The plum blossom grove in the Imperial Garden was in full, glorious bloom.
White snow pressed down upon the branches, and the red plums blazed like fire. A biting, chilled fragrance drifted through the sharp air, refreshing the spirit. Yet beneath the delicate elegance of this imperial garden flowed an undercurrent far colder than the snow.
Today’s palace banquet, ostensibly a gathering for viewing plum blossoms, was in reality a subtle arena for the Imperial Capital’s power struggles. The newly appointed Marquis Suppressing the North, Qin Lie, boasted illustrious achievements and was the man of the hour. Like a massive boulder cast into a deep pool, he had thoroughly disrupted the existing balance.
Chapter 330