roccoschili Chapter 42 Royal Family Banquet
Chapter 42 Royal Family Banquet
The donkey cart swayed and rattled into the imperial city as dusk fell.
One by one, the ox-horn lanterns on the palace walls lit up, their dim yellow light spreading across the twilight and casting a soft halo on the blue brick ground.
The night in the deep palace looks warm and soft, with the vermilion palace walls enclosing thousands of lights, but inside, the rise and fall of power and the chasms of the human heart have always been hidden, only now they are all concealed under this warm glow.
When the guards on night duty saw the simple donkey cart, they instinctively stepped aside to make way for it.
Chen Laosan, the driver of the carriage, was an old man in the palace. This carriage had long been exempt from tedious inspections when entering and leaving the imperial city. This ordinary means of transportation, with its down-to-earth atmosphere, seemed quite unique in the strict palace.
Sizi slept soundly in Chang Le's arms the whole way, her little face rosy and her lips still moist with a little dried drool.
The donkey cart came to a smooth stop at the side gate of the Lizheng Hall. Only then did she groggily open her eyes, rubbing them and mumbling, "Big sister, have we arrived? Have we arrived at pretty brother's house?"
Children have no concept of the rules of the palace, nor do they understand the weight of imperial power; all that remains is pure joy and anticipation.
"We're going back to our own home. Grandma and Grandpa are waiting for us to have dinner."
Chang Le responded softly, raising her hand to gently gather the stray hairs from her forehead. Her fingertips touched the soft strands of hair, her expression full of tenderness.
She looked up at the majestic palace, her gaze slightly narrowing – this magnificent imperial city was a supreme place that all under heaven looked up to, but it was also an invisible cage that imprisoned people's hearts.
"Oh." Si Zi slid off the donkey cart, yawned widely, and then perked up in an instant. He grabbed Chang Le's sleeve and trotted forward, his short legs moving quickly.
"Quick, quick! Sizi wants to tell her mother about the kittens on the farm! Pretty Brother said that when a person shares their happiness with others, it becomes a lot of happiness."
Dinner was already prepared in the side hall of the Lizheng Hall.
Tonight is a private royal family banquet. There are no court officials present, nor many palace servants standing around. It is just the family sitting around the table, in a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
Stripped of their courtly authority, such harmony is a rare sight for the royal family.
The round table was laden with exquisite dishes: steamed sea bass was tender and fresh, roasted lamb was savory and fragrant, spring bamboo shoots stewed with chicken soup was rich and flavorful, shepherd's purse soup was refreshing and smooth, and there was also a dish of honey-glazed lotus root slices, which were Sizi's favorite, with a sweet and fragrant aroma.
The warmth of everyday life in ordinary homes seems all the more precious when it falls into the royal palace.
Li Shimin sat upright in the main seat, turning to the side to chat quietly with Empress Zhangsun. His imperial majesty had been removed, leaving only the relaxed and gentle demeanor of a husband and father.
Although he had many children, he cherished and protected only the legitimate children born to the Empress from the bottom of his heart, and he couldn't bear to let them suffer even the slightest grievance.
Empress Zhangsun leaned against a soft satin cushion. Her complexion was much rosier than last month, her illness had subsided, and she looked more energetic than ever before.
She held a cup of warm herbal tea in her hand, sipping it slowly, her expression peaceful and serene.
Surrounded by children and grandchildren, with all my own children gathered under the lamplight, the aroma of food filling the air, and soft laughter filling the air, I felt a sense of peace and contentment. There is no greater happiness in life than this.
The princes and princesses born of the principal wife sat at the table, creating a lively yet peaceful atmosphere, a scene of harmonious family bliss.
To the Empress's left was the six-year-old Princess Chengyang, whose eyebrows and eyes exuded a heroic air. She sat upright, twirling her chopsticks in her little hands, and occasionally craning her neck to look towards the palace gate, her eyes full of anticipation.
Beside Chengyang was eight-year-old Li Zhi, whose nickname was Zhinu. The boy had delicate features and resembled Empress Zhangsun. He was calm and reserved.
He sat calmly in his seat, with two slices of honey-glazed lotus root in a small dish in front of him. He ate only one slice, leaving the other intact, and his hands were neatly folded on his knees.
He would occasionally glance at his older brother across from him, a slight smile playing on his lips, remaining silent.
Sitting opposite him was Crown Prince Li Chengqian, who was already sixteen years old. He was tall and straight, with his childishness gone and replaced by the composure and restraint befitting a crown prince. He was chatting quietly with Li Tai beside him.
As the crown prince of the Tang Dynasty, his father placed high hopes on him from a young age. He received strict upbringing and his words and actions were always in accordance with etiquette.
It is hoped that he can inherit the great achievements of the Zhenguan era and become a benevolent and virtuous monarch who maintains the status quo.
However, sitting in the position of crown prince is already a precarious position, and brothers are not only blood relatives, but also unspeakable ties in the future.
At this moment, only the warmth of brotherhood remained in his eyes, clear and pure.
Beside him stood fifteen-year-old Li Tai, nicknamed Qingque, with fair skin, a slightly chubby figure, and bright, intelligent eyes.
He listened attentively to his elder brother, his expression sincere and respectful. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the chopsticks, but his eyes secretly glanced at the lotus root slices on the table. Just as his fingertips touched the edge of the porcelain plate, Chengyang gently tapped the back of his hand with his chopsticks.
"Don't steal any food, the rhinoceros hasn't arrived yet." Chengyang said in a low voice, acting like a little adult.
Li Tai pouted, reluctantly withdrew his hand, and looked at Empress Zhangsun with a pitiful expression, his childishness fully revealed.
The Empress smiled and placed a slice of lotus root on his plate, saying, "You can only eat one slice. Don't be greedy."
Li Tai immediately beamed and nodded repeatedly.
Li Zhi saw this, lowered his head, pursed his lips and smiled, and quietly moved the remaining slice of lotus root in his plate half an inch towards Li Tai.
Li Tai caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye, grabbed it, stuffed it into his mouth, and mumbled with a laugh, "Zhi Nu understands me best."
Watching his brothers bickering affectionately and keeping each other company in harmony, Li Shimin's eyes were filled with a doting smile, and his heart was full of satisfaction.
No matter how many children others have, none can compare to the warmth and tenderness of the Empress's own children. This bond of blood ties is the most precious thing.
In the cradle beside the palace, Princess Xincheng, who had just turned one year old, was wrapped in a soft, pale yellow satin swaddle and was sleeping soundly, with only her pink little face showing. Her even breathing was endearing.
She was the youngest child in the palace, unaware that being born into the royal family meant she would be forever bound by imperial power.
"Father! Mother!"
A clear, crisp voice came from outside the hall, and the hall door was immediately pushed open. The little girl rushed in like a whirlwind, her pale yellow embroidered shoes making a soft thumping sound on the wooden floor.
She caught sight of the cradle, stopped abruptly, tiptoed closer, peeked inside, and then turned to Li Shimin, making a "shh" gesture: "My sister is sleeping, don't make a sound."
Li Shimin was amused by her mature demeanor and his face brightened. He reached out and pulled her onto his lap, temporarily setting aside his thoughts of court affairs to quietly enjoy a moment of family bliss.
Sizi immediately started chattering about what she had seen and heard at the farm that day: the kitten was docile and obedient and let people pet it, the little yellow dog chased and played around her, and her older sister had gone up the mountain early in the morning to pick clean medicinal herbs and make medicine for her mother herself.
The little girl spoke quickly, her face flushed red, her eyes full of excitement.
Empress Zhangsun gently stroked her little head, her eyes filled with tender affection. Surrounded by her children, with the warm glow of lamplight around her, this was, for her, the perfect happiness in the world.