Langhua: The Codependence of a Prince and His General

Banquet

There was a limit to how extravagant even an imperial family event could be on such short notice, and the Emperor was probably banking on that. That was why Xuanyuan Lang tried a different tack.

"This is quite pleasing," Emperor Zhong said, leaning to his left and tilting his wine cup rather dangerously. "Not as opulent as the banquets the Second Prince used to hold, but soothing nevertheless."

"I am glad you enjoy it, Father." Xuanyuan Lang held up his own cup in a polite toast, reminding the Emperor to straighten his.

Rather than the majestic gold halls, the imperial family were gathered in one of the larger gardens away from the central buildings. All around them, fiery red leaves fell from the maple trees, twirling elegantly in the wind. At every seat, there was a small furnace to keep the attendees warm and cosy despite the autumn chill. It helped that the sun was out, too.

"The First Princess performed splendidly as well," the Empress said in her slow, even voice. "Did you write those verses yourself?"

The First Princess bowed gracefully, but there was still the slightest tremor in her shoulders. That was high praise coming from the temperate Empress. "Yes, Your Majesty. I hope my humble work wasn't too jarring to your ears."

"Nonsense! Despite being a woman, our daughter is as talented as the examination candidates." The Emperor laughed heartily. "Good, very good! Eunuch Yang, we still have some carpets from the foreign territories, yes? Give the First Princess and Concubine Wen one each as a reward for presenting us with such a wonderful poem."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The First Princess and her mother thanked Emperor Zhong profusely. Next to them, the Second Princess' beautiful face turned a tad rosier from nerves and anticipation, and her hands tightened around her yangqin.

Rather than inviting the usual troop of dancers, Xuanyuan Lang had suggested that the princesses showcase their talents in lieu of entertainment for the banquet. Emperor Zhong wanted them to spend time as a family, after all, and the princesses rarely had the chance to leave their respective palaces. Unlike the princes, they were not allowed to attend the morning court sessions.

At the same time, they were still the Emperor's daughters, raised and educated in all the finest arts expected of women. Such a dignified, high-brow showcase devoid of the usual vulgar extravagance on the eve of the imperial examination would likely also appeal to the scholars who had gathered in the capital, reinforcing their perception of the current imperial family as cultured patrons who appreciated knowledge and the arts.

"You have considered this carefully, Seventh Brother."

While the others savored the Second Princess' expressive music, the First Prince Xuanyuan Chen approached Xuanyuan Lang's seat. Consort Liang stiffened and frowned, but Xuanyuan Lang subtly reassured her by resting his hand on her arm. The smile he turned to Xuanyuan Chen was flawless.

"Thank you for the praise, First Brother. I hope you don't mind the modest arrangements."

"Not at all." Xuanyuan Chen's tone was deceptively light. "It's wonderful and relaxing. Second Brother would have been quite proud."

"Such a shame he couldn't join us here."

"Indeed. But what's done is done."

"Qilang." Consort Liang looked between the brothers, her frown deepening. Xuanyuan Liang cleared his throat and gave her a look to tell her he would explain later. Though she did not seem particularly placated, at the very least she caught his hint and settled back into her seat.

"Well done, Second Princess!" cried the Noble Consort from atop her throne on the Emperor's right. She was as radiant as ever, dressed brilliantly in a gorgeous pink gown that complemented the autumn sights. Looking at her, it was impossible to tell that her oldest son had just been exiled to the borders. "Lihua, bring that ruby hair ornament the Ministry of Rites newly minted for me. I must give the Second Princess a reward for her riveting music!"

The Emperor raised a brow and chuckled. "You beat me to it this time, dear consort. Were you that impatient?"

"Oh, Your Majesty, I just couldn't help it! The Second Princess' playing nearly moved me to tears." The Noble Consort dabbed at the corners of her perfectly painted eyes. "As expected of an imperial princess. She has grown into a fine young woman."

"We won't disagree with you there. Second Princess, shouldn't you thank the Noble Consort for her generosity?"

"Thank you, Your Highness." The Second Princess bowed as well, her face and ears still flushed from the excitement. Her eyes sparkled, and Xuanyuan Lang thought to himself that a ruby hair ornament would look just nice on her right now. All else aside, he had faith in the Noble Consort's taste.

He shifted his gaze to the Emperor's left, looking at the Empress. The Noble Consort had gotten an edge over her this time, but she seemed unperturbed. Then again, he probably was not qualified to worry about her just yet.

Just then, however, another voice spoke up.

"Before we move on to the Third Princess' performance," Xuanyuan Chen said cheerfully, "I propose a toast to the Seventh Prince. If we're talking about those of us who have grown up wonderfully, I believe Seventh Brother is the finest of us all. Even I must bow in defeat."

The Noble Consort's smug smile froze on her face. The Fourth Prince Xuanyuan Li gave an almost imperceptible jolt, but his expression remained impassive.

Xuanyuan Lang was slightly taken aback too. By saying that, Xuanyuan Chen was practically declaring that he was supporting him in the succession race. Since Xuanyuan Yao was out of the picture, Xuanyuan Chen was one of the more prominent candidates. If he threw his lot behind Xuanyuan Lang now, Xuanyuan Lang would emerge as the undeniable frontrunner.

Well, this was what they agreed upon. Xuanyuan Lang was a little miffed that Xuanyuan Chen made such an open move before discussing it with him first, but he was thrust into the spotlight now. He got to his feet and held up his cup with both hands. "You flatter me, First Brother. I only did the best I could, as little as it may be.

"I am simply glad to have all of us gathered here today, as a family. On that note, I would in turn like to propose a toast to our Sixth Brother."

He swung his cup toward Xuanyuan Rui. "I am glad to see you in good health, Sixth Brother. Long may it continue."

Unlike Xuanyuan Chen, he had informed Xuanyuan Rui in advance about his intentions to turn the attention toward him. However, Xuanyuan Rui did not look up when his name was called, nor did he reply with the pleasantries they had planned earlier.

There was a lull in the conversation, an awkward silence in the air. While Xuanyuan Rui kept his head down, Consort Xian stared blankly ahead, as though oblivious to the situation.

Where no one else could see, she clenched her hands tightly into fists.

"Sixth Prince," the Emperor said, his voice stern. "Shouldn't you respond?"

"It's alright," Xuanyuan Lang said hastily. "Perhaps Sixth Brother isn't feeling well. He hasn't been out for a while, and it is rather cold out here. It's my fault for being inconsiderate."

Emperor Zhong levelled a look at him in silence before saying, "Modesty is a virtue, Seventh Prince, but you shouldn't take the blame that isn't rightfully yours to bear."

This time, it was Xuanyuan Lang who lowered his gaze and broke eye contact. "I understand, Father. Thank you for your wisdom."

"Good. Now, shall we have our dearest Third Princess take the stage?"

Xuanyuan Chen winked at Xuanyuan Lang and returned to his seat in anticipation of the next show.

The Third Princess was the youngest of all the Emperor's children, merely a slip of a girl at thirteen. To everyone's surprise, she came to the center of the banquet holding an ornate sword. Her hair was tied into a handsome ponytail, but her childish face betrayed her nervousness.

"Your Majesty, Your Highnesses, p-please behold my sword dance."

There was a gleam as she unsheathed her sword. All eyes were fixed on her, waiting with bated breath to see what she could do. As such, it took them a moment to react when a figure charged at her and a voice shouted—

"Assassin!"