Empress Zhaoyuan untied Yun Duoduo's hair bun, recombed it, and put on a new hairpin. After a series of complicated procedures, the ceremony was considered complete.
After her coming-of-age ceremony, Yun Duoduo dragged her tired body back to Fushuang Palace.
As the saying goes, if you don't take a nap at noon, you'll be slacking off in the afternoon.
She needs to catch up on a nap so she'll have the energy to deal with all the weirdos and monsters that night and have a good time at her coming-of-age ceremony.
...
It was late afternoon, but it wasn't completely dark yet.
The ministers, carrying prepared gifts, chose to walk through the snow from their residences, which were closer to the palace. Their footsteps crunched underfoot.
The ministers either traveled to the palace in sedan chairs in groups of three or five, or set off alone from their residences with their families.
The carriage wheels left tracks on the snow, making a rolling sound.
Upon arriving at the palace gate, the ministers, carrying beautifully wrapped gifts and accompanied by their families, greeted each other as they walked inside.
"Lord Zhen? Is that you?"
Jiang Shi, the Vice Minister of Rites, called out to one of the people in front of him.
The man turned around, and the Vice Minister of Rites recognized him as none other than the former Grand Historian Zhen.
Zhen Taishi was not tall, with small eyes, a hooked nose, thin lips, and a round belly, which made him waddle when he walked.
More than a decade ago, at that New Year's Eve banquet, Yunbei asked Jiang Shi, the Vice Minister of Rites, about the Wusun.
Back then, when refugees from Wusun forcibly crossed the border, they were stopped by the Zhenbei Army, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
At that time, the Imperial Historian Zhen used the pretext of Wusun to slander Yun Duoduo, accusing her of being extravagant and wasting a lot of money.
He also said that if the money were given to Wusun, it would definitely solve Wusun's predicament.
They even said that Yun Duoduo was a jinx and would bring misfortune to Nanyang.
Later, the Empress Dowager got angry and suspended Zhen Taishi from his post. For many years, he was kept at home to recuperate, and naturally, he did not receive any salary.
That incident also implicated Jiang Shi, the Vice Minister of Rites, causing him to harbor great resentment towards Zhen Taishi.
"Oh, Lord Zhen, it really is you!" The Vice Minister of Rites laughed warmly.
"I knew it! I saw this cloak of yours on New Year's Eve more than ten years ago."
"This magnificent brocade robe, black cloak, and fox fur hat—Lord Zhen is truly frugal!"
The Vice Minister of Rites secretly mocked him, saying that because he had offended the Ninth Princess, he had been unemployed at home for many years without receiving a salary, and had been wearing the same overcoat for more than ten years.
"I've been wearing the same clothes for over ten years."
The Minister of Rites reached out and gently touched the fur collar of Grand Historian Zhen's outer garment, then put his hand to his nose and smelled it, revealing an expression of disgust.
"Lord Zhen, these clothes can last for ten or eight years without any problem. The key is that we need to wash them frequently!"
Hearing Jiang Shi's sarcastic tone, Zhen Taishi felt embarrassed: "What do you mean?! What's wrong with me wearing my old clothes? Who do you think you are?! I only came because I received an invitation!"
Zhen Taishi glared at Jiang Shi, who was Consort Chen's brother. It was only through Consort Chen's secret help that he was able to attend the coming-of-age ceremony, hoping that Yun Beiye would remember him and reinstate him.
Zhen Taishi left after saying a few words. Today was an important day, and he didn't want to cause any trouble.
...
At the other palace gate, an old man with gray hair and good spirits led a handsome young man carrying a red spear into the palace.
Xue Guangjin was already very familiar with the palace layout and could find Anqing Hall without the help of palace maids or eunuchs.
He had attended countless royal banquets.
He stood very straight and looked quite robust.
The boy behind him wore a silver-white long-sleeved shirt, a jade belt around his waist, and his hair was tied up with a feather crown. He looked upright and his eyes were bright.
Ouch!
The grandfather and grandson were walking on the palace road when suddenly Xue Deyi felt a piercing pain in the heel of his right foot.
"Ouch!" His heel was stepped on.
"Hey! Are you blind?!" Xue Deyi bent down and touched his heel in annoyance.
"The palace is so big, and the roads are so wide, why do you have to step on my feet!" Xue Deyi turned around and saw a girl who looked to be in her teens.
Jin Jinzhi's cousin, Xun Beirui, was a little flustered. She was talking to the maid behind her when she accidentally bumped into Xue Deyi in front of her and stepped on his foot.
"Miss, are you alright?" Xun Beirui's maid looked at Xun Beirui anxiously, checking her up and down to see if she was injured.
"What could possibly happen to your young lady?! She stepped on my foot!" Xue Deyi roared angrily.
Xun Beirui was about to apologize when she saw how rude and arrogant this person was, and she couldn't suppress her anger.
"I just stepped on your foot, why are you so angry?!"
"What are you yelling about?!"
Xun Beirui pulled the maid, who was about to burst into tears from being yelled at, behind her.
This guy has such a face, yet he's so petty and narrow-minded.
"I didn't do it on purpose."
"Who knew you would stop walking instead of taking the right path? What's so interesting about that? You've never seen the world before."
"sorry!!"
After saying that, Xun Beirui glared at Xue Deyi and left.
Xun Beirui angrily clutched the handkerchief in her hand and hurried away, muttering to herself as she went, "Coming to pay respects to the princess's coming-of-age ceremony with a red spear, does she really think she's the reincarnation of Nezha?!"
"I really don't know where this country butcher came from."
"you!"
Hearing the girl's mockery, Xue Deyi's chest heaved with anger. Watching the girl's departing figure, he pointed at her and shook his head helplessly.
Xue Guangjin found the child amusing and laughed heartily: "How smug! I told you at home that you didn't need to bring this spear. Although His Majesty is kind and benevolent and allows the sons of the Xue family to bring weapons to the imperial court, tonight is a banquet, and this Red Hero Spear is probably not needed."
"Grandfather!" Xue Deyi's voice took several turns, as if he were pleading.
"This red spear has always been with me. How could I not bring it on such a good day?" Xue Deyi lovingly stroked his spear.
Xue Guangjin ignored him and strode inside.
Xue Deyi rubbed his heels and followed Xue Guangjin further inside, thinking about the girl from earlier.
"I wonder whose daughter she is."
"That's really ill-mannered."
"She's so fierce, anyone who marries her will be incredibly unlucky."
Reaching the entrance of Anqing Palace, he saw Xiao Jinyu standing guard. Xue Deyi put his hand on Xiao Jinyu's shoulder, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Little goldfish, on guard duty!"
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