Meanwhile, Hongli and Hongzhou, accompanied by some guards, left the capital and traveled for seven or eight days, finally approaching Shijiazhuang.
Their journey was not smooth; the guards were afraid of tiring the two pampered princes, so they walked very slowly.
On this day, their carriages finally arrived at Shijiazhuang Prefecture.
Hongzhou parted the carriage curtain a crack and looked out at the prefectural governor's gate not far away. A large group of people were looking around at the gate, and the leader of the group kept asking his wife to adjust his clothes and official hat.
Hongzhou angrily shook off his hand and said, "Didn't we not inform them of the itinerary? How did these people know?"
"I'm afraid they know exactly where we've stopped and which inns we've stayed at. It's already quite low-key that we didn't come to the city gates to greet them with gongs and drums!" Hongli joked.
Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, the Prefect's voice rang out: "This humble official and his entire family respectfully welcome the two princes. You must be tired from your journey." The Prefect and his entourage bowed in greeting, followed by a group of respectful wives and children, making it a very grand occasion.
Hongzhou got off the carriage unhappily, but fortunately Hongli understood and they exchanged pleasantries in return.
Led by the crowd, they passed through the gate and entered the mansion. As soon as they sat down, a servant quickly served tea. Everything seemed to have been rehearsed many times in advance, which made Hongzhou even more displeased and feel that it was fake.
As expected, the prefect bowed with a forced smile, saying, "This humble official has failed in his hospitality and deserves to die. This humble official apologizes to the two princes and hopes for their understanding. This humble official..."
Hongzhou was afraid that the prefect's enthusiasm would delay important matters, so before he could finish speaking, he hurriedly had his attendant bring out the imperial edict, which frightened the prefect into kneeling down to receive the decree.
"Your Excellency, we are here on His Majesty's orders to hold the Thousand Elders Banquet in Shijiazhuang. We are not here for sightseeing, so there's no need for you to be nervous. Please make proper arrangements and summon the Five Perfections Elders to the banquet as soon as possible. Do you understand?" Hongzhou finished speaking and tossed the notice to the Prefect, giving Hongli a wink. Hongli immediately knew that this young man was probably restless and wanted to go out for a stroll.
"Your Majesty, I accept the decree! Long live the Emperor! I will certainly make proper arrangements, Your Highnesses, please rest assured." The Prefect, unaware of his young master's thoughts, glanced at Hongli and Hongzhou, wondering if he had truly neglected something and offended Hongzhou. Trembling, he accepted the decree, sweating profusely. His only thought was to provide them with good food and drink, and absolutely not to neglect them.
Hongli helped the prefect to his feet, saying, "Your Excellency, please rest assured. We are here to deliver a report and also to observe the local customs and culture of Shijiazhuang, so we will not disturb you any longer."
This startled the prefect even more. He wondered if this official visit, ostensibly to observe the people's conditions, was actually a cover for the "official's affairs." He mentally reviewed all the major and minor events that had occurred in Shijiazhuang over the past few years, checking for any oversights. He instructed his maid, "Quickly, prepare wine and dishes to welcome the two princes. Quickly, go and invite the best dancers and singers to entertain them." He then pulled Hongli by the hand to invite him into the house, but fortunately, Hongzhou stopped him in time.
"Wait, Your Excellency, we have urgent business to attend to, so we won't disturb you any longer." With that, she pulled Hongli and prepared to leave.
Before the prefect could react, he pulled Hongli out of the mansion. The prefect and his family chased after him but couldn't catch up. He was so anxious that he kept stamping his feet, "Quickly, send someone to follow them. Please don't let anything go wrong, my little darling!"
Hongzhou led Hongli through the streets, looking left and right, then into a teahouse. Inside, it was bustling with activity. A storyteller was telling a story with great emotion, while some people below were drinking tea or chatting. A waiter was pacing back and forth, and people were clapping and cheering as the story reached its climax.
Hongzhou found an empty seat and sat down, ordering tea for the servant. He composed himself completely. Hongli chuckled, thinking: This is probably why Hongzhou was willing to come all this way with me; he's tired of staying at home and wants to find some fun.
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