Chapter 42 : Palace Banquet

Spring returns to the earth in March, birds sing in the warm sunshine, the breeze brings the fragrance of flowers, look around, see the quietly appearing dots of tender green, sweeping away the withered grey of winter, revealing vibrant vitality.

The emperor suddenly ordered to hold a palace banquet, invited in the capital of the officials above the third grade to participate. The palace is busy again, select the place where the banquet will be held, and then the tables, chairs, food and wine, musicians and dancers should be ready.

Pei Si Yan changed a light green flower dress, ready to enter the palace to participate in the banquet, was about to step out of the threshold of the Shide Xuan, saw away from the light dye walked quickly.

Li Qingye walked close to Pei Si Yan and lowered her voice, "Miss, the things you explained have been prepared."

"Then it's been hard on you." Pei Si Yan laughed and continued to walk outside.

"Miss," Li Qingyan followed, glancing at Yun Shan behind her, "You're going into the palace alone, what should you do if there's danger on the road?"

Pei Siyan patted her beloved subordinate's shoulder with a big grin, "Don't worry, tonight everyone's attention will be focused there ... the emperor is alarmed together, who still has the leisure time to kill me? Besides, am I not bringing a few guards with me? That matter must be done by you for me to be at ease."

Hearing these words, Li Qinghan didn't know how to retort, "Subordinate must do his best to complete the thing Miss explained."

"Hmm." Pei Si Yan smiled again, her eyes narrowed into a slit, her beautiful face resembling a brilliant peach blossom in spring.

Li Qingye was in a trance for a moment, as if the scene in front of her was an illusion that was close at hand, but could not be touched. Even though Miss had smiled several times more than before since she had taken over the position of Witch Pan, he still felt that it seemed illusory.

When had Miss ever lifted the corners of her mouth to reveal such a bright smile before?

"What's wrong with you?" Seeing that Li Qingyan was a bit lost in thought, Pei Si Yan extended his index finger to poke his shoulder.

Li Qingye replied indifferently, "No, nothing, it's getting late, miss please get on your way, be careful on the road."

"You should also be careful." Pei Siyan barked a word of advice and hurried out with Yun Shan.

Lady Yue Luo peeked her head out from behind a door not far away, looking at the matriarch's back, grinning her vermilion lips in an ill-conceived smile.

The palace banquet was held in the imperial garden in an open lawn, the palace people with dozens of screens will be surrounded by the lawn, only empty side of the lake, under the screen is full of all kinds of spring flowers, flower clusters, beautiful purple and red, the fragrance overflowing.

The ground according to the number of people attending the banquet spread out mats, put a low table and drinks, the first case is much larger than the other, depicting the claws of the golden dragon. The centre of the meadow was empty for the juggling performance of the dancing girls.

The emperor had not yet come, the officials who had already arrived gathered by the lake in twos and threes, either excitedly or discreetly discussing the most talked about topics in the court at the moment.

Pei Si Yan greeted a few familiar officials and chatted with Shan Hao, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, before walking along the lakeside in boredom. The afternoon sun was in full bloom and warm, and there was still more than an hour before the Emperor arrived and the banquet started, she yawned and sat down on a stone bench by the lake, leaning against the weeping willow next to her, intending to close her eyes and take a nap for a while.

In the past few days, she had been busy enough - the potential that had been hidden for more than twenty years was now erupting like a volcano, recruiting and collecting evidence against her political enemies outside, and promoting harmony among her clan members inside, as well as pretending to be unconcerned about anything other than her own affairs, which undoubtedly brought even greater mental fatigue.

Fortunately, God favoured us and everything went well.

At night there are more important things, must have a hundred and twenty thousand spirit to see a good show.

Pei Si Yan scratched her hair, turned her head with the intention of seeing who she hadn't greeted yet, and went to bed after that, but this time, she froze, her gaze staring straight at the brocade-clothed youth who was talking to Wuluo under the willow tree not far away.

That youth is about twenty-four or twenty-five years of age, handsome and elegant appearance, eyes black lustre moving, beautifully shaped thin lips hanging on a faint smile, like water tenderness, long black hair down, in the sunlight flooded with silky luster, a light-coloured patterned moonlight white robes is lined with his elegant and dusty, so that those who see it can't move away from the gaze.

Not because the outstanding appearance of the brocade-clothed youth made Pei Si Yan care, with King Hui and Li Qing Dye by her side, beautiful men and what not are already not rare, not to mention that there is also Mo Xuan who is suspected to be even more beautiful than King Hui. What really caught her attention was - this person made her feel very familiar, but how could she not recall where she had seen him, as if separated by a light veil that could never be lifted by her, hazy, not really visible.

Pei Si Yan tilted her head, her brows furrowed, painstakingly searching her mind for when and where she had seen the brocade-clothed youth.

Seeing her master looking strange, Yun Shan searched for her gaze and found that her master was looking at a gentleman, and couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh.

Pei Si Yan heard the movement around her, turned her head to look at her maid and asked, "Yun Shan do you know who he is?"

"That moon white clothed male?" Yun Shan raised her hand and Pei Si Yan hastily smacked her hand, "He is the first line grand duke of the Wuli family, Chi Mo Lou."

"Chi Mo Lou ...," Pei Si Yan muttered and repeated, "So it's him, the heir of the Wu Li."

"Hmm!" The maid nodded, "Good looks, good family lineage, I heard that many young ladies of the gentry and nobles in the imperial capital wish to marry him! Unfortunately, Duke Chi has a very high vision, and has refused quite a few kisses, and over time there have been many bad rumours circulating in the city, and there are even rumours that Duke Chi ... said here, her face reddened, and she didn't quite have the heart to continue.

Pei Siyan was whetting her appetite, hearing Yun Shan not say anything, she was anxious, "Saying what about him?"

Yun Shan stammered for half a day, mosquito humming-like, "Saying that Duke Chi is actually ... a broken sleeve ..."

"Pfft--" Pei Si Yan covered her mouth to desperately hold back her laughter, holding back a red face, muttering in a low voice, "I don't know if Chi Molou is an attacker or a sufferer ... "

"Miss, what did you say?" Yun Shan looked at Pei Si Yan curiously.

"Nothing." After Pei Si Yan suppressed all of her laughter back, she took a deep breath and said with a straight face, "Yun Shan, do you feel that Chi Mo Lou looks a bit familiar? It seems a bit similar to someone I know, but I just can't recall who that person is."

Yun Shan shook her head, "Miss, slave girl doesn't feel that."

"It's clearly the first time I've seen Chi Mo Lou, why would I feel familiar?" Pei Si Yan muttered to herself, "Where exactly have I seen him before?"

Just as Pei Si Yan was racking her brain, over there, Chi Mo Lou seemed to notice that someone was staring at him and looked around, finally his gaze collided with Pei Si Yan.

Out of politeness, Chi Mo Lou smiled kindly.

It was such a pure smile like the bright moon that caused Pei Si Yan to suddenly have a jolt, clear silhouettes of people popping up in her mind, as if that thin veil was being lifted with one hand-

Mo Xuan!

Chi Mo Lou's figure was so similar to Mo Xuan's that if one were to look at the back alone, one could very well be mistaken for the same person.

However, there were quite a few people in the world with similar backs, so one could not conclude that they were the same person based on this alone. Although Mo Xuan was wearing a mask, the feeling she got was different from Chi Mo Lou.

What's more, Mo Xuan's identity was that of the Jiangnan Mo Qi Villa's Young Master, how could he have turned into the Wuli Family's Grand Duke?

Thinking again that it had been a long while since she had met with Mo Xuan, Pei Si Yan's gaze darkened and she let out a light sigh as she sat back down on the stone bench.

Waiting to finish this period of time, must go out with Mo Xuan to have a good time.

Pei Si Yan finished reading her mind and decided to go to sleep, throwing Chi Mo Lou far out of her mind - what did that bastard wu li's wa think of him for?

Out of the corner of his eye, Chi Mo Lou swept Pei Si Yan leaning against the trunk of a tree and closing her eyes, not caring about her side, he continued to talk to Lord Wuluo - today's Palace Banquet, the four great auxiliary ministers are allowed to bring their family members to participate with them.

He respectfully said, "Many thanks for your guidance, my junior has kept it in mind."

"Young Master Chi is a talented man with a great ambition, he will certainly have great things to do when he inherits the throne of Wu Li in the future." Wuluo politely praised, for the recent too frequent contact of the Wu Li clan compared to the previous, let him feel doubtful, but it is not good to open his mouth to ask, can only be pressed on time in the bottom of his heart.

"Your honour's praise makes the late generation ashamed," Chi Mo Lou slightly owed his body, "the late generation will go to father's place, first leave."

"Good."

Chi Mo Lou took two steps back, turned around, took another look at the lake, and hurriedly walked away.

An hour later, the Emperor arrived, and everyone knelt down to salute. When the emperor took his seat on the main seat and said, "No need to salute, level up," the officials then got up and took their seats in order according to the size of their official positions.

"Spring is in full bloom, a hundred flowers blossom, it is the perfect time of the year to enjoy the scenery," the emperor spoke, his complexion looked much better than a few days ago, and his voice was much louder, "so I am hosting a banquet today to thank you all for your dedication to assisting me for so many years. Then ... "The emperor raised the wine cup in front of him, and the people also picked up their cups, "No need to take into account the rituals of kings and ministers, don't get drunk and don't return!" After saying that, he drank the wine in one go.

"Long live the emperor, long live the emperor!" The officials shouted in unison and drank the wine in their cups.

The Emperor passed a wink to Eunuch Qian, who high-fived several times, and the sound of pleasant silk and bamboo sounded just after the applause, followed by dancing girls in colourful clothes coming in style, their long sleeves fluttering like a gorgeous rainbow, dancing like a butterfly as if they were going to ride on the wind, and looking intoxicated at the people present.

Pei Si Yan supported her head with her hands and watched in boredom, but in her heart, she was eagerly looking forward to the good show in the evening.

The emperor leaned back on the cushion, seemingly concentrating on the dance, but in fact, he was surveying the officials present, their every move, a look and a smile caught in his eyes, without letting go.

Dance and juggling were staged one after another, exquisite delicacies were layered on the table, the aroma of wine filled the air, and the atmosphere at the banquet became more and more lively, with the officials laughing and joking, toasting each other, or offering beautiful words to the emperor.

When the sky darkened, the palace people lit candles and fire pots, and the lawn was as bright as day.

When the sky was completely dark, the jewel-like stars accompanied by the bright moon decorated the night above, the palace people laughed and lit fireworks on the other side of the lake, accompanied by an explosion, the sky bloomed with a colourful flower, the colourful light reflected people's uplifted faces.

Both the officials and the palace people excitedly pointed to the magnificent scene in the sky and discussed.

The Emperor did not move and drank slowly, his eyes still observing the people present.

The banquet finally ends in a pleasant atmosphere, after the Emperor rises to return to his chambers, the drunken officials walk towards the palace gates one after another and then say goodbye to each other.

Pei Si Yan intentionally lagged behind the last, following behind Wuluo out of the palace gates. At this time there weren't many people left at the palace gate, she didn't get on her own sedan chair, but continued to follow on foot, like a thief, keeping a certain distance, carefully hiding in the shadows, not letting anyone find out.

Wuluo sat in the palanquin, pondering something, today he only drank two or three glasses of wine, so his mind was still clear.

Late at night on the Imperial Capital's main street, quiet and cold, a few pedestrians shrank their heads and walked by silently. However a change suddenly occurred at this moment!