The palace had always waited until New Year’s Eve to hold a banquet for the court officials. Every year, however, on Little New Year, the imperial consorts and princes of the palace would gather together. It was, in essence, a family banquet for the imperial household.
Since Jun Huailang and his sister were living in the palace, they also attended the banquet together this year.
The banquet was held in Changchun Tower at the northwest corner of Taiye Lake. Changchun Tower was three stories high, with half of it facing the water, and there was an observation terrace at the top. In summer, it was a fine place to admire the lotus blossoms; in winter, it was ideal for viewing the snow. It was an exceedingly elegant place, and the palace’s family banquets had always been held here.
Seeing that it was almost time to attend the banquet, Jun Huailang went out together with Jun Linghuan. On Little New Year, the consorts had to first pay their respects to the Empress, so Consort Shu had gone an hour earlier and did not go with them.
Just as they were about to reach the entrance of Mingluan Palace, Jun Huailang did not forget to send Fuyi to call Xue Yan over.
By Little New Year, the palace had already been completely decorated anew. Aside from the objects specifically meant to be brought out for New Year’s Eve, everything else had already been put up. This was Jun Linghuan’s first time seeing the palace dressed for the New Year, and many of the decorations and amusements were things she was seeing for the first time.
Thus, the three of them traveled together, and the entire journey was lively. Jun Linghuan had always been talkative, and everything she saw was novel to her. She had plenty to say along the way, while Jun Huailang listened attentively and smiled as he responded to her.
Xue Yan walked silently beside them.
When they reached the entrance of Changchun Tower, Jun Huailang suddenly let out an “Eh” and stopped in his tracks.
“What did Brother see?” Jun Linghuan hurriedly followed his gaze and looked over.
There, hanging from the upturned eaves of Changchun Tower, was a translucent glazed lantern. The lantern was rather small, shaped like a six-sided palace lantern, yet exquisitely carved. Bamboo patterns had been fired onto all six sides. From a distance, the swaying shadows of bamboo could be seen, giving it an especially clear and refined appearance.
Jun Linghuan was attracted by the silk flowers hanging nearby after only one glance. Jun Huailang, however, remained standing there and could not help looking at the lantern several more times.
After a moment, he smiled and murmured to himself, “The palace truly has many skilled craftsmen.”
After saying that, he saw Jun Linghuan quietly waiting beside him. He smiled and rubbed the top of her head, then turned to Xue Yan and said, “Let’s go.”
As he passed the spot where Jun Huailang had just been standing, Xue Yan raised his head and glanced in that direction.
It was just a broken-looking lantern, transparent, with some green patterns fired onto it. Other than looking brighter than the other lanterns, there was nothing particularly special about it.
But why was it that when Jun Huailang had looked at this lantern just now, he had looked especially… beautiful?
Those eyes had been illuminated by the translucent lantern light, making them exceptionally bright. The amazement within them had been impossible to conceal.
Xue Yan unconsciously looked at that unremarkable broken lantern again.
When they arrived at the banquet hall in Changchun Tower, Xue Yunhuan was already seated inside. Following the seating order, he happened to be seated next to Xue Yan, while Jun Huailang and Jun Linghuan sat on the other side.
After taking his seat, Xue Yunhuan saw that Jun Huailang was lowering his head and talking to Jun Linghuan. He turned sideways and asked Xue Yan, “Hey, you guys stood outside the entrance for so long just now. What were you looking at?”
Xue Yan looked up and out. From his angle, he could just see a corner of that palace lantern.
The translucent glaze carried a faint green tint.
Xue Yan withdrew his gaze and said indifferently, “That lantern is quite beautiful.”
Xue Yunhuan followed his gaze. The glazed lantern hanging beneath the eaves outside was indeed bright and eye-catching.
“I heard that was something Father Emperor’s glazed craftsmen finally managed to fire after great difficulty. Father Emperor specifically hung it there, so he must like it quite a lot,” Xue Yunhuan said.
This time, Xue Yan said nothing.
Xue Yunhuan waited for quite a while but still received no response. Somewhat puzzled, he turned his head to look.
Xue Yan had been responding to him perfectly well just a moment ago. Surely he had wanted to chat with him, so why had he suddenly gone silent again?
Then he saw Xue Yan sitting quietly and calmly where he was, completely showing no intention of paying him any attention. When Xue Yunhuan looked over, Xue Yan raised his eyes. Even when faced with Xue Yunhuan’s questioning gaze, he did not show the slightest trace of panic. He merely nodded lightly at him, indicating that he had heard him.
Xue Yunhuan: “…”
…What kind of person was this calamity?
If he wanted to talk to someone, he talked. If he didn’t want to talk, he wouldn’t acknowledge them at all. He was truly the number one most ill-mannered person under heaven!
——
Not long after the princes had taken their seats, the Emperor arrived with a group of imperial consorts.
The princes and consorts all paid their respects to the Emperor, and the palace banquet officially began. This banquet had quite the nature of a family gathering. The dishes were exquisite and plentiful, and there were not many restrictions of etiquette.
The consorts and princes took turns to toast the Emperor, saying a few auspicious words with their toasts. After all that lively activity, quite a bit of time passed, and the banquet was already more than halfway over.
After receiving a round of toasts, Qingping Emperor’s eyes had already taken on a slightly drunken haze. He supported himself against the table for a moment before smiling and saying, “My several imperial sons are each outstanding in their own way. In previous years, during Little New Year, I would test your martial skills. This year is no exception. We cannot let that tradition fall by the wayside.”
Normally, arrow-pot at palace banquets was merely a game for the noble young men. The winner received a prize, while the loser drank wine. The rewards and penalties were all jokes, simply for the lively fun of playing together.
But according to Qingping Emperor’s rules, every year at the Little New Year family banquet, the princes also had to play arrow-pot. This arrow-pot was different from the usual game. It was a test of the princes’ martial training at the end of the year. The winner would not only receive a reward but would also win glory before Qingping Emperor.
Among the princes, they had always put forth their utmost effort to compete for the top position here.
Jun Huailang glanced at Xue Yunhuan and saw him rubbing his hands, looking eager to give it a try.
…He knew that Xue Yunhuan did not have such a strong desire to show off. He simply liked playing arrow-pot.
Although arrow-pot was merely a game used by noble young men for drinking and amusement at banquets, there was actually quite a lot of skill involved. If one wanted to score, one needed sufficient arm strength, accuracy, and the ability to apply clever force.
Using this method to test the princes at a banquet could be described as both elegant and ingenious.
Once the imperial command was given, palace attendants cleared a large empty space in the middle of the banquet hall and set up a bronze pot with two handles.
Several of the older princes received the imperial command and stood up one after another. Talking and laughing, they went to the arrow-pot area. The consorts beside them also smiled and discussed among themselves. Beneath their seemingly casual conversation and laughter, countless exchanges had already taken place.
Jun Huailang saw Xue Yan walking at the side, quiet and saying nothing to anyone. Although several princes were laughing and joking, upon closer inspection, all of them had already made preparations. They had arranged their robes and sleeves neatly so that nothing would hinder them at a crucial moment.
Xue Yunhuan was especially eager at this moment, practically wishing he could roll his sleeves all the way up to his shoulders.
In contrast, Xue Yan had not even removed his cloak. The heavy fox-fur cloak wrapped around him looked dignified and luxurious, but if he needed to move, it would inevitably be quite cumbersome.
Fourth Prince Xue Yunhong stood nearby and gave him a sidelong glance with a half-smile, but did not say anything to remind him.
Jun Huailang could not help worrying.
He knew that Xue Yan was highly skilled in martial arts, but arrow-pot ultimately emphasized dexterity. Sleeves and cloaks could affect the result if they caught on anything even slightly.
The opening of the pot was small in the distance. The slightest deviation could affect the outcome.
Xue Yan had spent years stationed beyond the passes, so naturally he had never played these sorts of games favored by the young masters of the capital. Horseback riding and archery were quite different from arrow-pot. Presumably, this time, Xue Yan had simply not made any preparations because he did not understand the game at all, and had entered the competition without a second thought.
But Jun Huailang naturally could not step forward to remind him. Xue Yunhuan, who had already run over to the eunuch to select his arrows, had naturally failed to notice either.
Jun Huailang could only think that this was merely a small matter of showing off. Whether they won or lost, it was not important.
Over there, the princes took their positions, and Qingping Emperor smiled and said, “Then let us begin. Three arrows per person. Whoever has the best result may ask Me for a reward.”
Xue Yunsu had long since been unable to wait.
As for martial arts, the several brothers were all more or less evenly matched, sometimes winning and sometimes losing. If he was lucky enough to take first place this year, he would certainly ask the Emperor for an imperial decree to raise his mother’s rank.
Thinking of this, he stood with his hands clasped, waiting for the Eldest Prince to throw first.
The Eldest Prince was now twenty years old and had already entered the court as an official. As an official, he was naturally different from the other princes. Not only did he have more frequent contact with Qingping Emperor, but their relationship was also more that of ruler and subject.
Thus, he did not make much of a show of himself. Of his three arrows, one entered the mouth of the pot. It was neither particularly good nor particularly bad, leaving some opportunities for his younger brothers to show themselves.
Qingping Emperor nodded inwardly with considerable satisfaction.
After he stepped aside, Xue Yunsu took the field.
He had practiced in the palace for a long time, and now he was quite confident. With the first two arrows, he threw them directly into the mouth of the pot. For the final arrow, he took a risk and aimed for the pot’s left handle.
If an arrow entered the handle of the pot, it was counted as a “piercing the ear,” and the points earned were double those for an arrow entering the mouth of the pot.
His hand trembled slightly, but he decided to take the risk.
The long arrow flew out and narrowly pierced through the pot’s left handle.
It hit!
Xue Yunsu was delighted. He immediately looked toward the seats and glanced at his mother.
Normally, among the brothers, even getting all three arrows into the mouth of the pot was considered rare. He had now achieved a “piercing the ear,” so surely the top score tonight would belong to him.
Ever since his mother had pleaded with Father Emperor over his confinement last time, his confinement had indeed been lifted, but his mother had also fallen out of favor for quite some time. He wanted to take advantage of today to bring glory to his mother, so that Father Emperor would look upon him favorably and see more of the merits of the mother and son.
He saw his mother in her seat, unable to hide the delight on her face as she nodded at him.
Xue Yunsu stepped to the side, giving Xue Yunhong his place.
Xue Yunhong had watched the interaction between him and his mother. Although nothing showed on his face, he sneered inwardly.
Would only that fool, Second Brother, practice so hard in the palace? In order to win first place before Father Emperor, only Sixth Brother, that fool who knew nothing but how to laugh stupidly, would fail to secretly put in the effort.
Xue Yunhong stood at the arrow-pot position with a calm and unruffled expression. He smiled and nodded at Xue Yunsu.
As though admiring how well he had thrown just now.
A smug and disdainful smile immediately appeared on Xue Yunsu’s face. He was too busy rejoicing over the fact that his third arrow had hit to notice that his expression had now fallen directly into Qingping Emperor’s eyes.
Xue Yunhong withdrew his gaze, picked up an arrow, and casually threw it.
First arrow: piercing the ear.
Second arrow: piercing the ear.
Third arrow: piercing the ear.
As he threw the arrows one after another, the banquet gradually fell silent. The smile on Xue Yunsu’s face also froze.
No prince had ever achieved such an outstanding result. For a moment, even Qingping Emperor revealed a pleasantly surprised expression and happily said, “Hong’er, your martial skills have truly improved considerably!”
“It was merely luck.” Xue Yunhong casually withdrew his hand, slowly bowed to Qingping Emperor, and said with a faint smile.
He knew that his Father Emperor liked children like this best.
After saying that, he showed not the slightest trace of pride. He merely turned sideways and gave the position to Xue Yan.
Yet Xue Yan, standing beside Xue Yunhuan, looked toward the arrow-pot position for a moment before asking Xue Yunhuan, “How are the rules for scoring?”
His voice was not loud, but everyone nearby heard him.
For a moment, everyone looked at one another, their expressions varied.
Even Xue Yunhong, who had remained outwardly calm, could not help pausing when he heard this. Contempt surfaced in his heart.
Nothing more than a barbarian from Yan territory, he thought.