(For now, no one seems to be affected by the poison. But we can’t let our guard down.)
Simply neutralizing the poison wouldn’t be enough, after all.
“Well, now, this is quite an amusing twist.”
The Summer Consort bared her fanged smile cheerfully. She was the only one not dressed in skirts but instead wore the traditional nomadic attire of her people. In this harem, trousers were considered men’s clothing, but in her culture, all women wore trousers too. With her tall stature, one could easily imagine her riding a horse with grace.
“Have you properly incorporated the ‘Eight Delicacies’ of a full Manchu-Han feast?”
The “Eight Delicacies” referred to eight rare ingredients categorized into four groups: bird, plant, sea, and mountain. The flower mushrooms and silver ears served earlier were spring mushrooms, part of the plant category. Duck was one of the bird delicacies. From the sea category, there were shark fin and abalone. As for the mountain delicacies, their strong flavors might have been off-putting for the consorts, so they were replaced with the milder wild boar.
For the final dish of the meal, a small cauldron and candle were brought out instead of a traditional soup bowl.
The cauldron, made of bronze, was placed over the flame.
“Oh, it’s hotpot!”
The clear white broth began to bubble and boil. Goji berries, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin, nutmeg, and cloves swirled gracefully in the broth. Plates of meat were served next. Thin slices of marbled red meat were so delicate they were almost translucent.
“This is horse meat. Please dip it in the broth before enjoying,”
Fei Ling , who was disguised as the steward, moved among the consorts, announcing the dish.
The meat had been freshly prepared that very morning at the stables on the edge of the harem. So fresh, in fact, that it could have been eaten raw as sashimi.
“Hmm. I hear horse meat is likened to cherry blossoms in foreign lands. Truly, nothing could be more fitting for a spring banquet. You’ve earned my praise.”
The Winter Consort clicked her ceremonial scepter and smiled.
Draped in robes woven with white owl feathers, she exuded an ethereal presence, as if she might vanish if touched. Despite being a woman, she was a revered scholar, often offering her wisdom to the emperor himself.
When the thinly sliced horse meat was dipped briefly into the broth infused with the essence of quail and brought to the lips, the flavor unfolded. The consorts’ eyes widened in unison. Just a touch on the tongue, and the fat burst like fireworks. As they cautiously chewed, the richness of the meat followed. Horse meat might be expected to have a gamey taste, but it was less pungent than pork.
“…Don’t laugh, but listen to me,”
The Spring Consort spoke in a trembling voice, unable to contain her awe.
“The horse… galloped through my mouth.”
“Yes, that’s it. As if a fine steed raced across the steppe, stirring the wind,”
The Summer Consort nodded.
The illusion of wind came from the precise blend of spices and medicinal herbs. These weren’t used to mask any gaminess, as was common, but to enhance the pure taste of the horse meat.
Now it was clear why they had chosen a white broth, not the spicier red chili base typically used in hotpot: to fully showcase the horse’s natural richness.
“This is what it means to partake in life itself,”
The Autumn Consort, who had been silent, murmured softly. Her voice, though quiet, echoed like a single fallen leaf spreading ripples across a lake.
Up until now, she had been so unassuming that her absence might have gone unnoticed. But when everyone turned to look at her, they saw she was adorned in splendor: pure gold, silver, jewels, and exquisite brocades. Why had she seemed invisible until now? The realization made them blink in wonder.
“Medicine and food are both means to connect one life to another… Ah, it’s truly remarkable.”
The Autumn Consort closed her flower-like eyelids in admiration.
As they savored the hotpot, the meal concluded with a final dish—a dessert.
“Oh my, is this tofu?”
The white dessert jiggled delicately as a spoon was inserted, and it offered a springy resistance. When tasted, a gentle sweetness and a fragrant aroma lingered on the palate, with a richness reminiscent of fine wine.
“What is this?”
The consorts, intrigued, asked Fei Ling , who explained:
“This is almond tofu. It’s a chilled dessert made by grinding apricot kernels into a paste, mixing it with milk, and setting it with agar. Apricot kernels are medicinal, known for moisturizing the lungs and intestines, but their bitterness often makes them unpleasant. This dessert was crafted by apothecaries to make the medicine more palatable.”
The consorts, accustomed to fried glutinous rice cakes and sweet bean-filled buns, were overwhelmed by the elegant aroma and smooth texture of the dessert.
And so, the banquet reached its climax.
However, the plum blossoms were still blooming.
Fei Ling subtly furrowed her brow. Normally, the detoxification process should have been completed by now, yet Xue Mei (雪梅) Consort was still anxiously rubbing her legs. The wind and feng shui of the stage were unexpectedly hindering the effects of the medicine and strengthening the poison from the trees.
“The spring banquet is soon coming to a close. How I will miss it. But the seasons cycle, and time flows onward. That, too, is something precious to cherish,”
The Empress spoke the closing words.
“For the final performance, I thought to have the Flower Dancer take the stage… But I heard that Xue Mei Consort has injured her leg. Will she be able to perform?”
At the Empress’s request, Xue Mei Consort’s eyes briefly froze.
The other consorts whispered among themselves with their eyes. Could it be true that Xue Mei Consort was truly sick, as the rumors suggested?
But Xue Mei Consort quickly masked her discomfort with a gentle smile.
“I would be happy to,”
She reached for her cane.
Perhaps due to her anxiety, she couldn’t grasp it properly, and the cane fell over.
Xue Mei Consort quickly tried to call for Xiao Ling, but then remembered that she couldn’t bring a lady-in-waiting onto the stage. In a flash, Fei Ling moved to pick up the cane.
But Xue Mei Consort shook her head and refused the help.
Without relying on anyone else, Xue Mei Consort pressed her toes to the ground and steadied herself. Her feet, stiffened by the plum poison, creaked with each movement. It hurt, and her brows furrowed.
(Xue Mei Consort… please, don’t overdo it.)
Her legs were becoming like those of a plum tree. If too much force was applied, there would be irreversible damage. But Xue Mei Consort shifted her weight onto her legs and rose from her seat.
With a snap, the sound of a frozen branch breaking echoed.
Xue Mei Consort’s eyes widened.
Fei Ling turned pale, fearing that her leg had broken. But when she saw Xue Mei Consort’s lips curl into a relieved smile, Fei Ling understood: the detoxification had begun.
Xue Mei Consort stood tall, advancing in the way of the flowers, and stepped onto the stage.
The music shifted from quiet classical music to the lively rhythms of court dance.
Xue Mei’s dance was breathtakingly beautiful.
She floated up, surrendering herself to the melodies of the ancient guzheng, then swirled back down to the ground. When she leapt with her legs together, she looked like a butterfly. When she spread her sleeves and spun, she became a blooming flower. All who watched were mesmerized and rendered speechless.
Though her joints must have creaked with every step, though she seemed about to wobble, Xue Mei Consort never once revealed any pain. Her lips, painted a deep shade of red, held a radiant smile, and only joy showed on her face.
Yes, this was a dance of joy.
She was shaking off the winter’s restraints, blooming ahead of spring in a magnificent display of plum blossoms.
A whirlwind of cherry petals fell around the dancer, as if the storm had come to claim the flower. But the pale pink petals clung to her, making her all the more beautiful, and she continued to dance.
The life of a flower is brief. Even though it is destined to fall when it blooms, if it does not bloom, it is not a flower. So, bloom freely in one spring.
At that moment, a few plum blossoms fell from Xue Mei Consort’s robes.
The petals drifted down, leaving behind the most beautiful blooms.
While the other consorts thought it was part of the performance, Fei Ling quickly understood. The plum blossoms that had been spreading through Xue Mei Consort’s body had now fully been detoxified.
But the poison that had been seeping into her had come from the red plum trees, which could be reminiscent of blood or rust. Yet the blossoms that now fell from her were—pure white plums.
“The dancer… rejoices in spring, takes pride in spring, and buries spring…,”
It was like a requiem for spring. Fei Ling cupped the scattered plum blossoms in her palm, her eyelashes gently touching them, as if praying for the soul.
Thus, the spring banquet ended with the joyful cheers of the flowers.
