Chapter 50: The Empress’s Little Game Preparation

“Elder Brother.” As soon as Cao Jinxuan saw the Crown Prince Cao Jinqi sitting in his wheelchair, she immediately bounced over to greet him.

Yu Yuanzheng noticed that the Crown Prince was not heading toward the grand hall of the banquet but seemed to be quietly waiting here.

“Hmm. Sister Xuan, I have something I want to ask the Young Madam. Would you please wait a moment?” The Crown Prince spoke to the lady with such gentleness, his voice remarkably pleasant.

It was rare for someone who had long been confined to a wheelchair to maintain such a good spirit.

The two young ladies stepped aside.

The two guards and eunuchs attending the Crown Prince also retreated several paces.

Yu Yuanzheng took the initiative to push the wheelchair to a nearby pavilion.

“How is Ziqi?” The Crown Prince gazed into the distance and asked softly.

“I do not know how he was before, but since I married into the Prince’s residence, it has been nearly a month, and there has been no change. Every day, he is in a deep, unending sleep.”

Yu Yuanzheng did not know the Crown Prince well and naturally could not speak candidly.

“I am two years older than him. We played together since childhood and were always close friends. Two years ago, when I had my accident, he often came to visit me. But six months ago when he suffered his incident, I have not seen him since,” the Crown Prince said with a trace of sorrow as he recalled the past.

“You are friends?”

“Yes.”

“Who else is his friend?” Suddenly, Yu Yuanzheng felt a desire to understand Shangguan Ziqi’s past.

Though she had married into the Prince’s household for all these days, she had never properly learned about the eldest prince’s history, nor what he was like before.

The original mistress dared not show any interest in him. If she asked even a couple of questions, Yu Chaoyang would suppress and reprimand her, thinking she was a toad lusting after a swan.

“Prince Jing’s heir, Cao Jinyu, the eldest son of the Chancellor’s family, Zhao Jinyu—we four were once celebrated by the ladies of the capital as the Four Young Masters of the city. And now, both I and Ziqi have become wrecks.” At this, the Crown Prince’s face fell into a desolate expression.

Once the favored sons of heaven, they had suddenly fallen to dust. Such a drastic change was not something everyone could face calmly. The Crown Prince’s attitude was surprisingly good; some would have ended their lives.

“Oh, I didn’t expect my husband to have had such a title before. If not for fate’s twist, we really wouldn’t have become husband and wife.”

“That is fate. Take good care of him, and perhaps one day he will awaken. He is a man of loyalty and affection.”

The implication was clear: if she devoted herself to caring for Shangguan Ziqi now, he would one day be responsible to her.

Yu Yuanzheng had never considered this before.

She did not harbor such feelings for him.

At present, he was merely her patient.

“Rest assured, I have no intention of becoming a widow.”

“Do you know medicine?” The Crown Prince suddenly changed the subject.

“Why do you ask?” Yu Yuanzheng asked warily.

“Artificial respiration is recorded in the palace annals, dating back about a hundred years, proposed by the Consort of Prince Rong. She actually used this method to save a life. But because it was so extraordinary, few physicians dared to use it. It is rather indecent—it requires mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Yet today, you employed it.”

“I see. I do not know medicine; I just guessed it myself. Recently, at the Ning’an Marquis’s residence, the Fourth Young Master Yue drowned and stopped breathing. I did not expect it to actually revive him. Today I saw him playing and nearly drowning again, so I had to use it once more.”

Hearing Yu Yuanzheng’s words, the Crown Prince smiled wryly.

People say once bitten by a snake, one fears a rope for ten years—this Fourth Young Master Yue seemed to have no memory at all.

“How did your face get injured?” Yu Yuanzheng noticed a long scar on his face, which marred his striking features like a flaw on a precious jade—such a pity.

“Two years ago, Father was attacked by assassins sent from the Kingdom of Canglan. I was protecting Father and fell off a cliff, getting injured,” the Crown Prince did not hide the truth and spoke openly. This was well known to most.

“Is your leg also disabled because of that?” Yu Yuanzheng glanced at his leg and asked.

“Yes,” the Crown Prince replied briefly, unwilling to elaborate.

As a prince wounded defending the emperor, undoubtedly many doctors had attended to him, but after two years, he remained confined to a wheelchair, indicating it was a stubborn ailment.

“Let’s go; it’s about time.” The Crown Prince only wanted to learn about Shangguan Ziqi’s condition.

“Of course, Your Highness is welcome to visit my husband at the Prince’s residence.” Yu Yuanzheng pushed the Crown Prince back onto the palace path and handed him over to his guards.

Unbeknownst to them, Yu Chaoyang had just arrived and witnessed their private conversation in the pavilion.

She was heading to the Tai Ming Hall and saw them speaking alone.

How could Yu Yuanzheng be so familiar with the Crown Prince and talk to him alone?

Although Yue Yuying and Princess Lingxuan waited nearby, this was still improper.

A married woman daring to meet a man in public, especially the Crown Prince, was scandalous.

Yet she did not approach, merely noted the incident, flicked her handkerchief, and left.

Yu Yuanzheng and her two sisters arrived at Tai Ming Hall, where many guests had gathered.

All were seated by family units.

Yu Yuanzheng found the seats of the Prince and Princess and obediently sat beside the Princess, followed by the heir and his wife, then a table for the Second Dowager and her family.

If it were not that Consort Shu came from the Prince’s household, the Second Dowager’s family wouldn’t have been allowed to attend this palace banquet. Consort Luo Ce would not have come.

This was Yu Yuanzheng’s first time attending such a palace feast, and she was curious about everything, looking around.

She even asked the Princess some questions.

The Princess patiently introduced everything to her.

When the announcement "The Emperor Approaches" came, the Emperor and Empress entered the grand hall, accompanied by numerous concubines and princes. After taking their seats, the officials and families knelt.

“Rise, honored ministers.”

After resuming their seats, the Emperor stood and addressed everyone.

“I am fortunate to live in a prosperous era. On this Dragon Boat Festival, I have specially arranged this banquet to celebrate with you all and share in family joy.

The Dragon Boat Festival is an ancient tradition, long-standing and revered, commemorating loyalty and praying for health and peace.

Today, I honor the sages of old and hope that we, as servants of the realm, take this as a lesson—to care for the people with diligence and love, and together build the foundation of our flourishing dynasty.

I wish all the people under heaven, wherever they may be, to enjoy peace, health, and happiness.

Come, honored ministers, join me in raising your cups. Let us drink together. May our land remain firm, the nation prosperous and peaceful, and may the blessings of the Dragon Boat Festival endure!”

Everyone raised their cups and drank together.

Then song and dance enlivened the atmosphere.

The palace feast officially began.

Maidservants bustled about, and the first dish placed on the tables was, of course, rice dumplings.

When a palace maid set a plate in front of Yu Yuanzheng, she noticed these dumplings were different from those served at the earlier game outside.

The main difference was size; these were much smaller, roughly bite-sized.

Some even had characters pasted on them.

Everyone stared at the plate of dumplings before them.

“Everyone, I have a little game for you,” the Empress’s gentle voice explained.

“Check the characters on the dumplings at your table.

If the characters combine to form an idiom, your table must put on a performance.

Whether singing, dancing, or playing an instrument—anything you excel at—you may perform at the center of the hall to entertain everyone.

Of course, I encourage the young to participate. In the end, the Emperor and I will choose the best, who will be awarded one hundred taels of gold.”

As soon as the Empress’s words fell, some bold young men shouted, “Wow, one hundred taels of gold! So tempting!”

Each table began examining their dumplings.

“Oh, ours says: ‘Peace and Prosperity of the Nation.’”

“Ours is: ‘National Wealth and People’s Strength.’”

The plates near Yu Chaoyang were inspected one by one.

“What does it say?” Shangguan Zishu asked.

“‘Peaceful Dragon Boat Festival.’”

“Oh, our table also got an idiom: ‘A Bumper Harvest,’” Shangguan Zifeng from the Second Dowager’s table exclaimed, “Mother, no one at our table can perform.”

Shangguan Zifeng looked disappointed and then glanced at his sister.

Clearly, the responsibility fell on Shangguan Ling.

Ling was fifteen this year, the proper age for betrothal.

She wanted to perform but was not skilled; she only knew a little and feared embarrassment on stage.

“Young Madam, come to our table and perform,” the Second Dowager commanded directly.

She was well aware of her grandchildren’s abilities and did not want them to embarrass themselves.