History of Women in the Wei Dynasty

Chapter 301 A Variety of Activities at a Birthday Banquet (Part 1)

Attendants vie for favor, powerful ministers seize profits!
Let's talk about Grand Commandant Yuan Xi for now.

In June, the emperor issued several edicts directly by ordering the Secretariat, rather than issuing decrees after the prime ministers made decisions. Clearly, the emperor's three-year mourning period was calculated in years, not in actual months.

At the beginning of next year, the emperor will definitely assume personal rule.

Yuanxi couldn't sit still any longer. Lately, he had been having frequent nightmares, dreaming that the house was collapsing and that he was running alone in a dark, wild road, his heart pounding no matter which direction he fled.

At this moment, he remembered an elder... Yuan Cheng.

Yuan Cheng has been dismissed from his position as regent. What has become of him? We should go and visit him.

On a late afternoon in late June, the gates of the Prince of Rencheng's Mansion opened.

The creaking sound made Yuanxi's forehead veins throb and his cheeks ache. He scolded the gatekeepers: "A bunch of lazy servants! So lazy that you haven't even applied the door polish? If the gate is still creaking when I come out, I'll beat you all up!"

Yuanxi wasn't truly angry about the servants' disrespect for Prince Rencheng. He was thinking about what would happen if he fell into poverty; would his mansion become as desolate as it was now? Wild grass sprouted on the path, and crawling insects were everywhere. The flowerbeds on both sides, which should have been lush, were all wilted, and the fallen petals and leaves were an unsightly sight, reeking of dust that hadn't been cleaned in a long time.

When Chief Secretary Zhang Puhui came to greet him after hearing the news, Yuanxi was almost at the back garden.

"As the chief secretary of the Prince's residence, how do you manage the miscellaneous affairs of the residence?"

Zhang Puhui dared not argue and quickly led the way.

When Yuanxi saw the pavilion, he also heard deafening snoring. Inside the pavilion, a bamboo mat was laid out, and Prince Rencheng, Yuan Cheng, was sleeping on it. The smell of alcohol was from the previous night; a gentle breeze had just carried away a whiff of the stench, and Yuan Cheng, with his mouth half-open, was exhaling fresh breath.

Wine cups and pots were overturned. Yuanxi kicked aside the objects that were tripping him, bent down and gently patted Yuancheng's shoulder: "Uncle, wake up, I've come to see you."

"Ah—spit it out, cough." Yuan Cheng's snoring changed tone, showing no signs of waking up.

Zhang Puhui said, "Wang De slept until sunset before waking up."

Yuan Xi said irritably, "Then drink more, then sleep?"

Zhang Puhui first bowed his head and said "yes," then said forlornly, "The king has worked hard for the court for twenty years, and now he has nothing to do. Even when he is awake, he sits alone in a daze, so he might as well get drunk."

Yuanxi sighed, leaned on the railing and looked at the fishpond. Just as he was about to say a few words of comfort, he saw a dead fish next to the artificial hill.

Accustomed to abusing his power, he reprimanded Zhang Puhui in a tone as if he were a servant: "You've killed such fat fish! Why don't you tell someone to scoop them out and throw them away, or else the whole pond will die?"

Zhang Puhui exclaimed, "Oh dear, this fish was the fattest in the pond! It used to be so lively and energetic, how could it just die like that?"

Yuanxi might as well not have come at all.

My mood has gotten even worse!
He couldn't help but wonder, was the Prince of Rencheng truly drunk or faking it? Was he using Zhang Puhui's words, employing the fish as a metaphor for the perilous situation he would face? Or perhaps he was overthinking it; the Prince of Rencheng was simply fat and narrow-minded, without any good intentions!

In the neighboring Guangling Prince's mansion, Yuan Yu stood on a ladder, only his eyes showing as he stared at the group from the Grand Commandant's mansion. He muttered, "Don't come over, don't come over, don't come over..." Then, angrily, he said to his subordinate holding the ladder, "That Yuan Xi is really not coming over! He looks down on me, humph."

“I have to show him what I’m capable of. Give me that stone, that one.”

Yuan Yu threw a powerful hurled object at the Grand Commandant's carriage across the courtyard wall.

He was both weak and unlucky; the stone he threw was caught by his sleeve and hit his eyelid. He cried out and fell off the ladder.

Today's day is gone, tomorrow will come.

With the arrival of July, the emperor's personal rule was drawing ever closer.

The third day of the lunar new year is Consort Gao's birthday. Sikong Yuanxiang owns several residences in the inner city, and today he has chosen a mansion outside the Hualin Garden in the North Palace Garden as the venue for his mother's birthday banquet.

This residence was bestowed by the late emperor. It is located right next to the palace, and from the pavilion in the residence, one can see the pavilions and groves in the palace gardens. Early in the morning, carriages and horses came to offer birthday greetings in a continuous stream, and soon the imperial road around the North Palace Garden was completely full.

"A distinguished guest has arrived at the Prince of Gaoyang's residence—"

"A distinguished guest has arrived at the Prince of Qinghe's residence—"

"A distinguished guest has arrived at General Yu Lie's residence—"

"Distinguished guests, Princess Lanling, Princess Huaiyang, Princess Huayang..."

"Distinguished guest, Princess Chenliu, has arrived!"

The Prince's mansion had two thousand servants to lead the way to the banquet seats. Everything was in perfect order. They were not afraid of having many distinguished guests, but only of not having any guests.

A continuous stream of food was served in the wooden pavilions and magnificent stone towers. There was no distinction between male and female guests, but the older and younger guests were separated, and those of equal status were grouped together.

Yu Baoying arrived early, and as she listened to the attendants announce their names, a wave of nervousness washed over her. Covering her face with her fan, she whispered to her teacher, Ms. Yu, beside her, "Did you hear that? The distinguished guests are either princesses or princes. Why did my aunt only send me?"

Ms. Yu was brought by Yu Baoying from her hometown of Woye Town. Having lived in the capital, her knowledge and experience were no longer sufficient to teach Yu Baoying. She replied, "Yes, your aunt should be here by now."

The maid on the other side, Yu E, was from General Yu Lie's mansion. At least on the surface, after she was assigned to serve Yu Baoying, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to Yu Baoying's needs.

Yu E comforted her softly, "Don't be afraid, young lady. The lady has informed the general of all the arrangements. If the lady doesn't come, then she can't come."

Yu Baoying nodded, her face smiling but her eyes not. How could she not understand this? Her uncle commanded the palace guards and was forbidden from associating with any princes or court officials. If that was the case, why was she being asked to join in the fun? Or… was she here for the sake of what others saw as fun?

Young men and women of similar age were led to the banquet hall one after another. Yu Baoying stood up, bowed, exchanged pleasantries, and made acquaintances with fake smiles.

At this moment, a young noblewoman instructed her servants to move her table over here. As the servants set out the banquet, the young woman's eyes darted around, taking in the distinguished guests in the pavilion. Although Yu Baoying disliked this kind of occasion, she remained poised and graceful, and was the first to greet the other party.

"My surname is Yu, and I come from the General's Mansion."

"Hehe, my surname is Yuan. I know you, your name is Yu Baoying, right?"

"Yes."

Yuan Girl: "I also know you're a year older than me and from Woye Town, right?"

"Yes."

"Does Sister Yu know that there has been a drought in Woye Town?"

Yu Baoying waited for the other person to sit down before sitting down herself, and replied, "I know. A few days ago, I exchanged my savings for grain, intending to find a caravan to transport it back to my hometown to distribute to the people, but the caravans don't do this kind of business."

"Sister Yu is kind-hearted, and I also have the idea of ​​giving her food. If I find a reliable caravan, I will tell her immediately."

Yu Baoying happily expressed her gratitude.

Yuan Nvlang and Yu Baoying seemed to hit it off immediately. She then ordered the servants to put the food table next to Yu Baoying's, complaining, "They just put me next to a particularly annoying guy with a foul mouth. It's so annoying!"

Yu Baoying pretended to be amused.

There's no way to respond to that.

Li Yin and He Lan, who had come with the eldest princess, were brought here by servants, and the banquet seats in this pavilion were now full.

The two women were instructed by the princess to befriend a young woman named Yu Baoying. According to the princess's description, there were two young women who resembled Yu Baoying. Which one was she?