Chapter 1887: The Mid-Autumn Imperial Banquet

It was once again the annual Mid-Autumn Festival. As one of the most important festivals of the second half of the year, it was only reasonable to put some effort into its celebration. Since the twenty-fifth year of Kaibao began, apart from the Lantern Festival, there had been little real festivity within or outside the Great Han court.

How to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival had long been established by custom throughout the court and the realm. After all, decades had passed, and calling it monotonous would not be wrong. Therefore, this year's Mid-Autumn celebration introduced nothing new — it merely expanded the scale and heightened the festive atmosphere, so that Emperor Liu could enjoy the holiday in high spirits.

Although Emperor Liu had repeatedly instructed that the celebration be frugal, without extravagance or waste, and that a token gesture would suffice, the one million strings of cash allocated jointly by the Court of the Imperial Treasury and the state coffers were still spent to the last coin — indeed, even that proved insufficient.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, a grand imperial banquet was held in the Qianyuan Hall. The dignitaries of the Great Han attended in full formal dress, each immaculately attired and beaming with joy. This was a gathering of the Great Han's elite ruling class.

Outside the hall, fireworks burst ceaselessly, their brilliant radiance enough to illuminate the night sky over the entire city of Luoyang. Inside the hall was a scene of lively bustle — a banquet of three thousand seats, truly magnificent. Court music drifted melodiously to the ears, while song, dance, and fine wine intoxicated all present.

Emperor Liu was forever the center of the banquet, still seated upon that lofty throne where all eyes converged. Unlike the gorgeously robed dignitaries, Emperor Liu was dressed very simply tonight — merely a white robe with a black fur coat over it. He wore no imperial crown, his hair bound only with a plain bamboo hairpin. He looked utterly casual, and amid the opulent court banquet, Emperor Liu suddenly became the most incongruous figure present.

The interior of the Qianyuan Hall was very spacious, and the architecture had been specially designed with an amplifying effect. The voices of several thousand people converging together inevitably created some clamor. However, Emperor Liu clearly filtered out this noise, simply drinking his wine while observing the behavior of his ministers throughout the hall.

Nearing sixty, Emperor Liu's eyesight was no longer what it had been. Things close up were unclear, things too far away were also unclear, and everything at intermediate distances appeared hazy — as murky as his aged eyes. Of course, when Emperor Liu judged people these days, he basically no longer used his eyes. He had truly begun to use his heart — that suspicious, distrustful heart of his.

Across the imperial dais, the one closest to Emperor Liu was naturally Crown Prince Liu Yang. In the entire hall, these were the only two people with individual seats. The other was Chancellor Zhao Pu — a special privilege granted by Emperor Liu.

Liu Yang did not participate in the hall's celebratory activities. Even his toasting was rather restrained, as if he stood aloof from the lively atmosphere. Only his gaze would occasionally drift toward the imperial throne — throughout the entire hall, it seemed Emperor Liu was the only one he cared about.

Yet, observing that composed countenance, Emperor Liu could not help but think: Liu Yang had indeed grown increasingly steady. After all, he was approaching forty, and his depth seemed even greater. As heir apparent, this was necessary — one must not be easily seen through. But at this moment, was he concerned about me, or about the seat I occupy beneath me?

Perhaps because Emperor Liu's intimidating presence was not what it once was, Liu Yang seemed never to notice that Emperor Liu was observing him. His gaze shifted away from Liu Yang to the other side — the area of the rear-palace consorts, where the seats of the two consorts, Noble and Worthy, stood at the very front.

Since Empress Fu's passing, these two were the most honored women in the realm. After all, they had accompanied Emperor Liu for nearly forty years — a bond that the currently most favored Consort Zhou Yi could not compare with. Although Emperor Liu had made clear he would not appoint another empress, someone had to manage the affairs of the rear palace, and this de facto "empress's authority" was divided between the Noble and Worthy Consorts.

In Emperor Liu's life, there had been five women of significant influence over him: Empress Dowager Li, Empress Fu, Consort Geng Chen, and the still-living Noble Consort Gao and Worthy Consort Zhe.

At this moment, looking at these two consorts, the old emperor could not help but feel some complex emotions. Power was a fine medicine — it could cure illness and beautify, regardless of gender. This was amply demonstrated in Noble Consort Gao.

Ever since she had fallen ill over the matter of Liu Wenhai's diplomatic mission, Noble Consort Gao's health had never recovered. Coupled with her advancing age, she had even given people the impression that she was nearing her end. But ever since Empress Fu's death placed the management of the rear palace back in her hands, the Noble Consort had visibly regained her vigor — her illness gradually healed, her spirits improved, she ate and drank well, and the word "complacency" was written anew upon her aging face.

Clearly, what Noble Consort Gao had suffered from was a sickness of the heart.

How could a woman's lust for power be even stronger than a man's? This was the sentiment in Emperor Liu's heart as he watched Noble Consort Gao at this moment. Over the past decades, she had indeed been suppressed rather harshly. Let her vent a little — let her make her fuss. She would soon be sixty; how much longer could she keep it up?

Compared to Noble Consort Gao, Worthy Consort Zhe clearly brought Emperor Liu more comfort. For decades, this daughter of a military house from the remote frontier region of Fuzhou had consistently embodied the character of "worthiness" — capable and wise, understanding of greater principles. This was the most fitting assessment of Consort Zhe.

If all women were like Consort Zhe, why fear discord in the rear palace?

Sipping his wine slowly, Emperor Liu turned his attention to Zhao Pu. This old fox was being restrained as well! When toasting, he only wet his lips with the wine — could he be abstaining for his health? The old fellow was sixty-five or sixty-six now, and indeed needed to be careful. The reform efforts still required this old fellow to hold the overall situation together — nothing could go wrong in the coming years...

When did I ever need to rely so heavily on a single minister? Amid his drinking and pondering, this thought suddenly surfaced in Emperor Liu's mind, swiftly casting a shadow over his heart.

Those dancing and singing with such joy and abandon over there — that would be Liu Yun and Liu Shu. These two brothers were truly anomalies among the imperial clan, never giving anyone a moment's peace.

Liu Yun had been clever since childhood — unfortunately, too clever by half. Where did such excessive caution come from? In earlier years, he had thought Liu Xi liked to hide things, but now it seemed the art of "endurance" was most deeply cultivated by Liu Yun. Even now, it was hard to tell what the lad was really thinking — what schemes lay beneath that surface pursuit of carefree ease.

That bastard Liu Shu — clearly not stupid, even possessing no small amount of cunning. If he were to be ruined, it would be by that reckless, devil-may-care temperament of his. Whether this lad could ever accomplish anything remained a mystery, for he had truly never been given much chance to prove himself — one only remembered the reckless things he had done.

That errand in Liaodong two years ago, though it did not change his dissolute ways, still had some bright spots. Now that he had been enfeoffed to the Indochinese Peninsula, though instructions had been given, I fear he may not truly grasp my intentions. Who knows where his future with Linyi will lead — surely he won't fail to persevere and come fleeing back in disgrace?

Surely not. Even if I were gone, there was still Liu Yang. Though Liu Yang was somewhat rigid, he still had basic principles on matters of overall importance — otherwise I would have been blind. Rather, those retainers of the Eastern Palace and the bureaucrats of the Crown Prince's faction might need to be purged, to help trim his branches and leaves...

Liu Shu's only son, Wenyan, seemed a gifted child — those eyes of his, spirited and sharp! Perhaps he could be used as a foundation to fall back on. But he was still too young, not yet ten years old. And who knew how many more years my body could hold out.

Body?

The moment these two words surfaced in his mind, Emperor Liu froze as if struck by an acupoint-sealing technique. The wine cup in his hand also stopped mid-motion. How much had he drunk? And no one had thought to dissuade him. Indeed — after the elder Lady Fu, no one truly cared about him anymore...

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" The tense, worried calls finally roused Emperor Liu from his own thoughts. Looking up, he saw Yan Tuo gazing at him with deep concern.

Meeting that caring gaze, Emperor Liu chuckled and said, "Still you old devil are the one loyal to me!"

Yan Tuo had only noticed that Emperor Liu's state seemed off and wanted to offer some comfort — he never expected Emperor Liu to blurt out something so inexplicable. Though the words carried delight and recognition, Yan Tuo still felt a pang of unease. Emperor Liu's behavior was simply too abnormal.

Emperor Liu paid no heed to this old eunuch, taking another sip of wine on his own. With drunken, hazy eyes, he looked down upon the scene in the Qianyuan Hall — a full view of clamor and splendor, a hall packed with honored guests. But of the old companions belonging to him, Emperor Liu, only a scattered few remained — so few it seemed as though his era had already passed.

That was Zhao Kuangyi, wasn't it? Networking again! This man still needed to be guarded against. His schemes were somewhat venomous — did he truly think those covert maneuvers could escape notice? Still, he did possess real ability. Serving as chancellor and managing civil official politics was well within his capacity.

Who knew whether Liu Yang could suppress this man in the future? For safety's sake, should he eliminate this threat for Liu Yang in advance?

His drunken eyes were hazy, his head somewhat dizzy. The only thing clear was Emperor Liu's heart, which saw through the affairs of the world.

On the left side of the hall, the painter Huang Quan observed and recorded as always — it was his duty. Back then, for painting Emperor Liu's portrait, he had nearly lost his head. In the end, he had still failed to grasp Emperor Liu's mind, and the portrait he produced had flattered him considerably. Fortunately, Emperor Liu had not issued an execution decree because Huang Quan had made him look handsome — that bout of anger had merely been a passing emotion.

At this moment, Huang Quan was already silently composing this Mid-Autumn imperial banquet painting in his mind. The colors would be bright and vivid, but behind the revelry of lanterns and wine, song and dance, lay endless loneliness. Just as the lofty Emperor Liu appeared to Huang Quan at this very moment.