The last bit of firework fell, and a light blue smoke filled the sky above the entire Yue River.
The ceremony was nearing its end, and the emperor and his ceremonial officials retreated to their seats on the high platform.
The lights on the high platform flickered, and countless palace maids entered, holding lanterns, illuminating the square and circular altar in the center. Actors wearing wooden masks and colorful feathered robes then entered and took their places in the circle. Musicians sat in a square pool outside the circle, playing drums, flutes, large 竽 (large 竽), and gourd sheng (pao sheng), setting the stage for the upcoming Nuo opera.
Nuo opera was a dance performed at ancient rituals to show gods expelling plague demons. Nowadays, with the choreography and performance, most of them have some plots, making them a very entertaining royal dance drama.
Today, Nuo opera serves as the finale of the ceremony and is also the signal for all officials to take their seats.
The civil and military officials waiting on the stone boats on both sides of the platform moved towards the platform one after another, but Xiao Nanhui, who was hiding in the box of Tingfeng Tower, did not want to move.
According to the original plan, she and Xiao Zhun should have had their fill of food and drink by now, and followed the crowd up to the platform.
Throwing the empty wine jar aside with his left hand, Xiao Nanhui grabbed a handful of candied peanuts and reminded himself that after eating this handful, he would have to go downstairs immediately, right away, without any delay, to meet up with everyone on the platform.
The banquet for officials must have at least dozens of people, if not hundreds. At a glance, it would be hard to tell who was who. But the seats were assigned to designated seats. If she didn't go, there would be a gap in the table for the emperor, and if the emperor really got serious, she would be in trouble.
Xiao Nanhui's hand that was pinching the peanuts paused, and she suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. She propped up one hand and looked at the high platform on the river through the gap in the window frame.
There was about ten feet between them, and the space between them was filled with a noisy crowd, but she still saw him at a glance.
The lights on the entire altar surrounded him. He changed into a moon-white dress and wore a swaying nine-feathered crown on his head. He sat on the ground on the embroidered silk carpet in the middle. A huge vine and spiral pattern spread out from under him, like a huge firework blooming on the ground.
The green smoke in the air had not yet dissipated, but Xiao Nanhui felt that she could almost see a subtle expression on the other person's face and a glance with undercurrents.
She couldn't take her eyes off him for a moment, and when she finally turned her gaze slightly away, she noticed the person sitting next to him.
She was a dark-haired beauty, her face veiled by a pearl curtain. Like him, she wore a moon-white gown. When she nodded, a patch of skin connecting her neck and chest revealed a dazzling whiteness. She sat quietly beside the emperor, like a white swan clinging to a lotus.
The peanuts that Xiao Nanhui was holding between his fingertips had broken into pieces without him noticing.
She had grown accustomed to seeing Ding Weixiang by his side, but had almost never seen a woman by his side. Over time, she had forgotten that his status as an emperor meant he should be surrounded by flowers and butterflies.
But for some reason, I suddenly felt a little depressed.
The experience of that night in the palace suddenly flashed before Xiao Nanhui's eyes. He stood up with a "whoosh", staggered back half a step, and accidentally bumped into the table behind him.
The newly placed plum vase on the table fell down and shattered with a "bang".
Staring at the mess on the ground, Xiao Nanhui was stunned for a moment and couldn't come back to his senses.
She slowly raised one hand and patted her chest. Her heart was still beating well, but it seemed a little strange, as if it was sick.
The sound of footsteps outside the room interrupted her thoughts.
She thought that it was the servant from Tingfeng Tower who heard the noise and came to investigate. She was feeling embarrassed about how to explain it and was also worried about the high price of the plum vase when the servant's voice was heard outside the door.
"Sir, a guest wants to see you. Is it possible for the guest to come?"
Xiao Nanhui was stunned, and there was a moment of silence in the room.
Is it Xiao Zhun?
Isn’t he... not coming?
In the distance, the sound of actors singing came from the river. The play was going on: "From now on, I have no desire to love the beautiful night, let the bright moon go down to the west tower..."
She suddenly felt a little overwhelmed and didn't know how to face the person standing outside the door.
The servant didn't get a response for a long time and was about to take his men away when Xiao Nanhui quickly spoke.
"Come in."
The servant agreed and lifted the bamboo curtain outside the room for the man.
After a rustling sound of clothes rubbing against each other, there was the sound of soft shoes stepping on wooden boards.
Strangely, the sound sounded short and didn't sound like Xiao Zhun's footsteps.
"Xiao Nanhui."
The woman's voice sounded through the screen. The next second, a slender shadow appeared on the screen. The shadow walked around the pillar and came out from the darkness. It was Bai Yun in a linen robe.
"He won't come. I'm the one looking for you tonight."
The woman walked into the light, with faint traces of blood on her body. It was unclear whether it was her own or someone else's. Only her eyes reflected the light outside the window, as if there was a flame burning in them.
Xiao Nanhui couldn't hide his shock. He looked down and found that the shackles on the other person's feet were gone. His alarm bells rang loudly: "How did you get out?!"
Bai Yun had no intention of hiding it from her, so he raised his hand and pulled out the hairpin made of a dead plum branch from his hair.
Only then did Xiao Nanhui discover that the part of the hairpin hidden in the black hair was carefully carved into the shape of a key.
"They knew my abilities, so they confiscated all the copper and iron I had. It took me some time to grind the wood into shape, but only today did I realize it worked."
Xiao Nan looked back at the thin but terrifying plum branch, as if he was looking at the weak but frightening woman in front of him.
Her appearance in the villa yesterday was an accident, but in that brief moment, Bai Yun had figured out a way to take advantage of her empathy and easily tricked her.
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