Chapter 61: A Massive Haidingqing!
Gan Qiongying was quite satisfied with how things had unfolded.
However, Wen Xueling still stood in the center of the banquet hall. After agreeing to compensate her, she watched as Wen Xueling bowed once more toward Princess Hui’an, clearly about to say something.
Gan Qiongying immediately grew alert, suspecting that Wen Xueling was still scheming and intended to salvage her dignity by dancing!
She naturally couldn’t give Wen Xueling any opportunity.
Tonight, with all the “male leads” present and all the elements in place, if Wen Xueling danced, the plot’s influence would inevitably stir up who knows what chain reactions.
Therefore, Gan Qiongying immediately feigned a sudden realization and stood up, preempting Wen Xueling by addressing Princess Hui’an first: “Aunt! I just remembered I still have a prepared birthday gift that hasn’t been presented yet!”
“Manyue, go hurry them along.”
Manyue was sharp-witted and immediately bowed, saying, “It has long been prepared. I’ll have it brought up right away.”
Gan Qiongying then turned to Wen Xueling and said, “Someone, quickly escort… ahem, assist Princess Xue’e back to her seat.”
“Princess Xue’e’s legs aren’t in good shape, so she should hurry back to her seat and eat more to replenish herself. Tonight’s braised wild boar tendons are quite good—nourishing like with like. I’ll give my portion to you as well.”
Wen Xueling had always prided herself on being a “refined lady of noble birth” and enjoyed the best reputation among the noblewomen of Yindu.
But recently, she had repeatedly suffered losses and humiliation at Gan Qiongying’s hands, and she simply couldn’t accept it!
“No need to be moved,” Gan Qiongying continued, “Hurry and make way. What’s coming next is a bird of prey! If it scratches your face, how will you ever find a suitable husband?”
Gan Qiongying’s way of speaking was far too blunt, laced with a subtle, unassailable malice.
Upon careful analysis, every word she said seemed perfectly normal, even considerate, and her tone was as intimate as if she were joking.
But to the listener, it felt uncomfortable from head to toe.
This time, Wen Xueling truly had no choice but to leave. She genuinely feared that Gan Qiongying might bring out some “bird of prey” that would “accidentally” injure her in front of so many people. If that happened, she would have no way to defend herself and nowhere to turn for help.
Wen Xueling sat back in her seat in a huff. Forget eating—she couldn’t even maintain a smile on her face.
Without her personal maid, Liuli, by her side, the remaining maids, though often accompanying her, were completely unfamiliar with Wen Xueling’s preferences and utterly incapable of soothing her inner fury.
Wen Xueling sat stiffly in her seat, her face cold, watching as a group of attendants entered the hall. They surrounded a tall man whose face was concealed by a black cloth.
On the man’s right arm, wrapped in animal hide, perched a massive Haidingqing!
The crowd gasped in astonishment. At this birthday banquet, gifts of all kinds had been presented, and the feast stretched as long as Lihua’s legs, seemingly endless.
With the hunting grounds nearby, some thoughtful scions of noble families had arrived the day before, hunting numerous prey to present as gifts to the Grand Princess.
The wild boar tendons served tonight were among them.
But no one had ever presented a live creature. After all, the complete pelts of hunted animals could be used for various purposes, and the meat could be added to the feast. However, presenting a live creature before the Grand Princess was simply inappropriate in every way.
It was unheard of for Princess Hui’an to have any particular fondness for keeping pets. Being over fifty, it was unsuitable to gift her horses or the like. While a tame pet might be acceptable, animals are unpredictable by nature, and if one were to injure her, it would be a serious trouble.
Even if no harm were done, its death would be inauspicious.
Thus, among the array of gold, silver, and jade treasures, Gan Qiongying’s choice of such a magnificent raptor naturally became the center of discussion.
Among the noble scions of Yindu, there were no shortage of young masters who secretly indulged in “cockfighting and dog racing,” with passions for horses, weaponry, and the fierce birds of the sky. Unfortunately, Haidingqing were native to the Huzhou region and exceedingly rare in Yindu.
Moreover, taming such a creature was by no means an easy feat.
All eyes in the hall were drawn to the man with the Haidingqing perched on his arm. Even the Regent, who had remained as steady as if his backside were glued to his seat, seemingly blind to everything around him, couldn’t help but glance toward the center of the room.
However, the Regent’s gaze merely lingered briefly on the Haidingqing’s splendid plumage before shifting past the man in the hall, fixing directly on Gan Qiongying.
His eyes were sharp and cold, like those of a hawk—anyone caught in his stare would instinctively feel a chill. This description is taken directly from the original text.
Gan Qiongying didn’t feel cold; she only thought he somewhat resembled a hawk.
The man carrying the eagle on his shoulder stood firmly in the center of the hall and bowed deeply to Princess Hui’an.
As he bent forward, the Haidingqing on his shoulder let out a clear cry and flapped its wings, as if also paying respects to Princess Hui’an.
Gan Qiongying rose with a smile and said, “Aunt, look! This Haidingqing has already been tamed by this man. See how wide its wingspan is! As a messenger, it can not only carry items slightly heavier than letters but also travel to and from Qinzhou in just three days!”
Many felt that while Princess Duanrong’s gift of a Haidingqing to Princess Hui’an was novel, it was ultimately impractical.
Such a fierce bird, though excellent for hunting or military reconnaissance, was not suited for confinement in a rear residence.
Keeping a raptor in a rear residence for an elderly lady’s amusement, while grand in gesture, was indeed absurd—fitting perfectly with Princess Duanrong’s usual capriciousness.
Some noble scions had initially felt regret, but upon hearing Gan Qiongying mention Qinzhou, they all tensed inwardly.
Qinzhou, located along the coast, was plagued by rampant water bandits year-round. Princess Hui’an’s most beloved youngest daughter had married far away to Qinzhou, wedded to the Maritime and Land Commander who was stationed there permanently.
Princess Hui’an had given birth to this daughter late in life and cherished her like the apple of her eye. Though the Maritime and Land Commander was a good man, he was also a rough soldier, constantly prepared for battle. Princess Hui’an worried most about her youngest daughter’s health and safety.
However, travel in ancient times was slow. Princess Hui’an, being over fifty, could hardly endure the arduous journey to visit her daughter. Moreover, her married daughter now had children of her own and, as the mistress of her own household, could not return home frequently.
For this birthday banquet, due to rampant piracy and heightened security in Qinzhou, the youngest daughter, who had planned to attend, was unable to return.
Even carrier pigeons took about a month to travel to and from Qinzhou. With frequent conflicts in the region, pigeons, as common communication tools, were often shot down to prevent military intelligence leaks.
Thus, for half of each year, Princess Hui’an spent her days waiting for replies from her youngest daughter.
She raised flock after flock of pigeons in her backyard, yet every letter she sent seemed to vanish without a trace.
The moment Gan Qiongying mentioned that the Haidingqing could deliver letters and return from Qinzhou in just three days, Princess Hui’an’s eyes instantly reddened.
Gan Qiongying continued, “I will gift this Haidingqing and the attendant skilled in falconry to you, Aunt. From now on, you can correspond with Sister Xiji anytime.”
“You could also send this attendant directly to Xiji. He is a guard from my estate, quite skilled in martial arts. If he accompanies Xiji’s husband, the messenger eagles released from Qinzhou will surely reach the Imperial City without being shot down.”
This guard was indeed carefully selected by Gan Qiongying—one of her shadow guards named Zhen Si. This was the perfect opportunity to place him legitimately by Princess Hui’an’s side.
“Xiji” was the childhood name of Princess Hui’an’s youngest daughter.
Princess Hui’an let out a soft “ah,” tears streaming down her cheeks. She glanced at Duan Rong with a smile, her aged face now streaked with tears.