Chapter 1468: Emperor Liu Hosts a Banquet

Luoyang, the Western Park.

The view was nothing but ordinary winter scenery—withered grass, fallen leaves, bleak and desolate. Emperor Liu arrived and ordered a patch of land casually marked off, where tents were pitched and a camp set up in preparation for an open-air banquet. The attending palace ladies and eunuchs busied themselves with orderly preparations.

Though it was already the end of winter, the weather had clearly not yet warmed. Such a choice was naturally asking for suffering. Rows of dragon banners fluttered in the wind, and the stretched yellow silk could not block the invasion of wind and cold.

Inside the imperial tent, Emperor Liu rested briefly, still holding a name list and studying it, his expression slightly heavy, his face very serious—almost numb. Li Fang was not present; only Yan Tuo attended him at his side.

"Your Majesty, the princes, dukes, and honored nobles have all arrived upon your summons and await an audience outside the camp!" Only when Murong Chengtai reported before the tent did Emperor Liu's expression finally shift.

"Summon them into the camp!" Emperor Liu immediately ordered Murong Chengtai.

"Yes!"

"Is the banquet all prepared?" Emperor Liu looked at Yan Tuo.

Yan Tuo answered at once: "Reporting to His Majesty, the wine and meat are all ready—we may proceed to the banquet at any time!"

"Then lead them to their seats!" Emperor Liu waved a hand.

Soon, a commotion arose within the camp—fragmented, low, and quickly settling into silence. By the time Emperor Liu had tidied himself and emerged from the tent to take his seat, the nobles summoned by decree had already taken their places in order.

Looking out, there were over sixty people in all—these were the meritorious nobles and honored lords in the capital, all bearing titles of nobility, all of high standing, and all close to Emperor Liu. And this time, Emperor Liu's banquet was clearly meant only for them. Apart from them, there were only the imperial army guards and the attending eunuchs. Zhao Pu, Wang Qiwu, Li Fang, and other senior court ministers were all absent. It looked like a gathering of "one's own people."

Yet at this moment, in this place, not a single person wore a relaxed expression—suspicious and wary, fearful and intimidated. Even Fu Yanqing and Guo Wei wore grave faces.

At the very least, no one would consider this windswept wilderness a suitable venue for a banquet. And beyond the encircling yellow silk, one could not help but feel the hidden presence of blades and axes...

Though there were many people, the environment was very quiet, the atmosphere very oppressive. The princes and nobles sat in silence, while only twenty-odd cooks and palace maids in the banquet ground roasted mutton and warmed wine. Yet the fragrance permeating the air could not bring anyone a sense of happiness.

Of course, even without seeing this scene fraught with strangeness and oppression, everyone knew full well that this banquet was no good banquet.

The matter seemed not yet concluded. Only this time, many nobles who had not been implicated were also summoned.

"Your subjects pay respects to Your Majesty!" The moment Emperor Liu appeared, everyone immediately perked up, and their synchronized movements and uniform voices shattered the bleak atmosphere.

Seeing these people, Emperor Liu no longer kept a cold face—instead, a smile appeared. He waved a grand hand and said: "No need for such formality! Everyone, sit!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The voices remained perfectly uniform, without the slightest discrepancy.

Emperor Liu's manner was as warm and affable as when he had received them in the past—yet the more so, the more unsettling it was.

"Your Majesty!" Zhao Kuangyi stepped forward. Among the nobles present, he was the only one with urgent business to report to Emperor Liu.

"The seventy-three convicted officials and guilty functionaries approved by imperial decree have been beheaded at the Southern Market, their sentences carried out in accordance with the law—this is my report!" Zhao Kuangyi, with a hint of deliberately seeking attention, announced solemnly.

Hearing this, Emperor Liu appeared very indifferent. He smiled lightly and said: "Today I have summoned you all here to drink wine and eat meat—let us not speak of other matters!"

"Yes!"

With a somewhat false smile, Emperor Liu swept his gaze around the circle, deliberately staring into their eyes. Everyone instinctively looked away, not daring to meet his gaze—not only out of deference, but also out of guilt.

"All of you seated here are meritorious nobles of the Great Han—my trusted confidants and old friends, and moreover my good teachers and beneficial companions—all family!" Emperor Liu's smile was very warm. He raised a wine cup and said: "It has been some days since I last shared wine and cheer with you all. Today there is no other purpose—merely to gather everyone together for drink and conversation. Come, raise your cups!"

"Your Majesty, please!"

Those seated nearest to Emperor Liu, apart from the imperial princes, were Fu Yanqing and Guo Wei. This time, Fu Yanqing had a grand-nephew who had been beheaded at the Southern Market.

Therefore, throughout the banquet, Fu Yanqing's old face remained taut, not daring the slightest relaxation. After one cup was drained, Fu Yanqing took the initiative to say: "We are deeply grateful for Your Majesty's concern and remembrance of us!"

"Prince Fu need not stand on ceremony. You are both a meritorious minister of the Great Han and an elder of mine—it is only proper!" Emperor Liu smiled. Yet whether in tone, expression, or address, a sense of estrangement seeped through.

Old as a fox, how could Fu Yanqing fail to sense that hint of strangeness? A trace of bitterness appeared on his mottled old face. He raised his cup and said in a mournful voice: "Your Majesty, your old minister is guilty..."

"Ah!" Emperor Liu frowned and immediately raised a hand to stop him: "Prince Fu speaks too gravely! You have spent these years peacefully within your residence, enjoying your old age in comfort—what guilt could you possibly have!"

It would not be true to say Emperor Liu held no opinions of Fu Yanqing. All along, Emperor Liu had never regarded Fu Yanqing as a close confidant, but at least basic respect had been there.

In the past, it was out of regard for his prestige, for the influence of the Fu clan, and because the old gentleman did indeed possess some commendable merits.

However, in recent years, Emperor Liu had developed considerable dissatisfaction with Fu Yanqing and the entire Fu family. It was not simply out of wariness toward such a powerful noble clan, but more because among the Fu family's younger generation, the wanton were increasing in number, and not a few committed misdeeds. The black materials concerning the Fu family's relatives and associates in the Palace City Office and the Wude Office could nearly fill an entire archive rack.

And the root cause was that the Fu family's position in the Great Han court was too prominent—in the harem there were the elder Lady Fu as Empress and the younger Lady Fu as consort, in the Eastern Palace there was the Crown Prince, and in the outer court there was Prince Fu.

Supported by such a vast and influential force, it was inevitable that some petty scoundrels would emerge within the sprawling Fu clan. And Fu Yanqing, as clan head, was overly indulgent and overly protective of the Fu family members—this too was a source of Emperor Liu's displeasure.

In the past, Emperor Liu valued the Fu family, so he regarded them with special favor. Now, however, it could be said that it was only out of consideration for the Empress and the Crown Prince that he showed forbearance—but that forbearance was not unlimited.

Therefore, when this batch of Fu family members' illegal and unpunished conduct came to light, Emperor Liu showed no mercy whatsoever. This warning, even if Fu Yanqing realized it belatedly, he had felt.

As he spoke, looking at these old princes and dukes—Fu, Guo, Wei—he wiped his forehead with a look of chagrin and said: "It was my oversight. Prince Fu is already past seventy—how could he endure such bitter cold? For the three princes Fu, Guo, and Wei, add a brazier of charcoal fire!"

"And add another blanket!" Emperor Liu added.

"Yes!" Yan Tuo received the order and immediately beckoned urgently to three eunuchs.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Gentlemen, the weather is cold and the wind bitter. If any of you feel unwell, speak freely—you may also add braziers or blankets!" Emperor Liu then looked to the others and said warmly.

"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern!" At these words, Sun Li stepped forward and answered with vigor: "But what is a little wind and cold to speak of! In the years I followed Your Majesty in battle, what bitter hardship did I not endure? Now I have fine clothes and brocade robes, hot wine and cooked food, and such generous hospitality from Your Majesty—your old minister is already fully content!"

"Sun Li, I discovered back then that you were getting better and better with words—far beyond your old rough-and-ready self!" Seeing Sun Li's animated expression, Emperor Liu could not help but tease: "It's been many years since you led troops into battle, yet this bold spirit and bearing have not diminished in the least!"

At this, Sun Li looked as if he had won a prize. He smiled and said: "Your old minister has been steeped in Your Majesty's teachings for over twenty years—how could I not have made some progress? Otherwise, would I not be failing Your Majesty's kind intentions!"

"Is that so!" Emperor Liu raised his cup in a gesture: "My teachings—have you truly listened, truly taken them to heart?"

There was no need to sense the shift in tone—Emperor Liu's teasing gaze alone was enough to put everyone on alert. Sun Li very much wanted to appear magnanimous before the throne, but in the end he could not bear the pressure. He hung his head and said with a trace of embarrassment: "Your Majesty's teachings are naturally engraved in my heart at all times."

"Heh heh!" Emperor Liu laughed aloud, then turned his head to look at the Fifth Prince, Duke of Qi, Liu Yun: "Liu Yun, do you think Sun Li's words make sense?"

Though Liu Yun usually put on a carefree, pleasure-seeking air, devoted to being a carefree lord, his intelligence was genuine, and he had some inkling of the strangeness of this banquet.

Therefore, he was very well-behaved, very solemn, entirely without his usual flightiness—sitting there with his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart, trying his best to keep a low profile. Yet he never imagined the fire would burn onto himself.

Liu Yun's composure was still decent. After a brief moment of fluster, he rose with a placating smile and said: "Your son believes Duke Sun's words make perfect sense!"

"Then my daily teachings to you—have you taken them to heart?" Emperor Liu asked flatly: "I urged you toward learning and reason, toward filial piety and righteousness, toward benevolence and forbearance, toward humility and open-mindedness, toward integrity and uprightness—how much of it have you actually achieved? I hear you often pride yourself on being broad-minded, wanting to be a carefree lord—do you need me to change your title?"

At these words, Liu Yun shuddered and hastily shook his head, saying: "Your son is unfilial and has disappointed Your Majesty—I willingly accept punishment!"

After admonishing Liu Yun, Emperor Liu shifted his gaze to the Ninth Prince Liu Shu, who sat farther back: "Liu Shu, are you cold?"

Hearing his imperial father's question, Liu Shu's face immediately turned bitter. He rose and said with downcast eyes: "Not cold. Not cold?"

"Not cold?" Emperor Liu raised an eyebrow, looking at his handsome face reddened by the wind: "I, however, feel a bit cold!"

"But! The cold of the skin and flesh is far less than the cold in my heart and belly!"