The Ninth Year of Shenchu
Attending a Banquet in Nanya (Part 6)
The flavor of the roasted lamb leg that night left Zhen Wenjun unforgettable for life.
Xiaohua not only possessed a carved flower maiden’s heart, but also handled large fish and large meat quite adeptly, the heat was just right, a few lamb legs thicker than Zhen Wenjun’s legs were roasted to be crispy outside and tender inside with juices flowing, Xiaohua held the stick that went through the lamb leg with one hand continuously turning, while the other hand did not forget to poke the woodpile, allowing air to rush into the fire making it burn more vigorously.
Smelling the meat aroma, Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi squatted beside Xiaohua waiting for the lamb leg, the eager mood of wanting to eat meat was all written on their faces.
Xiaohua roasted unhurriedly, completely ignoring the urging of the two people beside, until the lamb leg’s surface was roasted to golden yellow, Xiaohua used a dagger to cut off a piece to check, if there was no blood inside it was cooked, and handed the whole leg to Zhen Wenjun.
Zhen Wenjun had already prepared a plate waiting, after receiving the lamb leg she sliced the leg meat piece by piece and arranged them on the plate, first passing it to Wei Tingxu to eat. Wei Tingxu shook her head saying she was not hungry, give it to Lingbi. Wei Tingxu didn’t eat, how could Lingbi feel comfortable being the first to eat, so she pushed it back. Zhen Wenjun couldn’t stand these fake serious people, none of you are eating, alright then I will eat!
Zhen Wenjun was at the stage of development, her appetite surprisingly good, however much food was placed in front of her she could clear it all. Xiaohua roasted three large lamb legs, she alone ate half, her stomach so full it was round and even her head hurt, lying on the wooden platform groaning, completely unable to move.
Lingbi pointed at her face and said: “Look at you, you’ve even gotten food on your face, so anxious, who is competing with you!”
Zhen Wenjun touched her face but couldn’t find it, Wei Tingxu lifted her hand and picked it off.
“Thank you, sister!”
Wei Tingxu sat in the middle of the wooden platform, her cheeks slightly flushed, at some point there was an additional small jade pot in her hand, a slight smell of alcohol could be detected, perhaps the pot was filled with wine.
Zhen Wenjun turned over, looking at Wei Tingxu, whom she hadn’t seen for a full month and a half.
The evening breeze moved their clothes, the remaining aroma of the roasted meat occasionally drifted into their sense of smell, the blue smoke rising from the extinguished fire pile lingered around… the small courtyard had a rather tranquil rural charm.
Everything here was simple and ordinary, but Wei Tingxu’s appearance made this place exceptionally different. All her details could withstand careful scrutiny and were exquisite, making Zhen Wenjun willing to feast her eyes on her even with a full stomach. Recalling the amazement of seeing her for the first time, Zhen Wenjun realized that Wei Tingxu had also changed somewhat since then. When she first saw her two years ago, her beauty was shocking but carried some immaturity; now, nearly twenty years old, her face had become more slender, turning into a standard goose-egg shape, and the mature aura in her relaxed brows and eyes was mesmerizing, making one forget that she was a “witch” who liked using torture and was unpredictable.
“What kind of wine is sister drinking?” Zhen Wenjun lay down, her chin resting on Wei Tingxu’s thigh, staring at her jade pot and curiously asked.
“This is five-flavor wine brewed by Xiaohua. It’s quite strong, do you want to try some?”
“Want.” Zhen Wenjun did not extend her hand, but instead lay flat on her back, resting her head on Wei Tingxu’s leg, using her soft little tongue to push open her own thin lips, lightly sweeping near the lip bead. “I want to taste the wine sister loves to drink. The stronger, the more I love it.”
In the southern spring night, the dome above was filled with brilliant stars, new things in the land gradually exuded fragrance, but none of this could compare to the beauty of Wei Tingxu’s smiling eyes.
Wei Tingxu placed the mouth of the pot against Zhen Wenjun’s tender lips, tilted the pot, letting the fragrant and spicy wine slowly flow into her mouth. Zhen Wenjun closed her eyes and tasted it, slightly raising her head to let the wine enter her throat more smoothly.
Her throat rhythmically moved up and down, the “gulp gulp” sound continuing without stop, she actually drank all of Wei Tingxu’s wine in one gulp.
The wine pot in her hand was empty, Wei Tingxu casually threw it aside, her gaze never moving away from Zhen Wenjun’s slightly drunken face.
“Good wine, delicious.” Zhen Wenjun’s mouth corner raised an uncontrollable smile, and there was still some remaining liquid on her shining lips.
Wei Tingxu’s fingertips were placed on her lips, gently rubbing over the soft lip petals, as if helping her wipe off the remaining liquid and also as if playing with them.
The alcohol and Wei Tingxu’s body temperature caused a wonderful reaction in Zhen Wenjun’s body; she became increasingly hot, and her mind also became sluggish. She straightened her head back, again and again, following Wei Tingxu’s beautiful fingers.
Finally, she took her fingers into her mouth.
She didn’t even understand why she did this; she was surely tempted.
It might be that pot of wine, or it might be that Wei Tingxu’s fingertips traced some strange symbols or formations that could entice the human heart. Zhen Wenjun was completely intoxicated in the sensation of chasing her and taking her in, mesmerized by her nails dyed a bright red with cochineal1 and the unparalleled strong heart beneath her fragile exterior.
Wei Tingxu did not find Zhen Wenjun’s actions inappropriate. Instead, she gently hooked her little tongue and, after entangling with her for a while, slowly retreated along the seam of her lower lip. When she withdrew, Zhen Wenjun still let out a few dissatisfied hums.
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“Sister is drunk. Lingbi.”
Lingbi only dared to turn her head to look at them when she heard Wei Tingxu call her and responded, “Lady.”
“You take Wenjun back to the room to rest.”
“Yes.”
“Sister!” Zhen Wenjun heard that Wei Tingxu wanted her to go back to the room, and hurriedly grasped her hand, pressing her cold hand to her own burning hot cheek, feeling extremely comfortable. “Sister, are you leaving now? Do you know how much I miss you?”
Wei Tingxu patted her head and softly said, “I know.”
“I’m serious!” Zhen Wenjun suddenly sat up, with a bit of displeasure at being brushed off.
“I am serious too.”
Zhen Wenjun did not remember how she returned to the room, only that her last memory was Wei Tingxu’s response to her.
In the middle of the night, Zhen Wenjun was awakened by restlessness, covered in sweat, with what felt like a volcano inside her constantly emitting heat. Lingbi, who was sleeping beside her, was awakened by the disturbance and brought a cloth soaked in cold water to wipe her sweat, scolding her while wiping. She said that the lady has a cold body, so Xiaohua added many herbs to dispel cold in the wine she made for her. The lady drinks it to invigorate blood circulation and replenish energy, but for you, it only results in excess heat and irritation. Look at you, red as a boiled shrimp. Let’s see if you dare to ask for wine next time.
Zhen Wenjun’s mind was still not very clear and she didn’t care about this matter. While Lingbi was talking, her mind kept recalling the sweetness of Wei Tingxu’s fingertips, trying hard to determine whether this had really happened, whether it was a dream or reality…
Zhen Wenjun indeed overindulged in drinking. That pot of wine was something that Wei Tingxu would lightly sip to dispel cold whenever she felt chilly, but she drank it all in one go. No wonder she collapsed and slept in the room until nightfall the next day. She only woke up groggily when Lingbi was about to go to bed. After sleeping the whole day, her mind was clear, and she realized that she was the one who had taken Wei Tingxu’s finger into her mouth. It was true that she genuinely missed Wei Tingxu and had received the same response.
“What’s wrong with you?” Lingbi let her hair down and looked at her. “Still not sober yet? Your face is so red.”
“No problem, I’m awake. I’m going out to get some fresh air.”
“Oh, go ahead, I’m going to sleep.”
Zhen Wenjun practiced a set of boxing moves in the courtyard, worked up a bit of a sweat after loosening her muscles and bones, and then took some water to soak in the pool of the bathhouse.
How could I have done such a thing? It was really too reckless. Thinking of herself greedily chasing after Wei Tingxu’s fingers, Zhen Wenjun’s face turned crimson. She took a deep breath and submerged herself in the pool, wishing she could disappear from this world.
Early on the morning of the banquet, before the sky had even lightened, Zhen Wenjun woke up while Lingbi was still sound asleep. She got up to wash and dress, and the wound on her buttocks had healed quickly thanks to the herbal medicine, with much less pain. She prepared her dagger and Golden Cicada Knife. Lingbi was awakened by the sound of her changing the medicine, her eyes barely open, and she first fetched the new colorful kuijia dress that Wei Tingxu had made for Zhen Wenjun to wear today. The layered skirt was embroidered with nightingales, each bird with different feather colors, vivid and lifelike. Even the knee coverings were decorated with colorful thread embroidery, and the cuffs and other parts were adorned with gold foil as decoration. At a glance, it really looked luxurious and eye-catching. Not to mention standing in a crowd, even lying on the ground, it would be hard not to be noticed by others.
Zhen Wenjun hurriedly shook her head and said, “I won’t wear this set. Too many bits and pieces make everything inconvenient, and it’s also unbearably hot. I’ll wear the Hu attire instead, loose where it should be loose, tight where it should be tight, comfortable.”
Lingbi disagreed and said, “This is specially made for you by the lady! Today the Grand Princess has arranged a banquet. Xiaohua is not suitable to attend, and the lady will definitely have you by her side. Do you think you are going to fight Zhu Maosan? How can you dress casually! Come here! Sit down honestly and let me comb your hair.”
Zhen Wenjun kept dodging left and right: “It’s because I’ll be by sister’s side that I need to wear something light and agile. If sister has something to instruct me, I can handle it immediately. The clothes you fetched, I can’t even walk fast in them, I don’t want them!” Saying this, she slipped out of Lingbi’s hands, grabbed the Hu attire, and started putting it on, even tucking the mask into her sleeve.
“At least comb your hair!” Lingbi shouted after Zhen Wenjun, who was running out after putting on the clothes.
Zhen Wenjun replied while running, “I said yesterday I would go accompany sister for breakfast. If I’m any later, it will be too late!”
Lingbi scolded her, “Then why didn’t you wake me up earlier!”
The small courtyard wasn’t big, and after running a few steps, Zhen Wenjun reached Wei Tingxu’s bedroom. Sure enough, she saw that Wei Tingxu had already set up a variety of congee, side dishes, and assorted pastries, all of which were Zhen Wenjun’s favorites. She cheerfully greeted Wei Tingxu with a good morning, then looked at Xiaohua, “These are all my favorites. Sister Xiaohua is so nice.”
Seeing that she had arrived, Xiaohua expressionlessly served the congee, “All instructed by the lady.”
Zhen Wenjun noticed that Xiaohua’s face had some knife cuts, swollen and red, distorting her features. This appearance was indeed somewhat frightening and not suitable for attending the Grand Princess’s banquet.
Wei Tingxu asked her, “Why aren’t you wearing the new clothes I gave you? Don’t you like them?”
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“Like, like, it’s just…” Zhen Wenjun pursed her lips, her big eyes blinking at Wei Tingxu.
“Just what?”
“It’s just that there will be many people at today’s banquet, and if Xiaohua is not by sister’s side, I need to serve sister with full attention. Although the new clothes are nice, they are somewhat inconvenient. Look at my clothes, they allow for agile movement. How about sister treats me as if I’m your newly bought Hu girl* today, is that okay?” Zhen Wenjun said this and stood up, spreading her Hu attire and imitating the dance moves of the Guqiang tribe girls, twirling a couple of times, “Sister, do you like it?”
Wei Tingxu inadvertently moved her index finger and smiled, “As you wish, let’s eat.”
After breakfast, to match Zhen Wenjun’s Hu attire, Lingbi helped her braid her hair in the Hu people’s style, crossing it together into a large braid. This made her look a few years older, and except for being slightly fair-skinned, she indeed resembled an authentic local person.
Zhen Wenjun took the four-wheeled cart from Xiaohua’s hands and loaded it onto the cargo cart. Then she jumped down and helped Wei Tingxu into the carriage. Lingbi lowered the cloth curtain, and the group set off towards the Wang family.
There was still a long way to go to the Wang family when the coachman could no longer drive the carriage. The carriage moved slowly, stopping and starting. Zhen Wenjun stuck her head out to look outside and saw that the not-so-narrow road was filled with carriages—people transporting goods and passengers were coming from all directions, blocking the road completely. After being stuck for a long time, the coachman got off to investigate ahead. He came back, laughing and crying, and told them that all these carriages were heading to the Wang family’s banquet. Small carriages, large carriages, and luxurious carriages were all crammed together. It was said that the Shi family from Linxian and the Ma family from Fengxi had collided up front. In order to be the first to sign the red invitation and show their loyalty to the Grand Princess, neither would yield, causing the roadblock.
Zhen Wenjun found it amusing, thinking, “You people are blocking the road just to curry favor with the Grand Princess. Does the Emperor know?”
Zhen Wenjun suddenly remembered something and asked Wei Tingxu, “I noticed that there are much fewer guards around you. Have they all been sent to protect the Grand Princess?”
Wei Tingxu replied, “That’s right. The Grand Princess’s visit to Nanya is being conducted secretly. To mislead others, all her carriages and guards were sent to Suichuan. Before her whereabouts were exposed, everyone thought she went to Suichuan. Now, the personnel here in Nanya are all from our Wei family.”
Zhen Wenjun leaned close to Wei Tingxu’s ear: “Today, the Grand Princess is hosting a banquet, and all the prominent families of Nanya have come. Although the Wang family will certainly protect the Grand Princess with all their might for the sake of their own family’s survival, there’s no guarantee that a slip-up won’t be exploited by someone with ill intentions. Even though I haven’t been with sister for long, I have seen how those shameless people will stop at nothing to harm you. While the Grand Princess is noble, your safety is most important to me. Rest assured, with me here, no thief will get within a step of you!”
Wei Tingxu, in her usual calm manner, replied, “With you here, I am very assured.”
In the end, the Shi family, leveraging their local numbers and influence, managed to push the Ma family out of the way, becoming the first to enter the Wang family’s gate. They unloaded boxes of rare tributes and proudly wrote their names at the top of the empty red invitation.
When Zhen Wenjun pushed the four-wheeled cart and entered with Wei Tingxu and the others, the mansion was already crowded, as lively as a noble wedding. Zhen Wenjun nearly laughed out loud, thinking that what was supposed to be a secret trip had turned into a bustling affair. This must have been beyond the expectations of both the Grand Princess and Wei Tingxu.
A man with a scholar’s appearance and a pale face stepped forward and respectfully bowed to Wei Tingxu: “Lady, the Grand Princess has been waiting inside for a long time.”
“Mm.” Wei Tingxu responded with a sound, and the man looked at the unfamiliar Zhen Wenjun with a hint of wariness.
Wei Tingxu explained: “Xiaohua still has toxins in her system and is not suitable to appear today. This is Wenjun; she is my trusted aide.”
With Wei Tingxu’s explanation, the man no longer asked further questions and led them through the front hall up a long stone slope. A pavilion suspended in the air appeared before them. Outside the pavilion were many soldiers standing guard, indicating that the Grand Princess was likely inside.
“Lingbi, you wait outside,” Wei Tingxu said.
“Yes, Lady,” Lingbi obediently replied.
Zhen Wenjun did not expect Wei Tingxu to leave Lingbi outside and bring her in.
The heavy door was pushed open by the scholar, and before they even entered the room, a powerful female voice came out: “Tingxu! Come quickly and see what ridiculous thing Li Ju has done again. Look at where he wants to place the dignity of our Da Yu!”
As the two doors opened, Zhen Wenjun saw two rows of guards inside the room, dressed in black soft armor and holding long swords. In this sweltering weather, they were all meticulously wearing heavy helmets. The soft armor emitted a strange luster, appearing both resilient and lightweight. After her eyes adjusted, Zhen Wenjun noticed that the soft armor had a silver tiger head emblem on the chest. She immediately understood that these guards were not ordinary guards but the emperor’s imperial guards, the Huben Army!
Her mother had tirelessly tested her on the various identities represented by different shapes, materials, and hanging positions when she was young. Despite her excellent memory, the sheer number of details often led her to make mistakes, resulting in several palm slaps from her mother. Her mother always emphasized that recognizing people and items was foundational for navigating the world, and no matter how complicated, it had to be firmly remembered as it would greatly benefit her future. She had grumbled about it many times back then, but now she realized how incredibly useful it was.
The Huben Army is specifically tasked with guarding the imperial gardens and the emperor, taking orders from no one but the emperor himself. Now, however, they were guarding the Grand Princess, indicating the Grand Princess’s growing power and influence.
The person who just cursed the emperor as a “useless person” was the Grand Princess Li Yanyi. According to etiquette, Zhen Wenjun could not look directly at her. After entering the room, she bowed beside Wei Tingxu’s four-wheeled cart and said, “Greetings, Your Highness, the Grand Princess.”
Li Yanyi did not acknowledge her, seemingly not caring who she was. She threw the feather dispatch2 in her hand into the air, landing right on Wei Tingxu’s lap. “Look! I guarantee you will laugh after reading it!”
The door was closed, and before Zhen Wenjun was a white jade-colored floor. She heard Wei Tingxu open the feather dispatch and, after reading it, indeed couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
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Li Yanyi pointed at Wei Tingxu and said, “This is truly the most disgusting thing I have seen in my entire life! Three months ago, I painstakingly gathered 500,000 carts of grain and forage to be sent with 100,000 troops to the northern front. After a few victorious battles, just as the three counties of Quhua, Mingsha, and Xinyu were about to be reclaimed, Li Ju hurriedly recognized a goddaughter and sent her over with the title of Princess! Can you guess what he wants to do? He wants to arrange a marriage alliance with the leader of Chongjin! This is the most ridiculous thing in the world! We have been bloodily battling the four great Hu tribes for years, and even Da Yu is struggling to make ends meet, let alone those nomadic people who live off the land. Victory is now in the hands of Da Yu, and yet Li Ju still wants to grovel and belittle himself? Chongjin is already the leader of the four great Hu tribes. If this happens, won’t they look down on Da Yu even more? How can we console the souls of our soldiers who died on the battlefield? This truly infuriates me!”
Li Yanyi spoke so quickly and loudly that it almost seemed like her words would break through the walls and roof and fly out.
“Your Highness, please calm your anger. This matter is easily resolved; let us discuss it in the inner chamber,” Wei Tingxu held the feather dispatch in her hand and advised her calmly. Li Yanyi responded with a sound and walked down from the wooden platform, only then noticing Zhen Wenjun still crouching beside her.
Wei Tingxu said, “This is Wenjun, my younger sister.”
“Oh, you are the savior of Zizhuo,” Li Yanyi said as she walked, “Stand up, stand up, come in together.”
“Thank you, Your Highness!” When Zhen Wenjun raised her head, she happened to see Li Yanyi’s slightly turned face as she rolled up her sleeves. Her brows were lightly furrowed with a slightly irritated expression, and there was a conspicuous red mole in the middle of her forehead. Her delicate nose was straight, and her willow-like eyebrows extended to her temples. She was dressed in light, narrow-sleeved men’s clothing, with her long hair tied into a bun at the back of her head. She dressed very casually, not to disguise herself as a man, but rather for convenience.
Zhen Wenjun found her hairstyle somewhat familiar, and just as she recalled that the Xie family’s Ah Xin had her hair in a similar bun that day, something swaying at Li Yanyi’s waist caught her attention.
It was a brocade pouch with gold patterns, with a delicate begonia flower design on it.
If it were someone else, they might not even see the fleeting begonia flower, let alone perceive the mystery. But Zhen Wenjun was different. Not only did she see it, but she also remembered that three days ago, she had seen the exact same design embroidered on someone else’s brocade pouch.
That person was none other than the Xie family’s Ah Xin.
LP: Sorry, I was sick ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ – ˵ ) ✧
Footnotes
- Cochineal: A natural red dye derived from the cochineal insect (Dactylopius coccus), which is native to tropical and subtropical South America and Mexico. The insects are harvested, dried, and then processed to extract the carminic acid, which is the compound used to produce the dye. Cochineal has been used for centuries to color textiles, cosmetics, and food. It’s known for its vibrant red hue and is often listed as carmine or E120 in ingredient lists.
- Feather dispatch: refers to an ancient Chinese communication tool known as the “feather letter” (羽檄 or yǔ xí). In ancient times, particularly during the Han dynasty, feather dispatches were used as urgent military communications. They were essentially letters or dispatches that had a feather attached to them, symbolizing the need for swift action and immediate attention. The feather indicated that the message was of high importance and had to be delivered and responded to quickly. The use of feathers helped distinguish these urgent messages from regular correspondence.