novelAbuy Chapter 66 Birthday Banquet
Chapter 66 Birthday Banquet
Chapter 66 Birthday Banquet
As spring deepens, the lingering chill gradually dissipates, like the receding tide revealing soft, warm soil and newly sprouted grass.
As the days grew brighter, Handan City became more and more vibrant.
The increase in the number of people is secondary; what is more noteworthy is that, with Lord Pingyuan's birthday approaching, the number of wandering knights in the city has gradually increased.
The wandering knights, in twos and threes, with swords at their waists, would gather in front of taverns, talking and laughing loudly, their wine splashing as their bowls clashed, their heroic spirit soaring to the heavens; or they would scatter in the streets and alleys, looking around as if they were observing or waiting for something.
News spread like wildfire, and the tavern was booming, needless to say. The constables of the bandit-hunting camp in the city became increasingly busy, their steps hurried and their faces weary.
They patrolled the streets in groups of three or four, with ropes and short sticks at their waists. They watched every figure with a sword at their sides warily, but dared not approach and question them easily. Who knew if behind every ragged knight-errant was a young master's name card?
However, not all of these wandering knights were troublemakers.
Lord Pingyuan was old and ailing. After the siege of Handan was lifted, he had not received any guests for many years. This sudden news of a grand banquet was like a stone thrown into water, causing ripples to spread outwards. In the end, it alarmed the wandering knights of most of the northern lands and even the Central Plains.
Furthermore, news spread that Lord Xinling would also be attending the banquet. Both men were renowned throughout the land, and many wandering knights admired them, naturally hoping to catch a glimpse of their splendor. Thus, whether they were causing trouble or doing good deeds, their aim was to establish their reputation before the birthday banquet, hoping to gain the favor of the two gentlemen and become their disciples.
As news that even wandering knights could obtain was something that the powerful and wealthy people in the city who were supposed to receive invitations had naturally prepared their attire well in advance, just waiting for this day.
Noon was approaching that day.
Sunlight streamed into the inner courtyard of Lord Chunping's residence, illuminating the entire ground.
Zhao Heng stood before the bronze mirror, his mother adjusting his clothes. The boy's face in the mirror still held a touch of childishness, but a hint of maturity already shone through his features. His mother stepped back, scrutinizing him from head to toe, a look of satisfaction in her eyes.
"Young master, you certainly look quite dashing."
Zhao Heng looked at himself in the mirror, straightened his hair, and turned to walk out.
Madam Han sat on the couch in the outer room, a silk handkerchief in her hand. Seeing him come out, she stood up and walked to him. She reached out to straighten his collar and adjust his belt, then couldn't help but nag, "With your father gone, you are the only man in the household. Observe and listen more, speak and act less. I know you have your own ideas, but in this situation, don't cause trouble. If there's anything you don't understand, ask Supervisor Zhao first—"
"I've remembered it."
Meng Ben and Luan Ding were already waiting outside the door.
Ji Cheng was still recovering from his injuries at Zuiyue Tower, and the person in charge of leading Zhao to the banquet was the steward Zhao Su.
He had an honest appearance. After listening to Madam Fu's instructions on behalf of Madam Han, he obediently went outside to check the gifts on the carriage and horses, counting them one by one, afraid of missing anything.
Zhao Heng said nothing, bowed to Madam Han, and then bent down to get into the carriage. Meng Ben and Luan Ding sat on either side of the carriage shaft. Luan Ding shook the reins, and Zhao Su quickly directed the servants to follow.
Two carriages slowly drove out of the alley, their wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement, the rumbling sound fading into the distance.
The sun was already high in the sky, and the number of carriages coming and going in the streets and alleys had increased significantly, mostly heading towards the residence of Lord Pingyuan. Most of the shops along the road were open, and the shop assistants leaned against the door frames, lazily watching the passing carriages and horses, with someone occasionally shouting out a sales pitch.
Zhao Heng lifted the carriage curtain and looked out. There weren't many pedestrians on the street, with only the occasional vendor pushing a cart passing by, shouting their wares. Several wandering knights sat at the entrance of a tavern, holding wine bowls, laughing and talking loudly, spittle flying everywhere.
He watched for a while, then lowered the curtain, leaned back against the side of the carriage, and hugged his arms, as if he were taking a nap.
The residence of Lord Pingyuan was located in the southeast of Guili, covering a vast area. Carriages and horses lined up in front of the gate, armored soldiers stood in formation, and gatekeepers stood on the steps, calling out names to welcome guests.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Zhao Su hurriedly jumped off the carriage shaft and, before Zhao Heng could alight, stepped forward to hand over the gift list. The gatekeeper took it, glanced at it, and immediately put on a smile, bowing respectfully towards Zhao Heng, who was just lifting the carriage curtain.
Zhao Heng got out of the carriage and glanced around. He saw that, apart from some nobles who had arrived one after another by carriage, there were servants from Lord Pingyuan's mansion receiving some wandering knights dressed in different ways in a corner of the side gate.
Some of the wandering knights were dressed in fine clothes, with jade pendants hanging from their waists, and entered with their heads held high; others were dressed in rags, and could only beg for a cup of wine before leaving with a lonely silhouette.
As for those who dared to cause trouble in front of Lord Pingyuan's mansion, Zhao Heng did not see any. Presumably, even if there were, there would be no need for the mansion guards to take action, as there are plenty of chivalrous people who would step in to show off.
Zhao Heng observed for a moment, and after Zhao Su handed over the gift list, he was about to lead Meng Ben and the other man into the mansion when the gatekeeper stepped forward and said with a smile, "Please forgive me, young master, but according to the rules of the mansion, the weapons of the guards brought by the guests must be left at the gatehouse, and the guards must wait in the side courtyard."
Meng Ben glanced at Zhao Su hesitantly, but seeing that Zhao Heng only nodded, he said nothing more, and he and Luan Ding took off their swords and handed them to the gatekeeper for safekeeping.
"Please follow me, you two brave warriors." A servant stepped forward and led Meng Ben and Luan Ding towards the side courtyard.
"Uh, young master—"
Zhao Su stepped forward somewhat awkwardly, about to say something, but Zhao Heng simply pointed ahead and asked him to lead the way. So Zhao Su found a servant, asked him a few questions, and then led Zhao Heng through the gate tower.
Inside the gate was a wide passageway paved with blue bricks and flanked by high walls. At the end of the passageway was a ceremonial gate, leading to the front courtyard. Zhao Heng had just passed through the gatehouse when he heard the sound of carriages and horses behind him. He stepped aside and looked back.
A green-canopied carriage stopped in front of the door. The curtain was lifted, and Zhao Yan bent down to get out.
Today, this fellow was dressed in a deep crimson robe with a jade belt around his waist, still exuding an air of grandeur, but he only had two or three attendants, and his carriage was very simple, quite different from his usual pomp and circumstance.
The gatekeeper, upon seeing Zhao Yan, hurriedly greeted him with a smile. Zhao Yan exchanged a few casual words, then left Guo Kai, who was following behind him, to hand over the gift list to the gatekeeper before heading inside on his own.
However, as he approached, he saw Zhao Heng and his eyelids twitched involuntarily.
Zhao Su, who was following behind Zhao Heng, also shuddered inexplicably. He quickly bowed and bent down, staring intently at the ground, not daring to breathe loudly.
Zhao Heng remained expressionless, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Nephew greets Uncle."
Zhao Yan's lips twitched slightly: "You've arrived early. My uncle has been confined for many days and only got out today. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
He stepped forward to help Zhao Heng up, adopting a friendly posture, and patted Zhao Heng's shoulder: "Last time in the palace, your uncle was unable to say more to you, which I have always regretted. It's good to see you today; you look quite well. Don't cry at the banquet later."
1
Zhao Heng remained expressionless and said only, "Thank you for your concern, Uncle. I was young and ignorant, but thanks to my grandfather's teachings, I now know how to behave properly."
Zhao Yan's smile froze slightly, then he chuckled and patted Zhao Heng's shoulder: "Good, good, you've certainly become sensible."
He paused, looked around, glanced at Zhao Su who was bowing and smiling obsequiously beside him, and casually said, "This is your first time in such an occasion. There are many people and things going on inside. This servant probably doesn't know the rules either. Why don't you come with your uncle? I'll introduce you to some elders."
Zhao Su didn't dare to say a word, he just kept nodding and bowing with an awkward smile on his face.
Zhao Heng replied, "I appreciate your kindness, Uncle. However, I am waiting for a friend and cannot accompany you."
Zhao Yan raised an eyebrow: "Friends? In this city of Handan, besides that Qin hostage, what friends do you have to wait for? But he is not qualified to come to a place like this—"
He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Zhao Heng's face, and said with a half-smile, "Could it be Prince Dan of Yan?"
Zhao Heng did not respond, but simply bowed slightly.
Seeing this, Zhao Yan stopped asking questions and chuckled, "Fine, do as you please."
After saying that, he led Guo Kai, who had arrived later, straight inside without needing anyone to guide them.
Guo Kai glanced at Zhao Su secretly, and only had time to smile and bow to Zhao Heng before hurriedly following Zhao Yan and disappearing into the ceremonial gate.
As Zhao Heng watched them leave, he thoughtfully tucked his hands into his wide sleeves. The sleeves were so wide that his hands disappeared as soon as they were inside, leaving only two empty sleeves hanging at his sides. Then he slowly glanced at Zhao Su beside him.
The latter was straightening up when he saw Zhao Heng's gaze sweep over him. He was immediately startled and hurriedly wiped the sweat from his forehead, saying, "Young master, this old servant truly did not know they would arrive at this hour. It was purely coincidental, and I certainly did not tip them off."
"This is none of your business." Zhao Heng waved his hand and walked inside, saying to him, "Once we're inside, you don't need to follow me. Go and negotiate with the others yourself."
Zhao Su was taken aback, took two steps, then nodded in realization and said in a low voice, "Young master, please rest assured, I will report to you everything I have seen and heard without missing a single word."
Zhao Heng ignored him and walked straight through the ceremonial gate towards the front courtyard.
A number of people had already gathered in the front yard.
The sunlight was just right, illuminating the courtyard brightly. Tables were set up under the eaves on both sides, where guests chatted and exchanged pleasantries in small groups. Laughter, conversation, and the clinking of glasses mingled together, buzzing like bees.
As soon as Zhao Yan entered, people came up to greet him. There were also quite a few people chatting and laughing with Guo Kai, showing that the two of them were indeed very well-connected in Handan and were quite at ease.
However, Zhao could still vaguely sense that some guests had subtly distanced themselves from Zhao Yan, either turning away or lowering their heads to pretend they hadn't seen him.
It seems that the recent confinement of Zhao Yan by the King of Zhao has finally been noticed by some people with ulterior motives.
For most people present, Zhao Heng's face was completely unfamiliar. But given his age and the occasion, it was difficult for anyone not to guess his identity upon his first appearance, naturally attracting a lot of attention, both overt and covert.
His expression remained unchanged as he walked slowly and deliberately along the corridor.
However, his hearing was excellent. As he passed a group of guests who were talking, he vaguely heard someone whisper, "—Is that Young Master Heng? He was in the palace the other day—"
Another person interrupted: "This is not the place to talk—"
Zhao Heng continued walking, seemingly oblivious.
Now, in Handan, he is no longer an unknown figure compared to his former self, who merely held the title of prince.
Although King Zhao had strictly forbidden the news of his confrontation with Zhao Yan in the palace that day, it eventually leaked out. Some powerful figures in the court were curious about him, some were observing, and some were wary of him.
However, given the sensitive nature of her identity, it's unlikely that anyone would take the initiative to approach her and start a conversation.
After all, no one wants to be dragged into the crown prince struggle at this critical juncture.
Zhao Heng was happy to have some peace and quiet, so he walked alone to an inconspicuous corner under the corridor, waiting for Yan Dan or Zi Nu to arrive, and quietly observing the guests coming and going. He leaned against the corridor pillar, relaxed, with his hands tucked into his sleeves, but his eyes were never idle, taking in the faces of everyone who came in and out.
But just then, he heard a laugh coming from behind him.
"Oh, is Young Master Heng attending this banquet alone?"
He turned around in response, only to see two people standing by the pillars opposite.
One of them, with a smiling face and gray hair and beard, was Xue Gong, a disciple of Lord Xinling.
The other man, dressed in a black robe and wearing a tall crown, had a resolute face, a long beard, and a calm demeanor. When Zhao Heng looked at him, the man had already been carefully observing him. His two gazes were like lightning, making Zhao Heng's eyelids twitch slightly.
Lord Xue beckoned Zhao Heng over and said with a smile, "How have you been since we last met, young master?"
Zhao Heng bowed and thanked him, then briefly explained that he wanted his attendants to go to the side courtyard.
Lord Xue then asked no further questions, but pointed to the man in black robes beside him and said with a smile, "This is Mr. Mao Sui. Given your extensive knowledge, young master, I suppose I need not introduce Mr. Mao's illustrious name further."
Zhao Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly bowed respectfully, saying, "I have long admired your name, sir."
Mao Sui waved his hand, his voice deep and resonant: "It's just an empty reputation. I just heard Lord Xue mention you, saying that you once said to Lord Xinling, 'To know but not to act is to not know at all'?"
Zhao Heng was taken aback, not expecting his words to reach Mao Sui's ears. He could only say, "This junior speaks presumptuously, please forgive my rudeness, sir."
Mao Sui shook his head solemnly and said, "That makes sense. I despise empty talkers the most. The fact that you can say this shows that you are not just a smooth talker. From now on, you will be a pragmatic person."
Zhao Heng couldn't easily respond to that, so he could only bow again and express his gratitude.
As they spoke, several more people gathered around.
Lord Xue introduced Zhao Heng to each of them: a disciple of the renowned scholar Gongsun Long, a guest minister of Lord Xinling who had come with Lord Xue earlier, and several other names that Zhao Heng had never heard of before.
But what really caught his attention was one of them.
This man was about forty years old, with a square face and a somewhat melancholy air about him. Lord Xue introduced him, "This is Mr. Li Tan, a disciple of Lord Pingyuan."
Zhao Heng bowed again, and Li Tan returned the bow slightly without saying much. Zhao Heng also remained silent.
However, Zhao Heng had quite a good impression of Li Tan.
His father was Li Dui, who persuaded Yan to cease hostilities by saying "subduing the enemy without fighting." However, Li Dui lost power in political struggles in his later years and died in depression. Therefore, although Li Tan was under the patronage of Lord Pingyuan, he was never given an important position.
However, in Zhao Heng's memory, Li Tan should have died in the Battle of Handan. He didn't know if it was a memory lapse or if there was some kind of time shift in the Qin Dynasty.
Thus, introduced by Xue Gong, those who vaguely knew Zhao Heng's deeds, and those who didn't, didn't mind Zhao Heng's age and mostly gathered around him, chatting and laughing. Some deliberately became friendly, while others remained indifferent.
Regardless, thanks to the influence of Lord Xue and Mao Sui, and Zhao Heng's own status as a prince, a considerable number of people gathered around him in a short time. These guests, whether they came for Lord Xue or Mao Sui, naturally had to pay their respects to Zhao Heng.
Therefore, for a time, Zhao Heng was surrounded by a number of talented people. Voices and laughter rose and fell, some people bowed to him, some chatted with him, and some just stood quietly to the side listening.
Seeing this scene, Zhao Yan, who was surrounded by a crowd in the distance, changed his expression slightly. Guo Kai, seeing this, quickly stepped forward and whispered a few words to him. Zhao Yan then snorted and turned his head away, letting the crowd escort him to the main hall.
2