A 38-year-old woman from Mumbai presents 3 days after delivery with sudden-onset right facial drooping. She cannot close her right eye completely, and her mouth droops to the left. Examination reveals weakness of all muscles of facial expression on the right, including the forehead. She reports loss of taste on the anterior 2/3 of her right tongue. Otoscopy is normal. MRI brain is unremarkable. Which branch of the facial nerve is most likely affected?