Chapter 232: The Quchi Birthday Banquet (Part 2)

For Yang Guifei’s birthday, gifts were essential. To offer something truly unique, nearly every official racked their brains. A well-chosen gift could please the emperor, paving the way for promotion. A couple of years ago, Huang Heng, the governor of Shenzhou, presented Guifei with a magical parrot named Xueyi Niang, who won her great favor. As a result, Huang Heng was promoted to Deputy Minister of Rites and, a year later, to Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, enjoying a smooth career rise.

This year’s birthday celebration was even more grand, presenting another opportunity for promotion—depending on who could seize it. For Emperor Li Longji’s sons, Guifei’s birthday held special significance. The Eastern Palace remained vacant. At the beginning of the year, there were rumors that the fourth son, Prince Yan, had a chance of becoming the heir, but those rumors faded without a trace. Two months ago, Emperor Li Longji praised Prince Wan for his refined demeanor and numerous descendants, causing his palace to be bustling with activity. Yet now, everything had quieted down, leaving many disappointed.

The prolonged uncertainty over the crown prince position had led to various rumors. Some said the emperor intended to appoint his eighteenth son, Mao, as heir but hesitated due to Guifei’s influence. Others claimed he wanted to choose someone from his nephews, not necessarily a prince. The endless rumors filled the princes with anxiety.

Today’s banquet was also an opportunity. If they could win Guifei’s favor, they might stand a chance of securing the position in the Eastern Palace. Early in the morning, Prince Qing called his son Li Qiu into his room. Proudly, he placed a long-shaped box on the table and said with a smile, “This is the jade flute my father obtained this morning. What do you think?”

Li Qiu was surprised and quickly asked, “Is it carved from thatten thousand years ice jade?”

Li Cong nodded. “Exactly!”

Li Qiu carefully opened the box, and a rich fragrance filled the air. The box itself was carved from premium agarwood, extremely valuable. On the silk inside lay a jade flute that was crystal clear, resembling ice. This ice jade was purchased by Prince Qing’s men at a market in Yunchou from a Uyghur for 500 guan. It remained icy cold even during the hottest days, making it a rare treasure. Since it was long-shaped, Li Cong had a skilled jade carver transform it into a flute, intending to present it to the emperor—only for it to coincide with Guifei’s birthday.

Li Qiu picked up the flute but noticed a pair of wine cups made of the same material in the box, which surprised him. Li Cong smiled and said, “These were made from leftover material. They’re perfect for drinking wine. I plan to present them to the emperor.”

Li Qiu pondered for a moment before saying, “I can understand Your Majesty’s eagerness to become the crown prince, but I always feel that focusing on such trivial matters won’t yield any results.”
“What do you think would be effective then?” Li Cong, disappointed, showed signs of displeasure.
Li Qiu inwardly sighed. In fact, he had long lost interest in whether his father could become the crown prince. At the beginning of the year, he had advised Li Cong to distribute all his lands to farmers, clearly advocating against land consolidation to win the hearts of the people across the country. He had even analyzed for him that the wealth he currently possessed would last for dozens of lifetimes—so what was the point of keeping those tens of thousands of acres of farmland? If those lands could be distributed to tenants, with ten acres per household, hundreds of thousands of farmers would benefit. Spending half of his wealth to establish schools everywhere would win over scholars nationwide—what a powerful political resource that would be, laying a solid foundation for him to become the crown prince. Yet despite his thorough analysis, Li Cong only cursed him violently and ordered his family to beat him twenty times with a rod.
Li Qiu’s heart grew cold. If such a greedy, foolish, and short-sighted person became the ruler of the Tang Dynasty, it would be a tragedy not only for the Li clan but also for the dynasty itself. Moreover, he believed there was no hope at all that Li Cong could become the crown prince.
He began to miss his biological father, the former crown prince Ying, who was killed in the 25th year of the Kaiyuan era.
At that moment, seeing Li Cong’s displeased expression, he lost the urge to explain further. If his father wanted to give gifts, so be it—what was it to him?
With a faint smile, he said, “Your Majesty, I mean, the value of a gift lies not in its costliness but in its uniqueness—something that can please the Imperial Concubine. For example, if she likes to drink dew for beauty, and there’s no dew in summer, Your Majesty could build a platform and use copper plates to collect dew. No one else has such means, only Your Majesty can do it. This would please her and also allow you to show your filial piety over time—why not do it?”
Li Cong suddenly understood. He slapped his fat thigh heavily. “That’s right! How could I not think of that? I’ll build the platform right now and start collecting dew tonight.”
He smiled approvingly at Li Qiu and said, “Your suggestion is excellent. In the future, offer more such useful advice and fewer suggestions about distributing land and wealth. This is what a true son should do.”
Li Qiu inwardly smiled bitterly but said nothing. The crown prince was the heir to the Tang Dynasty, not the emperor’s personal position. With his father’s misplaced priorities, how could he possibly become the crown prince?

He also didn’t want to bring up the matter anymore, so he stood up and said, “Father King, your son must prepare for the birthday banquet. I take my leave now.”
Li Cong thought of Chaolu and hurriedly went to arrange for a platform to be built.
Li Qiu, on the other hand, rode away from the Prince Qing’s mansion, made a few detours around Chang’an, and arrived at the Prince Liang’s mansion. This was the former crown prince Li Hen’s residence, located in Yongfu Fang—a solitary house. Since Li Hen was stripped of his title as crown prince, it had become the most desolate place in Chang’an. Li Hen hardly ever went out, and no one visited him; grass had even grown on the steps.
At first, Li Longji kept a strict watch over him, requiring reports on every move he made. But as time passed, Li Longji lost interest in him. Starting from February this year, the surveillance was lifted. Li Hen also received an invitation to tonight’s birthday banquet for the imperial concubine. He ordered some ordinary gifts to be sent to the palace while preparing to attend the banquet himself.
At that moment, Li Hen was in his study, reading a letter written by Li Qingan—the only person among all the officials who still kept in touch with him.
With trembling hands, Li Hen opened the letter. It had been a year and a month since he was deposed. His temples had turned slightly gray, as if he had aged ten years.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince, I, Li Qingan, bow deeply…”
Li Qingan’s first words brought tears to Li Hen’s eyes. He suppressed his sadness, wiped away his tears with the back of his hand, and continued reading.
“I have begun efforts to reclaim Suiye. Currently, I have nearly 80,000 troops, enough to restore the Tang Dynasty’s lost territories. After capturing Suiye, I plan to relocate Han people there to settle, turning it into a province of the Tang Dynasty. They will cultivate the land, raise livestock, and farm, making Suiye a base for the Tang Dynasty’s expansion westward, capable of self-sufficiency in military supplies…”
Li Qingan’s letter was over a dozen pages long. Li Hen read it carefully. At the end, Li Qingan wrote, “Your Highness, although you have faced setbacks, it does not mean the path to becoming crown prince is severed. I will contact loyal former officials to do my utmost to help you return to the Eastern Palace. I hope you will summon courage and live up to my expectations. As long as I am alive, the faction supporting the crown prince will never disappear.”
Tears welled up in Li Hen’s eyes again. His emotions surged. Only in times of adversity could he see those truly loyal to him. As long as Li Qingan was alive, the faction supporting the crown prince would never disband.
At that moment, the voice of his trusted eunuch, Li Jingzhong, came from the door, “Your Highness, someone seeks an audience!”
Li Hen quickly hid the letter and asked, “Who is it?”
Li Jingzhong hesitated for a moment before saying, “It’s Li Qiu, the son of Prince Qing.”

“Who is it?” Li Heng doubted he had heard correctly.
“Your Highness, it’s the son of Prince Qing.”
Li Heng remained silent for a moment before nodding and saying, “Let him in!”
He lit Li Qing’an’s letter and kept it burning until it turned to ashes, then threw it into the incense burner. Now, he trusted no one.
Soon, Li Qiu was brought in. As soon as he entered, he bowed deeply and said, “Your nephew pays his respects to his uncle!”
Only then did Li Heng remember that Li Qiu was the son of his second brother, Li Ying. Recalling that Crown Prince Ying had been deposed years ago and shared his fate, he felt a hint of sadness. He waved his hand gently and said, “There’s no need for formalities, nephew. Please sit.”
“Thank you, uncle!”
After sitting down, Li Qiu said, “Today, I am not here as the son of Prince Qing, but as the son of the former crown prince. My father is not Prince Qing Cong, but Crown Prince Ying. I hope uncle can understand my intentions.”
Li Heng was stunned. After a long while, he asked, “I wonder what brings you to see me today?”
Li Qiu took out a book from his bosom and handed it to Li Heng, saying, “Does uncle still remember Wang Anliang, the eunuch who used to serve in the study? This is his hiding place.”
“Wang Anliang?” Li Heng vaguely remembered him. When the Eastern Palace was abolished, many eunuchs and maids were expelled from the palace, and Wang Anliang was one of them.
Li Heng nodded and asked, “Does this eunuch have anything to do with me?”
“Very much so. It was he who placed that figurine in your study.”
“What!” Li Heng stood up abruptly, eyes wide with shock. He exclaimed, “Are you saying the figurine found in my study was his doing?”
Li Qiu nodded slowly. “Indeed. That eunuch was actually a spy sent by Prince Qing to the Eastern Palace. After completing his task, I hid him. He’s in my hands now. If uncle wants him, he can take him at any time.”
After saying this, Li Qiu stared at Li Heng. Li Heng slowly sat back down, gritting his teeth. “So it was him! I must kill him with my own hands.”
“Is that all uncle wants to do—just kill him?”
“No! I’ll hand him over to the emperor to restore my innocence.”
Li Heng was too agitated to control himself. He had never cursed his father before. He must regain his innocence.
After a long while, he managed to calm down and asked Li Qiu, “Why tell me all this?”
“It’s simple. I hope uncle can return to the Eastern Palace.”
“Why?” Li Heng’s dull gaze suddenly became sharp.

A hint of sadness flashed in Li Qiu’s eyes as he smiled faintly and said, “Perhaps my uncles’ experiences remind me of my own biological father. I hope his tragedy won’t happen again. Of course, among all my uncles, I have high hopes for my third uncle—this is also for my own future.”
At that, he took out another book and said with a smile, “Besides this Wang Anliang, there’s also that witch’s son; he’s another key witness.”
……
As time moved toward afternoon, officials’ carriages began heading toward Qujiang Pond. Many ordinary families also went there with their wives and daughters, eager to experience the splendor. Even if they couldn’t enter Furong Garden, just witnessing its luxury was a pleasure in itself.
It wasn’t yet dark, but Furong Garden by Qujiang Pond was already glowing with lights. Various lanterns and palace lamps turned it into a fairyland on earth. The area was tightly guarded, with nearly ten thousand imperial soldiers surrounding it. All visitors had to enter with an invitation and register at the entrance, including their family members.
About half an hour before dusk, the carriage carrying Mingyue and her mother stopped slowly at the registration desk by the main road to Furong Garden. Dozens of carriages were already parked there, and in front of a long row of tables, many guests were signing in.
Mingyue and her mother got out of the carriage. Lady Pei wore an official imperial robe, while Mingyue still wore her red, wide-skirted dress with the belt tied under her armpits, making her look exceptionally graceful and slender. She wore a thin silk top and a colorful brocade cloak. Her hair was styled in a high bun, giving her a beautiful and dignified appearance—like a celestial maiden descended to earth. Wherever she went, it immediately sparked whispers, with countless eager eyes fixed on her.
Mingzhu, on the other hand, pouted, clearly unhappy. She had been forced to wear a long green dress that didn’t fit well, making her look small, like a doll, following behind her sister. Lady Pei regretted dressing Mingzhu so formally; she had intended to find her a suitable match, but the outfit gave the impression that she was still a minor. Lady Pei was helpless and thought secretly of finding a place to change her dress.
“Mingzhu!”
Suddenly, someone called out to her from behind. Mingzhu turned around and saw it was her friend Changsun Yun. She jumped for joy. Lady Pei coughed loudly and warned her sternly, “Maintain proper manners!”
Mingzhu had no choice but to walk forward obediently. Seeing Changsun Yun wearing a short skirt that only reached her ankles and dressed very casually, she felt both envious and aggrieved.

Changsun Yun couldn’t help but cover his mouth and laugh when he saw her dressed so formally. “Mingzhu, is your mother trying to find you a husband?”
“Not at all!” Mingzhu muttered. “My mother insists on looking this fancy; it feels like being in prison—so uncomfortable.”
“Mingzhu, let’s sit together later!”
“Sure! With my mother around, I won’t have a good time tonight.”
Meanwhile, Mingyue took out her invitation. Her invitation was different from others’—while most were red, hers was crimson-yellow. It was a private invitation from Yang Guifei. The official in charge of registration immediately grew respectful, took out a golden register, and laid it out in front of Mingyue. “Miss Dugu, please sign here!”
Mingyue wrote her name, Dugu Mingyue, in delicate handwriting. After hesitating for a moment, she added ‘Li Qing’an, Governor of Anxi’ beneath it before putting down the pen. She then took out a gift and said with a smile, “This is a small token from Governor Li for the Empress; please accept it!”
The eunuch from the Imperial Secretariat quickly took it. “Thank you very much!”
By then, Lady Pei had finished registering and stood aside, smiling at her daughter. Mingyue’s grace and courtesy filled her with pride. She turned to look at Mingzhu, who was chattering nonstop with Changsun Yun like a little sparrow. She sighed inwardly—her younger daughter was already sixteen but still acted like a child.
Seeing that Mingyue had finished registering, she said with a smile, “Well then, let’s go in! Mingzhu, come on.”
“Mom, I need to talk to Yun a bit longer. I’ll join you later.”
“As you wish!”
Lady Pei then entered the Lotus Garden with Mingyue. The Lotus Garden was a royal garden accessible only to the elite. It was lavishly decorated, with real and artificial flowers intertwined, silk fabrics hanging from the branches, and agate grapes and jade pomegranates everywhere. But the most stunning sight was the dozens of acres of lotus flowers blooming on the water—white, red, and pink—creating a breathtakingly colorful display.
Yang Guifei was born during the peak season of the lotus blooms, which is why she also had the name Yang Furong. There were also large pleasure boats on the water, where singers would perform for the Empress later. Today’s birthday celebration would take place in the Lotus Hall, a massive complex built partly on water and partly on land, with magnificent pillars and golden decorations, capable of accommodating over five thousand people for meals.

Officials of the fifth rank and those with imperial decrees seating wives sat in the main hall, while the rest dined in two side halls. By now, nearly half of the guests had arrived. In the center of the main hall, a group of dancers was performing gracefully, accompanied by pleasant music. As the hall doors had just opened, people were everywhere looking for seats, with eunuchs and maids in the palace guiding them.

In the main hall, male and female guests sat separately—males on the right and females on the left. The male guests quickly found seats and gathered in groups of three or five to chat, while the female guests had a much harder time finding seats. Often, halfway through, they would encounter acquaintances and start chatting excitedly, ignoring the maids who were guiding them and forgetting about finding seats.

Mingyue had received a personal invitation, allowing her to sit in the main hall in a prominent position—one reserved only for wives of officials of the fourth rank or above. Everyone else was dressed in solemn court robes, but she stood out with her bright and colorful attire.

Seats were arranged in pairs. Next to her was the seat of Lady Linghu Fei, the Minister of War. Yet Mingyue was preoccupied. After looking around, she spotted the wife of Cui Qiao behind two seats. Cui Qiao’s wife was sitting with the wife of Xu Heng, the Deputy Minister of Works. After hesitating for a moment, Mingyue stepped forward, bowed to Xu Heng’s wife, and said with a smile, “Madam, may I exchange seats with you? I’d like to sit with Lady Cui.”