Chapter 134: Staying up all year, Baoguo Temple
It is bound to be boring for two people to celebrate the festival together. It is more lively when there are more people chattering.
If Doukou and others knew that in the eyes of the prince they were only responsible for chattering, they would probably be unwilling to stay in the house.
After getting the prince's consent, Fuling was suddenly overjoyed. She jumped out of the house like a little leopard and hurried to the ear room to call for help.
"Bring more tea and fruit!" Xu Zhao shouted from behind, not knowing whether Fuling heard him or not.
Doukou calmly went to pick up the playing cards that she had put away in the morning. No one knew that she was also very excited at the moment.
Fuling led the remaining maids into the first floor of the main house, and the house suddenly became lively. Xu Zhao, Shen Yu's family, Doukou, Fuling, Nanxing and Zhu Yu were all together, and they fought in groups of two, taking turns.
As for the remaining three people who were not as interested in playing, they sat together, cutting red paper with scissors, occasionally taking a bite of oranges, and muttering about what happened in the past year.
The new year arrives with the sound of cards.
Doukou and Nanxing put down the playing cards in their hands, and led the other four to suddenly salute, "I wish the prince and Miss Xu a peaceful new year and eternal happiness!"
"Reward!" Shen Yu was so happy that he rewarded the maid who was so considerate.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, Miss Xu!"
Several maids stood up, said goodbye, and skipped out of the main room, not continuing the card game they had just finished.
Before Xu Zhao could call people back to continue, the cards in his hand were taken away by Chen Yu. He threw the cards casually on the table and the maids would come to pick them up after daybreak.
He took out a brocade box and pushed it in front of Xu Zhao. "This is the white jade mandarin duck jade pendant that His Majesty gave me today. How about you and I each wear one?"
After Xu Zhao took it, he opened it, took out one of them at random, and tied it directly around Chen Yu's waist, then took out another one and tied it around his own waist, showing his attitude once again.
"I like it very much." She smiled faintly at Shen Yu.
She played with the jade pendant around her waist, which was delicate and smooth, and stroked the mandarin duck pattern on it.
Although later studies have shown that mandarin ducks are not loyal birds, they were indeed a symbol of love in ancient times.
After midnight, the New Year's Eve celebration was over. Chen Yu saw that Xu Zhao was so sleepy that he yawned several times, so he didn't bother him any more. "It's getting late. You should go to bed early. I'll take a rest these few days and take you around."
In order to allow officials to have a good rest during the New Year in Yue Kingdom, all officials were given seven days off and could not go to court until the eighth day of the first lunar month.
"I heard that Yueguo will go to the temple to worship Buddha and burn incense on the second day of the Lunar New Year. The imperial concubine asked me to go with her. Why don't we go together?"
"Okay, I'll be ready by then, you just need to dress warmly." Chen Yu touched Xu Zhao's hand, which was not as cold as before, so he reminded him, "Remember to take the medicine. I feel your hand is warmer now than before."
"knew!"
It's true that the imperial physician is a master of traditional Chinese medicine. After taking a few doses of medicine, she clearly felt that her body was much warmer than usual.
After she goes back, she must go get some more!
Xu Zhao yawned, she was really sleepy, she pushed Shen Yu's back and pushed him out of the main room.
The candles in the bedroom on the second floor were still on. After she blew out the candles on the first floor, she quickly went to the second floor, took off her clothes, blew out the candles, quickly lay down in bed, and fell asleep.
On the first day of the new year, I visited relatives and friends, but Chen Yu had been at the border for many years and basically had no friends in the imperial city. As for relatives, the oldest one was Emperor Showa, but I had already met him yesterday, so I didn't bother him. As for the others, I rarely visited them over the years, so naturally I didn't have any contact with them.
The palace of Prince Anding was quiet. Chen Yu thought that there was nothing to do in the palace today, so he gave the servants who lived in the imperial city a day off and let them go home to reunite with their families. This day passed quickly.
On the second day of the first lunar month, because the two masters were going to Baoguo Temple to burn incense, the mansion began to pack up early, prepare breakfast for the journey, and also prepare some offerings.
Rumor has it that the birthday of the Moon Goddess is on the second day of the first lunar month. Many temples in the imperial city worship the Moon Goddess, so on this day, all the people in the Moon Kingdom will go to the temples to pray and burn incense, hoping that the Moon Goddess will bless them with peace and success in the new year.
Then the temples on this day are destined to be the busiest in the entire year, with a large number of people flocking into the temples, which can easily cause congestion and stampedes.
Because there was a stampede one year in which many people were injured, His Majesty was furious. Every year since then, the Street Department would arrange people to maintain order in major temples.
If they encountered troublemakers, they would be directly arrested and thrown into the government jail. By the time they were released, the year would have already passed. This would be a loss, so the people were willing to wait in line honestly and patiently, even if they had to wait a little longer.
The Baoguo Temple that Su Yao invited Xu Zhao to go to this time was only open to the royal family, officials above the fifth rank, and their families on that day. Compared with other temples, there were slightly fewer people.
Xu Zhao and the imperial concubine agreed to meet at the gate of Baoguo Temple at the beginning of the 9th hour.
Baoguo Temple is the most popular temple in the imperial city and the surrounding areas. Because it receives royal family members and officials of all ranks on certain special days, the temple is built in a more magnificent style than ordinary temples.
Even the road leading up the mountain to the temple was built to be exceptionally wide and smooth, making it convenient for horse-drawn carriages to go up the mountain.
However, Baoguo Temple was some distance away from Xingdaofang where the Anding Palace was located. The two of them were already in the carriage at noon and rushed to Baoguo Temple.
When we arrived outside the temple, the air on the mountain was fresh and we could hear faint Buddhist chants. It was the 9th hour of the lunar calendar and we heard the sound of "dong dong dong" from the temple. Hearing it, we instantly felt all the fatigue from sitting in the carriage all the way disappear.
The timing was just right. Chen Yu took Xu Zhao's hand and got off the carriage. Not far away, the imperial concubine's carriage happened to stop on the side.
The head maid in the carriage lifted the curtain and walked out first. Seeing Xu Zhao and Prince Anding, she said to the people in the carriage, "Your Majesty, Prince Anding and Miss Xu have arrived."
The senior palace maid stretched her hand inside, and a white hand quickly rested on her hand. Su Yao stuck her head out and quickly got off the carriage.
Chen Yu and Xu Zhao stepped forward and saluted, "Greetings, Her Majesty the Imperial Concubine."
"No need to be so polite, Chaoxi, let's go in."
Su Yao was surprised that Chen Yu would come along this time. It seemed that he was still worried about her.
As soon as the abbot of Baoguo Temple received the news that the imperial concubine was coming, he sent a young monk to receive her. Su Yao and Xu Zhao went straight to the Moon Goddess Temple in Baoguo Temple, and they happened to meet the young monk who came to receive them on the way.
The imperial concubine would come to Baoguo Temple every year to burn incense and pray for blessings. The monks in the temple all remembered her face to avoid offending her.
"I am Mingde, the monk, and I am honored to meet the Imperial Concubine," the monk Mingde said with a Buddhist greeting, "Please follow me, donors."
Mingde led everyone to the Moon Temple.
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