SEHE Chapter 85.2

Banquet (part 2)

He wanted to say that aristocratic families fought for power and profit, circling people and territory everywhere, like parasitic dodder—a tumor that appeared to depend on the Gu family dynasty’s great tree but was actually coiling around it, constantly feeding on its blood and essence. When this dynasty fell, there would be another one they’d prop up.

He wanted to say the court’s factional struggles were chaotic, the eunuch faction ran rampant, and while officials were angry, they dared not speak. The Crown Prince wasn’t mature enough yet and had no power to resist.

He wanted to say that the vast majority of court officials were corpses holding positions—all bullsh*t!

He wanted to say so much, but in the end it only turned into a sigh.

Pei Yanci was from an aristocratic family.

Between them, they were merely colleagues who had met a few times. Not knowing each other’s true nature, they couldn’t speak deeply with shallow acquaintances.

Moreover, his measures, even if urgently needed by the Imperial Academy right now—with the court having no money, the Ministry of Rites greedy for power and relations with the Imperial Academy tense—even the best measures wouldn’t see the day of implementation.

He could only wearily pat his shoulder, comforting this young man still full of passion. “The ideas are good. Go try the Ministry of Rites.”

Some things they needed to experience themselves before they’d know how disgusting they were.

Pei Yanci smiled. “So Daren agrees?”

“Mm.”

Pei Yanci put away the proposals. Before leaving, he remembered something and asked, “I wonder what matters Daren assigned to Fang Daren? Is there anywhere I could help?”

“Solving the Imperial Academy’s financial problems, and disciplining the disorderly behavior of Academy students, re-establishing and strictly enforcing Academy regulations.” Qi Xiang picked up his wine gourd again, shook it, sensed there was wine, and tilted his head back for a drink.

“You don’t need to worry about this. Let him do it. You two are in competition now.”

“This official understands.” As expected, Qi Xiang intended to evaluate them.

But hearing this content, why did it feel simpler than the evaluation he received? “This official has a question—why are the tasks for this official and Fang Daren different? This official’s tasks seem much more difficult.”

How could they evaluate who did better or worse this way?

“You chose it yourself. Who can you blame?” Qi Xiang chuckled. “So many papers and booklets on the floor, I’d already used that one to stuff a table crack, but you insisted on taking that one.”

“…” This old man definitely did it on purpose.

The way it was stuffed obviously let him spot it immediately.

****

When Pei Yanci left the Qi residence, it was still early, so he simply went to the Ministry of Rites’ Ceremonial Bureau to test the waters.

The Six Ministries’ offices were within the Imperial City, relatively close. Coming out of Wuben Ward, entering through Anshang Gate, passing along Anshang Gate Street past the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Directorate of the Imperial Household, the Ministry of Rites was directly across from the Directorate of Waterworks.

After stating his purpose to the office gatekeeper and submitting the Imperial Academy’s documents, he waited nearly an hour. Just as the sun was about to move west, a minor official finally came out, full of apology. “Vice Chancellor Pei, the Director is too busy today and I’m afraid he can’t meet with you.”

Pei Yanci wasn’t annoyed. He stood and returned the courtesy. “In that case, I’ll come again tomorrow.”

The minor official smiled and said fine, respectfully seeing him out.

Not a single breach of etiquette could be found—he was just made to wait idly for an hour.

Pei Yanci stretched lazily, stuffed the miscellaneous books and chronicles he’d brought back into his sleeve, and returned to the Imperial Academy.

It seemed Sui Lu had received word from Zheng Qinglai. Otherwise, his Zheng family status wouldn’t have caused a Director to neglect him so. If he came again tomorrow, he’d probably get the cold shoulder again.

Lost in thought, he’d already reached Gewu Hall. Fang Qingdu was bent over his desk writing furiously.

He walked to the desk and sat cross-legged. “Fang Daren, recently Qi Daren assigned me several tasks that overlap somewhat with yours. I was thinking—should we invite Sui Daren from the Ceremonial Bureau out so we can sit down and talk things through?”

“Won’t talking at the Ceremonial Bureau work?”

“How many times have you gone?”

Fang Qingdu fell silent, then put down his brush. “What are your tasks?”

Pei Yanci handed him the draft proposals to look at.

“We’ll just treat him to a simple meal. If you don’t want to go together, you invite him out, and I’ll discuss those Imperial Academy issues with him.”

“No need.” His face showed not a trace of emotion, as stiff and plain as layer upon layer of paper walls. Only the hand holding the brush tightened, knuckles faintly whitening. “It’s all for getting things done. There should be my share in it too.”

“Then you invite Sui Daren, I’ll arrange the location. It’s settled then.” Pei Yanci smiled. Seeing the hour was late, he simply left half a quarter-hour early to go home.

The next day, Fang Qingdu indeed invited Sui Lu, the Ceremonial Bureau’s Director. When the two got off his carriage, Sui Lu looked around at the surrounding taverns—all places where he and his colleagues and superiors regularly held banquets. He was very familiar with every establishment’s dishes and prices. His smile unchanged, he said, “Fang Daren and Pei Daren have certainly spared no expense. That’s really not necessary. We can just have a casual meal. His Majesty always emphasizes frugality. If we indulge in eating and drinking, that would break the rules.”

Fang Qingdu, since becoming an official, had never invited anyone for drinks or meals. He especially detested the hypocritical social niceties of the official world. He wasn’t ignorant of propriety either. Hearing these words now, everyone knew they were just courtesy. He only said, “Sui Daren is too kind. We’re just eating casually. I don’t even know if the restaurant I took the liberty of choosing suits daren’s taste.”

The words were spoken, but paired with his face, they conveyed an awkward stiffness no matter what, as if forced out at knifepoint. The speaker felt uncomfortable, and the listener felt uncomfortable too.

Sui Daren’s smile faded by three parts. “That depends on how Fang Daren chooses. If you blindly listen and follow, ordering the same dishes just because the person before you ate them, and we still end up not enjoying the meal—what’s the point? Don’t you agree?”

“Sui Daren is joking. How would we dare let you suffer?” Pei Yanci stepped beside Fang Qingdu in time, raising his hand to point at a restaurant. “I guarantee tonight daren will eat and drink his fill and leave satisfied. Please.”

Sui Lu looked in the direction of his gesture. The restaurant’s entrance bore a plaque with four large characters: Hongtu Restaurant.

“This…”

He’d previously had the fortune of coming here a few times following the Minister of Rites.

Hongtu Restaurant was said to be opened by a wealthy Jiangnan merchant, but no one really knew whose property it was behind the scenes. They only knew it was impossibly hard to get a seat. The main hall was fine—you just needed money. But from the second floor up, the private rooms were rented by the year. If you didn’t go, they sat empty, but whenever you wanted to go, they were ready—even if you suddenly felt like it in the middle of the night, people would be waiting. The few tens of thousands of taels of silver for annual room rental wasn’t much, but beyond that, you had to compare your power. Those who could hold banquets in the private rooms were without exception aristocratic families, powerful nobles, and regional governors. Sui Lu, as a fifth-rank capital official holding real power, could count himself lucky to attend a few meals as company.

Following Pei Yanci along the exclusive passage to a second-floor private room, Sui Lu pondered—surely not? Could Minister Zheng think so highly of him?

Fang Qingdu’s expression only stiffened briefly at the entrance before he returned to his usual stern face, solemnly and silently trailing behind the two.

The three had just sat down when over twenty beautiful servants entered carrying dishes. Pei Yanci poured him a cup of wine. “I heard daren is from the southern coast and doesn’t like spicy food. Tonight we ordered every non-spicy dish the restaurant has. Please try them, daren.”

Before, he’d come as a subordinate. This time he came as someone held in esteem. Sui Lu immediately felt the difference.

This was the intoxicating nature of power.

And it clouded judgment too.

“Xiao Pei, you’re just too courteous. No need to accommodate me specially. Just because I can’t eat spicy food doesn’t mean Fang Daren and you shouldn’t eat it. Everyone should feel free.” Sui Lu smiled.

“We both happen to not eat spicy food either.” Pei Yanci smiled along.

It wasn’t that they didn’t eat it—it was that with Sui Lu here, they “happened” not to.

Sui Lu shook his head helplessly, smiling. “The Imperial Academy rarely produces someone as capable as you. I’ve always said, frequently being around Minister Zheng and His Highness the Crown Prince, one can learn many good things. Seeing you today, it’s indeed true. What a pity—I never had that opportunity. Otherwise how could I still be stuck in this position like a block of wood after so many years, without making any progress?”

“Some people rise rapidly and make quick progress, but they fall hard too. Following in daren’s footsteps and walking forward steadily one step at a time—that’s the right principle.” Sui Lu wanted him to introduce him to Minister Zheng and the Crown Prince. Pei Yanci casually deflected.

Sui Lu also heard his refusal, and that finally, the true purpose of tonight’s Hongmen Banquet was about to be revealed.

(TL: 鴻門宴 (Hóngmén yàn)” is an idiom that originates from a famous historical event during the Chu–Han Contention (around 206 BCE). It literally means “The Banquet at Hongmen”, but as an idiom it refers to:

A banquet set up as a trap — a feast with hidden murderous intent or political danger.)

This meal was beginning to reveal its complex flavors.

Sure enough, Pei Yanci clinked glasses with him, and taking advantage of pouring wine into the empty cup, closed the distance between them, saying quietly, “As daren knows, this younger brother only recently joined the Imperial Academy. The position above is about to open up. This younger brother is anxious—I can’t just stupidly wait and watch this great opportunity slip through my fingers.”

Sui Lu instinctively glanced at Fang Qingdu diagonally across from him, suddenly uncertain. “You want that position, so why did you come with Fang Daren?”

“Sui Daren is busy. Meeting two people at once also saves occupying daren’s time twice.” Pei Yanci smiled.

How could Sui Lu not understand that these words carried a mocking tone, needling him about yesterday’s closed-door rejection?

Pei Yanci turned the page with one sentence and continued, “If older brother could help from above, that would naturally be best. But we at least need some achievements to our name so that in the future we can sit securely in that position and command respect from those below. Don’t you agree?”

The wine Sui Lu had drunk wore off at the right moment. “What achievements do you want to earn?”