Chapter 55 Welcome Banquet

Luo Zhaohan tilted his head slightly and looked at Pei Ji, a grateful smile on his face: "I know that Master Pei is a man of his word. This matter really helped me a lot."

If General Xie had not been suddenly impeached, Madam Xie would not have been forced into such a panic, and Xie Wuqi would not have lost the last bit of support from his parents so quickly.

That day at the gate of the Changning Earl's Mansion, she originally thought that Pei Ji was just talking casually, but she didn't expect him to act so quickly and get things done the next day.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, Lord Pei did help her time and time again.

Pei Ji turned slightly to the side and listened to Luo Zhaohan's words with a calm expression. Anyone who saw him would feel that he was as calm as still water and not disturbed.

But at this moment, Pei Ji was thinking:

When Miss Luo smiled, her eyes curved like the crescent moon in the sky.

"Master Pei, I told you last time that I should thank you."

There was a hint of cunning in Luo Zhaohan's tone when she said this, but her expression was frank and honest, leaving no trace of any deliberate flattery.

At this moment, Pei Ji could hardly suppress the curve of his lips that wanted to rise.

He naturally understood that Miss Luo was continuing what she had said last time at the gate of the Changning Earl's Mansion.

These words, the unspoken words that only the two of them could understand, actually made him feel an indescribable sense of closeness.

Luo Zhaohan didn't give Pei Ji a chance to respond politely. After she said "Thank you, Mr. Pei," she smiled and nodded at him, then turned and left.

But after taking a few steps, the energy in her heart slowly subsided, and the more she thought about it, the more regretful she became - why did she just walk over there?

She herself couldn't understand why she took the first step and walked up to Lord Pei.

If I want to thank you, can't I just say it the next time we meet? Why do I have to choose a time when Sun Honglei and Prince Rui are both here...

Thinking of this, Luo Zhaohan subconsciously turned his head and glanced at the place where Prince Rui's carriage had just stopped, only to find that Prince Rui's carriage had left long ago.

But she still felt annoyed and a little embarrassed.

Maybe it was because Master Pei was dressed like a scholar today? He looked so... well, so docile and approachable, that she suddenly forgot he was the awe-inspiring Master Pei. So she couldn't help but approach him?

Wait... obedient?

How could she think of using the word "obedient" to describe Master Pei? !

Luo Zhaohan quickly shook her head vigorously, as if to get rid of this strange thought. Luo Jince came over just in time, and seeing her like this, he looked puzzled.

"Sister? Why are you shaking your head? Did Lord Pei...say anything to you?" Luo Jince's heart began to beat fast.

He had just thought that Master Pei and his sister were a good match, and in a fit of rage, to provoke Master Pei, he blurted out his sister's praise of him as "the moon in the sky." Did Master Pei just complain to his sister? But he clearly didn't see Master Pei open his mouth to speak...

Could it be that my sister is... angry with him?

Luo Jince's heart was in turmoil, and he was extremely nervous. Sun Honglei, who had not left not far away, also quietly gathered his attention, pricked up his ears and listened carefully, his eyes showing genuine nervousness.

Perhaps it was because he had always lived too strictly and too suppressed that he fell in love with a free and radiant girl like Luo Zhaohan at first sight and took her to heart at first sight. If she already had Pei Ji in her heart... then he was afraid that he really had no chance at all.

"Are the knee pads I gave you enough? If not, I'll ask someone to bring you a cart full of them!" Luo Zhaohan was still feeling bad about his loss of composure, so he just started talking nonsense to cover it up.

Luo Jince was stunned. "Huh?" What are you talking about? Knee pads? A whole car?

Sun Honglei, who was eavesdropping nearby, was also full of questions: Isn't the topic changing too quickly?

Luo Zhaohan had already reached them. Sun Honglei knew he had no reason to stay any longer, so he could only say his goodbyes. Now was clearly not the right time to speak; it would be too presumptuous. He'd better save what he wanted to say for the welcoming banquet in December. If he was right, it would be a grand spectacle in the capital, likely held in the imperial gardens outside the capital. There were beautiful views there, and a vast grove of wintersweet trees in full bloom... Then... he'd find another opportunity.

Luo Zhaohan politely sent Sun Honglei away. When she turned around again, the place where Pei Ji had just stood was empty.

Instead, she breathed a sigh of relief and pulled Luo Jince into the carriage. In the carriage, she told her brother everything she had seen in the Xie Mansion, especially Aunt Zhang's methods.

Luo Jince was amazed when he heard this, and he kept sighing that Aunt Zhang was really amazing. At this time, Luo Zhaohan also mentioned it casually: "Jince, Aunt Zhang's son Xie Wuchen, I think he is a good person, and he is not the same as his legitimate brother Xie Wuqi."

"He is studying in the Imperial College. If he encounters any difficulties, considering the friendship between me and Aunt Zhang, you should help him quietly in an inconspicuous place." Luo Zhaohan advised.

Luo Jince immediately understood what his sister meant and nodded in agreement. He stayed in the carriage and talked to his sister for a while. In the end, he still didn't dare to confess to Pei Ji about his evaluation of "The Moon in the Sky". He could only enter the gate of the Imperial College with a guilty conscience, looking back every few steps.

Luo Zhaohan did not stay any longer and told the driver to go directly back to Fuyuan General's Mansion.

Pei Ji had just approached his carriage when the guard Jiang Xi, who had been waiting for a long time, came to meet him and reported in a low voice, "Sir, there was a carriage parked in the corner just now. Sun Honglei got in."

Pei Ji didn't show any surprise when he heard this. The Emperor had already made it clear during the morning court session that Princess Jieyou would soon be returning to the capital with Princess Liuyang. With this news out, all parties were undoubtedly scrambling to make a move.

His Royal Highness Prince Rui was definitely looking to form a marriage alliance with the Princess's family, strengthening the kinship. Sun Honglei, regardless of his family background, age, or appearance, was an excellent candidate to marry the Princess of Liuyang.

Thinking of this, Pei Ji couldn't help but think of the look Sun Honglei had given Luo Zhaohan just now - the eagerness and nervousness in his eyes couldn't be hidden.

Pei Ji couldn't help but frown slightly.

Not long after he stepped onto the carriage, Old Chu lifted the curtain and walked in. The curtain fluttered, bringing in a few wisps of fresh air, which dispersed the stagnant air in the carriage.

"How is it? I heard that Miss Zhaohan from the Luo family is here too?" Old Chu smiled and leaned half of his body forward, his gray beard twitching as he spoke.

Pei Ji raised his head from the file, his brow furrowed, "Teacher, what do you think of my proposal today?"

The old man's smile faded upon hearing this, his robes rustling as he sat down cross-legged. "Are you really not changing your mind? Even seeing Miss Luo won't sway you?"

The young man's hand holding the scroll paused slightly, his knuckles leaving shallow marks on the bamboo slips. The words "Miss Luo" were like a stone dropped into a deep pond, stirring tiny ripples in his eyes.

"Ha!" Old Chu suddenly clapped his hands and laughed, his eyes shining as he leaned closer. "Finally, I've caught you! When have you, a cold-faced man, ever been so cautious?"

Pei Ji closed his eyes and sighed that he had been tricked after all. The old fox had deliberately provoked him with words, but he had been too concerned and confused.

"Teacher, let's talk business." He tried to get back to the topic, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the jade pendant on his waist.

Elder Chu refused to give up. Grabbing the young man's sleeve, he pressed, "Tell me when you were first attracted to her. It couldn't have been that fleeting glimpse at the Imperial College gate just now? No, you're not the type to judge people by appearances—was it the plum blossom viewing banquet at Prince Duan's mansion? Or that debate at Xiangguo Temple?"

Seeing the student lower his eyes and remain silent, the old man stroked his beard proudly: "I told you long ago that the girl from the Luo family was a rough diamond, but you were so stubborn at first that you refused to admit that you liked her."

Pei Ji simply let his master chatter on. When the voice gradually faded, he calmly straightened his sleeves and asked, "Teacher, what do you think?"

Old Chu was choked and stared blankly. Unfortunately, there was not even a cup of hot tea in the carriage. After catching his breath, he finally took out a piece of paper and said, "Take it!"

The young man unfolded the letter and read it carefully, his brows gradually furrowed: "Let's follow this plan." He folded the letter carefully, his crow-feather-like eyelashes casting a light shadow under his eyes.

The old man looked at his disciple's tense face, his throat rolling over and over: "Aji, there is no need to be like this!"

"Teacher, do you know how to pick the moon?" Pei Ji suddenly spoke, tapping the table with his fingertips. "One must be born with wings that soar to the sky and cultivate hands that grasp the moon. Now I have neither wings that can cover the sky nor an umbrella that can protect the flowers—" When he raised his eyes, the frost and snow in his eyes melted away, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly. "How dare I mislead this beautiful woman."

As dusk deepened outside the car, the young man handed the letter back: "Teacher, I hope you can lend me a hand for the welcoming banquet in December."

"Don't worry!" Mr. Chu patted his shoulder firmly and forcefully.

…

The days passed quickly and it was already the 22nd day of the twelfth lunar month.

In the Western Wei capital, flags fluttered in the wind, and the sounds of gongs and drums resounded through the sky, ushering in the most grand scene of the year.

Princess Jieyou, who has made outstanding contributions and traveled to Dongling to marry a princess, has returned home today.

The people of the capital could no longer contain their excitement and poured into the streets, emptying the streets, just to catch a glimpse of Her Royal Highness the Princess, who had made an unparalleled contribution to the stability of the country.

Luo Zhaohan and Luo Jince mingled in the noisy crowd, their ears filled with thunderous cheers and heartfelt admiration.

Soon, the royal guards, clad in splendid armor and wielding long spears, marched solemnly and majestically. Following closely behind were the fluttering banners of various colors and the relentless sound of drums and music. The passionate beats and melodious music heightened the winter atmosphere even more intensely. Then, a royal chariot, crowned with a golden canopy and draped with golden and red tassels, slowly came into view.

The curtain of the carriage was half rolled up, and a figure dressed in complicated palace clothing could be vaguely seen sitting upright in the carriage, with his back as straight as a pine tree, motionless.

The cold December wind swirled through the streets, blowing the ornate golden and red ribbons beside the carriage. In the intervals between the fluttering tassels, Luo Zhaohan's sharp eyes caught the outline of the majestic figure within. The profile was sharply defined, and her gaze remained calm and determined, staring forward, as if the surrounding clamor and roar of the sea were irrelevant to her.

Luo Zhaohan couldn't help but feel a surge of deep emotion. If Princess Jieyou hadn't married off to Dongling and, with her unparalleled wisdom and tenacity, stabilized the situation in Dongling, the outcome of the fateful battle in the north might have been uncertain. Now that the princess had returned to the capital in triumph, receiving the praise and blessings of the city's people, she truly deserved it.

The atmosphere around them had already reached its peak. Luo Zhaohan's chest was burning. She was about to join the excited crowd around her in shouting, "Long Live Her Royal Highness the Princess!" But at this moment, Luo Jince's lazy and puzzled muttering voice clearly entered her ears:

"Tsk, it seems like being the eldest princess isn't easy. It's so cold, and you have to sit in a carriage that's drafty on all sides. You're freezing to death."

Luo Zhaohan's heart full of admiration and emotion was instantly choked and turned into speechlessness.

The capital had just experienced a heavy snowfall the previous night, and this morning the chill was bone-chilling, turning water to ice. She had practiced martial arts since childhood, her muscles and bones strong, and she wasn't afraid of the cold. But Luo Jince, however, had lain in bed for a long time this morning, only reluctantly rising. Even wrapped in a thick fur coat, he still felt cold, and he worried about the eldest princess sitting in the carriage.

The eldest princess's imperial sedan passed solemnly, its majesty receding. Then, another equally magnificent carriage, heavily entombed, slowly approached, flanked by a ceremonial guard. Needless to say, the occupant of this carriage must be Princess Xinyi Zhaoyang, who had returned to the capital with her mother.

Looking at the airtight warm car, Luo Zhaohan was dazed for a rare moment.

Because she knew that at the palace banquet in a few days, the newly arrived Princess Liuyang would make a shocking decision in front of all the dignitaries and royal family members - she would personally choose Pei Ji as her son-in-law.

Thinking of this, Luo Zhaohan felt no ripples in his heart, but instead felt that it was natural.

After all, Lord Pei Ji is a leader in the capital in terms of talent, appearance, status and ability. He is as dazzling as a crane standing out among chickens. It is reasonable that he is favored by the princess.

…

At this moment, within the towering palace walls, the welcoming family banquet has already been prepared.

His Majesty the Emperor personally led the princes and grandsons, as well as Prince Duan's family who were still staying in Beijing for some reason, and waited in front of Chengtian Gate early in the morning, eagerly waiting.

From afar, the emperor's gaze was fixed on the familiar yet unfamiliar figure approaching, surrounded by a guard of honor. Brother and sister, separated by the vast Imperial Road and the passage of time, gazed at each other from afar, separated by over twenty years.

Even though they may have their own thoughts in their hearts, the joy of reunion due to their blood connection still overwhelms everything, turning into indescribable emotion and excitement in their eyes.

"Royal brother!"

Princess Jieyou quickened her pace, her voice trembling slightly. As she reached the Emperor, she knelt deeply in accordance with etiquette and bowed with grace.

"Your Majesty, your sister, pays homage."

Time is like a knife, wind and sand are like carvings. The forty-three-year-old princess, after more than twenty years of hardship in the frontier, has left indelible fine lines on the corners of her once bright eyes and eyebrows.

Yet, far from diminishing her graceful demeanor, these vicissitudes of life have only enhanced her with a calmness and resilience that comes with time. At this moment, her face is truly filled with the joy and excitement of returning home, and deep in her eyes is the relief of having been relieved of a heavy burden and a longing for her homeland.

The emperor quickly leaned over and personally helped his sister to her feet, his gaze lingering on her face, as if trying to make up for the twenty-plus years he had missed. After a long moment of scrutiny, even the corners of the emperor's eyes seemed to be slightly moist.