While the capital was in turmoil, the men left behind by Wei Yunlan in the North and the men from Prince You's Mansion in Tan, Qian and Yi states were developing steadily in secret.
Thousands of miles away, separated by numerous high mountains and endless yellow sand, Wei Yunlan and his companions have followed the brothers Hanzhe and Su Lie to the territory of Qimeng.
It took nearly ten days to walk this far.
Wei Yunlan and his companions have gained a better understanding of the northwestern countries.
Due to the short distance and similar climate, the appearance and architectural styles of the people from different countries here are basically the same, with only slight differences.
For example, the architecture in the remote Mosan Kingdom is relatively rough and primitive, while the architecture in the imperial city of the Qimeng Kingdom is much more refined. Along the way, you can see that the domes of many houses are coated with glittering and reflective gold powder.
According to Su Lie, it was not real gold powder, but a paint made by grinding some kind of ore with a similar color to gold and adding it to pigment. Its value was not as good as real gold, but it was not something that could be easily afforded by other places.
Among the northwestern countries, only in the capital of Qimeng can one see such a magnificent sight of a city full of golden roofs.
If Shahe City was extremely lively during the Moon Worship Festival, then the capital of the Qimeng Kingdom at this moment is beyond the word "lively".
The whole city is like a bustling city that never sleeps, with lights and decorations everywhere. Even when night falls, the streets are still bustling with joy, and many shops are still open for business.
"There is no curfew here?" Wei Yunlan asked curiously.
"No." Su Lie answered, thought for a moment and said, "There used to be, but you also know that the days here are long and it's hot at noon, so the only suitable times to walk around are in the morning and evening. In order to make life more convenient for the people and businesses, my aunt proposed to cancel the curfew in the city a few years ago."
"Now, within the borders of Qimeng, there are nearly ten cities, large and small, that have lifted their curfews."
"In fact, the city is not as lively as it is now on weekdays. It's mainly because my aunt's birthday is coming up in the next two days. The people in the city respect my aunt, and every time this day comes, it's as lively as a festival.
When saying this, Su Lie looked proud, and it was obvious that he had great respect and admiration for his aunt.
Sitting in the car, looking around at the scenery in the city.
Wei Yunlan discovered that apart from the fact that the streets here were more crowded and not as neatly built from south to north as those in the capital of Dayong, there seemed to be no significant difference.
As I walked, I found that the buildings on both sides of the street were not as crowded as before, and the noise around me was also quieter.
Hanzhe pointed to a building in front of him with a golden roof and said, "The Marquis' Mansion is just ahead. There are so many people in the capital these past two days that it's hard to find a vacant inn in the city. If you don't mind, you might as well stay at the Marquis' Mansion first."
The Marquis's Mansion he mentioned was the residence of the Sai De family. Hanzhe and Su Lie were both descendants of the current Marquis of Sai De, and they were born to the same mother, Marquise Ji Xun.
Su Lie also said: "In two days it will be my aunt's birthday. It's a good opportunity for you to come with us to the palace to see my aunt."
Su Lie spoke too quickly, and before Hanzhe could remind him, he had already said these words.
Not just anyone could attend the Queen Mother's birthday banquet. Although their aunt doted on them, they were not qualified to bring anyone into the palace.
Hanzhe couldn't help but pull the corner of his mouth awkwardly, and tried to make amends, "We need to send a message to the palace first and ask for my aunt's opinion. However, my aunt has always taken care of her family members. I think she will summon you to the palace for a chat before the birthday banquet."
When in Dayong, Wei Yunlan had accompanied Duke Xu to the palace to attend several palace banquets. He knew that such banquets had complicated rules and only royal relatives and high-ranking officials were allowed to enter.
Not to mention outsiders whose background is unknown.
She had not expected to attend the birthday party of the Queen Mother of Qimeng.
It was a pleasant surprise to have the opportunity to meet this highly respected and extraordinary woman. If there was no such opportunity, it would be worth the trip to get in touch with the Qimeng nobles such as the Marquis of Seide Mansion where the brothers Su Lie and Hanzhe lived and do business with them.
"We have been a bother to you for the past two days."
The group followed Su Lie and Hanzhe into the mansion.
When entering the city, Hanzhe had already sent his followers back to the mansion to inform them. At this moment, the Marquis's mansion had already cleared out the guest rooms, and the Marquise's wife Ji Xun's personal maid was personally guarding the mansion door.
She had black hair and black eyes. When she saw Wei Yunlan and his group, who looked similar to her, she curled her lips and said, "Madam heard that someone from the same clan was coming to visit, so she sent a maid to guard here early."
"Everyone, please come in quickly. Madam has already ordered the guest rooms to be cleaned up."
There were two separate houses, each with two floors. The first floor was for reception, and the second floor was for three separate bedrooms. It just so happened that Wei Yunlan and her group of six people lived in one house for female guests and one for male guests.
Seeing that there was also a black dog and a white fox coming down from the carriage, the maid was stunned for a moment and said quickly, "There is a small house and cushions built for the young lion in the mansion. I will order someone to move two sets over now."
"That's not necessary. They can live in the same room with me." Wei Yunlan stopped them.
Zou Yun raised his eyebrows with some interest and looked at Su Lie beside him, "Do you still keep lions in your house?"
"Yes!" Su Lie said excitedly, "At the beginning of the year, there was a competition in the palace. My eldest brother won the first prize in the swordsmanship competition. Therefore, my uncle and aunt rewarded us with two lion cubs, one male and one female. We are still raising them at home. When you have a rest, I will take you to see them."
In the Qimeng Kingdom, only the royal family is qualified to raise lions and tigers.
It is an honor for a family to be given a lion by the king and queen personally.
Su Lie excitedly talked about the two lions in the mansion, which made Wei Yunlan and his group look at Hanzhe a few more times in surprise.
I hadn't noticed before that this seemingly "literary" young man actually had some impressive kung fu skills.
"There are only a few people participating in the competition. They are all fancy moves, not real swords and guns on the battlefield. They are nothing." Hanzhe smiled modestly and made a gesture of invitation.
"Please take a rest for a while. We have a welcoming banquet for you tonight."
"You are so polite." After expressing their gratitude, Wei Yunlan and the others returned to the house to pack their bags and change their clothes.
Hanzhe and Su Lie also went back to their rooms.
The two brothers lived in two three-story buildings built next to each other.
There is only a small open space for practicing martial arts in the middle.
Hanzhe reminded in front of the building, "Hurry up and change your clothes. There will be a banquet in the evening. Don't keep the guests waiting for too long."
"Got it." Su Lie nodded in response.
Not long after the two brothers entered their houses, they saw a man and his entourage rushing towards the open space in front of the building.
Before entering the house, he said excitedly: "You brothers have been gone for several months. I am finally looking forward to seeing you back!"
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