Chapter 23#
Genuine and Fake#
Everything at the banquet proceeded as usual. Xu Daochun personally ladled the soup—this had always been his signature skill. It was precisely by this hand with the ladle that he had distinguished himself among the ranks of captives.
Mi Linan sat at ease in the seat of honor, urging Du Wei to drink: “That Shangshutai of yours—these past few days it has been mobbed with visitors. The reason I summoned you out today was precisely to let you rest.”
Du Wei took the wine from the palace servant. He had always been close with Mi Linan, so they dispensed with ceremony: “In that case, this humble one had better drink even more. These past few days have exhausted me to no end…”
They both laughed. Mi Linan said, “Now that every region knows our court officials will be selected from among these tax-reporting delegates, the ones they’ve sent this time are all fine prospects—handsome in appearance and seasoned in affairs. Ying Rong, after you finish this round of wine, go back and vet them properly for me.”
“Rest assured, Supreme One,” Du Wei avoided discussing official business in public, saying only with a smile, “this wine—your humble servant certainly won’t drink it for nothing.”
They had set up the banquet in the plum grove, with excellent views on all sides. Palace servants brought dishes in hushed silence. Xu Daochun served them roasted meat in turn, paired with freshly ladled hot soup. Between the gauze curtains, the light fabric fluttered in the wind; the chill was hard to fend off, but this very rustic charm was exactly what Mi Linan wanted.
“Having returned to the capital this time,” Mi Linan asked Lu Guanjie after finishing his roasted meat, “did you manage to find any good wine?”
“To answer the Supreme One,” Lu Guanjie said with a smile, “as it happens—your humble servant paid a visit to Na Jia’s place the other day and, thanks to his hospitality, got to drink a batch of Thousand-Day Red.”
Mi Linan’s gaze shifted: “The Marquis of Fuxin commands quite the face—even Thousand-Day Red is on the table.”
“To answer the Supreme One,” Mi Jin replied, now having regained his usual composure, “it was because of that incident, actually. I got drunk in his establishment and ended up frightening him into coming to my door to apologize.”
Yuchi Liangshou stood guard outside the curtains. He could hear every word but couldn’t see what was happening inside. Across from him stood Longshan, looking as though he understood none of the court dialect.
“Yumian’s people have always been proper in their dealings,” Mi Linan said, raising his soup bowl. “Wouldn’t you say so, Yuchi Liang?”
Yuchi Liangshou hurriedly bowed: “Indeed so. This time, your servant…”
“No need to say more. As long as you replenish those horses, you’ve done your duty.” Mi Linan called to Xu Daochun, “It’s such a strong wind—send General Yuchi a bowl of hot soup. Yuchi Liang, come inside too. That wound of yours—it hasn’t healed yet, has it?”
Yuchi Liangshou unbuckled his saber and entered. He prostrated himself once more, his voice choked: “To think the Supreme One would concern himself with me—your servant, your servant…”
“Oh, stop with all that empty talk.” Mi Linan waved his hand. “Go sit beside the Marquis. The two of you—it’s bad enough as it is, brawling in someone else’s shop. What would people say if this got out? Today, on my authority, you two drink a cup together, and we’ll call it water under the bridge.”
Xu Daochun came to pour the wine. Just then, the sound of a muhe qin drifted through the plum grove.
“Send someone to see,” Mi Linan said, tilting his head to listen. “Oh—this is the ‘Melody Among the Clouds.’ A fine piece. Many years ago, it was sung on the outside about me and Empress Chuncheng.”
The Senluo guard who had gone to investigate returned quickly, prostrating himself to report: “Reporting to the Supreme One—it is a troupe of entertainers who say their master has brought them out to admire the plum blossoms and view the snow. They are currently playing and singing to liven the atmosphere.”
“What excellent timing,” Mi Linan took a warm towel from Xu Daochun and wiped his hands. “Then invite them over. They can liven things up for us as well.”
His mood was impossible to read, and none of the others wished to court bad luck. After a short while, someone was guided to the front of the curtains. That person prostrated and said: “This humble commoner is Yuan Bocheng! Today I brought my son out of the city to walk in the snow—I never imagined I would disturb the Supreme One’s elegant leisure!”
The several people at the banquet each reacted in their own way. Mi Jin picked up his wine cup and, before Yuchi Liangshou had recovered from his daze, clinked it against his: “You’re in luck today.”
“Isn’t this our Senluo’s famous Duke of Splendor?” Mi Linan tossed the warm towel back onto the tray. “Lift the curtains open. Let me see the true face of the Duke of Splendor.”
The curtains rose slowly. Yuan Bocheng knelt at the very front. He was a man of genuine boldness and didn’t flinch in the slightest: “This humble commoner is nothing but a rustic fool from the countryside—how dare I call myself ‘Duke’ before the Son of Heaven?”
“As the saying goes, ‘Under heaven, splendor belongs to only three lands: Yumian, Yongxia, and Ruyilang,’” Mi Linan said, seemingly rather appreciative of him. “Rather than let the other two style themselves as duke and marquis, I’d say it might suit better to let you monopolize the title ‘Splendor’ alone.”
Yuan Bocheng replied readily: “In that case, I wonder whether the Supreme One would be willing to bestow those words upon this humble one in his own imperial hand?”
“You have quite the nerve, and quite the greed!” Mi Linan fixed his gaze on Yuan Bocheng. “Raise your head. Let me see what manner of true man you are.”
Yuan Bocheng raised his head. The curtains snapped and cracked in the wind. After a brief moment, Mi Linan applauded: “Good! You are imposing and dignified. But with looks alone, it’s hard for me to tell truth from falsehood. Perhaps—”
His gaze moved to the figure behind Yuan Bocheng. There crouched a slender form clad in white within and blue without, cradling an enormous cluster of white plum blossoms. Apart from that smooth, jade-like skin, only the tip of a delicate feather behind the ear was visible.
Mi Linan said: “Perhaps we should kill your son and find out for certain!”