Silent Lover

c008. banquet

Because the end of the year is imminent, the Northern Garrison Prince invites all of the officials in the North—regardless of standing—to a banquet. Everybody within the prince's mansion is rushing and scattering about; the Princess Consort, tasked with arranging the proceedings of this elaborate banquet, has not even had time to oversee and manage Shen Yu these past few days.

Song Qing has been called away by the Northern Garrison Prince.

Shen Yu is the single person remaining in the Shaohua Courtyard, and he can get a breath of air at last.

It is the same as being locked up by his mother at home; although he is alone, at least he is safe and secure.

For the banquet today, the entirety of the prince's mansion is decorated and magnificent, illuminated by lantern light, every corner filled with joyous song and laughter. Even well into the late depths of night, the officials are still exchanging gambling chips and containers of wine, now fully immersed in an atmosphere of play and leisure.

"Your Highness, I've heard that you have married our Jing Dynasty's number-one beauty, Prefectural Magistrate Shen's daughter. Why have I not seen that person in the prince's mansion, ah?"

Since they are merrily celebrating at a banquet, all the people become bolder and the Northern Garrison Prince also cannot rebuke them.

"Her body is not in good health, and therefore she is resting in her courtyard."

"Your Highness, don't deceive us; it is Your Highness who is reluctant to let her come out, right?"

Upon hearing this, the Princess Consort is unable to laugh: the prince is reluctant to let Shen Yu come out? She has cheaply thrown away and exposed her own face in public in order to have the banquet run its course smoothly—so what does that make her then?

"It is just that Your Highness should not be so stingy: having and hiding a beauty for only yourself. Allow us to also get a glimpse, ah . . . "

The Northern Garrison Prince laughs openly and clearly: "Over a mere beauty, what would this venerable prince be reluctant about? You all spoke the truth: delighting alone is inferior to delighting with everyone. Song Qing, go invite her over."

When Song Qing tells Shen Yu of this order, Shen Yu opens his mouth in surprise.

"If Lady Shen truly does not want to go, it is possible to name sickness as an excuse and those people will not dare to further compel His Highness," reminds Song Qing.

He believes that His Highness considers Shen Yu to be a plaything; if the prince lets everyone gaze and admire freely, Shen Yu's feelings might be hurt.

Shen Yu is surprised because he is contemplating how a person with his status . . . how a person like him could possibly rise and take center stage. The only explanation is that it is because he has borrowed Young Miss Shen's identity, nothing more. If they are to see that he is not at all close to being as pretty as the beauty in the rumors, they will definitely be disappointed and the Northern Garrison Prince will also be disappointed because of this.

As for what the Northern Garrison Prince considers him, Shen Yu really does not care about the subject anymore. His mission is to try to please the Northern Garrison Prince; in fact, this makes him not much different from the famed entertainers at Qinhuai Establishment.

No, he might actually be even lower.

The famed entertainers all have their own names, while even his own name is a replacement.

Shen Yu is brought into the center of all the drunken debauchery. His clothes are the long-sleeved haitang robes that the Northern Garrison Prince gifted him and a mink fur cape draped over his shoulders as an outer layer. Only dressed this way can he cover up the trembling of his body.