Attending the Banquet

In the blink of an eye, I arrived at the imperial palace hall.

"The Master of the Fantian Pavilion has arrived..."

As the eunuch’s voice echoed, countless eyes turned toward the entrance. Gu Teng, Dongfang Qingyu, and I stepped into the hall. On the high dais, Li Zheng looked much better; draped in imperial robes, he carried a certain air of authority. He had been well-tutored. Beside him, Li Yexuan wore the robes of a prince, appearing even colder than he had five years ago. The sheer weight of his sovereign aura was enough to leave many in the room struggling for breath.

Yun Heng, Lan Xin—so many familiar and unfamiliar faces from the past had gathered here. Was it time to reminisce about old times?

"The Fantian Pavilion pays respects to His Majesty and the Prince Regent."

The three of us bowed briefly in unison, without kneeling. A wave of murmurs rippled through the banquet.

"Your Majesty, this is against etiquette! No matter how great the Fantian Pavilion’s contributions may be, how can they not kneel? And to arrive wearing masks—is there no law left in this land?" Yun Rong’s shrill, caustic voice pierced the air. I hadn't even found you to settle our accounts yet, and already you’re jumping to the forefront. Yun Rong, oh Yun Rong, how exactly have you managed to survive all these years?

"My, my. Since when has the Yuehua Kingdom been run by a woman of unknown origin? His Majesty and the Prince have yet to speak. Could it be that the laws of your esteemed country are now dictated by women?" I toyed with a lock of hair by my ear, speaking with feigned indifference.

Sure enough, Li Yexuan’s expression darkened. In truth, he had tacitly approved of Yun Rong’s outburst.

Yun Rong glanced at Li Yexuan, then turned back to me with a smug smile. "I apologize for my rudeness, Pavilion Master. I hope you won't begrudge a mere woman like me. I was simply speaking of proper protocol."

A dagger hidden behind a smile—she wanted the three of us to kneel.

"I am the Master of the Fantian Pavilion, the savior of the Emperor. Are you suggesting that I should kneel to you? Perhaps I should have His Majesty kneel to you as well, to settle the debt the Yuehua royal family owes my pavilion? From this day forth, the Fantian Pavilion would have no ties to the Yuehua royalty. Let the pugilistic world be the pugilistic world, and the court be the court."

Yun Rong flushed, her face turning from red to white.

"The Pavilion Master speaks too harshly," Li Zheng, seated on the dragon throne, finally spoke up.

"In that case, if the Pavilion Master does not kneel, then so be it. But what of the other two? Are they also the Emperor’s saviors?"

Yun Rong, did you truly think I would come alone to a banquet filled with tigers and wolves? Li Yexuan hadn't stopped plotting against me; he likely hoped the Fantian Pavilion could be turned to his own use.

"The Master of the Yuntian Pavilion is the Heir Apparent of the Northern Peace Kingdom, Dongfang Qingyu. Neither the Prince nor I could possibly accept such a bow from him," Li Yexuan declared. Yun Rong had effectively dropped a rock on her own feet.

Still, she wouldn't give up. "And what of the last one?"

"Pavilion Master, we would like to present our gifts," Gu Teng requested.

"Proceed."

I smiled at Yun Rong, clearly sensing the flicker of unease in her eyes. When the documents were presented, both Li Yexuan and Li Zheng wore expressions of astonishment.

"I am the Fourth Prince of the Great Desert, and also the Lingtian Pavilion Master. It was my fault for not revealing my identity sooner. I did not know that the Yuehua Kingdom was so meticulous about such etiquette. Since my royal brother instructed that I should not kneel, I had no choice but to make it public."

Gu Teng’s delivery was impeccable. Yun Rong looked as if she were about to collapse; I wondered if she might feign a faint in the next second.

"Prince, you are too kind. Please, take your seat."

"Wait." I raised my folding fan high.

"Your Majesty, Prince, although the Fantian Pavilion is not of the court, we are not to be trifled with. When the Emperor’s life was hanging by a thread, my pavilion kindly offered our greatest treasures: the Tianshan Snow Lotus and the Little Lingzhi. If you look into it, you will find that this Little Lingzhi is a rare treasure of the Great Desert’s royal house. We gifted such precious medicine to your country without hesitation, and we never asked for a single official title in return. As for this banquet, which was ostensibly held to thank us, my pavilion is busy and has no desire for social pleasantries, yet we came because the Prince extended an invitation. Little did we know that upon arrival—before we could even exchange a word with the Emperor or the Prince—we would be berated by some woman. It is one thing for me to suffer such slights, but the others are the Heir Apparent of Northern Peace and a Prince of the Great Desert."

I had only revealed Gu Teng's identity because I knew the matter of the Little Lingzhi could not be kept secret forever. As soon as I finished speaking, the banquet erupted into hushed whispers.

"Does the Yuehua Kingdom truly believe its national strength is so great that it can look down upon Northern Peace and the Great Desert? Or is this meant to be a show of force against the Fantian Pavilion, Northern Peace, and the Great Desert?" I flicked my sleeves sharply.

"I... I did not mean it that way..."

"Then what did you mean, young lady? Why not lay it out clearly?"

"I... I..."

Yun Rong stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence.

"Pavilion Master, I, Yun Heng, have failed to teach my sister properly. I hope you will not hold it against her." Yun Heng stood up, bowing respectfully.

Looking at the man I had once secretly admired, I couldn't help but sigh. A woman’s life always has a moment where her eyes are effectively blinded. Yun Heng, you are truly too hypocritical.

I said nothing, making a show of turning to leave.

"Master of the Fantian Pavilion!" Li Yexuan stood up.

I stopped and turned back, feigning confusion.

"It was the Yuehua Kingdom that was rude. I hope you will not take offense. This banquet was intended to thank you; if you leave, I would not know what else there is to celebrate."

"This..."

"Pavilion Master..."

"Pavilion Master..."

Gu Teng and Dongfang Qingyu’s calls were perfectly timed.

"Since the Prince has spoken, then so be it. However, I hope the Prince and His Majesty will forgive my own lack of manners."

"Please."

I finally sat down with Dongfang Qingyu and Gu Teng. Li Yexuan, let’s see who can outlast whom. A few days ago, my subordinates reported that people were investigating the Fantian Pavilion’s many properties within the Yuehua Kingdom. Most of these assets were not openly registered under the pavilion's name; unless one was a member of the pugilistic world, few would know—but the Tanghui Palace happened to be aware.

I guessed that Li Yexuan intended to ask me to contribute to the national treasury or, more likely, to bring me under his control. He feared that if my properties fell into Dongfang Qingyu’s hands, the already powerful Northern Peace Kingdom would become even more formidable.

When I first met Li Yexuan under the cherry blossoms, it was likely when he was being taken to Northern Peace as a hostage, which is why he was accompanying the Yuehua delegation to my Lingyun Kingdom. Li Yexuan and Dongfang Qingyu must have known each other for a long time.

Over these years, the Yuehua Kingdom had indeed made strides, but it still could not rival Northern Peace. Even if Northern Peace wanted to destroy Yuehua, it would be a grueling task, with no guarantee of success.

Since he was so fond of suspicion, I would toss him another grenade. Gu Teng was a prince of the Great Desert; Li Yexuan would find out soon enough, so I might as well let him know early and cause him to grow suspicious of the Great Desert instead. He would never guess that these were all assets I had prepared for the Lingyun Kingdom—the true Lingyun Kingdom.

"High, truly high," Dongfang Qingyu’s voice whispered in my ear, and I saw him give me a thumbs-up. Gu Teng offered an approving look from the other side. I smiled with satisfaction. At worst, I would earn a reputation for being petty, but that would make things much easier, and Li Yexuan wouldn't get a thing. Even though he had his own wealth, compared to the Fantian Pavilion, his resources were like ants to the sun—they could not compete.

"It’s nothing," I replied with a playful smile. Sensing a gaze from the high dais that had not drifted away, I looked up and met Li Yexuan’s eyes without a hint of fear.

My hand tightened, and I realized Dongfang Qingyu was holding it.

I had barely slept last night. My subordinates from the Killing Force brought me bad news: they had accidentally captured a young eunuch from the Yuehua palace. The boy was timid and spilled everything he knew. The night before the coup in the Lingyun Kingdom, the former Emperor of Yuehua—Li Yexuan’s older brother—was still hesitant, but later held a secret meeting with Li Yexuan and several core ministers that lasted over an hour.

That night, the Yuehua Kingdom had indeed sent people in.

During the five years on the island, Gu Teng had traveled frequently, and I had directed him to win over many court officials—talented individuals marginalized by family politics, or those harboring grievances. The Fantian Pavilion had helped them, and last night, I mobilized many of these officials within the Yuehua court to identify the ministers who had conspired back then and to investigate the matter thoroughly.

It was this news that left me with not a shred of pity when facing Li Yexuan today. When it concerned the survival of my country and the lives of my kin, even if we had once been husband and wife, even if he was the father of my son, I could no longer care.

I had never liked royal banquets—they were always tedious—and now I was starting to feel sleepy. I hadn't rested well last night, and I had traveled quite a distance today; no matter how many miraculous medicinal pills I took, I was exhausted. Hiding my face behind my fan, I slowly leaned onto Dongfang Qingyu’s shoulder.

"Wake up, wake up..." Dongfang Qingyu nudged me, whispering in my ear. I jolted awake and quickly straightened up.

"What? What is it?"

"The Prince is asking you a question."

Oh no. Could I tell him I had just fallen asleep?

"Pavilion Master, are these songs and dances not to your liking?" Li Yexuan was actually smiling as he looked at me. He must have seen everything. How embarrassing.

I looked closer and—oh my—Li Zheng was nodding off, too, his eyes squinting. After a stern glare from Li Yexuan, he hurriedly sat upright. This child had it tough.

"They are quite good, quite good."

"..."

"Your Majesty, Prince, I previously offended the Pavilion Master, as well as the Heir Apparent of Northern Peace and the Prince of the Great Desert. I would like to offer a dance to express my apologies. I hope Your Majesty and the Prince will allow it."

Yun Rong stood up and bowed deeply. Li Yexuan didn't speak, but Li Zheng nodded.

Rumor had it that Li Yexuan had never favored Yun Rong; it seemed true. I wondered why Li Yexuan hadn't just killed her with a sword. After all, he hadn't hesitated to plunge a blade into my heart.

Watching the woman in the center of the hall, dancing like a molting duck, I found it truly ironic.

My hand was squeezed again by Dongfang Qingyu, and my anxious, restless heart suddenly calmed.

"I’m fine."

"As long as you are fine."

Taking a deep breath, I quickly tucked away the fleeting, strange emotions that had surfaced.