Ah Jiao felt she ought to find another time to have the City God stabilize her "pregnancy pulse."
As for the evening banquet, she didn't consider it a major affair and felt no need to fret over it. Rather than worrying about those women, she was more interested in quietly investigating whether she had truly caused a lasting problem for Liu Che when she had pressed down on him—so far, not a whisper of news had leaked out.
If Liu Che truly became impotent, then Lord Yunhe would be the final imperial prince. When the time came, she could simply fabricate some auspicious omens before his birth, making the subsequent steps much easier to manage.
Observing her mistress lost in thought, Yu Li stepped lightly into the room. Standing outside the curtain, she bowed slightly and said, "Noble Lady, His Majesty requests that you dress and adorn yourself. We are to depart for the banquet at Jinhua Hall shortly."
Ah Jiao gave a casual "mm" in response and asked, "Has Master Huan not returned yet?"
Yu Li replied, "He returned this afternoon, saw His Majesty, and has already left the palace."
Ah Jiao nodded. "I see. Let the maids in to serve me."
Yu Li turned her head slightly and called to those outside. Palace maids entered carrying basins, towels, and other necessities.
Ah Jiao allowed them to fuss over her, feeling so bored she wanted to sleep again. On occasions like this, one’s makeup and attire could not be casual; it would take at least an hour to finish the transformation.
After a long wait, the sound of footsteps echoed outside. Ah Jiao turned her head and, as expected, saw Liu Che walking in, looking radiant with joy.
Ah Jiao curled her lip and continued letting the maids apply her makeup. Liu Che walked over, took the eyebrow brush from Mian Fu’s hand, turned Ah Jiao’s face toward him, and gently began to trace her brows.
Years ago, a physiognomist had said that Ah Jiao’s features were exquisite yet sharp. Chen Wan’s face, however, was gentle and demure. As he painted her brows into a sloping "character-eight" shape, it seemed to imbue her with a few strands of melancholy out of thin air.
Ah Jiao turned to look in the mirror and reached out to wipe it away, but the Emperor caught her wrist. He scolded her with a smile, "I painted these for you; how dare you wipe them off?"
Setting down the brush, he dipped a finger into the lip rouge and dotted it onto her lips. Her mouth, small as a cherry, was quite charming. Liu Che pinched her lips playfully before pulling her up. Nan Ke hurried forward to drape a silk stole over Ah Jiao’s shoulders, and the two walked out hand in hand.
The Emperor was usually the last to arrive. He led Ah Jiao all the way to the head of the hall. Yang Deyi inwardly noted that it was fortunate he had prepared the mats in advance.
After helping Ah Jiao settle into her seat, the Emperor took his own.
The woman beside the Crown Prince had a protruding belly; by the looks of it, she was likely the Crown Princess, Xue Qi. Judging by the size of her stomach, she was probably close to her due date, which explained why she hadn't been seen at Shanglin Park. Ah Jiao had heard that the Crown Princess had given birth to another daughter two years ago; she hadn't expected her to be pregnant again so soon.
Liu Ju now had one son and four daughters: the Imperial Grandson Liu Jin, and the Imperial Granddaughters Liu Hui and Liu Ci. The remaining two were born to concubines and did not have the status to attend the hall.
Ah Jiao withdrew her gaze, silently wondering if the Crown Princess’s current child would be a boy or a girl. If it were a boy... She looked at the woman in blue sitting behind the Crown Princess; the Crown Prince’s palace was bound to become lively.
Today, as she followed Liu Che into the hall, she once again refrained from bowing to anyone. As expected, no one in the harem dared to voice an objection.
While Ah Jiao listened to the crowd’s congratulatory toasts, she observed the seating order. Among the consorts, the group was led by Lady Jiang, whom she had met a few times. Following her were two unfamiliar women, then Lady Xing, and a seat or two away was Yan Zheng... Seeing Yan Zheng made Ah Jiao feel a slight pang of discomfort.
Those permitted to attend the banquet today all held official titles and ranks. Ah Jiao counted them; there were only about twenty people. Although this was many more than the handful she had managed during her time as Empress, it felt significantly fewer than the rumors suggested—she had been prepared for a room full of women.
The Crown Prince and his consort sat at the head of the opposite row, followed by Liu Bo, then Liu Ying and Wei Qing leading Cao Zong and the three sons of the Wei family. Princess Longlü, Liu Qi, led Chen Xuan of Yi'an, while Princess Nangong, Liu Yu, and the Marquis of Zhang, Nai Shen, led their two sons and one daughter.
Ah Jiao didn't recognize most of the people further down, but at a glance, she actually spotted Chen Yang and his wife.
...Were they now considered her kin?
After the first round of toasts, the singing and dancing began. Ah Jiao looked at the dancers in the hall wearing thin gauze costumes and felt cold just watching them. She pulled her silk stole tighter around her shoulders.
Liu Che watched with interest as Ah Jiao surveyed everyone in the hall. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Jiaojiao, how many of them do you recognize?"
Ah Jiao turned her head and could see the wrinkles near Liu Che’s ears and on his neck—line after line. It made her realize clearly that this man had, after all, grown old. Before she could feel sad for even a moment, she remembered the disgusting dream Liu Che had mentioned. She leaned back slightly and said, "I don't recognize most of them."
Liu Che chuckled softly and asked, "What do you think of the one dancing in the center? She is quite charming."
Ah Jiao lowered her head slightly and huffed, refusing to answer.
If only her past self had been like Liu Che, simply liking those who were young and beautiful, she wouldn't have been heartbroken for so long... If one encountered someone more beautiful, they could immediately discard the previous one without even a hint of sorrow.
Liu Che raised his wine cup and invited Ah Jiao to drink with him. Out of the corner of her eye, Ah Jiao sensed many burning gazes fixed upon her. She reached out, pulled Liu Che’s hand toward her, and drank directly from his cup.
Liu Che was stunned, as was everyone else.
Ah Jiao’s expression remained unchanged as she raised her hand to refill Liu Che’s cup. Liu Che drank it with a smile. That triumphant look on Ah Jiao’s face was exactly as it had been in the past... lovely. Yes, "lovely" was the word.
The hall resumed its sounds of chatter and laughter.
Chen Xuan, slightly tipsy, began clamoring for the Music Bureau to perform a song. Ah Jiao suppressed the urge to hurl a wine vessel at him. *Have your knees healed already? You're seeking death again.* Liu Che squeezed Ah Jiao’s hand and smiled at Chen Xuan. "Tell me, what song should they sing? If they finish and someone says it wasn't good, your Uncle will have to punish you severely."
Chen Xuan froze for a moment, then cupped his hands and replied, "I have heard..."
Ah Jiao smiled and interrupted, "I have heard that His Majesty once composed the *Ode to the Autumn Wind*, which is lingering, elegant, and timeless. Why not have the Music Bureau sing that?" If they sang a poem written by Liu Che himself, surely no one would dare say it was unpleasant.
However, Lady Shen laughed and said, "The *Ode to the Autumn Wind* is indeed fine, but it carries a sentiment of autumn melancholy and depression. I fear it might be inappropriate for today."
Ah Jiao blinked and looked down toward the speaker. It was a woman with slender shoulders, a narrow waist, a powdered face, and delicate brows.
Ah Jiao thought to herself, *How should I respond? I don't know if Liu Che is actually depressed or not. Regardless, I was quite happy back then, just recovering from my illness in the Underworld!*
Liu Che turned to wait for Ah Jiao’s answer. Ah Jiao coughed. Seeing Liu Che’s amused expression, she shifted her gaze to him and feigned a spoiled tone. "Your Majesty, who do you think is right? Can Your Majesty’s ode be sung or not?"
Liu Che gave Ah Jiao a mock glare, then waved his hand grandly. "Let it be the *Ode to the Autumn Wind*."
A fair-faced man in long robes carrying a musical instrument stepped forward into the center of the hall. He bowed to the Emperor and began to play and sing.
"What instrument is that?" Ah Jiao asked softly. It looked like a *se* zither, but the number of strings was wrong.
Liu Che smiled broadly. "That is a twenty-five string *se*. It was Li Yannian..." He pointed to the man in the hall. "...who modified it from the fifty-string version."
Li Yannian, the brother of the late Lady Li and the current Commandant of Musical Harmony in the Music Bureau, was a man of great influence. Ah Jiao closed her eyes and listened for a while. This man’s voice was like jade and flowing water; his singing was truly moving. No wonder he had been commissioned to compose sacrificial music after being summoned by Liu Che in the sixth year of Yuanding.
When the song ended, Liu Che, feeling pleased, rewarded Li Yannian. He then caught sight of his nephew grinning foolishly below and decided to bestow a cup of wine upon Chen Xuan as well.
Princess Liu Qi was overjoyed. Her foolish son had been spoiled by her in recent years and had offended the Emperor many times. This was the first time he had received an individual reward from the Emperor.
Ah Jiao looked over with a smile, only to see Liu Ying nodding slightly toward Li Yannian. When she looked at Li Yannian, he had turned his head away. She couldn't help but feel a sense of doubt.
Another musician dressed in gauze robes entered the hall and addressed the Emperor, "May Your Majesty enjoy eternal joy without end. Recently, Commandant Li composed a new piece, the *Song of the Beauty*, to entertain Your Majesty." Li Yannian shot a quick glance at the musician before lowering his head again.
Liu Che laughed loudly. "In that case, sing it!" He then lowered his head and teased Ah Jiao, "Could it be they are here to flatter you?"
Ah Jiao pinched Liu Che’s waist and looked toward Liu Ying. As expected, the Princess’s smile had deepened.
Li Yannian sighed inwardly and began to sing: "In the North, there is a beauty, peerless and independent. One glance topples a city; another glance ruins a state. Would one not know the cost of toppling cities and states? Such a beauty is hard to find again!"
After listening, Liu Che drank a cup of wine and teased Ah Jiao, "How could such a person exist in this world?" Ah Jiao lowered her head, feigning shyness, but she peeked toward Liu Ying.
Liu Ying did not disappoint. She spoke up, "Yannian happens to have a younger sister, uniquely beautiful and elegant, who is worthy of this song."
Ah Jiao burst into laughter and said to Liu Che, "So it wasn't for me at all!" She wondered if Liu Che was still "functional." If he accepted this beauty, then there was no problem. If he didn't... could she have truly broken him? She was still young; she didn't want to be a "living widow"!
Wei Zifu also smiled and said, "If the Princess says the girl is exceptionally beautiful, she must have extraordinary qualities. Your Majesty might as well summon her to see!"
Liu Che observed Ah Jiao and saw that she indeed showed no signs of anger; instead, her eyes seemed to hold some private concern. He felt relieved and laughed, "Summon her!" As long as Ah Jiao didn't make a scene, he had nothing to fear.
In the time it took for Ah Jiao to take a sip of honey nectar, someone from the Music Bureau led a gorgeous and charming beauty into the hall.
The beauty bowed gracefully, saying, "May the Emperor have eternal joy; may the Empress have ten thousand blessings." A red brocade gauze robe was worn over a white garment embroidered with a hundred-flower pattern, outlining the girl’s beautiful curves. She was a heart-stirring sight.
Liu Ying looked at the beauty in the hall with satisfaction. In terms of looks, she surpassed her elder sister and could even outshine Lady Xing, previously the most beautiful in the palace. Furthermore, she bore a slight resemblance to the late Lady Li, which would inevitably stir feelings of nostalgia in the Emperor’s heart.
Sure enough, a flash of melancholy crossed Liu Che’s eyes. He then turned to look at Ah Jiao. Ah Jiao smiled and said, "Why is Your Majesty looking at me? This is for Your Majesty to see if you like her!"
She heard Liu Che let out a very, very soft sigh. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I am happy in my heart, but... why is it that only you came back? No one else was like you..." *Risking their life to find me.* In the past, he had cherished and pampered Lady Wang and Lady Li, yet only the Ah Jiao he had discarded had fought with all her might to return to his side.
Master Huan had said that Ah Jiao had been captured by the ghost-immortals of the Underworld. Only after crossing mountains of knives, seas of fire, boiling oil, and mountains of ice did she move them enough to be allowed to return unharmed. Yet, since her return, she never complained of her hardships, only comforting him by saying she didn't remember—if she didn't remember the past suffering, why would she wake at the slightest sound at night, sleeping even less soundly than he did? The pale face of Master Huan as he recounted the tale was still vivid in his mind!
If the narrator was so affected, how much more so the one who experienced it!
Ah Jiao had no idea what Liu Che was misunderstanding now, but she was certain Huan Jiujun had spun some favorable lies to Liu Che on her behalf. Thus, she only looked at Liu Che with a reserved smile. She didn't dare speak, fearing she might cause another issue. She would wait for an opportunity to coordinate her story with Huan Jiujun before opening her mouth again.
***
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The Han Dynasty Empress is a Ghost | Chapter 94 | Song of the Beauty | Novela.app | Novela.app
