The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

"According to the custom of this dynasty, a banquet is held in the palace every year on the Dragon Boat Festival, and officials of the third rank and above and their families are invited to participate." The Empress said to Daiyu, "In the past, I and the concubines would organize it. This year, the Noble Consort said that the flower viewing banquet you bestowed was unique and unconventional, and it is appropriate for you to organize the Dragon Boat Festival banquet so that the officials and ladies can also have a good time."

The Empress naturally wanted to point out that this was the Consort's idea, so that Daiyu would be aware of the situation. The Empress felt that since the Consort had brought this up, she probably intended to use the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to her advantage.

"His Majesty said that it's been pretty much the same every year, with nothing new, so he nodded and asked you to come," the Empress continued. "However, I won't be idle either. If you need my help, just let me know."

Since the Emperor had spoken, Daiyu couldn't completely refuse, but she still had to say something: "I'm not familiar with the palace's regulations, and I'm afraid I'll mess things up and betray Father's trust."

That makes sense. The Empress nodded and said, "Then the Japanese court also said the same thing to His Majesty. His Majesty said that you are young, so even if you make occasional oversights, it won't matter, as long as you don't make any major mistakes."

The Empress was implying to Daiyu that the Emperor had high hopes for her and her husband.

"I am deeply grateful for the Emperor and Empress Dowager's kindness, and I will do my best. However, I am young and impetuous and not familiar enough with the etiquette of the Dragon Boat Festival banquet. Could you please ask the Empress Dowager to appoint a female official and a eunuch to guide me?" Daiyu had already thought about this after receiving the news from Li Wan.

Seeing Daiyu's thoughtfulness, the Empress nodded with satisfaction and said, "Of course. As for the eunuch, Li Zhong will be assigned. As for the female official, His Majesty has arranged one for you. She is Yang Mama, a female official from the Sansi Hall."

Daiyu was taken aback: the Sansi Hall was the palace where the emperor resided outside of his daily life and political affairs, and the female officials of the Sansi Hall were those who served the emperor. Daiyu had also heard of this Granny Yang: the Sansi Hall currently had four senior female officials, and the other female officials were rotated every few years. Each new official had to be trained under the "Four Great Grannies," including Granny Yang. This showed just how formidable Granny Yang was.

Not to mention, this Granny Yang had served the late Emperor and was the most knowledgeable and capable among them. His Majesty personally selected Granny Yang, which shows how much he values ​​this Dragon Boat Festival banquet.

"His Majesty also said that it's troublesome for you to come to the palace every day. You've stayed at Swallow Tower before anyway. If you're busy late, you can stay in the palace," the Empress continued to tell Daiyu.

Daiyu quickly rose to express her gratitude. The Emperor's consideration for her was so thorough; his intention to cultivate her was quite clear. This was a good thing, but also a pressure—she absolutely had to do well this time, otherwise she would truly betray the Emperor's trust.

"Don't rush to take your leave today. I'm afraid Granny Yang will be here soon. Go see her first. Do you want them to go to the Prince's Mansion, or stay at Swallow Tower?" The Empress didn't make a decision for Daiyu, wanting to see what Daiyu thought.

After a moment's thought, Daiyu said, "Now that Changsheng is not at home, the Prince's mansion still needs someone to lead it. What do you think, Mother?"

A prince's residence must have its own affairs to attend to. Since Daiyu was willing to go to such lengths, the Empress was naturally very pleased: "Then let's arrange it this way. When you come to the palace, you can bring your trusted maids to help. If it gets late, you can stay at Swallow Tower."

Just as the Empress had said, Li Zhong and Granny Yang requested an audience shortly afterward.

Daiyu had met Li Zhong before, but this was the first time she had met Granny Yang. Daiyu was familiar with the rules. The female officials in the Sansi Palace were different from those in other palaces. Although they were palace maids, they were often literate and carried the rank of female official. If the emperor did not take them in, they could leave the palace to get married after the age of twenty-five, and their future prospects would not be bad.

Since Granny Yang is still staying in the Sansi Palace at her age, it is obvious that she must have no children. When she is released in her old age, she will have to rely on herself to survive.

"Since His Majesty has assigned you to assist him, it is because he values ​​your abilities. Princess Yi is young, so don't try to fool her. If I find out, don't blame me for being ruthless." After the Empress spoke, the two of them naturally replied with words of dedication and responsibility.

Daiyu stood up and said to the two of them very solemnly, "Since Father and Mother have entrusted this matter to me and appointed you two to help, I hope we can cooperate well in the future."

Li Zhong was very impressed with the polite princess, while Granny Yang was still a little worried: she was such a young princess, she didn't know if she was up to the task.

But Granny Yang knew very well that the fact that the Emperor had sent her to help showed that he valued Prince Yi highly, and that this was entirely in accordance with the steps for cultivating a Crown Princess. Therefore, Granny Yang would be very responsible.

When Daiyu came out of Fengyi Palace, she unexpectedly ran into Princess Song Huilan of Rui County.

"Oh, sister-in-law, what a coincidence!" Song Huilan smiled, having just come from Consort Wu's palace.

Just now in Consort Wu's palace, Song Huilan had a brilliant idea: she was determined to make Princess Yi suffer at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet.

Looking at Princess Yi, who knew nothing about the situation, Song Huilan thought to herself: I don't believe she's that lucky. Last time, Zuo Jiangqiu was injured and she escaped. This time, I'll see if she has the ability to avoid it.

Song Huilan was summoned to the palace today by Consort Wu. Consort Wu, however, ended up losing more than she gained this time, and the story goes back a few days.

Chapter 143 Cleverness Leads to Mistakes: Mother-in-Law and Daughter-in-Law Discuss

In fact, Consort Wu did not initially intend to recommend Daiyu to the Emperor.

The second and fourth princes both wanted to go to Zhili, but the emperor gave the job to the third and fifth princes with a single sentence. When the second prince, Xiao Tingkai, went to the palace to pay his respects to his mother, he couldn't help but complain a few times.

“Father is so biased now. This assignment in Zhili is not difficult at all. He can get credit for flood control and see the Zhili area firsthand. It’s an excellent assignment.” Xiao Tingkai was dissatisfied. “I did so much research and wrote so many proposals, but Father just gave it to my third brother with a single sentence. As for the fifth brother, Father only sent him to study. So this time, the credit will definitely go to my third brother.”

Consort Wu had also heard about this matter. She also had her own opinions about the Emperor giving the task to the third prince. Looking at the Emperor and Empress's attitude towards Princess Yi, she felt that the Emperor seemed to be planning to make the third prince the crown prince.

Therefore, Consort Wu wanted to test the Emperor's attitude. After thinking about it, she realized that there was nothing major happening at the moment, except for the Dragon Boat Festival palace banquet in May.

The self-righteous Consort Wu, in front of the concubines and the emperor, took the initiative to bring up the Dragon Boat Festival banquet: "Your Majesty has said that we should plan ahead. In previous years, the Empress has always been the one who worked the hardest for the Dragon Boat Festival banquet next month. Now that we have so many daughters-in-law, it is time for them to share the burden with the Empress."

The Empress, who had been listening nearby, wondered what Consort Wu's purpose was. When she saw the Emperor's gaze turn to her, she smiled and said, "What Consort Wu said makes sense."

She waited for Consort Wu to continue.

"The flower-viewing banquet that Princess Yi planned last time was truly ingenious and is still fresh in people's minds." Seeing that the Emperor and Empress did not object, Consort Wu continued, "Why not entrust the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to Princess Yi as well? Firstly, it would allow Her Majesty the Empress to rest, and secondly, it would give the imperial relatives and ministers a fresh experience."

To Consort Wu's surprise, the Emperor immediately agreed: "Consort Wu's idea is excellent. I also think it would be suitable to give it to Princess Yi. That child is the most sensible and thoughtful. Empress, what do you think?"

Consort Wu was surprised and uneasy when she saw that the Emperor had agreed so readily: Could it be that His Majesty really intends to make the third prince the crown prince? Is he grooming the third prince's wife to be the crown princess?

The Empress glanced at the Consort and deliberately smiled, "Since His Majesty and Consort Gui both think that Princess Yi is suitable, then why not let her give it a try? However, she is still young, so she needs someone to help her."

Xu Shufei finally managed to get a word in edgewise: "Since the fourth son's wife has nothing to do anyway, she can lend a hand."

Consort Xu thought Consort Wu had gone completely mad, actually going to help the third son's family.

"The fourth son's wife is still a bit impulsive. The second son's wife needs to take care of the child, so let the third son's wife take care of the child alone." The emperor made the final decision, which made Consort Wu feel even more that the emperor had made up his mind.

"What the Empress says makes sense. She's younger and doesn't understand the rules of the Dragon Boat Festival banquet. Empress, you can guide her. Also, I'll send Granny Yang to help her, and you can choose another eunuch to assist her." After a moment's thought, the Emperor made the arrangements.

Upon hearing that the Emperor had even sent Granny Yang from the Sansi Palace to help Princess Yi, Consort Wu was even more annoyed. But since she had made the suggestion herself, she naturally wouldn't immediately object.

With the matter settled, Consort Wu had another thought: since the Emperor values ​​the Third Prince and his wife so much, she must find a way to take advantage of this Dragon Boat Festival banquet.

Consort Wu then summoned Song Huilan to the palace to discuss countermeasures.

Upon hearing that the Dragon Boat Festival banquet had been handed over to Princess Yi, Song Huilan immediately became dissatisfied and couldn't help but raise her voice: "Mother, didn't you stop him? Now that the Third Prince has gone to Zhili, you're letting his wife manage the Dragon Boat Festival banquet. What exactly does Father mean by this?"

Song Huilan was unaware that it was Consort Wu who suggested it, which is why she said that.

Consort Wu was displeased by the harsh voice and gave Song Huilan a cold look: "Let me teach you something: don't raise your voice when you speak, it sounds harsh. You are a princess consort, not some country bumpkin."

These words were rather harsh, but the real reason Consort Wu felt dissatisfied was that her daughter-in-law, Song Huilan, was not as intelligent as Daiyu and had only given birth to a daughter. She couldn't openly express these grievances, so she simply used an excuse.

Song Huilan was displeased, but she kept her expression unchanged and said respectfully, "Thank you for your teachings, Mother. I just feel indignant."

"If you can't keep your composure like this, how will you accomplish anything great in the future?" Consort Wu glanced at Song Huilan. "The Dragon Boat Festival banquet has been handed over to her, but whether it will go smoothly or not is still uncertain. Why are you in such a hurry?"

“According to the rules, officials of the third rank or above in the capital and their families must be invited. At the same time, since there are male and female guests at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, they must be separated into different sessions. Not only must the order not be disrupted, but the rank of the officials and their level of importance must also be taken into account. In addition, the banquet must have entertainment, so that everyone can’t just sit and eat. When guiding the ladies of the court to the audience, female officials from the Bureau of Ceremonies will also be present to guide them…” Seeing that Song Huilan still did not understand her meaning, Consort Wu simply explained it more clearly, “If something goes wrong, it will be a big problem.”

After hearing these words, Song Huilan finally realized: Yes, if Princess Yi makes a mistake at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet and becomes a laughing stock, wouldn't she lose face in front of the officials and noble ladies? At that time, she might even implicate the third prince.

"The Imperial Household Department has a lot to do to organize such a palace banquet," Consort Wu reminded Song Huilan again.

Yes, the Imperial Household Department, and her uncle was the head of the Imperial Household Department. Song Huilan couldn't help but think of the horse farm incident. She had put so much effort into arranging it, but who knew that the little princess would ride Daiyu's horse.

I can't afford to miss this opportunity again.

Consort Wu didn't say what to do, so Song Huilan certainly didn't dare to ask—asking would only result in another scolding. Song Huilan understood that her mother was in a bad mood today.

So Song Huilan took her leave in time. She planned to return to the Prince's Mansion to think things through slowly, and if necessary, she could ask a few people for their opinions.

Unexpectedly, she ran into Princess Yi. It was obvious that Princess Yi came from the Empress's Fengyi Palace. Looking at Princess Yi's graceful appearance, Song Huilan felt a surge of anger: she was really stupid back then, actually thinking that her third son's wife was a beautiful lamp that would break in the wind, and that there was nothing to worry about, and even thought of winning her over.

Unable to resist, Song Huilan made a few sarcastic remarks about Princess Yi.

Daiyu looked at Song Huilan with a calm expression, but she knew very well that Song Huilan was probably very unhappy that she was in charge of organizing the Dragon Boat Festival banquet. What would she do? She had to be careful.

But how do we guard against it? They say you can only be a thief for a thousand days, not a thief for a thousand days.

Suddenly, Daiyu had a flash of inspiration.

Chapter 144 Daiyu tests Huilan, causing her great anger

Seeing Daiyu's slight smile, Song Huilan felt inexplicably flustered.

“What a coincidence! I was planning to visit you after leaving the palace,” Daiyu continued. “I suppose you’ve heard that Father and Mother entrusted the Dragon Boat Festival banquet to me. Mother said that this matter relies heavily on the Imperial Household Department. I know that your uncle is the head of the Imperial Household Department and is very capable. This time, the Imperial Household Department will definitely provide strong support. So, I must thank you in advance, and please pass on my message to your uncle to thank him.”

Song Huilan stared wide-eyed. Was the Princess Consort of Yi really that blunt? What did she mean by that?

“Although my uncle is the head of the Imperial Household Department, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet is still in my sister-in-law’s hands. How well it is handled depends entirely on how my sister-in-law does it,” Song Huilan replied immediately.

“That’s natural, but whether the Imperial Household Department cooperates is also crucial. I’m afraid we’ll need their help with potted plants, flowers, and various curtains and utensils,” Daiyu said deliberately. “I’m not afraid of anything else, but I’m most afraid of things going wrong. If something goes wrong, not only will I lose face, but the Imperial Household Department will also be implicated, right?”

"Sister-in-law, what do you mean? Are you afraid that the Imperial Household Department will plot against you?" After saying this, Song Huilan realized that she had fallen into Daiyu's trap.

"Of course not, it's just that everyone says being a sister-in-law is difficult. I know you're a kind and good-hearted person, but I'm afraid some malicious people might say that the Imperial Household Department will make things difficult for me because of you." Daiyu spoke eloquently, her words flowing smoothly. "Sister-in-law, don't you think so?"

Song Huilan was dumbfounded. She had never expected that Princess Yi would dare to say such things so openly in the palace, without any regard for the presence of any palace maids or eunuchs.

Song Huilan couldn't help but look around. Although there were only her, Daiyu, and their maids there, there were still eunuchs and palace maids standing not far away.

Song Huilan nodded through gritted teeth and said, "Of course, the Imperial Household Department will naturally act impartially."

Daiyu's idea was merely a spur-of-the-moment attempt to test Song Huilan, but now it seems that Song Huilan might genuinely want to use the Imperial Household Department for something.

Thinking back to the matter at the horse farm, Daiyu warned herself that she must be extremely cautious.

"Sister-in-law, then I shall take my leave." Having achieved her goal, Daiyu did not wish to say any more to Song Huilan.

Watching Princess Yi's retreating figure, Song Huilan was practically bursting with anger. She had originally planned to use the Imperial Household Department to her advantage, but now she had to reconsider.

After returning to the Prince's Mansion, Daiyu told Zijuan, Xueyan, Granny Gu, and Granny Xu about the Dragon Boat Festival banquet: "Starting tomorrow, I will go to the palace often. Zijuan and Granny Gu, please stay here and keep an eye on all matters, big and small, in the Prince's Mansion. Xueyan and Granny Xu, please accompany me to the palace."

Because Daiyu managed the Prince Yi's residence well, there was nothing to worry about. On the contrary, with the Dragon Boat Festival banquet approaching, Daiyu felt more and more that people's hearts were unpredictable, and she was really afraid that she would be plotted against at any time, so she became more and more cautious.

Daiyu naturally wanted to see what the palace banquet for the Dragon Boat Festival was like in previous years. Soon, Daiyu discovered that Granny Yang was extremely capable, shrewd, and quick-witted. Often, Daiyu only needed to make a move, and Granny Yang would know what Daiyu wanted to ask and immediately explain the ins and outs of the old customs to Daiyu in a clear and logical manner, which Daiyu understood immediately.

This made Daiyu sigh, realizing that the old woman who had been in the Sansi Palace for so many years was indeed extraordinary.

After spending several days writing down the general arrangements, Daiyu sent them to the Empress for her review. The Empress found them satisfactory and, taking advantage of the Emperor's leisure time at the Phoenix Palace, also presented them to him.

“Princess Yi’s actions are prudent, and her idea is good. Let’s do it this way.” The Emperor approved of Daiyu’s idea. “This is more innovative than in previous years. However, this will require more cooperation from the inner court staff. Keep an eye on things. She is still young, and I’m afraid she might not be able to control the situation.”

The phrase "unable to suppress" is used quite subtly. The Empress couldn't help but think that the Emperor's favor towards the Third Prince and his wife was now quite open. The inner court staff, frankly speaking, were mostly eunuchs and palace maids; who would dare disobey? Ultimately, the Emperor was simply asking the Empress to keep an eye on the other concubines.

After all, the concubines were elders, while Princess Yi was a junior. If the concubines wanted to make things difficult, Princess Yi would also have a hard time dealing with them.

"Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will keep an eye on things," the Empress replied hastily.

Seeing that both the Emperor and Empress thought her arrangements were good, Daiyu began to make the arrangements herself.

Five days before the Dragon Boat Festival, the Imperial Household Department sent perilla, calamus, and papaya to the palaces, chopped them into a paste, mixed them with fragrant herbs, and packed them in a plum-red box to decorate the rooms, with the intention of warding off evil spirits.

On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, the eunuchs changed into summer silk robes and gauze gowns, and the palace maids wore specially made flower crowns adorned with flowers.

Officials of the third rank and above from the capital entered the palace with their families, and ladies of the court were also summoned to the banquet. With so many people, it was lively. Palace maids moved among them, some responsible for introducing the officials' families to the dignitaries, and others responsible for serving tea and dishes. Each one of them was beautiful and graceful, elegant and dignified, creating a lively scene in the Forbidden City.

Because of the clear and bright weather, Daiyu arranged the Dragon Boat Festival banquet at Xing'an Lake. Since there were female officials and their families present, to avoid any clashes, the banquet was divided into two sections, one for the officials and one for the women.

The women were in Qingyi Garden, which is situated on higher ground, offering a good view of the lakeside scenery and the banquet scene. Although they could not see the people clearly, they could get a general idea of ​​what was going on.

Meanwhile, the foreign officials were by the lake. The area around Xing'an Lake was already abundant with peonies, and with the addition of other flowers and trees, they competed for beauty, with people and flowers complementing each other, making the flowers more elegant and the people more charming.

Meanwhile, games such as pitch-pot and grass-fighting were set up in Qingyi Garden for the children of officials' families to play. Long tables were set up by the lake, and people were there to serve them writing brushes and ink, as it was customary for officials to compose poems to enhance their enjoyment.

Among the wives of officials, some were visiting the palace for the first time, while others came almost every year. Those who came every year naturally knew that this year's arrangements were quite different from previous years. In addition to their novelty and joy, they couldn't help but inquire about the details. Upon learning that it was organized by the Princess Consort of Yi County, many people praised it.