Chapter 24: Nothing Is More Important Than Killing Xiao Yuanchi

Although the birthday banquet was scheduled for the evening, guests began arriving as early as the afternoon.

Consort Ji was the first to arrive. For the first time ever, she grabbed Yin Jiaojiao’s hand the moment she stepped through the door.

"Jiaojiao, seeing you now, I am truly gratified. This is what a Princess Consort should look like—generous, tolerant, and attentive to relatives. It is wonderful that you are creating a stable household for Yuanchi."

Yin Jiaojiao smiled and expressed her agreement.

Consort Ji then pulled Gu Xuezhi over. "Xuezhi, seeing the two of you getting along so well, I can finally set my mind at ease."

"Your Highness should have been at ease long ago. The Princess Consort has always been kind-hearted and has treated me very well."

As she finished speaking, she clutched her chest and coughed. Consort Ji examined her closely: "Why is your complexion so poor? You were perfectly fine at the palace just a few days ago."

"Your Highness, it is just the erratic cold and heat of early spring; my old ailment has flared up again. It is nothing to worry about."

"Could it be that you have been overexerting yourself for this birthday banquet?" Consort Ji looked at Yin Jiaojiao. "I heard that Xuezhi is to play the zither tonight. How could you let the guest of honor perform?"

Yin Jiaojiao immediately assumed a look of trepidation. "Your Highness, the affection Lady Sun holds for His Highness is so well-known that even the storytellers in the Eastern Capital are aware of it. Since His Highness is attending the banquet tonight, Lady Sun would crawl out of her sickbed to play for him even if she were on her deathbed. I did try to persuade her, saying she could just play anything—that His Highness would love it even if she were just plucking at cotton—but the Lady is so diligent; I truly could not stop her."

There were servants of the Prince's estate and palace attendants following Consort Ji all around. Yin Jiaojiao’s voice was neither too soft nor too loud, ensuring everyone could hear her clearly. Though the words themselves were technically flawless, they sounded strange when laid out in such a manner. Consort Ji felt as if she were being jabbed with hidden needles, yet she could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

"Sigh," Yin Jiaojiao lamented. "Lady Sun, if you really cannot hold up, then perhaps you should not play. It is not as if His Highness insists on it, right?"

Yin Jiaojiao’s words were dense and rapid, anticipating everything Gu Xuezhi usually loved to say or wanted to say, blocking her until she paused for a moment before replying: "Your Highness, the Princess Consort is right. It was my own desire to play for everyone. Since it is a birthday banquet, it is only natural for everyone to be happy together. My health is fine, truly."

Looking at Gu Xuezhi’s gentle, smiling face, Consort Ji felt for the first time that she lacked a sense of propriety. Her sister-in-law had gone to great lengths to host this banquet for her, clearly as a gesture of goodwill. She ought to have understood that, maintained a suitable demeanor, or at the very least, kept a low profile. Instead, she had ignored all that, brazenly seeking attention in front of her sister-in-law and flaunting the Prince’s favoritism right before her.

If it were any other woman in the role of sister-in-law, she would surely feel uncomfortable in such a situation.

Consort Ji looked at Yin Jiaojiao and found it strange that she did not look uncomfortable at all, but rather, she was gazing at Gu Xuezhi with a look of moving affection.

"His Highness will surely enjoy Lady Sun’s performance."

For a fleeting moment, a sense of pity stirred in Consort Ji.

"Jiaojiao, I was hasty and blamed you earlier. Please do not take it to heart."

"Your Highness, what are you saying? Anyone who saw the guest of honor having to perform on stage would find it strange. Now that it is explained, all is well. There is nothing to take to heart."

Consort Ji looked at Yin Jiaojiao with even greater admiration. "Good, very good."

Gu Xuezhi gripped her handkerchief tightly. If not for the fact that her elaborate plan was set for the moment of her performance, she would never have been so passive as to let Yin Jiaojiao gain the upper hand.

"Your Highness, it is still early. Why don't I accompany you to the West Garden teahouse? Last year, I collected a jar of snow water from the plum blossoms; it is perfect for brewing your favorite Mengding Hancui tea."

Consort Ji waved her hand. "I already had some in the palace before coming here. I shall not have any more."

Gu Xuezhi felt a surge of panic and hurriedly tried to persuade her further, only to hear a servant announce the arrival of Consort Gu.

"Sister, you didn't even wait for me! I went all the way to the Qingning Palace to invite you."

Consort Gu walked in loudly, elbowing Yin Jiaojiao aside as she spoke to cling to Consort Ji.

"Sister, I just heard—that plum blossom snow water is quite a delicacy! This girl is so stingy; she wouldn't give me any even after I asked several times. All her filial piety has gone to you, Sister."

"Aunt!" Gu Xuezhi stomped her foot. "You are slandering me."

The two of them carried on in this manner, one singing and the other echoing, surrounding Consort Ji with flattery. Yin Jiaojiao stood to the side with her hands folded, watching as Consort Ji’s furrowed brows smoothed out and her expression toward Gu Xuezhi softened once more.

Had it been in the past, she might have felt a sense of frustration, but today was different. Consort Ji needed to be won over, but there was no rush; there would be plenty of time for that later. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was more important than killing Xiao Yuanchi.

Yin Jiaojiao saw Consort Ji to the teahouse before turning back to the front courtyard to greet guests. As it was a small gathering, most of the invitations had been sent to Gu Xuezhi’s close friends. Since those friends did not think highly of her, she dealt with them perfunctorily, and soon the arrivals were mostly finished.

"Princess Consort, the Heart-of-the-Lake Pavilion is ready. Master Zhang asked me to inquire if you would like to go and take another look."

"I would. I am coming now."

Yin Jiaojiao turned to lean on Qiuming, but before she could take a step, she heard a voice announcing from behind.

"Presenting the Crown Prince! Presenting the Crown Princess!"

Yin Jiaojiao turned around in a hurry. Unlike their last meeting, Xiao Yuanxi was wearing purple robes and a jade belt today, perfectly befitting his status as the Crown Prince. The Crown Princess, following closely behind, was likewise dressed in purple silk, her hair styled in a magnificent phoenix knot, exuding an air of great prestige. However, Yin Jiaojiao had not sent an invitation to the Eastern Palace. Why had they come uninvited?

While she wondered, she stepped forward to pay her respects.

The Crown Princess stopped her first, saying, "Why be so formal? We are all family. Jiaojiao, it has been a long time. Just call me cousin."

The last time they met was at a family banquet at the Prime Minister’s estate in the Eastern Capital when she was seven and visiting with her grandmother. Under her grandmother's introduction, she had called the Crown Princess, Yin Ruyu, "cousin." Even then, her cousin had already blossomed into a young woman of poise. The talk at the banquet was mostly about her; she had already been selected to serve as a study companion to Princess Danyang, making her the first daughter of the Yin family’s generation to achieve such distinction.

At that time, Yin Jiaojiao had been preoccupied with eating, only occasionally looking up at Yin Ruyu. The twelve-year-old girl possessed a posture even more refined than that of her stepmother. She had barely touched the various delicacies laid out before her. As she listened to the discussions around her regarding whether she would marry a prince or the elderly father of a prince, she showed no impatience, her lips always curled in a smile, appearing perfectly appropriate.

Back then, her grandmother had pointed at her and whispered, "Jiaojiao, look at that. That is what a young lady of a noble house should look like. You should learn from her."

It was precisely because she had seen Yin Ruyu that she had felt no sense of awe when she later met Gu Xuezhi.

Yin Jiaojiao smiled. "Cousin, what wind has blown you and His Highness here?"

"Princess Consort, it was I who invited the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess," Gu Xuezhi replied, stepping forward slowly to offer a bow. "I was being self-willed for my birthday banquet, but I never imagined that Crown Princess would truly come, and even bring His Highness with her. I am truly grateful."

"Ruyu has been in poor health and hasn't been out in a long time. It was thoughtful of you to want her to join in the festivities; it is a good thing," said Xiao Yuanxi. "As for me, I am at leisure, so I am just acting as a personal valet to lead the horse and hold the whip for Ruyu, just to join the fun."

Yin Ruyu lowered her eyelids. "Your Highness, please do not tease me."

"It is the truth, not teasing." Xiao Yuanxi smiled at Yin Jiaojiao, then suddenly said in a low voice, "Our arrival was sudden. Does it disrupt your arrangements?"

"Your Highness gracing us with your presence makes the Qin Prince's estate shine with brilliance. How could there be any disruption?" Yin Jiaojiao stepped aside. "Please, this way."

Before she could finish, there was another commotion outside.

"A small birthday banquet is actually enough to move my elder brother and sister-in-law to visit. Xuezhi, you truly have face."

Xiao Yuanchi, who should have been on duty at the Ministry of Justice, had returned home at some point. He strode over, his tone polite, but his expression anything but.

"The Prefect of Qingzhou does not have such prestige; he cried and shouted for a day and a night and still could not receive Elder Brother’s concern."

"The Prefect of Qingzhou was once a tough man under General Gu; to think he could be interrogated to such a state by the Seventh Brother—Seventh Brother truly has excellent methods." Xiao Yuanxi did not even frown, smiling as he added, "Though, I fear it was not crying and shouting, but cursing. I was the one who presided over uncovering the case of embezzlement of disaster relief funds in Qingzhou; he should have felt my concern long ago."

"But it was also you, Elder Brother, who recommended him for the post in Qingzhou. His success was in you, and his failure is also in you. That is indeed a special kind of concern."

Xiao Yuanxi’s smile remained. "The ways of Heaven are fickle; such is the way of the world."

"So, it turns out that Elder Brother is his Heaven."

As Xiao Yuanchi spoke, he reached out with an air of intimacy to brush a lock of hair from Yin Jiaojiao’s temple and tuck it behind her ear.

"Jiaojiao, when does the banquet begin?"

"In half an hour."

Xiao Yuanchi cast a glance at Xiao Yuanxi and smiled. "Elder Brother, please."