Every new year was heralded as the spring festival and its most important celebration was that of the reunion dinner on the eve. The imperial city followed the same customs as the commoners and it was the responsibility of the empress to oversee the organisation of the banquet.
It was soon approaching five whole years since the start of Emperor Xuanjun's reign and the empress' Jiaofang Hall remained empty. As such, the task of organising the imperial family's banquet fell upon the shoulders of Noble Consort Li. Considering that it was the single most important private celebration of the year, this was an arduous task that required the assistance of not just the other consorts but also a whole host of servants.
Perhaps it was due to oversight or maybe someone in the chain of the hierarchy had nefarious intentions, but by the time the newly arrived beauties in Zheshan Palace and Chuxiu Palace were informed that they were expected to put together a performance itinerary to amuse the emperor on the day of the feast, there was less than a fortnight left.
Yan Zheyun had just been deliberating about making use of the reunion banquet to capture the emperor's fancy again and now Noble Consort Li had bestowed upon him such an opportunity.
It would have been kinder of her if she hadn't decided to drop the bomb on everyone though. Yan Zheyun wasn't sure whether a similar uproar took place at Chuxiu Palace or not but chaos broke loose on his side after the announcement was made by an unconcerned eunuch.
"Why were we only informed so late?!" Liang Ruhan complained, using his servants to detain the messenger, who was attempting to leave.
"This servant is merely passing Noble Consort Li Niangniang's word on, Little Master," the eunuch said, so dismissive in his attitude that it was obvious he didn't hold them in any regard at all. "Are you suggesting that Niangniang made a mistake?" He tutted. "Little Master is still very new so this servant understands if you're not yet accustomed to the way things are run around here."
He turned to shoot them all a sharp look of warning. "Here, rank is the law. His Majesty sits right at the top but Noble Consort Li is second only to him. If she orders you to perform tomorrow, you perform tomorrow. If she orders you to perform tonight, you perform tonight. No complaints and no questions asked. Does Little Master understand?"
Liang Ruhan's face was ruddy. Yan Zheyun could imagine the steam emitting from his ears as he was forced to accept the humiliating lecture from 'a mere slave'. Yan Zheyun could have told him not to mind. The past few months spent dealing with the eunuchs who worked in the departments proved that as long as a concubine did not have sufficient station or favour, even the lowest of servants could walk all over them.
"While it's refreshing to see the peacock king speechless for once, what on earth are we supposed to do about this stupid performance?" Back in their chambers, Hua Zhixuan was a spineless mess on his tabletop again. By tacit agreement, they always gathered in his chambers instead of Yan Zheyun's, after Yan Zheyun had rejected Hua Zhixuan's offer to share his charcoal rations. Despite their growing friendship, he didn't like the idea of owing anything to anyone.
It might be hurtful to say this aloud but Yan Zheyun would rather err on the side of caution from the start than risk getting burnt once more. His mistake with Xiao Ma still haunted his dreams. Sometimes, in his sleep, his captors had been more intelligent and had left his arms and legs bound. Other times, Wu Roushu's maid hadn't shown up to guide him through the labyrinth of passageways and he had run into the fourth prince before escaping.
He didn't want to ever be in such a vulnerable position again.
"I got it!" Hua Zhixuan sat up with renewed enthusiasm, startling Yan Zheyun out of his reverie. He blinked and waited patiently for Hua Zhixuan to continue. Even though Hua Zhixuan was older than the host body, he still retained a childlike vibrancy that was astonishing in an accomplished scholar. But Yan Zheyun could appreciate it. He reminded Yan Zheyun of a good mix of the twins as he had Lixin's zest for life and Liheng's idealism.
"What have you got?"
"We can do a duet together!" Hua Zhixuan pointed a triumphant finger at the zither that had been set aside on a low table. Yan Zheyun's chambers were too cold to play but Hua Zhixuan enjoyed listening to it so Yan Zheyun had caved and carried it over. Oftentimes, they would spend many a slow evening discussing music and modifying scores to combine the dizi with the guqin. Hua Zhixuan adored the 'Legend of Swords and Fairies' soundtrack covers that Yan Zheyun liked performing, although he'd had no choice but to tell Hua Zhixuan that they were nameless folk compositions a visiting scholar to the Yan Household had once taught him.
It was easier to lie than to explain what PC games were. And Hua Zhixuan had been so devastated by Yan Zheyun's mention of the Yan Family that he had changed the subject immediately, too afraid of hurting Yan Zheyun's feelings.
Yan Zheyun had predicted that he would. Hua Zhixuan's biggest failing was that he was as easy to read as a book. There was always a chance that this was just a clever disguise but if it wasn't, Yan Zheyun would have to try and train him to be less obvious before sending him back to court.
"Of course, if Brother Yan would rather dance…" Hua Zhixuan added sheepishly, suddenly remembering that this was what Yan Zheyun was famous for.
Yan Zheyun shook his head. "Guess how many dances I know?"
"…if you're asking me to guess, the answer is probably one?"
He nodded calmly. "And I don't even think I can replicate it now." After entering the imperial city, Yan Zheyun had thrown the routine to the back of his mind. If pressured, he could probably still remember most of it but he hadn't bothered practising the steps either and would have lost some of the muscle memory that had helped him impress everyone with one glance.
"Alas, a legend falls!" Hua Zhixuan exclaimed dramatically, earning himself an eye roll in return. Yan Zheyun was just about to come up with a witty retort when the doors burst open and in ran Shuangxi in a panicked fluster.
"Little Masters, did you hear? Four Gonggongs and seven small eunuchs were beaten to death yesterday night!" His words stumbled over themselves to escape his mouth and it took his audience a short while to comprehend what he'd said.
"Beaten to death?" Hua Zhixuan's brows knitted together as regarded Yan Zheyun with confusion. "At this juncture?"
Hua Zhixuan had a point. Not only was this too inauspicious right before the new year, but it was also one of the busiest periods. To remove so many high-ranking eunuchs from their position would throw the departments into disarray.
"It must be Godfather," Xiao De replied, suddenly materialising from the side chamber, where he'd been making tea. Shuangxi, who was already anxious from the foreboding news, leapt into the air.
"Aiyo!" he yelped. "Xiao De! Can't you make some noise when walking?"
"Godfather taught me to be seen and not heard," Xiao De said, sticking out his tongue cheekily. Although he was younger than Shuangxi, Xiao De had lived in the imperial city for longer and treated Shuangxi like an equal as they were of the same rank.
"Xiao De, you said that your godfather was responsible for meting out the punishment?"
Xiao De shrugged. "It's his jurisdiction. And Little Master has seen what Godfather is like. No one besides His Majesty would be able to hurt a hair of a member of the departments if he didn't want it to happen. On the other hand, if he did, then no one besides His Majesty would be able to save them."
Yan Zheyun hadn't been aware that the eunuchs of the palace had that much power over the servants beneath them in rank. If it were any other Gonggong, even including the plump steward whom Yan Zheyun now knew to be Head Eunuch Cao Mingbao, he would be more inclined to believe that the emperor had passed an edict calling for their deaths.
But the vibe Liu Suzhi had given him that day outside the Small Plum Garden was uncanny. Yan Zheyun had seen his host body's reflection many times in ponds and bronze mirrors. But when Liu Suzhi had stepped out from behind the pillar, Yan Zheyun had been taken aback by his arresting face. It might not be as classically beautiful as Yan Yun's but it was undeniably captivating in its own right. Where he lacked Yan Yun's innocence, he made up for it by being intoxicating. Men would go crazy for either but there was a subtle difference. Where Yan Yun made men want to ruin him, this godfather of Xiao De's had the opposite effect.
A fleeting glance from a hooded gaze, the beauty spot at the corner of his right eye just without the reach of the shadow of his lashes like a teardrop that could never be wiped away. It wasn't hard to imagine men surrendering to his wiles. Liu Suzhi had reached out ruffle Xiao De's hair and under the pale winter sun, the careless smile playing on his lips had softened into a semblance of tenderness. Yan Zheyun hadn't been able to guess whether it was genuine or not but Xiao De had lapped it up, grateful for this rare show of affection from such a lofty, proud creature.
And when Liu Suzhi had asked to speak to Yan Zheyun in private, Yan Zheyun had found himself agreeing before thinking twice.
He'd known then and there that the head of the departments was a dangerous man.
Yan Zheyun had expected him to make a deal that would allow them to corporate with one another. That was the only reason he could think of for Liu Suzhi to seek him out. But instead, Liu Suzhi had merely thanked him for defending Xiao De.
For the first time since transmigrating, Yan Zheyun had been forced to invite another to scheme. He didn't believe that Liu Suzhi couldn't see the potential advantage that Yan Zheyun could bring him, didn't understand why they were dancing around the elephant in the room.
But Liu Suzhi had merely laughed and replied, "You're still too weak to be negotiating terms with me, Little Master, but your efforts so far have been admirable. This servant looks forward to seeing your progress."
With a slight incline of his head, he had sauntered off as quietly as he'd shown up, leaving behind a dejected Xiao De, a confused Hua Zhixuan, an intimidated Shuangxi, and a fiery ambition burning in Yan Zheyun's heart.
Shuangxi shuddered. "This servant will never get used to all the killing," he mumbled sadly. "Aren't our lives worth anything?"
"They are," was Yan Zheyun's firm reply. "You might not be able to protest aloud but don't let anyone make you believe otherwise."
"Little Master…"
"Yes," Hua Zhixuan agreed readily. "A man's worth is not measured by his status or wealth—"
But before he could launch into another lengthy discourse on Confucian sayings, frantic footsteps thundered on the corridor outside as doors slammed open and excited conversation broke out once more.
"What's going on?" Shuangxi asked, always quick to fret at the first sign of anything unusual.
With Hua Zhixuan in tow, Yan Zheyun stepped out to see what the commotion was about. Neither of them was close to any of the factions that had formed amongst the other new male concubines and could even be considered ostracised by the rest due to Liang Ruhan's dislike of them. Just by being a legitimate son of one of the old noble clans, he had gathered quite a few allies onto his side. Still, the other concubines were conversing so loudly that they managed to catch the gist of it.
The messenger eunuchs were already at Chuxiu Palace. The emperor had finally settled their official ranks, just in time for them to join in the family banquet.
Liang Ruhan was first in line to wait, standing in the middle of the courtyard with a self-important smile on his face. His chest was puffed out, his back ramrod straight, and he probably thought that he was carrying himself with exceptional dignity but because of the frippery of his accessories and hair adornments, he just resembled a pompous male bird fanning out its feathers in a desperate bid to attract a mate.
He said as much, in a low murmur, eliciting choked laughter from his companions as they headed downstairs, where everyone seemed to be gathering.
Maybe Liang Ruhan's hearing was better than any of them expected because he honed in on Yan Zheyun immediately, lips curling into an ugly sneer.
"What took you so long to come over? Surely it can't be because you're so ashamed of losing favour before even gaining it that you couldn't bear to stand next to us in public?" Sarcasm dripped from Liang Ruhan's words.
Yan Zheyun remained unfazed. After all the verbal abuse he'd endured in the Wu Household, this level of insults was frankly disappointing. He'd expected better of a distant cousin of Wu Bin's.
"Primary school chicken (1)," he muttered, enjoying a little private joke that no one else would get. And of course, it would have the bonus of riling up Liang Ruhan.
"What did you call me?!" Liang Ruhan said heatedly, his voice rising. "Yan Yun, just because this young master didn't deign to teach you a lesson, you've gotten even more audacious?!"
Yan Zheyun turned a woeful gaze onto Hua Zhixuan. "See?" he said. "This is why I called this young master immature. So much for his supposed stellar upbringing, he doesn't even know basic vocabulary."
Hua Zhixuan's lips pursed. He clutched at Yan Zheyun's sleeves in worry. "Brother Yan, this one doesn't know it either."
"Oh? Don't worry, Brother Yan will teach you."
Liang Ruhan seethed. "Very good. Just you wait, Yan Yun. This isn't the end of it."
Fu Cui, one of Liang Ruhan's lackeys whose background was rather unremarkable, saw this as an opportunity to display his loyalty. He stepped forth boldly and scoffed in Yan Zheyun's face. "This one has always been curious," he said with a malicious smile. "Did you fall out of favour because you have an ugly body or was His Majesty unable to endure the stench of horse manure?"
Liang Ruhan's allies burst out into raucous laughter. Yan Zheyun's eyes crinkled sympathetically. That insult was also old by now, did they not have any imagination?
"This one doesn't know," he replied modestly. "Perhaps when this one has the chance to ask His Majesty again, I will be sure to clarify for you."
"You!" Fu Cui seized at Yan Zheyun's collar. "Ask His Majesty again? Hah! In your dreams! His Majesty must have forgotten all about you by now—"
"The imperial edict has arrived!"