Chapter 53: Pouring the Wine (III)

Among those present, from high-ranking officials in colorful robes to talented scholars, who didn’t carry a touch of literary flair? Hearing what the Lady of Guo State said, everyone became excited and began clapping in support.
“Then let me serve as a catalyst and propose a theme first,” she said.
The Lady of Guo State turned her delicate neck slightly and gazed at the sea of chrysanthemums. After a brief pause, Yang Huahua raised the corners of her lips in a smile and said, “The chrysanthemums are in full bloom today. How about we use them as our theme?”
With that, she floated a jade wine cup on the water of the canal, letting it drift with the currents.
This game of floating cups was highly particular—before placing the cup, someone had to set the scope of the poem to be composed, known as introducing a theme. After that, the person would place the cup in the water. Whoever the cup drifted to would then compose a poem. However, the content had to stay within the limits set by the introduced theme.
Since it was a private banquet, almost everyone in Bo Huang Pavilion was from the Yang family. The Lady of Guo State sat in the main seat, with her son Pei Hui to her left. She doted on this son dearly; perhaps because she had owed him too much in earlier years, Yang Huahua did her best to fulfill his desires. If he wanted to study the numerology dismissed by others, she would summon the best teachers to teach him. If he didn’t wish to take the imperial examinations to become an official, she let him be—after all, the Yang family was wealthy enough for him to live as a rich man. Yet there were some things even Yang Huahua couldn’t decide on; in the face of family interests, they were all but insignificant pawns.
Her son Pei Hui had fallen in love with the granddaughter of a painter. Eagerly, he went to propose to her, and she too hoped her son could marry a girl she approved of. Having experienced her own painful marriage, she certainly didn’t want that tragedy to repeat itself with her son. As for matters of social matching, Yang Huahua considered them nonsense. Having come from humble origins herself, she had no fondness for those noble families who valued lineage as highly as gold. Even if her son didn’t like those girls, if he wanted to marry, she, Yang Huahua, would make sure they had to beg and ask for his hand! She cast a resentful glance toward Yang Zhao and cursed this shameless cousin in her mind seven or eight times. If it weren’t for his insistence on marrying the crown prince to gain power against Li Linfu, if the Yang family didn’t lack suitable young men, her son Pei Hui wouldn’t have had to become a victim of power struggles!

Right next to the main seat of Pohuang Pavilion was Yang Zhao, the emperor’s favorite minister. Today, he wore a long robe of Suzhou silk, with a corner of a headscarf covering his bun. His attire was meant to imitate that of scholars, making him appear more refined. Yet despite his efforts to suppress his joy, the happiness in his eyes ruined the calm and elegant image he had tried to create. Lately, he had been promoted repeatedly, and several of his cousins had also received promotions. In Yang Zhao’s view, this was all thanks to his diligence and shrewdness. Still, although he was now the representative of the Yang family in the capital, he was still at the Guo State Lady’s banquet, so even if he was slightly dissatisfied, he had to keep a smiling face. This woman was very useful; she could help him and the Yang family resolve many awkward situations that couldn’t be addressed openly. Now wasn’t the time to cross paths with her.

“Third sister, the Yang family has had so much good fortune lately—your contributions are truly remarkable.”

Yang Zhao forced a smile and actively tried to please the Guo State Lady.

“Oh? Do you really think it’s my merit?”

Yang Huahua raised her voice and gave Yang Zhao a sharp look.

Yang Zhao turned red with embarrassment and grunted lightly. “You, look at yourself—where’s any trace of a state lady’s demeanor?”

But Yang Huahua wasn’t ready to stop there. Waving her sleeves, she said, “Yes, I may not have the demeanor of a state lady, but isn’t that because of you? Surely you know how you got your position, right? You say I lack the demeanor of a state lady, but do you even have a hint of the magnanimity of a high-ranking official in the Tang Dynasty?”

Cornered, Yang Zhao pleaded in a low voice, “Be quieter. At least give me some face in front of outsiders.”

“Hah!”

Yang Huahua seemed truly angry, speaking harshly, “Yes, if you want face, I’ll give up on it. I’m a lowly woman, right? My face isn’t worth anything, even less than a sheep’s bladder? I deserve to run around for you, Yang Zhao. What’s the difference between me and a singer or entertainer?”

Moved by genuine emotion, tears streamed down Yang Huahua’s cheeks, dripping into the jade tablet with a clear ticking sound.

“Ah, it’s all my fault. It’s all my fault—will that do? Stop crying, please.”

Yang Zhao was stunned, not knowing which words had offended her and caused the Guo State Lady to change her expression so quickly. Moments ago she was cheerful, but now she was in tears.

Seeming to notice everyone looking toward Bohuang Pavilion, Yang Huahua wiped away her tears and glared fiercely at Yang Zhao: “I’m telling you, this is the last time I’m helping you. Whether you rise or fall, live or die, it has nothing to do with me anymore. If you dare to barge in recklessly again, I’ll have the servants break your legs!”
“You!”
Yang Zhao was stunned by such heartless and cruel words from his own cousin and was speechless, unable to retort.
“Third sister, Zhao brother, calm down, calm down. Let’s talk things through properly.”
Yang Xian saw the tension between the two rising and quickly stood up with a smile, trying to mediate. Both of them were pillars of the Yang family, and this was a crucial moment for their family’s rise—there was no room for internal strife!
“Mother, please don’t get angry at Uncle Zhao. Hui understands—he really has no choice.”
Pei Hui smiled gently, took Lady Guo’s hand, and comforted her in a soft voice.
“My child!”
Yang Huahua hugged her son and sighed deeply. The child was too sensible, and the more sensible he became, the more guilty she felt. Sometimes she even wished he would be more extravagant, but he was always so concerned about the Yang family, not realizing that the “Uncle Zhao” he addressed so respectfully saw him merely as a stepping stone for his own advancement. What was so special about a daughter of the Tang royal family? Princesse Gaoyang, Princesse Taiping, Princesse Anle—none of them didn’t keep concubines! (Note 1) Didn’t the Li Tang family emphasize ethics and propriety? Yet the royal family had slapped her in the face—a father-in-law marrying his daughter-in-law, a daughter-in-law keeping a bunch of men in her household behind her husband’s back! Although she was a woman, Yang Huahua didn’t think it was wrong for men to have multiple wives. If a man couldn’t show even a bit of boldness in bed, he was destined to be a worthless wretch with no future!
Wiping away her tears, Yang Huahua finally softened her tone: “I’ll listen to you. If you have no objections, I won’t make a scene.”
Gently adjusting her son’s hair at his temples, Yang Huahua’s eyes were filled with affection. At this moment, she wasn’t Lady Guo or some noblewoman enjoying imperial favor—she was just a mother who loved her son.
“Roasted deer leg is delicious, tsk tsk, what a flavor! Third senior brother said deer meat is even more tender than lamb. I didn’t believe it at first, but after tasting this roasted deer meat, I understand why people want to become nobles!” Zhou Wucui tore off a piece of roasted deer meat, tossed it into his mouth, and kept chewing while muttering happily.
“Tch, all you know how to eat. You fat idiot, if you keep eating like this, aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to get on a horse?”

Zhang Yanji poured himself a cup of Gaochang wine and spoke sarcastically. The young men had been looking forward to this banquet, but to their surprise, the Yang family’s restaurant treated them with arrogance, completely ignoring these lowly minor officers. Such behavior was quite common in the pragmatic world of officials. Yet the young men, inexperienced in the ways of the world, didn’t understand the reasons behind it and felt as if they had been slapped, filled with discomfort.
“With wine and meat, what more could we ask for?”
Zhou Wucui filled his own cup with fine wine and drank it in one gulp. “After this meal, I feel utterly empty and desolate. They say entering a noble household is like diving into deep waters, but if I could eat roasted deer meat every day, even a sea of suffering would seem worthwhile!”
Li Kuo, on the other hand, kept drinking on his own, occasionally looking up toward the Bohuang Pavilion.
“It seems Wang, the Music Minister, is about to compose a poem!”
The jade cup circled around before stopping by the table of the Music Minister at Fenglin Du, drawing cheers from everyone.
Note 1: Mianshou: refers to male concubines. The princesses of the Li Tang dynasty had rather unusual tastes. Wu Zetian set a precedent, and Princess Taiping and Princess Anle both kept entire households of male concubines—truly…