Chapter 75 Palace Banquet

Because Zhao Luli was stripped off his title, many objects that exceeded the regulations could not be used, even the carriage was smashed, so he could only go out on horseback or on foot. And the West Mansion had just been set up, and things have not been neatly arranged, so it was difficult for Guan Suyi to enter the palace. Fortunately, the grand princess sent someone to pick her up early in the morning, and just after turning out of the inner lane, she met Li shi who was kind enough to visit, and the two went on the road together.

They handed over the sign, entered the palace gate, and walked around the imperial garden under the guide of the inner attendant, and listened to the beautiful singing inside. While the strings were bustling, there were women’s tender voice intertwined with the men’s eloquent talk, it was really lively.

Li shi frowned and sighed, “I’m a village woman from a mud-legged background, if I haven’t receive my brother-in-law’s light, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be eligible to participate in any palace banquets for the rest of my life. To be honest, I and the group of people inside originally are not of the same kind. When entering the palace it doesn’t feel the glorious, but instead I feel bad. You have to pay attention to your manners when you eat, and you have to choose your words carefully. If you take a wrong step, you will become a beam-jumping clown, and you will be ridiculed wherever yo go. If I want to get out of the palace safely this time, I’m afraid I will have to exchange five years of my life.”

Guan Suyi smiled gracefully, “Sister-in-law doesn’t need to worry, let’s enjoy our flowers, and when the time comes, we will go to the main hall for the banquet, and let’s not say a word during the banquet, who can still rush to find trouble with us? I am also from a poor scholar, it is difficult to integrate into such a materialistic flashy world. However, when people live in the world, there will always be instance when we forced by circumstances, since we are already in the noble circle, then we have to abide by the rules of the noble circle. Aren’t they the best at ranking hierarchy based on status and power? When sister-in-law take out your identity as Marquis Zhenxi Mansion’s main house madam, just this bunch of womenfolk, the only ones who can overwhelm you in terms of power are the imperial family.”

Li shi‘s brows smoothed out, then she laughed, “What my sister means is that there are only a few people who can compare to us when it comes to identity, then I don’t have to be afraid of anyone.” After thinking for a while, she shook her head and said, “But it’s best not to deal with this group of people, it’s uncomfortable to deal with them, my chest feel unbearable. Sister, how about finding a quiet corner to enjoy the flowers, and then go back when the palace banquet begin? At that time just bury our head and eat hard, and save all the socializing.”

Guan Suyi was pleased, and agreed. The two avoided the crowd and walked into the deep and winding path. In the distance, they saw a green lake and a magnificent palace, which complemented each other under the brilliant spring light.

“Unlucky! How did we come here?” Li shi spat.

“This is… Ganquan Palace?” Guan Suyi’s eyesight was extraordinary, even though there was a dazzling spring light across the lake, she could still clearly see the plaque hanging on the door beam.

Li shi replied in a low voice, “It’s indeed Ganquan Palace. Because Ye Jieyu had damaged her root bones when she treated His Majesty in the past, in order to prevent her illness from getting worse, His Majesty deliberately chose Ganquan Palace with excellent lighting, pleasant scenery, and warm in spring and cool in summer for her to live in, it made all the concubines red with anger.”

While speaking, a line of guards with swords and halberds came out from the back wall. When they saw that some palace ladies wanted to approach, they immediately chased them away with a fierce attitude.

Seeing this, Li shi said cheerfully, “But that was all in the past, and now this Ganquan Palace has become a cold palace, and no one can enter without the Holy’s will. Look at it, she must have heard that today the Imperial Garden held a palace banquet, and she actually came out while dressed up. I’m afraid she still want to see His Majesty from afar, and gain some sympathy. This bitch is still as pretentious as before!”

Guan Suyi was very curious about what this legendary Ye Jieyu looked like, and immediately followed the direction Li shi pointed out, only to see a woman wearing a pale pink gauze skirt swaying out. After reaching the first step, before approaching the palace gate, two guards crossed their spears to block the way.

She didn’t put on powder on her face, only a vivid camellia was drawn between her eyebrows, and the flower buds seemed to be dotted with gold powder, shining with brilliant light. Even though her face was as white as paper and her expression was haggard, with this forehead decoration she looked even more like a flying immortal, not stained with vulgar dust. She looked at the guards with tears in her eyes, walking back and forth at the palace gate, hesitating, her reddish eyes were dripping with tears, which looked soft and weak, made one feel pity.

Guan Suyi watched silently for a while, then suddenly laughed. No wonder Zhao Luli looked down on her so much in her previous life. It turned out that Ye Zhen was like this, like a very weak little flower that collapsed when the wind blew, making people want to hold it in the palm of their hand and rub it into their heart to take a good care of her. On the other hand, looking at herself, she was frank and arrogant, where’s the slightest bit of pitiful cuteness?

However, as a woman, was it true that only by showing weakness one could win the favor of her husband? Could it be that someone too strong only have to endure humiliation and be crushed again and again in order to reflect their value? In this world, were there only two ways out for women? Either wagging their tails and begging for pity, or became breakable, with sad ending.

She couldn’t accept it, being reborn again, she couldn’t accept it no matter what!

It seemed like she watched for a long time, but it was only a short while before she said hoarsely, “So this is Ye Jieyu. When truly meet it’s not as good as they said. Sister, let’s go.”

“Let’s go, this old woman will be annoy every time seeing Ye Zhen’s face!” Li shi and Ye Zhen were always at odds, and she hurriedly took people elsewhere. As soon as they turned around, they heard a stern rebuke from across the lake, turned out Ye Zhen wanted to step out of Ganquan Palace, but was savagely pushed back by several guards, her grand palace maid knelt on the ground and kowtowed her head, looking very miserable. Ye Jieyu, who used to be high above, was now just a prisoner, and it’s unknown when she would see the light of day again, or maybe this life was already hopeless.

After walking along the flowery path for a while, Li shi left in a hurry on the pretext of going to the restroom. Guan Suyi had just seen her old enemy from her previous life and was a little absent-minded, so she casually found a secluded corner to sit and rest.

The spring breeze was soaked with the strong fragrance, and carried the warmth of the bright sun, when it reached the face and covered it, it made people feel comfortable. Guan Suyi narrowed her starry eyes, leaned on the stone table, and soon fell asleep.

“Madam, have you lost?” A deep voice broke the silence.

Guan Suyi opened her sparkling eyes, when she saw that the person was Hunnar, she couldn’t help but smile slightly, “Look at the quinoa, the flowers are flying everywhere* it’s a line from an anonymous poem of Man Jiang Hong (a type of poem) in the song dynasty. If you are fortunate enough to travel in this fairyland on earth, how can you not be enchanted by the beautiful scenery?”

Hunnar was captured by her bright smile and starry eyes, suddenly felt his mouth was dry and he couldn’t speak. When he opened his mouth, he could only lowly and timidly called “Madam.” This is his madam, not Zhao Luli’s madam, he believe so.

Jinzi stood behind Madam, glanced at His Majesty quickly with surprised eyes, then buried her head deeply and did not dare to look again. It turned out that His Majesty actually behaved like this in front of Madam, his face was flushed, his ears were red, and his mouth was clumsy, almost impossible to imagine the majesty of roaring on the battlefield and sweeping through thousands of enemies.

No, still very majestic, but like a coward bear.

Guan Suyi saw that he was standing in the same place and did not dare to approach, and was still at a loss, unable to speak, so she could not help but smile, “Look at me, I’m just talking nonsense. I am tired from walking, and too lazy to socialize, so I found a deserted place to take a rest, and avoid any disturbance to be idle. Why you didn’t accompany your Lord Marquis?”

Emperor Sheng Yuan gathered his courage to walk over, and said in a low voice, “Lord Marquis saw Li shi and had something to say to her in private, so he sent me away.”

Probably those words of remarriage again. Guan Suyi thought for a while, then beckoned, “Since you have nothing to do, come over and sit down, and we’ll look for them together after they finish talking.”

“Follow Madam’s orders.” Emperor Sheng Yuan respectfully made a clasp-hand salute, and then sat down cautiously, but he didn’t dare to sit firmly, only leaned on the stool with his legs open for support, as if he was squatting on a horse, everyone that looked at him felt tired and unbearable for him. When love was heavy the fear was born, he did not dare to be slacking and disrespectful towards Madam.

Jinzi glanced at him over and over again, the fierce and domineering image was finally broken by this bear-headed person in front of her, and her heart was bleeding.

Guan Suyi had never seen what Hunnar looked like on the battlefield, still thought that it was his nature to be honest and upright, so she couldn’t help chuckling, “You sit properly, we have equal relationship regardless of identity, just do whatever we want.”

“Follow Madam’s orders.” Emperor Sheng Yuan clasp-hand salute again, then moved and relaxed his long legs, no longer bulging out his strong muscles, and dropped the fabric of his trousers.

Guan Suyi glanced at him up and down, and sighed, “Juliu people are generally tall and strong, eight-foot tall men can be found anywhere, even a woman like the grand princess is around seven feet. However, when I look at it, I realize that you are the best of them. Your height is probably nine feet tall, right?”

“Answering Madam, no more, no less, just nine feet.” Emperor Sheng Yuan stretched his long legs, so that Madam could see his strong physique.

Jinzi silently covered her face, unable to bear to look directly.

Guan Suyi, however, liked his straightforward and boldness, and asked with a smile, “What did you eat growing up? I have a young child in my family, just at the growing period, after I return I will prepare food for him according to your method. Let him grow into a heroic and extraordinary figure like you.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan’s ears were red, mumbling without speaking. He was both happy for Madam’s praise and awkward by her question. He wanted to dig his heart out for madam, but didn’t dare to bear the consequences, lest what he waited for would not be love and friendship, but fear and hatred.

After hesitating for a moment, he said hoarsely, “I have no mother since I was a child, and I was rejected by my father and my clansmen. I was thrown into the barren mountains and ridges to fend for myself. I have never eaten normal people’s food, only devour raw meat and fowl. How can I grow so tall and even survive safely, even I can’t figure it out, maybe I was hated by people and ghosts, even the underworld is lazy to ask for my soul?”

Guan Suyi’s eyes widened, she was speechless for a while, and after taking a few breaths she said hoarsely, “You are an innocent child, why are they so cruel?”

“Innocent child?” Emperor Sheng Yuan shook his head with a wry smile, “Not every newborn is innocent, there are also Rakshasa evil ghosts that born with sin.”

“No!” Guan Suyi interrupted angrily, “Every child is…” What is it? Innocent?  She couldn’t say the second half of the sentence, because she thought of the child she lost in her previous life. He was an undesirable life and a sin that needed to be erased, his arrival, was Hunnar was also like this?

Emperor Sheng Yuan held his breath and waited, but for a long time he didn’t hear Madam’s rebuttal, and the eyes that were bright like stars were finally extinguished. Even Madam believed in the reincarnation of evil spirits, what else could he hope for? The so-called redemption and transcendence were just lies made up by monks to attract believers.

T/N: His background story is actually up there on the tragic scale.

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