Chapter 305 Looking forward to seeing them at the Spring Banquet

That's clever, though.

She gently lifted the curtains, propped her chin on her hand, and intently admired the passing scenery.

Hmph.

The Spring Banquet was a kind of outing banquet. In addition to the young gentlemen and ladies playing, the ladies from various mansions gathered together to chat and appreciate the flowers.

If they missed the Shanglin Hunting Grounds, there's no reason they wouldn't come to the Spring Banquet as well.

The Duchess of Jingguo will definitely come, but we don't know about the sickly Miss Qin.

She had seen the Duke of Jingguo before the Emperor last time, and this time at the Spring Banquet... she was really looking forward to seeing the Duchess of Jingguo.

...

The carriage swayed and wobbled until it reached the outside of Tonghua Village.

Tonghuawu is a quiet little garden hidden in the outskirts of Beijing. It is not very large, but it is unique because the trees planted in Tonghuawu are not the common pines and cypresses, but a kind of tree called sycamore.

The leaves of the sycamore tree look somewhat similar to those of the mulberry tree, but unlike the mulberry tree, the sycamore tree has small, cute fruit balls that grow in the autumn of the previous year hanging between its leaves.

Beneath the sycamore trees, vast expanses of crabapple blossoms are in full bloom, spreading out in a sea of ​​pink across the forest. The scene can truly be described with just the word "beautiful".

Therefore, Dr. Li chose Tonghuawu as the venue for this spring banquet.

Half a mile before the group arrived at Tonghua Village, someone had already run ahead to inform Madam Li. When the carriage arrived at the gate of Tonghua Village, Madam Li and Li Manyan were already waiting at the entrance.

Sheng Sheng and Xie Yunqi alighted from the carriage one after the other, and Madam Li immediately came to greet them warmly.

"This humble woman greets the Fifth Prince and the Second Princess."

"This humble woman greets the Fifth Prince and the Second Princess."

She skipped down, beaming, and ran towards Li Manyan: "Sister Yan Yan!"

Li Manyan smiled at her while maintaining her bowing posture, and Shengsheng quickly pulled the two of them to her left and right, saying, "No need for such formalities, Shengsheng and Sister Yan are very close, there's no need for this. Isn't that right, Sister Yan?"

Li Manyan pulled her up, looked at her gently, and then Madam Li spoke first.

"It is my daughter Yan'er's good fortune to have gained some favor from the princess, but we must not disregard etiquette; it is our duty as subjects."

Madam Li possesses a dignified and elegant demeanor, clearly befitting the matriarch of a prominent family. Her earnest insistence on upholding proper etiquette is reminiscent of Minister Li.

As the wife of the eldest branch of the Li family, and someone whom the old lady of the Li family could entrust with power with confidence, she must have some resemblance to Minister Li.

Sheng Sheng smiled gently, said nothing more, and took Li Manyan's hand to ask about her recent situation.

"Sister Yan Yan, it's been a long time! Sheng Sheng, you look thinner than before. Have you not been eating properly lately?"

"No." Li Manyan smiled gently and shook her head. "How could I be so careless about myself? It's just that I've been busy lately learning from my mother how to be in charge of banquets like the Spring Banquet, and I sometimes forget about myself."

Madam Li smiled and chimed in, "Yes, Yan'er will be a wife and mistress of the house in the future. These things will be commonplace for her, and she can't help but learn them. The main thing is that the child herself is very studious and inquisitive. She has been following me around doing things these days. I couldn't stand it anymore, so a few days ago I finally managed to persuade her to go out and relax for half a day with her best friend."

Upon hearing Madam Li's words, Li Manyan seemed embarrassed that Madam Li had praised her in front of others. She noticed that Li Manyan's eyes flickered, and she blinked more frequently than before.

Sheng Sheng: Oh ho!

What day was "a few days ago"?

Could it be the day my brother leaves the palace?

Sheng Sheng's eyes lit up immediately. Just as she was about to ask indirectly, Xie Yunqi, who had been leisurely admiring the scenery, returned after circling around the area near the entrance and exclaimed, "Oh, these plum blossoms are so beautiful! They're so pink and tender, just like my sister's carriage!"

Several people: "?"

Where can I find plum blossoms here?

Sheng Sheng sighed, "Fifth Brother, this looks like a crabapple blossom."

"Really?" Xie Yunqi scratched his head.

Madam Li's eyes showed undisguised surprise, and she didn't know what to say for a moment. Li Manyan smiled and said, "Fifth Prince, this is indeed a crabapple blossom."

"Oh, almost, almost. At first glance, I thought it was some kind of crabapple blossom." Xie Yunqi waved his hand dismissively. "Sigh, these flowers all look pretty much the same, and the colors are almost identical. Aren't we just asking people to mistake them for something else?"

Sheng Sheng: "..."

Xie Yunqi's words left both Madam Li and Li Manyan speechless.

He chuckled twice and told Zijuan and Xiaoquanzi to put in the herbal tea they had bought on the way.

"Princess, what kind of herbal tea?" Li Manyan asked curiously.

"Oh, I met you on the way. I was thinking that you guys have been busy here for a long time, and since it looked nice, I thought I'd bring it to share with everyone."

Sheng Sheng explained, then added, "It's monk fruit tea or something similar, which are mild herbal teas, perfect for this season."

"I see. Your Highness is so kind. I thank Your Highness and the Fifth Prince."

"Hehe, no, no, let's go in quickly and distribute the herbal tea."

"good."

As the group entered Tonghuawu, the servants of the Li family were indeed still busy making final preparations.

After crossing a stone arch bridge spanning a stream, the vibrant spring scenery gradually comes into view.

The sycamore's new leaves unfurl, and dappled morning light filters through the tender yellow branches. Several pink peach trees lean against the stone railing, their pink petals trembling gently as they sway in the breeze.

Willow branches droop by the pond, buds touch the water and ripple. The wind carries the faint fragrance of crabapple blossoms. Walking on the bluestone slabs, it feels as if every step is treading on the softness of spring.

Because Madam Li was afraid of dogs, in order not to frighten her, Sheng Sheng asked Zhui Feng to wait at the door with Yan Hu and come in after a while.

Madam Li felt both touched by Sheng Sheng's thoughtfulness and a little apologetic. Not wanting to disturb the children's play, she led Sheng Sheng and Xie Yunqi to the place where they would have dinner that night before immediately going about her own business.

The spring banquet is divided into two parts. The first part is in the afternoon when guests arrive and then go out in groups to stroll around the garden, admire the flowers, and chat.

To add fun for young people, Madam Li also set up several places where they could play games, including dynamic games such as pitch-pot and cuju, and static games such as poetry contests and chess.

You can also fly kites in the open area outside Tonghuawu.

The second purpose was to "feast and make merry" here.

"Banquet" refers to a feast, and "music" refers to music and dance. Banquet and music is the most direct summary of this kind of banquet where you eat and listen to music at the same time.

As she walked along, she saw servants preparing places for games, and she was very excited. The spring banquet hadn't even started yet, but she already wanted to participate.