Chapter 8: New Spring Splendid Banquet

  In the 24th year of Da Yong Wu Wei, Jia Xu, the Emperor issued an edict ordering the Crown Prince An to take his place in offering sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and receive the court's homage at the Wen Hua Hall. The King of Yong was fearful and in the same year, in the second month, he submitted a memorial requesting to be allowed to move to the fiefdom of Youzhou. The Emperor did not permit it and ordered that his heir take his place instead. Thereafter, the King of Yong reported illness and requested leave from court, which the Emperor granted.

  "The Old Book of Tang · Emperor Taizong's Basic Annals"

  In the first year of Tongtai, Jiaxu, Marquis Zhenyuan Lu led hundreds of officials to support King Sanzi Lang as the ruler of the country, changed the era name to Tongtai, and respectfully revered Emperor Yang as Taishang, honored Shangfei as Taihou, listened to politics behind the curtain, and entrusted national affairs to Marquis Lu. The new ruler ascended the throne, issued a decree to promote Xin to Duke Zhenyuan, sent an envoy to Dayong, presented tribute, and called himself a vassal.

  The Biography of King Xiang of Chu in the History of Southern Dynasties

  On the first day of the new year, amidst the sounds of music and dance, the whole court was busy. First, there was a grand ceremony in the Taiji Temple, where all officials, led by Prince Yong, came to pay their respects to Emperor Li. Then, they proceeded to the Donggong Wenhua Temple to pay their respects to the Crown Prince. Although the Crown Prince had his own residence within the imperial city, he had not been able to move into the symbolic Donggong Palace until this year, thanks to support from all sides. Now that Li An had formally taken up residence in the Donggong Palace and secured his position as heir apparent, when Prince Yong, as the leader of the officials, came to pay his respects to the Crown Prince with a grand ceremony of two kneelings and six kowtows, Li An was already considered the rightful heir in the eyes of the people. Seeing Prince Yong, who had always made him feel inferior, bowing down before him, Li An felt an overwhelming joy surge up in his heart.

  Afterwards, Li An also completed the grand ceremony of reporting to Heaven and sacrificing at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. At this moment, Li An was completely intoxicated with joy that all under heaven were submissive.

  In comparison, the expression of King Yong Li Zuo was somewhat cold. With the monarch and minister's names fixed, it was no wonder he was like this. No one thought that at this time, Li Zuo could only admire Jiang Zhe's plan. He could see that Li An had already become complacent, completely suppressing his own joy, which made him almost make mistakes several times. As long as the plan was well-designed, he could let the crown prince suffer a disaster from which he would never recover. To take something, one must first give it; it's easy to say, but to design such a bold plan truly requires extraordinary courage. Until now, Li Zuo still didn't know Jiang Zhe's specific intentions, nor could he understand Jiang Zhe's meaning. He only felt that Jiang Zhe's plan seemed like an intricate web, and Li An was the butterfly gradually falling into it.

  After the ceremony at Tai Temple, Li Yuan issued an edict to set up a banquet in Ganlu Temple, where he entertained all officials. I followed Prince Yong into the hall, and as he was busy exchanging cups with the officials, Shi Chong sat with me in a corner, quietly pointing out important figures in the court.

  Shi Yu said in a low voice: "The one who is the chief of the Wen Guan is Wei Guan, the Shangshu Ling. He is the emperor's arm, and when the emperor and the Yong Wang were at war, the crown prince was in charge of the country, but in fact, all the government affairs were handled by him alone. He is a deep and profound person who understands the way of serving the monarch, so he has been in the central government for many years without decline. However, in recent years, he has also grown old, and the struggle for the throne is very chaotic, so he is cautious and does not express his opinions easily. But as far as we know, he is more inclined towards the crown prince, because after all, he has worked with the crown prince for many years. However, this person will not truly intervene in the conflict, and if we succeed, he will not have any opposing opinions. Your Highness's intention is to stabilize him, but it is not possible to rely on him as an ally. The official below him, Zheng Suo, is a straight-talking and brave advisor. When King Qing assassinated Empress Ji, many people petitioned for his execution, accusing him of the crime of regicide and matricide. But Zheng Suo spoke out directly, saying that although King Qing's assassination of the empress was not entirely justified, it was also an act of revenge for his mother, and there was no reason to punish him for this. If he had committed a crime, it would not have been regicide, because Empress Ji was not his birth mother, and the emperor also had some sympathy for King Qing, which is why he was exiled to the border regions. This person may become an opponent in the future, but Your Highness said that if we can persuade him with great righteousness, then he will be a valuable minister."

  I took a look at Wei Guan, his appearance was ordinary, with starry frost on both temples, but what was rare was his dignified demeanor, indeed having the air of commanding hundreds of officials. Zheng Yue, on the other hand, had a square face and big ears, eyes like cold stars, and although he was only over thirty years old, every move he made carried an implicit air of majesty. Just looking at these two people, they surpassed all those officials in Southern Chu, and it was only natural that Da Yong became the master of the Central Plains.

  Shi Yu said, "The one beside the Crown Prince is none other than Lu Jingzhong, the Junior Tutor of the Crown Prince. Although he looks ordinary, his writing skills are exceptional, which is why he was appointed as a tutor. However, despite his appearance of loyalty and sincerity, he is actually cunning and deceitful, and is the Crown Prince's chief advisor. We have suffered greatly at his hands."

  I looked at Lu Jingzhong, this person is currently my greatest enemy. He looks ordinary in appearance, only his skin tone is a bit too pale, those eyes are always half-closed, as if he hasn't woken up from sleep. I was sizing him up, and Lu Jingzhong seemed to have noticed, his eyes snapped open, cold and piercing, staring at me. I quickly lowered my head, feeling the chilly gaze sweep across my body.

  Shi Wei smiled back, and Lu Jingzhong, seeing that it was Shi Wei, seemed to relax a bit. He raised his cup in a distant toast, and Shi Wei smiled slightly as he also lifted his wine cup. Both of them downed their drinks in one gulp.

  Waiting until Lu Jingzhong's gaze shifted away, I softly said: 'This person is indeed extraordinary, thank you Stone Brother for helping me out of this predicament.'

  "He and I can be considered old opponents, so he won't notice you. Look, the one toasting the emperor is Wei Guo Gong Cheng Shu. This man once saved the emperor's life, his military strategy is ordinary, but he is a lucky general, every battle is either a great victory or a complete retreat, and he values loyalty over wealth, loves making friends, and is respected by the proud soldiers of Yong. The person closest to him is actually Cheng Shu, if he wants to do something, he doesn't need the Ministry of War's documents, just one letter, and everyone will agree, he looks up to Your Highness, has always maintained a good relationship with you, but doesn't think much of the Crown Prince, however, his relationships are good, and the emperor trusts him, so the Crown Prince can't do anything about it. This man is also loyal to the emperor, asking for his help might not work, but if Your Highness ascends to the throne, he will definitely be pleased."

  I looked at the general with a lazy demeanor, somewhat rough in his movements, but exuding an aura of kindness all over him. Although he was already at an age where one knows their fate, his hair and beard were still jet black, and there wasn't a hint of fatigue between his brows. Seeing him offer a toast, Li Yuan smiled as he raised his cup, the joy between ruler and subject blending together in harmony, truly not an ordinary person.

  Shi Yu said, "Our great Yong army currently has four major factions. The 450,000-strong army under the command of Prince Yong is the most powerful, and many famous generals in the military are under his command. However, they are mostly stationed outside, so you haven't seen them. Apart from that, there's also the 200,000-strong army of Prince Qi and the 100,000-strong army of Prince Qing. Although these armies aren't as elite as Prince Yong's, they're still crack troops. Another major faction is the Qin-Cheng faction, which consists of General Qin Yi and Duke Cheng Shu jointly commanding 150,000 imperial guards and 200,000 border troops. In other words, they are the emperor's most trusted generals and his trump card in suppressing the other princes. With the 350,000-strong army of these two men, the emperor can sit back and relax."

  I took a look at the head of the military general, General Qin. He was elegant and refined in appearance, with grayish-white hair, looking like a scholar, but only seeing his spirit being sharp and lively, talking and laughing freely, I knew that he had a majestic and heroic air about him, no wonder he was Emperor Yong's most trusted general.

  At this time, Shi Yu said: "Sui Yun, you see that person, although his name is not present, but you must remember that he is Qin Wuqi, the Shangshu Shilang. This person usually just does his duty, but in the Shangshu Province, he has been there for nine years. Six or seven out of ten imperial edicts are written by him, and you should also remember that Princess Qi's daughter-in-law, Qin Jing, is his eldest daughter."

  I felt a sudden chill in my heart as I gazed at the refined scholar and said calmly, "Could it be that this person is related to the Fengyi Sect?"

  Shi Yu smiled and said: "Sui Yun is indeed astute, it's said that in his youth he received great kindness from the master of Fengyi Gate, so he has always been grateful and sought to repay him."

  I remembered this person, then faintly said: 'The people I wanted to see have all been seen, it's not a waste of the trip. Shi Xiong, after the banquet is over, I'll leave first, in the next few days, I can finally get some good rest, what about you?

  He said with a mysterious expression: 'You probably won't be able to rest well, there's going to be a good show starting from the second day of the Chinese New Year.'

  I was taken aback for a moment, looking at Shi Yu. He smiled and said: "The emperor is in high spirits this year, after the noon banquet, he ordered a martial arts competition to be held outside the Zhuque Gate. All officials of the fourth rank or higher, or young men from noble families who are under the age of 30 can sign up to participate. If they win, His Majesty will reward them heavily. I heard that there are three types of competitions: the first is horse racing, the second is archery, and the third is a test of martial arts skills with fists, feet, swords, and spears. If one wins first place in any of these categories, it would be a great honor for their ancestors. How can you not go take a look at such a grand event?"

  I laughed and said: "So there's such a good thing, I really want to go take a look, unfortunately I'm not good at riding shooting martial arts, no chance of participating?"

  Shi Yu smiled and said, "This matter has long been spread out, it seems that you are not aware of the outside world. This time, the officials in the court, as well as the people of Chang'an, have all opened betting pools. The list of registered names is already known throughout the land. General Cheng, also known as Duke Wei, personally supervised the betting pool, and he is indeed a fair and impartial person. Of course, several major casinos in Chang'an have also opened betting pools."

  I smiled wryly and said: "Although I can make a bet, but I'm not good at martial arts, archery, and horse riding, and I'm also unfamiliar with those who are more skilled on the field."

  Shi Yu laughed and said, "What are you afraid of? If we're talking about understanding these contestants, I'm afraid that even if the Yong Wang Fu acknowledged second place, they wouldn't dare acknowledge first place. This time, there are three hot candidates. One is Wei Xiang's fourth son, Wei Rong, who is currently a Lang Zhong in the Ministry of War and is said to be able to be promoted to Shi Lang this year. Although he is a civil official, he excels at horse riding, and the Wei family has a precious horse, so his chances of winning the horse racing competition are the greatest. Another is Qin Qing, the second son of General Fu Yuan, who is the Tiger General of Da Yong. He is skilled in archery and horsemanship, which have been passed down from his family, and he is the most outstanding among the young generals of Da Yong. The last one is Xia Hou Lan's son, Xia Hou Yu Feng, who has the reputation of being the number one handsome man in Chang'an, with a beauty comparable to Pan An and Song Yu. He has strong martial arts skills and is currently a second-grade imperial guard, serving as the deputy commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guard, and is said to be the emperor's most favored guard. It is said that his martial arts skills are profound and unpredictable, making him the number one master among the young guards in the palace, with an unknown teacher."

  I calmly said: 'Indeed, there are many outstanding talents among the Da Yong.'

  Shi Yu saw that I was somewhat displeased, and inexplicably stopped talking. After a moment's thought, he knew that I must have been thinking of Nan Chutu Wen Tian Wu Xi, but he knew better than to mention it outright, so he changed the subject and introduced me to some other officials instead.

  As we were whispering to each other, a low warning voice came from the side. I looked up and saw that Emperor Zhongzong was walking over with a young official. Shi Chong and I hastily stood up. Li Xian walked in front of us and said: "Everyone is having a joyful feast now, and they are all toasting each other, why are you two secretly discussing something here?"

  Shi Yu said calmly: "Your Highness, Jiang Sima has just arrived in Dayong and is not yet familiar with the affairs of the court, so I will introduce him briefly. We are low-ranking officials and dare not be presumptuous. Lord Wei, this is Jiang Zhe, Jiang Suiyun, the newly appointed Sima of the Tiance Army Headquarters. Suiyun, Lord Wei is the champion of the 21st year of Dayong's Xinwei era and currently serves as the Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites."

  I calmly paid my respects, and saw Wei Ying to be about twenty-five or six years old, similar to me. This person had a refined appearance, elegant demeanor, and an air of refinement that set him apart from the ordinary. Although he was the son of a wealthy family and a young noble, he didn't have even a hint of arrogance, making one feel good at first sight.

  Wei Ai originally heard from Qi Wang that Jiang Zhe, who had been to Jiangnan, had surrendered to the Great Yong. Now he was also in the Ganlu Temple, so he curiously asked Qi Wang to introduce him. Three years ago, he was the top scholar, and naturally, he was overjoyed. However, people often said that when it came to literary talent, the best were from Jiangnan, and among them, the most outstanding was Jiang Zhe, who had been the top scholar in the 16th year of Xian De (17th year of Wu Wei) of the Great Yong dynasty. This man's literary talent was unparalleled in Jiangnan, and his poem "Moonlit Reflections" was famous throughout the land. His song "Breaking the Array" had even forced the King of Shu to surrender. He had long been hailed as the number one talented scholar of Jiangnan. However, after the conquest of Shu, he seemed to have fallen ill and rarely appeared in public, and his poems were gradually less seen outside. Wei Ai had collected all the poems and articles he could find and often cherished them. Today, seeing Jiang Zhe, Wei Ai felt that his reputation was well-deserved. This young man, who was one or two years older than himself, was somewhat thin and not as handsome as himself, but his calm and gentle demeanor, with a hint of coldness, made Wei Ai feel a deep affection for him.

  Wei Zhen stepped forward and paid his respects, saying: "I have long heard that Brother Jiang's talent and emotions surpass those of the present age. Today I am fortunate to meet you. I am Wei Zhen, a junior, and pay my respects to you, sir."

  I slightly changed my expression, and unexpectedly this young master of the prime minister was as humble as his appearance. I returned the courtesy again: "A humble person like me does not dare to accept the courtesy of Lord Wei, but since you are the Grand Champion of the Imperial Examination, your talent is naturally extraordinary. If there's an opportunity, I will certainly ask for your guidance."

  Wei Yi said: 'If Brother Jiang is willing to give guidance, Wei Yi will be grateful. On another day when I have leisure time, I will visit your humble abode.'

  Here is the translation:

  We were being polite to each other, one sentence at a time, but Li Xian was getting impatient. He had originally thought that scholars would be humble towards each other, and if Wei Zhen came over, he wouldn't be able to help but make a few sarcastic remarks about Jiang Zhe. But unexpectedly, the two of them were like old friends as soon as they met, which wasn't good. Li Xian's thoughts were quick-witted, and he immediately called out: "Qin Qing, come over here for a moment."

  A young general came over at the sound, I took a closer look, this young general looked somewhat similar to Qin Yi, only with broad shoulders and long legs, slender figure, not like his father's Confucian general demeanor, he seemed very familiar with the King of Qi, smiling: 'Your Highness is looking for me about something?'

  King Qi pointed at me and said: "This is Jiang Zhe, the one who forced King Shu to death. You wanted to meet him, didn't you?"

  Qin Qing glanced at me, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes, and suddenly shouted: "In the past, Jiang Gong's 'Breaking Array' forced the King of Shu to death, I wonder if he didn't expect that today he would also kneel down and surrender?" His voice was very loud, causing the Ganlu Temple to suddenly fall silent, with all eyes focused on him.

  Shi Wei and Wei Kuang's faces changed, but under the watchful eyes of everyone, they couldn't speak up to help. I, however, remained calm and composed, speaking loudly: "The King of Shu lost his country and state, and it is only right that he should die with them. Even if Zuo wrote a song to send him off, it was still the King of Shu's shame that made this beautiful story. The ruler of Southern Chu is Your Majesty's beloved son-in-law, and as close as father and son. I have never heard of a father punishing his son, only for the son to take his own life. Moreover, as a minister, repeatedly offering loyal advice yet being demoted, who would still die for their king and state? From ancient times to the present, there has only been one Qu Yuan. Not to mention that the ruler of Southern Chu is still alive, even if he were to encounter difficulties, if Zuo were to die with him, then Zuo's name would be revered for eternity in history, but it would make our lord seem like King Huai of Chu, and his shame would be a testament to my loyalty. Is that not what I am trying to prevent? Moreover, if our lord is like King Huai, wouldn't you, General, view Your Majesty as Qin Huiwang or Qin Ershi, who brought about their own downfall? I don't know how many generations of the Great Harmony you hope to pass down."

  My words made Qin Qing's face turn iron-green, Wei Xun's face full of astonishment, Shi Tuo lowered his head and smiled secretly, while Li Xian's eyes showed a mixture of jealousy and admiration. Our side was stunned, but someone on the other side applauded loudly and cheered.

  Everyone looked over, only to see Li Yuan applauding and cheering. They all put their minds at ease. The King of Yong was standing beside the Emperor, smiling: "Qin Qing, you've lost out this time! Father, this is Jiang Zhe, the number one talent of Southern Chu. Jiang Zhe, come over here and pay your respects to His Majesty."

  I walked forward with ease, neither arrogant nor humble. Li Yuan smiled and said: "Good, I've long heard of your reputation for talent. You're able to abandon darkness and follow the light, which I quite like. The Duke of Yong told me that you're not in good health and are often bedridden with illness. If it weren't for this, I would have wanted to make you a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat to draft imperial edicts on my behalf."

  I said faintly: 'Your Majesty, I was weak and frail since childhood. In the past, when I followed the army, I contracted an illness. Although I recovered from the illness, the root of the disease still remains. The King's benevolence is to let me stay by his side and take care of me, which is both the King's kindness and my honor.'

  Li Yuan was even more delighted, saying: "Good, this is also a wonderful story. You must not be discouraged by General Qin's words. Do things well, and Da Yong will never mistreat the wise men of all directions."

  I thanked him again. Li Yuan waved his hand to let me retreat, and the Duke of Yong also bid farewell. The Duke of Yong pulled me to Qin Qing's side and said: "General Qin, Jiang Sima, you are both young and talented, don't bear grudges against each other, let me take charge, you two make amends."

  Qin Qing was originally red-faced and ear-red, seeing the King of Yong's advice, he took the opportunity to step down, apologized to me, and I also returned the courtesy.

  At this time someone behind me laughed and said: 'Good, finally let me see Brother Qin humble himself.'

  We turned our heads to look, but it was a handsome young man wearing brocade clothes. The young man was only twenty-two or three years old, with an exceptionally elegant and refined appearance, just like Song Yu Pan An. He also had a slender figure, as if he were a jade tree in the wind. The whole person looked like a delicate jade statue. Before speaking, he smiled and said: "What a talented young man from southern Chu! You really make Xia Hou Yuanfeng admire you." After finishing speaking, he stepped forward and bowed deeply. I returned a bow with a calm demeanor, smiling but not speaking.

  At this moment, almost everyone's attention was focused on them. The King of Yong, the King of Qi, Wei Yi, Qin Qing, and Xiahou Yuanfeng were all figures who could attract everyone's attention. Now, standing together like this, it seemed as if all the glory of the Ganlu Temple had converged here. What made those ministers gaze in admiration was Jiang Zhe, who stood beside these outstanding individuals. He had neither a prestigious status nor an extraordinary appearance, nor did he have an intimidating aura, yet he left a deep impression on their minds, like a miracle. It was as if he existed like a green mountain and clear water, and no matter how strong the light of others was, it couldn't hide his calm and elegant demeanor, which was like a clear spring in the woods.