Chapter 79 Attending the Wedding Banquet
"Your Highness, how about I take some people to the Duke's Mansion?" Xuanfeng asked.
Since you are not sure, why not find a reason to go to the Duke of Jin's Mansion and take a look? Then the truth will be revealed.
After a moment, a low, ambiguous laugh came from the leader: "No hurry, lead a team of troops to gather at the city gate at dawn tomorrow."
Tomorrow is the wedding banquet for the Huo and Chu families, and the Duke of Jin will definitely be in attendance. Is Ah Li doing this because she's afraid of running into him at the banquet? Since she enjoys playing cat and mouse, then he'll play along.
Xuanfeng didn't understand why His Royal Highness the Crown Prince did this, but looking at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's expression, he knew that Miss Ali was in trouble this time.
…
The next day is extremely auspicious and suitable for getting married, praying for blessings, and traveling.
In the backyard of the Duke's Mansion, servants wrapped in thin jackets were sweeping up fallen leaves. Hongju walked through the curved corridor and hurried towards Zhilan Garden.
Behind the carved window, beside the soft couch, a young girl, wearing a light lotus-colored jacket, absentmindedly drank bird's nest. When she heard footsteps at the door, she immediately turned around and asked eagerly, "How is it?"
Facing her young lady's expectant gaze, the breathless Hong Ju took two breaths and said, "Young lady, I sent someone to check. Just after the hour of Mao, the Crown Prince personally led a group of troops out of the East City Gate. At their speed, they should be almost at Yunhe Ferry by now."
The dull girl's smile brightened upon hearing the news. She had been unable to eat just now, but now she finished the bird's nest in two gulps. She walked a few steps to sit in front of the bronze mirror and said cheerfully, "Quick, help me wash up."
After changing clothes and dressing up, it was almost noon.
Song Lingyi wanted to go to the next courtyard to look for Lu Yu. As soon as she stepped out of the gate of Zhilan Garden, she saw Lu Qian standing not far away.
In the bright autumn light, the young man in brocade robe leaned against the corridor pillar, staring at the girl with his pair of auspicious phoenix eyes.
ill.
The girl complained in her heart and walked to the other side.
But before she took a few steps, a swift black shadow suddenly climbed over the railing and jumped in front of her, scaring her so much that she shrank back.
"Are you going to the wedding banquet?" Lu Qian frowned.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will most likely attend the wedding banquet tonight. Isn’t that little girl afraid of being discovered?
The girl was in a good mood when she learned that someone had left Beijing, and she looked more friendly towards Lu Qian.
"Why don't you go to your best friend's wedding?"
Lu Qian narrowed his eyes and said hesitantly, "Did you take the wrong medicine?"
"I don't want to talk to you." Song Lingyi rolled her eyes, walked around him and continued walking forward.
Lu Qian was stunned for two breaths, then followed, pretending to be relaxed and said, "Huo Wenxuan is getting married today. Even General Huo has rushed to Kyoto from the north. With such a big event, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince might be there too..."
Before he finished speaking, Song Lingyi tilted her head and gave him a mysterious smile: "Your Highness the Crown Prince will not attend the wedding banquet."
Lu Qian sensed something was wrong and narrowed his eyes slightly: "How did you know?"
“…I guessed~”
Looking at the girl's cheerful back as she jumped up and down, Lu Qian fell into deep thought.
It is impossible for the prince to miss the wedding banquet for no reason, but the girl's fearless look does not seem to be fake. Could she have done something behind the scenes?
When the time was almost up, a carriage with a flag bearing the Chinese character "Jin" rumbled towards the Chu residence. Phoenix Street was as bustling and prosperous as ever.
At that time, the Chu Mansion was already crowded with guests.
For this kind of banquet, the closer the relationship, the earlier the guests arrive. The Chu family had a friendship with the Duke of Jin, but not as close as the Pei family, so the Duke and his wife arrived neither too early nor too late, just in time to see the wedding guard set off.
The triumphant groom wore a red robe, and many of his friends and peers came to help him welcome the bride. They were all famous scholars and talented people in the city. They wore red and decorated themselves with colorful ornaments, beat gongs and drums along the way, and it was a very grand and lively occasion.
It was Song Lingyi's first time attending such a luxurious wedding with ancient style and charm. She was very excited. As soon as she got off the carriage, she pulled Lu Yu into the crowd, but she didn't know that someone was paying attention to them in the attic along the street.
Xuanfeng stood behind the carved window, his gaze constantly scanning the crowd until he finally locked onto the lake-colored figure. His expression froze, and he turned to look at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who was sitting at the chess table.
"Your Highness, as you expected, the person has arrived."
The atmosphere in the elegant room was as tense as a fully drawn bowstring. The figure in the smoky black robe slowly landed, then stood up and walked to the window.
The long street was crowded with people and noisy.
Xiao Mingyi locked onto the girl's position almost at first sight. After not seeing her for a few months, the girl had lost her former simplicity. Her hair was disheveled, and she was as beautiful as a peach and plum, with a smile as bright as a summer flower.
"Cousin, let's go in quickly."
Lu Yu gently tugged at Song Lingyi's arm. The wedding guard had all left, and there was nothing left to see.
Song Lingyi responded with a smile. The moment she turned around, she suddenly felt a chill on her back and a strange and dangerous feeling suddenly arose in her heart.
She suddenly turned around and looked at the row of attics across the street.
The warm sun cast a large shadow under the attic eaves, almost covering the entire row of upper floors.
In the backlight, there was a tall figure standing behind the window, his entire face hidden in the shadows, looking down at her, as if he was always staring in her direction.
At a distance that was neither far nor near, a pair of bright and narrow phoenix eyes appeared in Song Lingyi's mind, and she was suddenly startled.
impossible!
Someone saw Xiao Mingyi leaving Kyoto with their own eyes, it couldn't be him.
As if wanting to confirm it again, she closed her eyes and looked up again. Just as she was about to take a closer look, she heard Lu Yu's voice.
"Cousin, what are you looking at?"
Song Lingyi's heart sank and she shook her head: "Nothing, let's go in quickly."
The two women entered the Chu Mansion together, and the servants led them to the pavilion in the backyard.
Before the wedding banquet officially began, the guests were either playing tou hu (throwing pots) or cuju (cuju), or playing backgammon. Most of the unmarried women in the family gathered in the pavilion to chat.
As soon as she entered the building, Song Lingyi felt the gazes coming from all directions.
She took a quick look and found that most of the noble ladies sitting in the balcony were familiar faces. She frowned and covered her belly and muttered, "Cousin, my stomach hurts. You go in first."
"Ah? Is it serious? Do I need to see a doctor?" Lu Yu was confused.
"Need not!"
"I'm just taking a walk. I'll be fine in a while." The girl pretended to be uncomfortable and turned to leave.
"Song Lingyi, stop!"
A rude and cold shout came from behind.
The girl's body stiffened, her eyes grew colder, and she turned back to look at Wang Jin, her tone frivolous: "What can I do for you?"
Wang Jin said loudly, "I heard that you and Pei Erlang are discussing marriage? You either stayed at home or worshipped Buddha in the mountains for a while, and now you're discussing marriage all of a sudden? You're really capable."
During the banquet, the noble ladies looked at Song Lingyi with sarcasm, contempt, and anger.
Lu Qian had said something similar, but Song Lingyi knew the difference. Lu Qian didn't look down on her or think she wasn't worthy of Pei Zhao; he was simply angry that she was engaged to his sworn enemy.
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