C26 (2/2)
“That is usually the case, but with the exception of immediate relatives of the imperial family, only the lawful, wedded wives of officials have the right to attend such banquets.”
Once Mo Cha was done saying that, she wanted to bite off her own tongue. Thank goodness Yun Ge was too busy scanning the crowd for Xu Ping Jun to notice the end of Mo Cha’s sentence.
Yun Ge spotted Xu Ping Jun standing alone, everyone else ignoring her. As it was her first time attending such a function, she was terrified of making mistakes, adding even more trouble to Liu Bing Yi’s already difficult life, so she was very nervous, observing those around her carefully, not daring to do more or less. The n.o.blewomen around her picked up on Xu Ping Jun’s shabbiness, laughing behind their covered heads, deliberately leading her to do meaningless actions. When it was time to walk, they stopped, forcing Xu Ping Jun to stop hastily too, only to be scolded by the other girls behind her. When it was time to sit, they deliberately stretched, looking like they were about to stand. Xu Ping thought she was wrong to sit, quickly getting up, only to find that they were still sitting. They exchanged glances, pleased with themselves. Xu Ping Jun had become their entertainment for the night.
Yun Ge intended to just exchange greetings with Xu Ping Jun from afar. In the past, Xu Ping Jun had once said she was very envious of those maidens and mistresses who could attend such banquets. Yun Ge wanted to see if Xu Ping Jun was happy now that she had come from envying others to becoming an object of envy, but this was the scene she came across instead.
Keeping a tight leash on her anger, she turned to Mo Cha. “I don’t care how you do it, but either you move me to Xu Jie Jie’s side, or you get Xu Jie Jie to be seated here. Or else, I will go to her personally.” Mo Cha saw that Yun Ge was resolute, and there was no way around this, so she called Liu Shun over furtively and whispered her request. Liu Shun had weathered many a storm under Yu An; what was difficult to Mo Cha was nothing to him. He smiled. “Here I was thinking something terrible happened, when it is such a tiny matter! I’ll do it; you move an extra seat beside Miss Yun.”
Liu Shun was indeed efficient. No one knew what he told the Ministry of Rites, but in an instant, a eunuch was seen leading Xu Ping Jun over.
Xu Ping Jun was smart, she knew the mistresses and maidens around her were making a fool out of her, but she had to bear with it. Who asked her to be born poor, not knowing anything, without any experience?
After being on tenterhooks the whole night, she almost burst into tears when she caught sight of Yun Ge, but carefully and fearfully returned to her original position. Yun Ge filled a plate with delicious food, and pa.s.sed it over to Xu Ping Jun with a smile. “I noticed that Jie Jie hadn’t eaten, go ahead and eat first.” Xu Ping Jun nodded, and started eating immediately. After a few mouthfuls, she suddenly stopped. “Yun Ge, am I doing this correctly? Show me how you eat.” Yun Ge almost fell off her chair laughing. “Xu Jie Jie, you….” Xu Ping Jun remained solemn. “I’m not joking with you. Now that Bing Yi is helping his majesty with court matters, I see that he is really enjoying it. In the many years I’ve known him, I’ve never once seen him so diligent. Since he is a court official, we could have to attend various banquets in future. I don’t want others to laugh at him because of me. Yun Ge, teach me.” Yun Ge, touched by Xu Ping Jun’s words, quickly stopped laughing. “Da Ge is really lucky to have married you. I will definitely teach Jie Jie properly, and I guarantee that no one will be able to find fault with you. Thank goodness I have been reading a lot these days, and have been in the company of someone with great knowledge, or else…” Yun Ge stuck out her tongue, then started slowly. “The character ‘li’[1], has a long history. It can be as big as national ceremonies or as small as ancestral rites, and can’t be explained within a day, so I’ll just explain some simple concepts and the basics of the etiquettes expected at such banquets.”
Xu Ping nodded, indicating she understood. “After Emperor Gaozu of Han founded this dynasty, he ordered chancellor Xiao He to determine the law, Han Xin to determine marshal law and regulation, Su Sun Tong to determine rites and etiquette. Our rites and etiquette built upon the foundation of those set in the Qin Dynasty, adding in Confucian values..”
A diligent teacher, an attentive student.
The two of them managed to temporarily cut themselves off the ongoing banquet despite being there in person.
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Xiao Mei was the Empress, but she was still not seated at Liu Fu Ling’s side. The Emperor was seated alone, above everyone, Xiao Mei’s phoenix couch placed to the bottom right.
Huo Yu murmured unhappily. “Last time, he kept saying Xiao Mei was too young, not fit to rule as Empress. Now, Xiao Mei is almost fourteen, does she still not have the right to be seated beside him? Or does he not even want Xiao Mei by his side, keeping the seat empty for someone else? What on earth is Father trying to do, looking so unharried.”
Huo Yun quickly replied. “There are many ears around; Da Ge should be more carefully with your words. Uncle knows what he is doing” Huo Yu scanned the crowd, everyone his gaze landed on would either bow their hands, or smiled in response, but when it landed on Meng Jue, although Meng Jue smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, his expressed was frank, neither humble nor arrogant. Huo Yu, angered, laughed coldly and averted his gaze. Though arrogant, he was terribly afraid of Huo Guang. No matter how angry he might me, but he would never openly defy Huo Guang to harm Meng Jue, so he could only swallow his anger, getting more frustrated in the process, feeling more cowardly than ever before. By chance, he caught Meng Jue’s gaze drifting towards the female guests. He asked “The girl over there looks very unfamiliar, whose daughter is she?”
Huo Shan looked over, didn’t know either, and looked towards Huo Yun.
Huo Yun who was most familiar was the happenings around and about them, replied. “This is the maid his majesty brought into the palace, because uncle ordered me to check into her, so I know more about her than the two of you. She is an orphan, with no one to rely on; a cook in Chang An, the famous ‘Elegant Cook’. The woman beside her is called Xu Ping Jun, the wife of an idler in Chang An, but I don’t know what kind of luck that idler had – I heard because he was noticed because of his resemblance to his majesty, gaining his majesty’s favour and is now a small official- that is the man that has been a.s.sisting uncle, Liu Bing Yi. Yun Ge, Liu Bing Yi, Xu Ping Jun, and Meng Jue are pretty close, they are probably Yun Ge’s closest thing to relatives. This girl seemed to have been involved in a complicated relations.h.i.+p with Meng Jue too.”
This was Huo Yu’s first time hearing of this matter. “Does Cheng Jun know?” Huo Yun replied. “Da Ge only has to look closely at Cheng Jun’s expression to know, I bet Cheng Jun already knew of this girl.” Huo Yu looked at Meng Jue, Liu Fu Ling, finally at Yun Ge, then laughed. “Interesting.” Huo Yu watched Huo Cheng Jun pouring herself a drink with a slight smile. He was her blood brother, sharing the same parentage, who always doted on her, how could he miss the sadness hidden in her smile? He cursed, a mix of hate and heartache, “This useless girl, conceding defeat to an orphaned girl, she must be born a Huo in vain!”
Huo Yun hastily replied. “Da Ge, we mustn’t act in haste, if uncle finds out…..” Huo Yu smiled “Who said I’m going to act in haste?” Huo Shan smiled knowingly “But we can’t control others if they do.” Huo Yun knew that because of the order not to harm Meng Jue, Huo Yu was already hitting the limits of his anger, a ticking time bomb. Instead of not knowing when and where the bomb would go off, it was much easier to plant the bomb on the girl.
The Huos had been played by Meng Jue, and the anger he felt wasn’t any less than Huo Yu. Furthermore, Huo Yu was uncle’s only son, even if something should happen, uncle wouldn’t really hold them to it with Huo Yu around.
Huo Yun was still making calculations in his heart when Huo Shan said “Brother Yun, why do you think so much? This girl is but a mere palace maid, even if something happens, it is just the death of a palace maid. Would his majesty dare to fall out with us Huos because of one palace maid? Anyway we’ll be killing three birds with one stone, a great incentive, saving uncle the effort.”
Huo Yu laughed derisively. The military power of all of Chang An is in the hands of the Huo, he didn’t even consider Liu Fu Ling’s reaction. Huo Yun thought that Huo Shan’s words were reasonable, a satisfied smile curling on his lips as he said. “Then I will play this game with the both of you.” After Huo Yu pa.s.sed detailed instructions to Huo Shan, he got up to leave, saying. “Take your time eating. I feel slightly tipsy and am going off to change.” Huo Yu stopped him, whispering “Be careful of Yu An’s men.” Huo Shan smiled. “The amba.s.sadors of Xiong Nu, Qiang tribe, Xi Yu, and of various nations have gathered her tonight, Yu An, Qi Xi and the rest of them will be too busy protecting his majesty to notice. Furthermore, I am already a great general, with the imperial guards at Wei Yang Palace under us. Even if he has a good plan, I’ve got an even better one. Da Ge, relax.”
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After Yun Ge finished giving Xu Ping Jun a rough sketch of the etiquettes and ceremonies of the Han Dynasty, she moved on the placement of the bowls, plates, chopsticks, then acted out the proper way of sitting, drinking, toasting, picking food….. Once she was done, everyone around already had drunk a few rounds of liquor.
At this moment, street performers were performing on stage, and various amba.s.sadors continually heading up front to pay their respects to Liu Fu Ling, presenting tributes and specialties from their nation.
Mo Cha took a plate of food from a eunuch, displaying it in front of Yun Ge, smiling. “Miss Yun, this are the good dishes his majesty has sampled and ordered Supervisor Yu to bring you one of every kind.”
Although it was a hundred officials were celebrating the New Year together, not only were they seated according to status, but also served food, and even wine and tea according to status and rank as well. A lot of food the Emperor ate weren’t served at Yun Ge’s table.
Yun Ge looked up at Liu Fu Ling. Liu Fu Ling was currently talking to the amba.s.sador of Da Yuan. Although they were far apart, separated by the noise and crowd, Yun Ge couldn’t see his expression right now, but knew he knew she would be looking at him, and even knew that his eyes would be warm with laughter right now. She didn’t know how she knew, but she just did.
Because of this bit of understanding, the couple seemed to be close to each other, and not separated by a whole hall full of people.
Yun Ge smiled, and turned to do a proper ‘please’ gesture to Xu Ping Jun. Xu Ping Jun gracefully thanked her, raised her chopsticks, rolled up her sleeves, picked up the food, her actions no longer unsure and uneasy. Xu Ping Jun then swallowed, raised her teacup, and covered her face with her sleeve before she took a sip; finally using a handkerchief to dab at her lips. When she caught Yun Ge’s proud smile, she laughed, feeling very proud of herself too. ......................................................................................................................
[1] ‘礼’ can’t be explained in one word. It is a way of living, the basis of society. It is etiquette, manners, behaviour and law rolled into one, that is why I was hesitant in giving it an English equivalent. It can be translated as 'manner','ceremony', 'etiquette', etc.
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