Chapter 176: Entering the Palace (Part 2)

The Mid-Autumn Palace Banquet is not a family banquet for the royal family. On this day, all officials above the fifth rank in Beijing can bring their families to the palace for the banquet. Although Master Zhen is just a commoner, he can enter the palace with the third prince. With his status, as long as the princes are happy, it is okay to bring a few more people.

The Third Prince knew that Young Master Zhen had money and ships, and no shortage of gold, silver, jewelry, or any other rare items. Moreover, it was said that the man was in poor health. Every month, Da Zhuang would take the prescription to Four Seasons Hall to make pills. The Third Prince had asked someone to inquire about it. It was for nourishing the body and used the best medicinal materials. Young people did not have such nourishment. The doctor in Four Seasons Hall also said that this man was most likely recovering from a serious illness and had damaged his foundation. He had to be taken care of carefully, and it would take at least three to five years for him to recover.

So it’s no wonder that there is no woman around Master Zhen. With his physique, giving him a woman would be like asking for his life.

But the third prince knew better that all wealthy businessmen in the world had one common problem, and that was power.

Therefore, there are many people who donate money to become officials after becoming rich, and those who do not want to be officials will also try their best to get into officialdom.

Master Zhen started from a very high point. He did business with princes and nobles. For such a person, he would not even take a small official position of the sixth or seventh rank seriously.

However, no matter how high an official he is, he does not have that ability, so the best thing for him is to be able to thrive in the circle of power and wealth. With more backers, business will be easier to do, and it will be easy for his children and grandchildren to cross classes.

For example, the Third Prince believed that Master Zhen would treasure this opportunity to attend the palace banquet.

Sure enough, that stupid and foolish Da Zhuang came back soon. This time he came to express his gratitude on behalf of his master. However, the words of thanks came out of his mouth in a muffled voice.

The third prince was very satisfied. He suddenly felt that it was not bad to use such a simple-minded person. He was more reliable than those who flattered others.

The Third Prince didn't need to say anything about this kind of thing. He just needed to give a look and someone would do it for him.

The next day, three young men who had not yet been castrated were brought to him. They were all stocky and strong, and spoke directly, but like the big one, there was a light in their eyes.

The Third Prince nodded and said, "Send it to Xiao Dao Liu, clean it up, and send it back to serve after you recover."

It is safer to castrate the one who is working for you.

......

Because of this opportunity to enter the palace, Xiao Zhen came specially to eat for free, but was rewarded with a string of cold eyes from Zhen Wuduo.

He finally understood why his beloved granddaughter liked this unruly son. This kid would cater to her interests, such as entering the palace. This kid calculated that his granddaughter would want to go, so he came over.

"Really? I can really go to the palace with you and eat and drink for free? Oh my! I wonder how the palace chef's skills compare to my master's. I must try them."

Xiao really wanted to laugh. There were actually people who wanted to eat and drink to their heart's content at a palace banquet, not knowing that one could never get full at a palace banquet.

He smiled and said, "Okay, then let Xiuxiu disguise you so that you can pretend to be my brother. However, we can't sit at the main table. We can only sit with those inferior royal family members and relatives. I'm sorry to bother you."

The inferior royal family members are those who live in the royal family camp but are very far away from the royal family in terms of blood relationship. Moreover, they are not ambitious and are not doing well.

As for the inferior relatives, they are the family of the prince's concubine. Of course, if there are fathers or brothers in high positions in the family, the situation will be different. However, such a family will not let their daughters become concubines to princes other than the crown prince or the third prince.

Zhao Shiqing felt that this was a good idea. Being far away from the main table actually gave her more freedom.

Now she is Zhen Bao, but not Miss Zhen Bao, but Master Zhen Bao.

"I finally have the chance to see the elegance of the Hooked Nose Family!" Zhao Shiqing was very happy and wished that tomorrow would be the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Wan Ruyi was puzzled: "Hook-nosed family? Are they good-looking?"

She had never seen a hooked nose before and didn't know what it looked like.

Zhao Shiqing grabbed her hand and said, "It's not good-looking. It's so ugly."

Wan Ruyi didn't care and continued to busy herself with her own things.

She likes all kinds of handicrafts and she has a pair of skillful hands. Whether it is disguise, sewing clothes, embroidering or cutting window paper-cuts, she can learn it quickly. Aunt Ji only taught her how to make flower rolls and sugar triangles, but she figured out how to make dough flowers, dough fish and dough hedgehogs by herself.

Her mind is as pure as a blank sheet of paper. She immerses herself in the joy of handicrafts every day and feels very happy.

Zhao Shiqing started to get busy. She had to make new clothes, new clothes for attending the palace banquet. She had to make three sets of identical clothes, shoes and socks, and even the jade pendants and purses to wear on her body.

Ling Bo asked her why she had to make it the same, and Zhao Shiqing replied: "What if someone deliberately spilled tea on me, what if someone pushed me into the lake, what if someone... Wait, I'll go check the storybook, it has everything in it."

Ling Bo: "Those things in the storybooks are for women. You're dressed as a man, so they don't apply to you!"

Zhao Shiqing crossed his arms to protect his chest: "When going out, boys must also learn to protect themselves."

Ling Bo quickly turned around, trotted outside and laughed out loud.

Zhao Shiqing also made three more bodies for Xiao Zhen, which were exactly the same as hers.

She also prepared a lot of red envelopes, each of which was filled with gold beans.

She took the newly made clothes to Wan Ruyi and said, "Aunt Ruyi, use your skillful hands to sew a few pockets inside these clothes, pockets that most people can't find."

This time, Zhen Wuduo couldn't bear it any longer: "What do you want to put in your pocket? Don't even think about bringing weapons into the palace. Grandpa is old, and you are his only granddaughter. Please have pity on him and don't die before him."

Zhao Shiqing quickly patted the old man's shoulder: "Grandpa, don't worry, I'm not that stupid, let me tell you..."

In the next few days, Xiaoguai was not home all day long, and later he took the three thousand taels away with him.

When he returned home with three thousand taels of silver in the evening, he was so exhausted that he threw himself into Zhen Wuduo's arms and said, "Let's castrate the bird. It doesn't want to be a bird anymore."

Zhen Wuduo: It's rare to have someone who can communicate with him, but he can't understand what is being said.

As for Xiao Yao, after hearing that Zhao Shiqing couldn't bring her into the palace, she sneaked into the palace with Dapang in the dead of night. Isn't that just going into the palace? They went in and out several times, and the Yulin soldiers acted as if they didn't see them. They weren't as scary as the legend said. Xiao Yao adopted two sisters as her godsons. As for Dapang, that shameless guy actually fell in love with a white cat. When he came back, he boasted to Xiao Yao that he was going to have a son who was a palace cat in a yellow jacket.

The days passed like flowing water, and Mid-Autumn Festival came in a blink of an eye. Aunt Ji and Wan Ruyi made a lot of mooncakes. The mooncake molds were carved by Wan Ruyi herself. After Zhao Shiqing finished eating the mooncakes, it was time for her to enter the palace. This was her first time to enter the palace, and she cherished this opportunity very much.