Chapter 122: Distinguished Guests Gather to Celebrate the Birthday

Although it had been over a decade since Consort Doulu moved out of the palace to live in Qinyang Ward, the current Emperor Li Longji, mindful of her past care for him, had not only granted her an additional two hundred households of tax-revenue, just as he had for Consort Wang Xian of the Retired Emperor, but also frequently bestowed upon her gold, jade, silks, and rare delicacies during festivals. Whenever she fell ill, he would practically mobilize the entire Imperial Medical Bureau, sending rare medicinal herbs to her residence like a flowing stream.

Consequently, even though Consort Doulu’s fifty-eighth birthday was not a major milestone, gifts began arriving as early as the day before. By the time noon approached on her actual birthday, guests had arrived in an endless stream.

Due to the awkwardness of her status, most high-ranking court officials sent their younger kin to offer congratulations and gifts. The Five Surnames and Seven Families, the four great families of Guanzhong—none were absent. With the addition of princes, nobles, and imperial relatives, the place was filled with clouds of nobility and a tapestry of fine silks. As people moved about, they all discussed the news that had circulated a few days prior.

"I hear the Emperor has personally decreed that the Xiliang Grand Suite be performed tonight!"

Amidst the discussions, some whispered that the Doulu clan was an old Xianbei family, so the Xiliang music was quite fitting. Others argued that it was only because Consort Doulu favored Xiliang melodies, and if ancient Xianbei music were truly required, it should have been a different suite altogether. Some, however, had no interest in such trivial debates. Among them was Du Wenruo, who sat toward the back, his mind entirely occupied by Du Shiyi. The thought of Du Shiyi having no place to stay after returning to Fanchuan, only to brazenly reside at the Cui residence in Pingkang Ward and then gain fame at the Qianbao Pavilion, made him feel as if his heart were burning. For a moment, he did not even notice someone taking a seat beside him.

"Du the Sixth."

"Hmm?" Du Wenruo turned his head. Seeing the handsome young man beside him, he felt a sense of familiarity and could not help but frown slightly, before offering a cold, mocking laugh. "I did not expect that the representative sent by the Guanzhong Liu clan to this grand event would be Master Liu."

"The Guanzhong Liu clan is full of talent; how could I claim to be a representative?" Liu Ximing replied with a self-deprecating air of false humility, then added with a half-smile, "I heard that the Jingzhao Du clan is truly full of talent this year. With five or six people taking the preliminary exams alone, wouldn't that lead to fierce competition, forcing your own kin to struggle against one another first?"

Faced with this pointed remark, Du Wenruo’s face turned livid. He retorted stiffly, "That is no concern of yours, Master Liu."

"As an outsider, it is naturally not my place to worry about the domestic affairs of the Jingzhao Du clan. However, Du the Sixth, are you unaware of the banquet held at the Duke of Bi’s residence, the Dou estate, several nights ago?"

Du Wenruo had long heard of the grudge between Liu Ximing and Du Shiyi. Before Liu could finish, he sneered, "My sources are not that limited. While Du the Nineteenth was indeed led to the Duke of Bi’s residence by Dou the Tenth, he did not show his face on the night the Prince of Qi visited. He merely knows how to play a few tunes on the pipa and got along somewhat well with Dou the Tenth. That is all."

"But that is not what I heard." Liu Ximing maintained his smiling expression, leaning closer to Du Wenruo, his voice dropping low enough to be inaudible to those nearby. "That day, Dou the Tenth also invited the Taiyuan Wang brothers, the Thirteenth and Fifteenth, to the Dou estate. For those ten full days, Du the Nineteenth and the Wang brothers never stepped foot outside the Dou residence. And on the night the Prince of Qi visited, while it is true that he did not appear in public, Dou the Tenth also conveniently excused himself from the guests, inviting the Prince of Qi inside under the pretense of discussing musical theory. They were in there for over an hour. Tell me, do you think that Prince met Du the Nineteenth or not? Ah, for people of the same commandery and surname to pass the Jingzhao preliminary exams together—that is rarer than phoenix feathers and qilin horns!"

Watching Liu Ximing chuckle and stand up to return to his seat, Du Wenruo gripped his thin white porcelain cup so tightly he almost shattered it. After a long while, he gritted his teeth and whispered, "Du the Nineteenth, how can I let you keep stealing the spotlight!"

***

Upon returning to his seat, Liu Ximing chatted and laughed with those around him as if nothing were amiss, then let out a soft sigh. After Jiang Du fell from his horse and was injured last year, there had been no movement from him for a time, which Liu had initially ignored. Who could have known that after successfully advancing in the Wannian County exams, various negative rumors about him would begin to circulate before the Jingzhao prefectural exams?

That wasn't all. During the exams, bizarre incidents occurred repeatedly: his inkstone was overturned, the person next to him accused him of cheating, and even the essay he had racked his brains to write was dismissed as worthless by the Wei-nan County magistrate overseeing the exams. Only later did he discover through various channels that the one pulling the strings behind the scenes was none other than Jiang Du!

He was confident that he had left no trace of his prior actions; it must have been Du Shiyi who was playing tricks!

"Master." A young attendant stopped behind him, knelt, and whispered, "The Lady of Excellence sent word that the Emperor will come in disguise tonight to celebrate Consort Doulu’s birthday!"

"I know. You may withdraw."

Although everyone speculated that the Emperor would come, no one was certain. When the Prince of Song, the Prince of Qi, the Prince of Xue, the Prince of Shen, Princess Yuzhen, and Princess Huaiyang arrived one after another, the hall was soon filled with imperial kin. Especially when Consort Doulu, looking vibrant and healthy, appeared without the support of her maids, the guests below showered her with endless auspicious blessings. Consort Doulu listened with a smile, but after she sat down and saw Princess Yuzhen take the seat to her left as if it were only natural, she whispered a gentle rebuke: "This is too ostentatious."

"It is not ostentatious at all." Princess Yuzhen raised her eyebrows dismissively. She affectionately poured a cup of wine for Consort Doulu and offered it to her, then whispered, "My mother passed away when I was only one year old. If it weren't for you, Consort Mother, when my elder brother was already grown and I was still in swaddling clothes, I might have perished without anyone knowing. The debt of your care is as heavy as a mountain; how could these ties be severed just because you moved out of the palace?"

At this, she remembered that when Consort Doulu left the palace, she was already old enough to understand that the relationship between Consort Doulu and her father, the Retired Emperor, had reached an impasse. She sighed sadly, then forced a smile, insisting that Consort Doulu finish the cup before saying, "My brother said that because Consort Wang Xian is still in the palace, he cannot come openly with great fanfare, but he will certainly come in disguise to wish you a happy birthday. Calculating the time, those from the Pear Garden should be arriving soon. And this time, even Lady Gongsun is here—it shows how perfectly timed your birthday is!"

Despite being at an age where she no longer wore her emotions on her face, Consort Doulu revealed a look of surprise and delight at the news of the Emperor’s secret visit, her heart stirred beyond measure. By now, most of the guests had arrived. When it was reported that the music troupe from the Palace Music Bureau had reached the residence, the guests collectively praised the Emperor’s grace.

The Doulu residence, originally requested by Doulu Qinwang for his niece when he was Chancellor, had a main hall that was spacious and tall, but it could not accommodate the troupe of over a hundred musicians and dancers. Therefore, a high stage had been erected in the courtyard outside the main hall. As the Xiliang Grand Suite troupe took their positions, the hall gradually fell silent. The introductory "scattered prelude"—a passage of music without song or dance—drifted into the air, played by over a hundred musicians on instruments ranging from the pipa and sheng to the short flute, chiba, long flute, konghou, and copper cymbals.

Du Shiyi, standing in the courtyard separated by a wall with Dou the Tenth, Wang Wei, and Zhang Jian, listened carefully to the Xiliang Grand Suite. After the desolate sounds of the prelude, song soon began to mingle with the music. He was lost in thought, appreciating this grand court music he was hearing for the first time. However, Dou the Tenth commented lazily from the side: "Since it’s your first time hearing it, you likely find it majestic and vigorous, but if you have to listen to these tunes at every court festival or banquet, it becomes nothing more than a routine. The Xiliang Grand Suite is less of a grand performance and more of a display of imperial favor; after all, no other minister or noble enjoys such an honor."

"The music is good, and the masters of the Music Bureau are skilled. The song and dance are choreographed to perfection, but while it is grand, it certainly lacks the delicate ingenuity of Du the Nineteenth’s ideas," Wang Wei agreed softly. Seeing that Zhang Jian at the back was already flushed with nervousness, he smiled and added, "Even I am looking forward more to Lady Gongsun’s sword dance that will follow, and wondering just how breathtaking it will be."

***

"Speaking of Lady Gongsun, it has been nearly a month since we last parted."

No sooner had Du Shiyi spoken than a head suddenly poked out from the shadows behind the stage. Before he could identify who it was, the head retreated, only to peek out again shortly after. This time, he recognized Yue Wuniang.

Seeing her standing there with her arms crossed, dressed in men’s clothing, her face even more stunning than her master’s, her expression unreadable, he sighed inwardly. The next moment, he saw her staring straight at him, then she seemed to gasp, turned, and disappeared behind the stage, quickly dragging someone out—none other than Lady Gongsun.

Seeing Lady Gongsun standing tall and poised in casual dress, nodding slightly at him from a distance that was neither near nor far, he was momentarily stunned before quickly returning the bow. To his surprise, she vanished behind the stage again in an instant. A faint sense of regret welled up in his heart, and he could not help but sigh. Seeing that Dou the Tenth and Wang Wei had not noticed and that Zhang Jian was too nervous to pay attention, he turned to walk back from the doorway. But before he could muster the spirit to speak with the three of them, a familiar voice came from behind him.

"Master Du, why are you here too! And Master Wang?"

Du Shiyi turned abruptly to see Yue Wuniang standing before him in her male attire. He was taken aback. Hearing the music grow increasingly urgent, he said irritably, "We are already at the third section of the 'Shattered' movement; the piece is almost over. There will be plenty of time for questioning later. If you miss your master’s sword dance, you’ll be in for trouble, so hurry back!"

"So old-fashioned! If you must know, I am older than you, yet you treat me like a child every time you lecture me! After this Xiliang Grand Suite, there will be several other song and dance performances before it’s our turn. Otherwise, if my master goes on stage now, wouldn't everyone else be left in the cold?"

Leaving behind a pout of annoyance, Yue Wuniang disappeared as silently as she had arrived. It was only then that Zhang Jian asked, as if waking from a dream: "Who was that just now..."

Wang Wei glanced at Du Shiyi, who was shaking his head with a bitter smile, and said softly, "That was Yue Wuniang, the disciple of Lady Gongsun."