Midnight Banquet of the Sharp Tongue, Heroine with a Handkerchief

  The blue-roofed carriage rolled forward, and Yue Niang handed another thermos to Gu Yun Xi, "Miss, it's going to change weather again."

  Gu Yunxi lifted the curtain of the horse carriage and took a glance outside. Under the dim light of dusk, a dark cloud was pressing down on the prosperous city of Kyoto. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she saw the dense black mass of imperial guards standing at the entrance of Xuanwu Gate, each holding sharp blades and long guns, guarding the luxurious and extravagant scene behind them.

  Gu Yunxi put down the curtain and let out a soft sigh, "Yes, it's going to change..."

  She took out the visiting card from Xiang Jun Gong, and the guards didn't ask too many questions before letting her pass. Gu Yun Xi put the card back on the small table beside her hand, today she still brought Yue Niang with her, Zi Lan was young and simple-minded, this palace was really not suitable for her.

  "Miss, shall we go see Master Wang first?"

  The girl asked tentatively, and Gu Yunxi hesitated for a moment before saying, "No need."

  The horse carriage went along the long palace road and stopped slowly at Zhengyang Gate. Gu Yunxi got off the carriage with her mother's hand, wearing a moon-white long shirt today, with a white fox fur cape wrapped around her body, and her three thousand black hair was simply tied up, with a refreshing beauty in its simplicity.

  In front of Zhengyang Gate, there were many palace servants waiting, mostly to receive the officials' families who came to attend the banquet. Gu Yunxi showed his own invitation card, perhaps because he was dressed in ordinary clothes, and for a while, no one came forward to ask him anything.

  In the palace, everywhere was full of people who were opportunistic and followed the trend. Looking at those luxurious dressed people being taken away one by one, she hooked her mouth and fortunately took a step forward herself. She walked on the road with the most pedestrians, and soon saw a brightly lit palace. Gu Yunxi thought it should be there, just about to lift her foot into the door, but behind her came a soft shout!

  "Halt!"

  This soft rebuke was all too familiar to Gu Yun Xue, she couldn't help but let out a sigh as she turned around, "Greetings, Princess Jing Ci."

  It was Gong Sun Ci who had just arrived. In a month, the weak and humble Gong Sun Ci had disappeared. She wore a snow-white fox fur coat, with a simple hairpin adorned with a sable tail made of jade, elegant and lovely to the extreme. A pair of eyes still had an overbearing arrogance, looking at Gu Yun Xi, with a hint of dark light in her gaze.

  "Do you still recognize this princess?!"

  "The princess is as beautiful as a flower and has an extraordinary bearing; naturally, your humble daughter dare not forget."

  "Your daughter? Whose daughter is she?"

  "Your subject is Gu Yunxue, and her father is Grand Councilor Gu Zhongzheng."

  Gongsun Ci suddenly realized, and let out a cold snort. "So that's how it was. So that night, you were all just using me. After Father Emperor died, they only killed that traitor, but didn't actually get justice for me. Everyone knows that matter wasn't simple. Although Father Emperor scolded Crown Prince Brother, in reality, it was actually..."

  "Princess!" Gu Yun Xue's voice suddenly rose, her eyes also subtly carrying a cold tone, "There are many people and prying eyes in this place, please be careful with your actions, Your Highness, otherwise..."

  "Otherwise what? Are you going to treat me like that night again? You really have a lot of nerve, even daring to scheme against the princess. If I tell my father that you were the first one to appear by my side that night, you..."

  "Ah Chi!"

  At the soft call, Gu Yun Xi raised her eyes and saw Ya Pei walking over in a pale pink palace dress. She pulled up Gong Sun Ci's small hand and apologetically glanced at Gu Yun Xi, "Ah Ci doesn't know any better, Second Miss Gu please don't take it to heart."

  Gu Yunxi bowed and said, "To greet Your Highness, it's not that I'm worried about myself, but rather that the Princess might have caused trouble for herself and Your Majesty."

  Yahuan smiled, her eyes affectionately stroking Gong Sun's head, "Thank you, Second Miss. Although we two women have no power or influence, we don't need to get entangled in those matters either. You take care of yourself, Second Miss."

  Gu Yunxi smiled and nodded, Ya Pin looked at her again and pulled Gong Sun Ci into the palace, Gong Sun Ci seemed to be still complaining in a low voice, even turning back to glare at her, Gu Yunxi couldn't help but smile, looking at Ya Pin and Gong Sun Ci's big and small backs felt warmth in her heart.

  This was Gu Yunxi's second time entering the palace, and also her first time attending a royal banquet. The hall where the banquet was held wasn't very large, and most of the guests were officials and their family members. The officials entered one after another from another door, and surprisingly, they sat separately from the women. Gu Yunxi found her own seat, which was at the main table on the women's side.

  Miss Gu Yunxi looked at the man whose face changed several times, and asked with a somewhat ugly expression, "Miss, this gentleman is inevitably eye-catching. Why don't we change tables?"

  "Xiang Jun Niang Niang."

  Suddenly, Gu Yunxi turned her head and saw Zhao Yuelan walking towards her in a simple white dress, followed by Gu Yingxue with an elegant makeup.

  "Greetings, Princess Xiang."

  Zhao Yuelan helped her up, "Quickly get up, it's been many days since I've seen you, today sit by my side, okay?"

  Gu Yunxi only felt that her hand was icy cold, and although there was some urgency in Zhao Yuelan's eyes, Gu Yunxi still sat down beside her, following the direction of Zhao Yuelan's pull. Gu Yunxi was not a common sight among the noble ladies of the capital, and this trip immediately attracted a wave of suspicious glances from those around them.

  Zhao Yuelan, however, paid no attention to these things. With a calm and composed expression, she grasped Gu Yunxi's hand in her own. After a short while, the main table added a few more people. She took a glance around and saw that Ya Bin, Gong Sun Ci, and other palace consorts were all present, nodding to each other in greeting. The music in the entire hall changed, and everyone's gaze turned towards one direction. Gu Yunxi turned her head, and from the main entrance of the grand hall, she saw Gong Sun Lie walking forward, wearing a bright yellow changshan. Behind him followed two women: one was the beautifully dressed Shu Fei, and the other wore a formal red palace attire with an elegant demeanor - naturally, it was Gu Yunxi's first time seeing the current Empress, Sun Wan.

  Gongsun Changqing, Gongsun Lie and Gongsun Chenglin, the three brothers, and the crown prince's consort followed behind them as they walked out. Suddenly, voices of people bowing and greeting echoed from all directions. As the crowd knelt down and stood up again, Gu Yunxi felt a cold and stern gaze fall upon her. She looked over to see Gongsun Mo nodding slightly in her direction. Just as she turned around and sat down, she met Gongsun Ci's gaze. The little girl let out a cold snort, her face full of disdain.

  Most people around remained silent and expressionless, but Gu Yunxi knew that this scene would inevitably fall into the eyes of familiar people nearby.

  "As the New Year is approaching and the grand hunt is about to take place, I have set up this banquet today to reward my great Yan men. Now, within the four seas, there are wars everywhere, but only our great Yan is prosperous and flourishing. This is all thanks to your loyalty and dedication to our great Yan. First, let us drink this cup, and wish our great Yan a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations."

  "Long live the Emperor!"

  Xian music floats, in the midst of a lively and joyful atmosphere, Gong Sunlie's eyes scan the scene, "At the time of the great hunt, I made a promise to my brave warriors of Yan, that as long as they performed exceptionally well during the hunt, I would grant them high positions. Today is the day to fulfill this promise, come forth!"

  As soon as the voice fell, the eunuch Fu An immediately presented a book to Gong Sunlie, and suddenly all eyes in the scene fell on the bright yellow cover of the book. The Empress and the Queen sat beside the Emperor, and at this time they were also moved.

  "This book records the merits of the brave warriors during the great hunt. Today, we will reward them according to what is written in this book. The most outstanding ones in this great hunt are..."

  "Your Majesty!"

  Gongsun Lie's words had not yet finished, a figure had already stood up from among the crowd, Gu Yunxi followed everyone's gaze and looked over, his mouth hooked into a cold and condensed arc.

  "Wen Yuan, what do you have to say?"

  It was Wen Yuan who stood up, a veteran of three dynasties. Although he now held an idle post, his status was extremely high because many of those holding important positions in the court were his disciples. Seeing him stand up so abruptly did not arouse any suspicion among the crowd, who only saw that his expression was solemn and dignified as he bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty, if we are to discuss merits and rewards, I fear that what is recorded on that list may still be incomplete..."

  As soon as the words fell, everyone in the scene changed their faces slightly. Gong Sunlie, who was sitting opposite Gong Sunlongqing, put down his cup heavily on the table and turned around, only to see that this arm-bone strategist had a serious face. He said, "According to what I know, there is a heroic woman who has not been listed in the merit book!"

  Digression

  Alas, it's possible our heroine still can't escape a life of drudgery.