Chapter 14: Imperial Guard

A dark shadow descended from the eaves, appearing before Ji Ke-ci. Crossing his arms, he strolled up to her and knelt on one knee, cupping his hands in a salute. "Young Master, the hunting banquet will be held tomorrow."

"What is the movement in the other countries?" Ji Ke-ci sat on a stone by the pond, tossing pebbles into the water. Ripples spread across the surface, as if she were finding great pleasure in playing with the stones.

Pian Fu stood up, maintaining a distance of five paces from Ji Ke-ci. He pulled a silk scroll from his sleeve and handed it to her. "Currently, three countries are stirring restlessly."

Three countries, stirring restlessly. The Kingdom of Yulin, the Kingdom of Cheng, and the Kingdom of Yan. Her eyes locked onto the silk scroll. "They have already arrived here."

Spanning across the capital of Yidu, there were people dressed in the attire of the three kingdoms. Surely they were invited by the current Emperor, or had they come drawn by reputation?!

Pian Fu crossed his arms, watching the layers of ripples rise on the pond's surface. A gentle breeze blew, lightly brushing the lotus flowers. He seemed to wear a faint smile. "I wonder, Hall Master, what role does the Young Master wish to play?"

Man Cui stroked her own fingernails, her lips uttering a few words: "Disguise, Young Master."

Pian Fu nodded with amusement, agreeing with Man Cui's words. "Let's simply play along with their scheme. Disguise yourself as Chu Heng, the Hall Master of Tiandi Hall."

Ji Ke-ci glanced at Pian Fu, then at Man Cui, while fiddling with a piece of lush green jade. "That would be excellent. However, this Young Master wishes to use the guards of Tiandi Hall; just a few hidden guards from our sect will suffice."

Handing the jade pendant to Pian Fu, a mysterious curve rose at the corner of her mouth. She spoke in a calm, lukewarm tone, "Everything must be arranged by tonight. I trust the Hall Master will agree to my request without hesitation!"

***

The Imperial Palace of Yidu

From a distance, one saw high walls and perilous towers, jade pillars and shimmering ornaments, glowing with brilliance. Up close, the pavilions were towering, the long corridors crisscrossed, and the flora was lush. Upon entering, the wall paintings were vivid and the beams hung with golden beads—magnificent and resplendent.

The Outer Court Hall

The sound of zithers and flutes filled the air, accompanied by the ringing of chime bells and stone chimes. The eight musical instruments rose in unison, following the five tones and six pitches. People sang and danced, livestock was roasted, and fine wine and delicacies were served upon eight-immortal tables alongside bronze vessels—three-legged bronze jues with beast patterns and bronze zuns with curling-horned Taotie thunder patterns. Palace maids surrounded the area, the lingering echoes drifting softly.

Ji Ke-ci had disguised herself in the appearance of Chu Heng, the Hall Master of Tiandi Hall. Yin Xi, the current Emperor of the Yidu Dynasty, looked at that face with a hint of surprise before calming down. Ji Ke-ci walked to Yin Xi's side, bowed with hands clasped in greeting, and said with pleasantries, "Your Majesty, I am late."

Yin Xi's eyes flickered with an unreadable aura, faintly radiating the dignity of a monarch, making it impossible to tell his true mood. "Has your injury improved, my dear official?"

Ji Ke-ci stood expressionlessly behind the current Emperor, appearing much like an imperial guard. After a long pause, she spoke a single sentence: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I am much better."

Loud voices rang out through the Outer Court Hall: "The envoy from the Kingdom of Cheng has arrived! The envoy from the Kingdom of Yan has arrived! The envoy from the Kingdom of Yulin has arrived!"

The banquet had already been a subject of much discussion; why had the current Emperor invited this particular person? Now, things had truly escalated—even the envoy from the Kingdom of Yulin had arrived.

The national army had been attacking the Kingdom of Yulin; no one truly knew what the purpose of Yulin's visit was this time!

Ji Ke-ci's gaze did not drift toward the three envoys as they honorably approached to pay respects to the Emperor, but instead turned toward the musical performance. She noticed that one of the instruments among the eight sounded similar to a flute. She suddenly remembered the instrument Yin Xi had given her; so, this was it. This instrument was called a "Yue."

This instrument was very similar to a flute but much longer. Watching the musician play in harmony, a half-smile rose at the corner of Ji Ke-ci's mouth.

The envoys of the three kingdoms clasped their hands and bowed solemnly, saying in unison, "We pay our respects to the Monarch of Yidu."

The current Emperor of the Yidu Dynasty raised both hands, appearing as if he truly wished to help the three envoys up. A smile hung on his lips. "The envoys of the three kingdoms need not be so formal. Please, take your seats."

As the envoys of the three kingdoms rose and looked up, they saw the person standing behind the current Emperor. There was an insurmountable aura about them. The envoy of the Kingdom of Yulin spoke, "This humble official dares to ask, who is this?"