Bonfire Party

The sky gradually darkened. A palace maid brought a lantern shade to Xia Yunhe.

Xia nodded and accepted it. The maid said, "Master Xia, His Majesty is hosting a banquet tonight; Head Eunuch Li asked me to inform you." She curtsied and withdrew.

Once the maid departed, Xia Yunhe fixed the silk shade onto the candlestick, adjusting the angle to soften the light and widen its reach.

She shared her quarters with Zheng Mian, a guest of the Crown Prince. They had worked together in a previous life and got along well enough, save for one thing: Zheng Mian liked to read late into the night and would turn the lamp up as bright as possible, completely disregarding others' need for rest. Over time, she had developed the ability to remain undisturbed.

That afternoon, when Zheng Mian entered the tent, he was deeply troubled. Upon asking, she learned he had failed to borrow a lamp shade from the maids and, after lamenting for a while, had gone out to seek one elsewhere.

Xia Yunhe had originally intended to stay out of it, but seeing Zheng Mian’s dejected sighing—and remembering that he had always been decent to her—she decided that helping him with a small matter was no burden.

As she was thinking this, someone entered the tent. It was Zheng Mian, a man in his forties with a broad face, square ears, and short sideburns, dressed in a lake-green casual robe. He was empty-handed.

Seeing Xia Yunhe adjusting the lamp, he paused, stepped forward to bow, and pointed at the shade. "Yi Zhi," he asked, "where did this come from?"

She gave a brief explanation. Zheng Mian looked her up and down for a long time, stroking his beard with a frown. "When others heard they were to share quarters with me, they waved their hands in refusal, yet you even went to find a lamp shade for me."

Xia Yunhe exchanged a few polite words with Zheng Mian. After tidying up, she saw him sitting on the couch, still looking troubled and heavy-hearted, and asked with a smile, "Master Zheng, are you not leaving?"

Zheng Mian looked up, chuckled, and left the tent with her.

Bonfires were lit throughout the camp, their flames dancing against the night. Everyone sat in groups, laughing and chatting. The Emperor had not yet arrived. After speaking with Zheng Mian for a moment, the Crown Prince and the various princes arrived, and Zheng Mian took his leave to follow the Crown Prince.

The Fourth Prince began drinking and eating as soon as he sat down, while the Fifth Prince began causing trouble for the Seventh Prince, Xie Yi, with remarks like, "You want to find the Bai Ze? You are not worthy," and "Delusional."

The Fifth Prince’s words were sharp, and with no one around daring to speak up for the Seventh Prince, she was about to step forward to defend him when she was blocked by Li Fushun.

The Head Eunuch pulled her sleeve aside. "Master Xia, where are you going?" he whispered. "Don’t get involved with the Seventh Highness."

Passing by the Minister of Works, Wan Jing, she heard someone ask him, "Will the Fifth Prince go to capture the Bai Ze?" Wan Jing scoffed carelessly, "It’s just a joke."

A murmur of disbelief rippled through the crowd.

Xia Yunhe felt heavy with worry. Although she had told Xie Yi the news, she had been too busy writing the sacrificial text for the Autumn Hunt to know his intentions. The scene before her was even more chaotic than in her previous life. In the past, the Crown Prince had stolen the spotlight during this hunt; how would things unfold this time?

Li Fushun led her to her seat. Xia Yunhe put aside her thoughts and greeted her colleagues. Though the Hanlin Academy held no real power, its status was prestigious; it was customary for a sixth-rank academician to sit among those of the fourth rank at banquets.

Sensing someone watching her, she looked up and saw Duke Ding, Liu Rongshan, smiling at her from the head table. Her hand trembled slightly; he had smiled just like that in the Zhao Prison. After a moment of thought, she approached to offer greetings—she had to keep up appearances.

Returning to her seat, she noticed someone directly opposite her raising a cup in a silent toast.

She should have returned the gesture, but Xia Yunhe frowned. *Why is Chen Haizhou at the Autumn Hunt too?*

An inexplicable sense of unease settled in her heart. Xia Yunhe lowered her gaze, clutching her wine cup in contemplation. *In this Autumn Hunt... how can the Seventh Prince survive unscathed?*

"His Majesty has arrived—"

The entire assembly fell solemn. Everyone stood in unison, bowed low, and shouted in chorus, "Long live the Emperor!"

After Emperor Hehui took his seat, everyone rose. The master of ceremonies chanted about "benevolence spreading throughout the world" and "divine wisdom and martial prowess," and prayed for a bountiful harvest and favorable weather in the coming year.

"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Several fireworks bloomed in the sky, accompanied by a thunderous roar.

***

The Autumn Hunt of the Chu Kingdom had begun, and the camp was filled with jubilation.

At the tables, wine flowed freely. After half a cup, Xia Yunhe felt slightly tipsy. Pushing the rest of the wine away, she rose and walked alone toward the shadows of the forest.

It was the fifteenth day of the lunar month; the moon hung high, the stars were hidden, and there was not a cloud in the sky. She looked up at the firmament, sighing to herself that tomorrow would be a good day for hunting.

A golden breeze blew, dissipating the alcohol and clearing her mind.

As she prepared to return, she caught sight of two figures standing not far away. She hid in the shadows. The moonlight shone directly onto their faces: one was Zheng Mian, the other an attendant from the Crown Prince's entourage.

"The opportunity is once in a lifetime. Why hesitate?"

"But, but Xia Yunhe..."

"Hmph, your family is in the Crown Prince’s hands." The attendant paused. "Master Zheng, shouldn't we work together for the sake of His Highness?"

Though it was a question, the attendant spoke with absolute certainty. In the pouring moonlight, the deep lines on his face were clearly visible.

Zheng Mian sighed and nodded, saying nothing more.

Once the two had left, Xia Yunhe leaned against a tree, lightly rubbing her brow. Given the situation, she wondered what Zheng Mian would do to the Seventh Prince. If he plotted against the Seventh Prince during the banquet... she would have to intervene.

Returning to the table, she scanned the Crown Prince’s direction and saw Zheng Mian looking dejected, drinking silently by himself.

She glanced at Xie Yi, who was neatly slicing meat with a small knife, looking very well-behaved—nothing like the wild, drunken version she remembered from her past life.

She withdrew her gaze. Another colleague came to offer a toast, but Xia Yunhe declined, citing her low tolerance for alcohol.

Suddenly, she heard Emperor Hehui teasing the Prince of Fu, "Fourth son, the way you eat, you look nothing like a prince."

At these words, everyone looked at the Fourth Prince, whose table was piled high with bones. It was indeed a bit crude, and the crowd burst into laughter.

A red-faced general clad in armor spoke loudly, "His Highness the Prince of Fu has a heroic spirit. I hear he has recently been emulating Lord Mengchang by recruiting retainers."

The general was from the Wan family. Whether by accident or provocation, the atmosphere at the banquet turned icy. The Crown Prince glanced sideways at the Fourth Prince but remained composed, suppressing his anger.

The red-faced general laughed heartily, oblivious to the changing expressions around him, and continued to tease the Prince of Fu.

For a prince about to be sent to his fief, recruiting retainers was a taboo in the eyes of the Crown Prince. The Prince of Fu squinted, swallowed his lamb, and looked at Wan Wubai with contemptuous, white-rimmed eyes. "General Wan, I heard you once served under the old General Shen in the Northwest, but were expelled from the Shen army for abusing the people. Is that true or not?"

The boisterous banquet fell silent at the Fourth Prince’s words. Everyone held their breath, waiting to see how the general would respond. Instead, the general trembled uncontrollably and kowtowed until his forehead hit the ground.

The shift at the banquet was too rapid. Xia Yunhe looked up to peek at the Emperor; Emperor Hehui’s face was devoid of expression, like a majestic clay statue.

Wan Jing could no longer sit still. He pleaded with the Emperor, "Your Majesty, there must be a misunderstanding. My cousin may be crude in nature, but he would never do such a thing."

The Fifth Prince also stood and performed a court salute. "Father, the state has its laws, and the family has its rules. I believe my cousin is innocent. Please investigate this thoroughly, Father, to quell the rumors."

The expressions of those present varied. The Fifth Prince acted as if he were sacrificing his own kin for the sake of justice, while Wan Wubai had fainted on the spot.

Since ancient times, a prince’s closest bond had been with his mother’s family. The Fifth Prince’s actions were no different from turning against his own kin. Wan Jing was furious at his lack of foresight; even if the Fifth Prince were to ascend the throne, who would support him without his mother’s family?

However, Emperor Hehui’s expression softened slightly. "Take him into custody for now."

Soldiers led Wan Wubai away. The Emperor scanned the crowd, his gaze lingering on Xia Yunhe and Xie Yi for a moment before he departed.

***

Wan Wubai’s words had offended the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Fifth Prince. Xia Yunhe looked at the Seventh Prince, Xie Yi, who sat quietly at the table. Was it really just luck that this young prince was the only one untouched by this storm?

As the imperial procession departed, the banquet ended.

The Crown Prince bid everyone farewell and left with Duke Ding, Liu Rongshan.

Wan Jing slumped in his seat like a deflated ball, his hands trembling as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. To him, the Wan family’s power was intricate and interconnected. This Wan Wubai was truly a fool. The Emperor’s actions today were a warning to "beat the grass to startle the snake." He had to find a way to silence Wan Wubai.

The Fifth Prince pointed at the Prince of Fu. "Fourth brother, why did you harm me?"

The Prince of Fu looked at the Fifth Prince, but his words were meant for Wan Jing. "Fifth brother, if Wan Wubai hadn't provoked me, would I have spoken? I only want to go to my fief in peace. What was he trying to do by stirring up trouble between me and the Crown Prince?"

The Fifth Prince was speechless. The Prince of Fu looked at Wan Jing with a smile and gave a soft hum.

Wan Jing walked over to pull the Fifth Prince away and bowed to the Prince of Fu. He knew that regardless of the Prince of Fu’s true situation, the Wan family was in danger. Since the grand debate over the case of the Marquis of Anhe, the Emperor had begun his move to dismantle the Wan family. Combined with today’s attitude, their situation was dire.

Xia Yunhe, detached from the others, watched it all coldly. Xie Yi wiped his hands clean, walked to her side, and tilted his eyes. "Master, what kind of bow should I use to hunt the Bai Ze tomorrow? Please help me choose one."

Wan Jing looked at Xie Yi, then at the Fifth Prince, and dragged the latter away with long strides. The Wan family could not fall; the Fifth Prince had to capture the Bai Ze this year.

Only the Fifth Prince was the chosen one.

Xie Yi was still smiling at Xia Yunhe. "Master, help me pick a suitable bow."

She nodded and followed Xie Yi as he left.

Only the Fourth Prince remained in the clearing. He stretched, then suddenly froze, looking in the direction where Xie Yi and Xia Yunhe had left, lost in thought for a long time.

Behind him, Zeng Xi said, "Master, the night is deep. It is time to return."

The master and servant walked into the woods.

Zeng Xi asked, "Master, the Seventh Highness didn't make a move. Could it be that Xia Yunhe didn't tell him the news?"

The Prince of Fu glanced at him. "The Seventh of course knew. Didn't he tell Minister Wan to hunt the Bai Ze when he left?"

Moonlight filtered through the trees onto the Prince of Fu’s face, illuminating only one of his eyes.

"If Xia Yunhe hadn't told him, how could he have schemed against us all tonight? Based on Wan Jing’s previous behavior, even if the Fifth wanted to capture the Bai Ze, the Wan family wouldn't have cared. But now, with the Wan family suspected by the Emperor, a casual word from the Seventh about choosing a bow drew Wan Jing into the trap. Capturing the Bai Ze would stabilize the Fifth Prince’s position, which in turn stabilizes the Wan family. Tell me, do you still think the Seventh Prince doesn't know?"

Zeng Xi scratched his head. "But, Master, Wan Wubai is a member of the Wan family; why would he listen to the Seventh Highness?"

The Prince of Fu paused and coughed twice. "Originally, it was just a game between the Seventh and the Crown Prince, but now the Fifth has stumbled in. Can the Crown Prince still be at ease? Zeng Xi, this good play has only just begun. The Seventh is far more complex than he appears. He was sent to the Northern Rong at seven, and survived with only one maid to protect him. I am very curious to know what exactly he learned there."

"Master, are we not going to catch the Bai Ze?"

"Fool! We will not go for these few days. Just say that I ate too much today and am feeling unwell. When the Seventh and the Crown Prince are both exhausted from their struggle, we will reap the rewards."

He pointed at Zeng Xi. "Go and investigate the relationship between Wan Wubai and the Seventh."

The moonlight shone on the corner of the Fourth Prince’s mouth, curling into an eerie arc.