Chapter 421: Queen's Moon Festival
"Master, are you worried about the dangers of the young master's journey?" the old butler chose his words carefully. "The young master has mostly escaped danger during his travels abroad over the years, and this time will certainly be no exception. The young master is blessed with good fortune. Anyone who crosses him will only suffer misfortune. Don't worry, Master."
"Don't be so mean to him. Bad luck only happens to other people. But when your young master is with Tianbao, he will just be eaten alive." Bai Kui snorted and laughed, but the annoyance was still in his eyes.
He turned around and sat down on the armchair, looking at the spring scenery outside the hall reflected by the golden light. "Butler, how many years have you worked in the Bai Mansion?"
"It has been thirty years since I returned to my home master. I have been following you since you first came to Fengyun City."
"Thirty years... When I first arrived in Fengyun City, I was just a young man in his twenties. I never expected time to fly by so quickly. In the blink of an eye, I'm already an old man, and my son is almost as old as I was back then."
The old butler bent over and listened, his mind confused. He couldn't figure out what was wrong with the head of the family. Why did he suddenly feel nostalgic about the past?
"Okay, stop standing around here. Go down. I'll be alone for a while."
Bai Kui waved his hand and dismissed the old housekeeper. After a long while, he sighed quietly, saying in an inexplicable tone, "You little brat, you've been causing trouble for your father since he was little."
…
August, mid-autumn.
The temperature remains hot during the day.
Handan Town is a small town outside the Xiling Imperial City.
In the residential buildings on the back street in the east of the town, one can feel the hustle and bustle even though the voices are high and low and cannot be heard clearly through the walls.
"I've been running for so long, I'm almost wilted by the sun. But the people in this town are nice, and the streets and alleys are filled with the fragrance of osmanthus. It's much better than that little fishing village in Longyuan that smells like salted fish." Su Wu had just returned from outside and collapsed on a chair as soon as he entered the door, his summer shirt soaked through.
Xiaomai Sui pinched her nose and ran away to sit. "You stink of sweat! Why didn't you roll in the gutter before coming in to get rid of the smell?"
Su Wen was no better than Su Wu. The three brothers went out together and came back together. "There are women washing clothes and vegetables in the ditch outside our door from morning till night. If we really jump into the ditch to bathe, we will be taken to the government office and charged with molesting decent women. How can we, the upright men of the Su family, bring disgrace upon our family just because of a bad smell?"
Su An laughed, "Everyone, you can only bear with your noses."
"It's okay, it's okay," Du Buqin rubbed the plaster on himself, walking around the main hall while rubbing. The whole hall was immediately filled with a pungent smell. "Who's nose is aggrieved? Come and smell it. Is this smell pungent enough? Grandpa didn't mean to torment you, it's to keep away mosquitoes!"
Bai Xiaofeng, who had just lit the incense burner, was so angry that he wanted to throw it away.
Bing'er ran out of the main room directly, found a shady place at the door, and continued to concentrate on hatching the cocoons.
Bai Yu, who was sitting in the other corner of the main room, had made preparations and stuffed cotton balls into his and Tianbao's nostrils.
Ever since they bought the house and settled down here half a month ago, Grandpa Du and Godfather have been quarreling from time to time. The result of their quarrel is that the younger one suffers.
There is not a day that is not lively.
For example, right now, several people who were on the verge of a fight just now are all holding their stomachs and laughing so hard that they are twisted into knots.
The picture of Tianbao with a dull face and cotton stuffed in his nostrils was so funny that the young and old couldn't help laughing after watching it several times.
Tian Bao's mouth twitched as he continued discussing things. "The day after tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival. The Xiling royal family has a custom of offering sacrifices to the moon before Mid-Autumn Festival. The queen will come to the city tower to celebrate with the people. Let's sneak in and join in the fun."
Du Buqin agreed without hesitation, "That's a good idea! We've been here for half a month and have checked every possible spot nearby, but we haven't been able to find Wen Renjing's lair. Maybe we just went to the wrong place from the beginning, and he set up his lair in the Imperial City!"
"Then it's settled." The strong smell in the main room dissipated a little, and Bai Xiaofeng took out the map of Xiling. The area around the imperial city was full of marks, all of which were the places they had investigated during this period.
Nothing was found.
Bai Xiaofeng's eyes dimmed slightly. Perhaps Du Buqin was right. They had come to the wrong place.
Given Wen Renjing's style of doing things, it is not impossible that he set the production site in the Xiling Imperial City.
"In that case, don't run around for the next two days. Get ready to enter Du'an the day after tomorrow." Bai Yu stretched and leaned back in his chair. "After entering Xiling, there are no wanted posters hanging in the prefectures along the way. It will save us trouble. No need to put on a fake face."
This is what Xiao Mi Sui likes to hear the most. "If there is any emergency the day after tomorrow, I will take the lead! Don't rush in!"
She must show her face!
…
The moon festival is approaching.
The palace servants in Xiling Palace were extremely busy, repeatedly checking and preparing the items needed for the moon sacrifice, fearing that there would be any mistakes or omissions.
Inside Liuyun Hall, Feng Lin finished reading the memorial presented by the Ministry of Rites, closed it, and set it aside. He turned his head to look at Nanny Jin who was waiting beside him, "Are those children still staying in Handan Town?"
Nanny Jin bowed quickly and said, "Yes, I've been here for half a month. I run around everywhere during the day, seemingly aimlessly, as if I'm here to enjoy the scenery."
"If those ministers in the front hall heard what you said, they would laugh at you for being so stupid."
Being teased by the Queen, Nanny Jin looked helpless.
She naturally knew that anyone who could be on the wanted list of nine countries could not be a simple person, but those old and young people just walked around without knowing what was going on, and it looked like they were having fun everywhere.
At least the Xiling spies failed to find out the purpose of their trip.
Feng Lin stood up and walked to the stained glass window, reaching out to push open the half-closed window leaves.
Outside the window, colorful chrysanthemums are in full bloom.
With the windows wide open, the floral scent in the air becomes rich, and mixed with the dryness of the sun, it tickles the nose.
"On the day of the Moon Festival, Luo Yan is in charge of the East City Gate, right? Pass on my order. All citizens entering the city through the East City Gate to celebrate the festival on that day will be allowed to pass as long as they have a legitimate reason. There is no need for strict inspection."
Nanny Jin was startled, then replied with a "yes" and didn't ask anything.
Ever since the empress took the throne, the gates of the Xiling Imperial Capital have been under martial law, and civilians are not allowed to pass through easily. What's more, the gates are only opened once every two weeks.
Anyone who needs to enter or exit for important matters must hold a pass stamped by the government and register before passing through the city gate.
Now the Queen actually spoke personally and made an exception to let those children wanted by the nine countries into the city. This was the first time in history.
In a blink of an eye, it is August 14th.
Countless people from the towns surrounding the imperial city rushed to the capital early in the morning, not only to join in the excitement of the imperial city's moon festival, but also to pay their annual respects to the empress from afar.
Only on this day can the people of Xiling look up to the Empress's face in broad daylight.
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