as expected, her eyes were once again shining, tinged with jealousy.

Liu Chuyan entered the hall with Old General Liu, greeting several family elders along the way before arriving at the Loyal Princess’s table. She was unsurprised to see the legendary Princess Guyu. Though a Han princess, she favored Tartar attire, sporting a velvet cap, a pale gold jacket beneath a sleeveless robe, a gold-and-jade pendant at her chest, and boots on her feet—a vision of foreign splendor.

No one seemed to mind her choice of dress, not even the Loyal Princess, who was eager to integrate with the Han. Liu Chuyan gave her a fleeting glance before bowing in greeting.

Though a Tartar princess, the Loyal Princess was thoroughly versed in etiquette, her bearing dignified and gracious, her words gentle. She invited Liu Chuyan to rise and even had a meeting gift prepared for her on the spot, presenting it in front of everyone.

Unable to refuse, Liu Chuyan accepted it graciously and thanked her respectfully.

“This Miss Liu is truly the envy of all beauties, captivating and delicate, worthy of affection,” the Loyal Princess said, taking her hand and praising her with a bright smile. “Most importantly, she is clever, quick-witted, and knows propriety. If my Guyu were half as sensible as you, I’d be at peace.”

“Mother…” Zhu Guyu protested, drawing out the word in embarrassment.

But the Loyal Princess would not stop. “Guyu, don’t be so defiant. Look at yourself—do you resemble a proper young lady at all? Tartar clothes may be comfortable and practical for riding and martial arts, but Han attire is far more beautiful. Look at how Chuyan appears today: ethereal from afar, refined up close, her light green embroidered dress paired with ink-wash gauze—breathtakingly beautiful.”

Liu Chuyan never imagined the Loyal Princess would hold her in such high regard, praising her so effusively in public. She bowed her head in shyness, her cheeks turning red.

Zhu Guyu, stung by her own mother’s candid criticism, looked herself over and then glanced at Liu Chuyan. The contrast was stark. No wonder Xue Ao had fallen for her and never spared Zhu Guyu a kind look.

Though Zhu Guyu saw jealousy and resentment in Zhu Guyu’s eyes, there was no sign of scheming or malice—she seemed an open and upright girl. As for Xue Ao, he was truly a troublemaker, having entangled the girl yet offering her no response. No response? Liu Chuyan’s heart trembled. If he dared respond, she would make him pay dearly.

Zhu Guyu might have wanted to challenge Liu Chuyan, but now that they faced each other, she could neither fight nor scold her. Especially when she met Liu Chuyan’s gaze—so candid and poised—she felt utterly inferior.

But Zhu Guyu was not just anyone; she was the princess of the Loyal Prince’s household, her parents’ cherished jewel. If she dressed up, she would be a hundred times prettier than Liu Chuyan. She had merely disdained “pretense” before. But for Xue Ao, what did it matter to put on makeup, or wear Han clothes she disliked? For now, she tucked these thoughts away, deciding to wait for a better opportunity.

Old General Liu had only brought Liu Chuyan to meet the Loyal Princess as a formality—after all, their own household could not get too close to the Loyal Prince’s, lest they draw the attention of Wei Wuliang and spark a host of conspiracies. So after exchanging a few pleasantries, she had Liu Chuyan move on to greet the other noble ladies of the capital.

Her judgment was always impeccable, but others needed to see for themselves that Liu Chuyan’s virtues far outshone many in the capital. Most of these ladies came from families of officialdom or scholarship, if not as historic or illustrious as the general’s, yet respected in their own right. By personally introducing Liu Chuyan, her standing would be elevated: not just the general’s adopted daughter, but her cherished granddaughter. No one would dare look down on her, and those with eligible sons would surely take note.

Though Old General Liu thought highly of Xue Ao and believed he treated Liu Chuyan well, she would be glad to see them matched. But Madame Xue was a headache, still dreaming of climbing into the Loyal Prince’s circle. It was said that a worthy woman would have many suitors, and today would prove that Liu Chuyan was highly sought after—hard to come by, even for the capital’s elite. Most importantly, her son liked her.

Liu Chuyan knew Old General Liu intended to introduce her to every noble lady in the capital, but as someone past sixty, even in robust health, she would tire easily. Making the rounds and exchanging courtesies would be exhausting, and Liu Chuyan couldn’t guess what her true intentions were. Noticing the general’s growing fatigue, she stopped and held her arm. “Grandmother, you must be tired. Why not rest for a while? As for the remaining ladies, let Meizhi accompany me to pay my respects.”

Old General Liu was indeed weary. Liu Songxian wasn’t attentive enough to notice, and it wouldn’t do to make every lady come over, since this was Liu Chuyan’s first formal greeting. But upon a closer look, the rest were minor figures, mostly connected with Eunuch Jiuqiansui or the Marquis of Enchang, so she nodded. “Alright, let’s stop here. You’re tired too—come sit and join me at the banquet.”

Liu Chuyan didn’t understand the intricacies, but Old General Liu’s tone brooked no refusal, so she gave a formal bow to the ladies she had not yet greeted and followed her back to her seat. Yet she couldn’t help pondering Madame Xue’s strange expression during their earlier exchange. It was as if she wanted to read something from her face, but in the end, she only forced a few superficial words before falling silent. That was unlike her usual self.

On the other hand, Madame Jin was especially warm, holding her hand and singing the praises of her son, Jin Ling. Liu Chuyan had met Jin Ling once—truly a paragon of the capital, a remarkable young man. For a time, she even mistook him for “Brother Juncheng” and was elated. Once she realized Xue Ao was the one from her memory, thoughts of Jin Ling faded away—he was just a young man she had met once. Madame Jin’s enthusiasm embarrassed her; she could only murmur awkwardly and feign silence.

Her seat was close to Madame Jin’s, and to avoid being drawn into further conversation, she switched seats with Liu Guanju, who was also at the table, thereby separating herself from Madame Jin.

Madame Jin didn’t notice, and soon immersed herself in gossip with the other ladies.

Fortunately, the coming-of-age banquet was quite simple: a hair-combing and chanting ceremony indoors, the ritual itself, and then a round of formal greetings at the banquet table. After a meal, it was all over.

Since Liu Chuyan was close with her cousins from the Han residence and the Xue sisters, they held a private celebration at her own quarters after the banquet.

“Chuyan, I heard my second brother prepared a grand gift for you—what is it?” Xue Huaiyu, having long accepted her brother’s devotion to Liu Chuyan and his vow to marry none but her, sidled up with a mischievous grin.

Han Shuwei, overhearing talk of a gift, had Qingya bring forth her own present. “Cousin, this is a small token from me for your birthday. I hope you won’t mind.”

Seeing Liu Chuyan’s cheeks flush with confusion and her hesitant, unspoken words, Xue Huaiyu quickly stopped Han Shuwei. “Shuwei, don’t interrupt—I have something to ask her!”

Author’s note:

Dear readers, I’m about to launch my next contemporary romance. There are two possible titles—help me choose! “Manual for Dating a Male Maniac” or “On Cultivating a Lotus-Boyfriend”—which do you like better? [Coming soon!]

Also, you can click the picture below (cover art in progress) to check out the new story blurb—so cute! ╭(╯3╰)╮