Chapter 270: State Banquet: Part One

State Banquet: Part One

Everyone has an obsession!

Take Nie Wenhao, for instance; perhaps no one knows what his original intention was, but after years of painstaking effort, his achievements collapsed in the end, and that is something he simply cannot accept!

So after leaving Dongling, Nie Wenhao fled with Empress Dowager Duan to Western Di; after learning about the internal turmoil there, he chose the weakest at the time, Prince Xiao Zhe, and within a short span pushed Prince Xiao Zhe onto the imperial throne!

Nie Wenhao proved his capability with force. Yet what Nie Wenhao did not anticipate was that just as Prince Xiao Zhe had just ascended, Ba*Hejie suddenly appeared!

As for Ba*Hejie, Nie Wenhao knew little, only that during Western Di's internal chaos he had remained neutral. Yet now that Prince Xiao Zhe has just taken the throne, Ba*Hejie has proactively dispatched a mission to Dongling, which clearly signals a problem!

Nie Wenhao couldn't gauge Ba*Hejie's intentions, but he knew deep down that Ba*Hejie was no ordinary task. At that moment, upon hearing Nie Wenhao, Ba*Hejie gave a faint smile.

"Hehe~, Chancellor Nie really overestimates me. Plans? What plans could I have? It's merely a matter of circumstances... However, given the current situation, this new ruler of Dongling seems absolutely determined to seize power!"

Ba*Hejie's reply was casual. Yet upon hearing it, Nie Wenhao's barely perceptible eyebrows twitched.

"If, as the Grand Preceptor says, Dongling insists on fighting, then we will see it through to the end... that's the idea, right?"

"Hehe~, that is inevitable! After all, Western Di has always ruled the world by force, so once Dongling makes a move, we will naturally strike back! However, Chancellor Nie should also know that Western Di now is much like Dongling—both have just emerged from internal unrest—so provoking war at this moment would not be wise..."

While speaking, Ba*Hejie watched Nie Wenhao's expression. Upon hearing that, Nie Wenhao glanced at Ba*Hejie and then smiled.

"Grand Preceptor, what you say makes sense! At this moment, indeed, we should recuperate... Yet the Grand Preceptor seems not to understand this new emperor of Dongling..."

"Oh? How so? Please, Chancellor Nie, enlighten me!"

"Grand Preceptor, you are modest... However, you should know my status, so from my perspective, this newly enthroned ruler of Dongling is no soft target! Therefore, whether or not Western Di stations troops at the border, he will dispatch forces north to retake the Rongjin Two Cities!"

Nie Wenhao knows exactly what kind of person Yin Fengzhan is. Comparatively, although Yin Fengzhan shares many personality traits with the late Emperor Shun Cheng, there are also differences!

Simply put, the late Emperor Shun Cheng was more suspicious, while Yin Fengzhan is far more domineering!

Thus, in Nie Wenhao's view, after Yin Fengzhan ascends, he may not act rashly for three to five years, but once Dongling has recovered, he will surely mobilize troops north!

Ba*Hejie, being shrewd, understood immediately upon hearing Nie Wenhao, and then burst into laughter.

"Hehe~, Chancellor Nie truly has great strategy! Indeed, rather than waiting for Dongling to recover before striking, it's better to act first at this moment!"

Ba*Hejie laughed as he spoke, and seeing his smile, Nie Wenhao also laughed. After a few more words, Nie Wenhao simply walked away.

Nie Wenhao returned to his own chamber, and upon entering, whispered.

"Nie Quan!"

When Nie Wenhao's plot collapsed, King Yun Yin Fengjin led his men to raid the Nie family first! They captured everyone except the steward Nie Quan, whom they failed to locate. What they didn't expect was that Nie Quan had already fled, accompanying Nie Wenhao to Western Di!

Hearing Nie Wenhao's summons, Nie Quan hurriedly pushed the door open and entered.

"Sir."

"Hmm, are all matters arranged?"

"In response, Sir, everything has already been deployed!"

While listening to Nie Quan's report, Nie Wenhao walked to a nearby seat and sat down. As soon as he sat, Nie Wenhao waved at Nie Quan.

Seeing this, Nie Quan was startled, but respectfully stepped forward, and Nie Wenhao whispered a few instructions into his ear.

No one knows exactly what Nie Wenhao said. Yet as soon as his words fell silent, Nie Quan's eyes widened.

"Um... Sir, are you really going to act against... Third Miss?"

"Third Miss? Hmph! I have only one son, and she caused his death!"

Recalling his own biological son dying before him like a barrage of arrows, Nie Wenhao's eyes flashed with an indescribable chill! Hearing this, Nie Quan immediately lowered his gaze, daring not utter another word.

At that moment, Nie Wenhao leaned back, squinting as he spoke.

"That kid Xiao Zhe now has his wings hardened and no longer trusts me! This time he sent Ba*Hejie over, clearly with another purpose! And he even brought Princess Lan Shu... Hmph, it seems they've already conspired, keeping me in the dark!"

Having navigated the political arena all his life, Nie Wenhao has seen much, so he could already infer several points from the situation. Upon hearing this, Nie Quan instantly grew nervous.

"Sir, what shall we do? If Western Di turns against you..."

"Hmph! Of course I know! The people of Western Di are essentially a pack of wolf pups! So from the start, I never expected anything from them."

Nie Wenhao knew well that Western Di had just emerged from internal chaos, making this not an opportune moment to start a war! Moreover, although Western Di's troops are capable, when two nations clash, beyond soldiers' bravery, overall national strength is a crucial factor.

After all, a war between two nations is no child's play; even a year and a half of conflict is brief! During that time, the provisions and pay for tens of thousands of soldiers will heavily affect the overall war.

Yet, although Western Di boasts strong forces, its overall national power, especially its economy, lags behind Dongling. Thus, even if war erupts, Western Di's chances of victory are low.

Therefore, from the start, Nie Wenhao never relied on Western Di, but merely intended to use it—by stationing troops at the border to draw Dongling's attention. Given Yin Fengzhan's temperament, even if Western Di hesitates to fight, Yin Fengzhan would seize the chance to reclaim the Rongjin Two Cities that originally belonged to Dongling! This would inevitably make Western Di refuse, leading the two nations into a direct confrontation and open hostilities.

Once the two nations go to war, Yin Fengzhan's focus and troop deployments will shift to the border, making that moment the perfect opportunity for him to strike! Remember, although Yin Fengzhan once raided the Duan family and seized military command, the hundred‑legged worm does not die stiff; moreover, over the years the Duan family has cultivated many loyalists within the army. If he meticulously coordinates and consolidates these forces, he will surely deliver a fatal blow to Yin Fengzhan.

However, at this moment Western Di cannot show weakness, especially cannot seek a marriage alliance with Dongling, lest everything collapse again! Realizing this, Nie Wenhao gave a cold smile and said softly,

"Princess Lan Shu has set her sights on Yin Fengzhan and is eager for a marriage alliance, but that union cannot happen; after all, if Western Di and Dongling were to make peace now, it would not be good for us..."

Speaking, Nie Wenhao's eyes shifted to Nie Quan before him, and he lowered his voice, saying,

"So, Nie Quan, follow exactly what I just told you! Whether this succeeds or not, as long as the matter is exposed and the blame falls on Princess Lan Shu, that's all we need!"

"Um... Sir, but if—if by any chance the Emperor or Third Miss sees through it, wouldn't that backfire and expose you?"

"Hmph! Rest assured, Princess Lan Shu arrived in the capital earlier and caused a scandal, giving everyone a view of her arrogant, unruly nature. Moreover, she is interested in Yin Fengzhan, so if that brat Nie Jinxuan causes trouble, everyone will surely point the blame at her!"

Squinting slightly, Nie Wenhao spoke with confidence.

"Furthermore, even if they see through it, what then? I know that brat Nie Jinxuan's current temperament wants to expose the truth, but Nie Quan, don't forget, no matter what she thinks, the one who ultimately speaks is that Yin Fengzhan fellow! And Yin Fengzhan cannot tolerate Princess Lan Shu, so if she tries any more tricks now, Yin Fengzhan will certainly make her suffer... So, Nie Quan, follow exactly what I just instructed! Understood?"

"Yes!"

Understanding Nie Wenhao's meaning, Nie Quan immediately replied and walked out. As Nie Quan left, Nie Wenhao, still seated, raised an eyebrow and then peacefully closed his eyes...

Night remained quiet.

At that instant, unbeknownst to Nie Wenhao, as he closed his eyes, the crescent moon beyond the clouds gradually emerged, casting a cold, quiet light... At the same moment, a slender figure was found leisurely lying on the ridge of Nie Wenhao's room...

He propped his legs, hands resting under his head, his sharply defined face and narrow eyes briefly stretching into a thin line of a smile...

The third day of the twelfth lunar month is the day of the state banquet,

Thus, early that morning, the palace staff began bustling, and Princess Jin Jingwen of Qiong Flower County and Qiu Pingtian hurried into the palace to look for Nie Jinxuan.

These past days, Qiu Pingting has recovered to almost her former self, and because of Nie Jinxuan's connection, plus the two are of similar age and both lively, they have become increasingly close.

When the two arrived at Yongle Palace, Nie Jinxuan was leisurely reading, and seeing this, Jin Jingwen exclaimed at once.

"Ah, Jinxuan sister, why are you still reading?"

Jin Jingwen was a little puzzled, but as the two young girls arrived, Nie Jinxuan couldn't help but set the book down, looked up, and said,

"What's the matter? If I'm not reading, what am I supposed to do?"

"No, today is the state banquet, isn't it? And Jinxuan sister you're the Empress, you should have started preparing already, right?"

While speaking, Jin Jingwen and Qiu Pingting walked straight over, and upon hearing this, Nie Jinxuan, who had been reclining on the soft couch, laughed instantly.

"You brat, what nonsense are you spouting? Whether I'm Empress or not, I am now!"

Nie Jinxuan said softly, and as soon as her words fell, Shui Yun, while having a maid bring tea, continued to explain,

"Princess, Miss Qiu, the Emperor intends for our Princess to attend, but the Princess is now pregnant, nearly seven months along, so she feels attending the banquet would be inconvenient and has postponed it."

Shui Yun's voice was calm, and upon hearing this, Jin Jingwen and Qiu Pingting suddenly understood and nodded.

"Oh, so that's it. Actually the banquet isn't a big deal; if Sister Xuan doesn't go, then she won't go~!"

"Mm, right, then I won't go, so I won't run into that Western Di Blue Lady Princess, what a bad omen!"

In fact, Qiu Pingting and Jin Jingwen had no interest in today's banquet, and recalling their earlier encounter with that Blue Lady Princess made Jin Jingwen fume!

At that moment, hearing Jin Jingwen's words, Qiu Pingting immediately pouted.

"Exactly, that so‑called Blue Lady Princess is really unbearable!"

"Oh, Pingting, that Blue Lady Princess isn't just annoying, okay? She doesn't even see people as people. Hmph, people like her should taste having their eyes ripped out, tongues cut, legs chopped off alive, so she can feel the suffering Sun's family endured back then; otherwise she'll never learn!"

"Unlike the kind Qiu Pingting, who has endured tragic experiences, Jin Jingwen's temperament follows the principle 'you insult me a foot, I'll return a yard'; if anyone tries to hurt her, she will exact eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, and never hold back!"

But at that point, Jin Jingwen seemed to recall something and suddenly looked at Nie Jinxuan, who was smiling nearby while listening.

"By the way, Jinxuan sister, speaking of it, a couple of days ago I heard Brother Yu Shu say that the Blue Lady Princess keeps trying to enter the palace; does she have some intention toward the Emperor?"

Although Jin Jingwen wasn't present at the Heaven Fragrance Pavilion that day, later, hearing from Yu Shu at night that Xiao Lanshu wanted to enter the palace, Jin Jingwen instinctively felt that she had set her sights on Yin Fengzhan!

At that moment, before Nie Jinxuan could speak, Qiu Pingting's eyes widened instantly, and she shouted,

"What? She's taken a liking to the Emperor? How can she be so shameless?!"

"Hmph, she's shameless in many ways! This one doesn't matter!"

"So, what should we do… By the way, Jinxuan sister, if it's like that, you must be prepared; you cannot let her enter the palace. She's too wicked; if she truly sets her sights on the Emperor, it will certainly be detrimental to you!"

"Hey, Pingting, why are you nervous? The Emperor is devoted to our Jinxuan sister; even if that Blue Lady Princess clings to him, the Emperor won't favor her! But Jinxuan sister, Pingting makes a good point: that Blue Lady Princess always goes to extremes. Previously, over a trivial matter, she even bloodied the Tianyuan Inn. If she truly has designs on the Emperor, she will certainly strike at you, Jinxuan sister!"

Jin Jingwen understood human nature well, especially regarding people like Xiao Lanshu, and while Jin Jingwen, Qiu Pingting, and Nie Jinxuan chattered and plotted, Zhang Guifei, Consort Li, and Princess Consort Chen Yan'er also walked in from outside.

Today is the state banquet, but even so, Zhang Guifei, who has now been promoted to Grand Consort, does not need to attend; upon hearing that Nie Jinxuan also isn't going, she invited Consort Li to Yongle Palace to join the fun.

Now Yongle Palace was truly bustling, and Consort Li had become much more carefree than before; after all, Princess Consort Yin Fengjin no longer merely oversaw the heavenly prison, having earned Prince Yun Yin Fengzhan's favor, which eased Li's mind. Yet Li and Zhang Guifei have been at odds for years, so they sometimes exchange a few barbed remarks, though only in words and never truly angry.

Thus, while the group laughed and chatted in Yongle Palace, the afternoon banquet arrived in the blink of an eye. Although Zhang Guifei and the others did not need to attend, Princess Consort Chen Yan'er, as the Prince's consort, had to go, so she rose to leave. As she departed, Jin Jingwen reminded her to keep an eye on Xiao Lanshu and report any developments promptly!

…

Chen Yan'er left, but the chatter in Yongle Palace continued unabated; Jin Jingwen and Qiu Pingting, the two young girls, truly stayed behind.

Just as the crowd's conversation was in full swing, a junior maid entered respectfully carrying a bowl.

Seeing this, everyone paused; then Shui Yun took the bowl, opened the lid, checked the temperature, and presented it to Nie Jinxuan.

At that moment, Consort Li raised an eyebrow, glanced over, and said loudly,

"The envoy from the northern Baishan Kingdom brought a thousand‑year ginseng a few days ago; the Emperor said it's for the Princess to stew into soup for her health."

Shui Yun said calmly, and upon hearing this, Consort Li pursed her lips, then raised her eyebrows and said,

"Ah, our Emperor is truly considerate. Back in my day, not only ginseng, even a little something required utmost caution!"

Consort Li's remark sounded a little bitter, but upon hearing it, everyone in the room just smiled to themselves; no one rebuked her, because everyone knew she was speaking the truth. After all, if Consort Li had even a hint of ability back then, she wouldn't have had to rely on Grand Dowager Duan.

At that moment, as Consort Li was speaking, Nie Jinxuan took the bowl, but after scooping a spoonful, she suddenly felt uneasy and dry‑vomited.

"Princess, are you all right?"

Nie Jinxuan's reaction startled everyone, but after a moment of calm, she laughed and shook her head.

"It's fine, no need to worry; it's just that the thousand‑year ginseng has a strong flavor, and I'm a bit unaccustomed…"

Nie Jinxuan didn't want everyone to worry, and upon hearing this, Zhang Guifei finally relaxed her brows.

"Ah, the woman is pregnant, we can't be careless… Fine, since she can't tolerate it, she won't drink it. Shui Yun, take it away."

"Yes!"

She answered respectfully, and then Shui Yun sealed the bowl, handed it to the nearby junior maid, and also ordered the servants to prepare a fresh lotus‑seed porridge.

…

The brief interlude passed that way. Afterwards, because of this incident, Zhang Guifei, Consort Li, and others began recounting how they were pregnant in the palace, sharing child‑rearing tips, which instantly attracted the attention of Jin Jingwen, Qiu Pingting, and the other young girls, and even Nie Jinxuan listened with great interest.

But just then, while Zhang Guifei and the others were chatting animatedly in the room, a clamor suddenly arose outside.

At once, listening to the clamor outside, Zhang Guifei and the others in the room were startled; Consort Li, frowning in displeasure, without looking up, said to the nearby Tao'er,

"Tao'er, send me out to see what's happening. It's so noisy; how can they not follow any rules?! Go quickly!"

"Yes!"

Seeing her mistress's displeasure, Tao'er hurried out, and within moments she returned in a rush.

"Returning, returning to the mistress… No, it's bad, outside—outside there's a dead person!"

Tao'er was still young; after Prince Yun Yin Fengzhan ascended the throne, she was reassigned to Consort Li's side. At this moment, panting, her pale face clearly showed she was frightened. Upon hearing this, Zhang Guifei and the others also jumped in shock.

"What? A dead person?! Who?"

"It's the junior maid who just brought the ginseng soup!"

Frowning, Tao'er recounted in detail, and hearing this, the people in the room exchanged glances, then Zhang Guifei was the first to rise from her seat.

"Let's go, see what's happening!"

Speaking, Zhang Guifei stepped out first; seeing the situation, Beautiful Consort, Jin Jingwen, Qiu Pingting, and Nie Jinxuan all hurriedly followed.

……

Zhang Guifei and her party strode out of the room in a grand manner, and as soon as they stepped outside they saw a circle of people gathered in a nearby corridor. Seeing this, Zhang Guifei's complexion darkened at once, and she strode over. At that moment, as Zhang Guifei and the other masters arrived, the court attendants gathered there stepped back, and when she entered she indeed saw a young palace maid lying on the ground, bleeding from all seven orifices.

That young palace maid was the one who had previously delivered ginseng soup to Nie Jinxuan. Moreover, the bowl that had held the ginseng soup also fell to the ground beside her, creating a mess.

Seeing this, a fierce expression flashed across Zhang Guifei's usually gentle face; beside her, Beautiful Consort instantly frowned. At that moment, Nie Jinxuan, who was at the rear, stepped forward to the young palace maid, gave her a quick inspection, then glanced at the bowl beside her, and casually took the silver hairpin pinned in her hair and placed it into the remaining ginseng soup in the bowl, and after a moment removed the hairpin again.

Then, Nie Jinxuan lowered her eyes and saw that the once bright white silver hairpin was now stained black!